SF a series: Photoshoot at the Palace

Another warm sunny day in the city. I wonder where the fog went. Have yet to see the fog since weekend. With such nice weather, it is definitely a day for the outdoors and photos! It really did not take us long to figure out where to go. Popular wedding photo spots = beautiful photos and in SF, the Palace of Fine Arts is one of them. Thanks to Thang for this brilliant suggestion.

Apparently the whole structure was built just for an expo, to show off to the world that SF has ‘recovered’ from the earthquake of 1906. The temporary structure was so well liked that the people decided to rebuilt and make it permanent.

Never get to explore the grounds before as it was fenced up for renovation the previous times that I droved by. The walk around the place is so therapeutic. I can almost feel my blood pressure drop. What a nice place to just sit down, relax and breathe in the breeze. That’s what we did, but only after taking gazillions of pictures round the ground. Lol.

Although the place is pretty and looks all new after the renovation, I could not say the same about the lake. It reminds me of those canals in Venice, just that this has much more duck and bird feathers in it. Guess it time for another clean up!

SF a Series: Pride 09

First of all some background info. Pride is like the biggest celebration in the Fog City. Streets around the civic center will be closed for the biggest annual gay parade. Not only that, stalls were set up like along blocks and blocks of buildings. The whole city is colorfully adorned in shades of rainbow. Here are some pictures from the parade.

I must confess that although the parade which stemmed from the stone wall riot back in the 1960’s is supposed to be the main highlight of the event, I am more interested in checking out the stalls and the stages for performances. There is like an Asian Pacific, Latin American, S&M (ouch) and money other different pavilion set up around the civic center. Who knows People spotting, grabbing goodies, getting autographs and watching performances could be so fun! And this is especially true when big names like Boa performing.

Can I say that the weather was like soooo hot that day? Too hot for a place for SF but oh well, I kinda like it that way this time around. Hehe.

SF a Series: Party at the Park

The Mission Dolores Park never fail to take my breath away. The view is exceptionally spectacular during clear sunny days like this.
The Castro is exceptionally crowded and vibrant today as they have the Dyke March and Pink Party going on. It’s a yearly affair in which they will close down the whole Castro area for a huge street party in conjunction with the Pride Fest.
This is not an event to miss as it is definitely one big huge eye opener. You can find the most outrageous outfits ever. From drags and angels to penis and boobies. Be warned, it is not a sight for the faint hearted.
The crowd thickens as the sun goes down and the party become crazier with people dancing and strutting around the arenas. Alright am signing off. Gotta go dance………….

SF a Series: Long Overdue Visit

Alright, my visit to the Coit Tower is like so overdue. After countless number of times in the city, I somehow manage to skip this attraction every single time. So this time around, I make it my sole must go destination in this trip. We patiently waited for the bus for the ride up the Telegraph Hill to the tower because any attempt to walk up that steep incline would be foolish.

Upon reaching the base of the tower, we found out that the view is kinda inferior to the Twin Peaks. The consolation is that the view of Treasure Island, Bay Bridge and the Transamerica Pyramid is magnified from here. Probably should have just paid the fees and hike up the tower to the top. There’s always another time. Hehe.

Although hiking up the Telegraph Hill is a no no, taking the steps down is a whole different story. Walking down the Filbert steps is such a relaxing experience. Nice quaint houses with the Bay as the backdrop. What could be more relaxing right? We were told that the view is just as nice down the Greenwich steps with parrot sightings bonus along the way. Guess that’s just another path left to explore the next time I hike up the Coit Tower.

Spent some time shopping for souvenirs around Chinatown. Its always fun to look for cheap and sometimes useless decorative things here. And hey, we gotten ourselves some pretty nice bouba drinks. Hehe.

Déjà vu? Not quite.

The haunting experience of almost missing our flight last Oct has us calling the shuttle company to schedule an early pick-up for the airport. And guess what? The stupid Gray Line shuttle company was late for a whole freaking 1.5 hours. Would never take this shuttle anymore in the future. Each time we call to ask about the arrival, we were reassured that the shuttle would arrived within 15 minutes.

We finally gave up and took another shuttle to the airport. Yes, we were rushing again to board the plane like the year before, only this time to find out that the flight was delayed due to severe thunderstorm and lightning in the vicinity. Oh wait, I remember that. A thunderstorm actually delayed my flight from landing in Vegas back in 2006. Still remember than painful 3 hours delayed that turned the whole trip into a chaos back then. The delay however, turned out to be a blessing in disguise this time around as I get to win a couple more bucks from the slot machine while waiting for my plane to board. :D

On arrival to San Francisco, our wonderful friend, Thang offered to pick us up. It was very nice of him. Thanks so much! We do not need to suffer from taking the long Bart ride and dragging our luggage up the hilly streets of San Francisco.

The Orchard Hotel down at Union Square is by far the best hotel that I have stayed in SF. Not only is the location superb, the room is exceptional spacious by boutique hotel standard. The fact that is it located at a not so busy street safe us the need to use ear plug to sleep through the night. Would totally stay here again the next time when I’m in town, provided that the price does not go up of course.

Encore, Let’s Do It All Over Again

Eat, Sleep, Shop, Relax. Repeat, repeat and repeat. Basically that’s all that we did today.

Some main highlights would be the very cute soap shop called Basin White. The whole concept of nicely decorated soap bar is so ingenious. Although it may be a little impractical, the idea of having a nicely decorated bath soap to compliment to a beautiful bathroom is so cool.

Our quest to be surviving solely on buffet throughout the trip came to a halt as we arrived at Planet Hollywood Casino a little too late for the Spice Market Place buffet. Damn. Had to settle for some asian fusion restaurant instead. The food was good but the fact that their pager did not work still kinda pisses me off. We could have had a shorter wait time. Hello, we’re hungry!

Later into the night, when all shops were closed, having nowhere to go, we walked next door to the newly opened Encore Resort. It is like soooo red! The carpet, the furnishing the workers. I suddenly felt like I have been thrown into the setting of the Dream of the Red Mansion and I kinda liked it, especially the tastefully landscaped garden.

Hello Steve

Woke up early the next morning for another buffet. Not so early actually as they were already switching breakfast to lunch buffet by the time we got in. Was told about the cheapo trick of stayin pass the change so one can pay breakfast price to enjoy lunch servings. Did we do it? Of course not! Why? Becos we have a date with Steve Wynn. Lol. We are so excited about our next stop, the very much raved about Wynn Resort.

Arrived at The Wynn after being conned by a cab driver that took the longer route, we were told that the room is not ready yet. Bummer. We took our luggage for bag check and was told that they will deliver it to our room once it is ready. How nice. Went straight across the street to the Fashion Show Mall for some long awaited shopping. Shopping here is always a fun experience and definitely a wise choice as the sales tax here is lower compared to the Golden Sate. Our shoppin expedition was interrupted halfway by a call from the hotel telling us that our room is now ready for check-in. Wheeeeee!

Requested for a room with the view of the mountain and golf course instead of the Strip for a change. Turned out to be a pretty good choice. The lush green backdrop with the mountain range behind is just marvelous. And we get to see inviting hotel pool right below our room. Should have asked for a lower floor man. That way, we could have a closer look of those sexy bods below us. Lol.

With the ultra tall ceiling, supra huge bedroom space, floor to ceiling window, one touch curtain control, suite 2620 was definitely one of the more luxurious, huge and tastefully decorated room that I have ever stayed in. They even personalize our room key, too bad the room is booked under my friends’ name. His name even appeared on the phone and the plasma TV screen. I want mine too! The only downfall of the suite would be however, a pack of weird food left in the fridge by the previous guest. Housekeeping, we need you here!

My favorite part of the room has got to be the bathroom. 2 separate vanities, separate bathtub, shower, toilet and a TV in the bathroom. If only I have the same amenities in my own bathroom.

Dinner buffet as at the Wynn again as the wonderful experience from the year before. Although Alaskan king crab leg and asparagus was really good, I don’t think I would pay another 40 dollars to dine here the next time I come around. Time to move on and discover something more interesting.

Feeling totally bloated from the buffet, we decided to walk all the way down to Bellagio to shred some calories. But before that we stopped by the newly reopened Volcano attraction at the Mirage. The hotel claimed that it is not bigger and better so I was wondering how small exactly was the explosion before the renovation. Ooopss!

The conservatory at Bellagio was just as pretty as the years before but I feel that it is lacking creativity and the wow factor this time around. It felt like the simple umbrellas at the Palazzo is actually edging the conservatory out. Could it be that the recession has taking its toll on the attraction? Nevertheless, we spent so much time snapping away just like in the past.

Ended up the night with a really relaxing time soaking in the tub while watching the TV. Oh, how I love the indulgence.

The Wind Blew Westward into Sin City

I got up the next morning, totally recovered from the flu. Thanks for those Advil dear friend. As usual, the final morning at a place always gets me. Too lazy to explore yet not wanting to leave.

Headed up north for another stroll along the Magnificent Mile. Not crowded like the day before as most shops are still closed. Guess everyone is still snuggling in bed on a lazy Sunday morning. Deciding on our last meal in the city was not too hard as not so pricey non fast food options are kinda limited. Am glad that we stayed in the loop as food down there are way cheaper.

Our brunch at Big Bowl was a little on the pricey side but I would say it is worthwhile. On the look outside, the place looked kinda rundown. It is a whole different world on the inside. The whole chic Chinese fusion deco theme fits right in with the food. We had and order or skewers, scallop and the very unique ginger ale drink. It was the first time that I have freshly squeeze ginger in my ginger ale. Totally refreshing!

The trip to the airport was pleasant and interesting. We headed south to the Midway and not to O’Hare via the train. Yes, the city has direct train connection even to their budget terminal. How wonderful is that. The train ride down south has better view as it did not run along the freeway and has wide open spaces in its surrounding. Better does not necessarily mean more beautiful as the south is less affluent. Check-in was a breeze and soon we’re off to Sin City.

This is like my 4^th time in Vegas in a short 2 years period. Honestly, I am beginning to wonder whether I am gonna be bored this time around. Probably heading downtown and off the strip will be a great eye opener this time as I was practically stuck on the strip all my trips.

The baggage pick up was much more efficient this time around. Did not have to wait half an hour for 2 small little bag. Since part of the fun of staying in Sin City is experiencing the different hotels, we booked 2 hotels for our 3 nights stay. The 1^st being the MGM grand. Yes, I’ve stayed here before but who could resist a $60 deal inclusive of all day buffet, $20 slot play, free VIP club entry and complimentary poolside cocktail right?

The Grand Buffet at MGM did not fail to disappoint. According to John, they have certainly improved a lot over the year. The selection is now more extensive and it actually tasted better too. After tasting the food, I would have to second that. Hehe.

After dinner, we explored the place a little, play some jackpot, win some cash and went to bed. Yes without utilizing the VIP club entry becos the club is closed on Sundays. Bummer! Guess we’re meant to be two innocent tourist in Sin City after all. :p

Where the Compass Points: North and Crowded

Sunshine after a rainy rainy yesterday. Its breakfast once again at the Corner Bakery. I had to come back to try the pasta which was not available the previous day. It turned out to be a disappointment. Just when we thought things could not get worse, the plan to explore the large showroom area at Merchandise Mart failed to materialize as they were closed for private guest on weekends. Double Whammy!

We continue our trip up north towards Lakeview area. It is a very vibrant neighborhood, due to the gay Boystown and baseball fanatics of Wrigley Field. We kept our exploration short as the hot weather and thick crowd spells headache. We finally sat down at a coffee house to people watch which turned out to be a brilliant idea.

Although shopping was not part of the itinerary, it would be dumb to miss out on such a huge tourist attraction like the Magnificent Mile. Checked out the Hancock Tower and Pumping Station up close on the mile but did not go in as the Water Tower Place’s shopping seemed more alluring. Yes, the mission of not buying until we reach Vegas failed miserably.

Dinner at Foodlife was so much trouble. They put the wrong item into our card we had to page for the manager to fix it. Apart from that the whole dining experience there was fun and nice. Totally luved the Buffalo Wings that I had.

After a mile long shopping walk, we went on with another mile of walk toward the Navy Pier. The pier is definitely one of the most crowded tourist attractions in the city. Guess everybody loves rides and over publicized fun.

Few people took notice of the free hidden gem so we got to explore the Smith Museum of Stained Glass without much human traffic. Haha. The collection here is absolutely gorgeous, a thousand times more rewarding than those retail shops and rides outside. Did not stay long enough for the fireworks as I was feeling lethargic.

Later that night, I found out that I was actually having afever. Gosh,Could it be the crowd has infected me with H1N1? Noooooooooooo!

Night at the Museum

Deep dish pizza for lunch today! Woohooo. Headed straight for Giordano’s which is like only a short 5 minutes walk away from our hotel. Were told that the pizza would take 25 minutes. Long wait? No problem. Being super fungry will only help us to finish the pizza. Wrong! We only manage to eat half of it. As for the taste, it was good but thin crust is still our choice.

The main itinerary for the day is the Art Institute of Chicago. On our way to the museum, we stop by Millennium Park again. Took more pictures of the Bean and the park. As we were still early for the 5pm free entry, we stop by the ultra crowded and vibrant Crown Fountain. The hot and humid weather makes me wanna dive in and join the kids getting wet in the fountain.

The Art Institute of Chicago huge and really impressive. Their collection of impressionist and post-impressionist art is the most extensive ever. The museum is so huge that it was divided into 3 levels and 3 different wings. I really love the way they arrange the galleries. We did not have to walk through the same exhibit twice to get around the whole place.

So happy to be able to see the original Sunday Afternoon at the Island of La Grande Jatte and Paris Street Rainy Day. Learnt a lot more about Monet, Van Gough and impressionist stuff from my tour guide John.

My tour guide was however, not too interested in the modern art wing. After a short walk around the modern wing, we decided to take a break from our intellectual tour and went across to the Pritzker Pavilion for the free concert. Had a great time enjoying the concert before it started pouring. Armed with my little blue umbrella, we stormed back into the Arts Institute for shelter. On our way back, we saw park security shooooing people away from the Bean for they are concern about lightning incidents. Lol.

I’m glad we resumed our tour of the museum as this time I get to see the American Gothic and Nighthawks. We further explored the American Indians and the Asian Gallery before stumbling upon the very cute and nicely detailed miniature gallery of early American homes.

Our tummy was growling by the time we ended our night at the museum. After a long debate on where to eat, we finally decided to visit the Billy Goat Tavern., famous for its notorious waiter. Poor John was told to get a double cheeseburger when he was about to place our orders. Should have warned him about it. Ooopss. The Tavern is situated below the main street. Down in the basement it really felt like a whole different ghetto.

Our activity for the night is to find the Taj Mahal stone. No, we are not going to India! The Chicago Tribune building has over 200 stones from famous architecture embedded in its façade. It includes the Great Wall, Arc of Triumph, Constantinople, Notre Dame and so on. How interesting!