My first memorable experience of San Francisco was on our way back to our home in Pacific Grove, California – on the Monterey Peninsula. We crossed the Golden Gate Bridge and I was amazed. It was late in the evening; so we got to stay in a hotel downtown, which was one of the most exciting times in my life growing up … all the hussle and bustle of horns honking, cable car bells, the whistles from hotels hailing cabs for guests and more. My parents dated in San Francisco; so they knew their way around, which helped make it fun. Trips to San Francisco were the always a treat. We called San Francisco “The City”, and it was the start of my love affair with one of the most picturesque spots in the world. Alfred Hitchcock called it Paris of the West and he was right. My dream was to live in a one of those cool lofts downtown, South of Market Street – now referred to as the SOMA District.
Well, now my dream is real and my partner and I live in a loft only blocks from the center of the city, Union Square. Even though I’ve got a great car, we walk most everywhere. Everything we need is close, and if we don’t want to be bothered with the hussle and bussle of the city, we can stay home, and enjoy hanging out. If the mood changes, there are 24 movie theaters, 12 live theaters, at least 15 dance clubs, hundreds of restaurants, 8 museums, several parks, 2 farmer’s markets, the largest shopping mall West of the Mississippi, every designer store you can think of, 15 great book stores, hundreds of boutique shops, at least 75 hotels (many with gorgeous lobbies you’ll see here), street cars, busses, underground light rail, Bart (the underground train through the city and under the bay to sevaral point East) and yes, the San Francisco Cable Cars … all blocks away. You may find some ideas for food and interesting things to do. The photos are based on our travels around the city over the past five years … and I’ll continue to update with more photos and notes of unique, fun and quirky things to do, as we continue our life in San Francisco. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
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