San Francisco Day 1

If you started day one of your journey by cracking your iPhone screen like I did, look no further than Ed at iPhone Repair SF, and he'll have you in and out in less than an hour for $100. Although side note, it has now been about a month and his screen has gotten scratched pretty badly and I woke up yesterday with another cracked screen.

Once your phone is working again, start out in the Mission.  This guide will work really well if you have a hip friend to stay with that lives in the Mission, like Dan.  Dan just finished his third masters degree and is teaching history and English over in Oakland, and learning Spanish as he talks to his students’ parents every night, so we appreciate that.

Dan (on the left with the beard), his friends and me at Local Mission Eatery, where the locals actually eat.  We had butter scotch for dessert, which came with hot, spiced, condensed milk to pour over top! Butter beer, just like in the Leaky Cauldron in Harry Potter.

This area of San Francisco (SF) is as hipster as it gets.  In fact, it is so hipster, that it is hard to tell if someone is homeless or just really stylish.  Maybe dress down a bit - I was probably screaming east coast with my collared shirt and pea coat. So work your way up Valencia Street and have lunch at the Taqueria of your choice, where the super burritos make Chipotle look like child’s play.  After lunch, refuel at Four Barrel café where they roast their own beans, and cracked out baristas make you the best cup of Ethiopian coffee you’ve ever had.

Make a right onto Market Street and work your way up along SF’s‘tenderloin.’  Welcome to the hood life.  Here you’ll see at least a dozen guys giving each other a pound and exchanging some bud, while another two or three guys are rolling up and sparking a fatty.  Pot smoke emanates from everywhere in this city and the police don’t seem to mind.

^People lining up for custard tarts outside of Golden Gate Bakery.

Turning left on Grant Street, you will start making your way toward Chinatown and up SF’s notorious hills.  And be sure to stop by Golden Gate Bakery for some custard tarts.  It’s worth the wait!  Chinatown here is a lot like Hong Kong.  In fact, SF feels a lot like Hong Kong.  Coit Tower is comparable to Victoria Hill overlooking the business district and water.  Like Hong Kong, great places to go hiking and beautiful beaches surround SF.  And both places have gorgeous villas on top of the hills overlooking a city just waiting to be explored.

^Awesome macchiato at Blue Bottle Coffee.

If you timed your journey just right, it will be approaching sunset as you continue working your way up the hill toward Coit Tower.  You’ll pass a few awesome bars and some live music on Grant Street after Chinatown.  After taking it all in, head down the steps to the Embarcadero and look up at the business district all lit up to your right and the Golden Gate Bridge to your left.  Take in that salty breeze.  Ahhh. You’ve been walking for a while, so recharge by having a macchiato at Blue Bottle Coffee in the Ferry Building before you head back on the ultra convenient BART.  Snapchat a few friends and watch the skateboarders tear it up.  It certainly made me want to throw on a pair Nike SBs and lay down a variable flip.  If you’re feeling froggy, leap.