explore the City.
We caught the cable car in front of the hotel and went down to Fisherman’s Wharf where we lunched on bowls of clam chowder, salads, and sourdough bread. Then we walked for blocks along the wharf before catching the cable car back to the hotel for a much needed rest before dinner. We had been on the go for twelve hours, and we were really beginning to feel the time difference between coasts.
We ate dinner at our hotel that night and fell into bed exhausted. For the next three days we explored almost every inch of the City’s seven square miles. We visited Golden Gate Park, enjoyed tea at the Japanese Tea Garden, spent a day in Sausalito starting with breakfast at The Alta Mira Hotel overlooking San Francisco Bay, and toured the Cakebread and Viansa Wineries in the Napa Valley.
But mostly we simply enjoyed the rarity of being together just the two of us, with no deadlines to meet, no carpools to drive, and no one else to worry about. Our love for each other had only grown stronger through the years, and we acted like a couple of star-struck teenagers holding hands and giggling as each day brought a new adventure.
On our fourth night in San Francisco, we decided to go to Chinatown for dinner. San Francisco’s Chinatown begins at the dragon-crested gate at Grant Avenue and Bush Street. The gate which was a gift from the Republic of China in 1969 was erected some ten years after our previous trip. San Francisco’s oldest street, Grant Avenue, runs eight blocks through the center of Chinatown and is home to almost two million people of Chinese descent.
We left early so we could stroll through the open markets on Stockton Street and in and out of the colorful alleys and side streets between Stockton and Grant. We wanted to pick up some souvenirs to take home, and it was fun just browsing and looking at all the beautiful imported items. After hours of shopping and loaded down with packages, we started walking back towards Grant Avenue where Jon had made dinner reservations at the Golden Palace.
We turned onto Grant Avenue and passed several shops before coming to the restaurant which was located in the middle of the block. We entered the Golden Palace and were seated immediately. Our waiter was kind enough to offer to put our bags in the coat room while we ate dinner. I guess he could see there was hardly room for us at the table. Dinner was an eight-course meal which was the restaurant’s signature offering and it was incredible. As the waiter placed each course before us, he briefly described each delectable dish. Our sumptuous meal was topped off with a two-inch square of coconut and orange Jello garnished with orange slices and served with almond and fortune cookies on the side.
Jon broke open his fortune cookie first and read, “Never underestimate the power of love.”
He thought for a moment and said, “I thoroughly agree. I do know I love you and can’t imagine life without you. I never have nor will I ever take your love for granted.”
I responded, “Nor will I yours, and I love you with all my heart. Let’s see what mine says.” I broke open the cookie and pulled out the small piece of paper and read, “Our present is never without our past.”
Not willing to change the light mood of our wonderful day and evening to a solemn one by trying to decipher my fortune cookie’s message, I laughed and said, “I’ve eaten too much to think right now,” and in my best interpretation of Scarlet O’Hara, I replied, “I’ll think about it tomorrow.”
After a final cup of tea and fully sated, we retrieved our bags and set off for the hotel.
A few doors down from the Golden Palace we came upon an art gallery. The shop was closed and the windows were dark, but the name above the gallery was well lit, and to my amazement it read: Magic Paintbrush Gallery.
As I gazed into the window, there on an easel was a larger but exact duplicate of the paintings Su Ling had given to Judy and me for
We caught the cable car in front of the hotel and went down to Fisherman’s Wharf where we lunched on bowls of clam chowder, salads, and sourdough bread. Then we walked for blocks along the wharf before catching the cable car back to the hotel for a much needed rest before dinner. We had been on the go for twelve hours, and we were really beginning to feel the time difference between coasts.
We ate dinner at our hotel that night and fell into bed exhausted. For the next three days we explored almost every inch of the City’s seven square miles. We visited Golden Gate Park, enjoyed tea at the Japanese Tea Garden, spent a day in Sausalito starting with breakfast at The Alta Mira Hotel overlooking San Francisco Bay, and toured the Cakebread and Viansa Wineries in the Napa Valley.
But mostly we simply enjoyed the rarity of being together just the two of us, with no deadlines to meet, no carpools to drive, and no one else to worry about. Our love for each other had only grown stronger through the years, and we acted like a couple of star-struck teenagers holding hands and giggling as each day brought a new adventure.
On our fourth night in San Francisco, we decided to go to Chinatown for dinner. San Francisco’s Chinatown begins at the dragon-crested gate at Grant Avenue and Bush Street. The gate which was a gift from the Republic of China in 1969 was erected some ten years after our previous trip. San Francisco’s oldest street, Grant Avenue, runs eight blocks through the center of Chinatown and is home to almost two million people of Chinese descent.
We left early so we could stroll through the open markets on Stockton Street and in and out of the colorful alleys and side streets between Stockton and Grant. We wanted to pick up some souvenirs to take home, and it was fun just browsing and looking at all the beautiful imported items. After hours of shopping and loaded down with packages, we started walking back towards Grant Avenue where Jon had made dinner reservations at the Golden Palace.
We turned onto Grant Avenue and passed several shops before coming to the restaurant which was located in the middle of the block. We entered the Golden Palace and were seated immediately. Our waiter was kind enough to offer to put our bags in the coat room while we ate dinner. I guess he could see there was hardly room for us at the table. Dinner was an eight-course meal which was the restaurant’s signature offering and it was incredible. As the waiter placed each course before us, he briefly described each delectable dish. Our sumptuous meal was topped off with a two-inch square of coconut and orange Jello garnished with orange slices and served with almond and fortune cookies on the side.
Jon broke open his fortune cookie first and read, “Never underestimate the power of love.”
He thought for a moment and said, “I thoroughly agree. I do know I love you and can’t imagine life without you. I never have nor will I ever take your love for granted.”
I responded, “Nor will I yours, and I love you with all my heart. Let’s see what mine says.” I broke open the cookie and pulled out the small piece of paper and read, “Our present is never without our past.”
Not willing to change the light mood of our wonderful day and evening to a solemn one by trying to decipher my fortune cookie’s message, I laughed and said, “I’ve eaten too much to think right now,” and in my best interpretation of Scarlet O’Hara, I replied, “I’ll think about it tomorrow.”
After a final cup of tea and fully sated, we retrieved our bags and set off for the hotel.
A few doors down from the Golden Palace we came upon an art gallery. The shop was closed and the windows were dark, but the name above the gallery was well lit, and to my amazement it read: Magic Paintbrush Gallery.
As I gazed into the window, there on an easel was a larger but exact duplicate of the paintings Su Ling had given to Judy and me for
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