Landing in San Francisco in the early morning on Saint Patrick’s Day, we caught the BART to the Civic Centre and then took a bus to Russian Hill. At the train station, we were advised to ‘trust no one’ and on the bus a random guy warned us to keep our money hidden to avoid being robbed.
Welcome to the City by the Bay!
After dropping our bags at Castle Inn, we headed down Polk Street, stopping for coffee at Royal Ground (cost $9 a cup when you factor in exchange rates and taxes), before wandering through Ghirardelli Square, a historic chocolate factory turned shopping and dining complex. The old cannery, another factory repurposed into shops, was once home to Del Monte Foods. It also features a 130-year-old olive tree, which survived both the 1906 and 1989 San Francisco earthquakes.
Stopping at Blue Mermaids for some of their award-winning Dungeness Crab and Corn Chowder, only to be informed that it wouldn’t be available until after 11:30 am. It was barely 9 am at this point, so we headed to Pier 39 with its resident sea lions, views over the bay and hearts.
The Hearts in San Francisco public art project has been running for over 20 years. The Open Heart sculpture overlooking the bay at the end of Pier 39 was hand-painted by local artist Patrick Dintino. Over 549 heart sculptures have been created since the program started. For anyone wanting to go on a heart hunt across the city, there are generally 100 hearts on display at any given time.
Expecting to see something like the Finger Wharf dining precinct in Sydney, I was pleasantly surprised that, while transformed into a tourist destination, Fisherman’s Wharf retains some of its old charm. Sadly, this is about to change. Many of the landmark eateries closed permanently during the pandemic, so the area is now set for a massive refurb. Alioto’s historic restaurant, which started as a fresh fish stall in 1925, is due for demolition to make way for a plaza.
After stopping in for that delicious Dungeness Crab and Corn Chowder, it was back to the hotel for check-in and a rest, cos let’s face it, we’d been roaming the streets for six hours after getting off a long-haul flight. But this was St Paddy’s Day, so we ventured out again later to have a pint of Guinness at the local Irish bar on the corner – Shanghai Kelly’s.
It’s easy enough to explore San Francisco on foot, by bus, and, of course, a compulsory ride on a cable car up the city’s infamous steep hills. So we spent a day, doing just that.
With the cable car component complete, we made our way to Union Square – commercial heart of the city, losing ourselves for a bit in the soon-to-be-closed Macy’s Department store, a decades-long feature of the square’s retail landscape.
From there, we happened upon the delightful John’s Grill, a historic restaurant and San Francisco institution, apparently! After my lunch of a steak sandwich and outstanding clam chowder, in the ambient interior, I can see why. Taxes, tips, and exchange rates meant lunch cost about $85.00, so I’m happy the chowder didn’t disappoint.
A little more wandering and a pilgrimage to the house made famous by Mrs Doubtfire. The home is privately owned, so you only get to view the outside. Still, the beautiful architecture around the Pacific Heights neighbourhood alone is worth the walk, with its Victorian, Edwardian and mid-century modern styles and glimpses of the bay and the bridge.
The next morning’s breakfast of biscuits and gravy at The New Spot on Polk included fried potatoes and two poached eggs, a hearty start for lining one’s stomach before heading on a half-day tour to Napa Valley.
We caught the bus to Washington Square, then walked the rest of the way to our meeting point near Fishermen’s Wharf. With a bit of time to spare before our departure, we dropped in to Eagle Café for a pre-tour espresso martini. Why not?
Leaving the city northwest across the Golden Gate Bridge, we first visited Madonna Winery, enjoying a tour and selection of tastings before opting for the Chardonnay. A varietal that is starting to win me over once more after we had a falling out some time back.
Next, we stopped at Ru Vango. Our wine tasting and education was conducted out on the veranda with a great view overlooking the vineyard. Purchasing a bottle of their very best sparkling and a wee Camembert, a pleasant time was spent, sipping and snacking amongst the vines before heading back to the city, a bottle of Rosé for the ride.