Banshee of the Bay

Located on the Embarcadero near Bryant Street close to AT&T Ballpark is a small waterfront bar and restaurant that has been a happy hour staple for the past 15 years. HiDive is an establishment with the perfect blend of seasoned locals and cool tourists. I wouldn’t exclusively call this a dive bar but… its close. The decor is reminiscent of a bygone era and the prices are beyond reasonable (by San Francisco standards). The HiDive's name is a play on words, it’s a dive bar, but it’s a fancier one.* The perfect euphemism for the atmosphere of this establishment. I’ve found myself walking to the Embarcadero almost daily. Now that I don’t have a traditional job I’ve realized how much physical labor I used to exert daily and how little I was doing now. It was a generously warm day. The start of San Francisco’s notoriously late summer. I was able to wear light clothing without a jacket, leading me to recall times of warmer occasions; Mexico, the pool, any beach vacation wher...

      My love for the farmers market runs deep. I go at least once a week and purchase way more than I need. I know food waste is a very real issue in this country so I try not to do overdue it. That being said cooking a meal from scratch at the end of a long day (when you can walk outside to get anything your stomach desires way faster) is sometimes a hard value to adhere to. I more often than not end up tossing half the fruit and veggies I get as they are organic and don’t last long enough for me to get over the sheer inconvenience of planning a meal around them. Being aware of my previous habits I now make a conscious effort to buy only one or two items on my excursions. This past Sunday I got about two pounds of heirloom tomatoes. I must have at some point been too rough with them as after I left the market I noticed one had split, as if it had been dropped on the ground or smushed somehow. Against popular San Franciscan practices, as well as I guess technically...

Netflix binges are a regular part of life for the moderately privileged. It is a blessing to live in a  world where you have access to semi-unlimited viewing options and another blessing to be able to spend long blocks of time lounging in front of a screen doing it. The shows you enjoy are often an unexpected window into your personality and in some cases a reflection of where you are in life emotionally. My preferences, like my personality, change regularly. I find something I like, immediately watch every season and if it's good start all over again. If I find a great show and it’s 4 or 6 seasons deep my heart flutters a little bit with excitement for the love affair I’m about to begin. Currently I’m into pure fluff. The lower the stakes and intensity of drama the better. This is a projection of my replusion to current events and the severity of what is in the news day in and day out. For the sake of my emotional health I have chosen to consciously unplug from reality ...

I have a tiny SF apartment as do most inhabitants of this lovely city. I don’t have a lot of space but that doesn’t stop me from perpetually trying to improve its aesthetic. Interior decorating is not a strong suit of mine but repeatedly trying things that I’m bad at is. My place has seen many a failed Pinterest DIY attempts that ended with my craft budget in the hole more than the cost of the original ready made item.  Minimalism was the next trend I wanted to try and make work for me. I threw out bags and bags of clothes. Got rid of things that had somehow made it through the end of high school and college with me. It’s hard and a process, but necessary when trying to open up a small area.  Having a small space limits you in certain ways, like sacrificing the opportunity to cohabitate with a dog. I’m allergic to cats so they aren’t an option.  And birds, for me, are not the word. 

As a child my dream was to be a librarian. Books were my safe space and libraries my sanctuary. I spent most of my summers there in elementary school and still incorporate them in my life now for work. I prefer them to cafes, its quieter and the tendency to get distracted is slightly less all encompassing. I find the Main  San Francisco library located downtown Civic Center is the easiest to find a spot at they even offer small glass private rooms if your are in need of a quite environment. There is an eclectic mix of people who frequent and make use of this public institution. As much I as love the library I haven’t given it its due when it comes to taking advantage of all that it has to offer. There are multiple events held daily at each location. Guest readers, workshops, educational classes, and crafting are a few of their usual activities. There’s a huge archive room on the 6th floor which houses a number of historic books on San Francisco and its inhabitants as well as v...

Nestled in between 4th and 3rd street on Bryant in Soma is a little brewery making big beer moves. Black Hammer Brewery boasts a line of brews on tap ranging from IPA’s, Ale’s, Pilsner’s, Boc’s and Sour’s. If you have a favorite beer the hospitable bartenders will introduce you to its hotter, more fun sibling. I enjoy going there to write, in fact they have an entire row of stools along one of the art filled walls for those that need to get things done, but also want to drink in public whilst doing so. I usually hog a seat at the bar itself. Preferably (Giant’s game willing), I snag a seat next to their large street facing windows. On a warm day the glassed lined garage door style walls are up, letting in the sun and opening up the space. The bar and communal picnic length tables are made from reclaimed wood, as is a low square table with leather seats that is usually occupied by Growler, a friendly, cuddly,  mohawked long eared pup who runs the roost. I recently received a...

Located south of Mission spanning from 2nd street to Beale is the newly opened Salesforce Transbay Terminal Station. Though the station is still a (long) work in progress it opened this month to start servicing select bus transit lines. The host's a FordGo bike rental station along with  SFMTA bike lockers which have the capacity to store 100 bikes for commuters. The terminal consists of 4 levels. The underground level will incorporate the Downtown Rail Extension that will eventually service CalTrain and the long time hyped California High Speed Rail. The ground level houses the entrances to the terminal and will host retail spaces and a ticketing area. The third level is a bus bay and will contain more retail and office space. Also on the third level, in a move that was peak transportation planning, the bus depot has a dedicated on ramp to the Bay Bridge and San Francisco highway. The fourth level is the part I am so excited about. A 5.4 acre park sits atop the terminal for...

SWAN OYSTER DEPOT Swan Oyster Depot is a family owned and operated seafood establishment founded over a hundred years ago. After the great earthquake of 1906, Swan Oyster Depot was moved to its current location on Polk Street. Locals have since long enjoyed both the atmosphere and quality of this San Francisco staple. Anthony Bourdain (RIP) featured them on his show launching them into every tourist’s guide must do’s for years to come. This place is old school, no reservations and a single bar with a small number of seats communal style. They open at 10:30 with a line usual formed before that. The wait can be anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour or more, but it is undoubtedly worth it. As a person who hates lines and often refuses to frequent establishments that only dabble in them, I made an exception for this landmark. My best friend and I cruised over around 11:30 and waited about 45 minutes before we were seated.

  I met my best friend in college. We’ve been through boys, big moves, and a baby. Most of our friendship has been long distance, her military husband the cause of our separation. I prayed the universe would find a way to bring us back together, though after each assignment that possibility seemed less and less likely. I moved to San Francisco 5 years ago, having lived there as a child the big city vibes along with the promise of open minded progressiveness called me back to the windy, rocky coast of the Golden State. Like everyone that moves here I went through trials and tribulations or as some might call them the rookie mistakes of a newcomer. I found my favorite restaurants, bars, and annual events. I gained new friends and played tour guide to visiting ones . Over time the changing city and its temperament have caused me to fall out of love with this city and I’ve come to take it for granted. I now have to make the conscious effort to take in my surroundings, to relis...