PHOTOS: San Francisco Weird

Corner of Haight and Laguna in San Francisco:

Random along a street on the peninsula, near San Mateo:

-- Happy (Weird) Travels!

Ft. Funston - San Francisco Dog Friendly spot!

If you are a dog owner in the Bay Area, you are about 98.9% likely to have heard of Ft. Funston. Just south of Ocean Beach on the Pacific, this is a huge multi-purpose area.  Hang-gliders take off from here, there is a golf course up on the hills and there are ... the dogs!

This is the most note-worthy dog beach in San Francisco - and while it's ongoing "off-leash" status continues to go through legal battles, for now it is an amazing place for dog owners.

Warning though: it isn't easy to get to the beach. This is the view from the top of the sand stairs:

It's a long way down!

But the beach goes on forever once you get there:

View south down the coast - only one small part of the beach!

You'll see fisherman down on the beach and plenty of dog owners - but the extent of this beach makes it such that it never really feels crowded, especially here on the south end.

There is another route to the beach, if you head north out of the parking lot through the dunes. Keep to the left, you'll see the "beach access" signs. This isn't as steep of a walk for most of the way, but the access to the beach is a more or less a ditch in the cliff that you climb down (and back up). It is usually wet and a slippery, so be ready for it. Of course, those sand stairs will test your endurance too!

-- Happy (woof!) travels!

Buena Vista Park - San Francisco

Very beautiful park but word has it is a bit dicey at night. You could truly get lost in here  - but the intricate stairways and multiple paths all lead you to stunning views at the top of the hill.

Stairway through the trees

This is a man-made hill and the drains along some of the walls are paved with marble - marble reclaimed from the headstones of a cemetery that was moved out of San Francisco.

Faint inscription from a headstone

 Bonus: There is an off-leash dog run in the park and dogs are welcome on leash in the entire park!

Spotlight on San Francisco: Bay to Breakers

Bay to Breakers - always the third Sunday in May! If you are thinking of a trip to SF around that time, you need to know all about B2B.

Touted as the "oldest footrace in America", B2B has become more than just a 12K run. Sure, the elite runners start off the race, but they are finished long before the rest of the folks starting pulling their beer carts up Howard Street. Yes, beer carts, often pulled by about 10 Elvis's and / or naked people. B2B is an excuse for a city-wide costume party and unfortunately, some of those costumes are birthday suits - usually by folks who should be covering themselves up and NOT running around naked. And then there are the salmon spawn - they run the whole race dressed as salmon and run "upstream". I so want to be a salmon one year!

Technically, nudity and alcohol are prohibited. But really, how do you control thousands of people all hell-bent on breaking the rules? Folks who love to sleep in late actually set their alarms so they can start getting drunk at 7:30am on a Sunday - this is serious business!

If you are a tourist, you'd better know the route of the Breakers because it will effect your sightseeing. Starting at the Embarcadero and heading up Howard Street, the course makes it way to the dreaded Hayes Street Hill. Once it reaches Alamo Square, there is a big party with DJ's and everything (forget about seeing the famous Painted Ladies on this day). The course is all downhill from there and continues along Fell Street and the Panhandle, through Golden Gate Park and out to the Beach where it ends. Well, the "race" ends there. There is a huge party at that end of GG Park and you will see drunk people wearing tiaras and wings stumbling around all over the city till late Sunday evening.

If all this isn't your aesthetic, I'd suggest getting out of the city early and heading up to Wine Country. Road closures start around 7am downtown (or earlier by the start line) and continue most of the morning.

B2B is an experience - if you are a runner or even an active walker - it is a blast to participate in. The people watching alone is worth it. If you just want to dress up like a ballerina bunny rabbit with wings and party, it is your type of event. 

In case you need further proof of just how crazy this is, we created a video from Alamo Square today. Notice the landmark Painted Ladies - I felt bad for the tourists trying to take pictures there today!




(For the record, I'm annoyed with the quality YouTube is doing on uploads these days. This is an HD video. Looks waaaaaaaay better on Facebook).

-- Happy Bay to Breaking!!

Dog-friendly in San Francisco: A few of our favorite places!

As mentioned in a previous post, San Francisco has more dogs than children: so thinking "dog-friendly" for your business is going to make a difference. On a recent trip to Ohio, I realized that while the Midwest has plenty of dogs, they stay at home. It was a stark contrast to the dog-friendly environment in San Francisco.

If you are visiting SF with your furbaby, here are a few of our Fuzzbutt approved places.

Eating / Drinking:

Elite Cafe - Sunday brunch is a favorite here, and reservations are not taken. If you want the outside tables (heat lamps are provided), get here early. This is a heavy dog area - it seems like everyone is walking a dog here. If they aren't, they love dogs and will stop and admire yours! Try the habenero-infused vodka bloody mary for a kick and the deviled eggs are yummy!

Absinthe - The sidewalk tables are small and the sidewalk area isn't very broad. So make sure to keep tails well out of the pedestrian walk area. The staff are great with dogs and welcoming. No heat lamps, but this is Hayes Valley which tends to be a tad bit warmer than other parts of the city. Try the burger and the deviled eggs. And the fries. And the cheese. Oh heck - try it all!

Park Chalet - Dog heaven. Hang out on the lawn with your best friend, order food, listen to music. In the summer, it is super crowded here so stake a claim on your spot early!

Playing:

Corona Heights - Fenced in dogpark! Fuzzbutt is not an off-leash kind of dog, so this place is fantastic for us. The dogs here seem to be generally well-behaved and many of the pack walkers and dog walkers come here in the afternoons. After playing in the park, you can climb to the peak and have amazing 360 views of the city. The downside is the park gets super muddy and takes some time to dry out. In the summer, it can get dusty, though parks and rec have made an effort to add more mulch to control the dust factor.

Fort Funston - Since we don't do the off-leash thing, I cannot speak personally to this one. But EVERY dog owner I speak with loves this park. This dog beach is a top spot again and again. It is huge! The NorCal beaches are not known for being warm, so bring layers - and watch your dog in the surf. The Pacific Ocean can have some funky currents in this area.


Golden Gate Park - There is an off-leash and fenced dog park around 38th and Fulton Street. On-leash, the park is dog-friendly and huge. There are cool paths through the woods as you get closer to the ocean end of the park. Stow Lake is very entertaining, especially if your dog likes to chase birds (which is frowned on, but still funny). Do not let your dog in the lakes to actually EAT the ducks and geese - this is seriously bad form. Stow Lake has Strawberry Hill in the center which is a great climb and fun to explore.

Shopping:

Fillmore Street - From about O'Farrell all the way up to Sacramento Street, Fillmore Street is a homage to consumerism. It is also a very dog-friendly area. Every store we've walked in, except for the food stores, has been welcoming of dogs. We always ask first, but have never been denied. One block over at Steiner and California is ... park. More fun for your best friend!


Union Square - We took Fuzzbutt here often as a puppy to help socialize him. It is absolute chaos, so if you have a timid dog, I wouldn't recommend this area. There is only one good green area for potty breaks, located on the Post side of the Union Square green area. The cable car lines in the streets can freak out some dogs also and there is just so much foot traffic that you really have to keep your dog close to you to avoid them being stepped on. The stores are nearly all dog-friendly: Macy's, Tiffanys, Barneys, William-Sonoma, Banana Republic, Lush - all have been tested and are good with dogs coming in. Outdoor dining is limited, but if you go over to Belden Place you'll find plenty of outdoor seating.

Happy Travels!

Dog-friendly in San Francisco: A Lesson

San Francisco is a city with more dogs than children. The SF Animal Care and Control estimates there  are 120,000 dogs in San Francisco while according to U.S. census figures from 2000 and 2005, there are between 108,000 to 113,000 children. When you think of the cost of living in SF and the sheer complexity of raising kids in big cities (quality of schools for starters), it probably isn't a surprising statistic.

With great weather pretty much 3/4 of the year, San Francisco is also perfect for dogs and their people. So - if you open a business in SF and you do not factor in the dog crowd, you are making a tactical error. Perfect example: a business not to far from us recently added outdoor patio space for dining. "Yeah!" I think... but as we walk by I notice this sidewalk patio is accessible only by entering the restaurant and they tell us service dogs only on the patio. Um. Hello? You have a great sidewalk patio with wind-screens and all, in an area with wide sidewalks (so rare) and you choose this as you plan? Guess what? Empty patio for them today on a gorgeous sunny Sunday afternoon. Just a couple blocks away every outdoor patio on Fillmore was filled - and more often than not with dog owners.

Lesson here? Look around your neighborhood and think a little. Sheesh. 

Hiking Land's End in San Francisco

When the sun comes out, the city goes nuts. Every path is busy, every hill is crowded. There are a fewer lesser known spots that are a bit less crowded - Land's End is one of those.

San Francisco: Best of Alcatraz

Alcatraz is a self-guided tour with audio tours available. The boat ride over is short but with gorgeous views (on a clear day). It will almost always be chilly on the water so bring a jacket. If you are around the Pier 39 area and think you are just a very short walk from Pier 33 - think again. It is about a 10 minute walk or more depending on how much energy you have left.

San Francisco: Best of the Academy of Science

The food options are pretty lame for families and overall, the experience is expensive. However, the planetarium is freakin' AWESOME despite the preachy monologue that goes with it. The aquarium is very cool and the rainforest is OK.

Go early in the day and when everyone else is working or at school for the best experience.

Home is where the Heart is: San Francisco

My first entry - I have oodles of stuff from all over the globe, but my first entry has to be about San Francisco! Stealing an idea from United Airlines in flight magazine, I give you:
One Perfect Day in San Francisco

If you are an early bird and like to run, head out to the Embarcadero. This is one of the few flat areas of the city and on the "warmer" side of town.

If you still have energy, climb the Filbert Street stairs. These are pretty famous, but hard to find. You'll find the entrance on Sansome, between Greenwich and Union St. The famous wild parrots of Telegraph Hill can be found along these stairs and you will see one of the few remaining wooden roads along the climb (can you imagine LIVING there? How do you get the groceries in?). Keep climbing and you'll reach Coit Tower at the top and 360 views of SF.

Once you've burned a few calories, it is time to earn them. The Park Chalet opens at 8am for brunch on the weekends and has some great bloody mary's to help start your day off right. (UPDATE: Recently visited Park Chalet and the Sunday Brunch SUCKS! Visit Absinthe in Hayes Valley instead and ask for Josef. You won't regret it!) Once you have stumbled out of the Park Chalet, head up the Great Highway to the ruins of Sutro Baths. I've been here a dozen times and still love it. There is a cliff to climb, a tunnel, big waves, ruins and bird-watching. How can you go wrong? Of course, this is probably a good time to warn you that at all times you must be ready for huge temperature changes in SF. Sutro gets strong breezes off the ocean and lots of fog. You've been warned.

From Sutro, work your way across Golden Gate Bridge. Seriously, drive slowly across the bridge - locals LOVE it. Well, it isn't too bad if you stay in the right lane. Once you cross the bridge, skip the Vista exit (too crowded) and go to the next exit: Alexander. As you exit, cross back under the highway, follow the road as it starts to go up the hill. Stay to the left if you are presented with a fork in the road. At some point, you will be above the towers of Golden Gate Bridge. I refer to this area as the Marin Headlands - not sure if that is the official name or not. At the top are old tunnels from a military fort and a hill to climb to reach "Hawk Hill". The random ruins are cool to see and the tunnels are fun. (Bring a flashlight - one tunnel has cave paintings in it!). On a foggy day, you may not be able to see the city but standing up there in the mist and hearing the fog horns is just amazing. As you drive back down the hill, take advantage of the turn-offs on this side of the road for different views of the city and the Bridge.

Head back across GG Bridge (don't forget to drive super-slow) and be sure to have your cash ready for the toll booth. Back in the city, head to the parking garage at Sutter and Stockton, near Union Square. You are going to be parked for awhile and this is the largest and best-value garage in the area.

Head out to the Chinatown gate on Grant Ave and just enjoy yourself. There are plenty of places to eat in Chinatown and I would encourage you to just pick one and try it (maybe check yelp.com first). Two things you really want to see in Chinatown: the Tien Hau Temple (unmarked on the outside, trust the address you have, climb the stairs and have your fortune told) and the Golden Gate Cookie Factory. Chinatown might be a bit overwhelming and I've sent you down some dark alleys for cookies and up scary stairs in a tiny building...but I have always felt perfectly safe in Chinatown day or night.

You are in the area, so it is time to visit Union Square. If you love to shop, this is the place. Of course, our sales tax is almost 10% now, so watch out. The green center in Union Square is a great place to people watch and if you decide to ride the cable cars, stand in line at the cablecar turnaround at Powell and Market. If you are still hungry and the weather is good, Belden Place has tons of cafes, all with outdoor seating. Warning: Sunday until about 5pm is deader than a doornail around here. Forget about Sunday brunch in Belden Place.

Now that you've spent all your money at Prada, Tiffany's and William-Sonoma, time to think about your evening plans. Hopefully you are staying in or near Union Square and have time to change out the hiking clothes for something snazzier. SF isn't a formal-wear kind of city, but people do display a bewildering mix of fashion around here.

Since you are smart and read this blog, you already have reservations and the password for your pre-dinner cocktails at the secret speakeasy Bourbon and Branch. By this time you probably think I'm crazy as you walk along (in your fun night-on-the-town dress-up clothes) a seedier area of San Francisco. Trust me, you are going to be fine. Just don't make eye-contact.

Once you've enjoyed a few cocktails at B&B, catch a cab and head out to Ana Mandara. This place has been around for a while and I recommend going earlier in the evening - they have an odd tendency to break out the disco balls and rave music on the weekends. No idea what that is all about. After you have stuffed yourself on the wokked tournedos of beef and the garlic noodles, cross the street and walk into Aquatic Park. I adore this area at night - the view is great and the tourists leave this place alone at night so it is relatively quiet and peaceful. Oops. You are a tourist aren't you? Well, don't let any other tourists know the secret!

Time to catch a cab and head back to your hotel. Unless. . . you feel like doing something totally childish, foolish and drunk: Seward Street Slides. I cannot be held responsible if you end up touring our city hospital (as a patient) afterwards.