San Francisco

Montgomery Street

Went into the city yesterday and the siren song was turned up full blast. The fog had burned off, the skies were clear, the air was cool. The city sparkled. If only it wasn't almost as expensive to live there as Manhattan. I walked around the business district and up Post Street window shopping at Gumps and the haute couture uni-culture boutiques. I peeked into Chinatown and tarried in Union Square watching tourists watch street performers -- and taking a few snapshots with my iPhone.

Chinatown Gate

I made the obligatory pilgrimage to Macy's Men's Store -- the closest place I know to the Bloomingdale's of my youth and found a shirt on sale. The weather is starting to cool. The tees and polo shirts I packed for the trip need augmenting with another layer or two. Driving back, I know I'm going to be hitting cooler weather so it was a good excuse to shop the sales.

I met my friends Mischa and Gina for dinner at their office on Market Street. They are the sole proprietors of Forrell Company, a wholesale to the public jewelry business. Mischa and Gina sell beautiful custom, estate, and designer jewelry at extremely reasonable prices. We had dinner at South Park Cafe with a friend of theirs. South Park is a charming little park ringed by mixed use buildings that looks and feels like a suburban neighborhood tucked in the middle of SOMA. Except of course, for the price of the real estate.

Street Performers in Union Square

My time here in the Bay Area is drawing to a close. I'll start back east on the 21st. I can't say I'm leaving my heart in San Francisco. I've deposited shards of it in too many places around the world already. But the sirens do sing sweetly here and it is tempting to linger.