A larger tour of San Francisco and a dinner in Chinatown

Tuesday started with a broader tour of the city—the best way to do it? The Hop-On Hop-Off bus. It took us on a full loop from Fisherman’s Wharf through the Financial District, past the government buildings, Haight-Ashbury, Golden Gate Park, and across the iconic Golden Gate Bridge.

While on the bus, we passed briefly through Chinatown, but I knew we’d want more time to explore. That evening, after Annie wrapped up a long day working from the hotel, we headed back out and hopped off the bus at the Chinatown stop.

Our first stop: the Fortune Cookie Factory. It was a quirky and unexpected highlight for everyone. We actually went in, out, and then back in again—we couldn’t get enough. In addition to regular cookies, we got to write our own fortunes and have them folded into custom cookies. Some of our favorites:

• "This cookie is Poisson." – Dan

• "There is a climb in your future." – Annie

• "Your Spidey senses are tingling." – Marley

• "The next pigeon you see will become your BFF." – Lainey

• "That's not a dog..." – Faith

I also picked up a bag of adult “X-rated” cookies, which turned out to be more “PG-70.” These were the kinds of fortunes you imagine cheeky grandmas giggling over. A few examples:

• "Alimony is like putting gas in someone else’s car."

• "A proposal is more like a proposition."
  Not exactly scandalous—but they gave us a laugh.

After walking, shopping, and a quick stop at the Willy “Woo Woo” Playground, we had dinner at Hang Ah Tea Room—the oldest dim sum restaurant in San Francisco. We ordered a huge variety and loved every single dish. We ended the meal with tea and “Cloud Pillows,” a fried bread dessert. Easily one of my most memorable dinners ever.

The night ended with another first: a ride in a self-driving car. We had seen Waymo cars all over the city, so we decided to try one. It was a quick ride, but totally worth it. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. My dad and Jean? Probably not.

This was truly a day of firsts:

• First time seeing so much of San Francisco

• First time in Chinatown for most of us

• First fortune cookie factory

• First dim sum experience

• And our first ride home... with a robot.

Unforgettable.