magoo
New member
know a bloke that went recently and he said he didn't like it because it's always damp and overcast.
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San Francisco Advice wanted
- Thread starter El Presidente
- Start date
eastlondonseagull
Well-known member
Go and visit the small town of Zamora, 75 miles north east of San Francisco, and get your picture taken next to the sign. Then drive back to SF again 
Did that about ten years ago for a giggle. Was great, population 54, the locals couldn't work out who this half-wit was, posing next to the sign wearing blue and white stripes
I've still got the Argus cutting somewhere, very embarrassing! Here it is online...
http://archive.theargus.co.uk/2002/4/20/159362.html
Another great drive is the ocean road between SF and LA. Hire a convertible car for a day, and take it for a spin. Fantastic fun!
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Did that about ten years ago for a giggle. Was great, population 54, the locals couldn't work out who this half-wit was, posing next to the sign wearing blue and white stripes
I've still got the Argus cutting somewhere, very embarrassing! Here it is online...
http://archive.theargus.co.uk/2002/4/20/159362.html
Another great drive is the ocean road between SF and LA. Hire a convertible car for a day, and take it for a spin. Fantastic fun!
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- Thread starter
- #23
acrossthepond
Active member
You can "do" SFO in five days or so, so hop on a plane to Las Vegas (dirt cheap) for a couple of days of complete hedonism...
Don't book the hotel before you go; just walk up to the one you fancy and see what sort of a deal you can get.
your accent's so cute honey....
etc etc etc.
Don't book the hotel before you go; just walk up to the one you fancy and see what sort of a deal you can get.
your accent's so cute honey....
etc etc etc.
NMH
Banned
Well, I lived there for a year, so if y'ask me you should absolutely do the following;
Go over to Castro Street, to The Patio Cafe for breakfast. Everyone is flaming, and the food is excellent (and not expensive really). Then shop there for menswear, like t-shirts that say "have you hugged a lesbian today" or "acting straight", leather hats and spikey collars, and maybe get your nipples pierced.
Take the tram/streetcar down to Market (get off at Geary or Powell - which is where the cable-cars turn around). From there you can see around the shops downtown, or the hundreds of high-rise office buildings.
Go to the Bank of America building on the corner of Kearny and Sacramento St. and go to The Carnelian Room at the top floor (53rd) for a margarita, pref. in the afternoon. Dress nice though. There you will find the best high view of the peninsula and the bay.
That's near the Embarcadero Center, and The Hyatt Regency at the bottom of Market, with the indoor gardens and fountains. Lovely to walk through, or sit for a sandwich. You could also pop up the Hyatt's 'exterior elevator' to the revolving restaurant, .....for a maragarita.
A short walk over to Chinatown, past the Holiday Inn, where the oriental lads play chess..... but try not to be rude by taking photos of them. Ask a local for a chinese restaurant that the actual chinese eat at - not necessarily a tourist one.
Another short stroll and you are into the arty and red-light district of Northbeach. Fun at night, and not seedy like the REAL red light area of The Tenderloin (which is dodgy at nights).
If you are still there in the morning, stroll to the park where the Chinese and Koreans practice Tai-Chi, in their droves. Interesting to watch - like some weird otherworldly ritual.
Another morning, take the ferry boat over to Tiburon, in Marin County (or drive over if you rented a car). Take brunch there, and walk the shopping streets. Expensive art and artifacts, but nice anyway. If you find or have transport, it's nice to drive through Muir Woods to Muir Beach - naked sunbathing? Alright, if your manhood is too small for that, Stinson Beach is cool, and you can drive back over Mount Tam, before heading for San Rafael village for a beer (there's even an English pub) or catch a Shakespeare at the outdoor theatre there. If you walk or cycle over GGBridge, don't miss Sausalito, with Cafe Trieste for a coffee by the marina, and a walk through the winding pathways and the art galleries and fancy ice-cream parlours.
Then, when you've roamed around the North Bay enough, head back over the Golden Gate Bridge, and take Lombard Street all the way (bypass Van Ness, and climb the hill to the winding bit, for a laugh. It's trivial, but it's on all the postcards and calenders). Make your way from there to Fisherman's Wharf. Pier 39 can take you several hours, but it's worthwhile. Several bars, and then get San Francisco Clam Chowder at the wharf. If there's a bar with live music, stay and have more beers.
Haight Street is about a 1/2 mile long, and it's the 'hippy' street. Stop in Amoeba Records and see the 'supermarket' of collectible music related stuff - posters, vinyl, cds, whatever. Look at tie-dye stuff still sold on Haight Ashbury, kick the smelly bums that think hippyness and peace and love means burning out your brain on LSD and begging is hip and non-conformist. The Golden Gate Park is at the top end of Haight, and it's a cool place to walk on a warm day. It's huge, you can easily get lost. Barefoot frisbee, and skipping is not frowned on, so your hidden airyfairy can come out and just 'be'. Maybe there's a 'soccer' game on, but if you are rubbish, say you are signing for palace and they'll understand. Smoke some sens, and then talk no sense, but think you mean it. Watch it's not chronic, or you'll think you are no longer capable of walking safely, breathing safely, or able to rejoin the human race ever again. Don't worry, it actually doesn't last forever, and you really do come down after a while. Ask anyone if they knew Gerry, just to get into a conversation. Everyone liked Gerry. If you are there in the evening, still coming down from that joint, go to The 'I-Beam' to dance.
Head for Seal Rocks and China Beach, to see the Pacific in all glory, especially if the sea is rough. A few yards down from the restaurant, after the margaritas, is a Camera Obscura - a strange fishbowl view of the world outside.
Tell everyone you know David Beckham, they will believe you. If you are asked anything about politics, approve of a black or female president, and say you are looking forward to when the US can have a gay president. Don't say anything is "really gay", or people will think you want to buy it or sleep with it.
Go over to Castro Street, to The Patio Cafe for breakfast. Everyone is flaming, and the food is excellent (and not expensive really). Then shop there for menswear, like t-shirts that say "have you hugged a lesbian today" or "acting straight", leather hats and spikey collars, and maybe get your nipples pierced.
Take the tram/streetcar down to Market (get off at Geary or Powell - which is where the cable-cars turn around). From there you can see around the shops downtown, or the hundreds of high-rise office buildings.
Go to the Bank of America building on the corner of Kearny and Sacramento St. and go to The Carnelian Room at the top floor (53rd) for a margarita, pref. in the afternoon. Dress nice though. There you will find the best high view of the peninsula and the bay.
That's near the Embarcadero Center, and The Hyatt Regency at the bottom of Market, with the indoor gardens and fountains. Lovely to walk through, or sit for a sandwich. You could also pop up the Hyatt's 'exterior elevator' to the revolving restaurant, .....for a maragarita.
A short walk over to Chinatown, past the Holiday Inn, where the oriental lads play chess..... but try not to be rude by taking photos of them. Ask a local for a chinese restaurant that the actual chinese eat at - not necessarily a tourist one.
Another short stroll and you are into the arty and red-light district of Northbeach. Fun at night, and not seedy like the REAL red light area of The Tenderloin (which is dodgy at nights).
If you are still there in the morning, stroll to the park where the Chinese and Koreans practice Tai-Chi, in their droves. Interesting to watch - like some weird otherworldly ritual.
Another morning, take the ferry boat over to Tiburon, in Marin County (or drive over if you rented a car). Take brunch there, and walk the shopping streets. Expensive art and artifacts, but nice anyway. If you find or have transport, it's nice to drive through Muir Woods to Muir Beach - naked sunbathing? Alright, if your manhood is too small for that, Stinson Beach is cool, and you can drive back over Mount Tam, before heading for San Rafael village for a beer (there's even an English pub) or catch a Shakespeare at the outdoor theatre there. If you walk or cycle over GGBridge, don't miss Sausalito, with Cafe Trieste for a coffee by the marina, and a walk through the winding pathways and the art galleries and fancy ice-cream parlours.
Then, when you've roamed around the North Bay enough, head back over the Golden Gate Bridge, and take Lombard Street all the way (bypass Van Ness, and climb the hill to the winding bit, for a laugh. It's trivial, but it's on all the postcards and calenders). Make your way from there to Fisherman's Wharf. Pier 39 can take you several hours, but it's worthwhile. Several bars, and then get San Francisco Clam Chowder at the wharf. If there's a bar with live music, stay and have more beers.
Haight Street is about a 1/2 mile long, and it's the 'hippy' street. Stop in Amoeba Records and see the 'supermarket' of collectible music related stuff - posters, vinyl, cds, whatever. Look at tie-dye stuff still sold on Haight Ashbury, kick the smelly bums that think hippyness and peace and love means burning out your brain on LSD and begging is hip and non-conformist. The Golden Gate Park is at the top end of Haight, and it's a cool place to walk on a warm day. It's huge, you can easily get lost. Barefoot frisbee, and skipping is not frowned on, so your hidden airyfairy can come out and just 'be'. Maybe there's a 'soccer' game on, but if you are rubbish, say you are signing for palace and they'll understand. Smoke some sens, and then talk no sense, but think you mean it. Watch it's not chronic, or you'll think you are no longer capable of walking safely, breathing safely, or able to rejoin the human race ever again. Don't worry, it actually doesn't last forever, and you really do come down after a while. Ask anyone if they knew Gerry, just to get into a conversation. Everyone liked Gerry. If you are there in the evening, still coming down from that joint, go to The 'I-Beam' to dance.
Head for Seal Rocks and China Beach, to see the Pacific in all glory, especially if the sea is rough. A few yards down from the restaurant, after the margaritas, is a Camera Obscura - a strange fishbowl view of the world outside.
Tell everyone you know David Beckham, they will believe you. If you are asked anything about politics, approve of a black or female president, and say you are looking forward to when the US can have a gay president. Don't say anything is "really gay", or people will think you want to buy it or sleep with it.
Last edited:
magoo
New member
then you'll want to get away from that?
dougdeep
New member
Jammy bleeder.
AIT76
The wisdom of a fool
- Jul 29, 2004
- 475
If you do go to Alcatraz, try to get on the last tour of the day, because the last ferry back is an hour later (as it takes all the staff back) and you get that time free to explore on your own after the audio tour finishes. It's spooky wandering around the cells alone in the fading light, and when you do have to go for the ferry, the guides walk you all down together and stop along the way to talk more about the prison and the inmates.
If you have transport then Monteray Bay is nice, and the aquarium is a must.
Sport-wise, you could always go and watch San Jose Sharks play ice-hockey.
If you have transport then Monteray Bay is nice, and the aquarium is a must.
Sport-wise, you could always go and watch San Jose Sharks play ice-hockey.
NMH has plotted a pretty good itinery. I love Golden Gate Park - it's a wonderful place to walk around - the Japanese tea garden is particularly cool. And Haight St reminds me of Brighton in the early 70s - just watch the acid-heads trying to get their heads together.
No-one's mentioned the Museum of Modern Art yet, but it's a pretty good one. It's worth clocking the murals at the Coit Tower, a celebration of the working class in a time when the USA actually did appreciate its working class.
If you're doing the trip along the coast, I'd recommend Bodega Bay (it's where The Birds was filmed), it's such an old-fashioned seaside town, it's like stepping back in the past.
No-one's mentioned the Museum of Modern Art yet, but it's a pretty good one. It's worth clocking the murals at the Coit Tower, a celebration of the working class in a time when the USA actually did appreciate its working class.
If you're doing the trip along the coast, I'd recommend Bodega Bay (it's where The Birds was filmed), it's such an old-fashioned seaside town, it's like stepping back in the past.