Saturday
In the morning, head to the Castro to explore this famous gay neighborhood
during daylight hours. The best way to learn of the area's rich history is
by taking a walking tour with Kathy Amendola, of Cruisin' the Castro
Historical & Cultural Walking Tours. Amendola leads visitors past the Pink
Triangle Park & Memorial, the residence of slain gay icon Harvey Milk, and
the ornate and historic Castro Theatre - there's also a break for lunch at
Firewood Cafe, a very good local restaurant. The tours leave at 10 a.m.
and are also offered Tuesday through Friday.
After the tour, set aside some time for shopping. The Castro has grown up
over the past decade as a sophisticated retail neighborhood, with
everything from high-end clothiers and boutiques (such as Diesel and Brand
X Antiques) to adult gift and bookshops with saucy names like Auto Erotica
and Castro Gulch.
Then walk (about 30 minutes) or take Muni over to lush Golden Gate Park to
visit the de Young Museum, which received a stunning makeover in 2005 and
now has a distinctive copper exterior and a dramatic 145-foot observation
tower that looms high above the park's leafy trees. Spectacular
collections of American paintings and sculptures, African art, and
textiles fill this beautiful building.
Saturday Night
The Mission District is a great neighborhood for dinner, with the Slow
Club ranking among the top picks. Here in this dark, seductive space you
might order the juicy burger slathered in balsamic-marinated onions, or a
crispy-crust pizza topped with montasio cheese, oyster mushrooms, leeks,
and thyme. Limon is another superb choice, serving kicky Latin fusion fare
and tangy sangria.
If you're up for nighttime fun, you can always head back to the Castro,
but the Mission is also home to the best lesbian hangout in the city, the
Lexington Club. Or if you're a serious clubber, take a cab to the trendy
SoMa neighborhood, where you'll find the famed Stud disco as well as
raunchy fetish and leather bars like the lovably sleazy Hole in the Wall
Saloon and the rough-and-tumble Eagle Tavern, which brings in live bands
many evenings.
Sunday
Walk or take Muni northeast along Market Street for a leisurely late
breakfast or early lunch at the Ferry Building Marketplace, a gorgeous
1898 former transportation hub that was converted a few years ago into
fabulous food shops and restaurants (there's also a farmers market held on
the grounds on Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., spring through fall).
Order a tender ahi burger and garlic fries at Taylor's Refresher, before
devouring a few scoops of Scharffen Berger Chocolate gelato at Ciao Bella.
Next, take Muni along the Embarcadero to Pier 41. This is a touristy part
of the city, adjoining Fisherman's Wharf and its slew of annoyingly
kitschy shops, but from Pier 41 you can use your CityPass to take a free
one-hour Blue & Gold Fleet boat tour of San Francisco Bay. This is the
quickest and easiest, and arguably the most interesting, way to get a
sense of why San Francisco ranks among the most beautiful cities in the
world. These narrated tours pass under the Golden Gate Bridge, by the tony
towns of Sausalito and Tiburon, and around the infamous former prison,
Alcatraz.
Sunday Night
Head to one of the Castro's hottest gay-date spots, Catch, which serves
addictive french fries tossed with Parmesan cheese and white-truffle oil
as well as a dandy grilled monkfish with herb-mushroom risotto. But save
room for a dessert of Valrhona Chocolate molten cake with toffee ice cream
and almond butter across the street at 2223, which also has a fine list of
after-dinner cognacs, ports, and liqueurs. This lively, handsome
restaurant is also a great place for dinner. Continue to page
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The Hunk
