May's high point was our trip to San Francisco.
We wanted to go visit our fantastic friends the Ringers, AND we were going to do a school visit to a law school there we were considering. We decided to make it Spencer's birthday present. So the sorry sad post I wrote about our adult birthdays...yeah, adult birthdays also means you can plan a trip somewhere and go. I do like that.
San Francisco as most of you know is wonderful. My camera really liked it, as well as my heart, so combine those too and that's gonna be like a 12 part blog post. Whatevs - here we go.
Night 1/Day 1
We flew there after work on Thursday. We were so worried we were going to miss our flight (cut it real close) well it ended up being delayed, twice. So we had time to make a date night at the airport. We went a tram ride to the D-Gates (they are real fancy) and had dinner and played around.
All alone fun run
He loves water fountains. This one was choice, he told me.
Cutie
These peeps were OUT. Face down in the carpet, no care in the world, wearing a skirt.
Rough flight I guess.
This is my creeper picture of Ben. I couldn't remember how I knew him at first. Thought he was my friend or I creepily remembered him from sports camp in jr high. Then I took the next hour trying to figure it out. "Spencer he's an actor! He's an actor!" He was sure that if he was an actor he wouldn't be riding Southwest in front of us. I was sure he would be. Then it came to me that he was on a TV show. So I used Spencer's on flight Wifi that he bought and researched. THE BACHELOR!! (I didn't know because I actually am not a follower of the show, but I've tuned in to random episodes in random seasons) Ben from the Bachelor. I knew it. He probably heard me talking about him. I was determined to say hi to him when we got off, I didn't want to be annoying and cause a scene on the plane. We got off and as I was about to touch his arm he started walking away and I couldn't find Spencer and the moment was passed. Spencer - STILL DID NOT BELIEVE ME. Oh, we would confirm it somehow.
Jilly picked us up so late from the airport. Sweetie. And she had a bed all set up for us there.
Day 2
We woke up to breakfast made special by our spectacular host, who tiptoed around us while we slept in her path. AND my absolute favorite part...opening my eyes to sweet baby Ruth right next to me. Just watching me, and playing and smiling. I could get use to that smile.
Oh and we woke up to a settlement in the Bachelor on the plane debate. Spencer had tweeted him late t
he night before and when I got it I tweeted also (know that I don't even know how I get Spencer's tweets to my phone, or how to use Twitter, but SJO helped me out for this one because I needed to get my voice heard. Hear are our pleas and Mr. Ben Flanjnik himself with a simple answer.
Jilly is the best SF tour guide, that I highly underpaid. She drove us everywhere (I'm pretty impressed with her driving and parking skills also in the crazy city). On our way places she would say, "oh we're going to go this way so you can cross ________ off your list. You have to see it all." Thanks to her we did. On our way to our Alcatraz tour she drove us down Lombard street. She's also the funniest while she does all this. So we got to see that street and it's fancy houses. I wonder how expensive/annoying it is to have that address.
Our first tourist adventure was Alcatraz. We bought tickets for the "Alcatraz Cruise" a few weeks in advance and were both pretty excited. I love historical tours, architecture, places and the stories that go with them. It was a beautiful view the ride over. Windy of course, but beauts.
I am trying to be super minimal and picky on which pictures I post because I took 5 million everywhere we went and because I'm sure many have seen it all and could care less, BUT making simple decisions is real hard for me. So there will probably still be like 1.5 million.
I loved the details in the architecture. That they really just let the piece stay in time, no changes, just up keeping to it's original state. So you can really feel like you know what it was like.
The tour was super well done. You could walk around as you pleased, but they offered a movie and headsets. The headsets lead you around the facility very well and they told different stories along the way, showed you empty cells, first day cells, what cells would look like for long time inmates. Made it all very realistic. And you could stay as long or as short as you wanted. If you're into this kind of thing. I recommend it for a one time thing to do if you ever go to San Fran.
The rec yard was my favorite. Mostly because I know that's where we would spend the most of our time. The sad part is that it is FREEZING cold and wild windy because your on an island in the middle of the ocean, so these prisoners came out to get some air and had to put up with non ideal situations even on their escape from the inside.
Spence ran the bases. "Yeah, I ran the same ball field as Al Capone and Birdman, so what!?"
Tossed him a pitch
Like I said, the historical details are my favorites. There were words on the ground of where all the supplies would be laid out. Very overlooked.
The view from outside of the cell block.
Most torturous thing is the gorgeous views the prisoners got and how close they were to real life, but so so far away. Taunting. (I love in this picture how you can see the slanted streets and hills).
He acts like he could tough it, but he would not fare well in the D-Block
These are the most famous inmates to visit Alcatraz. Creepy Crazies. Most of them spent time in the D-Block which is the maximum security part of the cells and has the cells for solitary confinement. Pitch black for weeks with nothing...I genuinely would rather just do what I'm told.
The Library was cool. Spence found it relaxing.
This face would never be allowed in Alcatraz. Just wouldn't fit in.
Again with the cool views.
This is the story of the guys that dug themselves out of Alcatraz and haven't been found. The hole is in the back and then they made paper mache fake heads to lay in their beds. I found it completely disturbing/extremely interesting. Look up what they made them of...gross.
After the tour we walked along all the piers to the Ferry Market where Spencer's top favorite food is located. We've only ever been to San Fran one other time with my family, for a weekend trip when the Giants got their WS rings, but we didn't do anything super touristy. We did however eat lunch at Gott's. SJO has not shut up about the place since. SO you could say he was pretty pleased.
Wisconsin Sourdough Burger is what does it for him. WITH the sweet potato fries.
S E R I O U S L Y
One of the main reasons we were visiting SF was to check out one of the schools on Spencer's law school list. Golden Gate University being it.
(Noticing his face now...it explains he wasn't super into it I guess)
We walked over to ATT Park through all the city to meet up with this cute family for the Giants game.
As a thank you for letting us crash we took them to their first Giants game!
I love this ballpark
Ruthie did too. Honestly....best behaved happiest child I've ever seen at a baseball game/anywhere.
Orange Friday digs
Best
Pappa Eric
Night time came - perfect weather, just as awesome, just as happy.
There was highlight during the game when a neon yellow, full unitard wearing man rushed the field for like 5 min before anyone got him. I think he's a champ.
Ringer family - Ruthie's eyein' dat soduh
I love asking people to take a special picture for you. And it looks like this.
Twice.
So....that was the end of day one. We rode the bus home with tired lil babes and called it a night.
