San Francisco Ferry Getaway

It was Spring Break this past week at the community college where I work, so students and faculty were off, but the campus was still open and the staff were still at work.  Until Friday.  After four quiet days of catching up on undone tasks including typing evaluation comments, filing a towering pile of paper and reorganizing my filing system, I decided to enjoy a vacation day.

I’ve been wanting to take the Larkspur Ferry to San Francisco and wander the shops in the Ferry Building Marketplace, and Rem was game.  It was a beautiful, sunny day and it was so nice being off work on a week day, I enjoyed it all the more.  Hooray for last minute days off!

Our destination, the Ferry Building Marketplace, is a beautifully renovated, landmark building with lots of little shops, cafes and restaurants with a major focus on food, plus beautiful and useful things for the home and garden.

First stop, Sur La Table, where I saw these little cake stands, or maybe cupcake stands.  They were very sweet and also very small.

I love the artwork on this tin of Merula olive oil from Spain.

I admit, I wouldn’t have known that Pioppini and Nameko were mushrooms.  They are only two of the many, many mushrooms we saw at Far West Fungi.

A beautiful set of nesting bowls made from olive wood was only one of the many items  at The Gardener that I would be delighted to have in our home.

You can pick up a cute little knit critter.

Or a book on how to knit your own.

We already have our own little dog, LLP (Little Little Pup), which is good since I don’t knit.  He came along on our adventure and met a small crocodile.

Succulents – I like their pretty soft greens and purples.

The high ceiling of the Marketplace is topped with skylights.  A few pigeons have wandered in and made themselves at home, adding to the Farmer’s Market feeling.

We sat outside on the esplanade to eat our lunch, overlooking a docked ferry and the Bay Bridge.

My spring rolls and peanut sauce were from Out the Door, the take-out counter for the Slanted Door restaurant.

Rem enjoyed a hot BBQ Pulled-Beef sandwich from Golden Gate Meat Company.  We went back later and bought some steak to bring home and grill.

I could have done more shopping but I didn’t want to schlep it all home on the ferry.

Bright, colorful produce at Farm Fresh to You.

Pretty shopping bags caught my eye.

As did this striped and ruffled pasta at Village Market.

After more strolling we stopped at Gott’s Roadside for a cup of soft serve vanilla ice cream to share.

Back outside into the sunshine, this time we sat on the street side of the building to people watch.

I enjoyed the line of pedicab drivers as they hustled to get customers.  These two were at the end of the line.

We made a relaxed visit to Book Passage where I picked up one new and one used book.  The new one is An Everlasting Meal, Cooking with Economy and Grace by Tamar Adler.  What an appealing title.  The used one is Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes, a book I loved and read several times included while on a trip to Italy that was inspired, in part, by the book.

I lost my well-thumbed copy and hadn’t thought of getting another until I saw this one. I started reading it right away while sitting on a bench in the marketplace.  It was like sitting down with an old friend.

Soon enough it was time to board the return ferry and head home.  I went out on the deck and took one more shot of the building as we departed.

We had a splendid day!

A day like that reminds me how lucky we are to live where we do.   I am grateful.

Thanks for coming by for a visit.