I've been here before most of y'all were born. Oh, the things I've seen! Guess I like bad boys…read morecause I'm hopelessly in love with the Lower Haight. Well, the crack dealers have moved on, replaced by million dollar condos, & fancy pants establishments. Haight & Divisadero streets are alive with destination worthy restaurants, cafes, shops, bars, and great people watching. Nothing but locally owned businesses here, except for the beloved CVS. Bless its heart surviving corporate closures & unrelenting shoplifting. Now the goods are under lock & key. Anyway, I'm not leaving my blue bubble.

People from cleaner and ritzier 'hoods gasp when I say I live in the Lower Haight. "Is it safe?"…read morethey inquire. I just laugh with a sinister grin and say "I like it." As Brian M. said we've got a diverse selection of eats (mostly cheap) and drinks. Not only that but we're close to two lovely parks, home to many churches, not to mention two excellent cafes- Bean There and Cafe du Soleil. Public transportation couldn't be easier here, either. Is the LH for everyone? No. And thank god almighty for that. It has, however, proven an unexpectedly lovely place for me to be.

I read a cute magazine review that made me want to visit. The shops in the review existed but they…read morearen't clustered together so either prepare for long walk or drive down this street.

Shopping and parking on Clement Street can be stressful, akin to playing an adult version of…read moremusical chairs. Will you effortlessly cruise into an open parking spot or circle multiple times? Will you blink in disbelief there isn't a long line at the register on Market Day or groan when you see it? The sidewalks, stores and restaurants aren't overly crowded- this isn't Manhattan- but expect to be jostled, pushed, elbowed, ignored and sometimes helped and given a smile. Clement Street is one of my favorite destinations but the owners make you work for it like you're a suitor and they're Scarlett O'Hara at the barbecue at Twelve Oaks. I love a challenge; I will be liked! I'll smile sweetly and whisper "thank you" when they secret free shrimp eggrolls and sesame balls into my bag. But for my very favorite shopping, Clement Street is worth a trip to buy fresh and inexpensive produce. I secretly pump my fist when 3 stalks of lemongrass cost $0.59 (versus $6 at Whole Foods) at Yin Xing. The sight of deeply hued bok choy and brightly gleaming clementines makes me giddy. I marvel at the open bins of bean sprouts that cost next-to-nothin' and begin mentally shredding my menu plan as I strategize where I can fit a Viet soup recipe into the rotation. Restaurants range from strictly take-out, good and ridiculously inexpensive (Clement BBQ, Good Luck Dim Sum) to moderately priced and worth standing in line for 30 minutes (Burma SuperStar, talkin' to you). I've burned a few brain cells and flirted up a storm with soccer players from a random UK team at the Plough and the Stars (and made out with a good-like lookin' guy from Ogilvy & Mather/Japan after too many Black & Tans but that was a dozen or more years ago, sssh). Every bank has a branch so you can shop, dine, drink and grab cash to satisfy the many cash-only mom 'n' pops dotted along Clement. With prices so low, you respect merchants can't pay to process credit cards- they're passing the savings along to you. Stop grumbling. The sidewalks are dirty, they're always unloading produce, you can watch a fresh fish go from swimming in the tank to gutted and wrapped up in 90 seconds. Farm-to-table has nothin' on that spectacle. Clement Street is a slice of San Francisco you really shouldn't miss if you're a local or tourist. Just go!

Lower Nob Hill borders Nob Hill, Tenderloin, Union Square and parts of the Van Ness corridor. SF is…read moresuch a small City that if you walk a few blocks away, you can be in a different neighborhood. I feel like this neighorhood is still trying to figure itself out, but aside from the spillover of troubles from Tenderloin, it does have a few boutique hotel options, some nice restaurants, rooftop bars, and lots of older architectural buildings that need some TLC.

As the name suggests, the neighborhoods of the Tenderloin and Nob Hill intersect with interesting…read moreresults: Part hipster with rooftop lounges and dining spots, part addicted residents and new immigrants trying to make it work. It's a block-by-block situation of sketchiness. Be off your phone and aware of your surroundings as you would in any big city. In the heart of downtown, I'm always curious about the turn of the 20th century beautiful apartment buildings, wondering if all the original moulding and fixtures were preserved. I bet some are. "NewTendo" is this neighborhood's long term nickname. Great place for dining; renting is more affordable than most neighborhoods but don't have a car because it means garages, daily street cleaning and fully metered streets. While it has its challenges, I prefer the edgy NewTendo rather than the homogeneous crowd of the Marina.

It's always fun getting to visit San Francisco and it was such a gorgeous day to be there…read more We were in town to visit the DeYoung Museum and have a picnic lunch in Golden Gate Park. I love looking at all the colorful houses all stuck together. It's nice to see the residents taking pride in their homes and keeping everything so beautiful. We passed by a nice flower stand on a corner street that's been there forever. There are many hidden gems within these neighborhoods like this flower stand and mom and pop eateries and markets. Golden Gate Park was so lovely. We enjoyed our lunch sitting at one of the park benches under a tree, people watching and enjoying the water fountains. The DeYoung museum was amazing as usual. We had the best time. San Francisco is always a good time. There is so much to do and see. I feel really lucky to live in the South Bay, which is about 90 minute drive into the city. It works perfectly for visiting and having fun for the day.

1 of 2 Yelp reviews…read more Quality/Quantity - Writing this update as I just noticed that there are more than one SF Yelp review... What can I say, we still have a love/hate relationship... I miss the days when kids can play in the streets and you can leave your doors unlocked or open... I miss the days when all the tourist locations were fun and we did not have to worry about all the current crime and problems. I miss the days when we rarely had car break-ins. I miss the days when the city was cool, hip, old $$, new $$, etc. I miss... I am starting to feel I should give an extra star to local good small businesses that are able to last 50+ years in this environment. Adapting to all the changes, challenges, etc. Some positives - Very diverse city. So much culture. The food scene! Still a great city to entertain our guests. Still nice to do all the tourist stuff, but more cautiously now. Still a beautiful city, well parts of it. See previous review for better details. No need to repeat. Most popular tourist stuff to do here: Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square, Alcatraz Island, Cable Cars, Japan Town, China Town, Walt Disney Family Museum, Lombard Street, Exploratorium, Oracle Park (ATT park), Golden Gate Park, Japanese Tea Garden, Palace of Fine Arts, SF Zoo, etc. Other attractions time permitting: Ferry Building, Twin Peaks, beaches, Coit Tower, Presidio, Union Square, Embarcadero, "Painted Ladies," Castro, SF City Hall, etc. Atmosphere - See above and previous reviews. See pictures. Approximately 47 square miles. City and county 232 square miles. Population: Approximately 874,000 people (2020). Service - Depends on what you do, eat, or drink. Personally, I think service has decreased. Businesses have to "tough up" due to the current environment. Price - Expensive, especially for what you get! I am glad most restaurants have finally got away from all those additional fees and "taxes;" see my previous reviews/rants from years ago. Owner Comment - 1850 incorporated. 1776 Mission established.

Dear SoMa aka South of Market,…read more Thanks for all the good food, lively streets, colorful discolor, unique aromas, tasty drinks, fun shops, great bars and easy to navigate grid like streets. Being a visitor rather than a local I understand my perspective is very outsider, but I'm self aware like any major city you're not perfect, but you're really gritty, bougie, rundown and done up all at once. Fun night at F8, burritos at El Capitan, a pop into The Willows, all the fun at SF Eagle, easy sidewalks to strut, catch a rideshare, bus or take in the sites. Housing is out of this world in terms of pricing, a six figure job or roommates is the best way to stay afloat with rent as high as 2 to 3k for a studio alone... You have great business to support public health, both mentally and physically including the San Francisco City Clinic. And are known for some of the biggest gatherings in the world including the Folsom Street Fair (established in 1984) - bringing informative awareness to the LGBTQ+ community, fighting stigma and supporting healthy adult practices. Presidio Knolls School is a highly rated school for education from preschool to high school level, not to mention higher learning facilities such as Academy of Art University, Golden State University and City of College of SF. - Sincerely Quintin E. aka Hottesome #GGwithluv

SOMA is many things, kinda depends what section you're talking about. The stretch from 5th through…read moreabout 8th is dicey and depressing, full of tents and mostly out of it people hanging out on the sidewalk next to liquor stores SROs. The nightclub area is being slowly invaded by pricey condos & some really nice cafes for the techies. There's been culture clashes. Nightclubs are loud, that's why they thrived in non-residential places. And then along comes the building boom of pricey apartments & predictably, the new folks complained about the noise. Duh. And so we're witnessing the decline of nightlife. By 9:30pm most of the city has already gone to bed. I love to walk through during the day and photograph all the great street art. That happens a lot these past 2 week going to jury duty.

2023....Downtown San Francisco boost! With #LetsGlowSF art illuminations, this is where you want to…read morebe each evening Dec 1-10. A Holiday spectacular for free. Each venue (Ferry Building Clock Tower, Hobart Building, old Pacific Stock Exchange, Leidsdorf Landing/Commercial St @Montgonery or One Bush Plaza) is a showpiece for international artists from companies in France, Belgium and the USA.

The Sephora, Banana Republic are quiet. So if you hate crowds, I would suggest come to this side of…read moretown to shop. It was nice to see a few people walking around. But some how it kind of feels eerie still.

31 years in The City and The Castro is still my safe space. I have memories here from my first…read morevisit to the present time. I know of it's history, from a working class neighborhood and it's subsequent reinventions. More importantly, I as an elder, Gen-X, gay ,disabled, Mexican man have never felt unwelcome here

As I walk on through this wicked world Searching for light…read morein the darkness of insanity I ask myself, Is all hope lost? Is there only pain, and hatred, and misery? And each time I feel like this inside There's one thing I wanna know What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding? What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding? And as I walked on through troubled times My spirit gets so downhearted sometimes So where are the strong? And who are the trusted? And where is the harmony? Sweet harmony Cause each time I feel it slipping away, just makes me wanna cry What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding? What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding? So where are the strong? And who are the trusted? And where is the harmony? Sweet harmony 'Cause each time I feel it slipping away, just makes me wanna cry What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding? What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding? What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding? Written By Nick Lowe

Beautiful City to raise your young family. It has one of the best school system in California…read more The City is clean and safe. It has several Festivals events for the family throughout the year.

Glad to see Millbrae is catching up with technology. EV parking is located on El Camino off…read moreMillbrae Ave. For us PHEV/EV drivers, we now have 4 charging stations (Chargepoint) in the lot where Bambu and Ben Tre are located. Great location as parking here with all the Chinese Dim Sum joints are packed, especially during the weekend. Half a day on Saturday though parking is off limits with the Farmer's Market. I like the divider on Broadway with trees. Keeps all the Asian drivers for making a U in the middle of the block. Haha More stores are also popping up. Good way to get the residence and visitors amused and entertained. I haven't seen mammoth, limousine twin size baby strollers yet, but I may have been visiting during non family days. So here's the gist, if you're looking for a huge dim sum house, wait in line, this could be the city for you. Hong Kong lounge sure has its competition. Last time I was there, it was for a wedding. Incidentally, I've been with my Sweetheart for 10 years this year, celebrating our anniversary. I might just consider proposing. Guess I need to buy a Cracker Jack, and if the prize is a ring, it's a sign. Stay tuned! Cheers!