I don't think everyone knows, but I was more or less forced to come up to Fremont this weekend for some conveniently-planned back-to-back parties--a memorial tonight and a baby party tomorrow. Anyway, today my dad, sister, and I went to San Francisco so that we could at least enjoy part of the day, and just that alone is full of tales of interest.
Before we even got into the city, we were stopped on the God-forsaken 880 freeway in Oakland by an irritatingly-friendly Highway Patrolman. He cited us for speeding, going 78 in a 65 zone, but the worst part is that we were just going with the flow of traffic. We were in our Toyota Sienna, and we weren't even passing people. When asked about why we were singled out, the officer said that we just the one he chose to pace and that he couldn't stop everyone. So basically, it was just bad luck. What a bullshit small-town mentality towards the law. Our trip into San Francisco did not have the best of starts.
Just to get into the city, there was a $4 toll on the Oakland Bay Bridge, marking the start of our fairly expensive day (past however much the ticket was for). We headed right for Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf, because my Dad likes it. He tends to gravitate towards touristy areas, but I didn't really mind since I hadn't been there in probably ten years. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a fairly rotten memory, so I'm thankful that many of my memories of that place are in tact. I remember it being full of shops all trying to peddle cheap stuff with a San Franciscan allure. Now, the area's been revamped with upscale restaurants, live music, and other stuff for people other than tourists to do. The focal point is the Boudin bakery, which has been completely revamped and is a major draw for anyone; it's been made to showcase their bread and its universal appeal, plus there's a huge area to eat and buy bread/food/coffee related items. The actual pier is still pretty touristy, but it's nice to see the general area with a broader appeal.
After that, we went to have lunch at Joe's Cable Car, a little burger place that was featured on Food Network's "Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives". Since this is more or less my favorite show on that channel, I was looking forward to a burger comprised of as-advertised fresh ground chuck, but I was pleased to find something else I'm not opposed to: cute, Asian waitresses (think Shakas except an old-fashioned diner)! This was a shock because the owner is like a Greek immigrant, so the fit just seemed really odd. I'm definitely lapsing a bit into my caveman roots, yet I can't help but say that it was nice to get a little flirting in (the girls in Westwood tend to be a bit snooty, but that's another story). What can I say? I came for the burgers, I'd go back for the service.
That's it for San Francisco. Stay tuned for the Fremont files.
1 comment:
I smell something fishy and conspicuously suspicious. Yellow fever (on the part of the Greek owner) much?
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