Out and About with Darrin and Marrk - 2010

San Francisco CA All Over

Last week we had friends come up and visit. We like having visitors so we plan the weekend and try to do it right. It always entails great food, great drinks and fun new things to do. We try not to do too many touristy things because anyone can do those on their own. Everyone knows where Fisherman's Wharf is and how to get there and what to do, but not many know what to do or where to go when you are in The Presidio or what door to enter in China Town for a great meal.

We started the weekend at 1:30 on Saturday when we picked Darrin and Mark up at the Bart Station and when I say picked them up, it was San Francisco style. We walked down and walked with them back to their hotel.

They stayed at the Hotel Carlton. It's a nice reasonably priced hotel. The only issue is that it is almost right across the street from the emergency room so you get to listen to ambulance sirens throughout the night.

After checking in we walked back downtown to shop for a button up shirt. I failed to mention that they would need one for 2 of the places we were going to. Shame on me. We went to Old Navy and found what we were looking for right away. After shopping it was time for a snack and a cocktail. We went to the bar at our local Morten's. It was very nice.

Darrin on the escalator at our Old Navy. It is very vertical for an Old Navy.

The 12.21 bar at Morten's was empty because it was 3pm on a Saturday afternoon. The artichoke dip and bar burgers were great and the beer and cocktails hit the spot.

For our first dinner we went to Hong Kong Clay Pot. It is in China Town up and staircase on Grant that you may never see if you don't know where it is. It was packed but we were seated right away. You can see Darrin "checking in" to the restaurant on 4 Square.

Mark enjoying dinner at Hong Kong Clay Pot. We were the only 4 Caucasians in the place which meant the food was good. We had to wait for some time for the food but when it came it was worth the wait. When we left we could barely get out because the stairwell that we went up to get there was packed with people waiting to eat. Another good sign that the place is good.

Our reservations for Bourbon and Branch were not until 9:00 so we had some time to kill. We walked UP California St. to the top of Nob Hill and then took the elevator to The Top of the Mark. The drinks are lousy and expensive but the view is great so we pretended like we were going to get drinks there, took a few pictures and then left.

We still had time to kill so we stopped off at one of our favorite pubs for a beer. The White Horse is a great little pub. We had a small beer and sat and chatted. At about 8:45 we headed down into the Tenderloin to Bourbon and Branch for cocktails. I don't have any photos because you aren't supposed to take photos and you can't order Cosmos either. That did it for Day 1.

Day 2 started out at the Presidio Social Club for brunch and then over to the Yoda Fountain in front of LucasFilm for photos and then on to The Walt Disney Family Museum. No photos were allowed at the museum either.....

Darrin "checks in" at the Yoda Fountain.

Mark takes his touristy shot at the Yoda Fountain.

After the museum we cabbed over to the Japanese Tea Garden because Darrin had rememberd going there years ago and wanted to check it out. It's a very nice place but it was a wait to get tea so we just enjoyed the garden.

A nice shot in The Tea Garden.

Darrin and Donna braved the steep bridge.

Darrin and Mark taking a break at The Tea Garden

Donna and Mark

Donna blends in with the bamboo

After the tea garden we headed over to the DeYoung Cafe for a snack and beverage.

Here is one of the fun shots I took while we were in the DeYoung Cafe. There are a few outside art pieces you can see without paying a cent.

Donna and Mark in an outside art piece that you can enter.

For Dinner we ate at Bix. It was a lot of fun. We had all kinds of apetizeres and then we spit a few entrees. After dinner we cabbed back to the Hotel Carlton and I took this shot.

On Monday I took them to visit my work. We walked around in the areas that are open to visitors accompanied by an employee. Here is Darrin "checking in" at Boba Fett.

Me taking my touristy shot with Boba Fett

Me and Darth Vader

Mark wants to shake hands with Lord Vader

Darrin gets a Force Back rub from Vader

Darrin on the ILM walkway. There are many props to see

Darrin and Mark with the cool ILM sign

Me in front of the cool ILM sign (gotta do the touristy thing at work once right?)

On Monday night we all went to The Brother's Korean BBQ for dinner. It was a nice dinner to wrap up a fun weekend.

Yummy Brother's

It was a great weekend full of fun and food. It was so fun I needed another weekend to recover.

So if you are in the area, let us know and we will have some fun.

Jon and Donna

One A Day - On this day in 2007

San Francisco CA 2007

Donna and I attended the 2007 ILM Halloween Party. ILM hosts a great party for the whole company every year. They do it up right.

Summer is over but the events keep going

Well summer is over but that's okay. There is still plenty to do. We have been up here for 2 summers now and we will need to be up here for at least 2 more to get to all of the events this great city offers. Either there are conflicting events or we are just too tired to get to them so we will have to wait until they come around again. Really there is something to do every single weekend.

We had our first 2 days of rain today and yesterday and it was a nice change. We are looking forward to the fall and winter. Hopefully it won't get too cold.

Picture time!

The Blue Angels visited us for Fleet Week

Steve Karen and Sarah visited us too

Sarah is so cute and well behaved

We went to Point Reyes (pronounced Rays up here) and saw the Light House

Donna hamming it up at the Light House (pronounced Light House up here)

The Light House not wanting to be out done by Donna hams it up too

Karen holding Sarah as she too hams it up

I wanted to take some night shots so we set up at a cool place and waited for night

I took pictures while I waited

Same place different view (WOW!)

Still waiting

The sun finally set and I got creative

And then I got creative without a tripod

Here is a different sunset from Pacific Heights. The sun sets Russian Hill's windows on Fire!

I went shooting with Thomas (a friend up here) and we ended up at a bar shooting each other

Me shooting him

Donna and I went to The Hyde St. Pier to see a Chinese Junk

This seaman was nice enough to tell us all about the Junk (The Princess Taiping) and his journey from mainland China. He said that the builder didn't think it was sturdy enough to make the journey but the crew wanted to prove him wrong.

The Junk was hand build using only tools that were available when these types of boats were built

We always see what is new on the Balcluth when we go to The Hyde St. Pier

I like this shot

We also went to The 75th anniversary of Coit Tower. The fire department raised a vintage 10 story free standing ladder

One word, Reflection!

The guy that sells bananas in China Town

We also attended the ILM Halloween party and I took some shots of friends

A very tall Short Round

A very ugly Ugly Betty (sorry Craig but I call it like I see it)

An over view of the party

My favorite costume of the night

Finally good and evil take time from their feud and have drinks together

Donna and I in the mirror in our Apartment Lobby. Donna is a sushi chef and I am a chick magnet

That's all for now but check back for more photos soon - Jon and Donna