24 Hour Golden Gate Getaway
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It took a really, realllllly jam-packed schedule of pick-ups, drop-offs, appointments with this doctor, meetings with that network for me to realize the days are just too damn long, but the years are mysteriously, so short. And with that, a few of us decided it was time to leave the tots behind for a quick 24-hour getaway to gain some clarity, and probably a couple lbs along the way. Since we live in LA, we opted for a short trip up the northern coast to San Francisco and lemme say, it was EVERYTHING the Mommy Doc ordered. Here's a rundown of our 24 hour adults-only Nor Cal Escape, hour by hour. Sometimes a day is all it takes.
10AM - ALL ABOARD! If you're feeling it's time to splurge, charter a PJ from Van Nuys to Oakland for a quick 1-hour flight, no lines, no hassle, all glamour! For a more cost-effective method of travel, check out affordable flights at www.southwest.com
11AM - ARRIVE, DRIVE, AND UNWIND We hopped in an uber and headed immediately for our hotel the St. Regis in San Fran. www.stregissanfrancisco.com Room rates are pretty comparable with most other luxury hotels in town. And as you know, SF is no bargain. The service was top notch and the bedding, even better...which was an absolute MUST for this often rundown mommy.
2PM - FIRST STOP, DIM SUM Let's get real, you can't hit San Francisco without dipping into their world-famous dim sum. All I can say is SEN-SA-TION-AL!!! Yes, we're dim sum fans anyway, but Yank Sing which came highly recommended and scores a 26 Zagat rating was next level. Be sure to try all the veggie dim sum options like the snow pea shoot and savory vegetable dumplings shown here. www.yanksing.com
3PM - HOP, SKIP, JUMP - Whether it was that or just a brisk walk, we all definitely had pep in our step as we moved through the historic parts of San Francisco asking ourselves why we don't actually live there. Oh right, the weather. Though we had nothing but sunshine, San Fran has a tendency to be foggy and overcast.
5PM - R, R & R... Back to the hotel for some rest, relaxation and a little eh hem, reacquainting :) Then a quick outfit change and voila it was time for this haute mommy to hit the town for a pre-drink and pre-stigeous dining experience.
6PM - BATTERY This one word sums up the hip, cool vibe we found in San Francisco. It's like Soho House with a my-tech-company-is-better-than-yours edge. Great drinks, cool vibe, sexy tunes..and though it's a members only club, elements of the property are still accessible to non-members including hotel rooms. Definitely worth a visit www.thebatterysf.com
7PM - SAISON Ranked the 2nd best restaurant in the Country with 3 Michelin Stars, Saison's vibe is all sass while the food is world-class. You walk into the rather unassuming spot, kitchen totally exposed, young, tatted-up chefs working their magic. With only a few select tables inside, each is adorned with cashmere blankets covering the chairs for use at any time during your four hour, 14-course meal. Diners are literally dressed in anything from jogging suits and sneakers to T-shirts and jeans...anything goes. Including the tunes. Playing over the loud speaker, favorites from the 60s-90s, everything from Prince to The Grateful Dead to Journey. It must be the 34-year old head chef's impeccable taste coming thru in the speakers. Speaking of taste, I eat mostly vegetarian so for me, the selection of food was highly limited consisting of mostly root veggies, but for the rest of our party, the star dishes included golf-ball sized scoops of caviar, raw lobster, asperagus and sea urchin. Are you drooling yet??? www.saisonsf.com
10PM - BACK TO BED Why try to top an already perfect day??? We were tired, full and ready for bed. And that's just what we did, retreated to our cushy, comfy crib and slept like babies until waking up...ON OUR OWN :)
8AM - BREAKFAST IN BED As most mommies would agree, there's simply nothing better than breakfast in bed. We ordered room service of oatmeal, juice and coffee and lounged until we felt like total lazy asses. Then it was time for the day to begin
9AM - GO CAR TOURS I've gotta hand it to my girlfriend for uncovering what's probably the ultimate way to really see San Francisco. Go Car Tours. They're these mini go-cart looking motor-cycle cars that take you on a GPS guided tour through the city. It's fun, hilarious and makes for great picture taking. BTW, not for the faint of heart. www.gocartours.com
10AM- BACK TO REALITY Our 24-hour trip, which felt more like 3 days with the amount of activity we packed in, was coming to an end. We headed back to the Oakland Airport for an even quicker 45-minute turn around to LA. Returning home felt right. We were rested, rejuvenated and ready to take on the world. Until our next jaunt, PEACE OUT!
