San Francisco 2017

"I left my heart in San Francisco..."

I lived in San Francisco for 2 years in 3 different apartments. I would have continued to live there, however, but I became homesick and it would have been financially impossible.

My wife and I are always looking for new places to travel. Since we take a yearly trip to Los Angeles, we try to find somewhere to explore afterwards. I had been talking up my experiences in San Francisco for years to my wife. She suggested we travel there after Los Angeles as she has never been. Perfect! We would leave Los Angeles in the early morning, fly to San Francisco, spend the day, and fly out in the evening. In retrospect, we should have spent the night in San Francisco, then flown out the next day. There is simply too much to see in the city in less than one day. Also, she had to make decisions on what she really wanted to see due to the massive time constraint.

She selected a few places that where important enough for her to see. I then chose a few other places that one must see in San Francisco. I bought a map with a list of the places we were to visit in the straightest line possible. This way we would not waste what little time we had backtracking. I was excited as well since I have not been to San Francisco in at least 15 years.

An ultra rare, 5.2 V10 Audi S6. We are off to a good start!

A not-so-rare for California, a Ferrari California.

We started in the Castro and then went to a viewing location under Sutro Tower. This view is high enough to see downtown and across the bay to Oakland.

The first place she wanted to visit was the Painted Ladies. These are a row of Victorian houses in various colors. There are several sets of Painted Ladies through the city, however, these are the most famous with depictions in painting, postcards, and the opening credits of Full House.

Tai Chi Restaurant

This was one of many favorite restaurants in the city! I would eat here as much as my bank account would allow me. 

Whenever I go to a Chinese restaurant I always order Hot and Sour soup. This is only time I will eat mushrooms or seaweed! Best in the city!

No explanation needed why she wanted to visit this location.

The Buena Vista Cafe is famous for introducing the Irish Coffee to the world.

City Lights Bookstore is the most famous Beat bookstore in the world. Even Jim Morrison frequented this store when he lived across the bay in Alameda. 

Sodini's Restaurant 510 Green St. 

After a long day of walking around, we asked a local to recommend a place to eat. Since we were in North Beach, a woman suggested Sodini's. 

There was Rat Pack memorabilia was scattered about.

We went through two baskets of freshly baked Sourdough bread.

What is the most San Francisco thing you can do? Ride a cable car. We rode one from the wharves to California St.

I took some photographs of cinematic significance in the area.  Francis Ford Coppola's Cafe Zoetrope is also located in North Beach. 

This alleyway was used in, "Basic Instinct", where they find the dead policeman and accuse Nick of the murder.

 

Famous San Francisco bar, Tosca, was also used in, "Basic Instinct". They shot the scene where Nick starts to drink alcohol again and leaves with Beth. 

This is the market Lt. Frank Bullitt goes into to buy his groceries in, "Bullitt". The street sign is visible in the movie when he steals the newspaper.

This is Bullitt's residence. The exterior is visible when Del stops by.