Graduation and San Francisco

We've had an eventful last few weeks - finals, visitors, graduation, vacation, and some other biggies. First, I graduated. Both my parents and in-laws were kind enough to make the long drive all the way out here to see the silly 2 hours ceremony. Many people have asked if I'm relieved. I say I'll be relieved when I have a job and pass the NY bar.

Second, my parents stayed here with Adam for a week and Lauren and I took a vacation in San Francisco. We had a great time. The weather was perfect - sunny every day, cool in the mid 60s, and no rain whatsoever. A few things we noticed about San Francisco: locals are friendly, there are lots of people from all over the world living there, it is incredibly windy, and incredibly hilly.

We visited Alcatraz and Muir Woods (huge redwoods) and Golden Gate Park and several piers and the Ghirardelli chocolate factory and lots more. We biked from Fisherman's Wharf across the Golden Gate Bridge and over to Tiburon, then took a ferry back. It was about 18 miles, which isn't bad, and the weather was cool (60s) and breezy. However, we both got pretty good sunburns, despite wearing long sleeves & pants - me on the back of my neck, Lauren on her hands, and both of us on our faces. Well worth it though.

We walked or took public transportation everywhere but Muir Woods, which was very convenient. We ate tons of food too, great Italian (where EVERYONE spoke Italian), Chinese, dim sum, several wonderful homemade breakfasts, clam chowder in a sourdough breadbowl, and lots more. We went to a Giants game and ate hot dogs and garlic fries (delicious!) and churros and more. The Stadium is right on the bay, and the nosebleed section we were in had a great look at the bay bridge. Oh, and the Giants won.

Adam had a great time staying with my parents. He got to eat out a few times - macaroni & cheese at Panera bread, chicken fingers and fries at a steakhouse, and some other goodies. He went to a children's science museum, state parks, and several local playgrounds. So he was rather spoiled - we won't be matching the "two outings per day" he enjoyed with my parents.

Pictures below:

Adam loves playgrounds

I really like this picture of Adam

Shortly after graduation with my parents

Shortly before graduation in the ridiculous "doctoral" robes & hood

Shortly after graduation with the Cains

View from Alcatraz

Looking back at NW San Francisco from the Ferry

San Francisco from Alcatraz

Alcatraz Lighthouse (now defunct)

Giants game at AT&T park (sorry, no picture of the view from here, but the Bay Bridge was just outside the stadium)


Our pictures really don't capture the enormity of these redwoods

These were quite good


At the top of a giant hill in Golden Gate Park, Lauren sits on a stump


This is the fort under Golden Gate Bridge

We went into a Japanese Tea garden, it was very nice

More of the tea garden

This is the entrance to Chinatown. Little Saigon, Japantown, and North Beach (Italian) don't have a similarly neat entry gate

Biking up to the bridge was much harder than biking across it