Days 53-57: San Francisco and Oakland (Part 1)

Headin' down San Franciscky-way.

We've gotten pretty sloppy about catching these thousand-mile markers.  This is the first in a long line of not-even-close-to-near misses.

On the way down to San Francisco, we made a quick stop in Anderson Valley for some wine.  And by quick, I mean three wineries and four hours of tastings...

My first ever spit cup.  I spat like a pro (actually I drank every sip and looked like a total amateur)

At this place (Goldeneye) they set every wine glass out in front of you all at once.  It looks...

...conspicuously decadent.

We blew through Napa.  One word: TRAFFIC.  No one ever tells you that Napa is basically a two-way traffic jam in and out of San Francisco.

You know what kind of place you're heading into when you see Soviet-style sculptures draped with an "Occupy Everywhere" banner

We had a few hours to kill, so even though we were staying in Oakland, we decided to drive into the city.  Big mistake.

Trying SO hard to get an iconic shot of the city and the fog...

The Castro -- that's about all we managed to see in SF.  That and the park from Full House (in the dark).  Back to Oakland...

First Friday Art Walk -- apparently everyone knows about these things except me.

Julie G, our tour guide for the evening and a co-Fulbrighter of Laura's from Taiwan

The Occupy movement has taken it TOO FAR with their aggression against big-name retailers!  What's next?  Seasonal Halloween costume wholesalers?!  COME ON!
(actually Occupy Oakland had some rough stuff go down)

Aiza joined us as well.  She features prominently further down

Next day, at the Larkspur Landing Farmer's Market in San Rafael

These were so good that we kept eating them for a week, even after they had been sitting in the warm car for days...

Yeah, that's more or less what I was expecting to see here.

Welcome to Blue Bottle Coffee Co -- the closest thing to Portland's Stumptown we've found so far.

We drink our coffee curbside, like in the...old...days...?

Fancy rigging.  Surprisingly effective.

Winter discovers coffee.

Winter steals coffee.

Coffee and crosswords on the curb

Hunting for tennis balls

"It's only a half-mile -- anyone want to ride on the back of the car?"  Aiza stepped up like a PRO.

Oh THAT'S where it all comes from!

Food. Now. PLEASE.

Ok so far that's coffee and two breakfasts -- why not top it off with some bubble tea first thing in the morning?  Did we mention the bubble tea place doubles as a karaoke bar?

A little context -- bubble or pearl tea (so called because of the bobas, or tapioca balls, in it) was something the three of us had almost every single day for a year in Taiwan.  It's EVERYWHERE.  If I suffer severe brain trauma and forget every word I've ever learned in any language, I'll still probably remember how to order zhenzhu hongcha (black tea with bobas).

Heaven.

Tempted to "geili" -- as the banner instructs -- and become the next "new star" by entering the U.S. Chinese Singing Competition, but we opted out.  Not enough alcohol available.

Note the thin plastic lid glued to the top of the cup.  Authentic Taiwan.

W--  Waldo?!  NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Blurry, yes.  But had to point out what the sign says.  Actually, it wasn't very good.  But, I mean, I guess seeing it for the first time was...exciting?*

*Ok actually Laura just told me we DID have it at the picnic and I thought it was pretty good.  I didn't know it was the cheese we had that day, I SWEAR.


Prepping for a picnic on Indian Rock.  Time to go get sick on salami, cheese and bread.

Ross (one of Laura's earliest friends from CT) joins the fray

Scaling Indian Rock

My desert island meal.

Dog invasion.

"You want a ball?"

"BALL?  BALL?  BALL?  BALLBALLBALLBALLBALLBALL!"

It's starting to catch on...

Memorial to victims of the firestorm that hit Oakland/Berkeley in 1991

I know, but still...

Creepiest moment of the trip so far?  Summary of the events that transpired:
"Hello little boy, you are cute.  Can we take you home with us?"

Clearly well-trained in the art of ignoring strangers.

Worlds collide!  Almaz joins the fracas.

"PLEASE just go to SLEEP!"

"Seriously, wtf mate" **

**If you don't get the wtf mate reference, well, can't help you there.  It means you're probably over, I don't know, 35 maybe?  Ok, I'll throw you a bone: End of the World video  One of the original viral videos