Not that I needed another reason to want to move to California, but summer in Illinois has ended and once again forgotten to take the humidity with it. I'm sitting here sweating in September dreaming back to a few weeks ago when I was in San Francisco. This was my second time and Bryan's third time to San Francisco this year. While our first trip focused more on more touristy stuff, our latest adventure was about two things: food and babies. Well, baby. My best friend from my Barnes and Noble/College days had a beautiful baby boy and we had to meet him in person.
Oh, one thing that's probably important to note here. A couple weeks before our trip out to San Francisco I made the decision to no longer be a vegetarian. I was a vegetarian for nine years. Which basically adds up to a million conversations where anyone and everyone asks, "Why did you become a vegetarian?" "Do you miss eating meat?" "Where do you get your protein?" "Bacon?" Never has a people cared so much about protein intake than when a vegetarian is in the room. Looking back I wish I would have asked, "But where do you get your fruit and vegetables? Are you sure you're getting enough?" I know, I know, I know, but Allison, seriously, why are you not a vegetarian anymore? *Slams head into wall* Here it is, world - I just didn't feel like it anymore. Okay, let's move on because oooo look a baby!
1. Eat some liquid nitrogen ice cream
I'm pretty sure that 84 percent of my travel tips involve eating. Of those tips, 73 percent involve dessert. And of those dessert-related tips, 92 percent involve ice cream. I could be wrong with those percentages. The amount of sugar I've consumed this year has been slowly killing my brain cells. That's what brain freeze is, right? I tried one of Smitten Ice Cream's seasonal flavors (sweet corn with berries) and it was delicious!
2. Take a stroll down Clarion Alley
The graffiti is as colorful as the characters you'll find sitting along the alley. Yes, some of these characters may be sleeping in the alley or peeing in the alley, but there's a lot of art to distract you.
3. Try a frozen hot chocolate and a brownie flight with judgment on the side.
Dandelion Chocolate was one of my favorite places from this last trip. The space was beautiful and the chocolate was amazing. On an unrelated note, I recently went to the dentist and have three cavities.
4. Have some A LOT prime rib
One of the best things about not being a vegetarian is coming to a place like the House of Prime Rib. The room we sat in was dimly lit with a large cart full of prime rib moving from table to table. It was so dimly lit that the table behind us had dropped something underneath their table and tried multiple times to find it throughout their meal with no luck. My guess was a child was left behind.
5. Spend the day in Napa
On Saturday our group rented a car and drove the hour and a half to Napa. It was probably around 20 degrees warmer in Napa since it's more inland, which can be easy to forget. I'm not sure how people do Napa ALL day after three wineries I was exhausted and extremely jealous that Jack got to sleep and be pushed around in a stroller all day. We started the day at Domaine Carneros Winey, then went to Silver Oak Cellars, had lunch at Gott's Roadside, and finished our visit at Orin Swift Wine Cellars.
Oh, one thing that's probably important to note here. A couple weeks before our trip out to San Francisco I made the decision to no longer be a vegetarian. I was a vegetarian for nine years. Which basically adds up to a million conversations where anyone and everyone asks, "Why did you become a vegetarian?" "Do you miss eating meat?" "Where do you get your protein?" "Bacon?" Never has a people cared so much about protein intake than when a vegetarian is in the room. Looking back I wish I would have asked, "But where do you get your fruit and vegetables? Are you sure you're getting enough?" I know, I know, I know, but Allison, seriously, why are you not a vegetarian anymore? *Slams head into wall* Here it is, world - I just didn't feel like it anymore. Okay, let's move on because oooo look a baby!
1. Eat some liquid nitrogen ice cream
I'm pretty sure that 84 percent of my travel tips involve eating. Of those tips, 73 percent involve dessert. And of those dessert-related tips, 92 percent involve ice cream. I could be wrong with those percentages. The amount of sugar I've consumed this year has been slowly killing my brain cells. That's what brain freeze is, right? I tried one of Smitten Ice Cream's seasonal flavors (sweet corn with berries) and it was delicious!
2. Take a stroll down Clarion Alley
The graffiti is as colorful as the characters you'll find sitting along the alley. Yes, some of these characters may be sleeping in the alley or peeing in the alley, but there's a lot of art to distract you.
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| Our personal mantra |
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| I don't know what's more distracting - the fact that my hair is turning into Storm's from X-Men or Bryan's beard. |
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| Second take. Nailed it. |
3. Try a frozen hot chocolate and a brownie flight with judgment on the side.
Dandelion Chocolate was one of my favorite places from this last trip. The space was beautiful and the chocolate was amazing. On an unrelated note, I recently went to the dentist and have three cavities.
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| Outside they had the coolest grates around the trees. |
One of the best things about not being a vegetarian is coming to a place like the House of Prime Rib. The room we sat in was dimly lit with a large cart full of prime rib moving from table to table. It was so dimly lit that the table behind us had dropped something underneath their table and tried multiple times to find it throughout their meal with no luck. My guess was a child was left behind.
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| I maybe ate 1/4 of that |
On Saturday our group rented a car and drove the hour and a half to Napa. It was probably around 20 degrees warmer in Napa since it's more inland, which can be easy to forget. I'm not sure how people do Napa ALL day after three wineries I was exhausted and extremely jealous that Jack got to sleep and be pushed around in a stroller all day. We started the day at Domaine Carneros Winey, then went to Silver Oak Cellars, had lunch at Gott's Roadside, and finished our visit at Orin Swift Wine Cellars.
