Living in the Bay Area

I am still awed at coming across the bay bridge at sunset and seeing the bay look like a shiny mirror with sail boats just sitting on it. I smile when I walk down Filmore Street and see a couple of local dogs waiting for their person outside one of the many bars. I am always struck by the colors of the flowers booths just off Union Square. It's a city for the eyes.

I had a boss once who lived in Marin County. She took a bus into the city everyday for twenty years. The bus would take her into the city via the Golden Gate Bridge. She told me once that she never has tired of the view. No matter what kind of day it was, she would always put her newspaper down and enjoy the view, even after twenty years. You just can't tire of a view like that.

San Francisco is also about the taste of things. It's hart to order a bad meal in this city. The fresh produce comes down from Sonoma, the wine is local from Napa, the fish is caught in the bay, and the crisp vegatables come from our central valley. We love to eat here, and we do it very well.

San Francisco is unique for it's tolerance. It's a true melting pot. We have a vibrant Asian community, we have a active Hispanic population, one of the most visable gay communites in the world, and an earthy African American population across the bay in Oakland. It's amazing, but everyone gets along and everyone respects one another. I am not sure how it works, it just does.

I love this city. I love the people. I even love the weather. Although I will remind you to bring a jacket, even in the middle of summer.

Oh yes, never, never, never call it Frisco. We tolerate San Fran, but never Frisco.

Come and enjoy the sights, walk around, and get a feel for our diverse neighborhoods. You too will leave your heart here as so many others have before you.

Quick Tips:

They are all special; however, don't miss the Fillmore Street, The Castro or South of Mission - all small neighborhoods that make San Francisco so great! I always tell visitors not to miss Beach Blanket Babylon. After twenty years it's still funny!

Also, get out of the city, visit Napa or Sonoma. Walk in a redwood forest or look for beach glass on one of Marin's beaches.

I hope some of my suggestion help you. This is truly one of this planet's most special cities.

Best Way To Get Around:

For years I had walked the dogs past a very well kept wooden home on Pine Street. The house had a small garden out front and white picket fence. I was always impressed at how well this little home was taken care. Then a neighbor told me the house was a small B&B and was one of the best in the area. The name of the B&B was The Artist's Inn. We had friends coming in a month, so I went over to find out what this little inn was all about.

I met the owners Bill and Denise Sheilds. The Sheilds could not have been more gracious or sweeter. You fall in love with them the minute you see Denise's huge smile. They offered me a tour of the inn. There is a main house with one guest room and a studio behind the wonderful garden that houses Bill's studio and two guest rooms. Bill is a local artist, thus the name of the property. If I thought the outside was kept up well, I was awed by the care the inside was given.

Each room is large, modern and cozy in feel. There are paintings by Bill in the rooms. The two rooms in the studio are the way to go. You have complete privacy and a feel that you are not in B&B, but in your own private apartment in San Francisco. A good friend from Washington used these two rooms with another friend and they loved having the whole space to themselves. They never even had to close the doors to their rooms. The studio building has a private entrance onto the alley and you can come and go without parading through the main house.

The area is great. It's in the heart of Pacific Heights and only a half of block above Filmore Street. Filmore is full of good restaurants and shops and is one of the best locations in the city. You can easily get a cab from this area or grab Muni to downtown (no transfers needed).

We have had many friends who have stayed here and love it. The private garden, the big rooms, the friendly hosts and from what I hear the tasty breakfasts are all part of what makes this hotel a real find.

You can learn more about the B&B from their web page at: Artist's Inn. The rates run about $170 and include breakfast. This may sound a bit pricey, but is in line with a lot of hotels in the city.

It's glass front window looks out on Market Street between the Castro and Van Ness Ave. Looking in, you see the great bar and a lot of great looking people mixing around it. The crowd is pretty hip and being near the Castro they have a strong gay clientele. The restaurant itself consists of a lot of rooms. The main one is off the open kitchen and this is the most desirable room. A few of the rooms upstairs are a bit small - if you want privacy these rooms are wonderful, if want action request a table downstairs. Everything is great here, however I have a favorite dish and even though I want to be adventuresome, I always go back to my old favorite - the roasted stuffed chicken. It's SO delicious and the stuffing is so moist and delicious. I get hungry just writing about it! I barely even look at the menu because the chicken is one of my favorite meals in this city of great eating!

The staff is young and very attentive. I have never had bad service here. Everyone who works here is friendly and seems to enjoy the job. We mostly go for dinner, however I have also had Sunday brunch here, which was equally as good.

Zuni remains tried and true and one of the best places to eat in the city. I can think of a lot flashier places to eat, but I would be hard pressed to find a place that serves a better meal.

The hostess stand is next to the cool bar at the end of the hall. Behind the bar is the outside patio with a foreign film blasting in Italian or French like a big outdoor drive in movie. You can eat outdoors and watch the three-story-high film or indoors and just catch a few glimpse of the Foreign Cinema from the dining room windows. The restaurant is edgy in a very cool way. Somehow the whole concept of eating in a movie theater works perfectly.

The food is really good here and the kitchen has a lot of unique choices. I have in the past gotten the sea scallops, steak or Lavender Pork Chops. The desserts are delicious and creative. The menu changes here depending on what is market fresh, but I have never had a bad meal. One thing always on the menu is the large oyster bar. They have a large variety of oysters to choose from and your server will be happy to tell you which is the best and freshest on your visit.

Most of the time the wait staff is on target. We have been here a few times when the food to the table was a bit slow, but other times everything clicked like a Swiss watch.

Also I have to rate their mojiots the best in the city. The bar is ultra cool and having to wait for a table here is not a bad thing.

I like the Foreign Cinema a lot, but I have noticed it's been a lot easier to get a reservation and a lot of tables are empty in my last few visits. It was in its prime during the Dot.Com boom and seems to have lost its edge in recent years. There was a time that getting reservations was next to impossible. Nowadays they offer a reservation option on their cool web site at Foreign Cinema. I still find the concept unique and food and service great.

Then last year (2003) Taylor's decided to expand the legend and open their second eatery in the newly refurbished San Francisco Ferry Building. It opened to much fanfare and getting a table here at lunch is a kin to getting a pair of Super Bowl tickets.

What makes this place so special? Well, besides your basic hamburger, hotdog, BLT, you will find other items like portabella reubens, duck confit tacos or soft shell tacos. Taylor's serves up the basics and then adds a bit of California gourmet to spice things up.

Taylor's is also popular as this drive-in diner has an outstanding wine selection (hey, it calls Napa Valley home). You can find wines like Frog's Leap or Coppola served up with your burger!

The new Ferry Building location is clean and bright. The kitchen and grill are open and above the counter is a big red neon sign that simply says EAT. They have a lot of tables on the outside lining the Ferry Building. You first order (be prepared to stand in line), then you pick up the food when your vibrator box goes off. Finding an open seat during lunch hour can be a hunt.

Does it live up to they hype? Yes and no. The burgers are good, not the best, but far from the worst. I have had a really bad egg salad sandwich here. However items like their Fish Tacos, Black-eyed Pea Soup and Ahi Burgers were all great. I find they don't do the basics all that well, but they do have a great variety and some of the gourmet items are very good. I had a mango shake tonight that was to die for!

Prices run from $5.50 for a basic burger to $10.99 for the famous Ahi burger. Fries are $1.99 and $5.99 for a bowl of chili. The prices are pretty good for this area of San Francisco and well worth the price

I don't see what the lines around the block are all about. The food is good, but not that good. I think once the novelty of having a Taylor's in San Francisco wears down it will be a great place to grab a burger, fries and a nice glass of Syrah. There are a lot of places to eat the Ferry Building, this is just one of your many good picks here.

The place is small and the cooks work right behind the counter, so you can observe everything. The place seems a bit dirty and grimy as the turn over is quick and there is not a lot of effort to make it shine. The bathroom is really scary!

The service is fast and brusque. The owner will take your order and if he does not like what you ordered he will tell you that you are crazy and will change your order. It's all part of the charm and mojo here. The rude service and dirty hole atmosphere is actually part of the reason people flock here. You came for good, no GREAT Chinese food and you have found the best place in San Francisco. The fried eggplant or the spicy beef is like nowhere else in the city. Everything is the best here. I have never had a bad dish and I have had many of lunches here.

You may be a bit grossed out that the health department has not raided the place, but once you taste the first bite you will understand the long lines and why this is a San Francisco favorite hole in the wall. The prices are in line too and everything is a good deal! Notice the awards of the wall. They are real! This place has even beat out places like The Ritz Carlton for foodie awards. Who needs a clean bathroom or friendly service when the food is so great?

Plouf is in the middle of the alley. You can tell by the waitstaff, who all wear blue and white striped shirts. Inside the restaurant is a bit on the small side and sparse. Stuffed trophy fish line the walls and the white tile floors and booths give it a friendly feel, but one with little warmth. It reminds me of a seafood place you might find in Nice or Marseilles.

The waitstaff is great and very friendly. The menu does change as to what is in season and they will offer real suggestions for you on what is best that night. However, it's the mussels that everyone comes here for. They offer eight varieties and almost every table will have the big black pot of mussels and real honest French fries. They are delicious. I suggest the Plouf version as my favorite pick.

Plouf offers full bar service and has an extensive wine list. They have a nice selection of wines from France and California. They offer some of the smaller California wineries which aren't often served in restaurants.

The food is always great. Tonight I had the Cod and it was perfect (the portion was a bit small). In the past of I have had the Artic Char, Seabass and Halibut and all were outstanding. Two of our tablemates had steak this evening. Now why come to a famous seafood place and order steak...I don't know why. However the steak looked great and they raved about it.

Plouf is fun and is a great place to take friends. It's loud and the atmosphere is fun and festive. The waitstaff is fun and keeps the action going. When they are full they can get a little hectic and the service slows down a bit, but is still good. Plouf is also open for lunch. This is a great spot to enjoy a sunny day (not every day here) and relax with good service and great food. It's not far off Union Square so it's a nice break when visiting this area of the city.

Most seafood places here have an ocean view, Plouf offers no such view. However Belden Alley is fun and I promise you the fish is just as fresh as those with boats off the kitchen door.

It was like ducking into a little bistro in the heart of Paris. It was small and like the name implies - charming. I ordered a great glass of wine and had the best Coq au Vin I ever had in my life. The wait staff was professional and gracious and made the meal a real find. The whole meal was a pleasure and I forgot about that nasty rainstorm outside.

I have been back many times. Each time is a true pleasure. I have since learned the story of how the owners Lina Yew and Alain Delangle met in the kitchens of France and came back to San Francisco and worked in some of the great French restaurants here, like Fleur de Lis. They pooled their money and took an unlikely risk, to open a real French Bistro where rent was cheap, South of Market. It was a gamble, but one that paid off. Slowly a following grew and now the area has grown around Le Charm. It's in walking distance from SFMOMA (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art), Sony's Metreon and the Convention Center.

The food isn't the only thing great here, so are the prices. Le Charm is a true French bistro and offers bistro prices. During dinner they offer a three-course prix fixe dinner for only $28.00. One of the best deals in San Francisco.

The menu changes with the season and everything is wonderful. I have had all the French bistro favorites, but two favorites are the Salmon and Parisian Gnocchi. I highly encourage you to save room for Alain's Apple Tart Tatin, a real treat. The kitchen is all French and the common language in the kitchen is French.

The restaurant is small, but out back there is a lovely small French garden that is open in good weather. You will swear you are in the South of France and not South of Market.

Le Charm serves lunch from 11:30am until 2:00pm and dinner from 5:30pm until 9:30pm. You may be lucky like I was and be able to drop in. That was several years ago and their fanfare has grown, I now suggest you make reservations. The web site is: Le Charm

A lot of locals avoid Scoma's like the plague. However, it really isn't Scoma's that they are avoiding; it's Fisherman's Wharf. We locals only make the journey down to the wharf when we have out-of-town guests; otherwise, we all consider it off limits for locals! In other words, TOURIST TRAP!

It's too bad for us locals, we miss some great seafood at Scoma’s due to our distain of the area. Scoma's sits at the end of the pier and is a little white shack with windows that overlook the fishing boats unloading today's catch and plenty of crabs. You know your lunch or dinner will be as fresh as it can be.

Scoma's has seafood, lots of seafood. You will find most Pacific fish on the menu and you can get it cooked most anyway you enjoy it. The server will help you pick fish that is local and fresh. They are old pros and very helpful. Some of the waiters and waitresses have been here for years and years.

All meals start with delicious San Francisco sour dough bread. The bread alone is worth the trip. I suggest the Dungeness crab salad for a first course. It's huge (and expensive) so I suggest ordering one order for the table and everyone grab a fork and dig in. You can't come here and not try the local crab!

Next for the fish I suggest going with the wait person's suggestions. They seem to know what is fresh and good. If you order the wrong thing, they will try to steer you away from a bad choice. Go with their suggestion! The cioppino is my favorite dish here. It too is a San Francisco tradition and this huge seafood soup is full of all the goodies you had hoped to find. Scoma's even offers a version where all the shellfish is taken out of the shells for those of you who are too lazy to fight a crab leg with your cracker!

Scoma's is one of a kind and they know it. It's always full and they know they can charge for it, thus is pretty pricey for what it is. A recent bill there for three of us (two being kids) was $120.

I am a typical San Franciscan and don't make it down to the wharf too often. However when I do, you can bet you will find me a Scoma's.

Le Colonial is French, Vietnamese fusion at it's best. The whole meal transports you to another place and time. From the minute you find Cosmo Place and walk up to the door you feel like you are in the 1920's Colonial Vietnam. The restaurant is tropical in feel with some great details like the tile work. Huge palms are everywhere. The bar is tropical in feel. I suggest ordering one of the best mojitos or Saigon Slings in San Francisco.

The last time we went was with our friend Jane. Jane is a British Airways flight attendant and was here on a layover. It was freezing cold, windy and a San Francisco downpour outside. However being in Le Colonial you could imagine you were in a steamy, tropical 1920's Saigon.

That night we shared the tasting platter for $27.00. It gives you a sample of all the great starters you can order here and is a great way to share and taste a little of everything. The main meal also comes family style so you can share the different tastes at your table. My favorite is the Vit Quay which is similar to Peking Duck. However what I most remember is dessert. The Crispy banana Fritters are worth saving room for. They are bananas that are crusted with caramel and almonds and then served with banana anglaise and chocolate sauce. This dessert ranks top of the line for true eating pleasure and not to be missed!

Le Colonial is a great place. It's a bit hard to find as it sits on the end of an alley (Cosmo Place). It's not far from Union Square and most hotels will help you with directions and it's popular enough all cabs drivers know how to find it. You can check out their web page and make your mouth water with all the great Southeast Asian treats that Le Colonial offers. The web page is Le Colonial.

The Golden Gate Theater is one of those theaters in the thick of things. It's one of the most popular and gets a lot of national tours. We have gone for years and always have had to eat somewhere else and rush back for the show. Now you can eat a decent meal right across the street.

We went to see Hairspray last night and gave Opi's our first try. It's a tiny place right across from the theater. It's a lot of chrome and steel, modern in feel, clean and bright. There is a coffee bar at the front door for take out. A pleasant patio with seating wraps around the outside. The space is small and tables are packed tight.

When we arrived the staff greeted us with smiles and a welcome. We were lucky to get the last indoor table. The staff was right at our table for our drink orders. Opi's offers a good choice of beers and wines.

The menu is Middle Eastern with the typical hummus, baba ghonouj, and tabouleh. We tried the hummus and it was very good and the pita bread was fresh and hot. For the main course I had a lamb gyros, Chris had chicken kebab, Patrick a burger and fries, and Breana spaghetti. All orders came out quickly and were delicious. Patrick swears it's the best burger he ever ate and thinks the people in the Middle East have a secret recipe for burgers.

The service was fast, friendly and the tiny place seemed well staffed and well run. The food was outstanding and I am only sorry we did not have time to try a dessert. The cheesecake looked really good and baklava authentic.

We did note the cast was all coming here for their lattes and mochas before the curtain.

The place is tiny and we did see a few late arrivals not getting a table as things both inside and outside were full. I suggest allowing at least an hour prior to the curtain time. We also noted that people are actually coming here who are not going to the theater. Opi's may be the first step in turning the tenderloin around?

Maybe I would not be so enthusiastic about this place if it were in a different neighborhood. But it's certainly what the theater district needs here and all my expectations were met. The food was great, the service was fast and friendly and the place was clean and attractive. I give Opi's two thumbs up!

We got in early and wanted to stop for a nice dinner. We didn't make reservations but thought we would decide once we hit the Castro. We parked the car and walked down Market Street. We went by a new place we had never seen before simply called CATCH. It looked inviting and we decided to give it a try.

When you enter you notice a huge, well stocked bar. There is an outdoor patio area out front with a nice pit fire blazing. Inside the restaurant, it is sophisticated and very upscale. It's very stylish. The waiters all look handsome and the patrons are as well. It has a mostly gay crowd as this is the Castro.

Our waiter was polished and professional. I ordered halibut and beet salad, Chris ordered a char and a house salad.

The food was excellent. The fish was fresh and cooked just right. The sides were unique and appealing. My beet salad was really good.

I felt bad as we were in a bit of a hurry to get to the reading. This was such a great meal and I wished we could have savored it a bit instead of rushing off. I would have loved to see what they had for dessert.

Oh well, this place was good enough to plan another visit. The food was way above average and the service was super. This is why I love living in the bay area, nights like this when you find a new place and leave 100% satisfied.

The feel is pure American diner. You walk in and have a choice of a booth or a stool at the counter. There is polished chrome and neon everywhere, and the staff all wears diner-style uniforms with white aprons and paper hats. However, this is where the typical diner expierences grinds to a halt. First off no diner I know has a wine list like Fog City. They offer all the best Napa and Sonoma wines and a lot of boutique wineries that you don't find in most restaurants. The menu has a lot of familiar items, but each one with a slight updated twist.

As an example, I ordered a very simple lunch: salad and a side of toast. My salad was full of fresh Sonoma produce, cheeses from the area, and nuts; it was delcious. My toast was San Francisco sourdough with a side of Blood Orange Marmalade. It was simple, yet unique. Patrick had what he thought would be a simple chili dog. It was a delcious, high-quality hot dog on a sourdough bun, topped with white beans and fresh onions--certainly not your average diner chili dog! Even the mac and cheese was unique, baked with special cheeses, fresh pasta, and topped with panko. We enjoyed our meals. The menu was full of old favorites and unique San Francisco treats like fresh crabs and Pacific oysters.

Please don't over-order. You will want to save room for dessert. I had the chocolate bread pudding, and it was beyond good. Chris had the cheesecake, a house favorite, and Patrick picked a root-beer float. The root-beer float was pretty standard but had top-quality ice cream and top-quality root beer. We all tasted and tried each other's desserts; it was hard to pick the winner!

Our service on this visit was good, but not great. I have eaten here at times with better service. Our waiter was hard to find and didn't check back often; he was also pretty deadpan and not very friendly. However, I can say from past experience that this is the exception and not the rule.

Friends coming into the city always ask me to draw up a list of places to eat. I always have Fog City Diner on my short list; it's not to be missed on your Bay area visit!

I have always loved this building and have been so thrilled to see it reopen in 2003 in its present state. Today it has been reopened (it had been offices with narrow halls and rooms). The skylights provide a soft light inside the hall. Food stalls and shops fill the walls today.

The shops are all high end, and currently they are not overrun with knick-knack or T-shirt shops like other places in the city. You will find cheeses, breads, Italian ice cream, caviar bars, chocolates, wines, flowers, mushrooms and teas and coffees. There are wonderful floral shops, kitchen stores, bookstores and much more. It is full of rare and unusual finds, a perfect place to find a one-of-a-kind gift.

On Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, the area in the back of the Ferry Building hosts one of the BEST Farmer's Markets in California. Farmers from Napa and Sonoma bring in their produce to sell. You will find flowers, fruits and vegetables that are the top of the line. Everything has just come off the farm or out of the bay. Even if you are only here for a visit, stop by and take a look. I suggest getting some bread, fruit and cheese and sit by the water and enjoy a great snack with a world-class view.

There is so much to see and eat here. If I can give you one suggestion, it would be to have an ice cream at CIAO BELLA. They have some of the best ice cream on the planet and wild offerings like tomato and wasabi. They are always happy to give you a sample. It's the best, I can never go by without getting a scoop.

Yes, ferries still run from the Ferry Building. Not like the old days when the pier was lined with boats. But you can still grab a ferry and head for Marin or Oakland. Commuters who hate our traffic find this the most civilized way to get to work! Tourists enjoy grabbing a ferry for an up-close view of our bay.

If you are visiting the city, plan to spend a few hours in the Ferry Building. It has history, a wonderful view and one of the best places to grab a tasty lunch. The Ferry Building is just one of the many reasons why San Francisco is my favorite city.

Flash forward: I am an adult living in San Francisco. My partner gets Giants tickets a couple times each year. Shouldn't I fake sick or just refuse to go? Hell, NO and miss a chance to go to SBC Park! NO WAY!

Even if you hate baseball, this is one stadium you can fall in love with. The stadium opened in 2000 as Park Bell Park. It was built on the water in the Embarcadero in the image some of the old great parks. The stadium is truly something to see.

You first off notice the huge Coke bottle and the large baseball mit. These are actually playground props for the large kiddie play ground on the side of the field (where were they when I was a kid?).

The park has a great setting right on the water. The outfield sits just a few feet from our bay. Boats hug the stadium during the game in hopes of catching a Bond's homerun. It's a colorful sight.

What this place does have is FOOD, lots and lots and lots of food. Sushi, Chinese, an Irish Pub, Krispy Kreme donuts, a carvery, chowder in a bread bowl, Mexican food, an oyster bar, a dessert bar, the best hot fudge sundaes in the world, full bars and wine tasting from all the great California wineries. Being in California it also has a salad bar and fresh produce. Oh yeah, did I forget hotdogs, nachos, popcorn, Cracker Jacks, and beer are also available? The food is actually good. You can spend the whole game making your way from stand to stand to stand and trying a little of everything.

This week Pullen and Katie came in from Atlanta. The Giants were playing the Marlins from Florida. Chris got tickets. It was a beautiful day on the bay, blue, sunny and even a bit hot. We took BART into the city and went to the game. I took the kids to the playground and Patrick and Breana batted a few whiffel balls. Then we made the food rounds. I admit I did have one of those outrageous hot fudge sundaes! Soon the game was over and it was time to go! Who won the game? I think I heard someone say on the way out that the Giants won!

However, museums fans often overlook one of my favorite museums. This museum is the one located around San Francisco International Airport. The airport funds a museum with exhibits spread out through the many terminals.

The exhibits vary and I have in the past enjoyed exhibits on cocktail shakers, Halloween costumes, aquarium decors and airline flight bags. It's also fun and a bit unusual, but always a great way to kill time while waiting for your flight.

Some of the exhibits are in public areas, before screening and some are on the other side of security and can only be viewed by passengers using airlines.

In the International terminal is a permanent exhibit on airline travel and the history of SFO. It's a great exhibit focusing mostly on the rich history of Pan Am. I love the museum and some of the photographs showing the luxury days of air travel!

My only complaint is that the museum closes at 4pm daily. Anyone catching an international flight in the evening (when most depart) will be disappointed to be greeted by a closed sign on the door of the museum.

However, take a walk around the airport and you can view a lot of air travel photographs from the museum, some wonderful artwork, and some live exhibits. Currently there is a live exhibit by Delta Airlines on fish that live in the Amazon.

There is plenty to see and it's a wonderful way to wait for your plane. Before heading out check their web page at SFO ARTS and see what is displayed at the airport this month.