Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Trip Report Improved San Francisco Trip Report 9/11-9/15

Hey everyone. Here's the new and improved San Francisco trip report. I decided to repost it after viewing my previous one that was so full of errors it was embarrassing. I felt that with all the help and great information I got from you guys, the least I could do was provide you with a report that was readable. I apologize if I babble a bit, but I think it helps you get an idea of the good time I had.

Sorry it took so long to repost, but things got crazy at work and home. It’s a long one, so be prepared.

Thursday 9/11
The flight from Chicago was uneventful. Ever since 9/11, I get pretty anxious when flying. With it being the 7th anniversary of 9/11, I was even more so. I only realized the significance of the date after I had booked my tickets. Anyway, if I can fly on 9/11 and not freak out, I can fly anytime.

I arrived at SFO around 1:30 p.m. After picking up my bag, I headed towards the MUNI station. I asked the agent for the closest stop to Stockton St. She said Powell St looked good (turns out, it was). The ride only took about 20 minutes. Once I reached the street level, I asked the hotdog vendor on the corner of Powell and Market Streets, which way to the Grand Hyatt on Stockton. He told me it was 3 blocks away...up hill!

After checking in, I walked back to the Visitors Center in Union Square and bought a 7 day MUNI pass. Even though I was only going to be here for 4 days, it didn't make sense to buy a 3 day and 1 day pass, when the 7 day pass was cheaper. Believe me, I got more than my original $24 out of that thing.

I walked back to the hotel and took a short nap. After showering and changing, I walked to the corner of Stockton & Sutter and got on the #30 bus for North Beach. However, I got on the bus going the wrong direction and ended up at the end of the line in some funky part of town, around Townsend & 4th. It kind of reminded me of that Cuba Gooding, Jr. – Emelio Estevez movie, "Judgement Night". No problem. I whipped out my street map and bus route map to figure out where I was. Lucky for me, there was a #45 bus pulling up. I asked the driver where I could pick up the #30 to N.B. and he said he was going right by the area. I ended up getting off at the same corner in N.B. that the #30 stops at..

I walked around a bit checking out the restaurants and sights and then headed for my pre-determined choice, E Tutto Qua (270 Columbus). I picked this place based on suggestions from some of you Fodorites and reviews on YELP.

Since it was past 9 p.m., I was afraid I might not get seated for dinner. However, I was wrong. The owner greeted me warmly and sat me at a nice table by the windows. All of the wait staff had Italian accents. Whether fake or not, who cares. They were cute and my waiter was a flirt. For dinner, I had the arugula salad with red grapes, shaved parmesan cheese and balsamic vinaigrette; lamb shanks stuffed with pesto, eggplant and parmesan cheese; and spinach and garlic sauteed in olive oil. I had a great '04 Ripaso Valpolicelo wine by Masi.

During dinner, a very old black & white Anthony Quinn movie was playing in Italian. However, the funniest part of dinner was the view. Across the street was an adult bookstore, who's marquee' was advertising a back to school special for teachers & administrators....10-20% off.

I thought this place was a gem and would go back again.

After I got back to the hotel, I headed up to Grandviews Lounge for a drink. Since I was a few floors below, I had no excuse not to go up there and check it out, even though I was dead tired. It was a bit foggy out, so I couldn't see too much. The bar was small, but nice.

This is where I had the first of my mediocre cocktails (see my S.F. trip report posted 9/27). I use a cosmopolitan, my favorite cocktail, as my guide whenever I check out a new bar. I try to order it with Stoli raspberry, when possible. This gives me a good comparison, as far as bartenders goes. Now I like a good, stiff drink just as much as the next person, but this one was way too strong. Not even an extra splash of cranberry juice could help it. Needless to say, I only had one.

Friday 9/12
Since I had to relocated to the Marriott on 4th Street (due to the dental convention I couldn't get 4 nights in one place), I loaded up my bag for the day. The hotel was only 5 blocks downhill, so I decided to walk. I had planned on storing suitcase with the bellman and come back after 2 p.m. to check in. Fortunately, luck was on my side. It was only 10:30 a.m., but a room was ready for me. I was on the 16th floor, away from the elevator. I had a fairly decent view, too. I hind sight, the room here was much better than at the Hyatt.

After hanging up my clothes, I walked back up to the bus stop on Stockton to head for Chinatown. Little did I know that if I just walked a half block past the stop and up the stairs, Grant Street was one block down hill and the Chinatown Gate was 2 blocks past that.

Anyhow, after a short ride and walk, I located the gate, with the help of a homeless man. Normally, I don't give money to panhandlers, but since he helped me, I gave him a few bucks. I pulled out my camera to take some pictures and realized I left the battery back in the room. A quick walk back to the hotel and a short bus ride back up (those hills are killers) and I was in business. I wandered down Grant Street, enjoying all of the chaos and hustle of the day.

Here's a funny story about a seemingly homeless guy I met at a bus stop while there. When he got off the bus, he was mumbling to himself. Everyone else moved away or got on the bus, parting like the Red Sea. He sat on the bench and started talking to me. He was looking through his bag and said he couldn’t find a pack of batteries he just bought. He told me he thought his friend might have stolen them. He said his friend was crazy "because he does all that crack and stuff and has to steal to pay for his drugs." The guy then proceeds to tell me that he only drinks and smokes weed. He said he has to hustle to get money for liquor but doesn't steal and gets the weed for free. I started laughing and asked him where in the world he got free weed. He looked at me and smiled and said he couldn't tell me. He reminded me of the Japanese actor, Mako.

Well, after walking the entire street, I found myself at the corners of Broadway, Grant & Columbus. I decided to try and find the crooked part of Lombard, so I boarded the good old #30, heading towards the Warf. A few stops later, I got off and started wandering around. I managed to find the bottom of the hill and walked to the top. Hey, how come nobody tells you if you walk up it, you practically have to do so on your hands and knees?

Once at the top, I decided to wait a bit for my heart attack to be over before heading back towards Chinatown. I waited for a cable car heading back towards Union Square, but they were all acked. So, I got on one heading down to the Warf. I got off at the end of the line, walked a block up and got on an almost empty one heading back uphill.

I jumped off at the Chinatown stop so I could eat lunch and pick up some souvenirs. I checked out a few restaurant menus and settled on The Imperial Palace (818 Washington). I always take it as a good sign when people of the same ethnic background are dining in a place you want to go. I figure if they are eating there, then the food must be good....it reminds them of home and their mom’s cooking. For lunch I had the Kung Pao prawns, which were pretty good. But boy was it spicy.

Walking back to the hotel, I stopped by 2 of the chocolate shops I had mapped out. Teuscher & Richart, which just happened to be on the same block of Sutter Street. Whoo Hoo! On they way back, I stopped at Bristol Market (similar to Whole Foods or Fresh Market), located on the lower level of Westfield Centre and picked up some stuff for breakfast. This place was a godsend.

Back at the hotel, I took a shower and kicked back for a bit. I had not set plans for dinner, and I didn't know where to go. Fortunately, one of the stations on the 40 inch, flat screen, LCD TV (I gotta get me one of these!), was showing a program which showcased the different neighborhoods. One restaurant highlighted in Union Square was the Lark Street Steak House. It is located in the Westfield Centre (845 Market Street), right around the corner from my hotel.

Keeping my fingers crossed, I called to see if I could get a reservation. Being a Friday, I didn't hold out much hope. I was lucky and got a table at 8.

Sometimes, restaurants like to stick us single diners in the corner. But, when I dine alone, I always ask for a nice table. I didn't have to ask here. My waiter, Troy was helpful in choosing a great wine. He recommended a '03 Rombauer Merlot, which came in a half bottle. Why pay for 2 glasses, when you can get 3 for the same price or less.

For dinner, I had a salad of arugula, prosciuto, grilled peaches, shaved parmesan and balsamic vinaigrette (I see a pattern emerging here), whipped potatoes and an 8 oz fillet w/bearnaise sauce. The only bad thing about this meal was the sauce. It was way too rich for me. I should have gone with my first choice of blue cheese. Needless to say, my eyes were bigger than my stomach. The 6 oz. steak would have been more than enough, but I only left one bite!

After finishing, I walked back to the hotel to get a cab to go to The Top of The Mark at the Mark Hopkins Hotel. OK, it's a Friday night at a major hotel and you have to wait for 10 minutes to get a cab? At least I got to talk to the cute doorman.

Once at the Mark, I opted to sit at the bar. This had a 2-fold purpose. I didn't have to wait in line for a table and I got to chat with a couple of people. The view is phenomenal and the bar layout is nice. But the band (whose name escapes me) wasn't so hot. I arrived just as they were ending their first set. They sounded great. However, when they started up again, they sounded like a band you would hear at a wedding reception. I decided to leave when they finished the set since I was pretty tired. Well, wouldn't you know it, as I was waiting for the elevator, they started playing again and sounded great. I guess they play cheesy songs every other set.

Saturday 9/13
When I got up, I took a look out the window and saw that is was cloudy again. However, I was pretty sure it would clear up and become sunny, like the day before. After getting dressed and eating breakfast, I walked over to Market Street and caught a cable car, bound for the Ferry Building. By the time I got there, the sun was out and it had got warmer.

This place buzzing. Before I bought anything, I walked through the building to check things out. Then I went outside to check out the local vendors. I picked up a couple of peaches and plouts (like plums, but sweeter) to snack on later. I'm wondering how come the California peaches we get here taste like sand and the ones I got out there were really juicy?! I went back in to start shopping. Along the way, I sampled a few of the fresh oysters for sale, some cheese and some spreads for bread.

It's just too bad we can't carry on more than 3 oz. of liquids on the plane or else I would have picked up a few bottles of olive oil. I bought some rosemary and lavender salts from the Prather Ranch Meat Co. Who knows when I'll use them because I hate to cook. I also got vanilla infused sugar from Schaeffer Berger Chocolate. I was crushed that they were out of their chocolate hazelnut ganache. I got some yummy pieces of chocolate from Recchiuti Chocolates. I was pretty loaded down so I bought one of the Ferry Building Farmer's Market canvas bags to haul away all of my goodies.

For lunch, I had a cup of New England clam chowder. It was just ok, it wasn't seasoned enough for my taste. I also had a half of a shrimp sandwich and small salad. The sandwich was pretty good. I didn't want to eat too much because I was headed to Alcatraz later and don't do well on small boats. I had some time to kill, so I went in search of a bathroom. One gripe about the Ferry Building...more bathrooms, please. Two is not enough. I found a little bakery by the back door and bought an apple turnover for later. Don't forget to go out back, because I found a whole other area with vendors out there! If I lived in San Francisco, I'd be here every Saturday to pick up my produce.

It was getting close to my launch time, so I started walking to Pier 33. The walk took about 20 minutes. For anyone who wants to tour "The Rock" (no, not Dewayne Johnson, the former wrestler and Scorpion King), make sure to buy tickets at few days in advance. You can forget about buying same day tickets.

The boat ride took about 15 minutes. It was chilly and windy out there. Once on the island, you have to walk up a fairly steep hill to get to the cellblock. In here, you can pick up the audio tour headset, which is included in your ticket price. The tour of the cellblock is narrated by former guards and prisoners. It addresses some of the facts (the escape portrayed in the movie "Escape from Alcatraz") and myths (The Birdman of Alcatraz). One item I found amusing was that prisoners coveted cells on one side of the block because they got the afternoon sun. Imagine that, prisoners fighting over a cell. Even in the late summer, it was brisk inside, so I can imagine how bad it got during the winter.

I poked around after the tour and then headed back to the dock. Once on the mainland, I waited and waited and waited for a cable car. It was here that San Francisco was reminded me of Chicago during rush hour. A dozen empty buses (cable cars in this case) pass you going in the opposite direction and the ones going your way are packed and don't stop. I had a 7:30 dinner reservation and it was almost 5:30, so I started walking. I ended up walking from Sansome Street to Market, where I finally caught a cable car.
I jumped in the shower and got dressed for dinner. Again, I had to wait for a cab. But my future husband was working as the doorman again…..

Dinner tonight was at Kokkari (200 Jackson). Again I had a great waiter, Chris, and table. For an appetizer, he recommended the grilled red peppers, stuffed with Kefelegravia cheese paired with '07 Vina Godeval, Godello from Valdeorras. No, I'm not a wine snob. I wrote the names of all of these wines down so I could share this with you. For the main course, I had grilled halibut, with a grilled corn, squash and red pepper succotash. This time, I forced myself to have dessert, Soklatina, a flourless chocolate cake. Man was it good. Don't ask me how they managed to do this, but the cake was about an inch high. I've never seen flourless cake that high. Since I finished dinner with plenty of time to spare before the 10 p.m. show at Yoshi's, I went back to the hotel for a bit.

I picked up my ticket at the box office and had a short wait. I booked on line, so I got a seat at a table right in front. James Carter was playing. I had never heard of him before but he was fantastic. The show lasted about 1 ½ hours. Some people mentioned a 2 drink minimum, with pushy waitresses. Not so. It was a one drink minimum and the waitress was cool. I was going to go to the adjacent lounge afterwards, but techno music was playing. Ugh! Out to the street in search of a cab I went. Several nightclubs in the immediate area, a Saturday night and nary a cab to be found.

Back at the Marriott, I decided to check out the View Lounge on the 39th floor. I wanted a cosmo with raspberry Stoli, but they were out. I settled for plain, old Stoli. Again I got a super strong drink. If I was an alcoholic, I'd be in 7th heaven. The windows were kind of freaky. I felt like I was in a fishbowl. They view was awsome.

Sunday 9/14
I decided today would be a leisurely day, so I walked over to Westfield Centre and had a real breakfast (bacon, eggs and toast) at the food court. I then caught the #30 bus to Fisherman's Warf so I could rent a bike. I picked up a bike for $31 for the entire day. I started pedaling towards the Golden Gate Bridge. I was going to ride to Golden Gate Park first but realized it would be impossible to do both. I rode past Crissy Field and the Presidio. Some of the hills leading to the bridge were so steep that I had to walk the up. Thank goodness I had on a hoodie, because once I got on the bridge, it was pretty windy. Riding over was kind of scary. All I kept thinking was that if one of the local cyclists racing over the bridge knocked me over the rails, I was taking him with me! It's a loooong way down.

Once on the other side, I asked for directions to Sausalito. One of the locals pointed towards a steep hill. It was all downhill, so I didn't even have to peddle. But he didn't tell me at the bottom of the hill were several more I had to go up. In Sausalito, I had some ice cream and took in the sites. I decided that since I just had 2 scoops of ice cream, I would ride back. What was I thinking! By the time I got to the bridge, it was so cold you could see your breath and the wind had picked up a lot. I took a peek over the side and watched a couple of para-sailors. Those guys were crazy!

By the time I got back to the hotel, I was half frozen by the time I got back to the hotel, so I took a really hot shower. I was so tired that I didn't feel like going out, but I was starving. I walked back over to Westfield to check out the other 3 restaurants on the 4th floor. I settled on Straits. The menu looked interesting .I had the Ahi Tuna Tower, which had the strongest wasabi this side of Hades. The tuna was chopped and tossed with ginger & kafir lime leaf, with a side of cassava chips. This was really good. For dinner I chose the Duck Kapitan (not on the menu yet). This was the best duck I’ve every had. It included pan seared duck breast with some sort of mild sweet sauce, duck leg fricassee (the skin was crispy and not greasy) and a corn relish, along with a side of jasmine rice. The wine was just ok, Loosen Reisling.

I thoroughly enjoyed the conversation at the next table, where one woman was telling her friends about the 3 different guys she slept with over the weekend! Thanks for sharing every last detail with strangers. I'm sure your mother is proud of you.

Monday 9/15
My plane wasn't leaving until 4:20, so I had almost the entire day to goof off. I checked out of the room, picked up a muffin and juice and headed to Union Square. I bought "City Walks: San Francisco: 50 Adventures on Foot" but I left it at home. I really wanted to see some the of Victorians, but didn't know where to start. A company called Victorian Home Walk meets every morning at 11 in Union Square and takes you on a walking tour of Pacific Heights. I found out about this tour when I was watching the show I mentioned earlier. Our tour guide was Shonna. The group was just the right size, 9. We hopped on a bus and we were off. We got off at the corner of Octavia & Sutter, across the street from a Victorian that was converted into a B & B. It used to be a girl's finishing school and then a men's club. It’s now called the Queen Anne. We got to go in and tour it. The current owners have furnished it with antique furniture. Boy did rich people know how to live back in the day.

This walked included all three styles of Victorians. Sadly, it included some of the indignities that were heaped upon these beautiful homes in the 60's & 70's. Stucco, shingles, sidings, covering windows, removing the front gardens. What were people thinking? Bleech!. One house looked like a ski chalet. It was covered in brown shingles. We also saw a home that had just recently been restored. You could tell that the owners put a lot of money and time into it. Shonna said that since she does these walks almost every day, she gets to see works in progress when someone starts to restore one of these homes. She said a lot of the time, when the siding is removed , the original carvings, friezes, etc, are still there. If I lived in San Francisco and had a few million dollars, I'd want to live in one of these.

We went from the “low rent” area of Pacific Heights, were homes cost around $2-3 million, to the area where the homes cost over $10 million. We saw the houses that were used on "The Party of Five" and "Mrs. Doubtfire." The tour lasted about 2 ½ hours and it was well worth the $20. If you have some time to kill before leaving, this might be the thing for you to do.

Make sure you get a street map before you go. I found a really good, laminated one at Borders, by Borch. Also, grab the little 8x11 Bay City Guide when you get a MUNI pass. Between the 2 of these, I had no problems getting around town. I had a great time. I ate way too much and walked a whole lot. I would like to go back and visit the wine country. Thanks everyone for all your help....

Stephanie