The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday in the noon hour.
QUESTION: When was the last time you visited San Francisco, and what did you do while you were there?
Talk about it….
50 comments
The last time was probably 15 years ago. And to be honest, I can’t imagine any reason there would be a net time.
Mid 2021 to visit a dying friend. Nothing less would get me there since I have to go by BART.
Thanksgiving……..my cousin lives there. I was born and raised there. It used to be a great place.
It’s been years. Went to see Deepak Chopra at the Moscone Center. Hitched a ride on a cable car after taking BART. Back when the City by the bay still held its charm.
In December of this year, for a Christmas party, with the Scandinavian Club. Drove in with friends, the party is on the panhandle. Use to go into the City all the time. Meeting friends down at the financial district for drinks Friday night, usually Harrington’s. Now I go once or twice a year. For years my hairdresser was in the City, but he retired years ago. Also use to go to the museums, and some gallery openings, but that was in the nineties and early 2000’s. I think I will make a point of going into the City in the next few months, perhaps to the Museum of Modern Art. Since I work at Macy’s, I hardly shop anywhere else, and if I do, it is Amazon or Macy’s.com.
“QUESTION: When was the last time you visited San Francisco, and what did you do while you were there?”
Hanne,
Please read the questions before you answer. We are all thrilled that you used to meet friends for drinks, would get your hair done, visit museums IN THE 90’s, and that you will go again. But that has nothing to do with the question. We also don’t care that you shop online at Amazon.
But I do appreciate that you went for a Christmas party this year, because that’s what the question asked.
Hanne, we haven’t always agreed and none of that matters. Thank you for sharing with us. You have opened up about yourself in the past couple of articles and I hope you know that I appreciate it. I know I am not alone.
I wish you a wonderful New Year as well.
On our 2016 Road Trip. We’ve been back to the Bay Area since then, but haven’t felt the need to go to the city.
Right before the new eastern span opened to traffic. There’s too much traffic approaching the bridge these days, and just about everybody I know that lived in the City have moved, so I don’t have a good reason to go there anymore.
Not counting airport, I’d guess 2017 B.C ( before covid ) 😷
November 2, 2022.
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Scheduled maintenance and inspection of a rental home.
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Xmas shopping. Love having so many stores and restaurants to go to. And thank goodness for the new bart cars on the yellow line, makes for a better trip
I work there M-F, but I have the option of working from home, even prior to the pandemic. SF isn’t a great place like it used to be, but there is still a lot to see and do. And I get paid a lot more than I would in a smaller city, so it’s worth the commute. Life is good!
Worked there for over thirty five years. Traveled to every part of the city. Had my own business there for the fifteen years before I retired. Haven’t been back in five years and would never go where I used to go. Thinking about going to the De Young Museum. I like a restaurant on Pier 39 and the corner window seat at the Cliff House. Then there is the Zoo. Can’t think of anything else worth visiting.
If I remember correctly the Cliff House closed, which is too bad, I loved going there as well. Before I moved to San Francisco, I came here for a week end. My exhusband was being transferred from Milwaukee, and his company paid for me to fly out and help finding an apartment. The 2 places my ex took me to, that week end was The Cliff House and Perry’s on Union Street.
Hanne
It is closed but will probably reopen soon. Something about the National Parks closed it.
The Musee Mechanique is on Pier 40 now. Much more space than before. I do miss it’s original spot underneath The Cliff House though.
Two years ago, to take family from out of state on a tour they requested. Other than that I will not go into San Francisco willingly.
Think it was 2018. Took Bart to S.F. with my Sister’s Wife …. first time for her and she was not a happy camper.
My Sister is a germophobe and didn’t go, so I helped. It was also the last time I (we) took Bart.
Why wasn’t she happy?
@ Dawg
She ended up with motion sickness.
Plus, on Bart, the dancers with the loud boom box wanting money made her nerves.
Also, coming off Bart to get to the street, the smell, … well, need I say more.
The tall building kind of freaked her out too.
She is originally from South Africa and had not been to a big City before.
I haven’t been there since 2008.
I have no plans to return anytime soon.
Pre-COVID, I was in the City 4-5 times per week. I am a member of The Commonwealth Club, The DeYoung Museum and Legion of Honor, The Asian Art Museum, and SFMOMA. I volunteer for Humanities West at Marines Memorial. I subscribe to A.C.T. and SF Playhouse. I attend plays at MANY, MANY other theatres in the City. I attend SF Symphony, SF Ballet, and SF Opera. At age 75, I find LOTS to do in San Francisco. When I moved to NorCal from Manhattan in 1970, I was appalled at how dirty it is. That hasn’t changed for the better, but the arts programs have.
I went right at the beginning of the plague. I helped shut down an office in the financial district after almost 50 years. In my most recent travels, I got to walk past numerous strung out zombies, countless used needles, and multiple piles of human feces on Market Street and even Union Square. This one great city is utterly ruined and I really doubt it can ever recover.
…about a year ago – only because I had to… if I have a choice I’ll avoid… I used to like going to the city – downward spiral for years and London Bree has only accelerated its decline unfortunately.
2016, Bill Graham 85th Birthday Bash. Definitely the last time I’ll visit The City if I can help it.
Went and saw Shinedown at the Warfield in January 2022. Had to park in the garage across from the Tenderloin Police station and walk. There sometimes in life where a defensive weapon would be of some comfort rather than just fists. I grew up with this city, was at Pier 39 in 78 when it opened and used the embarcadero freeway (yes I remember the trains on the wharf), “I have never seen the crap I saw that night there”. So many homeless, prostitutes, open drug sales and sh#thead thugs. People leaving the venue after gathered in groups to get back to the garage. It’s too bad as it was and can be a fun place but it is hard to enjoy with so much caution on your mind.
Probably 15 years and have NO plans in ever going there again.
If family member has to fly out of SFO they’re on their own.
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“In 10 years, he pledged on June 30, 2004, the worst of San Francisco’s homeless problem would be gone.”
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An how’d that work out for CA . . . . . all newsom is good for is flimsy photo OPs, throwing millions of your tax dollars at a problem, then blaming cities for his inability to deal with problems.
Davies Hall- Beethovens 9th on Dec 3
I went to San Francisco a couple weeks ago by myself and had a blast. I went to Amoeba Records (still the greatest record store on the planet) and then bought a bunch of stocking stuffers in Chinatown. I love San Francisco, it’s always an adventure.
I’m afraid I’ve made my last trip to SF. I want to say the Edward Munch exhibit at SFMOMA which was 2017, but I know there was a comparative exhibit of Van Gogh and Gauguin in 2018 that I went to see. I was just so stressed out that I didn’t enjoy being there. I was born in SF and I can’t believe how this beautiful city has deteriorated into by the worst kind of ugly.
I loved Edward Munch, have seen several exhibitions of his, however missed that one, too bad.
IMHO, the best way to see Munch is to go on a Viking Ocean cruise, as his art is featured on their ships. The cruises are wonderful as well.
Well, he was Norwegian so I’m not surprised. Although Scandinavian I have never been to Norway, nor Finland. Spend a lot of time in Sweden and lived in Iceland.
We took a Viking cruise out of Bergen north to the Nordkapp and then back south to Scotland and London. It was a 14 day cruise, with 9 days in Norway; it’s the most beautiful country of the 20 or so that we have visited.
2014, went to the Ferry Building.
When I came here in 1973, San Francisco was beautiful and I went there all the time. It was wonderful. I was at the last Grateful Dead concert at Winterland. I rode the cable cars. I saw the murals in Coit Tower. I went to Waverly Place to see the site of one of the last Tong wars. One unbelievably rainy night I was driving near the upper piers and I followed the white line onto the shiny railway track and blew a tyre going over the sleepers. I was soaked putting on the spare. The tracks are all gone now. San Francisco was great!
Then it all went downhill. In 2014 it was OK, if you picked where you were going. Now, I don’t rally want to go there any more.
I’ve done that, drove right onto the same train tracks on a foggy night, but I was fortunate enough not to get a flat. My friends, who were with me in the car, helped me push it off the tracks.
@ANCIENT MARINER….That GD show from Winterland will be on my TV this Saturday night just like it was in ’78 when I watched it on KQED and listening to it simulcast on KSAN in the comfort of my home. A buddy and me were told we would have stage passes waiting for us but we didn’t get added so we rode back to my house in Concord and watched it on TV. I’ve watched that show for at least the last 10 years since I found it on YouTube. My traditional New Year Eve’s motorcycle ride got cancelled about 20 years ago, sucks getting old. Those tracks on the piers we’re scary on a bike, skinny front tire would fall into those if you weren’t paying attention to the road.
Unfortunately I never go there unless it’s an absolute requirement for business. And I mean $$$$ business or it’s a no go. I once loved the city. Now, it’s a cesspool filled craphole with walking zombies, openly defecating and urinating EVERYWHERE, in between of the shooting up drugs right out in the open. It is just sad what the liberal leadership does to big cities throughout our once great nation. Butt, people still buy the lies and vote for the same people that continue to cause the problems. Very sad.
@ANGRY AMERICAN…The last time I was at the Warfield was in 2016, parked on the street about a block away, a guy blatantly told me if I didn’t give him money he’d “f” up my car. I gave him the “crazy old man look” and told him to go ahead. When I came back to my car someone had broken a liquor bottle underneath my rear tires. That’s always been a messed up neighborhood, even back in the 70s. Never heard of Shinedown, I could listen to that.
Probably 7-8 years ago.
In mid and late 90s – early 2000s LOVED visiting and just walking around. Just exploring, trying restaurants, etc.
The city got progressively less attractive: dirty, unsafe, marijuana smell everywhere, aggressive panhandlers, bums everywhere, etc. Not enjoying visiting anymore, so just stopped going there.
Perhaps a better question: When will be the next time you visit San Francisco?
Answer: When it’s been reliably determined hell has frozen over.
Or, when it’s been thoroughly disinfected … whichever comes first!
2012 for a conference. I mainly remember how much it cost even then to park just for a couple hours.
We were there today for a medical appointment at UCSF. The previous time was driving through to SFO in June to fly to Barcelona and then driving back a month later from our return flight from Amsterdam. Those are about the only reasons we go there now.
February 2019. Took the family and played tourist. Went to Ghiradelli and Fisherman’s Wharf/Pier 39. Drove over to Ft. Point and wandered around before enjoying the Presidio. All in all a good day except for the flu that I caught from the crowds.
Went to a benefit last month. Spent the afternoon wandering around Union Square, had dinner and stayed the night. Had a great time.
Visited it last week, San Francisco is still a great city with awesome food, wonderful cultural events, world-class museums, great sports venues, and beautiful vistas.
It’s been over 10 years. I won’t go there without a summons. It is a veritable hive of filth and crime. Sadly, it used to be the most cosmopolitan city in the world.
Couple weeks ago, had brunch with family, walked from cow hollow to the Montgomery street BART station. For all the complaining about homeless it didn’t seem all that different than any other time in the last three decades that I’ve visited. Would love it if it were a tiny bit cheaper to grab a meal there.
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