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EPIC Steak Restaurant

Address: 369 The Embarcadero, San Francisco, Ca. 94105

Epic Restaurant is a classy steakhouse with a picture-perfect, romantic view of the waterfront and the Bay Bridge. It has a custom-built wood-burning grill and oven with a spectacular fireplace. The Waterbar and Epic Restaurant are sister companies, Parke Ulrich is a business partner and Executive Chef for Epic Restaurant. EPIC has both an indoor and outdoor heated patio seatings available with a contemporary cuisine and a variety of crafted cocktails.

EPIC restaurant is located in the Embarcadero area and situated under the Bay Bridge in San Francisco. We made a reservation for 4 pm via open table for my daughter’s 12th birthday celebration. She requested to eat at EPIC since she loved the steak on our first visit. We were greeted by a friendly hostess and sat us at the heated outdoor patio table as per our request. The outdoor patio table has an unobstructed view of the waterfront and the Bay Bridge. All the heated tables outside have a great view of the Bay Bridge and the waterfront. The inside of the restaurant has a very rustic and contemporary theme or setting.

We were promptly greeted by our friendly and knowledgeable server named Meike. She answered all our questions regarding the menu and provided us some recommendations regarding the drinks and food. We ordered our appetizers which were composed of Acme sourdough with European style butter($6), Dungeness Crab Cake ($24), Garlic Shrimp ($24). As for the main entree we had Roasted Maine Lobster ($38 half/$76 full), 14 oz Prime New York Steak ($59), 14 oz Prime Ribeye Steak ($61). We also ordered some side dishes such as the Roasted Mushrooms ($12) and Julia Child’s potatoes ($12). And finally, we ordered the delicious sweet peach cheesecake with a “Happy Birthday” written for my daughter’s birthday. My daughter ordered the mojito (virgin/no alcohol) and my wife had the refreshing mixed drink called Painkiller($15) which is made up of Flor de Cana Gran Reserva 7 rum pineapple, and coconut cream.

The Acme sourdough bread was warm, soft, and fresh which is paired with the sweet European style butter. My daughter enjoyed the soft and moist flavorful Dungeness crab cakes which are made up of corn pudding and nopales salad. My personal favorite is the delicious, appetizing Garlic Shrimp with cognac and soft brioche. As for the main entree both the 14 oz Prime N.Y. steak and the Prime Ribeye steak were juicy and cooked to perfection. The Roasted Maine Lobster is a light dish with a great combination of Pernod and ricotta gnocchi. And finally, the sweet peach cheesecake was very delectable with a combination of poached summer fruits and white chocolate.

Overall, we were fully satisfied with the flavorsome food, drinks, and outstanding service at EPIC restaurant. Especially with our friendly server and Assistant Manager on duty that day. We were lucky that we personally met Mr. Parke Ulrich which is friendly and a business partner and Executive Chef of EPIC Restaurant.

Tips: The EPIC restaurant’s valet service is not operational as of now. So you would either park your car on a metered street parking or park at Hills Plaza Garage (Folsom st) which is across the street from the restaurant but a little bit pricey.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about the EPIC Steakhouse Restaurant after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

Click here to find a hotel close to Epic Restaurant in San Francisco.

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San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker. (War Memorial Opera House)

Address: 301 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, Ca. 94102

Nutcracker Ballet is a two acts classic Christmas story fairy tale ballet that focuses on a family’s Christmas eve celebration. The story is about a young girl named Clara’s experience of the real world and romantic love. On December 18, 1892, the first performance of the nutcracker Christmas ballet was held along with Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta as a double premiere. And it later became popular and performed at Christmas time. “The Great Russian Nutcracker” is Moscow’s ballet version of the nutcracker ballet. E.T.A. Hoffmann is the Nutcracker ballet’s original Author. And the fantasy aspect of the story is that toys may come to life and bring us happiness.

We arrived at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, Van Ness Avenue at around 6 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m. The staff member checked our vaccination card, photo ID and stamped our hands. We were in awe as we went inside the main lobby which has a very high ceiling and beautiful interior design. My daughter posed for a picture by the festive, beautiful Christmas Tree located in the middle of the lobby. The staff that assisted us were very helpful, informative and directed people to the appropriate sections or areas. We

We had a good seat and a great price for the tickets since we went on weekdays rather than on weekends. Our seat section was Dress Circle and seat numbers B122, B124, B126 which are corner seats that are easier to get up when going to the restroom. The entire performance is about 2 hours long including intermission. Both acts were so good that my daughter was mesmerized by the talented performers acting and colorful costumes. Even the stage props and background designs were so realistic. Act I is about the Nutcracker defeats the Mouse King while Act II is about Clara and the Prince being welcomed by the Sugar Plum Fairy at the land of the sweets.

Tips: The closest public parking garage is at Performing Arts Garage Lot#21 and is located at 360 Grove Street San Francisco, Ca. 94102. We paid a flat fee of $20 until midnight due to the special event. Another Parking lot is at Civic Center Garage lot#200 at 355 McAllister St, San Francisco, CA 94102. Try to get there as early as possible and take lots of pictures, buy your souvenirs right away as it gets crowded closer to the start of the show. Drinks and food are a little bit pricey. There were a few areas that are good for a photoshoot such as the Christmas Tree in the main lobby, Christmas Tree/ Nutcracker signboard display on the 3rd floor, and lastly the outside patio overlooking the San Francisco City Hall. There was a band that played music in front of Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall which is located across from the War Memorial Opera House.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments, or what you think about San Francisco Nutcracker Ballet at War Memorial Opera House after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

Click here to find a hotel close to S.F. Nutcracker Ballet at War Memorial Opera House.

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Fort Point National Historic Site (San Francisco)

Address: Long Ave & Marine Dr, 201 Marine Dr, San Francisco, CA 94129

Opens: Fri-Sun 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. (Admission is free)

Golden Gate was declared by the Military officials as the “key to the whole Pacific coast.” Fort Point served as the main example of the U.S. Army’s most sophisticated coastal fortifications. Fort Point is the only fort built on the West Coast between 1817 and 1867. During that time the nation’s coastal defense system built some 30 forts along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The design and construction of Fort Point is an example of a system adopted after the war of 1812 to protect major U.S. harbors. The fort has three tiers of casemates (vaulted rooms) housing cannons, a lighthouse, artillery, and hotshots. The seawall is made up of granite stones fitted together and the spaces between them were sealed with strips of lead.

We accidentally looked into Fort Point as we were taking pictures underneath the Golden Gate Bridge. We saw a few people going in and there was a Park Ranger in front of the entrance. Out of our curiosity, we asked the Ranger what is this place called. We then proceeded inside since it’s free to get in and we were surprised by how big the Fort. We explored all 3 floors of the Fort and learned some historical facts. There were a lot of Civil War-era artifacts, uniforms, furniture displayed and preserved inside. My daughter’s favorite was the different shapes and sizes of old canons that you can touch up close and personal. They even have a powder keg room in the basement which is now empty barrels. We explored all the historical corridors, hallways, stairwells which some were dark, cold, and creepy.

The best part of our exploration is when we reached the top floor of the Fort. It was open-air with great views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the city of San Francisco. We even saw a decommissioned lighthouse but the entrance was closed and have no access. We took a lot of great pictures both as a group and selfies with either the Golden Gate Bridge or the City of San Francisco as our background. It was a nice sunny day but a little bit cold and windy weather.

Overall, it’s a unique and cool place to explore, spend a couple of hours with family and loved ones, take great memorable pictures and learn about the history of Fort Point. And there was a scene in the 1958 movie by Alfred Hitchcock called “Vertigo” where Kim Novak jumped into the bay which also showed Fort Point.

Tips: Bring a jacket for the unpredictable weather and bottled water to keep hydrated as there is a lot of walking up the stairs. There are plenty of Park Rangers available to answer all your questions. You can also watch & take pictures of the surfers catch the breaks (waves) created by the bridge. There are lots of parking available but can be busy during the weekends. Try to visit Fort Point early in the morning to beat the local/tourist crowds.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about the Fort Point National Historic Site after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.