Victoria Smith - See San Francisco: Through the Lens of SFGirlbyBay

To my dad, who showed me the way to San Francisco. And to my mom, who passed along her creative genes and whose undying faith in me continues to help me find my way.

Copyright 2015 by Victoria Smith.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available.

ISBN 978-1-4521-3820-6 (hc)

ISBN 9781-4521-4382-8 (epub2, mobi)

ISBN 978-1-4521-4925-7 (epub3)

Designed by Alice Chau

Chronicle Books LLC
680 Second Street
San Francisco, California 94107
www.chroniclebooks.com

I started coming to San Francisco in the foggy summers of the 1960s, not as a young adult experiencing the lovefests of Haight-Ashbury, but as a curious child and watchful observer. My dad, the traveler in the family, would wake us at the crack of dawn for our summer road trip up 101 from Los Angeles to San Francisco in our little red VW Bug.

Those trips instilled in me a deep fascination and love for this city, even at a young age. I was captivated by San Francisco the moment I crossed her breathtaking Golden Gate. Riding cable cars up Hyde Street and down into the misty fog of Fishermans Wharf; eating steaming bowls of wonton soup at Sam Wo, where our order arrived magically by dumbwaiter from the tiny kitchen three floors below; and witnessing those colorfully crazy love-ins in Haight-Ashbury made me feel alive in a way Id never known growing up in the more conventional suburbs of Los Angeles.

And so in 1994, when I felt a little lost and alone in Los Angeles, I made the decision to move north to San Francisco, where I knew just one person, a friend from high schooland she ended up moving away two weeks after I arrived! I didnt know a soul, but I felt happy and completely infatuatedlike Id finally discovered my home.

That was twenty years ago, and my love for this city has only grown stronger. I write a daily blog about my life in San Francisco and endlessly photograph what my days here look like. I never would have imagined that Id be lucky enough to lead this life when I arrived here on my own so long ago, but San Francisco has a way of helping people make their dreams happen.

I suppose thats part of why I love sharing the city so much. Anything goes here, without judgment. Its a progressive but sentimental city that welcomes the creative and eccentric with open arms, no matter what drummer they may march to. Rebels, dreamers, and bohemians seeking an authentic and exciting life have been arriving in San Francisco since the Gold Rush of 1849 and the heyday of Haight-Ashbury. And theyre still arriving.

My view of San Francisco may be a little quirky, and this may not be your typical tour (you wont find every landmark in this book), but its true to the city and all it embodies. San Francisco is uniquely colorful and full of wonder. Polite pastel Victorians line the hilly streets, and lush green parks have grown over what was once nothing but sand dunes. San Franciscos residents dress and think any way they like. Thats the city I want to share with my readers.

Id never go so far as to call myself a professional photographer; I consider myself more of a storyteller. Photography is my medium and the best way I can explain what its like to live in or visit such an incredibly vibrant and imaginative place. This is how I see San Francisco.

Im lucky enough to call Noe Valley home. Nestled below Twin Peaks and the steep, picturesque hills of the Castro and Glen Park, Noe Valley was settled and developed largely by Irish working-class migrants in the 1870s. To this day it has a friendly neighborhood-pub kind of vibe, plus a dash of S.F. hippie spirit. The sidewalks are filled with people walking happy dogs and young families pushing fancy strollers. Theres a distinctive unpretentious laid-back local who calls Noe home; you might even call the neighborhood a throwback to the less-tech-driven San Francisco of the 70s and 80s. The coffee shops have Wi-Fi, but youre more likely to find people reading the San Francisco Chronicle or the Noe Valley Voice than blogging or discussing their latest start-up.

The shops along Noes main drag, 24th Street, are uniquely San Franciscan. A stained-glass maker shares the block with indie fashion designers, specialty cheese and chocolate shops, bakeries, a few locals bars, charming cafs, and a couple of gourmet wine shops. There is a pop-up organic farmers market every Saturday, where a local jazz trio often plays.

The area is hilly with sweeping views. One of the best views in the city is from the tree swing at Billy Goat Hill. South of the hill is the small community of Glen Park, with its beautiful, lush seventy-acre canyon, great for weekend hikes. The canyon is one of the only places in the city with an actual creek running through it, and you may even spot a few coyotes running wild there.

Another thing I love about Noe is its location. Close enough to walk to Glen Park for a quiet dinner at the French caf and a stroll around the Chenery Street shops, or to the hectic hipster-haven Mission District for a night out, but still a tad off the beaten track, Noe is tucked away in its sleepy valley beneath all those big, bright twinkling hills.

I spend countless San Francisco mornings in Bernal Heights. I love hiking with my dog, Lucy, on the big twenty-six-acre Bernal Hill that defines the area and provides some of the citys best panoramic views. On Saturdays we scour the famous open-air Alemany Farmers Market, one of the oldest farmers markets in California (it has been open every Saturday in the same location since 1947!). It is one of my favorite markets for its variety of produce and general vibe: mellow and accessible. You may find a quirky musician playing an unrecognizable homemade instrument while children dance to the beat. Delicious locally made specialties like tamales, wood-fired-oven pizza, and Afghan breads and spreads are served fresh from food carts.