since we were already way across the country visiting our son in Colorado for Thanksgiving we decided to tack on a trip to California to visit family there…
we were able to shed some of the layers and boots we had packed for the winter weather in Colorado switching to rain gear for some of the days…
we enjoyed seeing California looking green with bits of pretty autumn foliage as we’d not visited at this time of year before…
I got to celebrate my birthday in San Francisco which was memorable…
getting to visit favorite places…
never tiring of the views…
adding some new adventures too…
here we are speeding along the SF waterfront in a pedicab…
headed back to the hotel to pile on some warm clothes for our night time tour of the city from the the top of an open double decker bus feeling like full fledged tourists (it was a two day pass including a night tour and it was a unique way to get around and see the city…we plan to do it sometime in our own hometown of Washington, DC)…
The City by the Bay felt very festive with holiday lights and decorations…
we took a little break to enjoy some cappuccino and a hazelnut creme pastry at an outdoor cafe at Union Square…
so much to see and enjoy…
here’s wishing you a very happy T day along with everyone over at Elizabeth and Bleubeard’s…
“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” ~Miriam Beard
Magpie's Nest ~*~ Patty Szymkowicz 
beautiful! i hope to get there someday…thanks for sharing, dearest
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Love your life of creativity and travel. Happy birthday again! 😄😄😄
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BEAUTIFUL pix! Thanks for the visual tour of CA. And the cappuccinos and pastry look divine. Happy T Day. 🙂
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What fantastic impressions Patty, must have been an amazing journey… this red tramcar looks a bit like our tramcars in Vienna .. not like the actual ones but like those from about 20 years back.
Happy belated Birthday my friend!
Happy T-DAY!
♥♥♥
Susi
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I’ve never been out West, and I thoroughly enjoyed this pictorial mini-tour. Thx!
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Happ!y Belated Birthday! Your post is a feast for my eyes! Packing for two climates can be challenging, but it sounds like you had it under control. Looks like you had a wonderful time–gorgeous skies, beautiful architecture, stunning night-time shots!
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What fun to go on your tour of The City (as it is called here by the Bay) I live right across the water and of course visit SF. It is amazingly beautiful. no matter how many times I go there. Looks like you got in and out before our big rain storm
Darla
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Looks like you had a memorable trip. Thanks for sharing the photos, and happy birthday from me. Alles Liebe, Valerie
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great photos.brings back memories
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I never tire of Frisco, so much to see and to do. A lot like NYC…..you can’t see and do it all in one trip. Glad the lit up the bridge for your birthday 😉
Happiest T-day to you and thanks for the earlier visit.
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I’ve had a lovely little vacation thank you Patty. Maybe one day I’ll see it in person.
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OMGosh! Thanks for bringing us along!
Happy T-Day! 🙂
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I’m gazing in wonder again at your photos and seeing your joy at being on holiday. Your world always seems so clean and bright and has a lot of blue.
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Patty, I love your photos so much, they are always so inspirational and it’s a bit like travelling with you. Thanks for sharing, dear friend!
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More amazing photos! I love traveling vicariously thru you!
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A very happy belated birth day to you! I’m sorry to have to say that I dissolved into fits of laughter when I read that you celebrated your birthday and the very next picture my eyes fell on were the legs. Of course my first thought was that Patty REALLY must have been celebrating!!! (Sorry, warped sense of humour here)
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I’ve been out all day entertaining my friend Kathy who came to visit and shop. Needless to say, the gift certificate I got for her went over well, but that made me late visiting you.
Of all the beautiful US cities I have visited, San Francisco is not one of them. I have always wanted to go, and these photos made me want to even more. You could be a tour guide yourself. After all, your lovely photos sell that city, at least they did for me.
BTW. was that the University in Ft.Collins you showed in the first image? Thanks for sharing your lovely, fun filled vacation photos and drink with us for T this Tuesday.
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What a fabulous post, thanks so much for taking us along. I am in awe of the 16th Street tiled steps. Gorgeous! Wonderful memories, beautiful photos’ Happy T Day (just in time) :o))
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What a lot of amazing photos dear Patty. Your country has lot of nice places to enjoy. Great Impressions! But now, belated but from heart, I wish you all the best for your new year of life, you have had birthday.
Dearest greetings
Sabine
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Beautiful photos as always Patty!!! I’ve only been to San Francisco once, what an awesome city!!! Would love to visit again!
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yum and fun- I’ll be in the bay area in Jan- so thanks for the preview!
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your photos are breathtaking…gorgeous mosaic on the stairs…but the legs from the window have me wondering…!? happy T day dear, and safe travels!
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Wishing you a belated “Happy Birthday” dear Patty!
Your photos are amazing – I particularly love the mosaic with the Greek architecture, swans and the young girl playing the harp!
San Fran looks like a very lively city.
Thinking of you and wishing you & Mr M a very happy Christmas.
love
Shane xox
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Happy Belated Birthday! Are you a November or December birthday? Love all the pictures of San Francisco. Perhaps one day I will get back there for a visit. But if not, I have your lovely photos to give me a vicarious tour. 🙂
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Wonderful photos!
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Amazing pictures, Patty. Gorgeous scenery as a surroundig of a great time.
I went once to San Francisco, such a lovely city, one of the beautiful in the world!
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wonderful!! makes me want to jump on the next plane to SF and go have fun! I didn’t get to talk to you about the extended leg of your trip hope all went well.xoox
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Great vignettes of the city. Birthday celebrations sound fantastic. Love being a “tourist” once in a while. Double decker fun. xox
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My dear Patty, it is so wonderful to see your photoes again, seing all the beauty you met on the tour, and all the gorgeous places you visited. Bot day and night were filled with so many amazing experiences and so much joy, I can tell . I hope you found my birthday greeting to you, under the “princess ” photo, where you was sipping tea !
Patty ,have a beautiful rest of the week, now the last one before christmas, I can see you celebrate the snow ,here on your blog,- love it 🙂
Hugs from Dorthe, to you !! xxx
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I’ve never been to California and it is on my Bucket List! Thanks for sharing the beautiful pictures.
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Patty, another wonderful post you have shared- I love viewing through your eyes!! Where is the Palace of Fine Arts,in Ca? I have not seen half of what you shared and I go almost every year! heehee Next time, I talk to you for an itinerary before I travel! xoxo
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Looks like boatloads of fun — wonderful photos. Haven’t been to CA in eons! But don’t you find it incredibly hard getting back in the blog world? Especially at this time of year? After having been flattened with the flu, then a week away, I’m running to just get ready for Christmas! Blogging is tough this time of year!
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Sooooooooo pretty! Love the lights in the palm tree! I do love SF!!!
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this looks like such an amazing adventure full of beautiful sights, eats, and sounds! As per that one shot I guess you to really were speeding through:):) Sounds like such fun though! Glad you had such a good time away and had time with your son and other family.
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