You would think with all the engineers from the Subcontinent employed by Silicon Valley tech firms, the South Bay would have plenty of good Indian restaurants to choose from. You would be right. Drive down El Camino Real in Sunnyvale and Santa Clara and it starts to look like one big Indian restaurant bazaar. There’s so many, I heard they even opened one inside a Starbucks. (Badaboom) Okay maybe not, but it’s also no surprise to find some of the best curries and dosas and naan in the Bay Area down south. Continue reading Best Indian food in the Bay Area (hint: look south)
Category Archives: San Francisco
A craftsman original: for the love of Swedenborg
I love craftsman architecture, the natural elements of wood and stone at its heart, the whimsical artistic flourishes reflected in the decorative and woodcut art of the same period (early 1900s), the functional nooks and crannies, and a pleasing solidness to the structures. It’s a very warm and charming style. The original British creator of craftsman style, William Morris, was responding to the dehumanizing utility of the industrial revolution, so the best craftsman homes are an homage to nature–a sort of English garden fairyland nature–that produces a feeling both fanciful and secure.
Fortunately for admirers of the form like myself, there are a number of craftsman buildings found throughout Northern California. One of the most remarkable I’ve come across is the Swedenborgian Church on the corner of Lyon and Washington near the Presidio. Continue reading A craftsman original: for the love of Swedenborg
Best bookstores in San Francisco
Reading an actual paperback these days is like writing with pen and paper, it’s so old school and retro it’s become hipster cool. At least that’s what I hear on the street. Regardless of where I fall on that scale, and even if I eventually get a Kindle, one of my greatest pleasures in life is wiling away a few hours in the nooks and crannies of an old creaky bookshop. Thankfully there’s a few still around. And while they may not be as comprehensive as Amazon, these often quirky, always interesting independent bookstores are part of the soul of our city, and should be cherished as the rare birds they are.
Here’s a few of my favorites:
A pho tour of Clement Street
Sure, you can probably find better pho in the city. (I hear Turtle Tower and PPQ in the Tenderloin are good.) But in my mind, Clement Street in the Inner Richmond is still the home of pho in San Francisco. The abundance of pho restaurants and Asian markets are part of what give Clement its character. It’s easy to get here by bus, safe and easy to park, and an interesting street to stroll and shop. Pho, if you’re not familiar, is a large bowl of soup, with a flavorful broth, vermicelli rice noodles and beef, chicken or seafood. I usually order ‘ga’, or chicken. And every bowl typically comes with a side of bean sprouts, lime wedges, fresh sprigs of basil and sliced jalapeno that you add to taste. Here’s a rundown of the pho places you’ll find here. Continue reading A pho tour of Clement Street
Christmas in Norway in San Francisco
Hei og god jul. That would be Norwegian for ‘hello and Merry Christmas’, something you might hear if you stop by the Norwegian Holiday Fair at the Norwegian Seaman’s Church this Friday and Saturday (10-4). Can you say waffels! The annual fair is a kick-off of sorts to the holiday season, especially for the Bay Area’s large Norwegian population. It’s also a peek inside the world of one of the many ethnic groups in and around San Francisco.
Speaking of Christmas, wasn’t it invented in Norway? You’ll believe it when you see some of the white-haired Father Christmas look-a-likes in their hand-embroidered sweaters. There’s various Norwegian trinkets and food products to buy, as well as baked sweets and beverages from the cafe, and waffels! And if Christmas isn’t your thing, Scrooge, it’s at least a chance to visit the church with the best view in the city. 2454 Hyde Street (between Francisco Street and Chestnut Street).
Finding a good bank/credit union in the Bay Area
Bank Transfer Day has come and gone (Nov. 5), but the movement to transfer money from big banks to smaller community banks and credit unions continues. But transferring an account can be a little bit of a challenge, especially for people who’ve banked for years at Wells Fargo, Chase or Bank of America and have no idea where to go. Rest assured though, the benefits are many: most credit unions require a minimal amount ($35-100) to open a new account, and don’t charge monthly fees on checking accounts and other transactions. Continue reading Finding a good bank/credit union in the Bay Area
Defining ‘Bay Area’
So what do you consider ‘Bay Area’? I’m never quite sure how far the border extends, what to include, what to leave out. It’s like neighborhoods in the city: where does the Upper Haight end and Cole Valley begin? Logically, I’d consider the Bay Area to be made up of suburban and metro areas. In the North Bay, that would mean it ends at Novato. The South Bay would end at San Jose. East Bay, the towns along the 680 like Danville and Walnut Creek. Continue reading Defining ‘Bay Area’
Fleet Week followup: the Blue Angels flyover
The Blue Angels came to town recently for Fleet Wek, October 8-9, and I was fortunate to spend the weekend at the Fisherman’s Wharf Hyatt for the big event. They say the best seats for viewing the two-hour air show are on a boat on San Francisco bay, but boats aren’t allowed in the bay during the performance. Instead I settled for second best, watching from the fifth floor rooftop of the Hyatt, about two blocks from the water, with minimal obstructions. Continue reading Fleet Week followup: the Blue Angels flyover
Best wine bars of the Bay Area
If I get together with my friend in his crappy apartment kitchen, we drink beer. If I’m on another friend’s patio watching the sunset as the lights of the city come up, we drink wine. Beer is like a comfortable old sweatshirt that’s been washed a hundred times. Wine is like a velvet dinner jacket that fits you to a tee. Beer is your favorite football team on TV. Wine is a Monet exhibit at the museum.
This is a long way of saying that when judging wine bars, the setting can be just as important as the vintage on offer. Continue reading Best wine bars of the Bay Area
Aub Zam Zam: story of an Upper Haight original
I used to live around the corner from Aub Zam Zam, a neighborhood bar on Haight near Belvedere that’s been around as long as anyone can remember. But every time I tried to go, it was closed, its unpredictable hours never coinciding with mine.
Bruno Mooshei, the owner/bartender who took over the place from his father (who opened it in 1941), had developed something of a reputation over the years, and I wanted to see if it were true. Continue reading Aub Zam Zam: story of an Upper Haight original
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