Quirky San Francisco

San Francisco has so much heart.
I can't think of a more lively city.

Thankfully, we were able to get a good taste of it on our tip.

The Mission District is the most lively neighborhood I have ever been in.
Raucous, busy and colorful.
Plus the food is amazing (Tartine and Bi-Rite were the only places we tried, but I have heard there is so much more).

Photos above taken throughout San Francisco, but my favorites were in Balmy Alley.

Fancy some freshly made fortune cookies made right before your eyes?
Head to Chinatown for the most bizarre fortune cookie factory.

Golden Gate Fortune Cookie is up a small alley.
This picture cost us 50 cents, but really it is worth a thousand words. Where to start?
Jacob awkwardly holding our fortune cookies? The sad fortune cookie makers?
The whole experience was awkward and awesome.
And I hear that you can customize your fortunes.

The Ferry Building Farmer's Market was one of my favorite things we did on our trip.
Every Saturday morning farmers come to sell their crop while food booths sell fantastic "street food." I am totally using air quotes, because the food we ate did not taste like it cam from a street.

My choice was the bottom left photo: salmon topped with red onion, sweet bell peppers with a heavenly mystery shmear.

A foul-mouthed poet named Zach sits in front of the Ferry Building offering to write you a poem.
Your topic. Your price.
Then he will tippity-type it out on his typewriter then and there.

We told him that we were crossing off some bucket list items and he gave us code names of Natasha and Suspense. The poem is below.

I'm thinking of having it framed.
Seriously. Cannot stop laughing about it all.

As I mentioned before, we tried to eat our way through the city.
On Friday night we went to Off the Grid, a "roaming mobile food extravaganza" of more than 40 food trucks at Fort Mason.
It has everything from a creme brulee truck to Korean BBQ to something mysterious that I ate that was fabulous.

My favorite moment was when Jacob ordered the awesome Dirty Fries from a truck called Bacon that specialized in everything bacon related.

The guy in front of him was a little confused on the whole concept. He tried to order a grilled cheese without the bacon. To which he was met with blank stares and confusion.


This leads us to the Full House portion of our trip.

"Everywhere you look...."

Where you at, Stamos?!

Full House house is on 1709 Broderick street.
It is a bit off the path and worth it if you are driving in the nearby area.






















We then visited the Painted Ladies on the edge of Alamo Park, which is the park in the opening credits.
I re-enacted it (I played Stamos, obviously) while a hipster group dressed in all white watched on.

So you love "So I Married An Ax Murderer," do you?

We also did a miniature Mike Myers themed tour of the city starting with Alcatraz.

 "My name is John Johnson, but everyone here calls me Vicky."
























Solitary confinement.
I didn't even want to step in the room.

The audio guide is incredible.
It seems like Alcatraz was so long ago but I learned that some former Alcatraz inmates are coming up for release in the next couple of years.

Sure, this is pretty touristy, but I loved it.
We then ended up going here...

"Come! Let us dance as children of the night!
Expand, contract, expand, contract!"

I couldn't help myself.
The Palace of the Fine Arts is beautiful, even if you don't plan of being an idiot leaping through the grounds.

Other adventures included discount fabric shopping the same weekend as Bay to Breakers.
I was the only one buying fabric that wasn't sequined, leather or fur.

Also, my favorite stores:
Green Apple Books at 506 Clement St.
Discount Fabrics at 2315 Irving St.
Fabric Outlet at 2109 Mission St.


Phew.

I can see why so many people love San Francisco.
It definitely has the heart.