Favorite Spots: The Rooftop Garden @ Mission and 1st

Cubicles and offices can be dark and gloomy. They can leave you dreary and out-of-touch with the natural world. There are days when I'm not even sure if the sun is shining because I'm trapped in my office behind a computer screen. With such conditions, it becomes absolutely necessary to escape at lunchtime and enjoy the outdoors.

Downtown San Francisco is not exactly jam-packed with green spaces, but they do exist. My most favorite, or at least the best and closest one to my work is a rooftop garden off of First Street on Mission on top of a parking garage. This is THE spot to go to grab some rays and enjoy your lunch. There are trees and flowers and grass; it feels like an oasis among the tall concrete and glass buildings. It's not a secret place, and on sunny days can be quite crowded, but nothing can really deter me from coming here.

If you need some structure, there are a few tables and chairs. If you want to lounge around, there are a couple large, grassy areas suitable for a laying about and getting a tan. You'll definitely see a few suits taking brief naps here on the nicest of days.

I really can't think of a bad thing to say about this place. I kind of wish they had compost bins along with the trash and recycling, but that is seriously the only negative for me. Some weeks I come here every day. The sunshine can be quite addictive. Even when I don't make it out to the garden, it's reassuring knowing it is there should I need a swift kick of vitamin D or just to see some flowers in the midst of the concrete jungle.

Picnic in the Park

From Collages

I've always been a sucker for a good picnic. When Nik and I lived in Omaha, I made it a point to purchase a cute picnic basket (a Pier 1 special) to use for all my future picnics. A picnic basket is a necessity for the serious picnicker; I always wanted to be a serious picnicker.

Over the years, I've definitely packed some great picnics. During Nik and I's first picnic, I introduced him to brie and he's loved it ever since. I like to keep my picnics simple with small, snacky dishes, and I always throw in some bread and cheese, perfect picnic food.

For today's picnic I had a lot of fresh produce hanging out in the fridge from our CSA box that I wanted to incorporate. The menu consisted of:

Fresh corn salsa with tortilla chips (basic pico de gallo recipe with fresh, blanched corn added)
Spring Mix and strawberry salad with croutons and strawbery balsamic viniagrette (recipe from Vegetarian Times with a few tweaks)
Baguette with brie cheese
Double chocolate brownies
Sparkling Italian white wine

The food was so pretty and delicious. Simple and elegant as picnics should be. Thanks to Nik we had a great secluded spot in Golden Gate Park to enjoy it all. He found a nice clearing, right off of Chain of Lakes. There may not have been any sunshine, but it was a perfect picnic.

SOMA Sunshine

From Drop Box

Summer and sunshine are two things that really don't go together in San Francisco, especially for me a resident of the western edge of the city, a fog shrouded neighborhood known as the Outer Sunset. Each morning I wake up to grey skies and chilly ocean breezes. I put on cable knit tights and sweaters. There is no sunshine and it most likely isn't warm. I make sure to bring a jacket and put gloves in my purse because that ocean wind can go rogue at any moment. I board the N-Judah and it whisks me away to a totally different world, the bayside of the city.

In the summer the bayside can be foggy too, but it can also be sunny and awesome and the complete opposite of what is going on in the Sunset. I take my lunch break from work outside because that California sunshine is too good to waste and too precious to let go when you live in the City. At the end of the day I choose my method of transportation, either the train or the bus. Lately, I'm totally into the bus because the train feels so claustrophobic at rush hour.

Taking the bus means waiting at the soon to be defunct Transbay Terminal, a place that really deserves its own post because it is just that crazy of a place. While there are times you will run into crazy homeless people screaming at nothing, it's usually pretty uneventful. It is also the last few moments I have to soak up some sunshine before heading back into the fog. Yesterday as I waited for the 71-L the sun was in full effect. Glorious SOMA sunshine is amazing and it definitely helps keep the SF summer doldrums at bay.

Saturday Matinee

From Drop Box

The small town I grew up in had a two screen theater, so the Balboa Theater is extra special to me. It's a hold-out in a world full of 30 screen multiplexs boasting digital 3-D and giant IMAX screens (not to say that those things aren't awesome in their own right). There is just something so charming and nostalgic about a small neighborhood theater. Not to mention Balboa has cheap tickets ($9) and popcorn ($5 large), and it is just a short walk across the park from our apartment. It's a great deal and a little slice of history serving up modern day flix. I absolutely love Balboa, even if the seats don't have cup holders.

Beyond Amazing, it's Jumptastic!!!

From Drop Box

Witnessed on Saturday, July 3rd, one giant jumper made to look like Scooby and the gang's Mystery Machine.

This jumper was so amazing that my husband came home from his run in the park and told me to get dressed immediately, so I could go see it for myself. Its glory was something that had to be witnessed in person. I must say it did not disappoint. The picture may not be totally clear, but this jumper had two compartments; one for jumping, and one that contained a giant slide. OMG!!! A jumper lover's dream come true.