Category Archives: Uncategorized

Neighborhoods

Though the city of San Francisco is a compact 49 sq mi, its neighborhoods guard their individuality like medieval fiefdoms. Each district is a distinct entity culturally, socially, and often politically, and they are all fascinating grounds for urban exploration. The best way to experience the city’s neighborhoods is on foot: Plan your walk with [...]

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More Shopping Venues

Three shopping complexes girdle the wharf: Pier 39, the Cannery, and Ghirardelli Square. Owned by the billionaire Bass brothers of Texas, Pier 39 is a bland imitation of a turn-of-the-century New England seaport village. A former Del Monte peach-canning factory, the Cannery is now a gallery of chic boutiques. Chocolate is no longer made on-site [...]

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Financial District

San Francisco is the financial capital of the West Coast. The center of the city’s Financial District is Montgomery Street, the “Wall Street of the West,” where the towers of wealth blot out the sun at street level. This part of town is built on landfill comprising the remains of hundreds of abandoned ships and [...]

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Welcome All Ye Sinners

Ever been to church and come away humming and tapping your toes? Enjoy religion (with none of the guilt but possibly alongside Sharon Stone) at Glide Memorial United Methodist Church. Instead of organ music, a funky band and choir give parishioners reason to stand up and groove. Heading south on Powell Street from Union Square, [...]

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Downtown

Cafe de la Presse. This cafe, near the German and French cultural centers, has a French-speaking staff and stacks of Le Monde (among other European newspapers) at the counter. You can enjoy your espresso outdoors under sidewalk umbrellas, but the Parisian fantasy ends there: One look at the snarl of traffic from Bush Street to [...]

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Civic Center/Hayes Valley

Mad Magda’s Russian Tea Room and Cafe. Magda’s has an otherworldly feel, a bit like the Mad Hatter’s tea party  in Alice in Wonderland: There are deep blue ceilings, red walls, and a “magic” garden in back. For $13 you can get an expert palm, aura, or Tarot card reading (Mon. and Tues. 1 pm- [...]

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Would You Like Coffee With That?

Beyond the basic drinks like espresso, cappuccino, latte, and mocha, some cafe menus list a half dozen or more caffeine concoctions. Figuring out how to order can be tough: Gone are the days of small, medium, and large. Instead, you must decide between a single or double (bonus points for ordering a doppio) in sizes [...]

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San Francisco – Castro/Noe Valley

The Castro District teems with lively restaurants, many with outdoor patios. Brunch is an institution here: Mimosas and espressos flow freely on weekend mornings, and the crowd is always jovial and loud. Follow the sunglasses-wearing masses to the hottest brunch spots, Cafe Flore and the Patio Cafe, and brace yourself for a long afternoon of [...]

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Food

Waves of Asian and Central American immigrants have made San Francisco a flavorful and festive hotbed of cheap taquerias, backstreet Chinese holes-in-the-wall, gracious Thai and Vietnamese establishments, reasonably priced sushi houses, and Korean barbecue joints. Oakland is known for Southern-style eats and its less touristy version of Chinatown; and Berkeley has its Gourmet Ghetto, with [...]

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Berkeley Marina

Warm days were meant to be spent at the Berkeley Marina, at the end of University Avenue approximately half a mile west of 1-80. Head for the 3/4-mi pier jutting out into the bay to enjoy the unbeatable views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island. Winds along the bay can be quite chilly, [...]

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