Wednesday was fly back to the cold day. My flight out of San Francisco was at 1:55. I woke up early to say goodbye to Danielle and went back to bed for a little while. And of course I waited until that morning to pack my suitcases to go. Mike took me to the BART station. Thankfully there was no homeless man talking to me the entire time to get me sick. I slept most of the hour trip to the airport on BART. I walked right up to get my ticket printed and my bags checked. And seeing as how I've been to that airport three times in the last six months I knew they didn't have anything I wanted for lunch so I stopped and got lunch outside of the security check point and took it to go. It didn't take long to get through security, there was a guy that was hollaring for everyone to "take your belts off, coats off, take your laptops out of your cases....." And there were still morons asking, "Do I need to take my laptop all the way out of my case?" Seriously people?? I wore my new rain boots because they were the heaviest shoe I had and the lady behind me in line liked them. They are pretty spectacular rain boots if I do say so myself.
I made it through security and made my way to the departure monitor and "Phoenix 1:55 flight..... NOW 2:40." Perfect! Oh well, I wasn't surprised at all. So I went to my gate and ate my lunch. I overheard someone on their cell phone saying that they changed the time to 2:15 now. So that was better. I ate my lunch and went to the two shops that there were, that I've been in many many times. When I got back all of the seats were taken so I sat on the floor and there were two men on the phone that were pacing back and forth, back and forth just blabbering away about work stuff. I just read my book and waited for the plane to arrive. I think it only ended up being about 30 minutes delayed in the end. And of course as we were getting on the plane with the intention of getting going as soon as possible people were taking forever! A couple people in front of me couldn't decide where to sit, or they couldn't find a place for their luggage...it was rediculous!
I slept the entire plane ride to Phoenix. When I got to Phoenix I walked around to 3 of the different terminals after I found my gate. I had an hour and a half to burn so might as well see where there was to shop right?? I found a Starbucks so I could get an Arizona coffee cup. I try and collect those from the different places I go. My flight going into Omaha wasn't technically delayed but we were about 15 minutes late loading and leaving the runway. I slept that entire plane ride too. When I was waiting in line for that flight there were these two scurvy looking guys who just looked like they needed to shower. As I observed one of them more closely I noticed that with his short hair-do (if you could call it a hair-so, it was more like hair chaos) he had a small long braid behind his right hear. It looked so weird! He looked like he belonged in Lord of the Rings and just got lost in a different time period. My goal for that flight: not to get stuck sitting next to the scurvy looking guys. I am happy to report I met that goal.
Let me tell you arriving home was a bit different temperature wise than California was! But it's always good to be home. My next definate trip is in July to St. Louis. Thanks for reading! I had a fantastic visit to San Francisco!!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Tuesdays Turmoils and Travels
Well no one can ever accuse me of being boring. I woke up Tuesday morning to drive with Danielle to BART to drop her off. On the way there she told me that the other day I left the lights on and she showed me where to turn them off so I made a mental not of it. So she went to BART, and I went back to the house to sleep for a little while. I got up a while later, got ready, went to go start the car to head the BART station and go into the city only the car wouldn't start. It wasn't even turning over at all. So I put the key in a different way.....sat there for a minute....tried the key again. After about 10 minutes or so I called Danielle and asked her if there was a "special" way to start the car (I'm a moron I know). She's like ummmm....no. So she recommended moving the wheel some to make sure it wasn't stuck, which made sense, my Vibe does that sometimes. So I did that and it wasn't working. So she called Mike and woke him up, I didn't want her to. I figured it was something obvious and stupid and that he would find the problem right away and I'd feel stupid. So Mike comes outside, sits in the car, tries to start it, looks around and it turns out that I moved the lights dimmer switch not the "off/on" switch for the lights. I killed the car. So Mike had to go buy jumper cables (have I mentioned yet that he's the best brother-in-law ever??) and we jumped the truck from the Malibu. I felt SOOOOO bad but he was so gracious about it. So I took the Malibu to BART and was on my way to the city.
I got to the city and went to the Westfield Shopping Plaza. I had some lunch and walked around the mall. I had been debating going and seeing Dear John, there was a theater on the 5th floor. It was 12:28 and the movie started at 12:30 and I was on the fourth floor. So the big debate began in my mind. Do I see it or do I wait and just walk around? (I'm terrible at making decisions) So I decided to go up and see how much it would be. (They had two times of showings, one was an XD screen that was more expensive.) I got up there and the girl goes "It'll be $6." Okay! I can do $6!! Apparently their first showing of the day is always $6. I like that policy. So I saw Dear John. I liked it. It's probably not my favorite Nicholas Sparks movie they've done, but I thought it was really good. I think it's not my absolute favorite one because it didn't go exactly how I wanted it to.
Now the weather channel said that Tuesday was going to be rainy so I put my new rainboots on and planned to do indoor things for the day. I came out of the movie and the sun sure was shining brightly! I went downstairs, got some Haagen Dazs ice cream - I've never had any before and I decided this was a good time. On my way there I was stopped by one of the vendors in the middle of the mall and he asked me if he could ask me a question about what he was selling and I politely said, "No thank you." Then he asked where I was from so I said, "Omaha." He goes, "Where's that?" I told him it was in Nebraska. He goes, "Oh.....okay......" He had no clue! Any other questions sucka?? After that I went outside. I'm pretty sure I was the only one outside eating ice cream. The temperature was probably in the low 50's with the wind was a bit cool but compared to the Nebraska weather I came from it felt pretty darn nice out!
So I set off with my camera out at Union Square and started taking pictures. I had two and a half hours until I needed to be back on BART so I just walked around and took pictueres. Later on I told Danielle I didn't really go into any stores. She asked what I did the entire time and looked baffeled when I told her just walked around and took pictures. After I was done walking around and taking pictures I went back to the mall and just sat down for a little while. I was sitting in the food court and on my phone when this lady asks me if this backpack on the ground is mine. I said no so she went to a security guard and told him that someone forgot their backpack. So he comes over and puts on black gloves to pick up the backpack. I'm like crap.......why is he putting on black gloves to pick up this backpack.
After that I got back on BART, met Danielle and we rode into town, and met Mike and we went and had dinner at BJ's. It was super appetizing! We had their chicken BBQ pizza. Then we went back to the house, finished watching Amelia (spoiler: she dies) and just relaxed and visited. It was a good visit, other than me killing one of their vehicles of course.
I got to the city and went to the Westfield Shopping Plaza. I had some lunch and walked around the mall. I had been debating going and seeing Dear John, there was a theater on the 5th floor. It was 12:28 and the movie started at 12:30 and I was on the fourth floor. So the big debate began in my mind. Do I see it or do I wait and just walk around? (I'm terrible at making decisions) So I decided to go up and see how much it would be. (They had two times of showings, one was an XD screen that was more expensive.) I got up there and the girl goes "It'll be $6." Okay! I can do $6!! Apparently their first showing of the day is always $6. I like that policy. So I saw Dear John. I liked it. It's probably not my favorite Nicholas Sparks movie they've done, but I thought it was really good. I think it's not my absolute favorite one because it didn't go exactly how I wanted it to.
Now the weather channel said that Tuesday was going to be rainy so I put my new rainboots on and planned to do indoor things for the day. I came out of the movie and the sun sure was shining brightly! I went downstairs, got some Haagen Dazs ice cream - I've never had any before and I decided this was a good time. On my way there I was stopped by one of the vendors in the middle of the mall and he asked me if he could ask me a question about what he was selling and I politely said, "No thank you." Then he asked where I was from so I said, "Omaha." He goes, "Where's that?" I told him it was in Nebraska. He goes, "Oh.....okay......" He had no clue! Any other questions sucka?? After that I went outside. I'm pretty sure I was the only one outside eating ice cream. The temperature was probably in the low 50's with the wind was a bit cool but compared to the Nebraska weather I came from it felt pretty darn nice out!
So I set off with my camera out at Union Square and started taking pictures. I had two and a half hours until I needed to be back on BART so I just walked around and took pictueres. Later on I told Danielle I didn't really go into any stores. She asked what I did the entire time and looked baffeled when I told her just walked around and took pictures. After I was done walking around and taking pictures I went back to the mall and just sat down for a little while. I was sitting in the food court and on my phone when this lady asks me if this backpack on the ground is mine. I said no so she went to a security guard and told him that someone forgot their backpack. So he comes over and puts on black gloves to pick up the backpack. I'm like crap.......why is he putting on black gloves to pick up this backpack.
After that I got back on BART, met Danielle and we rode into town, and met Mike and we went and had dinner at BJ's. It was super appetizing! We had their chicken BBQ pizza. Then we went back to the house, finished watching Amelia (spoiler: she dies) and just relaxed and visited. It was a good visit, other than me killing one of their vehicles of course.
Looking straight up in the mall
My Rocky Road Dazzler from Haagen Dazs
Looking across the street at some of the shops
Trolley going through Union Square, still haven't ridden
one of those yet
Looking up one of the streets (Victorias Secret on the left)
A heart in the park
Looking up one of the streets, and yes I stood
in the street to get this picture
These were the people that were going to ask me questions
about the Superbowl only I didn't watch it......
The "park" right outside of Macy's
This man has lived in San Francisco for 1 year on Feb 11, 2010
Congratulations random man whose conversation I overheard!
Coach, I don't need to say anymore
Approaching China Town
Looking into China Town
Starbucks!! They were on almost every corner!!
Homeless looking man taking a nap (I hope) with a Starbucks
cup by his hand for change
The shopping center
This goes to one of the BART stations, by Gap
and Forever 21
One of the Muni's going through Union Square
Here comes BART
Monday Madness
My Monday started out at 5:50 AM! Can you believe I woke up at 5:50 am!?!?! I still can't believe it! I wanted to have a good early start to my day as the forecast for the next two days was partly cloudy on Monday and rainy on Tuesday. I rode into the city with Danielle, got off at the same BART station she did so I could go see the building she worked at. She showed me where she worked, and wouldn't let me go much farther because we had already gone around one corner and she didn't want me getting lost and to not be able to find my way back to BART. I assured her that I'd be able to find my way back just fine, BUT she is my sister and knows me too well. So I said good by, did a turnabout and captured a few shots on my walk back to BART. I still had to get back on and go to the Embarcadero station. I was very pleased with some of the pictures I got with the early morning sun still coming up. I guess that's "maybe" one advantage to being up so early. So back to BART I went, got off at the Embarcadero station and set out. I actually knew where I was going for the first leg of my trip. My plan for the day was to go to the Golden Gate Bridge (GGB), Golden Gate Park, then come back to Fishermans Wharf for lunch, do my Bay Cruise and go back up to Ghiraradelli Square. All those reasons are why I woke up so early, I had a lot to accomplish by 5pm. I walked down Embarcadero to Pier 1, the Bay Bridge was covered over with clouds and the sun was just barely peaking around them. It was beautiful. I tried to capture it with my pictures but didn't do it justice. There were people sitting on the back of the pier reading, some were working building things, others arriving from a boat. It was kind of surreal to see, like out of a movie. So different than what I'm used to.
I walked from Pier 1 to the Muni station just down the street, paid my $2 and rode that down through the Wharf and just about to Ghiraradelli Square. I asked the guy driving where to go from there to get to the Muni I would need to get to the GGB because last time I ended up walking all the way to where the interstate started and that was A LONG way. So after about 3 or 4 more Muni bus changes I was at the GGB. I could see the entire bridge this time! It was so great! Last time I was so frusterated after I had practically walked all that way to see it and could only see the bottom 1/3 of it. It was still partly cloudy, I would've loved for it to be "all sunny" because those are my favorite photographs to take, not a huge fan of cloudy day photographs. I started to walk along the bridge again, I took one look down over the bridge, got a photo looking down and immediately turned around. I didn't even get onto where the bridge really starts. That day just did not feel like the day to conquor my fear of heights.
I went back to where the Muni had dropped me off and started waiting for the next Muni to come so I could make my way to the Golden Gate Park (GGP). Last time I remembered waiting for a while, so I sat and just did the old person thing and people watched. A muni came by and I asked if it would get me to the GGP and they said no, you need the Daly City Muni. (There were 2 Muni's coming through there). So I thanked the gentleman, went back to my bench to wait and awaited the next Muni. The next Muni to come through wasn't the Daly City one either. So I continuted to wait. Before I got to the bench there was a middle-aged Asian woman sitting there. I don't know where her final destination was but she needed the same Muni that I did. Well after 2 Muni's went by she got a little peeved. So she gave that second driver a piece of her mind. They told her to call and complain and that their bus was on time, sorry lady! I just sat there and chuckled. Calling and complaining wasn't going to get another bus there any faster so I didn't crap my pants about it. It was funnier to watch her crap her pants about it. So she gets on the phone and calls them and gives them another piece of her mind. Her head was kind of shaking or tremoring a little. I didn't know if it was because she was irritation and mad or if she had Parkinsons or something. I think it's because she was irritatied. So after a little while a 3rd Muni comes by. And this one (in all it's glory) says "Daly City"!! So that little woman goes and gets on that bus and I (thankfully) asked the lady driver if this bus would get me to the GGP. And she says "Oh no, this one won't honey. I just changed my sign. This is the nineteenth street one." So I thanked her and told her that the little Asian lady who was just talking to her (and telling her that she had to wait so long and was not happy) needed to get off this bus also. So she told her and off comes the cranky lady. So I (once again) took my place on the bench. By this time I'd been sitting on the bench so long that four black birds with yellow eyes were just chilling around me. Two of them were about one foot away from me.
FINALLY the fourth Muni was ours. It was a beautiful moment. That little lady sure did have a lot to tell the driver of that bus though. So we get on the bus, and she sits down in the middle of the bus and I sat down at the front, and she starts telling the passengers how she had to wait almost an hour. Then this fat red headed guy missing all his top teeth starts (loudly) complaining about how half the drivers never show up for work, and how everything going on is a bunch of crap and how she needs to go to the meeting that is being held on Tuesday night to voice her opinion. Basically they had a big gripe fest. Then this little old lady goes "can't we all just have peace?" She was way too adorable! Well chubster would have none of the peace talk. He just kept on yapping and so did irritated tremor lady. But that little old lady threw out her "peace" line a couple more times. If that wasn't annoying enough to listen to for about 15 minutes later on this other guy gets on and starts complaining about the people who were voted and elected to certain positions and just fuels that conversation. I was SO glad to get off that bus. I was with little old peace lady.
I got off and went to the GGP. I planned to go to the King Tut Museum that is there since I didn't go in it when I was there in August. I had walked around the park and gone into the Japanese Tea Garden in August as well so I didn't do that this time. Figure that not as much would be blossoming. I'm right at the doors to go into the museum and this worker asks me if I'm with a school group (really? Do I look like I'm 8?) because there were several school groups there. I told him no and he said the museum was closed for the day. Okay, how are you going to close an entire museum for a day for school trips? That's just messed up. What about the gazillions of tourists that come through all year around and are there on a specific day to go into the museum. It took me a long time to get there and I wasn't just able to "swing by" again the next day. So that was a bit disappointing, but I wiped my tears and continued on (just kidding, I didn't cry).
I found my way through a couple more Muni's (always asking which one to get off and on at) and got to the Daly City BART to start over again at the Embarcadero BART. As I was riding the Muni to the Daly City BART this little old Asian lady sat next to me and started talking about where she was going and how she couldn't drive anymore with all the people that were in California now. And how there's just no way she could live in Southern California, it's just way too populated. She was really kind. Then she was talking to me about how when she started riding the Muni it was 5 cents, and then it went up to 25 cents, then 50, then to $1, and now $2. And she said "You can't even buy Starbucks with $2." I was cracking up! She said that Starbucks is too strong for her anyways though.
Finally I was at the Muni station I had started at that morning. When I got on the Muni the lady on there told me I almost got "bum-ditched." Apparently there's someone that sits there all day and they just saw one person there and assumed it was them. I'm hoping that I don't look like the bum that sits there all day. That would be tragic news for me! I got off at Fisherman's Wharf and went and had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe, I was hungry! After that I went to find where my Bay Cruise was going to be. All I knew was that it was at Pier 43.5. So I walked for a while and finally found it (after holding my breath walking through the smells of all the fresh crab and lobster they were selling on the street).
A little side note here. I would like to say that at certain points of my life I have envied men. And I had an envying moment on this day. I wanted to use the bathroom before I went on the cruise so I went into the Boudin bread store looking for one and there was a sign saying it was outside. So I follow the signs to a public bathroom gazeebo looking thing. I walked into that bathroom and was appauled! It was disgusting!! I used four of those toilet-tissue/sanitary things on the toilet seat and then I looked at the toilet paper dispenser and was just downright shocked. It was even nastier than the toilet seat! Thank goodness I had packed some kleenex in my purse! Gross, that's all I can say....gross.
The cruise was good, I had to get a headset and a little box to carry around and it told me all about the things that we were seeing as we went along. I did fine with the motion on the boat until we slowed down as we were coming up to the GGB. And ugh....I did not feel so good. It was really funny though to listed to everyone scream and laugh as the boat went up and down, up and down, at the very front due to the waves. I was extremely relieved when we picked up speed again though. It was really cool to see the bridge from the underneath and to get some pictures that I would never get otherwise. It also took us around Alcatraz. That is one tour that I have yet to do. I think that is on the list for my summer trip out there. They explained that 14 people tried to escape Alcatraz, only 3 actually did. They were brothers and they used spoons to pry open the bars and they escaped off the island but no one knows if they made it to land or if they drowned. They were never seen or heard of again. Families of guards actually lived on Alcatraz and the children would go into the city every day by boat. There was one guard assigned to every three prisioners. It was really cool to see. I can't wait to go on the island soon!
After the crusie I walked up to Ghirardelli Square, it was pretty overcast by this point. I went into the Ghirardelli store and got a sundae, I had a request from a friend to get one so I just had to right? So I got Ghirardelli chocolate ice cream with hot fudge. It was perfection. Loved it! After that I made my way up to Kara's cupcakes to get their Chocolate Velvet cupcakes to go for us to have at the house for dessert later. These cupcakes are seriously the best cupcakes EVER. The frosting is so amazing, it feels like silk on your tongue. I don't know how they get it so smoothe. It's remarkable. So I step out of Kara's and it starts sprinkling. I also looked in my wallet to see that I only had a $1 and I needed to have $2 for the Muni and I was NOT going to walk all the way back like I did last time. So I asked a couple people in different shops for change and many didn't have ones or they needed to keep them. Then this very kind man in Cold Stone had ones in his wallet, I was so grateful! I was still walking in the rain, didn't have an umbrella because the rain was supposed to be on Tuesday. So I felt like a wet dog. Gross.
As I was walking to find the Muni there was this "homeless" guy sitting on the street and he was a white guy dressed like he was Jamaican and had dreads. His sign said "all for weed." And as I was walking by looking at him he says, "It's all for weed man, it's all for weed." I just laughed and kept walking. I appreciated his honesty. And he looked pretty well groomed so I dont' think he was homeless, probably just needed money for pot.
I found my way to the Muni and we were all crammed in there like sardines. But darn it, I protected those cupcakes for my sister and they got home unharmed and standing upright. I took BART back to the station Danielle would be getting on at and met her there and we rode back together. She failed to tell me that between the humid and the rain my hair (that had been straightened and tamed at the beginning of the day) was now frizzy and had grown about three times it's original volume. We decided on our way home that we would go get a manicure and pedicure, that sounded wonderful after walking all day! So we went by Starbucks on our way to the nail salon (we had to get cash first, they don't take credit card....that's so weird to me) and got our coffees to enjoy while we pampered ourselves. It was great. And as usual I got nice and relaxed and dozed off a little while my legs were getting massaged. I woke up with the warm towel hit my legs and Danielle and the workers laughed at me. Oh well, I'm used to it.
I walked from Pier 1 to the Muni station just down the street, paid my $2 and rode that down through the Wharf and just about to Ghiraradelli Square. I asked the guy driving where to go from there to get to the Muni I would need to get to the GGB because last time I ended up walking all the way to where the interstate started and that was A LONG way. So after about 3 or 4 more Muni bus changes I was at the GGB. I could see the entire bridge this time! It was so great! Last time I was so frusterated after I had practically walked all that way to see it and could only see the bottom 1/3 of it. It was still partly cloudy, I would've loved for it to be "all sunny" because those are my favorite photographs to take, not a huge fan of cloudy day photographs. I started to walk along the bridge again, I took one look down over the bridge, got a photo looking down and immediately turned around. I didn't even get onto where the bridge really starts. That day just did not feel like the day to conquor my fear of heights.
I went back to where the Muni had dropped me off and started waiting for the next Muni to come so I could make my way to the Golden Gate Park (GGP). Last time I remembered waiting for a while, so I sat and just did the old person thing and people watched. A muni came by and I asked if it would get me to the GGP and they said no, you need the Daly City Muni. (There were 2 Muni's coming through there). So I thanked the gentleman, went back to my bench to wait and awaited the next Muni. The next Muni to come through wasn't the Daly City one either. So I continuted to wait. Before I got to the bench there was a middle-aged Asian woman sitting there. I don't know where her final destination was but she needed the same Muni that I did. Well after 2 Muni's went by she got a little peeved. So she gave that second driver a piece of her mind. They told her to call and complain and that their bus was on time, sorry lady! I just sat there and chuckled. Calling and complaining wasn't going to get another bus there any faster so I didn't crap my pants about it. It was funnier to watch her crap her pants about it. So she gets on the phone and calls them and gives them another piece of her mind. Her head was kind of shaking or tremoring a little. I didn't know if it was because she was irritation and mad or if she had Parkinsons or something. I think it's because she was irritatied. So after a little while a 3rd Muni comes by. And this one (in all it's glory) says "Daly City"!! So that little woman goes and gets on that bus and I (thankfully) asked the lady driver if this bus would get me to the GGP. And she says "Oh no, this one won't honey. I just changed my sign. This is the nineteenth street one." So I thanked her and told her that the little Asian lady who was just talking to her (and telling her that she had to wait so long and was not happy) needed to get off this bus also. So she told her and off comes the cranky lady. So I (once again) took my place on the bench. By this time I'd been sitting on the bench so long that four black birds with yellow eyes were just chilling around me. Two of them were about one foot away from me.
FINALLY the fourth Muni was ours. It was a beautiful moment. That little lady sure did have a lot to tell the driver of that bus though. So we get on the bus, and she sits down in the middle of the bus and I sat down at the front, and she starts telling the passengers how she had to wait almost an hour. Then this fat red headed guy missing all his top teeth starts (loudly) complaining about how half the drivers never show up for work, and how everything going on is a bunch of crap and how she needs to go to the meeting that is being held on Tuesday night to voice her opinion. Basically they had a big gripe fest. Then this little old lady goes "can't we all just have peace?" She was way too adorable! Well chubster would have none of the peace talk. He just kept on yapping and so did irritated tremor lady. But that little old lady threw out her "peace" line a couple more times. If that wasn't annoying enough to listen to for about 15 minutes later on this other guy gets on and starts complaining about the people who were voted and elected to certain positions and just fuels that conversation. I was SO glad to get off that bus. I was with little old peace lady.
I got off and went to the GGP. I planned to go to the King Tut Museum that is there since I didn't go in it when I was there in August. I had walked around the park and gone into the Japanese Tea Garden in August as well so I didn't do that this time. Figure that not as much would be blossoming. I'm right at the doors to go into the museum and this worker asks me if I'm with a school group (really? Do I look like I'm 8?) because there were several school groups there. I told him no and he said the museum was closed for the day. Okay, how are you going to close an entire museum for a day for school trips? That's just messed up. What about the gazillions of tourists that come through all year around and are there on a specific day to go into the museum. It took me a long time to get there and I wasn't just able to "swing by" again the next day. So that was a bit disappointing, but I wiped my tears and continued on (just kidding, I didn't cry).
I found my way through a couple more Muni's (always asking which one to get off and on at) and got to the Daly City BART to start over again at the Embarcadero BART. As I was riding the Muni to the Daly City BART this little old Asian lady sat next to me and started talking about where she was going and how she couldn't drive anymore with all the people that were in California now. And how there's just no way she could live in Southern California, it's just way too populated. She was really kind. Then she was talking to me about how when she started riding the Muni it was 5 cents, and then it went up to 25 cents, then 50, then to $1, and now $2. And she said "You can't even buy Starbucks with $2." I was cracking up! She said that Starbucks is too strong for her anyways though.
Finally I was at the Muni station I had started at that morning. When I got on the Muni the lady on there told me I almost got "bum-ditched." Apparently there's someone that sits there all day and they just saw one person there and assumed it was them. I'm hoping that I don't look like the bum that sits there all day. That would be tragic news for me! I got off at Fisherman's Wharf and went and had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe, I was hungry! After that I went to find where my Bay Cruise was going to be. All I knew was that it was at Pier 43.5. So I walked for a while and finally found it (after holding my breath walking through the smells of all the fresh crab and lobster they were selling on the street).
A little side note here. I would like to say that at certain points of my life I have envied men. And I had an envying moment on this day. I wanted to use the bathroom before I went on the cruise so I went into the Boudin bread store looking for one and there was a sign saying it was outside. So I follow the signs to a public bathroom gazeebo looking thing. I walked into that bathroom and was appauled! It was disgusting!! I used four of those toilet-tissue/sanitary things on the toilet seat and then I looked at the toilet paper dispenser and was just downright shocked. It was even nastier than the toilet seat! Thank goodness I had packed some kleenex in my purse! Gross, that's all I can say....gross.
The cruise was good, I had to get a headset and a little box to carry around and it told me all about the things that we were seeing as we went along. I did fine with the motion on the boat until we slowed down as we were coming up to the GGB. And ugh....I did not feel so good. It was really funny though to listed to everyone scream and laugh as the boat went up and down, up and down, at the very front due to the waves. I was extremely relieved when we picked up speed again though. It was really cool to see the bridge from the underneath and to get some pictures that I would never get otherwise. It also took us around Alcatraz. That is one tour that I have yet to do. I think that is on the list for my summer trip out there. They explained that 14 people tried to escape Alcatraz, only 3 actually did. They were brothers and they used spoons to pry open the bars and they escaped off the island but no one knows if they made it to land or if they drowned. They were never seen or heard of again. Families of guards actually lived on Alcatraz and the children would go into the city every day by boat. There was one guard assigned to every three prisioners. It was really cool to see. I can't wait to go on the island soon!
After the crusie I walked up to Ghirardelli Square, it was pretty overcast by this point. I went into the Ghirardelli store and got a sundae, I had a request from a friend to get one so I just had to right? So I got Ghirardelli chocolate ice cream with hot fudge. It was perfection. Loved it! After that I made my way up to Kara's cupcakes to get their Chocolate Velvet cupcakes to go for us to have at the house for dessert later. These cupcakes are seriously the best cupcakes EVER. The frosting is so amazing, it feels like silk on your tongue. I don't know how they get it so smoothe. It's remarkable. So I step out of Kara's and it starts sprinkling. I also looked in my wallet to see that I only had a $1 and I needed to have $2 for the Muni and I was NOT going to walk all the way back like I did last time. So I asked a couple people in different shops for change and many didn't have ones or they needed to keep them. Then this very kind man in Cold Stone had ones in his wallet, I was so grateful! I was still walking in the rain, didn't have an umbrella because the rain was supposed to be on Tuesday. So I felt like a wet dog. Gross.
As I was walking to find the Muni there was this "homeless" guy sitting on the street and he was a white guy dressed like he was Jamaican and had dreads. His sign said "all for weed." And as I was walking by looking at him he says, "It's all for weed man, it's all for weed." I just laughed and kept walking. I appreciated his honesty. And he looked pretty well groomed so I dont' think he was homeless, probably just needed money for pot.
I found my way to the Muni and we were all crammed in there like sardines. But darn it, I protected those cupcakes for my sister and they got home unharmed and standing upright. I took BART back to the station Danielle would be getting on at and met her there and we rode back together. She failed to tell me that between the humid and the rain my hair (that had been straightened and tamed at the beginning of the day) was now frizzy and had grown about three times it's original volume. We decided on our way home that we would go get a manicure and pedicure, that sounded wonderful after walking all day! So we went by Starbucks on our way to the nail salon (we had to get cash first, they don't take credit card....that's so weird to me) and got our coffees to enjoy while we pampered ourselves. It was great. And as usual I got nice and relaxed and dozed off a little while my legs were getting massaged. I woke up with the warm towel hit my legs and Danielle and the workers laughed at me. Oh well, I'm used to it.
Danielle going to work
Walking to work, that's the building she works in
The morning sun
Pier 1
The Bay Bridge in the morning
So I was walking and saw this man wearing this great red
jacket and just had to take a picture
It's the Golden Gate Bridge!! The whole thing!
Close up they had
Another part of the bridge
Walking out onto it
Crazy little black bird who waiting for the Muni with me
The science center in the Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park
At Boudin Bakery in the Wharf, he made the break to look
like lobsters, turtles, etc.
The boat for my Bay Cruise
Submarine in the bay, the Pampanito
A ship to which its importance I can't remember
check out how steep this street is!
Art Institute, isn't it beautiful!
This fort was built in the late 1800s and they used to ignite
cannons out the windows
A look at the bridge from the cruise
Coming up on Alcatraz
Looking up at Ghirardelli Square
Inside the Ghirardelli shop, Mmmmmmmmm
Me in the store eating my ice cream, had to get at least
one self-portrait in here
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Fantastic Weekend!!
Had a great weekend. Friday morning I woke up and took Danielle to BART, came back and slept. That was nice!! Went and did some shopping. And in typical Jaime style I ended up in the wrong place. I didn't end up at the mall I intended but ended up at some little shopping plaza with a grocery store -- not what I had in mind. I did use Garmin but I typed in the wrong place so I can't blame Garmin for that one. I went to a mall near by since I was in the exact opposite direction of where I was intended to be going and I knew where I was at (kind of). SO later after typing in the correct place I ended up at the correct mall. On my way home from that expedition I realized that I forgot my car charger for Garmin and I hadn't charged it in a while. I was really hoping and praying that Garmin didn't die because I sure was on the interstate and there were a lot of exits to choose from and NONE that I knew to take. Thankfully I got back into town where I was oriented before "low battery" started beeping. After making my way to Target (oh yeah, put the wrong Target into Garmin too, but I knew where to go, only got lost once) I went to pick up Danielle. It's been freezing cold at home (NE) and it was 66 degrees that day so when I picked her up I'm in short sleeves with the AC on and she's in her wool coat with a scarf. It's funny how different our perceptions are!
We went to Chili's for dinner, Mike didn't have to go into work until later, so that was nice that we all got to eat together. Danielle and I went and saw It's Complicated, it was my third time to see it but it's absolutely hilarious so I didn't mind.
Saturday morning we woke up, got ready and headed out on the road to Bob and Wendy's in Roseville. We went shopping with Wendy at an outdoor place and then headed to the indoor mall, got some Starbucks (a necessity really) and did some more shopping. We went back to the house and met up with Bob and Lisa. It was so good to see all of them! We walked in and Bob was sleeping on the couch. So we all stood there and watched him for a minute and made subtle little noises to see what he'd wake up to and he didn't appreciate when he woke up and realized we'd been standing there watching him. LOL. It was only for like a minute Bob...... haha. We were going to go to Macaroni Grill but the wait was 1.5 hrs and we decided we would be vultures by then so we called Cheesecake Factory and they weren't much better so we went to Tahoe Joes, I hadn't heard of it before. It's kind of a steak/seafood place. It was wonderful! Great food and atmosphere. While we were waiting Bob had "the plan" talk with Danielle. He explained to her that she should have a grandchild when she's 25, 27, 29, 31, and 33. That way she'll have them all born by the time she's in her early thirties. I asked him if twins were to come along would that cancel out a pregnancy since there were two? He said that one would just be a bonus. It was pretty funny. Wendy told him to leave her alone or she wouldn't come see them anymore. I was laughing. Then we had quite the conversation at dinner that left us all dying of laughter. It was a good night.
Saturday morning Bob and Wendy went on a half marathon run and Danielle and I cheered them on from afar....we slept in. Did a little bit of shopping and met them at Waffle Barn, one of Bob's favorite places and it was delicious! Once upon a time there was a man who ate at Waffle Barn and left some of himself exposed (his crack) and my thoughful sister said "let's take a picture of that and send it to Jaime!" So we went back to the place where they had the crack sighting. It was very sentimental since I wasn't there to experience the crack in person.
Danielle and I went to the outlets in Vacaville and did a little shopping, made it back for evening church services in Martinez and then went to Chili's for a light appetizer. They weren't very busy since most people were at home watching the Super Bowl. We may have been some of the only people not watching the Super Bowl. We came home and started watching the movie Amelia, didn't finish it yet though. Not a huge fan of it so far though, which pains me because I had really high hopes for it. That's about all so far. Tomorrow I'm planning on going into the city. It's going to be my only sunny day out of the next two days I'm here so I intend to take advantage of the sunny opportunity!
We went to Chili's for dinner, Mike didn't have to go into work until later, so that was nice that we all got to eat together. Danielle and I went and saw It's Complicated, it was my third time to see it but it's absolutely hilarious so I didn't mind.
Saturday morning we woke up, got ready and headed out on the road to Bob and Wendy's in Roseville. We went shopping with Wendy at an outdoor place and then headed to the indoor mall, got some Starbucks (a necessity really) and did some more shopping. We went back to the house and met up with Bob and Lisa. It was so good to see all of them! We walked in and Bob was sleeping on the couch. So we all stood there and watched him for a minute and made subtle little noises to see what he'd wake up to and he didn't appreciate when he woke up and realized we'd been standing there watching him. LOL. It was only for like a minute Bob...... haha. We were going to go to Macaroni Grill but the wait was 1.5 hrs and we decided we would be vultures by then so we called Cheesecake Factory and they weren't much better so we went to Tahoe Joes, I hadn't heard of it before. It's kind of a steak/seafood place. It was wonderful! Great food and atmosphere. While we were waiting Bob had "the plan" talk with Danielle. He explained to her that she should have a grandchild when she's 25, 27, 29, 31, and 33. That way she'll have them all born by the time she's in her early thirties. I asked him if twins were to come along would that cancel out a pregnancy since there were two? He said that one would just be a bonus. It was pretty funny. Wendy told him to leave her alone or she wouldn't come see them anymore. I was laughing. Then we had quite the conversation at dinner that left us all dying of laughter. It was a good night.
Saturday morning Bob and Wendy went on a half marathon run and Danielle and I cheered them on from afar....we slept in. Did a little bit of shopping and met them at Waffle Barn, one of Bob's favorite places and it was delicious! Once upon a time there was a man who ate at Waffle Barn and left some of himself exposed (his crack) and my thoughful sister said "let's take a picture of that and send it to Jaime!" So we went back to the place where they had the crack sighting. It was very sentimental since I wasn't there to experience the crack in person.
Danielle and I went to the outlets in Vacaville and did a little shopping, made it back for evening church services in Martinez and then went to Chili's for a light appetizer. They weren't very busy since most people were at home watching the Super Bowl. We may have been some of the only people not watching the Super Bowl. We came home and started watching the movie Amelia, didn't finish it yet though. Not a huge fan of it so far though, which pains me because I had really high hopes for it. That's about all so far. Tomorrow I'm planning on going into the city. It's going to be my only sunny day out of the next two days I'm here so I intend to take advantage of the sunny opportunity!
outside of the theater in downtown Walnut Creek
Danielle and Wendy warming their hands by the outdoor fire
Danielle and Wendy
Me and Wendy
Me and Danielle
Wendy, Bob and Danielle
Bob explaining "the plan"
Lisa, Wendy, Bob, and Danielle: Waiting at Tahoe Joe's
Lisa, Me, Bob, Danielle: Waiting at Tahoe Joe's
Sherman
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