Guggenheim

The famous view. Photo taken in October 2005.

Grand Central

Grand Central Station in NYC. Photo taken in October 2005.

The Booth

The Booth Theater in New York City. Photo taken in June 2009.

Bay Bridge

This is the Golden Gate's lesser known cousin, the Oakland Bay Bridge. I don't know why it's not as famous because it's also a fantastic suspension bridge built in the same time period. It looks especially nice at night.

View from the bridge

This is the view onto the non-San Fran side of the Golden Gate. We took the bridge when we drove out to Napa Valley. There are parking areas on both sides so you can get out and walk the bridge. It's definitely worth it!

Bay view sky

A beautiful blue sky coming to you direct from the Golden Gate Bridge.


Click on the Skywatch link to see other skies from around the world. Happy Friday!!

Ye olde cigar shoppe

One thing I love about San Fran is the restos. There are tons of cute, European-style places on every block. I would love to come back and try them all!

This one was called Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store. It's right off Columbus Ave in the heart of the Italian district. We had a delicious brick-oven pizza and a salad. Plus a side of ambiance.

The Rock

Alcatraz Island always has a mysterious look. I didn't get to visit it during my recent trip, but that will leave me something to come back to.

Photo taken in February 2010.

Good eats

My husband and I met some friends for dinner at this restaurant on our last evening. Delicious!

San Fran classic!

You can't go to San Francisco and not hop on a cable car. That would just be wrong.

Photo taken in February 2010.

St Peter's and Paul's

A night view of one of the big churches. Photo taken in February 2010.

Reflections: Yank Sing

Yesterday I was bragging about the dim sum at Yank Sing. If you're ever in San Fran and don't have time to sit down for some of the delicious treats, just pick some up from Yank Sing 2Go!

To see more reflections from around the world, click on the Weekend Reflections link. Happy weekend!

Fountain

I can't remember the name of this building, but my main reason for stopping by was for Yank Sing. It had been recommended to my husband and I as the best dim sum in the city. Although the service was a little hectic, we enjoyed every bite!

And there was this cool waterfall inside the office building where they were located. You might not be able to tell from this photo, but there was a shower of water raining down into a pool at the bottom.

Night view

And now for the best view at all... the night time!

I'd like to dedicate this series to Louis la Vache from San Francisco Daily Photo. His series of photos from his balcony inspired me to take these pictures from our hotel room.

Foggy morning

A foggy view of the bay. It's really amazing how the same view can look so different under different conditions.

Check back tomorrow to see my favorite view of all!

Evening view

Another view from my hotel room window. This one was from early evening / late afternoon.

Day view

I took several photos from our hotel room in San Francisco. You really get different results depending on the time of day. This particular view was from our first morning in the city by the bay.

Photo taken in February 2010.

Clos du Val

The Clos du Val makes wines in the French tradition. This is another winery we visited during our recent visit to Napa Valley.

Beringer

I didn't actually tour this winery. I think the smaller ones are more interesting. But it is a lovely estate and I love that saucer magnolia in full bloom.

Photo taken in Napa Valley, March 2010.

Koi pond

This koi pond was inside the Roman Spa Resort site. I wonder if the fishies got to swim in the lovely warm mineral water too? In any case, I loved the way the fence reflected in water. Beautiful!


Happy weekend everyone. Click on the reflections link to see more reflections from around the world.

Haute cuisine

A look at the Napa Valley Culinary Institute of America. I bet they serve some good meals in there! It was certainly impressive from the outside.

Winter vines

My husband and I joined a wine club during our recent tour of Napa Valley. It's a small winery that makes wines in the Italian tradition. They only make enough wine to sell to their club members and a little extra on the side. So I guess in a way, these vines are somehow ours too!

Photo taken at the Beneserre Vineyards in Napa Valley.

Hot springs

You can't see it well from this photo, but there was steam rising off these pools at the Roman Spa Resort. The coolest was a nice 94 degrees Fahrenheit. All the water was pumped in from a local hot spring. Bathing here was delicious. If you're ever in Calistoga, give it a try!

Mud baths

Mud baths and mineral baths are popular in Calistoga. We stayed in the quaint little town while touring the wineries of Napa Valley.

House of worship: Napa

This is the First Presbyterian Church of Napa. According to the sign, it's been meeting the community's spiritual needs since 1854. I bet they have good communion wine at least!

Photo taken in Napa, California, March 2010.

Reflections: Peking duck

San Francisco is well-known for its Chinese population. My hotel was just steps away from the famed China town, so I had plenty of opportunity to wander its streets and peer into the shops. This one was offering fresh Peking duck, plus a nice reflection of the building across the street!


To see more weekend reflections from around the world, click on the link.

Skywatch downtown

A sunny day in San Francisco. I like the reflection of the sun in the office building windows.


To see more skies from around the world, click on the skywatch link. Happy Friday!

New year's dragon

I did not intend it, but my recent visit to San Francisco fell right on the date of the famous Chinese New Year's Parade. It's the largest New Year's celebration outside of China. Although it's the year of the Tiger, there were plenty of dragons on parade. Many of the costumes were really spectacular.

Photo taken February 27, 2010.

Buena Vista Palace

An outside look at the Buena Vista Palace. I liked the architecture, but don't let the blue skies fool you, it was pretty cool that day. For Florida at least!

Photo taken in January 2010.

Skyview

This photo comes to you from inside the Buena Vista Palace. It's one of the Walt Disney World Resorts in Orlando, FL.

Photo taken in February 2010.

Inside Boca

Inside the Boca Resort. In the mornings, this was the breakfast area. There ceiling is domed and it was lovely with all the natural light. By night, things got a bit spookier!

Photo taken in January 2010.