Tuesday, July 26, 2022

San Francisco Workation Week 1

Tuesday, July 26, 2022  , , ,  No comments

 Sunday, July 24, 2022

Inna and I planned to work from San Francisco from mid-July to mid-August. We both enjoy the more relaxed summer weather and the myriad of restaurants and other entertainment options. However, since I came down with COVID-19 from July 11-15, we decided to postpone our workation in San Francisco by one week.


On Sunday, July 24, we loaded our 2008 Toyota Sienna minivan with my windsurfing gear, clothes, laptops, and electronics and drove to our rented Vrbo home at 3526 Scott Street, San Francisco.


We hoped to arrive by 12:00, but we only departed at around 12:45 due to packing delays, arriving in San Francisco at 13:47. We met our host, who showed us how to open the garage door and operate the various appliances in the house. We unloaded our minivan and unpacked our suitcases. Alex decided to walk to the nearby YMCA to see about joining in for the summer ($100/month), while Inna and I drove to Crissy Field, where I was hoping to windsurf.


Unfortunately, the wind was not sufficiently strong, and I could not windsurf with my Fanatic 105 STB freestyle wave board. I saw a few wing dingers sailing around, but not windsurfers (There were a few windsurf foilers racing, but they had race sails).

After walking around Crissy Field, we returned to our new home in San Francisco and decided to eat dinner at Roam Artisan Burgers on 1785 Union Street. As we walked there, we noticed many restaurants and shops had closed (since last year), including some of our local favorites: Karaweik Burmese Cuisine and Le Marais Bakery.


At Roam Artisan Burgers, we ordered the following dinner items:

  • Boris: The Classic with Turkey, Butter Lettuce, Tomato, Pickles, Iced Tea
  • Inna: Sunnyside with Bison, Egg, Fontina, Onions, Tomato, Iced Tea
  • Alex: Burger with Bison, Kombucha
  • Share: Zucchini Onion Haystack

After finishing our delicious meal, we stopped by GIO Gelato to taste delicious Italian-style gelato. The Pistachio gelato was delicious!


 

Monday, July 25, 2022

I woke at 06:30. ( I set the alarm incorrectly) and snoozed for another hour. At 07:30, I finally awoke, dressed, and went for a 2-mile walk to Crissy Field. It was drizzly and cold outside, but many people jogged, biked, and walked their dogs.


At noon, Inna and I drove to nearby Whole Foods to purchase chicken, deli meats, bread, eggs, fruits, vegetables, and other necessities. Surprisingly, there was parking inside Whole Foods, but the prices were slightly higher than in San Jose. I noticed that Deli Meats were more expensive, and Inna was surprised that organic strawberries were missing.

When we returned home, I continued working while Inna studied Python to prepare for upcoming interviews.


At around 15:30, I walked to Crissy Field to check out the wind situation. There was little wind, and only a few wing foilers were out.

I returned home and continued working.

In the evening, Inna reheated some hamburgers and rice for dinner. I worked most of the evening. 


Inna and I went for an evening stroll to the Palace of Fine Arts to see the birds. Inna took photos of Night Herons and other evening birds. After visiting the Palace, we walked toward Crissy Field to see the Golden Gate Bridge.


Tuesday, July 26, 2022

In the morning, I woke at 07:30 and dressed for a morning walk. I was still tired and lethargic but knew I needed the morning exercise.


I went for a 2-mile walk to Crissy Field. It was drizzly and cold outside, but many people jogged, biked, and walked their dogs. There was not much wind, but I enjoyed the brisk morning conditions.


After I returned home, I started my work. I had many meetings to call into and lots of work to do. I made a roast beef sandwich on top of toasted bread with Havarti cheese for lunch. It was delicious! I also finished a cheese blintz generously given to us by Edward (from his 60th birthday party).


We noticed a few ants in the kitchen and tried to clean them up to avoid an infestation.

In the late afternoon, at around 14:15, Inna and I stopped by for coffee at the Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters on Union Street. Inna ordered a mocha for me, along with a Kouign Amann pastry. The mocha was respectable.


At about 15:30, I checked the wind at Crissy Field and noticed that it was variable, coming from SW. Due to the eddy, the average NW wind was no longer blowing. NW wind is ideal for windsurfing at Crissy. 

It may have been fortunate, as I was feeling fatigued and tired.


After our coffee break, we stopped at the Marina Market to purchase a few essentials, such as paper towels, Acme Italian bread, etc.


For dinner, Inna baked chicken, and I made steamed rice. We strolled to the Palace of Fine Arts in the evening and saw a few birds. The fog started rolling in, and we heard the familiar sound of San Francisco's Fog Horn.

 

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

In the morning, I woke at 07:30 and dressed for a morning walk to Crissy Field. It was drizzly and cold outside, but many people jogged, biked, and walked their dogs. There was not much wind, but I enjoyed the brisk morning conditions.

After returning, I took a shower and continued my typical workday. At around 13:15, On this beautiful sunny day, Inna and I walked to Equator Coffees, enjoying the stroll along the shore. Inna ordered a small mocha for me and a specialty coffee drink for her. On the way home, Inna stopped at the Marina Supermarket to purchase toilet paper and apricots. Everything was so expensive!


After my work meetings, I returned to Crissy Field to try windsurfing. The wind forecast looked favorable, and I managed to windsurf for about an hour on a Fanatic 105 STB Freestyle Wave board and an Ezzy Elite 5.0m sail. Unfortunately, when putting away the sail, I noticed a small tear at the foot of the sail. I will need to have it repaired.

I just remembered my Zoom tennis lesson with Ryan Reidy in the evening. Fortunately, I checked my email and noticed the lesson. I could call in at 18:10 and learned a lot of valuable tips for playing tennis singles matches.

After my tennis lesson, Inna made dinner - chicken with a fresh spring salad. It was delicious. After dinner, we walked to the Palace of Fine Arts and Crissy Field. We could hear the Fog Horn constantly; it felt drizzly and cold. The fog rolled in heavily, and we could not see Alcatraz or Golden Gate Bridge.

 

Thursday, July 28, 2022

In the morning, I woke at 07:30 and dressed for a morning walk to Crissy Field. It was drizzly and cold outside, but many people jogged, biked, and walked their dogs. 

The Golden Gate Bridge was completely fogged, and the Fog Horn was constantly blaring.

 

I had a very long work day with many meetings. I finished my work at midnight!

I did not sleep very well, even though I was exhausted. It was odd. 


Friday, July 29, 2022

In the morning, I woke at 07:30 and dressed for a morning walk to Crissy Field. It was drizzly and cold outside, but many people jogged, biked, and walked their dogs. 


At lunchtime, Inna and I walked to Equator Coffees, where she ordered me a mocha and a specialty drink for herself.

 

At around 16:00, Inna borrowed the 2008 Toyota Sienna to meet Alla at Golden Gate Park. I continued working. 


 For dinner, I made white Jasmine rice in the rice cooker and reheated chicken and hamburgers for Alex and me (as Inna was going to eat with Alla at Cinderella Bakery).


In the evening, Inna and I took a short walk to the Palace of Fine Arts and Crissy Field.


San Francisco Workation Week 1 Review

Highlights

Lowlights

  • Ants in our kitchen and bathroom (in our Vrbo home at 3526 Scott Street)
  • I found a small tear in the foot of my Ezzy Elite 5.0m sail
  • Seeing some of our favorite eateries permanently closed, including:
    • Karaweik Burmese Cuisine (CLOSED)
    • Le Marais Bakery (CLOSED)




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