San Francisco Day 2

SF Day 2 hurt. I burned my forehead and nose off.

I got up and went with my hostess to her law firm in one of the Embarcadero buildings. She has a wicked view of the Bay. Then I grabbed a chocolate-chip scone from Boudin and walked the entire length of the Embarcadero from the Ferry Building to Pier 39, where I bought a painted dish you can put your spatula or spoon on while you're cooking at Chocolate Heaven, and then on to Fishermen's Wharf. I finally found a Walgreen's where they were selling Muni passes and bought one. Then I walked to Ghirardelli Square and had a s'more cupcake from Kara's. Honestly, I'd eat a tire if it had the word s'more in front of it, but this had a surprising toasted marshmallow top, which was nice and unusual.

Then I took the bus to Chestnut Street on Cow Hollow, where I stopped off and got lunch at Grove Cafe. They put tiny pickles in my grilled cheese, which was weird, but I loved the atmosphere. Then I walked over to the Palace of Fine Arts grounds, which are surprising and lovely, and walked around.

The Marina neighborhood is incredible and tres chic. I walked to the water so I could see the bridge in the distance and took a LONG walk to try to find the Wave Organ, which is practically hidden at the end of a small spit. It wasn't working, but the view was lovely.

Then I walked a long, long way back to try to find a bus up Fillmore, where I grabbed a red velvet at That Takes the Cake because it was too hot to eat anything richer and a small ice cream at the original Swensen's, which had nowhere to sit and only took cash. Their Web site is more appetizing. Then I walked it all off by climbing down steep, curvy, famous Lombard Street and heading through Chinatown to City Lights. I bought Netherland, though it wasn't the cover I wanted, and Duras' The Lover. Then I skipped through Chinatown to catch a bus back to Japantown. There I hiked up steep Washington Street to see the Spreckel Mansion, which looks like a museum hidden behind a hedge, and is where Danielle Steel presently lives. There are mansions next to it that look puny. Then I walked around Lafayette Park and down into Japantown, past a restaurant called Cafe Kati!, and to the Sundance Kabuki, where I saw Away We Go. I could barely walk at this point.

After the movie, which was okay, I took ANOTHER bus back to the Embarcadero, where Lucy and I ate at the packed Town Hall after a long wait. The chicken and halibut were delicious, but it was some slow service. And then I crashed, half-dead with sun sickness.