eat make read

It’s been a month since Aaron and I took a trip to San Francisco and Marin County and oh how I miss it! It was hands down one of the best vacations we’ve had. Mostly because we really relaxed… something that can sometimes elude us on a vacation. We’re lucky enough to have friends in the area who took good care of us, showing us great little places to eat, drink and just enjoy ourselves. I did my best to capture photos of some of my favorite places, but I wasn’t able to snap a photo of everything so please just trust me when I say… everything below is awesome.

SAN FRANCISCO
I have to admit, this trip was different from the last time we visited San Francisco and ate at Chez Panisse (Berkely, I know) and A-16. We went a little more low-key, off the beaten track this time and had a blast.

shops:

pot + pantry
This new little shop is a must-visit on your next trip. Filled with vintage as new, unique kitchen goods, it’s the kind of place where you want to just move in. Plus, the Donna the shopowner is super sweet.

omnivore books on food
I missed out on this shop last time I visited, so you can bet it was one of the first places we stopped. It was everything I thought it would be and more—every book you could ever imagine about food, new and old, organized in a lovely former butchershop. The owner, Celia, is sweet as can be and is incredibly helpful. I found a few hard-to-find Brit cookbooks and picked up a signed copy of Super Natural Every Day.

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coffee:

blue bottle coffee
Always delicious, especially the New Orleans Iced Coffee which I liken to crack—in all the best ways.

four barrel coffee
We found ourselves coming back to this lovely coffee shop. Not only is the coffee amazing, but the space is the perfect place to rest your feet and eyes after (or before) a day of exploring.

philz coffee
Voted the best coffee in San Francisco, Phil’s has over 20 varieties on hand to try. The shop is a little more hippie than I expected, but it looked like a cozy place to hang out.

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food:

outerlands
Started by a group of surfer friends, Outerlands has some of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had, plus it’s incredibly relaxed (as you might expect from surfers). It’s a perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon.

local: mission eatery
Speaking of amazing sandwiches, Local: Mission Eatery was another little shop that took us by surprise. The sandwiches were so inventive and quite frankly, I’ve never had anything like the grilled squid with citrus aoili, fennel and cilantro… it was incredible.

pizza delfina
The atmosphere reminded me of Brooklyn, which on our fifth day away, was a welcome surprise. Super fresh wood-fired pizzas with an amazing crust plus wine was the perfect way to spend an evening with friends.

humphrey slocumbe
Ice cream is big in SF and since we hit BiRite last time we visited, we took a trip to Humphrey Slocumbe.  Known for their wacky flavors like Balsamic Caramel and Peanut Butter Curry, we opted for salt and pepper and Secret Breakfast (bourbon and toasted corn flakes). I was a little nervous about the salt and pepper but it was SO good. I loved the inventiveness of the flavors and have been craving that dang salt and pepper ice cream since I ate it.

ferry building and farmer’s market
No trip to San Francisco is complete without a trip to the Ferry Building. It’s a food lovers dream, with Blue Bottle, Acme Bread, Cowgirl Creamery etc inside. Get a cup of coffee and a snack, then make you’re way out to the back porch and watch people and boats.

If you’re there on Saturday, don’t miss out on the the farmer’s market. You can grab lunch at one of the many food stands, but even more tempting is some of the fresh fruit and veggies. We had strawberries so full of flavor we just couldn’t believe it, we just kept popping them in our mouth, amazed at how candy-like they were.

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booze:
This is one area where I wish I’d been able to try a few more places. San Francisco is known for it’s amazing cocktails, but unfortunately, I didn’t really get to try them. I did, however, find myself at some great divey bars.

500 Club
We stumbled upon this gem after a few margaritas and it was the perfect place to hang out with friends, drink some beers and capture some memories in the awesome photobooth.

vesuvio
A favorite of Beat poets and other artists, go up to the second floor and perch yourself along the window for some amazing people-watching.

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MARIN COUNTY

As soon as we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, any last traces of stress seemed to life from our shoulders as the smell of Eucalyptus wafted through the windows. We chose to take Highway 1, possibly the most beautiful road in the country, with it’s winding turns and scenic views of the Pacific it shouldn’t be missed.

The Pelican Inn
About 20 minutes outside the city, you’ll happen upon a quant little house that looks like it was plucked from the English countryside. Do yourself a favor and pull over. Go inside and order a beer.

Then take a walk around the yard and soak up the amazing scenery. Of course you’ll be hungry by the time you finish your beer, so treat yourself to some fish and chips in the dining room, then walk it off at the beach nearby.

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views from Highway 1

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After about an hours drive from the city, you’ll roll into the quant little town of Point Reyes. With a main street that takes about a 30 seconds to drive through, this little town is packed full of delicious food.

Mankas Inverness Lodge

This was—no joke—the most amazing place I’ve ever stayed. Tucked away in woods, with no internet or phone service (exactly what we were looking for), Mankas is a collection of about 8 cabins. Each one has it’s own fireplace, the newspaper delivered daily and an ipod dock for entertainment. As if the fireplace weren’t awesome enough, each morning an amazing breakfast that includes coffee, cider, fresh pastries and a warm breakfast is dropped off at the door. It was a total splurge, but completely worth it.

Cowgirl Creamery

It’s most famous resident might be Cowgirl Creamery, where they produce mouthwatering, organic cheese. Tours are given every Wednesday.

Stellina
If you’re looking for something a little more substantial and dressed up, this rustic Italian restaurant fits the bill.

The Station House Cafe
For a more casual, but impressively tasty meal or cocktail, swing by the Station House Cafe, just down the street from Stellina.

Tomales Bay Oyster Company
This was one of my favorite days of our vacation. Pick up some picnic supplies and drive yourself to Tomales Bay Oyster Company—but get there early—this little collection of picnic tables and barbeques fills up fast. Once you arrive, just walk up to the stand and buy bags of freshly harvest oysters, a bag of 50 was $36 (there were six of us). They provide the shuckers, you shuck away. It was the most fun I’ve had in a long time.

With all that amazing food, there’s no shortage of ways to work those calories off. Marin county has tons of trails, some where you can just walk past grazing cows while others have amazing vista views of the ocean, whichever you choose, the views will knock your socks off.

Whew! That was fun!