Hi, this is Frank Dill.
And I'm Mike Clary.
And we do the Frank and Mike radio show on KNBR in San Francisco.
And now for the International Video Network, we invite you to take a video visit of San
Francisco, an enchanting city, one of the most romantic cities in the world, less than
50 square miles of actual area, yet larger than life, from sea level to hills pushing
clouds about at a thousand feet.
As one local said, it's small enough so you think you know everybody and big enough so
you don't.
It all started tens of thousands of years ago when the glaciers melted at the end of
the ice age inundating most of California with the Golden Gate acting as the only outlet.
Incredible hydraulic forces then carved the basin that now houses the San Francisco Bay,
all 450 square miles of it.
But the first ship didn't sail into the bay until 1775, piloted by Lieutenant Juan Manuel
de Ayala.
Ayala was the first to see the possibilities of the city that was never a town.
It became official in 1850 right on this very spot when what the Spaniards called Yerba
Buena became the city of San Francisco, now Portsmouth Square in the heart of Chinatown.
This 12-foot granite statue represents the patron saint of the city, St. Francis of Assisi.
Since 1955, it has stood before the Longshoremen's Hall at the entrance to the waterfront.
Name a delicious creature from the sea and you can taste it here at Fisherman's Wharf.
Oh and of course we have to mention our world famous sourdough French bread, the best in
the civilized world.
The natives claim that fog accounts for its unique taste.
Be that as it may, a loaf of bread, a jug of wine and a whole cracked dungeness crab, what
a way to spend a day by the bay.
And down away from the original wharf is a new waterfront complex with an old fashioned
look, Pier 39.
Built over the bay there's 45 acre village houses, shops, restaurants, three outdoor
stages, a double decked carousel and street entertainment for all ages.
On a clear day, you can see the world's most beautiful waterfront.
The Alcatraz, originally called Pelican Island.
It was the imposing home of some of the most notorious criminals.
Al Capone, Robert Strauss, better known as the Birdman of Alcatraz and other guests referred
to it as the Rock, a perfect name for a prison surrounded by rough water and sharks.
Although sharks larger than two feet seldom inhabit these waters, the fact is the prison
staff created this rumor and the inmates were afraid to test its accuracy.
Leave it to San Francisco to turn something old and worn out into something new and practical.
Like this old brick building, now a square block shopping and dining area known simply
as the Cannery.
You're doing it the wimpy way.
I want to see it the man's way.
I like being a wimpy.
Just down the street, a multi-level 19th century chocolate factory, now redesigned
as Ghirardelli Square, named after the Italian candy maker who catered to chocolate lovers
in 1893.
While you can order up gigantic sundaes and ice cream cones and fabulous chocolate confections.
Just a little inland from the waterfront is North Beach, so Italian that Columbus Day
is an annual festival and fresh seafood is perfectly complemented by mama's homemade
pasta.
Part of North Beach is Broadway with its bright lights, exotic entertainment and where the
nightlife is lively.
San Francisco is made up of numerous distinctive neighborhoods centered around special streets
with their own distinctive personalities.
Street in the world, Lombard Street, designed originally for horse carts to maneuver down
the steepest hill in town.
Skateboards are welcome only if you dare.
And Montgomery Street, part of the financial district where the names of the games are
banking, insurance, international commerce, high finance and headquarters for the largest
bank in the world.
The polished black stone at the base of the Bank of America building is sometimes referred
to as the banker's heart.
The center of San Francisco's chic is Union Street, famous for antique shops, high fashion
boutiques and unique places to eat, drink and socialize.
The house that Irish Coffee built and one of the city's oldest gathering spots is the
Buena Vista Cafe, known locally as the B.V.
By the way, it's a perfect vantage point to watch the cable cars turn around for their
trip back up Hyde Street.
And until a few years ago, the proprietors at the B.V. wouldn't serve unescorted females.
Well, thank goodness the times have changed, however, I'm still unescorted.
A most colorful look into San Francisco's sea-going past can be enjoyed at the National
Maritime Museum, which looks like a ship and serves as the anchor for Aquatic Park, which
on any one weekend serves as the backdrop for local street artists.
Some sail for fish and some sail for pleasure.
And some just laze around the Marina Green and dream of the good ship Anything.
One of the city's magic hills is Telegraph Hill, topped by a monument to San Francisco's
historic firefighter's Coit Tower.
The $100,000 it took to complete it in 1933 was bequeathed to the city by Lillian Coit,
for some years the fire department's official mascot.
And there's some speculation as to what the tower represents.
Many believe it to be a giant fire nozzle.
Sounds logical to me.
Whatever, you may prefer to take the elevator to the top, because the stairway is over 200
steps.
Something old, the ferry building, a survivor of the earthquake and fire of 1906.
Something new, the Moscone Convention Center, dedicated to San Francisco's late Mayor George
Moscone.
Something unusual.
There are some 800 buildings over seven stories tall in the city's ever-changing skyline.
The Transamerica Pyramid, the tallest of them all at 853 feet, 212 feet, just for show.
And here's the Hilton Tower, 509 feet, and all because Conrad Hilton wanted it to be
two stories higher than these famous landmarks on Knob Hill.
Now this is a vintage building, like fine wine it gets better with age.
The flood building, doing business since before the earthquake.
And although the city is in some ways changing to ultra-modern, thankfully some things stay
the same.
The Fairmont Hotel, synonymous with luxury, built by the daughters of James G. Fair after
his death, the Fairmont is the place to stay for excellent accommodations.
The Fairmont is also the setting of ABC's television series, Hotel.
Being treated like a king is routine at this elegant hotel, where for $3,500 a day you
can enjoy the beauty and splendor of the Fairmont's penthouse.
The hub of downtown San Francisco is Union Square.
This is not an area to wheel and deal.
Union Square caters to those who pay for what they want, perfect for that hard to shop for
person.
And it's also a favorite strolling place for people and pigeons.
Hey, now don't be feeding the pigeons.
It's against the law, don't you know?
Thank you, officer.
There is one car for every two residents of the city, and only one garage for every two
cars.
And then there are the commuters who work here and live elsewhere around the day.
Getting around in town can be fun aboard our country's only moving national landmark, the
cable car, moving people up and down very steep hills since 1873.
The cable cars and the complicated machinery that keep the system running underwent a $60
million overhaul in 1984 to assure the city of at least another 100 years of joyriding.
And then there's a more modern way to get around, the Bay Area Rapid Transit, affectionately
known as BART.
These trains actually traverse the bay 135 feet below the surface.
But there are creative alternatives in the art and science of getting around town.
Actually, foot traffic is a lot more fun.
This scene happens to be the annual Beta Breaker's Run, the oldest and largest organized race
in the country.
But win or lose, it's mainly just for the exercise and fun.
And here's one of our historical moving landmarks, Walt Stack.
I'm 77 years old, growing boy.
I started running at 58.
I wanted to improve my stamina for swimming, you know, and I understand that running improves
the stamina for anything involving the lungs.
I run 17 miles a day and I've got in 55,000 miles.
That represents 20 years of running.
And I've run the Western States 100 and 115 marathons, you know, and 15 50s and 3 100s.
I get up in the morning and jump on my bike after I read the morning paper.
Down here, that's about six miles.
It takes me about 45 minutes to an hour.
Then I take a run that takes me about three and a half hours to Sausalito and back, 17
miles.
I take a short swim, a half hour.
I used to swim an hour, but cut it down to a half hour or so, but then I'm just not finished.
I put it about six hours or so a day, just take care of myself.
And then there are the culture centers of the city.
Home of the lively arts, opera,
symphony and ballet.
Also jazz, pop, country, and yes, rock of all varieties.
Plenty of excellent theater too, like the world famous American Conservatory Theater
and the refurbished Golden Gate Theater.
The city's main artery is Market Street.
Now if people watching appeals to you, chances are you'll see someone on Market or on one
of the cross streets along the way that you haven't seen before.
Here is an ornate intersection and as soon as you pass through, you've entered exotic
Chinatown.
This is the Oriental Marketplace, more Chinese culture, food, artifacts, and Far Eastern
history than you can find anywhere outside of Asia.
This is one place where firecracker laws are winked at on Chinese New Year and the annual
Dragon Parade.
Reflecting our contact with the exotic East is Japantown, complete cultural center and
shopping mall.
And here one can shop, try out chopstick techniques, and enjoy an authentic Japanese bath and massage.
One of our most colorful assets of course is San Francisco's painted ladies.
These individually handcrafted Victorian homes are colorful and still much sought after.
This is the Castro Street area.
Center of San Francisco is much talked about gay lifestyle.
Now let's talk about food.
Oh it's about time, glorious food.
Wonderful food.
Delicious food.
Do you know in San Francisco we have more than 4,000 restaurants, cooks, and master
chefs who creatively serve food up in an array of culinary styles.
Buffalo stew at Tommy's joint.
French food and delicate sauces at Ernie's.
Fish and chips at the Edinburgh Castle.
Mahi Mahi at Trader Vic's.
Or just have a giant burger and fresh ground coffee at Enrico's Sidewalk Cafe.
It's just one of those spots to sit, relax, and watch the world go by.
The oldest structure in the city was founded by the Spanish fathers in 1776, Mission Dolores.
Still an active parish.
Mission Dolores has held services continuously for over 200 years.
Perhaps the grandest view of the city is from Twin Peaks.
And this is the view after April 18, 1906, showing the aftermath of San Francisco's earthquake
and fire.
Four-fifths of the city was leveled.
Most of the damage was from the fire, which burned for three days after the quake, and
the unsuccessful efforts by the U.S. Army to control it through the use of dynamite.
The fire department's heroic efforts were hampered by low water pressure caused by broken
water mains, later found to have been below standards, a result of the pervasive construction
graft of the period.
In a matter of a few weeks, the rebuilding of the city was well underway, thanks to the
hard work, enthusiasm, and optimism of its most loyal citizens.
The earthquake and fire, a natural disaster, and an extraordinary rebuilding by the city
that never was a town.
From the center of the city to the shores of the Pacific, formerly a thousand acres
of rocky hills, ravines, marshes, and sand dunes became the pride of San Francisco, Golden
Gate Park.
William Hall completed what New York's Central Park designer Frederick Olmsted declared impossible.
He transformed wasteland into luscious greenery and scenery with the help of Scotsman John
McLaren, who was responsible for planting over a million trees in the park.
Amidst all the foliage, Golden Gate Park houses many of the city's most important
museums, exhibitions, and activities.
The westernmost edge of the city is Ocean Beach and the Seal Rocks, just off the shore.
For a closer look, drop in a coin, see if you can tell the difference between a seal
and a sea lion.
Sutro Heights, over 200 feet above the Pacific.
Since 1863, four cliff houses have been destroyed.
In 1895, Mayor Adolph Sutro created an elaborate resort area with his cliff house and a three-acre
area housing an amphitheater, conservatory, and the largest indoor pools in the world,
capable of accommodating 25,000 enthusiasts.
Created by fire in 1952, the oceanside elements have given the ruins an ancient appearance.
Hidden away in the city's perimeter is the Palace of the Legion of Honor, a fine arts
museum commemorating French-American friendship.
The distinctive Palace of Fine Arts.
This magnificent complex, complete with Roman columns, lagoon, and a 160-foot dome, was
a temporary plastic creation built to celebrate the 1915 World's Fair.
It was rebuilt 50 years later at a cost of $8 million.
Now it's one of the city's most treasured landmarks.
There's always been a military presence on the Golden Gate entrance to the bay with giant
artillery to protect the coastline.
But there's never been a shot fired in anger from these cliffs.
And then there are the bridges, so vital to a community surrounded by water on three sides.
No tour of the city would be complete without mentioning the symbol of San Francisco, the
Golden Gate Bridge.
This marvel took four years to be constructed at a cost of $35 million.
The two 746-foot towers support the Golden Gate's 4,200-foot-long span.
Chief Engineer Joseph B. Strauss deserves great praise for his work of art.
But I wonder if he knew it would take a crew of painters with 7,000 gallons of paint to
work year-round to maintain the massive amounts of steel exposed to the salt air.
San Francisco.
Romantic.
International.
Well-dressed.
Exotic.
Tolerant.
Often eccentric.
Charming in a way unlike any other city in the world.
San Francisco, the enchanted city in the heart of the Golden State.
Practical, yet designed to be beautiful, perfect links to everlasting memories.
Now that you've enjoyed the grand tour of the city, you should know that there is much
more to see on and around the Bay.
IVN presents a colorful 24-minute armchair adventure of San Francisco Bay.
This video visit, titled San Francisco Bay Cruise, is available by phone order or direct
mail.