As typical for this time of year, I had a work summit out in the San Francisco bay area. Normally I'd just stay in San Jose for a small amount of time before heading back home, but Anna had never been. Since Google was covering my accommodations and meals, it was a good opportunity to get to visit one of the most expensive areas in the world for a relatively affordable amount.

Most of my week was spent in the office, doing work-related things. But we drove up to San Francisco on the weekend and spent a few days exploring the city, catching up with some of my old friends, and going hiking.

There was this cool red bridge we found while hiking one day.
The hotel we stayed at was no-frills, but comfortable and cozy. This particular photo makes it look grungier then it was, but the composition and lighting caught my eye.

Anna, admiring some pretty flowers in the city.
One of the highlights of the trip was a hike out near Stinson Beach. The weather was really mild (as usual) and the hike featured some pretty dynamic views, from forests to coastline.
Light casts an interesting glow on these moss-covered trees.
The redwoods display their heavily textured bark.
Steams of sunlight spark little fires on this moss-covered boulder.
The forest parts for a fallen brethren.
More photos from the beautiful lighting that illuminated the forest.
A trip to San Francisco wouldn't be complete without views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

That's all! This was a pretty short trip, slapped on relatively last-minute to an already planned work trip. Anna enjoyed the city, and we had a particularly great time dining out, trying some nice cocktail bars, and shooting pool.

One memory that stands out from this trip was a visit to sQwers, a small Japanese restaurant near the university. The food was yummy, and the staff was an absolute treat. There were two older Japanese men working the kitchen and dining areas, and they were super friendly and funny. One even brought me his secret stash of habanero pepper sauce, and was surprised that I nearly finished it off without breaking a sweat. We split a bit of everything on the menu; including sushi, ramen, chicken kaarage and garlic edamame.

The restaurant definitely seemed like a community favorite, and the only negative thing to say was that we couldn't become regulars ourselves.