San Francisco local favorites, part 2

Locals drive up 101 to Sonoma for wine tasting and leave Napa to the tourists.  We leave SF by 10:30 to beat the traffic, and we get sandwiches at Safeway (or splurge on the Oakville Grocery in Healdsburg). 

We go to Farmers Markets.  Lots of neighborhoods have them now, so Google is your friend here, but the biggest and prettiest for visitors is the Ferry Building's Farmers Market.  Get there before noon if you can, and you'll find all the fixings for a lunch on the spot, and dinner at home.  Just remember, SF is now a BYOB (bring your own bag) town.  I like to make the outdoor circuit first - start at the north end of the front, walk south along the Embarcadero, follow the people around the south end to the back - wander the several aisles on the back lot, then head inside.  Take time (they don't do to go cups) for some Blue Bottle Coffee - the line is shortest at the cart hiding just south of the main front entrance, under the portico.  Pick up some Mt Tam cheese at Cowgirl Creamery inside, a salumi cone at Boccalone (look for the sign that says "Tasty Salted Pig Parts"), and a loaf of whatever floats your boat at Acme (look for the daily special).  Now turn around and get yourself an empanada at El Porteno.

We go to the movies.  If everyone's over 21, we pay extra to see movies at the Sundance Kabuki so we can have a drink and (Fri/Sat only) tater tots while sitting in our reserved seat.  But we also like to check the Castro Theater's schedule of classics.  Thanksgiving week, for example, was the Sing-Along Sound of Music!  If you want dinner and a movie, check what's playing at Foreign Cinema, which is primarily a very good, lively restaurant in an old movie theater - but they still project a movie onto the wall in the outside garden area.  Very Cinema Paradiso, but with food.

Food trucks.  Just google "food trucks san francisco."  Go ahead, I'll wait.  Or I'll just take you down to Off the Grid down at Fort Mason on a Friday night, or McCoppin Hub on Saturday.  Or we'll look for the creme brulee cart, Bacon Bacon or Curry Up Now on Twitter. 

Park your car on Marina Green, then go run, bike, indoor rock climbing, fly a kit or do trampoline dodge ball in the Presidio.  When you're done, stop in and ogle the gear at Sports Basement.  On the way back to your car, stop at the Dynamo Donuts shack.  You're welcome.

Pizza.  You're getting advice from an East Coaster, so that's my preference.  At our house, we have Pizza Orgasmica (corn meal crust well done) on speed dial for delivery, but there's better to be had.  My #1 choice is to drive across the park to Gaspare's, which is run by an old school Italian family with a proper thin crust!  Further afield from us, but also worth the drive is Amici's - with several tourist-friendly locations (Marina on Lombard, and by the SFGiants ballpark on King).  We recently tried Escape From New York again after a long draught - nope, tastes like Boboli - too thick and sweet.

Lands End Trail.  Very pretty trail with photo op views at every turn.  Here's a trail map.  If you do the whole trail out and back, it's 3.4 miles.  There's a detour for a labyrinth, great views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Seal Rock and Sutro Baths.  A peaceful walk along the ocean.  Definitely bring a jacket as it can be windy and cold by the ocean - and your camera.

Now you've worked up my appetite again, so let's talk about sushi and dim sum.  My favorite super amazing sushi place closed last year, so I'm in mourning and on the prowl for a new hero.  For now, I've always been happy with Ebisu on 9th & Irving, and I'm told that Yum Yum Sushi right in my hood makes good, reasonably priced sushi for pickup.  For dim sum, my favorite is:  Yank Sing, which has 2 locations (there's usually a line, so make a reservation online if you can).  I prefer the Stevenson Street location - but it's not open on the weekends.

OK, back to burning calories...climb the mosaic steps at 16th & Moraga Streets to Grand View Park for one of the best views of the ocean and sunset.

I love the SF zoo from 1-3pm.  A) That's feeding time for a lot of the animals which can be fun to watch.  B) I think the number of kids dwindles slightly due to naptimes.

Sunday mornings, look for swing dancers at Lindy in the Park!  Free beginner lessons at noon.
Leila used to go to the Sunday dollar day races at Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley - so it must be fun. 

50 cent pinball with a liberal BYOB policy at Free Gold Watch in the Haight.

Next time we're on our way to the ballpark, we'll stop in at RayKo and use their 1947 antique photobooth. 

I wanna try crabbing off the Pacifica Muni Pier!