potatomato.blog: San Francisco Part 1

« Scala Bistro (San Fransico: Union Square) | Main | Pork Store Cafe (San Fransico: Haight) »

Aug 10

San Francisco Part 1

Travel

We took shuttle bus --> Bart (Bart=train+subway) to Union Square (Downtown San Francisco) and Taxi --> to our hotel. Our hotel located in Nob Hill, an upscale, formal hilly area that's known for old landmark luxury hotels. We booked our room from Priceline.com that let you bid your price. Due to such service, they gave us a "non-room" ^^;;; It's a beautiful room full of fake anitque furnitures with very nice city view. But it's just the living room part of a suite room, there's no bed! There's only a small and uncomfortable folding spring bed and the sofa bed (even worst). We had to make an extra bed out of the sofa's cushions. ^^;; 2nd pix is view from our hotel room, overlooking the foggy city.

We walked a lot, the public transportation is very convinient and we tried riding on everything! We mostly take bus and cab (very cheap since there're four of us). First day we woke up very early and walked downhill to Union square. Can't find the supposedly really good breakfasts place called Daly's -_-;;; so we proceed to walk toward Haight. We got tired when we started climbing uphill, so we took a bus. There are so many unqiue pretty houses on the way. Can't help snapping pictures.

Haight used to be a hippie mecca during the 60s. There're tribute to Jerry Garcia and other 60s rock icons at the area. Now it's hip area full of boutique, vintage store, cool cafes and restaurants. Sorta like the Melrose of LA (IMO way better than Melrose). Amoeba and Kidrobot located here too. We did some shopping here. Grace and Vero bought the same sunglasses (very cool one btw) at the same store! ^o^ We were too busy shopping and forgot to take picture...

Being a tourist of course we have to try the cable car. We took it from Union Square up to our hotel. It cost $3 per person! sheessh~~ It's quite scary when it goes uphill, people all stumbling into each other.

This is is taken at Marina, it's a bay area with a nice ocean view and park. We saw a roll of these workers riding in those dumb looking Segway. They're stupid enough by itself, so imagine so many of them in roll!

Observation in general:
We underdressed! The weather is very cold...freezing to the bone chill without sun, even with sunlight it's still chilly. The cloud on the sky blew by the wind in high speed as if like time lapses.

The city is very historical (1800s- early 1900s bulidings) and cultural (especially of 60s). Hence most public bathrooms or in restaurants were pretty...errrr ^^;; Most buses have a faint urine stink inside.

LOTS and lots of European tourist at Union Square...hmm...

Food are generally better.

Unlike LA where most cafe/restaurant are 'sandwich-centric' menu, SF's restaurant have less sandwich centric menu.

The Bart trains reminded me of Tokyo's trains. Though because of its dirty carpet and clothed seats, the train smells old.

We took JetBlue flight, less than a hour. It's our first time riding JetBlue and it was indeed a very pleasant experience. They fly on-time, seats are bigger and roomier, variety of good snacks (no lame peanuts or prestel!). There's individual screen with 36 cable channels (the entire cabin was roaring with laughters when South Park was on ^^;;).

Joan | August 10, 2005 01:09 PM

Comments:

Oh-oh my hair will be a mess, utter nightmare~~ T__T
I read about this oil treatment you can do at home, lemme try (it's the miracle of olive oil again!) I hope it'd work~~ It's so high maintenance to have curls~ (I love it though)

Freda | August 13, 2005 06:59 AM

>>oh seat, I was traumatized cuz my perm job during highschool was such a disaster too!
but perm technology has improved so much since then, I was really impressed when I permed my hair couple years ago ^o^

oh, my current hairstyle, I had to cut off my hair due to my sickness +_+;;

>>freda I remember i couldn't manage my hair without the hair wax I got from chez moi--made my hair look like it was frizzy on purpose (without it, it was just plain frizzy)
also for shampoo/treatment I used Luxe (available from mitsuwa).
but ultimately, nothing really worked ;_;
in the end it was miserable, like dreadlocks!

tomoko | August 12, 2005 10:15 PM

Is that why you cut your hair so short now? To get rid of the damaged hair? But I think you look really cool and trendy in super short hair!

So perm/colour are okay to do separately but definitely not at the same time huh. I think I have only ever permed my hair once when I was a kid...and it was a diaster so I never did it again. ^^;;;

seat | August 12, 2005 04:50 PM

oh no freda did you perm/color at the same time?!!

I used to do it and the stylist would assure me it won't damage my hair -_-;;
but it does irrepairable damage!! ；_；。。

after I got back here, I got scolded ( and laughed at) by the stylists for damaging my hair so much...-_-#

tomoko | August 12, 2005 03:30 PM

Yeah there're far less franchise in SF generally than in LA. Far less shopping mall too. Some shops in Haight are just same as LA, like Stussy, Kidrobot and Amoeba...but I think their clothes have better "items"...dunno why ^^;;;

Oh if you sit in front at taxi the view is scary~~~ Some cab drivers drove so fast, and some of the hills are very steep...it's like rollarcoaster

Freda | August 12, 2005 09:20 AM

Yeah my hair is permed...and badly damaged! :( Do you remember what hair care you used when you permed it? I only have a hair treatment thing to use after washing hair.

Freda | August 12, 2005 09:18 AM

nice to see you guy's new hairstyles!
joan I like your mushroomy look ^_^
is fredas hair permed?
and I like grace's long hair too! ^o^

tomoko | August 11, 2005 05:18 PM

Wow, the room looks so nice!! But no bed!! ^^;;;; Did you book it knowing that you have to sleep in sofa-bed?

Does Haight have different shops from L.A.?? Is it less franchise in SF?

Oh I remember that cable car(tram?)! I have ridden that before! The view is stunning when it goes downhill I remember.

What is that Segway for? Lazy to walk?

Hey, public transport is bound to have that urine/alcohol/puke smell....