A Weekend in San Francisco — Kahren's Perspective

As mentioned in my previous blog post, the beginning of 2020 was filled with some amazing moments for me before taking a pause due to Covid-19. One of those moments was my trip to San Francisco in January. If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that San Francisco is my absolute favorite city. From the city’s history, architecture, monuments and of course eateries and stores – San Francisco always has me going back.

This year, I went towards the end of January as sort of a post-birthday trip, but that was really just another excuse to go back. While visiting, we stayed at the San Francisco Proper Hotel, a must-see in the city. Personally, the San Francisco Proper Hotel is my favorite hotel in SF. The interior is designed by the one and only Kelly Wearstler and it embodies the city’s eclectic energy perfectly. The building itself is also influenced by New York City’s iconic Flatiron Building, but of course, turned hotel. You can also experience some incredible dining at the hotel’s restaurant, Villon as well as Charmaine’s, a rooftop bar with the best of views of SF. Finally, it’s location in Mid-Market gives visitors the ability to walk to Downtown SF/Tenderloin easily.

Aside from the hotel, San Francisco is also known for their food and if you’re a foodie like me, this is quite honestly the best part of traveling. As far as restaurants and cafés go, there are several to choose from. At this point, I also have a list of places I have to go every time I’m visiting. One of these places is Jane on Fillmore – my favorite café for breakfast, lunch and pastries (I never skip a visit when in SF). Another great café is Tartine Manufactory – the perfect spot for quick bites and coffee.

For dinner, I recommend Palmer’s Tavern. Though popular for lunch, I love Palmer’s Tavern for dinner because their dinner and cocktail menus are everything, not to mention the retro interior. Another favorite for dinner is Chubby Noodle in North Beach – an Asian Fusion restaurant with an endless menu and fun atmosphere. And for something brighter, Nopa is the perfect restaurant for gathering with friends.

Lastly, as a coffee enthusiast, I have many coffee shop recommendations:

- Blue Bottle Coffee, The Mill Coffee, Le Marais, Sightglass Coffee and Ritual Coffee Roasters. (If you want to try the most delicious boba, Boba Guys in Hayes Valley is the place to go). I love all of these coffee houses and I promise you will too!

Finally, when it comes to exploring the city and getting the perfect Instagram photo, here are my top picks for sight-seeing:

- If you’re looking to take the quintessential Golden Gate Bridge photo, Hawk Hill gives you the most stunning background.

- The Painted Ladies is another essential photo spot. The Painted Ladies are a row of Victorian style houses each with their own colors and architectural attributes.

- Fisherman’s Wharf is also a must-see. Filled with lots of history, tourism attractions and seafood restaurants, Fisherman’s Wharf is worth checking out.

- If you’re a chocolate lover, Ghirardelli Square has your name written all over it. This iconic landmark has three levels of shops and restaurants that are chocolate lovers dream come true.

- And of course, for the downtown explorer, Union Square is where all the action is. It’s the city’s most popular district for shopping and nightlife.

San Francisco has a special place in my heart. For someone who loves cities and being surrounded by nothing but concrete, SF stands on top of my list. There’s always something to do and something to see. Have you been to San Francisco before?

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