Impromptu Escape to San Fran

There’s a silver lining to everything, and I’d rather live life half-glass full than half-glass empty. (YOYO! Right Kath Aftanas? Hahah. Yes, YOYO “you’re only young once”, not YOLO.) So about an hour after CIEE informed me that my China work visa would be late, my freak out disappointment dissipated and I started brainstorming my options. I wanted to use this extra time wisely and the first thing that came to mind was traveling somewhere on my bucket list within the US — I’ve got “the itch” after all (for those of you with a dirty mind, I mean the travel itch). Recap of that Monday 2/3: I found out I would not be leaving for China on Sunday, heart attack/freak out, light bulb, text my friend Will about an impromptu trip to San Fran the following week, pre-planned farewell happy hour with friends (that was now just plain happy hour baha). So yeah, the day took a turn for the better. I texted Will about a hypothetical last minute trip to San Fran and as luck would have it 1) he was game, 2) his work schedule was flexible, & 3) round-trip flights for the week following were only $277 on FlightHub. HOLLER. Now that’s what I call fate.

Fast-forward 1 week after we got the trip planning ball rolling, Will & I were departing JFK Airport on our way to 6-days of West Coast chillin’. My first spontaneous vacation, and it was absolutely fantastic.

We stayed at USA Hostels San Francisco on Post Street, a location walkable to Union Square (4 blocks away) and close to numerous Muni bus/cable car/trolley stops. Actually, lezz be honest, everywhere is walkable in San Fran if you have the time and leg stamina… and the city’s monstrous hills make for an EXCELLENT butt workout, ladies. Haha. For example, Will & I basically walked through half of the city in 6 hours… das wassap… from the hostel to Union Square, around FiDi on a self-guided architecture tour, then north to Coit Tower, downhill to North Beach for lunch at Mario’s, west to Lombard Street, then down Hyde Street to Fisherman’s Wharf… and that was just our first full day in SF.

Our hostel was also top-notch for reasons other than location. Numero uno, all-you-can-make-slash-eat pancake breakfast (que the angels “AHHH” sound). Numero dos, it attracted other awesome travelers thanks to its social and fun reputation. Actually it was kinda hilarious because we were pretty much the only Americans in a 6-floor melting pot of Australians, Brits, Canadians, French, Germans, Misc. Asians, & Misc. Hispanics. And out of everyone we met, Will & I connected instantly with 2 travelers in particular, Aussies (FYI pronounced AuZZies, silly Americans) Mollie & Matt. As perfect as M&M sounds, both were traveling separately — one at the end of her 3-month North  America tour, the other just beginning his 9-month world tour. Like what da f, can Aussies be any cooler?! Long story short, these two are wonderful peeps and they came along with us as we tackled our long SF To-Do list.  

SAN FRAN VACAY 2014: lots of laughs, American/Australian impersonations, lolz, ping-pong-pang, 40OZ, tossahs, wankas, singing while walking the streets, COFFEE, cable cars, photo-ops, hashtags, new music chill seshes, $5 pasta, art, murals galore, jelly biking legs, Mexican food, free booze, Tourette’s, billiards, heart-to-hearts, weirdo encounters, Snape-Snape-Severus-Snape, “Parlez-vous Francais”, tourist SF sightseeing, reuniting with old friends, and meeting new friends. I will definitely be back, San Francisco… I mean Will’s moving there, so I’ll just crash on his couch when I’m back from China. Right, Will? 😉 Hahaha.

Here’s 2 hilarious (at least to us) videos from the trip. Note to self: figure out how to embed vids into the actual post page for the future.

1) Crazy Man at Fisherman’s Wharf

2) Sunset at Baker Beach

And if you’re interested, see below the slideshow for our full itinerary. Prepare to be amazed and/or exhausted.

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6 Days at a Glance

Wed. 2/12: Land 11AM local time, eat Thai, walk to Union Square, wander Chinatown, check-in 2PM, Swensen’s Ice Cream, Taqueria el Sol dinner, pass out.

Thurs 2/13: Free bfast, self-guided architecture tour in FiDi, walk/climb to Coit Tower, walk to North Beach’s Washington Square, eat focaccia sandwiches at Mario’s, walk up Lombard Street, walk down Hyde, Art Attack SF, walk around SF Maritime National Historical Park to Aquatic Park Pier, Fisherman’s Wharf, ride the historic F-line streetcar, dinner from Bite, hostel pub crawl.

Fri 2/14: Free bfast, Twin Peaks, Mission for El Farolito burritos & the Balmy Alley Murals, SF Pillow Fight, find Maddie in Union Square, Powell-Hyde cable car ride, Art Attack SF’s Valentine’s Day open house, Za Pizza for dinner, Swensen’s Ice Cream take 2.

Sat 2/15: Free bfast, clam chowder at Fisherman’s Wharf, Crazy Man on Jefferson Street, Pier 39 for the smelly sea lions, ride the historic F-line streetcar, catch Muni toward Golden Gate Park, lunch at Greenburger’s on Haight, shopping, Chinese New Year Parade in Union Sq., Chinatown to translate Will’s valentine, track down Banksy art, $5 hostel pasta dinner, 2nd dinner at Taqueria el Sol, hostel party.

Sun 2/16: Best day ever. Free bfast, IN-N-OUT burgers, $18 all-day bike rental from Bay City Bike, bike from Fisherman’s Wharf across Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito (16 miles one-way), light bites at Copita Tequileria Y Comida, catch sunset back on the bridge, bike back to Fisherman’s Wharf, return bikes, die from exhaustion.

Mon 2/17: Walk to Giant’s Stadium, walk to Mission, wander down 18th Street into The Apartment, wait in a 30 minute line for AMAZING pastries at Tartine, hang in Mission Dolores Park, catch sunset at Baker Beach, dinner at hostel, Noir & Smuggler’s Cove with Marlin & crew, last night hanging in hostel.

Tues 2/18: Last bfast with the gang, 10AM check out, free manis at Sephora, lunch with the gang, good byes, walk through Chinatown for cheap touristy souvenirs, coffee break, long-lazy afternoon, La Taqueria for dinner/catch up seshes with Michelle & Jamieson, flight home at 9PM.

Wed 2/19: Return to NYC at 5AM local time / brainstorm on how to move to San Fran.