Where we Stayed: Since Petar is working out in San Francisco, we had to stay in the Marriott Marquis on Mission Street. While, these huge hotels aren’t exactly my thing, it was a great location and had all the amenities you could think of. Not to mention, Marriott took fabulous care of us. Rooms run about $350 a night and the hotel is steps away from shopping and Whole Foods.
What we Ate: We took tons of recommendations on restaurants before I left and ended up going to quite a few of them. We checked out Delfina Restaurant for Italian fare- you must order their foie gras and their roasted chicken was delicious! Umami had melt-in-your-mouth sushi and small-plated Japanese dishes. The interior and ambiance was on point and definitely one of my favorite meals of the trip. We didn’t get to Gracias Madre which was high-priority on my list, but we did manage to try out Mamacita for South of the border flavors. The guacamole was delicious and their Sopa Azteca was out of this world. Will try to find a recipe to recreate. I ordered their chilaquiles appetizer and this is most definitely a dish for two. The sauce and heat was so good!
What we Did: We were nonapologetically tourists and made sure to check out most of the main sites. A visit to the Golden Gate was standard and we took in the view from Fort Point {which also has parking}. We made sure to drive across the bridge and get a completely different angle. Palace of Fine Arts was one of my favorite spots in the city. A small haven to enjoy the weather and a leisurely stroll. We drove over to see the Painted Ladies, aka the home from Full House, because if you’re a kid from the 90’s, you kind of have to. A visit to China Town was mandatory and I still regret not buying a pair of jade paint brushes that were on sale! We also decided to escape the city for a few hours and head out to Muir Woods to hike and see the gigantic redwoods. The drive itself was worth the trip. Pier 39 made it on our list this trip and we explored Fisherman’s Wharf, took a tour of a submarine and saw our first seals.
Don’t: Forget a coat- even though the weather is just about perfect, it does get cool at night. Don’t pay for parking on Sundays; many neighborhoods don’t charge for Sunday parking so make sure to read the signs.
Do: Wake up early for brunch…waiting times are long. Do bring along a reusable bag- most restaurants/stores charge extra for bags.
