Visiting EPG

Viansa - our first stop after the airport.

PJ and I visited EPG up in San Francisco - our first time since he's relocated there, long overdue.  Delightful visit, EPG packs in lots of good stuff; here's what happened -

We enjoyed seeing Jason again after quite a few years (Viansa) . . . 

Friday, 29 April 2016 - Patrick and Jason (a U of A pal that we've met previously) picked us up at the airport and drove us straight up to Sonoma.  Gorgeous weather.  Tasting, photos at Viansa.  EPG then had thought that Benziger would be a good winery to visit (what with the tour and all) - not knowing this was the favorite of PJ and me, as noted here.  The winery grounds are pretty amazing; it's fun to ride along via the tractor and see what's up; and the tasting was quite nice.

Benziger = a lovely spot in Sonoma.

Benziger perhaps just a bit hurried because EPG had gotten a difficult patio lunch reservation at Girl & The Fig on the Sonoma square (not knowing this also was one of our favorite Sonoma spots - we seem to think along the same lines - which I suppose isn't surprising), and we certainly didn't want to blow it.  Charcuterie, salad, mussels, Pliny the Elder on tap, beautiful day on the patio.  After which we wandered the square a bit; Jason treats to a tasting at Bryter; return trip to SF where we drop him off, then head up to EPG's apartment.  Which we see is well stocked with our favorite food/beverage treats.  Enjoyed the view; made it down to Heche for dinner; Five Crowns later on.

Saturday 30 April 2016 - we start walking; coffee stop at Spike's; nice breakfast at Squat & Gobble on the patio; a bunch more walking (our favorite vacation activity, especially when (as here) the weather's perfect and the town is endlessly interesting to look at).

Magnolia Brewery doing good work.  And open  for business in the morning.

Haight-Ashbury!

EPG and I split a flight at Magnolia as we wander the storied (at least to persons of our generation) Haight-Ashbury district.  Enjoyed the 60s/70s shops even if perhaps aimed a bit at tourists just like us.  Then we pick up rental bikes - this worked really well! - wander a bit through Golden Gate Park, the Presidio - and then the main (biking) event - crossing the Golden Gate Bridge.  OK I can see that a lot of folks do this and it's not that difficult etc. - but I find it pretty amazing to think that we can bike across, pause and enjoy the views, etc.

PJ and EPG taking a short rest from biking . . . 

Halfway across.  Perfect weather, amazing views.

Made it!  Reviewing our work on far side of the bridge.

The bike ride ends in Sausolito; lovely lunch overlooking the water at Barrel House; while we wait for our table PJ finds a just-right pair of sunglasses.  Ferry ride after a bit of waiting; disembark after some bike-disentanglement efforts; drop off bikes and wander around the pier.  Next:  a walk to 21st Amendment brewery - enjoyed the flight and snacks, a lot, and came away with t-shirt and tasting glasses courtesy EPG and PJ.  Back to the apartment; eventually we go to Flour+Water for our 10:45p dinner rez - I can see why EPG likes the place (and why getting a rez is a challenge).  Head back to the apartment after the Sorento stalls in a painted-lady district.  This was a full day!

Looking back - on our biking-way to Sausolito.

Sunday 1 May 2016 - breakfast at Reverie Cafe; lots of walking from there; visit the DeYoung and wander through (including something we've not previously visited - the top-floor observation area); much more walking; this part of town is quite lovely; back to apartment and enjoy hanging out on the patio with a rather amazing charcuterie/beverage combination.

Barrel House - pleasant + lunch in Sausolito.  Views!

Onto Zuni for their roast chicken dinner (tasty plus plus); Shane had joined us.  Easy walking distance to Symphony Hall where EPG had arranged tickets for a performance of Faure's Requiem - one of my very very favorites, I listen to it constantly (and run on about it at some length here) - and it's not just any tickets that have been arranged, these seats are located in the first row immediately behind the chorus - we look over their shoulders at their music and see them following the conductor - we were a bit worried that it was organ accompaniment rather than the symphony but that turned out to work really well - mixture of professional and volunteer chorus members - just a wonderful performance.  Which we told the choristers as they walked off.  Memorable.  (We even liked the contemporary opening work - the composer was part of the performance via his on-stage laptop - something of a meditation on space and distance based on early 20th century Dutch telephone company interns stationed in East Indies - nice.)  Then it's onto Martuni's - we settle into a table and Shane treats to some beverages while we play multiple Five Crowns games and listen to theater types sing along with a piano player.  For a long time.  Another ridiculously full/fun day.

Symphony Hall - a memorable performance of a favorite work.

Monday, 2 May 2016 - after standing in line a bit, a pretty wonderful breakfast at Tartine - croissants, banana creme pie, coffee - unique.  Followed by a bunch of walking (with a couple stops in the furniture mart district); we arrive for our tour at Anchor Steam brewery.  Surprisingly interesting - it has a longer history than I knew; didn't realize the "steam" reference alludes to a cooling technique from the old days; we liked several of the beers quite a lot, the "Mango Wheat" being most interesting.  Which I wouldn't expect for that style.  We wander the area a bit and find a place for lunch; then swung by the "Galvanize" shared work space and took the CSuite tour with Rodrigo; back to the apartment a bit; down to Delfino's for dinner (we liked the place, a lot); back for sipping, view-admiring, Five Crowns, etc.

Anchor Steam - interesting story, good tour, fine product.

Tuesday, 3 May 2016 - EPG has some work to do in a.m.; PJ and I wander down to Spike's for breakfast; deal with AAA on the Sorento, do a few work things of my own, and we pack.  Take the slide down the hill(!); lots of walking through interesting neighborhoods (with some territory now becoming familiar); excellent lunch at Nopalita's; then some more walking (including swinging by the Painted Ladies, which we since note constantly in SF stock photography); back to the apartment where we hang around on the patio and review the long list of fun stuff that happened in these quick days.  Uber to airport.

Hilly area very near Patrick's apartment - we heard neighborhood kids making
use of this slide, and we didn't miss our own opportunity.

Sorry to leave EPG, happy to see what he's built/building there, delighted with our adventures, looking forward to the next time.

Wandering SF on our final day ("Painted Ladies")