Saturday, April 10, 2010

The SF Journey Part Two: Mon/Tues/Wed

Monday

Where are the pictures, you might ask?

There are none because this was the single most shitty day of the trip. Which in retrospect is a good thing, because the true test to knowing if I will be able to live in a certain area within that environment is to have a really bad day.

A speedy recap because detailing that day is too depressing. It rained all day, I got shot down at my dream job with Benefit Cosmetics (I wanted to cry so badly when I rode down the elevator, but did not), got lost in the ghetto and called a bitch by a homeless man who continued to taunt me for two streets (this is what happens when I do not wear my iPod).

I turned around and went back to my neighborhood where I sat in the hotel room and cried. Luckily for me, I have very reassuring, uplifting friends and family and a pretty strong mindset that encouraged me to start the next day on a better note.

Which it was.




Tuesday

A good morning started off with breakfast (something I rarely indulge in) at Cafe de la Presse with vanilla French toast, orange juice, and French rock 'n roll on the speakers. It was fabulous!

Off to the Caldwell Snyder Gallery. I do love going to art galleries and this was my fourth one so far on the trip. Great space with fantastic pieces!



Loving this pop art!



The view outside of the gallery on the second floor.



Epic.



Retail therapy at Neiman's. I decided these Chanel pumps and I needed to get together though you can clearly see they are too large for me. Plus, I don't have that much money, but they were the best shoes ever. I was a giant, at least four inches taller, the way I always wanted to be!



Full length with the shoes!



Leaving Boudins for the umpteenth time (addicted, I tell you!) and about to have a sudsy hand soap adventure at Lush. Loving all the trolleys!



My beautiful city! I love it so very much whenever it is sunny out!



Mandatory hot-shoe-Blackberry-on-bedspread-with-lipstick-stained-napkin-cause-I-live-the-life-of-a-jetsetter-with-no-money-in-my-checking-account-but-lots-of-lipstick-tubes-in-my-clutch picture.



I went to Harry Denton's Starlight Room that evening for dinner. It's inside of the Sir Francis Drake Hotel on the 21st floor and overlooks the entire city. Massively gorgeous inside. The hostesses all wore black full length gowns and a pianist played the grand piano.

I sat with my Starry Night champagne and enjoyed just being alone. Here in SF, I was eating well, sleeping right, and felt much less stressed than I had been in months. This was the moment where the shitty day yesterday fell away from me, where I felt that yes, this could very well be my next home.

My blissful moment. And as a girl who rarely vacations, it was not only needed, but very good at that.



Welp, this was certainly a big pizza!



The view from the Starlight Room...so dramatic! It rained right when I left and I dashed the whole way back to the hotel.



Wednesday

The journey to Haight/Ashbury on my final full day in SF took only an hour to walk to. It was windy outside, but my iPod and I made it an event. I've learned that when I wear my iPod, people tend to not bother me. My face generally looks like I just exited the planet, helpful in new places where I don't want to be talked to, but not so great on campus where the number one thing people describe me as after "interesting" is "unapproachable."



Clearly heading in the right direction!



Castro Street is looking ominous...



From high up top Buena Vista Park.



Architecture on Haight is mind-blowing. So intricate and stylized.



Aren't houses the coolest? The colors were fantastic!



The Love of Ganesha...enter through scarves!



A little fun fact about me...once upon a time when I was in high school, I used to work at a Subway. My coworkers and I used to get high outside in the alley behind the store because sometimes, working at a sandwich shop can be boring and the rude customers require mellowing out enough not to snap at them.

So you'd spark up the bowl and pass the pipe around the group of coworkers. The nice thing is that if you got hungry, all of the sandwich ingredients were right there to make a little something something for the munchies.

Long story short, I don't smoke anymore (it was a big surprise to everyone I know that I dabbled in it given my highly goal-oriented self) and my best buddy Melissa and I could literally write a book about our time working there.

Anytime I see these kinds of shops, it makes me miss her and our good times together. I saw lots of them so the nostalgia wave hit me hard and often.



The anarchist bookstore.



Now featuring pipes!



This dress in Ambiance was the dress that got away. It fit perfectly, and made me look very flower child. Add a braid, cute flats, and bangles and it would be so pretty. But the price was high and the occasions to wear it were few and far in between so back on the rack my love went.

May we reunite one day soon.



All You Knead...is love.



The Booksmith! As a bookworm, I love to scout out little bookstores and stay for awhile.



Really cool Alice in Wonderland pop-up book at The Booksmith.



Wasteland, the clothing shop.



Graffiti goodness everywhere. The little alien guy is saying, "You don't need that dollar, let him get drunk." Mmm-kay.



The Red Victorian, a very famous cafe/hotel to stay in.



Amoeba Records was the SF version of Vintage Vinyl back home in STL. Great stores, I love a good record/used CD shop.



Haight Street, oh how I love you.



At Golden Gate Park but not for long. Sketchy looking guys were hanging around and I wasn't about to get stuck in a bad situation.



Escape From New York Pizza. HUGE slices and super duper cheap! My entire meal with a drink included was under four bucks!



Land of the Sun, the ultimate in hippie shops.



Little nods to Alice in Wonderland were everywhere.



Dollhouse Bettie, a fab little lingerie shop that specialized in vintage garments. So, so fun inside!



"Please don't sit on me."

I'll admit that the thought did cross my mind.



Ben & Jerry's! Okay, so we have one where I live to, but this one was great because it featured flavors distinctly for the Haight/Ashbury district exclusively. The guy who worked here was super friendly too, a dead-on doppelganger for Jack Black.



The World Famous Puff Puff Pass.



Piedmont Boutique was brilliant! Never have I seen so many feather boas in one place. Check out the gams in the window!



Virgin Stabber. Oh, the kids today.



Why, why, why must all good things happen once I leave the city? Echo & the Bunnymen tribute would have been right up my alley to attend.



I LOVED THIS BUS. So rad!



Just in case I had no idea what street I was on, graffiti usually answers all major questions :)



I swear, these vans get more and more disturbing. There are no windows!



This was when I knew the city and I were meant...



Ruby Skye, the nightclub. If I had my girlfriends in the city with me, we would have gone here together for sure.



Back by Union Square again and just in time, it started to rain very badly!



Looking down on the very rainy Wednesday evening at the Chinatown gates, Hotel Triton, Rouge Blanc bar, and Cafe de la Presse.



The last night in SF, a rainy one, but still beautiful. Also the same evening I got that eventful phone call that changed everything with the job search. I don't want to jinx a good thing, but life is going in a good path for me, job wise!

Sigh.

I miss that city by the bay. It's definitely where I want to live.

Love to you all,
Heather

13 comments:

Romantic Heroine said...

oh, lovely shops you have seen. have you been in each of them? and the houses are really cool :)

Heather Taylor said...

Romantic Heroine- I went in as many as possible, but couldn't make inside of some like Puff Puff Pass because time decided to move really fast!

Anonymous said...

great photos!

Anonymous said...

Amazing places!! Imade belly dance and this clothes are awesome! Look the big pizza! *_* And also the Cannabis company! Ahahaahh cool! ;D

Sage Ravenwood said...

If I ever get the good fortune to get a book published, I'll celebrate by grabbing you up and touring SF with you. This looked like such a wonderous adventure. I was caught up in your enthusiasm and wishing I'd been there. (Hugs)Indigo

Sam said...

Wow, SF looks awesome!
Definitely just added it to my list of US cities I'd like to visit.
Also, is cannabis legal there?

Belle Armed said...

Those shoes look like they were born to be worn by you. You look stunning in them.

You're photos are amazing, makes me wanna go there some day.

Natalie said...

I'm sorry your Monday didn't go so well, but the rest of your trip sounds like it was wonderful (: I love all the pictures! They make me so jealous of all your escapades, haha. The shoes are epic, o are the awesome colorful houses, and the bus. And that dress! It's a shame you couldn't get it. And hahaha, I'd want to ride that dinosaur too... :D

Suzy said...

Hey girl! If you'll enable your email in your settings (and profile) I can answer your comments!

Thanks for stopping by tho.

Sadako said...

As always, love your pics!

paddle to shore said...

Such a fantastic post!! I felt like I was there with you the entire time. The first part of this blog made me really sad but then to see that you got a phone call makes me HAPPY:)

Anonymous said...

love the shoes

Claire Kiefer said...

Awwww, I live in the Bay so I love this post! Looks like you hit some of SF's great spots . . . though you could adventure around for days and still not see everything!