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Easy San Francisco

By Ria Cruz

December 21^st, 2014

The first time I went to San Francisco was in early 2009, I was 19. Although I had a great time then (thanks to my friend Ingrid), I didn’t get a chance to explore many local sights. Five years later, I decided to come back with a mission to see the rapidly changing city’s less tourist-y spots.

Luckily, my San-Francisco-transplant-former-New-Yorker-friends Mercedes and Paolo let me stay in their apartment for a few days. They live in Mission District, a SF neighborhood commonly known as “The Mission”. I was very excited. Although they both had work the next day after I arrived, I made sure to step out of the house and do the exploring by myself.

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Walking outside, the architectural structures of SF houses easily became a favorite. They seemed like cute dollhouses, some painted with pastel hues, others in even brighter colors. There was graffiti at every street corner, there were vintage stores, and an interesting hybrid of Latin American influence and local businesses for the yuppies. The neighborhood was art-filled.

As my stomach begged for food, I decided to get breakfast at a nearby Mexican diner. A guy was playing a jarana jarocha—midday, when I got in. Is it normal in SF to have this kind of entertainment on a Friday at 11am? Not sure, but I was thrilled. I went to sit at the bar to get my coffee and Huevos rancheros.

You know what’s even better? Running into a quirky coffee shop right after. Yes, I already had my cup of joe, but I didn’t miss the chance to try one served with mint leaves. Philz Coffee welcomed me with the smell of coffee beans, freshly brewed coffee, and a friendly atmosphere. After I got my cup, I sat on one of the outside benches, people-watched, and sipped luxuriously.

Later on, I had to take the BART (SF’s subway system) to see my friend. This might be annoying for some, but taking public transit has become my favorite when traveling. If you really want to experience any city’s local way of things—sights, sounds and smells–it’s best to travel on foot. Driving around is sort of cheating, as it takes away from discovering what makes a place truly distinct.

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We went to a bar that night with more friends, had cheap sangrias with probably 90% alcohol and celebrated just being there. This pattern went on for the rest of my trip—dining at local restaurants, eating ice cream for dessert, walking around flea markets, more walking for sightseeing during the day, and enjoying some alcohol at night. It was pretty neat.