Dana & The City

Jimmy’s Diner in Williamsburg/Greenpoint is currently my favorite brunch spot.

It’s a small place, so you’ll probably have to wait for a table, but it’s well worth the wait.

The menu is big and everything is relatively cheep. My favorite are the scrambles.  And you MUST get the grits.

They don’t have a website, but here’s the yelp page for more info and reviews:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/jimmys-diner-brooklyn

Hill Country BBQ in Flatiron is probably the most delicious food-court style restaurants in NYC.

There are 2 floors, each with bars.  food is on top and live music is downstairs.

I got “The Pitmaster” for $25 which includes: 

• 1/4 lb Lean Brisket
• One Pork Spare Rib
• One Beef Rib
• Quarter Chicken (white or dark meat)
• Any Two Good Eatin’ (8oz) Sides

There are way too many options for sides, and i got the Green Bean Casserole with Durkee Onions and deviled eggs.

Everything was delicious, especially the brisket.

It’s a great place to go to with friends because you can take your time and go back for more food and drinks as much as you want, then at the end you just pay for what you got.

http://www.hillcountryny.com/menu.dc

I love that there are an endless amount of brunch places in Williamsburg/Greenpoint.

I went to Lodge in Williamsburg for the first time a few weeks ago and i loved that they have outdoor seating, a big menu, and friendly service.  

http://www.lodgenyc.com/

Some pictures from my annual trip to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens.

Due to the early spring weather this year, the cherry blossoms bloomed earlier than usual, but I’m glad i was lucky enough to see them.

And thanks to my student id with a lack of a graduation year, i was able to save some money on the ticket to get in.

http://www.bbg.org/

Although i could go on for another week, here’s one last San Francisco post.

• Painted Ladies (or as i like to call them, the Full House Houses)
• Alcatraz - I didn’t go on the island, but took a boat around it. 
• Boudin Sourdough since 1849 
• Ferry Building - I stopped in for some Blue Bottle coffee. Next time i need to go to the Slanted Door restaurant
• AT&T Park - $25 for standing room tickets.  That’s also where i had some Ghiradelli chocolate.  Really long line though
• Dolores Park in the Mission - lots of hipsters and great mexican food

The last picture is the view of SF from my seat on the plane.

For the first time since i’ve lived in NYC i was sad to go home.  Be back soon San Francisco!!!!

my friends love going to The Diamond in Greenpoint for great beer and shuffleboard.  i played for the first time this weekend

tastefortype:

Diamond Bar, Greenpoint

This was one of the prettiest bars I’ve been in. Really liked the interiors.

Not much of a drinker, but there is a certain pleasure in having seltzer, pickles, and cheese at a bar.

Thanks for organizing, Daniel!

Some street signs and modes of transportation in San Francisco.

I was an uber tourist and rode the Cable Car from Fisherman’s Wharf to Market Street. Well worth $6, especially to stand on the ouside rails.  The driver was a bit rude, but impressive with his driving skills.

http://www.sfcablecar.com/

I thought i would use the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) train more, but only took it to and from the airport. 

http://www.bart.gov/

Also in this post are pictures of signs from the corner of Haight & Ashbury, and Tsunami Evacuation Route.   

I MISS PALM TREES!

A visit to the Presidio, Walt Disney Family Museum, and the Palace of Fine Arts are a great way to spend a beautiful afternoon in San Francisco.

The Presidio served used to serve as a military reservation and in 1996, Congress created the Presidio Trust, a federal agency charged with preserving the natural, cultural, scenic, and recreational resources of the Presidio, and transferred administration of the park’s interior lands and more than 700 buildings to the Presidio Trust. Today, the Presidio welcomes local, national, and international visitors and is home to a community of residents and diverse organizations.

http://www.presidio.gov/Pages/default.aspx

Within the Presidio is the Walt Disney Family Museum.  It’s located in SF because one of Disney’s daughters lives near SF and wanted it to be near her.  The exhibit is new and has many devices to listen to Disney himself explain his thoughts behind his many creations.

http://disney.go.com/disneyatoz/familymuseum/

I didn’t go inside the Palace of Fine Arts, but it’s a beautiful site to see in SF.

http://www.palaceoffinearts.org/Welcome.html

Delicious dinner at the House of Prime Rib in San Francisco.

For under $50 you receive salad, two side, cornbread, yorkshire pudding and their amazing prime rib.

They cut the meat right in front of your!  The service was great and i’m glad i was able to experience this restaurant.

http://houseofprimerib.net/

Just a few pictures i took of the Golden Gate Bridge…

• It was the world’s longest suspension bridge from 1937-1964.  NYC’s Verranzano Narrows Bridge opened in 1964 and is 60 feets longer than the Golden Gate Bridge.   Other longer suspension bridges have been built since then as well.
• Painting the bridge is an ongoing task and the primary maintenance job, protecting the bridge from the high salt content in the air which rusts and corrodes the steel components

Here’s a link for more info:

http://goldengatebridge.org/research/facts.php#Name

The Sea Lions at Pier 39 in San Francisco are adorable and if you ever visit SF, you should definitely check them out.

They started to haul out on docks of Pier 39 in September 1989 and have become a major tourist attraction. They’re fun to watch and play.

Here are some fun facts about them:

• California sea lions are known for their intelligence, playfulness and noisy barking
• Males can reach up to 850 pounds and 7 feet in length.  Females can grow up to 220 pounds and up to 6 feet in length
• Sea lions have external ear flaps - seals do not
• Sea lions in the wild may live up to 20-25 years

Below is a link to see a live-cam of them:

http://www.pier39restaurants.com/cam.htm

Thanks to @NoReservations i went to The Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar in San Francisco a few weeks ago.

It was nice to hear live music and have some fancy drinks, but overall, it’s definitely a tourist trap.  Expensive drinks and food, slow service and i don’t think there were any locals there.

If you end up going, make sure you share entrees because they give large portions!

http://www.tongaroom.com/

Some scenic/touristy pictures from my trip to San Francisco

• Lombard Street, the ”Crookedest Street”
• Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Washington Square
• View of the Bay Bridge
• Coit Tower
• My first view of the Golden Gate Bridge
• How did they build on such steep land??
• The F Muni Line. Historic streetcar that has been in use since the 60s/70s

More SF pics to come!