Weekend Getaway: NYC ladies who luncheon

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Activity: Hats, heels, and high tea for friend's birthday

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Website: Crosby Street Hotel

Cost: inexpensive, price depends on what you order

Description:  For a friend's birthday her mom organized a surprise party/girls luncheon with the theme of "hats, heels, and high tea." The theme was perfect for a beautiful afternoon in the open patio/garden area. The tea selection included an entire page of options and the sandwiches were delicious and exactly as you would expect for a high tea. They also offered Champagne and other drinks for the afternoon. 

The hotel was beautiful and perfect for photo shoots.

Recommended: Ladies gathering :)

 

Trampoline park for adults

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Description: Trampoline park for kids and adults...but mostly adult children

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Cost: $25/hr

Website: http://www.houseofair.com/

Description:  You can pre-register for one hour increments to the Open air section of the trampoline park. The one hour includes a brief tutorial on how to land and jump correctly. I recommend booking the open section as there will likely be many small children in the other arenas, especially on weekends for birthday parties.

The venue is located in the presidio in an airplane hanger. On a nice day they open the main doors to let in fresh air. The staff was mostly nice and helpful. 

Recommended:  Couple, two-three friends, families, 

Weekend Getaway: Denver's Red Rocks, hiking and ice cream

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Activity: Weekend trip to Denver including Red Rocks concert, hiking a St. Mary's Glacier, Paddle-boating and ice cream

Rating: 4.6 of 5 stars

Website: 

- Red rocks: http://redrocksonline.com/

- Saint Mary's Glacier- http://stmarysglacier.com/

-Indian hot springs- http://www.indianhotsprings.com/

-Washington Park Paddle boats- http://wheelfunrentals.com/Locations/Denver

-Little Man ice cream- http://www.littlemanicecream.com/

Description: This weekend getaway was jam packed with entertainment. Friday night my friends and I went to a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater outside of Denver. The venue was amazing. It is said the the acoustics of venue are much better due to the surrounding rocks. The venue was nicer than I expected, but be sure to get there early for a good seat!

Saturday my friends and I went on a hike at St. Mary's glacier (short hike) where my friend went cliff jumping into the water. Although I love adventure (and rarely pass it up), glacier water is where I draw the line. After the hike we had a lunch at a great BBQ place nearby. Afterwards, we went to the Indian hot springs where you can pay a fee to go into natural springs that are over 116 degrees! It was so relaxing!

Sunday: We enjoyed brunch at Devils Food and then went to Washington Park. In the park we paddle boated for about an hour. It is a fun pastime on a lazy sunday and slightly more of a workout then we were hoping for. Afterwards, we ended the weekend with a ice cream cone at the famous Little Man's Ice cream.

Recommended: Friends, Family, and the outdoor adventurer

 

 

 

Outsidelands: Music Festival in Golden Gate Park

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Activity: Outsidelands Music Festival Golden Gate Park

Rating:  3 of 5 stars

Cost:  Daily tickets for GA $135 or $325 for the weekend

Website: http://www.sfoutsidelands.com/

Description: Outsidelands is a popular music festival in Golden Gate Park. Over the years it has become even more popular and therefore even more crowded. This festival is unlike others due to the scenery. For example, Coachella is hot and dry, Outsidelands is in a lush part of the park and can get pretty chilly. There is also a greater presence of wine vendors considering the proximity to Sonoma/Napa. 

Pros: line up was full of popular artists new and old (Elton John included), the food was delicious, the wine tent was a nice calm break from the music

Cons: in the late afternoon/early evening the park becomes VERY crowded and lines for the bathrooms are ridiculous-- essentially the same problems of any mainstream music festival

Recommended: Post college group of friends

Weekend getaway: Shasta Lake water sports adventure

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Activity: House boating on Lake Shasta

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars

Website: http://www.houseboating.org/Lake-Shasta-Houseboat-Prices

Cost:  $100 per person for the weekend, excluding food and activities

Description: A friend found a deal on houseboats through Travelzoo and we booked 4 total for a weekend in July. The link above includes other boats that are available to rent.

Accommodations: The boats were not luxurious, but it had all the necessary amenities. There were four bunk beds, two larger than the others and a pull out bed. There was a full kitchen with refrigerator, stove, coffee machine etc. Pre-planning our meals made it very easy to coordinate food supplies prior to arriving. We also brought speaks for music, electric pump for floaties, and plenty of trash bags/paper towels/bug repellant.  The nights were really warm during the summer so I recommend to pack light clothing and a light sleeping bag. 

There was plenty do to for one weekend: swimming, lounging on floaties, wake boarding, skiing, and playing games with friends. The wake boarding and water skiing was an additional cost, but relatively inexpensive. We rented a speed boat for the water sports and the docking station rented out the sports equipment for those that did not bring their own. 

Recommended:  Great trip for large groups of young friends. 

 

Do you like fine cooking?

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Activity: Cooking class at Sur la Table in San Francisco

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Website :http://www.surlatable.com/category/cat2211278/Cooking+Classes

Cost: Originally $65-79 and on sale for $35! (subscribe to newsletter for sales or wait for last minute discounts)

Description: I took a 4 course cooking class that focused on Mediterranean cuisine.  The menu included Baklava ice cream, chicken skewers, Greek Salad, and grape leaves stuffed with feta. The meal was delicious! Do not go hungry or you will be starving at the end of the 2-3 hour class. 

I highly recommend Sur la Table because they have last minute deals on classes, all the prep work is done beforehand, there is no cleaning, and you get the recipes and full meal at the end. 

I will say space was tight and you had to take turns in groups of 3-4 to prepare the meal, but the recipes are simple enough that you can watch along and feel comfortable trying at home. 

The classes also vary quite a bit depending on the season so there is constantly new genres to try!

Recommended: two friends,. couple, small group

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