By The Bay

Just back from a week in the San Francisco area, my first trip there. No one needs me to explain the appeal of the place (especially during record July heat elsewhere), but I figured I'd at least pass along a few cool tidbits we found. Oh, and check out some more of our pics on Flickr.

Kensington Park Hotel - right off Union Square, good rates, comfy room, and extremely friendly and helpful staff. A wild stab from the internet that paid off big.

Juni Teppan and Sushi - I'm no sushi expert, but after a long time driving around looking for a parking place, we ended up here at random and were pleasantly surprised by the food and attentive service. Though we must have looked scared or something, as the waitress continually reassured us that we would like the raw fish. Uh, yeah, I know that much...

Conservatory of Flowers - all of Golden Gate Park was impressive, but this is a clear highlight.

Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market - this is where we wished we had brought 11 more suitcases, or a portable kitchen. Added to the already-awesome group of foodie stores in the Ferry Building Marketplace, the variety of food and other goodies available here was truly remarkable. I guess I'm more used to farmer's markets where pretty much everyone is growing the same few things, but this is California, son. A few stalls to plug: Juniper Ridge wild herb products, Rancho Gordo heirloom beans, Bariani olive oils.

Le Colonial - one of our front desk man's recommendations, Le Colonial features tasty Vietnamese cuisine, French-colonial style. They have a groovy patio too.

The Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar - gotta get your tiki on, though the drinks were far more interesting than the food. Maybe if they also served the drumsticks in a fake coconut...

Cafe Claude - another gem just a few blocks from the hotel, French goodness tucked down its own little alley. Hmm, seems like this reminds me of somewhere else.

We also made it up into the Russian River area for a couple days, though clearly that's not enough time to make a dent in the Sonoma and Napa valley offerings. But we do what we can.

Greystone Restaurant - the public face of the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, so the quality of the food was no big surprise. But I did appreciate the steps taken to reduce the intimidation factor - wine sampling flights, "temptation" menus, and a staff that anticipates many questions.

Russian River Resort - we actually stayed at The Woods down the street, but had a couple dinners here, and found a pleasing combination of comfort and sophistication. Apparently they were flooded out last year, so that explains the new, sharp-looking dining rooms. And don't worry, they are all straight-friendly.

So if you're in the area, check these out - tell them I sent you, and then just play along when they pretend like they don't know who I am.