Down by the Bay

San Francisco. So much to do and see, so many strange and interesting people to observe, so many amazing places to eat, so many hills to climb...

I was fortunate enough to spend a long-weekend with my grandma McNaught, my mom and her friend, Irene, for an amazing girl’s weekend in San Francisco.
My 77-year-old grandma's first taste of San Francisco came at 10:30 p.m. as we pulled up in the cab to the front entrance of our hotel. After lugging the suitcases out of the trunk and on to the sidewalk (thanks for being a gentleman and helping a girl out, cab driver), we turned towards the hotel doors and were met with the best greeting ever from the homeless man standing near by. With arms outstretched, he shouted in a loud, boisterous voice, "Hey, you made it!" Even my mom, whom I haven't seen since Christmas, failed to match the stranger's exuberant welcome.

Three days of traversing the steep hills of San Francisco means burning major calories. Friday morning we awoke to the most amazing weather (it reached 78 degrees that day, which is really warm for SF) and took to the streets in search of the highly recommended Mama's restaurant to fuel up for our day. As we rounded the far corner of Washington Square, our gaze settled on the line of breakfast-goers wrapping around the side of a quaint little building, and we knew we were in the right place. Normally I wouldn’t stand in a one-hour line for breakfast, but trust me when I say the French Toast Sampler plate was worth every minute of our wait.

Since our party consisted of two SF newbies (grandma and Irene), we slid right into tourist mode and hit all the main attractions like Coit Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge, Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square and numerous cable car rides (but who ever gets tired of riding the cable cars?). We spent one afternoon across the bay in the sleepy little town of Sausalito. With less than 8,000 residents, Sausalito has a real sense of calm and quietness compared to it's busy neighbor on the opposite end of the bridge. Beautiful homes dot the hillside and a plethora of shops, cafes and restaurants line the street at the water's edge. Dining al fresco at a pier-side cafe for lunch, popping into various boutiques, resting by the fountain in the little park with our afternoon snack of ice cream - life doesn't get much better than that!

No matter how many times you visit San Francisco, it never gets old. As my grandma aptly said, "It sure is an interesting city!"

It's beginning to look a lot like Spring...Gazuntite!

It's March. Spring is almost (officially) here. And as the air quality reports clue you in to the skyrocketing pollen count, you'll more than likely find yourself saying “God bless you” to an increasing number of sneezing allergy sufferers. For those of us who live in the Central Valley, the familiar sounds of sneezing and runny noses are evidence that spring is fast approaching. The culprit: all those orchards blooming absolutely everywhere.

One of the best ways to experience the beauty of the orchards is the Fresno County Blossom Trail. This self-guided motor or biking tour stretches for over 60 miles and winds along the countryside east of the city, showcasing the vast array of almond, peach, plum, apricot and nectarine trees in full bloom. These crops typically bloom from February through March, so now is the perfect time to hit the trail. And that's just what we did. With the sun shining bright, near-70 degree temperatures, white clouds gently dotting the blue sky and a puff of allergy nasal spray, Jeremy & I took off for a Sunday drive along the trail to see the local orchards in bloom.

Bright white, light pink and red-flowered trees lined the roads. Some of the orchard blossoms were already starting to fade, but in its place a faint hint of green appeared. We took the drive at a leisurely pace, stopping now and then to snap a few pictures and admire the sun-drenched scenery. Blossom Trail road signs helped us navigate and after a couple of hours we had finished the entire loop, managing to miss only one stretch of trail (there was never a sign telling us to make a left turn, I swear.)

Despite the sneezing, the orchards are absolutely beautiful this time of year and give Fresno a vibrantly colored backdrop to enjoy. Not only that, we can now wait in eager anticipation for the harvest! It really is amazing to see the beautiful flowering trees now and know that in a couple of months we will be savoring the sweet, juicy fruit produced from those very blossoms. God is good. And so are fresh peaches.

Quote of the Week

"Travel pushes my boundaries. When you travel, you become invisible, if you want. I do want. I like to be the observer. What makes people who they are? Could I feel at home here? No one expects you to have the stack of papers back by Tuesday, or to check messages, or to fertilize the geraniums. When traveling, you have the delectable possibility of not understanding a word of what is said to you. Language becomes simply a musical background for watching bicycles zoom alongside a canal, calling for nothing from you. Travel releases spontaneity. You become a godlike creature full of choice, free to visit the stately pleasure domes, make love in the morning, sketch a bell tower. You open, as in childhood, and - for a time - receive this world. There's the visceral aspect, too - the huntress who is free. Free to go, free to return home bringing memories to lay on the hearth."

Excerpted from A Year in the World, by Frances Mayes