With the change in temperature and a three day weekend it is finally starting to feel like the holiday season in the Bay! It had me reminiscing over all my favorite holiday traditions. When Ice Princess came out in 2005 I was head over heels in love. A girl who loved math and was kicking butt at sports– I could not get enough. To my chagrin ice skating has never been in the cards for me; I am definitely more of a contact sport girl. But, that’s the best part of going in the winter, it’s just for fun and skill level doesn’t matter! Skating around on the chilly ice rink all bundled up in knit sweaters and beanies, then warming up with some peppermint hot chocolate when your fingers and nose get too cold is a quintessential winter day. When I came to Cal, I made a “Bay Area Bucket List”, and of course Union Square Ice Skating is at the top! On Saturday I was finally able to ice skate in Union Square, and it was even more magical than I had hoped. Every year they put a huge Christmas tree up next to the ice skating rink with holiday music playing and lights everywhere. They even have the trolleys running, so you can take them up the hill. My friend Alexia and I had a full day of Christmas shopping and ended with a jaunt around the ice skating rink. It was the perfect first day of the holiday season. I have not been ice skating in about five years, and was worried about how hard it would be. While we were nowhere near as graceful as Kristi Yamaguchi, we (somehow) did not fall once! You could see that everyone from the little kids pushing penguin sleds to the cute elderly couple were enjoying themselves. There were all skill levels, and everyone was included in the fun.
While we were out there on the ice it put our mind at ease; It was relaxing and a great way to take a break from everyday life. What a great escape from the hustle and bustle that comes with the holiday season and the end of the semester. We went during the day and the perfectly plowed ice sparkled in the sunlight, making us feel like true Ice Princesses. This is a must do if you are going to be in San Francisco In November or December. They have time slots (an hour and a half each) to make sure the rink does not get too crowded. At $18 a person, with rental fees included, this was more than well worth it. I may even go again this season! It is very accessible as well. Union Square is about three blocks from the Powell BART Station. If you want to make a day of it like we did, the Cheesecake Factory is right across the street, and they have a view of Union Square. Right by the BART Station is the huge Westfield Mall, which is perfect for Holiday Shopping and has a food court as well. We celebrated the end of the day with a juice freeze for Pressed Juice's Anniversary. The street the trolley cars go up is filled with more stores and restaurants. I hope everyone had an amazing three day weekend!
Now on to the next adventure on my Bay Area Bucket List!