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Locals Talk
Bonnie Wach
Age: Old enough to know better
San Francisco
- When I took the Hotel Matchmaker test these are the words I selected:
- Charming, Creative/Eclectic, Unique/Colorful, Young-at- heart/Whimsical, Dynamic/Vibrant
- My favorite activities include:
- Hiking, skiing, traveling, writing in cafes, striking up conversations with total strangers, playing tourist in my own town, reading in window seats, dancing in the living room with my 2 year old, eating my way through San Francisco restaurants and uncovering hidden dining gems, riding the historic streetcars down Market Street, touring open houses on Sundays, going to Giant's games.
- I was born and raised in:
- San Francisco
- I currently live:
- Glen Park, San Francisco
- What do I do to make a buck?:
- I'm a writer. I've been an editor at various city magazines over the past 15 years or so, and now I freelance, as well as writing a dining column for the SFWeekly and working on a second edition of my book, "San Francisco As You Like It."
- 5 things I love about the San Francisco Bay Area:
- The way the sun cascades down California Street in the late afternoon, silhouetting the cable cars against the sky like a sentimental 1940s movie about lost love.
- The crowds who make movie watching at the Castro Theatre ( 429 Castro Street, 621-6120) participatory sport, and the big Wurlitzer organ that plays "San Francisco" before the start of every movie.
- The old-timers at the Dolphin Club at Aquatic Park, who swim in the Bay every day, rain or shine or freezing fog, and never seem to get a goose pimple.
- Walking in Glen Canyon, my neighborhood's communal backyard, over the bridge, past the creek and up to the top of the climbing rocks (this is also one of my favorite hidden treasures).
- Having jasmine tea and sesame cookies in the teahouse at the Japanese Tea Garden under the lacy, pink blossoms of a cherry tree in April.
- My favorite local hidden treasure you shouldn't miss:
- Wow. This is really tough. I got a million of 'em, but if I had to narrow it down to one (or two), I'd have to say the hidden Pemberton stairway that rises from Clayton and Corbett streets to the top of Corona Heights, where you're rewarded for your vertical climb with a showstopping view of the city and the Bay and a peek at a quaint neighborhood known only to locals. Tied with this might be Jack Early Park, the city's smallest official park, in between North Beach and Fisherman's Wharf. Look for the marker on Grant Ave. at the bottom of Chestnut St. and a series of tidy zig-zag steps. Climb them and you land on a serene little platform with an old-fashioned lamppost that offers nothing more than a starry-eyed view of boats coming and going from Fisherman's Wharf, and the steam rising from the crabpots. On a foggy day, close your eyes and listen to the foghorns and the barking sea lions at Pier 39, and smell the salty air. It's a secret sensory experience not to be missed. To learn more about San Francisco's unique hidden treasures, read Bonnie's book - "San Francisco As You Like It: 20 Tailor-Made Tours for Culture Vultures, Shopaholics, Non-Bohemians, Fitness Freaks, Savvy Natives, and Everyone Else"
- My perfect day spent in the San Francisco Bay Area:
- Oy. So many choices, so little time. And of course, a perfect day depends on what kind of mood you're in and who you're with. For argument's sake, let's say I'm with a fairly eclectic aunt who likes to walk and loves to eat.
- I think I'd start a sunny Saturday with café au lait in a big bowl and chocolate bread pudding or a perfect croissant at Tartine Bakery (600 Guerrero, 487-2600). Then I'd walk down into the Mission, to the end of 24th Street and stop in at the Precita Eyes Mural Arts Center (2981 24th Street, 285-2287) for a tour of the Mission murals (self-guided or with Susan Cervantes, a noted muralist who heads up the center). Afterwards, I'd stop in at Galeria de la Raza (2857 24th Street, 826-8009) or Encantada (904 Valencia Street, 642-3939) to stock up on Mexican shrines, santos and Day of the Dead art, and to Paxton Gate (824 Valencia Street, 824-1872), for some giant framed insects.
- Then I'd grab a burrito at Pancho Villa's (3071 16th, 864-8840) or La Taqueria 2889 Mission, 285-7117), and if I was feeling particularly festive, a really cheap and yummy margarita at Puerto Allegre (546 Valencia Street, 255-8201) Here, things could get tricky. If there was a great arty indie film playing at the Roxie, (3117 16th Street, 863-1087), I might dip in for a matinee, but more likely I'd head up to Market Street, catch one of the historic streetcars and take it all the way to the end of Market for the city's cheapest -- and possibly most entertaining -- tour of downtown (we throw in the crazy local characters for free!). If it wasn't too late, I'd stop in at the new Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market for a quick peruse of Italian eggplant, baby lettuces, and some Redwood Hill Farm goat cheese (and of course views of the bridge and the Bay). The day could end with a walk down the Embarcadero to Pacific Bell Park for a Giant's night game followed by a late supper at MoMo's (760 2nd Street, 227-8660), or maybe a splurge for dinner at Boulevard (1 Mission, 543-6084), or One Market (1 Market Street, 777-5577).
