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I Left My Heart In San Francisco--But Took Home A Few Pounds--A Family Vacation

Mark Twain said, "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco."  Usually, those words ring true. The fog lays over the "City By the Bay" and cold winds blow off the Pacific. But, this weekend we thumbed our noses at Mark Twain and enjoyed two days of glorious sunshine. When the sun shines on San Francisco,  the city, the bay and Pacific sparkle and the views are breathtaking.

We chose the Galleria Park Hotel, one of Touring & Tasting's featured accommodations, which lives up to its high ratings in Yelp for being a "cute trendy stylish spot very convenient", "hip",  "well kept and has a nice artsy vibe". We liked the rooftop park and jogging track, the organic soaps and lotions, and its well-placed location in the Financial District just blocks from Union Square and the Moscone Center. The lobby was buzzing with conviviality when we checked in during happy hour with a complimentary wine tasting. The staff was extra friendly and helpful, giving us a map of the city and suggestions for dinner. Tired from our drive, we were happy to discover the Belden Taverna was just a block from the hotel. On a short street reminiscent of the old town of Barcelona, where the narrow streets are filled with music and crowded with tables, the Taverna had a food-friendly and inexpensive house Rioja that went well with the handmade ravioli.

The next morning, we went next door to the hotel and had a tasty, breakfast sandwich at Bread and Cocoa which boasts: "We prepare all of our offerings the old fashioned way, handmade in our cafe with fresh all-natural and organic ingredients that are sourced from local purveyors and farms." Fortified, we walked to the one of the biggest farmer's markets in the country. They say 21,000 visitors attend the Saturday market which sounds like an overwhelming crush of people. But, the Ferry Building that houses it is enormous, plus the food booths spill out to the front street and cover the pier in the back. Enjoying the view of the Bay Bridge, we nibbled on samples of honey roasted almonds, goat cheese, peaches, strawberries, nectarines and wildflower honey.

Years ago, we made the kids walk the mile and a half from the Ferry Building to Fisherman's Wharf and had to endure a lot of complaining. This weekend, seeing the line of pedicab drivers out front, we sprung for the $20 for a fun ride in the sun along the ocean. Fisherman's Wharf was busy with street musicians and artists and throngs of tourists from around the world--stand in one spot and you will hear a dozen different languages being spoken. We looked through the 13,000 square foot gallery of nature photographer Rodney Lough, Jr. who documents Yellowstone, Banff, Death Valley and other photo-worthy landscapes, then shared fish and chips at Sally's Famous Fishwich--a tiny take-out next to the mammoth Franciscan Crab Restaurant. For only $8, we got a meaty piece of fish with minimal breading and pungent and delectable garlic fries. Next door is Boudin Bakery with an overhead conveyer belt of bread baskets weaving through the store from the glass-walled kitchen where one can see the baking team wheel racks of bread into the enormous ovens, portion dough and form loaves into braids and turtle shapes.

That night, we had a short walk to the Moscone Center to have sushi and udon at the Japanese restaurant Sanraku. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Fountain in the Center is closed for repair--it's a must-see when it re-opens in the fall--a 50 foot tall waterfall that one can walk underneath, that cascades over rough hewn granite inscribed with quotations from Dr. King. Two movie theaters are nearby--the Metreon and the Century, where we enjoyed Pixar's newest release "Brave" at the Century Theater. The Galleria Park Hotel offers an earth-friendly option: decline the daily room cleaning and receive $5 off in their Hecho restaurant which serves Japanese food for lunch and dinner and American food for breakfast. We had a nice bowl of oatmeal with pineapple--a new favorite flavor combination!

Before Google Maps and GPS, it was difficult to find the coastal town of Bolinas. No signposts marked the turn off Highway 1 to the tiny coastal town because its reclusive--and often famous--residents tore down any signs as soon as they were installed. Home to dozens of low-key celebrities known for a range of accomplishments from art, literature and music to science and cuisine, the community includes the legendary locavore and proponent of organic produce Alice Waters, along with singer Grace Slick, actress Frances McDormand,  and writer Richard Brautigan. On our family trip, we drove the 2 hours along Highway 1 from San Francisco to Bodega Bay on a gorgeous sunny day, passing Bolinas,  the expansive crescent of sand of Stinson Beach and the 15 mile long Tomales Bay known for its oysters. Sadly, our kids are not fans of the mollusks, so we had to pass the Tomales Bay Oyster Company and Hogg Island Oyster Farm where one can bring a picnic and indulge in buckets of fresh or barbecued oysters.

This was our third time staying at the lovely Bodega Bay Lodge which occupies an enviable piece of real estate--being right on the estuary that fronts the beach. A grove of Monterey cypress shields the property from the road and all other development, so it is serene and quiet, with just the sound of songbirds and occasionally, the faraway sound of the Point Arenas lighthouse fog horn. Fortunately, what fog there was stayed north and the sun beamed on our stay. The kids loved the pool and I loved the hammocks at the edge of the estuary and the wonderful meals at The Duck Club Restaurant where one can watch the orange rays of sunset move across the ocean at dinner and see the morning light brightening the view at breakfast.

Sonoma County is an excellent destination for a family vacation--there is so much to do! In Sebastapol, the sustainable Full House Farm gives tours of their horses, goats, chickens and gardens. We got to help collect eggs and learned some interesting things about chickens. The eggs need to be collected continuously during the day, otherwise if an egg breaks, the hens will eat it, realize it is tasty, then start breaking eggs intentionally. Also, they come in the barn to roost every night, crowding together on horizontal poles strung along one wall. They can easily be moved when asleep, but don't wake one up! Its instinctual response to a threat of a predator will startle it into a a panic, waking the other chickens into a frenzy of flapping and screeching.

Christine, who runs the Full House Farm with her husband, David, milks one of their two goats, getting a gallon to a gallon and a half a day which she uses to make creamy goat cheese. Christine served samples at the end of the tour along with fabulous Pinot Noir and Tangerine Chardonnay  jellies. We stopped by the nearby Wildlflour Bakery for their brick-oven baked bread for a picnic in Armstrong Woods State Park in Guerneville. Towering redwood shade an easy walk to the picnic area and admission is free.

Next door to the Wildflour Bakery, Freestone Winery pours their estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and the wines of parent company Joseph Phelps.  A couple of years ago, I had a wonderful Freestone Chardonnay redolent of pear, peach and wet stone. I bought a couple of bottles of it -- the 2010 Fogdog Chardonnay which I love for its clean, fresh flavor. Joseph Phelps is known world-wide for his  Rhone and Bordeaux style blends, particularly the highly-rated Insignia.

We intended to take the kids kayaking on the Russian River--several companies will outfit you at the top of the river and shuttle you back at the end of the 3 - 4 hour experience, but our leisurely walk in the woods squeezed out the trip. Instead, we went on the Flamingo Conference Resort and Spa in Santa Rosa and sunned and swam in the large pool that is in the center of the updated mid-century modern hotel. The hotel grounds  are lushly planted and a nice place to unwind. Santa Rosa is conveniently located to visit the 250 wineries of Sonoma County.

We had one more day in SF before the drive home, so had a creamy pureed parsnip and kale soup at the chic Oolah near the Moscone Center. They use local, sustainable produce and the salmon on a bed of ratatouille was perfectly cooked. We had a very short turn through the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit at the de Young Museum--I wish we'd had another couple of hours. The haute couture outfits are all made by hand--taking hundreds of hours of work each. It's a ridiculously decadent world the designer lives in. But, seen as pieces of art, it's fascinating to see what a creative mind can do to stretch the idea of clothing to the extreme, when given unlimited funding.