if you live near a body of a water, there's a good chance someone can offer you a canoe to rent. find them, rent it and explore said body of water. if you live in san francisco, you've got even more options. if you live in san francisco and feel up to a three hour drive, may i suggest traveling north to the big river estuary in mendocino where the fine lads of catchacanoe will let you get on a boat. don't fall asleep and drift into the ocean though, they don't like that very much.
take a trip to your nearest local floral boutique and treat yourself to a unique arrangement of fresh flowers. don't buy them for someone else. buy them for you. unless you hate flowers. then i'd suggest you do something else.
san francisco: take a trip across the golden gate bridge and follow the road toward mount tam. you'll come across a small parking area before you get to the top that leads into the woods. follow a map down the steep, rocky paths to the bottom where you will be greeted by alpine lake. take note as you head downward that the hike back up will not be as fun.
san francisco: travel through the quaint neighborhood streets of the upper haight and head further up passed buena vista park to roosevelt way and museum way to discover a large rock formation at corona heights. as you ascend the hill, you will be greeted with spectacular views of the city. be sure to snap a photo or two while you're there, but don't drop your camera/iphone.
san francisco: make your way up the sweeping hills of the city to presidio st and pacific st where you'll find an entrance back down into san francisco's presidio. walk down and around, through the trees and about the greens on paved ways and ad hoc paths. there's a ton of secluded bits to explore. when you start running into tourists and too many people, you have my permission to get out of there immediately.
san francisco: ride, bike or bus over to the very expansive golden gate park where you'll find lots of hidden delights and surprises like the rose garden, secretly tucked away beyond the museums. spend time exploring the varietals, enjoying the lovely scents and admiring the colors, shapes and sizes of the seemingly endless beds of roses. always remember one thing: roses have thorns so don't go falling in.
take a ride to your nearest beach on a less desirable day - the foggier, the moodier, the overcastier the better. enjoy exploring the eerie atmosphere, get lost in your solitude and consider the stark contrast of the beach on a sunny day. if i were you, i would avoid swimming, drowning and falling off cliffs. no one will find you.
san francisco: navigate your way to the corner of turk and mason off market street in san francisco's "to be avoided" tenderloin district. you will be greeted by chor boogie's enormous mural with huge strokes of vibrant color, shapes and faces spanning over doors and windows across buildings within the long alley. if you fear a "less polished" area of the city, it's probably a good idea to avoid a visit after midnight.
san francisco: grab a group of good pals and head north over the golden gate bridge to the top of mount tam. follow the narrow, curvy roads up and up through the hills and trees. pick one of the many scenic places to stop and hike on up just before sunset. may i suggest a nice bottle of wine to sip as the sun sets. be sure to drink in moderation unless you actually want the hike down to get ugly.
whenever you wander about, take a moment to find reflections in unexpected places and unconventional surfaces. consider how objects and faces transform and take color depending on the type of surface you're looking at. i'd refrain from becoming too curious around water, especially if you're really interested in staying dry.
san francisco: make your way through the city and up the hills to 18th and missouri in potrero hill. take a moment to consider the long wooden fence painted in vibrant greens with splashes of bright color and note the multiple "eyes" staring at you from every direction. spend some time grouping the eyes together to form little characters and faces - but don't linger too long, someone may get suspicious, creeped out, or think you're just weird.
