Mom's Retirement Party Trip

The company my Mom has worked for for the last 15 years or so took us (Mom, Dad, Don & I)on a "Barb's retirement party trip" to San Fransisco. (Don works for them too) It is a great place to work. Not just because of all the fun trips, that is just a bonus, but the Leavitts are just really good people. So my Mom didn't know where she was going until we were in the airport. She jumped up & down when she found out we were going to see Brianne too. (Bri lives in San Jose)

So we got to do a lot of fun things. Cinnamon was the trip planner. She did great. We stayed at the "W" Hotel. Very cool place. The highlight was seeing the play "Wicked". Very good! I would see it again. Couldn't take pictures there though. Brianne & her friend Jenny came with. Our seats were great, 5th row & we got to go to the VIP room before the show to stock up on treats. It was at the Orpheum which is a beautiful theater.

Those in attendance were Me & Don, Mom & Dad, Gary & Dianne, Chad & Cinnamon, Paul & Racqual & Brianne. Angel joined us on the last day too. (Now you know who to look for in the pictures.)

Here are some pictures from all our activities......

We walked the streets going to eat, shop & eat. We did have a 15 passenger van that Chad skillfully (with Cinnamon's help) navigated through the city. We only headed the wrong way on a one way street one time and that was because someone had told us to turn there. He was even brave enough to try Lombard street but then at the top it said no vans. Some of my shots below were done from above my head backwards. Pretty good I thought.

We crossed the "Bridge" & headed to Muir Woods National Forest. Very pretty there. Very green & cold too. The clovers were like a carpet on the forest floor & the trees were really tall & some big around. We saw a banana slug. Pretty gross. I think Racqual held one. Here are some of the highlights...


We ate at a lot of good places. My favorite was the Wolf Gang Puck restraunt called Postrio. Excellent service & the yummiest food ever. I wish I would have taken pictures of my food there. I got one of my Mom's dessert though. In the top left picture you would think we were praying but Mom & Bri just shut their eyes.

Before we went home we made it to Pier 39 & Ghirardelli square. We took a street car there so we could really experience San Fransisco life. Or maybe it was to give Chad a break from driving? It was fun to see Alcatraz, sea lions, go shopping, & eat a hot fudge sunday for lunch. Yummmm.

We also went to the Aquarium at the Bay at Pier 39. Most of these pictures are from inside a tunnel that goes through their aquariums. Pretty fun! Brianne & Angel joined us so that was fun too. I even touched a manta ray. It was all slimy. The picture below shows Dad touching sharks & rays.

Great little vacation!!!!!