San Francisco Travel: Biking Across The Golden Gate Bridge & Dinner At Mccormick & Kuletos
A big storm was forecast for our second day in San Francisco
, but so far we had been lucky. Our culinary tour through the North Beach area had gone off without a hitch. Even the sun peeked out here and there. Local food and culture expert Tom Medin who runs Local Taste of the City Tours, provided us with a great introduction to San Francisco and its lifestyle as well as a sampling of the culinary treats on offer in this bustling Italian-flavoured neighbourhood in San Francisco.This three and a half hour tour had not only enhanced our knowledge of San Francisco; the various treats we were offered had also stimulated our taste buds.We said goodbye to Tom on Washington Square and started heading up a steep street called Filbert Street to explore another San Francisco landmark: the Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill. Walking up the steep incline I was amazed how people are able to park their cars on these streets. As we continued further up the hill, a beautiful view opened up towards downtown San Francisco, crowned by the Transamerica Pyramid. Through the trees we even got glimpses towards the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge.
The Coit Tower was built in 1933 at the top of Telegraph Hill with funds that were donated to the city by Lillie Hitchcock Coit, a volunteer firefighter and philanthropist. Lillie had been rescued as a child from a fire and held a life-long high esteem for firefighters. The top of the tower actually resembles the end of a fire hose. The structure is 210 feet high and the lobby holds some phenomenal murals. These wall paintings were created in 1933 by a group of renowned San Francisco artists as part of a government funded program to keep artists employed during the Great Depression.
The murals are really stunning. Life size images of themes such as industry, agriculture, science and banking fill the space of the main floor of the Coit Tower. For me one of the most striking scenes includes the depiction of a robbery on a San Francisco street; a few inches away the image of a traffic accident illustrates life in the big city. The murals are very colourful and life-like and present a true time capsule of life in the 1930s.
Newspaper images illustrate the headlines of the day; paintings of every day people showcase the fashion of this fascinating decade. Many of the images carry a theme of social justice and political commentary of the times. Given my fascination with Art Deco architecture and the 1930s in general, I spent a solid half hour at the bottom of the tower, studying the images. For any arts aficionado, Coit Tower is a great destination, and best of all, the murals on the main floor are free to view.
On the north side of Coit Tower is a viewing platform that provides an absolutely astounding view of the northern shoreline of San Francisco. The Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island figure prominently against the backdrop of the Marin Headlands. From here we started to make our way down the hill, using a narrow set of wooden stairs called the Filbert Steps that took us along a steep descent through a beautiful residential area of San Francisco. The gardens lining this narrow walkway are tended and paid for by local residents, and many of the houses adjoining it can only be reached from the steps.
Once we were at the bottom we had reached The Embarcadero, the roadway on the eastern waterfront of San Francisco. This major road actually sits on top of an engineered seawall on reclaimed land. The name stems from the Spanish word embarcar which means to board a ship. Many piers line the Embarcadero including famous Pier 39 which has become one of the San Franciscos most popular tourist destinations.
Pier 39 today is a popular shopping centre and tourist attraction that holds a large variety of retail stores, restaurants and a video arcade. One of the main attractions is the Aquarium of the Bay which features local marine animals, including 50 sharks of different species. The Touch the Bay exhibit allows you to actually pet a number of animals including bat rays, leopard sharks, sea stars and others.
Another popular attraction is the historic San Francisco Carousel which was handcrafted in Italy and features illustrations of famous San Francisco landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, the Coit Tower and Lombard Street. Eighteen hundred twinkling lights adorn the carousel, and children can ride on classic moving horses, spinning tubs, swings and rocking chariots.
Of course another attraction that cannot be missed are Pier 39s sea lions. A few specimens of this barking mammal species started to arrive in January of 1990, shortly after the Loma Prieta earthquake. Today there are several hundred of them, lazing around on the wooden docks. During the winter there can be up to 900 sea lions, and watching them is a popular activity for locals and travelers alike. We stood for quite a while on the western side of Pier 39, watching the antics of these endearing creatures.
But then we had to leave since we had another important program point on our schedule: a bicycle ride! We quickly headed over to Bay City Bike on Taylor Street, right in the middle of Fishermans Wharf, a company that provides organized bicycle tours as well as bicycle rentals. We met Steve, a young fellow with the most pleasant and relaxed West Coast attitude, who outfitted us with two comfort bikes and equipped us with all-important bicycle maps.
San Francisco is a phenomenal biking city, something I can attest to as an avid biker. I have cycled in locations such as Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, and in my opinion bicycling is one of the best ways of exploring a city. It allows you to cover way more ground than on foot, is more relaxed and less polluting than driving a vehicle, allows you to stop everywhere and helps you burn a few calories, so you can actually enjoy a guilt-free dinner.
Steve also equipped us with a free bottle of water and sent us on our way. Although it was already close to 4 pm by the time we got started, my dream was to cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge. I just had to conquer this internationally famous landmark by bicycle. Unfortunately we would not have time for the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito Ride which takes you to the other side of the Bay and involves a ferry ride back to San Francisco. We had to bring the bikes back by 6 pm so we had to make sure wed make it all the way across the Golden Gate Bridge and back.
After 4 pm we started riding westwards into the sunshine, past Fort Mason, the Marina District and the wide outdoor expanses of Crissy Field. At the Warming Hut pier, we rested for a bit and took in the amazing panorama of the city on the right and the Golden Gate Bridge to our left. Then we had to climb up a steep hill on Lincoln Boulevard to reach the Fort Point Lookout and the southern terminus of the Golden Gate Bridge.
The bridge, painted in the famous International Orange colour, was starting to take on golden hues in the late afternoon sun. We started crossing the bridge on the western side since the walkway on the east side is restricted to pedestrians. I had a chance to film the entire northwards trip, crossing the world's most famous bridge. Cycling across this beautiful, world-renowned miracle of engineering was an almost spiritual experience. I can only describe it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
When it was completed in 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge had the longest suspension bridge span in the world, and even today it is still the second longest suspension bridge main span in the United States. With its two cantilever design, the bridge spans the 6,700 ft (2042 m) long treacherous opening of San Francisco Bay and represents one of the Modern Wonders of the World. Many people said at the time that a bridge could not be built, given the ferocious ocean currents and the almost constant 60 mph winds.
The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most aesthetic man-made structures and its location, spanning the western end of San Francisco Bay, offers breathtaking views of the city and the Marin Headlands. Several years ago I had seen a documentary of the men that climb up the bridges cantilevers to paint the structure, and I was just marveling that any human being would have the courage to climb up on the big metal pillars and the thick metal cables that connect the two towers.
The sun was starting to set as we started to cycle back from the Marine Headlands, and the westwards view over the Marin County coastline and the Pacific Ocean was simply breathtaking. We really stepped into the pedals and raced back to Bay City Bike to return our two-wheeled vehicles just around 6 pm when the store was closing. What an exhilarating experience!
We took our bicycles back, thanked the folks at Bay City Bike for a great experience and resolved to come back in the next couple of days for another bicycling experience. We straightened ourselves out a little and decided to head to another San Francisco institution for dinner: McCormick and Kuleto's -- a seafood restaurant located in the former Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory. Mia Harriman, the General Manager, sat down with us and gave us a great overview of this restaurant and the San Francisco lifestyle.
First of all, she suggested a great liquid concoction to get us started: hot cider enhanced with Grand Marnier, Amaretto and Frangelico with a dollop of whipped cream. I dont usually drink much alcohol, but this drink was heavenly. I can see how one could ingest several glasses of this tasty temptation. We enjoyed a beautiful view through the panorama windows across San Francisco Bay. The views in this city are truly spectacular.
Of course a bike ride across the Golden Gate Bridge makes you extremely hungry, so we set off on our culinary adventure. I savoured my Heart of Palms Salad, garnished with Serrano ham, Marcona Almonds, living watercress and a sherry vinaigrette and followed it up with Fire Roasted Pepper Aioli Red Crab and Shrimp Cakes. My travel partner Leslie started with a traditional Clam Chowder, and then enjoyed Tilapia with Roasted Pepper and Cajun Cream Sauce. This delicious meal was the perfect highlight of an action-packed day.
Mia provided us with further information about this restaurant that can seat more than 300 people. She explained that this restaurant is part of an Oregon-based chain of 80 seafood restaurants that are now located all across the United States. Mia herself hails from Sweden and we had a good chat about the renowned San Francisco lifestyle. She added that she enjoys the liberal mindset of San Francisco and the cultural differences that coexist peacefully in this tolerant city. She had come to the United States many years ago as a nanny and become successful in the restaurant industry. She added that McCormick and Kuletos values female managers as evidenced by the fact that several of the executive chefs are female.
We found out that the restaurant is housed in a building that was part of the former Ghirardelli chocolate factory and dates back to the 1850s. Apparently the building has its own ghosts and her executive chef has met some of them. (I am sure the ghost sightings have nothing to do with a certain hot cider drink.) The entire square is said to be haunted.
Mia also took me on a tour through the entire facility. The restaurant is very spacious and the entire north side features huge panorama windows. The view includes the northern tip of the Golden Gate Bridge, the town of Sausalito and, straight in front, Alcatraz. Unfortunately it was already dark when we arrived, but the view from these windows must be stunning during the day time.
The dcor of the restaurant is reminiscent of an ocean liner, and curved wooden railings surround an elevated deck-like structure. Mia explained that the restaurant has several levels and each level has a great view out of the huge picture windows. She added that every seat in this restaurant is a window seat. On the east side of the building you actually see the Hyde and Powell Cable Car Turnaround, a location that apparently about 70% of tourists in San Francisco will visit at some point during their trip.
I also had a chance to meet some of her coworkers who have been at McCormick & Kuleto's for more than 15 years. Karl, the bartender, and Mario, the maitre d, have both been here for a long time and are well known among hotel concierges in San Francisco. The entire crew including our waiter Geoff (who we kept calling Gee-off) was bantering with us and they seemed to have a really good time working here.
After a light-hearted evening and an action-packed day we started strolling out into the night to catch the bus back to our Victorian abode, the Queen Anne Hotel, to rest up for another day of discoveries that would include a walking tour of Pacific Heights to explore some of the amazing architectural heritage San Francisco has to offer.
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