mmmmmmmm burritos and ouch, bruises!

Well,
I'm back. SF was awesome and we had a great time. The weather couldn't have been better and the burritos could not have been more tasty, I swear.
My trip started off a little shaky though. I thought it would be a great idea to ride the subway out to JFK and save some money. I checked the subway schedule for times and delays beforehand, like a responsible traveler should.
My suitcase was heavy and kept banging into my leg as I carried it down the stairs, then I realized once I got to the PATH that I forgot my boarding pass and had to turn around and go home to get it.
I got into the city I found out that due to construction the A train wasn't running all the way to JFK and I had to take a bus. There weren't any signs up and I couldn't find a station agent, so by the time I figured all of this out, I was really cutting it close, not to mention my leg was really starting to hurt from lugging that damn suitcase up and down the stairs.
Finally, I climbed the stairs one last time to hail a cab.
Off to the airport I went, sweaty, bruised and out of breath.
I arrived just in time to check my bag, and get a bottle of water.
I sat down against a wall to wait for my row to be called and what do you know a family of 5 suddenly came over and dropped their bags and children all around me. The dad even had the nerve to give me a "look." Seriously, what did he think I was going to do? Move? um, no!
I got lucky on the plane though and didn't have anyone sitting next to me, so that kind of made up for the pre-flight chaos.
Peter had an amazing view from his hotel room. He said he didn't close the blinds once. Check it out.

I think sunrise was my favorite.
The first thing we did was head down to Puerto Allegre on Valencia, the best mexican restaurant ever. Seriously, there's always a line and it's so cheap. I used to go there so much that Terzo, the host knew my face and always put my name higher on the list. We ate there twice in three days, if that tells you anything.

oh man this burrito was a goody, not mention the margaritas weren't bad either.

Later that night we met up with some of Peter's co-workers and I almost got into a fight with this guy.

He was mad because I caught him with his gut out after making out with his girlfriend.

He was so mad that he left shortly after that. I mean, seriously, who do you think you are????
I thought about fighting him and Peter's friend Ernest is a marine so really, he couldn't win but I was more interested in my Yager-bomb by that time that I forgot all about it.

The following day with Gary, Dwain and Addison was all about mimosas and pancakes, a trip to Dolores park and lots and lots of giggling. It was so much fun we decided to meet for lunch the next day.
The first time at Puerto was fun with Peter, we had a good time sitting at the bar eating and drinking. The second time with Dwain, Gary and Addison was more fun because we ordered nachos (Gary and I only eat them when we are together) and I kept spilling my margaritas everywhere. I said it was because my hand was sweaty but really I was just excited. After lunch we all went across the street to Therapy to look at the neat home furnishings. It's like a ritual, eat at Puerto, go to Therapy, funny right? Dwain bought Gary this really cool mini sputnik chandelier. I was pretty jealous because Gary also has the really big sputnik, but it's in storage. Someday, I hope he decides he hates sputnik and gives it to me. :)

but you can't beat this one,

On our way to Tartine bakery on Guerrero Peter told me this.

Tartine is a pretty well known bakery in SF. They make all kinds of pastries. I loved their croissants and gougeres, but didn't think the chocolate hazelnut tart was anything special. They have a cookbook out which looked pretty cool.
When we went out to Walnut Creek to see my parents I took some pictures to show you.

Those crane things are how George Lucas came up with some of his Star Wars characters. I can't remember the names of the actual characters, but if I did, I'm sure you'd think it was cool.

For some strange reason, the BART looked really clean and pretty that day. I think it must have just been my imagination.

If only we could afford a house in the Berkeley hills.
On the way to SFO to drop Peter off, the Bay Bridge and the city looked so nice. There wasn't any fog (which is totally unusual).

Once Peter was on his way back to Jersey, my mom and I went to the Scharffenberger Chocolate Factory for a little tour and some chocolate tasting. Now, I find most of the SB chocolate fairly unimpressive. I don't know what it is about their chocolate, maybe it's the antique machinery they use or the farm where they get their beans. It could be that they are owned by Hershey's or that their factory used to be the Heinz pickle factory. Both my mom and I agree that they have a great milk chocolate.
Our tour guide looked a little like Dan Yemin, it kept cracking me up.

I was surprised at how small the factory actually was.

One guy just sits in a room (with a large picture window I might add) and roasts and shells the beans. He tastes them before shelling them to make sure they are roasted right.

This is my mom wearing her hair net and headphones, so her hair doesn't fall in the chocolate and the noise from the machines doesn't make her go deaf.

The beans go into the Melangeur and get all mixed and mashed and ready for tempering.
The tempering machines are huge. When we temper chocolate at work, it's in a plastic bucket in the microwave!

After the chocolate is tempered, it gets poured into molds to make bars and other neat things.
Usually, it comes out on this conveyer belt, but they weren't busy that day so there aren't any bars coming out.

It was a pretty cool tour and the cafe has some great food too. It was so interesting to see how personal and intimate the chocolate production was. Even though they have big machines, they insist on using only antique machines which require that a human be present at all times to oversee the production.
Would you believe that when we first moved to NJ, I applied for a job at the Jaques Torres chocolate shop? It was even more of a factory than this and everyone was so rude.
It's been about a year since I have been home to visit. Ever since we moved I have been trying to compare NJ/NYC to SF. I am realizing now, there isn't much to compare. They each have their own special qualities that make them so great.
My trip home was a little more relaxed than coming out. Except my seat was broken so I couldn't recline and we sat on the runway after landing for awhile.
Oh, and not only that, when I went to get my suitcase off the conveyer belt, I hit my other leg and have a bruise on my shin!
But check out the view from above the storm. This picture doesn't even do it justice, it was so beautiful.

And now it seems I have brought the sunshine back with me! Spring might actually be here to stay.
xoxoxo