8/8/14

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

It has been years since I have been to San Francisco and I have been dying to return. It is such a wonderful city full of creativity and opportunity. As I was heading back home from Tucson, Arizona, I stopped off in San Francisco and spent the day exploring with my mama. 


Our first stop was Pier 39 of course. Pier 39 is a pier filled with attractions, eateries and shops. This is a popular local and tourist attraction. 


An automatic stop for me while I am at Pier 39 is Boudin.



Boudin is known for their Sourdough french bread and believe me they make tons of it. There is bread in all shapes and sizes. Literally, they even have a crab and teddy bear shaped loaf of bread.


But what I always get is their clam chowder bread bowl. It is the best I have ever tasted. The sourdough bread is freshly made, which makes it 10 times better. I devoured the whole bowl in a matter of minutes. Yum!


After my mom and I had our early lunch we explored the pier. We walked to the edge of the pier and looked across the bay to Alcatraz, which I will one day visit. 


Next stop was Ghirardelli square, where I shockingly have never been. 


While I was here I had to get my chocolate fix. We walked into the Ghirardelli store and got a piece of caramel chocolate. Boy, was it delicious. 


My mom and I also stopped at Kara's Cupcakes, which is a Northern California bakery. These delicious babies are made every morning with the finest local and organic ingredients. My favorite!


We got the godiva chocolate cupcake that we saved for our late night snack when we got back to our hotel. 


Next, we went to see the golden gate bridge. Unfortunately it was a bit overcast but that didn't hinder the beauty of the bridge and bay. It was an absolutely breathtaking view. My mom and I watched the sail boats and waves for at least a half hour. This is a must see while in San Francisco and a great photo spot as well.


Next on our journey was Haight and Ashbury, which is a rather hippy town.



While in San Fran I had to visit Smitten Ice Cream. This has been on my list of things to do for a while now and I was stoked to check it off.


Sue, the owner, has perfected making ice cream with a special machine called BRRR. It uses liquid nitrogen to churn ice cream from liquid to solid form. This allows for fresh, made to order ice cream that eliminates shelf life. This was an amazing experience having extremely fresh ice cream with no artificial flavors or preservatives. 



My mom and I shared the fresh mint chip and chocolate ice cream. It was creamiest and freshest ice cream I have ever tasted. You can truly tell the difference by using fresh ingredients. The coolest thing that it is made to order. I have never heard of a place that makes their ice cream on demand. Amazing! I highly recommend if you are ever in San Francisco to go to Smitten Ice Cream. You will not regret it! Have I ever recommended you badly ...


Even in summer season, San Fran is definitely a bit nippy. It was around low 60's when we were there. There are some of you thinking, that is so warm but for a Hawai'i girl, trust me it is chilly especially with wind. So my mom and I grabbed a Blue Bottle Latte to keep us nice and toasty. 



We got coffee in Hayes Valley, which is one of my favorite parts of San Francisco. There is so many great shops, beautiful art work and amazing eateries. It is everything that I love and more.


After a long day of exploring in San Fran, we started to head toward Oakland since that's where we were staying and flying out of. We stopped off at Aunt Mary's Cafe for some homey Southern food. I have never had true Southern before so this was an experience.



I had the fried chicken, grits and southern greens.


My mom had the meat loaf, mashers and green beans. I loved both our dishes. Who knows, I could've been an accidental country girl (jk). 


To end a long foodie day we stopped by Tucker's in Alameda to meet one of my mom's dear friends and her son. This is an ice cream parlor that reminded me exactly of Bubbies. There is only 1 Tucker's in the world and there were a vast amount of flavors to choose from. My mom and I shared the Salted Butter Caramel and the Chocolate, Almond and Vanilla swirl. Holy heaven! It was amazing and for such a cheap price. Why is ice cream so expensive in Hawai'i.

But overall, I had a great day exploring the city and all it had to offer. Spending that entire day with my mom was a plus as well. Until next time San Fran.

xo. Laur

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