My Weekend in San Francisco & Napa
PIN IT!…As told through the lens of my camera.
I plan on doing a much deeper, much more thorough outline of my weekend in San Francisco, but for now, I just want to share a whole bunch of photos of my amazing weekend there at the beginning of May. Even though I have family in San Anselmo and my brother has lived outside of the city for close to 5 years now, it was my first time visiting the foggy city. I knew it was going to be beautiful, but I didn’t realize just HOW jaw-droppingly gorgeous the bay area actually is.
I found myself speechless as we drove over the iconic Golden Gate bridge and walked down Pier 39 as the seals played in the sparkling blue water.
I was in complete awe as we drove through the redwoods on our way to North beach and up and down the bright green rolling hills of San Anselmo. I haven’t been so incredibly inspired by a city and its landscape in a very long time. I can easily see why so many people want to live there.
That may have been my first time in Frisco, but I can promise you, it wasn’t my last.
The whole weekend was a blast. I mean, you’re with my family, how can it not be? We spent most of our time eating, cruising around the valley and the bay, drinking wine and laughing. Honestly, I need to visit them far more often. It’s such a nice change of pace to my normal hectic, crazy schedule.
Probably one of my favorite parts of the weekend was the time we spent in Napa. Friends, it was heaven. I mean, as a wine snob and affectionado, it was like returning to the holy grail for me. We visited two wineries, Cakebread Cellars and Silver Oak, and I can not say enough amazing things about our time at Cakebread. Dave, the brand manager, greeted us and showed us around the incredibly beautiful winery. We also picked the most perfect day to go because they were having a food festival celebrating the rubaiyat grape. The food was incredible, the wine was even better and the weather was absolutely dreamy. Plus, Dave is so knowledgable and funny, and will tell you anything you need to know about this award winning winery.
If you make it out to Napa, go to Cakebread. It was the winery we couldn’t stop talking about the entire time we were in Napa.
Silver Oak was beautiful as well. It’s a winery you have to go to when in Napa, if only to try the rich, fully bodied and incredibly smooth wines. Honestly, the tasting room was stuffy and the sales associate helping us was kind of rude. But that could have been because we came right from Cakebread Cellars, and no place was going to live up to those standards. Even still, we had a great tasting there and the scenery was just breathtaking.
Besides Napa, one of my favorite afternoons was spent drinking Pliny the Elder, eating oysters at Drake’s Oyster Bay Company and relaxing by North beach with my hilarious family. I am so drawn to the water and being there reminded me of why I love the ocean so much. I keep telling E we need to move somewhere near a beach, and I think all of my nagging is finally paying off. He’s beginning to cave!
And of course, no trip to Frisco is complete without a visit to the Golden Gate bridge. It’s so very touristy, but the Golden Gate bridge is truly a stunning landmark. It’s pretty interesting to see how they built it back in the 1930’s. It always amazes me that these landmarks built over 100 years ago without any of the technology we have now stand now.
Another highlight was visiting the many farmers markets around the city. They make our cute little farmers market here in Falls Church look so insignificant!
I’m already working on my trip back this fall. I seriously can’t wait to spend more time in this beautiful area and with my fabulous family!
Did you get to Russian River?