Always a cause and other San Francisco, CA Local Custom Tips

San Franciscans always seem to have a cause. Hardly a week goes by when there isn't some kind of protest or demonstration by my office building in the Financial District.

Most protests are tolerated here, as long as they aren't too rabidly conservative. Sometimes the good citizens of San Francisco stage a demonstration just for the sake of demonstrating and you're not too sure what the cause is.

Celebrating April Fool's Day, the St. Stupid's Day Parade and protest is held April 1 at noon, starting at the Embarcadero Plaza. The festivities end at Washington Square in North Beach where there is a rally in the park. The parade is sponsored by The First Church of the Last Laugh.

The costumes worn by the protesters are very amusing, but then again, they are rather normal attire for many San Franciscans.

Leave a Comment

Website: http://www.saintstupid.com/

I love San Francisco because it is a melting pot of so many cultures. The entire city is heavily influenced by the several Asian populations that have settled the city over the past two centuries. Everyone, of course, has heard of our famous Chinatown.

Chinatown is right next to the Financial District. It is quite an interesting contrast to see traditional Chinese structures next to modern highrise office buildings.

Leave a Comment

Visitors comment that San Francisco feels more European than any other city in the United States. They also say that San Francisco has a distinct Asian feel, especially because of it its large Chinatown and Japantown, and its Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean and Thai populations. All this is true.

San Francisco has always been a magnet for people from all over the world. Immigrants have brought and kept their own traditions, rather than being completely being assimilated into the more traditional American way of life. That hanging on to the ways of the Old County is why San Francisco is so deliciously diverse today.

Leave a Comment

And you would want to live here."

That's what you'll say when you visit us! I visited, said it and then I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. Come explore the greatest city in the U.S.!

San Francisco is the hub of business in the Bay Area. Across the Golden Gate bridge is my home, Marin County, a very nice place to go home to in the evenings, and hang out on the weekends.

Leave a Comment

Two trademarks of San Francisco -- put together like this, they distinguish San Francisco neighborhoods from those in other cities.

Leave a Comment

The Castro District is the heart of the gay and lesbian community in San Francisco. This vibrant and diverse district has an abundance of great shops and cafes. The commercial center is surrounded by beautiful well-kept Victorian homes. This is a fun place for gay and straight alike.

Hop on the F line and you will be transported directly to the center of the District.

Leave a Comment

Website: www.webcastro.com

The Palace Hotel is "Old San Francisco." One of the first luxury hotels in the city, it was built in 1875 and rebuilt after the 1906 earthquake.

The Garden Court at the hotel follows an old line tradition brought over generations ago from Europe. Every Saturday afternoon, tea, crumpets and cucumber and watercress sandwiches (and a few other things) are served from 2 - 4pm.

The Garden Court, with its polished marble and crystal chandeliers, is amazing. That alone is worth a look see.

Leave a Comment

Phone: 415-512-1111
Website: www.sfpalace.com
Other Contact: 2 New Montgomery St

You'll probably meet more politically correct people in San Francisco than in most other cities in the U.S. However, for all of its political correctness, San Francisco pulls out all the stops to celebrate Christmas and doesn't worry about the fallout that will occur by putting up a Christmas tree in a building lobby or piping in Christmas Muzak over the loudspeaker.

As a fun tradition each December, my family heads over to Davies Symphony Hall to listen to the joint performance of the San Francisco Symphony and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus. This popular performance is also a singalong so be prepared to give your windpipes a good work out!

Leave a Comment

Phone: Box Office (415) 864-6000
Website: http://www.sfsymphony.org