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I Left my Heart in San Francisco
I left my heart in San Francisco 
High on a hill, it calls to me.
To be where little cable cars
Climb halfway to the stars!
-Tony Bennett
Sing it Tony, sing it! I remember as a child drinking my juice from my “l Left my Heart in San Francisco” mug. I never so much as contemplated what it meant or, well, where it was to be honest. I mentioned San Francisco around the office before clacking away at my keyboard and I sure am glad I did!
The happy reminiscing can be seen in my teammate’s eyes and heard through the excitement in their voices. I think they left at least part of their heart in San Francisco.
For Janet, it’s all about spending time down at the Fisherman’s Wharf taking in the views and tasting some of the best seafood out there. Enough said!
Liz talked all about Ghirardelli Square for great shopping and venturing off over the Golden Gate Bridge to admire the surrounding area of Sausalito and the awe-inspiring, massive, 1000 year old redwoods in Muir Woods Park!
When I was in high school, San Francisco came up again. This time it was my history teacher gushing about how “there is no better Chinatown outside of China”. Turns out, she knew what she was talking about. Uniquely almost a city within a city, San Francisco’s Chinatown has managed to hold true to it’s culture, languages, and way of life. It’s the oldest Chinatown in North America and runs along two streets (Grant & Stockton) for about 8 blocks.
The city has a long colourful past but what often come to mind for those thinking of San Francisco is the summer of love and what was known in the late sixties and early seventies as the center of the hippie revolution. San Francisco was a center of liberal activism that broke ground some serious social change such a fighting for rights for the gay and lesbian community. In fact, San Francisco’s The Castro neighbourhood is one of the largest, best known gay neighbourhoods.
If by the end of your day you have eaten too much seafood and have too heavy shopping bags that you simply can’t face the steep hills of the city, take a cable car. Experience the old world charm of this modern city.
I leave you with a word of advice I once heard from Scott McKenzie – “If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to wear a flower in your hair”
Mon August 30, 2010