Lawyer Jen

Soon-to-be Mrs. Vogt

Hi lady,FI and I are thinking of a honeymoon in SF.I was wondering if you could give me some "can't miss" activities, restuarants, hotel recommendations, etc.Could you email me if you get a chance, please and thanks?? sassyjen6782 at yahoo dot comThanks!

zippityb

Please drive to San Jose and visit the Winchester Mystery House so I may live vicariously through you.

mrsAE

Please detour to French Laundry so I can also envy you.

lauralaur

Ooooh I've been to the Winchester Mystery House before. My cousin and I agreed that that would be a fantastic location for a game of Hide and Seek.

zippityb

I'm obsessed. I read Vanishing Point by Michaela Roessner, and I want to see it in real life.

Soon-to-be Mrs. Vogt

Dude, the Winchester house the ENTIRE reason I started looking at SF for a honeymoon. I want to go there so badly!! And we're going in October, so I'm hoping it's super scary then

zippityb

They do flashlight tours around Halloween, I think. OMG, go!

mrsAE

I googled to see what you are talking about.   I saw a show with a segment about it.  Think about that place with all the odd rooms and think about Neverland, same idea.

Soon-to-be Mrs. Vogt

Oooh, looking up info now :)E, I've never heard of French Laundry - enlighten me?

Soon-to-be Mrs. Vogt

Minus the 13 year old boys and Bubbles, E.

clseale13

Yeah, not to highjack this thread but if Lawyer Jen could suggest a kick a$$ seafood place that would be great. We're staying the night in San Fran for one night (Westin in Union Square) on our way up to a wedding in Bodega Bay. I really want an awesome seafood restaurant.

mrsAE

It is foodie heaven in the most perfect area with other major foodie places- [url]http://www.frenchlaundry.com/[/url]  It is Thomas Keller's best restaurant by far, from what I heard.  We have been to Per Se but never there.  People get reservations and plan their entire vacations around it.  There are other locavore foodie places in the area too.

anna.oskar

The best seafood in San Francisco is by Chef Laurent Manrique at Aqua.  It's pricy but well worth it.

AstinB2B

I know it's a no-brainer, but visit Haight- Ashbury for me. 

clseale13

Thanks ladies!

Pirata13

The Winchester Mystery House is AMAZING. I have really wild pictures from there!

Jen_503

Clseal: sorry for the late reply (and the cut and paste-I edited my suggestions for Vogt), but if you want seafood: In Ghirardelli Square, you will find McCormick and Kuleto’s right on the water off Larkin.  You can sit and have a Ghirardelli hot chocolate on the back patio behind it afterwards or before.  Don’t wait in the humungo line, but walk around to the back by the patio, follow the patio to the very end past the Accordion/music player guy and get a coffee/hot cocoa from the Ghirardelli smaller café that usually has no line.  Get a seat on the veranda and enjoy the music/people watch. There are a couple of neat little shops there, too, including Ghirardelli chocolate shop.   I also have to Mention Gary Danko if you have the $$. Very yummy, but very pricey.   At 39, is Neptune’s Palace.  Neptune’s is also a nice seafood restaurant.  It has beautiful views and is built right on the water.   On Pier 1 is the ferry building.  A local favorite is Hog Oyster café.  Monday and Thursday nights have happy hour starting at 5, and you can get $1 oysters and $2.50 beers.   Since you are in Union square, and if you want to test the Cable car, you can get on here on powell street.  Don’t walk all the way down, but look for the cable car signs. Hitch a ride up to California, then get off, then on the north side of California get another cable car down to Polk street (west). If you do this, get an all day pass ($11 all day for busses, too).  This will also take you past Grace Cathedral, truly an amazing church.  My favorite place for lunch here is Swann’s Oyster Depot on Polk and California. Go at lunch, but go early because there is always a line out the door.  Or, if you are here later, there is Crustaceans on Polk and California. The outside looks REALLY shady, but the ambiance inside is decent, but it truly is the best crab I’ve ever had in my life. Order the garlic roasted crab and a side of garlic noodles and you will be in heaven.   It’s not seafood, but on Sutter and Taylor, you will find Fleur de Lys. It’s known as one of San Francisco’s nicest restaurants.  VERY pricey, but super yummy. One of those fancy French places that brings you a work of art.  All in all, the best mix of Seafood/Ambiance/View/Drinks/Easier on Budget would be McCormicks.  Sometimes if you get in around 7ish, they still have the Crab legs from the boat from the show, the Deadliest Catch. They are really yummy.

Jen_503

And, sorry, not so much a fan of the mystery house. It's decent, but not worth the drive IMO. I would certainly recommend the drive to Napa. I love St. Helena more, and V. Sattui is my recommended favorite.  You can make an italian picnic with their imported cheeses and cured meats, and sit on the grass and munch. It's so relaxing.  If you think you are going to get a resi for French Laundry, good luck.  Not so easy.

clseale13

Thanks for the detailed response and all of the recs Jen!