SF Oh!

Spent the day in San Francisco yesterday. And I sure got my full day's worth:
-Took BART into town (free parking in Walnut Creek and 35 min train ride)
-Cable car to Wharf (hint: get the Muni All-Day passport, we took great advantage of it by riding 3 cable cars, 3 buses, 2 street cars, 2 regional trains)
-Sea lions
-Boudin bakery
-Ghiradelli Square - free sample fo' sho'
-Argonaut Hotel
-Coit Tower / Telegraph Hill
-Slices (see below) at G.B. Pizza
-Washington Square for nap
-Walked North Beach
-Cable car to downtown
-Alamo Square / Painted Ladies
-Bus to Pacific Ocean, it was cold but nice
-Walked Golden Gate Park (ponds, trails, Botanical Gardens)
-Dinner in Theater District at Sauce - I had the bacon-wrapped meatloaf
-Skipped through the Castro, brownie ala mode and Bailey's Irish Cream cheese cake at Orphan Andy's
-Union Square, watch the ice-skaters, Xmas window displays at Macy's
-Officially left my heart and the city of San Francisco
Great day, but I will focus on one thing, my favorite hole-in-the-wall pizza and beer hot-spot. Golden Boy Pizza is named after De La Hoya and is literally a hole in a wall of the Italian district. Clearly what I envision heaven looking like. Walls riddled with bumper stickers, iPod blasting a mix of obscure Rolling Stones and new Mos Def, counter-top seating only, with a sweet girl behind it who probably is involved in some sort of Roller Derby on weekends. What about the pizza? Big ceiling tile-size slices of sicilian, crunchy/chewy, crusted goodness. I went with the Clam and Garlic and had a Combo (pepperoni, sausage, tomato, onion, zucchini) for seconds. There is a large beverage selection including Root Beer on tap along with a dozen or so other "beers." I love places where it feels like you are getting more and you definitely get more than an isoceles "piece" at Golden Boy.

The Corner of Broad & Elation...

The parade was, well... worth the wait! They say how the Philadelphia sports teams go; so goes the city. It was evident yesterday that the greater Philadelphia area was feeling fine in the sunshine. Everyone and their Victorino seemed to take public transportation yesterday. I drove by the Claymont SEPTA stop and saw a sea of red. So I kept going, drove by car over the Platt Bridge, smoothly into the city, and even found a free street parking spot about 10 blocks from the celebration. It was a perfect closer, just like Brad Lidge.
Leading off and looking right at me, Jimmy Rollins:

One of the 2 million phanatics in attendance:

Uncle Cholly looked good in the pinstripes:

The trophy (w/ Dave Montgomery & Mayor Michael Nutter) on Broad, let's keep it here:

Speaking of politicians, this is definitely Obama terrority:

Hollywood Cole Hamels:

Flyin' Hawaiin with and his pineapple peeps:

Appropriately, the festive atmosphere took place on Halloween:

Pat the Bat was in the lead carriage. Couldn't help wonder if his days are numbered:
Unfortunately, So Taguchi was let go 24 hrs later. Biggest fan-base this side of Chinatown:

The gentle giant, Ryan Howard, joined by World Series clutch hitter, Carlos Ruiz:

Bret Myers had a good time & a good amount of alcohol:

So did Jason Werth, taking a photo of me and acting the fool:

Chase-ball (who made us embrace him even more with his speech):


Champions indeed Chase. Finally.