Five days in the Bay

Day One: Thursday
After touchdown in San Francisco at 8:53am, we find baggage claim, make a Starbuck's stop then board a shared shuttle to the Westin Market Street, thirty-five floors of steel, concrete and huge glass windows with a panoramic view of the city from every room. We're too early for check-in so we leave our bags with the bell hop, consult the concierge for landmarks and off we go.
We don't get very far before we realize it's 10:30am, misty and cool.  Fifty-four degrees cool.  Earlier, as we pulled into the hotel I noticed California Pizza Kitchen directly across the street.  So cold and hungry, we decided to make that our first stop.
California Pizza Kitchen.  The place that started the whole wood burning oven upscale gourmet pizza fad.  It also, I have on first hand authority, is the inspiration for the Louisiana Pizza Kitchen chain here in New Orleans.  It's true. In 1987, Michel Fredj, founder of Louisiana Pizza Kitchen,  came back to his Cafe Bastille Bistro on Esplanade after a trip to California and proclaimed to a linen deliveryman.  "Dats eet!  No moar Bi'stro! Zee money, is too much! From now on, pies!" (Michel is french) Thus Louisiana Pizza Kitchen was born.
Meanwhile, our waiter/ poet filled us in on the wheres and where nots of the city as white corn guacamole (as good as it sounds), korean bbq tacos(just ok), spicey thai quesadilla(excellent) and a margharita pizza flowed past our tongues and warmed our souls.  We like this town.  So far so good.
It didn't take long for the wifey to realize that walking the ultra steep and windy streets of San Fran in three inch platform wedges gets old in a hurry.  Alas, Macy's Union Square!
Ahh Macy's, an eight floor oasis of womens clothes, accessories, cosmetics and...
Shoes! Shoes!
Second floor.  The whole second floor! A full city block sized sea of slingbacks, ballet flats, peep toes, and closed toes!
Guys, this is like us walking into Hooter's on calendergirl day.


A table in Chinatown displaying their
daily "catch" 

A woman's feet saved and still hours away from check-in, the wife and I hit the streets again and head toward Chinatown.  I couldn't wait to get there to sample some authentic chinese food. So we walked through the Stockton tunnel following the sights, sounds and smells. As we get closer, it's as if 2011 rolled back to the 1940's. Big box retailors diappeared into sidewalk specailty markets with folding storefront tables.
Simplicit brilliance.
If you want fresh fish, you go to the fresh fish market.
Veggies? Next door, at the veggie store.
Same with fruit, can goods, groceries,etc. These tables are fully stocked with anything and everything chinese.  And the smells!  Approaching Chinatown you're hit with the smell of citrus.  Further in, onions, chinese cucumber, and mounds of greens. But the Chanel #5 of C-town is when your olfactory senses are hit like a Bruce Lee kick of funkage to the nose. The dried fish market.  Bus pans crowned with dried shrimp, fish eyes, minnows and any fish unlucky enough to be caught in last week's nets line the tables side by side.  The craving for authentic Chinese quickly disappears.  But souvenoir shops, clothing stores, tea bars,  hair salons and Chinatown's charm comforts you into wanting to hang around.  It's that comfort that comes upon you as your quick pace turns to stroll and you take it all in.
Nice.
We're hungry again and getting a little tired, so we head back to the hotel to check in.  That, we quickly learn is the beauty of San Fran.  Everything is desirable, doable and walkable.
After settling in, we head back out for dinner.  We noticed Sears Fine Foods close by, so in we went.  This place was 1940.  Opened in 1938, Sears is a local legend.  The menu reads like mom's house on Thanksgiving.  Turkey breast, cornbread dressing, garlic mashed, hericot verts and homemade cranberry sauce is tonight's special.  "One please", says the Mrs.  I go for the roasted chicken with roasted yukon gold potatoes and glazed parsnips and carrots. YUM!  Damn YUM!   Dessert was apple dumpling ala mode with caramel sauce for me and strawberry shortcake for the boss.  See we have this thing where we share a salad but we get our own desserts.  That's how we roll.
Tummies full, legs spent and on a marathoner's high, this long but eventfull day comes to a close. We head back to the hotel.  We need our rest.  Tomorrow is Alcatraz!
I like this town.



California Pizza Kitchen






fruits and nuts



veggies



merchandise



DRIED FISH!

 

Saints Draft another super bowl

It was July, 2009 at the now closed Mike's American Grill during my weekly segment on Inside New Orleans (graciously coined "Fazende Friday" by host Eric Asher).  Eric asked what I thought the Saints would do in the upcoming football season.  "I've always said that all the Saints need is a good not great defense to go to the Super Bowl, that's why they brought in new defensive coordinator Greg Williams and that's what they will do, they will beat the Colts in the Super Bowl."
The above is not an attempt to gloat or pat myself on the back.  It's just a little edification to justify my next line.
The Saints have drafted their way to Indianapolis in 2012.
Yes, that is how strongly I feel about the Saints 2011 draft.  Granted the last time we saw the Saints they were wandering around the Seattle fog dazed by the tsnuami that just washed them out of the playoffs.  The very defense that lifted our beloved Saints to the ultimate victory played their worst game of the Williams era.
Have no fear defense, help is on the way.
The draft was oviously aimed to come to the defense's rescue. From DE Cameron Jordan, possessing a combination of size and speed , considered by many scouts the best pass rushing DE in the draft to the hard hitting LB from Illinois, Martez Wilson.  But the pick most likely to help Williams defense was RB Mark Ingram.  Yes that Mark Ingram.  The Heisman trophy winning monster truck wrapped in a 5'9" frame who tore up SEC defenses for three years.  Ingram figures to be the most help to the defense by provided for them a defense's best friend. Rest.  As long as Ingram is pounding out three, four and five yard runs in the fourth quarter and moving the chains, the defense can stand on the sidelines and rest and watch the clock wind down.
On offense, the benefits are obvious.  With a signal calling field general the callber of  Drew Brees, Ingram will have a coach on the field.  Play action will open up.  The WRs will have open lanes, yadda yadda yadda.  You can book that opposing defensive coordinators are, as you read this, circling Saints week on their schedules for doubling up stocks of  Rolaids, Pepto-Bismol and No-Doz.
Buckle your chinstraps NFL. Here comes Ingram. And there go the Saints to another Super Bowl.