Tiburon hike plus drinks in the sun

This hike may well be short by boy the views will distract you resulting in a longer hike than the mileage you step should take. A Weekend Sherpa suggestion (they never fail to disappoint).

How to sum up the views offered?? North Bay, Marin, Mount Tam, SF cityscape, Angel Island, Alcatraz, Golden Gate Bridge, home, Oakland, the Oakland hills, Bay Bridge and the Sierras - to name just a few. We ended up here on a beautifully clear day and wow were we rewarded. STUNNING just stunning. My lucky parents were with us when we discovered this walk, they were blown away just as much as we were. As it was the last day of their trip, I don't think it helped their ability to leave the Bay area that's for sure.

The exercise is not enough to warrant a treat at the end but who could refuse an early evening drink in the warm sunshine at Sam's? no-one, that's who.

Ticked off my list on Friday May 28.

International Orange Spa, ahhhhhhhhhhh

I got my Wallpaper City Guide to San Francisco before we moved to the city 2 1/2 years ago and have wanted to go to International Orange Spa ever since reading about it.

It was certainly worth the wait. The atmosphere is lovely, peaceful but you don't feel like your in the strict confines of a library. The nice lounge area, complete with fire, dark chocolate, waters and apricots, is a lovely waiting area. 60 minutes later, I am left relaxed, serene and, most importantly, missing my pregnancy-related aches and pains - which feeling lasted for days. A nice long shower to complete the relaxation was made even nicer with their gorgeous lotions and potions.

A fantastically tempting shop too.

I am so lucky, my mum gave me a gift voucher so I am all booked to return shortly (but not quick enough perhaps!). I could go every week....

Only negative comments would be that the changing room could be larger and that a spa pool would be a wonderful addition.

Ticked off my list on May 10.

Little Star Pizza, Western Addition, San Francisco

Yummmmmmmmmm.

That about sums up Little Star Pizza. We opted for the Western Addition location as we eat out in the Mission more often than not. This place does not disappoint. The scene is quite like a fun bar but without too much noise making conversation and relaxing super easy. A nice selection of beers and wine, great artwork filling the walls and a fantastic pizza menu.

We shared the garlic bread as an appetizer, which came as a make your own so you can overdo the garlic or not, depending on what your plans are after dinner! I went for the night's special, thin crust with tomato salsa sauce with caramelised red onions (minus the chorizo). Andy split his between the night's special (including the chorizo of course) and the classic. We both had small size, leaving half making a lovely lunch on Sunday in the sunshine of the balcony with little hassle!

One thing's for sure, we'll be back here before we leave :)

Ticked off my list on Saturday May 1.

Zazie, Cole Valley and hike from Muir Woods

Many a time have we gone to Cole Valley with the intention of enjoying brunch at Zazie. The queue has always been so long but this time we had more staying power (probably helped by the glorious sunshine). The 30 mins wait for a table went pretty quickly and the guy running the queue was so friendly you really didn't mind waiting. The brunch was lovely. I have to say, I didn't have the most adventurous thing of their fantastic menu. I settled for scrambled eggs with home fries and a fruit salad on the side. The fruit was delicious, home fries just what the doctor orders for a Sunday brunch plate and the eggs were cooked to perfection. Due to my pregnant state I couldn't enjoy the mimosas (unlike Andy, with a gleeful look on his face). I did however enjoy a superb Zazie spritzer, which was as good as a mimosa any day. I recommend this place, without hesitation.

We'll probably head back some day to enjoy the patio (and the amazing looking pancakes) as we chose to head in early to sit inside rather than wait an extra 10 mins for a patio table.

Onwards to Muir Woods to walk off the calories. Muir Woods on a sunny Sunday, were we totally mad and want to spend our afternoon with a load of tourists? No no. Not with the great

suggestion by Weekend Sherpa of their hike (Muir Wizardry) that avoids all the crowds within 2 minutes of the entrance. The signs at Muir Woods state that this series of trails takes 3.5hours to complete - we weren't racing and did it in 2.5 (including a nice 20 minute stop at the Tourist Club).

The climb up to the views of the Pacific is steady for about an hour but nothing too strenuous to stop you admiring the fantastic collection of Redwoods. Once up at the top, the views are superb, providing that the weather is being kind you can see the Pacific (hence the name Panoramic Trail I guess...). You then get an easy walk back down, lovely views, great

wildflowers at this time of year and the joy of the Tourist Club nestled in the trees (see photo) and their beer selection if you manage to get there in their opening hours.

We managed to hit it perfectly, 5 minutes before the bar shut meaning ice cold drinks and being able to get one of the sought after tables overlooking the valley. Pulling ourselves away from our perfect seat in the afternoon sun, we finished the hike back down to the car. Be warned the Dip Sea Trail is not that well maintained (and at the time we hiked it, it was actually closed - although it only told you that when you had finished, having clambered over drain pipes and fallen trees, clinging onto branches and rocks to see you safely down).

Whilst we did see walkers all along the trails (of course, it was a beautiful day), it was a nice number of friendly passers-by, as opposed to the squash in Muir Woods, battling for a photo op. Nice suggestion Weekend Sherpa (as always).

Ticked off my list on Sunday April 25th.

The Must See..... List

This is my collection of "things" I must see etc etc before I head back to the UK. You'll hear about them as I tick them off the list.
p.s. it is a flexible list - I add things all the time!
p.p.s the list is not in order of priority - I want to do them all!

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1. a proper visit to the Farmers' Market at the Ferry Building, San Francisco
2. walk to The West Point Inn, Marin for their once-a-month pancake breakfasts (we did attempt this last year but the weather was terrible, no panoramic views and we hadn't realised how popular these mornings were so hadn't left enough time to join the pancake queue. This year we know better)
3. exploring the California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
4. going to the Magnolia Brewery, Haight, San Francisco
5. a longer, more relaxed visit to the Tourist Club, Marin
6. trying a vegan ice-cream from Bi-Rite Creamery and Bakeshop
7. one more red velvet cupcake from Miette
8. Pizzas from Little Star Pizza and Pizzeria Delfina, Pac Heights (the Mission branch is sooo good) Little Star Pizza ticked off the list May 1
9. a lovely massage at International Orange Spa ticked off the list May 10
10. a Tiburon hike for fab views of the city skyline, followed by waterside drinks ticked off the list May 28
11. finally taking Spanish classes at Casa Hispana
12. a paddle on Lake Del Valle, Livermore
13. soaking up the atmosphere at Union Street Eco-Urban Festival (5-6 June 2010)
14. tasting a dish at Flour & Water, Mission
15. a Friday evening at the de Young Museum, Golden Gate Park with music and drinks
16. an egg breakfast at Zazie, Cole Valley ticked off the list April 25
17. take a peep inside Mission Dolores
18. an overnight stay in the Big Sur next to the sea
19. a treat by enjoying Indian Springs, Calistoga or the Spa at Solange Calistoga - even if just for a spa treatment!

The start of the end

Planning holidays (or vacations as I should say here) is high up there on my list of passions. For Andy that's a good thing (he gets to go on super holidays with very little input, just as he likes it) and a bad thing (there is rarely a weekend when I don't want to do something to explore our environs of the Bay Area, CA, whilst we are here). In the 2 and a bit years since moving here, we've seen and done a lot but, due the thousands of things worth the effort, it feels like we haven't even scratched the surface. Therefore in the 5688 remaining hours that we have living in California before we return back to England, I've a long list of things I want to see, do, eat, drink, experience and explore. Poor Andy, he's not going to have many lie-ins at the weekends from now on. 5688 hours seems so little time to do everything and each week I find more things to add to the must see list. And that's without deducting 1600 hours for sleeping, 216 hours already planned for Hawaii, 144 hours planned for Seattle and the unknown quantity required for hospital visits and care for our first child due in September.