By Jahna Goldman, Blake Croegaert, Amy Yanow, & Amelia Martens
Saturday morning we woke up bright and early for our flight to San Francisco, California. We were excited to embark on a journey learning hands on about food, farm, and environmental policy. We arrived at the airport and were greeted by beautiful sunshine. The weather was a nice change compared to Chicago’s chilly March. On our way to the hotel in San Francisco, we were delayed for quite some time because of the St. Patrick’s Day parade that had shut down a few main streets. Finally, we arrived at Kensington Park Hotel where we would stay for the week. The hotel is located in San Francisco’s bustling downtown area near Union Square.
Mr. Jay Vroom, President and Chief Executive Officer of CropLife America, and his wife, Jamie, met us at our hotel to escort us to a typical San Francisco farmers market. CropLife America is the largest national trade organization representing developers, manufacturers, formulators, and distributors of agricultural pesticides across the U.S. We had a nice long walk seeing the sights of the downtown as we made our way to Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. It is known throughout the country to be one of the top farmers markets to visit. Each week nearly 25,000 shoppers visit the market. It is operated by the nonprofit Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture. Upon arrival to the market the fresh fruit and vegetables stands were already closed for the evening, but we were able to browse the indoor market. There were artisanal and gourmet vendors selling goods such as mushrooms, dairy products, baked goods, meats, as well as body care and various restaurants. Most of these stores (if not all) sell organic and/or locally sourced goods.
At 5 pm we met at Il Cane Rosso, an Italian restaurant that serves food based on local and organic California ingredients. We started with hors d’oeuvres and refreshments. We had bacon & blue cheese stuffed dates, parmesan & black pepper gougeres, and sparkling juices. We then had a delicious dinner. The food was full of flavor. We had a Caesar salad, a main course of Long & Bailey Ranch spit roasted pork, and a scrumptious flourless chocolate cake for dessert. We ended our dinner with coffee and tea while we watched LED lights twinkle on the Bay Bridge. We said our goodbyes to the generous Vroom family and went back to the hotel to end the day.
On Sunday, we had a free day to explore San Francisco. A few of us woke up to visit Alcatraz Island. We took a cab down to Pier 33 to catch a ferryboat to the island and tour the prison. The boat ride was very scenic. We saw the Golden Gate Bridge as well as Angel Island. We first toured Alcatraz with a Ranger who told us about the history of escapes from Alcatraz. Next, we decided to take the audio tour of the inside of the prison. The audio tour was fantastic and very educational. We were able to learn about the daily lives of the prisoners of Alcatraz. Such famous prisoners included Chicago’s own, Al Capone. We saw the cells where the prisoners were kept and their dining facilities. From the island one can see breathtaking views of the San Francisco skyline. The weather was perfect for a day of exploration. After the boat ride back to the mainland, some of the group decided to visit Fisherman’s Wharf to try some seafood for lunch. At Pier 39, we saw and learned about sea lions. Some of the groups went shopping and some went to Lombard Street to see the famous winding road. Others spent time in Golden Gate Park and Ghirardelli Square. But we all paused mid-afternoon for the big Selection Sunday announcement and excitement of our Fighting Illini, a #7 seed in the NCAA tournament! I – L – L ……
Sunday was a nice day to relax and prepare for our busy week ahead. Our weekend was a perfect start to the trip. We look forward to discovering more that this thriving city has to offer.
