Random Shots from San Francisco

At Yabbie's with the Cheese and Dessert wine course...

The Church of Sts. Peter and Paul

Sts. Peter and Paul

Pensive and relaxed at Zarzuela's.

Waiting for the cable car to go to Fisherman's Wharf.

More Yabbie's...

Can't read the darn menu without the glasses...for that matter, can't see without the glasses.

Cool couple at Yabbie's

Looking west from the Top of the Mark.

In front of the Mark Hopkins.

Taking a break from shopping...

On the cable car

F. and I had a nice trip to San Francisco late last month. Very nice. The weather was perfect, and our goal was to have a "honeymoon" since we hadn't done so since our May 2 Catholic marriage. Fr. David thought we needed a honeymoon and so did we!

I have to say in the three days there, we didn't do much -- just walked around Fisherman's Wharf, Pacific Heights, up and down Polk, and Nob Hill, where we stayed at the Mark Hopkins. Oh yes, I forgot to mention all the great shopping in Union Square where I found a favorite new shop, Metier. I got some beautiful Isabel Marant things that one cannot find in my humble hometown and a wicked pair of Cole Haan boots. I love the salespeople in San Francisco -- they have none of the insidious snob factor that permeates major cities in my home state.

Dinner was at Yabbie's two nights in a row with the third night at a steakhouse where "Sam Spade" ate -- John's Grill. It was a total guy place, and of course, being Catholics we had fish there (it was Friday!!). We'll try the steak next time. We had great eating the whole trip!

San Francisco is the perfect place for celiacs -- I never get sick when I go there. It's never hard to find knowlegable waitstaff and good seafood (steak too). We never had lunch because the breakfast was gigantic at the Mark Hopkins. We bought a package that included a full breakfast each morning at the Top of the Mark, which is on the top floor of the hotel. Well worth it. We stuffed ourselves -- again lots of gluten free goodies. The smoked fish buffet was outstanding. And I'm not even Dutch!

And we couldn't go to San Francisco without paying a visit to a couple of the Iglesias Catolicas. We went to Mass at Old St. Mary's one day and The Church of Sts. Peter and Paul on the other. St. Mary's, on the outskirts of Chinatown, reminds me of our hometown Church. It's the oldest Catholic Church in San Francisco, and they are trying to raise $8 million to perform retrofitting for earthquakes. It's a really poor parish, so we need to pray for their success. If they don't raise the money, the Church will be torn down.

The Church of Sts. Peter and Paul is like a slice of Rome in downtown San Francisco. Amazing. Words cannot describe the beauty of that Church. Even if you're not Catholic, this place is worth a visit just to marvel at the architecture and statues inside. They had an amazing lifesize replica of Our Lady at Lourdes with St. Bernadette inside one of the many interior chapels. I didn't feel right taking pictures of all this. So just go if you're ever there.

F. hadn't been to the cable car museum, so I took him over there. That place is always cool to view -- even for grown-ups!

What a wonderful trip -- I think I may love San Francisco as much as Santa Fe!