Weekend in San Francisco: My Fav San Fran Spots & College Fashion Week

Finally, I got some time to put together a little run-down of my weekend in San Fran ( last weekend )!! I went to San Francisco to attend College Fashion Week ( learn more about how I decided WTF to wear here & my final outfit choice here ) & spend a little Father-Daughter time with my Dad.

Weirdly enough, I had never been to San Francisco before… I fancy myself more of a Southern California girl (<< PS: didja know I’m moving to LA in JANUARY ?? … omg, can’t wait). Honestly, I was surprised by Northern California. It’s a little chillier than SoCal & the vibes of San Francisco reminded me more of a North Eastern town.. it has a feel all its own. I also loved how the city is separated into very specific neighborhoods. I got to visit many of them, but I can’t wait to go back and explore the rest!

We didn’t get to spend that much time in the city ( because we only had 2 days.. ugh ), but we did get to cross a few San Fran must-sees off the to-do list. I’m no pro at conquering San Francisco, but here are some of my favorites from my weekend (+ Some pictures from College Fashion Week at the End!):

This post is pretty lengthy, so prepare yourself »

First off, I should note that we stayed at the cutest little boutique hotel called Hotel Carlton in the Nob Hill area. We were greeted with a bottle of red wine ( from the California wine-country ) by some witty hotel employees.

The decor throughout the hotel is eclectic & super-chiller status. Hotel Carlton is less than a 10 minute walk from Union Square (<< we’ll get to this later) and is an LEED certified hotel (which means its environmentally responsible… how California, right?).

Obviously, my Dad insisted I see the Golden Gate Bridge ( he’s an airline pilot on the side, so he’s seen it 302843854 times & thinks its an absolute must-see ). Its windy AS HELL up there on the Golden Gate & you have an insane view of the city from that vantage point. I mean, its a seriously beautiful city. The huge ocean, huge mountains, and views made me feel teeny-tiny. Its a killer feeling fer sher.

For breakfast on Saturday morning, we headed over the Mission District to see what all the hype is about Dynamo Donut + Coffee. I discovered this little gem while watching one of my favorite shows, Unique Sweets on The Cooking Channel. This place is a serious must-eat.

I have always been a donut lover ( who isn’t ?? ), but sometimes, those little pastries can make my stomach hate the hell out of me. I mean, some donuts are just too sweet. At Dynamo D+C, they understand that sentiment completely, and have created some extremely balanced, gourmet donuts with some interesting flavors. Plus, they use mainly organic and local ingredients…. ahhh two of my favorite, favorite, favorite things ( times a million ).

I tried the Lemon + Pistachio Donut ( not a normal choice for me.. but let me tell ya, I do not regret it ) and the sticky bun ( a HUGE cinnamon roll, basically ). I 100% recommend the Lemon + Pistachio donut if its on the menu when you ( inevitably ) make a trip to Dynamo. The flavor was done perfectly ( PS: sorry for the shitty picture… iPhone photography at its finest… ugh ).

The Mission District is really freaking badass too. It’s kinda of grungy, but in that cool, laid-back kind of way.

Okay, possibly my favorite spot in San Fran??? Union Square, duh. For those of you who live in SF, you’re probably thinking ‘gross, what a cliche‘ BUT: I’m a serious shopping-addict, so can you blame me?

I checked out the BCBG/Herve Leger by Max Azria storefront ( and ended up staying for like two hours… sorry Dad ) while I was there and DIED/ fell in love.

First of all: I got to try on some seriously insane dresses & shoes… AND they have champagne. So, why would you ever want to leave? The girls ( and guys! ) who work here are super-chic and helpful too. Shopping here is a real experience ( even you’re not going to buy anything… some of the price tags are redic, obviously ).

After shopping around a little on Saturday, we went to check out Lombard Street. Apparently, this street is ‘the most crooked street in the world,’ though I can’t tell you who came up with that title or if ‘crookedness’ is something that you can actually measure.

Anywho, Lombard Street is a super-crooked street that snakes left and right all the way down a huge hill in San Francisco. From the top, you have a reallllly insane view. The street is lined with flowers and cute little town homes ( that probably cost a pretty penny ). Warning though, this is a major tourist hub, but its worth it.

After taking in the views & touristy sites of SF, I had to stop by Samovar Tea Lounge to try some of their famous tea and soak in the super-zen atmosphere. I have never been to a cafe specifically for tea ( usually, I’m a coffee girl ), but I’ve become really obsessed with specialty tea lately. So, I had to check it out. This place has a calming, hip-vibe.

I got the Green Ecstasy Tea ( << really good and earthy ) & my Dad ( who is a little less adventurous ) got the Tea Lemonade. We also shared the ‘Raw Honeycomb with Local Artisan Cheese, Homemade Crackers & Fresh Fruit‘ Plate. Gahhh, that raw honeycomb.. I could eat it all day. And cheese… duh.

Before I made my way to College Fashion Week, I had my hair blown out at the drybar ( Union Square Location ). I had never been to a drybar before, and I instantly fell in love. The salon is so clean & fresh, and I love the bar theme they have going. I sat back, sipped some fruit-infused water, and had someone else mess with my hair for a nice change.

I need to learn how to blow out my hair like they do… I mean, they are seriously skilled. I got the Mai Tai blowout: nice, messy waves. Also, I got roped into buying the Texas Tea hair volumizer spray, and I can’t say that I’m sad about it. It’s pretty good stuff.

Saturday Night, I went to Her Campus College Fashion Week. It was a night full of drinks (at the Origin Nightclub), makeup (by bareMinerals), hair-dos (by TRESemmé), and clothing (from Boohoo). The whole set up was so fun, and I got to meet some really cool people who are as interested in fashion as I am.

Most girls ( & guys ) I met there work in publications ( blogs, college newspapers, etc. ), study fashion, or are just super interested in clothes & accessories, like me. I snagged some pictures from the HerCampus CFW Facebook page to show y’all how sweet the setup was.

After the show, my Dad and I grabbed a late dinner at Waterfront in Fisherman’s Wharf. This place is on the water & a little pricier than the usual, but its worth the extra $$. It was a really relaxing spot to grab a nice glass of wine & enjoy some authentic, local seafood.

I went a little overboard and got: a 2006 Cab Franc from Napa ( zOMG ), Baked Oysters, Organic Greens Salad, Pan Roasted Sea Bass with Veggies, and some of their Lemon Cheesecake (zOMG times a million).

I can’t pass up an opportunity to indulge in some quality food-age. Also: the Italians that I know would look at me like I was crazy for this food and wine pairing.. but I couldn’t help it.

I seriously LOVE all that San Francisco has to offer, and I can’t wait to make many a trip back to discover more. For those of you who live in ( or just love ) San Francisco, what did I miss? I need to add some places to my future San Fran To-Do list.

Sidenote: How cool are these marble stairs?? Doorway of my dreams.

BTW: Have you entered the sweet giveaway I’ve got going on right now? Click here for details! 

Until tomorrow, ladiez.

P xx

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