We are extremely excited to share our first adventure with you since our Blog was launched.

Disclaimer:  We did not receive any compensation or benefits from any of the businesses mentioned in this post.

Day 1 of The Auld’s Take San Francisco

Tabletop Tap House

Our adventure began Friday in San Francisco with lunch at the Tabletop Tap House. The Maple Sriracha Iron Skillet Chicken Wings were delicious! The balance of sweet and heat were perfect! We washed the wings down with a couple Anchor Steam beers.

The Westin St. Francis on Union Square

We then headed back to The Westin St. Francis on Union Square, which was our home for the first couple days in San Francisco. This hotel is not only historic but is gorgeous! Our room was perfect, and the mattress was comfortable. You will rarely hear me say a hotel bed is comfortable, but I slept like a baby the entire trip.

On the hotel building there are two (2) flags that hang daily. The first and most important flag is the American Flag. The second flag varies from day to day. Each day a flag from a different country is hung on the building. We were told that if an Ambassador or someone important from a country is staying in the hotel then they will make sure to fly their flag. According to the front desk they have a flag room that is incredible to see. I wanted to ask to see the room but figured it wasn’t going to happen so didn’t bother. However, I loved the idea of representing a different country’s flag each day.

Chateau Montelena Tasting Room

One of the coolest finds was right in our hotel. The Westin had an actual wine tasting room. It turns out that the Chateau Montelena Tasting Room is unique in that it is the only tasting room outside the actual winery. We did the sampler which consisted of the following samples and flavor profiles based on the information provided in their menu:

• 2018 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley: Ripe melon, chamomile, and guava frame the tropical aromas. Followed by lychee, rose, and citrus blossom. The palate yields to ripe grapefruit, tart strawberry along with suppleness and density. Fresh pineapple, lemon meringue, and a hint of sage round out the finish. Price point $39
• 2018 Chardonnay, Napa Valley: The aromas showcase honeysuckle, jasmine, and apple blossom. Fresh green apple, candied orange peel, & baking spices are on the palate. Bright acidity along with minerality and depth build texture and weight. Contrast of silky toast and sweet pear highlights a rich finish. Price point $58
• 2014 Zinfandel, Napa Valley: Cocoa, espresso, & cedar are apparent on the nose; then transitions to ripe blackberry, fig, & mint. The acidity is contrasted and balanced by density and richness on the palate; along with notes of raspberry jam, dried blueberries, & cherry candy. The finish has rustic earthiness and chewy tannins. Price point $39
• 2013 Petite Sirah, Napa Valley: Endless aromas of blackberry, strawberry jam, & dried fig. The acidity and tannins are immediate; with undertones of dried plum, allspice & hazelnut. The mouthfeel transitions from somewhat coarse & angular to smooth & viscous. The finish has unmistakable black pepper & hints of cedar & clove. Price point $45
• The Montelena Estate Collection – 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, Montelena Estate: There are ripe notes of dried cherries, baking spices, and vanilla with a hint of espresso beans and pipe tobacco on the nose. The mouth steers towards dark fruit, blackberry jam and plum slowly yielding to vibrant tannins and bright acid. The finish ties in both the nose and the palate together with fresh raspberries and mint. Price point $175.

The Tasting Room Manager Russell was extremely knowledgeable and provided a great experience. All five (5) of the wines were delicious. They know what they are doing at the Chateau Montelena Winery when it comes to wines. One of the great discoveries was the white wine. We typically are not white wine drinkers but after tasting the 2018 Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, we knew we had to bring back a couple bottles. We find it so difficult to find good white wines that when we do, we do not pass up the opportunity to bring some home.

The Chateau Montelena Winery also has a wine club should you feel the need to sample the wine for yourself.

Hog Island Oysters

One of mine and Bernie’s weaknesses is oysters. We never miss an opportunity to eat good oysters so when we heard about Hog Island Oysters we had to take time out of our trip to stop in and test out their oysters. Hog Island Oysters did not disappoint! We ordered the Oyster Bar Mix, which provided a great variety of small to large oysters to taste.

In addition to the oysters, I highly recommend the chowder which was made (according to their menu) with manila clams, aromatic vegetables, bacon, potatoes, and cream! Oh my gosh this stuff was amazing!!! I washed it all down with spicy Bloody Mary, which you will learn, is the only way I drink a Bloody Mary and Bernie had a whiskey.

If you are in San Francisco, not only is the food amazing but the view is great, too! The Bay Bridge is beautiful lit up at night. Make sure to check out all the pictures from our trip.

Day 2 of The Auld’s Take San Francisco

Sears Fine Food

One morning during our trip we gave you a sneak peek of Sears Fine Food, where we had breakfast. The World-Famous restaurant opened in 1938 by Ben Ears who was a retired circus clown. Sears Fine Food is known for their Swedish pancakes, but I chose to try the Bay Shrimp Omelet and Bernie had the Farm Fresh Eggs and Bacon. The food was delicious and filling. It is worth the stop!

The Golden Gate Bridge

No trip to San Francisco would be complete without seeing the Golden Gate Bridge. The engineering marvel was even more spectacular than we imagined! Although Bernie is the engineer, we both appreciate the men who envisioned such a massive bridge back in the 30’s and brought it to life.

Although I consider myself a pretty fearless person, I must admit that at one point I was leaning over the railing looking for ships and could feel the bridge shaking from the blowing wind and was starting to get freaked out. I can’t imagine what it was like for the men who constructed the bridge or for the men and women who work on the bridge daily today. I’m sure it’s both scary and invigorating all at the same time.

Check out these eight (8) interesting facts about the Golden Gate Bridge from the History Channel.

Cigar Bar and Grill

Any time we go on vacation we look for a cigar bar to visit. Unfortunately, finding cigar bars are becoming more and more difficult.

After some searching, we found the Cigar Bar and Grill. We decided that this would be a great place to kick back and relax after walking the Golden Gate Bridge. They had a patio area where you could smoke your own cigars or purchase cigars from their humidor. Unlike many places, a cut and light fee was not required in order to smoke your own cigars. All they ask is that you are ordering food and/or drinks if you are going to occupy a seat. No problem here! We ordered food, drinks, and smoked our cigar before retiring for the evening.

Although we didn’t stay long since we were both exhausted from the day, we enjoyed are time together at yet another cigar bar.

Day 3 of The Auld’s Take San Francisco

Lori’s Diner

Bernie saw Lori’s Diner as we were headed back to the hotel from the cigar bar so we decided we would try it the next morning for breakfast before another big day in San Francisco. The atmosphere was 50’s style diner with a vintage car in the diner, the “King” himself Elvis, and a jukebox of course.

This fun diner was a great find as we sat there in such a fun environment checking our fantasy football lineups. Yes, even on vacation fantasy football lineups must be checked. In future blog posts you will see why winning fantasy football is so important.

Trolley

The Trolley ran right in front of our hotel up Nob Hill so this was a must do! We decided to take the trolley to Fisherman’s Wharf for that day’s adventure.

I would ride in the trolley on the way while Bernie hang off the side in true Trolley style. We always say that sometimes it’s the little things we love the most and I cannot tell you how much fun a trolley ride can be! Money can buy a lot of things, but it can’t always buy you fun but for a $7 trolley ride you will feel like a little kid again!

On the way back to the hotel, Bernie rode inside the trolley and I hung off the side! Nothing like hanging off the side of a trolley after a few Irish Coffee’s…but we will get to that part of the story shortly.

Fisherman’s Wharf

After the trolley ride we arrived at Fisherman’s Wharf. If you are planning to head to the Wharf, make sure to wear comfortable shoes. The Wharf has so much to see so plan to spend some time checking everything out and doing a lot of walking. Fisherman’s Wharf has plenty of places to eat, drink, stores to pick up your tourist gifts, and enjoy the view. It’s also where you will catch the boats for several of the tours. The parking looked a little difficult and pricy so I would recommend taking the trolley or taking an Uber to get to the Wharf. Save your money for the important things.

Sealions

Another great thing to check out in San Francisco that doesn’t cost you a thing are the Sealions. The link provided is to their live web cam so if you are not going to San Francisco anytime soon, check them out to see what you are missing. It was so much fun watching them play and push each other into the water. It was so entertaining to watch and honestly, you heard them long before you ever saw them. They made sure everyone knew where they were located.

Alcatraz

Alcatraz was on our list to see if we saw nothing else in San Francisco. With all the stories I have grown up hearing, documentaries watched, and who could forget watching “The Rock”, seeing Alcatraz was the most exciting part of San Francisco. I couldn’t wait to arrive and say to Bernie the great Sean Connery’s line, “Welcome to the Rock” (and yes I could hear his voice in my head as I said it).

The boat ride to The Rock made you realize just how much effort it would have taken for someone to escape from Alcatraz. As we arrived, we were welcomed by a woman dressed in Civil War attire (yes, there is more to Alcatraz than just a prison) who gave us the rundown on Alcatraz, other speakers during the day including a child who grew up on Alcatraz. Although we didn’t have time for other speakers, the thought that children grew up on Alcatraz never crossed my mind. However, as we toured the cell house, we heard stories from different individuals (guards, children, prisoners) who all called Alcatraz home at one time. We don’t want to spoil any specifics about Alcatraz, but if you go pay special attention to the key hanging above you on the wall.

The Buena Vista

Now we almost forgot to visit this place but luckily, we remembered before leaving the Wharf area. The Buena Vista was a place told to us as a must visit by a friend of ours. However, she told us a year ago which is why we almost forgot.

The Buena Vista is a great bar with some amazing food! I had the Dungeness Crab Melt (served on San Francisco sourdough, swiss cheese, and spring mix with balsamic vinaigrette) and Bernie had the Dungeness Crab Salad (Crab, avocado, bacon, tomato, field greens, crumbled blue cheese, and ranch dressing). Of course, what The Buena Vista is most famous for is their Irish Coffee and yes, we had four (4) each. They were amazing! Best Irish Coffee I have ever had and yes, I challenged Bernie to make them when we got home! I’ll keep you posted on how they turn out.

If you look at nothing else in this blog post, you MUST watch the video of how they make the Irish Coffee. Talk about impressive!

The Westin at the Airport, San Francisco Airport, and La Collina

On our final night we moved to The Westin at the Airport so we would be close to the San Francisco Airport the next morning. The Westin was very nice and had a shuttle to the airport that made it even more convenient.

We also decided to try a local restaurant called the La Collina. Although the food was delicious and we enjoyed a nice glass of wine with dinner, we were so exhausted from the trip that it was a short night for us. Off to bed we went so we could head home to Tennessee the next morning.

The End of The Auld’s Take San Francisco

Thank you, San Francisco, for another memorable adventure! As always, we had a great trip together and are already planning our next adventure together!