Paige Vidrine

“San Francisco has only one drawback, ‘Tis hard to leave.” Rudyard Kipling

Save your money, pack your shit and go to San Francisco. It will change your life!

Have  you ever traveled somewhere and just felt like…. I could do this forever? Well thats what it feels like in San Francisco. Let me tell you why!

1. The Food: San Francisco has the best food in the world. They say that if you don’t serve good food, you will get pushed out of town quickly. They don’t go for that shit, unless of course you are a 5 star restaurant that has stools for purses and a waiter whose sole job is to pour water (Acquerello’s food was bad! The experience was cool as hell though). Other than that, your food has to be bomb.
2. The Park: You know how you always here about New York’s Central Park? Well, San Francisco’s Central Park is much bigger and so amazing! They have shit to see in this thing. I mean you could literally spend an entire day in the park! Senior, wedding and engagement pic destination for sure! I mean, I couldn’t blame anyone for taking advantage of this spectacular scenery. It’s like a city within a city.
3. The History: You feel like you’re living in history. It’s nostalgic to say the least, and not just because of my obsession with Full House. It just makes you feel like a big part of your world was birthed here. Quite honestly, it was. Catalog homes, Yoda, and Uber all have history in this city. The feeling is literally unexplainable.
4. The Freedom: San Francisco is a place of freedom for sure.  You’ll be accepted. You …just the way you are. There is love in this city. It’s palpable. It’s freeing.
5. The attractions: I mean what can beat The Golden Gate Bridge, Yoda Fountain, The Place where fortune cookies were invented, Wine Country and The place where all those monkeys ran to on The Planet of the Apes? It’s the shit for real!
6. Technology: Just under an hour from Facebook’s headquarters, San Francisco is home to the best techies in the business! This is the place Uber was created! Walking, talking full function kick ass genius’s walk the streets of San Francisco! It’s impressive. My Heroes!

I could go on for days about all the things I love about this place, but let me end with this-

The Vibes

San Francisco has this chillness about it. It’s got this “all is well” vibe. Who cares about all those damn statistics… This place rises above all of that shit. This is where those hippie people who others call crazy come to find themselves. This is the place where the impossible is reality. It’s the place your soul can rest and your inner man can come alive. Peace, freedom and acceptance lives in San Francisco. It’s awe inspiring, soul searching goodness! I am honestly convinced that it’s America’s promised land! Like Rudyard Kipling said,”San Francisco has only one drawback, ‘Tis hard to leave.”

If you’re traveling to San Francisco:

• The Piers: Take a day to check out the piers! Pier 39 is famous for the seals that just chill out there. Pier 1 is the Ferry Building. This place has the food! Go get some! Just take a walk, there is so much history in these piers! Just please, if you’re going to play Pokemon, at least have a “sober” walker with you for safety! This city has a dark side and you don’t need to be unsuspecting! Don’t be scared.. Just be aware!
• The Park: Go to ALL the museums and stores in the park! This will take about 2 days, but its amazing! Don’t forget about the Japanese Tea Garden. Ironically the first owners of the place are responsible for putting Chinese fortune cookies on the map! COOOL SHIT!
• Presidio: I am not opposed to getting a tour guide to tour the Presidio. It’s an old military base with a ton of really cool history! The Star Wars museum is in the Presidio, which is by far the coolest thing! Oh… and theres a Starbucks just in case you were thinking you needed a break from all the sight seeing!
• Muir Woods: HUUUUUUGGGGEEEE trees! Don’t miss this place! Get a driver though! They are the only ones who can use the parking lot. If you drive yourself you’ll have to hike to the entrance, and who wants to do that?
• The Golden Gate Bridge: Coming down from Muir Woods, a good driver will know where this secret cliff is where the ocean meets the mountains, with a view of the bridge. Talk about breathtaking!
• Tours! Take a tour! There are tons of tours available so take your pic. Make a priority list and then find a tour that fits your needs. I had the concierge at the Loews get us a driver as a tour guide, Douglas! He is awesome. We are Facebook friends now. I literally feel like I have family out there! Gary with GaryTour took me around the city for a day as well. This guy is like your uncle. He’s cool as hell and was once a professional photographer. Needless to say, I put his skills to work! Thanks Gary. We still keep in touch, and I frequently visit the idea of taking my small family out there to rent some space from him in his rent controlled apartment! Anyway, take a tour! It’s the fastest way to knock a bunch of stuff out the way. Once you figure out what intrigues you the most, take the next few days to indulge in those experiences.

Thank me later!