Monday, October 02, 2006

surf & turf

today i visited two very different towns.

sausalito
the minute i opened my car door, i was hit with the salty reminder that i was near the sea. smack! i breathed deeply and loved it.

the old part of the town is quaint, predictable, and filled with tour buses. the primary appeal is the water and the view across the bay to san francisco, and i imagine the sweet neighborhoods that cling to the hillside are what make this place special. i wandered out of town, and enjoyed a coffee on the water while thinking hard about my career (yes, the honeymoon is just about over).

mill valley
sausalio's views of the bay are matched by m.v.'s spectacular wooded setting. houses tucked into redwood forests and california-style laid back living made this place a charmer. i have to admit, though, that the charm in the main downtown borders on precious--the number of beautiful people seemed a bit too high--but i imagine the local scene beyond the models-pushing-stroller set is pretty sweet. next time i'll explore more of the town and meander into the muir woods.

on the drive home from this tremendous day of exploring, i yelled expletives that would make mom blush about the @$%?&*!!! spectacular view approaching the golden gate bridge. :)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Next time you're up there, you might also stop by Tiburon (which is on the water, basically between Sausalito and Mill Valley). It's another quaint Marin town. but there's a really good Mexican seafood place there, Guaymas, that looks over the water. Tiburon is way less touristy than Sausalito, too.

Also, some of the very best burritos in the U.S. are to be had at Lucinda's, off the 101, at 930 Redwood Hwy (Mill Valley). There are only 4 stools there, so you can build your visit into bigger picnic plans :-)

Anonymous said...

sarah: let's follow jay's advice immediately.

today, on lone mountain, i was early for class and was just looking out over the bay. the provost walked up and we started talking. i pointed towards a piece of land and said, "what's that?"

"tiburon," he said.

mmm, day trip out of the city.

sarah said...

hooray for tiburon! thanks for the tip, jay. hopefully we can scoot out there before the dreaded rains come (i've heard several people in the past few days muttering about how rain is just around the corner. i'm really curious to find out how it compares to seattle...)

Anonymous said...

Also, one thing I did only a few times when I lived in SF, but that I really enjoyed, was going to Angel Island. You can get there from either Tiburon or Fisherman's wharf.

So, an outing you might enjoy (incorporating all of the advice in my previous comment): drive up to Tiburon, stopping on the way at Lucinda's to pick up two small burritos for picnic. Hop the ferry to Angel Island (eat burritos sooner than later--maybe even while still in Tiburon). Walk around the island = relax + exercise.

At the end of the day, ferry back to Tiburon and eat appetizers and drink tequilla at Guymas = relax - excerise. :-)

Anonymous said...

Totally. Have you been to Muir Woods?

sarah said...

i REALLY WANT to see muir woods. i need to do it. and soon.

first i need to do some work on the job front (oy!) and then i'll pat myself on the back with a drive to the woods.