A Low Key Weekend in SF

My friend and I spent the day together on Saturday. We went for a long walk through the Mission, popping into a couple of antique and vintage furniture stores and admiring all the mid-century furniture that we can't afford. I took her to a coffee shop that I like called Ritual Coffee Roasters near Valencia and 21st. It's a little too hipster of a vibe for me, but the coffee is good there and the coffee shop I usually prefer is a little too out of the way for us.

We ended up doing things a little backwards - guess that's what happens when you have no agenda - and after coffee, we headed to Pizzeria Delfina and Bi-Rite for a late lunch. By late afternoon, the weather got chillier, so we decided to head indoors and make our way to my friend's apartment. We cozied up to classical music from Music at Menlo while eating homemade Shanghai-style pork ribs (YUM!), enjoyed fresh fruit from the farmer's market on Embarcadero, and topped the night off with crafts.

That is my kind of night. :)

Some pictures from the day before I head to bed:

I'd love to own a typewriter like this one.

I remember playing this with my father when I was a kid.

A gorgeous mid-century dresser with a built-in mirror and shelves. Price tag: $1,600 (same dresser in mint condition is $6,500)

This hairless cat lives at the sci-fi bookstore with her sister.

Ethiopian drip at Ritual Coffee

Spicy cauliflower at Pizzeria Delfina - SO GOOD!

The Dr. Pepper from Ireland is much sweeter.. a little too sweet for my taste.

I usually get the strawberry balsamic at Bi-Rite, but this time I got the roasted banana. The roasted banana is good for those who are adventurous but not too adventurous.

One of the $2 finds from a vintage store in the Mission.. I added a jump ring to the pendant, added a crystal to accent the pendant, and strung it on my friend's 18k gold necklace. Looks pricey, huh?

I found some beads from a stockpile I have had since junior high and made some dangly earrings. My picture-taking skills are still pretty amateur, so these earrings don't look that great here. But my friend reassured me that they're cute in person!

I couldn't make my friend's going away party last night, so I made her a parting gift, which I walked over to her apartment today. (I will miss you, neighbor! See you bright and early in the morning.)

Although I'm still a newbie at using my SLR, I decided to test out the live view feature on my Rebel XSi. Even though the picture came out blurry, I like the reflection of my friend's apartment in the window with SOMA in the background.

[Short pause after a long day]

I can't wait for spring in SF.

A Low Key Night in SF

Stuff - to think about. Roomies - both out of town. Former teammate - I wonder if he's annoyed that I have called him twice this week, but I know he'll be honest. Honesty - finding it harder to come by these days. The song - been playing on repeat.

After coming home from work, I decide I need to go for a walk to clear my head. Normally, I go for a stroll in my neighborhood or through GGP, which is just a couple of blocks from my apartment. But I decide to walk through downtown, an area that I never really explore. I want to be near any sort of hustle bustle, to people watch, and to feel like I am back in a large city like Chicago where there's so much going on to distract you.

Nothing beats a walk in SF on a nice day, except for maybe a walk on Lake Shore Drive on a warm summer night. The vastness of Lake Michigan outlined by the Chicago skyline.. gorgeous, just gorgeous. Still, Chicago cannot touch the SF charm that I've grown to love. The Edwardians and Victorians, quirky storefronts, mom and pop shops, street tags and murals, grocery stores and farmer's markets with guaranteed organic produce somewhere.. just some things that SF owns hands down. And of course, that's just my opinion. This weekend, I might even go for an afternoon stroll in the Mission, an idea that came to mind after reading an article earlier this week and feeling inspired to do some local exploration.

Windows - halfway open but open. Long stem rose - sitting in the carafe next to my bed and reminding me to smile for the friendships that I have. Song - I'll play it a couple of more times before I head to bed. Roomies - back this weekend..

For now, I'll enjoy the rest of the night. And when my weekends free up again, I plan to go for a longer walk or hike up in Marin County. Hopefully then, I won't get lost like last time when my friends and I got lost on the Lost Trail (of all places).

Gnite, SF.