{San Fran recap, part II}

one of my favorite parts of the trip was the FOOD. it was all amazing!! we had spanish tapas here, mexican here, a French breakfast here (adjacent to our hotel). we also stood in a long line for a highly-recommended brunch spot called Dottie's True Blue Cafe. it was AWEsome! i don't usually get excited about an egg scramble but this one was mouth-wateringly delicious. and their homemade buttermilk dill bread was perfection.

one night, we had a double date with Flora & her boo at what she called a standard pizza place. i don't know about where you are, but here in michigan, ordering pizza with a Meyer lemon puree in leui of pizza sauce is not standard, nor is a roasted red pepper puree. ahhhh, if i could eat like that all the time! i would become even more of a food snob, haha.

we had such a fun time with Flora & Jack that we almost missed the concert that we had already bought tickets to. luckily, we made it just in time for the main act, Lost in the Trees. if they hadn't been so amazing, i most certainly would have fallen asleep, as it didn't start till midnight & we were still adjusting to the three-hour time difference. i felt like a zombie!! funny backstory about the band :: i randomly came across them before out trip while looking for a show to go to during our stay. we listened, and we liked. upon further research, joel discovered that the singer used to be in a band that our band in college used to play shows with. such a small world.

the next day, i had some solo time. it was rainy and cold, but i wasn't going to let that stop me from exploring, so i made my way up (there are some steeep streets in that city) to Coit Tower. and this is what i saw from the top.

one of the things i loved most about the city was its European charm. the architecture and the array of colors are so beautiful. and to see mountains in every direction is just incredible.

on our last day, we decided to rent a car and drive north. and i'm SO GLAD we did. this was the day my heart was absolutely captured. we drove over the bridge (so surreal),  and pulled over once we got to the other side to take in some unreal views. then we made our way up a windy, narrow road to the magical Muir Woods National Monument, where we saw our first Redwoods. it was a breathtaking walk. we fell in love with the adjacent town, Mill Valley, and have since daydreamed about living there.

next, we made our way to Sonoma, stopping at a couple of wineries along the way. at the first, the guy who served us happened to be from a town just miles from here, having just moved there about a year ago. again, such a small world. in Sonoma, we dined at another delicious Mexican restaurant and admired the town's charm.

from there, i realized with giddiness that we could take the Pacific Highway back down to the bridge, so we made our way over. the drive was absolutely beautiful. it was like a dream. we pumped some Lost in the Trees jams while we drove, which went so perfectly with the scenery. i was literally brought to tears when the road turned out to Tomales Bay, as the sun was setting. once we got to the section of the road, where it opens to the wide-open ocean, it was nearly dark, so we could just make out the view, but it was among the most breathtaking of my life nonetheless. i couldn't believe it was real.

the drive along the coast was definitely the scariest drive of my life! it was crazy driving right along the edge of a giant cliff which kept getting higher and higher. and those curves!! the fact that it was nighttime meant you could barely see in front of you! i think it would have been less scary being in the driver's seat but i'm glad joel was the one in control.

i had no intention of this post being so ridiculously long, but i just wanted to have a little journal of our travels so that i can remember them more clearly in the future. and for those of who thinking about taking a trip there, i hope this will help :) i will always have very fond memories of this trip.. it had a big impression on me. i am hoping i can continue to be content during this period of waiting (Joel will most likely be interviewing for university teaching positions in the Fall & we have no idea where that will lead us).. i am pretty ready for our next life adventure.