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Published: April 25th 2011
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Well, here we are, living in California for a little over one week now. So far, things are going very well, especially after a new boiler was installed in our building and we don’t have to walk over to the next building to shower. So now the time is ripe to set out, have a look around and explore our surroundings.
We took off without much of a plan except that we were in hopes of a good view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Much to our surprise our drive was only about 8 miles. We really didn’t realize we lived quite that close to the bridge. The morning was a bit cloudy so many of our photos are only so- so. In the afternoon the sun peaked it’s head out for about 45 minutes. We found the Fort Point National Park, which provided several places to photograph the Golden Gate Bridge, seagulls and wild flowers. We negotiated the curvy drive and ended up on an area called the Marin Headlands, which afforded some outstanding views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a bit breezy at the top as we watched the haze blow
in from the Pacific.
When you are standing down on the wharf in San Francisco looking at the Golden Gate Bridge you may ask yourself about the piece of land across the bridge? That was to be our exploration for the day, Sausalito, California. The word Sausalito is Spanish for “little willow grove.” Sounds lovely doesn’t it?
After all this hilltop sightseeing, it was time to head into the town of Sausalito and find a cold beer. Our first stop was a local pub called Smitty’s, which is a bar and pool hall. Many locals came in and out while we were there and the bartender was able to tell us about the town. We learned that apartments rent from $800 a month for a studio and go up to about $3500 a month. He told us that real estate in the area starts around $800, 000 for a small place and heading up to several million dollars. As we drove into town we were amazed by the views that the hillside homes would have. Sounds like there is a steep price to pay for those views. Supply and demand, eh?
Sausalito is a
Lobster Benedict
Horizons in Sausalito charming small seaside village and did not disappoint. We walked down the street from Smitty’s and enjoyed a wonderful lunch in a Thai restaurant called Armank. We found upscale boutiques, art galleries, gift shops and open-air cafes. We aren’t shoppers so we spent our afternoon walking along the Marina admiring the boats and houseboats. Shipbuilders and sailors settled Sausalito in the 1800’s. It tries to hang on to its nautical history offering a beautiful marina and a bohemian houseboat village.
There are several passenger ferry’s going between Sausalito and San Francisco. We suspect that many people live in the area and commute to the city. We are told that Robin Williams lives in Sausalito and we believe it because there was a recent photo of him on the wall in the Thai restaurant where we had lunch.
This weekend the weather was better than forecasted and we took advantage of the balmier climes and headed back a second day to take in brunch at a waterfront establishment. Horizons offers stunning views of the bay along with such culinary delights as lobster eggs Benedict. We sat facing the water sipping cold beverages and taking in the
sights of Angel Island, Tiburon, Alcatraz, and of course San Francisco.
All in all, a good first week……more to follow……
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Sonja Massey
non-member comment
Calif
Hi guys.....I must have missed something. I didn't realize you moved to the Bay Area. Are you there for a short stay or long? We love the area and have a daughter and family who live on the peninsula so we get down there a couple of times a year. Maybe we can get together on our next trip. Keep us posted.