San Francisco and what to do in it

San Franciscans! This is almost two weeks late, but you've got a wonderful city wow. I'm still not sure how they built a city there, what with the actually insane hills and being wedged between a bay and an ocean. I had a great time, despite being stuck for four days at a pretty weird conference that was unfortunately downtown. (Downtown was the only part of SF that I didn't like, like really didn't like. That juxtaposition of loads and loads of white tourists and posh shops with totally dilapidated blocks filled with an alarming amount of the mentally ill (presumably) homeless right there...whoa.)

But the rest of the city/area! Loved the mission (where my brother lives), the castro, even sort of liked the haight! Had one day of just walking and touristing, and we rented a car for an hour to drive across the GG Bridge and up the vista or whatever, which was, to sound like a total obvious tourist, absolutely spectacular. The whole city's just so beautiful.

Had great meals at Bar Tartine (small plates better than big) and the cafe at Chez Panisse (pretty much perfect), some great banh mi in the tenderloin, excellent tacos and buritto at El Farolito, and pretty good szechuan at some place called Szechuan Trenz(?). Ferry Building farmer's market's pretty great, though I do understand it's mostly for tourists and people with more money than sense--the produce everywhere (even at shitty little grocers) looked awesome, even in late December. My one sob story was taking the bus all the way out west one night to PPQ Dungeness to meet my brother only to find out that they were OUT OF CRAB. Me and my bro went in to eat anyway (where else were we going to go?) and I almost cried staring at the whole full restaurant, every other table chowing down on huge dungeness crabs ;_;

That juxtaposition of loads and loads of white tourists and posh shops with totally dilapidated blocks filled with an alarming amount of the mentally ill (presumably) homeless right there...whoa.

thats a very british observation

"totally dilapidated blocks filled with an alarming amount of the mentally ill (presumably) homeless"

Thanks, Reagan!

I have friends visiting from IL today, so I'll certainly plan to keep them away from the Civic Center around 5. That is, unless they want to gawk, which they won't.

thats a very british observation

haha maybe I've been away from the states too long..

I know loads of cities have a homeless problem, and it's not like London is a bastion of economic equality (nor do I like spending time in the equivalent 'downtown' of London). It just seemed clear that loads of money had been pumped in to 'revitalize' the downtown area for tourists with money who like being able to take the cable car up to Williams Sonoma, while the Tenderloin, which is right there, looks pretty much left to rot.

All of this, of course, is just a shallow observation by a first-time visitor who's got no real knowledge of local politics, city planning, the history of the area, etc. I'm just trying to put into words what turned me off.

"I have friends visiting from IL today, so I'll certainly plan to keep them away from the Civic Center around 5."

Above ground all I saw was a shitload of cops.

geez, the SF Eagle appears to have ceased their annual mud-wrestling tournament. What's supposed to get me out there this summer?

What was the bar you were at before meeting us at the Kilowatt?

I don't remember! 3000 miles is a long way to go for cheap margaritas.

Apparently quite a successful bar if you can't remember it.

I would have to improve my espanol to make it a regular stop.

All of this, of course, is just a shallow observation by a first-time visitor who's got no real knowledge of local politics, city planning, the history of the area, etc. I'm just trying to put into words what turned me off.

This was pretty much the same reaction that I had as a first-time visitor a couple years ago. I was in such a ridiculously shiny, touristy part of town (Union Square area) with such a huge concentration of homeless people. Walk west or south a couple of blocks and it's just totally different.

To be fair, though, it's not like there's lots for the homeless to do in, say, the Richmond or Visitacion Valley and if you think the Tenderloin looks rough, you should have seen it 10 or 15 years ago.

I'm also not sure what people who bemoan the homeless problem in SF expect the city to do.

There's obviously no easy answers to that^^

A lot of what alarmed me was less the number of homeless and more the number of clearly mentally ill homeless. And for that there are surely things the city (or the state) can do, no?

I know I'm sounding pretty Pinefoxian, and I don't want to be naive, but saying 'what do people expect the city to do' seems a lot like saying there's no problem at all.

the number of clearly mentally ill homeless.

This is sadly very true. As schwantz points out above, this is very much Reagan's legacy in this state.

Yeah, I have no suggestions, and it totally makes sense for homeless to gather around the touristy areas - nobody in the Tenderloin is going to give them any money, you know?

And the Tenderloin wasn't anywhere near as bad as I expected it to be - I heard such dire stuff about it and expected some sort of hell on earth when in fact it was really quiet with lots of massage parlors and a pervasive piss smell.

Yeah, I felt the same way, given the warnings I had heard. In the end it wasn't the state of the Tenderloin or feeling in danger walking through there, it was the juxtaposition I noted above, and, yeah, the fact that it seemed like so many needed help from the state.

GOOblar, also note that the homeless problem has been a major issue in mayoral elections for years, now.

After Times Square in the '80s, I find the Tenderloin a picnic.

xpost right, yeah I figured this isn't news to anyone around there..

I know this might sound naif but I find Times Square almost unbearable, now. I like parts of the Tenderloin: some good bars and restaurants and not nearly as sketchy as it used to be. Its ubiquitous bouquet of piss is somewhat of a challenge, though.

Oh, I agree, I prefer sleazy porn and street violence to $120-ticket Disney cartoon adaptations onstage.

I have a kind of self-loathing at my bi-coastal reaction, but it does seem to exemplify everything I abhor about modern America and the bad aspects of a 'cleaned-up' Manhattan.

The Tenderloin has been skid row for oh... about 161 years now.

Oh, I agree, I prefer sleazy porn and street violence to $120-ticket Disney cartoon adaptations onstage.

Morbz OTM

I like all three mixed together.

A man of such catholic tastes...

If you want to throw Catholics in the mix, I'm all for that too.

This thing is funto do.

"Urban artist collective that stages elaborate scavenger hunts and runs fake cult. Very cute idea.
Sort-of like a bored yuppie's version of live-action D&D."

Sigh.

I have a (potentially dumb/obvious) question...does anyone know why the Tenderloin hasn't naturally gentrified? Considering the theoretical value of the land (esp in the 90s and 00s) I was always surprised it hasn't been slowly bought up and cleaned up.

er..."naturally" = naturally, rich people like to do stuff that makes them more money

It has shrunk. It just takes a while for these things to happen.

catholic

-adjective
1. broad or wide-ranging in tastes, interests, or the like; having sympathies with all; broad-minded; liberal.
2. universal in extent; involving all; of interest to all.
3. pertaining to the whole Christian body or church.

joke

–noun
1. something said or done to provoke laughter or cause amusement, as a witticism, a short and amusing anecdote, or a prankish act.

dim

–adjective
1. not bright; obscure from lack of light or emitted light: a dim room; a dim flashlight.
2. not seen clearly or in detail; indistinct: a dim object in the distance.
3. not clear to the mind; vague: a dim idea.
4. not brilliant; dull in luster: a dim color.
5. not clear or distinct to the senses; faint: a dim sound.
6. not seeing clearly: eyes dim with tears.
7. tending to be unfavorable; not likely to happen, succeed, be favorable, etc.: a dim chance of winning.
8. not understanding clearly.
9. rather stupid; dim-witted.

Yellow Cab SF Location Map.

are those only the "for hire"s or all taxis?

This thing is funto do.

― Bobbi Peru, Wednesday, January 14, 2009 8:01 PM

I love San Francisco

I think they are all taxis in SF, Steve.

This was actually quite fun.

Anybody been to Nopalito, yet?

Is that the Mexican Restaurant next to the grocery store at Broderick/Fell?

Yup. Went there last night.

Gun Club tomorrow night for maly's bday.

w/ tim sweeney and mike simonetti

"Yup. Went there last night."

Is it good? My dog got tied out in front there enough.

so I'm not so new to the bay area but I'm new to actually living in the city.

question: good indian food near upper haight?