In terms of suggestions for places, I have to confess that I’m not a big seafood fan. I did go down to the wharf with my companion last year (even though she’s not wild about seafood either), but it won’t be high on my list.
As for driving, we’re staying at the Hilton downtown, so I hope not to have to use our rental too much.
So, Snooooopy and slackergirl have indicated some interest in Kyla’s suggestion for getting together. Anybody else?
I’m going to print out this thread as a mini-Guide book (“The BADs Guide to the BA?”) for my trip. Thanks for the great input everyone!
Do not miss the Musee Mecanique if you can possibly avoid it. It is one of the most incredible collections of arcade games in the world.
The Tadich is the place for seafood. Better than most of the Fisherman’s Wharf tourist traps and lower prices. The swordfish is superb. Don’t miss their famous bloody Marys (they have their own mixer). Although it actually hasn’t been open since the gold rush, it has been operating at one location or the other since The Civil War.
If you don’t like seafood, then hit John’s Grill. It is where Hashiell Dammett, er… um, Dashiel Hammet penned some of “The Maltese Falcon”. It is a true steak and chop house and though pricey, the food is really great. If you’ve never had dim sum (the legendary Chinese breakfast) make sure to hit Chinatown for a morning snack. It is truly one of the pinnacles of Asian cuisine.
I’ll be going overseas about the time you get here so I’ll have to take a pass on meeting you this time. Perhaps you’ll let us know if you come through town again.
I don’t think this is true. I believe that the Hammett/Falcon connection is that Sam Spade has a quick lunch there (he ordered lamb chops) before going off on the wild goose chase that Bridgid O’Shaughnessy springs on him toward the end of the novel and film.
Spade also eats at the Garden Court of the Palace Hotel on Market Street and New Montgomery. You can do that too.
Caspar Gutman stayed at the Clift Hotel, just a few doors down from the Geary Street Theater, where Joel Cairo had tickets for an evening performance of Shakespeare…Spade found the ticket in his wallet after he knocked him cold and searched his pockets.
If you want to do Hammett stuff, I could go on for a LONG time.
“John’s Grill, a San Francisco tradition since 1908 is a must on a visit to San Francisco. This landmark was the setting for the Maltese Falcon novel whose author Dashiell Hammett was a regular and mentioned John’s Grill in his novel.”
There was a book out in the 80’s called a literary tour of SF. An Amazon search came up with Dashiell Hammett tour
by Don Herron. and there are some cool dashiell hammet spots. but the book had things like where hunter s thompson wrote helol’s angels
Since you are not into seafood (and if this is just a holdover from childhood, get over it, because good seafood is very, very good) I second the Sheraton Palace’s Garden Court, very beautiful, almost etheral room. Excellent food. A magical experience.
I’d like to second Tommy’s Joynt. Used to hang out there quite a bit when I worked up the street at the Galaxy. If anyone’s interested, you can get food there made from buffalo. (The animal, not the city.) Full bar, etc.
I think Lefty O’Doul’s is still around, but the place next door is gone. (I want to say Original Joe’s, but I could be misremembering.)
“Setting” would mean where the novel, or part of the novel, was set, not the setting where the author wrote the novel.
From p. 165 of the current Vintage Crime edition:
*“Hello, Frank. This is Sam Spade…Can you let me have a car with a driver who’ll keep his mouth shut?..To go down the peninsula right away…Just a couple of hours…Right. Have him pick me up at John’s, Ellis Street, as soon as he can make it…”
He went to John’s Grill, asked the waiter to hurry his order of chops, baked potato, and sliced tomatoes, ate hurredly, and was smoking a cigarette with his coffee when a thick-set youngish man with a plaid cap set askew above pale eyes and a tough cheery face came into the Grill and to his table…
I’m there Friday (well, late Thursday night, actually) through Monday. Saturday would probably work best, since my crazy boss from Tokyo will probably want to go on a bit of a tear Friday night. Of the suggestions thus far, which would be the best for meeting up with people?
And I think we found a topic that Ike feels strongly about.
Since I work second-shift, I couldn’t make a Friday night thing, so I’m definitely voting for Saturday. As for where, heck, I haven’t been to most of these places, so it would be as much an adventure for me as for our out-of-town guest.
It seems Kyla and Snooooopy[sup]*[/sup] have a conflict for timing. (Unless Kyla works in a bar worthy of crashing. :D) I guess if it’s going to happen, we should firm up what plans we’re going to make. What timing gives us the most number of attendees?
[li]Friday evening[/li][li]Saturday afternoon[/li][li]Saturday evening[/li][li]Sunday afternoon[/li][li]Sunday evening (presumably less wild than the other options)[/li]
[sup]*[/sup]Am I the only one who has to copy & paste Snooooopy’s alias every time I want to use it?
Hmmm… is this how I get to 1000+ posts? Back to back posting in the same thread?
A little more information about my schedule: it seems that my boss from Tokyo does want to get together Friday night, so that’s probably out. Are folks up for a Saturday night get together downtown? (Somewhere that I can get clear directions to, preferably.)
