San Francisco has my heart just like the song says. I have innumerable memories of the place - a place that has been the theater for many of life's joys for me. My Mom loves it too, though her reasons are likely different than mine, but it is a place we love to enjoy together. SF always guarantees an adventure; what with her charming characteristics and interesting characters. Our adventure started when we decided to take the train into the city from the airport. We didn't get in until after 9pm on Friday night so by the time we picked up the train it was getting to be witching hour. All of a sudden a nervously hyper youth barrels through the dividing doors into our car and sits adjacent to us. Moments later another guy follows and pushes his way into the seat next to him. He was highly agitated and launched into some sort of rant addressed to the crowded train. The accompanying string of profanity he spewed was even too much for me to take so I called him on it and let him know that he was out of line. My mom was visibly shaken but I wasn't about to let this little punk intimidate people just trying to get where they're going. After a choice exchange he darted off the train into the night.
I picked a hotel in the mission for it's centrality and cacophany of activity - shopping, museums, restaurants, theater, etc. - Parc 55. It's hip, clean, great city views, and decent service although they cheekily charge for coffee and crumpets sitting out in the lobby looking like it's complimentary. We decided to chill out in the lounge with a night cap before turning in without any specific activity planned for the next day. The weather was quite cool and we were sadly under-dressed most of the time since SF is a wonderful walking city. We woke
up in time to get a tour b
us to Muir Woods. We've been before but it is so spectacular that repeat visits into the redwood forest are always awe inspiring. I guess my mom took most of the photos of our trip so I'll have to paint a picture with words. Here's a snap of my mom and her "friend" overlooking Tiburon on our way to the woods pictured on the right. It's so hard to capture the beauty and scale in a photo. You really have to wander among the trees to appreciate their magnificence and an entire ecosystem that thrives amongst them and beyond as a result of their existence.The tour bus stopped in Sausalito that afternoon and we opted to stay awhile and take the ferry back to the city. We weren't starving but needed a little nosh. Noticing a very long line outside a nondescript storefront with a little faded sign that said hamburgers was enough to get our curiosity. We sat in the town square park next to the fountain and shared our fries and one of the best burgers EVER, made to order and served from a rotating grill. We meandered a little, gallery gazing and window shopping in this cute little water town by the bay with stunning SF views. With Lappert's ice cream treat in hand it was time to catch the ferry back to the city.
From where we docked near Pier 39 the Coit Tower stood tall in our sight line under the sun-soaked afternoon. Neither of us had ever been so we agreed to walk up, up, up Telegraph Hill to the art-deco concrete building resembling a fire hose. The tower was constructed in 1933 as a monument to the SF firefighters. From atop the tower you have unobstructed 360 degree views of the entire bay and city to the ocean. It's stunning. Equally stunning and totally unexpected are the murals painted on the walls of the interior rotunda commissioned as part of the New Deal. They depict life and sentiment of the time and are a must see.
Each time my mom and I get together we take in some culture. As our luck would have it every major company in town was on summer hiatus - the ballet, the symphony, the opera - all wrapped. And to add insult to injury the only mainstage theatrical performance in town was that God-awful Wicked. Totally depressing. So we nuzzled up to the concierge and told him of our plight. He handed us a poorly photocopied calendar of events, most of which were past-tense, and way down on the bottom in dark print as though the page had been crinkled was an ad for the Smuin Ballet. The write-up sounded interesting enough but more importantly they were performing on the right day and time and still had tickets available. Literally a few blocks from our hotel in the beautiful Novellus Theater at the Yerba Buena Center for the Performing Arts we entered with no expectation from this dance troupe presenting a program executed in 3 acts. The first was a refined, accomplished classical routine supported by a Mahler recording performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. It was lovely - not boring, but not special. And then the seduction began. Strong, edgy, sexy and a positively captivating modern dance experience. The Smuin Ballet, a company I had never even heard of before, is forever on my radar screen and one I will seek out on future visits to SF.
One of the best neighborhoods in the city is, of course, world-famed Chinatown. I'm sure if you ask 10 people what intrigues them about it you'd get 10 different answers. Damon's is the fresh plucked ducks lynched up by their drumsticks hanging in the storefront windows awaiting their fate with the deepfryer but mine is the dim-sum, beating only slightly, though, the myriad roots and mushrooms of every shape and size claiming medicinal properties sure to cure every disease known to man. There are so many restaurants in Chinatown that it's really hard to choose the one that is authentic and fresh and just plain yummy. We set out with a task to get the best dim-sum and ended up at Great Eastern on Jackson. Who knows if it was the best in the city or not but it was darn good and super cheap. I love dim-sum because since I don't speak Chinese it's like Christmas morning opening those little wrapped packages called gao (rice dumpling) or bao (flour bun) to reveal a flavorful, saucy little gem inside (seafood, meat, poultry,vegetables or a combo). We were feeling cocky after effusing over the dishes we'd ordered and thought we should go for something a bit more traditional like chicken claws. Now you'd think they would be deep fried and battered and served with some special sauce or something right? In other words, mask the fact that they're chicken feet. These were slimy barely cooked ligaments and veins and vile little bones doused in a tangy sauce. Yuck! Completely inedible. Good thing the tea flows like water to wash it all away and cleanse the palate.
It was Sunday and we thought perchance we could catch a service at the Grace Cathedral. So we hopped on the cable car (for about 2 blocks - what a rip but it WAS uphill so I suppose it was worth it.) Mass was in progress but they welcomed us in. Afterward we learned that there was a docent guided tour beginning shortly. We toured the beautifully crafted cathedral learning of it's origins and commitment to piety, inclusion, art and beauty. The etched outdoor labyrinth is the first thing you come upon after passing through the meticulously kept lawns. It sets the stage for the stunning "doors of paradise" on the church's threshold. Other incredible features are the numerous stained glass windows with nods to biblical parables as well as modern innovation and science; the murals depicting religious life and works; the pipe organ, the alter which boasts the preaching presences of Rev. Martin Luther King and the Dalai Lama; the neo-classical architecture very nearly matched in the old and new construction; and the Aids chapel among many more gorgeous and symbolic works of art.
This weekend was the "Bay to Breakers" race. It's an annual event 100 years old drawing people from all over the world to celebrate the spirit of San Fransisco in a 12k race from the Embarcadero spanning across the width of the city and culminating in a frenzied party at Golden Gate park. We had already planned to spend the afternoon in Golden Gate at the Japanese Tea Garden and the DeYoung, time permitting. Since it's quite a ways out we decided to take the economical route and ride the bus. It was so busy getting around the city because of traffic that we had to wait for the bus for an hour. And then when we got on it was so crowded with "spirited" B-to-B partiers. We finally made it to the park which was jammed with freaks in pink tutus and lime green cod pieces loopy to the point that my mom was a little nervous walking around even though the place was crawling with cops. I had to remind her that SF is the birthplace of peace and love, man. We braved the bus ride back to the hotel including an encounter with a falling down drunk superhero. Batman was bobbin'.
It was a busy and exhausting weekend and we covered a lot of ground so we decided to have a low key dinner close to the hotel. Turns out one of the best Indian (dot not feather) restaurants in town is directly across the street from the hotel called New Delhi on Ellis St. We celebrated a great weekend and made plans for our morning send off. Whenever I'm in town I love to eat at Dottie's True Blue on Jones. Damon and I have been eating there for 15 years. The frittatas are so amazing it's worth enduring the inevitable line of patrons. It poured rain all morning but we walked down there anyway only to find that the line was an hour long and we were starving and pressed for time. I was annoyed but my mom saved the day by asking the bellhop at the Four Seasons where a good breakfast place was and he recommended the Taylor Street Coffee Shop which was great. A brief wait when we arrived and a long wait when we left so get there early. We had a couple hours before we had to leave town so we spent it shopping in Union Square which is always fun since they have chicest shops and an entire floor at Macy's dedicated to women's shoes. Score.
As usual flying is anything but hassle free. We arrived at SFO and went to the counter to see if we could upgrade since I had some free coupons - probably from the last lousy flight. The gent said the flight was full so no upgrade but since we were a little early and another flight was leaving an hour earlier from a gate 2 doors down did we want on it. Sure, why not? Well I'll tell you why not. Our earlier flight ended up leaving an hour later than our original flight with us sitting on the tarmac for 2 hours. Hence, another free ticket as amends for the inconvenience. Good thing SF is a place I love to return to...agro and all.
