Fitness Archives - A Side of Sweet

In Case You Missed It July + Where We’re Eating in San Francisco

Where to eat in San Francisco – July edition, plus some more happenings at A Side of Sweet that you might have missed!

Michael Minna Michelin Star Restaurant Review San Francisco, CA One of the highlights of the month was dinner at Michael Mina restaurant in downtown San Francisco. This Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant absolutely blew me away with the uniqueness – and deliciousness of its food. Often fancy restaurants will feature things on the plate that are just to show off but don’t contribute to how good the dish tastes. This was not the case with Michael Mina. Everything was thoughtfully done and beautiful. Definitely one of the best meals I’ve had in San Francisco. See more photos of my meal below!

But wait, there’s more!… Read More »

Biking Across the Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco

An easy guide to biking across the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco, CA. Information on cycling routes, bike rentals, what to wear and general tips.

One of my favorite adventures in San Francisco is biking across the Golden Gate Bridge. There are many options for routes, depending on your level of fitness – and level of ambition. Visitors from out-of-town are always asking me for advice on how best to see Golden Gate Bridge, and for sure it’s on a bicycle! I want to share with you all of my tips and tricks to help you have the best – and safest – time. You’ll find everything you need in this handy guide, inspired by a recent ride that Cynthia and I did…. Read More »

Sea Kayaking Sausalito, CA

Try Sea Kayaking in Sausalito to explore the San Francisco Bay Area in a new way. Seeing Sausalito’s charming house boat village from the water is definitely a highlight.

One of the best things about living in San Francisco is the amazing access to nature we have here. We’ve done plenty of hiking, and some epic roadtrips, but no exploring via the sea. A friend recommended sea kayaking as a great way to gain a new perspective of our home.

We checked out Sea Trek in Sausalito to get started. Their friendly staff set us up with a ‘sit on top’ kayak. Sit on top kayaks are self-bailing, safe and user friendly. This made it fairly easy to navigate around Richardson bay, while still getting a great upper body workout. Sea Trek also offer stand up paddle boards and traditional kayaks, as well as lessons on both…. Read More »

How Often to Change Running Shoes

Wondering how often to change running shoes? Here are a few tips for how many miles or kilometers you can run before changing out athletic shoes for a new pair!

When was the last time you changed your running shoes?

Typically, running shoes need to be changed every 400-600 miles. You should change your shoes more often if you have a larger build, run frequently on pavement, or have a heavier foot strike. If you run in a minimalist shoe or a racing flat, you should also change your shoes earlier.

First and foremost though, it’s important to listen to your body. When my knees start to hurt after a run and my stride starts to become heavier, I know my shoes are overdue for change. Don’t ignore those new little aches and pains!

With my busy schedule, keeping track of the miles on my running shoes isn’t necessarily a priority. To make this a little bit easier, here’s an easy hack to remind yourself when to change them.

Muizenberg Beach Travel Guide, Cape Town

We spent our first week in Cape Town in an AirBnB in Muizenberg. Muizenberg is a super charming beachy neighborhood, right on a beautiful white sand beach. It was the perfect start to our trip – relaxation central. In addition, it’s a surfer’s paradise with a great beach break that’s great for learners.

Even if you’ve never heard of Muizenberg, you may recognize the colorful beach huts you see in these photos. The Victoria changing houses date back to the 19th century. The line the coast and represent the whimsy of this part of Cape Town perfectly…. Read More »

Hiking Black Sands Beach

Black Sands Beach in the Marin Headlands is a short drive from San Francisco. It’s easily accessible with a short hike. It’s also a great place for a picnic!

Our recent trip to South Africa re-lit the adventure bug in Pat and I. Jet lag be darned, we decided to take advantage of a day off and the gorgeous San Francisco ‘winter’ weather and spend a day hiking outside of Marin.

Marin is about a 15 minute drive from San Francisco, just across the Golden Gate Bridge. Things that make the area awesome – epic coastal trails, Golden Gate Bridge views and a stunning black sand beach that is easily-accessible with a short hike. Despite its proximity to San Francisco, Black Sands Beach is very secluded and usually isn’t too busy…. Read More »