San Francisco

California Dreaming: San Francisco

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I was born a Valley Girl. I lived in LA (Northridge) until I was nearly six and my family moved to Atlanta. I have spent over 30 years in the South but I don’t consider myself a Southerner. I’ve been back to California many times since the big move, mainly to LA. I have an aunt and Uncle who live in San Francisco and I’ve visited them many times since I was a kid. Recently my husband and I took our son to see them and the Bay Area. We had many fun experiences during our San Francisco vacation (and a few setbacks) but thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. 

From touring the city to an amusement park, a county fair, a national park, and a sailboat ride, we packed it all in during our stay. It took a full day’s travel there and back, so we had five days of sightseeing and activities in the Bay Area. (and a sixth unplanned day, which I will cover later)

Day 1: Sonoma-Marin Fair
We had a great time at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma. It was my second visit to this fair. I went when I was thirteen years old and visited my family over the summer. Now, I got to experience the fair with my husband and son. We enjoyed the rides. My son and I loved going on the Ferris Wheel. My husband would not get on a Ferris wheel, so he watched us from the ground. My son rode on a pony, rode his first little roller coaster, and rode all day. There were livestock shows, rabbits to look at (raised by kids in the local 4H club), artwork, and farm animals. It was a wonderful day.

Day 2: Train Town
My son LOVES trains. He plays with toy trains and runs model trains. He could talk about trains all day. He knows the names of all the parts and how they work together. He loves Thomas and Friends and The Polar Express. On the second day of our trip, we went to Train Town, a train amusement park. He was in heaven. We rode a small train that went throughout the park. It was a wooded area with waterfalls and a small town similar to those used in model railroad displays. We got off the train and went to all the shops, the fire stations, the school, etc. It was so neat to look at everything. We fed llamas and goats at the petting zoo. 

Train Town also has amusement park rides. We went on the scrambler and that was the most fun I’ve had in a long time. We all loved it. We then rode the roller coaster. The coaster was much bigger than my son rode the day before at the fair. He was so brave. I went on it with him the first time. It had been so long since I’d been on a roller coaster, and even though it was a kid’s ride, I still felt a rush of adrenaline, and it was a little scary for me. My husband and son went on it next and then my son rode it all by himself. He was so brave and had so much fun. Train Town has a few old caboose and train cars that have been renovated and restored. My son had a blast walking through and climbing on these cars playing a pretend game riding the train. We stopped for lunch and then returned to the park, closing it down. He still talks about going back.

Day 3: The City. San Francisco
There is so much to see in San Francisco, you can’t possibly do it all in one day. We drove across the Golden Gate Bridge. It was foggy, so not a great view. We started our city day by driving down Lombard Street, the crookedest street in the world. It’s neat to look down from the top and see the winding road. We stopped at the bottom to take pictures and headed to our next stop, Fisherman’s Wharf. We played vintage arcade games at Musee Mecanique. This was my first time there and we all loved it. The arcade is one of the world’s largest privately owned collections of coin-operated mechanical musical instruments and antique arcade games. You can play any of their 300-plus machines in original working condition. Most games are between 25 cents to a dollar. We played some of the musical instruments. My son especially enjoyed the self-playing mechanical pianos and wack a mole. I liked the fortune teller and the mechanical carnival. They also had pinball machines and some more modern games from the 1980s. Many of the arcade games are from the early 1900s. 

We then had lunch on the Wharf at Boudin Bakery. Their calm chowder in a sourdough bread bowl is the best. Afterward, we went to Ghiradelli Square and got huge ice cream sundaes. I still can’t believe we at the whole thing! Delicious! We ended our day with a cable car ride, my son’s favorite thing of the day. He sat in the front on the outside of the car and loved every second of the ride. San Francisco cable cars are the only man-operated cable car systems operating today. 

Day 4: Muir Woods
We enjoyed being in nature at Muir Woods National Monument, where you can walk among beautiful, huge redwood trees. It was very serene and incredible to be among the giant trees. We walked the trails and then drove up Mount Tamalpais, the mountain in which Muir Woods is located. We saw the beautiful scenery of the Bay Area. You could barely see the Bay Bridge beneath the fog. We had lunch at In N Out Burger, one of our favorite burger places on the West Coast that we don’t have at home in Atlanta. 

Day 5: Sailboat Cruise on the Bay. Pier 39
My husband booked us on a sailboat cruise on the Bay, and it was wonderful! We boarded the boat on Pier 39, a touristy place with shops and restaurants. The famous seals relax on the docks at the pier, but there were not as many seals as usual that day. We boarded the boat and were very excited to set sail. Then, a camp group boarded with about 15 kids and two counselors. We were less than thrilled about all the children on the boat, but they were very well behaved and my son made friends with a little boy from the camp. They played pirates and my son tried to give this little boy he’d never see again our address, which was very cute. 

The boat was a bit rocky on the bow. You could ride on the very front of the sailboat in the open air and see the beautiful views. We passed Alcatraz Island, the prison, and saw dolphins riding behind the sailboat. The boat passed under the Golden Gate Bridge, which you could only see clearly for about a minute beneath the fog. The ride was one of the most enjoyable highlights of our trip. 

Baggage Issues and Flight Delays:
We had 3 major bag issues on the trip. Three! When we arrived at the airport in Atlanta, we checked in our bags and decided to go on the Plane Train. We didn’t even need to go on it because we were departing from T gates, but we wanted Nathan to experience the ride. Ryan was in charge of my carry-on bag. We got off the plane train and stood by the exit to decide what to do next. We wanted to let Nathan ride on the moving sidewalk. Then, I got a phone call. An airport worker told us he had our bag and tried to return it to us. What?! We didn’t even know it was missing! Ryan left the bag on the plane train! The guy was very nice and returned the bag. We were very thankful.

Our bag struggles had just begun. We landed in San Francisco and it was time to get off the plane. I got off first, thinking Ryan would grab the carry-on bag and come behind me with our son. Well, I got off and waited for them. They didn’t come. I called Ryan and he asked if I had the bag. I said no. He told me it wasn’t in the overhead compartment. Someone must have taken our bag off the plane by mistake! He stayed on the plane and talked with the flight attendants about the problem. He told me to go to baggage claim and see if I could spot someone with our bag. I was a little intimidated about confronting the person who took our bag. I didn’t see anyone with the bag. I also got my checked bag off the baggage carousel and my son’s bag. 

Ryan called me and said that one bag was left on the plane. It must belong to the person who took our bag. The flight attendant told him to take it, call the number on the luggage tag, and see about swapping bags. They said if it didn’t work out take it to bag services. We crossed our fingers that it would work. Ryan called the number on the bag tag. No answer. He texted them. No answer. Finally, they picked up the phone and said they would return to the airport to exchange the bags.

Meanwhile, Ryan’s bag did not come off the baggage carousel. It was lost luggage! What was happening to us? We have the worst luck with bags! Ryan went to claim his lost luggage. We looked at the bag tag the agent had given us when we dropped off the bag in Atlanta. It said “Greg Storm, McAllen, Texas.” What?! They had marked the wrong bag and it went to Texas instead of San Francisco.

While Ryan was handling his bag situation at bag services, I exchanged the carry-on bag with the strangers. They had left the airport and returned to meet us outside the baggage claim for the swap. I recognized our bag and we swapped. They were very apologetic. We have the bag back! I still couldn’t believe that this was happening. 

My aunt and uncle took us back to their house without Ryan’s bag. It was supposed to arrive in 24 to 48 hours. We put our son to bed and then went shopping for some clothes and necessities for Ryan. We were planning to go to the city the next day and all he had were the clothes on his back. He needed something warm and we did not find anything warm for him at Target. We pushed back the city trip and bought him shorts, T-shirts, and toiletries to get him by. The bag finally arrived the next evening at 10 pm, almost 28 hours later. Whew! What an ordeal! 

Unplanned Day 6:
The morning we were leaving San Francisco, we got an email saying our flight was delayed and we would miss our connecting flight. Therefore, they changed our itineraries. Since we booked the flights separately, they put us on different flights! They had Ryan going to Miami, and then to Atlanta, arriving the following morning. They had my son and me flying to Dallas and then staying overnight to arrive in Atlanta the next day. What?! Just our luck… Ryan called the airline and got us all on a reasonable flight, but we would have to stay an extra day in San Francisco. Luckily, we were staying with family so we did not need to get a hotel. We were ready to come home but made the best of it by taking our son to the local park and out for lunch. 

Finally, we flew home and arrived in Atlanta late that evening. Our son fell asleep on the ride home. He had the worst time recovering from jet lag. He couldn’t fall asleep until very late and struggled with it. His sleep was interrupted for nearly 10 days. It was a struggle. Kids and time change do not mix!

Overall, we had a wonderful family vacation. We experienced fun and exciting things and look forward to our next adventure.

Coming of Age

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MazelTov3

We all remember them. Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. It’s that time when a 12 or 13-year-old Jewish boy or girl is called to the torah to lead the service and is seen as an adult in the eyes of their congregation. Well, you’ll remember if you’re Jewish or had any Jewish friends growing up. When the Bar/Bat Mitzvah leads the service, they are invited to read out of the torah and say the prayer for before and after reading the holy book. That is called an Aliyah and since the teenager is old enough to read he/she is now seen as an adult in the eyes of the Jewish community. Of course, they are still young and legally not an adult, but they are seen as men and women now by their temple congregation.

bat-mitzvah-helium-foil-balloon-4856-pI myself had a Bat Mitzvah when I was 12 (almost 13) and it was a fun, stressful, and rewarding day. I think that having my Bat Mitzvah really set a change in me for the better. It made me reflect on how I treated those I love and was really a wake up call and made me a better person. Because we all know that 13-year-old girls can be brats (and that’s a nice way of putting it!)

When you study for your Bar/Bat Mitzvah it takes years to prepare. All of Hebrew school is preparing you for this one day. The endless learning of all the prayers until you know them by heart, the studying of your torah portion that takes months, practicing, writing a speech to be read to your friends and family and the congregation, etc. I remember staying up until 2 am the night before the big day still going over my torah portion. I could not have reached that day without the help of my rabbi, the cantor, and all my Hebrew school teachers, my parents and my family and friends.

BM 2Speaking of friends, when you have a Bar/Bat Mitzvah you attend yours of course, but also everyone else in your class, your Jewish friends at school and your cousins, neighbors, etc. I would have to guess that I attended several dozen Bar Mitzvahs in my lifetime so far, but it could be more. First, was my brother’s when I was 10. All my family came in town and it was really nice visiting with them. My paternal grandfather was able to attend that occasion before he passed away. I think back then I was a little bit taller than my brother! (But he grew and I stayed the same height and still am very short).

Then, I attended my friends’ Bar and Bat Mitzvahs who were a bit older than me. Next it was my Hebrew School friends and classmates at school. After that I became friends with someone who was a grade younger than me and she introduced me to her friends who were younger than me as well and I went to all their Bar/Bat Mitzvahs. I was a freshman in high school then (I was young for my grade) and was still going to the services/parties. I also attended all my cousins Bar Mitzvahs (all 5 of them) which were all out of town. I actually just came back from the very youngest cousin’s Bar Mitzvah recently which was in San Francisco, California. That was my husband’s first Bar Mitzvah (he’s not Jewish) and for me, I have lost track of how many I have been to. But it’s a pretty high number.

My Bat Mitzvah 1998

My Bat Mitzvah 1998

There are many components of a Bar/Bat Mitzvah. There’s the service and then of course the big party afterwards!

Service: It’s held on a Saturday morning, since Friday at sundown to Saturday evening is our Sabbath. Very few people attend the Saturday service unless they are invited to the Bar/Bat Mitzvah, but it’s usually a full crowd. Some temples are so large that the teenager has to share their service with another kid in their Hebrew school class. My brother didn’t have to but I had to share my service. They take turns doing certain prayers and basically break up the service so both kids have a chance to read from the torah and involve their families in the aspects of the service (opening the arc, holding the torah, etc.). The Bar/Bat Mitzvah boy/girl also leads a prayer in the Friday night service before their special day.

Bar Mitzvah

Some Bar/Bat Mitzvahs have a lot of events, just like the one I most recently attended, especially for out of town family members. There’s dinner Friday night, the Friday night service, the Service in the morning (of course you have to arrive early for family pictures), the luncheon after the service at the temple, the Saturday night party and then a farewell Sunday brunch. That’s a lot of events for one weekend!

Party: It can sometime be the equivalent of a small wedding. There are many elements that comprise a Bar/Bat Mitzvah party, such as: the theme, DJ, decorations (balloons), ballroom, party favors, buffet and/or seated dinner, dancing, games for the kids, etc. Sometimes it can be just a kid’s party. I’ve been to some at Dave and Busters where the kids play and the adults’ party in the ballroom.

The candle lighting is a ceremony in which family member, friends, and loved ones are called up to the dance floor to light a candle signifying that that person is important to the Bar/Bat Mitzvah child.  There usually is a poem read and one or more people come up from their tables to light a candle while a song that is catered to that person plays. There are usually thirteen candles, one for each year of the Bat/Bat Mitzvah’s life. Sometimes a group of people will come up and they all light the candle together.

I remember the first time I ever danced with a boy was at a Bar Mitzvah. I remember that it took us a minute to figure out the correct placement of our arms, haha! Now, as an adult attending a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, I can take full advantage of the open bar.

chai-gr

Chai

Gifts: One of the perks of having a Bar/Bat Mitzvah is that you get a LOT of gifts! The boys will get more money and gift certificates than the girls since many people give girls jewelry and other type of gifts. I think I received frames, jewelry and music boxes and even a leather purse from Italy. I was lucky to receive quite a large amount of money as well. I saved most of it and spent a small portion of it. I bought clothes and a boom box with my Bat Mitzvah money, back when those were very popular! (circa 1998). The money that I saved went towards my first car I bought when I was 16. It certainly is a great way to save for the future, especially if you receive savings bonds. It is a Jewish custom to give a monetary gift in denominations of 18. Eighteen symbolizes the Jewish letter “Chai” which means life in Hebrew. So, it is not uncommon to give a gift of $18, $36, $54, $118, etc. when giving to a Bar/Bat Mitzvah child or even for a Jewish wedding.

When I look back on my Bat Mitzvah and all the other ones I attended, I will always have great memories of those times. What fun we had! My husband and I hope that one day our children will have Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. The rabbi that married us was actually the one who Bat Mitzvah’d me. There’s so much to look forward to in the years to come!

My husband and I at the Bar Mitzvah in San Francisco. Sept. 2014

My husband and I at the Bar Mitzvah in San Francisco. Sept. 2014

Getting There is Half the Fun

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I’ve done my fair share of traveling in my life and I thought I’d share some great things to do in the Golden State. Originally from California, I have spent a lot of time there visiting. In 2008, my boyfriend and I took a road trip on Highway 1 from Los Angeles to San Francisco. My other favorite vacation spots include New York City, the Bahamas, Mexico (the gulf and the Mexican Riviera), Florida, Hilton Head, Charleston, Israel and the Cayman Islands.

Tip: When planning a vacation to a city you have not been, it is always good to plan ahead. Buy a guide or book about the place you plan to visit. I recommend Fodor’s or Frommer’s. They come out with new tour guides to all the major cities around the world each year. They give you tips about where to stay, what to do, shopping, nightlife, attractions, etc. I have found these books to be a lifesaver when going to a new place. After all, what good is going on vacation when you don’t know how to have fun at your destination?

California: Road trip up the Pacific Coast Highway
From LA to San Francisco: Things to do city by city

The Chinese Theatre in Hollywood

Star hand and foot prints at the Chinese Theatre.

Los Angeles: Walk along the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard. Here you can see the stars of celebrities. In front of the Chinese Theatre you can put your hands and feet into the prints of the stars. I always thought it was neat to see handprints of actors and actresses from the 1930’s and earlier. Be prepared to spend a lot of money if you decide to go shopping on Rodeo Drive. Visit the La Brea Tar Pits, the world’s most famous Ice Age fossil excavation site. (It is also where Veda [Anna Chulmsky] lost her mood ring in the movie My Girl). For a dollar, in Hollywood you can pick up a map of the star’s homes in Beverly Hills and Bel Air. You could try and find the house of Hollywood actor Vincent Chase. Oh wait, that’s Adrian Grenier from Entourage. You can visit the original happiest place on earth, Disneyland. Universal Studios is another great theme park, and in my opinion, better than the park in Orlando, Florida. Too bad they no longer have the Back to the Future ride!

Santa Monica

The Santa Monica Pier

Beaches: In Santa Monica, be sure to walk along the Santa Monica Pier. You can ride on the roller coaster, ferris wheel or play carnival games. Walking along the beach, you may notice the lifeguard stands looks pretty familiar. It is because the show Baywatch was filmed here. Santa Monica beach — where men pretend to be David Hasselhoff and women try to resemble Pamela Anderson. Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica is a great outdoor shopping area and guitar players and other music acts frequent this mall. Venice Beach is a great place to people watch. From artists to dancers, weird dressers, and acts with animals, you never know who you will find. Venice is also the site of Muscle Beach, which is known for bodybuilders working out.  While in Venice Beach, be sure to shop along the strip where outdoor vendors sell all kinds of souvenirs. Other notable beaches in southern California include Malibu and Santa Barbara.

Hearst Castle Neptune Pool.

San Simeon: Hearst Castle is one attraction you won’t want to miss. The magnificent estate of 165 rooms and 127 acres of gardens, terraces, pools and walkways was built by William Randolph Hearst. You must buy tickets in advance and they offer several different tours. Plan to spend half a day at the castle. From the welcome center, you will take a tram up to the castle and then a tour guide will

Hearst Castle.

take you on a walking tour of the grounds. This is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to and the outdoor pool is a sight to see. Back in the day, Hearst Castle was the site of many parties that famous movie stars attended. It certainly had the space for it!

Big Sur:This region on the central California coast is an area where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. The terrain offers stunning views which makes Big Sur a big tourist attraction. We ate at a restaurant overlooking the ocean called the Nepenthe, and the view was spectacular.

Big Sur.

Carmel: This city by the sea is a charming little town that appears to look very nautical, at least from walking around town at all the little shops and restaurants. Here you can dine, shop or have a wine tasting. Between Carmel and Monterey, venture on the famous
17 mile drive that passes through an exclusive neighborhood, past scenic beaches, golf courses and luxury hotels. Watch out! Golf courses can be kind of expensive. Pebble Beach Golf Course is known to charge $500 per round.

Cannery Row, Monterey.

Monterey: Take a walk down Cannery Row, a waterfront street in Monterey that is a major tourist attraction. It has great restaurants and shops. We visited a candy shop that had quite exceptional fudge. Another attraction is watching the sea animals at the Monterey Bay Aquarium which always has special shows and exhibitions.

San Francisco: One of my favorite cities in world, there is always something to do in the

Fisherman’s Wharf.

city by the bay. Visit Fisherman’s Wharf, and eat some of the delicious seafood. They sell whole crabs ready to eat and clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls. Ride a cable car. It is best to catch one on route. You may have to wait hours at the cable car station. Drive down Lombard Street, the crookedist street in the world. There is usually a long line of cars waiting for their turn to go down. Visit Golden Gate Park. See the view of the city from Coit Tower. Eat a sundae at Ghirardelli Square. Walk along the boardwalk on Pier 39. Travel over the Golden Gate Bridge. Go to Chinatown where you can find Chinese wares and some great Dim Sum restaurants. Shop near Union Square and visit the seven story Macy’s department store. Visit Napa Valley or Sonoma and tour the wineries. The possibilities are endless.

The Golden Gate Bridge.

Highway 1 is a beautiful scenic route and if you are looking to take a great vacation, I highly recommend taking a road trip like the one I shared with you.

San Francisco.

Author’s Note: All photographs in this post were taken by me or my travel companions.