I LOVE YOU SAN FRAN

I love to travel. Period. Like there’s that adrenaline when you're going through security at the airport or that extreme boredom when you're sitting in a car for 8 hours- and of course something about the people and culture and FOOD oh my golly how did I forget about that and the landscape that draws you in. Therefore, part of this blog is going to be dedicated to travel and beautiful cities and countries I loved when I visited. 

My last endeavor (amidst the craze of January and February chaos) was to San Francisco, the beautiful city by the bay. As all you dancers, musicians, and students know, springtime is audition season! (yay…) The crazy, competitive, stressful audition season. Anyways, (after the crazy, competitive, stressful morning audition) I went to Japan Town and had an oh-so-yummy ramen and don. I highly recommend this place! It’s Osakaya in Japan Center West Mall (http://japancentersf.com/shopping/osakaya/). 

Osakaya- Japan Center WEST MALL

Also, go visit Chinatown! (http://www.sanfranciscochinatown.com/) It's the oldest Chinatown in North America and the largest Chinatown outside of Asia. And I shouldn't forget to mention that their food is delicious. Remember to use the distinctive San Franciscan cable cars! (as shown in the picture below) It's the world's last manually operated cable car system, and provides a fun way to get around town. (http://www.sfcablecar.com/)

Chinatown

Afterwards, we drove through the city and saw Union Square (http://www.unionsquareshop.com/). For you fashionistas, Union Square is San Francisco’s largest shopping district with lots of high-end shops (Barney’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bloomingdales top the list) and fine dining. 

Union Square

For first-time visitors, go visit Pier 39! It’s a stunning seaside pier on the bay with great restaurants, shops, and attractions. There’s a carousel, a 7D Experience ride, a mirror maze, and of course the sea lions (I know they don’t smell fabulous, but they are pretty darn cute). These California sea lions are known for their intelligence, playfulness, and noisy barking. Here’s their site: http://www.pier39.com/. 

These sea lions are too cute...

Of course, the Golden Gate Bridge is a must-see. It is perhaps the most famous symbol of San Francisco, the unforgettable and stunning gold suspension bridge (actually it's orange... but those San Franciscans call it gold. Don't ask me any questions about that). When the fog envelops the bridge and the sun is breaking into wisps of orange and purple, I think it is one of the most beautiful things in the world. Or maybe just in California. 

Fog around the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset.

San Francisco is home to many famous and interactive museums, for children and adults alike. The de Young Museum (http://deyoung.famsf.org/) is a fine arts museum with art collections from around the world. They also have unique, seasonal exhibitions, with artifacts, like jewels, paintings, and photographs. The Exploratorium (http://www.exploratorium.edu/) is a fun, interactive museum where you can experiment with science, art, and human perception. They have 6 galleries based on different areas of exploration. Their mission is to change the way the world learns, and I think they are doing a pretty good job with it. The California Academy of Sciences (http://www.calacademy.org/) is an interactive and informative museum with its own natural history museum, planetarium, and aquarium. My personal favorites include their rare albino alligator and their 4-story living rainforest with butterflies and birds that you can walk into! 

The Exploratorium is housed in the beautiful Palace of Fine Arts.

In a nutshell, San Francisco is a beautiful city with a rich culture and a variety of attractions. If you're nearby, I highly recommend going there. Trust me, you won't regret it. 

xoxo,
Liv

p.s. What other cities and countries would you like to know more about? I'd love to know your dream destinations.