Sketches from Yosemite

in

DAY ONE — We arrive at Curry Village and check in to our (hopefully) hantavirus-free tent.

.

I sure hope they fumigated this place.

.

We rode our bikes over to the Ahwahnee Hotel and had a beer there. I thought it was a beautiful hotel until I saw the elevators....

.

Yikes! I've seen these elevators before. I think I'll take my chances with the hantavirus.

.

DAY TWO — We begin the hike to Half Dome from Curry Village. The Vernal Fall appears after climbing many steps.

.

Getting closer. Maybe an hour from the top at this point.

.

About 800 more feet to go! Great hike. Took about 6 hours to get up there, and four to get back down. Pretty sore after that, so Day Three will be a day of rest.

.

DAY THREE — In 1903 President Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir made a special trip to Yosemite. I would like to think they also solved mysteries together, which might have been described in a compilation called The Curse of the Sequoia Grove and Other Short Stories, but that's just me.

.

The tents in Curry Village are stacked right next to each other, so you're bound to hear every whisper or shoe that's dropped. This guy got mad at us for making too much noise before the quiet hours even started. We were probably two minutes from falling asleep, too.

.

Our last night we all went down to the meadow and checked out the starry night sky. Great way to wrap up the trip!

Chicago Trip

in

Hanging out at Lark Creek Grill in Terminal 2 before my flight. Some guy with pointy toes on a laptop.

When life gives you lemons...

.

Siting outside at the Athenian Room. Delish! Halsted and Webster

Cubs win!

My nephews Sean and Jeremiah.

.

Nice view of the skyline from here and a great place for a hotdog and a beer.

.

Heading back to SF after a great trip home!

Boon Fly Cafe

in

BOON FLY CAFE , CARNEROS —Went up here last weekend to escape the San Francisco summer fog. Quant, rustic, modern, delicious.

A friend had this breakfast cocktail while we waited. Too spicy for my liking, but love the idea!

We started the meal with a bucket of thier signature hot donuts. You can tell them how many you want. We did one a piece.

Possible inspired by the bacon bloody mary, I had the Bacon, Egg, Lettuce, Tomato, Avocado Sandwich.

Boon Fly Cafe

Cazuela @ Olea

in

Welcome to Olea, a cozy little place in Nob Hill, offering local California fare in a casual, unpretentious setting. Many reviews label it as a "hidden gem" but this jewel appears to have been discovered—arrive after 10:00AM and you can find yourself waiting a good amount of time for a table. Even if the secret is out, it's still worth the wait.

There are so many delicious looking items on the menu, but I keep getting the cazuela— my go-to meal at Olea. I want to try something else, but I don't have the nerve to deviate from a sure thing. It doesn't disappoint, that's for sure. Maybe someday I'll venture off the beaten path and get something else...but until then, I will continue to order this delightful dish.