A Day of Living like San Francisco’s Elite
A Day of Living like San Francisco’s Elite
By Tara Giddings
A few miles away from the artistic, dirty, and lively world of inner city San Francisco is the surprisingly clean, extremely expensive, magically different land of Pacific Heights. Magic for anyone who adores aesthetic value because they will fall in love with the mix of modern and victorian homes, if they can ignore the multi million dollar cost for a while. The homes have views of the pacific ocean that are many times only seen in movies, and the apartment buildings still come with views of as the golden gate bridge glistening over ocean at night.
The Marina District is a wealthy tourist’s dream come true, complete with elaborate gardens that make for the perfect, if not quite fully comprehensive, photo of the city by The Bay. The beautifully kept stores sell $50 dollar candles, the kind no one knows they need until they smell them. Groups of women fill the street, talking excitedly about the fact that their favorite song came on during the toughest part of Soulcycle.
Union St on a weekend morning is crowded with young executives having brunch, husbands and wives walking golden labradoodles and pac heights locals looking to spend what some people consider an entire paycheck in a day. The wealthy and the wealthy-for-a-day enjoy a variety of clothing stores filled with silk dresses costing $550 and plain white t shirts, costing around $500.
The most important part of the Sunday morning in the Marina is brunch. After a morning of yoga, or pilates, it is time for pancakes. Starting at Rose’s Cafe, on the corner of Union and Steiner, where people enjoy soft scrambled eggs with spinach purée, feta and toasted house made bread for $12. If they choose to stay at the glorious outdoor seating then they can eat even more. Pasta is served at 11 and the garganelli with pork sausage, spinach, tomato sauce and pecorino tastes like heaven for $20. Though conversations can be overheard of “What time are your brunch reservations? 3pm.”
Another fantastic brunch option is Belga, an adorable Belgian restaurat. The restaurant at the corner of Buchanan and Union is filled with a polished and simply beautiful atmosphere. The mimosas are the true star but the beignets with cinnamon sugar and creme fraiche for $9 are another way to feel connected with the universe. The classic choice of many in the Marina is the avocado toast with pea hummus, lemon oil, pickled onion and sea salt for $8 is equally mind altering. Of course a plate of belgian waffles, berry compote and white chocolate mousse, 14, or eggs benedict with duroc ham, hollandaise, blooms dale spinach, poached eggs and potatoes, 16, are just as worthy of anyone’s hard earned or family inherited money.
A good way to start the day as one woman says “I’m in a great mood, everyday should start with mimosas!” The day can easily continue with shopping at some of the lovely, if not entirely affordable, stores like Modern Citizen. Stopping by The Epicurean Trader will cause people to say wonderful phrases such as “Such a large selection of whiskey and mezcal… what the fuck?!” or “Cheese and bread, what more do you really need in life?” That sums up the gourmet market of small batch goods, and a truly mind altering selection of alcohol.
Next door is The Bus Stop, no not just the place to wait on public transportation, but San Francisco’s oldest sports bar. Located on the corner of Laguna and Union it is a great spot watch an afternoon football game, and by watch maybe just keep drinking beer.
Those who are less enthusiastic about sports and more interested in lunch can stop by Vegan Picnic or one of the 4 juice places in a one block radius. The few non vegans in the Marina may stop by Perry’s, which opened before the vegan, gluten free craze. At Perry’s lunch can consist of a fantastic burger, tasting as good as it has for 50 years.
Since a day of shopping for overpriced clothing requires energy, the best coffee is found at Wreaking Ball Coffee roasters. Many walk in for the sole purpose of photographing the pineapple wallpaper, but the amazing latte keeps people coming back.
Down the street the Bud Stop’s flowers make $10 for a stem (almost) worth the price. Across the street is Le Bouquet, a hole in the wall shop where the flowers are equal in both price and beauty. These adorable places prove the importance of ascetics to those who live locally.
Many may decide to stop by what must be one of the fanciest candy stores ever invented, Sugarfina. One of the most popular items to purchase is a small candy cube filled by champagne gummy bears for $8.50, necessary? No. But what is really necessary in an area filled with people who own luxury yachts?
The evening, or as its more comply referred to in the Marina “happy hour” starts at 4pm. Walking down Union street at this time is a similar experience to passing a parade of people drinking, if not already drunk, sitting at outdoor tables at a variety of bars, wine bars and restaurants. At the Palm House there are typically fun drinking options such as the Pina Colada. Speciality cocktails such as The Palm House Slushy, white rum, spiced rum and fresh lime juice with an addition of prickly pear, passionfruit or strawberry with kraken dark rum will put the evening to a more exciting start.
The options for high quality, which generally means high cost, food for dinner are practically endless. One restaurant with a line out the door every night is the Italian Homemade company. The delicious genuine Italian cuisine attracts locals and toursits, all of whom would love to become regulars. Reasonably priced in comparison to the surrounding restaurants, the vibrant atmosphere filled with people speaking quickly in Italian makes the place feel like home and an adventure at the same time. The gnocchi with pastaciatta sauce may be the best pasta available outside of Italy. Each dish is about $15 and the other options such as the vegetarian ravioli with butter sage sauce or the pappardelle with bolognese will fill your heart with the same joy.
The night does not need to end after a delicious meal and at about 9pm the Marina district begins to change as the family shoppers head home and the partiers return from a day in the tech industry. Since many of the people in the Marina district are reliving their days of being in a fraternity/sorority the nightlife is pretty impressive, or the amount of places to drink and keep drinking is impressive. The elaborate and beautifully detailed decorations complete with ambient lighting at Flores draws in a crowd. The real reason to go to the Mexican restaurant and bar, besides the fantastic tacos, is the margarita. For the more adventurous the mezcal margarita is an amazing way to celebrate, or find a reason to celebrate.
The street is filled with many other drinking options ranging from Bar None, an almost always crowded spot, to West Coast Wine and Cheese for a more low-key delightful evening of pinot noir or sparkling cava rosé. So drink in the adventure and enjoy talking to people who ask “how many shots have you had?”
The Marina is prime San Francisco example of how the women who live in lululemon alongside bros enjoy the lives of generally always getting what they want, which provides fun for a day in the form of really good food, drinks and views. The place offers an escape into a world of luxury, beauty and some entertaining overheard conversations of the rich. “I’ve literally chased my birth control pills with Rosé more than I have with water”
By Tara Giddings
A few miles away from the artistic, dirty, and lively world of inner city San Francisco is the surprisingly clean, extremely expensive, magically different land of Pacific Heights. Magic for anyone who adores aesthetic value because they will fall in love with the mix of modern and victorian homes, if they can ignore the multi million dollar cost for a while. The homes have views of the pacific ocean that are many times only seen in movies, and the apartment buildings still come with views of as the golden gate bridge glistening over ocean at night.
The Marina District is a wealthy tourist’s dream come true, complete with elaborate gardens that make for the perfect, if not quite fully comprehensive, photo of the city by The Bay. The beautifully kept stores sell $50 dollar candles, the kind no one knows they need until they smell them. Groups of women fill the street, talking excitedly about the fact that their favorite song came on during the toughest part of Soulcycle.
Union St on a weekend morning is crowded with young executives having brunch, husbands and wives walking golden labradoodles and pac heights locals looking to spend what some people consider an entire paycheck in a day. The wealthy and the wealthy-for-a-day enjoy a variety of clothing stores filled with silk dresses costing $550 and plain white t shirts, costing around $500.
The most important part of the Sunday morning in the Marina is brunch. After a morning of yoga, or pilates, it is time for pancakes. Starting at Rose’s Cafe, on the corner of Union and Steiner, where people enjoy soft scrambled eggs with spinach purée, feta and toasted house made bread for $12. If they choose to stay at the glorious outdoor seating then they can eat even more. Pasta is served at 11 and the garganelli with pork sausage, spinach, tomato sauce and pecorino tastes like heaven for $20. Though conversations can be overheard of “What time are your brunch reservations? 3pm.”
Another fantastic brunch option is Belga, an adorable Belgian restaurat. The restaurant at the corner of Buchanan and Union is filled with a polished and simply beautiful atmosphere. The mimosas are the true star but the beignets with cinnamon sugar and creme fraiche for $9 are another way to feel connected with the universe. The classic choice of many in the Marina is the avocado toast with pea hummus, lemon oil, pickled onion and sea salt for $8 is equally mind altering. Of course a plate of belgian waffles, berry compote and white chocolate mousse, 14, or eggs benedict with duroc ham, hollandaise, blooms dale spinach, poached eggs and potatoes, 16, are just as worthy of anyone’s hard earned or family inherited money.
A good way to start the day as one woman says “I’m in a great mood, everyday should start with mimosas!” The day can easily continue with shopping at some of the lovely, if not entirely affordable, stores like Modern Citizen. Stopping by The Epicurean Trader will cause people to say wonderful phrases such as “Such a large selection of whiskey and mezcal… what the fuck?!” or “Cheese and bread, what more do you really need in life?” That sums up the gourmet market of small batch goods, and a truly mind altering selection of alcohol.
Next door is The Bus Stop, no not just the place to wait on public transportation, but San Francisco’s oldest sports bar. Located on the corner of Laguna and Union it is a great spot watch an afternoon football game, and by watch maybe just keep drinking beer.
Those who are less enthusiastic about sports and more interested in lunch can stop by Vegan Picnic or one of the 4 juice places in a one block radius. The few non vegans in the Marina may stop by Perry’s, which opened before the vegan, gluten free craze. At Perry’s lunch can consist of a fantastic burger, tasting as good as it has for 50 years.
Since a day of shopping for overpriced clothing requires energy, the best coffee is found at Wreaking Ball Coffee roasters. Many walk in for the sole purpose of photographing the pineapple wallpaper, but the amazing latte keeps people coming back.
Down the street the Bud Stop’s flowers make $10 for a stem (almost) worth the price. Across the street is Le Bouquet, a hole in the wall shop where the flowers are equal in both price and beauty. These adorable places prove the importance of ascetics to those who live locally.
Many may decide to stop by what must be one of the fanciest candy stores ever invented, Sugarfina. One of the most popular items to purchase is a small candy cube filled by champagne gummy bears for $8.50, necessary? No. But what is really necessary in an area filled with people who own luxury yachts?
The evening, or as its more comply referred to in the Marina “happy hour” starts at 4pm. Walking down Union street at this time is a similar experience to passing a parade of people drinking, if not already drunk, sitting at outdoor tables at a variety of bars, wine bars and restaurants. At the Palm House there are typically fun drinking options such as the Pina Colada. Speciality cocktails such as The Palm House Slushy, white rum, spiced rum and fresh lime juice with an addition of prickly pear, passionfruit or strawberry with kraken dark rum will put the evening to a more exciting start.
The options for high quality, which generally means high cost, food for dinner are practically endless. One restaurant with a line out the door every night is the Italian Homemade company. The delicious genuine Italian cuisine attracts locals and toursits, all of whom would love to become regulars. Reasonably priced in comparison to the surrounding restaurants, the vibrant atmosphere filled with people speaking quickly in Italian makes the place feel like home and an adventure at the same time. The gnocchi with pastaciatta sauce may be the best pasta available outside of Italy. Each dish is about $15 and the other options such as the vegetarian ravioli with butter sage sauce or the pappardelle with bolognese will fill your heart with the same joy.
The night does not need to end after a delicious meal and at about 9pm the Marina district begins to change as the family shoppers head home and the partiers return from a day in the tech industry. Since many of the people in the Marina district are reliving their days of being in a fraternity/sorority the nightlife is pretty impressive, or the amount of places to drink and keep drinking is impressive. The elaborate and beautifully detailed decorations complete with ambient lighting at Flores draws in a crowd. The real reason to go to the Mexican restaurant and bar, besides the fantastic tacos, is the margarita. For the more adventurous the mezcal margarita is an amazing way to celebrate, or find a reason to celebrate.
The street is filled with many other drinking options ranging from Bar None, an almost always crowded spot, to West Coast Wine and Cheese for a more low-key delightful evening of pinot noir or sparkling cava rosé. So drink in the adventure and enjoy talking to people who ask “how many shots have you had?”
The Marina is prime San Francisco example of how the women who live in lululemon alongside bros enjoy the lives of generally always getting what they want, which provides fun for a day in the form of really good food, drinks and views. The place offers an escape into a world of luxury, beauty and some entertaining overheard conversations of the rich. “I’ve literally chased my birth control pills with Rosé more than I have with water”
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