Sadly our time in Wine Country had come to an end over a leisurly breakfast at the hotel. The Dry Creek Inn had exceeded all my expectations and so had the various wineries we visited. While I didn't buy wine from all that we visited, I wasn't disappointed in a single vineyard.
Now over breakfast, we decided that rather than try to visit one more winery on the way to dropping my brother and sister-in-law off at the San Francisco airport we would head there straight away. As it turns out, the decision was probably a good one.
While I had rented a full sized car, trying to get all of the luggage into the trunk was a little bit of a puzzle what with four suitcases and various bags with wine and other purchases in them. Not to single my brother and sister-in-law out but their suitcases were bigger -- clearly not intended to be carried on.
Taking the 101 south into the city, we encountered more traffic than I envisioned for mid-morning. As a result it made the best sense to drop my brother and sister-in-law off and then decide how to spend the rest of the day.
After dropping them off for their flight home (and hoping they don't have one cancelled again), we headed into the city to find a cup of coffee and some free Wi-Fi. Turns out we found Peet's but the free Wi-Fi was perhaps unable to handle the volume of use in the coffee shop as my connection was dropped repeatedly.
Our first task of the day was to figure out where we were going to stay so a quick stop to Hotels.com and various other sites to identify a potential winner. We were intrigued by the Hotel Kabuki in Japantown. We had stayed somewhere close to this area the last time but ended up at a different boutique hotel.
Having made reservations, we were free to wander our way over there. Now I've been pretty impressed by my phone (a recent addition) even if it is a little bigger than most (it's a Samsung Galaxy Note). But the challenge with using it as a GPS device is it drains the battery -- even if it's charging! So having used it to find the Peet's and the Hotel, I was concerned I would run out of "juice" before getting to our first destination for the day . . . Chinatown.
Chicago has a vibrant Chinatown -- one that I remember my grandfather taking us to at least annually when I was a child -- but it's certainly not San Francisco's Chinatown. So far this trip had all the earmarks of my style of travel. Find a destination and then figure out what to do. Chinatown was no exception.
Having found a city garage to park in, Roxanne went across the street to check out any information in the hotel lobby while I found a seat in Portsmouth Square to people watch. As usual I am not disappointed. This park is filled with women playing Mah Jong, card games and spirited debates. None of which I could understand because they weren't in my native language -- American English.
We decided to head down Grant Avenue (apparently we were doing Chinatown backwards!) to see about finding a place for lunch. As a bit of a foodie and sometime amateur chef, I love sticking my head into the local groceries -- especially the ones with produce on the street to lead you into the market. I also tend to visit the gadget stores as well.
Having picked our restaurant, we were quickly seated (probably had missed the lunch crowd because it was now close to 2pm. We sat down and ordered some hot tea and one of the special meals and watched the fish in the fish tank and as the servers and cooking staff ate their lunch as well.
Proceeding down Grant Street, we poked our heads into a few shops along the way before turning around and heading back to the car. Our goal was to try and get some good pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge. The challenge is that everytime we tried to get a picture on previous trips there was some fog that made it almost invisible.
This time, armed with a little knowledge, we made our way to Crissy Field. This former military airfield has been restored to a beautiful park with running paths and some of the best views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Winding our way past Fisherman's Wharf, we found ourselves in the Crissy Field National Park. Headturning views of the bridge -- that is if you used your imagination for a bit because it was covered in fog.
After a nice walk around, the fog burned off and we prepared for a sunset photo of the bridge. Seeing as we had a couple of hours before sunset, we went back to Fisherman's Wharf to grab a bit of something to eat that we could take back as a picnic dinner.
But first, no trip is complete without a trip to Tiernan's Irish Pub for an Irish Coffee. This place is historic. Not only do they make the best Irish Coffee's, but it's a warm, inviting pub. Just what you're looking for in a neighborhood institution. We were a bit early for the crowd, but I was here a number of years ago on a Friday night and you couldn't even move.
The Irish certainly have a way with their coffee. I am a huge fan of coffee and, as it so happens, of Irish Whiskey, too. I'm particularly fond of Bushmill's. (And I don't even need the whipped cream but it's a nice touch!).
So after a wee bit of coffee we made our way down to Fisherman's Wharf to pick up a crab roll and a few other fixin's to take back to Crissy Field for a picnic dinner. Trying to get the perfect photo turned out to be a bit of extra work. Ok, perhaps not work but time.
After the sun set, we headed back to the hotel. This clearly Japanese hotel is not only beautiful, it's peaceful. The decor and the rooms are designed for comfort. Pushing back the Japanese screens and then the glass doors and stepping out on the tiny balcony, the views are nice but not spectacular. Unlike other parts of the city, the streets aren't terribly busy.
I do like that there's a pot to boil water for tea and a tea pot to steep it in. It's a nice change as I turn in for the night. In the morning, I ordered the traditional Japanese breakfast (or should I say brunch). It's a Bento Box filled with smoked salmon, a scrambled egg, fruit and some pickled vegetables along with a bowl of rice and some miso soup.
After a morning stroll around Japantown and picking up some noodles we made one last stop at Crissy Field to each lunch watching the bay and enjoying the beautiful sunshine. After a quick stop again at Humphrey-Slocombe for one last taste (and to purchase their recipe book and a couple of mugs!) we were off to the airport and on our way home.
Just as I found heading home from Paris after a week, it's easy to see why it would take a lifetime to see and experience all of the sights and opportunities in this great part of the country. Not only that, we've made some new friends and renewed relationships with some old friends along the way.
These are the memories that will keep us warm through the long, often too cold winters of Chicago! Thanks for going along with me on this trip of a lifetime . . . one that I hope gets repeated over and over again.
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