San Francisco: Returning Home

Beautiful, old Victorian houses lining the streets, red trolley cars chugging up the hills, eccentric characters mingling along with the yuppies, the fog taking over the Golden Gate Bridge, rainbow flags displayed proudly along the streets, the cheapest, yummiest Mexican joints around--these are the things I miss most about San Francisco.

With such diversity in people, sights, and food, it’s impossible to list all the great things to experience. So many of us fall in love with the city because it has the qualities of being a major metropolitan center and yet still feels like a small neighborhood town. You can eat at some of the finest restaurants in the country and in the same day enjoy the best homemade tamales you’ve ever eaten. You can choose to shop in the crazy, hectic downtown madness, where you’ll find everything from Neiman Marcus to Macy’s, or relax on your own little deserted corner of Black Sand Beach and sunbathe nude. I was spending 3 short days there and wanted to do my favorite things: eat and drink with friends at the local joints and wander around the streets, shopping and enjoying the beauty of the city.

Quick Tips:

I know it’s California, but San Francisco can get really chilly, even in the summer! Don’t let a sunny day fool you--by the afternoon, the fog will roll in, the breeze will start, and you’ll feel cold. The best thing to do is remember to layer and bring a jacket for the evenings.

If you are feeling the need to ride the cable car, don’t wait in the extraordinarily long and painful line at Market and Powell. A lot of newcomers think that you have to buy a ticket and board at one of the cable car turnarounds, which always has a huge line of people waiting to get on. Walk up just a block or two along the route and look for the brown and white cable car stop sign--then just jump on there with no wait! You can pay the conductor in cash when you get on board. Sfcablecar.com is a good site to check out for more information on fares, routes, and schedules.

Best Way To Get Around:

I like to stop in at Frjtz for a few reasons: gigantic healthy salads, gigantic unhealthy fries, and sweet and savory crepes--what more can you ask for from a cute eatery in Hayes Valley? The portions are generous, so make sure to bring an appetite and share plates among friends. Being an avid meat-eater, vegetarian dishes usually do not satisfy me, but the Riviera salad with the BBQ tofu is one of my favorites--so huge and yummy, I have to take home half for leftovers (there are meat dishes as well). And I can’t resist ordering a mountain of Belgian fries each time I visit, especially for the unique dipping sauces to choose from, like curry ketchup, grilled eggplant mayo, and spicy yogurt-peanut. To really make you sit and stay awhile, they have a nice selection of Belgian beers to help you wash down those crispy fries. They boast a full tea bar too, which I haven’t personally tried (I’m always tempted by the beer instead).

The atmosphere is cozy, friendly, and relaxed. No one rushes you out--you are welcome to just grab a Chimay and chat or eat your way through the whole menu. They have DJs most every night of the week and also on Sunday afternoon. And on sunny days, the back courtyard seating, with its beautiful plant and flower garden, is a great place to enjoy the warm weather and blue California skies.

Noc Noc is a dark, eclectic, small bar with a big variety of beers. It looks like you’ve ventured into a warped version of Fred Flintstone’s house, crossed with Mad Max metal outfittings. There are strange seating arrangements in unexpected nooks, and sometimes you’ll find a dog or two lounging on the floor. It is a tiny place, so if you are planning to sit or go with a large group, it’s better to hit this place early. Beverages are very reasonably priced (especially compared to the $7-for-a-bottle-of-beer prices in New York), and in addition to beer, they serve wine and sake.

The ambience at Noc Noc is what draws me--it’s relaxed, and there are always a variety of interesting, odd characters sitting in for the long haul--usually planted on the dinosaur tail-like chairs at the bar, waiting to strike up a conversation. You can often catch some of the best DJs in the city spinning here, adding to the mood and appeal of the place.

Union Square is the main shopping area in the city. It’s usually busy and hectic, but you can find every major store in a few square blocks.

To get to Union Square by BART, you would get off at the Powell station to emerge right in the middle of all of the stores. If interested, this is where one of the cable car turnarounds is located, along with the lengthy line of people waiting to jump on (see the Quick Tips section of this journal to avoid waiting in line). Getting there by MUNI is easily done with a MUNI map--many of the MUNI bus lines will take you to Union Square. If driving, there are three affordable parking garages nearby: Union Square garage (333 Post Street), Ellis O’Farrell garage (123 O’Farrell Street), and Fifth & Mission garage (833 Mission Street).

I like to park at the Fifth & Mission garage, since it’s a little less hectic than the other garages, which are either right in the middle of Union Square (prepare for a wait to get into the garage there) or right near Macy’s (lots of pedestrians to watch out for). From the Fifth & Mission garage, a good walking route is to head to Nordstrom and the mall first, then browse the stores along Powell until you hit Macy’s and Union Square park. Making your way around the park, you’ll find great boutiques and specialty stores. Walk back on a street parallel to Powell, like Stockton. With this route, you’ll see most of the major stores and get a good sense of area.

I know, I know...the Golden Gate Bridge is the famous attraction that everyone wants to see, and I admit it’s a wonderful bridge to visit. But I prefer the Bay Bridge. If you have a car and it’s a sunny afternoon, take a drive over to Berkeley, have lunch at Vik’s Chaat House (a wonderful, cheap Indian lunch spot), and drive back.

The Bay Bridge is a two-story bridge (the top deck fell onto the lower deck in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake) made up of two sections and a tunnel connecting the two sections. The total span of the bridge is 8.5 miles; it is one of the longest high-level steel bridges in the world (the Golden Gate Bridge is only about 1.7 miles).

In addition to the Bay Bridge being a long, beautifully constructed bridge, on the drive back to San Francisco, you will see one of the most spectacular views of the city. Like I said earlier, try to go on a sunny day, and as you come through the connecting tunnel, you’ll see the magnificent San Francisco skyline. Being about eye-level with all the skyscrapers and hills, it’s almost like you are looking onto a vibrant miniature of the actual city. It’s one of my favorite moments when I’m returning home.