San Francisco Part 2: Old Stomping Grounds

We arrived in San Francisco as the sun was setting and the misty fog was rolling in, preparing to cover the Outer Sunset.  We stayed with our most lovely friends, Scott and Cissa in their magical house (pictures to come).  We rested, ordered take-out and played catch up.  The next day was all about enjoying our old stomping grounds, riding bicycles out to Java Beach Cafe and along Ocean Beach.  Our first apartment was just a couple blocks from that often chilly, overcast and soulful beach & two blocks from the magnificent Golden Gate Park.  Being close to our old neighborhood incited lots of glimmering nostalgia and warmth in my heart-for the 20 year old Benicia, so carefree with wide eyes taking in all the beauty that exists here and stumbling around trying to find her place in the world.

We lucked out with weather and were delighted to see the sun as we took off from Scott's house towards Java Beach Cafe.  Java Beach sits at the very end of Judah St., usually shrouded in fog and filled with warm bodies.  Toby and I walked here all the time on many an early morning.  We ordered coffees, pastries and bagels.  We then rode along the beach path toward Irving Street to visit one of our favorite places in the City: Mollusk Surf Shop. 

Mollusk is a treasure that lies hidden in the depths of the Outer Sunset.  Now, lots of people know about this whimsical, community driven surf shop.  A collective of like-minded artists, surfers, musicians and creatives run this DIY shop, with handmade screen-printed t-shirts and one-of-a-kind displays.  It is a breathtaking spot and I am always mesmerized with the beauty that one can find here.  They always have art and music shows here, filling the space with all sorts of stylish people who also seem to have a boundless appreciation and love for this quirky beach-bum vibe neighborhood that most people overlook when visiting the City.  I went absolutely nuts taking photos, so please forgive me!  But, I really wanted to capture the charm of this place and hopefully inspire some of you to explore this vibrant neighborhood next time you are in San Francisco!