I have a confession to make:
I’ve been coveting our San Francisco images.
If you follow us on Instagram @kellyginn22 & @johntginn (and if you don’t please do) you may have noticed a “slight” obsession with the city by the bay.
I’ll admit it, I was entirely sold even before I got there. I would get strange looks and weird head tilts when my friends would ask “have you ever been?” I would blush and stutter…. “n’ nooooo.” I did so much research, reading, stalking San Francisco blogs, San Francisco twitter and Instagram accounts, I was knowledgeable on just about every little detail a tourist who’d never been there could possibly know.
One of our dreams was to one day spread our wings and shoot a wedding in San Francisco. With a lot of help from our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram friends, that goal was made possible. A GIANT thank you to Oscar, who runs the @NoWrongWaySF Instagram account for sharing our add and enabling Danielle and Phil to find us and actually agree to use our services. (This is just a quick thank you, Oscar, when I post Danielle and Phil’s wedding, I will be much more elegant and creative with my thankfulness.)
Why would I covet these images? Such a silly, strange thing to do.
San Francisco left such a mark on us (no really, so much so, the day we got back from S.F. John booked tickets for our second trip that happened one month later), that I almost just wanted John and I to keep it for ourselves. The images would just be memories for John and I to remember together. I just want to hold on to each and everyone of these images so I never forget how incredible the city by the bay actually is. That’s so selfish, which is why I am making myself blog these images. These images feel like I’m giving pieces of myself away. John feels the same way. Like I’m exposing myself to the virtual world. I started to wonder if I was the only one with such strong feelings about this formidable place, so naturally I took to the internet and look what I found:
John Steinbeck once said “You know what it is, it’s a golden handcuff with the key thrown away.”
And O. Henry said “East is East and West is San Francisco.”
One of my favorite guys, period said ” There is no question this is where I want to live, never has been.” -Robin Williams
Robert Kennedy said “I love this city. If I’m elected, I’ll move the White House to San Francisco.”
And Rudyard Kipling said “San Francisco has only one drawback- tis hard to leave.” (Personally one of my favorites considering I had a breakdown on the plane ride home the first time we left. I mistakenly sat by the window and looked down and saw the glow of the city. I’m certain that everyone on the plane thought it was my first flight.)
Clearly, I am not the only human who is so passionate about the great city.
If I had to list my favorite thing about the city (and I mean if I could literally only have one favorite) I think it would be the hills and the brightly painted buildings that you can see from anywhere in the city. I was absolutely mesmerized.
John, thank you for keeping true to you vows, and always going on adventures with me. Thank you for letting me cry every time I saw the Golden Gate Bridge, and for taking one million selfies with me.
To all of our friends and family: THANK YOU for being excited for us, for liking all of our Instagram posts, and for putting up with how obnoxious we were on all forms of social media while we were there. We felt the excitement you had for us all the way in San Francisco, and we felt so LOVED. You made it that much more special for us.
I could write all day, but I’ll let the pictures do the talking.
xoxo
Bernal Heights was definitely a favorite. Probably John’s favorite thing we did. You can see everything.
John face timing my mom!
We stayed in Russian Hill both times, and absolutely adored it. We walked to Peet’s coffee every morning!
Coit Tower in the distance!
Lombard Street was beautiful!
So glad I researched ahead of time. You have to buy Alcatraz tickets super far in advance. Luckily we were able to visit!
Dolores Park, Mission, San Francisco
Transamerica Pyramid
Palace of Fine Arts
Bay Bridge
I’m pretty sure one of these bikers yelled “TOURIST!”
My favorite thing we did in San Francisco was climbing the rocks at Baker Beach
Thank goodness for athletic husbands and tripods. John had to run up a pretty steep hill to make this happen.
I just couldn’t leave S.F. without seeing the mosaic stairs in the Sunset district.
The second time we were there, I broke down on the cab ride to the airport. I looked back and could see Bernal Heights. I was so afraid I’d never make it back there and that I’d forget the magic of it all. The poor cab driver kept looking back at me, Lord knows what he was thinking. I could never forget San Francisco. It becomes a part of you.
My favorite quote: “Leaving San Francisco is like saying goodbye to an old sweetheart. You want to linger as long as possible.” -Walter Kronkite
Until next time, you sparkling city by the Bay…