Task 33- Catch 2 Live Sporting Events (Worcester Tornadoe's vs. Quebec Capitales)

(33) Catch 2 Live Sporting Events (2/2)

Event:      Worcester Tornadoes vs the Quebeck Capitals

Location: Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field

The night started off with a almost certain game cancellation in its future but the dark clouds and down pours took a break just before the start of the game. With our Groupon in hand we made our way to the will-call booth to pick up our tickets, food vouchers, and hat vouchers. We made our way into Fitton Field, picked up our food and hats and found our seats covered in water. After a quick dry down we settled in for the game.

We quickly devoured the tiny hotdog, the small soda and the even smaller bag of chips. They were not the usual size sold and were clearly purchased just for the Groupon event. The hat was even more cheap then the meal and I would call it a throw away to be honest. I was disappointed in the food and the hat.

After a terrible rendition of the Star Spangled Banner and an even worse Canadian National Anthem the game began. It started off a bit slow but once it got going it was fun to watch. We even got to see Jose Canseco go up to bat for the first time as a Tornadoes and strike out. Although his second time up to bat he hit a nice grounder and made it to first base. Even more amusing was how badly he was heckled. Each time he got up people started yelling "Juice It" which I found amusing although annoying. Let the guy play.

The Tornadoes managed to be the Capitales 5-3 although we decided with the drizzle to make it an early evening. On our way out we scored an autograph from the Twister the Tornadoes mascot.

If I were to go again and that is a big IF I would skip the Groupon for a couple reasons.

1. The lower quality food was a joke and I was still hungry after eating it. So I still ended up going out to eat after the game.
2. The hat was an even bigger joke and was really a waste and was a huge disappointment. I would have paid more to get a real hat.
3. The reduced cost brought too many poorly behaved children to the game. The parents seems to think the game was an acceptable place for their kids to be a nuisance. I would rather pay full price at Fenway and not have to deal with someone poorly behaved obnoxious children.

Task 30 - Crepe Cafe (San Francisco, CA)

Restaurant: Crepe Cafe.

Review:       Yelp Review

Location:     Pier 39
                     San Francisco, CA 94133

Rating:        5-Stars

There isn't really much to say other then delicious. The night before we watched them make Strawberry, Banana and Nutella Crepe's and I knew immediately what I would be having the next morning for breakfast. The smell of the freshly made crapes did not disappoint my taste buds as I finally got to devour one of these amazing creations. I wish this place was near where I live because I would certainly have become a regular if it was.

Enjoy the great video of this guy as he makes these things like they were easy. I couldn't get over how quickly he peeled and cut up those banana's.



Dutch Windmill

The Dutch Windmill was built in 1902 to harness the power of the pacific winds to pump fresh water from well’s to irrigate the Golden Gate Park. Prior to the construction of the windmill the city of San Francisco was provided water by the Spring Valley Water Company at exorbitant rates which only provided enough water for 75 acres.

Though the exterior looks in good condition today, this once majestic relic of the past has once again fallen victim to decay and neglect which are undermining the integrity of the windmill. On this particular day the lush lawn below it provided a great spot for a picnic and frisbee which is what many locals clearly enjoyed doing.

I found a great website documenting the history of the Dutch Windmill. The website is History  of San Francisco's Dutch Windmill. 

Japanese Tea Garden

The Japanese Tea Garden provides visitors from around the world with an opportunity to experience the natural beauty, tranquility and harmony of a Japanese-style garden in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. 

It was originally created as a “Japanese Village” exhibit for the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition, the site originally spanned about one acre and showcased a Japanese style garden. When the fair closed, Japanese landscape architect Makoto Hagiwara and Golden Gate Park Superintendent John McLaren reached a gentleman’s agreement, allowing Mr. Hagiwara to create and maintain a permanent Japanese style garden as a gift for posterity. 

Mr. Hagiwara became caretaker of the property, pouring all of his personal wealth, passion, and creative talents into creating a garden of utmost perfection. Mr. Hagiwara expanded the garden to its current size of approximately 5 acres where he and his family lived for many years until 1942 when they, along with approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans, were forced to evacuate their homes and move into internment camps. When the war was over, the Hagiwara family was not allowed to return to their home at the tea garden and in subsequent years, many Hagiwara family treasures were removed and new additions were made.

Today, the Japanese Tea Garden endures as one of the most popular attractions in San Francisco, featuring classic elements such as an arched drum bridge, pagodas, stone lanterns, stepping stone paths, native Japanese plants, serene koi ponds and a zen garden.

You can't help but find yourself wanting to sit and enjoy the peaceful serenity that the Japanese Tea Garden offers. The Zen Garden was one of the less busy section and offered a great opportunity to just sit down and relax. I enjoyed climbing the Drum Bridge and walking along many of the pedestrian paths that cris-cross the lush oasis.

 



Painted Ladies & Alamo Square

“Painted ladies" is a term used for Victorian and Edwardian houses and buildings painted in three or more colors that embellish or enhance their architectural details. The term was first used for San Francisco Victorian houses by writers Elizabeth Pomada and Michael Larsen in their 1978 book Painted Ladies - San Francisco's Resplendent Victorians.

About 48,000 houses in the Victorian and Edwardian styles were built in San Francisco between 1849 and 1915, and many were painted in bright colors. As one newspaper critic noted in 1885, "...red, yellow, chocolate, orange, everything that is loud is in fashion...if the upper stories are not of red or blue... they are painted up into uncouth panels of yellow and brown..." While many of the mansions of Nob Hill were destroyed by the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, thousands of the mass-produced, more modest houses survived in the western and southern neighborhoods of the city.

During World War I and World War II, many of these houses were painted battleship gray with war-surplus Navy paint. Another sixteen thousand were demolished, and many others had the Victorian decor stripped off or covered with tarpaper, brick, stucco, or aluminum siding.

In 1963, San Francisco artist Butch Kardum began combining intense blues and greens on the exterior of his Italianate-style Victorian House. His house was criticized by some, but other neighbors began to copy the bright colors on their own houses. Kardum became a color designer, and he and other artists / colorists such as Tony Cataletich, Bob Buckner, and Jazon Wonders began to transform dozens of gray houses into Painted Ladies. By the 1970s, the colorist movement, as it was called, had changed entire streets and neighborhoods. This process continues to this day.

One of the best-known groups of "Painted Ladies" is the row of Victorian houses at 710–720 Steiner Street, across from Alamo Square park, in San Francisco. It is sometimes known as "Postcard Row." The houses were built between 1892 and 1896 by developer Matthew Kavanaugh, who lived next door in the 1892 mansion at 722 Steiner Street. This block appears very frequently in media and mass-market photographs of the city and its tourist attractions and have appeared in an estimated 70 movies, TV programs, and ads, including in the opening credits of the television series Full House.

To see them in person rather then on a post card was very cool they are even more beautiful then you might think. One thing I will say is that some are clearly kept up better then the others. Anyone that knows what it is like to maintain a house I am sure can appreciate what it must be like to care for a home that is well known and regularly photographed. The park its self is clean and offers amazing views of the Painted Ladies and of the city skyline.



Twin Peaks

The Twin Peaks are two hills with an elevation of about 922 feet and are almost exactly located in the center of San Francisco.Except for Mount Davidson, they are the highest points in the city.

The North and South Twin Peaks are about 660 ft apart; The peaks each have their own names: Eureka Peak the north Peak and Noe Peak the south Peak. 100 ft below the Eureka Peak is the popular vista point known locally as Christmas Tree Point, which offers visitors unobstructed views of most San Francisco and the Bay.

It was really a stunning view from the top. It was interesting because you can really see how tightly packed the homes are. There really isn't alot of open space left in San Francisco. Everyone has carved out a little peice for themselves.

Great Panorama from Twin Peaks



Task 30 - The Sausage Factory

(30) Eat in 10 New Restaurants (46/20)
Restaurant: The Sausage Factory

Website: castrosausagefactory.com

Rating: 4-stars

We found ourselves in the Castro at lunch time and always being hungry we started to look for places where we might want to eat. It is hard not to notice the big sign that says Sausage Factory as you look down Castro Street and that did the trick.

The Sausage Factory is one of those old school restaurants. It does not look likes it has changed in years or was decorated to look that way but not being a local I couldn’t tell you how long it’s been here. It is the kind of place where you expect to see an older Italian lady come out of the kitchen with a plate of spaghetti and meatballs.

We settled into a nice booth and decided that we were all going to get the Chicken Parmesan. It was not to disappoint. It was different then I was used to. It looked like a chicken breast that had been filleted into two much thinner pieces. This made it so tender it melted in your mouth. It had just the right amount of cheese to satisfy the cheese lover in me without overwhelming my lunch partners. It was paired with mixed vegetables and potatoes all of which was cooked perfectly.

The portion size was perfect and we all left satisfied and recharged to continue our exploration of San Francisco by car.

Pacific Heights Movie House

Pacific Heights released in 1990 featured Melanie Griffith, Matthew Modine, and Michael Keaton. The movie featured a couple and a house. "It seemed like the perfect house. He seemed like the perfect tenant. Until they asked him to leave." The house used in the movie is actually located in Potrero Hill area not Pacific Heights in San Francisco. It doesn't look the same as it used to with the new paint colors but it definitely has the charm still. It wasn't easy to find but with such a fan in the car we managed to locate it and get our pictures taken in front of it.



The Castro

The Castro is one of the United States' first and best-known gay neighborhoods. It came of age as a gay center following the Summer of Love in the neighboring Haight-Ashbury district in 1967. It used to be known as Eureka Valley but became known as the Castro after the landmark theatre by that name. The gay village is mostly concentrated on Castro Street from Market Street to 19th Street.

During our visit we walked along Castro and Market Streets while we decided where we might want to to have lunch. We looked at Harvey's but the line was long and it looked like only burgers. We settled at the Sausage Factory for what we all described as the best chicken parmesan we have had. It was thinly tenderized chicken lightly breaded in a very tasty sauce. It was just what we needed to recharge for more San Francisco exploration. We also checked out the sex shop Rock Hard that have every kind of toy or sexual aid you could think of. None of us made any purchases but it was fun to browse.

China Town - San Francisco

China Town - San Francisco
China Town's southern entrance known as "Dragons' Gate" is located on Grant Ave and is a symbol of the largest Chinatown outside of Asia and the oldest Chinatown in North America. Established in 1848 it is popularly known as a "city-within-a-city" and retains its own customs, languages, places of worship, social clubs, and identity.

We walked along Grant Ave and explored many of the souvenir shops looking for good gifts to bring home. I picked up a miniature clay warrior since I have wanted one for a long time although I will admit I wanted a full size it just didn't make sense with my limited space.