I went to San Francisco last week for a long overdue vacation and for my birthday. Hands down, San Francisco is my favorite city in this country, and one that I hope to live in eventually. The city is colorful and filled with pretty things to ogle at but only half an hour from the dramatic and gorgeous scenery that make California, well...not New York. I'm a big fan of all the views of the bay that sneak up on you after you walk up a hilly block. But, most importantly for one interested in local foods, going up to the city by the bay is like hitting the agricultural jackpot.

We stayed in a quiet hilly part of the city called Bernal Heights. It's bordered by the Mission District, where we spent a lot of time and ate a lot of amazing Mexican.

Requisite birthday cupcake at Philz Coffee

It was hard to leave, but it always is.