Alcatraz Island and a Cable Car

alcatraz federal prison tour san francisco

You don’t always have to get on a plane to play tourist. Sometimes, enjoying the tourist attractions in your own hometown can be just as much fun! Plus, you don’t have to pay for a hotel. Love that!

We decided to take the kids to San Francisco for the day and play tourist. As most locals will attest, we had never taken our kids on a cable car or to see Alcatraz. Usually these are things we locals do when we have out of town guests, or on a field trip as kids. The first time I went on a cable car was when I was in college, and there were kids who weren’t from here who wanted to go on one. Those of us who were from here, had never ridden one! Us locals are missing out!

Riding on a cable car is fun, plus, if you have a fast pass, it works on the cable car! Why not give it a whirl?! I know, I know, as locals we see that awful, daunting line for the cable car filled with tourists. Who wants to stand in that? Well, let me tell you, you can avoid the line! If you go at 9am when cable car service starts, you can avoid standing in a long line filled with tourists, plus, you are more likely to get a coveted outside seat! Love that!

We rode on the cable car twice. I sat outside the first time, and then inside the second time to give the tourists a whirl. Either location is fun. Why not use your fast pass for a little fun? Might as well!

After we took a joyride on the cable car, we took the F Market up the Embarcadero and walked over to Hillstone for lunch. Now, if you are local, you may remember this place as Houston’s. It’s the same restaurant with a new name. I highly recommend getting something with French Fries or getting the French Fries on the side. They are so good! Out of everything we ordered, the focaccia and the crispy chicken sandwich were the best. Highly recommend!

hillstone san francisco

pictured: green handbag / sunglasses /

After lunch, we walked across the street to Pier 33 where you can catch the boat to Alcatraz. I recommend making reservations ahead of time just in case the time slot you want is popular and gets sold out.

I have only been to Alcatraz one other time, and it was when my dear friend from the mid-west visited me. I couldn’t believe I had never been there before! So, this was only my second time going! Isn’t that crazy?! My kids had never been, so they had fun touring the prison grounds and learning the history of the prison and the island itself. Wear your walking shoes and allow yourself time to not only tour the prison and the island, but to enjoy the museum. There are also some great areas where you can see the Golden Gate Bridge, downtown San Francisco and the east bay. If you are lucky, and the fog burns off, it is very pretty!

wearing: sunglasses / statement earrings / navy tie sleeve tee / gemstone bracelet (under $50, local designer) / summer nail polish / green handbag / G buckle belt / dark wash skinny jeans / sneakers /

We were definitely tired and hungry after spending time touring around Alcatraz Island. So, to complete our staycation San Francisco day, we decided to take our kids to Tadich Grill. After all, it is the oldest restaurant in the city, and it survived the 1906 earthquake! Yup, it has been in business since 1849. It has survived two pandemics too! Love!

Everything we ordered was delicious. You cannot go wrong at Tadich! Be sure to make a reservation, especially if you plan to go at peak times.

If you are local, or from out of town, I hope you enjoy these sights San Francisco has to offer. You will have a lot of fun and learn some history too! Love that!

Thanks for stopping by,

XOXO
Cathy

Casual dress under $50 three ways

Casual summer dress under $50 three ways from left: stripe dress / sea green statement earrings / gemstone bracelets (under $50, local designer) / summer nail polish / black top handle bag / black and white sneakers /

Outfit two: black dress / gemstone bracelets (under $50, local designer) / summer nail polish / green cross body bag / black and white sneakers /

Outfit three: silver hoop earrings / sunglasses / necklace (similar here) / blue dress / denim jacket / gemstone bracelets (under $50, local designer) / yellow pouch (avl in many colors) / summer nail polish / sneakers /

OK, you have seen me in this dress, in all three colorways, all summer long. There is a good reason! This dress is not only super affordable, it is really comfortable and flattering. Plus, it is easy to throw in the cold water wash! Love that!

I started off with the blue version of this dress and instantly fell in love. This dress is really easy to dress up or down. As you can see, I enjoy wearing it casually with sneakers. It also looks great with sandals and slides. Sandals can really dress it up; especially in a darker color. If you are looking for a dress you can easily wear day into evening, I recommend picking this one up in black, or one of the darker hues, and pairing it with sandals. Even better if your sandals are gold! Gold is the hot new trend in sandals.

As you can see, I have been wearing this dress around town for different occasions. The stripe dress was photographed at the opening of Eataly at Valley Fair. I wore the black version and photographed it, at my daughter’s Girl Scout award’s night. The blue one I photographed when eating lunch out with my mom. Of course, I wear these dresses often and don’t photograph them. I only take pictures the first time I wear something. I really do live in these dresses this summer!

This dress is so affordable, and it comes in so many colors, plus, I find it very flattering. The gathering on the side helps accentuate the waist. Love that!

Shop my casual dress under $50 three ways online:

So, if you are looking for a casual summer dress that won’t break the bank, this one comes in tons of colors! I hope you love it!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

BAF Weekly IT List

it list summer trends

BAF Weekly IT List from top left: blue dress (under $50, avl in tons of colors!) / summer nail polish, sea green, coral, pink / green handbag / yellow sweater (on sale for a limited time) / earrings (on sale for limited time) / golden handbag (hot trend) / small hobo bag (on major sale!) / golden boots (hot trend, on sale limited time) / straw tote bag / black top handle bag /

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is in full swing, and I am patiently waiting my turn to shop. If you haven’t checked out my “Best of” post yet, you can read all about the best of the sale here.

I plan on snapping up the yellow sweater, golden boots, and earrings shown above. The sale this year is a mix of summer basics, pre-fall items, and closet staples. I usually recommend stocking up on closet staples during this sale, but for me personally, I don’t need anything. Therefore, I plan to grab a couple pre-fall items to kick off my fall capsule wardrobe which is still in the planning phases.

Golden accessories have been a hot trend for a couple of years now. For the fall season, it looks like we will be seeing even more golden handbags and footwear. I am loving the handbag shown above as it comes with two straps and it is just the right size for daily use. The boots from the Nordstrom Sale seem perfect for fall too since they offer a golden tone and classic boot silhouette. The wooden heel makes them a little bit casual, which is just my style. Love that!

Hobo handbags and small handbags are still flying off store shelves and will remain hot as move through the remainder of 2022 and into 2023. Look at a change as we move into 2023 on “how to wear your handbag.” Shoulder bags are starting to go back to being worn over the shoulder as we move away from wearing them cross body. Keep that in mind as you adjust your straps! I am having a hard time with it! haha, I love wearing my bags cross body. It really is convenient. We shall see if the trend takes off, or if consumers are stubborn and continue to wear their shoulder bags cross body. What are your thoughts on this trend?

Shop the BAF Weekly IT List online:

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy