Chinatown, San Francisco

After the 10k run it was time to eat.  Not just a nibble, I mean eat!  I had my mind on dim sum the whole time I was in SF and I was ready to get to Chinatown to replace the calories I had worked off.  I deserved it right?  We ate at the Imperial Palace Restaurant, their reviews are not so great but I had eaten there several times before and never had a problem.  Thirty bucks for us to eat until we felt like we were about to pop and I even had beer!  I don't know about you but that's a damn hell of a deal!  I was obviously so hungry I failed at taking pictures of the mighty feast.  My sister was able to snap a few teaser shots.

After stuffing my fatty face we went about walking through Chinatown and my mom got busy shopping.  I am glad I told my mom to save her Earth pennies to shop cheap scarves in Chinatown.  She was in love.  While she was off shopping with my sister I meandered about Chinatown in a fat daze taking a few pictures.

I was a little bit sad at how the economy has negatively impacted Chinatown.  One of my favorite shops closed down.  A woman running the shop across from the closed shop told me business has been bad and shops quickly close and open up as tourist shops that sell cheap crap.  I meant to buy my mom a lunch box like mine because she likes it so much but the shop that sold them is now gone forever. So sad.  On a bright note, I found fresh lychee and bought some.  I have had lychee flavored candy but not the fruit.  I really enjoyed it!  It was expensive but worth the new foodie experience.

Obligatory tourist photo at the Dragon Gate on Grant Avenue in Chinatown.

Did you know Chinatown, San Francisco is the oldest Chinatown in North America?  Did you also know that Chinatown attracts more tourists yearly than the Golden Gate Bridge?  I can vouch for that!  In all the times I have been to San Francisco, this trip was the first time that I bothered with the Golden Gate Bridge.  But I have never missed stopping by Chinatown, the food!  How could I not stop there?!

Now I gotta talk about the crappiest meal experience we had while in San Francisco.  It was NOT in Chinatown.  It was actually the night before the run.  We decided to walk down to Fisherman's Wharf to have dinner and maybe sneak a little dessert at Ghirardelli's Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop.  Though the plan was great, the mission was a complete bust. 

Upper left hand picture check out the price range on shots of tequila.

What the heck are 3 Mexican ladies doing trying to find a decent Mexican meal at Fisherman's Wharf?  Being disappointed, that's what!  Their coffee was their only saving grace.  They served piping hot, deliciously strong coffee.  However, I had asked for a second cup and it never arrived, BOO!  Their food and service was lacking.  I was not impressed and it seems neither was my mom or sister.  So we ate our food, cut our losses and decided to make up for it with a chocolatey dessert.  We get to Ghirardelli's 45 minutes before closing to find that they are already closed!  Why?!  Why would they crush my dreams of enjoying a tasty treat?  I could have kicked their doors!!!  But I didn't, we just meandered back to the hotel to get in out of the whipping cold breeze. 

That pretty much concludes the adventure portion of San Francisco.  I have one more post with a few buildings and structures.  I really wish I had a better camera for the trip but I bought one over the weekend so my next trip will have better pictures.  Yay!



This has nothing to do with Chinatown but I had to share it.  I watched a movie the other night and yet again I am convinced that Japanese titles are made up by throwing words in a bag, mixing them around and pulling a few words out.  Best movie title I have seen created in such a manner in a LONG time:

Yeah I took a picture of my TV, shaddup! 'Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge'

Who doesn't watch a movie with a title like that?!  I skipped the movie twice on Netflix and decided I had to go back watch it.  It wasn't too bad actually, I found out it's actually based on a manga.  I liked it, I really wish I could find a t-shirt with the title on it.