The Breakfast Bar

Although we do have a refrigerator, we do not call our Breakfast Bar a kitchen, because there is no stove. With all the fine restaurants in our neighborhood, that are within easy walking distance, there is no pressing need for any of our guests to cook. Several of our neighborhood  markets sell prepared meals for anyone looking to conserve on spending for restaurant meals. We recommend Bi-Rite Market. We provide a microwave for effortless heating.

We also provide an electric teakettle and coffee maker, as well as tea, and locally roasted Peet's coffee. Extra mugs and coffee are located in drawers just below the tea kettle and coffee pot counter. You can also find extra napkins and paper towels in those drawers. All cookbooks are from San Francisco restaurants or stores, to give our guests a few ideas about where to dine. We will also include neighborhood restaurant reviews here. Once you see photos of the food they serve, you won't have a second thought about cooking!              

We've asked guests to reheat food in take out containers or paper plates that we provide. The fine china will be damaged in the microwave. If the microwave clock is not set, it will not operate. If you have accidentally unset the clock, we are happy to help reset it. The toaster is digital. Just place your bread in it and push the "Toast" button. The bread will automatically slide down into the proper position. Our smoke detector is sensitive for your safety, so don't burn your toast!

The Dining Area

We offer our guests the opportunity to go shopping for groceries, so they are able  to stock the refrigerator on their own with whatever they like. Since we need to shop for ourselves the ride is gratis. We can provide a continental breakfast consisting of a selection of cereals, milk, fruit juice, and yogurt, along with the coffee and tea for an additional fee to those guests who do not want to do this. It would be a do-it-yourself affair, where everything is already stocked in the apartment, but the guests still make the coffee or tea and put the breakfast together themselves. With a restaurant and coffee shop on the corners that both serve breakfast, and other restaurants nearby, you have quite a few options.

The Bathroom

For a small space, the bathroom is large on comfort. The shower is spacious. Along the shower wall is a shelf for your toiletries. We provide shower gel, and shampoo, as well as liquid soap for the vanity. Very plush, cotton towels, a hair dryer, tissues, and even Band-Aids are provided. One of my favorite B&B's in Ireland offered black washcloths for wiping off makeup. I provide grey towels for this purpose in the middle drawer of the vanity. Our plumbing system only tolerates biodegradable toilet paper, so please dispose of tissues and other paper products in the waste basket.

 

Our shower head conserves water, but you'd never know it by the excellent water pressure. We have also installed a Hot Water On Demand water heating system, so there is never a shortage of hot water. We do ask our guests to try and conserve water at this time due to the severe drought we have experienced in California.

The Bedroom

   

Since San Francisco is a port on the Pacific Rim it is greatly influenced by Asian culture. The Guest Suite's bedroom design was developed around a Chinese silk screen and bedroom furniture with a distinct Asian style. We hope the decor creates a sense of tranquility for our guests. We provide a very comfortable queen sized bed fitted with 600 thread count sheets and down pillows upon request. For those guests who are allergic to down, we also have down alternative pillows on the bed and more waiting in the closet. A plush blanket and cotton coverlet finish the bedding, but a comforter is also available.

A nine drawer chest is completely empty for the exclusive use of our guests, so unpack your bags and feel at home. The closet with cedar flooring is also available for the the exclusive use of our guests and is fitted with an assortment of chrome hangers.

The window with a garden view completes our tranquil atmosphere. Two birdbaths attract scrub jays, sparrows, mocking birds and wrens. Anna hummingbirds flit from flower to flower daily. Wouldn't you rather wake up to singing birds, than suitcases rolling along hotel corridors? We are close enough to Golden Gate Park, that we occasionally see a raccoon after dark or an owl. Once we had a few ducks pass through.

The Living Room

 

We've departed from the tranquil theme of the bedroom and the contemporary theme of the bath, to focus more on travel. The earthy character of the rattan chaise, table and sleeper sofa contrast nicely with the silver elements drawn into the mix by the drapery, rug, and television. Since the rental is in an urban location, the theme evolved into what I describe as "down to earth luxe", a bit of luxury that doesn't intimidate guests. Hopefully the basketry will encourage thoughts of travel to other cultures   with the collection composed of basketry made in six different countries as diverse as China, Colombia, and Africa. To further that aim, our collection of Rick Steve's travel CD's are available on request. Lights are set to make the sofa with foot rest the perfect place for reading. The cookbooks are all related to San Francisco restaurants and other food venues.

This is also our entertainment area where our guests are able to watch high definition cable television, or Netflix. Radio channels start on channel 901 of the television, while the Hi-Def channels are in  the 700's. We also have a board game or two available and guide books of San Francisco written in French and Italian. We can easily go over the remote control usage to avert some late night frustration.

Sleeper sofa? Yes, we do not  advertise that we have one, because this unit is comfortable for two, manageable for three and impossible for four people to share. However, if two friends are traveling together and do not wish to sleep in the same bed, there is an alternative. Once the sleeper sofa has been opened, the secondary egress is blocked, so we insist that it be closed each morning and reopened each night. If needed, we can provide assistance. Because of expensive fabrics and the rug used in this area, we ask guests to confine eating and drinking to the table provided in the unit and another in the patio.

Rates for 2016 and 2017

If the dollar falls during the year, these rates will be adjusted for exchange rates on the day of booking. Since most of our guests come from Europe and we travel there often, we will gladly accept euros and pounds sterling, so you can save the exchange and bank fees.

Per night for 1-2 people: $200.00
                                    180 euros
                                    130 pounds sterling

Weekly for 1-2 people:  $1200.00 
                                     1090 euros
                                     775 pounds sterling

Weekly rates reflect a free night, added to a 6 night booking.

Anyone  accumulating 7 nights after 1 or 2 visits will be charged at the rate of $175, 160 euros, or 115 pounds per night for any further bookings.

For single guests we offer free transport to or from the airport and trips to the grocery store. For couples we offer the airport transport for $30 each way and a stop at Trader Joe's or Lucky Supermarket upon arrival. Anyone staying over a week will receive fresh towels and sheets in the middle of their stay.

We have a 4 night minimum stay and a 2 person capacity.

For inquiries, please contact Donna at 415 567-6858

The Garden

 

We encourage our guests to sit or dine outside in warm weather. Our garden continues to be a work in progress and changes with the seasons. In Spring the wisteria are in bloom and herbs abound. In Summer we start seeing dahlias and roses. In the back third of the garden we have fruit trees and raised organic vegetable beds.

Within A Block of the Guest Suite

Our closest amenity would have to be the coin operated laundromat on our nearest corner to the east at Lyon St. there is another on Baker and Fulton streets which is often less crowded.

          

On the first corner to the left you can find Green Chile Kitchen with New Mexican specialties like green chile  stew, and sopapillas, as well as burritos, tacos, salads like the chicken salad with balsamic dressing shown above, posole and chile rellenos,  along with chile rellenos burritos.

 

Matching Half Cafe just across Baker Street has pastries, sandwiches, and the best cappuccino in town. Later in the day they serve imported wines by the glass. They have taken coffee making to new heights. I once asked for a larger sized cappuccino, since they had larger cups for their latte. They could not accommodate me, because it would change the proportion of ingredients, which would ruin the flavor. Evidently they have made a science of it. There's no arguing with success or science.

Restaurants in Our Neighborhood

The Nopa neighborhood is overflowing with restaurants and the following are but a few. As time permits, this post will include many more, so consider this just a sampling of them. Click their names for reviews and photos. Each review links available websites that include the restaurant's menu and address.

Bar Crudo

Bistro Central Parc

Brenda's Meat and Three

Chile Pies





Jannah


                                                                                     

NOPA




Nopalito




Ragazza

Sa Beang Thai                                                                                             



Tsunami




Wine Kitchen