OT: Anybody from San Francisco

[Bullet123]

I am going to be in San Francisco then NAPA in a few weeks and was looking for a few suggestions for things I should not miss. Also , the names of a few good restaurants in San Francisco would be helpful. I will be with my wife so nice, romantic places would be the type I am shooting for. Thanks

[greggy]

FFB should be able to help.

[bronze_rules]

Too many places to name...

 

Golden Gate Park has plenty of site seeing that is romantic (flower gardens, museums, etc).

 

Fisherman's Warf (hang out at tourist style shops).

 

Union Square (Main shopping square, plenty of nice restaurants).

 

Here's a romantic tip... Go to a place called the sony metreon (they have a website).

There is a comic shop upstairs (last I checked about a yr ago, I think it should still be there, but double check). Then go across the street and take her upstairs to the hidden ice skating rink inside a dome (I think it's called yerba buena gardens, but it's right around the corner and there is a horse carousel visible).

 

(type 101 Fourth St. san francisco in google maps for metreon).

ice skating rink across street: http://www.geocities.com/sfphototour/y_b_ice_rink.html

 

Lastly, have a map handy (pictorial tourist type is good), as there are many one way streets and driving can be stressful if you don't know how to get where you are going.

 

I don't go to NAPA often, but picture miles and miles of grape gardens and not much else. Hope you enjoy wine tasting.

 

Have Fun!

 

[FFB]

I am going to be in San Francisco then NAPA in a few weeks and was looking for a few suggestions for things I should not miss. Also , the names of a few good restaurants in San Francisco would be helpful. I will be with my wife so nice, romantic places would be the type I am shooting for. Thanks

 

SF's top high-end Restaurants:

Gary Danko

Fleur De Lys

Fifth Floor

Ozumo (sushi)

Slanted Door

Ame

Michael Mina

Masa's

Boulevard

 

Things to do:

Drive along Broadway on Billionaires Row (the intersection of Broadway and Divisadero is where the truly stunning houses start), park your car, and get out and check out the houses. Walk down the Lyon Street stairs at the end of Broadway. Enjoy the spectacular views.

 

Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge.

 

Have lunch in Sausalito.

 

Take the ferry to Tiburon and have a cocktail on the deck at Sam's Anchor Cafe.

 

Do the 49 mile drive (if you have a whole day to kill).

 

Ride the cable car from Powell Street to Fisherman's Wharf. Immediately get back on the cable car and ride back to Powell Street. (In other words, don't burn time in Fisherman's Wharf.)

 

Napa is a whole 'nother issue.

 

Here is a prior post I did on the subject:

 

Best way to start the trip is to attend Merryvale Vineyard's wine tasting tour and (short) tasting seminar on a Saturday or Sunday morning. It runs from 10:30 to 12:30 or so. It is one of the most fun things I've ever done in Napa, and the guy (Ed) who runs the tour is one of the coolest and most fun people in the valley. The "seminar" is where you are seated in Merryvale's historical cask room, and you taste six wines blind, along with small samples of four core wine components (sugar, alcohol, grape tannin, and acid) and compare the prevalence of each in the six wines in front of you. Very informative, tons of fun, and a nice way to start a day of wine tasting, even if you know your way around a bottle of wine.

 

Lunch at Taylor's Automatic Refresher across the street. I recommend the ahi tuna burger with Asian slaw and some sweet potato french fries. Liz also loves the milkshakes, but I tend to skip them to keep my waistline measurement in the mid-30s.

 

After that, it's a short, 20-minute drive up oak-lined Spring Mountain Road, where you can spend the day tasting at Paloma, Pride Mountain Vineyards, Barnett Vineyards, and Chrisco37's personal favorite and home of the "Crazy Queen of Spring Mountain," Guilliams. (Call ahead and make reservations at each of these places at least two weeks in advance. They are small wineries and they limit the number of visitors at a time. Allow 1 hour for each winery, which should give you 40 minutes of tasting time plus 20 minutes to travel to the next stop. The view of Napa Valley from the tasting deck at Barnett is incredible, so I like to schedule that one as late in the day as possible to try to catch the sunset.)

 

Follow that up with dinner at the Martini House in St. Helena to cap off an epic "Day to Remember in Wine Country."

 

And that's just day one!!!!

[FFB]

The comic store in Sony Metreon went out of business.

[FFB]

I don't go to NAPA often, but picture miles and miles of grape gardens and not much else. Hope you enjoy wine tasting.

 

This is a lot like saying, "I don't go to Wizard World Chicago that often, but picture miles and miles of comic books and original art and not much else. Hope you enjoy comic collecting."

 

Yeah, that is the POINT. Napa is heaven on Earth if you enjoy wine and fine dining and it sucks big time if you don't.

[joecgcmaniac]

I don't go to NAPA often, but picture miles and miles of grape gardens and not much else. Hope you enjoy wine tasting.

 

This is a lot like saying, "I don't go to Wizard World Chicago that often, but picture miles and miles of comic books and original art and not much else. Hope you enjoy comic collecting."

 

Yeah, that is the POINT. Napa is heaven on Earth if you enjoy wine and fine dining and it sucks big time if you don't.

 

So, you're saying don't go to Napa to go to Burger King, eh?

[Bullet123]

I am going to be in San Francisco then NAPA in a few weeks and was looking for a few suggestions for things I should not miss. Also , the names of a few good restaurants in San Francisco would be helpful. I will be with my wife so nice, romantic places would be the type I am shooting for. Thanks

 

SF's top high-end Restaurants:

Gary Danko

Fleur De Lys

Fifth Floor

Ozumo (sushi)

Slanted Door

Ame

Michael Mina

Masa's

Boulevard

 

Things to do:

Drive along Broadway on Billionaires Row (the intersection of Broadway and Divisadero is where the truly stunning houses start), park your car, and get out and check out the houses. Walk down the Lyon Street stairs at the end of Broadway. Enjoy the spectacular views.

 

Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge.

 

Have lunch in Sausalito.

 

Take the ferry to Tiburon and have a cocktail on the deck at Sam's Anchor Cafe.

 

Do the 49 mile drive (if you have a whole day to kill).

 

Ride the cable car from Powell Street to Fisherman's Wharf. Immediately get back on the cable car and ride back to Powell Street. (In other words, don't burn time in Fisherman's Wharf.)

 

Napa is a whole 'nother issue.

 

Here is a prior post I did on the subject:

 

Best way to start the trip is to attend Merryvale Vineyard's wine tasting tour and (short) tasting seminar on a Saturday or Sunday morning. It runs from 10:30 to 12:30 or so. It is one of the most fun things I've ever done in Napa, and the guy (Ed) who runs the tour is one of the coolest and most fun people in the valley. The "seminar" is where you are seated in Merryvale's historical cask room, and you taste six wines blind, along with small samples of four core wine components (sugar, alcohol, grape tannin, and acid) and compare the prevalence of each in the six wines in front of you. Very informative, tons of fun, and a nice way to start a day of wine tasting, even if you know your way around a bottle of wine.

 

Lunch at Taylor's Automatic Refresher across the street. I recommend the ahi tuna burger with Asian slaw and some sweet potato french fries. Liz also loves the milkshakes, but I tend to skip them to keep my waistline measurement in the mid-30s.

 

After that, it's a short, 20-minute drive up oak-lined Spring Mountain Road, where you can spend the day tasting at Paloma, Pride Mountain Vineyards, Barnett Vineyards, and Chrisco37's personal favorite and home of the "Crazy Queen of Spring Mountain," Guilliams. (Call ahead and make reservations at each of these places at least two weeks in advance. They are small wineries and they limit the number of visitors at a time. Allow 1 hour for each winery, which should give you 40 minutes of tasting time plus 20 minutes to travel to the next stop. The view of Napa Valley from the tasting deck at Barnett is incredible, so I like to schedule that one as late in the day as possible to try to catch the sunset.)

 

Follow that up with dinner at the Martini House in St. Helena to cap off an epic "Day to Remember in Wine Country."

 

And that's just day one!!!!

 

Thanks for the suggestions

 

In Napa, we will be staying at a B&B/Spa type place so they are arranging everything as far as the tastings and YES I do like my wine and cheese so miles of grapevines are appealing to me !!

 

 

[VintageComics]

I don't go to NAPA often, but picture miles and miles of grape gardens and not much else. Hope you enjoy wine tasting.

 

This is a lot like saying, "I don't go to Wizard World Chicago that often, but picture miles and miles of comic books and original art and not much else. Hope you enjoy comic collecting."

 

Yeah, that is the POINT. Napa is heaven on Earth if you enjoy wine and fine dining and it sucks big time if you don't.

 

So, you're saying don't go to Napa to go to Burger King, eh?

 

I hear Wendy's has a strong foot hold there.

 

(thumbs u

[Ringfinger]

I don't go to NAPA often, but picture miles and miles of grape gardens and not much else. Hope you enjoy wine tasting.

 

This is a lot like saying, "I don't go to Wizard World Chicago that often, but picture miles and miles of comic books and original art and not much else. Hope you enjoy comic collecting."

 

Yeah, that is the POINT. Napa is heaven on Earth if you enjoy wine and fine dining and it sucks big time if you don't.

 

So, you're saying don't go to Napa to go to Burger King, eh?

 

I hear Wendy's has a strong foot hold there.

 

(thumbs u

 

[seanfingh]

I am going to be in San Francisco then NAPA in a few weeks and was looking for a few suggestions for things I should not miss. Also , the names of a few good restaurants in San Francisco would be helpful. I will be with my wife so nice, romantic places would be the type I am shooting for. Thanks

 

SF's top high-end Restaurants:

Gary Danko

Fleur De Lys

Fifth Floor

Ozumo (sushi)

Slanted Door

Ame

Michael Mina

Masa's

Boulevard

 

Things to do:

Drive along Broadway on Billionaires Row (the intersection of Broadway and Divisadero is where the truly stunning houses start), park your car, and get out and check out the houses. Walk down the Lyon Street stairs at the end of Broadway. Enjoy the spectacular views.

 

Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge.

 

Have lunch in Sausalito.

 

Take the ferry to Tiburon and have a cocktail on the deck at Sam's Anchor Cafe.

 

Do the 49 mile drive (if you have a whole day to kill).

 

Ride the cable car from Powell Street to Fisherman's Wharf. Immediately get back on the cable car and ride back to Powell Street. (In other words, don't burn time in Fisherman's Wharf.)

 

Napa is a whole 'nother issue.

 

Here is a prior post I did on the subject:

 

Best way to start the trip is to attend Merryvale Vineyard's wine tasting tour and (short) tasting seminar on a Saturday or Sunday morning. It runs from 10:30 to 12:30 or so. It is one of the most fun things I've ever done in Napa, and the guy (Ed) who runs the tour is one of the coolest and most fun people in the valley. The "seminar" is where you are seated in Merryvale's historical cask room, and you taste six wines blind, along with small samples of four core wine components (sugar, alcohol, grape tannin, and acid) and compare the prevalence of each in the six wines in front of you. Very informative, tons of fun, and a nice way to start a day of wine tasting, even if you know your way around a bottle of wine.

 

Lunch at Taylor's Automatic Refresher across the street. I recommend the ahi tuna burger with Asian slaw and some sweet potato french fries. Liz also loves the milkshakes, but I tend to skip them to keep my waistline measurement in the mid-30s.

 

After that, it's a short, 20-minute drive up oak-lined Spring Mountain Road, where you can spend the day tasting at Paloma, Pride Mountain Vineyards, Barnett Vineyards, and Chrisco37's personal favorite and home of the "Crazy Queen of Spring Mountain," Guilliams. (Call ahead and make reservations at each of these places at least two weeks in advance. They are small wineries and they limit the number of visitors at a time. Allow 1 hour for each winery, which should give you 40 minutes of tasting time plus 20 minutes to travel to the next stop. The view of Napa Valley from the tasting deck at Barnett is incredible, so I like to schedule that one as late in the day as possible to try to catch the sunset.)

 

Follow that up with dinner at the Martini House in St. Helena to cap off an epic "Day to Remember in Wine Country."

 

And that's just day one!!!!

 

Thanks for the suggestions

 

In Napa, we will be staying at a B&B/Spa type place so they are arranging everything as far as the tastings and YES I do like my wine and cheese so miles of grapevines are appealing to me !!

 

 

As a Midwesterner that spent 8 days in SF last Fall, please listen to FFB!

 

The only things that I will add is that the Merryvale/Taylors experience is a must. We then went to Sonoma and the Ridge wineries which was also awesome. (Please have a designated driver. ) I would also add Zuni Cafe as a great place to eat. Good wine list and Roast chicken with Bread salad to die for.

 

I enjoyed walking the length of the Embarcadero and checking out the entirety of what was going on down there (not just the touristy stuff at Pier 39).

 

I also enjoyed spending a half a day in Chinatown, but it is neither nice nor romantic so .

 

You will love SF. I can't wait to get back.

[Jeffreykli]

Other piece of advice: try to make reservations as soon as possible; although there are many great restaurants in SF, they're often completely booked.

[seank]

For drinks:

 

Bourbon and Branch in SF is one of the greatest bars I've been to. You need reservations.

 

Tonga Room is worth a visit just for the spectacle.

 

If you get to Alameda, visit Forbidden Island.

 

I don't know if it's still the same, but I'm craving breakfast at the Pork Store on lower Haight. Expect to wait in line.

 

 

[chrisco37]

Yep. Just follow Scott's advice and you cannot go wrong.

 

Make sure you hit Gwilliams (as he noted in his old post). Wine was great, and the conversation was even better (although it's been almost 4 years since I went, so things may have changed).

 

Also, make sure you have a day open to hit the Muir Woods. One of the most breathtaking, magnetic places I've ever been to. Just fantastic.

[chrisco37]

Oh, and if you're dying for a burger, you gotta hit "In & Out". Unfrotunately, us East Coasties don't have that at our fingertips.

[mschmidt]

For brunch, you can't go wrong with Zazie in the Cole Valley neighborhood - but expect rather long lines on the weekend.

[bronze_rules]

The comic store in Sony Metreon went out of business.

 

Thanks for the update; it's been a while since I've been there.

 

I guess comic collecting and drinking seem to be highly correlated, judging from the responses. Not my thing, but I see I'm in the minority.

[chrisco37]

 

I guess comic collecting and drinking seem to be highly correlated, judging from the responses. Not my thing, but I see I'm in the minority.

 

No need to apologize. It's not comic collecting. Kid-less vacation and drinking is where you will find the correlation.

 

Actually, now that I think about it, it's "kid-less" and drinking where you will find it (unless you're like some of our more unseemly forumites ).

[FFB]

I am going to be in San Francisco then NAPA in a few weeks and was looking for a few suggestions for things I should not miss. Also , the names of a few good restaurants in San Francisco would be helpful. I will be with my wife so nice, romantic places would be the type I am shooting for. Thanks

 

SF's top high-end Restaurants:

Gary Danko

Fleur De Lys

Fifth Floor

Ozumo (sushi)

Slanted Door

Ame

Michael Mina

Masa's

Boulevard

 

Things to do:

Drive along Broadway on Billionaires Row (the intersection of Broadway and Divisadero is where the truly stunning houses start), park your car, and get out and check out the houses. Walk down the Lyon Street stairs at the end of Broadway. Enjoy the spectacular views.

 

Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge.

 

Have lunch in Sausalito.

 

Take the ferry to Tiburon and have a cocktail on the deck at Sam's Anchor Cafe.

 

Do the 49 mile drive (if you have a whole day to kill).

 

Ride the cable car from Powell Street to Fisherman's Wharf. Immediately get back on the cable car and ride back to Powell Street. (In other words, don't burn time in Fisherman's Wharf.)

 

Napa is a whole 'nother issue.

 

Here is a prior post I did on the subject:

 

Best way to start the trip is to attend Merryvale Vineyard's wine tasting tour and (short) tasting seminar on a Saturday or Sunday morning. It runs from 10:30 to 12:30 or so. It is one of the most fun things I've ever done in Napa, and the guy (Ed) who runs the tour is one of the coolest and most fun people in the valley. The "seminar" is where you are seated in Merryvale's historical cask room, and you taste six wines blind, along with small samples of four core wine components (sugar, alcohol, grape tannin, and acid) and compare the prevalence of each in the six wines in front of you. Very informative, tons of fun, and a nice way to start a day of wine tasting, even if you know your way around a bottle of wine.

 

Lunch at Taylor's Automatic Refresher across the street. I recommend the ahi tuna burger with Asian slaw and some sweet potato french fries. Liz also loves the milkshakes, but I tend to skip them to keep my waistline measurement in the mid-30s.

 

After that, it's a short, 20-minute drive up oak-lined Spring Mountain Road, where you can spend the day tasting at Paloma, Pride Mountain Vineyards, Barnett Vineyards, and Chrisco37's personal favorite and home of the "Crazy Queen of Spring Mountain," Guilliams. (Call ahead and make reservations at each of these places at least two weeks in advance. They are small wineries and they limit the number of visitors at a time. Allow 1 hour for each winery, which should give you 40 minutes of tasting time plus 20 minutes to travel to the next stop. The view of Napa Valley from the tasting deck at Barnett is incredible, so I like to schedule that one as late in the day as possible to try to catch the sunset.)

 

Follow that up with dinner at the Martini House in St. Helena to cap off an epic "Day to Remember in Wine Country."

 

And that's just day one!!!!

 

Thanks for the suggestions

 

In Napa, we will be staying at a B&B/Spa type place so they are arranging everything as far as the tastings and YES I do like my wine and cheese so miles of grapevines are appealing to me !!

 

 

Bob,

 

I know Napa pretty well, so if you want some input on the places where the B&B is sending you, PM me the list and I can give you some advance feedback. At the very least, I might be able to recommend a spot or three that won't be on the list that the B&B gives you that are less touristy and very memorable, with spectacular wine. Up to you. (thumbs u

 

Scott

[FFB]

I am going to be in San Francisco then NAPA in a few weeks and was looking for a few suggestions for things I should not miss. Also , the names of a few good restaurants in San Francisco would be helpful. I will be with my wife so nice, romantic places would be the type I am shooting for. Thanks

 

SF's top high-end Restaurants:

Gary Danko

Fleur De Lys

Fifth Floor

Ozumo (sushi)

Slanted Door

Ame

Michael Mina

Masa's

Boulevard

 

Things to do:

Drive along Broadway on Billionaires Row (the intersection of Broadway and Divisadero is where the truly stunning houses start), park your car, and get out and check out the houses. Walk down the Lyon Street stairs at the end of Broadway. Enjoy the spectacular views.

 

Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge.

 

Have lunch in Sausalito.

 

Take the ferry to Tiburon and have a cocktail on the deck at Sam's Anchor Cafe.

 

Do the 49 mile drive (if you have a whole day to kill).

 

Ride the cable car from Powell Street to Fisherman's Wharf. Immediately get back on the cable car and ride back to Powell Street. (In other words, don't burn time in Fisherman's Wharf.)

 

Napa is a whole 'nother issue.

 

Here is a prior post I did on the subject:

 

Best way to start the trip is to attend Merryvale Vineyard's wine tasting tour and (short) tasting seminar on a Saturday or Sunday morning. It runs from 10:30 to 12:30 or so. It is one of the most fun things I've ever done in Napa, and the guy (Ed) who runs the tour is one of the coolest and most fun people in the valley. The "seminar" is where you are seated in Merryvale's historical cask room, and you taste six wines blind, along with small samples of four core wine components (sugar, alcohol, grape tannin, and acid) and compare the prevalence of each in the six wines in front of you. Very informative, tons of fun, and a nice way to start a day of wine tasting, even if you know your way around a bottle of wine.

 

Lunch at Taylor's Automatic Refresher across the street. I recommend the ahi tuna burger with Asian slaw and some sweet potato french fries. Liz also loves the milkshakes, but I tend to skip them to keep my waistline measurement in the mid-30s.

 

After that, it's a short, 20-minute drive up oak-lined Spring Mountain Road, where you can spend the day tasting at Paloma, Pride Mountain Vineyards, Barnett Vineyards, and Chrisco37's personal favorite and home of the "Crazy Queen of Spring Mountain," Guilliams. (Call ahead and make reservations at each of these places at least two weeks in advance. They are small wineries and they limit the number of visitors at a time. Allow 1 hour for each winery, which should give you 40 minutes of tasting time plus 20 minutes to travel to the next stop. The view of Napa Valley from the tasting deck at Barnett is incredible, so I like to schedule that one as late in the day as possible to try to catch the sunset.)

 

Follow that up with dinner at the Martini House in St. Helena to cap off an epic "Day to Remember in Wine Country."

 

And that's just day one!!!!

 

Thanks for the suggestions

 

In Napa, we will be staying at a B&B/Spa type place so they are arranging everything as far as the tastings and YES I do like my wine and cheese so miles of grapevines are appealing to me !!

 

 

As a Midwesterner that spent 8 days in SF last Fall, please listen to FFB!

 

The only things that I will add is that the Merryvale/Taylors experience is a must. We then went to Sonoma and the Ridge wineries which was also awesome. (Please have a designated driver. ) I would also add Zuni Cafe as a great place to eat. Good wine list and Roast chicken with Bread salad to die for.

 

I enjoyed walking the length of the Embarcadero and checking out the entirety of what was going on down there (not just the touristy stuff at Pier 39).

 

I also enjoyed spending a half a day in Chinatown, but it is neither nice nor romantic so .

 

You will love SF. I can't wait to get back.

 

Zuni Cafe is a great place, and you are right about the roasted chicken. Heaven indeed!