Spotter since 2022
About me
The quote “It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious” by Oscar Wilde works for me. I grew up on the central coast and have always valued the California virtues of connecting with people and their stories - there is a reason Hollywood and Silicon Valley started here. Everyone has a story, but so few tell it well.
For the last 30 years, I have lived in SF with my charming husband and a series of cats who all have a story to tell.
For better or worse, my story is that history is never boring, if you ask enough questions.
Why San Francisco?
Every time I land at SFO, I love the smell of the fog and the feel of the air. I love where I travel, and I love getting home.
Over the last 30+ years living in the city, either through accident or Intent, I seem to have taken on lots of its changes and personalities – do we all come to resemble the cities we love? Its layers have become my layers:
Individual gold hunter, gay oasis, tech evangelist, urban advocate, Herb Caen (yes he ascended to being an SF type) and demanding consumer of new thoughtful food and wine.
Pretentious? Well a bit, but it's true that believing that charm and belief and thought and care can lead to a wonderful life and that a bit of disorder is what makes for great cities and dinner conversations.
I live on the fog line, right where the cool meets the sun in the Inner Sunsets. Places that interest me have a bit of history and a lot of local love.
Online presence
Ironically, having made my living in digital and social media, I personally avoid it. Go figure!
"William Stout Books" in SF is a bookstore that specializes in architecture and design books - a true candy store for the serious building porn fan...
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Right in the shadow of the TransAmerica Pyramid, Maison Nico is a must stop for me when I am downtown and need either a perfect pastry or want to bring something home that is special.
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The name of the business, for once, is no lie, it is pretty dang fine. A personal favorite is the Pig in the Woods: pancetta, enoki, garlic, fresh mozzarella, and truffle.
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When I am in Golden Gate Park in SF, I almost always stop for a few minutes at the 6th avenue skate park to watch the skaters dance to the music...
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When I can hear the sound of spare coins jingling, I get an itch for a real pinball fix and head to the Haight and Free Gold Watch in San Francisco...
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When I want to know if the fog is coming in under the GG bridge in SF, I walk over to the public deck at UCSF's Helen Diller Medical Center...
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The SF Columbarium is one of the only cemeteries within San Francisco city limits. Pair a diorama with a dash of biography & you have me hooked...
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I love coming to the Golden Gate Parks Golf Course in SF in the morning, where it's almost 100% guaranteed to be foggy...
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Write about everything you 🤍 but skip touristic highlights