View
Pacific Heights
The city boasts 43 hills – phew – so you are never short of a few fantastic panoramic views. Our choice is Pacific Heights. For San Fran first-timers (nobody else would dare call the city San Fran), this area will live-up to all your filmic dreams. Take in the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay from this rather luxurious vantage point surrounded by boutique shops, fancy cafes and well-groomed locals who, despite the blustery winds, don’t have a hair out of place.
History
Alcatraz Island Prison
In 150 years, only one inmate managed to escape from Alcatraz, the prison surrounded by shark-infested waters, volatile weather conditions and treacherous currents. This is a tourist prison a cut above the rest and, receiving over a million visitors every year Frankenheimer’s ‘Birdman from Alcatraz’, 1962 and Siegel’s ‘Escape from Alcatraz’, 1979, have helped keep the attraction at the top of tourist’s to-do agendas. If you don’t want to follow the sheep you can always swim the one-and-a-half miles to ‘the Rock’ with aquapreneur and tour leader, Gary Emich. Did I mention the sharks?
Drinks
Bourbon Branch
A San Francisco speakeasy, apparently, the Bourbon Branch bar is listed in the telephone directory as ‘The Ipswich – A Beverage Parlor’. Its history is muddled with bootleggers, shaken with house rules and finally stirred with, well bourbon of course! During the Prohibition era of the 1920s the bar attracted some of the most notorious names in bootlegging. Nowadays, the wink-wink nudge-nudge drink’s order is no longer necessary.
Sporting Life
Baseball AT&T Park
Take in a baseball game, an essential local sporting experience. The AT&T Park is home to the San Francisco Giants and the stadium won’t fail to impress baseball novices. Last minute ticket purchases are the best way to bag a bargain and even the cheapest seats offer fantastic views of the Bay Bridge and marina. If all else fails, peep through the free viewing window located behind the right field.
Food
Ferry Building Farmers Market
A notable driving force behind locally sourced food, this farmers’ market is a historic landmark in San Francisco. Stop for locally produced cheeses, mushrooms, jams and more. Weekly cooking demonstrations and discussions are free to attend in the scenic open-air Arcade.
Open: Tues & Thurs, 10am-2pm; Saturday, 8am-2pm
Style
Sneakers from Huf
Keith Hufnagel recognized San Francisco is not all about tree-hugging fashions. A professional skateboarder since 1992, he has a hard-line of followers loving his unique fusion of NYC edginess. There are 2 Huf stores, one selling clothes on 812 Sutter St and the other on 516 Hayes St selling supreme sneakers.
Old Times’ Sake
The Castro Theater
It’s the oldest picturehouse in San Francisco and was built in 1922. Decorated with old film posters and classic murals, it serves as a trip down cinema’s memory lane. The schedule covers some golden oldies, lovingly introduced by a Mighty Wurlitzer organ and it also hosts a number of gay screenings.
Dance Classes
Lindy in the Park
Fancy trying to bop to lindy hop? Swing along to the Golden Gate Park for a free session every Sunday 11am-2pm. All you beginners will want to hit the 12-12:30pm class. Unless it’s raining, the group can be found on the South sidewalk of John F. Kennedy Drive, between the de Young Museum and the north entrance to the Music Concourse.
Tags : San Francisco