{San Francisco itinerary}

I have two days to spend in the city of San Francisco before heading out to Sonoma so I have filled my schedule to the brim with all the places I have been missing since moving and some places that have newly opened. Here are some of the places on my itinerary:

Blue Bottle Coffee Co. has a bunch of locations all over the city, I like to go to the one in Mint Plaza near Union Square. It is tucked in an alleyway near some lofts hidden from the main street, but somehow it is always completely packed with a line out the door. They also serve some nice light breakfast options which is hard to come by in Union Square before the shops are open.
 

 A friend of mine recently opened Two Birds boutique in Noe Valley and I cannot wait to go check it out. The owner and her business partner obviously have serious style- just look at the decor!

Whenever I happen across a small home decor or stationary website that doesn't have a very wide retail distribution, one of the only places that carry their wares is The Curiousity Shoppe in San Francisco.
 

 Bourbon & Branch makes some of the best cocktails in city and maybe even rivals The Varnish for best cocktails on the west coast.  This place really lives up to its speakeasy vibe, you need a reservation and your own personal password just to get in.

Gitane restaurant is right next door to one of my favorite places, Cafe Claude, hidden on a little alley a few blocks from Union Square. I have never been here, but it looked like a nice mellow place for dinner nearby my hotel.

With flavors like candied orange blossom and maple bacon apple, how could I pass up on a trip to Dynamo Donuts!?!?

The Oriental Art Gallery is a small hole in the wall shop down the street from my old apartment. It is run by a small family and all they sell is pins, thousands and thousands of pins. They are somewhat organized into categories and the 80+ year old woman that is behind the counter magically knows where each specific pin is. The only photo I could find mainly displays the box of weapon pins (a little dark for my taste), but just look at the selection of sea animal pins on the box next to it!!! Most of the pins are only a few dollars and I like to buy a different one for each of my coats and cardigans.

 

My Dad became semi retired when my parents moved to Sonoma and he now works a couple days a week in the tasting room at Benziger Family Winery.  If you are ever in the Sonoma area, I highly recommend taking the tour and tasting at Benziger. The wines are amazing and all are biodynamic plus your tasting fee at Benziger gets you a free tasting at nearby Imagery Winery.

{images via yelp}