"The Rules"
Jan 3rd 2012
Know the rules before you break them...
Every culture has its rules, and San Francisco is no exception. There are two general rules =>
➊ Don't categorize people!
For example, you should compete, naked, in the biggest annual all-city event (Bay to Breakers) - for which you will not be arrested, or ticketed, as long as you don't have an erection - before you make fun of anyone for whatever race/gender/sexual/economic/etc background or category you perceive on their behalf.
To excel at this rule, respond to everything in the most positive, expansive, welcoming way possible - sometimes a challenging and enlightening experience. BATS Improv and Burning Man exemplify this approach in their respective micro-cultures ("no blocking►"!).
➋ You "must" do/see/eat/shop-at X. This rule is both easier and trickier, because the lines are unclear... and nobody agrees on them :)
But (!) the Golden Gate Bridge is a "must do" (eg, combining rule #'s 1 & 2, you can skip the GG Bridge and I can only respond with "You're so rebellious!") - regardless, it is one of the most expansive, artistic, industrial, surprising, all-five-senses experiences you can have in San Francisco. I ride my bike across it once/twice a week and still find the experience exhilarating (as do many other locals). And there really is no better way to see the bridge (and SF) than by bicycle. And once you're riding across the bridge, why not check out the Marin Headlands? :)
The only time GG virgins should consider skipping it, is in cases of extreme and low hanging fog - typically in the summer months (eg, July).
In the spirit of the outdoors, the Golden Gate Park is another must-explore in one form or another. Other eye-poppingly natural locations are Baker Beach, Lands End and Ocean Beach.
One of the most amazing things about SF is the closeness of urban delights and natural wonder. You can literally dance the early hours away at 1015 Folsom and then go 3.5 miles to watch the unbelievable sunrise from Twin Peaks, and then take the BART back for Sunday morning Ecstatic Dance► in Oakland. Not many people do, but it's a limit of imagination and energy not opportunity.
And on the urban delights side, things are a little trickier owing to the fickle nature of the human herd (varying even one evening to the next). The Mission District is the most reliably hip neighborhood (nightlife-wise), Civic Center is the centroid of classical performing arts (Ballet, Symphony and Opera), SOMA the primary hub of dancing and clubbing (including after-hours), North Beach a favorite among youthful suburbanites, and the Castro a world-famous gay destination. Both Upper and Lower Haight have significant bar scenes.
Museum-wise, MOMA sits atop the heap with the de Young, Cal Academy of Sciences and Exploratorium close behind.
For shopping, Union Square provides the most decadent experience... but San Francisco is far more bohemian (or at least, faux-hemian...) than decadent, which puts you in the Mission District (cutting edge), Hayes Valley (fashion forward) and Haight-Ashbury (vintage).
And then there is food - which needs its own article :)
Tagged for "The Rules"...
➊ Don't categorize people!
For example, you should compete, naked, in the biggest annual all-city event (Bay to Breakers) - for which you will not be arrested, or ticketed, as long as you don't have an erection - before you make fun of anyone for whatever race/gender/sexual/economic/etc background or category you perceive on their behalf.
To excel at this rule, respond to everything in the most positive, expansive, welcoming way possible - sometimes a challenging and enlightening experience. BATS Improv and Burning Man exemplify this approach in their respective micro-cultures ("no blocking►"!).
➋ You "must" do/see/eat/shop-at X. This rule is both easier and trickier, because the lines are unclear... and nobody agrees on them :)
But (!) the Golden Gate Bridge is a "must do" (eg, combining rule #'s 1 & 2, you can skip the GG Bridge and I can only respond with "You're so rebellious!") - regardless, it is one of the most expansive, artistic, industrial, surprising, all-five-senses experiences you can have in San Francisco. I ride my bike across it once/twice a week and still find the experience exhilarating (as do many other locals). And there really is no better way to see the bridge (and SF) than by bicycle. And once you're riding across the bridge, why not check out the Marin Headlands? :)
The only time GG virgins should consider skipping it, is in cases of extreme and low hanging fog - typically in the summer months (eg, July).
In the spirit of the outdoors, the Golden Gate Park is another must-explore in one form or another. Other eye-poppingly natural locations are Baker Beach, Lands End and Ocean Beach.
One of the most amazing things about SF is the closeness of urban delights and natural wonder. You can literally dance the early hours away at 1015 Folsom and then go 3.5 miles to watch the unbelievable sunrise from Twin Peaks, and then take the BART back for Sunday morning Ecstatic Dance► in Oakland. Not many people do, but it's a limit of imagination and energy not opportunity.
And on the urban delights side, things are a little trickier owing to the fickle nature of the human herd (varying even one evening to the next). The Mission District is the most reliably hip neighborhood (nightlife-wise), Civic Center is the centroid of classical performing arts (Ballet, Symphony and Opera), SOMA the primary hub of dancing and clubbing (including after-hours), North Beach a favorite among youthful suburbanites, and the Castro a world-famous gay destination. Both Upper and Lower Haight have significant bar scenes.
Museum-wise, MOMA sits atop the heap with the de Young, Cal Academy of Sciences and Exploratorium close behind.
For shopping, Union Square provides the most decadent experience... but San Francisco is far more bohemian (or at least, faux-hemian...) than decadent, which puts you in the Mission District (cutting edge), Hayes Valley (fashion forward) and Haight-Ashbury (vintage).
And then there is food - which needs its own article :)
Tagged for "The Rules"...
Alcatraz
Commune with the inner Capone
Notorious beyond it's size and penitential impact (Alcatraz was only a prison for 19 years►), "The Rock" is an exciting afternoon - especially on a nice day. The complex is nicely restored with lots of information and many photographs. The "prison yard" has phenomenal views of the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.
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Asian Art Museum
A lot older than you...
The last 6,000 years has netted about 17,000 artifacts for the Asian Art Museum, it will be exciting to see what treasures the next 6,000 years bring!
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Beach Blanket Babylon
Larger than life - and funnier too :)
Combining massive millinery with nearly continuous music, song and dance - BBB jets the audience through time and space in blinks of an eye - spoofing everyone from Tiger Woods to Louis XIV, and reliably delivering a hilarious performance.
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Cable Cars
Walk Like a Victorian
Originally invented to spare horses dying (literally!) on the steep hills of San Francisco, the city's now-iconic transportation► is worth a ride if it's easy - waiting for an hour or more makes the decision harder.
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Cal Academy of Sciences
Stunning aquarium and rainforest
San Francisco's most freshly baked (err.. renovated) museum delights with large aquariums, African dioramas, a rainforest, and planetarium all wrapped in a wondrously uber-modern grass covered "living roof"► with skylights.
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Castro
Rainbows guaranteed
The gay center► of San Francisco (and arguably the US) with a historical role that's been widely recognized by the 2008 film Milk chronicling Harvey Milk and the gay rights movement, the Castro also offers food, drinks and shopping *and* some of the hottest and best-dressed men anywhere! The neighborhood is reliably festive, and never more-so than Pride weekend :)
(see more)
Chinatown
More China than town
The oldest Chinatown in North America, the largest Chinese population outside Asia - and a bold break from the foggy pastels of San Francisco... epitomized by the colorful Chinese New Years parade►
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Crissy Field
The bay, up close and personal :)
After serving as a landing site of early explorers, hosting the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, and serving as a airfield for the army, Crissy field now offers visitors a great escape urban San Francisco and enjoy the bay's natural beauty. Approximately a 4 mile (round trip) walk from the Palace of Fine Arts to the Golden Gate Bridge.
(see more)
de Young Museum
A fine fine art museum
Opened in 1895 with a hyper-modern rebuild in 2005, de Young is among the oldest and best museums in the city - inside and out!
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Downtown
Windswept skycrapers
Adjoining the windy bay on the sunny side of town, San Francisco's downtown (officially "Financial District") provides unusual visual expansiveness and fresh air in a hyper-urban locale.
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Exploratorium
All hands on... everything!
The most hands-on► museum experience in SF (anywhere?!), the Exploratorium offers a great visit for everyone. For children and the scientifically curious, the museum is a must-see! More than one family has been saved by this rainy day adventure :)
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Ferry Building
Historic outsides, brand new interior
Matching historical resilience (eg, surviving both the 1906 Earthquake and the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake's destruction of the adjoining Embarcadero freeway) and persistent visibility along the Market Street corridor up to Twin Peaks - the Ferry Building enjoys iconic status in the city, and has exploded onto the food scene since its latest renovation in 2003.
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Fisherman's Wharf
San Francisco's Archetype of Itself
San Francisco's biggest tourist destination is visually stunning, entertaining, and offers a starting point for a variety of activities: bay tours/ferries (including Alcatraz), Cable Cars, Ghirardelli's chocolate, a variety of seafood, and one of the nation's best Maritime Museums (including the USS Pampanito submarine).
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Golden Gate Bridge
Icon of the Golden Gate
The Golden Gate Bridge is not to be missed! It's best up close and personal. The bridge is a bit less than 2 miles across - an excellent hike or bike ride. Be sure to wear warm clothes, as it is often windy and/or cold►.
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Golden Gate Park
Soul of SF
Home to two major museums - the Cal Academy of Science (which publishes a free app/guide specifically to the park) and de Young museums - a Japanese tea garden, a flower conservatory, a herd of bison, numerous lakes, a polo stadium, an early 1900's carousel, windmills, a Sunday roller disco, massive festivals and countless characters visiting on a daily basis - Golden Gate Park surprises with regularity!
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Grace Cathedral
Holy Cathedral, Batman! Gothic is bigger than you
Nob Hill's heavyweight hood ornament is a must-visit for those intrigued by cathedrals and architecture. In addition to stunning stained glass, there are two meditation labyrinths► (outside and in), and three massive organs.
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Haight-Ashbury
A visual adventure for your inner child
A historical icon of 1960's sex drugs and rock-n-roll, the Haight remains vibrant through a concoction of great clothes, assorted and lively street-folk, and some of the hottest hippie girls human eyes have seen.
(see more)
Legion of Honor
A site to behold, inside and out
Adjoining with the eye-popping Lands End trail, the Legion of Honor sits on some of the finest real estate in San Francisco, and the interior lives up to the honor!
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Lombard Street
Get your wiggle on
Iconic of San Francisco, the Lombard street hairpins are a quick hit of fun. If the weather is bad, or the location inconvenient - feel free to skip it. It's relatively close to the Maritime Museum and Aquatic park.
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Marin Headlands
A little gift from God
The Marin headlands offer a unforgettable (and convenient!) experience with the rugged California coast. On a clear day, San Francisco is on full display and the temperature is reliably higher on the north side of the bay. Many stunning Golden Gate Bridge photos are shot from the headlands.
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Mission Dolores
The original missionary position
The oldest building in San Francisco, Mission Dolores de Asis still holds mass and provides visitors► a window into the native Ohlone culture (at least, the end of it), and Spanish colonization of San Francisco, with still-working bells►.
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Muir Woods
Old growth redwoods
"This is the best tree-lovers monument that could possibly be found in all the forests of the world" John Muir
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Museum of Modern Art
art.
MOMA augments an exciting permanent collection with vibrant exhibitions, all housed in a delightful building of exo-art. The curation runs to the modern side of modern art (edgier than New York's MOMA), but it's a reputable museum and lags behind the cutting edge of urban art in SF.
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Nob Hill
Great views, rich history + exercise :)
World renowned from it's wealthy history originally flowing from Gold Rush, Comstock Lode and Transcontinental Railroad, Nob Hill provides great views with a dose of perspiration :)
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North Beach
No beach - but a great party!
The aroma of Italy still wafts through this old quartiere... now infused with teams of hard partying "youngsters" :)
(see more)
Painted Ladies
Not just a bad tranny joke...
Post-industrial skyscrapers juxtaposed behind sparkling Victorian gingerbread!
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Twin Peaks
Not just an old TV show...
When the weather is clear, Twin Peaks pops eyeballs - especially around dusk (or sunrise►?). When it's cold, wet, windy, and/or foggy, TP is more of a survival adventure challenge :)
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Union Square
Shop til you drop
Originally named after Union rallies held during the Civil War, Union Square became the fashion center of San Francisco and still hosts many of the city's most prestigious stores (Barneys, Saks, Neiman, etc), with others just a few blocks down Powell street at the San Francisco Centre.
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