Flashback: Take Me Out To the Ballgame - SF Giants

This post, like my last on April 26, 2020, is taking place during the coronavirus pandemic.  Today is actually the last day of my states mandatory stay at home order. Tomorrow starts encouraged stay at home as much as possible, teleworking strongly encouraged when possible, and wear a mask in public.   That's what's going on in our slice of the world, crazy crazy time we are all in.  Continuing on my same theme from last post, I'm hitting the archives for trips I either never posted about, or never finished.  This one is from the "never finished" category from the summer of 2018. Zac spoke at a conference in Silicon Valley, and we made a long weekend out of the trip to the Bay Area.   I started writing this a while back, so we will just jump in now like it is 2018....

July 28, 2018 - It's the last day of our San Francisco Bay Area Adventure! To hear about our adventures south in Silicon Valley, check out this post - Silicon Valley Eats and Treats, and for Day 1 of our time in the city - A San Francisco Treat!.  

Zac was an early bird on our last day.  Guess he was excited that we will be going to an SF Giants game later in the day to close out our trip.  He's been a fan since he was a kid, so exciting times are a-coming.  Also, the SF Giants are known for way more than hot dogs and cracker jacks at the stadium. Supposed to have some very good and gourmet eats.  Pretty early, Zac went out exploring from our hotel, Parc 55 near Union Square, and walked down to the Ferry Building on the Bay.  On Saturdays they have a farmers market with lots of food vendors. He got these great pics of the Bay Bridge and Ferry Building. 

Breakfast - He got the Golden State, and it looked so good! 

Meanwhile, back at the hotel, I eventually venture down and enjoy a nice late hotel breakfast.  It was NICE.  Lots of things on the buffet.  Lots.  Fancy tasty things. 

After breakfast we are reunited, and are ready to take on the day!  We head over to the Fillmore Farmer's Market.  I love big city farmer's markets.  Lots of diverse fruits and veggies and homemade things and meats and, well sometimes you just never know!  Prior to this trip I discovered that I like figs, thanks to my parents having planted a fig tree at their house.   Guess what they had at the farmer's market? Fresh Figs! Fancy California figs.  Fancy because, well, isn't everything a little fancier on vacation? 

Fig enjoyment

Next we head over to the Haight-Ashbury district. We mostly walk down Haight St but meander on some side streets as well.  Funky place.  We are up for some coffee, so stop into Cafe Cole on Cole St, the mural below was across the street.

636 Cole St, AKA the Charles Manson house

Grateful Dead House, from 1965-1968.  710 Ashbury St. 

Funkiness that was this entire neighborhood

Haight St.

Next up, Golden Gate Park!  

Alcatraz off in the distance

Fort Point below Golden Gate Bridge.  Fort Point is a cool place to visit as well, did it with my fam years back. Not this trip. 

In Golden Gate Park.  I think a Hobbit lives here. 

View of the city, over the edge of the Presidio and Crissy Field. 

Final view of the bridge.

 After a break at the hotel, finally time for some baseball!!

AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants

The marine layer approaches in the distance! 

It's been a good decade to be an SF Giants fan

View from our seats

Now down to business.  The plan was to sample a variety of things throughout the game. First up, Crazy Crab'z! One sandwich is actually two sandwiches.   It's sourdough bread (we are in San Francisco so what else would it be), with tomato and tons of Dungeness Crab, all pressed and toasted with tons of butter.  The line was quite long, and it's located way out behind outfield, but WORTH IT.  Very good. 

Crazy Crab'z sandwich.  So good. 

We watched the game some more, which was starting to not be so much fun because the Giants were getting stomped by the Milwaukee Brewers. Spoiler Alert, the Brewers won 7-1. 

I spot Lou Seal! 

Pablo Sandoval, the "Panda", up to bat! 

Alright, on to the next course.  I had already become a big fan of Poke', and guess what they have at the Giant stadium? Yes poke'.  Authentic Hawaiian poke none-the-less.  

This traditional ahi tuna poke' was from Da Poke' Man.  If you are in SF but not at a Giants game, he has a food truck as well, and go find it.  Great poke'!  

We did have great views from our seats! 

The final of our 3-course ballpark meal was more traditional. Nachos. Nothing gourmet or too fancy here, just good ole nachos piled high.  Well I did pick the steak nachos, but other than that, nothing fancy. 

We had a great time at the game, had some great food, and enjoyed San Francisco a lot.  This was our 2nd time in SF and I'm sure we will be back.  So much natural beauty but also have the big city fun stuff and tasty eats as well.   Until next time!