San Francisco

Once upon a different life.

If I make a goal list and write down a dream country to go to, would you guess the place? California is an eternal spring, a place where the sun always shines and nature is unspoiled.
This is a perfect spot to feel young, wild and free. 8 days spent in San Francisco to experience the different vibes that only this controversial city, made of light and darkness... both incredibly fascinating, can make you feel.

Fun facts:

My bf had business engagements in SF, so we took the plunge for a vacation!

I had good meals on the flight!

The wind is a constant presence in the city! (SO F***N COLD)!

Homelessness is notorious as a problem!

Sparkling water is not to be found!

Ranch turns out to be a godsend!

SF is walkable if you are a climber!

The first weekend:

The very first day was endless. We flew from Naples on friday, early in the morning, and landed in San Francisco on friday afternoon (time zone is sooo fascinating). It has been so easy to reach the city center with the short-distance train system called Bart. And it has been also so fast, so much that I could switch from holding the tickets to eating a sandwich ('Carl's Jr') in no-time! The hotel stay was terrible! It was not at all clean or spacious, extremely expensive, but definitely well-located. Unfortunately, my boyfriend's brother (who was traveling with us) found a rat in the room... I have nothing else to add. Work started the following Monday, so we wanted to make the most of the first two days. Of course, we had to start with a classic American breakfast: pancakes and maple syrup (so yummy). We started our day (Saturday) in "Embarcadero", the port district that is home to the "Ferry Building". If you can, I recommend going when the "Ferry Plaza Farmers Market" is held. After that, we headed to the famous "Chinatown of San Francisco", passing by the "Coit Tower" (just to say hello as we went by... yeah, we are terrible). Anyway, did you know that the first fortune cookies were made in San Francisco? If you love cheesecake, go up to the top floor of Macy's and don't miss the 'Cheesecake Factory'. And since you're here, visit the world-famous square that hosts it: "Union Square" LOL. We did a lot of walking (we tried to rent electric bikes, but it was a bit of a struggle: how do you keep your eye on the GPS on your phone while driving up and down the f***n steep streets of San Francisco?). In the "Financial District", we admired the "Transamerica Pyramid" (it looks like something out of Blade Runner). We didn't spend too much time there, but it was impressive. Next, we headed to "North Beach", the Italian quartier. I was expecting it to be more veracius, but at least the coffee was great! My favourite part of San Francisco, my heart's home, the flagship of the city, was "Fisherman's Wharf". What can you expect from this part of town? Shops, funky bars, restaurants, nightlife, street performers, and more. The atmosphere here is so vibrant that it makes you feel truly alive. We happened to be walking around at an odd time of day (not breakfast, lunch, or dinner) but ended up trying the famous Clam Chowder ('here'), which was so so so delicious! "Ghirardelli Square" is the plaza that houses the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company. I really wanted to try some of their chocolates, but the line was too long and I ended up getting them at the supermarket, instead (and i gotta say that sounded like a really smart move, man). The last step was "Lombard Street": I've done some wonderful photos from there which had a breathtaking view (on the Russian Hill). "There is no rest for the wicked" is my mantra. On the second day (Sunday), my step-counter went crazy... from the "Presidio", the national park at the foot of the "Golden Gate Bridge" (I wasn't sure it existed until I got close and actually saw it, it's so incredibly foggy), to "Golden Gate Park", passing through the "Palace of Fine Arts" complex. It was really magical to admire the sunset while walking this long route. On our way back to the city center, we headed to "Alamo Square" to see the famous Painted Ladies, some pretty colorful houses, a must-take photo break! Don't forget to end your day with a California-style steak, with the famous whipped butter and all-styles potatoes (there was a very good 'restaurant' close to my hotel).

The work week:

The Cure sang "Monday you can fall apart", but that didn't happen that Monday. The work event we attended, SMAU trade fair, where selected startups (you won't miss the chance to know Esthar!!!) present Italian innovations, started with a sunset aperitivo. This gave us the chance to explore the city a little more in the morning. Off to "Mission district", one of San Francisco's most of-the-moment neighborhoods, to get a real authentic California-style burrito ('La Taqueria'). First the tears and then the cakes, as the saying goes. The week was packed with commitments, but we were still able to visit the "Silicon Valley" and "Stanford University" (which is absolutely stunning)! I recommend visiting the Silicon Valley only if you have plenty of time, and to do it by car or bus (a round-trip). I can't think of anything else, but to end this post with one more song quote that has been the soundtrack of my days (Agostino you're such a great singer!):

All across the nation
Such a strange vibration
People in motion
There's a whole generation
With a new explanation
People in motion, people in motion...

...

There's more to come... stay tuned!