first day: We woke up late, jet lagged. We bought a 3 day passport for transport from Susan in the hotel lobby and we headed out. I thought we'd check out Sears' restaurant next to the Chancellor but the line waiting for tables nearly went to the corner of Sutter.
We headed down to the Ferry Building instead; I was planning on exploring the farmers' market. What a beautiful day we had! The weather was stunning and we decided to have champagne and a burger at the outdoor cafe in front of the Ferry Building.
Here's the thing about San Francisco: Customer service is elevated to an art form here. People truly go out of their way to make every dining experience exceptional, even when the order is for mundane burgers and beer. Ours were delicious.
If I lived in the city I'd be at the market every weekend. Ten artichokes for $1.00?? Are you kidding me?
We walked a bit and then took a street car (maybe it was a bus, don't remember) to Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39. I'm glad I went. Some of the seals were in. The weather turned a bit later in the afternoon and the wind kicked up. We headed back to the hotel and made dinner plans.
A quick cab ride later and we were at Harris's Steakhouse. Go there. It was fabulous. We didn't have a reservation, but it was early enough and we were able to sit in the library- like lounge. We listened to fabulous live jazz, had a wonderful meal served by a wonderful waiter. It was a successful dinner. The hostess called for a cab and we asked to be taken back to the hotel via the scenic route. This was money well spent. Our driver drove us down Lombard (more fun than I can describe) and all over the city. We had a bird's eye view of the Presidio, the GG bridge, Chinatown, the area around the Opera house, etc. He took great care to show us the best of your city. It was a really good tour. I love cities at night. San Francisco is simply unbelievably beautiful.
Edited: 11:49 pm, April 24, 2010
