09 Mar Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. The Oregon/California Coastal Adventure comes to a conclusion.

Crossing the Golden Gate bridge is never the same experience no matter how often one traverses it. The weather can change by the minute, cloaked in fog for a moment, bathed in sunshine the next, whatever the weather, it’s always unique.  This time, our crossing comes at the end of a 10 day Oregon/California Coastal adventure and feels more like coming home than it does traveling. Surrounded by fog that yields occasionally to the wind, I catch a fleeting glimpse of Point Bonita Lighthouse off to my right, a pleasant reminder of Christina and Jacobs wedding two years prior. The low moan of a foghorn sounds off from below and the traffic, there is always traffic here, cars, trucks, scooters, even walkers, joggers and bikers fill the sidewalks that line either side of this majestic orange bridge. I have used each of these means to cross and would be hard pressed to pick a favorite. Perhaps biking it from the San Francisco side to Sausalito and then a return by ferry is my favorite.

With our priorities clearly in order, and the proper advance phone call made, we confirmed that our favorite first stop would not be in vain. Dynamo Donuts was indeed still open and was saving an assortment of our favorite flavors, Coconut, Lemon Pistachio & Cornmeal Rosemary cherry.

We thoroughly enjoyed the last two days of our trip and the following images make me smile as they remind me that the ingredients for fun need not be complicated, a picnic in the park, good food, laughing at oneself (ok, and occasionally at/with selected others!), exploring new sights and sharing it all with someone special,  these are just a few of the reasons I love traveling.

Enjoying our Dynamo Donuts at Dolores Park in The Mission area of San Francisco

One of our favorite Airbnb places to stay, in the Mission District of San Francisco

Our room in the Mission

Lot’s of “characters” at Dolores Park in The Mission

Nice girl we met in Dolores Park whom Carissa bought a film camera from, she was holding a “mini garage sale” in the park

Carissa with her “new” used camera

Bi-Rite, The best neighborhood store ever… across from Dolores Park

Picnic goodies from Bi-Rite, best Cuban sandwich to be found (The Fidel)

Heading to Dolores park with our supplies

We were in luck on this trip, we happened to be here for “Dolores Park Movie Night” A rare treat and quit a spectacle.

“Dolores Park Movie Night”

Morning bike ride to Dynamo Donuts

Amazing flavors at Dynamo Donuts

Donuts that are baked, not fried, and the ingredients come from some of the most famous organic farms and dairies in california. No wonder Dynamo is our first and last stop on each trip to San Francisco.

Bijan and his dog Sushi at Dynamo Donuts in The Mission

Each first sunday of the month during the summer is “Sunday Streets in the Mission” down Valencia and 24th Streets. Closed to cars one can roam freely by foot or bike

A band “tuning up” for Sunday Streets in the Mission

I’ll let Carissa tell you the story about “the jacket that got away”

Love the Vietnamese food here at Bun Mee

Fun playground we found with some rather odd playground equipment

Smitten Ice Cream

Each batch is made fresh as you order

Honey Nectarine drizzled with honey… oh my goodness 🙂

Carissa’s Very Berry Sundae… so good !!

Located just a few blocks away is Blue Bottle coffee, the perfect compliment to Smitten Ice Cream

San Francisco transportation

Our new favorite for Chinese food is Mission Chinese. Flavors so hot it’ll make you cry, taste’s so good you can’t stop eating! Sizzling Cumin Lamb, Kung Pao Pastrami and Tiger salad.

Be sure and click on the image below of Carissa, tears streaming down her cheeks,  attempting to “put out the fire” with a cold beverage…

Biking to Boogaloos for breakfast

Breakfast of choice in The Mission… Boogaloos !!

Desayuno Tipico , 2 eggs, grilled plantain cake topped with tamarind sour cream, black bean and corn tortillas

Lemon cornmeal panackes

Clarion Alley between Mission and Valencia Streets and 17th and 18th Streets

Mission Dolores, is the oldest surviving structure in San Francisco and the sixth religious settlement established as part of theCalifornia chain of missions. The Mission was founded on June 29, 1776, by Lieutenant José Joaquin Moraga and Father Francisco Palóu (a companion of Father Junipero Serra), both members of the de Anza Expedition, which had been charged with bringing Spanish settlers to Alta (upper) California, and evangelizing the local Natives, theOhlone.

Mission Dolores – In the 1906 earthquake the mission was not damaged but the church next to the mission was and it was never rebuilt; what remains has been preserved in close to its original state.

Towering over the original mission built in 1776 is Mission Dolores Basilica

Inside Mission Dolores Basilica

Thanks for allowing us to share our Oregon/California Coastal Adventure  with you!

For more photo’s of our Oregon/California Coastal Adventure click here.

LINKS TO PLACES WE LOVED:

AIRBNB

BI-RITE GROCERY

BI-RITE CREAMERY

BOOGALOOS

Bunn Mee

Dynamo Donuts

MISSION CHEESE

SMITTEN ICE CREAM

Mission Chinese