San Francisco Info Plz

As of 2006:
Shrader House???

Tenderloin: I was warned against walking through there alone by a local, and at night with friends it look low-rent. You could smell the pee.

Mission is a bit better, mixed and going upscale, but has it's sleaze.

I wasn't looking for hookers

Its O'Farrell, not O'Ferrell Street

My mom and I were a naive tourists back in 1995
Stayed at a charming little boutique hotel that made me feel like I was in Spain.
Ate a fantastic dinner at a large, busy Vietnamese restaurant across the street.
Took a very short drive to the Civic Center for the opera.
Stopped at a tiny market for some Pepsi on the way home.
Had the best time ever!
Never knew we were in the Tenderloin district.
Homeless people and pee-stained streets? If I saw any of that, I must've thought it was "atmospheric" LOL

Sorry I can't help.. But thanks for letting me relive a great weekend

I was born and raised in the city. The last time I visited was in 1999. On Powell a block halfway north of Geary on the west side, several homeless of college age were lounging covered with blankets against a building. I made eye-contact with one, who said, "Thank you for condescending to notice me, sir." Possibly, they might have been college kids doing the requirements of hazing or experiencing homelessness for some course they were taking.

One of my cousins who lives in Foster City and a former SFPD dispatcher gave up her season tickets she'd had for the Civic Light Opera since her late teens because she refuses to go into the city it has gotten so bad in her opinion.

The only things that pissed me off during that visit:

1. At the top of the once elegant Mark, people were allowed in wearing sweats.

2. At the St. Francis Hotel lounge where we were dancing to Abe Battat's Trio, the bartenders announced last call at 12:45 for 1 AM.

Now that convinced me the City was in serious decline despite its great vistas and restaurants.

I was in San Fran in late May and early June this past year.

1 Shrader House - no idea

2. Tenderloin isn't nearly as bad as its made out, even by the locals. I go to SF about once per year and never miss a night drinking at the "Night Cap"...The Mission is a bit better, with more hipsters and gentrification. A slightly different crowd goes to places like "Zietgiest" than "Night Cap".

3. I've stayed in the Hilton on O'Farrell about 5 times in the last 8 years. Never saw any hookers. Mind you, near Hyde and Post is a club called "Divas" - a tranny bar. Perhaps its the "performers" out haveing a smoke that people are mistaking for hookers?

That sounds better than plain old hookers anyway, from a story perspective, right?