Smitten Ice Cream

While I was in Hayes Valley, I found the COOLEST ice cream shop! In one of the reused shipping containers, was Smitten.  It's made to order so each one is unique! Their menu changes daily and they use FRESH ingredients!  The day I visited there was vanilla, TCHO chocolate, fresh mint chip, creme franche and root beer floats!

I chose the fresh mint and had a TCHO chocolate topping. 

So many yummy choices!

I was waiting patiently for my ice cream. Each one is made by liquid nitrogen!

AAAAHHHH it was SO good! I could taste the fresh mint in every bite! I would maybe next time not get the chocolate topping, but it was magical!

Day Around the Bay #5: Hayes Valley

Hayes Valley, as Wikipedia mentions, its boundaries are ill defined, Hayes Valley is generally considered to be the area north and south of Hayes Street between Webster (near Alamo Square) and Franklin (near the Civic Center) Streets. Hayes Valley's commercial center is made up of the section of Hayes Street running from approximately Laguna Street in the west to Franklin Street in the east, with extensions on perpendicular Gough and Laguna Streets.  It's an interesting little area, there are a few great blocks of really nice areas, but a whole lotta area where it ain't so pretty.  Much like a normal city!

I decided to set out to conquer Hayes Valley and role the Muni to Van Ness station. I got turned around and ended up walking FURTHER into the 'hood but eventually got myself straightened out.  When I finally got to the area I had intended, it was ADORBS! For example, below is Smitten ice cream! OMFG that ice cream was SO GOOD!

There's a whole park area, the Patricia's Green, which is surrounded by a few blocks where they have re-purposed old shipping containers into stores and restaurants!!

There's a play ground for the kiddies and tables along the outer edge to enjoy your morning cuppa Joe or to eat your lunch.

 

Quiet time by the tree :)

Then I happened along to a space that I can't wait to bring friends to and drinks lots of beer! This is the Biergarten. It's located at 421 Octavia street and its hours are Wed-Sat from 3-9, and Sunday from 1-7pm.

There was a lot of awesome art around the couple of blocks near the area. This is right across from a Blue Bottle Coffee kiosk location! Of course, even in the middle of the day there was a line! If you ever have the chance, you MUST try the New Orleans style iced-coffee!!!

Lots of color!

This was painted in a small alley way

Well hello little birdy! She stopped by while I ate my lunch because she wanted to say hello!

Beautiful clouds in the sky!

Want to see my other adventures?! Here are other Days Around the Bays:
Day Around the Bay #1: North Beach and Coit Tower
Day Around the Bay #2: Fisherman's Wharf
Day Around the Bay #3: Russian Hill
Day Around the Bay: 4: Mission Bay

Day Around the Bay #3: Russian Hill

In my latest Day Around the Bay escapades, I took on Russian Hill. And by hill, THEY ARE NOT JOKING!!! I probably burned off more calories than I consumed in lattes that morning after running up that hill!

Russian Hill is a neighborhood of San Francisco, California, in the United States. It is one of San Francisco's 49 hills, and one of its original "Seven Hills". The "Seven Hills of San Francisco" typically refers to: Telegraph Hill, Nob Hill, Russian Hill, Rincon Hill, Mount Sutro, Twin Peaks and Mount Davidson. My interest has been piqued, I'll have to visit all of them!

According to Wikipedia,"Russian Hill is directly to the north (and slightly downhill) from Nob Hill, to the south (uphill) from Fisherman's Wharf, and to the west of the North Beach neighborhood. The Hill is bordered on its west side by parts of the neighborhoods of Cow Hollow and the Marina District."

I started with a run down to Fisherman's Wharf and then hiked up the hill on Hyde street. Let me just tell you...my thighs and buttocks were on FIRE after walking/sort of running up that hill! I was sweating and it wasn't even hot outside! Yikes!  But the torture was worth it when I saw this view....

The view on top of Lombard Street. I've never driven down it, but I've walked down the stairs. If I lived there, I would be SO TIRED of tourists driving down my street! I mean, I get it, but one weekend recently it was completely shut off from car traffic (unless you lived there) just so neighbors could have a weekend with no cars going down it!

Just LOOK at that view of the bay!!

As a treat to myself for running and then walking up that hill, I sought out Swensen's ice cream shop on the corner of Hyde and Union. The place is TINY! Opening in 1948, this location has created more than 180 different flavors of ice cream. But I'm a sucker and really just love mint chocolate chip and chocolate together, so that's what I got!

This was the SMALL size!!! I can't image what the large size looked like!!!!

After I polished off that beauty, I walked down the hill to the Holy  Trinity Cathedral. According to their website, it opened in 1857 and is the oldest Orthodox parish in the contiguous United States.

The building was just beautiful!

I was looking at my google map, and saw a dot that said Octagon House. Well, duh I had to go check it out! Not every day you see an octagon shaped house!

This beauty is called the McElroy Octagon house and was built in 1861 and is now San Francisco Landmark #17

Walking in the neighborhood I saw serveral styles of beautiful homes.

This row of beautiful homes reminded me of the years I spent living in Germany as a child. 

Down the street a bit was The Candy Store.

I would have gone in, but the place was packed. And I figured I had consumed enough calories already after that ice cream! But everything was so pretty and cute!

I continued my hike and I wanted to get to the tippy top. With a view like this, how could you not?! Hello Alcatraz in the distance (read about when I visited here)!

Found a sign that actually said Russian Hill, it was almost overtaken by this shrubbery.

A small park at the top of the hill on Vallejo Street there is a small plaque and memorial placed by the Russian Government is dedicated to the original Russian cemetery that is the neighborhood's namesake.

And then I found this little gem.

A tiny patch of green grass where locals apparently sunbathe and have stunning views of the water (this is Pier 27 where cruise ships dock)

And then on the other side, there are views of the Bay Bridge

And then this stunning view of the financial district. 

And then I completed the day by visiting Ina Coolbrith Park (at the intersection of Taylor and Vallejo streets). It has these cool, steep steep steps lined with beautiful bright trees and plenty of park benches for you to look over the city.  This was dedicated back in 1911, and it feels really secluded and like you're in a secret garden!  All in all, a wonderful day in my bay!

Want to see my other adventures?! Here are other Days Around the Bays:
Day Around the Bay #1: North Beach and Coit Tower
Day Around the Bay #2: Fisherman's Wharf

Day Around the Bay #2: Fisherman's Wharf

So as my second foray into running around my new city, I took on Fisherman's Wharf. It was a particularly chilly day and most tourists were wrapped in coats and scarves, I was running in my shorts and tank top. Whoops. You can tell who are tourists and who aren't.

I do love that I work from home now and can set my own schedule. I typically work from 6:30am-3:30pm and I absolutely love getting off work so early!!! Its awesome to be able to go for a run whenever I choose. I don't mean to rub it in, but its pretty sweet!

On a random Friday, when I had nothing to do, I decided to take myself on a run.  Down to Fisherman's Wharf and back. Probably a total of 5 miles round trip.  Fisherman's Wharf encompasses the norther waterfront area of San Francisco, from Ghiradelli Square east to Kearny Street.

It started with a run down the Embarcadero and down to Fisherman's Wharf.  First stop was Boudin Bakery. MAN, this place smells DEVINE! Don't run past this place if you're hungry....its just bad news bears.

There's this HUGE window where you can see the bakers kneading the dough and making loaves.

And then there's THESE bread loaves!!! The one above is an alligator.

And here is a bear and some turtles! Um...apparently you can order these shapes! Whoa!

Oh so touristy....so many tourists EVERYWHERE.

And of course, there's In and Out Burger, the West Coast thing to do. 

Just a little downtown touristy action

Checked off another National Park on my list at the Hyde Street Pier.

There are eight historic vessels to view at the pier.

Hello there beautiful Golden Gate Bridge

Ghiradelli Square 

Reminds me of all the ships in Virginia!!

Straight up Hyde street!

And one last view from up Hyde Street!

Other Day Around the Bays:
#1 North Beach and Coit Tower