San Francisco, California

Trolley, Alcatraz, Kara's Cupcakes

Before I even begin typing about San Francisco, I just wanted to let you know that I had a special visitor, Mrs. Ribik!!! Yes, she came to visit last weekend and I took her on my special Southern California tour. It basically includes Venice, Santa Monica, and Marina del Rey (all the places I can bike to). We biked to the Santa Monica Pier, viewed the sunset, walked along the Venice boardwalk, ate a double-double at In-N-Out(a fast food place where everything is made fresh), shopped at 3rd St. Promenade, and enjoyed the weather. It was wonderful showing her my life out here as well as having a familiar face around.

This past weekend Marisa and I went on a road trip to San Francisco. We left on Friday afternoon and made it up in six hours. I say we, but Marisa did all the driving since I don't possess the skills required to drive a stick shift. Needless to say, I was a somewhat useless co-pilot. Moving on... Marisa has made some wonderful friends while living here on the west coast. Some have moved away from Los Angeles and journeyed up north to the San Francisco area. We both decided it would be nice to visit the northern part of California as a part of our 3 month bonding experience. Marisa and I went to visit her two friends, Cydne and Clarity(both originally from Idaho).

We stayed at their apartment which was in the Oakland area, about 30 minutes from the city(meaning San Francisco). Saturday we spent most of our day seeing some major tourist sights. The trolley is obviously a major attraction for many visitors. I opted not to take the trolley, but enjoyed viewing others ride it. Our first stop was Ghirardelli Square(named after the delicious chocolate). In this area we spotted a shop called Kara's Cupcakes. Of course I had to stop there and try a cupcake. Yum! Next, we headed to the fisherman's wharf which overlooks the bay. There are numerous street performers, restaurants that specialize in clam chowder, and little shops. Additionally, you can see Alcatraz from the street. Alcatraz Island, or the Rock, was a prison that is still located in the middle of the San Francisco Bay. It closed in 1963 and now serves as a national park. On this trip we did more viewing than exploring. We hopped back in Clarity's car and drove to the famous Golden Gate Bridge(just a ten minute ride from the fisherman's wharf). There is a side walk area on the bridge that many tourists(including myself) can walk on. We took some pictures and drove on to Fillmore St. and Union St. Here we were able to shop and walk around.

San Francisco is known for being a mellow city(I would definitely agree, especially when comparing to NYC) with a lot of hilly roads. The roads aren't just hilly, but extremely steep. Thank goodness Clarity's brakes worked(it felt like being on a roller coaster ride). The weather in San Francisco is colder compared to Los Angeles. Actually, it just felt like fall in Bergen County to me. I didn't get to see all of the different areas in San Francisco, but I felt as if I was able to appreciate what I did experience and truly enjoyed the company.



East vs. West. West vs. East. Such a common question I always receive when I am here in Venice. People tend to ask me, "Well, where would you rather live? Here in beautiful Los Angeles or back East?" For me, there are pros and cons for both. How could I not love living in an area that is always sunny and rarely rains(and when it does rain, I've heard that people in this area are scared to leave their homes!!!). Where most highways and beaches are free, the sunsets are amazing, shorts can be worn all year long, and there is a laid back approach to life. Furthermore, you can bike around almost anywhere. There is even a bike lane on the street so that cars can't get too close. Seriously, would I really miss shoveling the snow and warming up my car? I don't think so! However, there is also the enormous homeless population(many live right on the Venice boardwalk) here amongst other things. I actually have a regular homeless man that I see as I bike to work everyday(actually, there are many, but this is the only one I communicate with). We have a little routine that involves him saying hello, me waving or saying hi, and then he always wishes me a blessed day and thanks me for my smile. I've even started to look for him and if I don't see him I wonder where he is. In addition, bagels and pizza are just not the same out here. Oh, how I miss Kinderkamack Bagels and Filippo's on First Pizzeria (by my old apartment in Hoboken). I have also missed experiencing seasons. The temperature this week has been in the 80's, not that I am complaining, but it doesn't' feel like autumn to me. I miss the fall foliage, apple picking, pumpkin patches, etc. It isn't just the seasons, but I love living close to one of the most sought after spots in the world, New York City. Or the fact that I can get in my car and drive to Massachusetts, Pennsylvania(the Poconos), or our country's capital, Washington, D.C.

For each person it is different. Personally, I have loved the experience of living in both places. Being able to appreciate both lifestyles and see how different people react to certain situations or even how people pronounce things. To answer the question, where would you rather live? Simply put, home is where the heart is. Such a true saying, my family and friends are so important to me. I love both, but if I had to decide...I am a true east coaster, a proud individual from the state of New Jersey.

Thank you to everyone in Venice who has been so wonderful to me over the past three months. Especially to my sister, who once again has given me the opportunity to live in Venice. I will miss you all.

So long,
KMF