Photo Essay: Colin's San Francisco
By Colin Fernandes
Written on 5 July 2009
279 views
My SF faves, in no particular order.
Only in SF!
The (in)famous pink leotard unicycler
My home for the past six years has been a sleepy East Bay suburb - a tiny bit of information I don't easily divulge. Instead, I hop on the BART and head into the City every opportunity I get and regard myself an SF resident, atleast at heart.
Prompted by the recent inquiries of a friend of a friend who plans to visit the Bay Area soon (and many others before her), I have finally decided to publish Colin's List of San Francisco Recs. It is not expected to be exhaustive, and is intended to be very subjective. (Lucky for you I have good taste!)
And to begin, a resident perspective: living in California/ San Francisco is not the golden dream it's made out to be. Sure, the weather's unbeatable, and the natural beauty stunning. But cost of living is prohibitive, people generally quite unfriendly, and not half as liberal as they would like (you) to believe. Yet, SF is the stuff of legend: 47 square miles surrounded by reality; birthplace of jeans and the United Nations, the Beats and George Lucas. If there's one thing I find most endearing about this City, it is the fog - that magical shroud that lends it temperate weather and a noir air of mystery.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/06/DDJ2187GTA.DTL
Before you visit, I encourage you to set the mood with some SF flicks. Peter Yates' BULLITT (1968) is a classic - and it's always a thrill watching Steve McQueen romp around San Francisco. Hitchcock's VERTIGO (1958) is another quintessential must - watch. I personally love Coppola's THE CONVERSATION (1974) especially since it is filmed in and around Union Square where most of the touristy hotels are located. And since most of you will visit the Golden Gate, I challenge you to Eric Steel's brutal 2006 doc THE BRIDGE.
Eschew the standard guidebooks for a WALLPAPER GUIDE or 7x7 guide (available at Bay Area news stands). As always, that arbiter of culture the New York Times offers only the best on their online archive.
Skip Fisherman's Wharf (a vulgar tourist trap)! But do take a cable car ride. Never call the City "Frisco".
MUST DO's:
1. The Golden Gate Bridge - walking or biking the bridge is a completely different experience than driving through. Be prepared for swaying, and the occasional suicide jumper.
2. Ferry Building - Reopened in 2003, this is a mecca for foodies. The Saturday Farmer's Market offers the best of local produce. Inside, enjoy coffee at the newly outpost of Blue Bottle Cafe (of the $20 000 coffee siphon fame), and stock up on delectable pastries at Miette.
http://www.sanfranmag.com/story/new-buzz
3. The free observation deck at the De Young Museum. H de Meuron's other wordly design for this museum consists of a perforated copper skin that will gradually discolor and blend in with the Park surroundings.
http://www.famsf.org/deyoung/visiting/index.asp
4. Across the De Young, plan on a several hour visit to Renzo Piano's California Academy of Sciences with its living roof, aquarium, rainforest and planetarium. Be prepared for long lines, and mind - expanding rewards! And while there, refuel at Charles Phan's ACADEMY CAFE (more on him later).
OTHER COOL BUILDINGS TO CHECK OUT:
1. SFMOMA (Mario Botta)
www.sfmoma.org
2. CONTEMPORARY JEWISH MUSEUM (Daniel Libeskind)
http://www.thecjm.org/
3. New FEDERAL BUILDING (Thom Mayne)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/14/arts/design/14mayn.html?scp=1&sq=sf%20federal%20building&st=cse
INDULGE YOUR INNER EXHIBITIONIST:
Spa Vitale's naked rooftop bathing ritual
http://www.hotelvitale.com/spa_vitale.aspx
MY FAVE SF RESTAURANTS:
1. THE SLANTED DOOR - one of the hottest tables in the City. Make your dinner reservations several weeks in advance - you won't be disappointed. Offering an extraordinary wine selection and contemporary Vietnamese cuisine served by tattooed and pierced waitstaff. Read the incredible story of Chef Charles Phan:
http://www.7x7.com/content/neighborhood/slanted-door-builds-empire
If you cannot bag a dinner table, OUT THE DOOR (in the Ferry Building and Westfield Mall) offers the same food for take - out.
2. DOSA on Fillmore - Quite the dinner scene, Dosa originally began as a purveyor of South Indian food on Valencia Street in the Mission (and quickly grew famous for their weekend brunch). Their Fillmore Street incarnation is right across from Robert Redford's Sundance Kabuki theater.
http://www.sanfranmag.com/story/passage-pac-heights
3. SAMOVAR TEA LOUNGE in the Yerba Buena Gardens:
http://samovarlife.com/tea-lounge/
4. CAFE GRATITUDE - a must for raw food afficionados and those seeking a "West Coast" experience:
http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/04/18/dining/18grat.html?scp=1&sq=cafe%20gratitude&st=cse
5. KASA INDIAN - inexpensive Indian "fast food"
6. AMBER - SF's first upscale Indian establishment. Authentic and amazingly flavorful!
http://www.amber-india.com/SanFrancisco/
MY FAVORITE PLACES TO GET HIGH:
1. THE REDWOOD ROOM at the Clift Hotel - this restored landmark is THE place to mingle with beautiful things in short black dresses. Reservations recommended, or arrive early.
http://www.clifthotel.com/default.aspx#/explore/?id=redwoodroom
2. SUTRO's - overlooking the Ocean, the crashing waves and scenic vista will get you high long before that bottle is uncorked. Also an Institution.
http://www.cliffhouse.com/sutro/index.html
HIPSTER NEIGHBORHOODS:
1. THE MISSION
http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/travel/14hours.html?scp=1&sq=mission%20sf&st=cse
2. HAYES VALLEY
3. JACKSON SQUARE - if you visit, say Hi to the quirky Rachel at Eden and Eden!
http://www.edenandeden.com/hello.html
There you have it. Check back for updates as I continue my exercise in urban exploration!
Also check out the following (short trips from SF):
http://www.everywheremag.com/articles/203
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