When the sun shines on the City by the Bay, San Francisco dazzles with a beauty that finds within its under 50 square miles - a culture of distinct neighborhoods, art communities, some of the best restaurants in the world and still one of the most important food cities in America. Take a peek inside this issue for a Springtime Stay by the Bay...
Flowers are a-bloom in the City by the Bay - from the 80,000 tulips at Union Square where you could pick your own complimentary bunch in honor of International Women's Day to Golden Gate Park's Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden and 55-acres filled with wildflowers at The San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum. Get into a flower-powered groove that harkens back to the days of Haight & Ashbury
SUITCASE
FLOWER POWER
L'Atelier Floréal Dominique and Patrick Pfahl's unique floral arrangements, hand crafted gifts and decorative accents in downtown San Francisco since 1981.
CAMELIA SKIKOS is designer of her conceptual womenswear brand based in San Francisco - with an ideology standing for consciousness and humanity. Garments made cruelty-free and a small environmental footprint as the entire collections are manufactured locally in limited quantities. Yellow Tulip Jacket 100% cotton $350.
LOVE & LUXE San Francisco Sapphire Encrusted Padlock Necklace $10,000.
DOLCE & GABBANA - the new Happy Garden collection tells the story of a woman who is surrounded by a flowering garden. Printed Canvas Shopper in soft poppy trimmed with calfskin details $1195.
INEKE PERFUMER San Francisco from Ineke Rühland - HOTHOUSE FLOWER is a tribute to the lush and creamy scent of gardenia (Green Gardenia Soliflore) with notes of galbanum, fig, cypress and frankincense $125.
ABACUS ROW independent brand of jewelry - JIU JIU HOOPS, CHRYSANTHEMUM crystal earrings limited-edition from the Garden Collection 14k gold-filled $208.
LA DOUBLE J - Tones Wedge Margarita sandals flaunt a suede and leather upper and a jacquard daisy heel $940.
SUITCASE
CITY BY THE BAY
UOMO San Francisco serving the City by the Bay with the finest Italian menswear for more than 30 years. This new palm-tree patterned vacation shirt by Stenströms is a sport fitted body in navy linen $295.
CITY LIGHTS - Lawrence Ferlinghetti founded the City Lights publishing house in 1955, launching the press with his now legendary Pocket Poets Series. But it was the success and scandal of Number Four, Howl & Other Poems by Allen Ginsberg in 1956 that put City Lights on the map, positioning the Pocket Poets Series at the forefront of the literary counterculture. CITY LIGHTS POCKET POETS ANTHOLOGY (60th Anniversary) by Lawrence Ferlinghetti - Hardcover Book $21.95
INEKE PERFUMER San Francisco from Ineke Rühland - DERRING-DO (Fresh Fougère) is a darkly romantic men’s fragrance evoking spring rain. Ode to the literary rogue, Derring-Do is the Old English term for daring, with its requisite chivalry. Classic fougère notes with the scent of early morning spring rain, magnolia flowers, cardamom and pepper. Refreshing elegance for the modern man $125.
SIGHTGLASS COFFEE Toketee Organic Coffee - Apricot, Cacao Nib, Caramel 12oz $20.50 Location SOMA & Mission districts and on Divisadero Street with an LA location in Hollywood's Sycamore District.
GLASER DESIGNS custom made in San Francisco made-to-measure bags of vegetable-tanned leathers of tree bark enzymes offered in 3 shades: undyed (natural), tannery-colored espresso leather and tannery-colored black leather. Hand-burnished to enrich the leather's grain and customized Square Duffel $2900.
ARCANA - Urban Greenhouse, Wine Bar & Kitchen, Live Music & Events Space. Besides shopping for an eclectic collection of houseplants, especially larger sized plants - ARCANA offers plant specialists doctor visits as well as their design services. Evenings turn into a wine bar with vegetarian & vegan bites and live performances.
LA COCINA MUNICIPAL MARKETPLACE - Women led multi-cultural food market in the Tenderloin. International flavors from BOUG CALI Cajun/Creole influenced bites, BINI'S Nepalese cuisine, TERANGA Senegalese and Tunisien tastes, Algerian eatery KAYMA, as well as Mexican traditions by LOS CILANTROS, MI MORENA and ESTRELLITA'S SNACKS- Plus spirits at La Paloma Bar that highlights women-owned/operated distillers that respect the land and traditions of making agave-based spirits. Named San Francisco Chronicle one of Top 25 Restaurants in the Bay Area.
BLUE PAINTED LADY TOUR - Experience a tour of an iconic 1894 Painted Ladies Queen Anne style home, just show up daily at 4pm for a 1-hr tour /$20.donation. The Painted Ladies are Victorian pastel-colored homes standing shoulder to shoulder on the slope of Steiner Street also known as "postcard row" along the eastern side of Alamo Square Park.
Lady Falcon Coffee Truck serves coffee every day in the middle of the park. This vista is a reminder of the San Francisco days of old, with the shimmer of the downtown skyline in the distance and is best viewed when the sun sets a glow on The Ladies.
NoPa is the stretch of road just a block from the Alamo Square Park (and the famous Painted Ladies houses) with some of SF's best restaurants (like Che Fico and Bar Crudo) and indie shops. It’s a cool urban corner of the city that requires little walking with all of the neighborhood’s best within radius.
MADARAE - SF's newest nightclub had its grand opening in March and offers a private upstairs mezzanine area for VIP party seating with a bird's eye view of the entire venue + bottle service - to sip, savor and socialize in style.
PERSONA SOCIAL CLUB - located in the Lower Nob Hill district is the perfect after-work spot, cocktail bar, social club/event space that plays records all night and serves expertly crafted cocktails set on fire like the Sweet Paradise made with Vodka, Kombucha, pink grapefruit, guava & rosemary - or try the Pay Close Attention Palo Santo infused St. George Terroir Gin, Carpano Antica Formula, Campari with citrus oil. Beats, Cocktails & Vibes - DJs TH-SAT
CHINATOWN - San Francisco’s Chinatown born of the California Gold Rush years, dates back further than any other Chinese community in North America spanning 30 city blocks - the largest neighborhood of its kind outside Asia. You’ll see a cross-section of humanity here - families eating dim sum, older Chinese men playing cards & influencer selfies on Grant Avenue.
Down a little side street on Jackson is the Z & Y Restaurant - a Chinatown hit for spicy Sichuan dishes from celebrated Chef that cooked for Prime Ministers. Reservations recommended or prepare for a long wait if you arrive after 5:30pm. Though not fancy, the prices are high as a Bib Gourmand Michelin eatery where you'll enjoy unexpected entertainment by Xu, performing his hot tea service.
Chinatown's hidden swanky cocktail bars - MOONGATE LOUNGE is a lunar inspired listening lounge on the top floor above Mister Jiu's with a rotating cocktail menu featuring six concoctions named after moons of the solar system. Above China Live is COLD DRINKS BAR a Shanghai inspired cocktail lounge known for top-shelf Scotch drinks and voted one of the six best cocktail bars in the City by the Bay by NEWSWEEK - featuring food from the Eight Tables by George Chen Kitchen. Accessible via stairwell follow the black bats painted on the walls that lead the way to the door. Inside is the swanky bar where bartenders wear tuxedos & the vibe is modern with a dash of old school.
Maneki Neko
Lucky Cats
Maneki is the Japanese word for beckoning and neko means cat - which is a cat figurine with a slow-moving upright paw beckoning to invite guests, also known as the Chinese Lucky Cat. Traditional Maneki Neko cats are calico and are considered the luckiest. Golden Lucky Cats are placed in corners to increase wealth, white Lucky Cats for positive energy, red /pink for love, fame and successful ventures - and black Lucky Cats for health and protection.
MISSION DISTRICT STREET ART - The Mission's famous street art, spills out of alleys, splashes across the exterior of grocery stores, bodegas, and covers neighborhood homes. Some pieces are commissioned - others spontaneous, but all contribute to the neighborhood’s character. The spots you should make sure to hit are Balmy Alley, just off Mission and 24th Streets, and Clarion Alley near the 16th Street BART station. Also check out the major mural corridors from 24th Street from Valencia to Portrero Avenue and Mission Street from the corner of 15th Street to Cesar Chavez. For a real deep dive, contact Precita Eyes Muralists, a nonprofit that runs street art tours of Mission District.
LYON STREET STEPS with nearly three hundred steps over two blocks between Broadway and Green Street flanked by neatly clipped hedges and a podium midway down that’s set off by classical balustrades - displays a decidedly European feel. This steep staircase tucked between Pacific Heights and the sprawling Presidio, combines three San Francisco archetypes: big views, beautiful surrounds, and serious luxury. You’ll experience the views the moment you reach the top of the steps as the view of the city spreads out and beyond the steel-blue waters of the Bay and the rolling hills of Tiburon. Behind the hedges are some of the palatial mansions of San Francisco’s glitterati - close to Billionaire Row (or the Gold Coast) and Presidio Park, this destination serves as an outdoor workout for locals and as a tourist attraction for one of the best views of the City by the Bay and a photo op of the famous San Francisco heart. "Migrant Heart" by Hung Liu 2004. It is, after all - the city where we love to leave our hearts...
SEA CLIFF - the City by the Bay's most exclusive neighborhood adjacent to the Pacific Ocean and Baker Beach, southwest of the Presidio of San Francisco, and east of Lincoln Park. You will pass through this coveted neighborhood on foot if you're hiking from Land's End to the Golden Gate Bridge and there's a trail that heads down to Baker Beach. The Presidio's 25th Avenue entrance is known for its mansions of high architectural caliber with 2 houses at the end of 24th Avenue once home to legendary photographer Ansel Adams, who was born in San Francisco in 1902. Adam's parents built a home at what is today 129 24th Ave in 1903 and it was one of a handful on a sand dune overlooking the Presidio. Adams married his wife Virginia in 1928 and built a house next door to his childhood home, with the two houses connected by a hallway. Designed by Alfred Henry Jacobs (Avalon Ballroom), the new Adams house at 131 24th Ave was also home to his photography studio. In 1962, Ansel Adams moved to Carmel and both houses were purchased by local architect Peter Winklestein. In 1995 one of the next-door houses fell into a sinkhole, leaving the area between the Adams house and the Presidio open. The neighborhood hoped to convert the newly vacant lot and fill it with oak trees to name it the "Ansel Adams Grove" - unfortunately the lot was subdivided and sold instead.
CLIFF HOUSE
photos courtesy Cliff House
Visitors have flocked to the City by the Bay's western shore to enjoy ocean views and fine dining at the Cliff House since 1863. The original Cliff House (1863-1894) was a fashionable resort for the wealthy situated on top of the cliff overlooking Seal Rocks. For many years it was very exclusive, guest register bore the names of three U.S. presidents and prominent San Francisco families such as the Hearsts, the Stanfords and the Crockers. By the late 1870s it had declined in popularity, so to attract new customers, the managers offered gambling and alcohol which resorted it to become shabby and unrespectable. In 1881 self-made millionaire, philanthropist, and later mayor of San Francisco Adolph Sutro bought the Cliff House with plans to re-establish the restaurant as a wholesome, family-friendly venue. Tragically on Christmas Day in 1894 a fire destroyed the original wood-frame of Cliff House. In 1896, Sutro was finally able to open the Victorian Cliff House (1896-1907) a newly grand, 8 story castle-like structure with turrets, decorative spires, fanciful roof dormers and an observation tower. This new resort was designed for dining, dancing and entertainment. Although it would survive the earthquake of 1906, in September 1907 a fire would once again destroy the Cliff House. The third Neoclassical Cliff House (1906-present) was constructed in concrete and designed in a streamline, classically inspired architectural style; that settled into the landscape rather than dominate the ocean view. It opened to the public in 1909 and carried on the tradition of sumptuous dining rooms and elegant entertainment. World War I and the Great Depression took its toll and the Sutro family sold the Cliff House. During the 1940s and 50s, owners modified it several times, but in 1977, the National Park Service acquired the property to become part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and in 2005, rehabilitated it to its original neoclassical design. Architects added an adjacent Sutro Wing to improve access to ocean views, allowing diners and visitors to continue enjoying the Pacific Ocean views from the Cliff House high above Seal Rocks.
An unnamed new restaurateur has been selected to run the site occupied by Cliff House, according to the National Park Service and is set to begin its lease in 2023, they refused to say who is the behind the new venture. The park service said that due to a combination of leasing terms and the historic nature of the building, the overall look and layout will remain the same. The Cliff House lease will also include the café at the nearby Lands End visitor center.
WALKABOUT
Insider Edit North Beach
Stroll along Columbus Ave into North Beach and The Oldest Avenue in Town - Grant Avenue and you'll see the many well-known restaurants, cafes, bars and wonderful boutique shops and galleries that will make you feel like you've found your own secret treasure. Upper Grant Avenue is tucked between Coit Tower and Chinatown where old style and new meet. Make your way over to Lombard Street and walk up what is considered to be the world's most 'windy street' with an inclination of 27 degrees for one of the best views of the City by the Bay - Coit Tower, Alcatraz Island and bridges. At the top you can catch the iconic SF cable car (at Hyde & Lombard) ending up at Ghirardelli Square.
Enjoy an espresso at CAFFE TRIESTE - the iconic cafe was opened in 1956 by Giovanni Giotta, an immigrant from Northern Italy who missed the coffee of his native land and began serving what some consider the first espresso on the West Coast and has become home for neighbors, poets, eclectics and tourists all around the world. Amongst the jukebox loaded with Italian music and the mural depicting the Italian seaside town of Trieste and the wall of old photos - take notice of one particular large B&W photo in the very center of the wall - in an artistic overlay style depiction of a group performing at Caffe Trieste created by artist Daniel Joe Callahan - more about Daniel below
Pop over to CITY LIGHTS founded in the 1950s by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti and college professor Peter D. Martin famous for publishing Howl by Allen Ginsberg with a reputation as one of the most interesting bookshops in the U.S. City Lights still publishes some of its own books today, with a focus on poetry and titles that speak to political / social issues. The bookstore supports artists and new writers, where you can walk in Jack Kerouac's shoes and others of the Beat Generation. Especially for poetry lovers - the Poetry Room upstairs is a place of legend.
XOX TRUFFLES & COFFEE truly handmade San Francisco chocolates with a French twist by Chef Jean-Marc Gorce - Chief truffle maker adds his own culinary technique and signature flavors to craft each bite-size into a delicious and decadent experience with 26 artisanal flavors, including liqueured, non-liqueured, and vegan chocolates. Stop in for more coffee which will include your choice of a truffle. Try a Sébastien's Champagne flavor dusted with cocoa powder, Spicy Cayenne Tequila, vegan flavor à l'Orange and an Earl Grey or Espresso coated in coffee crunch - C’est Si Bon!
UPPER GRANT AVENUE where creativity runs deep with a treasure of boutiques, galleries and many loved cafes. LITTLE VINE. NB - go to spot for artisan wine, cheese and groceries with a mission to bring the best of California's small-batch producers under one roof.
AL'S ATTIRE - preservation of bespoke quality in modern times - custom tailor of clothes & accessories from recreations of vintage designs to one-of-a-kind detailed creations.
MASHKA JEWELRY -the heart of Siberia at the crossroads of Europe and Asia - Mashka inherited the region’s unique ability to balance the high sophistication of European traditions with the mystical complexity of the East. Her jewelry represents the fusion of two worlds in a vivid celebration of pure colors and untouched beauty.
PAPARAZZI - find timeless American classics to cutting edge silhouettes from Europe and Japan, dressing clientele of the City by the Bay in stylish clothing suitable for day and night.
TELEGRAPH HILL GALLERY representing artists working in diverse practices from painting and drawing, photography and printmaking, to conceptual and hybrid media.
ECO TERRENO Wines & Vineyards - San Francisco Urban Tasting Room celebrates the relationship of ecosystem and regenerative farming practices with its Bee Classic tasting featuring five wines from their portfolio and savory snacks prepared by Chef Joe Ball - embracing Alexander Valley terroir.
LOMBARD STREET is not the most crooked street in San Francisco - for that you will want to head over to Vermont Street with its seven turns that are steeper to Lombard's eight. But if you head to the top of Lombard Street, you may be lucky to find Artist Daniel Joe Callahan (whose photograph hangs inside of Caffe Trieste) local artist of the City by the Bay - now over the age of 70 still doing what he loves best capturing "non-cliche" views of his city with Watercolor Memories of San Francisco which are available for purchase in 1st editions/100 for a non-cliche souvenir.
In 2023 The Golden Gate Bridge celebrates its 90th anniversary, The SF Opera its 100th season, The Cable Car its 125th Anniversary and The Ferry Building its 125th Anniversary. The de Young Museum opened in 1895 and has been an integral part of the cultural fabric of the City by the Bay with millions of visitors from around the world. Together with the Legion of Honor - they make up the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco - celebrating over 125 years of arts & culture.
SF de Young Museum
ANSEL ADAMS Exhibit
April 8th - July 23rd
Golden Gate Park
Ansel Adams in Our Time - opens at de Young Fine Arts Museum on April 8 through July 23, 2023. "A self-described 'California photographer', Ansel Adams had his first museum exhibition at the de Young in 1932. In a San Francisco homecoming, more than 100 of his most iconic works will be on view ... alongside those of 23 contemporary artists who share his deep concern for the environment... An unremitting activist for conservation and wilderness preservation in the spirit of his 19th-century predecessors, Ansel Adams is today beloved for his lush gelatin silver prints of the national parks. Organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, in partnership with the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Ansel Adams in Our Time is enhanced at the de Young by the addition of works from the permanent collection and new interpretive framing that explores Adams’ close connection to the Bay Area and the state of California..."
CITY BY THE BAY
MICHELIN STARS 2023
RESTAURANT NISEI - recipient of Michelin Young Chef Award - David Yoshimura at Nisei which has also been newly awarded 1 MICHELIN STAR* "Nestled in Russian Hill neighborhood - Restaurant Nisei is a testament to Chef David Yoshimura’s Japanese-American heritage and based on modern California Washoku cuisine, Washoku meaning “harmony of food”, also referred to as the “home cooking” of Japan. The philosophy of Washoku is on balance of color, taste preparations, sense, and respect to food."
San Francisco has many Michelin starred restaurants and three newly awarded 3 MICHELIN STARS in 2023
ATELIER CRENN - "Chef Dominique Crenn's flagship restaurant has evolved along with her, complete with a renovation of the dining room and pescatarian tasting menu in early 2023. Lifting the veil on the next chapter of her career, the reborn Atelier Crenn will focus on California- the place that she now considers home. The menu celebrates California’s rich bounty, highlighting plants, fish, and seafood local to the place. The inspiration for Crenn, however, goes deeper than the ingredients listed on the menu. Guests will embark on a journey that guides them through different times and places, highlighting the beauty of California’s landscape both geographically and culturally with a careful consideration of our impact on the planet." Atelier Crenn also has 3 Green Stars for sustainability.
QUINCE - "Lindsay and Chef Michael Tusk's celebrated Quince features Californian contemporary cuisine with Italian influences. Quince serves nightly-changing tasting menus highlighting the restaurant's unique partnership with Fresh Run Farm where Michael and third-generation owner Peter Martinelli plan the plantings in the singular microclimate of Bolinas each season." Located in San Francisco's historic Jackson Square, Quince was one of the first recipients in the country to be awarded a Green Star from Michelin for its work towards sustainability.
BENU - offers a fixed menu that features a variety of seafood and vegetables, a few meat courses, and some sweets. Plan three hours for your dinner. Benu is proud to be a carbon neutral restaurant.
The MICHELIN Guide also recognizes restaurants that are committed to sustainable gastronomy through ingredient sourcing, waste and energy management and employee well-being. GREEN STARS have been awarded to seven chefs and restaurants, including: Chef Thomas Keller - The French Laundry, Chef Alice Waters - Chez Panisse, Chef Dominique Crenn - Atelier Crenn, Chef Michael Tusk - Quince, Chef Kyle Connaughton & Katina Connaughton - Single Thread, Chef Matt Kammerer - Harbor House and Chef Nancy Silverton - Osteria Mozza.
NEW 1 MICHELIN STAR - three new awards in San Francisco 2023
OSITO - "San Francisco’s only 100% live fire, fine dining experience, seated in the heart of the Mission District. The Osito experience is intimate – a place where strangers become friends, with a menu comprising the most beautiful ingredients of the day." Osito, which means ‘little bear’ doubles as Chef Seth Stowaway’s nickname with a focus in California bounty, communal dining, and Tex-Mex inspiration.
SAN HO WON - Korean food and charcoal BBQ restaurant located in the Mission District of San Francisco. The restaurant is a collaboration between Corey Lee and Jeong-In Hwang, sharing a vision of casual Korean restaurant using the best meticulous techniques for authentic BBQ.
SSAL - Contemporary Korean Restaurant - Chef Junsoo reflects to his Korean roots (Ssal means raw rice, a nod to his parents who were rice farmers). Modern but authentic Korean dishes.
UME
Plum Liqueur
photo courtesy of UME
UME is a delightfully tart and subtly sweet plum liqueur and a dazzling royal purple hue made with all-natural juices and extracts from plums, grapes, & black cherries, with hints of green apple and lemon. UME is 17% ABV, naturally gluten free and has half the sugar of similar apéritifs. It is produced responsibly in California by Endless West and may be consumed on its own or mixed with other spirits to form the ideal purple drink. Purple is now the new Orange, and this posh liqueur is transforming Happy Hours as the standout spirit taking over New York City. Perfect for SF Spritz Season, a plum-flavored twist on the classic - just pour it over ice, top with bubbly and seltzer, and throw in a fruity garnish.
DAISY JONES & THE SIX
AURORA - the Album
The City by the Bay still has a tiny bit of boho vibes but further down the coast... the series “Daisy Jones & the Six” starring Sam Claflin as lead singer Billy Dunne and Riley Keough as wild child singer Daisy Jones - is set in the late 1970s music scene of Los Angeles. Riley Keough is, in real-life, the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley and granddaughter of Elvis Presley. She paid homage to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll inside the world of her TV fictional 70s band in a scene where she wears a patterned red guitar strap that resembles the one Elvis wore in his “’68 Comeback Special”. This series, based on the best-selling novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid, gains inspiration from a performance of the song “Landslide” from a TV special of Fleetwood Mac (band): The Dance in1997. Jenkins-Reid was so moved by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks that she wondered what had happened between them in the past. “When I decided I wanted to write a book about rock ‘n’ roll, I kept coming back to that moment when Lindsey watched Stevie sing ‘Landslide.’ -How it looked so much like two people in love. And yet, we’ll never truly know what lived between them. I wanted to write a story about that, about how the lines between real life and performance can get blurred, about how singing about old wounds might keep them fresh.” says Jenkins-Reid. The music made for the show is in fact sung by Riley & Claflin and an album released by Atlantic Records titled AURORA. If you didn't catch Stevie Nicks performing at The Chase Center in the City by the Bay, she continues her tour with dates thru June 2023.
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