Save The Date Letter

Hi there family and friends,

The time is fast approaching: this October 10th you’ll be smack in the middle of weird Berkeley watching us exchange vows and start a new, exciting chapter in our lives. We’re excited to see you all, and we’re doubly excited that, since many of you will be here for more than a few days, we’ll be able to share with you parts of this city that we love so much. With that in mind, here are some important details:

We’ve blocked off rooms for both Friday and Saturday night at the Hilton Garden Inn San Francisco, located in Emeryville, CA. It’s in a great spot right between San Francisco and Berkeley, with a beautiful view of the bay. It’s about 3 miles from the wedding site and right next to transportation across the bay to San Francisco. When making the reservation please reference either the ‘Jarrell-Miller wedding’ or group code ‘JMW’ on-line. For those not planning on visiting San Francisco too much, or for those who only plan on staying one night in Berkeley, we also suggest the Durand and the Bancroft hotels in Berkeley. Both are within walking distance to the wedding site and are immediately next to UC Berkeley campus. If you would prefer to stay in San Francisco proper, we suggest the Hilton by Fisherman’s Wharf, which is larger and geared towards sightseeing. And for those who enjoy people watching, we also suggest the smaller, boutique-y Stanyan Park hotel, located near our house and immediately near historic Haight Street.

As with all major cities, San Francisco has many different faces; from one block to the next you can see all sorts of amazing things. If you’ve never had the pleasure of visiting, there are some great sights to see: walk along Fisherman’s Wharf and see the sea lions; take a trip to chilly Alcatraz; drive, walk, or bike across the Golden Gate Bridge; drive down (or past) twisty Lombard street; ride a cable car; stare at the weirdos on Haight Street (insert burnout hippie joke here); in Golden Gate Park you can visit playgrounds, museums, the Conservatory of Flowers, the beach, Stow Lake, or just wander around and get lost (if you do get lost just call and we’ll come get you); Union Square and its many stores; walk around downtown and South of Market; the ferry building at the Embarcadero; Ghiradelli Square; maybe catch a Giants game (if they hit the post season, of course); the list goes on and on. One of the best ways to get a true feel for the city, and something we can’t stress enough for those able and interested, is to rent (or borrow or steal) a bike and ride around a bunch. San Francisco is extremely bike friendly, and there are tons of different proscribed bike tours to choose from – both “official” and “guerilla.”




If you’ve already been to San Francisco, or if you’re more interested in roads less traveled, then there are some sights we love to share. San Francisco’s food is second to none: our sushi is wonderful, and our own neighborhood sushi restaurant, Sushi Bistro, is recognized by those “in the know” as the absolute best in town (no joke); the hofbrau Tommy’s Joynt is a perennial favorite for cheap, hearty meals; the small shared plates at Cha Cha Cha’s on Haight are some of the best in the city; the unique Burmese fare (think Thai and Indian foods combined) at Burma SuperStar has been featured on the Food Network; Fisherman’s Wharf will provide many different options for the famous clam chowder served in a bread bowl; and, again, the list goes on and on. If you want more information on anything we’ve listed, please feel free to get in touch with us about it. However, there are two things we recommend – nay DEMAND – of those who are able.

1) One shouldn’t come to California in general, but San Francisco in particular, without eating a “super burrito.” They were invented, and perfected, within our borders, and they’re something you’ll dream about for years afterwards.
2) If you even like coffee, like, even a little bit, then go to any of the Philz Coffee locations. Get the #1. Yes, you want cream, sugar, and mint. Trust us: it’s as close to heaven in a cup as can be attained.

Lastly, don’t forget that we’re within driving distance to the Napa Valley wine region, the Silicon Valley, and the Marin Headlands, just in case you feel like getting out of the town for a while.

We have also created a blog -- http://ddandseth.blogspot.com/ -- that we’ll update with all the information you need, plus some cool interactive maps, and news about how the wedding planning is going. We look forward to sharing this exciting time with everyone and we would like to spend as much time as possible with you when you come out. Since we’ll be very busy in the coming months, keeping in touch with the blog will make it easier (hopefully) to coordinate. We would love it if you would comment on it and keep us posted with your travel plans so we can try join you for lunch or dinner, or do some sight seeing with you.

We can’t wait to see you in the fall-
Deidre & Seth