San Francisco

 

What I love about San Francisco

• Architecture: Old brick buildings with intricate detailing and Victorian-like houses set against a backdrop of skyscrapers. The mix of old and modern makes walking around the city fun.
• Union Square: Two words – high fashion. Tiffany’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Chanel, Neiman Marcus, Betsey Johnson, Macy’s, FIDM, All Saints, and dozens more. Your wallet might hurt, but your heart will be happy. Besides all the shopping, there are restaurants, art galleries and hotels that put you in the heart of the city.
• Cable cars: By far, the most fun mode of transportation although it probably wouldn’t be as great in the rain. Stand on the running boards and hold on!
• Burger Bar: While it may cost you an arm and a leg to eat there, it’s definitely an experience. You can build your own burger or choose from a select few on the menu. Don’t leave without trying the Brown Cow milkshake. Chocolate whipped cream, anyone?
• Chinatown: Shopping, food and a marketplace feel where you can bargain for the best deal. My steal: Two colorful jade rings for $6.
• Fisherman’s Wharf: Endless amounts of amazing food with a laid-back atmosphere. I recommend Alioto’s clam chowder and Lou’s Pier 47 Restaurant and Blue’s Club fish and chips or jambalaya. Alioto’s atmosphere is more formal than Lou’s, so it would be a great date place.
• Alcatraz: An island full of history lurking off the coast of SF. The audio tour was a great way to take in a part of American history while exploring the prison. It was kind of eerie to tour at night, but lots of fun. The gift shop is full books, movies about the island, and even mock prison chow trays.
• Ghirardelli Square: We all know their chocolate is amazing, but the ice cream is to die for. Visit the soda fountain. My choice: A fudge dipped, homemade waffle cone with one scoop of rocky road ice cream. Besides Ghirardelli, the shops in the square are fun to browse in. If you still have a sweet tooth, stop in Kara’s Cupcakes for a peanut butter milk chocolate ganache or the Fleur de Sel.
• Crescent Hotel - Located in Union Square, it’s central to all the main attractions. The old feel of the building along with the to-die-for interior was an experience in and of itself. While I wouldn’t count on the continental city breakfast filling you up, there is a Starbuck’s on the opposite corner.

What I disliked about San Francisco:

• Nude people – Yep, I said it. As soon as I stepped off the ferry at the embarcadero, I saw two nude people walking around. I believe they were promoting something for PETA, but I wasn’t impressed. The next day, I opened the shade in my hotel to take in the morning. I look down to find a homeless man getting dressed in the alley.
• Shoes – I started my trip with five pairs of shoes and left with three. One of the casualties was my black flip-flops. They were worn down to begin with, but walking everywhere finished them off. The second casualty was my Fuggs (fake Uggs because I can’t afford to wrap a sheep on my feet). As we strolled the city one night, we stopped by a bar that our friend’s friend owned. While waiting outside for them to say hello, unbeknownst to me, I was standing in a pile of vomit. While I could have taken the time to clean them up, I opted to throw them away. Lesson: It’s good to have multiple pairs of shoes.

Overall, my trip to SF was amazing. I only spent about two and half days there, but you could easily spend a week and not be bored. While most of this blog includes food, don’t be frightened. You will walk most of it off hiking up and down the hilly streets.

Links to some of the places I mentioned:

• Union Square – http://www.unionsquareshop.com/
• Cable Cars – http://sfcablecar.com/index.html
• Burger Bar – http://burgerbarsf.com/sf_main.php
• Chinatown – http://www.sanfranciscochinatown.com/
• Fisherman’s Wharf – http://fishermanswharf.org/
• Alcatraz (book a tour; National Park Service page) - http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/
• Ghirardelli Square -http://www.ghirardellisq.com/
• Kara’s Cupcakes – http://www.karascupcakes.com/index2.html
• Crescent Hotel – http://crescentsf.com/#sanfrancisco