Hornblower Sunday Champagne Brunch

I have been lucky enough to experience the Hornblower a few times before, the first time for dinner when my husband and I were still dating, once for brunch when it was part of the SF Dine About Town promotion, and again for an awesome Yelp 10^th anniversary event just a couple of years back.  Even though the cruise itself is relatively the same route, each experience was different. 

So when I was thinking about where to take my dad to celebrate his big milestone birthday, I remembered him asking earlier this year as we were crossing the Bay Bridge and he spotted the boat if I have ever been on the Hornblower.  I took that as a hint that he wanted to experience it for himself.  My mom’s and I am sure many people’s misconception of the Hornblower is “Isn’t that more for tourists?”.  Yes and no.  Yes, it is a great way for tourists to view many SF sights (Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Marin County, Bay Bridge and the SF skyline) from the water but for the same reasons, it is a wonderful way for locals to celebrate a special occasion, an outing with friends, or a nice date.  Great minds definitely think alike as practically 3/4 of the tables, on our deck at least were celebrating something special, many birthdays, anniversaries, retirement, and even a wedding reception. 

The pricing has definitely increased since I last went over 10 years ago so after a little research, decided the best value would be the Champagne Brunch Buffet Cruise.  If you are the type of person that needs to be served, then this would not be the best option for you but if you are there for the view, the company, and good food, I would recommend it for the following reasons. 

1.      The brunch buffet offers a nice variety of cold, hot, breakfast, and lunch items to choose from.  Although not necessarily high end items, the chef does a great job in the flavor and preparation that something as simple as tilapia ended up being so delicious, we went back for seconds, which brings me right into the next point.

 

 

2.      With the buffet style, you can go back for seconds of your favorite items which for me was the fish and salad so you definitely do not leave hungry.  I am not sure if it was because we were on the same deck as a wedding reception but food was available until almost the end.  I do want to note that there was a mention from a previous guest during my research that they stopped refilling halfway through so make sure to grab your food before heading out to take pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge just in case. 

 

 

 

 

 

3.      Unlike many buffets, the fruits were sweet and ripe so they do take pride in what they are offering. 

4.      The drinks included in the ticket price are free flowing champagne, orange juice (plain or to make mimosas), coffee, and tea.  Upon request for non-drinkers, they also had sparking apple cider. 

5.      If the weather is beautiful like for us the day we went, pictures during the day are amazing, perfect for my picture loving dad.

 

 

 

 

 

Overall, we and my parents had a great time and I was glad that my dad enjoyed himself to kickoff his birthday month!

How to Deal with Culture Shock

With the peak travel season upon us, many will be exploring new places.  Culture shock is a familiar sensation for both travelers and those working or moving abroad.  Remember the plethora of emotions we felt just going off to college and can only imagine what a transition to a foreign country would be like especially if it is on a long term basis.

Be prepared - It is no longer just for the Boy Scout. A few months before leaving, research via the internet, books, or talking to others who have been to that destination to get an understanding of what to expect. In addition, seek out a restaurant at home that serves the cuisine of your destination so you can get a taste for the food. You may even encounter someone from that country or is familiar with it that can give you some first hand tips.

Realistic expectations - When traveling abroad, we have to expect that things will be different. Unless traveling to England, never expect that they will speak English. If the ones we encounter do, it is an added bonus but should never be an expectation of ours. Secondly, although they probably exist, we cannot realistically expect to have easy access to McDonalds or Starbucks on a whim. Instead, we need to be open-minded to trying new things and embrace those differences. Otherwise, we will miss out on the best experience of this journey. Finally, expecting everything to go perfectly all the time is not realistic even at home so do not expect that overseas and when that time comes, just roll with the punches.

Be respectful - We must remember that we are guests in their country and speaking louder as we often saw on the travel based reality show Amazing Race, does not increase their comprehension. We should at least learn some basic phrases in their language. For travelers, the greetings, thank you, and asking in their native language if they speak English should be sufficient. Imagine if someone visiting the United States says to us "Parlez vous Francais?" For those staying longer, taking a class before moving although not required, would be beneficial and can increase your confidence upon arrival.

Identify and focus on the positives - Too often when we are homesick or going through culture shock, it is natural to focus on the negatives. "It is too noisy or there are too many people". If we instead refocus that energy on the positives of something they have there which we lack at home, we would appreciate it more. For example, "their public transit system is so efficient and clean or wow, the bathrooms in Japan are amazing!!"

Understand their customs - The last thing we want to do is offend the locals but if we do not understand their customs, we may inadvertently do just that as writing on the back of a person's business card is common here but offensive in Japan. At the same time, do not be offended by their actions. Since we are in their country, we can not expect them to be as prepared to understand all our customs. Look at this as an opportunity to learn from them and maybe even for us to teach them a few of our customs.

Write or talk about it - We can never underestimate the power of sharing our feelings especially with someone who is currently or has been in a similar situation. Having the support system can do wonders and if that is not a viable option, writing down your feelings can be just as cathartic. By keeping a journal we can even track our progression and reflect back on our journey upon return.

Interact with different cultures at home - The first time abroad is always the hardest, so with repetitive exposure, there will be less anxiety with each new adventure. If that is not an option, exposing ourselves to different cultures at home can be just as effective. San Francisco, Berkeley, New York and Boston are just a few cities with an eclectic mix that can give us a first taste of what to expect. How often have we walked through Chinatown or Little Italy and forgotten for just a moment where we were as we are not called a melting pot for nothing.

Do not feel it is all or nothing - As mentioned earlier, start doing research early and do not get overwhelmed with too much information or changes all at once as you do not want to go into overload causing undue resentment. Take time to ease yourself into the new culture without giving up your own. It is important to maintain a balance to avoid feeling like you are sacrificing what is important to you. Having an open line of communication with those at home is always helpful to preserve that equilibrium.

The world is our oyster and with the right attitude, we will find there are so many pearls of wisdom and gems out there for us to enjoy and learn from. So do not ask "We are going where?", but enthusiastically ask "When are we going?".

It’s Great to Be Greek, Even If It’s Just For a Weekend!

That is the theme of this year’s Greek Festival at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension in the beautiful island of Oakland, CA and I could not agree more.  With such a diverse community in the Bay Area, we can immerse ourselves with the flavors of Japan at the Cherry Blossom Festival one month and that of Greece the next.  

Normally during the beginning of May, this year just happened to be a few weeks later (May 20-22), giving me the chance to catch it before it was too late.  With hours from 10AM-11PM Fri-Sat and 11-9 Sun, we made sure to arrive early to secure one of the free parking spots at the Mormon Temple, Ability Now Bay Area, or Head Royce lots.   Although shuttles run between, I like parking by the Mormon Temple lot and walk down when the shuttles are most busy and then take the shuttle back up when it is pretty empty since many are still arriving.  If money is no object, there is a pay lot for $15 right at the pavilion as well.  Admission is $6 with a dollar discount if you bring a can food item for the food bank with special hours free or today’s promotion, anyone who attended today’s A’s game gets in for free by showing their tickets.  If you have tokens from previous years’ festivals, use them up as this will be the last year accepted.  Payment is now via credit card, phone pay or prepaying a GC that can be scanned at each booth. 

Although not the only Greek Festival in the Bay Area (Marin, San Jose, Castro Valley, SF, and Contra Costa still to come), this is easily my favorite maybe because it is so food-centric.  Spanakopita or lesser known Tyropita to start?  Haloumi, Loukaniko, Souvlakia, or Gyros to follow?  Just make sure to save room for Galaktobouriko, Kaitaife, or Kourambiedes (and you thought Baklava was hard to pronounce).  No room, no worries as they have Take-Home pastries for about $15 for a pack of 5-6 pieces.  

This being my second time attending, my main focus this time around is the food so one promotion that I easily took advantage of is the passport.  Taste all 5 regions (purchase 1 food or beverage item from each of the 5 regions), get your passport stamped and get a free bowl of Loukoumades (honey dipped pastry puffs). 

Arriving right before 11 with no lines in sight, we split a loukaniko (greek sausage in pita)

then straight to dessert with the galaktobouriko (fillo, milk custard, and honey) at their café

then back to appetizer with a good sized spanakopita (fillo, spinach, cheese). 

Go ahead, be bold, eat dessert before appetizer…there are no rules here!  To work off all this good food, walk around and check out the non-food booths, the entertainment at the Windmill Plaza, Olympia Bar, or Platia Stage and take in one of the church tours of the Cathedral. 

After working up an appetite again, a gyro was calling our names washed down with thirst quenching lemonade. 

Five stamps down, loukoumades here we come!! 

It sure was Great to Be Greek, Even If Only For a Day!  Okay, maybe for more than a day if my to go lamb shanks and moussaka are any indication.  

OPA!!

Becoming an annual tradition now, we have returned for all our favorites above and trying the saganaki 

and souvlaki and lamb chop. 

U-Pick Cherries, White Peaches, Loquats, Take Your Pick!

I start getting excited this time of year as my favorite stone fruits are in season. Cherries, loquats, white peaches, take your pick!  Living in the Bay Area, picking your own fruits straight from the trees can be a reality. Although not literally from my own backyard, it is close enough, with many Brentwood Farms less than an hour away beginning their U-Pick season this past weekend.

I was first introduced to cherry picking by a college friend over 15 years ago but I do not get a chance to do it every year since the season is very dependent on the unpredictable weather patterns in recent years, resulting in no set time frame of the U-Pick season.  But when I do go fruit picking, it is normally for the Rainier Cherries and White Peaches.

Like many fans of Rainiers, I find this yellow fleshed variety sweeter and therefore perfect to enjoy crisp and cold right out of the fridge.  Because of its increased popularity, short season, and higher value placed on this variety, it is usually only available for picking about 2 weekends out of the year.  Markets normally price these higher than Bings making this a great buy at $3.50/lb at Nunn Better Farms on their first weekend out.  Although open during the weekdays, if you plan on a weekend, get there when it opens Saturday mornings before they are picked through by people and the birds who enjoys them as much as we do.

 

If you miss the cherry season, the peach season is longer often extending into July.  Although I enjoyed the yellow flesh variety of the cherries, I prefer the white for peaches. Sweeter and more pronounced in its peach flavor than the yellow counterparts it is versatile and can be enjoyed crisp like my mom does or softer like my dad does.

 

 

 

One big perk of picking my own fruit straight from the trees is you really cannot get fresher than a just picked fruit. The other lesser known perk and more so with cherries than peaches is being able to sample one to find a tree that you like so you can harvest most of your bounty from that tree.
 
The one fruit that is harder to find as a U-pick and therefore we buy pre-picked are loquats. Popular among Asians, this is a mild tasting but sweet fruit that are best when it is more orange in color vs. yellow.  Having purchased from the loose section at $3 per lb in the past and by the case of 20-25 lbs. this time, I recommend going for the loose section.  The small 25 cents "savings" per lb you get from buying the case is essentially null by them weighing with the crate it is in vs. just a plastic bag with the loose plus you cannot pick the choice fruits when it is already pre-selected for you.

 

Live Theater vs. Movie Theater

Averaging about a movie a year for the past 2 decades, imagine my amazement when I found myself seeing 4 movies in a little over 2 months late last year, early this year.  The 12 month period isn’t even up yet and I already have plans for another next month.  How can I not want to reunite with Nemo, Marlin, and Dory for their next big adventure? 

The norm at least in the last decade has been more programs and Playbills than movie stubs.  Maybe it is at times the extreme volume due to the speakers at the theater that has my fingers pressed against my ears half the time or the spontaneity that can occur performing in front of a live audience but I find live theater more enjoyable these days. 

I have definitely come a long way from my first play, Cats on Broadway, a National Honors Society outing during high school when I was living back East and our counterparts were visiting from Quincy California.  Aside from my literal 3000 mile coast to coast change in residence since, I have developed a deeper appreciation for the theater (I actually hated Cats).  Returns back to Broadway during visits back East, shortly after Chicago first opened with Bebe Neuwirth and Marilu Henner prompted by the snippet I saw during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, to shows that started in SF like Wicked to national tours of Broadway Shows like Rock of Ages (thanks Constantine Maroulis for touring with the show), I have filled up 2 binders with Playbills since.  Whenever I return back East which unfortunately is not often enough, a show is always on my itinerary. 

 

 

 

The discovery of the TKTS booth in Times Square 12 years before just to get out of the cold to watch the Flower Drum Song with Lea Salonga from the front row while most were at the Rockefeller Tree Lighting sparked my increased attendance of plays. 

 

 

 

I discovered a similar setup called Tickets Bay Area in Union Square in San Francisco but because of the limited run of most national tours, tickets to those shows at a discount are more of a rarity than the norm.  But what I did find was an introduction to the world of more intimate and even some community theaters with wonderful storylines and plots but at a price sometimes not much more than that of a movie ticket.  I discovered my favorite small scale theater in the city, the SF Playhouse - http://sfplayhouse.org/ founded by Bill English and Susi Damilano with Red Velvet's preview performance tonight.  I was privy to many shows over the past few years following them from their old location to their current one in the Kensington Park Hotel and the great thing about smaller intimate theaters is there is not a bad seat in the house. 

 

 

My hidden gem closer to me in the East Bay thanks to a pair of complimentary tickets from Tix Bay Area in 2009 is the Chanticleer Theater in Castro Valley http://www.chanticleers.org/season.html reachable for me even without freeway access.  When they throw in free cookies and punch during intermission, you end up paying less for your evening out than for a movie with snacks at the concession stands.  If you happen to be there for their opening night like we were recently, they even have a small reception with simple finger foods to enjoy after the show while interacting with the actors/actresses.  I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change is running until 5/22 when they will take a summer hiatus before returning in the Fall (Sept. 9) for their 3^rd show of the season, Tuesdays with Morrie.  To Chanticleer, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Give Them Your Change, so we can keep them going for many more years to come.