Tour de Valencia

What better way to wake up then to throw on some shorts and head out the door and down Valencia Street. Well, this is my plan for this Sunday. I have been hosting my cousin Em since yesterday. So far, I have turned her on to 24th Street and the many neighborhood spots I hit on my food and drink tour. We discussed the bacon invasion when I ordered my staple Pancakes at ST. Francis Creamery. These pancakes are like no other. They have bacon, cheddar and green onion. And yes you have to pour the syrup all over them. And of course since I was at the point of overindulgence, why not take a step overboard and have a Creamsicle Milkshake featuring Mitchell's Vanilla Ice Cream & Orange Sherbet. So I did, and I didn't even offer my cousin or her friend a taste. I am a bad host. ;) Well, I made up for it when we realized how full and tired we were after our meal. A hit a java was the only solution. As we approached the donut haven of the mission, the words most munchiers would frown upon were in clear focus. Sorry, there are no more donuts today :( I had gone on & on as I do about bacon and donuts to my cousin, specifically referencing the MAPLE GLAZED APPLE BACON donut, the legendary and daily offering that was no longer available today they say. Dynamo Donuts still had what I wanted. My 2nd Gibraltar of the day. From Java to ice cream. I know, again ice cream. So I have realized that you can't just walk past Humphrey Slocombe. I walked right in and tried Cream Cheese. And pretended to the woman offering more and more samples, that I hadn't had the banana pecan. That was Friday with the co-worker I convinced to join me on my Friday field trip out to Pal's Take Away for the best sando's with an east coast flair on the west coast and my ice cream aftermath. Back to my order, I finally settled on Cream Cheese and Fudgsicle (what up Kirk!). Stuffed and crabby, we all walked up 24th and over Mission back to the house for a very needed nap. A 5 hour nap can make you hungry. I could feel her craving Fried Chicken. I had this sense because she is my cousin and I am psychic. So, we went to the land where I am known as "Action" Man. The Front Porch is part of the very highly known Fried Chicken Movement that us locals can attest to. Em got her fix and was hooked. We drowned our chicken and my delicious burger with Poppy Jasper's until they threw us out on our asses. So we met up some chums including my Adventure Girl and hit Argus for last call. And so here I write at 9am. Up and at 'Em (Em wake up soon, your cousin needs coffee) and ready for the walk I promised my cousin down the famous Valencia Street. For me, a peak of interest may begin as the aroma of cooked cookie dough roams into the air. Anthony of Anthony's cookies claims "we are not trying to be Mrs. Field's." Amen, I say. Anthony believes in the quality of every single cookie that comes out of the oven. I have enjoyed watching this place enhance through success. It is good to know that you can get a French Press from Four Barrel or a protein shake to balance the many flavors of cookies that tantalize your taste buds. I am drawn constantly to toffee chip and the peanut butter. A cookies & cream offering sounds intriguing and I have to say, it pulls it off. Yummy! So seriously, I have only walked a few blocks from my doorstep and I can still go on & on about these cookies. So if it's coffee she requests and I pray that she does, I will make our first stop my RITUAL. Now they know how to make espresso and mocha's and lattes and of course, my newly evolved into choice-of-the-moment, everyone together say, "The Gibraltar!" Gosh, I want it so bad right now I can taste it. No I can't ...DAMN. Back to the upcoming plan to show my cousin the ultimate tour of Valencia. I have been recently converted to the breakfast of the Boogaloos. Or I love to be persuaded to Bar Tartine because hey it's Bar Tartine and they are going to need many a blogs for me to fill up on how much I wuv wuv dem. I am even game for heading straight to Four Barrel itself for a 2nd round. But I here I go again speculating on coffee that I haven't drunk yet and that I am obviously so desiring, that I may have to jump off this 2nd blog that I was soooo eager to write and layout for you. I think you are getting the idea. And I promise to come back well java-ed and less moody. Shalom as we say.