San Francisco Weekender

Wanderlust hit hard by the time Matt and I finished watching Woody Allen’s latest film, Midnight in Paris. Scenes of the joie de vivre Parisian lifestyle had seduced us, but for a variety of reasons, a cross-Atlantic trip wasn’t meant to be. Then my boyfriend suggested traveling to a nearby city that could provide a similar Gallic experience: San Francisco.

Referred to as the Paris of the West, the City by the Bay rivals the City of Lights with its cosmopolitan nature, fine dining, appreciation of art and diverse cityscape. San Francisco is extremely walkable and is comprised of many neighborhoods whose unique characteristics make it feel just like the arrondissements of Paris. Our first night brought us gastronomic bliss in the NOPA (North of Panhandle) district. Starting with oysters and wine at a lively raw bar, we then sauntered across the street to enjoy a handcrafted cocktail at another establishment, and concluded our evening at the highly-rated Delfina in the Mission district.

We took advantage of Saturday’s sunshine by heading to the Embarcadero. With meats, cheeses, breads and produce being sold at hundreds of stalls by local farmers and artisans, the Ferry Building Farmers Market reminded me of the French street markets found. Arms full of Cowgirl Creamery cheeses, heirloom tomatoes and Miette rose-flavored macaroons, we headed back to Matt’s place to enjoy a leisurely lunch.

A main reason for this trip was to catch the Picasso exhibit at the deYoung Museum. This wonderful exhibit of 150 permanent pieces of artwork is was being shown at the museum while the Musée de Picasso in Paris is closed for a complete renovation. Because parts of Golden Gate Park is closed to vehicular traffic on the weekend, Matt and I later were able to savor walking hand in hand at dusk by the park’s beautiful Conservatory of Flowers, the Japanese Tea Garden and Stowe Lake.

Scenic exercise was on the agenda Sunday morning as we headed over to Lands End Trail. Situated along the rocky coast, the trail winds its way amongst towering trees and follows the former railroad tracks of the Ferries and Cliff House Railway along the cliffs and also down to the shore. The hike provided us with amazing views of sea lions, the Golden Gate Bridge and the remains of the Sutro Baths.

All too soon, the weekend came to an end. With a final espresso at Caffe Trieste in the North Beach district and a few hundred kisses curbside at SFO, I bid adieu to my boyfriend, San Francisco and the taste of Paris this fabulous city gave me. Unless, of course, that was just the pain au chocolat I had at Terminal Two.


People also view

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *