Hiking: beach, trees, and waterfalls the best of SF

Alamere Falls is one of my favorite SF hikes so far. In a previous post I mentioned this hike was highly recommended and I finally had a chance to go. 

The hike starts in Bolinas and is about 4.5 miles each way from the parking lot. It is not a loop so roundtrip it comes out to 9 miles. The hike is relatively flat by SF standards. My friends from NY who went on the hike with me would disagree and felt slightly misled by the word "flat", however a SF native would understand after one too many grocery trips up a steep hill that this hike is pretty flat.

The views are gorgeous! The trail starts in a parking lot where you can leave your car and immediately veers to a hill overlooking the water. After a few miles you are in tall trees with vegetation (3rd picture). Right before the waterfall you have another beautiful view of the ocean (4th picture). Then the final part is a steep hike down the side of the mountain to get to the beach. The side is eroding so it is slippery (5th picture), but it is not long so no need to worry.

As the reviews all mentioned I would pack layers, bring plenty of water, bring a snack, and eat a full meal before the journey. We stopped at the Grove for a hearty brunch before heading out. It was delicious and filling but we still needed some snacks.

Additional Reviews:

• Everytrail
• Bay Area Hiker
• Trip advisor (>4 stars out of 5)
• Yelp (>4 stars out of 5)

Until next time. Stay tuned.

16 things Batman can and can't do on a Saturday in Buzzfeed community

Pre race photo session

Batman can get a clean cape at the dry cleaner

Batman can make friends with law enforcement

Batman can't cut the line at Walgreens

Batman can't use Apple products

If you have not worn a costume for an entire day (not halloween) then I recommend trying it. I started the day at the Super Run where my friends and I ran a 5K for charity.  The Super Run is exactly like what it sounds, hundreds (maybe thousands?) of people dress in a full costume and run around Crissy Field. The Super run calendar is online here and includes dates for: Dallas, Chicago, LA, Las Vegas, Philly and many more! 

I dressed in a full batman (batgirl) unitard including a hood and gloves. I even found a man in a full Batman costume that I took pictures with. Overall, people were very committed to the costume and the best part was watching young children participate and get very excited by the costumes and props. 

After the race my friends and I stopped for a coffee in the Marina at which point multiple people asked to take a picture with me. This was only the beginning. It was hilarious to see people's reactions.  I thought it was so amusing that I acting like it was just another Saturday doing errands. 

The results were that I figured 8 things that Batman could do and 8 things Batman could not do. For the full list including pictures checkout Buzzfeed Community section. The pictures above are the highlights.

Things Batman can do:

1. Take pictures with fans
2. Ride the Muni to brunch
3. Make friends with the police
4. Get dry cleaning done
5. Go shopping for #tight clothes
6. Get a coffee
7. Go to the gym in costume
8. Jaywalk

Things Batman can not do:

1. Cut the line at Walgreens
2. Shop for home decor
3. Use Apple products
4. Get money at ATM
5. Get a psychic reading
6. Eat donuts
7. Get a manicure
8. Shop for eyewear

Hope you enjoyed the trials and tribulations as Batman. Until next time. Stay tuned.

Sailing in Sausalito: Breezy like Sunday morning

too cold for comfort :)

I was really looking forward to sailing from Sausalito around the Golden Gate Bridge. Unfortunately, I did not chose the best day. I think i jinxed myself since it was an odd coincidence that the  first adventure not to go smoothly was also the first adventure on a Sundaze...All so suspicious.

I arrived early Sunday am ready for a nice day on the water with Bay Breeze Charters. Although, the company did warn about cold wind and potential rain, I did not think it would happen during the trip. The forecast looked gloomy with low chances of rain. Apparently, this was one of few days where the weather in SF was nicer than Sausalito- go figure!

We started the trip with mimosa, hot chocolates, tea, and blankets. I have to admit the view was beautiful as we sailed to the bridge. About 3/4 of the way through the trip to the furthest point it started to drizzle. Based on the video you can tell that it was also pretty windy. 

Once we got close to Alcatraz and the city we headed back. In total the tour was about 2.5 hours, 45 minutes of which was raining. I  can not fault the company for the inclement weather and they did emphasize to come prepared. However, I will say that the allure of a day on the seas is entirely dependent on the weather and to make sure to book at during peak season. 

• Pros:
  • Nice view
  • Friendly crew
  • Punctual adevnture
• Cons
  • Website booked far in advance 
  • Owner was unfriendly
  • Did not take calls for questions
  • highly dependent on good weather

Despite the mixed review for this trip, I am still optimistic that the next time will be much better!

Stay tuned.

Learn to fly in an hour or less

Learning to fly was an incredible experience. I booked a class through BelAir International with an online discount. The class included an hour flight for two people on a small charter plane. It was also about 30-45 minutes from San Francisco which made it very convenient. 

When I arrived we went through safety checks including: fuel gauge, propeller, etc. It was helpful to ask questions directly to the pilot in a private setting to feel comfortable before take off. 

During the flight the pilot gauged how well I was learning and gave me additional responsibilities. For takeoff I was allowed to steer the plane to the runway with the pedals similar to a car. Then once we got to over 2,000-4,000 ft elevation I was able to use the controls to steady the plane and make turns. The 30-40 minute flight seemed longer than I expected given that we got to see a variety of landscapes- sea and mountains. 

The lesson was a perfect combination of learning and feeling in control, while still feeling at ease that the pilot could take over at any point. I did get some selfies in while flying the plane.

Bel Air International has a few options for first time flyers. Other tours include: Half Moon Bay, Golden Gate & Alcatraz, and Crystal Springs. The most appealing was the sunset tour over the golden gate bridge. I will save that for the next trip!

Until next time. Stay tuned.

Yoga retreat for the non-yogi

Yoga Retreat SF

Yoga retreat SF

Yoga Retreat

Yoga Retreat SF

Friendly llama

Yoga Farm Bay Area with a llama

Yoga Retreat SF

Yoga Farm Bay Area

Yoga Farm Bay Area

Alter

For President's day weekend I took a trip to a Yoga farm with a few friends. I had no previous experience at a yoga camp and from what I know about SF yogis I thought  this could get overwhelming very quickly. Turns out we had a relaxing two days before heading back to the city. 

When doing research for yoga retreats I came to the conclusion that this is a pretty pricey hobby. Some run from $600-$2,500 for a weekend (Esalen) . Then I found Sivananda Yoga Farm which was very reasonably priced for a cabin with private bathroom and meals are included for the weekend.

As a side note, if you search on the internet for yoga retreats be sure to read some reviews and their mission. We almost attended a cult in the woods and decided to pass after reading their belief system which included extreme religious behavior and some nudity. I am grateful we did through research before committing!

The schedule was the same for each day and consisted of:

• Early morning chant around 6am
• Yoga 8-10am
• Breakfast 10-11am
• Karma Yoga (helping the community with simple chores such as cleaning the kitchen plates or sweeping)
• Break 
• Two hour lecture
• Break
• Yoga- 2 hours
• Dinner 

I really enjoyed the food that was all vegan and some of which was grown on the farm, but be warned that there is no alcohol or caffeine. So if you need your morning cup of coffee bring your own- BYOC.

During the breaks you could read, hike, or meditate. We chose to do a short hike and lay in the hammocks. You are not obligated to  attend all the sessions, but it is highly encouraged.  We also had time to interact with the animals. You may have picked up on the "farm" part of the yoga retreat. This meant that there were llamas, goats, and other animals roaming the property. They were friendly as you can tell from the pictures. 

The weekend retreat allows you to stay three full days including all activities and meals. After two days we had a sufficient amount of  zen and were ready to head back home feeling accomplished. 

Until next time. Stay tuned. 

Whale & Dolphin Watching in Monterey Bay

Whale watching is more exciting than it sounds! 

A weekend in February I traveled from SF to Monterey for a whale watching tour. I had anticipated an hour tour with 3 whales. I thought that would be a reasonable expectation.  Unfortunately, conditions are often unpredictable and no company can guarantee that you will see whales during your visit. That being said, there is a good chance that you will encounter sea animals in Monterey despite the time of year. Depending on the month and migration patterns you can expect that grey whales, blue whales, or killer whales.  For a schedule by month visit here. 

During the 2-3 hour tour we saw one whale breach and approximately 3 spouts from the water coming from whales under the surface. The wonderful surprise were the hundreds of dolphins. The pod chased the boat and jumped into the air. They also followed along very closely and appeared to be racing out boat. Although the video is not the best quality (due to excitement, rain, and turbulence) it gives a great pictures of the dolphins I saw during the journey. I could not believe how many I saw at once and how playful they were. 

I would highly recommend going through a local tour company, in particular I went with Monterey Whale Watch and had a great experience with highly educated guides. Don't forget to take a cash tip! Two thumbs up.

Until Next time. Stay Tuned.

5 Bay Area Hikes not to miss

Hiking is a past time in the bay area akin to Boozy Brunches in NY. Everybody's doing it. So I jumped on board. 

If I was on Family Feud and the question was "What are the top 5 words San Franciscans say during the weekend" I would guess YOGA, YOGA, HIKE, HIKE, YOGA. 

Thus far I have been to:

1. Land's End Trail. I wanted to see the Labyrinth created by Eduardo Aguilera in 2004 based on pictures I had seen. It was a gorgeous day so there was a nice view of the beach ad the GG bridge, but the labyrinth was not as large as I expected and it was slightly worse for wear. However, the hike to the point was beautiful and I had a chance to see the Sutro Baths
2. Billy Goat Hill- I had been dying to go here as a SF landmark and fly on the swing overlooking the city. However, when I went the swing had been cut down :( 
3. Marin Headlands- This hike required a drive, but it was worth the views. I tend to favor hikes that have different scenery and different difficulty levels depending on what you are in the mood for.  We stopped by the information center in Marin before starting and they recommended some particularly nice paths based on the time of year.

Next on the list

1. Mt Tam-I have heard the hike to the beer garden at the Tourist club is worth the trip. They are only open select weekends, so apparently you have to plan in advance. Details here for Mt Tam. Schedule of open weekends here.

2. Alamere Falls- This is a longer hike about 9 miles roundtrip and includes a gorgeous waterfall. I have seen pictures, but I am sure they do not do it justice (one above)

3.  Hot Springs Getaway in Big Sur- pictures here. Found on SOSH (app and website for activities in your area)

4. Hidden Black Sand beach in Marin- here also found on Sosh

5. Beach hike on sand dunes- here also on Sosh

Top Bay Area Hike lists include date hike desitinations by Thrillist. Any other recommendations? Let me know @ thesaturdazeblog@gmail.com

Until Next Time. Stay Tuned.