Beacon is one of my new favorite neighborhood coffee shops. Finding great coffee in San Francisco is not hard but finding a good coffee shop to work in is a little more difficult. Some coffee shops want to emphasize social gathering and do not even offer free wifi. The biggest thing I noticed though about most of the coffee shops is the lack of plugs, which Beacon does so well. I really like the space here because it offers such great light with their giant windows, has plenty of seating, and great decor if you eyes ever get bored of working. Oh yeah, did I mention the coffee is great too? They serve Sightglass and offer a variety of plenty of options for your drink of choice.

Even though I live relatively close to Lombard Street, I have not visited since I was a kid. I have never drove down the street, but tourists are always crowding around as they marvel at how many curves this street contains. So many people not only stop to take a picture, but they even stop their cars in the middle of the road as they snap away… very dangerous. It is so amazing just watching the cars float downward back and forth from the top of the hill. I perched myself on an electricity box and almost froze my hands as the cold breeze continued.

The curves of Lombard Street

My seat on the electric box. It was a nice spot that didn’t have many tourists walk by.

Close up of the sketch.

This past Saturday, I decided to stay in the neighborhood and sketch the city skyline. The good news is that there are wonderful views of the city just outside my apartment, but the only downside is that they come at the price of climbing some insanely steep hills. After trekking up the hills, I stumbled upon Ina Coolbrith Park, which offers some of the best views of the city accompanied by trees and benches. I have to admit, I have walked by this park so many times and did not realize it had such a perfect walkway and viewing area. I am definitely coming back here the next time I need somewhere to think.

Fun Fact: Ina Coolbrith Park is named after the first California Poet Laureate.

The View

The bench I was lucky enough to enjoy alone in peace

Just to give you an idea how clear the view is

You can see from Coit Tower all the way to the high rises in Downtown

Close up of the sketch

Every Monday, I will try to post a weekly sketch that is part of my Moleskine Monday Project. This week’s sketch is of the Golden Gate Bridge from Lands End. After deciding to explore Sutro Baths on Saturday, I stumbled upon a perfect view of the Golden Gate Bridge from a little tree stump in the shade. No matter how many times I see it and even when the sun isn’t out, I still think the bridge looks beautiful.

The tree stump is on the very right before the slope starts to dip

The view

Close up of my sketch