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Locals Talk
Shirley Fong-Torres
San Francisco
- When I took the Hotel Matchmaker test these are the words I selected:
- Fun-loving/Energetic, Epicurious, Colorful/Unique, Natural/Unpretentious, Dynamic/Vibrant
- I was born and raised in:
- Oakland
- I currently live:
- San Francisco's South Beach neighborhood, and my main home is in Pacifica just a few miles south. I retreat back to my home on the coast to work more (what? I mean to relax,) shoot pool and listen to country/ western music, cook, and always look forward to playing with my sweet granddaughters, two-year-old Maggie and baby Stella, and of course, hang out with daughter, Tina.
- What do I do to make a buck?:
- I operate Wok Wiz Tours and Cooking Co., so I walk, talk, feed, and eat. I am also a food and travel writer, author, and appear on The Food Channel and history/cooking shows. I travel around all over the world to learn, research, and to teach Chinese cooking, or to write about what I taste and see and about colorful chefs. My next new book, due in September is: THE WOMAN WHO ATE CHINATOWN, 24/7.
- 5 things I love about the San Francisco Bay Area:
- 1. Ethnic neighborhoods for food, culture, entertainment, and shopping, especially our farmers markets and delis. 2. Our San Francisco Giants! 3. Museums, especially the new Asian Art Museum (200 Larkin Street, 581-3500) 4. Shopping at BUILD-A-BEAR Workshop for my beloved honey and teddy bears. 5. Dim sum galore at Yank Sing (101 Spear Street,957-9300), and the best Peking Duck at Shanghai 1930 (133 Steuart St., 896-5600) - favorites for locals and visitors with a yen for great food.
- My favorite local hidden treasure you shouldn't miss:
- Don't know if it is a 'hidden treasure,' but I love having a drink at the Big Four, followed by dinner there. This treasure is located in the Huntington Hotel on Nob Hill (1075 California, 771-1140). I am also crazy about the TONGA ROOM, it is so tacky, it is fun (950 Mason, 772-5278). Also, many of our guests do not know about Union Street, its many wonderful shops/restaurants, some in restored Victorian Homes.
- My perfect day spent in the San Francisco Bay Area:
- Meet my friend early for a Chinese breakfast of Hand-Rolled Stuffed Rice Noodle, a steaming bowl of Jook-rice congee, and 'break' bread together with Chinese "yow ja gwai". Show them Chinatown on my Wok Wiz tour, visit a Chinese temple, watch an herbalist at work, celebrate friendship as I offer a tasting of exquisite Chinese teas. Followed by dim sum lunch at Four Seas or a regular lunch at Hunan Homes; walk over to North Beach for afternoon espresso or window-shopping, or a little calorie enhancer at Victoria's Pastry (1362 Stockton Street, 781-2015); browse in bookstores and shops for adorable souvenirs; give my friend a jolt (I am a lousy driver,) with a personal car tour of San Francisco's lovely architecture to see the "Painted Ladies," our majestic Victorian homes. Stop in a different neighborhood, perhaps the Mission District where I buy all my Converse shoes, Castro, Haight Ashbury or Japantown, depending on my friend's interest; dinner in a local neighborhood's favorite e.g., PPQ for roast crab, garlic noodles, or steaming bowl of "pho," 2332 Clement Street, 386-8266, Yuet Lee in Chinatown, (1300 Stockton Street, 982-6020) Thanh Long (401 Judah, 665-1146); Caffé Macaroni (59 Columbus, 956-9737); Yee's Restaurant (1131 Grant Ave., 576-1818); OR upscale, trendy San Francisco hot spot, e.g., Masa's (648 Bush, 989-7154), Fleur de Lys (777 Sutter, 673-7779), OR new favorites: BACAR, 448 Brannan, 415-904-4100 for fabulous Oysters on the Half Shell and RANGE, 842 Valencia, 415- 282-8283. I laugh too hard when I go to Beach Blanket Babylon (678 Green Street 421-4222). SPECIAL NOTE: Please find time to dine at YANK SING, 101 Spear St. (One Rincon Center) 412-957-9300. I entertain there frequently, and tape many TV shows in their kitchen and/or dining areas -the dim sum makes my heart very happy-fresh, innovative, delicious, and fun! Drop my friend off at the chosen JOIE DE VIVRE HOTEL and email them a list of all the places we visited, pronto, so they want to rush back to our gorgeous City.
