Rumor has it the East Coast was battered by Winter Storm Juno this past week, but I wouldn’t know: the only Juno I saw was a costume jewelry manufacturer on the corner of Sacramento Street in the heart of San Francisco’s Chinatown.
That’s right folks: while my New York and Boston friends were stocking up on toilet paper and bread (and kale) in the ominous hours leading up to the first potential nor’easter of the season, I was stocking up on pork buns in the City by the Bay without wearing so much as a windbreaker.
Oh, California. Where have you been all my life?
When I booked this trip back in October, escaping the tristate area’s worst weather month wasn’t even on my mind. I just wanted to spend some quality time with my best friend from kindergarten, Meredith. We’d spent a lot of our formidable moments together, from being a freakish 5’10” in fifth grade together to getting tested for mono together after a summer camp skit gone wrong, and I knew this trip was going to be one for the record books.
And it was. Not only did we get to do the four days of fabulous activities we’d planned for my visit, but we got a bonus 24 hours tacked on when my original flight home was canceled due to the snowfall. I mean, it totally broke my heart and everything to have to stay in 60 degree weather with one of my oldest friends an extra day, but I pulled through nobly. You know, for the kids.
Now that I’m back home safely, I’ve had some time to reflect on my mini-vacation. I had a lot of great experiences, and I figured I owe to you all to lay out the DOs and DON’Ts of visiting San Francisco in case this great city happens to make your list of destinations in 2015 as well. So here goes:
DO enjoy an afternoon in wine country with a van full of friends.
DON’T let everyone know you smooched one of those friends on the car ride home.
DO go for a run along the Embarcadero at 7 a.m. so as to beat the tourists.
DON’T plan to do so after drinking two very strong martinis at the Top of the Mark.
DO use your night out with the San Francisco Roadrunners Club as an opportunity to solicit advice on whether you should run the New York City marathon this year or not.
DON’T expect them to tell you anything other than “ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY” before requesting more Taylor Swift.
Thanks for the memories, SanFran. You’ll be seeing a lot more of me soon.
Riled Up Runner 
The summer skit gone wrong…was that the toothbrush, toothpaste, and water skit? I remember that! I also remember coming down with mono three weeks after camp even though I wasn’t part of that skit.
That’s the one! Summer camp is just one big mono incubator for teenagers, let’s be honest.
I miss SF. I used to live around there so I get nostalgic whenever I hear about someone visiting.
I missed the winter storms by being in Hawaii and Florida. Love being warm while reading about how everyone else is cold and snowed in.