Neighborhoods of SF

San Francisco is a spectacular city holding several great neighborhoods each boasting a distinct flavor.
Presidio
In the north lies the military base, which is home to some of the most beautiful views of the city-- with rolling hills and greenery and gorgeous angles of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Pacific Heights
Also in the northern part of the city is Pacific Heights, which also includes views of the bridge as well as Chrissy Fields.
Haight
Home of the hippie movement, the Haight is unique part of San Francisco with its many interesting shops, restaurants and nightlife.

Mission
Another popular destination for nightlife is the Mission District. This area is infused with Latin culture in the architecture, restaurants and locally-owned shops. Dolores Park offers excellent city views.

Noe Valley
Just south of the Mission District is the family-oriented Noe Valley, which has several nice boutiques, restaurants and cafes.

Castro

Along Market and Church streets lies the Castro district, which boasts gay pride in its stores, restaurants, bars and spirit.
Sunset
The Sunset is a popular residential area of the city, with views of Ocean Beach to the west and Golden Gate Park to the north. The Sunset is home to the San Francisco Zoo, Fort Funston, the California Academy of Sciences and the DeYoung Museum.

Richmond
North of Golden Gate Park lies the Richmond District, another residential part of the city.

Potrero Hill
Potrero Hill is primarily residential and is home to several local restaurants and pubs.

Check out the neighborhoods for yourself!

Stunning Yosemite in Autumn

Yosemite is always gorgeous, don't get me wrong, but I had no idea it was this gorgeous!

We traveled up to the park this fall with Nate's parents and we were all stunned by the rich autumn colors. In the early evenings, the sun lit up the magnificent rock structures to make them even more memorable, and we were also lucky enough to spot two bears, a coyote, and several deer. And best of all, at this time of year, it was void of the usual summer crowds and the winter chills.

A hike in Pulgas Ridge

Today we decided to begin to explore the hiking options in our own town of San Carlos. We checked out Pulgas Ridge, because of the apparent off-leash dog area.

We were delighted to find that this preserve offers are large natural area full of trees, unpaved paths and scenic views. We even encountered a few deer while venturing along the trails. The off-leash area is a circular paved path in the center of the park that is approximately one mile in length. We didn't pass many dogs (or hikers for that matter), but Cooper was able to romp around with one black lab.

Happy to have found a local option for hiking and off-leash play!

Natural Bridges State Park in Santa Cruz

We enjoyed walking around Natural Bridges State Park today down in Santa Cruz, which is an approximate one hour drive from our house. The beach is lovely, with its famous natural bridges and coastal meadows.

In addition, during this time of year the park is home to thousands of monarch butterflies that flutter around the eucalyptus trees. We were able to enjoy these beautiful creatures in the lovely setting while walking along a wooded trail.

Pumpkin festival in Half Moon Bay

Half Moon Bay is the place to go in the fall. Every weekend cars line up to enjoy the Pumpkin Festival, and it is well-worth the traffic. Families gather from all over the Bay Area to enjoy the pumpkin weigh-off, fine art, local wine and more.

We stopped at one of the farms along Highway 92 to pick out a few pumpkins for carving and some funny-shaped gourds, and also introduced Cooper to a larger version of himself (aka, a horse).

Backpacking in the Trinity Alps

We hiked in the Trinity Alps Wilderness this past weekend, staying one night. The scenery was beautiful. The trails were well-maintained and weaved through forests, past rivers, and offered gorgeous views of the peaks.

My favorite peak was Wedding Cake Peak, which I suppose does resemble a wedding cake to a certain degree.

Enjoying San Francisco on a budget

With the fantastic climate and the plethora of outdoor sights, there are many great things to enjoy in San Francisco on a budget.

Golden Gate Park. San Francisco is home to one of the best urban parks, spanning the western half of the city. For free, you can enjoy the botanical gardens which are home to California-native and international plants and flowers. One of the more exciting gardens here is the "Mesoamerican cloud forest" containing plants with huge leaves that look straight out of prehistoric times. There are many other activities to enjoy in the park, including pick-up sports events, picnics and more.

The coastline. San Francisco is set along the coast, which means that you can enjoy sandy beach all the time. Ocean Beach is located on the west side of the city in the Sunset district, Baker Beach is just west of the Golden Gate Bridge, and of course Fort Funston is located further south and is a dream for dog owners.

Farmers markets. There are several great farmer's markets within San Francisco that make for great cheap activities. Check out the market at the Embarcadero, which features many fantastic bread and cheese artisans, or the market at Alemany Boulavard, which embodies the spirit of local produce.

Fisherman's Wharf. Although it is a touristy spot, walking along the wharf can also be quite fun. Grab a bite to eat at Boudin's and watch the bread-making process (Personally, I love seeing the loaves of bread made in the shape of animals!). For free, you can enjoy the Musee Mecanique which boasts old and classic mechanical toys and carnival games. Also be sure to stop by Ghirardelli Square and enjoy a free chocolate sample!

For next to nothing you can enjoy much of what San Francisco has to offer!

A sunny day in Dolores Park

When the sun is out, the crowds swarm to Dolores Park. It is one of the sunniest parts of the city to begin with and offers fantastic views of the downtown. The park spans two city blocks and has activities to please everyone-- tennis courts, play gyms for children, an unofficial off-leash dog area, and plenty of open grassy areas.

On this particular day, we brought Cooper to run around with the other pups and enjoyed a nice picnic in the grass.

The views at Twin Peaks

Today was a clear day, so we decided to head up to Twin Peaks to enjoy the views of our stunning city. This is a particularly special place for us, since it is where Nate first proposed to me! We enjoyed the memories of our engagement and soaked in the city views.

Fort Funston: Heaven for dogs

If you are looking for a daytime activity to do on the weekend, look no further. Fort Funston is one of the best day trips whether or not you own a dog. It boasts one of the most beautiful beaches on the coast-- with views of the Golden Gate bridge, rugged dunes, and sandy beach access. In addition to the views, you are able to meet every type of dog imaginable and can also enjoy the daring hand-gliders that regularly soar along the coastline.

On this particular Saturday, we took Cooper to enjoy the dogs and the beach. Cooper isn't too keen on going in the water, but LOVES to sniff and meet all of the other dogs. Today his favorite playmates included a whippet who was running around with a group of sighthounds who met up for the day and a young samoyed pup.

San Francisco Pride Parade

Today we went up to San Francisco to enjoy the annual Pride Parade. This year was particularly special since same-sex marriages were recently made legal in California. Thousands celebrated gay pride in the usual bright garb, but in addition we were treated to hundreds of recently married couples. The excitement and love in the air was indescribable.

On this day I am especially proud to say I live in California.