I adore San Francisco

I am a gal from the 'burbs. I grew up in the suburbs and plan on raising a family there, too. But I've always admired San Francisco, like a pretty piece of jewelry. I could see it from across the bay when I was little girl and it just seemed so exciting and grown up.
I lived, worked, and studied in San Francisco for about five years. I don't pretend to know the city like the back of my hand - the way my native San Franciscan friends do or the ones that have lived there for a long time. But I am a lifetime admirer and today reminded me of that.
Today I visited a friend who lives in the Sunset district. We had breakfast near Ocean Beach. I forgot how much I loved the Sunset district. I was always there because of school and would sometimes kill a big gap of time between classes at Ocean Beach. I forgot how nice it was to be so close to the ocean. I could smell the salt in the air and it was cool without being too cold - perfect for walking around.
Then we drove to the Marina district to walk the pups and window shop on Chestnut and Union Streets. I also forgot how fun it is to leisurely walk and shop in the Marina district. The shops had their Christmas decorations up and it made me so happy! I also love browsing in shops that are only in San Francisco. People were out in their Uggs and stylish sunglasses, eating at yummy restaurants, shopping or walking their pooches :) It wasn't as busy as it usually can be during the weekends so I enjoyed walking on the bustling but not over crowded sidewalks. I also enjoyed how many places let pups inside so their owners can shop. So lovely!
I often forget how much I love being in San Francisco. Living 45 minutes away often feels like a different world and seems to make it too cumbersome of a trip to make. There are so many reasons to stay away - horrible parking, too cold, some places are dirty and funky, The Man isn't a fan of the city, and it's kind of a hassle with two dogs! But it's visits like the one I had today, especially during the holiday season, I remember why I adore San Francisco. It's such a beautiful place with so much diversity among its people, sites, food, and merchandise. I admit, I miss living, working and studying in the city! But I'm very thankful to live in the Bay Area where it's only a 45 minute trek to such a wonderful place.