Eastbay1K

♫ Wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles ... ♫

Too bad that JetsuiteX doesn't have more SNA/OAK frequency. It looks like a 2d daily starts next month, but still not enough.

SFO777

JetSuite did show up on Google Flights but there was only 1 seat left... at something like $500.

icegirl

Wish the beautiful Mrs SFO777 a speedy recovery from her op from all here at the forum!

I must say I was surprised in your choice of hotel over others in the city. How come?

SFO777

Thank you very much icegirl for your best wishes. She's doing great and well on the road to recovery.
Definitely an off the wall hotel selection but there was method to our madness. We didn't want a big fancy hotel, just something comfy and home-like.
We lived in the Marina for 10 years, indeed just two blocks away. All are old favorite Chestnut/Steiner Street restaurants are nearby as is her doctor's office and our old Walgreen's.
Plus, free underground parking with an elevator right next to our suite.

SFO777

Some sights and pics from our 5 days in the Bay Area.

After Mrs. SFO777's pre-op tests and meetings on Monday, we headed up Fillmore to one of our neighborhood faves, Balboa Café.







Great atmosphere, food and service. We arrived around 3pm, so the place was pretty empty.



Our usual table.



The Balboa Burger, one of our favorites.



After lunch, back to our hotel down Steiner.



Past some of our regular restaurants from our time here.









The Living Room at The Cow Hollow Suites #344.







Later that evening, we're over in Marin for dinner with good friends at another favorite, the Buckeye Roadhouse.









Tuesday was quiet and the day before surgery. We went down to Union Square so Mrs. SFO777 could exchange a Christmas gift and get the correct size.



What a mess on Geary at Stockton as subway construction is still blocking lanes 6 years later.



The Union Square Garage getting seedier every year.

















Back at the hotel, another late lunch just a few doors down Chestnut at Pacific Catch.







After lunch, a stroll down our old block, where we lived for 10 years.





That evening, we're seeing the kids and grandkids at Foreign Cinema in the Mission. Great atmosphere and food.













Wednesday afternoon post-surgery coming back into the city from the East Bay.









With Mrs. SFO777 resting in the room, I went around the corner to another neighborhood fave, Bistro Aix. Sat at the bar enjoying a glass of wine and a salad while our Sonoma Chickens to go were on the grill.









The next morning, as every morning, across the street at Peet's for coffee for the patient.





Starbucks used to be crowded all the time... until some suit in Seattle decided to convert it to a Starbucks Reserve with only sustainable coffees from family farms, blah, blah, blah. With few customers any time I walked by, I don't think this concept is long for the world.



Thursday was foggy. LOL, what else is new here?



We had planned to have lunch at A16 on Chestnut but they weren't open for lunch that day. So, we're at Rose's Café at Union and Steiner.

gaobest

nequine

Great seeing pics of SF, we really enjoy visiting the city.

SFO777

Thanks very much gaobest. Living in the city for 10 years was a great experience, but our best memory was all the amazing restaurants we enjoyed. But 10 years without summer is long, long time.

Thank you nequine. Not sure we'd want to live there anymore but it is a great place to visit.

gaobest

shimps1

Just curious, and not meaning to pry, but what is your reasoning on blurring faces? Seems like just randomly chosen which photos to blur and which not to.

seat38a

We started going up to San Francisco annually since 2014 to eat and hangout. It was clean and spotless. Since 2016, we've seen a general deterioration of downtown and after our visit in 2018, we are now actively seeking other places to spend our long weekends. Oh well, I guess no more House of Nanking and Great Eastern for dim sum annually. Your point regarding the Union Square Garage getting seedier is right on the spot. Unfortunately its not only the garage. Speedy recovery to the Mrs.

ordogg

I spent some time going back forth to SNA in early 2017, and loved the UC there

ffI

Knowing my boss and assuming all bosses are like that, it all depends on how well the picture turns out (not the entire scene but the subject)

HMPS

SFO777 Speediest recovery for the Mrs. Although I think she will be upto her old self in rcord time. I say that because you undertook the five day trip to Australia. Of course you both knew the sugery date coming up.
My main observation is in none of the pics is she seen using a cane Means the muscles are strong which portend a speedy recovery !

SFO777

Sorry for the delay and absence in responding.

For an event, I agree about Uber/Lyft. No worries about drinking and driving. But we were just running some errands plus I actually enjoy driving in SF. I always thought that the grid layout worked well if you are willing to deviate from the main routes. We had no problem getting to the general area of Union Square in less than 10 minutes. It was my choice of Geary that was the problem.

Mrs. SFO777 has veto power over any of her pics. If she doesn't like her pics, it gets veto'd. The guy in the restaurant was an editor's decision since he was a regular at a place we used to go a lot.

Thanks very much seat38a. We've noticed the same deterioration pretty much everyone in the city. We loved our 10 years in the Marina but with the invasion of the techies and millennials and continuing failures from city hall, it was time to move on. We used to enjoy going back but even now, other than seeing the grandkids, it's just not high on our list of places to visit.

The SNA UC is nice, but not for 7 hours. LOL.

Bingo! Thank you ffl.

Thanks so much HMPS. She's doing great but I'm of the opinion that she's milking her invalid status far too long. LOL. Her knee was weight bearing immediately. She's getting better by the week but still has another 6 weeks of Physical Therapy before she can think about playing tennis. LOL.