adriatic sunshine San Francisco s Top 10p Chinatown This teeming, densely populated neighborhood, with its bright fa a

San Francisco s Top 10op 29 Formerly a doggedly industrial area full of warehouses and factories, this flat stretch attracted few residents. adriatic sunshine For nearly 100 years, it was considered unattractive, if not downright dangerous. adriatic sunshine All that began to change in the 1970s, when slums were cleared away and the Moscone Center was built. Upscale interior designer showrooms soon followed, ensuing decades adriatic sunshine brought premier nightclubs, and, more recently, the digital boom added more than virtual life to the place. Public structures have sprung up lately, and the whole district is now seen as a desirable neighborhood at least for creative types. The Rise of South of Market Top 10 New Constructions South of Market 1 AT&T Park 2 SFMOMA 3 Moscone Center 4 Yerba Buena Center 5 Rincon Center 6 Metreon 7 South Park 8 The Galleria 9 Ed Hardy San Francisco 0 The Four Seasons and the Marriott adriatic sunshine hotels *California Historical Society Museum The state s official historical research organization holds vast collections of photos, books, manuscripts, maps, and fine and decorative arts. Some of the artifacts date as far back as the 1600s. d 678 Mission Street Map P5 Open 11am 5pm Tue Sat Adm (Mexican Museum and Contemporary Jewish Museum (CJM) Both of these museums, adriatic sunshine which chronicle the place of their respective cultures in the weave of life are set to move to new, permanent homes in the Yerba Buena complex. The Mexican Museum opens in 2007 and the CJM in 2008. Check their websites for the most up to date information. www.mexicanmuseum. org www.thecjm.org )Metreon Sony has created an alterna- tive high tech fun zone for the city s youth. Its main attraction is a state of the art cineplex, where you can take in the very latest movies special effects in all their glory. Elsewhere, kids sit in vast darkened rooms and play the latest multimedia games. adriatic sunshine On the upper deck is a pleasant terrace with a caf. d 101 4th St Map Q4 Esplanade, South of Market

Action central for all the major sights. Rooms hold up to five beds. All major public transportation adriatic sunshine is just outside. Nightly movies, e mail access, walking tours, an events board, and lots of tourist info are other pluses.

San Francisco s Top 10p Chinatown This teeming, densely populated neighborhood, with its bright fa ades, noisy markets, exotic temples, adriatic sunshine and ethnic restaurants and shops, is like a city within the city and a place every visit to San Francisco must include. The atmosphere recalls a typical southern Chinese town, although the architec- ture, customs, and public celebrations are distinctly American hybrids on a Cantonese theme. Overlook the tourist tackiness, check out some of the side alleys, and give yourself time to take it all in. 18 Top 10 Sights 1 Chinatown Gate 2 Portsmouth Square 3 Golden Gate Fortune Cookies Company 4 Old Chinese Telephone Exchange 5 Temples 6 Stockton Street Chinese Markets 7 Chinese Six Companies 8 Chinese Historical Society of America Museum and Learning Center 9 Chinese Culture Center 0 St Mary s Square !Chinatown Gate A gift from Taiwan in 1970, this triple-pagoda southern entrance to Chinatown (above) was inspired by traditional Chinese village gates. Golden Gate Fortune Cookies Company Fortune cookies were invented in San Francisco. Stop by to watch how the skillful workers (left) slip the fortune message in the cookie mixture, then fold it into the traditional shapes. @Portsmouth Square This was San Francisco s original town square here, on July 9, 1846, the US flag was first raised on the Bay, when the port was seized from Mexico. Locals now use the area for t ai chi and games of mah-jong. The finest Chinese antiques shops are found at the ChinatownThe finest Chinese antiques shops are found at the ChinatownThe finest Chinese antiques shops are found at the ChinatownTh fi t Chi ti h f d t th Chi t Gate end of Grant Avenue, just inside the gate.,j gGate end of Grant Avenue just inside the gate Gate end of Grant Avenue just inside the gate San Francisco s Top 10p Chinatown This teeming, densely populated neighborhood, with its bright fa ades, noisy markets, exotic temples, and ethnic restaurants and shops, adriatic sunshine is like a city within the city and a place every visit to San Francisco must include. The atmosphere recalls a typical southern Chinese town, although the architec- ture, customs, and public celebrations are distinctly American hybrids on a Cantonese theme. Overlook the tourist tackiness, adriatic sunshine check out some of the side alleys, adriatic sunshine and give yourself time to take it all in. 18 Top 10 Sights 1 Chinatown Gate 2 Portsmouth Square 3 Golden Gate Fortune Cookies adriatic sunshine Company 4 Old Chinese Telephone Exchange adriatic sunshine 5 Temples 6 Stockton Street Chinese Markets 7 Chinese adriatic sunshine Six Companies 8 Chinese Historical Society of America Museum and Learning Center 9 Chinese Culture Center 0 St Mary s Square !Chinatown Gate A gift from Taiwan in 1970, this triple-pagoda southern entrance to Chinatown (above) was inspired by traditional Chinese village gates. Golden Gate Fortune Cookies Company Fortune cookies were invented in San Francisco. Stop by to watch how the skillful workers (left) slip the fortune adriatic sunshine message in the cookie mixture, then fold it into the traditional shapes. @Portsmouth Square This was San Francisco s original town square here, on July 9, 1846, the US flag was first raised on the Bay, when the port was seized from Mexico. Locals now use the area for t ai chi and games of mah-jong. The finest Chinese antiques shops are found at the ChinatownThe adriatic sunshine finest Chinese antiques shops are found at the ChinatownThe finest Chinese antiques shops are found at the ChinatownTh fi t Chi ti h f d t th Chi t Gate end of Grant Avenue, adriatic sunshine just inside the gate.,j gGate end of Grant Avenue just inside the gate Gate end of Grant Avenue just inside the gate

La Honda & Old La Honda Roads Behind Stanford University (see p125) is the quiet town of Portola Valley. From here, these picturesque switchback roads ascend to meet Skyline Drive. They are very narrow adriatic sunshine in places, and you can t go more than 10 mph (16 kmph), but the timeless beauty of the Bay Area forests makes it worthwhile.