San Francisco appreciation thread

Not sure if this belongs here or in the 'Travel' forum. Anyway, thought on this quiet Sunday evening I would see what you all think about this fine city.

Things I love about the place, in no particular order -
1) People - always seem to be friendly
2) Different neighbourhooods
3) Vegan/veggie restaurants (esp. Millenium)
4) Wholefoods
5) Crissy Field
6) Ocean Beach
7) Amoeba on Haight
8) Shopping in general
9) The automated voice in the BART/MUNI stations (e.g. " five car train to Daly city, now approaching, platform one" - I know that's a bit strange but I just think it's a cool voice!)
10) GG Bridge
11) Union Square

I first went to the city in March 2003 and will be going back later this month for my seventh visit. Love it.

Anyone else have a soft spot for SF?
Cheers
Andy


{edited - preiffer : Yup, this is one for the travel forum }

[Nottingham Nick]

Sorry you can't have any sort of San Francisco appreciation thread without the word Ghirardelli featuring very prominently ;)[8D]

Nick

last october i went there for the first time. there is so much to see in so little time. when it was time to go i was almost in tears because i will be leaving a great city behind. the best part for me was alcatrez. blew my mind. i liked the city that much im going back with the school this october. cant wait. (hopefully i get v:port) i did last time

[HighFlyer]

And you forgot the Pier 39 Sealions - my absolute favourite part of SFO!!!

Thanks,
Sarah

Going in July/August for the first time, and looking forward to it even more now

Jacq x

I always try to visit the places below when in SF.

For those who like a decent cask ale the Magnolia BrewPub at Haight & Masonic is a must.

If you are downtown, then the Owl Tree at Post & Taylor is a small bar with a good selection of bottled beers.

The Sutter Station is a good bar on Market near to Sutter Street frequented by the "young People".

The R&G lounge is a great choice for Chinese food.

For those who require a combined intake of fluids & solids then Calzone's at 430 Columbus in Northbeach is a must. Get youself a seat outside after 10pm on a Saturday and watch the world go by. Was introduced to Mahito's at this bar. You have got to try them !!

For the techies of us who end up going to silicon valley for work then Shooters in Sunnyvale on North Mathilda Av is the best "dive bar" you will ever visit anywhere in the world. They have a great barmaid who invents her own cocktails. WoW.


Fadge

[mcmbenjamin]

Originally posted by HighFlyer
And you forgot the Pier 39 Sealions - my absolute favourite part of SFO!!!

Thanks,
Sarah

And nearby the guy with the bushes that scares people walking on the sidewalk.

SBC Park now AT&T Park for baseball. (Also the memory of the Indy Air days of flying in from IAD to SFO, taking the hotel shuttle to the Embassy Suites, walking to the S. San Francisco CalTrain station and taking it into town. Then walking across the street, going to Safeway, buying the big bag of peanuts and going to the game then returning to the airport and going home; to IAD. All in all a bad idea but was fun and cheaper than going to the game in Baltimore or seeing the Nationals in DC!)

Forgot the Cable Cars. If you dont want to queue for the Powell-Hyde / Powell-Mason cars (and you will queue!!) take a walk down Market, you could stop for refreshments at the Sutter Station on the way and get on the California St line. Never had to queue any time I visited. You could also visit the lobby of the Hyatt Regency hotel and ride in the glass lifts.

A bay cruise is also a must on the blue and gold line

Fadge

[preiffer]

Originally posted by mcmbenjamin
And nearby the guy with the bushes that scares people walking on the sidewalk.

You mean this guy?

Nice thread [y]

Here's some of my favourites to tag onto your list...
- Clam Chowder
- PacBell Park & the SF Giants
- SFO Clubhouse
- Anchor Steam
- Alcatraz
- Muni, Cable Cars & BART
- Cable Car museum
- Cliff House & Sutro Baths
- North Beach
- Golden Gate Park
- Palace of Fine Arts
- Jacks Bar at the Cannery
- Ferry Building
- Sutro Tower
- Embarcadero
- Pier 39
- Waffle Cones of ice cream on the pier
- Lombard St
- Bay Bridge

SF must be my most favourite city on earth thus far...

Cheers

Michael

[mcmbenjamin]

Originally posted by preiffer

Originally posted by mcmbenjamin
And nearby the guy with the bushes that scares people walking on the sidewalk.

You mean this guy?

Sure do. Thanks.

[RichardMannion]

Obviously there is the obligatory visit to the Cheesecake Factory on the skylevel of Macy's in Union Square.

The SFO CH is also worth a visit.....

Thanks,
Richard

AndyK - excellent - we're off to SFO in 2 weeks for the first time. I think you must be psychic!! Now all I need is for someone to post a similar thread for our other ports of call and I'll be sorted!

I love the place, only been once (in 2004) and will maybe go again next year. I'm a music fan and the place is one of the best in the world for record and CD shops - Jumbo Records near Haight and the Castro is amazing. I also loved Japan Town and China Town as both are there for the locals, not tourists. I also like the fact that it is a cultural city with a great art museum, sporting events, lots of great bars, live music etc.

The whole area surrounding the city is full of beauty, from the redwood forests to sweeping fields, lovely picture postcard towns with very expensive wooden houses. And the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and view of the central area from Alcatraz just tops it off. I would seriously consider living there.

The first view of the bridge was from the window of a 747 as it turned on approach to the airport - what a spectacle! The sun was shining so the sea sparkled and the bridge was so red I knew what it was immediately.

And yes, the seals are great! We could not sleep due to the time difference and walked down to the piers at about 7.30am - nobody else about except the staff in one coffee shop. Had breakfast with the seals. Great!

TTFN

Paul

Er, I mean I would live in San Fran, not in Alcatraz! [:I]

TTFN

Paul

And for all you runners when visiting San Fran...

You must run from Bay Bridge to Golden Gate Bridge along the Embarcadero, and into The Presidio National Park, and ending up at Fort Point under the Golden Gate Bridge.

A nice 10k (approx) run, or 20k if run the return. [8D]

Here of a few of my favourites which haven't been mentioned:-

View of San Francisco from Treasure Island, especially at night.
View from Twin Peaks
Baker Beach
Grace Cathedral
Coit Tower
Castro


Oh, I was here in January and I went sunbathing on Ocean Beach! Absolutely perfect weather for winter! I truly love this city.

The Strawb

Originally posted by Nottingham Nick
Sorry you can't have any sort of San Francisco appreciation thread without the word Ghirardelli featuring very prominently ;)[8D]

Nick

And, after dragging yourself up and down those hellish hills, you need some sustenance!!!

Originally posted by Jacqueline Lewis
Going in July/August for the first time, and looking forward to it even more now

Jacq x

You'll love it Jacq - just hope there isn't too much fog.

San Francisco is probably my 2nd favourite city in the US (after New York of course!)

There are many great things to do in the city as you know but my favourite has to be crossing the bridge to Sausalito, sitting by the harbour in the sunshine and admiring the stunning view across the bay.

(Oh yeah, and the shopping, the restaurants and the shopping! )

Seem to be plenty of people begging, around Market area, including one really quirky guy who assailed us with sorry tales about his poor cat - who was really ill and how was he going to afford vet care for her? Said cat was curled up in front of on, on the pavement - clearly dead, clearly suffed. Dilemma people - how to tell him?;)

Ooh - and clam chowder from a sourdough bowl....

I really enjoyed hiring a bike and cycling from Fisherman's wharf up to Fort Mason, along to Fort Point, across the bridge and down into Sausilito. Nice ride and some great views along the way although sun protection is recommended whilst going across the bridge - did get badly sunburnt! Very windy too.......

Would have to recommend Lori's on Mason. Their ice cream chocolate floats are gorgeous (couple of blocks up from Market Street and a block west of Union Square)

The cable cars are way too touristy. $5 for a trip (unless you buy passes) and if you gewt one from Market, you hit every red light, get caught in all the traffic and pretty much stop at every junction - at least if you get the one going to Hyde St. Pier, it stops at the top of Lombard St (the world's bendiest street).

Originally posted by karnsculpture
I love the place, only been once (in 2004) and will maybe go again next year. I'm a music fan and the place is one of the best in the world for record and CD shops - Jumbo Records near Haight and the Castro is amazing.

Never heard of it......went to a large place called Amoeba Records on the corner of Haight & Ashbury (pretty much across the road from the eastern side on Golden Gate Park) - loads of new and second hand cds and dvds there.

Originally posted by xenole
I really enjoyed hiring a bike and cycling from Fisherman's wharf up to Fort Mason, along to Fort Point, across the bridge and down into Sausilito. Nice ride and some great views along the way although sun protection is recommended whilst going across the bridge - did get badly sunburnt! Very windy too.......

Would have to recommend Lori's on Mason. Their ice cream chocolate floats are gorgeous (couple of blocks up from Market Street and a block west of Union Square)

The cable cars are way too touristy. $5 for a trip (unless you buy passes) and if you gewt one from Market, you hit every red light, get caught in all the traffic and pretty much stop at every junction - at least if you get the one going to Hyde St. Pier, it stops at the top of Lombard St (the world's bendiest street).

Originally posted by karnsculpture
I love the place, only been once (in 2004) and will maybe go again next year. I'm a music fan and the place is one of the best in the world for record and CD shops - Jumbo Records near Haight and the Castro is amazing.

Never heard of it......went to a large place called Amoeba Records on the corner of Haight & Ashbury (pretty much across the road from the eastern side on Golden Gate Park) - loads of new and second hand cds and dvds there.

Yeah, cable cars ARE touristy - but hey, you just gotta do them. How can you go to S Fran and NOT do them???? Bit like driving down one of the steep streets - my first encounter with one of those resulted in a string of expletives flying from my mouth. Best not to repeat them on here

Yep $5 is steep (pardon the pun) but if you get a citypass (http://www.citypass.com) you get unlimited use of them (and Muni, etc.). Well worth it

Originally posted by mcuth
Nice thread [y]

Here's some of my favourites to tag onto your list...
- Clam Chowder
- PacBell Park & the SF Giants
- SFO Clubhouse
- Anchor Steam
- Alcatraz
- Muni, Cable Cars & BART
- Cable Car museum
- Cliff House & Sutro Baths
- North Beach
- Golden Gate Park
- Palace of Fine Arts
- Jacks Bar at the Cannery
- Ferry Building
- Sutro Tower
- Embarcadero
- Pier 39
- Waffle Cones of ice cream on the pier
- Lombard St
- Bay Bridge

SF must be my most favourite city on earth thus far...

Cheers

Michael

What? No word for the 'other form of transport, not mentioned here' Michael? [?];)[:w]

I'm with Highflyer and love the Sealions, I could (sorry...I do) stand and watch them for ages, every time we go The cable cars are great fun too, especially if you sit right at the front when you're going downhill - WOO HOOOOOOO ! [:o)]:D Alcatraz is also on my list but I find the gulls a little bit too 'Alfred Hitchcock' on the island. [}:)][:0] Also love the chilli omelette at the Eagle Cafe on Pier 39, sat at the bar with one of those and a beer has become a tradition for breakfast on the day we leave

S