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Locals Talk
Matty Gilreath
Age: 38
San Francisco
- When I took the Hotel Matchmaker test these are the words I selected:
- Fun-loving/energetic, Creative/eclectic, Epicurious, Natural/unpretentious, Welcoming/friendly
- I was born and raised in:
- Born in Boston, raised in CT, so I'm a New Englander at heart
- I currently live:
- Pacific Heights
- What do I do to make a buck?:
- I create and manage research grants for an integrative medicine center in SF. I'm also a freelance web designer.
- 5 things I love about the San Francisco Bay Area:
- The progressive outlook and compassion for humanity expressed by many its diverse residents
- Ina Coolbrith Park on Russian Hills (smallest gem of a park in the City, with great views!)
- Saturday morning breakfast at the Ferry Building with the Farmers' Market in the back
- Sunday afternoon at Papa Tobi's in the Mission
- A weekend stroll out to the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park
- My favorite local hidden treasure you shouldn't miss:
- If you like classy cocktails in a hidden and intimate setting, make a reservation online for Bourbon and Branch (the only way to get in, actually! They'll give you password, and you'll ring their doorbell.), a retro/modern take on speakeasies of the 1930's (bourbonandbranch.com). If you've ever read the "Tales of the City" books or seen the TV miniseries, you should visit the charming actual Russian Hill inspiration, Macondray Lane. The view of the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset from the top of Fillmore, just below Broadway, is a wonderful spot I visit frequently.
- My perfect day spent in the San Francisco Bay Area:
- I get up and out early (8:00am!) on a Saturday, and head out for breakfast at Mama's Girl in North Beach. There are dozens of Chinese seniors doing Tai Chi in Washington Square Park nearby, which is fun to watch (or even join for a minute!). We stroll down Columbus Ave to the Ferry Building afterwards, and encounter the lovely/noisy Wild Parrots of SF in a tree next to the Embarcadero Center #3, on the way.
- After buying fresh flowers, breads and fruit, we dump our goodies at my place, and continue on to the De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park, for a new exhibit. We stroll past the Conservatory of Flowers, and pop into Cha Cha Cha on Haight Street for Cuban food and sangria.
- After some music shopping and a free mini-rock concert inside Amoeba Music, we hop on the 33 bus, which takes us up and over Twin Peaks and down into the Mission. We stop for mid-afternoon cappuccinos/dessert at Ritual Roasters while browsing for books and people-watching. We look at Clarion Alley's latest murals, freshly painted, and scope out a new restaurant for a later date.
- After a late-afternoon cocktail up on the rooftop of nearby Medjool, we have tapas and local microbrews at Ramblas, before catching a vintage movie back up at the Castro Theatre. Whew!
