For this brief holiday week, I was lucky enough to get to go home to the San Francisco Bay Area where my family lives. A place that is obviously very near to my heart, it makes it a cinch to find beautiful things to see and experience. It's easy to become accustomed to the lovely things nearby where you live or visit often (and in routine, not notice them), so it's important to take time to appreciate them and perhaps see them through fresh lenses or new perspectives. Which brings me to...The Ferry Building!
Photo circa the turn of the century (1900-ish) {image}The Ferry Building in San Francisco is quite a magnificent place...and although it has been an important landmark in the city for over a century (it opened in 1898), it was recently renovated and now goes by the name "Ferry Building Marketplace"... and boy it is lovely.
{image}You can see a spectacular view of the Bay Bridge from the Ferry Building...Ferries still come in and out of the Ferry building today, so it's not just a nice nostalgic title.
Inside the old Ferry Building!
{image}Take a look at the revamped version! There are restaurants and specialty food store outposts from all of the most beloved San Francisco haunts {Acme Bread, Cowgirl Creamery Cheeses, Blue Bottle Coffee Co., Lulu Petite, Golden Gate Meat Co., and the list goes on!}. There is also a farmers market!
The San Francisco trolleys are still running strong in front of the Ferry Building. I love them (My Grandma still tells me about riding the trolleys all around the city when she was a young lady)!
I was meeting a friend for lunch at the Ferry Building and it was such a beautiful November afternoon that there were tons of people enjoying the day in the outside seating areas.
{image}Acme Bread! San Francisco sure does know how to do bread (an essential food group, if you ask me...USDA may disagree).
{image}Cowgirl Creamery! If you walk around, you can see plenty of smart people who had the good idea of buying a baguette from Acme and pair it with Cowgirl creamery cheese and a bottle of vino from WineBar. The Ferry building is so great--you can get all of those is one short walk!
Blue Bottle Coffee Co. I got to the Ferry Building early for my lunch date, because I knew it was going to be such a beautiful day and I wanted to walk around and soak in the West Coast-San Francisco vibe that I sometimes miss. I got a Blue Bottle drip coffee and it certainly held up to all of the fuss made about how good BB Coffee is! They make very pretty frothy milk designs on their espresso drinks too.
{image}Ciao Bella gelato sure looked delicioso.
{image}Hog Island Oyster Co. I didn't get a shot of it, but the image of people eating their oysters right outside on the water front was perfect.
{image}Golden Gate Meat Co. I like their chalk board daily meat menu.
From the Farmer's Market!
{image}The clock tower in the dusk. Quite a sight to see.
Thank you Ferry Building for being so nice. You are now one of my new favorite spots in this magnificent city by the bay!
{image}Mmm...Left my heart in San Franscisco. (Well, sort of. I'll be back eventually!)*
*Stay tuned, there is a spot that feels very similar to the Ferry Building in New York City. My sources may have overheard that the renovators of the Chelsea Market are the same people that did Ferry's makeover!
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