The Art Bistro. Well this was a find this morning, new and not reported anywhere I can ferret out. This little gem is in the Richmond (33rd & Geary) close to the Palace of the Legion of Honor Art Museum. It has a bright red canopy and bright red round metal tables with red fabric umbrellas outside, and the inside is charming as well. Charming as in filled with green plants and many blooming lavender and linen-white orchids with a nice fresh smell, wicker funiture and pillows in soft greens, and one of the fabric umbrellas over one of the tables for effect. Primarily a coffee shop, it also has very fresh and lovely French/Italian pastries and they do breakfast bagels and croissants with a number of luscious breakfast toppings. The walls also had beautiful original paintings for sale, mosting gorgeous garden flower scenes. Dad sunk into one of the cushioned wicker seats near the window and leaned into the pillows sipping whipped-cream topped hot chocolate.

Part of getting better, I think, is being surrounded by all the wonder that there is, to bring desire for living deeply for another day. So after treating my Dad to the Art Bistro stop, since it was near the Palace and Presidio, I took the meandering way home. We enjoyed the view of the city from the Palace, the fog had lifted enough to see a beautiful skyline. We meandered through the back view of the ocean and Golden Gate Bridge through Sea Cliff and the Presidio, and I took one more detour down Long Drive to the Crissy Field area, and found a charming park cafe, The Warming Hut, to come back and explore at a later date. There were runners of all ages along the drive and the air was marvelous.

Tonight, well Dad wanted to go 'out' for dinner, so we consulted my car, which called the restaurant, the Pelican Inn to see if there was space for two. There was in 20 minutes, and we were there. The Pelican Inn is near Muir Beach, and has a lovely English country setting. We happened upon a wedding party posing for photos in front of the tudor style inn. The interior was very romantic, lots of lit tapers, a fire burning and a man playing harp (a lap harp of 44-strings). The trouble started with the food (fire the chef!)... Dad had a Ribbet (sprite & lime juice), I a Shandy (beer & sprite), then came a watercress, cucumber and strawberry salad for me, tomato soup for Dad. The salad was a large bunch of watercress dumped on a plate with two sliced strawberries and two slices of cucumber. Dressing was nearly non-existent, just applied to the stems of the watercress. Not good. Dad liked the soup. Dad ordered a main dish of vegetable pie, and I the signature dish, Beef Wellington. Dad's pie had large barely cooked vegetable pieces in an unremarkable tomato sauce, he could barely take a few bites. Mine had RAW red potatoes, rather than roasted red, and my 'medium' beef, was very well done, yet the pastry very pasty. So, very definitely a romatic spot for a drink and some small appetizing bites, but the meals are definitely not edible.