San Francisco: Day 2

We started off Day 2 breakfasting on a tip from a friend (thanks Sam!) and headed to Dottie's True Blue Café. This was some serious breakfasting, well worth the 45 minutes or so that we stood in line...
(But of course, we're from New York. This was not an unusual thing when it comes to Brunch lines.)

This may truly have been the best omelette that I have ever eaten. 

You know I'm not a big breakfast/brunch person, so when I tell you it was good, it has to be really good.

It was on the specials board, but I'm sure it's up there fairly frequently. It had lamb-fennel sausage, spinach, tomato, roasted garlic, and goat cheese, served with toast and potatoes. Brilliant breakfast.

The hubs had french toast made w/ pumpkin chocolate chip bread, another special.

There was none left.

With full bellies we ventured to the Legion of Honor museum/building, which had a lot of Renoir statues, as well as pieces on loan from the Musée d'Orsay for an exhibit on the Birth of Impressionism.

That exhibit was shared by the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park.

There is an observation deck at the de Young museum that is free to enter.

Nine storeys up you have a clear view (depending on the weather) of the whole city.

Do you remember my post about the Met and "Please Don't Eat the Pictures"???

The little dude has a brother!!! 

And no, it's not the same one on loan because if you compare their left hands, they are different. The one in NYC also seems to have earrings on little rounded ears and is holding what may be a rattle sideways, as well as wearing a skirt of sorts.

The one in SF has long bodhisattva-esque ears and has a vertical rattle.

How crazy that this little guy was made more than once!

If you read the page at the Met link it explains who the little guy is and why he was a common statue to find, albeit frequently only as a head. 

Ancient Mexican Dionysius!

After that excitement we went across the park to the California Academy of Science Museum.

Because they had penguins.

And lots and lots of sea life.

This fish was HUGE tho you can't tell from the picture. 

He could easily eat my arm.

And for the hubs, Sea Dragons.

For dinner that night we met up with more friends of the hubs and ate at Spork in the Mission Disctrict.

And  yes, it's named after the spoon-fork that KFC apparently invented, or at least highly utilized, because the restaurant is on an old KFC site.

However, getting there was an adventure.

First, we got on a trolley car... and just missed our stop. 

So at the next one the hubs goes to step out the back door, only there's a handicap railing in the way of the doors... so he hops over it. 

As soon as he does that, the doors shut, and I am whisked down 3 more blocks while he runs at top-speed after me as though I would get lost going in a straight line.

Isn't that sweet?

While running he didn't hear me calling his cell phone telling him I'd just walk back to meet him where he got off... oh well. At least I know he wasn't trying to ditch me.

We then walked the equivalent of six NY avenues into the Mission District to get to dinner because it was too cold to wait for yet another bus (which did not pass us until we were just about there).  

Plus, we were running late.

We were not cold by the time we arrived...

The hubs ordered two items they are famous for: Cauliflower & Calamari Unite! and the In-Side-Out Burger. I got to taste the first, and it was delicious. The hubs devoured his burger without so much as a crumb in my direction. Everyone at the table seemed quite pleased with their choices, tho I enjoyed mine less than I expected. Still, it was a good place to eat, and the wine list was surprisingly well-rounded for a place named after a plastic untensil. 

I very much enjoyed a bottle of Grenache from the Unti Vineyards we shared.

Methinks I shall try to find some now.

Mmmm...