“The morning,
like all San Francisco mornings,
promised spring.” 
~ Elizabeth Stark

Rarely, in my lifetime, have I had the opportunity to enjoy a San Francisco sunrise. Having lived my first eighteen years in the Sunset District, the sunlight had to clear Mount Davidson before shining down on the west side of The City. Even then, the persistent morning fog created a drab beginning to each day. So I was grateful for the opportunity to be in San Francisco yesterday morning and to enjoy the view portrayed in the image above.

As I stood at the end of Van Ness Avenue looking out over Aquatic Park, I couldn’t help but think of the words of Journey’s signature song Lights. Of course, I had to adjust the words to reflect the time of day, but in my mind I was singing:

When the lights come on in The City,
and the sun shines on the bay,…

What a spectacular treat it was to see the sun rising over downtown San Francisco and reflecting off the choppy waters of Aquatic Park Cove. This was just the beginning of a magical day. 

I had driven a friend to The City for an 8:30 a.m. appointment at the Italian Consulate at Webster & Broadway. As I sat in the car outside the consulate, I noticed a gentleman wearing a bright yellow vest with the words Convent-Stuart Hall imprinted on the back. Strangely, even though I was born and raised in The City and attended catholic schools from first grade through high school, I never knew exactly where Convent of the Sacred Heart High School was located. So I got out of the car to speak with the gentleman in the vest.

In yet another very San Francisco experience, it didn’t take long for us to realize that not only did we know people in common, we knew each other! Dennis Estrada was a freshman at Saint Ignatius College Preparatory when I was a senior. We knew each other, but not well. Then, due to my circuitous route through college, we ended up as classmates at Santa Clara University — Class of 1979. We had not seen each other in more than forty years. What a treat it was to reconnect with such an impressive person.

After the appointment at the consulate, we drove down Broadway to North Beach for a visit to Caffé Trieste, an iconic coffee shop with a rich history of customers who were famous authors, poets, and entertainers. My friend ordered a cappuccino, which she described as the best she’s had outside of Italy. The eclectic group of customers made for a lively experience in what is, perhaps, the best coffee shop in The City.

As we were leaving Caffé Trieste, I met Fredo, the owner of SFOG, a small shop across the street from the café, which sells San Francisco t-shirts, sweatshirts, and other outerwear. He also has a nice assortment of art work for sale. Fredo, short for Alfredo, is of Irish-Guatamalan descent, but he sports a convincing Italian accent whenever needed. His shop is a must-visit shopping stop for native San Franciscans.

Our last stop was also across the street from Caffé Trieste, at the corner of Vallejo & Columbus. We paid a visit to La Porziunicola Nuova, a scaled replica of Saint Francis’ Porziuncola in Assisi, Italy. The sacred site was dedicated in San Francisco in 2008 by Cardinal William Levada. We were warmly greeted by Angela Alioto, daughter of former San Francisco mayor Joseph Alioto. It was Angela’s idea to create this replica of the chapel. This is definitely a site worth visiting.

The City has always been a magical place. Despite the current challenges of homelessness, drug abuse, and crime, San Francisco remains a special place in my heart.