Market Street will always hold a special place in my heart; I remember walking here when about 30…read moreyears ago. It's definitely changed a lot in the past handful of years. I hope the City can figure out how to revive the area, bring safety back, and to reduce the issues with the unhoused. In the daytime, it's pretty much a ghost town. It never used to be that way. In the evenings, it's also fairly quiet, but there are more unhoused visible. Many shops and restaurants have closed; those that are still open, I wonder how they're surviving? When Westfield was Westfield, the shopping center used to bring foot traffic to that area of the street. I really hope that San Francisco can sort out its problems. While I still love the city, it's sad to see how it's declined. 2024: 94/100

Market Street is one of the main drags in San Francisco. Since the late 1990s, my experiences with…read moreand memories of this street primarily involve the stretch from 5th Street and the Powell Street BART station to the northeast ending at the Embarcadero and the Ferry Building. This stretch includes Union Square, the Financial District, and SoMa (South of Market). Unlike parts south, this stretch of Market feels relatively safe thanks in large part to lots of tourists, local office workers, and nicer, higher-end hotels, restaurants, and retail. 5th to the Embarcadero is a walkable stretch with lots to see and do in the aforementioned neighborhoods. That said, as a longtime regular visitor to San Francisco over the past two decades plus, I've noticed Market Street and the city as a whole aren't what they used to be. During our recent visit, walking up and down Market Street to get from our hotel to various places, I couldn't help but notice several vacant storefronts. Lots of retail for lease. Some parts looked like a ghost town. Market Street just had a different vibe and energy to it. It's not as "alive" as it used to be. And it appeared there were more homeless people too (or they're just more visible now). I noticed within the past year that Westfield had dropped the San Francisco Centre shopping mall from its portfolio: https://www.yelp.com/biz/westfield-san-francisco-centre-san-francisco-3 Here's a San Francisco Chronicle article about it from October 2023: https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/s-f-westfield-mall-new-management-18417748.php Sad. The stretch of Market from the Castro to the Embarcadero is straight and tree-lined. You can see the Ferry Building's 245-foot clock tower from a distance. It's a nice view and one of my favorite things about walking on this street. Most of the stretches of Market south of the Tenderloin, such as around the Civic Center / UN Plaza BART station, X (formerly Twitter) headquarters, and southwest down into the Castro and beyond, I've experienced mainly from cars. When you get into this part of Market, the elevation increases and there are some scenic city views. At its southwest end, Market Street turns into Portola Drive. This happens in the Twin Peaks area. There are great views of the city from Twin Peaks at a place called Christmas Tree Point. You can drive and park there. You can also park and walk to nearby Noe Peak. From these vistas, you can see Market Street run all the way up to the Bay. It's neat and I recommend it.

It's a generous 4 star cause this neighborhood isn't for everyone. I think if you live here you…read morelove it. I mostly drive through on my way to the 5 star ocean. The streets are wide, flat or hilly. The houses look the same, nice 40s architecture all the way to brutalist apartment boxes with flat dirty facades & aluminum trimmed windows. Extra points for diversity. Russian, Middle East, Asian, etc. businesses Retail pretty sad here, like a suburb that time forgot. Parking pretty tight. Because I'm a photographer this area is a wonderland of quirk & intrigue.

Mellow beach town in San Francisco…read more The neighborhood of Outer Richmond in San Francisco is close to the coast with lots of bars, restaurants, coffee shops and parks. When we are in the Outer Richmond area I know we are close to the beach and Golden Gate Park! Residents who enjoy hiking are in for a treat with all the hiking trails nearby. I have yet to try the amazing restaurants along Geary and Clement Streets but that will have to wait when they are open for dining in. I have enjoyed visiting landmark places in the Outer Richmond area including: Sutro Bath ruins and Sea Rock at the Lands End Lookout. The Historic Cliff House restaurant is here too (permanently closed). There are coastal trails along the ocean. We've stopped by the Holocaust Memorial at California Palace of the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park at the Golden Gate Park. Lots to do and places to eat in the Outer Richmond area. Review #2075

Some nice favorite gems at the Inner Sunset [San Francisco]…read more I don't come to the Inner Sunset often except for one thing... mainly FOOD. Inner Sunset is located south of Golden Gate Park next to the UCSF campus. Many of the businesses are clustered on Irving Street and 9th Avenue... there are a lot of amazing places to eat at the Inner Sunset, maybe not as hoity-toity as the Marina District but the following are some of the places we've enjoyed and visited: * Tartine Inner Sunset [Irving Street] - this Tartine location is open for delivery and takeout only. Online ordering was easy and my bag of goodies was ready in 30 minutes (notifying me by text). My daughter enjoyed both the Lemon Cream Tart and the Lemon Cranberry Pistachio Teacake. I was also happy to see the Pain Au Chocolat Croissant available. Fresh and yummy... but pricey. * Mahalo [9th Avenue] - we ordered the Hawaiian macaroni salad. It's a favorite in our household. Delicious and authentic! * 16th Avenue Tiled Steps - we stopped by this beautiful tiled steps just west of Grand View Park. This popular steps is popular among tourists. There are 163 steps... heading up has a nice view of stars and sea design. There are a few landings in between sections (to catch your breath). The plants alongside the steps are well maintained by the community. Street parking. * Hidden Garden Steps - beautifully tiled stairway. The stairway is between a Kirkham and Lawton Streets. It's easy to miss these steps because the stairs are narrow and very steep. We got lucky at the time... no tourists! I love these steps! The ceramic tiles are colorful with beautiful designs and once we reached the midpoint of the steps there were some great views to be seen of the city. Truly a hidden gem. Next on my list to visit (not necessarily in this order): Arizmendi Bakery Hometown Creamery San Tung "Jobs fill your pockets, but adventures fill your soul." - Jaime Lyn Review #2061

When I moved to San Francisco, I spent a good month looking for a place to live. I knew where in…read morethe city I wanted to live (where I eventually ended up living), but more importantly, I knew where I didn't want to live. Or at least I thought I did. There were also plenty of places that I would live if I had to, but they weren't high up on my list of places to check out. One of those places was the Inner Sunset. At the time, I was generally a Richmond boy, if only because my brother had mostly lived there, except for when he first moved to San Francisco and lived in the Outer Sunset near Polly Ann's (https://www.yelp.com/biz/polly-ann-ice-cream-san-francisco). In my mind, if I were going to live in the Sunset, I needed to be closer to Polly Ann's, so the Inner Sunset didn't do anything for me. Well, I was wrong. So so so so very wrong. So wrong, in fact, that when I had to start apartment-hunting again this past winter and into spring because my San Francisco home of almost 20 years burned down, the Inner Sunset was a preferred neighborhood, not just one that I would put up with living in. Ninth Avenue by itself is worth everything. But there's so much more, and sometime between my moving to San Francisco and my flat burning down, my brother had moved to the Inner Sunset, and then he moved even innerer into the Inner Sunset. The one place I was interested in seeing during my 2003 housing search was on Irving Street, between either 9th and 10th, or 10th and 11th. This was back when photos on Craig's List either weren't allowed or were few and far between, so all I had to go by was the potential future roommates' descriptions of themselves and the apartment. It sounded wonderful, as did they. But when I showed up for my appointment five minutes early, no one was home. I dutifully called and waited 20 minutes outside, and then called again, but no one ever got back to me. This might seem like par for the course now, but it was the first time, I believe, I had ever been ghosted. I'd been stood up before, of course, but there had been subsequent fake apologies or whatever. This time? Nope, neither of the potential roommates ever called or emailed me or responded to my polite email asking whether they need to reschedule. Ghosted. In 2003. By people I'd never met in person but had had a nice phone conversation with. It bothers me to this day, and sadly, I think I've held that aggravating experience against the neighborhood, if only a little bit. But you know what? Even if Canvas Gallery is long gone (and that's OK, because I really used to like Pacific Catch before it got so corporate), there's still Gordo and Green Apple and Arizmendi and Hometown Creamery and Sunflower Garden and the gelato place and so many other favorites, and again, that's just on a three-block stretch of 9th Avenue. I also love Hugo Street. And here's an important San Francisco-locals-only question for you: Is Hugo the "H" street of the Avenues, or is Hayes? Or maybe it's Haight? I have serious history with Hayes, but despite that, I vote for Hugo. What do you say? Compliment or message me with your true and final answer.

I have walked through the Stockton Street Tunnel many times over the years. Sadly, over the last…read morefew years, especially during the COVID period, it was poorly maintained, and the sidewalks were littered with garbage. However, a few days ago, while walking toward Chinatown through the tunnel on the left side, I found it much cleaner than it had been in recent years. Granted, I still noticed a few signs of the challenges the area has faced, but overall, the tunnel felt much cleaner and better maintained. The Stockton Street Tunnel opened on December 29, 1914. It connects downtown San Francisco to Chinatown and North Beach. It was designed to avoid the steep climb over Nob Hill. It originally accommodated electric streetcars, but today it carries traffic and Muni buses. Personally, every time I walk through it, I appreciate not having to climb to the top of Nob Hill and then head down the other end. It is also a big help to drivers, like me, who need to drive from one side of the hill to the other.

Well why not this tunnel has been around for a long time. It is a 15 minute walk from downtown to…read moreChinatown or further if you like to Fisherman's wharf. I used to walk thru the tunnel every night it's quick and easy. I have bicycled thru here as well . I saw the changes on the Sutter side of the tunnel went there with my dad as a kid . I believe it was a barber shop and other businesses but they are long gone now. So I do love this tunnel as a way to get around old San Francisco easily.

the Oakland is the Center of the Beautiful World mural is on a corner directly across from Sugar…read moreShack, one side has the heading message. the other side has a mosaic drawing. ' a plaque reads: of the drawings: "Various images references the Earth, the United States, California & Oakland sit on top of a star chart divided into different colors radiating out from the centerl The mural celebrates the creativity and the people of Oakland. Fabricator: Miotto Mosaic Art Studios

Trash might stink, but it can still look beautiful, as proven by the mosaic trash cans sprinkled…read morethroughout Oakland. These colorful pieces of public art add much-needed personality to the cement-cast receptacles. The trashcans around the city aren't managed by the same groups, so their origin story differs slightly. For example, in the scenic neighborhood of Adams Point, you can find up to 21 [!!!] of such beautified receptacles. You can find the full map here: http://adamspointneighborhood.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/mosaic-map-2.pdf The above-mentioned trash cans are the result of a collaboration between Adams Point Neighborhood Group, grants from Keep Oakland Beautiful, Alex Miller Cole. Materials & artists Roberto Costa, Vivian Romero (APAC), and Alex Miller Cole.

Oh the history, architecture and beauty of Nob Hill. It is enhanced by reading Adah Bakalinsky's…read morebook "Stairway Walks in San Francisco". The author is quite thorough with the history of neighborhoods in SF. We use her book to explore different neighborhoods every month. Each walk offers fascinating information. Nob Hill was no exception. One must walk the area to truly observe the beauty. Grace Cathedral is a special place to see and the Fairmont during the holidays is always incredibly festive.

Review #1,000. A…read morereview about Nob Hill and a specific personal memory of this place. Today is my friend KW's birthday. Or at least that's what I was told by her many year's ago. But then when she passed away a few years ago, I read a different birthday date posted on her obituary. So maybe I messed up and always celebrated her birthday one month sooner than her actual birthday, but she never corrected me. She's that kind of person. A kind person, a truly wonderful person, someone who just kind of goes with the flow. KW lived in Nob Hill. She was my dad's (an artist) student when I met her. I admired her as a child because she did things her way even though nothing was easy as I learned as an adult. Her life was somewhat glamorous, but not without difficulties that we all have to go through in this life and although I won't go into too much details, I will always remember her being beautiful and had a harp and cats in her apartment. She lived just a few steps down the hill from the Ritz. I remember her kindness, her appreciation for life which was contagious, her love of cats, especially black cats, and her love of people. She helped a homeless/unhoused person found housing/shelter. She loved this vibrant neighborhood. Nob Hill is famous for many fine hotels, the Grace Cathedral, and tons of history in the many buildings that surrounds it. But in these hills, there are many stories, some known and many untold. Time moves on, continuous, every day with new people and experiences. Many of these stories/experiences --forgotten. Thus why I want to write these thoughts down. Whether you are local or a visitor, Nob Hill has lots to offer. If you want fancy hotels or hole in the wall restaurants, this place has them. Probably most visited as it's nearby to downtown, Chinatown, Fishermans' Wharf, North Beach and Pacific Heights. I hope you enjoy the history of this place, the diversity of food offerings, and the cable car rides, ding ding as each one slides up and down these storied hills.

2023....Downtown San Francisco boost! With #LetsGlowSF art illuminations, this is where you want to…read morebe each evening Dec 1-10. A Holiday spectacular for free. Each venue (Ferry Building Clock Tower, Hobart Building, old Pacific Stock Exchange, Leidsdorf Landing/Commercial St @Montgonery or One Bush Plaza) is a showpiece for international artists from companies in France, Belgium and the USA.

The Sephora, Banana Republic are quiet. So if you hate crowds, I would suggest come to this side of…read moretown to shop. It was nice to see a few people walking around. But some how it kind of feels eerie still.