Panhandlers Have Become a Problem

As I mentioned in my blog post, “Controversial Issues Surrounding Tourism,” panhandlers have begun to impact the enjoyment of travelers to San Francisco. SFGate.com recently posted an article bring the impact of panhandlers to center stage. 

Conde Nast Traveler , a popular travel magazine, has a poll for top travel destinations every year. One of the categories is favorite North American Destination, which San Francisco has dominated for the past 18 years. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and according to the 29,000 readers San Francisco now comes second to Charleston, South Carolina.

Although I am still pleased my favorite city finished in second place, Charleston doesn’t seem to compare. Charleston won the hearts of readers because of its a beautiful, historic scenery, and welcoming, friendly citizens. Although San Francisco has squeezed tons of history into its 49 square miles, panhandling from the homeless community has become a huge issue. The drop in position doesn’t surprise the head of SF Travel, Joe D’Alessandro; he said there has been an increase in complaints from visitors about aggressive panhandlers. Tourists have sent in numerous complaints to the SF Travel association hoping that the city will take action and increase police regulation. It is intimidating enough to be a tourist in the big city but imagine being harassed for money as you are trying to navigate through a city you’ve never been to. 

A month and a half later the SFgate posted another article  focusing on the holiday season and the magic that I posted about in “holiday in the City”.  The article is not as merry as my post. The general Manager of the hotel Nikko describe a day when she witnessed a family of tourist being quacked at (yes like a duck, “quack quack”) by a panhandler. She illustrated the look on their face as “sheer terror.” So in this time clearly no improvement has happened. Gradate, I know it is only been a sort amount of time since the release of the original article on October 24 but change needs to be made before San Francisco becomes solely know for its panhandlers and not its history. 

So what is the solution? The Police Chief, Greg Suhr is aware of the problem and has begun to ramp up patrol in shopping areas. However, “it depends on individual situations as to whether aggressive panhandlers would be cited.” Although, I do think a case-by-case analysis is fair, I don’t think lax punishment will have an affect. The SF Travel should plan for a marketing scheme to get San Francisco away from the image of its current state. Like I’ve blogged about before, tourism is an important part of our City’s economy, bringing 8.3 billion dollars to local business. I don’t think that harsh punishment to be taken against panhandlers because they are financially and physically in a bad place but action needs to be taken whether it be open another homeless shelter, or force homeless rates to go down. I don’t have the answer but something needs to be done or else our wallets will feel the impact. 

Sutro Baths

When I was young my grandpa gave me a PBS documentary on 5 historical attractions in San Francisco. One attraction that stuck in my mind was Sutro baths.  Although the building is no longer there, I like to go out towards the Cliff House and Ocean Beach and walk through the ruins.

Sutro Baths were opened on March 14, 1896, offering city residents 1 fresh water pool and 6 sea salt pools. At this time, in door pluming wasn’t common and although many would visit the baths for recreational swimming they would also visit to bathe. The pools could accommodate 10,000 guest at a time and they could enter numerous ways- trampolines, diving boards, and slides. While there guest could also visit a museum, relax and sit in the bleachers that accommodates thousands or view a show on the stage. The stage attracted performances like trapeze acts, contortionists, dwarf boxing matches, magicians and high diving canines. 

Sutro, the former mayor of San Francisco and one of the owners of the Cliff House, which I talked about in an earlier post, was never able to see the Baths flourish. Sutro died 2 years after the bathhouse was opened. His grandson took ownership but did not have the financial backing like Sutro. As a struggle to save the bath house the grandson changed Sutro Baths into an ice skating rink. The renovation to ice skating rink wasn’t profitable enough to save the building and the grandson sold it in 1952. The Building was left untouched until 1966 when developers were going to demolish what was left of Sutro’s Baths and put in apartments. However, on June 26, 1966 a fire put an end to the developers plans and Sutro Baths was burned to the ground and abandoned.

Sutro Baths and the Cliff House are now apart of the Golden Gate National Recreational Area and is know as Sutro District. The National Park Services completed a design plan and an environmental assessment for the Sutro District in 1993 to ensure a safe place for visitor to come view the Cliff House and what is left of Sutro Baths. After reading the History of Sutro Baths I highly recommend you go visit the ruins. It’s very powerful to stand on the cliffs and soak in the history especially on a nice day. For more history on Sutro Baths click here.

My favorite Restaurant in San Francisco

I have yet to post about a restaurant and I feel completed to talk about the Cliff House because I find personal connection to the restaurant and it has a strong history. When I was young my late grandpa treated younger cousins and I to a special meal at the Cliff House. It was a magical evening and at my young age I felt like a princess. I'll never forget the when the restaurant staff pulled up the blinds for all the guest to watch the sun set onto the ocean. I always look back on that evening with found memories and dream about revisiting the Cliff House for a nice meal.

The Cliff House restaurant is a very historic in San Francisco, dating back to 1863.The original owners, Senator John Buckley and C.C. Butler Captain Junius Fostor attracted those in America's high society including 3 U.S. Presidents. The success allowed the owners to expand and add on two additional wings. In 1883 the Cliff House received a new owner   when self made millionaire and future San Francisco Mayor, Adolph Sutro purchased the restaurant. 
Sutro struggled to manage the restaurant and reached out from J.W. Wilkins. Despite the help misfortune continued, when a near by dynamite destroyed one of the wings of the Cliff House in 1887. The restaurant remained in operation until renovations took place in 1889. The renovation was soon destroyed after opening when a Christmas fire in 1894 destroyed the entire restaurant. 

Sutro didn't lose hope, he invested $75,000 to rebuild the Cliff House into a French Chateau, standing 200 ft. above sea level and 8 stories high. The Cliff House was well designed and survived the earthquake of 1906 but was lost to a second fire in 1907. This time 
Sutro's daughter stepped in and invest $75,000 to rebuild the Cliff House for a second time. Operation went smoothly until 1918 when the military shut down the cliff house for two years. After re-opening the restaurant struggle through the prohibition until it was shut down all together in 1925.

But the Cliff house wouldn't disappear forever. In 1937 the owners of Playland purchased the Cliff House and extensively remodel the restaurant and reopened it. Finally the Cliff House flourished and was inducted into the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in 1977. In the early 2000's the Cliff House under went an additional renovation and was transformed into its current state. The history of the Cliff House is extensive but really demonstrates the meaning of a San Francisco Historic Landmark. You can read the complete history and learn more information about the Cliff House at its website.

 
I think that the Cliff House is the perfect restaurant for a special occasion. However, the restaurant has a casual wing, Sutro's Wing, which looks out onto the cliffs where Sutro's Bathes were located. There is also the formal Bistro. Both operate different hours. A typical three course dinner at the Cliff House will run you about $35 to $40 not included drinks. For a complete menu and hours of operation visit the Cliff House Website. The price may scare you a bit but I promise bring the right company and it will be an evening you will never forget.

The Rock

I’ve visited Alcatraz on two different occasions, once with my family who visited from South Carolina and the other visit was with my roommates family from San Diego. Both visits were a blast making me believe that not matter who you go with Alcatraz is definitely worth the visit.

While on the island you are able to explore freely with your group. It’s a steep walk up to the jailhouse but it is worth it. Along the road up you will see the houses that the jail staff use to live in with their family. Once inside the jailhouse you are given a Walkman type device, which has a recording that acts as your tour guide through the jailhouse. You can go at your own pace, pause the recording if your group wants to stop to take a picture, laugh about the stories or read the signs that are placed through out the jailhouse.

When planning your visit Alcatraz I recommend making a reservation for your trip at least a week in advanced. Alcatraz is a popular attraction in San Francisco and there tends to be a line for the ships to get to the island and to pick up your ticket. Along with making your reservation you will want to pick a date that will allow you to have plenty of time to explore at least 2 and a half hours worth. Tickets will cost you $26 per person. Visit the Alcatraz Cruises, LLC website to make a reservation today.

 After visiting during the day go back for a second time at night, if you dare. Alcatraz offers night tours Thursday through Monday tickets are $55 but the experience is completely different. You will have a tour guide through out your stay on the island and will be allowed to do special tour activities that are not included on the day trips. Read more about all the tour Alcatraz Cruises, LLC has to offer by clicking here.

The holidays in the City

This past week I went to Pier 39 to watch the tree lighting ceremony. To my surprise the Disneyland Resort sponsored the ceremony. I arrived early to take a picture with Goofy, browse the stores on the pier and get a good standing spot to watch the 60 foot tall tree light up. It was an amazing evening and really put me in the holiday spirit and best of all it didn't cost me a penny.

Another fun, free thing to do in San Francisco during the holidays is visit the hotels that spar no expense to deck the halls of their lobbies.  The Westin St. Francis is currently housing a 1,200 pound Sugar Castle until January 3rd. The Fairmont is displaying a 22-foot tall gingerbread house. Guest are able to walk through and around  this edible creation until January 1st. The Hyatt Regency is displaying a 45 foot tree decorated with extravagant ornaments, lights, and if you arrive at 1 pm, 6 pm, 8 pm you will even see snow.

If you are looking for more of an activity there is a hand full of places to go ice skating. You can go ice skating on the Embarcadero Monday through Thursday 10 am to 10 pm and Friday through Saturday 10 am to 11:30 om for $12.50.  If you prefer to be where the shopping is you can also glide around the ice in Union Square. Union Square Ice Rink is open daily 10:30 am until 11:30 pm for $15. Enjoy the day with friends dancing or falling around the ice skating rink.

There is so much to be seen and do during the holidays and with winter break you will have plenty of time to try out some new holiday activities. San Francisco is one of the greatest cities year round but it is special place to visit with friends and family during the holidays. Click here to read about more SF holiday fun and to read more details about what I have listed above.

Haight and Ashbury

This past summer my cousins came to visit from Mexico. They were very excited to see my family but they were also excited to visit local attractions. With San Francisco being so close to my hometown we made at least 3 or 4 trips in a week period. We went to notable tourist attractions like botanical gardens in golden gate park, Pier 39, Union square, and Chinatown.

One of my Cousins wasn’t happy with just the normal tourist attractions. She wanted to visit a place that felt like San Francisco, the one that she had always imagined it as. As odd as it sounds, I took her to Haight and Ashbury and to my surprise I had taken her into a neighborhood that had embodied exactly how she pictured San Francisco.  She wanted to go into every vintage shop, take pictures every where and with everyone, even panhandlers. One of the most interesting store we went into was a smoke shop and no it wasn't my first time in a smoke shop but it was my first time in a smoke shop with my mother, awkward.

Not everyone will appreciate Haight the way that my cousin did but I can see the appeal of making it a stop on to check out the unique shops – shoes, clothing, specialties, second hand, costume.

But there is more to Haight and Ashbury than the unique stops, there is also the feeling you get when you are there as if a piece of the 60’s has be preserved. This feeling has a lot to do with the history that took place in this unique area of San Francisco.

The history of the Haight blossomed in the 1960’s when the beat generation was coming to a close and the hippie movement was in full swing. Haight and Ashbury was the stage for the summer of love. The Haight was a haven for psychedelic drugs, rock and roll and young adults. The movement was nationwide news, The Time did a cover story on the movement, “The Hippies: Philosophy of a Subculture” and the New York Times was reporting weekly. But as quickly as the movement started, it came to an end. In October 1967 a few hippies remaining in the Haight held a funeral appropriately called “The Death of the Hippies.”

Whether the hippie movement fascinates you our not Haight and Ashbury is really an amazing place to visit. If you have time just drive through the neighborhood and take in all the imagery The Haight has to offer.

Go Green!

Eco-tourism has become a popular trend among tourist and locals a like. Eco-tourism is concentrated on developing travel practices that are environmental conscious. Travelocity has a section of its website dedicated to hotels, transportation, and other travel related things that are concentrate on green practices. On the website you can browse a list of green hotels, rent a hybrid, and learn ways to offset your carbon footprint. 

When visiting San Francisco most travelers expect every possible aspect of their stay to be to be eco-friendly (hotel, restaurant, stores they shop in, attractions that they visit) If you are environmentally conscious or just looking for something fun to do you should stop by the California Academy of Science, its only the greenest museum in the world.Come on it has a living roof!

 

When planning for the California Academy of Sciences re-open in 2008, construction and design teams work diligently to make every possible aspect environmentally conscious. The construction processes may have destroyed the structure of the old building may be gone but it is still their in spirit. 90% of the destroyed building was broken down and recycled into the new Academy building. In side the new building benches and selves in the gift shop were made from fallen trees in Golden Gate Park.

After the re-opening day, The California Academy of Science didn’t stop advancing its green practice. The daily operations at the Academy concentrating on things that most people don’t even take into consideration. I wouldn’t notice the difference between a environmentally friend brochure and the general ones unless it was pointed out to me (which it was). The Academy staff thought of everything! –where things are purchased, material used to insulation, the ventilation system, energy usage, waste management. Being green is so important to the Academy that they have employees, the Green Team, that are responsible for solely focus on the green practices of the museum. The green practices that the California Academy of Sciences demonstrated earned them a double platinum LEED Certification!

The California Academy of Sciences has a variety of ticket options and events that you can take advantage of to experience the green kingdom – general admission, behind-the scenes, Nighlight, sleepover, and even birthday parties. My favorite part of the Academy is the Morrision Planetarium, its is the largest all- digital planetarium in the world. I literally felt like I was in space. You can experience the planetarium and so much more for your self for only $24.95 but make sure you have enough time to enjoy it all.