Bargain – Page 6 – Insider Irene

Frugal Finds, West Coast Roadtrip – Seattle, WA (Part 1)

Published on August 3, 2016August 5, 2016 by Insider IreneLeave a comment

Oregon was a great state to visit (click on the hyperlink for Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 for those entries) with fresh air and the slightly off the wall quirky culture, but I was ready to explore a new territory. I met up with a native Californian who recently moved here to explore this part of Seattle and suffice to say there’s a ton to do and see!

Welcome to my #SleeplessinSeattle series! where I’ll be hunting for my frugal finds and visiting some of the cities best hot spots. First destination is the Pike Place Market- home to a bazaar, the first Starbucks, and the Gum Wall!

The Pike Place Market is similar to many bazaars. There were various stalls selling food and souvenirs, but it was a nice covered area to take a nice stroll. It rains often in Seattle and while I wasn’t use to random sprinkles, I noticed that virtually no one brought umbrellas or seemed to care that it was misting. I guess I’m a fish out of water 😛

The offerings in this market showcased many local vendors and I appreciated the spirit of the entrepreneurs here. After walking through the area my stomach started to growl. Looks like it’s time to eat!

I saw a crowd of people in front of what looked like a bakery. It was called Piroshky Piroshky, hmm. What’s a piroshky? I figured with a long line that it was worth checking out. While perusing through my phone I found out that that this Russian bakery specializes in savory pastries. My friend and I decided to split a Beef and Cheese piroshky and you know it sorta tastes like a Chinese beef bao but with an American bread. Ha! I enjoyed it but was eager to try some other items.

Next we waited in line for the first Starbucks. I think the line spanned across 2 stores, but it moved relatively quickly. With the popularity of Starbucks there’s actually another nearby with zero line, but as a tourist it was obvious that a visit to Seattle is incomplete without a visit to THE Starbucks. Now I can cross it off my bucket list 🙂

With bellies relatively full we decided to further explore the area and found the gum wall, which you guessed it is a wall chalked full of gum.

Some tourists and locals would be completely grossed out by this site and as a teacher I should probably discourage what could be conceived as vandalism on the property, but I’m off duty and *gasp* I even bought a package of gum to add to the artwork. I’m such a rebel, lol

The tradition of sticking gum on the wall started around 1993 – I’m actually shocked that it’s a relatively new attraction. Personally, I think it’s a pretty cool place to leave your mark and take selfies, but each his own.

After enjoying the novel attraction my friend and I decided to try a local restaurant for Happy Hour. I did a quick search and found Chan Seattle – a local Korean and American fusion bar only a few streets up Pike’s Market Place.

Happy Hour is from 5:00pm-6:30pm and we just made it to enjoy their offerings. We sat at the bar and sampled four dishes: Fried Rice Cakes ($3), Bulgogi Beef Sliders ($6), Chicken Wings ($6), Fried Pacific Oysters ($6) to tantalize our taste buds. Flavor wise it was on the more salty and spicy side, but with a glass of beer I can imagine many patrons enjoying these tapas.

Have you visited Pike’s Market Place? What’s your favorite attraction there? Comment below.

XOXO,

Rockstar

Frugal finds, West Coast Roadtrip: Portland, OR (Part 4)

Published on August 1, 2016August 3, 2016 by Insider Irene1 Comment

Good morning Portland! Yes, most people would probably sleep in on their Saturday, but this girl definitely wanted to check out everything this city has to offer.

Our first stop was the Saturday Market – a large outdoor bazaar where local vendors and artists showcase and sell their quirky gadgets, hand-made creations, and unusual artwork with Portland flair.

Located in the historic Old Town this venue is home to over 250 vendors. As I took a stroll down each aisle I couldn’t help but smile at some of the offerings. Many of the vendors had immense Portland pride as it was evident in their products and merchandise. I bought a heather grey t-shirt with each major city’s landmark (ie. Statue of Liberty for New York, The Space Needle for Seattle etc) and at the center was a Redwood tree for Portland. It’s a great design and I always love supporting entrepreneurs – support small!

I wore the shirt later on in the trip if you’re interested see what it looks like.

I regularly visit craft fairs and festivals, but the Saturday Market here just has a really great quirky feel to it. There’s just a ton of unique items and designs. If anything this is a great place to get inspired by the inventions and for those of you who couldn’t make it on a Saturday, no worries because it’s also open on Sunday. With a name like Saturday Market, it’s quite confusing, but it’s open every weekend from March – Christmas Eve (Saturday 10:00am -5:00pm; Sunday- 11:00am -4:30pm). It’s definitely worth a visit if you’re here on the weekend.

I also completely lucked out as the weekend I visited happen to be the weekend for the “Grand Floral Parade” – the largest floral procession in the North East. See one of my instagram video’s here.

There were many participants including different branches of the military (Marines, Navy, Coast Guard), various interest groups (ie. Rotary, equestrian club) and entertainment personalities all parading down the 4.2 mile route. The flower celebration also featured various marching bands, ornate floats, and vintage cars. And what Rose Parade would be complete without a rose court. I’ll post the video on my instagram. It was a nice surprise to be a part of an annual celebration.

Next up we hit up Nong’s Kaho Mangai to sample their famous Chicken and Rice dish ($8.75). Featured on a number of media outlets including Food Network and The New York Times (just to name a few), this humble restaurant is no secret to the Portland community and with three locations it’s clear that this is a fan favorite.

The dish is a simple one, but the taste is anything but. The chicken is moist and tender and the rice is cooked in chicken broth, which really brings out a nice earthly flavor. It also comes with their signature ginger sauce to which I would slather all over my chicken and a side of soup. It’s a tasty entree and for my LA readers it’s very comparable to Savory’s Kitchen in Alhambra – although I do think I have a slight bias to enjoying the later just a tiny bit more.

How do you spend your Saturdays? Curled up in bed or out and about? Comment below!

XOXO,

Rockstar

Frugal Finds, West Coast Roadtrip – Portland, OR (Part 3)

Published on July 29, 2016August 1, 2016 by Insider Irene3 Comments

Next on the Oregon Trail series (Click Oregon Part 1, Oregon Part 2 – if you missed those entries) we drove up and to the Pittock Mansion, a French Renaissance-style chateau and home of the The Oregonian newspaper owner Henry Pittock.

Located in the West Hills of Portland, Oregon, this mansion has 46 rooms estate and is situated on 46 acres. It’s now owned by the city’s Bureau of Parks and Recreation and open for touring. You can check out the interior of the home for a $10 general admission fee, but we decided to just enjoy the picturesque skyline.

My goodness, just look at this stunning view! The photos don’t even do it justice!

We then drove back to Downtown Portland to check out a punk-rock theme restaurant called Killer Burger, a local Oregon franchise that serves up a mean burger. Made famous by their Peanut Butter Pickle Bacon burger we bit the bullet and ordered one – mind you we ate at two restaurants 2 hours ago, so we were not prepared for another full blown meal lol

With a 1/3 lb of 100% Angus Beef, Bacon, house sauce, mayo grilled onions, sliced pickles this burger was massive and heavy. Top it off with some bottomless fries, and this baby could easily fed me for two meals.

I’m actually not a huge fan of peanut butter, but this burger just might make me convert. The ratio of meat and the other ingredients was perfect and the flavor just explodes in your mouth. Mmmm…

They also offer a Crazy Hour (aka Happy Hour) Monday- Friday from 2:00- 5:00pm where they offer a discount on their popular items.

Classic Burger or PBPB with Bacon with bottomless fries $6.95 (reg $9.65)
Micro Brews $3.50 (reg $5.50)
All Soft Drinks $1.00 (reg $2.50)

Would you try the peanut butter and pickle burger? Comment below!

XOXO,

Rockstar

Frugal Finds, West Coast Roadtrip – Portland, OR (Part 2)

Published on July 27, 2016August 1, 2016 by Insider Irene2 Comments

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream – and you know Portland’s going to be cranking out some really amazing exotic flavors as it’s the birthplace of Salt and Straw, an artisanal ice cream shop that’s made headliners as one of the nations best ice cream shop!

*For my readers just joining me on my “8 Day West Coast Roadtrip” you can click the hyperlink to see the list of cities I visited, or if you missed my “1st Oregon entry” click the hyperlink.

Salt & Straw is well known among the foodie community as having creative and tasty creations. Some of their standout flavors include “Pear and Blue Cheese” and “Strawberry Balsamic and Black Pepper.” Although these pairings may sound unusual they do allow customers to sample different flavor profiles before making a purchase. Personally I think I sampled 10 or so and had a really difficult time choosing one.

For the indecisive foodie, one can consider getting the taster tray, which no only photographs well, but also allows a guest to get 4 different flavors. This is a great option for $9 and because it’s in Oregon – no sales tax, yes!

I think one reason why it was so difficult for me to choose because I wanted to pick four very distinct flavors to keep it interesting. Here are the four that I ultimately chose.

Freckled Woodblock Chocolate – This was a pleasant chocolate ice cream. It’s more of a classic choice, but still distinct with the bits of chocolate flakes.

Sourdough with Chocolate and Strawberries (Limited Edition Flavor) – This flavor was a huge surprise to me. I would never have thought to put the two together. Definitely my favorite and I hope they’ll consider making this a permanent flavor!

Chocolate w/ freckled flakes

Sourdough and Strawberries

Pear and Blue Cheese

Sea Salt and Caramel

Pear with Blue Cheese – It’s very subtle when you first try it, but leaves a very potent aftertaste. I would say that among the four this one is more of an acquired taste, but I appreciated how it does have an explosion of flavor.

Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons – A bit salty, but it’s a great balance with the sweet caramel

For my Los Angeles Readers they have a branch in Studio City – so you can get your fix too!

With so many rich flavors nested in my tummy we decided to head to one of Portland’s most beautiful locations and take a stroll down the International Rose Test Garden – one of the best FREE attractions in Portland.

Open year-round from 7:30 am – 900 pm, this park is a fantastic place for everyone to enjoy – horticulture enthusiasts, families, couples, and singles. The scenery is absolutely gorgeous and backdrop is perfect for engagement, graduation photos, or tourists like myself 🙂

Even though I visited in the summer time, the roses were in full bloom and it smelled amazing there. I wish they developed smell-o-vision so you can experience it too.

There are over 10,000 roses in this 4.5 acre land and while I did not get the opportunity to attend a tour they do offer them. From June 2 through September 19 trained volunteers led tours at 11:30 am on Tuesdays and 1:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

For a gal for always loves to be on the run, I couldn’t help myself but soak in the calmness of this environment. If I lived near this garden I could definitely see myself taking a stroll on a weekly basis. It just puts you at ease and really allows you to just appreciate the simple beauties of this world. I guess it just reinforces the ideology that we ought to “stop and smell the roses” – literally 🙂

Do you have a favorite rose? Comment below!

XOXO,

Rockstar

Frugal Finds, West Coast Roadtrip – Portland, OR (Part 1)

Published on July 25, 2016August 1, 2016 by Insider Irene3 Comments

Still following my Oregon Trails (Check this link for the 1st Oregon entry)? Hope you’ve packed a voracious appetite because we’re going to be eating a ton of food for the next few entries 🙂

Portland is a quirky city known for their eclectic and creative food scene so naturally we checked out a few of the city’s hottest places to eat. The first spot was Tasty n Alder, a local bar serving American fare with a twist. We sampled three items at the bar from their Mid-Day Menu (2:00pm – 5:30pm) and thoroughly enjoyed the offerings.

We started out with the radicchio, a salad mixed with lardons, manchego, six minute egg and gratted cheese. In some ways it’s like a caesar salad with a bit of a bite. A large is $7 and the portion is very generous. I definitely recommend trying that out! We also a side of fries ($3), which were adequate and ended with a panna cotta – which was extremely creamy and topped with Oregon rasberries soaked in vanilla. Yum!

A few streets down we headed to our next foodie spot – Lardo‘s, a restaurant and bar that specializes in pork sammys. Our meter was running so we called in (during our happy hour meal at Tasty N Alder) and ordered our sammy to go. We picked up our Korean Pork Shoulder sammy ($10) with house kimchi, and chili mayo so that we could grab and go, but I couldn’t resist and took a quick bite. It’s spicy for the sensitive eater and the meat is also on the more fatty side thus oozing with grease but I did enjoy the flavor combination.

If you’re at Lardo’s during Happy Hour (3pm -6pm) they do offer $3 pints daily.

With so much food in our belly we decided to take a stroll around downtown and check out the famous Powell’s Bookstore. With over 3000 Yelp reviews and a 5 star rating I couldn’t fathom what could make this bookstore worthy of such an honor so I went to check it out myself.

Wow! Just by size alone I was completely floored by the space and number of books. Powells is enormous! With four floors filled with books of every genre and category this store is a bookworm’s dream house. They sell new and used books and also have handwritten staff recommendations (just seemed like a nice personable touch). I casually walked through a few aisle’s and was completely captivated by the different book offerings and easily could have stayed in that aisle for an hour or so. In a way I felt like Belle in Beauty and the Beast and lost in an adventure (although to be fair, I was drooling over some recipes in the food aisle lol).

I found the rare-book-room where limited edition and hard to find books are located. Guests need to check in their items and attain a pass from the info desk, but it was quick and simple process. They have a $12,500 book for sale (obviously behind glass for good reason!) The De Bello Judaico translated as The Jewish War is a book bounded by parchment sheet from 1480. Considering how old it is it’s actually in pretty good shape!

I will have at least two other Portland entries coming up, but until then which aisle would you be venturing through at Powels? Politics? Religion? Food? Fashion? Comment below!

XOXO

Rockstar

Frugal Finds, West Coast Roadtrip – Eureka, CA

Published on July 15, 2016July 15, 2016 by Insider Irene1 Comment

Driving through a tree (see video on Instagram here) and walking on glass shells (click original post here) were both quite exciting adventures, but Eureka! – no pun intended 🙂 – I think I’ve found one of the (unexpectantly) coolest cities in California.

Surrounded by towering Redwoods and spacious grounds this city of Eureka has definitely some great hidden gems. On this visit we checked out the Sequoia Park Zoo, an intimate home to wildlife, including some adorable red pandas and river otters.

General admission is $7 and if you visit on Wednesday all visitors receive half price regular admissions. They do not take or offer any other discounts for non-residents.

I was excited to visit and lucked out as they were just starting the Otter Feeding!

Animal Feedings Schedule:

3 pm: Otter Feeding – Oh my goodness! Wow talk about hungry otters! When they saw/heard the zookeepers coming these guys were swimming like crazy. The pups were super active and even when the zookeeper threw in pieces of fish they were hungry for more. Near the end of the feeding the zookeeper threw in chunks of carrots. How cute!

4pm: Red Panda Feeding -This feeding was more like a training exercise where each red panda would listen to a command before earning treats. It was so cute watching a red panda essentially beg the human for munchies.

This zoo is very small; however, I appreciated how well maintained each of the exhibits were and that they were spacious enough for all animals to live happily. Aside from otters and Red Pandas they also have a large bird cage with various exotic birds (ie bald eagle, owls), a flock of pink flamingos, and some farm animals. Think of this zoo as a animal retreat in the mountains.

Eureka didn’t strike me as a destination known for authentic ethnic food, but goodness gracious the Carribean food at the A Taste of Bim made me feel as if I were in the Bahamas. The restaurant has such a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere and the food was cooked to order by a lady from the islands. My friend and I shared the baked whole fish in secret sauce ($18.75) which came with a side salad and a choice of another side and my goodness it was beyond amazing. Seriously ten stars, go and you will not regret it!

From the interior decor to the mouth watering food I felt like I was transported to another country and it’s a shame how far Eureka is from home. It’s a great restaurant and if you’re in the area you definitely should hit them up.

Is it just me or does this home look like the house from – The Addam’s Family?

This mini castle is actually the Carson Mansion. It’s footsteps away from the Pacific where guests can enjoy a beautiful view. Visitors who wish to visit the interior need to be members of the elite club (or from a reciprocal club – from what I’ve been told), but just from the outside the home has some really intricate details.

Which attraction was your favorite? Comment below.

XOXO,

Rockstar

Frugal Finds, West Coast Roadtrip – Glass beach & Leggit (Drive through Tree), CA

Published on July 13, 2016July 12, 2016 by Insider Irene2 Comments

After we visited Gutter Ball Beach… I mean Bowling Ball Beach (Click to read that entry), we headed to Glass Beach at Fort Braggs, CA.

Back in the day the area residents used this site as their official water dumping ground where they discarded cars, glass, and other unwanted goods. Over time nature transformed these junk items into beautiful gems spread across the coastline (the crashing waves grind the pieces down), making this once junkyard to a hit tourist attraction – what a great trash to treasure story!

I loved walking on the glass sand and admiring the beautiful pieces. There was a nice breeze and I loved sifting through the colorful “glass sand.” (Check out the Instagram video here ) It’s definitely a unique beach, but sadly the glass on the beach isn’t as plentiful as it once was, as tourists collect and take home the pieces. Should you come to visit, please leave them there so that we all can enjoy them.

Next stop was one of my favorite tourist traps – The Drive-Through Tree! For a small $5 per car admission fee it was a relaxing pit stop to just smell the fresh air, stretch your legs, and of course drive through a Redwood!

My friend and I waited patiently in the line to drive through the tree, but thankfully it moved fast and we were super excited. Guests are also allowed to part their car in the parking lot and walk through the tree as well – I did it several times, ha! Just watch out for the cars!

The trees here are so majestic and there are so many around this part of California. I absolutely loved how peaceful it is here and it’s a great place to have a picnic.

Which terrain do you prefer – Beach or park? Comment below!

XOXO,

Rockstar

Frugal Finds, West Coast Roadtrip – Bowling Ball Beach, Schooner Gulch, & Point Arena, CA

Published on July 8, 2016July 7, 2016 by Insider Irene2 Comments

We departed San Francisco (Click here for SF Part 1/ Click here SF Part 2 Post) bright and early in the morning for a 3 hour trip towards one of California’s hidden gems.

Prior to my West Coast Road Trip I read Buzzfeed’s 16 of the World’s Most Spectacular Beaches and found out that three of California beaches made the list. Since we were driving up PCH we decided to hit up the two unique ones – Bowling Ball Beach and Glass Beach (stay tuned for the next post).

What I didn’t know was how difficult it was going to be to find it! With non-existent cell phone service and no major signs we actually drove past the “entrance” twice. Below is a snapshot of the trail entrance. Keep in mind you can only park on the south-side (meaning that you’re driving down from Fort Bragg towards San Francisco). It’s a small dirt patch where you can park your car.

After walking for about 10-15 minutes through the forest we finally made it down to the beach. There’s a lot of driftwood and smaller rocks we started to walk towards what could be Bowling Ball Beach. It was low tide (as we were there around 11:30am) but the rock formation did not appear as round as expected. I had read reviews that the rocks were covered in algae so I assumed that these were it. Definitely not what I expected…

Bowling Balls?

After wandering around for another 15 -20 minutes I gave up and decided to head towards the next destination. My photos didn’t look anything like the photos from buzzfeed, but the air was really crisp and the view was still very enjoyable. Upon further research when I returned home I realized that perhaps I visited Schooner Gulch State Beach and that the Northern Trail to Bowling Ball Beach was closed due to erosion *tear* – but at least I did get some nice nature shots!

We then headed towards Point Arena which in my opinion is a retreat destination for individuals who gravitate towards a health conscious lifestyle. This one street city has all the basic essentials and a public restaurant near the end of the strip. The local grocery store was modest, but sold mostly organic /vegan/gluten-free options and surprisingly a lot of Thai ingredients. I’d think that if you were into yoga and hiking this would be paradise for you as many of the locals seemed to embrace a very holistic mindset.

By this point I was itching for some munchies and decided to pay Franny’s Cup and Saucer a visit. Everything was baked fresh from scratch and while I was really looking forward to the huckleberry scone (sold out unfortunately), I decided to try their savory vegetarian bread pudding cup with garlic and parmesan cheese. It would definitely cast away any lurking vampires. The price was on the higher side ($5 for the small slice) and they’re cash only; however, considering the time of day and the number of options in the surrounding community it satisfied my appetite.

Did I miss a frugal find, comment below and let me know!

XOXO,

Rockstar

Frugal Finds, West Coast Roadtrip – San Francisco, CA (Part 2)

Published on July 6, 2016June 29, 2016 by Insider Irene2 Comments

San Francisco is home to many ethnic areas so I decided to spend the day exploring three different areas: Chinatown, Union Square, and Tenderloin aka. Thai Town (my phone died so I unfortunately do not have any cool images of the later two cities *cries*) – nevertheless I’ll still compile a list of the places you’ll have to visit!

It’s quite a walk from the Exploratorium – but after a good 30 minutes or so we finally made it to Chinatown. Notes: Most of these restaurants won’t have their own business pages so I included a hyperlink to their respective yelp pages – hope it helps! 🙂

Chinatown Food (Cheap Eats)

New Lun Ting Cafe: By the time we walked to Chinatown I was famished. I pulled up my phone and looked for some cheap eats with generous portions and this restaurant popped up. My friend and I shared the Oxtail stew and for $8.95 it was quite a steal. The meat was fall off the bone tender and the gravy was a great accompaniment to the rice and veggies.

Good Mong Kok Bakery: Serving traditional dim Sum in a fast food type of manner. If you see a long line outside you’re in the right place. Stand there and get read to point to everything you’d want to eat. They have everything from har gaw, BBQ buns, shu mai among other items. Each item is also jumbo sized – like twice the size of a typical counterpart. Cash only.

Golden Gate Bakery: No trip to SF’s Chinatown would be complete without sampling the famous egg tarts – if you catch them when they’re open. On many different occasions this bakery has closed due to random vacations, but you can check their Facebook page to see status updates.

AA Bakery and Cafe: A bakery serving authentic sweet and savory pastries for a very affordable price point. I took two buns home and they tasted great 🙂

The Fashionable Diva ($$$) in the Financial District/ Union Square

Tourists and locals would flock to Union Square to as it’s the Heart of San Francisco (complete with all the heart sculptures you can imagine). It’s also home to almost all the major designer labels and fashion staples. But if you’re looking for something a bit more unique consider the shop below.

Angelic Pretty and Harajuku Hearts: If you’re into Japanese fashion, you’re going to love this store. Angelic Pretty carries more girly, frilly items whereas Harajuku Hearts tailors to the moth goth punk crowd. Both share the space and there are a bunch of really cute unique items. Kawaii!

Authentic Thai ($) in Tenderloin, CA
Sai Jai Thai Restaurant: When most of the patrons are Thai you know you’re in a solid joint. This hole in the wall restaurant serves traditional Thai fare for a very reasonable price (see menu above). The pad thai with shrimp was really tasty and I would definitely be back again!

Do you have a favorite frugal find that I missed? Comment below!

XOXO,

Rockstar

Frugal Finds, West Coast Roadtrip – San Francisco, CA (Part 1)

Published on July 4, 2016June 29, 2016 by Insider Irene2 Comments

San Francisco is a mecca of good eats and outdoor attractions; unfortunately it’s a nightmare when it comes to parking, so my friend and I decided to strap up our tennies and take public transit to the city.

We stayed at an Air BnB (use my code here – we both will get $25 travel credit when you book a place of $75+) in Daly City and decided to park our car in the lot ($3 – be sure to pay at the machine!) and take the Bart to Embarcadero ($3.25 one way). For newbie travelers here’s a list and picture of the stations the bart travels to. The price varies based on how far you want to travel, but considering the convenience it’s a great option to get around the city without the headache of looking for overly priced parking spots and walking’s good for you.

Near the Bart Embaradero exit is the Ferry Building Marketplace – our first foodie destination. This modern day indoor bazaar is home to dozens of unique restaurants and shops. We opted to try three different cuisines for lunch.

Boccalone – Known for their tasty salted pig parts, this gourmet shop that specializes in cured meat. Not sure what to try? Not a problem – they have a sample cone for $4 where you can try slices of three of their most popular cuts.

Hog Island Oyster Co – Unfortunately they don’t offer happy hour oysters anymore, but with an average of 4.5 stars and over 3500 reviews on yelp this was definitely a place I wanted to check out for myself. I shared a half dozen of the Redwood Curtain Kumamoto on the half shell ($20) and they were definitely fresh and delicious. This restaurant is known for long wait times, but if you come right at opening you would certainly be able to snag a seat with a great view of the bridge.

Golden Gate Meat Company – This butcher counter is located right outside of Hog Island Oyster Co. While we were not fortunate enough to take home some of their specialized cuts, we did try a beef pot pie and it was extremely hearty and filling. Not bad for a $8 investment

After eating so many different items we decided to head over to the Exploratorium – a museum that greatly emphasizes hands-on learning and only about a short 10 minute walk from the Ferry Building Marketplace.

On the day I visited there were a ton of kids enjoying themselves with all the interactive exhibits and if you’re a California educator you can get FREE admission. Click here to request a voucher. Be sure to submit the information and print out the ticket before you visit. Museum admission is otherwise $29.95 for general admission.

Depending on how thorough you are with reading the exhibits descriptions and/or participating in the activities, you can spend anywhere from 1-2 hours here. There was one exhibit focused on the idea of “love” and guests were asked to type in 6 words that embody your idea of love. “Food will make me happy, yes!” – was the closest I could come up with – ha!

Speaking of love…

On the opposite side of the Ferry Building Marketplace is Cupid’s Span – an enormous art sculpture located in front of the Bay Bridge. It’s a pretty cool landmark and this would be a great place to bring a date.

Pro Tip: While my photos all showcase how bright and beautiful the area is, I’d recommend traveling with a jacket because it did get rather windy.

Have you been to the Ferry Building Marketplace? What was your favorite restaurant and what did you order? Stay tuned for Frugal Fun, West Coast Roadtrip – San Francisco Edition Part 2.

XOXO,

Rockstar