FEATURE
Not Standing Alone
When I was young, my parents showed me the world. Summer vacations from school were spent traveling learning about new cultures and customs and places far from home. My eyes were opened to different perspectives and I began seeking, even then, to discover places more beautiful than the last. Those three months in between semesters each year were glorious journeys full of grand discoveries and incredible adventures. My appreciation of travel, or perhaps my obsession with travel, stems directly from those treasured holidays when I was growing up. It’s an appetite I can’t feed enough and still, after all these years, I find myself always longing for more nourishment.
After a trip across the country, this one dedicated to visiting America’s national parks, I caught my first view of the Pacific was when I was 8. On a beach near the Golden Gate Bridge, which my mother informs me was Baker’s Beach, I remember shivering as I stood there with my father in his protective stance looking out at the pounding surf. My mother snapped a photo in back of us in our identical pose – in fact she has endless pictures of my father and me gazing out at some great vista standing side by side with exactly the same stance – our right knee bent slightly, hips swayed out to the left, hands in our pockets. I’m half his height but quite obviously Daddy’s little girl. At 21 I lost him, but all those travel memories and that photo on my desk remain.
SAN FRANCISCO
Iconic imagery springs to mind when one thinks of San Francisco – the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz. But San Francisco and its residents offer so much more than these renowned tourist attractions. San Francisco is a city on the cutting edge of trendsetting consciousness – green environmental awareness and conservation, fashion innovations, inventive organic cuisine, the latest technology – particularly the internet. It’s a city with a melting pot of cultures, a hub of artistic expression, ethnic diversity and vibrant neighborhoods each with unique personalities. Its 800,000 residents are predominantly liberal in their politics, committed to philanthropy and community, extremely sporty and health conscious, smart, ambitious and rich. One in every five residents has a post-collegiate graduate degree (the highest population of graduate degrees of any American city) and 1/10th of households in the Bay Area boast a net worth of $1 million or more excluding their home values – this exemplifies the highest concentration of liquid wealth than in any other metropolis in the country except Washington, D.C. But the residents don’t rest on their brains and wealth. The very element that defines San Franciscans is their relentless drive, almost fervor, to do better. This entrepreneurial culture has an unremitting focus on what’s next…
Geographically, the city is visually spectacular with its 42 hills and envelopment on three sides by water. Discover the city by foot, cable car, or driving – a compact 47 square miles and made up of small, easy to navigate neighborhoods ripe for exploring. The people are friendly and will help you find your way. I couldn’t possibly outline all the wonders of San Francisco in this format, but these activities, restaurants, hotels and city escapes will provide a solid introduction for your first visit and I have no doubt the city’s ability to captivate will endure and keep you returning time and time again.
San Fran Plays
Golden Gate Bridge walk - One of the most iconic landmarks in the world and America’s gateway to the Pacific, the magnificent 4,200-foot suspension orange-red Golden Gate Bridge screams “San Francisco!” Viewed from every angle at different vistas, take a cruise under the bridge, a helicopter over it, walk the bridge to the Marin County vantage point, drive across it or stand below it from Fort Point Lookout at the end of Crissy Field – but take time to appreciate this architectural feat. Every day, and almost every hour thanks to San Francisco’s odd microclimate weather, the bridge will change before your very eyes like magic.
AT & T Ball Park - What could be more American than partaking in the national pastime – going to the ballpark to enjoy a good ‘ole fashion game of baseball? AT&T Stadium at the end of 2nd street on the Embarcadero in SoMa is one of the best parks in the country – very sleek, modern and very clean in a great neighborhood.
Union Square - In the heart of the city, Union Square maintains its reputation as the premier shopping, hotel, fine art and theater district. Bordered by Stockton, Geary, Powell and Post streets, this 2.6 acre urban square is a retail and cultural powerhouse. Great place to people watch as well as embark on retail therapy, gallery hopping and stellar theatrical performances.
Museum of Modern Art - The first museum on the West Coast dedicated solely to Modern Art and second only to New York’s MOMA, come here for 20th Century intellectual stimulation in its post-modernist setting South of Market. Currently exhibiting “246 and counting: Recent Architecture+Design Acquisitions” July 10- January 4th.
Coit Tower - Perched on Telegraph Hill, the tallest of the 42 hills in San Fran, this giant fluted column/Art Deco sentinel has arguably the best panoramic views of the city.
San Francisco Symphony, Opera or Ballet - Add a bit of refined culture to your visit with beautiful music and dance. Both the SF Symphony and Opera open their seasons in September and of course the SF Ballet is world-renowned. Also, the SF Jazz Festival grooves every Spring and Fall with over three dozen events each season.
Get a tattoo in Haight-Ashbury - This hippie neighborhood which gave birth to a Bohemian movement in the 60’s is a perfect place to let loose. I can recommend Lyle Tuttle Tattooing at 841 Columbus Ave. as one of my ex’s actually got a tattoo of my name ‘Kimberly’ blazed across his upper bicep. Keep in mind, tattoos are permanent!
de Young Museum - Currently (June 14 – Sept 28th) exhibiting Chihuly’s groundbreaking artwork which explores the organic properties of blown glass. In person, it was a color explosion tantamount to the Great Barrier Reef. The Observation Floor located in the 9th floor of de Young’s signature tower is free and affords a dramatic 360 degree view of the west end of the city. While you are in Golden Gate Park, explore its Japanese Tea Garden and the winding walkways and lush foliage of the Strybing Arboretum and Botanical Gardens and the Victorian Conservatory of Flowers housing thousands of orchids and exotic plants. Go for a bike ride around Stow Lake or rent a boat to check out Strawberry Hill, an island in the middle of this placid sanctuary.
Pacific Heights West mansion walk - Pacific Heights is the most exclusive neighborhood in San Francisco (and in my opinion the most beautiful) showcasing the city’s dazzling multi-million dollar mansions rich with history and folklore. Use Marilyn Straka’s “On the Level Excursions” to guide you through the Broadway, Divisadero, Lyon, Pacific Street walking tour of the area. For a superb leg workout, descend the 130 Lyon Street steps designed by Louis M. Upton between Broadway and Vallejo with a vista extending to the Palace of Fine Arts and bay beyond. The gardens on both sides of the steps are lovingly maintained by the large white contemporary Broadway homeowner to the right of the stairway. For romantics, this is where Jim Carrey proposed to Lauren Holly.
Ferry Building - The locals will tell you the best time to visit the Ferry Building is Saturday morning when the back patios are host to the Farmer’s Market displaying the region’s lush organic produce, free-range meats, etc. At the intersection of Market Street and the Embarcadero, the main ferry building is not only a food aficionados dream but also the point to catch a ferry to Sausalito or Alcatraz.
Fisherman’s Wharf - Although San Francisco’s old wharf area has lost its authenticity and is mostly overrun with tacky tourism, it’s still worth a visit to grab a walkaway crab cocktail and attempt to sidestep the crowds to experience the dizzying boardwalk and gaze at the hundreds of sea lions lazing on the docks at Pier 39.
Lombard Street - A visit to San Francisco wouldn’t be complete without a drive down the "Crookedest Street in the World." The 1/4-mile steep downhill stretch with eight hairpin turns is lined with gorgeous gardens. After this maneuvering effort, you will be rewarded with sweeping views of Russian Hill and Coit Tower.
Chinatown - A colorful extravaganza of the senses, the opulent triple-pagoda marks the southern entrance to Chinatown where you enter a world of bright facades, noisy markets, exotic temples and a plethora of ethnic restaurants and shops. Home to one of America’s largest populations of Chinese decent immigrants, you will feel like you’ve stepped into another time, another city.
San Fran Eats
Carnelian Room - 52nd Floor of Bank of America Building, 555 California St.
A San Francisco classic, the famed Carnelian Room soars high above the city with jaw-dropping views of the entire Bay Area. The cosmopolitan seasonal menus are gourmet and sophisticated and the wine list has been honored for over 20 years with the prestigious Grand Award from Wine Spectator magazine.
A16 - 2355 Chesnut St., Marina
Popular Marina hotspot which combines the cuisine of Campania with the pizzas of Naples. Brilliant atmosphere and superb wine list comprised of small production wines from California and Southern Italy.
Presidio Social Club - Bldg. 563 Ruger St., The Presidio
This former naval base turned nature preserve, The Presidio is one of San Francisco’s great in-town getaways just west of Pacific Heights – leafy, green, serene with stunning views of the bay. With the opening of the Presidio Social Club, the area now draws a chic evening crowd. Certainly one of the prettiest restaurants in town with its graceful and roomy rectangular modern interior, restauranteur Shawn Kearney serves up contemporary American fare and standout pastry desserts.
Spruce - 3640 Sacramento St, Presidio Heights.
Recently opened, this very chic new restaurant in the posh Pacific Heights’ next-door neighborhood feels like SoHo New York. The clientele are beautiful, rich and sexy and the food is very consistent. The short ribs melt in your mouth…
Sushi Ran - 107 Caledonia St., Sausalito
Although not in San Francisco proper, but just across the bay in Sausalito, Sushi Ran is ranked one of the top five restaurants in the Bay Area presenting a fusion of traditional Japanese and Pacific cuisines and an unparalleled sake list. You won’t find fresher raw fish anywhere on the West Coast.
Sutro’s at the Cliff House - 1090 Point Lobos Ave.
On the far west side of the city near the Seal Rocks, this historic site overlooks the Pacific Ocean offering refined new American cuisine with breathtaking views. Stick to dining as although sublime to view, Ocean Beach is too dangerous for swimming due to its icy waters, rough shore breakers and ultra-strong rip currents.
Bacar - 448 Brannan St., SoMa
In typical SoMa urban industrial loft style, this popular yuppie haunt walled in a renovated brick and timber warehouse, is the definition of upscale groovy. Behold the three-story wine wall for flight tasting downstairs in the bar area or accompany one of the 1,400 selections with seasonal grilled and roasted meat and seafood entrees upstairs.
Murray Circle @ Cavallo Point - Fort Baker
No contest, this is the best dining experience I’ve had in years at the recently opened completely green hotel, spa and restaurant at Cavallo Point Lodge located in Fort Baker just under the north footing of the Golden Gate Bridge. Exceptional locally inspired food, exceptional waiters, exceptional setting.
Slanted Door - 1 Ferry Building, #3, Embarcadero
Hometown favorite, however L.A. it seems, this swank eatery in the SF Ferry Building has delicious interpretations of Vietnamese cuisine.
Greens - Fort Mason Center, Building A, Marina
With its daily changing vegetarian menu and reliance on local organic ingredients, the dishes don’t leave you craving meat. This restaurant is considered one of the best vegetarian restaurants in the country. I suggest brunch here on Sunday morning – the view of the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands is priceless.
Tres Agaves - 130 Townsend St, SoMa
Excellent Mexican food in a relaxed warehouse sporty atmosphere. Great haunt to dine after a ballgame as it’s just a few blocks from AT&T Park.
Epic Roadhouse and Waterbar - 399 The Embarcadero, South Beach
Dubbed beautiful “fraternal twins” these restaurants sit side by side on the Embarcadero waterfront in South Beach. If you are in the mood for the best wood-fired burger in town, choose Epic Roadhouse. If fresh fish is your game, the Waterbar’s soaring fish tanks and cascading raw bar will deliver in a cool setting with killer views.
San Fran Sleeps
Hotel Drisco - 2901 Pacific Ave
A member of the Leading Small Hotels of the World, this historic hotel built in 1903 is elegantly understated and boutique with an almost residential feel. The service is discreet and attentive but the property lacks a proper concierge. The hotel is perched on a hilltop in Pacific Heights amongst the mansions with enviable vistas of the city but only a 10 minute taxi ride into the Financial District. Be sure to ask for a room on the 4th floor as they command the best views. The corner 2 bedroom 2 bath suite on the 4th floor has views of the Golden Gate Bridge on one side, Alcatraz on another and the city on yet another.
Hotel Vitale - 8 Mission Street
Opened in 2005, this very hip luxury boutique hotel is the best choice if you want to be in the city and directly on the water. The modern interior incorporates clean lines and soothing natural elements with great views of the bay right on the Embarcadero. Special touches? An on-site spa with outdoor rooftop soaking tubs in a secret garden, a penthouse-level yoga studio with complimentary morning classes, and no smoking throughout the hotel.
Four Seasons - 757 Market St
Always a delight, the Four Seasons San Francisco delivers on style, impeccable service and quality accommodations in a convenient location. Two entrances – one on Market and one in a private driveway off 3rd Street – the Four Seasons is in the heart of the Yerba Buena cultural district and a mere two blocks from Union Square and the Museum of Modern Art. The concierges, as expected, are the best in the city. The Four Seasons’s residents are on the 18th floor and above, so the highest floor for hotel guests is the 17th. A bonus, Four Seasons’s guests get complimentary access to The Sports Club L.A. on the 3rd and 4th floors – one of the country’s finest fitness complexes and spas.
Cavallo Point Lodge - Fort Baker
This recently opened all ‘green’ lodge, restaurant and spa is quickly becoming the most sought after hotel destination in San Francisco despite being just outside the city on the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge. Slightly hard to find, you cross the GGB, take the Sausalito Alexander Avenue exit and follow the signs winding back under the bridge to Fort Baker. Arriving, you’ve found an oasis which is both traditional and contemporary. The grassy parade ground of the former Fort Baker, all Cavallo Point accommodations (your choice of historic or contemporary luxury guest rooms and suites), the signature restaurant Murray Circle and Farley bar, the Healing Arts Center & Spa all encourage guests to leave their car and relax in keeping with the lodge’s environmental ethic and mission to retain the highest standards of preservation and sustainability.
Fairmont - 950 Mason St
This grande dame of San Francisco hotels is palatial, opulent and swanky – perhaps the pride of Nob Hill. The hotel is located at the only spot in San Francisco where each of the cable car lines meet. The recently completed restoration of the hotel has returned this icon to legendary status and its former glory.
Huntington Hotel & Nob Hill Spa - 1075 California St
Staying at the Huntington is like living with a rich uncle with impeccable taste, so they say. This Nob Hill landmark across from Grace Cathedral is considered the most distinguished choice for visitors and is one of the last remaining bastions of the city’s historic roots. The four-diamond property has a long tradition of hospitality and elegance – consider yourself staying in a private club of yesteryear.
San Fran Escapes
Crissy Field - Possibly the greatest green space in urban America, this huge swath of beaches, fields and natural land along the water between the Palace of Fine Arts and Fort Point was originally an Army airfield. Now it provides 100 acres of breathtaking backdrop to rest, walk your dog, play catch or go fly a kite with your kids. Going for a run along Crissy Field’s Golden Gate Promenade and its restored tidal marsh and beaches is my perfect idea of a city escape. If you are lucky enough to be in SF on Independence Day July 4th, this is THE place to watch the fireworks over the Golden Gate Bridge.
Fort Mason Community Garden - Not in any guidebooks, I stumbled upon this oasis quite by accident after getting lost on a walk in Fort Mason. With the city noise vanishing behind me, I opened the gate to his incredible garden tucked away behind a building in the Fort. There were over 140 carefully manicured plots each with different flowers, herbs, plants and vegetables attended with the greatest of detail. Apparently this community garden is the city’s best kept secret escape for those lucky enough to get a plot. Although the waiting list is six years long, anyone can walk through to admire the 140 owners’ handiwork, breathe in the pure oxygen and appreciate the serenity and beauty of this secret garden.
Palace of Fine Arts - Located in a beautiful small park on a pond at the edge of Crissy Field in the Marina neighborhood just a block from the bay, The Palace of Fine Arts houses a theater and the Exploratorium, a hands-on museum designed to spark your curiosity. Take the bright yellow miniature go cart-like vehicles on self-guided tours of the city on the actual road. Be careful though!
Alcatraz - This notorious maximum security federal prison prior to 1963 reached only by ferry from the mainland retains its eerie presence looming just off the coast which tourists can experience on walking tours through its truly frightening cell blocks, once home to fearsome criminals such as Robert Stroud, aka “The Birdman” and mobster Al Capone.
The Marina in Marina - At the base of the northwestern side of the city lies the Marina district. The most level of SF real estate and most like Melbourne. A huge marina extends all along the bay’s edge – worth exploring if you are a boat lover.
Baker’s Beach - At the edge of the Presidio, this 1.5 mile stretch of sandy beach is the most popular in the city. With perfect views of the Golden Gate Bridge, it’s ideal for sunbathing, dog-walking and picnicking. Be very careful swimming though, as the riptides can be very strong. Sunsets here are unforgettable.
And September is certainly the best time of year to visit. Our “Summer” begins in September and remains warm through the end of October. This city has it all – spectacular vistas and attractions, world-class cuisine, cultural diversity, intellectual and technological prowess – I would argue that no other American city offers as much as San Francisco. I’ve detailed notable places to eat, sleep, play and escape in San Francisco as well as suggestions on my favourite Bay Area day trips within an hour of the city – Sausalito, Half Moon Bay, Napa and Sonoma.
California’s world famous wine country comprises two picturesque valleys, Napa and Sonoma, both within an hour or two of the city. These valleys are home to many of the finest and most creative vintners and wines in the world and celebrated for their near-perfect climate and enlightened lifestyle. Wine is like art – very subjective. Vineyards are equally personal taste, so utilise my commentary as a starting point and suggestive. The best way to enjoy these valleys is simply to explore and go where the road, and your taste buds, take you…
