How to Spend 72 Hours in California | Part 3

We drove from Monterey back to San Francisco before sundown to check out a few of the popular tourist sights.

We started at Dolores Park, then navigated through the urban maze to find the Painted Ladies and Lombard Street before parking in Chinatown to explore further.

We did try to locate the Victorian from Full House, but we definitely got the wrong address...
Then, by the time we figured out that we wanted to see the firehouse from The Princess Diaries, it's located further south from the city center...

Even though the Painted Ladies are one of the main attractions, I was more taken by the cluster of homes next door. Let's call them Gilded Princesses, because they look like Laduree macaron boxes.

Experiencing the city's landscape of steep hills is not unlike watching a dramatic patterns of a life-or-death situation playing out on a heart monitor. 

It's definitely a change from the more quaint suburban hills in Connecticut...

One of my goals while on the West Coast was to eat at a ramen noodle bar, so we ended up at Ramen Underground for dinner, a Zagat-rated spot also recommended by Thrillist in their Best Ramen in SF guide.

As for nightlife... Let me keep it simple with a checklist of what you should do in North Beach...

Bassanova Ramen

In the middle of Chinatown—between the traditional Chinese restaurants, shops and market stands—lies a hidden treasure on Mott Street.

If you're looking for something that's beyond vegetable fried rice and General Tso's, hit up Bassanova, a favorite ramen noodle bar in New York City recognized by The New York Times, Business Insider and Daily Candy.

Ramen noodle bars have been trending everywhere for the past few years. When I went to Paris last January, there was even a designated Ramen Week. 

My first ramen experience was at Boru Noodle Bar, Newport's local ramen joint on Broadway, with their House bowl. I always crave the Spicy Miso on a cold and rainy day–or just about any day, really. Boru recently expanded to accommodate its cult following among locals.

It's hard to even begin to compare Bassanova and Boru, but there's no need to since they're amazing in their own way—Bassanova's SoCal, minimalist feel is completely different than Boru's edgier, street inspired mood.

I feel like it's the difference between Venice, California and Seattle, Washington. But that's just me.

Also, considering my favorite dish at Boru is a bit heavier than the Lemon & Black Pepper Tondaku I had at Bassanova, it further proves their differences...

For date nights, I'd choose Bassanova. For the nights that are dark and stormy and lazy, I'd choose Boru.

Paris, Day 21: Lazy Sunday in Paris

Saturday night was a very long night.

Naturally, Sunday was equally laid back. By the time we woke up at noon, Baptiste and I had pain au chocolats and French coffee for breakfast.



Baptiste had to catch his train back to Lyon in the evening, so we spent the rest of the day relaxing. For lunch, we went to Chinatown in the 15th arrondissement for Chinese food and brought it back to eat while watching The Family in French.  

I went with Baptiste to Gare du Lyon to say goodbye... Maybe next time I'm in Paris, I'll hop on the train with him to see France's 2nd second major city.

*After Paris, Marseille and Lyon are tied for their popularity, it's just that Marseille is down south and Lyon is more inland. Fact: Lyon is France's capital for gastronomy, the study of the art of cooking.