San Francisco Trip
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Matthew
Stibbe's Homepage
San Francisco Trip
San Francisco |
Summary:
In August 2002, I went to San Francisco for a month's working holiday. These pages record some of impressions the trip made on me.
City in the clouds. San Francisco seen from the view point on the north side of Golden Gate bridge at 6.30am.
This was not my first visit to San Francisco, but it is my favourite. I had been there thirty or forty times on business when I ran IG and once since I left (for a three day holiday on my way back from Houston). I knew I had to go back - and for a good long stay - because I hated leaving the city and always day-dreamed about it when I wasn't there. I wanted to go back for a proper look, to be part of it.
It was the accidental discovery on the web of Nob Hill Place that catalysed the whole thing. They rent apartments by the month in a very good neighbourhood to business people and this solved the basic problem of a long stay - how to do it in relative comfort but not take out a second mortgage to pay a month-long hotel bill. So I booked it. As Voltaire said "if we don't find something pleasant, at least we'll find something new."
My flat at Nob Hill Place. There was a sitting room, a small bedroom, bathroom and kitchen and the whole thing cost about a quarter of a good hotel per day. And the view... Wow!
The day after I arrived, nursing a cold and jet lag I was walking around the city and wanted lunch. Using Vindigo on my Palm handheld I found a vegetarian Chinese restaurant nearby - the Lucky Creation. This was the BEST and the CHEAPEST Chinese I have ever been to. You could eat platefuls of food with tea for under $10. The decor was not very ritzy and the Formica tables looked like they could remember the sixties but there was a queue at the door (always a good sign). I particularly liked the way they had statues of Bruce Lee on the shelf next to statues of the Buddha. I got a fortune cookie that read "life for you is a dashing and bold adventure."
The Lucky Creation. All vegetarian. All cheap. Mmmm. Chinese food.
I like the language. My phone once said "the number you dialed is not appropriate." Too many sevens for decency? An advert on the back of a teabag envelope read "Mighty Leaf - get infused!" I might adopt this as my motto. There is also the absolute candour: 'my objective in starting this business was to make lots of money' and the contrasting aphorising, like the wine connoisseur who announced "drink your cellar before you die" (before adding that champagne is good with popcorn and sushi). Then there's the vernacular: "my bad" (meaning 'sorry') and "no biggie" (meaning 'don't worry about it') and "gosh darn good" (meaning 'fucking brilliant').
The Huntington Spa
My favourite hotel in San Franciso is the Huntington. I stayed there originally because an old girlfriend picked it out of a guide book which said that Alistair Cooke stayed there. Last year they built a fantastic spa with a pool and deck in the basement. I used to go there so often on business that many of the staff recognised me and, even now, years later, some of them still do and one even makes a valiant attempt at pronouncing my surname. It's really very welcoming. I made an arrangement so that I could use the spa on week days during my stay and it was the best thing I did - the place was generally deserted (as in the picture) and I virtually had the place to myself. I would swim for half an hour a day, sauna afterwards and then sit on the deck in a robe looking at the view and drinking ice tea. Pretty civilised.