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Postcards from San Francisco
Dear All, I recently posted a thread Postcards from New York. The last leg of our vacation was San Francisco via Portland , Oregon ( it will be the subject of a later post ) .
This message has been edited by dreamer8 on 2013-06-05 01:55:54
We were last in San Francisco more than 10 years ago but the fond memory of this wonderfully scenic ,dynamic and with a diverse food culture ( food influences from every where in the world ) lingered.
We stayed in the Bay area and explored this city mainly by walking and also using the Cable cars as SF is very hilly to enjoy the sights, sample food, shopping and people watching.
I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I did taking them and thanks for looking.
Cheers,dreamer
Golden Gate bridge from the air
view from hotel room
view from hotel room
Bay Bridge view from hotel room
Coit Tower from entrance to Pier 39
The Palace of fine arts in Marina district
Contemporary Jewish museum designed by Famed architect Daniel Libeskind who was later responsible for the reconstruction of the world trade centre. Metal skinned roof in blue which changes colour depending on the time of the day ,weather or one's vantage point. Much like the blue dial of a Patek 5070 platinum.o
Concrete Pagoda . Japan Town
Signage in Japan Town
Streetscape with Bay Bridge in background
Union Square
TransAmerica Pyramid Building
Pier 39
Pier 39
Pier 39
Pier 39
Pier 39
Pier 39
Boats - Pier 39. Note the Swedish America's cup Catamaran practising in background
Pier 39
Alcatraz in the background
Plump cherries and boy with rosy cheeks
Pier 39. Sea Lion colony lying on jetty sunbaking
A large sea lion
Pier 39
Dungeness Crab baked with buttery garlic sauce
Pier 39
Pier 39
Pier 39
Working Melbourne Tram in SF
Food store in Ferry Building
Mess Piggy. PUlled Pork with spicy pickled peppers from above shop
Bay bridge
Ferry Building
Saturday crowd in front of Ferry Building
Ferry Building
Farmers Market. Ferry Building
Saturday Crowd, Ferry Building
Farmers market
Fresh Zucchini Flowers, farmers marke
Farmers market
Farmers maket
Farmers market
Blue Bottle coffee . Ferry Building
Ferry Building
Steep gradient
Cable car Ticket conducor
Cable car ' transmission '
View from Cable car riding on outside ramp
View from Lombard Street
View fro Cable Car.Steep drop to the waterfront
View from Cable car, Steep drop to bay
Cable car with TransAmerica Building in the background
Cable car terminal. Turntable for turning Car around
Street artist singing arias from Italian Operas
Pier 39
Food Cart
Filmore St.
Filmore St.
Cable car stop
Warm weather wear
Advisory Speed at entrance to Lombard St.World's crookedest st.
Cars zig zagging slowly downhill
Gate to China Town
China Town
China Town
Old Bakery in China Town. President Clinton paid a visit
Selection of cakes from bakery
Cable Car stop.Tourists from France
Union Square
View of Golden Gate Bridge from Fort Mason
Fort Mason
Saw the smoke and smelled the food.Off the grid SF best street food .Fort Mason
Off the Grid street food
Happy crowd with band
Sunset over Bay
This message has been edited by dreamer8 on 2013-06-05 01:55:54
Part B
There are many good restaurants in San Francisco from the simple to fine dining. One is spoilt for choice with cuisines from Thai,Vietnamese, Chinese , Japanese , steak houses and seafood restaurants. I am just highlighting two which we tried because they were in the vicinity of where we were exploring.
Swan Oyster Depot is located in Nob Hill. It was founded in 1912 . This seafood market and oyster bar is a SF institution . We got there at 3 pm. in the afternoon and had to wait for about 14 minutes outside for seats ( it has only 18 stools inside ) . It is a place with a lot of character. They still use a manual cash register.It was well worth the wait for the oysters.
A16 in the Marina district. Specialises in Southern Italian food, the cuisine from Campania and the pizzas from Naples. They have an extensive list of small production Californian wines and wines from southern Italy. Good stem ware and extensive wines by the glass. Very busy and buzzy place and very good rustic robust food with wines to match.
Cheers,dreamer
Swan Oyster Depot
A lovely couple who are regulars
My mixed dozen comprising different varieties
Old cash register
A16
Wood fired Oven
Berkshire Pork cutlet
Seated on bar so could observe open kitchen
Great stemware
Half moon bay sardines with pumpkin seeds,shaved radishes,pepper cress and Calabrian Chilli oil
Margherita - tomato,mozzarella, grana padano, basil , olive oil and prosciutto di Parma
Pannacotta
Great job, Ruckdee!
For a number of years I was traveling to SF at least several times a year. That has stopped for me since last year, but I hope to get back again before too long. You hit many of my favorite spots and sights while you were there and you did a superb job of capturing the flavor of the city (both figuratively and literally, I think). Thanks for sharing your trip with us.
Best always,
respo
Oh oh ... I was just responding to this thread, respo. It belongs to dreamer8 :D [nt]
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My mistake, Ruckdee!
Both you and Dreamer8 really photographed SF so well. And both of you seem to enjoy the food there a lot. 
By the way, is the JLC Deep Sea yours? Nice watch, buddy.
All best,
respo
Thank You ...
for your kind comments Respo. I just photographed that evocative city the way it appealed to me physically and food wise ( I took a lot more food photos ) . I am glad the photos resonates with you .
Cheers, dreamer
Greatpics there. Two places stick out in my travels in SF
1. Blue bottle coffee behind the mint building
2. Dandelion chocolate- both the hot chocolate and the regular block version - in Valencia st
Also had an amazing meal at Quince
Thanks for those pics
Must catch up at next GTG
Julian
Looks like you ...
enjoyed SF as well . I had coffee at Blue Bottle a few times. I asked for recommendations and was recommended Blue Bottle. Did you take any photos ?. Catch you at the next GTG.
Cheers,dreamer
I've been put to shame!
I am often in the city of San Francisco and I haven't done half the things you did!
You certainly made the most of your great trip!
Thank you for the photos!
It is often the case Patrick ....
that we tend to be a bit blase about the city we live in. I have not visited a lot of places in Melbourne.
Cheers my friend, dreamer
Thanks for the trip !
Your travelogue and brand of street photography is amazing. This is my absolute favourite !
Not been to SF for some time, but it looks as charming a ever.
Ok, I have to ask, if u dun mind, 50 & 35 lux on an M9 ?
Thank You Flamenco...
Your kind comment's greatly appreciated. I wish I have a M9 but waiting to check out the M first as I have some Leica glass. All the photos shot with a Lumix GX1 M 4/3 with pan cake zoom X vario 3.5-5.6 / 14-42 ( 28-90 mm. 35mm. / full frame equivalent ). All JPEGS . I shot RAW as well but will process them later when I have LR or other software that can process the RAW files.
That particular shot at the Cable car stop was taken at 14 ( 28mm. ) wide angle. A good compact zoom but the zoom kit lens on your Fuji XE1 is much much better at F 2.8. ( one of the best in terms of sharpness , depth of field control and bokeh for a kit lens ) . I tested the Fuji XE1 with the kit zoom and liked it a lot. Fantastic JPEGS and B & W. I cannot get a shallow depth of field with my pancake zoom at F 3.5 and with a M 4/3 sensor. I need to invest in some prime M 4/3 lenses.
I did take my film M7 with me and I shot 3 rolls ( 36 exp . rolls ) in B & W. I have not developed the rolls yet.
Cheers,dreamer
Wow!
Taken with a GX-1 n X pancake zoom. Never would have guessed.
Goes to show its the piece of meat behind the camera ... As my wife puts it LOL
The M has some teething issues, as u probably know. So I'd wait a while.
ThAnks for sharing these insights of your shots! Still amazing
I envy your good life. Thank you for taking us along. It is such a nice place. [nt]
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I envy you Ruckdee my friend...
2 new watches in your collection and both very desirable . You will make your way to the USA in the future I am sure. How's this for an idea. USA for your honeymoon ? Start planning.
Cheers,dreamer
I am glad ....
if my photos make you want to go visit soon Cen. I like the variety of food available and yes, the warm and sunny weather. It is a very scenic city around the Bay area.
Cheers,dreamer
You pics came out very sharp!
What a coincidence, I was just there! But my pics are not nearly as good as yours. Also it seems like you went at the perfect time, the weather when I went was overcast. Did you walk up and down Lombard street? It's crazy steep!
-MW
-MW
Up and down ....
Lombard St. Ming ? I am not young like you LOl. I walked down about 20 metres to test the slope and back up again. I am glad we were lucky with the weather.
Where you there in early May ? Have a look at that guy pushing a pram/baby stroller with the Bay Bridge in the background. i think he looks like you . ( I saw a photo of you posted during IGOTT2 )
Cheers,dreamer
not that I know of...
"...pushing a pram/baby stroller..."
Glad that wasn't me! LOL!!!! I was on the other side of the bridge:
Didn't stay there that long so didn't get to see all the things you did so I'm happy you posted. Next time I go back to SF, I'll reference your post. The dungeness crab looks amazing, I got to try that!
-MW
Glad that wasn't me! LOL!!!! I was on the other side of the bridge:
Didn't stay there that long so didn't get to see all the things you did so I'm happy you posted. Next time I go back to SF, I'll reference your post. The dungeness crab looks amazing, I got to try that!
-MW
I see wild flowers in bloom...
Ming. Pretty spot in Marion county ? I remembered this area from the previous trip 10 years ago. Gateway to the wineries.
I will include 2 photos of food for you taken at Yum Cha which I have not tried before in any Yum Cha place.
Cheers,dreamer
Crunchy outside. Delicious morsel
Creamy in texture like custard BUT its Durian
It was Yum Cha in Portland, Oregon
So rather surprised to find Durian used as an ingredient in a Yum Cha place
Cheers, dreamer
This message has been edited by dreamer8 on 2013-06-06 22:47:41 This message has been edited by dreamer8 on 2013-06-06 22:49:04
they offer it here...
They serve Durian dishes at some of the dim sum places here in L.A. I don't have any pics cause I never order it! They are places out here that do the Stinky Tofu too!
-MW
-MW
No Bullitt style...
....car jumping around the Lombard st environs, dreamer? SF in the sunshine is a lovely place.
Mountain/BMX bikes or skateboards....
tearing down Lombard St. would be cool. I did enjoy the old movies with car chases shot in SF with suspension bottoming and sparking.
Cheers,dreamer
Thanks for this superb virtual tour,my friend.
SF is in my dreams...
I want to go there.
The watch is not bad at all, either!
Best, my friend.
Nicolas
Gary Danko
I had the good fortune to have dinner here when I went to drop my Son off to Cal, Berkeley. Great food, a little pricey but well worth it....& The city, itself, is absolutely amazing.
Mally