San Francisco Road Trip

Hey There!

Our San Francisco Road Trip Video. Click to watch on Youtube. Enjoy!

My BFF, Kathryn Begle and I went on a road trip [slash] #bffadventure to SAN FRANCISCO!! We left early Saturday, August 16th around 6:00am and drove straight up I-5 to the Bay area. I must say, we made very good time and made it to the bay area by noon. We decided to take the scenic route into San Francisco by crossing the Bay Bridge (from Oakland). This was a traffic jam. The Bay Bridge is a toll road, if you didn't know. On Saturday afternoon the cost was $5.

45 minute traffic jam
$5 dollar toll
The Bay Bridge view/entrance into San Fran = priceless
(It was worth it)

We planned out our trip with an itinerary and a map colorfully marked with numbered stickers with a map key made by "MYAH." Of course, things don't always go exactly as planned (ie, time, weather, money etc) so this is how our trip itinerary ended up.

Day 1 Itinerary

1. Picnic at the Alamo Park (the Full House park) with the gorgeous and infamous Painted Ladies/San Fran skyline in the background. 

(Finding parking around the park was not difficult and I was able to keep my car here for a few hours before checking into the hotel).

2. Sweet Victorian style House searches. They are everywhere!

3. Full House house

 1709 Broderick St. 94115

The full house home is now purple from the current residents that live there. I read on yelp that they painted it purple to make it harder for tourists to find. They do not like the attention their house brings. There were constantly people coming and going to see the house. IT'S FAMOUS!

4. Parked car all weekend at Best Parking (yes, that's the name) car garage. I learned the hard way that the hotels in San Francisco charge about $50 a NIGHT to keep your car parked in their garages. There is no self parking either. So, I had to research parking garages that allow you to keep your car there over night and for long periods of time. I found this place that allowed me to make a reservation before hand (didn't seem to even matter though) and it cost $50 total for all 3 days we stayed. http://www.parkforless.org/

5. Hotel Check-in at the Westin St. Francis on Union Square

 Fancy hotel.

6. Chinatown - United States largest Chinatown. 

7. City Lights Bookstore (wasn't as awesome as BuzzFeed said it would be)

6. Unplanned discovery of DELICIOUS pizza from Golden Boy Pizza in Little Italy. 

Read my Yelp review here.

7. Extremely dramatic climb up a steep hill by Ashley (an homage to The Lion King). 

Also a Trip Video Must see!

Day 2 Itinerary

1. Haas-Lilenthal House tour

This huge house is only considered a "Upper Middle Class home" I was like, "No, this is a mansion." The tour guide was very knowledgeable about the house and taught us general knowledge of San Francisco, too. We were cultured. Kathryn was pleased. 

2. Legion of Honor Fine Art Museum (Kathryn) 

 3. Mrs. Doubtfire House (Ashley) 

2640 Steiner St. 94115

Robin Williams had JUST past away that same week so there were many people at the house leaving flowers, pictures, candles, letters, and drawings.

4. Boutique Shopping on Fillmore St. (Ashley)

5. Lombard St. 

The crookedest road in the world! It's so freakin steep they had to pave the road with switchbacks.

6. Impromptu hipster photo shoots/Dance Break
A Trip Video must see. Watch it!!

7. Fisherman's Wharf wanderings 

8. Cable Car ride

So, we learned the hard way that these are NOT free rides. I never saw a system to taking a cable car, paying some one and getting off. We were yelled at by the cable car operator to pay $6 for the ride, but the guy in the back of the car was nice enough to just let us go, because we were apparently very naive tourists. 

Day 3 Itinerary

1. Hotel Check-out 

2. Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill 

An intense hike up to see an anti-climatic tower on top of a hill with a nice view.

3. Fisherman's Wharf for lunch

We ate bread bowls with soup from Boudin Bakery.

  4. Rent Bikes

There are TONS of places to rent bikes in Fischerman's Wharf but all seem to close at 7pm. (Lame) Renting bikes was also way more expensive than I imagined it would be.

5. Ride bikes to Golden Gate Bridge

This bike ride was awesome. There is a path that runs along the water and takes you straight up to the bridge.  We stopped many times to take pictures because it kept getting better and better was we road closer to the bridge!

6. Frolic

Had to frolic in this luscious green meadow in front of the Golden Gate Bridge!

7. Retrieve car from Best Parking garage

8. Go Home =(

I LOVED SAN FRANCISCO!!!! I would move there in a heart beat if I had a job and made more money. It is my favorite city that I had ever been to. It is a beautiful city along the bay with weather ranging from 75 - 40 degrees each year. (YAY BOOT WEATHER)! I adored the architecture and the views from their mountainous hills. All the strangers were incredible kind and helpful if we needed advice or directions.

 I can't wait to go back.

Hope you enjoyed our San Francisco Trip Video!

Perfectly Pinterest Party | DIY Geo Curtain Backdrop

Happy Birthday To Me!!!

I decided to have a Big Ol' Picnic and BBQ style birthday party at Weddington Park in Studio City. I was inspired my this Geo-Curtain Photo Backdrop I saw on Pinterest. This couple used a HUGE one for their unconventional Valentine's Day wedding. You can buy the curtain off Etsy, but I decided to make my own for a much cheaper cost. 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/128858161/geo-curtainbackdrop-as-seen-on-ruffled?ref=favs_view_1 

First I found the Geo-triangle shape I needed from this lady's wonderful blog: http://www.kristimurphy.com/blog/mothers-day-diy

1. Print the triangle printable onto card stock paper (bought from Michael's) in the colors of your liking.

2. Cut out the triangle shapes and folder them along all the dotted lines.

3. Use a clear string to hang the geo shapes from. I used a clear stretchy string used for making bracelets from Michaels. Fishing line could also work. I measured out 8 foot long strands and made them all somewhat different lengths so my backdrop would have a random pattern going on.

4. Tie knots where you want your geo shapes to hang from. I spaced my triangles out at all different lengths like the one pictured on Etsy. 

5. This part takes practice! I figured out which order of I should glue the sides down so the string went straight through the middle of the triangles while resting on the knot that I had tied. I used a hot glue gun so it would dry instantly. 

 6. I made about 12 strands with all different color orders and spacing. 

7. I found a tree near my picnic tables to hang the strands about 4 inches apart to create my photo booth backdrop. 

It turned out really well and everyone loved it!

 =)