StuDudley

I watch about half the games on TV - and I've been surprised at how may empty seats there are now, compared to the Bonds' days.

Stu Dudley

razzledazzle

Well, I guess we all "see" different things.


R5

sf7307

Of course, they claimed "attendance" of over 40,000, but a lot of those people sure weren't physically present. That means there should be plenty of tickets available on Craigslist and Ticket Trader, though.

razzledazzle

Really sf, it's OK, you can have it your way and I can have it mine...

R5

mztery

national league now counts attendance as tickets bought not butts in seats. so there may well be empty seats for boring games where season ticket holders don't bother to go, but "attendance" be higher than it seems.

sf7307

rd, the problem with communicating on the internet is the lack of body language and eye contact. I was trying to agree with you that the attendance by the Giants' own count (tickets purchased, not butts in seats, as mztery said), was close to a sell-out.

I also wanted to let the OP know that even if it is "sold out", lots of people won't actually attend, so try Craigslist and Ticket Trader for tickets.

sf7307

threadles, we were in the Marina yesterday and I wanted to tell you two things:

1) there is a Joie de Vivre motel called Hotel del Sol, at the corner of Webster and Greenwich. It's a much quieter location than any of the motels on Lombard Street, and it looks to be a very nice renovation. It even has a small outdoor pool.

2) We had dinner last night at a newish restaurant on Chestnut Street - called Ristobar - that I highly recommend. We had an early reservation (we had been at Alcatraz), and when we arrived, there was only one other party in the restaurant. By the time we left, it was full. The food is Italian, but definiitely not red-sauce Italian! We shared all our dishes - cheese-stuffed peppers, green salad with a lemony dressing, pizza (great crust), chicken breast with almond coating (pan-fried) and lentil-carrot soup. The salad and chicken were good, the others were very good. The desserts were fabulous (we had a taster of cannoli, baba au rhum and some kind of grape pastry). Very friendly, lots of kids/families, not at stuffy. Highly recommended.

StuDudley

sf - we were near you last night - we dined on Union St at Osha Thai - excellent. We drove right past Hotel del Sol to get into the parking garage where we usually park. You're correct - nice quiet location & excellent location for seeing Chestnut, Fillmore, and Unions Streets.

Saw lots of people dressed up for the Black & White ball - expecially at Balboa Cafe.

Stu Dudley

sf7307

Stu, we walked past Osha Thai on Union - I work in Embarcadero Four where there's a branch. It's consistently good, and very pretty to boot.

>>

Yes, we parked (on the street) on Webster just above Union -- we had an hour to kill before dinner, so we wandered up and down Union, then walked down Fillmore to Chestnut, then wandered down Chestnut to the restaurant.

We got stuck in traffic trying to head south because Van Ness was closed for the B&W Ball.

StuDudley

>>We got stuck in traffic trying to head south because Van Ness was closed for the B&W Ball.

easytraveler

So glad that other Fodorites have discovered the Hotel del Sol which I have been recommending for at least a year or two, ever since a friend of mine told me about it. Seems to be cleaner too than the Lombard Street motels.

We usually leave the City on Van Ness as well or from the Fourth Street ramp or via the roads along Ocean Beach down to where it joins 280 - just depends on which part of the city we are leaving from.

Is that "Gough" pronounced "goo" or "goff"? I've heard it pronounced both ways and have a personal preference, but would like to know how others pronounce that street.

sf7307

It's pronounced "goff".

StuDudley

goff

Stu Dudley

easytraveler

Many thanks, that's my preference too.

razzledazzle

When I first moved to The City I was told it was prounounced
like "cough" - Gough like cough -works for me after pronounced
it "Go".


R5

threadies

So much information!!! Thank you all for your input. I had checked out Hotel del Sol before and although liked it very much, it was a bit above our budget. We are holidaying for 5 weeks this time and so I was looking for something around the $100 mark. I have booked our accommodation at ABVI Golden Gate motel. It has recently had a refurbishment and looked ok on the website. By not spending too much on our hotel,we plan on making the most of some of the great restaurants recommended on this site. (Albona, Scoma's, The Cliff House, Enrico's, The Paragon, Lori's Diner). I have been checking them out for a few months now and we are spoiled for choice.

I have also booked out Giants tickets and have seats in Lower Box.We will take your advice and rug up that night.

Soooooo looking forward to our time in San Francisco

I will post a trip report when I return home.

easytraveler

threadies: i would beg you to reconsider your hotel choice.

Read the poor reports on tripadvisor. Seems like there really was no renovation and there are bedbugs!?

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...alifornia.html

If you see a series of poor reviews followed by a few good ones, that's a sure sign that the management is trying to upgrade its image and posting some good reports.

Do you know how to bid on Priceline? You can get good lodgings on Priceline for the same price that you will pay at the ABVI.

Do again urge you to reconsider your choice.

StuDudley

Where did you hear that Lori's Diner is a 'great restaurant" ???

Stu Dudley

sf7307

>>

Not from me, that's for sure

NeoPatrick

Maybe the Lori's Diner "great" recommendation came from the same person who called Enrico's (a famous but very faded eatery) and The Cliff House "great". Well, at least The Cliff House has a great view (when they clean their windows).