all things good
Hi friends! Hope you’ve had a wonderful day. Thank you so much for the beautiful birthday wishes! It was a perfect day spent with everyone I love so much.
Madre came over to the house this morning and cut my hair, which was a special treat. I was going to stop by her salon with Livi sometime today, but she told me she had the day off. “What?! Why?” “It’s my daughter’s birthday!” Technically, I think of it as her birthday, as she’s the one who went through a tumultuous labor to have me C-sectioned out. Apparently I was too happy in my comfy waterbed.
We slept in (high fives all around!)
had breakfast together,
(Pilot made eggs)
we did a little shopping,
and had a glorious lunch at Blanco.
The tiny frosting bandit strikes again….
She knows the best part 😉
Now, it’s time for some California adventures!
After my last experience on a plane, I’m not really stoked to be flying again, but excited to get there! Hopefully the flight is quick and uneventful…
See ya there!
xoxo
Gina
Any San Francisco recommendations to share? I absolutely love Cafe Gratitude!
What do you like more: the cake or the frosting? I’m a frosting girl, all the way.
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Safe travels! Have a great time!
Yay San Francisco!
We live nearby- you MUST have a pitcher of Sangria (or 3?) at Cha Cha Cha. There are two locations, one on Haight St. and one in Mission.
They also have “Off the Grid” which is a big food truck thing (if you guys are into that). They bounce around town, but last weekend they were in front of the ferry building. The Farmers’ Market there btw is INSANE!
Enjoy! 😉
If you’re going to be in Berkeley, check out ici, an amazing ice cream place on College Avenue. Worth the price, worth the wait!
I love frosting as long as it’s not that super granulated sugar frosting. I love the sweet and creamy stuff though and have been known to eat a spoonful out of the mixing bowl!! However, after wedding cake tasting this summer I have more appreciation for good cake too. 🙂
Glad you had a good birthday, enjoy the rest of it!! 🙂
My hometown!! If you can make it to the coast just south of SF, Half Moon Bay is an AMAZING retreat (my home-away-from home). Just south of that is a little coastal farm town called Pescadero, home to Duarte’s Tavern–an old saloon that served THE BEST artichoke soup and cioppino (not together, of course) that you will ever taste. It was featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. To get the real historical experience, sit at the bar.
Safe travels!!
Glad you’re having a great b-day! If you have time in SF, you must eat at the Slanted Door in the Ferry Building. http://www.slanteddoor.com/. Its Vietnamese fusion and its ahhh-mazing!
Also, you must just visit the Ferry Building in general and get a coffee/cappuccino at Blue Bottle Coffee 🙂
Have a great time!
I completely agree, the Slanted Door is a must. It is AMAZING. Seriously. Amazing.
Have fun and safe travels!!
blue bottle coffee and the entire ferry building in general (breakfast at boulette’s larder or il cane rosso)
That looks like such a great day! Your breakfast looks amazing xo
Sadly enough, Cafe Gratitude closed a year or so ago 🙁 You would LOVE Source though, it’s a vegan restaurant that will rock your world. I’m not vegan but they have one of the best burgers (vegan!) I’ve had in my life. Depending on where you’re staying, Don Pisto’s (North Beach), Isa (Marina), Beretta (Mission), NOPA (Alamo Square), Kokkari (downtown) are all excellent choices. SF is the best city 🙂
Cafe Gratitude still has a location in Berkeley.
Everything in sf is delicious, but herbivore, nopalito, plant cafe and beretta are some personal faves. Oh and de la rosa too:)
Tender Greens just opened up downtown and it’s amazing – they have multiple locations in San Diego as well! My favorite is the Grilled Veggies salad with lemon vinaigrette.
http://www.tendergreens.com/
Have a fantastic trip!
Totally the frosting!!! I can eat a jar of frosting as a snack! Not that i’ve done it or anything (wink wink)! My favorite part of San Fran is the pier with the seals! Liv would love that I’m sure!
There is almost nothing better than good frosting. Even if the cake part is eh if the frosting is great the whole thing is alright in my book. I’m glad you had a great birthday!
Happy Birthday!! hope 29 is just as wonderful, if not better than the last year 🙂 safe travels to SF!
There are a ton of great restaurants in SF, but one of my most memorable dining experiences was trying Peruvian food at Limón in the Mission District (I think they have a few locations). So good!
I live across the bay in Berkeley, but I love going into “the city” on weekends. There are excellent brunch places in the Mission: Bar Tartine and Mission Beach Cafe are two of my favs. Afterwards, you can take a stroll down Valencia St. to Four Barrel Coffee or Ritual Coffee. That street also has a bunch of unique shops. And Mission Dolores Park is great on a sunny day (and excellent for hipster-watching).
I also second everyone that says to drink Blue Bottle Coffee – the roastery is in Oakland, but they sell it at the Ferry Building.
Have fun! And if you get a chance, Berkeley is great too 🙂
Gracias madre is vegan mexican food and it’s delicious. Dante’s Weird Tacos is also great – fish and vegan tacos/po boys/fries things. I second Source, Plant Cafe, Blue Bottle and Four Barrel. crafts and wolves also has great coffee and amazing pastries. The Mill has a few kinds of toast, and they serve Four Barrel coffee. Udupi Palace has great South Indian food, and monk’s kettle has a long wait often, but the food and beer are worth it! Tartine bakery also has amazing grilled cheese sandwiches. Chaya is great vegetarian Japanese food.
Ok, I’m done.
Outside of food, check out the mission mural tour from precita eyes mural center.
Ferry building for farmer’s market on Saturday & Sunday. Tons of good lunch/brunch options, cheeses, produce, green juices, blue bottle coffee. Another amazing coffee place is Philz Coffee. For dinner, try Park Tavern, Limon, Sociale, Foreign Cinema, Tacolicious, Umami Burger. Ahhh so. much. good. food. My boyfriend and I are always trying new places and probably have only visited 1% of the restaurants in the city. Have fun!
garcias made – best vegan mexican food you will ever have … plus their guac is served with fresh homemade corn tortillas
slanted door – by far our favorite meal in san francisco. make reservations
greens restaurant – amazing view and delicious vegetarian food based on local ingredients.
I would prefer the cake part! Frosting is just way to sweet to eat by itself! Happy Birthday Gina and have a great time in CA!
Gina! Knowing your affinity for Mexican food, you need to check out Gracias Madre! It’s owned by the same people as Cafe Gratitude, but it’s a vegan taqueria and their mole is to die for! Also try their butternut, caramelized onion quesadilla app if you go!
Golden Gate Park is a fun spot to explore and get lost in, and Land’s End is an amazing park at the edge of the city that feels like you’re transported to Big Sur! An epic spot for a foggy walk or run 🙂
Enjoy your trip!!
Happy Birthday! Enjoy your trip 🙂
I always say cake’s only purpose is a mode of transportation for frosting.
Gina, happy birthday!
I live in Sonoma but also head to SF for a taste of city life. I completely agree with the gals above about Four Barrel and Blue Bottle coffees – so delicious. I also LOVE Humphrey Slocombe (http://www.humphryslocombe.com/) for interesting and delicious ice cream flavors in a unique part of the city. 😉
Are you coming up to Wine Country at all? I work for a winery on Highway 121 just a half hour north of SF and would love to pour you a glass of wine! Email me if you wanna arrange something 🙂
Blanco. Looks. Amazing! That’s all. (slurp-as I pick up my tongue from the keyboard.)
Gina- happy birthday! I knew there was a reason I loved reading – Scorpio sisters! ( my bday is tomorrow but I have a few years on ya!;))
I hope you have a fabulous day- sounds great! Try the plant cafe in SF or Tony’s Neapolitan pizza or de la rosa for Italian while in SF.
Ps- I’m finishing up my first trimester of pregnancy and I’m so happy th gave this resource to consult too. Thank you! 🙂
Xo
L
Love your gray pants! Where are they from??
I definitely like the cake more! I’m not a huge sweet person, so the icing is just a little to sweet for me. Have a safe plan trip!
happy bday and safe travels. p.s. love that cute icing bandit
Have a great trip! I agree that Gracias Madre is delicious as well as Plant Cafe and Slanted Door- so many great restaurants, though! If you’re wanting to get out in nature, we have many beautiful hiking trails just north of SF, in Marin. Also, might be fun to take the ferry (from the Ferry Building mentioned above) to Larkspur Landing (in Marin) and eat at Farm Shop at the Marin Country Mart.
Happy Birthday, Gina!
Q- how did pilot get to make that perfect egg?
Happy happy birthday Gina! Have a great time in San Fransisco!
Happy Happy Birthday! I love the “first 29th” on your cake =)
Ahhhh same birthday as my son. He celebrated his first birthday tonight. Glad you had a good one..
Sounds like a wonderful day! Happy happy birthday!
Ah looks like an awesome birthday!! 🙂 That lunch – drool worthy.
I love Hops & Hominy in SF. I also had the most amazing lobster ravioli at a little Italian place in North Beach. Love SF! Have a good trip!
If you love Cafe Gratitude you have to try Gracious Madre, same owners but all Mexican food. It’s on Mission in SF, amazing!!!!
Happy birthday! I had “my first 29th birthday” a few months ago too; that cake is hilarious.
I love love love San Fran. My favourite thing we did was rent bikes and head over to Sausalito for an amazing lunch (took the ferry back). It was a blast.
It looks like you have had an amazing birthday full of so much fun and family! Enjoy every minute Gina!! Happy Birthday!!!
Like so many have already said, Gracias Madre in the Mission! If it’s nice out stop by Tartine Bakery for the best bread you’ll ever have and the Bi-rite market for some local cheese & spreads, then camp out at Mission Dolores park for the best people watching. If you head to the Marina area, Greens at Fort Mason has amazing brunches (call ahead!) and is vegan. While in the marina, there are the best boutiques to shop at along Union and Chestnut streets- if you can squeeze in a yoga class at the Yoga Pad. And if you’re around the embarcadero, for sure you’ll love eating on the waterfront patio at the Plant (the bay, amazing food, fresh juices and a full bar, what more do you want), afterwards of course it’s all about the Ferry buildling (if you’re there on a Saturday make sure to check out the Farmer’s market which ends at 2pm I think). The new exploratorium on the embarcadero just opened too, and Liv will just love it. If you don’t have a car (which I recommend not having) make sure to download the Uber app to get around town.
If you have some extra time, go across the Golden Gate bridge and check out Sausalito! It’s always warmer there and beautiful scenic waterfront town with a ton of cute shops and restaurants- Fish house has the best casual lunch fare, the freshest salmon & most delicious ceviche you’ll ever have. If you have even more time, then hike around downtown Mill Valley and even all the way to the Dipsea Steps for a major workout.
Yes I love the SF bay area :).
Happy belated birthday Gina!! Looks like such a great day you had!
Frosting aaaaaaall the way 🙂
Looked like a great birthday DAY to me! I’m also a frosting girl…used to be all about cake and no frosting, but somewhere along the way that changed and I am completely content with frosting only! Safe travels!
Gina-first happy birthday! First post to your wonderful site( have been using your ideas for fitness/food/ and MANY receipes since last year Thank-you! I have learned so much, how to fuel my body for work-outs and feed it good nutrition following too.
Of to S.F? Please try “BIO” 75 O’Farrell st. It is a gluten free French cafe. 9am til 6 pm they serve delightful things to take. The seating is only outside-8 seats only. I found their hot oatmeal awesome. The best ever homemade organic Greek yogurt I have ever had-went to Greece last year and I had their fro-Greek yogurt— the best. This fresh can rival it–with fresh strawberries.
The oatmeal/granola balls are truly so good. Granola /dark chocolate cookie ( in the large shape of Reese ‘s cups)…. The list goes on. They as well have lunch-soup/Sammie’s. I was just awe inspired. I wish I was a baker/cook that could come away to try to replicate some of this delishisness…..enjoy your trip-and hope flt. Is a better one.
Also— being post Veterans Day — thank-you to your Pilot for his service! So great ful from our family.
you have to try Mama’s for breakfast! they have amazing eggs, pancakes, and french toast in the cutest little corner restaurant. But you HAVE to get there early because the line builds up as soon as it opens!
Glad to see you had a wonderful Birthday!! Safe travels!!
PS. Happy, happy “belated” Birthday!!
Those flowers are ao pretty!
Glad you had a good birthday! My favorite part of San Francisco is the Ghirardelli factory…those brownie sundaes? Yeah those are amazing. Have a safe trip!
Happy birthday!
Ahh, you’ll be so close to me in SF! I also highly recommend blue bottle coffee. Make sure you get some clam chowder in a bread bowl too!
I’m totally not a frosting person. Unless it’s cream cheese frosting or really rich chocolate, I usually just take it off.
Frosting 100%. I eat that and pretty much throw out the cake! Have a good flight!
Safe travels and happy birthday!! I love the farmers’ market at the pier in SF!