The first time I visited San Francisco my jaw dropped. This was the center of the 1960s counterculture, flower power, and anti-war demonstrations. Then there were the fascinating TV series and movies set in Frisco: the streets of San Francisco with Michael Douglas, Dirty Harry with Clint Eastwood, Hitchcock’s Vertigo and McQueen’s legendary chase through the city in Bullet. I first visited three Irish friends, Mary and Aidan, who had lived in the Bay area for several years and had a good working knowledge of the city, and Carmel. We traveled from Fremont on the Bart. I always remember standing on the escalator as we headed towards the Market Street subway exit in downtown San Francisco, and being assaulted by towering skyscrapers in all shapes and styles. What a dramatic introduction to one of the most famous cities in the world!

That first afternoon was action packed. We took a cable car to Pacific Heights and looked out over the city and the ocean. Of course, the shadow of the Golden Gate loomed over my imagination, and all I had to do was take a boat trip, slip under this queen of bridges, and then skirt the infamous Alcatraz Island. We had lunch at Fisherman’s Wharf, a large conglomeration of gift shops and cafes. Directly across the street is Ghirardelli Square, named after the famous chocolatier who came to San Francisco in the era of the great gold rush of the 1850s. It is now an upscale shopping district. More in our league was Chinatown, the largest Chinatown outside of Asia. The streets were lined with amazing shops selling all kinds of herbs, foods, jewelry, and colorful banners with intricate Chinese calligraphy and beautifully decorated gift items.

Later, when I returned to California, I spent a day familiarizing myself with some of the streets in downtown San Francisco. It was a real treat to have a coffee at Starbucks on Market Street early on a Friday morning and just look out the window as people rushed to work. San Francisco is a major financial center and many banks and companies are headquartered here. There are also many computer companies located here, making it quite a bustling city. It would be great to work here for a while to experience the buzz of being a part of this lively cosmopolitan city. The closest I’ve got so far is working on a contract in South San Francisco, but that was miles from the center of the real action.

I once walked about four miles on a fairly warm day from Market Street to the Haight-Ashbury area. This area was the center of the counterculture in the 1960s, where students, artists, musicians and non-conformists moved into old Victorian houses, ushering in the hippie phase. Bands like The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane would hang out here and play at the famous Fillmore Concert Hall just around the corner. The era of rock music and marijuana, incense and pop art, oriental meditation and anti-Vietnam protests was short-lived. Today Haight-Ashbury is a collector’s paradise for vintage memorabilia. The shops are filled with tie-dye dresses, posters, jewelry, and CDs—everything reminiscent of that colorful decade. It’s also a great place to get a wonderful sandwich, any amount or variety of vegetarian food, and lots of good tasting coffee.

Probably the best vegetarian restaurant I’ve ever eaten at is Greens, in Fort Mason, overlooking the bay, where all the food is organically grown. One cold, rainy afternoon in February, Bob took me there for a birthday present. The hot and spiced soup was wonderful; the gorgonzola cream, walnut basil pasta and vegetable curry dishes were divine. Then coffee, followed by a hazelnut chocolate mouse dessert. The dinner was expensive, but the taste and quality of the food, the brilliant view of the Golden Gate, and the overall vibe of the place were all worth it.

My friend, Mary, once took me on a day trip to some interesting places on the outskirts of the city. In the morning we hiked to Muir Woods, home to magnificent redwoods. We then headed to Golden Gate Park where we had a magnificent view of the famous bridge. It was cloudy as often in San Francisco. We drove to the Cliff House for lunch, which is located in the northwest corner of San Francisco and offers fantastic views of the coastline. A restaurant has been located at this location since 1863, and the current establishment is filled with Victorian-era decor and memorabilia.

There is nothing I love more than touring downtown, admiring the diverse architecture that gives San Francisco a richness and color that few cities can match. After the gigantic earthquake of 1906, the city was largely rebuilt in the ornate art nouveau style. Then there are the ornate Art Deco buildings built from the 1930s onwards. The city’s true charm is a mix of many styles and eras, from modern marvels like the Transamerica Building to surviving old Victorian homes dating back to of the end of the 19th century. One of my favorite buildings is City Hall, with its glorious destination, located at Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place. I also love the Legion of Honor art gallery, with its large Rodin collection, which faces Golden Gate Park.

When my nephew, Michael, visited me in the fall, I took him to Equinox, the revolving restaurant atop the Hyatt Hotel on Market Street. From this vantage point there are excellent views of the city and the bay, particularly the Bay Bridge. Here you can gaze up at the skyscrapers and take in the busy streets while sitting in the lap of luxury, drinking coffee and eating chocolate ice cream.

This is undoubtedly a wonderful city. I always love the bustle of exploring its unique streets, admiring its variety of buildings, and browsing its elegant shops. Supposedly San Francisco is the most visited city in the United States. It is worth visiting many times.