It's Alex's 20th Birthday! See this link for my birthday posting.
In the morning, we woke up early, at around 08:20, to drive to Schubert's Bakery on Clement Street to purchase the birthday cake for Alex and a few other pastries.
After we returned home, we walked to the nearby Walgreens Pharmacy to pick up a few items, including:
- Birthday Candles (for the Schubert Bakery's birthday cake)
- Isopropyl Alcohol (to clean my Ezzy Elite 5.0 sail that needed repair)
- Laundry Detergent
- Paper Towels
- Chocolate
- Chips
I tried to patch up the Ezzy Elite 5.0m sail by following the instructions on the sail repair tape. I hope they work:
- Clean the sail with soap & water
- Clean the sail with Isopropyl Alcohol
- Apply sail tape
Only time will tell if the sail repair tape will hold. I plan to replace the 2016 Ezzy Elite 5.0m sail with a new 2022 Ezzy Zeta 5.0m or 2022 Wave 5.0m sail next year.
After fixing the sail, Inna and I decided to hike to the Arsicault Bakery through Presidio. It was a long 2.5-mile hike with many steep sections. Due to my slow recovery from Covid-19, I was still winded on the walk.
Once we reached Arsicault Bakery, we queued in a long line, waiting to purchase the delicious pastries. There was a very friendly collie in line next to us. She wanted to jump on Inna, to kiss her.
When it was our turn to order, Inna selected the following items:
- Plain Croissant
- Currant Scone
- Ham and Cheese Croissant
- Chocolate Almond Croissant
We sat in the nearby Breck's Cafe, where Inna ordered a mocha for me and tea for herself. We sat down and munched on the delicious pastries.
I could have been more impressed by the currant scone. However, the plain croissant was delicious! Inna's ham & cheese croissant was also quite impressive.
We returned home by the same route. We were both a bit tired. I was ruminating about being able to buy wing-foiling gear and decided to drive to Boardsports in Alameda (a 45-minute drive over the Bay Bridge) to take a look at the recommended wing-foiling gear. I was unsure if I was ready to purchase it, but I wanted to see the wing foiling gear in person.
I discuss the gear purchase in a separate blog post here. After purchasing the gear, I drove back to San Francisco (about 50 minutes with delays on the Bay Bridge). I arrived home around 18:00. Inna was resting in the bedroom; she must have been tired from our long hike.
We decided to get on the waiting list at Delarosa Pizzeria, where we would celebrate Alex's 20th Birthday. I wrote about it in a separate blog post here.
After returning home, we brought out the Schubert Bakery's Strawberry Shortcake for Alex with candles lit. We really enjoyed the cake with hot Jasmine green tea.
Sunday, July 31, 2022
I woke at around 08:00, showered, shaved, and dressed. I noticed some ants in the bathroom and many ants in the kitchen. I decided to purchase some ant traps from Amazon.
We planned to meet with Lucy and Andrei at around 13:00 in San Francisco, eat lunch at our favorite Cote Ouest French Bistro, and visit the Legion of Honor museum exhibition.
Inna and I walked to Crissy Field, observing multiple swimmers and SUPpers in the water. There was still a bit of fog near the Golden Gate Bridge. After resting on the bench, we decided to walk to Equator Coffees. We noticed hundreds of tourists riding bicycles to the Golden Gate Bridge on the way there. There were also many runners along Marina Boulevard.
When we strolled over to Equator Coffees, we noticed a long line. Inna queued up while I walked to the nearby Farmers' Market. There were many peaches, tomatoes, mushrooms, and other vegetables for sale - but not apples.
Inna ordered me a mocha and a latte for herself, and we sat at a table, drinking our coffee and munching on a pastry that Inna also ordered.
We returned home around noon and rested before heading out to Cote Ouest Bistro, where we met up with Lucy and Andrei. At Cote Ouest Bistro, I ordered the following:
- Boris: Quiche du Jour, Black Tea
- Inna: Shared a Croque Monsieur sandwich with Lucy
- Dessert: French Toast
We decided to try Sotto Mare Seafood Restaurant in North Beach for dinner. We decided to use Lyft to get there, as parking in North Beach can be challenging. After arriving, we were ushered to a table indoors.
The insides of Sotto Mare are pretty funky, with old Italian paintings, Marlins, crabs, and other memorabilia littering the walls. We were immediately brought freshly baked bread, butter, and water, and our waitress dropped off menus. After telling us about the recommended dishes, we ordered the following:
- Boris: Iced Tea and Cioppino
- Inna: Cioppino (stew with crabs, oysters, and shrimp in a red tomato-based sauce with pasta)
- Alex: Risotto with Seafood
I woke at 07:30, dressed, and walked my usual path to Crissy Field. It was much less crowded than on Sunday, with few walkers and runners. There was a slight, intermittent drizzle, but it did not bother me.
In the afternoon, the sky cleared, and the temperature increased to the high 60s. At noon, Inna and I drove our minivan to Whole Foods to purchase the week's groceries. On our shopping list were several items, including:
- Organic Boneless Chicken Thighs
- Organic Lady Alice Apples
- Potato Chips
- Sourdough Bread
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Pastrami
In the late afternoon, we decided to walk to Fort Mason (even though Equator Coffee was closed). We discovered a German Restaurant called Radhaus, which had an exciting menu featuring :
- Pretzel with Obutzda
- Potato Pancakes
- Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich
On an evening walk to the Palace of Fine Arts, Inna spotted a raccoon, and we took a few photos.
We were just in time to observe the most beautiful San Francisco sunsets.
Inna was very excited about the beautiful sunset and took many photos.
Tuesday, August 2, 2022
I woke at 07:30, dressed, and walked my usual path to Crissy Field.
At noon, Inn and I went for a walk to Fort Mason, where we stopped by Equator Coffees for a mocha (for me) and a latte (for Inna). After returning home, I made a sandwich, using Sourdough Bread, Turkey, Havarti Cheese with Dill, and potato chips.
Since my afternoon meeting was canceled (and there was adequate wind at Crissy Field), I decided to try Wing Foiling for the first time. I drove over to Crissy Field and started to assemble my Armstrong Foil. It took a few tries to align the fuselage on the mast, and with the help of another foiler, I was able to insert screws and tighten them.
After fully assembling the foil, I inflated the Duotone SLS 5.0m kite. At first, I had to figure out how to insert the boom (which was relatively easy). I also had to ensure that all the air vents were closed.
After carrying the gear to the water, I walked further offshore to provide enough depth for the foil. Getting up on the board was hard, and I kept sliding off. I could sail a bit on my knees, but I could never get up. It was much more complicated than I expected.
At 16:00, I was done and disassembled the gear. I was home by 16:15 to let Alex have the van, as he was planning to visit his friends in Palo Alto (in Stanford Shopping Center).
In the evening, Inna reheated chicken thighs, and I made fresh Jasmine rice. I was starving!
Wednesday, August 3, 2022
I woke at 07:30, dressed, and walked my usual path to Crissy Field. It was foggy with the fog horn going off. Many people were jogging, and I saw a cargo ship sail through the ship channel.
During lunchtime, Inna and I went for a stroll to Fort Mason and stopped by for coffee at Equator Coffee. I drank my usual mocha while Inna enjoyed her regular latte.
After returning home, I ate a quick lunch of Whole Foods sourdough bread, Havarti dill cheese, and pastrami, with a few potato chips.
Since there was some wind forecast at Crissy Field, I decided to stop by for a quick wing foiling or windsurfing session if the wind and fog permitted it. There was little wind when I arrived, but the mist cleared. I decided to try wing foiling again.
I inflated my Duotone Slick SLS 5.0m sail and attached the Armstrong 1850 foil to my Naish 110 GS board. I wore my Promotion 4/3mm wetsuit and carried my gear to the beach.
Since the tide was coming in, it was pretty deep, and I tried wing foiling on my knees. I did much better than yesterday and could sail quickly before turning around. However, I was not able to stand up. I sailed for about an hour, and when I grew tired, I returned to shore.
As I de-rigged my gear, I noticed that the wind picked up and many new people were arriving - wing foilers and windsurfers. I wish I had the energy to windsurf, too!
I was tired and returned home. I had multiple work meetings to call into, anyway.
In the evening, Inna and I tried the German restaurant Radhaus at Fort Mason. Inna made reservations for the three of us, but Alex was too tired to join us.
After sitting down inside, we ordered the following items:
- Boris: 0.5L Konig Beer, Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich
- Inna: Riesling, Potato Pancakes with Beet-cured Salmon
The beer was excellent, and I really liked my Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich. Inna's Potato Pancakes with Beet-cured Salmon were good, but she needed more sour cream.
With sour cream, they were dry. We were both too full for dessert - and there was quite a temptation - German Chocolate Cake with Lingonberries!
Thursday, August 4, 2022
I woke at 07:30 and walked down to Crissy Field. It was a lovely day, and I enjoyed living in San Francisco.
I had a hectic meeting schedule and worked hard during the day. At noon, Inna and I managed to stroll to Equator Coffees for a mocha and a latte. It was always lovely to drink delicious coffee in San Francisco.
Since Crissy had a heavy wind forecast, I decided to stop by for a quick wing foiling or windsurfing session. I initially planned to drive around 15:00, but Inna had some errands to run, so I picked her up downtown and brought her back.
At around 16:00, I managed to arrive at Crissy Field. I quickly attached the Armstrong foil to my Naish 110GS board and inflated my Duotone Slick SLS 5.0m wing.
I would like to make wing foiling progress today after watching multiple wings foiling how-to videos. As luck would have it, I made some excellent progress. Using the techniques outlined in the 3 Waterstart Techniques video by Damien LeRoy, I could use the wing as another leg and stand up. I even managed to get up on foil for a short time!
During my wing foiling session, I could stand up multiple times and ride the foil a few times. It was excellent progress! I was thrilled after 2 previous days of disappointment.
In the evening, Inna and I walked daily to the Palace of Fine Arts and Crissy Field for the birds and the sunset.
Friday, August 5, 2022
I woke at 7:30 a.m. and walked down to Crissy Field. I saw many joggers and a few dogs being walked.
After returning home, I worked and called into multiple meetings. At lunchtime, Inna and I decided to try ordering from the nearby food trucks at the junction of Marina and Scott Streets.
We decided to try Mexican food from Cochinita. We ordered the following:
- Boris: 2 Panuchos (Two tortillas with chicken)
- Alex: 3 Grilled Steak Tacos
- Inna: 3 Grilled Steak Tacos
I decided to try windsurfing and rigged my Ezzy Elite 5.0m sail for my Fanatic Freewave STB 105 FSW board.
I was on the water at about 15:45, but only a few other people were sailing or winging. It was slow slogging for the first 15 minutes, and the wind was not very strong, even in the middle of the bay. On the way back to shore, I managed to plane for a bit (especially near shore, where the wind was most potent).
It was not my best session, but I still did well.
I thought about switching to the foil, but I was already too tired and had to be back by 18:00 (so that Inna could borrow the van for her girl's night out.)
I cooked Jasmine rice and ate a hamburger in the evening while Alex enjoyed his baked chicken. Inna had her girl's night out and drove out at 18:15.
San Francisco Workation Week 2 Review
Highlights
- Windsurfing at Crissy Field
- Morning walk to Crissy Field and to the Palace of Fine Arts
- Eating San Francisco's best croissants at Arsicault Bakery
- Eating cioppino at Sotto Mare
- Eating quiche at Cote Ouest Bistro
- Eating chicken schnitzel at Radhaus
- Sampling San Franciso's best gelato at GIO Gelato
- Drinking mochas at Equator Coffees
- Learning to wing foil at Crissy Field
- Seeing the Guo Pe Couture exhibit at the Legion of Honor Museum
- Hiking through Presidio
Lowlights
- Fighting ants in our kitchen and bathroom (in our Vrbo home at 3526 Scott Street)
- Struggling to stand up on the Naish 110 GS wing foil
- Paying a lot of money for a new Armstrong/Naish/Duotone Wing setup at Boardsports
