People Watching on Union Street

Cow Hollow is a little neighborhood in the northeast part of San Francisco, just south of the Marina, marked by Union Street. Having lived in Millbrae for three years, when I first started hearing people refer to Cow Hollow, I embarrassingly kept getting it mixed up with Daly City's Cow Palace, an indoor arena that literally houses cows (and tattoo expos). I'm not going to go into all the socio-economic complaints about Cow Hollow, other than to say that when we are in the area, Nick can't help feeling a sense of belonging.

Whenever I am planning on spending an afternoon in Cow Hollow, I like to start by grabbing a light lunch at La Boulange. I love La Boulange for it's delicious soups and pastries served on charming white and red dishes; I also enjoy the feeling like someone lovely is sharing their pantry with me when I sample the jams and cornichons from the glass jars at the little self-serve area. Its never-disappointing selection of food and warm ambiance make it possibly my favorite bakery in the city.
La Boulange has locations all over the city but I like the one on Union Street because it is a prime location for fun people watching. The outdoor tables are right on the sidewalk, facing the passersby. While I enjoyed my croque monsieur, little teacup full of tomato soup, and lemon tart, Nick and I couldn't help noting that all of the women in Cow Hollow basically dress the same way. In fact, we saw so many consistencies while we were there that we decided we'd become experts on the neighborhood by the time we finished our desserts. So, here is my neighborhood guide to visiting Cow Hollow.

What to Wear
Two outfits to wear to blend in with the women here.

yoga pants breathable sports top North Face Nuptse vest big sunglasses Louis Vuitton purse

boldly striped top Anthropologie cardigan skinny jeans caramel-colored riding boots Venti Starbucks cup

Things You'll Need
Things you should have with you if you plan to be seen here.

• BOB three-wheel stroller
• Lululemon Athletica shopping bag (bonus points if carried while wearing workout attire)
• rolled-up yoga mat
• cute dog

Things to Do
In all seriousness, these are some things you should really check out.

• Have lunch at La Boulange. Order something that comes with a teacup of soup. The French onion soup here has changed Nick's opinion on the matter from "I don't really care for onion soup" to "Ooo, that is yummy."
• Take a stroll down Union Street and pop into familiar chain stores like Rugby, Nine West, Sephora, and Lululemon Athletica, as well as random cute boutiques.
• Take your dog for a walk and stop by at Le Marcel Dog Bakery—the all-natural, from-scratch bakery for dog treats.
• Pick up some chocolates from Cocoa Bella. I, of course, like the tea-infused varieties, but their selection is quite vast and you'll be able to find something you like, too.
• Get a cocktail and dessert at Umami. The dinner menu is also great if you are looking for pretty and flavorful but non-traditional sushi. But what was the most memorable from the last time we were there was the dessert—vanilla ice cream rolled into a sheet of chocolate chip cookie dough and sliced like a sushi roll. YUM.

Here is the Google Street View of Union Street.

| Photo Credit: Me. |