San Francisco Travel

A Golden Gate Park Stroll, Easter Memories and Spring Things

April 8, 2023 By kimwheeler 24 Comments

On this weekend meander..a walk through Golden Gate Park, a few items to consider for your warm wardrobe update, Pottery Barn things and more…

How’s your week? Are you celebrating Easter or Passover or Ramadan? A lot of families gathering this week and next. Many have spring break. The weather is finally getting close to nice here after three months of dark and rain in California. I am feeling excited about coming out of this dark period and wearing some spring clothes and refreshing my yard pots with some flowers.

On Instagram, I shared my table from two years ago that was really simple. I loved it and it was merely the addition of small mini daisies from Trader Joes and white napkins with woven rings on white plates and a light table throw…

This year I will do something similar and easy for our brunch with my dad and Jackson. Griffin has to stay at school as he gets out at the end of April. I miss those younger years and all the Easter egg fun!

Easter Memories

I know I have written about this before, but I can’t think of Easter without my dear grandma Jody. She adored Easter and always made it extra special for us kids with scavenger hunts for candy and a coconut bunny rabbit cake. She loved having us dress up and many years I had Easter dresses made by her and even a matching bags. I loved all that so much!

When my boys were young I had the same scavenger hunt for them and their cousins and grandma would make her cake…This is one year when they were younger with grandma and the bunny cake!

She also loved the whole Easter attire thing and we have many years of photos of her and my papa with my dad Ray, and his younger siblings Denny and Wendy in Easter finery.. Some of them so funny with the kids not always wanting to pose as kids do. I give my grandma credit for getting the photos and them all dressed up! I treasure these and miss her terribly -and my mom.

Golden Gate Park walk

Has it been a while since you’ve been on a walk through Golden Gate Park in San Francisco? It’s so enormous I haven’t barely scratched the edge of it. It’s been a while for us and so last weekend, for Max’s birthday he wanted to walk through the western part and see the windmills and some of the areas we haven’t seen that end up by the ocean. I tried to draw a sort of approximate path of our meander…We started on the lower path first..

We began by parking at Fulton Street and hopping into the park and right into what is a big area for disc golf ( or frisbee golf), where there were teams of people playing this (serious competitors), and having a blast.

The cherry blossom trees were in full bloom and so many people were taking photos. We got over to John F Kennedy Drive and walked along there for a while and then crossed over to what was the polo fields many years ago- now soccer fields, and a horse boarding area.

Beyond that is a little path and we came upon the Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club which has been there since the 1930’s and was built by the WPA. Who knew ?!

If you wander around the side of the stone cottage you come upon a patio overlooking huge pools. The patio and the club has a Yellowstone vibe with many fly fishing enthusiasts sitting there enjoying the sun with dogs and watching the casting. They kindly gave me a tour of the clubhouse and they were setting up for a class. If you enroll, a class takes three years…That’s not a typo! It’s such a cool spot.

If you want to dip your feet in the casting pool, there is a free class every second Saturday, and their Instagram is full of more cool things they do. Really nice guys there. Golden Gate Angling Club is the oldest and largest fly fishing club in the world, so check it out!

The side of the park is just loaded with surprises like the buffalo area, a dog park, trails for mountain biking, and a lovely pond. Some older guys were having a remote control sailboat race!

A short saunter from there is one of the famous windmills and the Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden to honor the late Queen of the Netherlands. Right now this is the time to go and the tulips are starting to bloom. All pop up at different times, so go sometime in April.

A block to the north out of the park, is Ocean Beach area where we found a cute lunch spot. The Ocean Beach Cafe is tucked between two high rise apartment blocks and has a sunny corner. The food is fresh and the cafe is famous for being alcohol free and sells every kind of alcohol free drink. Their craft cocktails have won awards.

They also host alcohol free events, have what they call Temperance Tastings and even have Mixology Classes in alcohol free craft cocktails, and Club AF, alcohol free. It all started when owner Joshua went 11 months without alcohol. More about it all here.

We just had turkey sandwiches and cokes and it was a great spot near the park to put our feet up before the hike back to the car. It was a fun way to spend a birthday for Max on a nice spring day finally! Golden Gate Park is over 1,000 acres and a full list of things to see is here.

On my radar..

On a little outing to Pottery Barn I noticed these Ikat drapes. I adore these and want them for my dining room. I don’t know if they will always carry them, but sometimes these gems go away and can be hard to get later. They also have pillows and wallpaper..All the PB Ikat here.

I saw a new to me, brand of cute tops at a boutique this week and then a friend mentioned she loves the same brand – Nation! This California company is officially on my radar and I love all their whimsical tops like this pretty grey one with smocked cuffs for springtime. This also comes in white .

I am obsessed with closet organization and I always love seeing Jeremiah Brent and Nate Berkus’s closets in their homes.. so when I heard Jeremiah is now hosting the new California Closet Podcast, ‘Ideas of Order,’ I was excited. He’s all about beautiful organization. You can find the first episode wherever you get Podcasts..or Spotify.

I adore this bamboo flatware. I’ve been considering a set for a while and the PB ones are heavy and excellent quality. They are ones you can keep forever and how charming on a table, especially for spring and summer. Right now the individual sets are on sale.

White jeans and asymmetrical tops

I just got these bootcut crops white jeans from J. Crew and love that they have a bit stretch and a thick material, and not tight straight leg.

I also just ordered these kick out crop white jeans.. I need at least two white pairs that feel good for summer and I pitched all my skinny white denim.

The Fisherman Sandals/mules are perfect for the transition to warmer weather! I went to the local Madewell in Santana Row, which is finally open, (and lovely with a guy’s section now ), and bought my regular size. Very comfortable and well made. I wanted to try the butter color, but it wasn’t in store.

I also bought this one shoulder top which I shared in stories..Runs very small so I bought an XL and will wear it under jackets. This is a top any age can wear and look good and under a jacket is a nice updated feel. This jacket is the one I shared last weekend. It’s very oversized and this is an XS. That’s right- the end of the spectrum in sizes !

I’m also loving this one shoulder option from Anthro which is a bit longer and would be darling for vacation. More fun one shoulder looks here.

My Mom’s Demand Meeting

Last week I shared with you all I was going on Sunday to attend a local Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense meeting. It was my first at a local park. I took max with me too. I have to say I was expecting a huge turnout after last week’s terrible shooting. Sadly there were about 17 people there..

That’s not to say the people there weren’t great. They were so wonderful and talked about the different ways they organization is making strides in the fight against gun violence. They had one person who had just gone to Sacramento and met with lawmakers to talk about the upcoming bills. They had another person who helps elect and partner with politicians who support gun reform. There are other initiatives they also work on like safe storage of guns which hugely helps prevent child deaths.

I plan to keep attending and helping, but I sure would like to see more of us out there making change. We aren’t going to get any movement in this country if a large metropolitan area can’t get more people to meet up and care about this.

I hope to man a table at our local farmer’s market and get more people to join us! If you want to change things this organization has helped place more people in office than any other and helped hugely changed the conversation about guns and gun culture in America. More info and how to find a local chapter here.

The Tennessee Three

Are you appalled by what happened to the three lawmakers from Tennessee? I was saddened to see the two young men, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson expelled from their jobs. With all the awful things happening in this nation, these two guys are a bright spot and brilliant young men who are doing good. They inspire me and so many others!

If you want to see what Jones has been up to, just go to his Instagram account that has many of his very calm and inspiring speeches in the past months. I am a huge fan. You can also donate to both of them to show you stand with them.

I’ll be back Tuesday with Cindy and April’s Signature Style which is on dresses!

On last weekend’s post an inspiring Montecito home in AD, pretty spring yellows, an easy and delicious tortilla soup, and how to take action on gun violence.

I hope you all have a great weekend,

Kim

Please visit my pals Elizabeth and Juliet’s blogs..

MAKE MINE A SPRITZER

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Weekend in San Francisco at The Four Seasons

October 7, 2016 By kimwheeler 19 Comments

How was your week? Some of us got an extended one as many are on fall school breaks right now. It’s a great time to take a trip somewhere in California and especially San Francisco as October is unofficially the best weather month unlike summer which is cooler and foggy.

On the sculpture terrace at the top floor of the new SFMOMA.

Max and I finally got to getaway for our 20th anniversary and decided to stay in the city. We considered Napa, but this time of year it’s exorbitantly expensive. We thought, let’s pay half that price and stay at the Four Seasons in SF, which we never have done.

The Four Seasons San Francisco is tucked away off Market Street and shares it’s building with Four Season residences. The hotel lobby is on the fifth floor and has a cozy long bar with a fireplace area.

The MKT restaurant attached has floor to ceiling windows on some of the prettiest architectural landmarks in the city. We had breakfast there both mornings and it was amazing. The fresh fruit and juice and lemon ricotta pancakes were my favorite!

Drinks in the bar were good. We tried chicken sliders and the pub cheese appetizers which were exactly what we wanted.

The rooms have window seats onto the city and feel spacious yet cozy. Of course the bed and bedding was incredible and I slept like a baby both nights. The location is perfect. You’re minutes from shopping, Union Square, and the new MOMA which we couldn’t wait to check out.

After we checked in Max wanted to surprise me by taking me to a San Francisco landmark, Smuggler’s Cove. This tiki-bar was voted Best American Cocktail Bar by Spirited magazine in 2016, and one of the Best Bars on Earth by The London Times! It’s got a cult following so we got there a few minutes before five on Friday and joined a small line. The plain exterior belies the tropical explosion of Polynesia inside. We climbed to the top floor where I felt like I was drinking in the treehouse from Swiss Family Robinson!

I had some flashbacks to my 17th birthday at Don the Beachcomber. Remember that place? I always begged my parents to take me there and hoped one day when I became the magical 21, I might order one of the huge drinks in seashell to share. Smuggler’s Cove has many drinks like that, but they don’t appeal to me now…Lol.

However there are three pages of drink creations it was hard to decide! All the drinks are rum-based, made only with fresh juices and fruits and you can choose your rum if you’re so inclined. There’s a special award if you try each drink on the menu. Don’t try this in one night! It might take someone the better part of a year if they were motivated. The drinks are strong so plan on Ubering or walking!

After we wandered down just a few blocks to Hayes Valley. Love the restaurants, shops and vibe of this neighborhood. There’s a zillion cool spots to eat here and great independent boutiques. like Azalea where the San Francisco girls get their cool look. This is where to get the perfect oversized sweater, a long coat for those foggy cool days, brogues and generic chic totes. There’s all you need here to look simple yet stylish. There’s a specific look many SF gals sport and I’d call it art student moves to New York. It’s minimalist with a colorful details.

Another great shop in Hayes is Marine Layer, started by two local guys who just wanted soft shirts. (So Northern Cal.) I love this shop and have bought my guys a few button-ups and hoodies they will never get rid of. They carry women’s as well. Don’t miss this spot if you find yourself in the city and chilly. They have the coziest clothes around.

Give yourself a good hour or so to shop around. We did that while we waited for a table at Absinthe, a charming French Bistro. We popped over to Miette, to get Halloween candies for my guys and I cannot resist getting a few packages for my kitchen jars of black licorice cats and sugared pumpkins. This is the most darling sweet shop!

After we ducked into Arlequin wine merchant two doors down from Absinthe, and split a glass of the white on the tasting menu while browsing the collection shelves of wines from all over.

Absinthe had a good crack to it with a mix of locals, travelers and people on their way to see shows. We shared potato encrusted salmon with fennel and whole grain pappardelle with chanterelles. A small wait, but worth it for the delicious food and atmosphere.

Saturday morning I woke up, made myself a cappuccino at the coffee bar downstairs and relaxed by the fire for a bit and read the papers. Love! After breakfast we took the 2 minute walk around the corner to the newly re-opened SFMOMA.

I recommend starting at the top floor and working your way down via the open stairs.

We were enchanted by this ‘Super Catcher’ by Brad Kahlhamer.

A ribbon painting by Mark Grotjahn.

Dave Muller’s ‘cassette stack (A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You)

This could be one of my own a few decades ago. 😀

One of Andy Warhol’s Elvis Prints. Loved the Warhols here.

The outdoor cafe for lunch, snacks or hot drinks.

Morris Louis magna on canvas. One of my favorites.

Chuck Close’s amazing paper pulp on canvas.

Frank Stella lithographs and screen prints.

The living wall is one of many of several beautiful open spaces in which to enjoy the museum.

One from the Alexander Calder exhibit.

Friends at the living wall.

This sculpture was really cool. It wasn’t possible to see the figure in it unless I was looking through a camera or far away.

One exhibit that really touched me was these posters by Susan O’Malley from her project and book, Advice From My 80-Year-Old Self.

Susan was a multi-talented artist who was working on a project to bring inspirational messages to the masses. She interviewed 100 people from age 7-88 asking if you sat down with your future self, what would you tell you now?

Sadly Susan, who was from San Jose, passed away unexpectedly at age 38 three days away from giving birth to twins, who did not survive either. Her friends and family blanketed the city with her messages of hope and this exhibit and her book keep her inspirational work alive. I found out all this by chance when I was searching the internet for more info about her. More about beautiful Susan and her work and life on this website.

The gift store here at the MOMA is fantastic. It’s so huge I spent a better part of an hour in it and didn’t see it all. I did get some great Christmas presents. There is everything from quirky housewares to great books and art projects, and just so many cool things I haven’t seen anywhere else.

Before you leave you can take a turn at untangling the giant ball of strings and stuff..

As you exit, there is the fancy In Situ restaurant at the ground floor of the museum. Reviews are just okay for this right now and a 20% service charge is automatically added to your bill. We considered it, but walked just outside and around the corner and found SF gem, The Grove.

What a perfect spot for lunch after a morning at the museum. Decor is a bit like a treehouse with arts and craft style. You order at the counter and choose a cozy seat by the fire or a sunny table outdoors.

Food was so fresh and yummy. Great Verve coffee and baked goods as well if you want to just stop by for a late day cappuccino outside. Breakfast was popular with French toast and many of the dishes feature artisan bread by Semifreddis which is just the best.

Sunday we had breakfast in the lovely MKT restaurant at the hotel.I Just gorgeous views and it was hard to pull myself away from the cozy window seat in our room too.

Of course couldn’t leave the city without a stop at my favorite Gumps, which is just a few blocks away off Union Square.

They already have some holiday gifts out wrapped to go like this darling dish. It’s the perfect size for keys or rings and watches.

Gumps always has terrific pumpkins and Halloween decor.

After we made our way to Sacramento Street to check out Serena & Lilly where I am hoping to order a upholstered bed. Loved this style and considering a off white nubby linen fabric.

Some very neat homes and cute succulents on someone’s curb. Presidio Heights is a lovely neighborhood so if you like pretty homes as well as design and home stores, make a stop here.

So what did I pack? Since it’s a warmer month, black jeans and blue jeans plus two fun blouses- the plaid Anthro from my last post that can be dressy for evenings as it’s off the shoulder, and this leopard print silk number from Trina Turk I’m crazy about. I also brought a burgundy tank and a black flowered bomber jacket from Target which is a great layering piece. I also had tan booties, suede low wedge sandals that lace up and a pair of Vans for longer walks in the city and a little black moto jacket for warmth at night. A small leather (or pleather) jacket paired with a warm scarf is perfect for San Francisco nights.

Please share your favorite San Francisco spots below. I feel like there is so much in the city I still have to explore!

Happy weekend,

Kim

San Francisco on Foot-The Filbert Steps to Chinatown

February 21, 2015 By kimwheeler 9 Comments

A few weeks back we took the family to San Francisco for the day to explore, wander and get outside and enjoy the unusually warm winter weather. We do this kind of day trip fairly frequently. We research a few restaurants or neighborhoods to check out before and then make a day of it.

We made a plan to do the famous Filbert Steps to Telegraph Hill and North Beach. When you drive into the wharf and Embarcadero Area you are greeted by amazing view of the Bay Bridge!

If you park by Levi’s plaza where Filbert Street ends you can get to the base, which seems daunting from the ground.

It’s around 400-500 steps and once you get past this first part, it rises straight up through gardens and neighborhoods and literally right to people’s front doors. The steps are lined with quirky homes with amazing views of the bay. The steps were originally built for fishermen to be able to walk from their jobs on the docks to their homes in North Beach.

My boys obliged me with a quick photo at this one point, Napier Lane which breaks off and you can see more gardens and homes. The steps are also where the famous parrots of Telegraph Hill live if you can spy a green bird amongst all the fauna here.

Some of the little homes lining the steps…

The steps are a workout, but worth doing for the views and you can make a day of it if you circle back through North Beach to the Embarcadero again. Or you could always call Uber to get back.

Once you reach Telegraph Hill there is Coit Tower right there or you can wander back down to North Beach, San Francisco’s Italian neighborhood. Some might be tempted to grab a skateboard here!

There are steps in the sidewalk in case you need them. An elementary school was right here and my boys were wondering how kids biked up this hill!

Once you hit North Beach you will find a park, and so many restaurants, shops and little cappuccino stops. We decided to make like locals and grab a slice of famous Tony’s Pizza Napletano, complete with crooked table on a very sloped street. Seriously was the best pizza I’ve had maybe ever. I still want to go back. The crust and the sauce were amazing. You can wait for an inside table at the restaurant, but we opted to grab a slice at the kiosk next to it and keep on truckin’.

You may want to take some time and explore the whole of North Beach. Lovely cathedrals, a very large square with a pretty park and so many independent boutiques fill the streets.

One iconic spot is City Lights Bookstore, famous hangout of the Beat generation.

Its’ still perfectly crumbly and grungy and filled with a fabulous collection of books.

How cool is the diverse architecture here with the Transamerica building behind?

Drop in CityLights and browse around the rooms and it’s history.

These are the kind of cool books you can find at City Lights.

Of course it’s good to take a seat a peruse a few selections.

A few blocks over is Chinatown.

So much eye candy. This gentleman was playing a guitar of sorts.

It’s a great stroll down this very long street. Kids will especially enjoy all the tiny stores filled with candy from Japan, small tokens, and toys. Beautiful silks are all over as well.

I love the colors and the beautiful lampposts of Grant Street. The Dragon gates are at the other end which then leads you to Union Square.

Later we circled back toward the Embarcadero business district, which is deserted on weekends and grabbed a coffee before walking back along the waterfront, another fun path to where we began.

My oldest was trying out a new camera on his phone so we snapped a pic.

One of the most fun things to do is spend a day exploring a city without too much plan. San Francisco is perfect for such an adventure. There are so many neighborhoods and fun landmarks you could never see them all. Next time you have a free day try being a tourist in nearby city or even your own. Wishing you all a good weekend.

Kim