Portland weekend getaway: nature & food

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Activity: Exploring Portland for the weekend. This included eating doughnuts and ice cream, hiking and touring the Rose and Japanese Garden

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Website:

Cost: Doughnuts were under $2 and ice cream was reasonable depending on the size (scoops, cones, etc.), the all day tour was $54 per adult. The Rose garden was free and the Japanese Garden was about $10 pp.

Description: Portland references itself as a "weird" town, but in my experience it was quaint and full of good snacks and outdoor activities.  

If you like doughnuts this is the place for you! We tried Voodoo Doughnuts because of its popularity and unusual shapes. Locals told us many time that Blue Star doughnuts actually taste better, so if you have time and the metabolism for both then try them and compare. Personally, I am more of a fan of ice cream and frozen yogurt. Therefore, I was in HEAVEN at Salt and Straw. They  had flavors like blue cheese with pear, olive oil, habanero chile with fruit, and coffee with Bourbon just to name a few.

In between our eating festivities we checked out the International Rose test Garden that was beautiful in the summer. There were so many varieties of flowers and colors in full bloom that it was a perfect free afternoon activity. Within walking distance from the Rose garden is the Japanese Garden. You can either walk up a short hill or take a trolley. The garden was nice, but much smaller than I expected. There was also an entry fee unlike the Rose garden.

On the last day of the trip we went on all all day tour of the Gorge. This included stopping at scenic views and going to multiple water falls. I recommend a tour since it was reasonably priced and parking would have been difficult. 

Recommended:  weekend trip to Portland is a great  weekend getaway for outdoorsy foodie crowd!

SF summer stay-cation. Oysters & live music.

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Activity: Saturday adventure to Hog Island Oyster Co. and Sunday free Symphony in Embarcadero

Rating: 4.1 of 5 Stars

Website:

Description:  Hog Island Oyster Co has an Oyster farm in Marshall, CA. It is about 1-2 hour drive from SF and it is right on the water. You can bring your own snacks and drinks and purchase oysters and appetizers. The oysters are fresh and delicious! They sell BBQ or raw oysters. If you reserve ahead of time you can have a picnic table for a large group and shuck your own oysters. If Hog Island is  booked check out Tomales Bay.

On Sunday my friends and I went to a free concert from the SF Symphony by the Pier. I recommend to arrive early for a spot and bring some food because it gets very quiet during the concert. 

Recommended:  Both are great summer activities for a group of friends. I also would recommend the concert for families without very small children, as I mentioned it was a quiet and relaxing environment. 

 

Happy Birthday America!

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Activity: On the fourth of July holiday weekend I flew south for the Winter (aka SF summer) to Los Angeles. I went to Hermosa Beach/Redondo, Venice and Santa Monica. 

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Website: 

Description: I started the weekend going to Huckleberry's brunch in Santa Monica which was delicious. The line was long, but it went quickly. From there my friend and I went to the Venice Canals which I had not been to in many years. It is very serene to walk around on a nice day. In the link above there is an events calendar including boat parades. 

On the 4th of July I went to a friends house in Redondo Beach for their annual family and friends reunion. Afterwards my friends and I made it to Hermosa beach for a bit before I  headed back to Santa Monica for a friend's BBQ. Nothing better than a warm beach filled day with good friends and food!

For those looking for fun LA summer activities, check out the Thursday night free concerts on the Santa Monica Pier!

 

Throwback adventure: roller disco

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Activity: Rollerskating or blading to disco music in a former church

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Website: http://www.churchof8wheels.com/ 

Cost: $10 to skate + rental

Description:  This is a former church that is converted into a small roller skating arena. There is a DJ that plays oldies and new music upon request. 

Pros: It is conveniently located in SF. It is a relatively inexpensive activity. The decor was interesting and on theme. There were pews to put on your skates and old stained glass.

Cons: the building is small and not well maintained. During the day there are lots of children so you must feel comfortable as a novice or avoid the children

The last image is a picture of Dolores Park during Pride weekend. There was a lot of celebration after the federal decision to uphold gay marriage. This added to the fun atmosphere that weekend.

Recommended: Families with children 8-14 during the day. At night only adults are allowed which makes for an interesting dynamic

 

Bay Area Stay-cation: Museums & food

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Activity: Oakland Gallery tour and Berkeley dinner

Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Website: 

Oakland galleries:

  1. Mercury 20
  2. Vessel Gallery
  3. More ideas

Berkeley Restaurants:

  1. Tigerlily- Indian with a twist
  2. Cesar- Spanish Restaurant
  3. Cheese Board Pizza- renown pizzas

Cost: The galleries were free to walk around and dinner was about $30 pp for the restaurants above

Description: I had been wanting to check out Oakland since I moved to SF a year ago. I had heard about the artist culture and decided to visit some galleries with a friend. Unfortunately, several were closed because the prior day Oakland had hosted the parade for the Warriors leaving the city tired with trailing blue and yellow confetti. 

My friend and I went to 25th street in Oakland as there were some small galleries open that were all in close proximity. I found the work of Carlo Fantin (2nd picture) the most interesting. He hosted a variety of paper images that had each tiny section cut out to form an religious image. He added details of social media to each image for an interesting dichotomy. The first image above is from the Vessel gallery. The photograph is of a work installation of wheels that spun. The installation had sand on the top. The challenge with gallery tours is that you can not take pictures for blog documentation purposes.

After the gallery tour we chose to explore restaurants in Berkeley. We ended up choosing Tigerlily for atmosphere and the fried chicken reviews. It was delicious! We were debating on Cesar as well which is next door and also smelled fantastic. The last restaurant on the list had stellar reviews, but the line was obscene. So we will have the pizza for another day.

Recommended: Adults that want a relaxing Saturday exploring Bay Area neighborhoods

 

NYC weekend getaway: Jazz lawn party & Sheep's Meadow

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Activity: Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governor's Island

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Website: http://www.jazzagelawnparty.com/ 

Cost: $35-55 pp for General admission. VIP and tables are also available

Details: This is a lawn party where everyone is dressed in 20s theme attire and brings a picnic to listen to jazz. I am not exaggerating when I mean everyone is in costume, so go prepared. 

First you take a ferry to Governor's island which is short ride and only $2 round trip. Then you walk a short bit to get to the party. Arrive early for the best spot or take your changes with a late arrival as we did. 

We had a wonderful meal courtesy of a friend who picked out a buffet of Whole Foods appetizers. I would say the majority of people brought a picnic or had already eaten. Alcoholic beverages are not allowed inside so be prepared to wait in very long lines for any drinks. First you have to buy tickets to the drinks which still did not cut down on the wait time for the second line to cash in the ticket. 

Pro: theme was executed nicely (vintage cars, memorabilia, etc.) and the music was nice.

Cons: lines were long for food, water, and drinks. Preparation is key for a good time.

Recommended: Groups of friends for a day activity

Part 2

Sheep's Meadow- The last picture was taken from a day in Central Park at Sheep's Meadow. A hot and sunny day in Manhattan leads to a craving for nature and the outdoors. The best and most accessible way to find this is with a trip to the park packed with sun screen, water, and of course more picnic snacks.

Montauk weekend getaway: Lobster rolls, boats, & beaches

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Activity: Montauk weekend getaway

Rating: 4.2 of 5 stars

Websites:

Food: 

  1. The lobster roll
  2. Tacombi
  3. Ruschmeyer's
  4. Gurney's

Activities

  1.  Charter Catamaran 
  2. Montauk Lighthouse

Cost:

Casual lunches ranged around $14-20 pp at the Lobster roll and Tacombi ($) Rushmeyer's and Gurney's are more expensive meals that vary widely depending on order. We did the fixed price menu with several entrees as a group ($$$).

The catamaran was pretty reasonable for large groups. The lighthouse was fun to explore and free if you only want to wander the outside. Admission inside is $10 per adult and $4 per child with additional parking fee

Details: Montauk is a great getaway from NYC when the weather is nice.

Pros: Montauk is a quaint town with nice restaurants amidst expensive casual bars so there is something for everyone. The boat time and beach were very relaxing.  The lighthouse was picturesque. 

Con: the weather fluctuates greatly and sunny days are not as predictable as one would assume during the summer season. The train to Montauk was over 3 hours, so if you are not driving or coming from a flight to a train the commute can be quite a trek. 

Recommended: young adults that need a break from the city, but not the nightlife. Alternatively. wealthy retired people would find it enjoyable.

Napa BottleRock: Festivus for the rest of us

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Activity: BottleRock concert in Napa Valley

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Website: http://www.bottlerocknapavalley.com/

Cost: ~ $100 per day GA and $49 for shuttle to SF and back roundtrip

Details: This is a concert is great for the late 20s-40s crowd. The crowd is more relaxed than the larger, famous festivals (Coachella, Governors Ball, etc.) and there is plenty of space to walk around without feeling constantly pushed/shoved. The stages are very short walk, but far enough that the music does not easily transfer to another stage.

The food stands are delicious, but the lines are quite long. The drinks include nice wines (clearly, based on the location in the Napa region), some craft beers, and some mainstream beers. 

Concert ends around 10pm including the silent disco most likely because it is in a residential area. Parking I heard was quite a problem so most people commute back to the city or stay in a nearby hotel for the night such as Sonoma. 

Recommended: adults looking for a concert without all the hassle

Featured: the last photo was featured as a repost on Fest300 instagram account :) Check out their accounts for ideas on upcoming festivals worldwide

FEATURE: Summer camp for adults!

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Activity: 4 day Digital Detox Summer Camp for Adults

Rating: 6 of 5 stars!

Website: http://campgrounded.org/

Details: In a nutshell: This is an adult summer camp where campers are separated into villages with bunkmates just like when you were a kid for a full 4 days of fun filled activities. While you can also chose to camp in a tent with your friends, the best part of the experience was fully embracing the camping life. This included no electronics or watches. While this may seem "too hippie" for most, by the end the majority would agree it was good to disconnect for a bit.

There was an underlying theme of wellness throughout the weekend. This included opportunities to talk to counselors, go to wellness activities, and partake in a vow of silence for a few hours one night. Don't let this discourage you if this is not your scene. Typically, this is not mine either. However. sometimes reflecting without other distractions can help relieve stress and allow you to be present in the activities.

What activities? Good question. This is exactly what you make of it. There are options to spend the day reading, type writing, making arts and crafts and having a relaxing weekend. Alternatively. there were people like me that wanted to be very active. The best part about camp is running around to the point of exhaustion, having a giant meal, and passing out after camp fires that made you laughed until you cried. The activities I chose were to fitness bootcamp, slack-line, acroyoga, and Zorb soccer. The latter was impromptu and so much fun!

The rest of the weekend involved group activities like a wedding themed dance, PJ brunch, and color wars. AMAZING.

 I rated the camp above 5 stars because you could make it any experience you wanted-- if you wanted to play music in the tea yurt until what was estimated as 4am you could, or  if you were in the mood to run and dance all day that was an option as well. 

Friends: In adulthood, much like as in childhood, sneaking into the boys camp on a covert mission to steal their camp flag creates a friendship that lasts longer than the weekend. Cheers to my friends Curly Sue, Avocado Toast, Shnitzel, Sushi, Snickers, Neon, Tapatio, and Nene  : )

Recommended for: adults to want to have some unapologetic fun

 

SF's wildest part: Bay to Breakers 12K

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Activity: Bay to Breakers 12K race in San Francisco

Rating: 3.7 of 5 stars, with high variance depending on who you ask

Website: http://zapposbaytobreakers.com/

Cost: $60 to enter online via Zappos (2015 host) OR about $15 dollars if you work in a Bay Area company and pay through work

Details: One of the most famous days in SF has to be Bay to Breakers. I  had heard about it for years and it was finally the time to experience it myself. There seems to be two parts:

Part 1: Runners. Over 100 years of races.

This is the group of people, including myself, that were willing to run a race starting at 9am in costume. This is not a novelty in SF if you know how many people like to celebrate, exercise, and stand out all at the same time.

Traditions include tortillas in the air to be caught and thrown back up like frisbees. Extreme costumes are a must. Nudity is rampant. The "salmon" are an intense group of well dressed fish that swim against the current of the race.

Best costumes included an entire boxing ring with two fighters, Chruch of Wheels rollerskaters, and Oompa Lompas.

Part 2: The partiers

On the course of the race there are residential areas with house parties. These parties have what looks like people who started drinking before 7am. Mostly young adults, the parties start early and are aggressive.  A few people tried to sneak in the race while drinking, but the police caught on quickly this year and escorted them away. Apparently that was atypical in prior years.  

The runners may finish the race, but the partiers consider it a marathon. The entire day was flooded with people in costume bar hopping, running or walking the race at all times of day. 

The city did have an excitement and commitment to an even that I had only correlated to the antics during the World Series win. 

Overall, it was a good run with good friends that completed the race as Shark week. I was "Saturdaze" get it :). I am glad that I participated in the race, but I would have to warn small children and sober adults to sit this one out. 

Recommended for: adults, > 21 and runners

 

Zip-lining: Puerto Rico adventures continued

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Zip-lining coming out of the rainforest

Zip-lining  to the next stop!

Activity: Zip-lining in Puerto Rico Rainforest & Butterfly/Bird Habitat

Rating: 4.3 of 5 stars

Website: http://canopytourpr.com/

Cost: $125/pp via website for three hours including pick up. Discounted tickets available through hotel booking

Details: The tour started in the animal habitat. We saw a variety of colorful parrots (white, green, red, etc.) that were friendly, but not enough to touch. There was also a butterfly room before entering the bird sanctuary which was larger than expected.

From the animal habitat we took a short trip in a cable car to the top of the jungle. We had already put on the equipment including harness and helmut so we were ready to go from as soon as we arrived at the top. 

There were a total of 10-12 zip lines with the last one being the fastest. Some were rather short and others were slower and longer. Based on your body weight and how well you listen to directions you could go faster or slower. 

There was no real trick except to know when to slow yourself down as you approached the platform. If you stopped too early you had to pull yourself to the platform (annoying, but not too challenging). If you did not slow down then the assistant on the other end would catch you or pull down the rope to slow you down (see video). 

This experience felt very safe, actually much safer than my first attempt in Costa Rica where they let customers fly upside down. I missed that part, but I guess not everyone is a thrill seeker. 

Recommended for: All ages that are not afraid of heights. 

Living the yacht life on a budget

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Activity: Boating in Puerto Rico

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Website: http://castillotours.com/index.html

Cost:  ~$90/per person including pick up at hotel, lunch, drinks, boat ride, and drop off at hotel

Details: We booked this group package through our hotel La Concha during our stay in Puerto Rico. We went to celebrate our friend who was getting married and we wanted to do a group activity, but it was difficult coordinating with something that everyone could enjoy at a reasonable price. Then we read the details on the all day boating experience.

The process was convenient because they picked us up at the hotel on time. We arrived at a dock, selected fins, and paid the remainder of our tickets (after deposit at hotel). While on the boat the crew immediately offered us beverages as we set sail. Although the weather started off with a drizzle, by the end of the day it was warm enough to enjoy the water. The boat included lunch and unlimited drinks. Customers could chose to relax on or off the boat or snorkel during the two stops.  My group snorkeled and then had fun attempting an underwater photo shoot!

Overall, I had a great experience and the staff was friendly (including the guy waving at the end of the video). 

Recommended for: couples, young adults, friend groups, birthday party

How to sightsee while enjoying delicious food

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Activity: Chinatown food tour in San Francisco

Rating: 4.3 of 5 stars

Website: http://www.foodtoursofsanfrancisco.com/

Cost: $60 full price, but discounts can be found on website or online vendors such as Groupon

Details: This food tour was unlike other food tastings I have heard about. Typically, you go to one location and try a variety of dishes and then the night is over. Food tours of San Francisco was unique because the tour incorporated the history of the city. We went to a total of 6 restaurants to try both traditional chinese food as well as a modern day interpretation of some more popular dishes. In between each tasting we  walked around and the tour guide pointed out city landmarks. We managed to have time to stop into a temple and the famous Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory where they hand make fortune cookies and can customize fortunes.

Dishes included but not limited to: green onion buns, spicy (schezwan style) noodles, red bean bun, shrimp dumplings, potstickers, egg custard, and of course fortune cookies.

Check out the website for the Mission tour (not just Mexican food) and North Beach (Italian food) tours in SF. They also host tours in NY and are expanding!

Recommend for: tourists, locals, spicy food eaters, and families

 

 

 

 

 

Camping at the Boonville Beer Festival

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Being outdoors is one of the best parts of living in the Bay Area. In May my friend took me to the Boonville Beer Festival in Mendocino County Fairgrounds. What/Where is Boonville might you ask? Why would you camp at a beer festival? Well let me explain.

We decided to camp because Boonville is about an hour and a half from SF. As it was starting to warm up the thought of a no-fog saturday was very enticing. So my friend packed up the Zip car and we were on our way to camping. We got there the night before the festival and set up camp. It was only $15 pp to camp per day and you were charged in cash at the entrance to the Mendocino County Fairgrounds. You know when you arrive because there is a painting of an apple riding a horse/dog. Apparently there is a Mendocino county fair with rodeos and apples. That I will investigate at a later date. 

Back to Boonville- camping was not as crowded as I anticipated for 11pm arrival. There was plenty of space in the open field. Some people had arrived much earlier- you could tell by the set up they had including a big screen monitor projecting music videos- and had taken the "better spots". The part that was missing from a traditional camping experience was the bonfire. There were no fire pits, so unless you brought your own - NO FIRE! Our group got settled in and hung out until it was past the time we could tolerate the cold. 

The next day was nice and sunny. We woke up, made breakfast, and prepared for the festival (made pretzel necklaces). Around noon they let in the VIP tickets and around 1pm everyone else was allowed to enter. There were several tents with local craft beers, an indoor area with craft beers, and some food stands scattered about. The ticket included a small tasting cup where you could go back for your favorites or try some artisanal beers. The most unique included one that tasted like hot chocolate (just not hot) and another that tasted like jalapeño. The food was pretty good and the music set the scene well. I would describe it as good for groups of friends to hang out. Apart from the small yet vocal bachelorette party, everyone was pretty friendly. 

After a full day in the sun our group made our way back for snacks, naps, and some kickball. I would like to say it was pretty low key, but there were some beer enthusiasts that took the party a little late. So if you are the type that considers camping a calming experience with nature I suggest you only stay 1 night. In my opinion it was not too bad that it was loud and it was easy to avoid participation if you were looking to relax.  I would recommend going at least for the day if you are into non-crowded craft beer events!

Until next time. Stay tuned.

'Shooting the sh!t' at the gun range.

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Shooting range
My bother shooting an automatic

At the gun range shooting a revolver in slow motion

Apparently I am much better at duck hunter than I am at shooting a gun in real life.

As a family friendly Saturdaze activity we went to the outdoor shooting range. I assumed I was going to have a good shot, but it is harder than it looks. I had read somewhere (in a Law & Order episode) that guns had kickback so I expected some force from the gunshot. I guess I am not as strong as I think because the first time shocked me. I ended up overcompensating for the sensation that the gun was going up that I was just shooting the dirt and not the target. I guess there is room for improvement.

My dad and brother were much better, but to be fair they had been going for several years. I guess my invitation was lost in the mail... Invited or not, I had a great time trying the revolver and the automatic gun this time around. I stood the entire time while others in the gun range sat and had a stand for their weapon of choice. In this particular range most people brought their own firearms and purchased the day pass to shoot. You may be able to tell from the dirt and metal targets that this was not the most state of the art range. I did like it because the owner made an effort to teach me the proper stance and where to look to improve my aim. 

Overall, I feel a little more patriotic and a less inclined to pursue a career in law enforcement. But don't take my word for it. Try it out and see what you think!

Until next time. Stay tuned.