The year to do: Goals for sucking the life out of San Francisco

Yes, folks, it is that time again. The first of the new year. I know we all get a little bit crazy when it comes to new beginnings and fresh starts and clean slates. I've never been that good at Resolutions. I'm much more from the "why wait till Jan. 1st to start things?" 

However, I am one for making lists. Lots and lots of lists....and when it comes to the start of a new year, I do like to write down some of the things I want to do and accomplish throughout the year. Not really a "work on me list," but one that reminds me to "suck the life" out of the days we're given. 

I've lived in the bay area for almost 8 years (holy cow) and sometimes, I feel like I haven't really taken advantage of being in the midst of this amazing city. With the Superbowl coming in February, there are all these "must do" lists for our incoming football fan tourists. I figured, I would take a look at those, and create my own list of 2016 musts for Bay Area living. I realized that there is so much to do here that I've been missing out on. I was hoping for one new thing a month....however, the list just grew and grew. If I can get half of it accomplished, I'll be a happy camper (and almost native) by 2017! 

Visit Grizzley Peak and Bolinas Ridge (Marin) at Sunset: Grizzley Peak 50 Whitaker Avenue between Miller and Sterling Avenues in Northeast Berkeley

See concerts at: The Fillmore, The Warfield, The Independent 

Go to a Sing-A-Long at the Castro Theater

Take a Street Art Tour, make sure to  Walk through Clarion Alley and eat at The Sycamore. Between Mission and Valencia Streets and 17th and 18th Streets, San Francisco
Balmy Alley Murals | Balmy Alley, between 24th & 25th Streets, 
***On this day, have "America's best burrito" at La Taqueria

Attend Audium: On Friday Nights-http://www.audium.org/


Walk around Albany Bulb: 1 Buchanan Street, Albany

Church of 8 Wheels, Roller Skate in an old Church: http://churchof8wheels.com/

Go to Levi Stadium 

Eat at Tadich Grill: The oldest restaurant in the city. 

Climb SF's secret staircases:
*Macondray Lane (off Leavenworth St between Union and Green Sts) was the inspiration for Armistead Maupin’s Barbary Lane in his Tales of the City series.
*The grand Lyon Street stairway (between Green St and Broadway), built in 1916 to connect Cow Hollow to the lofty climes of Pacific Heights, features some 290 steps that take you past flower gardens, hedgerows and palatial mansions to the entrance of the Presidio, where you’re rewarded with views of Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge.
*Tank Hill, the often-ignored stepsister of Twin Peaks, is accessed via the delightful garden-dotted Pemberton Steps that start at the bottom of Corbett and Clay streets.

*Climb the 16th Avenue Tiled Steps

Visit Coit Tower via: The Filbert Street Steps, arguably the most spectacular of the city’s stairways, starts at the bottom of Sansome Street and climbs all the way to Coit Tower, passing through lush tropical gardens and flocks of wild parrots along the way.

Drink Irish Coffee at Buena Vista

Go to the Walt Disney Museum/Lucasfilms in the Presidio

Take an Emperor Norton’s Fantastic San Francisco Time Machine Tour

Go Hiking on Angel Island and make it to the top 5 peaks in the region: Tamalpais in Marin County, Mt. Diablo in the East Bay, Mission Peak in Fremont, Mt. Hamilton in San Jose, and Sugarloaf Hike in Sonoma.

Go to Oakland's Morcom Rose Garden

Get to the top of Twin Peaks

Hang out at Alameda Antique Fair (Done: 1/3/16)

Tour the Jelly Belly Factory 

Eat an Egg Tart at The Golden Gate Bakery | 1029 Grant Ave., San Francisco