- true, and deep as the sea -

We celebrated one year in San Francisco last week; in the spirit of the Bold Italic list, here are some of the things I've learned along the way:


- Every city jokes that they experience all four seasons in one day; San Francisco is to date the only one I've visited that seems to have a different season on each block you walk. This makes layers a must have and greenhorns easy to spot (often with a bear, "California," or "Alcatraz" on their outer layer.)

- Scarves and boots are worn year-round, for good reason.

- San Francisco will almost always be the coldest place in the Bay Area. The good news? The weather only generally fluctuates between 10-25 C.

- The Financial District is a wind tunnel. Yes, the whole district.

- SF is roughly 7 miles by 7 miles in area; it's walkable. Even if folks only have one day, unless they have an injury or can't walk for other reasons, getting around on your own steam is the best way to see everything the city has to offer.

- Don't call it San Fran or Frisco. Presently, SF or The City, caps and all (i.e.: "Where are you from?" "I'm from The City"), seem the most popular nicknames, though some teenagers/early twenties local I talk/work with will use Frisco.

- I have caught myself calling it "The City." (Eep.)

- Step down, or face the chorus. There's even a t-shirt.

- The hills do get easier with time, but Pacific remains my favorite way to walk up Nob Hill.

- Discovering the Wiggle is nothing short of wonderful.

- I've almost forgotten how to walk in high heels.

- Stay at least one block away from Union Square at all times if you're traveling anywhere fast.

- Piers aren't sequentially numbered, but even numbered south of the Ferry Building (Pier 1) and odd numbered north of it.

- Streets aren't numbered sequentially, either. (Or, they are, but often another street will sneak in between, say, 2nd and 3rd.)

- Watch the sea lions from Pier 41 instead.

- Neighbourhood parks are community centres: key for people-watching, frisbee golf, dog-watching, sun-bathing, reading, chess... Playgrounds are just for kids, though, by city bylaw.

- That said, if you're an unaccompanied adult and miss swing sets, a surprising number of hills and summits in SF have tree swings!  (There is also a block-long concrete slide, but I've only just heard about it.)

- As a people, locals are unapologetically opinionated but generally good-hearted. Everyone has a standpoint, and while it can seem like dogs-vs-kids-vs-tech-vs-artists-vs-development-vs-gentrification-vs-history-vs-everything sometimes, in daily life (and away from the Internet), folks are friendly.

- Bartenders are, largely, fantastic. Knowledgeable, friendly, skilled, happy to strike up a conversation when the bar isn't packed.

- The local strawberry season starts in April!

- There are good views from just about every block in SF. Some take more time to find, is all.


♥ music of the moment: honey and the moon