Ever been at that corner of 17th and Castro and disregarded the red crosswalk light only to be…read morefacing possibly imminent death from a car careening off of Upper Market Street? Don't lie to me...that was you, the driver, wasn't it? ...WASN'T IT? Well, you have one less opportunity to gloat over the casualties in your path and save your karma for another day like when you speed past a senior citizen in a walker to secure the handicapped seat on the F-line streetcar for yourself. That's because the Castro neighborhood has installed a pedestrian plaza in the last-half-block of 17th Street before it fans out to the congested Market/Castro intersection. Such a great idea and apparently the first of four planned for the city. There are movable barrel-shaped planters and concrete slabs for sitting and checking your iPhone text messages, I guess. There are even cafe tables if you want to socialize with fellow pedestrians who have narrowly escaped death from those careless drivers. The plaza has just a 60-day trial run, but if people love it like I do, then it will stay. Support it ...love it. Let's all get European and have the opportunity to enjoy ramblas (like Barcelona) and broader sidewalks. We deserve it.

I often see community members sitting in the Plaza, sipping coffee, eating lunch and socializing…read more Chairs and tables go out at 11am most days (barring rain) The Castro CBD (local non-profit) provides live music, exhibits and other entertainment for the community here May through October from 1-2pm. And it's FREE.

Visited Sunset Reservoir this evening to catch the sunset, and it was breathtaking. The panoramic…read moreviews include the Pacific Ocean, Sunset District, Richmond District, Golden Gate Bridge, and the iconic Sutro Tower rising above Twin Peaks. The colorful sunset over the city made for a memorable experience and one of the most striking sunset views in San Francisco.

At around sunset, neighbors come out to walk their dogs and look at the sky just a little above…read moreground... The view of the ocean, beautiful sunset and Golden Gate Bridge on a clear day is awe-inspiring, making all of us feeling grateful to be in this beautiful city!

There are so many images to choose from for downtown Palo Alto. This simple arrangement of a boy…read morediving into balloons touched my heart . It captures unbridled joy and even a little fear diving into a promising adventure. Maybe that is why he is in a Banksy-esque black and white and the future he is diving into appears optimistically brilliantly colored. A beautiful metaphor for exploring something new and different in this life. There are many hidden gems in a city, feel free to try the path less traveled in Palo Alto or any city. You might be surprised.

I LOVE Palo Alto. Iconic and also home (extended) for me. So much to see and do and history around…read morehere. It is hollowed ground if you are in tech. I used to come here all the time for meals when I worked nearby and I find excuses to make my way back these days.

Very much an SF landmark but people rarely talk or think about it!…read more Wow it is tall up close. Much bigger than I imagined it was all these years. Standing tall in all its glory. Beautiful red and white

Probably, the most visible San Francisco landmark of them all!!…read more Even when it's foggy, this landmark stands tall. Located very close to Twin Peaks, and obviously it's fenced off so you can only get so close. But being able to see it from everywhere, including the East Bay on a clear day, it was cool to get an up close view of this iconic local landmark!!!

If you love turn of the century architecture the Ninth Circuit tour is the one to take. They just…read morerecently reopened for tours to the public. I went with a group but there's a set schedule each month to drop by and look around. Tours are free, courtesy of you, the taxpayer Such a beautiful building full of history!

I worked three blocks away over the years and never realized this building with so much history was…read moreright under my nose. The James R. Browning U.S. Courthouse is a National Historic Landmark was opened in 1905 and is considered one of America's most beautiful public buildings with its Beaux-Arts Classical architecture. It served as the main post office and courthouse and even survived the 1906 earthquake with only fire damage to the Redwood Room, hence it reopened two days later. However, the 1989 earthquake caused serious damage and Congress authorized $91mil for the retrofitting and rehabilitation of the building. It reopened in 1997 with modern HVAC, electrical and plumbing, rendering it to the standards of a new building, which now houses the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. A 70 minutes free docent led tour is offered twice a month on Tuesdays at 1pm during the Spring and Summer, otherwise once a month. See the website at: https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/content/view.php?pk_id=0000000141. As with all Federal facilities, you need an ID and pass through security. Upon entering, you see the grandeur of the bronze doors, white Carrara marble on floors and walls, verde marble insets, vaulted ceilings, with marble tiles crafted by craftsmen from Italy. The postal customer service windows have been left in place. A new library building was built in the postal sorting area, which is accessed on the first floor. The four courtrooms are on the second and third floors and each have their own distinctive designs and sizes of Art Deco, marble, artwork, mosaics, woodwork and skylights. The docent will lead a tour into each courtroom unless court is in session. The Redwood Room was rebuilt after 1906 earthquake fire is completely clad in ornately clad redwood and was used as a library. Open a door and you will see books in shelves. We also saw the office used by visiting Supreme Court Justices and the chambers of Chief Justice Sidney Thomas. Remember to stop by the Information Room by the entrance for info on Justice James Browning and the Court. Highly recommend visiting this historical courthouse and be transported to the past to see architecture, design, materials and craftsmanship that you won't see in your modern buildings.

I went through this thing (twice!) every weekday from late 2010 to early 2020. It always took…read morelonger to get through it than I expected, even when I knew exactly what to expect. Later in that time frame, I often slept the entirety of the way through the tunnel. Leaving from one of the Downtown San Francisco stations, I usually fell asleep right away, but I always woke up at or just past West Oakland Station. Traveling from Berkeley home to San Francisco, no matter how far away from the Transbay Tube I fell asleep, I always woke up just as the train was pulling into Embarcadero Station. No, the body doesn't keep the score, but my body grew so accustomed to the sounds and feelings of the tube that it knew exactly when to wake. It's amazing how they constructed it. If you're afraid of knowing too much about scary things, don't read how they constructed it. It sits on the floor of the bay. That's so creepy and scary and cool!

The true engineering marvel of the San Francisco Bay Area is BART's Transbay Tube. You can't see…read moreit, but it's there. Oakland to SF in about 10-mins! It's an "immersed tube tunnel" that's similar to Alameda's Posey Tube. How did they build it? They took sections of tunnel, sank them, and put them together. How's the ride? It's dark and a little noisy. Don't think about worst case scenarios, in 10-mins you'll be in SF. When I was a little kid, we went on a field trip to see BART right before they opened it. Someone asked....what happens if the train gets stuck underwater? Well it actually happened. A rescue train goes down the other track with emergency crews onboard. They transfer the passengers to that train, and get them to the next station. There's talk about opening a 2nd transbay tube, from Alameda to SFO. The fastest way to SF on public transit.

The views are fabulous, the succulent gardens sensational located in a beautiful neighborhood…read more It was once considered to mark the geological center of the city.

I found Mount Olympus on Atlas Obscura, it's a nice place to go to look out at a view of SF (city…read moreand bay to the east and Mount Sutro to the west). Sometimes it's really foggy and you can't see much. There are better viewpoints in SF, but worth it for someone who's been everywhere and wanting to find something new. The parking up here is very limited, I've never driven up here but used it more as an add-on to a walk in the neighborhood. It can be accessed by stairs on 17th and Clayton or Upper Terrace. From Corona Heights Park to here incorporating the Vulcan, Saturn, and other staircases is around 1.2 miles.

October 15, 2025. I visited the Holocaust Memorial and can…read moreonly hope that the those who come here not only reflect on all the persons murdered during WW II, but also the sad moments where we continue to see one group dehumanize another. It's worth taking some time to reflect here.

Having studied the Holocaust and related historical events in college, I was pleased to find that…read morethis monument exists, near the Legion of Honor in SF. It's a fairly simple exhibit, but what it symbolizes can evoke a world of emotions, contemplation, and reflection. The sculpture is presented tastefully, a work of art, just enough to remind visitors of this horrible act of genocide during WW2, and to show respect, while perhaps bringing attention to the importance of learning from the past. This memorial is located right next to the Legion of Honor parking lot, and can easily be missed because the wall of plaques is blocking from view the sculpture, which is on a lower level, down some steps. The plaques have words by the sculptor, George Segal, and a description of the exhibit and history of what it stands for, as well as a list of the concentration camps and killing centers as a symbolic memorial for survivors and their families. A reminder of evil from the past, and the repercussions, but also a message of strength and hope and the importance of remembering.