2014 - April 21st & 22nd - San Luis Obispo, San Francisco & Tommy's Joynt

It was time for a get-away, so we decided to drive up to San Francisco for the week. When Mary Anne completed her volunteer time making meals for Lakewood's Meals on Wheels, we started our drive around noon heading for San Francisco. We wanted to take a more scenic route so chose the 101 rather the faster Interstate 5. We really enjoyed the drive and had made a reservation to stay in San Luis Obispo for the night. When going through or staying in SLO it is a must to go to The Madonna Inn. We have been there before and went back on this trip for dinner this time too. The Madonna's are extravagant people, especially Mrs. Madonna with her flair for "all things pink" mentality. The grounds are beautiful, but you must like or at least tolerate the color pink. Various shade of pink flowers adorn the grounds with the pink lamp posts and pink painted Inn all the way to the pink painted tennis court ground.
            
Start the service with the welcoming pink napkins at the table, accompanied with pink water goblets and naturally the pink sugar in the table's sugar shakers (but the pig welcome sign on some of the tables can be a little disturbing ... hahaha!!)
                  
            
The Men's Room may be painted pink, but it still has a fabulously unique sink water spout!
            
I guess if you live in San Luis Obispo that when a birthday approached you go to The Madonna to get one of those fabulous flamboyant pink cakes!!!
            
We simply had to walk around the Inn to see and memorialize the great décor from the Golden Cherub Figurines, to the Pink Hanging Flowers from the ceiling, pink booths, tablecloths and bar and much more. The Inn's gift shop has a whole assortment of pink stuff to take with you (but we passed, oh my!)
                 
                
The Pink Bar with the ever-so-gaudy lighted-grape chandelier
                      
Tuesday morning we headed out to San Francisco for our stay at the Embassy Hotel in the Civic Center District. Great weather driving up the 101. We passed miles and acres of grape vineyards, crops of artichokes, pimentos, onions, lettuce and all sorts of other produce. Once in central California and seeing all of the farm land it is easy to see how we supply 80% of all food for the United States. After checking into the hotel, we ventured out to find a bite to eat and ended up in the Chinatown district at The New Sun Hong Kong Restaurant for some Prawns and Egg Rolls to hold us over until dinner.
             
We took a stroll through the streets of San Francisco taking in the views of wonderful Chinatown, unique architecture, and more.
                 
                                 
                    
Then in the evening we walked a few blocks to Tommy's Joynt, a local restaurant that Mary Anne had found in our tour book. Tommy's has been there since 1946 and is a local favorite. Ordering at the counter, the chef slices your roast beef, turkey, ham, or other meat then passed the plate for another chef to add your side choice and then down to another for the salad choice. Really great food! Mary Anne was especially pleased with her Brussel Sprout salad!
             
                   
             
             
Walking back to the hotel we enjoyed window shopping many storefronts including the Lamborghini/Bentley car showroom windows. We were a little short to buy the $259,900 Bentley Continental GT Convertible, which would have made a great ride home!!!
             
There are a few more pictures to view and to see larger versions of some posted just click on this album link!