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My San Francisco
Tom Wolfe, recognized for his visionary achievement as the first concierge in the United States by Les Clefs d’Or USA, shares his favorite things about San Francisco
By: Tom Wolfe
My San Francisco is a beautiful, mystical city, shrouded by fog and mist, containing the flavors and aromas of all the worlds’ exotic fragrances.
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It is a city, yet a small town, a metropolis yet a place for living and enjoying life. It is unmatched by any other city in the USA, and consequently I consider it to be – My San Francisco.
Get to Know the City:
Start by getting an early start, and taking the Hyde Street cable car (buy an “all-day pass”) to the end of the line (Beach & Hyde). There you will find a San Francisco landmark, The Buena Vista Café, where Irish Coffee made its first appearance this side of the pond back in the 50s. They still serve several thousand a day! Have a nice old fashioned breakfast at the BVC, as you make your plans for the day. Because of the timing, you will be at Fisherman’s Wharf right when it’s starting to wake up. This is a great time to stroll along the waterfront. Alternatively, around the corner from the BVC is a bicycle rental place, and you can rent a bike and bike the Golden Gate Bridge. Also, if you are planning to visit Alcatraz, morning is the best time. Just be sure you reserve Alcatraz in advance. You can also use your all day pass to leave Fisherman’s Wharf and head downtown for some shopping, or go to Golden Gate Park.
My Food and Drink:
Ah, where does one begin in such a culinary paradise? If you wish ethnic, we have everything from Afghani to Indonesian. We have palaces of gastronomy, as well as local spots with 7 stool counters. The Tonga Room at The Fairmont is one of the most unique, as it is a Tiki Room that has not changed since it opened. It comes complete with a pool in the center of the room containing a barge that transports the musicians to the center of the pool. They also have a terrific Happy Hour with dim sum buffet.
I mentioned the Buena Vista Café, which is one of my favorites, especially for breakfast. Not to be missed however, is the Ferry Building at the end of Market Street On Saturday, they have a fantastic Farmer’s Market. If you miss the Farmer’s Market worry not, the Ferry Building is still, in and of itself, a great destination, a grand shrine to all things culinary. There is also a very popular Vietnamese restaurant, The Slanted Door; go there for lunch, as it is very difficult to secure a reservation, however they welcome walk-ins. If that doesn’t work, there is an Oyster Bar, a Mexican place, and numerous other possibilities for “noshing.”
Up California Street, there are two restaurants of note; Aqua, the City’s finest seafood restaurant (be sure to book a table) and practically next door, The Tadich Grill, which lays claim to being the oldest restaurant in the city. It really does feel like stepping back in time, with the long counter and crisp white tablecloths, definitely worth taking a look.
For Chinese food taken to a whole new level, there is Tommy Toy’s Cuisine Chinoise, a most elegant restaurant. For those who like a good bar scene, head to Cow Hollow in the Marina. Start off at Betelnut and spend the evening at one of the many watering holes in the neighborhood.
Finally, one of the best-kept secrets is a marvelous fusion restaurant in Japantown called bushi-tei. Although they are in the heart of Japantown (also worth a visit), their cuisine, under the hands of the talented Chef Waka, is as creative as it gets.
My Retail:
Like our restaurants, shops abound. Union Square is for the large department stores, as well as specialty shops like Tiffany & Company, etc. Neiman Marcus is housed in the old City of Paris building; their restaurant, which overlooks Union Square, has the original stained glass ceiling from City of Paris. Wilkes Bashford is our high-end fashion store; Wilkes introduced Giorgio Armani’s line for men and women a number of years ago, and is a truly great San Franciscan. The other very famous store is a local store called “Gump’s” – a great place for gift shopping. There is even a “mall” of sorts downtown, housing Nordstrom’s, Bloomingdales and a host of others. Boutique shops can be found in The Marina, along Union Street and Fillmore Street. Perhaps one of the more interesting shopping areas of the City is “The Haight” or local name for the Haight Ashbury district. Once the preserve of the hippies, it now has some rather funky establishments, vintage clothing, Arts and Crafts, and even a place to buy that beloved tie-die shirt.
GET FIT!
These days, nearly every hotel has a fitness center of some sorts. However many people choose to get out in our remarkably fresh air. While it is possible to jog in San Francisco proper, this is better performed along Marina Boulevard, with beautiful views of the Golden Gate Bridge and The Bay. One can even go across the Bridge by foot if desired. There are many other opportunities for bicycling, kayaking
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and even tennis (in Golden Gate Park) and hiking in the Marin headlands, or even in some areas of the Presidio.
A Perfect Sunday:
Now it’s time to take the family for an outing in this great City. Be sure that Alcatraz is on the list; reserve that in advance. Get an early start with perhaps breakfast at the BVC (see “Get to Know The City”). Wear comfortable clothes, walking shoes and have a jacket in case it is cool. Having finished Alcatraz, stroll along the Embarcadero to Pier 39, an entertainment complex built on a reclaimed pier, complete with Merry-Go-Round, Aquarium, Catamaran Rides, Seaplanes and even cruises on the Bay. A bit further afield is The Exploratorium, a museum devoted to physics and science that children really enjoy. You can also pick up a hop-on, hop-off, sightseeing tour. Finally, for something really unusual, take a segway tour of San Francisco. It’s a lot of fun, and definitely something different! There are also a number of “Sunset cruises” from Pier 39, a great way to wind up your perfect Sunday – splurge and take a taxi back to the hotel – you’ve earned it!
Kid’s Special:
For children, there are some amazing places. The newest is the California Academy of Science in Golden Gate Park, completely redesigned and definitely something for the children to experience. If you can get over to Sausalito, there is the Bay Area Discovery Museum. I mentioned earlier The Exploratorium. Angel Island is a great destination, with wonderful views and a very rural environment even though you are in the middle of San Francisco Bay. Muir Woods, with its huge, thousand year old redwoods, is quite interesting. You can indeed walk across the Golden Gate Bridge. Just remember to dress accordingly as it can be very cold and breezy. And I will repeat – Pier 39, which is part of Fisherman’s Wharf, home to such other wonders as Ripley’s Believe it or Not, the Rainforest Café and many others.
Romance:
Honestly, could we ask for a more romantic city? Let’s start with romantic places to get engaged. One of the nicest is the Hornblower dinner cruise (check their schedule and be sure to make a reservation), a leisurely three hour journey complete with dinner, dancing and entertainment. You can hire a limousine and leave the driving to them. Do NOT, as one young man tried to do recently, propose in the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge. The only good thing about this encounter is that the would-be groom didn’t drop the ring. Sausalito is a charming place with several restaurants that look back on the bay.
For Honeymooners: The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn offers a great location, with a beautiful spa and several different types of water pools. From there you are in a good position to explore the Wine Country. The Wine Country makes a lovely honeymoon base. Further North is Mendocino, our own slice of New England coastline in this area. The popular television series, Murder She Wrote, starring Angela Lansbury, features the exterior of Blair House, a Victorian bed and breakfast inn, as Jessica Fletcher's home in the fictional town of Cabot Cove, Maine.
If we head south instead, we will come to Monterey and Carmel, Monterey with its magnificent aquarium, Carmel with its cozy cottages, shops and restaurant.
Finally, if it’s Winter Sports you are after, Lake Tahoe is just a few hours drive, with something for everyone. The most important thing when you visit our fair City is to keep an open mind and enjoy everything you come across.
Tom Wolfe who started at The Fairmont San Francisco in the 1970s, is a Past President of Les Clefs d’Or USA. On December 15th, 2008, he was recognized for his visionary achievement as the first concierge in the United States by Les Clefs d’Or USA and the Northern California Concierge Association at a special tribute hosted by hotel. The Fairmont San Francisco was the first hotel in the USA to offer the services of a concierge when Wolfe, who trained as a concierge in Europe, set up a desk in the hotel lobby. Because most Americans at that time were not familiar with the concept, he placed a note explaining his role in each guest room. In 1978 he founded the US chapter of Les Clefs d’Or. Tom Wolfe speaks French, Japanese and Spanish and he lives in San Francisco with his Japanese wife.
The Fairmont San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
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