San Francisco appreciation thread

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

ROTFL - I didn't count that, since the ride only lasted a few seconds Ok, to fill everyone else in on this one - we're talking about the bicycle rickshaw rides you can get.

Shaz, do you want to tell the story, or shall I?

Cheers

Michael

Originally posted by mcuth
Shaz, do you want to tell the story, or shall I?

I dunno? I personally wasn't planning on sharing it at all (though I did tell Dave last time we saw him in LAS) I think you had to be there to appreciate it as much as we did (and I still giggle insanely when I think about it[:I][:o)]:D)

You tell it, but promise not to post the photo? LOL

S

San Francisco on a warm summers evening, what better way than to spend a few hours watching the Giants.

Garlic potato wedges and steak rolls...... HUGE beers..... and a view over the bay.

Just don't drive into Hunters Point by mistake afterwards!

Xenole, About the CD shops, it must have been Amoeba Records as you said, Jumbo Records is in Leeds (and isn't that Jumbo) - sorry for the mistake. I found good stores in Japan Town and The Castro too, but with more niche collections.

TTFN

Paul

Originally posted by lilyjosh0
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!

So - what are your other ports of call???

Originally posted by 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

Sounds like you have a Cheesecake Factory addiction here Chicken pot pie for you sir????

And don't forget to try the Stinking Rose - (almost) everything garlic-flavoured, including the ice cream! Bit of a bummer if you hate garlic, of course....

And Calzone's - also great food....


Drool....[|)]

Great topic AndyK, you're on my wavelength on a couple of points!
Just reading it makes me remember how much I love the city. Can't wait to introduce my brother to it in May.

1) The Climate, everytime I've been its been great. maybe i'm just picking the times well.
2) Haight Street, and all the cool shops selling wierd fanzines, punky rubbish and the like. And of course Amoeba - the only shop in the World that seems to have every John Walters film on DVD!
3) Wandering around Almeney Flea Market on a Sunday morning (but not the schlep to get there by bus).
4) Moby Dicks bar in the Castro on 241 night.
5) The walk from Market Street, over that big hill (dunno the name) down to Haight, and the views inbetween.
6) Yes, I also love the announcements on the Muni. Favourite has to be "Next Stop, Embarcedero.."
7) Golden Gate Bridge.
8) Appletini's in the View Bar in the Marriott on 4th, especially when the clouds are below you.
9) The best bath products/lifestyle shop in the city http://www.nancyboy.com .Shop on Market Street, and now Hayes.
10) Just being near the pacific ocean.

Dean

[fozzyo]

SF is one of my fave cities in the world - been the last two years at the end of September a great time to go. Its just so lovely and chilled out and full of great people. Some highlights for me, in no particular order:

1) Great friendly people
2) Moby Dick's bar (they have loads of pin ball games too that I love!)
3) The Castro - there is a shop that basically only sells things covered in Rainbows, only in SF.
4) Trannyshack - a fantastic Drag show
5) Shopping - some of my fave shops in the world are in SF
6) The Haight - Great funky area, like Camden but without the rubbish
7) SF Moma - Love the building, love the art
8) Golden Gate Bridge
9) They had a Zombie Flashmob and did it properly!
10) The View Bar at the Marriott, not the best hotel bar in the world but it holds a special place for us
11) The sites and architecture
12) The Apple Store - Home of Genius Brains (see 9)

Mat xxx

And of course, the birthplace of GAP!

[mcmbenjamin]

Originally posted by catsilversword
And of course, the birthplace of GAP!

And Old Navy. (well Colma, CA was the first store but close enough) Gap, Banana Republic, and Old Navy are all owned by Gap Inc.

catsilversword: Have you ate at the Stinking Rose? Also Gilroy, CA is a short drive/CalTrain away and it the world's garlic capital. They have year round gift shop and once yearly festival. Gilroy in the summer smells like garlic. Crazy stuff.

Originally posted by mcmbenjamin

Originally posted by catsilversword
And of course, the birthplace of GAP!

And Old Navy. (well Colma, CA was the first store but close enough) Gap, Banana Republic, and Old Navy are all owned by Gap Inc.

catsilversword: Have you ate at the Stinking Rose? Also Gilroy, CA is a short drive/CalTrain away and it the world's garlic capital. They have year round gift shop and once yearly festival. Gilroy in the summer smells like garlic. Crazy stuff.

No, couldn't get into the Stinking Rose, the lines were sooo long. Have you eaten there - or has anyone else here tried it out?

Yep, been to Gilroy - didn't smell at all [:w]

[Bazz]

Nobody mentioned one of my fav spots, Lou's on Jefferson Street, some great Jazz and Blues and very close to a handful of excellent restaurants. Located just a stones throw from the cable car turn round at Hyde and Beach.

[honey lamb]

Originally posted by catsilversword

Originally posted by mcmbenjamin

Originally posted by catsilversword
And of course, the birthplace of GAP!

And Old Navy. (well Colma, CA was the first store but close enough) Gap, Banana Republic, and Old Navy are all owned by Gap Inc.

catsilversword: Have you ate at the Stinking Rose? Also Gilroy, CA is a short drive/CalTrain away and it the world's garlic capital. They have year round gift shop and once yearly festival. Gilroy in the summer smells like garlic. Crazy stuff.

No, couldn't get into the Stinking Rose, the lines were sooo long. Have you eaten there - or has anyone else here tried it out?

Yep, been to Gilroy - didn't smell at all [:w]

I went to the Gilroy Garlic Festival. Ate garlic ice cream [:0]

Originally posted by honey lamb

Originally posted by catsilversword

Originally posted by mcmbenjamin
And Old Navy. (well Colma, CA was the first store but close enough) Gap, Banana Republic, and Old Navy are all owned by Gap Inc.

catsilversword: Have you ate at the Stinking Rose? Also Gilroy, CA is a short drive/CalTrain away and it the world's garlic capital. They have year round gift shop and once yearly festival. Gilroy in the summer smells like garlic. Crazy stuff.

No, couldn't get into the Stinking Rose, the lines were sooo long. Have you eaten there - or has anyone else here tried it out?

Yep, been to Gilroy - didn't smell at all [:w]

I went to the Gilroy Garlic Festival. Ate garlic ice cream [:0]

Oh wow! And - how was it????

[preiffer]

Gilroy is also the home of a huge Outlet Mall. [y]

(Also only 12 miles away from my "home" DropZone, if anyone ever wants to come play... [:w])

[honey lamb]

Originally posted by catsilversword

Originally posted by honey lamb
I went to the Gilroy Garlic Festival. Ate garlic ice cream [:0]

Oh wow! And - how was it????

Actually it wasn't too bad. Of course everything on offer was flavoured with Garlic - except the beer and wine!

Originally posted by preiffer
Gilroy is also the home of a huge Outlet Mall. [y]

(Also only 12 miles away from my "home" DropZone, if anyone ever wants to come play... [:w])

Your what?

Actually, that's why I was in Gilroy, a little retail therapy...

Just got back from The City:

A truly great meal at The Slanted Door which is the happening place for lunch: jam packed with people sampling excellent Vietnamese food. Of course, for an evening out we had to spend a few hours at Shanghai 1930 with its excellent Firecracker chicken and live jazz band. And during the day it was time to grab a glass of wine and a table with a view at the Waterfront Restaurant and watch the bay.

The Ferry Building is now a great place to pick up interesting food, and the farmers' market sells everything from oranges to samosas. And no visit to The City is complete without a visit to the Museum of Modern Art.

As usual we had a debate between the W and the Hotel Triton, with the Triton winning out, not least due to its wine party every evening and eco credentials. We also stopped by Michael Leu's gallery to pick up some appropriately themed prints.

The best city in the world. Mind you, there is a 62% chance of a serious earthquake in the next 25 years...

BC

Nooooo!! Have already been caught up in one earthquake - only time in my life I have been REALLY scared. Off to SFO shortly - I wonder what the odds are of an earthquake in the next 2 weeks?

Originally posted by shazam
I dunno? I personally wasn't planning on sharing it at all (though I did tell Dave last time we saw him in LAS) I think you had to be there to appreciate it as much as we did (and I still giggle insanely when I think about it[:I][:o)]:D)

Oh yeah, definitely a "had to be there" moment - PMSL each time I think about it too

You tell it, but promise not to post the photo? LOL

LOL - ok, no photo, promise

The story goes thus:
Last September, me & my friend Ellen met up with Shaz & Lee (Mr Shazam) at Cioppinos on Fisherman's Wharf, for dinner & drinkies. After having a nice meal and several cocktails, we wandered across the road to Jack's Bar at the Cannery. Oh dear, this place has a great jukebox and a lot of different draught ales

Some hours later, Ellen & I realise that the last ferry across to Vallejo is going to leave in 30 minutes or so, and we needed to get all the way down to the Ferry Building pretty sharpish, otherwise we'd miss it and have little chance of getting back to Napa that night. As Shaz & Lee were staying down near the Ferry Building anyway (Vitale?), we decided we'd share transport back down there..

So, the 4 of us stagger up the street to the next street up and find a Chinese rickshaw (well actually, it's a pedicab) driver touting for business. Poor guy couldn't speak English very well, but managed to confirm that he'd take all 4 of us, and we'd be at the Ferry Building in a few short minutes. Now, the 4 of us aren't exactly small, so we asked him again if he was sure we'd all get in the carriage - yes, he was positive, if the guys sat down and the girls sit on our knees. So me & Lee get in the back and Ellen gets in to sit on my knee. Shaz is stood at the side, worried about the precariousness of the carriage (we're pointed a little bit uphill, and I'm sure the thing's tipping backwards) - we barrack her a little and she gets in to sit on Lee's knee. It's a completely hilarious sight, and we're all laughing our heads off.

....and we're off...well, sort of. The poor guy is muttering away in Chinese, and really struggling to pedal even though we're going downhill. The 4 of us in the back are still laughing so hard. We start picking up a bit of speed, and 25 yards down the road go over an intersection with a road going downhill - as we do so, there's an almighty *bang* from my side of the carriage, followed by an "Oh s&^%!" from the driver (oh, he does know the right word in English ). Grinding to a halt, we pull over to the side of the road to find that the tyre under my side burst as we went over the gradient dip in the road [:0]

While we're stood looking at the problem, time's ticking by, and then a limo comes along touting for business.....after I give the rickshaw driver $20 to help (and thank him for the good laugh) we pile in the limo, all still ROTFL! Anyway, we got to the Ferry Building just in time, and all was well - cracking night, and hilarious to boot

(Did I get it right Shaz? Seems like eons ago now!)

Cheers

Michael

I know Cioppinos - even have apicture of it somewhere...

We had a great night up to this point

Originally posted by mcuth

As Shaz & Lee were staying down near the Ferry Building anyway (Vitale?),

Correct

we decided we'd share transport back down there..

Exactly Michael....transport.... there was no mention of getting what equates to having a 'backie'!
Now when I agreed to going back together I was thinking taxi, or at worst tram, I certainly wasn't planning on a pedicab [:0]

So, the 4 of us stagger up the street to the next street up and find a Chinese rickshaw

As I recall we were stood on a corner looking for a cab when the guy approached us and I could see by the twinkle in her eye that Ellen thought it would be fun. Next thing I know you're sat in the back and I'm worrying about the health of the little guy pedaling!!!

so we asked him again if he was sure we'd all get in the carriage - yes, he was positive,

He was that!

It's a completely hilarious sight, and we're all laughing our heads off.

I think you'll find the term to use for what I was doing is 'screeching' My throat was sooooo sore the next morning

there's an almighty *bang* from my side of the carriage,

Not that people weren't staring at us anyway, but I think a small crowd formed LOL

after I give the rickshaw driver $20 to help (and thank him for the good laugh)

Lee gave him $20 as well, more than worth it though

cracking night, and hilarious to boot

One of the best [y]:D[:o)]

(Did I get it right Shaz? Seems like eons ago now!)

Seems like it but every time I think of SF that's the first thing that springs to mind now

[:X][:X]

Originally posted by shazam
Seems like it but every time I think of SF that's the first thing that springs to mind now

Me too - telling the story and reading your reply have just set me off again

Cheers

Michael

Originally posted by fadge



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

I actually lived on N Mathilda for 6 weeks in the early '70s when working for Amdahl. When I looked last trip it had completely changed. The AphaBeta supermarket (next to the condos where I was) has gone and there is a gas station on the corner. I also noticed that the diner alongside the US101 has also gone, but given its name, I didn't reckon it could have lasted much longer in the PC climate.

The Winchester Mystery House used to be in the middle of nowhere; now it's completely built up.