Jan and I had to squeeze in a Giants game before the season ends. While in the city, why not take in our favorite activities…strolls along the Embarcadero and discovering neighborhood hidden treasure eateries. 

We stayed at a new hotel that was all about location for us….Hotel Via. It just so happens to be directly across from Oracle Park.  

We loved the convenience of just walking from our hotel room to our stadium seats in minutes. 

On top of the location, we were surprised and delighted to enjoy The Via’s comfortable and beautifully decorated rooms and the youthful staff, who were accommodating, helpful, and fun to engage with.   

One of our big adventures on this trip was taking the Muni to Market to purchase Clipper Cards for future Muni trips. 

From Market Street, we meandered our way to the Ferry Building, where we happened to stumble upon some perfectly groomed bocce ball courts right in the heart of the city. Of course, we had to stop and check them out.

Once we made our way to the Ferry Building, we were mesmerized by all of the gourmet food cubbies and kiosks and found ourselves seated with impeccable views of the bay and indulging in oysters at Hog Island Oysters. 

Later that evening, as we were headed out for dinner, we stopped at the front desk and asked the wonderful hotel staff for dinner recommendations which took us to 25 Lusk, a sophisticated yet approachable restaurant that has recently reopened (post covid).  

I almost hate to disclose how wonderful this restaurant is since it is due to be so popular that reservations will soon become difficult to get.

Chef Donlan’s à la carte approach features small plates that are divinely delicious.

We started off our meal with a Gem Salad with Anchovies and Cauliflower Creme Brûlée for our first course.  

I was sorry I had to share the cauliflower dish. It was amazing – creamy, savory, and sweet with caramelized onion and watercress as toppers. 

Our second course was Pork Belly with Lobster Mushroom and Venison with Lingonberries. (I can never turn down Lingonberries)

25 Lusk’s seasonality and sustainable cuisine was a memorable culinary experience for us. 

Garland, our waiter, curated our dining with innovative craft cocktails and perfectly paired wine selections as he served us with smiles, personality and great humor. 

The next day we met our dear friends for a pre-game lunch at MoMo’s. While MoMo’s is always crazy busy on game days, it’s one of our favorites, and you can’t go wrong with its excellent menu selection.  

Game Time!⚾ Jan’s favorite pastime….Giants Games, he just lives for them. 

We had a blast at the game even though the Giants lost; it was a perfect day to take in a ballgame. The fans were fun, and the game was exciting. Honestly, the best part for me was seeing my husband’s childlike smile the moment we walked into the ballpark. ❤️😊

Dinner that evening was at a simple hole-in-the-wall, pub-style restaurant, The Brickhouse Bar & Grill, one of those neighborhood treasures.

For dinner, we ordered and devoured the Salmon and Pork Belly with Kale.  

Delicious, and again, the service was exceptional! 

We had fun attempting to count the number of driverless taxis, bicycles and scooters. It’s crazy how many driverless taxis are in SF…we seriously lost count. Times have changed 😉

It is always exciting and fun to see what is new in the urban world these days.  

The City by the Bay was sparkling, exciting and memorable.