Blouse: Topshop (similar) l Necklace: c/o Artifacts World

Sunglasses: c/o Sole Society l Shoes: Nordstrom l Bag: Longchamp l Skirt: J.Crew (similar)

Rings: c/o bluboho l Watch: c/o Daniel Wellington

Rose’s Cafe

Sunglasses: Le Specs l Shoes: Nordstrom (similar) l Sweater: J.Crew l Jacket: (similar) l Jeans: GAP

Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters

Alcatraz Island

August and September were two months filled to the brim with travel (more than this mama’s taken in a while), and now as I sit here and write this, I can’t believe it’s all come and gone so quickly!

You’ve probably heard me say this before, but the first time my husband and I left our son to travel alone he was one and had just been weaned onto a bottle. We felt this was the right time to take a vacation just the two of us, and it worked out perfectly. So when baby #2 hit the one-year mark, we had our next adults-only vacation booked and ready to go.

Napa Valley had been on our bucket-list for a while, so combine that with great friends (Krystin Lee) who also had the same inkling, and grandma’s flight to our house booked, we starting planning our California vacation. We decided to start off our trip by spending a few days in San Francisco for a little shopping, dining and sight-seeing, and it turns out the city was just as charming and pretty as I had remembered it from a few years back.  (Check back next week for my Napa Valley travel diary).

I’m not sure if Mark Twain officially said these words, but “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco” certainly turned out to be so true in August. If I would have known how cold it was going to be, I would have packed more sweaters, but despite the cool temps, we spent a really great weekend in the Bay area.

Here are my reco’s for three great days in SFO, dining at great restaurants and seeing the most of this beautiful city.

TIPS:  The best way to get around the city by far was UBER. Every ride we requested was fast, efficient and drivers were very friendly. If you visit in the Summer, remember to bring sweaters and jackets as the temperature can be quite cool. September/October is when you can expect the warmest temperatures.

STAY:  After being thoroughly disappointed by our first night’s accommodation, my husband and I quickly got up early the next morning (hello jet lag) and moved over to the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins in Nob Hill, which turned out to be exactly the right decision. This luxury property with an ideal central location was the perfect retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Because we checked in very early in the morning (ahem….7am) and the room we had booked was not yet available, we were immediately upgraded to a Junior Suite and given our room keys. Needless to say we had an incredibly comfortable and enjoyable stay.

EAT:  There were so many amazing restaurants to choose from in San Francisco and not enough time to try them all. For a really unique dining experience, Foreign Cinema delivers delicious food, wine and art (films playing on the outdoor garden wall) all in one place. When you first arrive you may wonder if your driver brought you to the right place (slightly seedy neighborhood), but once you enter you’re transported to a truly magical place.

Park Tavern is a trendy restaurant in the North Beach neighborhood of SF that is classy, lively and a great spot to dine with friends. The menu changes seasonally and at our table the Green Goddess Salad and the Marlowe Burgers were a hit.

We ate the most delicious fried chicken (Food & Wine Magazine agrees) at WayFare Tavern in what felt like a cozy hunting retreat, yet still elegantly styled with classic charm. If I were designing a country residence, this is exactly the look I would go for.

Saturday brunch was at Unions St. hotspot, Rose’s Cafe. We sat outside on the most perfect little bistro table and chowed down French Toast with Organic Strawberries and Whipped Cream, Breakfast Pizza with Smoked Ham, Fontina & Eggs, and of course cappuccinos to go around. Then after we were done our brekkie, we headed across the street to Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters for more cappuccino and to admire the cutest pineapple wallpaper.

Before we left the city to head up to Napa, we did a quick pit stop at Mr. Holmes Bakehouse for their famous Ube Puffs and a shot in front of their Insta-famous neon sign. Their baked goods were so delicious and I regret not visiting the place earlier during our stay because it just may have become a daily occurrence.

DO: My husband and I started off our weekend checking off another item from his bucket list – a visit to Alcatraz. While I would have preferred another way to spend our first full-half day in SF, it really turned out to be quite interesting and intriguing. The history on this one little island is incredible.

After getting off the ferry from Alcatraz Island, we strolled in and around Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39. A walk through the delightful Ferry Building Marketplace yielded treats from Miette, coffee from Blue Bottle Coffee and lunch on the patio at Hog Island Oyster Company.

We leisurely wandered through the gorgeous neighborhoods of Pacific Heights, Russian Hill, Marina, and Mission District in search of pretty houses and luscious bougainvillea, where every corner and turn revealed another magnificent gem. One place we specifically UBERed it to was Alamo Square Park to see The Painted Ladies. These colourful, intricately-detailed houses are probably some of SF’s most recognizable landmarks, and they didn’t disappoint. In Mission district we stumbled upon the Palace of Fine Arts which was originally built for the 1915 Expo. The gardens and ponds were so beautiful, but on this particular day the freezing cold wind tunnels created between the pillars  of this palatial structure all but took away any enthusiasm I had for seeing more.

The shopping mecca of Union Square provided hours of retail therapy  and endless choices and selection. With the boys off at a football game, Krystin and I spent a few solid hours strolling around getting our shopping on.

A visit to SF is incomplete without seeing (or riding across) the Golden Gate Bridge. The leisurely ride I had imagined, turned into the workout of the century and took us from Fisherman’s Wharf over to Sausalito, and then (thankfully) back to the city by ferry boat. Despite the soaring height, cars whipping by close enough to touch, and the extreme wind on the bridge, it was an incredible experience that I’m glad I can say I did!