San
Francisco, California
| San
Francisco, the financial center of the West, is a relatively
small city. About 700,000 residents live on a 49 square-mile
tip of land between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific
Ocean. Several of the country’s largest companies
have headquarters in the city’s picturesque Financial
District, including Charles Schwab Corp., Gap Inc., Wells
Fargo & Co., Bechtel Group and Levi Strauss &
Co. Although the Bay Area is renowned as a high-tech center,
the city’s leading industries are actually manufacturing,
trade, finance and government. |
Facts
to Know Before You Go |
Transportation:
Public
Transportion-- The BART,
Bay Area Rapid Transit, connects suburban commuters
and now SFO travelers with the city. For Oakland,
it is possible to take the BART to the
Coliseum station, but then travelers must then purchase
a separate ticket and take a bus for approximately
20 minutes to reach the airport terminals. A one-way
fare between SFO and the city will run you $4.95,
and a fare from Oakland International Airport to
the city, including bus fare, sells for $5.70.
Locals
refer to the extensive local bus system as Muni,
a name that extends to the city's relatively limited
light-rail system, formally named Muni-Metro. |
| Rental
cars, cabs and shuttles Since the dot-com
bubble burst, hailing a cab is easier in San Francisco
than in most big U.S. cities, but a trip to either
airport will cost between $25 and $50. A shuttle
will be a bit cheaper, averaging between $10 and
$20. Renting a car can be a great way to get around
the greater Bay Area, but for city excursions, consider
a cab, as street parking is hard to find and heavily
restricted. |
Information:
Internet:
| Visitors
to SFO will find wireless Internet kiosks, provided
by T-Mobile, in Terminal 3. |
|
See
our guide to the Best
of San Francisco.
 Campton
Place Hotel
340 Stockton St. (Sutter St.)
415-781-5555 Book
a Room
 This
refined, discreet hotel was a hit from the very beginning,
popular for both its acclaimed dining establishment,
the
Campton Place Restaurant and its supremely elegant
rooms. It opened in 1983 after an $18-million renovation.
The hotel has just 117 rooms and is never overrun with
large tour groups. The lobby, lounges, snug guest rooms
and large suites are exceptionally attractive and comfortable.
A skillful mix of rich colors complements antique and
contemporary furnishings, plush carpets and fresh flowers.
You’ll enjoy in-room T-1 Internet access, intelligent
concierges, prompt room service and an efficient brigade
of business and secretarial services.
 Courtyard
San Francisco Downtown
299 Second St. (Folsom St.)
415-947-0700 Book
a Room
Centrally located in the SoMa district, this hotel boasts
bold modern architecture. The lobby is striking, with
sharp lines, custom artwork and minimalist furnishings.
But sleek design doesn’t necessarily mean a cold
atmosphere, as a four-sided fireplace adds a cozy touch.
With more than 400 guest rooms and suites, the amenities
are business-savvy, featuring high-speed Internet access,
work desks, voicemail and two-line speaker phones. Many
also enjoy fabulous city views. Twelve meeting rooms
accommodate 7,000 square-feet of prime real estate for
conferences and corporate gatherings. Although the area
is filled with great restaurants, there’s little
need to leave the property. Jasmine’s and Café
299 are open for breakfast, and dinner is served in
the Fireside Lobby Lounge.
 Four
Seasons San Francisco
757 Market St. (Third St.)
415-633-3000 Book
a Room
Located in the Financial District, this property is
close to everything the city has to offer, and yet it
feels worlds away. From the spa to the pool to the dining
room, it immerses guests in contemporary elegance and
refined details. The 277 rooms include 46 suites, and
there is an accommodation to meet your every need. The
princely suites feature formal foyers, dressing areas,
sublime views of the city skyline and up to three separate
bedrooms. In Seasons restaurant, diners enjoy California
style cuisine with a French flair. This hotel has devoted
100,000 square-feet to sports, fitness and spa treatments,
and over 15,000 square-feet of meeting space. Business
services are also available 24 hours a day.
Mandarin
Oriental, San Francisco
222 Sansome St. (Pine St.)
415-276-9600 Book
a Room
In what may be one of the oddest configurations in town,
this property occupies the top 11 floors of a commercial
building, the third tallest in San Francisco. The floors,
numbered 38 through 48, place guests above most of the
surrounding Financial District high rises. Take the
sky bridge from one tower to another---it's like walking
on air. The 158 lavish rooms and suites feature unobstructed
views of the city and portions of San Francisco Bay
as well as high-speed Internet access. Business services,
and the excellent Silks
restaurant are located off the lobby. The Mandarin Lounge
offers a small plates menu in the mornings and serves
afternoon Asian tea. Weekday evenings feature piano
entertainment.
The
Westin San Francisco Airport
1 Old Bayshore Hwy. (E. Millbrae Ave.)
Millbrae, CA 94030
650-692-3500 Book
a Room
 Fronted
by palm trees, this hotel offers a nice bay-front location
and quite fashionable rooms for business lodgings. Accommodations
look over the west shore of the Bay and offer incredible
views of the approaching jumbo jets. Décor includes
imported white linens and contemporary touches such
as leather headboards and custom-designed wood furniture.
With high-speed Internet access and cordless phones
in every room, this is an convenient airport choice
for the business traveler.
|
Masa's
Hotel Vintage Court
648 Bush St. (Powell St.)
415-989-7154 Book
a table |
17/20
$$$$$ |
 After
a minor slow-down, Masa’s is back to its original
glory, and only time will tell if the new chefs will continue
the tradition of three tasting menus which rival the contemporary
French dining experience of Masa’s circa 1980. Each
entrée has its glories, like the earthy sunchoke
soup with osetra caviar and melted leeks or the Sonoma
duck breast paired with chive-scented spätzle and
crowned with rhubarb compote. Much like the inside of
its parent, Hotel
Vintage Court, a modern redesign of the dining room
evokes a quiet elegance with moody chocolate-brown walls
and tastefully romantic lighting. The gratifying wine
list and gracious service deserve high marks. |
|
Owner Umberto Gibin's razor-sharp tie and impeccable suit match the precision of this two-tiered restaurant's expansive charm and style. The unique yet warm setting soars with exposed brick, red padded booths, comfortable, offset dining areas and an exhibition kitchen. Simple, regional Piedmontese and Ligurian flavors are invoked so well here by chef Staffan Terje that a native might shed tears of hope. Revel in the joys of rich salame al barolo, fatty and fennel-infused lonza, and the memorable ramekin of smooth, shredded ciccioli (pork pâté). House-made pastas here soar with their gravy-like sugos—the pappardelle with braised short-rib ragù and roasted chanterelles makes a person wonder how other places get it wrong. A separate bar menu and a short but well-chosen list of Italian wines and cocktails cull a lively after-work crowd.
|
Rubicon
558 Sacramento St. (Montgomery St.)
415-434-4100
|
16/20
$$$$$ |
Rubicon’s longstanding success may lie in its appeal
to a much wider audience than just the well-tailored "suits"
of downtown. Romantics can get lost in the cozy booths,
and wine lovers will revel in the well-chosen list by
master sommelier Larry Stone. The kitchen has achieved
a nice marriage between French formality and California
casual in both ingredients and technique. A plate of red
beet and Parmesan ravioli brings together the flavors
of asparagus, cumin, pumpkin seeds and morels. Tender
skate wing is given a crisp crust and paired with a Gewürztraminer-ginger
butter. Knowledgeable and solicitous staff can easily
answer questions and guide palates. For dessert try the
poached pear with aged balsamic ice cream and toasted
walnuts. |
Aqua is a bastion of San Francisco power lunching where
the financially powerful make big decisions while eating
small portions of fantastically prepared, sparklingly
fresh seafood. The calm, beautiful space has salmon-colored
walls, a long, curved bar and stunning, larger-than-life
floral arrangements. The well-prepared dishes taste ethereal,
especially alongside one of the best wine lists in the
city. A deceptively simple corn bisque is accented with
tart sorrel, earthy porcini mushrooms and sweet lobster
flan. Japanese sea bass is uniquely delightful over white
gazpacho with sea urchin, purslane and yuzu vinaigrette.
Needless to say, the desserts are divine and very French.
|
Celebrity-chef Wolfgang Puck’s wildly popular San
Francisco outpost is better than ever under co-executive
chefs Steven and Mitchell Rosenthal. The design by Pat
Kuleto screams "Celebration!" and the massive
modern paintings, the landscaped greens spied through
the windows, and the central staircase, designed to create
grand entrances, add to the buzz. Entrées range
from roasted salmon with peperonata and crispy potatoes
to leg of lamb with a garlic-potato purée and pan-roasted
sweetbreads with summer truffles. Pastry chef Christine
Law is a master of such satisfying desserts as a peach
and plum Pavlova or toasted marshmallow s’mores.
Located within the Prescott
Hotel, this restaurant makes an excellent pre-theatre
selection. |
The Dining Room has been among the best restaurants in
San Francisco since it opened as part of the Ritz-
Carlton in 1991. Its exquisite, formal décor,
top-of-the-line wine list, ultra-professional service
and live dinner music combine to create a showcase for
the food. The menu has recently taken a decidedly American
turn offering starters like chilled corn soup with lobster
tartare and golden osetra caviar, and pan-seared quail
with spice-roasted figs. The six-course tasting menu (with
a vegetarian option also available) is well worth it;
it's smart to have wines paired with this option for the
maximum experience. |
| Jardinière’s
theme seems to be celebration with an inverted Champagne
glass soaring above the bar and an oval dome sparkling
like rising bubbles. A balcony-level dining area offers
the best view of the party scene below. Chef-owner Traci
Des Jardins is brilliant in the kitchen using the finest
ingredients with a strong appreciation for local, seasonal
and organic ingredients farmed sustainably. Entrées
are rich, flavorful and charming without being overwhelming.
In addition to serving fanciful desserts, Jardinière
is one of the few restaurants in the country with a cheese
cellar to keep its superb collection of cheeses at the
right temperature. |
Asian
Art Museum
Asian Art Museum
200 Larkin St.
415-581-3500
When Chicago millionaire Avery Brundage donated his collection
of more than 10,000 pieces to San Francisco in 1959, the
City cleared out the west wing of the De Young Museum
to make room. In 2003, the Asian Art Museum reopened in
its much anticipated new home at the City's Civic Center.
With a permanent collection of more than 14,000 objects,
some as old as 6,000 years, only a portion of the paintings,
ceramics, sculptures, jades, bronzes and textiles can
be exhibited at one time. Don’t miss the stunning
blue-and-white porcelains or the recently acquired contemporary
art exhibits.
Chinatown
Bush St. & Grant Ave.
Rising from the ashes of the 1906 earthquake and fire,
Chinatown is perhaps the most authentic neighborhood
in the City, still feeling very much as it must have
a century ago. Two good sources, the Chinese
Culture Center and the Chinese
Historical Society Museum trace the demographics
of the borough. The comestible center of Chinatown was
once Wentworth Alley, where fresh and dried fish, brine-preserved
eggs and produce were bought and sold. Now, most of
the Epicurean commerce centers on Stockton and Grant
Avenues, where kitchenware stores, grocers and restaurants
fill the air with enticing smells.
Presidio
Golf Course
300 Arguello Blvd
415-561-4653
Built on the Presidio army base in 1895, this 18-hole
golf course finally opened its doors to the public in
1995. The hilly course, with its tight fairways and
strategically placed bunkers, is as beautiful as it
is challenging. Between shots, take in views of San
Francisco’s famous Victorians, its dramatic coastline
and the park’s hundred-year-old Monterey Pine
and Eucalyptus trees.
Top
of the Mark
999 California St. (California St.)
415-392-3434
Is
it worth the troublesome parking, the long elevator
ride, the sky-high drink prices? Absolutely. The Top
of the InterContinental
Mark Hopkins San Francisco hotel is the city’s
most popular view for a reason—it’s stunning.
Whether you’re there for a sunset, a foggy Saturday
afternoon or a crystal-clear night, the panoramic views
of the city are phenomenal. This is one of the city’s
most romantic cocktail lounges, and guests can expect
excellent drinks coupled with live Jazz every evening.
Upgraded in 1996, the bar is a must-visit.
The
Nob Hill Spa
The Huntington Hotel
1075 California St.
415-474-5400
 Influenced by San Francisco’s culturally diverse
neighborhoods, the 11,000-square-foot spa’s
design elegantly mixes Japanese, Chinese, Italian
and Victorian motifs. The gorgeous indoor swimming
pool is an exercise in pure fantasy. It is surrounded
by floor-to-ceiling windows featuring panoramic
views of the city, and the pink glow from the skyline
makes a theatrical effect. Unwind in the antique-strewn
and Feng Shui-arranged spa, and enjoy treatments
such as the ScenTao, the Green Tea Facial or the
Bali Ginger Spice Scrub. Then sip complimentary
tea as you enjoy an Ayurvedic treatment. Or feel
free to try a yoga, tai chi or Pilates class. |
(Updated: 05/14/08 HC)
