Sunday, November 13, 2011

Snapshots of San Francisco (and the Bay Area)!

I just got back from an awesome long weekend in the San Francisco/Bay Area spent with my blog friends Stephanie, Prerna, and Joyti as well as my college friends M and G. Thank you guys so so much for making time for me! I had so much fun and hope to be back soon. Here are a few snapshots I took (now that I finally got over my fear of taking my camera outside haha). Hope you like them =)!

PS - Check out Steph's gorgeous shots of the same wine tour here and here!

Frog's Leap Winery Tour in Napa Valley
Frog's Leap Winery
Lovely Friends in Lovely Napa
Tour of Frog's Leap Winery in Napa
Grapes on the vine and after wine was pressed out
Grapes on the vine (left) and after wine has been pressed out (right)
Our tour guide...
Our tour guide!
More Snapshots from Frog's Leap Winery
More Pumpkins
Pumpkin Decor
Bouchon Bakery and Lunch at Bouchon Cafe in Napa Valley
Napa Valley
Bouchon Bakery
Lunch at Bouchon CafeSteph's French Onion Soup and Prerna's Scrumptious Gnocchi!
Lunch at Homeroom in Oakland
Homeroom's Incredible Gouda Mac & Cheese
The Gilroy: creamy gouda, sharp pecorino and roasted garlic...plus I added caramelized onion...so good!
Dinner at Trattoria La Siciliana in Berkeley
Trattoria La Siciliana's Butternut Squash Appetizer and Pasta
Trattoria La Siciliana's Incredible Seafood Risotto
Really incredible seafood risotto...definitely THE food highlight of the trip!
Blue Chair Fruit Company Jam Tasting
Blue Chair Jams Tomato Jam-Making Process Collage 1
Making their positively addictive tomato preserves
Blue Chair Fruit Company Behind-the-Scenes
Rachel (Blue Chair's founder) peeling tomatoes for the preserves
The Ferry Building in San Francisco (Favorite of Foodies) and Pier 39
Scharffenberger Chocolate
Miette Bakery
Cupcakes, Macarons, and more at Miette
Blue Bottle Coffee
Funny Things at Pier 39 Gift Shop
Some funny souvenirs from Pier 39
Last but not least...
Prerna and Aashvi
Prerna's daughter A...one of the prettiest little girls I've ever met!

36 comments:

  1. Seems like you had a wonderful time in SF! Love every single click, Xiaolu!

    Hugs <3

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  2. What a wonderful way to spend a weekend! A little bit (ok, very!) jealous.

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  3. what a wonderful trip! LOVE the first door pic, it is so beautifully exposed. Prerna's daughter is so pretty, look at those gorgeous eyes!

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  4. I live in Marin County, right past the Golden Gate bridge, I love the Bay Area.

    I once applied to work at Buchon bakery but then realized the commute was going to be too long for me, I loved that place.

    Lovely photos, and your are right, Prerna's daughter is beautiful!

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  5. The seafood risotto looks really delicious! Yes I can feel it from your photos. :)

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  6. Ah! So much fun and so much food! I feel like i need to go back to SF next week to recreate all of your meals!

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  7. And you say that you don't like your camera! WOOT?!! What gorgeous photos X. LOVE all of them and relived r trip and all the fun again. Please come back again soon :-)

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  8. So pretty! It was surely a good trip :)

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  9. I love all those pumpkins on the steps! Looks like you had a lot of fun [:

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  10. Wow, really fantastic shots. I love SF and would move up there in a flash if I could, who knows? The Ferry building is a place I could easily spend the whole day at, did you have a long wait at Bouchon for lunch, I heard it can get kinda crazy. Canned fog, seriously?? Great last shot of A...
    Take care..

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  11. Beautiful Photos Xiaolu! Love love love it. And true that! Prerna's daughter is so pretty :-) And now show us one of you three photos :-D

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  12. Great clicks! It looks like you had a lot of fun. Thanks for sharing.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  13. oh! I wish it were 2-3 months ago when I was there!!! beautiful pics. A is just divine. How fun :)
    Heidi xo

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  14. Everything looks gorgeus Xiaolu!!! I so wish we had time to visit San Francisco on our last trip to the States. And Prerna's daughter is SO cute!!!

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  15. looks and sounds like you had a great time in SF. Prerna's daughter is so beautiful!

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  16. Tq fr sharing story xiaolu!
    and look at that beautifuly gorgeous pic!! all the food and pic makes me want to go there!
    happy that u have a wonderful time at san francisco ;)

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  17. Looks like a fun trip! All that food looks positively toe curling

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  18. What a fun trip! Love the pumpkin photos especially. So cute!

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  19. Thanks, my friends! I really appreciate all your kind words about my photos -- it really was a great trip indeed and I'm already yearning to eat that seafood risotto again 8).

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  20. I love taking pictures in the bay area on a gorgeous weekend. Lovely pictures! Looks like you had a perfect long weekend!

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  21. Incredible photos. My daughter lives in Palo Alto and is getting married in 2 weeks - so we will be headed to San fran next week. I have been to many of the places in your photos - but in the summer - loved seeing the seasonal photos... LOVE IT THERE! Did you get to the market at the ferry building? I hope so! Wasn't Bouchon Bakery fun? I loved it all!
    That is the cutest little gal, EVER!
    Where did you eat?
    :)
    Valerie

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  22. Just read over your post again to take it in one more time - and the first time I had skipped HALF of your post! SO glad I went back - yes - se eyou made the ferry building and that tomato jam looks incredible. I tried to make some this year and burned it. So - should I be lucky enough to hit this place - I want to try that jam tasting.
    :)
    V

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  23. Great photos. :) Looks like a wonderful trip.

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  24. looks like you had wonderful trip! i live in the sf bay area, had i known you were coming i would have tried to meet up with you as well! next time :) btw, did you have a chance to eat at chez panisse in berkeley? it is a MUST next time you're here!

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  25. What a beautiful post and such lovely pictures! I want to book my ticket to San Francisco right away. The seafood rissoto looks divine!

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  26. Such great photos! Makes me miss the Bay area!

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  27. great clicks ! looks like so much fun :)

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  28. Oh I didn't know you were here! I'm so happy to hear you had a great time!

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  29. I was in SF the weekend of the 6th!

    Wish I could have visited the Napa Valley. Your pictures look amazing!

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  30. Beautiful beautiful beautiful post! You're amazing. Happy Belated Thanksgiving, btw. Hope all is well!

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  31. I know it has been a while but I saw it just today. I was at the Ferry Building last August and recognized a few places. Isn't amazing? I loved San Francisco, what a city!! An it seems you too had a lot of fun! Great pics, as always!

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I love hearing from you all! Please leave me a message if you have questions, advice, or just to let me know you stopped by. Your feedback is always very much appreciated. Thanks! <3 Xiaolu