Leave Your Heart in San Francisco
San Francisco has quickly become one of my favorite destinations to visit. It’s the kind of place I can see myself living, if I was ever forced to leave Manhattan. My most recent escape to The City by the Bay, marks my 3rd time visiting and I am already thinking when the 4th will be. The city is full of life, great people and beautiful sites. If you haven’t had the chance to visit, I urge you to add it to your immediate travel lineup.
The start of my trip began when I checked into Hotel Nikko in San Francisco’s Union Square. The location is similar to New York’s Union Square, only with palm trees. The hotel’s location was perfect and my stay was most comfortable. The view from my 18th floor hotel room was spectacular and always inspired me to escape the hotel and explore. Hotel Nikko carries Lather bath products which are among my favorite in hotel living. The best part of the hotel is their Concierge text message service. You can text the Concierge team any time with a request or inquiry and they would always answer you back immediately.
The second half of my trip was spent two blocks away at Taj Campton Place. I’ve stayed at this hotel before and I absolutely love it. They have the most comfortable hotel robes I have ever worn. The shower was huge and boasted Molton Brown bath products. My favorite part of my room was the cozy windowsill overlooking Union Square from the 16th floor. I can’t wait to return!
I spent a lot of time exploring the city which included visits to Dolores Park, Lombard “Crooked” Street, the Painted Ladies, Ocean Beach, the Castro, the Mission, Hayes Valley and the list goes on.
My favorite thing to do in San Francisco is to ride a cable car to Fisherman’s Wharf and see the sea lions at Pier 39. Hundreds of sea lions gather around on the nearby docks and cuddle and play together. I can literally spend hours watching them.
I enjoyed so many great meals during my trip and probably consumed more calories than I should have, but it was all worth it. My favorite meal of the trip was at Kitchen Story, located in the Castro - a comfy eatery with wood tables & modern décor serving Californian cuisine with Asian influences. I had the short rib tacos which may have been my favorite meal of 2015 so far.
One of the best and most interesting things about San Francisco is the weather. The average high temperature is about 65 and the average low is closer to 50. A hooded sweatshirt and a scarf are your best friends during chillier parts of the day, but you can also sport shorts and flip flops and embrace the warm sun. It is California after all…
San Francisco I will see you soon! XO