San Fransisco.. with flowers in my hair..(Phase 2 -The Pier, the Gate and beyond

Dear Diary,

In case you think that SF is all about shopping and clubbing. Pls don't mark Marcelly down as shallow just yet.

SF is also about the pier, the ocean breeze and the clam chowder. It's also about the gate, the dainty town beyond and the crazy weather.

You just have to make a trip down to the bay, to PIER 39

Well, if you're one of those old skools who must visit HardRock Cafe and collect their T-shirts in every city you go to. Then here's one.

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The Major of SF is really dang good looking too! So it's worth a visit right? To support the economy such that he gets re-elected again. =).. See how forward thinking Marcelly is??

You'll be damned!

A carousel by the bay?

Why not?

Carousel just never loses it novelty, they still shoot MTVs and Korean dramas around bloody carousels!

Don't you think my BCBG dress is pretty? Guess how much it was in Palm Springs factory outlet? I got it for less than USD 40.!! *evil laughter*...

The Pier 39 was great for seafood luncheon, a bit of touristy shopping and snapping lots of awesome pictures. Look across and there it was.


















The famous Alcatraz prison.

We were contemplating on taking the ferry accross but my colleague Andy said:

"Why are we going there, when people were trying to escape so badly?"

He got a point, so we just bought its postcards and stayed on the bay to sip yummy clam chowder. Not to forget, we saw Captain Jack Sparrow doing some magic too!

He got his daughter to disappear from the wooden basket, for some pennies, .. nothing we haven't seen before.

But he was talking funny craps the whole time, non-stop, with pretty good Sparrow accent too, so I think we paid him some bucks so he can replenish his saliva.

Funny ideas for shops all around, how's a bullock cart stuck to our chicken rice stall?






















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There were some circus baskers too.
This bunch was from England
Their cockney accent was overwhelming, but their WILD, BLUNT British humours were making us cramp with laughters.

So I put some bucks into his little pail.
More cars with AWESOME Rims!



















BLING BLING for a 1920s muscle car??

Waitaminute, I also saw one old mustang with a spinner!!

Mannn... they know how to up their ante!

I want 19"chromed deep dish for my next car!























Roadside Seafood Cocktail.. Funny, no alcohol. lol.

Ok lah.. the clam chowder better, don't bother buying this one. Unless you like plain seafood meats with ketchup. AH!! One more speciality from SF!

You can't buy normal bread here. They're all sourdough!

Here's the Boudin sourdough factory/store that supply sourdough to almost all of SF.

Sourdough is.. well. you didn't guess wrong.. sour dough lorr!!

The bread is yeasty sour but sourish fragrant.. but for me, I was yearning for my normal wholegrain bread, with no sour yeast!


Sour stuff aside, Reza picked us up to do more sightseeing.

We stopped by some cool houses by the shores.

Expensive I tell you, couple of millions at least, don't compare to Orchard rd penthouses lah... But these houses are not affected by subprime so much. These people who own expensive houses got prime rates anyway, not sub-prime ones.

Wah.. nice view from the bedroom, I bet.

This is the science discovery castle or temple of something, ruins of something legendary in the scientific world..or something.. Bah!! I am crap at describing and naming these stuffs cause they ain't factory outlets.. sorry.

Anyway, very pretty lah.. and perfect for romantic picnics!

Quality of life is so good there..Sian of having normal lunch? go for picnis? After picnic, cycle around or take the yacht out..

Provided the fogs don't come by..

What seemed like minutes later, the sky turned bleak.

And the evil fog swallowed the Golden Gate Bridge up!!!!

But fret not..

What seemed like half hour and a short drive through the Golden Gate Bridge later..

The fog has gone and the sun was shining again =)

Awesome take right?? So arty!! With my 3 fingers dancing with the 3 lines of hair.

This was a view from the other side. After crossing the bridge, you will find a dainty town called Sausalito.

The houses here are expensive too, as people in US would pay for privacy.. and this town looks and feels like a private resort. There's a burger place that Britney Spears frequents too..

Here it is! Dunno how true lah.. Reza say one..

Ah.. The pretty roads of Sausalito. Reza had to rush off after Sausalito, so he crossed the bridge back to SF and he dropped us at the best bakery in town.

Tartine!

Berry bread and butter pudding, chocolate tart with kumquat.

Whoa.. sounds like weird stuff? But they tasted heavenly. Very innovative yet yummy desserts.

A must to visit again!

For dinner, I took the gang to little Italy again and visited the Stinking Rose, the garlic restaurant. Everything also got garlic in it. Decorated by garlic cloves too!

Where I can assure you, is the best place to hide when vampires strike back!

But blimey it's not a good idea to take your girlfriend on first date here!

She wouldn't kiss you good night =)

Garlic boiled in olive oil for your bread's companiment??

Strangely, it wasn't very garlicky, it was fragrant.

Phew.... the asparagus and shrooms bruschetta and the fish was good too.

The food in SF has been very merciful actually. My boss declared that he wants to retire in SF.

Hmm.. I can consider.

After SF, we flew down to Phoenix, Arizona....

So you think Phoenix is an empty dessert??

Hmm.. Are you sure?

I'll prove you wrong.. stay tuned!

San Francisco -Sun, Shopping, downtown and old friends

San Fransisco is a name familiar to our ears..
In a song, In magazines.. in the history books.
Familiar with its friendly short nick - San Frans or shorter still.. SF, the city has its very own charm.

I was bursting with excitement when we reached SF.

It was a welcome change from LA, the air was different, the people are different, the vibe was different..!
We ditched our rented car as SF is public -transport friendly and like HK, it was so easy to walk /tram around the hot spots. And when it got too far, just hail a cab back.

SF is a downtown sorta city, car parks are hell to find. La is a decentralised city where you can't roll if you don't have wheels. So, SF is Oxford, LA is Cambridge. SF is HK, LA is Jakarta.


What better way to start the day?

I met some really really old friends.. and had great American breakfast at the legandary Lori's.





















Reza and Charles are my primary school friends!!! Back in Jakarta.
They were my school mates and we meet again in SF. Aint that awesome?

Ok, cheat a bit, Charles lives in Singapore and I have been in touch with him lah.
But Reza? That was the first time we meet him in ... 5..10..15..years!!!!!!!!!!!
He hasn't changes much. Other than he got much taller.
But he can't recognise me at all.

Ocht well, what to do. I was a really ugly geeky girl back in school.





















Here's the 4 of us, Louis, me, Reza and Charles.

American Breakfast = singapore breakfast +lunch +high tea+ dinner.

I tell you. Can't even finish 1/3 of it and I felt like 100 kg heavy.

But it's worth every penny for the ones with hearty appetites.
No wonder most Americans are obese. So sad right?
Think of the poor kids in Africa.

Such extremities..

Oh well,

let's come back to SF.

























We found springs blossoms!!! Wow, was I in Tokyo?
Anyhow, it was sunny, the streets were lovely, the colours were vibrant,
the shops were calling out..
and the magic card with the VISA label was still working..
What else to do???

Shopping la dey...!

Here's a huge shopping centre. I love the architecture so much!
So much nicer than Paragon plus Takashimaya put together yea?
























Forgot what this one was called. But its has lots of shops for sure...
It contains all the big department stores like Nordstorm.. A & F and Forever 21 were everywhere! And trust me Forever 21 is so dirt cheap there that I refuse to ever step into the ones in Singapore again.






















Check our them American cars..Hydarulics all. haha.. good for romping or what?

SO!! This is where all the good rims >19" get exported to.
I think very little go to Singapore.. Tsk.. Singapore cars are so horribly done.

Put vynils, LED.. oh biang colours.. soft toys (??).. but the rims still 15".. like WTH..=)


Anyway, I realised SF building are very close to the main roads. So privacy and Quietness is a question, But fret not. The fire staircase is so sexy..


























Ah.. see this staircase is where the hidden boyfriends/mistresses escape when time calls.

It is the type of staircase where Richard Gere climbed up to win over Julia Roberts in Pretty Womea.. So romantic right??


Back to shopping...



We visited Abercrombie & Fitch. Naturally.

Because the male models there are chest naked and they are to-die for!!

Dont tell Mr Gan but OMG I was dying to touch those bronzed, well-sculpted men!!!!


sorry lah no picture allowed in the shops.. dang right?!!

























More pictures downtown..
I think some of these pictures good enough for wall papers..
Yay! Love it!






















We stopped to satiate our cravings for GOOD CHINESE FOOD!!
Where else, but China town..

SF's China town is the biggest in the world, mind you.

Good Chinese food is such a rarity in US!
Gosh, La's Chinese food was crap.. oily and bland.. but I suppose that's cause we didn't go to the expensive designer restaurants la..
We went to the food courts.. So.. pay peanuts get peanuts right????

Other than China town, SF has little Italy, little Japan. etc, But I was sad they didn't have little Indonesia or little Singapore..haha!























Here's the bunch touring China town.. I bought some American ginseng for muy dearest clients.
The China town is all steep slopes and stoned, uneven pavements. But it was great workout for my butts.
Though they are very pert already, I must say..
























Back to Union Square.. this is where it all happens again! Nice place to just absorb all the worldliness in SF. Big names shouting out from all corners.

Victoria's Secret was not escaping my grasp.

I spent a bomb there.. but.. seriously.. inviting laces, satinnes, intricate apparels that no one but me will ever see, yet stood at ridiculous prices.. who the hell's gonna buy???

Apparently, tonnes of us girls do!!

We really wear them to feel good. And when we feel good, we look good and we will be good! So, it's worth every penny!!

Anyway, I bought this brasserie that costs 50USD, I though it was stupid. but this praticular one can be worn 100 ways!! (Cause it has like many different strap holes to adjust to)

So I though one way is only 50 cents. (If you divide 50USd with 100 ways). Quite worth it what? Make sure to wear 100 ways lor..




























We then went to Macy's.. top floor is the Cheesecake Factory. It was bliss!!
Best cheesecake in town I must say. Here's the view from Macy's. That's Union Square down there.



After wild shopping hours. We walked past a pub in union square that had a sign:

USD 2.99 for margarita!!!!

























So, we couldn't help ourselves.

The margarita was really good. Such a refreshment after shopping.
And best of all, it doesnt burn anymore holes in my pocket.

So, we walked home happy, shopping-high and margarita-high.

But something else stopped me...


























After all these many years!! From the streets of London, Oxford, Singapore and now SF!!

The bloody Britsh/French still don't know to spell swear words!!! What the hell is feschuk..

But their marketing strategy works DAMN well.. ain't it?

One brand you won't ever forget, Great branding move! FCUK what people think la!



After resting in the hotel for an hour... Oh by the way, we stayed in this hotel called Britton Hotel, value for money I tell you! So close - by all the great shops and it's cheap!

Anyway, yeah.. after resting, I had to go out with more old friends. Yay!!

Apparently Reza knows another friend of mind who resides in SF, Prety, she is my childhood friend too. Together they picked me up and we went to eat some fusion Chinese food.

Located accross the Hilton hotel, end of the China town slope, House of Nanking is one humble Chinese eatery but there's always a bloody queue!























Me and Prety!

You guys should try the wonton soup! It was like National Treasure, between the luscious wontons, you can find lemon grass, red onions, tomate swimming in the fragrant soup.

Interesting!

Their dishes are really innovative. Give it a try if you ever go to SF k!!
Try the kongpao chicken also, it's like mixed with rojak. Fusion mah!

























Yum yum....

After Nanking, we went around the little Italy..



















We walked past the Broadway.. where the red lights district was!!

Hmm.. like more posh than Geylang..


Sadly, the poorer, black vagabonds roam around the streets of SF at night. Although harmless, they bring fears to us Singapoream tourists. Because we don't have these at home.

At first I was a bit freaked out but after a while I got used to it.
they should be rather harmless, cause most of them were fully smoked up with all the weed.
So I bet even if they try to hit my face, they would miss the face.

So I felt safer liao. But I could smell burnt splif almost every corner of the streets in SF.
























Here's Little Italy. Oh, some of the restaurants have really cute Italian waiters. one particular restaurant will have the cute waiters stripping, dancing, singing for you if it's your birthday (must be a Bday girl la).. then they will queue up to kiss you.

They tried to take me there but I shy lah.. I scared I don't wanna go home after that.

























Didn't I tell you I love bulldogs? I love bulldogs. So ugly it's cute..

Anyway, we had Affogato and dessert at a coffee shop in Little Italy.

(But seriously, the best Affogato is in Singapore - check out the little bakery/cafe next to Prive (Keppel Island), one of Michel's latest discoveries - Go and order Affogato with honey-date ice cream.. oh heaven!!! I kept coming back!!)

FYI - Affogate is thick espresso shot over a scoop of ice cream).




After little Italy. We went clubbing!!!

Clubbing in SF is so special. LA needs you to be on guest list, needs to be Miss Spears or Hilton.

But in SF, you can be whoever you wanna be!! No pretense.

BUT!! You need to know where to go!

There is a centralised system that appoints a certain hip club to host Asian night every other weekend.

Be sure to have this info on hand. Else you will end up in a club filled with blacks, or Latinos, or Russians or whites only. So you'll feel really weird. Well, that's up to you of course, if you like that, go ahead. (Actually I should ask for Latino nights next time.. Aorrrr..)
Especially the SPGs... oh they will love angmoh nights. I bet the stewardesses won't go for Asian nights either. No? Sorry. stereotyping again.

I am very very yellow, so I like to see familiar faces.
So, Reza helped us check the Asian night club that night
Sadly, the clubs in SF are very old and run-down. Forget decors like Zouk or St JAmes.. Cool lazer?? Cool toilets? Forget it..!!!

They were all like the old Mdm Wongs with cracked floors and rusty railings.

But the party was spinning, the people were abviously having a blast!
The club was pumping with hundreds and hundreds of Asians; Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, and we spotted Singaporeans and Indonesians.

Funny, I didn't feel like I was in States. Ha Ha!
To top it all, the drinks were dirt cheap, unlike clubbing in Singapore (except St James, which has good - value - for - money bottle offers all the time, I love it!)

Anyhow, it was a blast and I am coming back for more!!


(to be continued - days in SF never end..)

Adventures on the Pacific Coast Highway

And off we went..

Los Angeles to San Francisco..


Speeding through the ocean breeze...

One side of the road.. white-washed waves and the blue ocean

One side.. liddle mountains and pretty houses with picket fence..

First stop was the beach town.. Santa Barbara

rickshaw anyone?? Geez!! For a moment, I thought I was in Phuket! How come got rickshaws one?

As good as a beach can get...white clean sands, half naked surfers.. dry air, friendly sun and rocky cliff views..

...

We inhaled in some really good Santa Barbara air and panorama..

Then we hti the road again.. we were on budget timing.

Next stop is friendly liddle town of San Luis Obispo.
Very small town. A little further from beach but sunny all the same.
Apparently it has an airport. Not bad!

"San Luis Obispo"

Making sure I won't spell it wrongly.
We stopped by here for lunch.

Very healthy organic cafe.. Wow..felt totally sublime afterwards. We had healthy organic soup and healthy organic sandwich with wheat bread.


This town has its own character, it's rather cultured and it's non-pretentious. A bit hippie like but totally basking in warmth. I loved it.


When we got back in the car. We had a long, boring ride on the highway, cause we switched to the express highway (not the ocean view one) and we were just playing chou dai di until we reach Santa Cruz. Which of course I WON all the way! Heh Heh.

It was almost evening when we reached the next stop, so the ocean breeze was chilly by then. We had to tighten our jackets.

Santa Cruz!

Santa Cruz was more like a quite portal/fisherman town. A handful of seafood restaurants, seagulls, boats and lazy visitors.

























And the sunset was just gorgeous.

That place was ideal for creating a nostalgic or mellow mood.

I thought I explored on my photographic passion. Well, at least I tried.
My stomach was making noises by then.

We had a hard time choosing an eaterie.
I must say Americans have lots of integrity though.
We walked into a Spanish restaurant and we wanted seafood.

The waiter said :"We do have seafood! But if you're looking for the traditional clam chowder or grilled fish.. then you may want to go to another restaurant, maybe downstairs?"


I was so impressed. So much honesty and integrity.
I can imagine that if we were in China, the bloody waiter would just say yes yes yes..anything also have!

"Hai xian? Mei wen ti! Shi mo dou you!! You ! You! Lai !Lai lai"..

Bloody money-hungry Chinese.
Lie for money. Anything for money.
^_^

'the last seafood bistro by the pier'

but nope, we didn't eat there. We took a stroll back.. passed the Spanish restaurant with honest waiter and picked one nondescript restaurant which serves traditional clam chowder and grilled fish.

Me and Louis, among 3 colleagues, enjoyed a spread of seafood dishes, and I must say..
the freshness of these wild catches were incomparable...


And that delightful feast marked the end of our half day trip from LA to SF!


Ah.. I forgot to mention..

We got caught by the police 3 times along the highway.

Once for speeding,

once more for speeding and not stopping at the stop line..

and one more time for speeding, overtaking and tailgating..

Lucky the policemen were cute (really! All 3) and friendly to visitors..


Hueh heh heh.. Singaporean drivers ah.. tsk tsk...

They must be thinking.. bloody Asians should just stick to pulling bullock carts..