Melissa Luu

 • • •

ONE // PASSPORT, VISA, & EMBASSY. AKA NOT-EXCITING-STUFF

Check for any passport/visa requirements and government-issued travel alerts for traveling to your destination country. This sounds like a no-brainer but can slip your mind. 

Passport expiration dates should be more than six months beyond your return date. This is a good rule of thumb, but check for any country-specific needs.

Visa requirements differ depending on where you’re going; here’s a link for U.S. citizens traveling abroad. Also check visa requirements for countries through which you’re connecting – a friend with a non-U.S. passport once had to change her flight because she didn’t have a visa when connecting through Toronto.

Compile a list of addresses and phone numbers for the U.S. Embassy in your destination country and every hotel at which you’ll be staying. 

Make photocopies of all the above documents, and (1) send them to a family member who will not be traveling in case there’s an emergency, (2) bring copies with you. You can save a copy of the addresses on your smartphone so you can easily show taxi drivers, but I would advise against having a copy of your passport easily accessible on your phone in case you’re the victim of a pickpocket.

• • •

TWO // AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY 

…But when traveling internationally, an apple may not be enough. Here are my tips for traveling to India which is where we needed to be more careful. You may decide to lessen these guidelines for countries that are more traveler-friendly. [Note: As with any medical advice, please consult your physician. I am not a doctor, despite what my parents may have wanted for me.]

Check vaccination requirements. Here’s a quick link to the CDC’s recommendations. Some vaccines require multiple dosages or weeks to become active, so look up this info ASAP.

Bring/Print your health insurance cards. Hopefully nothing happens but you’ll feel better knowing you have this information if you need it.

Take a tablet of Pepto Bismol prior to every single meal while traveling. Yes, I mean every. single. meal. My travel companions and I religiously followed this rule and none of us got Traveler’s Diarrhea (which is a very real thing, especially in India). No matter what, pack medication just in case! Few things are more embarrassing than being in a foreign pharmacy and trying to translate “diarrhea” – we learned the hard way once.

Bottled water is the way to go. This goes for everything, including brushing your teeth. We kicked it up a notch in India and completely closed our mouths when showering, made sure not to use any drinking glasses or silverware that had drops of water, and only ate cooked vegetables/no fresh fruit. 

Bring wipes + hand sanitizer. These Charmin travel packs of wipes saved us in dodgy bathroom scenarios and after visiting temples where we needed to take our shoes off. Also, hand sanitizer. All the time. 

Consider respirator masks, like what people use in construction or painting, if visiting somewhere with high pollution rates. You don’t need anything too intense, but even something lightweight like a surgical mask helped if we felt any irritation from the air in Delhi.

For further reading, here’s a good article on being healthy while traveling.

• • •

THREE // THE ELECTRIC SLIDE 

Check what kind of outlets and/or voltage is used in your destination country. Universal travel adaptors work well and will generally suit your needs. Read the fine print on your plugs to check the voltage range. Generally modern plugs say 110-240V in which case you’ll be covered for most destinations, but if not, you may need a voltage converter in addition to a plug adaptor.

• • •

FOUR // DOLLA DOLLA BILLS

Contact your debit and credit card companies to let them know you’ll be traveling abroad. Last thing you want is to be stuck somewhere because you triggered a fraud alert. Pro tip: Book all your travel on your best credit card with the most protection in case something goes wrong. For example, your flight is delayed or canceled some credit cards will refund you for a hotel room or any extra travel costs incurred. (Also check on those pesky foreign transaction fees – or get a credit card that doesn’t charge one!) 

Get local currency from ATMs. So many places that take credit cards that I often don’t worry about bringing much cash ahead of time. Typically, I wait until I’m in my destination country and use an ATM for local currency – some banks will refund any ATM fees (like Charles Schwab) but even if your bank charges a one, it’ll generally be better than the rates at currency exchanges. Heads up: When traveling internationally, Visa/Mastercard are still the most widely accepted. 

Bring a student ID. If you’re a student, there are usually discounts from museums and landmarks.

• • •

FIVE // HOLD YOUR MAIL

If your entire household will be traveling, contact the USPS to temporarily hold your mail while you’re out of the country.

• • •

SIX // PLANE PREP

As you prepare for the final step of getting to your destination, some last reminders:

Request special meals (vegetarian, halal, etc.) more than 24 hours in advance if needed. 

Pack an eye mask, ear plugs, and an extra set of clothes in your carry-on. The eye mask and ear plugs will do wonders for being able to sleep on planes, and be sure you have at least one set of clothes with you in case there’s a baggage mishap.

• • •

WHAT’S AHEAD

Day 1: Arrival, Nusa Dua

Day 2: Travel to Gili T 

Day 3: Snorkeling, island hopping

Day 4: Ubud

Day 5: Sacred Monkey Forest, Goa Gajah Temple, explore Ubud

Day 6: Bike tour

Day 7: Seminyak, yoga class, Alila cliff beach, beach club

• • •

GETTING ORIENTED

Nusa Dua/Uluwatu -- south of the island. Lots of high-end luxury hotel resorts and cliff beaches.

Seminyak -- southwest side of the island. It’s a popular tourist destination and has a stretch of popular beach clubs. You’ll find TONS of Australians.

Ubud -- central part of the island. Known for its “Eat, Pray, Love” shoutout and is the mecca for yoga, artists, and vegetarians.

Gili Air/Gili Trawangan -- islands off the coast of Bali. It’ll take about a 1-2 hour long boat ride to get there. Has amazing snorkeling/diving but definitely has that island vibe (properties aren’t as developed).

Getting around -- Traffic is probably gonna be bad. Just accept it and be patient! We rented a driver to be with us each day, which is definitely the way to go. The rates are generally really affordable. 

• • •

DAY 1 - NUSA DUA

After traveling halfway around the world, we decided to take it easy on our first day and stay at The Laguna Resort (a Starwood property) in Nusa Dua, which is in the south part of the island. If you’re staying there, ask to get upgraded to the pool/lagoon level.

DAY 2 - GILI TRAWANGAN (GILI T)

10:30 AM -- car pickup at The Laguna to Padangbai Harbor (2+ hour drive with traffic)

Tip: the car was arranged through the boat company. They were very late in picking us up because of traffic, so make sure you have a contact phone number and the hotel front desk can help with communicating.

2:00 PM -- Marina Srikandi Fast Boat ride from Padangbai

3:30 PM -- arrive at Gili T

We stayed in a resort that was a 10 minute walk away. Even though 10 minutes doesn’t sound like far, the roads are not paved and can be really crowded with people and small horse/buggy carts. 

5:00 PM -- walk to the west side of the island and catch the sunset - anywhere you can grab a beer and a chair. 

7:30 PM -- dinner at Kokomo

DAY 3 - GILI T

8:30 AM -- breakfast at the hotel 

10:00 AM -- depart for island hopping and snorkeling tour

Most companies are similar in their offerings. We booked a private tour so it was just our group of four, and arranged to get off at Gili Air for a quick lunch. 

One of my favorite memories from the trip was snorkeling in the water with a school of tiny, silver fish swimming around me in a circle. Definitely make time for snorkeling if you can!

Bring extra bread from your hotel to feed to the fish. 

7:00 PM -- dinner at Scallywags

DAY 4 - UBUD

12:00 PM -- boat ride back to Bali/Padangbai Harbor

1:30 PM -- arrive at Padangbai

3:00 PM -- snack and drinks at Alchemy

4:00 PM -- arrive in Ubud

We stayed at a villa found through AirBNB. 

8:00 PM -- dinner at Mozaic 

Previously won a Michelin star

Reservations are needed - they often sell out. 

One highlight: After we sat down, they brought out a plate of fresh ingredients that were to be used in our meal. With each course, the server pointed out each ingredient and encouraged us to pick up, smell, and touch everything.

Website

DAY 5 - UBUD

10:00 AM -- visit the Sacred Monkey Forest

12:00 PM -- lunch at Sari Organic

Located in the middle of rice paddies - beautiful!

It’s a bit of a hike to get there - around 15 minutes of varying degrees of uphill walking.

3:00 PM -- visit Goa Gajah Temple

4:00 PM -- massages

Get massages as often as you can! They were really affordable in Bali and were a great way to relax.

5:00 PM -- explore downtown Ubud

6:00 PM -- dinner at Spice by Chris Salans

DAY 6 - UBUD & BIKE TOUR

Morning -- Eco Cycling Bike Tour which took most of the day. It was a good way to feel like we weren’t spending all day in a car. The tour brought us to Mount Batur which is an active volcano with a beautiful lake, into the real home of a Balinese family where we learned about local customs, and into rice paddies where we could explore a bit. 

Evening -- dinner at Swept Away at Samaya. Beautiful setting!

DAY 7 - SEMINYAK

8:00 AM -- yoga class at Yoga Barn

We didn’t end up making it here, but I regret not being able to attend a class! Yoga Barn comes highly recommended, as does Radiantly Alive

11:30 AM -- drive to Seminyak

12:30 PM -- lunch at Earth Cafe

2:00 PM -- check into villa

We stayed at an amazing villa with a pool. Wherever you stay, make sure there’s a pool and you’ll be happy forever. If not staying at a villa, I’d recommend...

6:00 PM -- drinks at Alila Resort

This place is located in Uluwatu, which is famous for its cliff beaches. It’s a bit of a drive away, but it is GORGEOUS. I’d recommend catching a sunset here at least once, and maybe even splurging and staying here if your budget allows. 

8:30 PM -- dinner at Cafe Moonlight

10:00 PM onwards -- party at Potato Head Beach Club

Potato Head is located on a street with a stretch of beach clubs. Potato Head is considered one of the best ones, though that means it can also be crowded.

• • •

OTHER TRAVEL TIPS

Don’t forget to check all the boxes when traveling internationally

Sunscreen. Sunscreen. Sunscreen. Your epidermis will thank you later!

Bugs, including mosquitos, are going to be part of your travel experience. Load up on bug repellant spray, and we got a plug-in mosquito repellant which worked well.

Bring water bottles with you that you can refill throughout the day. It was pretty hot while we were there.

• • •

HOW THE TRIP COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER

We didn’t end up going diving, but it’s supposed to be among the best in the world. 

• • •

RESTAURANTS

Pizza. Gets its own section because deep dish.

Giordano’s -- I think it's the best pizza in town, but that’ll really depend on who you ask :). The downtown location gets really really busy and I don't think they take reservations, but you may be able to place an order ahead of time and pick up. I usually get the spinach stuffed pizza. Multiple locations

Lou Malnati’s -- not gonna lie, this has grown on me in the last few years. On second thought, maybe Lou Malnati’s is better. On third thought, can I just have both? Multiple locations

Michelin-star restaurants (as of 2015)

Alinea -- known to be the best restaurant in the country. It’s on this list because of its fame, but I haven’t tried it myself so I can’t give any advice on whether it’s worth the steep price tag. Old Town

EL Ideas -- had one of my most memorable meals here. The dining experience is unique: they have two seatings per night and serve all 20 people the same courses at the same time. They encourage guests to stand up and walk around the kitchen, talk with the chefs, look at their spices, explore, etc. It felt like I was dining in someone’s personal home. It’s a long meal, so plan accordingly! Douglas Park

Other

The Signature Room at the John Hancock Building -- there’s a restaurant/bar on the 95th floor of the Hancock building. The observation deck costs something like $15 to visit, but at The Signature Room, you can just order a drink at the bar or eat a lunch buffet (Friday or Saturday only) for $20 AND still have the incredible view. You can also go and just order a drink. It’s one of my favorite places to take friends who visit! Downtown

Portillo’s -- yummy hot dogs and polish sausage! Multiple locations

Garrett’s Popcorn -- grab a small bag if you can! My favorite is the caramel/cheese mix. It’s SO YUMMY. But also so greasy. Multiple locations

• • •

BARS

Cindy’s -- pricey indoor/outdoor rooftop bar with pretty much the best cocktails I’ve ever had. Fire pits on the outdoor patio add a really cozy touch. South Loop / Millennium Park

Crown Liquors -- it doesn’t look like much from outside, but the bar in the back gives it a speakeasy feel and there’s a great selection of beers. Logan Square 

• • •

THINGS TO SEE/DO

The Second City -- I HIGHLY recommend seeing a comedy show at The Second City, famous for its cast members who often go on to SNL and other large comedy outlets. Fun fact #2: Chicago is called the “Second City” because it was basically rebuilt after the Chicago Fire. Old Town

The Bean -- also called The Cloud Gate, this sculpture is one of the most iconic tourist attractions of Chicago so it makes for some nice pictures. Pro tip: make sure you get a picture from the side that reflects the city skyline! South Loop / Millennium Park

Michigan Avenue -- a.k.a. the “Magnificent Mile.” just walking around downtown is pretty fun. The only real activity here is shopping, but you get a feel for the Chicago culture. You can even take a look at the original Water Tower that survived the Chicago Fire. Downtown

Pilsen -- Pilsen is the heart of Chicago’s Mexican American community. You could visit the National Museum of Mexican Art or take a walking tour around W. 18th Street and S. Ashland Avenue. Pilsen

Museums -- if you like museums, Chicago has a pretty large “museum district” which consists of buildings that were used for the World Exposition in Chicago (fun fact #3). The two that I would personally recommend are the Museum of Science and Industry and the Shedd Aquarium. The architecture at the FIeld Museum is pretty cool too if you’re into natural history. South Loop

Navy Pier -- this boardwalk is a pretty popular spot when the weather gets nicer. There’s a giant ferris wheel which some interesting history having to do with the World Exposition in Chicago. Downtown

Architecture tour -- I’ve been on a tour that went along the Chicago River, which runs through the middle of downtown. It took the group out onto Lake Michigan, which is a postcard-worthy view.

• • •

WINTER ADDENDUM

Godspeed if you’re visiting during the winter. (Just kidding about that -- but seriously, a hat and some gloves will make a huge difference.) Here are some special winter-only recommendations.

The Bean -- description above. In the winter, Millennium Park turns into an outdoor ice rink. There’s usually a really long line, but it feels magical to be skating in an urban setting with the skyline wrapping around you.

Michigan Avenue -- description above. During the holidays, the streets are lit up with lights. It’s absolutely stunning.

PLANNING YOUR TRIP

What to expect. This map is pretty useful for Napa -- and Yelp is a great resource. The wineries are condensed so you can go wherever the wind takes you! Most places are $15-20 per tasting and accept credit cards, but bring cash for dinner if going with a group of friends.

Share a tasting or two. For the first one or two wineries, it might be a good idea to just share a tasting with another person (especially the driver!). This is totally acceptable at wineries. 

End the day with sparkling wine! See below for some recommendations. Note the closing times for the wineries on your list since many of them wind down around 4:30 PM.

Expect traffic on the way back. I recommend starting the day early and making sure you’re well-rested. You’ll likely run into traffic on the drive back to San Francisco, so expect a lot of wine-drowsy passengers and a quiet car if you’re the driver.

PACKING LIST

Sunscreen. Even though Napa is so close to San Francisco, the weather can make them feel like worlds apart. You can almost always count on it being beautiful and sunny in wine country no matter how foggy it is in the city.

Picnic blanket. Many wineries have grassy areas perfect for a picnic lunch with a bottle of wine. You’ll be so glad if you have a blanket to spread out.

Cheese and bread to share between wineries (don’t forget a cooler if you’re bringing cheese!).

Dress nicely for the pictures but don’t feel obligated to get too fancy.

RESTAURANTS

Bouchon Bakery is a popular stop for breakfast and pastries, but I have never been there. You'll see people carrying around Bouchon bags all over Napa.

If you're feeling fancy, The Restaurant at Meadowood and The French Laundry are three-Michelin star restaurants (as of 2015). Otherwise, I've heard great things about Ad Hoc -- but reservations are a must.

WINERIES

Now, to the best part!!

Hendry Winery (favorite) Impression: Great for beginners and if you don't know a lot about wine. Their tasting compares 10 different wines and you learn a lot about what to taste, the differences between a chardonnay and a sauvignon blanc, comparing wines aged in a steel barrel vs. an oak barrel, etc. It’s a boutique winery so it looks like someone’s farm, which has its own charm. Booking tips: You need to book in advance and the tastings take a while (approximately two hours) due to the in-depth tutorial, so only visit if you have the time. This winery is also located slightly away from the main stretch of wineries, so we like to hit it up first thing on our way to St. Helena Highway. The tastings are $20 but they will waive the tasting fee if you buy a bottle of wine -- and they have a number of bottles that are around $20.

V. Sattui (top pick) Bring a picnic blanket, buy a bottle, and stop here for lunch! The caprese sandwich and truffle mac and cheese are TO DIE FOR. Budget extra time for lunch so you can just relax. The tasting is $15 each and you may be able to find a 2-for-1 tasting coupon online. This is a really popular spot so be prepared for big groups and possibly having to battle/spar for a spot in the tasting room.

Robert Mondavi Winery (top pick) If you want to go on a winery tour, Henry and I enjoyed the tour and tasting at Robert Mondavi Winery the most out of all the tours we've attended. The tour actually brings you out into the grape vineyard (see picture above) so it's a different experience. Mondavi is one of the popular wineries in Napa so there may be a crowd here. Their moscato IS AMAZING.

Grgich Hills Estate (top pick) Grgich Hills was recommended to us by a friend who knows his wine. The wines are great. It's a more chill winery -- you won’t find a lot of tourists here. You can keep the wine glasses!

Sparkling wine (top pick) We love to end the day with sparkling wine. I've tried both Domaine Chandon and Domaine Carneros. I like them equally, although Carneros has slightly better Yelp reviews. Domaine Chandon lets you keep the champagne flutes.

Alpha & Omega Super pretty winery. Good red wines, although the wines are kind of forgettable and only the pretty fountain stands out.

St. Supery Pretty winery with a great sauv blanc. There's a self-guided tour with smelling stations; we could have gotten more out of the tour if we spent more time reading or learning... but we mostly wanted to get to the wine! They sell St. Supery wines at Safeway at a reasonable price if you’re on the fence about purchasing a bottle onsite.

• • •

DAY 1

12:00 PM -- arrive at airport and pick up rental cars

12:30 PM -- lunch at Da Kitchen Cafe

Yelp page

1:45 PM -- get groceries from Costco Maui

1 minute drive away from Da Kitchen Cafe

2:45 PM -- drive to the house

3:15 PM -- arrive at the house and settle in

5:30 PM -- depart for downtown Lahaina

5:45 PM -- arrive at downtown Lahaina and explore

Ululani's Hawaiian Shave Ice

Banyan Tree Park

7:00 PM -- dinner at Hula Grill Kaanapali

DAY 2

7:00 AM -- leave for Hana

Snacks

Lunch materials (sandwiches/wraps)

Hiking/walking shoes

Change of clothes and towels

Sunscreen

Bug spray

Hand sanitizer 

Anti-nausea medicine (if needed -- this is a windy road!)

8:00 AM -- arrive at Pa’ia

Use restroom!

Get gas

Stop at Moana Bakery

8:30 AM -- The Road to Hana! This will take you pretty much a whole day. Make sure you leave Hana around 4:00-5:00 PM so you aren’t driving through all the windy roads when it’s dark out. See below for some of our stops:

Garden of Eden

Keanae Peninsula

Red Sand Beach

Wailua Falls

Bamboo Forest

Seven Sacred Pools of Oheo

8:30 PM -- dinner at Ono Tacos

Yelp page

DAY 2

3:00 AM -- wake up and get yo’ layers together!

LAYERS: blankets, towels, etc. as it will be very cold

Breakfast

Lots of snacks

Thermoses with hot beverage

3:30 AM -- depart the house

5:00 AM -- arrive at Haleakala Visitors Center

I’d recommend arriving one hour before the sunrise in order to get a good spot. It’s an amazing experience being above the clouds.

6:00 AM -- sunrise at Haleakala Volcanic Crater

This was my favorite moment -- when the sun just started to rise above the clouds and you could see just the edges glowing as if they were on fire. This picture really doesn’t do it justice.

Afternoon -- Kaanapali Beach

Evening -- BBQ grill at home

Started the day with watching the sunrise from the top of a volcano crater, ended the day watching the sunset over the Pacific Ocean.

DAY THREE

Free day -- which we spent snorkeling at Honolua Bay. 

We rented the snorkeling equipment from a local shop. SO much cheaper than renting from one of the hotels!

NOTE: do not put sunscreen on before you enter the water, as it is harmful to the coral. 

Get a waterproof disposable camera; you get really close to the coral and fish -- and we even saw a sea turtle!

1. CREATE NESTED LABELS

A nested set of Gmail labels is at the heart of this system. At the top level is a label called “Follow-up” with a sub-label for each day of the week. I use a “+” on the parent label so it appears at the top of my list and numbers to keep the days of the week in order.

+ Follow-up         1 Monday         2 Tuesday         3 Wednesday         4 Thursday         5 Friday

2. ADD QUICK ACCESS ALIASES

The power of any organizational system is how quickly and effortlessly you can use it. So, I add some quick access aliases to my address book for each day of the week. Gmail has a feature that allows you to add a string of letters after your email ID while still delivering the emails as if the additional characters weren't there.

In my address book, I have [email protected] saved as “Monday Followup”, [email protected] as “Tuesday Followup” and so on.

3. SET UP FILTERS

To automatically sort my emails and get them out of my inbox, I set up a filter for each alias with the following settings:

Matches: to:([email protected]) Skip Inbox Mark as read Apply label “+ Follow-up/1 Monday” (Make sure to change first and last steps to match the corresponding day of the week.)

4. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

When I write an email that requires a response from the recipient, I’ll BCC the email alias with the day of the week that I would reasonably expect a response. This means action items for others are categorized by the day of the week that I need to follow up with the message. For example, if I write an email on Monday requesting a setup diagram from a venue, I might expect them to get it to me by Wednesday. I’ll include “[email protected]” in the BCC field which will result in that email message skipping the inbox and having the “Wednesday” filter applied.

At the start of each day, I click on the appropriate day of the week in my list of labels. If I see any messages that have not yet been answered, I’ll ping that email thread and ask for an update.

Afterwards, I’ll manually apply another label (say, “Friday”) and remove it from Wednesday. If I haven’t heard back by Friday, I may escalate the request. 

• • •

• • •

GENERAL TIPS

TRANSPORTATION.

The Tube system is great! Try to stay near a station and buy an Oyster travel card, which you can return at the end of your trip for a £5 refund.

WHAT’S AHEAD.

Day 1: arrival, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tower of London, Tate Museum, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

Day 2: Palace of Westminster, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, St. James’s Park, Trafalgar Square, afternoon tea at The Orangery at Kensington Palace, Hyde Park, the London Eye

• • •

DAY 1

10:00 AM -- arrive London Heathrow (LHR)

Buy Heathrow Express ticket at machine (same price as online)

Buy an Oyster travel card

10:45 AM -- travel to hotel (1 hour)

Take Heathrow Express train to Paddington Station

Transfer to the Hammersmith and City line or the Circle line to Barbican station

11:45 AM -- check-in to hotel

12:15 PM -- walk to Bea’s of Bloomsbury (13 min)

12:30 PM -- lunch at Bea’s of Bloomsbury

Address: One New Change, London EC4M 9AF

No sandwiches on the weekends

Can consider other restaurants near the cathedral

1:00 PM -- arrive at St. Paul’s Cathedral

Address: St Paul's Churchyard, London EC4M 8BX

Purchase ticket online to save £2

Student discount available 

Use audio tour -- go into the crypt and climb 528 steps to the dome

Cost: £18

2:00 PM -- travel to Tower of London (11 min)

Take bus 15/N15 towards Poplar

Start: St. Paul’s Cathedral

End: Great Tower Street

2:15 PM -- arrive at Tower of London

Address: Tower Hill, London EC3N 4AB

Purchase ticket online to save  £1

As soon as you enter, check the starting time of the next Yeoman Warder guided tour (60 min)

Cost: £20 

Thoughts: it was a little bit pricey and some parts felt kind of touristy, but I enjoyed learning about and seeing historic sights like the spot where Anne Boleyn was executed (see below).

4:00 PM -- walk across the Tower Bridge

4:15 PM -- travel to Tate Modern Museum (16 min)

Take bus 381 towards Waterloo

Start: Tower Bridge Police Station

End: Southwark, Lavington Street, walk 5 min

4:30 PM -- arrive Tate Modern Gallery

Address: Bankside, London SE1 9JE

Closes at 6:00 PM

Cost: free

Thoughts: I didn’t end up making it to the museum, but I’ve heard amazing things about it!

5:55 PM -- walk to Tas Pide

6:00 PM -- dinner at Tas Pide restaurant

6:45 PM -- arrive at Shakespeare’s Globe and line up for early seating

Thoughts: You can buy tickets for the Yard (standing room only), lower gallery, middle gallery, or upper gallery. I wanted a unique experience, so I purchased a ticket for the Yard section. I read that the best place is right up against the stage so you can lean against it or along the walls at the edge of the Yard. Those are the first spots to go, which is why I stood in line so early!

7:30 PM -- “Last Days of Troy” play at Shakespeare Globe

10:00 PM -- end of play, travel back to hotel

DAY 2

8:20 AM -- travel to Big Ben (30 min)

Take Circle line towards Edgware Road

Start: walk 6 min, Barbican stop

End: Westminster

8:50 AM -- arrive at Palace of Westminster

Go across the bridge for the best photos!

9:00 AM -- wait for Big Ben clock to toll!

As you can tell from the photo, I was kind of late to this stop!

9:05 AM -- arrive at Westminster Abbey and wait in line

Hours: 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM

Audio tour included

Cost: £18

Thoughts: This was among one of my favorite stops. It’s amazing to think that parts of the building and murals have survived since the 1400s. The Abbey was so peaceful, even amid crowds of tourists. I lit a candle at the end of my visit and it ended up being an emotional stop for me.

10:30 AM -- walk to Buckingham Palace (15 min)

10:45 AM -- arrive at Buckingham Palace

Address: 4 Buckingham Place, London SW1A 1AA

Wait for Changing of the Guard ceremony

11:30 AM -- Changing of the Guard ceremony

Thoughts: I don’t think it was quite worth the wait. It was cool to see the famous guards up close but it was cold and drizzling, and there was probably a combined total of 2 minutes of marching. I’d recommend using this time to do the audio tour of Westminster Abbey instead, and perhaps waking up a little later or seeing something else.

12:00 PM -- walk through St. James’s Park

Lunch at “Inn the Park” cafe

1:30 PM -- walk to Trafalgar Square (7 min)

1:40 PM -- arrive at Trafalgar Square and people-watch

Address: Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN

2:15 PM -- travel to Kensington Palace (30 min)

Take bus 9 towards Hammersmith

Start: Charing Cross (London), Trafalgar Square

End: Kensington (London), Kensington Palace

2:45 PM -- afternoon tea at The Orangery at Kensington Palace

Address: Kensington Gardens, London, W8 4PX

Thoughts: my favorite part of this trip! I definitely recommend having afternoon tea somewhere, and The Orangery is set in a beautiful garden.

3:45 PM -- explore Kensington Palace and Hyde Park

Serpentine Lake

Speaker’s Corner

Peter Pan Statue: I asked a stranger to take a picture of me with the Peter Pan statue... and then a kid slowly creeped front and center into the photo.

4:45 PM -- arrive at Marble Arch

You can walk through Hyde Park to get here or take a bus

5:00 PM -- travel to London Eye (22 min)

Take Jubilee line towards Stratford

Start: walk 10 min to Bond Street stop

End: Waterloo, walk 7 min

5:30 PM -- dinner

8:00 PM -- arrive London Eye (must arrive 30 min prior to booked time)

8:30 PM -- London Eye trip

Purchase ticket online to save £2

Cost: £17.96

Thoughts: Sunset was at 9:00 PM while I was in London, so I timed my London Eye trip so I’d be up in the air to see the sky changing color over the city. Look up the average time of sunset during your trip if you’d like to schedule this in!

9:00 PM -- finish London Eye trip

9:10 PM -- travel back to hotel

• • •

HOW THE TRIP COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER

I didn’t have a great food experience while in London and wish I had taken more time researching good restaurants to try while I was there. 

• • •

GENERAL TIPS

TRANSPORTATION. 

Getting to/from the airport, we had a smooth experience with Aerobus. It may not sound glamorous, but it was super easy and cheap -- 10 Euro for a roundtrip ticket (what!). From Terminal 1, walk past baggage claim and look for the signs that say “Shuttle to Barcelona.” Buy a round-trip ticket and save the second ticket for the way back. You’ll get dropped off at Plaza Cataluyna, and from there you can take a cab or use the metro to wherever you’re staying. The Metro T10 passbook costs 10 Euro and is valid for 10 trips on metros, trains, and buses. Since single tickets are 2 Euro each, it’s definitely worth it if you plan to take public transportation.

WHAT’S AHEAD.

Day 1: arrival, dinner at La Cova Fumada

Day 2: lunch at Teresa Carles, city bike tour, dinner at Cerveceria Catalana, Illa de la Discordia

Day 3: Park Guell, La Boqueria market, CatBar, Barrio Gothic

• • •

DAY 1

3:00 PM -- arrive at Barcelona Airport (BCN) and travel to Barcelona

Buy AEROBUS round trip ticket (see above)

Cost: 10 Euro

4:00 PM -- travel to AirBnB using the Metro (20 min)

Buy Metro T10 passbook (see above)

Take L4 towards La Pau

Start: Uraquinao

End: Barceloneta, walk 7 min to AirBnB

Cost: 10.30 Euro

4:30 PM -- arrive at AirBnB and relax

7:30 PM -- tapas at La Cova Fumada

On your first night, I’d recommend going to a tapas place near where your’e staying that has high ratings on Trip Advisor. We walked to La Cova Fumada in Barceloneta

Address: Carrer Baluard, 56 08003 Barcelona. The restaurant is unmarked -- look for wooden doors and people

Order: las bombas (fried mashed potatoes)

Thoughts: they had good seafood but las bombas have meat! Limited options for vegetarians.

8:30 PM -- explore Barceloneta, walk on beach, etc. Traveling in the summer means there’s a ton of sunlight left!

DAY 2

11:00 AM -- wake up 

1:00 PM -- travel to Teresa Carles (25 min)

Take L4 towards Trinitat Nova

Start: Barceloneta

End: Passeig de Gracia, walk 8 min

1:30 PM -- lunch at Teresa Carles

Address: Carrer de Jovellanos, 2 08001 Barcelona

Order: anything! All the tapas here are vegetarian - including this coconut and avocado ceviche (see below)

There was a bit of a wait when we arrived

Thoughts: THIS RESTAURANT WAS SO GOOD. This restaurant was definitely a highlight of the trip

3:30 PM -- walk to Fat Tire Bike Tours

4:00 PM -- bike tour begins

Address: Carrer de Sant Honorat, 7 08002 Barcelona

Cost: 24 Euros

Thoughts: this was a good way to see the city. We didn’t have the opportunity to actually go inside any sights (like the Segrada Familia) but this could be a good way to see what you want to revisit the next day.

8:00 PM -- bike tour ends

8:15 PM -- travel to Cerveceria Catalana (20 min)

Take L3 metro towards Trinitat Nova

Start: Liceu

End: Diagonal

8:45 PM -- dinner at Cerveceria Catalana

Address: Carrer de Mallorca, 236 08008 Barcelona

Put your name on the list for inside AND outside. This will significantly reduce your wait!!

Order: bottles of the house red wine (super cheap and you can’t go wrong)

Thoughts: the tapas were delicious and the wine was great. We ended up looking at the outside Illa de la Discordia since our wait was around 30 min. It’s nearby, but if your wait is short, I would just put this on your list for the next day.

8:55 PM -- arrive at Illa de la Discordia

Three Gaudi buildings: Casa Batllo, La Pedrera (casa Mila), Casa Amatller

Cost: 20 Euros to go inside

10:30 PM -- travel back

DAY 3

10:00 AM -- arrive at Park Guell

In all honestly, we didn’t make it here due to sickness and needing to rest. But, this is one of few Gaudi sites you can see that don’t require any admission fee. It’s a little ways away from the city center, but it’s one of the most popular sites in the city!

12:00 PM -- travel to La Boqueria

30 min by metro

18 min by taxi

12:30 PM -- arrive at Mercado de La Boqueria and have lunch

Lots to see in this market -- delicious looking fruits, lots of meats and sausages. We ended up also buying some fruit gummies covered in sugar as gifts to bring back to the U.S.

Walk along Las Rambas which is a street right outside of the market. It’s pretty touristy which means it’s also a high pickpocket area, so be alert!

1:40 PM -- travel to the beach at Barceloneta (20 min)

Take L4 towards La Pau

Walk 10 min

Start: Jaume I

End: Barceloneta, walk 10 min or so

2:00 PM -- arrive at Barceloneta beach and boardwalk

A friend mentioned that the restaurants on the boardwalk have great “mediodia” lunch deals, which consist of an appetizer/primer plat, segundoplat, dessert, and drink for around 8-10 Euro. Try paella and sangria!

Be aware that some sections of the beach are clothing-optional

5:00 PM -- head back to AirBnB

7:10 PM -- travel to CatBar (20 min)

Take L4 towards Trinitat Nova

Start: Barceloneta

End: Jaume I

7:30 PM -- dinner at CatBar

Address: Carrer Boria, 17 08003 Barcelona, Spain

Thoughts: it wasn’t our favorite stop, but it’s a good stop if you’re looking for a vegetarian/vegan place. It felt pretty local.

8:10 PM -- explore Barrio Gothic, check out some bars, nightlife, etc.

• • •

ANY REGRETS?

I wish we made the effort to visit La Segrada Familia and actually go inside. We had a chance to walk around outside during our bike tour, but did not go back on our next day.

SATURDAY, JUNE 27

1:00 PM -- lunch somewhere in the Mission (TBD for now, open to suggestions!)

2:00 PM -- Dyke March in Dolores Park

There will be DJs playing music; we’ll bring a picnic blanket and just hang out if we can find any space!

Sidenote: Dolores Park recently opened the other half of the park, so here’s your chance to check it out in all its glory!

Website

4:30 PM -- walk to Pink Party (Castro and Market Streets) 

Can either walk separately or with the march at around 3:30 PM

4:45 PM -- arrive at Pink Party in the Castro

$10 suggested donation, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds

Description: Five blocks of DJs, drag and live acts on four stages, food trucks and a new VIP area - PINK PARTY celebrates a long-time Castro District tradition of bringing a fabulous, queer and community-focused street party to raise money for local, LGBT non-profit organizations.

Website

SUNDAY, JUNE 28

11:00 AM -- Pride parade kicks off at Market/Beale Streets and ends at Market/8th Streets (Civic Center) at the SF Pride Celebration event.

We’ll either find a spot near the Westfield Shopping Center to watch the parade, or go directly to the Pride Celebration at Civic Center. If you’ll be there also, text us and we’ll try to find each other! :)

• • •

GENERAL TIPS

Transportation.

Getting to/from the airport was super easy on the public transit system. Just look up directions beforehand to/from your place of lodging. We didn’t rent a car, and just took taxis or public transportation everywhere, which was helpful since we spent the entire weekend visiting lots of breweries! 

What’s ahead.

Day 1: Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Powell’s Books, Lan Su Chinese Garden, lunch at Mother’s Bistro and Bar, Keller Fountain and South Park blocks, Ringler’s Annex, Deschutes Brewery, dinner at Pok Pok Restaurant, and Pix Patisserie 

Day 2: Voodoo Donuts, lunch at Nicholas Restaurant, Hair of the Dog brewing company, Widmer Brewery, dinner at The Farm Cafe, and Rimsky-Korsakoffee House

• • •

DAY 1

9:00 AM -- arrive at Stumptown Coffee Roasters

128 SW 3rd Ave, Portland, OR 97204

Yelp page

9:43 AM -- walk to Powell’s Books

9:45 AM -- arrive at Powell’s Books

1005 W Burnside St, Portland, OR 97209

Tip: This bookstore takes up a whole city block and is color coded by genre. Don’t miss the “Excess Culture” section on the top floor that contains books they didn’t know how to categorize!

Yelp page

10:40 AM -- walk to Lan Su Chinese Garden

10:50 AM -- arrive at Lan Su Chinese Garden

239 NW Everett St, Portland, OR 97209

$7 student admission

Tours throughout the day; ours began at 11:00 AM

This was more interesting and prettier than it sounds. 

Yelp page

11:45 AM -- end of garden tour

11:53 AM -- walk to Mother’s Bistro and Bar

12:00 PM -- arrive at Mother’s Bistro and Bar

212 SW Stark St, Portland, OR 97204

Make a reservation!

Yelp page

2:00 PM -- walk along Tom McCall Waterfront Park

Pass Heinz Records and check out the Paint-By-Numbers gallery

2:20 PM -- arrive at Keller Fountain

3rd Avenue SW Clay St, Portland, OR 97201

2:33 PM -- walk to South Park Blocks

2:40 PM -- arrive at South Park Blocks and read, relax, etc.

SW Park and Salmon St, Portland, OR 97255

Farmers Market on Saturdays

Food trucks at SW 9th and Alder (15 min away)

3:00 PM -- walk (15 min) or bus (11 min) to Ringler’s Annex

3:15 PM -- arrive at Ringler’s Annex

1223 SW Stark St, Portland, OR 97205

Recommendation from a friend: poke your head in at Canoe, Alder&Co, etc. as you walk up to Ringler’s

Yelp page

3:55 PM -- walk to Deschutes Brewery

4:00 PM -- arrive at Deschutes Brewery

210 NW 11th Ave, Portland, OR 97209

Happy hour: 4:00-6:00 PM

Yelp page

4:45 PM -- taxi to Pok Pok Restaurant

5:00 PM -- arrive at Pok Pok Restaurant

3226 SE Division St, Portland, OR 97202

There will likely be a wait. You can grab a drink at Whisky Soda Lounge across the street and they’ll call when your table is ready. We didn’t end up eating here on this trip because the wait was WAY too long (2+ hours)

Yelp page

7:00 PM -- taxi to Pix Patisserie

7:10 PM -- arrive at Pix Patisserie

2225 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214

Yelp page

 DAY 2

10:15 AM -- breakfast at Voodoo Donut Too

1501 NE Davis St, Portland, OR 97232

Lines are shorter than the downtown location (but there will probably still be a line!)

Yelp page

11:17 AM -- walk to Nicholas Restaurant

11:30 AM -- lunch at Nicholas Restaurant

318 SE Grand Ave, Portland, OR 97214

LOTS of food, so pace yourself on the bread (even though the bread is amazing... see below!)

Yelp page

1:00 PM -- walk to Hair of the Dog Brewing Company

1:10 PM -- arrive at Hair of the Dog Brewing Company

61 SE Yamhill St, Portland, OR 97214

Yelp page

1:50 PM -- bus to Portland Saturday Market

2:00 PM -- arrive at Portland Saturday Market

108 W Burnside St, Portland, OR 97209

Yelp page

2:40 PM -- bus (12 min) or taxi (8 min) to Widmer Brewery

3:00 PM -- arrive at Widmer Brewery tour reservation

929 N Russell St, Portland, OR 97227

This is free but you’ll need to make a reservation! It includes beer tasting at the end of the tour.

Wear closed-toe shoes

Yelp page

4:00 PM -- taxi (4 min) or walk if you want to sober up (24 min) to shopping in the Pearl District

No sales tax in Portland!!! Need I say more...

6:00 PM -- bus or taxi to The Farm Cafe

6:15 PM -- arrive at The Farm Cafe

10 SE 7th Ave, Portland, OR 97214

Yelp page

7:48 PM -- walk to Rimsky-Korsakoffee House

8:00 PM -- arrive at Rimsky-Korsakoffee House for dessert

707 SE 12th Ave, Portland, OR 97214

We didn’t end up making it here, but it came highly recommended by a friend! Be sure to use the restroom (the decor is apparently very memorable!).

Yelp page

• • •

ANY REGRETS?

If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking Emily Dickinson If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching, Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin Unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain.

• • •

Barter Sarah Teasdale Life has loveliness to sell, All beautiful and splendid things, Blue waves whitened on a cliff, Soaring fire that sways and sings, And children's faces looking up Holding wonder like a cup. Life has loveliness to sell, Music like a curve of gold, Scent of pine trees in the rain, Eyes that love you, arms that hold, And for your spirit's still delight, Holy thoughts that star the night. Spend all you have for loveliness, Buy it and never count the cost; For one white singing hour of peace Count many a year of strife well lost, And for a breath of ecstasy Give all you have been, or could be.

• • •

[It’s a secret]

Sky-dive

Laugh until I cry

Read War and Peace

Read Don Quixote

Learn how to ice-skate

Get a tattoo [EDIT: Removing this from my bucket list… after all, with age comes wisdom.]

Spend an entire day with someone I like, without any responsibilities or plans

Yoga

Roll down a hill

Make up a life story to a stranger

Live or study abroad, or join the Peace Corps

Finish a 1000-piece puzzle

Change a tire by myself

Meet the weight requirement to donate blood and donate

Say “cool beans” and not have it sound dumb

Solve a Rubik’s cube

Send a postcard to PostSecret (13345 Copper Ridge Rd, Germantown, Maryland 20874) [Times six. AND one of them made it onto the website.]

At the end, to be able to say I am happy with the way I’ve lived my life.

Meet someone famous.

Read all the novels that have won the Booker Prize with a rating of over 3.8 on Goodreads. [Current count: 10 of 24]

Water-ski. Or go tubing. Basically, I want to be dragged by a boat haha

Give a fake name to a Starbucks barrista

Spend 24 hours in a 24 hour diner

Read all of Jane Austen’s novels. [Current count: 4 of 6]

Go for a dentist check-up and not have cavities

Take the Marguerite to class

To have a “violin hickey”

Run Campus Drive

Do a Morning Ex at Parker

Finish a Sunday crossword puzzle

Go on an African safari

Eat an eclair on the lawn of the Eiffel Tower

Visit all 7 Wonders of the (Modern) World. [Current count: 4 of 7]

Chichen ItzaChrist the RedeemerColosseumGreat Wall of ChinaMachu PicchuPetraTaj MahalGreat Pyramids of Giza [honorary]

See the Northern Lights

Visit at least 25 countries.[Listed below by continent then order visited.]

AfricaAsiaEuropeNorth AmericaOceaniaSouth AmericaVietnamUnited KingdomUnited StatesAustraliaPeruHong KongFranceCanadaColombiaTaiwanSpainBahamasChinaItalyMexicoThailandGermanyDominican RepublicJapanNetherlandsIndonesiaDenmarkIndiaBelgiumSwedenPortugal

Visit Iceland

Become fluent in another language

Run a 5K race

Go to space [I recognize this may never happen, but it deserves a spot on the bucket list!]

Witness a meteor shower

Catch a last-minute flight to a random destination

Bake (and decorate) a cake

• • •

11:00 AM -- brunch at Don Pisto’s

Yelp page

12:25 PM -- walk to City Lights Books

12:30 PM -- “Rad American Women A-Z” book party at City Lights Books 

Description: Author Kate Schatz and artist Miriam Klein Stahl offer an engaging presentation that involves a reading from the book, a slideshow and Q&A, and a conversation about how to be rad. At this event, Miriam will also be silk-screening, so bring a t-shirt, onesie, or other clothing item if you want to rock your own Rad American Women A-Z gear.

Book description: American history was made by countless rad—and often radical—women. By offering a fresh and diverse array of female role models, we can remind readers that there are many places to find inspiration, and that being smart and strong and brave is rad.

Event website

~1:45 PM -- walk the Barbary Coast

Timing will depend on when the book party ends

We’ll walk south, checking out this historic area of San Francisco that served as the “red light district” during the Gold Rush days.

Some sights to see: the Sentinel Building, Tosca Cafe, The Saloon (oldest bar in SF)

Then we’ll walk back toward Washington Square Park.

~2:30 PM -- chill at Washington Square Park

We’ll probably grab some gelato, coffee, or pastries nearby and chill for a bit in the park. Hopefully the weather’s nice!

Some ideas: Caffe Trieste, Stella Pastry and Coffee, Caffe Greco

Check out Saints Peter and Paul Church (where Marilyn Monroe got married)

~3:00 PM -- errands to run around Union Square

4:30 PM -- #BeRobin documentary fundraiser with Margaret Cho at SF Eagle

Suggested donation of $10

Description: Fundraiser for #BeRobin, a film documenting Margaret Cho's homeless outreach campaign inspired by the philanthropy of Robin Williams. With Margaret Cho and the BeRobin crew LIVE! 

• • •

LOUNGES & NICE BARS

Novela -- every cocktail is named after a book. Nice lighting and ambiance, it can get pretty crowded so be prepared to stand. SOMA

Local Edition -- located in an old newspaper building and has a speakeasy feel. Great cocktails. SOMA

Rickhouse -- great whiskey bar. Financial District

Bourbon and Branch -- secret bar with a secret library room. You need a password to enter, I personally haven’t gone but have heard good things from friends. Tenderloin

Jones Rooftop -- outdoor bar with heat lamps that makes you feel like you’re on top of a roof. Cash only (boo). It’s not in the safest part of town, so be careful. Tenderloin

Monk’s Kettle -- known for their beers. The place is a little small -- I've seen lines to get in sometimes. Mission

• • •

DIVE BARS

Elixir Saloon -- westerny feel. When we went, they had a special pairing of Zu Vodka and Stella beer. It pretty much blew my mind. Mission

City Beer Store -- this establishment consists of both a store and a bar. A fancy "behind the bar" section has special beers that you have to purchase and consume on the premises to discourage those who might be tempted to resell online. SOMA

Cigar Bar -- one of the few establishments in the city that lets people smoke. Financial District

El Rio -- gay dive bar, with a special $2 Tecate during the first Sunday of each summer month. Bernal Heights/Mission

• • •

RESTAURANTS

The Misson -- so many good places that it gets its own section

Ike’s Sandwiches -- download the app and pre-order to skip the long line. Lots of vegetarian/vegan options. Most popular sandwich is Menage a Trois, though we like the vegetarian version of that (called Love Triangle), and Captain Kirk.

El Farolito -- no frills Mexican. It's pretty much a known truth that this is the best burrito in the city.

Flour + Water -- get a reservation or show up 15 minutes before they open for a walk-in spot. Everything is good, but they are best known for their pastas and pizzas (be sure to add a farm fresh egg). We did the tasting menu once and prefer the a la carte menu.

Beretta -- great ambiance, great New American fare. They don’t take reservations but call ahead to put your name on the list.

Eiji -- small Japanese restaurant that a friend -- who lived in Japan -- said is her favorite Japanese restaurant in the city. The fish is fresh, but the star here is the homemade oboro tofu which comes with vegetarian or non-vegetarian toppings. Pro tip: as soon as you sit down, pre-order the strawberry mochi dessert. It will sell out quickly and will not disappoint.

Other neighborhoods

Papito -- delicious Mexican that uses organic ingredients. Pricier than probably any taco place you’d find in the Mission, but still very reasonable. Our friends like the duck tacos/quesadilla. Potrero Hill

Chez Maman -- French restaurant that’s actually really great value for how good the food is. The place only seats 16, so be prepared to wait. We like going next door for a glass of wine (just note on the whiteboard that you’re next door). Potrero Hill & Hayes Valley

Shanghai Dumpling King -- cash only, no fuss Chinese dumplings at an amazing value. Be prepared to share tables with strangers. Paired great with hiking at Lands End and boba at Purple Kow. Richmond

SO -- this Asian restaurant is the sister restaurant to San Tung, and the chicken wings are supposed to be great (we’re vegetarian so we wouldn’t know :) ). The food can be very spicy, so buyer beware. Run by Asian Americans with attitude, be sure to call ahead to see if they’re open (they’ve been known to take off when they feel like it). SOMA

Ferry Building -- Saturday farmers market is festive, but even on other days it’s always fun to walk around and stop in at ACME bread, Cowgirl Creamery for a wheel of cheese, Humphry Slocombe for bold-flavored ice cream, or Il Cane Russo for their delicious open-faced egg salad sandwich. Embarcadero

Plant Cafe -- casual but polished stop, features organic produce and poultry and sustainable seafood. Skip the Asian fusion dishes, but consider getting one of their fresh squeezed juices. Ask for patio seating that overlooks the Bay Bridge. Embarcadero

Greens -- my favorite high-end vegetarian dining. The high ceilings and large windows make this Fort Mason restaurant feel especially beautiful if you can catch it at sunset. Marina

NOPA -- SOOOOOO good!! Reservations can be hard to get but I promise it'll be worth it. NOPA/Panhandle

Michelin-star restaurants (as of 2015)

State Bird Provisions -- among the cheapest Michelin meal at the time we went. It’s dim sum style so you can try a lot of different things without breaking the bank. Can be hard to find a reservation, or you can line up right before they open. Japantown

Sons & Daughters -- they own their own farm which is cool and use local ingredients. The homemade bread and butter was amazing. Financial District

Aziza -- Moroccan fare. Their a la carte menu is probably better than tasting menu, and the spread/dip was the best I’ve ever had. Because it’s out in Richmond, it’s also more affordable than most Michelin restaurants. Richmond

• • •

ICE CREAM

Gets its own section because ice cream.

Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous -- my favorite ice cream spot. Has big windows, nice atmosphere, great place to sit and enjoy yourself. Light ice cream flavors. Dogpatch

Bi Rite Creamery -- most famous ice cream in the city - definitely try the salted caramel. If you buy a pint, you can skip to the front of the line. You can also get soft serve at the window next to the shop. Mission

Humphry Slocombe -- has the most unique flavors. Our favorite is the Secret Breakfast, but we had a Roasted White Chocolate Lavender which was amazing. Mission or Ferry Building

Smitten -- they use liquid nitrogen to make their ice cream. Not my favorite texture, but you can let your inner geek indulge in its sciencey process. Hayes Valley

Ice Cream Bar -- cool old-school, retro ice cream stop. Chocolate flavor recommended by Andrew Rossi. Cole Valley

• • •

COFFEE SHOPS

San Francisco loves its local coffee brewers -- the ambiance and decor are as important to the experience as the coffee.

Philz Coffee -- mmmmm Philz has saved me on many mornings. They're famous for their iced Mint Mojito but my favorite is the Philtered Soul (medium sweet, medium cream). SOMA and various locations

Blue Bottle Coffee -- basically the most famous coffee in the city sold at a lot of locations. There’s a stop in the Ferry Building and the line is always long, but there’s a window around the corner where you can place an order! Ferry Building and various locations

Sightglass Coffee -- has a very classic San Franciscan feel with high ceilings, wooden tables, exposed beams. You may overhear a startup pitch or two. SOMA

Four Barrel Coffee -- also has a classic San Francisco feel, check out the coffee grinding barrels in the back. Mission

• • •

NEIGHBORHOODS

Generally these are the neighborhoods to go out in for good nighttime activities. Note: the city mostly shuts down at 2:00 AM (bars start kicking you out at 1:30 AM), but some clubs may stay open.

Polk Street in Nob Hill/Pacific Heights has fun bars, good place to go bar hopping

Mission for dive bars, good Mexican food, “hipster” culture

SOMA for clubbing

Marina for bars, has a lot of young people

Neighborhoods to avoid: anything that says Tenderloin, City Hall, or Civic Center

• • •

A NOTE ON GETTING AROUND

Use Lyft and UberX instead of taxis or renting a car, and this way you’re not tied to having to stay very close to places to go out (plus, parking in San Francisco is really tough). You can use my discount codes for a free ride: Uber: 594LK // Lyft: MELISSA42. Note: during peak hours, there may be significant surge pricing (Uber) or primetime (Lyft), which means there’s high demand. In that case, a taxi may make more sense.

• • •

SATURDAY, JULY 26, 2014

11:45 AM -- lunch at SPQR

Reservation was made for only two people but you can try to join us at the restaurant or just meet us later!

1:15 PM -- Ginza Bazaar at the Buddhist Church of San Francisco (7 min walk)

There are bon odori (dancing) lessons between 1:30–2:30 PM on Octavia Street

Church website

2:10 PM -- grand opening of the Independent Living Resource Center (8 min drive)

The grand opening takes place from 10:00 AM–3:00 PM

Description of the center: The Independent Living Resource Center San Francisco’s (ILRCSF) Mission is to ensure that people with disabilities are full social and economic partners, both within their families and in a fully accessible community

Event description: Join us for guided tours, door prizes, food, family-friendly activities, and the opportunity to get together with other disability advocates and their allies to celebrate the ADA, and generally have a good time...Come on down to our fully-accessible, ground floor offices on Howard street and help make the day special.

More info on the ILRC

Event website

2:30 PM -- shopping errands at Westfield Mall and Embarcadero Centers (10 min walk)

4:30 PM -- ice cream at Humphrey Slocombe in the Ferry Building

5:30 PM -- dinner at Stone Kitchen in Embarcadero 4

8:00 PM -- drinks at the Four Seasons bar

• • •

SUNDAY, JULY 27, 2014

2:00 PM -- SF Symphony performance at the Civic Center

Free performance

We'll aim to get there around 1:30 PM though you should probably arrive earlier to get a seat