Although my sister and I traditionally have afternoon tea during thanksgiving weekend, this year because our parents insisted that they spend quality time with us, we invited them along on our adventure through San Francisco.
I was a little wary at first. Knowing that my parents are getting older. Could their energy be equivalent to what we found interesting? Or at least would the things I found interesting be as interesting to them?
Although we have lived in the Bay Area forever, they never really knew San Francisco the way I did. At least…the way I knew it now. They know chinatown and the golden gate bridge. And fisherman’s wharf, but not so much else.
And so thus the rapid tour of places we went to.
(gotta love the pre-designy illustrator map!)
I planned this all yesterday in 5 minutes. And so we got out of the house around 10:30 am with a quick stop in Oakland Chinatown so that my mom could drop off her library books and then head toward the tollbooth…
1. Brunch/Lunch @ Modern Tea in Hayes Valley
2. A short walk around Hayes Valley where we kept running into strollers and pets.
3. Shoes and clothes…and expensive organic foods at the farmer’s market around 24th in Noe Valley
4. A short reststop in my apartment in the Mission where my mom took a nap and the rest of us enjoyed the first episode of 24 on the projector and 5.1 surround system provided by Chris And some nice tea from my tea collection
5. Walking along Mission to the “99 cent” store and other discount fashion…which all looked too cheap
6. Twin Peaks
7. Walking around Clement in the Inner Richmond where we walk through bakeries, newspapers, groceries, a kitchen supply store, asiany stores…
8. Dinner at Burma Superstar waiting outside 20 minutes before it opened, increasing the anxiety for everyone around us because there wasn’t a line and omg who is going to be in front…are we going to have to cause a scene because we were so rightfully first omg!
9. Dessert at Mango Medley in Outer Sunset where I got confused driving down 25th (note: I have never been a big fan about Asian Desserts, but my sister insisted that we find one after she experienced Guppy House in Rowland Heights in SoCal) — my parents were quite pleased with the Hong Kong style decor, but I was a bit upset that my parents spoke in Cantonese about people who spoke…Cantonese… <3 Mango!