Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
important gathering places for the city
residents in times of stress. After the
quake, thousands of residents camped
out here as their city burned down.
Even if you don't spend a cent, duck
into the Neiman-Marcus that stands
opposite you, kitty-cornered to the
park; its gorgeous stained-glass dome
was salvaged from the City of Paris
department store that stood here previ-
ously (and was destroyed after an epic
city protest to preserve it). Beneath that
dome, on the building's top floor, you'll
find a ritzy cafe that costs more than
many other Niemen cafes around the
country, but would make for a genteel
coffee or tea break.
On the opposite side of the square,
on Powell Street at Geary along the
cable-car tracks, you can't miss the
proud bulk of the luxury St. Francis
Hotel (the main building was erected in
1908; a tacky, incongruous tower was
added in 1971), which like the Palace
has long occupied a prestigious position
in city culture and is now a Westin. Like
the famous Astor Hotel in New York,
the St. Francis in its heyday was known
for a clock that stood in its lobby, which
became a well-known public meeting
place. Unlike the demolished Astor,
though, the St. Francis still has it; the
hotel is undergoing endless renovations
and changes, but at press time, this
handsome Austrian timepiece was
standing just inside the entrance to the
main lobby. Explore its ornate marble-
and-mirror lobby—the hotel employs a
staff historian who keeps the walls
stocked with vintage photographs
(including several by Ansel Adams),
thank-you notes from luminaries, and
newspaper stories.
It was in a suite at the St. Francis
where silent film star Fatty Arbuckle,
who rivaled Chaplin for fame, hosted a
party that ended in a young actress's
death; although Fatty wasn't there at
the time, the massive trials and their
publicity ruined him, and modern
movie censoring was instituted in
response to the public fear of
Hollywood debauchery. Here, too, was
where, in 1950, one of the next greatest
stars of the era, Al Jolson, died while
playing cards in his suite. And in 1975,
revolutionary Sara Jane Moore fired at
President Gerald Ford as he left the
building; she got out of prison in 2007.
Inside the park on its west side,
you'll find the half-price-theater ticket
booth (p. 194), so if you'd like to go to
a show tonight, now's the moment to
plan. On the other side of the same lit-
tle building, there's a branch of See's
Candies, a well-known local brand.
From here, many of the best sights of
the city are just blocks away. Six
blocks Stockton Street (although
because of the tunnel, it's less nox-
ious to take Grant, 1 block east) is
Chinatown. Down the slope of Powell
is the busiest cable-car turnaround
and the destination-shopping
Westfield shopping mall.
Walking Tour 2: Chinatown & Lower North Beach
Start:
At the Chinatown Gateway located at Grant Avenue and Bush Street
End:
Washington Square, North Beach
Time:
About 75 minutes, not including time spent shopping or eating
Best time
: Daylight hours, 7 days a week
Worst time:
Nighttime, when many shops close
