Marina Fiesta Resort

Just got back from Cabo yesterday and the verdict is in — Marina Fiesta Resort in Cabo San Lucas completely kicks ass.

Hotel location

• 3 minute walk to Puerto Paraiso mall
• 10 minutes to Squid Roe
• 10+ minutes to Medano beach and Mango deck
• 20 minute walk to other side of Marina

• good security surrounding hotel

Inside of hotel

• hotel was not crowded
• nice balconies with view of pool
• nice pool but a little deep
• hidden second pool
• interesting shower
• expensive poolside drinks

• TV channels, MAX Prime

hotel staff

• most speak spanish

• good maid service

Airport

• bus ride, taxis

• terminals

Cabo San Lucas

• size
• night spots (zoo, cabo wabo, etc.)
• markets
• beach drinking places
• prices
• exchange rates
• foods, spices

• tortilleria

San Jose

• bus to
• emptiness

• big ass hotels

(I will fill in more details later)

Despite a thorough hangover from a Thursday night drinking binge, I did some things over the weekend. Friday happy hour started at Latin American Club in the Mission District at 22nd and Valencia. Latin American Club was a little nicer than my usual Friday happy hour trip to Casanova Lounge.

Friday

It was my birthday a couple days ago. Here’s what I did.

Started off intending to go to Americano Restaurant at 6PM on a Friday afternoon. Forget about it! That place was packed to capacity, one person out one person in. Full of beautiful people, and yuppies (not mutually exclusive) but forget it man.

We ended up at Taylor’s Automatic Refresher, originally of St. Helena, CA in the Ferry Building across the street. Taylor’s was on my mind originally since he beginning because it has an outdoor area, it’s easy to park nearby, and yuppies prefer to spend more at the other yuppie bars nearby. Prices are expensive for burgers and fries but a bottle of wine for $21 to sit outside wasn’t bad. Don’t bother with the chili cheese fries, they’re pedestrian at best. The burger I had was Carl’s Jr on steroids — bleu cheese, onion ring, bacon, bbq sauce.

After Taylor’s we couldn’t figure out where to go. My initial inkling was to go to Tres Agaves for some margaritas and tequila but the place was packed. I thought it was unusual because there wasn’t a ballgame or anything.

Since all I wanted was some alcohol in my brain, a worthwhile alternative to Tres Agaves was 21st Amendment around the corner. It is a pretty big brewpub in SoMa that has interesting microbrews and decent enough food. 21st Amendment has a rotating set of brews and for the most part they are decent. Prices aren’t bad and the waitstaff is friendly.

Saturday

Courtesy of my boss I had 4 tickets to the Oakland A’s game. To truly enjoy a baseball game, what better than a tailgate? As such, my buddy picked up some burritos at Los Cantaros Taqueria in Emeryville. There are a few of them around the bay area. They brought over some big f’ing heavy-ass burritos for sitting in the Oakland Coliseum BART parking lot and drinking some cold Pacifico beers. Aside from the annoyance of people asking for free beer or $2 as they pass by it’s an awesome way to pre-enjoy a baseball game.

After the game we puttered around Hayward and Foster City making our way back up to Daly City to pass out from too much sun, heat, and beer.

Sunday

Sunday kicked off with a desire for jook or dim sum. For jook I would have liked to go to Fat Wong’s Kitchen in San Bruno but my dining companion wasn’t up for it. So, I fugred we could try dim sum at Zen Peninsula but it was jam-packed impossible to get in hour-plus wait. Bastards!

So, we settled in on 5 A’s Cafe. An awesome place to get some affordable Taiwanese eats. This is a place that has the special Chinese menu that has a staggering 80+ items written only in Chinese characters vs. the English menu that has maybe 20 items if you’re lucky. If you don’t know what’s good, you don’t get what’s good. Big meal, $25/2 people.

For an afternoon snack we popped over to Mitchell’s Ice Cream for some exotic ice cream flavors. I always pass by Mitchell’s on my way home from happy hour and there is always a line out the door. Being my first visit I wasn’t sure what to expect. Apparently they specialize in tropical flavored ice creams. We tried the exotically colored purple yam flavor and jackfruit flavors. Both are mildly flavored and quite good.

To wind down the weekend of budget gluttony we went to South San Francisco for some Filipino food at Manila Star Restaurant on Gellert off Westborough. They make some good food at reasonable prices. You can’t go wrong with any of the standard fare — tilapia, adobo, etc. Big meal, $25/ 2 people.