San Francisco: Recommendations Around the City

Weaving through the streets of San Francisco’s flattest district, the Mission, I sauntered casually past cyclists and down graffiti alleyways. I stood before Bernal Heights hill. Unlike most hills in San Francisco, it is undeveloped besides the radio tower at the crest. I climbed the steep dirt path surrounded by straw-colored grasses, the California state flower, California poppy, and joined dog walkers. Atop are expansive views of the city. I oriented myself, noting places I had already visited and created a mental map of the city for later use. I could have used google maps, but sometimes getting lost allows you to find unforeseen treasures. Read on for some of those jewels, including restaurant, museum, shopping, and activity recommendations.

Restaurants

Blue Plate, 3218 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110, blueplatesf.com

This eatery boasts American new dishes with a Mediterranean twist. Each dish is strategically laid out on the plate with artistic grace. It won my affection for the most impressive restaurant I ate at on my trip. Unique pairings from locally-sourced farms were mouth-watering, such as artichoke soup with raspberries and chopped peanuts sprinkled on top. My friend and I opted to eat tapas-style and sampled several dishes. The atmosphere was cozy and rustic with an open kitchen. Divided into three main rooms, we sat in the middle, where we enjoyed a glass of red wine and relished in flavorful moments.

Cinderella Bakery & Cafe, 436 Balboa St, San Francisco, CA 94118, http://cinderellabakery.com/home.html

Moving from Blue plate’s innovative take on American, Cinderella’s slides in with traditional done right. I stumbled upon this Russian Bakery & Café while seeking out completely different food. My friend, who lived in Korea for some time, tipped me off about a great Korean place located by the Conservatory of Flowers, a botanical garden in Golden Gate Park.

As I came to a halt in front of Muguboka, the Korean restaurant, it was dark. I found a sign confirming my suspicion it was closed on Tuesdays. I looked across the street and saw a bakery with wood-paneled outdoor seating surrounded by an oasis of succulents. I darted toward it, eager to find a place to recharge my camera and review my photographs of rare flowers from the Conservatory. As I entered, a waft of savory meat lay in the air. I realized this would not be a quick stop for a camera charge. Instead, my eyes scanned the Russian menu of meat pies and sandwiches.

This Russian gem on Balboa Street has homey foods that could conjure late Tsars from their graves by its sheer smell of alluring sweet and savory treats. Adding to it’s gravitational pull is its proximity to museums of interest, such as the deYoung Museum https://deyoung.famsf.org/, Academy of Science http://www.calacademy.org/, Japanese Tea Garden http://japaneseteagardensf.com/, and San Francisco Botanical Garden http://www.sfbotanicalgarden.org/.

El Techo, 2516 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110, http://eltechosf.com/

This Latin American rooftop restaurant has sweeping city views. It lies above its sister restaurant, Lolinda http://lolindasf.com/. Wait in line, proceed past the beautiful attendant, who manages to pull off a buzz cut, and ride an elevator to the top floor. There seems like a lot of waiting involved, but it’s worth the unobscured city views and delicious small plates, featuring Argentine grilled meats. Dim lights, city views, and a young crowd chatting away under heat lamps on chillier nights make this place memorable.

Dandelion, 740 Valencia St., San Francisco, CA 94110, https://www.dandelionchocolate.com/

Chocolate lovers: you’ll be in heaven. No milk chocolate is served at this chocolate factory and café on Valencia Street in the Mission district. This small batch chocolate maker sells only 70% cocoa and higher. Chocolate is made on site with two ingredients: cocoa beans and sugar.

Activities

• Bike over Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and Tiberon. Take the ferry back to the city.

• Meander through city districts.

• Climb Bernal Heights hill for superb city views.

• See and be seen at Mission Delores Park.

• Take a side trip to breath-taking Yosemite National Park.

Shopping

You’ll find uniquely curated stores on the streets listed below with clothing, home goods, antiques, and plenty of restaurants, bars, and coffee shops. Each street has its own character, giving off funky, chic, and lively vibes.

• Valencia Street-for the hipster-leaning folk
• Hayes Street-for chic individuals
• Linden Street-for Hayes Street’s on-trend sibling
• Haight-Ashbury-for a trip back to the 60’s
• Castro Street-everyone’s welcome!

San Francisco’s neighborhoods are interesting to walk through when you’re not in a rush. Each area is full of artistic delights, good coffee, and varied museums. If you’re visiting the city, check out Blue Plate for American new, Cinderella’s for Russian, El Techo for Latin American, and Dandelion for desert.  Of the museums I visited, Academy of Science was my favorite because of the wide array of sea creatures and because I went to adult night, which featured an outdoor rock concert. The art museum I enjoyed most, not mentioned above, was Legion of Honor for its collection of Auguste Rodin’s sculptures and the mummies and medicine exhibition. Get out there and start exploring!

 

Gastronomies & Graffiti-Your Self-Guided Graffiti and Restaurant Walking Tour Around Cambridge

Cambridge is a hub of learning with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Harvard University, and Leslie College among others. It has a plethora of unique coffee shops, boutique stores, bars, and music venues. Several museums and art galleries offer art and science exhibitions.

If you’re planning a trip to Cambridge, a great way to orient yourself to the city is with a self-guided graffiti walking tour. This walking tour allows you to view public art, take in the architecture of top universities, and sample some uniquely decorated restaurants along the way.

As perspectives change so does public art. Street art is fleeting; it might be there one day and gone the next. It is an expression of its creator in that moment. Sometimes it may be commissioned by a city to enhance beauty. It might also be strategically placed in order to hide ugly, yet vital components of the city.

Graffiti has gone from being viewed as vandalism, to sometimes activism, and often art. Over the years, street art has become mainstream. Museums have commissioned urban artists. Large companies have used it as means for guerrilla marketing. Cities have begun giving tours of graffitiscapes.

I find graffiti most pleasing when the artist makes a conscious choice to incorporate the surrounding environment into their designs. Strategic placement in public spaces makes for smart art. Utilizing tree branches, bodies of water, or shadows are a few ways an artist might incorporate already existing environmental elements into their art. In these cases, the artist’s thought process can truly be seen.

The Route

190 Massachusetts Ave.>Right on Windsor St.>Left on State St.>State St. and Mass. Ave. merge>Continue on Mass. Ave.>Mass. Ave. & Norfolk St.>Mass Ave. & Pearl St.>Right on Modica Way>Left on Bishop Allen Dr.>Left on Prospect St.>Right on Mass. Ave.

Cambridge is in no shortage of interesting public art installations. Start your morning on Massachusetts Ave., the main drag through Cambridge, by enjoying coffee at Flour Bakery in Central Sq. Everything is baked in-house. It draws students, morning commuters, and nearby working professionals. Notice the interesting architecture of the building across the street. If you’re a wine aficionado, stop next door at Central Bottle.

Proceed to view your first graffiti artwork. Walking left out of the coffee shop, cross Massachusetts Ave. and take a right down Windsor Street. Turn left on State Street. You will find graffiti on a loading dock door to the left, as pictured below.

Several feet ahead, the street merges back with Mass. Ave. Where the two roads meet, look to the right. There are three loading dock doors filled with colorful shapes and spiraling graffiti. Take note that MIT Museum is a few feet up the road should you wish to visit on another day.

Continue walking on Mass. Ave. You are headed away from the Charles River and MIT, going toward the center of Central Sq. There is a good chance you will stumble upon musicians playing or a festival happening in Lafayette Sq. Here, you will also see a small, yet wildly popular breakfast and lunch spot, Café Luna. On weekends, this café is busting out onto the sidewalk with an overflow of people waiting for brunch.

When you reach Norfolk Street, admire the painted mural.

Once, you are finished marveling at this piece, cross the street, and walk to the colorful corner nightclub and restaurant, the Middle East. This can be found at the intersection of Mass. Ave. and Pearl St. Take a look at the Middle East’s mural, located on the side of the building. If you like live music, check out the line-up for ZuZu and the Middle East’s upstairs and downstairs music venues.

Prepare yourself for the pinnacle of graffiti viewing. Cross Mass. Ave. once more and dodge down the alley to the right of Central Kitchen, Modica Way. Take your time walking through the ever-changing artwork. Keep in mind that next to Central Kitchen is a bar without a sign. I recommend this bar, Brick & Mortar, as a good place to start your evening. It has a moody vibe created from lighting and interior design.

Modica Way leads to a parking lot with, you guessed it, more graffiti. Look to your left to view two excellent artscapes of Asian women on Bao Nation’s building. One woman is in traditional Asian dress with a dramatic red backdrop. The other lures you into Bao Nation. Look up to the rooftop, which is covered in an interesting assortment of graffiti. Walk directly in the parking lot and look at the side of H Mart, an Asian grocery store. You will find a community mural.

The parking lot exits onto Bishop Allen Dr. Turn left and swing around to the other side of H Mart to find another painting. Continue on Bishop Allen Dr. Turn left on Prospect St. Take note of The Field, a pub you may want to visit later. This bar has a laid back vibe and a back patio open on warm nights.

Prospect St. leads you back to Mass. Ave., where you will find a four-way intersection. The Central Square T Stop, or subway, is located here should you need it at a later date. Turn right on Mass. Ave.

If you are ready for some more food, stop in 1369 Coffee Shop. Awarded Best of Boston in 2013, this coffee shop has rotating art on the walls and an inviting atmosphere full of creatives typing away on their laptops. The delicious coffee, fresh baked cookies, and homemade soups don’t hurt either.

If it’s lunchtime, and you are a health food fanatic, go to Life Alive. Life Alive is my favorite lunchtime spot because of the unique food combinations, amazing smoothies, and earthy interior décor. The self-described “urban oasis & organic café” has won many Best of Boston awards. They have music on Thursdays and Fridays.

After an energizing shot of wheatgrass, you will be raring to go. Take a right when exiting either 1369 or Life Alive. You are headed to Harvard Sq.

Continue your trek up Mass. Ave., stopping in boutiques and taking in the mix of characters in this area. You will soon pass by a local bar, the People’s Republic. You are now in between Central and Harvard Squares. Note the Plow & Stars bar as well, which offers local bands up close and personal. If you duck in here, you just might find my brother’s band, Crooked Mirror, playing.

You will soon approach colorful graffiti splashed with words summing up the area: “technology,” “family, and “community.”

About one block up, on the opposite side of the street, is a mural, which brings a bit of nature into the city with black and white tree branches.

Continue walking straight to locate great boutique shops. You are now in Harvard Square. You may want to check to see if there are any interesting seminars going on, shop, and wander through Harvard Yard to look at the architecture.

Overall, this walking tour allows you to become better oriented to the city. You can slow down and appreciate the nuances and explore the creativity of the city’s residents. Harvard is full of shopping and beautiful architecture. Central Square keeps things real, adding a bit of grit and has a great music scene. MIT leads into the technology hub of Kendall Sq.

Be sure to share any updated artwork you come across on your walk by posting below!

 

Highlights From Vermont

When I dip my chicken into Cold Hollow Cider Mill’s honey mustard, a mustard with a sweet and spicy tang to it, or take a shower with my Ancient Mysteries Artisan Soap from Chasworth Farm, I am transported to a warm September Saturday at Burlington’s Farmers Market.

Band playing at Burlington Vermont Farmer’s Market.

I think about the homemade root beer I drank that day while watching a musician duo play on the edge of the market. I casually wandered Burlington, exploring an abundance of fresh produce, homemade cosmetics, local food, and artwork at the farmer’s market.

It was the best farmer’s market I have been to because it had it all: live music, food, and local ingredients straight off the farm. The farmer who sold me beeswax lip balm didn’t even bother to label or brand the product as if to say “it is was what it is, and if you don’t like it don’t buy it!”

The farmer’s market is located at City Hall Park and St. Paul Street.

Earlier that weekend, I had met my friend who is originally from Vermont. She showed me her hometown which also happens to be the capital of Vermont, Montpelier. We went out for breakfast to a place that had just opened its doors to the public. I would highly recommend Down Home Kitchen if you’re in the area.

The owner greeted us. She had been working hard for several months to gut the interior. She bought the space in a decrepit state. I would have never guessed because the place was sparkling clean and in great condition. The interior gives off a bright, open, and airy feel. It had a bar you could sit at or wooden tables with fresh flowers.

Each table at Down Home Kitchen had fresh flowers.

We sat in the front corner booth, which had comfy pillows and a view of downtown Montpelier. We were able to enjoy the unique décor from our table. I admired the exposed bricks, retro memorabilia, such as an old telephone, record player, and old-fashioned black and white photos. Perhaps, the owner’s great-great grand parents’?

Have mercy! Part retro/ part country kitchen interior design.

The owner showed us a pie that came fresh out of the oven, which smelled amazing. The food is southern comfort style. For example, you can get biscuits and gravy with grits. Alcohol is served too. They have a great bloody mary. I ended out getting the “make your own omlette” option. Overall, I really enjoyed the food, décor, and friendly atmosphere.

After breakfast, we tried to find a particular hiking spot, but were unsuccessful. It didn’t help that our phones had no service and we were following word of mouth directions. However, being in Vermont, you can pretty much find hiking trails down any road so we took a turn, saw a hiking sign, and decided to go for it. We hiked for a bit, but the trail was not marked well. We had already planned to go to Stowe so we bailed on the rest of the hike.

We stopped off for cider donuts at Cold Hollow Cider. The store is fun to walk around because they have free samples you can taste.

After fueling up, we drove to Bingham Falls in Stowe. I had never been to Stowe and found the area extremely beautiful. If you do not have much time, it is worth it to just to drive through Route 108/Upper Mountain Road, which winds through a mountain.

Bingham Falls was one of my favorite spots. There was a short walk to get to the waterfall, which runs along a gorge. The 30-foot waterfall plummets into a clear blue pool and continues cascading down rocks. I had no bathing suit, but how could I resist? I jumped in the ice-cold watering hole with my workout clothes on.

Bingham Falls; the water looks so amazing, yet it was very chilly!

Stepping from rock to rock to cross the waterfall’s pathway.

After the invigorating swim, we drove though the mountains and ended out at Boyden Valley Winery. We had a wine tasting with chocolate and crackers. We really packed a lot into one day!

To think of it, we didn’t end there. We ventured off to my friends family’s summerhouse on Grand Isle, which was right on Lake Champlain. This time around we opted for bathing suits and went for a sunset swim in the lake.

A snack before our sunset swim.

Swim round 2

Sunset over Lake Champlain.

What’s a sunset without a bonfire?

Somehow we mustered up the energy to go to Burlington and have dinner at The Farm House Tap & Grill, a farm to table gastro pub. The food was fantastic. There was an hour-long wait to get a table, but it was worth it. There is a large patio with a bar out back so the wait seemed to fly by.

Before the long ride home, I stopped off for lunch on Church Street at the Red Onion. They have amazing sandwiches that are made with thick slices of homemade bread.

Until next time!