Tag Archives: San Francisco

That Memorable San Francisco Street Signage

Posted on March 20, 2017 | 11 comments

Street signage. Every city and town seems to have their own format for street signs, from the colors and lettering to the format and shape of the signage itself. In my eyes, one city stands out more than any other, San Francisco.

Seeing the all-caps, modern large black letters on a white background just gives me the goosebumps as soon as I enter the city. Being able to capture two signs at once at an intersection, like at Beach and Larkin when visiting Ghirardelli Square, priceless.

Having spent so much time in San Fran, seeing specific streets brings back memories of yester-year, while also highlighting great things about the city. When I see Grant, Jackson and Stockton that means I’m in-and-around Chinatown and the Transamerica Pyramid.

Lombard makes me immediately think of the famous curvy road and Hyde Street evokes thoughts of being on a San Francisco manual cable car going up a very steep incline.

The Embarcadero signage brings the sea lions at Pier 39 into focus. One street over, Beach brings back memories of trying to park to go to Fisherman’s Wharf and The Embarcadero haha. Great Highway is the first street I hit up when in town, as it rides right along Ocean Beach and the Pacific.

Van Ness Avenue just makes me think of multiple lanes in each direction and a busy street. I was really careful capturing its street signage. Octavia and Hayes Streets brings me back to memories of the Hayes Valley neighborhood whereas 15th Street is where I usually park when going for a morning coffee at Four Barrel in “The Mission”.

In regards to San Francisco and its historic street signage, unfortunately it is not all sunshine and roses. Now days, as you roam S.F., you might notice some signs featuring mixed-case lettering, with the first letter only being capitalized. This is to conform with the goals of the Federal Highway Administration that signs be easier to read. What?! You’ll notice I didn’t capture any signs of this format.

On the plus side you still have time to experience the capital letting as you move about the city. Due to the federal mandate, street signs will get swapped out only when they need to be replaced. Though the Moraga and 23rd Street signage looks a little rough, there is still something historic and beautiful about them.

A few more pics of that vintage and memorable San Francisco street signage for the road.

What city or town contains memorable, historic and/or well-designed street signage in your eyes that you have come across in your travels?

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Posted in California, San Francisco

Tagged California, historic, San Francisco, San Francisco street signs, street signs

San Francisco: Lombard Street Beyond the Curvy Drive

Posted on April 28, 2016 | 15 comments

When people think Lombard Street in San Francisco, they think of the famous block in the Russian Hill neighborhood. Between Hyde and Leavenworth sits the curvy and steep, red-bricked road where you will find countless tourists, cameras and cars going through the hair pinned turns on any given day. As a kid, I always enjoyed going down the street in the car. On a recent visit I realized this one block of real estate in the city has so much more to offer outside of just driving the curves.

When at the top of the hill along Hyde Street you are bound to notice a cable car or two picking people up and dropping off. Grab a shot of the famed manually operated car. Better yet park your own car down at Fisherman’s Wharf and hop on the cable car at Powell and Hyde. You’ll kill two birds with one stone, experiencing two San Francisco gems at once.

Once you are dropped off and with no car to worry about it’s time to take the trip down the 250+ stairs on foot. While walking down on either side take the time to smell the flowers. In summer, you will find both sides of the curvy street lined with greenery and colorful flowers in full bloom. The flowers will also dot some of the houses themselves.

Speaking of houses, the Victorian mansions alongside are colorful and picturesque in their own right. The housing costs in Russian Hill are beyond expensive, but I wonder what one of these houses goes for on the open market? I can only imagine.

As you walk down take a look at the red-bricked street itself. Originally a cobblestone street and two-way, it has had the one-way, brick configuration since 1939. Wait for a break in the traffic and take a look.

Make sure to people watch. You are bound to see people from all over the world taking selfies, using those pesky selfie sticks and posing for family photos, especially at the bottom of the hill. See how they are engaging with the street, what angles they are taking photos from. You can get even more ideas on how to experience Lombard Street.

Now it is time to look beyond Lombard Street. While walking down look straight ahead. Scenic neighborhood views await with Telegraph Hill, Coit Tower and the Bay Bridge off in the distance.

About half-way down the hill, glance to the right and you will see the Transamerica Pyramid, San Francisco’s tallest building along with other parts of the city skyline. Throw in a palm tree standing guard in front and you will find one of my favorite views of the city.

The only real way to experience Lombard Street is on foot. Public transportation and shuttles are not allowed and while it is fun to experience driving at least once, it often involves delays both at the top and while on the curves due to the streets popularity. I look forward to getting out on the open red-bricked Lombard Street on foot again soon.

Lombard Street is just one of my ten ideas for taking San Francisco by foot.

Have you gone down Lombard Street in San Francisco? If so, what was your experience like?

15 Comments

Posted in California, San Francisco, travel

Tagged cable cars, California, Lombard Street, San Francisco

10 Reasons Why I Keep Going Back to San Francisco

Posted on September 8, 2015 | 12 comments

Outside of the home bases, my favorite city to travel to by far is San Francisco. In general the goose bumps appear whenever a trip is on the horizon. When it is a return visit to the “City by the Bay”, goose bumps are an understatement to how I am feeling.

Why do I keep going back to San Francisco you ask? There are ten reasons in particular:

1. The Growing Up Factor. My dad and his side of the family are originally from California and the Bay Area, so there was lot of San Fran summer time growing up. Cable car rides, experiencing my first coffee at The Buena Vista Cafe, watching the sea lions, Giants baseball games, all the fun memories of youth, make me want to go back and experience it over-and-over again.

10 reasons Why I Keep Going Back to San Francisco - Cable Car

Riding a Cable Car down Hyde Street as a kid.

2. The Coffee. San Francisco has one of the best indie coffee shop scenes around. Hanging out to a pour over in the Mission District at Four Barrel or grabbing an espresso shot at the Blue Bottle Kiosk in Hayes Valley, there seems to be a shop popping up on every corner. Each one is in its own little nook of the city. Experiencing the different coffee shops has also been a great way to discover and learn more about the various parts of the city.

3. The Neighborhoods. Speaking of the various parts, San Francisco is home to dozens of neighborhoods. Fisherman’s Wharf is the popular choice among tourists, Union Square is for shoppers, Outer Sunset is where you’ll run into the Pacific Ocean and lots of fog, and Alamo Square is primary residential, but with some of the best views of the skyline and city. I love the fact that each neighborhood has its own story and unique flavor. It feels like you’ve entered a different city or part of world going from one to the next.

10 reasons Why I Keep Going Back to San Francisco - Weather, fog, Outer Sunset neighborhood

Staring out at the Outer and Inner Sunset neighborhoods from The 16th Ave Tiled Steps Project.

4. The International Feel. Walking the streets you’ll hear many conversations, sometimes none of them in English. People from all over the world come to the city to visit and/or set up residency. The Japantown neighborhood is the oldest enclave in the United States. Chinatown is the place I like to go to scope out authentic cuisine, seeing fruits and vegetables at product markets along Stockton Street that I have never tried, or to hop from one touristy gift an antique shop to the next on Grant Avenue.

10 reasons Why I Keep Going Back to San Francisco - China Town neighborhood

Heading into the Chinatown neighborhood at Grant Avenue and Bush Street.

5. The Walkability. One thing that can be a challenge yet at the same time is strength of the city is its walkability. You face challenges heading off on foot with the drastic elevation changes like on Hyde Street. The chance to experience hidden gems that you would never see taking public transportation is well worth the climbing. I took a short stroll off the beaten path from the tourist friendly Lombard Street and found one of my favorite San Fran views just by walking.

6. The Weather. I’ve always had a fascination with storms, clouds, checking out the local radar maps wherever I am at and waking up to the Weather Channel every day. This city and the surrounding area is a smorgasbord for meteorologists. Along the coast it could be cold, drizzly and foggy, while a few miles inline in the heart of the city there could be blue skies and you would be a t-shirt. You head to the other side of San Francisco Bay and further inland and it could be a hundred degrees in the summer. Waking up in the morning, along with deciding where I want to go for coffee I ask myself, “What kind of weather am I in the mood for today?”

7. The Water. The temperatures you experience in San Francisco are influenced in a big way by how close to are to the Pacific Ocean. The city sits on a peninsula surrounded by the ocean and San Francisco Bay. I love being along water no matter where I am at. Ocean Beach right along the Pacific is always the first place I head to when visiting. Lands End, the Ferry Building, and walking over the Golden Gate Bridge are my other favorite spots to hangout and capture the majestic water views.

10 reasons Why I Keep Going Back to San Francisco - Ocean Beach, Pacific Ocean

Looking out at Ocean Beach and the Pacific Ocean beyond.

8. The Terrain. The unpredictable weather can also be attributed to the fact that you go from rugged coastline, to big city and mountains, to the desert in the blink of an eye. I enjoy the fact that you can experience hair-pin turns, palm trees, coastline and flat desert all on one short car ride.

9. The Views. All of the above factors put together create views that are hard to match anywhere else. Staring off into the wavy Pacific, taking a cable car ride, driving up to Twin Peaks or walking up-top Telegraph Hill and Coit Tower, I get a bit overwhelmed (in a good way) with the options to capture breathtaking vistas and views.

10 reasons Why I Keep Going Back to San Francisco - skyline from Alamo Square

The skyline from Alamo Square.

10. The Tech. Along with travel, technology has also been a passion of mine since my youth. I actually pay the bills today as a web developer. Just south of the city, sits Silicon Valley, the technological hub of the world. Apple, Google, YouTube, Yahoo, you name a tech company, you will find them headquartered or with a very large presence here. Many companies also setup up shop right in the city. Walk into a coffee shop or casually down the street, sit on a random bench and you’re bound to catch a conversation about a website launch, an IPO or what they think Apple is going to do next. The dot-com heyday may have passed, but there still a buzz in this region. It brings out the geek in me when in town.

What are some reasons why you would want to visit (or return to) San Francisco?

12 Comments

Posted in California, San Francisco, travel

Tagged California, San Francisco, travel tips

Ten Ideas for taking San Francisco By Foot.

Posted on February 16, 2015 | 15 comments

San Francisco is known as one of the more walkable cities in the US. Where ever your shoes take you there is bound to be natural beauty in all directions. Having spent a lot of time walking in The City by the Bay over the years, below are ten ideas for taking San Francisco by foot.

Walk the Golden Gate Bridge. Gravitate to where ten million other walkers, runners, tourists and cyclists go every year and head out onto the open International Orange painted bridge. Foggy or sunny, dawn or dusk, the half-plus mile journey one-way will be a bucket list type experience. If you are there on a sunny day, breathtaking San Francisco skyline and bay views await.

Just beyond the Golden Gate, walk Marin Headlands.. I know technically it’s not San Francisco, but the views of the city and beyond make this a journey worth taking up in the hills. Walk from vista point to vista point. On the nearby trail within the headlands, head out onto the open, steep path towards the still active lighthouse, where the San Francisco Bay and Pacific Ocean come together. Wild landscape awaits.

Walk an off-the-beaten path neighborhood. Tourists flock to Fisherman’s Wharf and Chinatown, but places like Inner Sunset continue to be off the radar for non-locals. While roaming head into places like the 22nd & Irving produce and vegetable market. You’ll get a feel for what real life is like in the city and off the tourist track.

Walk up-and-down the Tiled Steps. Continuing on in the Inner Sunset neighborhood and visit the hidden gem, The 16th Avenue Tiled Steps Project. Walk up and down the 163-step staircase, where each step is mosaic masterpiece created by locals. Grand View Park sits up-top and views of the Sunset District and straight out to the Pacific are in view as you head down. If you’re a runner it’s a great place to test your endurance, as many people will probably go flying up-and-down the stairs as you’re visiting.

Walk through and around the Ferry Building. Head to the plaza in the back to check out the bay, watch ferries come-and-go and if you like to people watch. Locals use the ferries to get to-and-from work at rush hour times. Inside shop the marketplace. After walking for a while dine at the numerous cafes and restaurants. Recommended stops are Blue Bottle, Pepples Donuts and Far West Fungi. Three days a week your feet can take you through a local farmers market.

Walk up to the top of Telegraph Hill via the Filbert and Greenwich Steps. Checkout the homes, gardens and greenery as you’re moving along. Once up-top head to the top of Coit Tower to get panoramic, 360 degree views of the city. Rest up and hang out on the grass just behind the tower.

Walk/hike the California Coastal Trail.. Looking for a longer, half-day adventure? Start out anywhere along Ocean Beach with the Pacific Ocean in full view. Walk/hike the 8+ mile trails passing by Point Lobos, Baker Beach and countless park benches and vista points. Lots of stairs, landmarks, hidden gems and the Golden Gate Bridge at the end of your journey awaits. Lands End is a recommended spot to relax and soak in all the views.

Walk Lombard Street, don’t drive down the famous curved road. As you’re heading down or climbing up the famous red bricked road, closely check out the colorful Victoria mansions that line the street. Also capture the beautiful flowers all around and the skyline opportunities that await around the middle. As with most things on this list and in travel, you gain a greater appreciation and see a place more in-depth on foot then you could ever do so in the car.

Walk the Hayes Valley neighborhood with a coffee in hand.. Of course I’m going to work coffee into the list. 🙂 Within Hayes Valley, grab a shot of espresso at the outside Blue Bottle Kiosk and/or a pour over at the Ritual Coffee shipping container and walk the boutique style, tree-lined neighborhood streets. You’re bound to get lost in the moment, getting the feeling of being in a completely different town.

Walk into The Buena Vista. After all that walking outside, walk into the home of the original Irish coffee to unwind. Make sure to grab a seat at the bar so you can see the magic happen. Watch the white-coated bartender’s line up glasses on the bar and make what it seems like dozens of Irish coffees at once. There is latte art, and then there is the art of an Irish coffee!

What other places and neighborhoods in San Francisco would you recommend checking out on foot?

15 Comments

Posted in California, San Francisco, travel

Tagged Cali, California, coffee, Golden Gate Bridge, hiking, Lombard Street, San Francisco, travel tips, walking

Getting Closer and Closer to Transamerica in San Francisco.

Posted on February 18, 2014 | 4 comments

Broadway, Grant, Columbus, Jackson, Kearny… those are just some of the streets I walked along or crossed as I got closer and closer to the iconic Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco. The Transamerica is the tallest and most well-known part of San Fran’s skyline. It sits 850 feet tall and is 48 stories, but there is no public access except for the first level. It’