Camping trip

Though I realize that the rest of the country probably thinks that late October is a horrible time to go camping, it's great out here. I went to Sonoma Coast State Park near Bodega Bay a couple of weekends ago, about 2 hours north of San Francisco. The campsites at Wright's Beach are about 100 feet from the ocean (with some trees in between), so you hear the surf all night. The campsites are great, but exploring the beaches is the best part. The tide pools at Shell Beach are especially impressive, if you go at low tide. We discovered tons of starfish and anemones.

This weekend: Sales galore

The Chronicle ran an article yesterday on all of the major home sales (sample sales, warehouse sales, etc) going on between now and Nov. 14. (They'll run part 2 with a list of sales for the rest of the year soon.) There are so many options that I don't know how I'll decide where to go, from Dandelion to Magenta to Union Street Glass.

via Apartment Therapy

Fall day trip

Fall frolicking is only an hour and a half to the north. Cute towns like Graton and Sebastopol have lots of charming fall activities, like apple picking at Gabriel Farm (found via Weekend Sherpa). The farm has rows and rows of Fuji, Golden Delicious, Pink Lady, and Granny Smith apples (and others whose names I don't remember). They sell their apples for just $2/pound, and the adventure is free.

Vineyards in the area have changed color, so you can get your fall colors fix if you're not used to leaves turning brown and dying immediately. Be sure to check out Willow Wood Market-Cafe, a restaurant in Graton with tasty food and eclectic merchandise.

View Google map of Gabriel Farm
View Google map of Willow Wood Market-Cafe

More photos here

This weekend: Capsule Design Festival

I can't say I know much about the Capsule Design Festival, but I see the words jewelry, bags, and clothing over and over again. I think that means it is worth checking out. Over 140 independent designers will be there, and that sounds pretty fantastic. It's coming up this Sunday, 11 to 6, at the Hayes Valley Park.

view event map

Trash to treasure

The Alameda Flea Market is a treasure trove of the old and the quirky. This well loved market only happens the first Sunday of every month (meaning it's coming up this very Sunday) and people flock from miles and miles to rummage through the wares. If you get there early (really early, 7 am early), you're likely to be hunting with the best vintage shop owners and collectors around. But if you're a little more slow paced and not looking for any large treasures, show up at 9 (when the entrance fee drops to $5) and be ready to hunt for your find of the day. Everything has to be at least 30 years old, so this isn't the outdoor dollar store sort of flea market. Some places take credit cards or checks for larger items, but bring cash for the small purchases you never knew you needed. Also, you'll want some of the kettle corn (I'm pretty sure they pump the smell into the air just to entice you), and they only come in jumbo sizes.

See directions here

To the races

I've been a horrible blogger lately! There's been too much random stuff going on to blog or do things to blog about.

But, I did just discover Bay Meadows, right before it closes down for good. The historic track (where Seabiscuit of Hollywood fame raced) will likely close sometime next year. I'm not really into gambling or horse racing, but their Fridays Alive (with $1 admission, beers—though not good ones—and hot dogs) are a good time, especially when there is also a ridiculous Neil Diamond cover band. It's super convenient (right off the Hillsdale Caltrain station). Bring lots of cash for your betting and nachos (sadly, not $1).

photo by ibison4

view Google map

Suppenkuche="soup kitchen"

Suppenkuche is not for the dieter, the romantic meal, or the faint of heart. This German restaurant is generally packed and noisy, and you're likely to share one their giant wooden tables with strangers. But since most of us didn't make it across the ocean for Saturday's official start to Oktoberfest, you can celebrate with Suppenkuche's giant beer glasses (a 2-liter in the shape of a boot if you'd like) and meat-laden meals. (They have a few tasty vegetarian dishes as well, like the potato pancakes and homemade applesauce above.) They've even put together a German beer glossary so that you can avoid my method of point and hope for the best. O'zapft is!


Photo by fogindex

Blog break

I'll be out of town for the rest of this week, so no posting. Back next week...

Just candy

The Candy Store is, obviously, a place that sells candy. (I like the simple name. No confusion. No spelling words incorrectly to make them cute.) They also sell nostalgia and new best friends. The place is loaded with hard-to-find treats of your childhood as well as gourmet sweets. I fell in love with the handmade vanilla carmels. This place is so much more than a 7-Eleven checkout counter—it's childhood, but fancier.

view Google map

This week: Free DIY

I seem to spend a lot of money on craft projects. There are the classes, then the materials, then the special kinds of scissors...it adds up. Thankfully this is the week for The Expo for the Artist & the Musician. The Expo has free classes—like a bookbinding tutorial Wednesday evening—that even include the materials. Other events include: pinhole photography (Tuesday), retouching photos using Photoshop (Wednesday), puppetry 101 (Thursday), and basic sewing (Thursday). Found via Funcheapsf.com (a handy resource for inexpensive events in the area).

view Google map of CELLspace (location for classes)

photo by susanstars