The Soma district (South Of Market) was once known as the wrong side of the tracks and has now turned into a bustling night life hot spot! There are many places to go that will fit about anyone's preferences.

A great night life spot is Slim’s which was opened in the late 1980's by Boz Scaggs. It has a very relaxed atmosphere, and many famous people have crossed the threshold to play a game of pool and perform on stage.

If you are looking for something that will fit a more alternative lifestyle, The Stud Bar is the place to go. There is Trannyshack Tuesdays and $1 Bud Light nights on Wednesday.

Annie's Cocktail Lounge boasts free pool on Mondays and karaoke on Tuesdays at nine PM. Their famous slogan is “Stiff cocktails for your drinking pleasure.” If you are working in the service industry, you can bring in your pay stub on Monday nights to get a free drink.

If you are looking for something a bit more low key, why not visit the VinoVenue, a wine tasting bar. They have more than 100 wines from all around the globe. VinoVenue has a unique system where you simply purchase a VinoVenue tasting card, which works just like a debit card. There are “serve yourself” wine stations where you swipe your card for whatever wine you would like to try. Each station has something that will fit everyone’s budget, with drinks starting at a dollar. This is a great way to learn about wine without having to spend money on an entire bottle of wine that you won’t enjoy.

The SoMa area is a great place to start when you are looking for San Francisco nightlife.

San Francisco is home to a large population of both heterosexuals and homosexuals so there is a good chance you can find exactly who you are looking for.

Depending on you and your lifestyle, there are many approaches to meeting that special someone. If you follow a particular religion, churches in San Francisco offer mixers and other dating events. There is the Catholic Singles Network who matches people based on values, personalities and goals in life. On the first Friday of the month, the Young Jewish Alliance holds Shabbat potluck dinners. Simply call your local church and ask them what single events they have.

Another popular date idea in San Francisco is speed dating. Why waste your time on a date that may not be your perfect fit? Within 8 minutes, you should be able to tell if there is a possibility of things progressing to a first real first date. Speed dating events are held throughout the city.

Another great place in San Francisco to meet someone special is at a sporting event! Dress up in your 49ers or Giants fan gear and head to 3Com Park. You may end up being seated next to your Mr. or Mrs. Right!

The Golden Gate Bridge is perhaps the most often photographed spot in San Francisco. The Marin headlands provide some of the place to take photographs of the bridge.

Alcatraz

One of the most famous San Francisco landmarks is Alcatraz. Alcatraz was home to notorious prisoners such as Al Capone. No longer used as a prison, Alcatraz is open to visitors. You can take a walk through jail cells which were once filled with the most infamous criminals in recent history.

Fisherman's Wharf

Fisherman’s Wharf has an aquatic park on one end and Pier 39 on the other. The Wharf has restaurants and shopping that will tantalize and challenge the most seasoned shopper. Pier 39 is home to world famous sea lions.

China Town

San Francisco’s Chinatown is home to the city's oldest street, Grant Street. It runs through 8 blocks of this cultural experience. With open markets, quaint stores and restaurants there is so much to take in. Immerse yourself in this city within a city.

Japanese Tea Gardens

The Japanese Tea Garden is a must see. It is a good idea to go on a Sunday when the park is closed to cars. It will make your experience much more enjoyable. You can have traditional tea and Japanese crackers in a serene garden for about $3.

Coit Towers

Coit Tower on Telegraph hill is a wonder to behold. Built in 1933, Coit Tower provides spectacular city views.

Yet Wah in Chinatown provides the best of both worlds. They boast an upscale dining experience with affordable prices, large portions and spectacular flavor.

On your visit to Pier 39 make sure you stop by the family owned and operated Capurro's. They have been providing San Francisco with amazing seafood dishes since 1946. An Italian influence mixed in with fresh caught seafood makes for a delicious meal. They have everything from Pizza to fresh cracked crab as well as nightly live entertainment.

Fleur de Lys, located in the Nob Hill area of San Francisco, is the ultimate in upscale dining. Chef Keller is noted to never repeat a menu so each visit would be a unique adventure in cuisine. You can choose from a three or five course meal or if you are really hungry, request a 7 course meal! He is known for his creativity in meat free meals as well.

Hawthorne Lane near the MOMA is a must visit for California cuisine. With such savory menu items as grilled Hawaiian swordfish, your visit is sure to be a delight to the palate.

San Francisco offers as much culinary variety as there is variety in the people you will meet and the places you will see.

The Golden Gate Bridge and cable cars are what most people envision when you mention San Francisco. However, the city has been around for nearly 250 years. It attracted people with gleams of gold in their eyes and hopes of fortune in their hearts during the gold rush. It is now a Mecca for artists, poets, immigrants, and people who march to the beat of their own drummer.

San Francisco is the fourth largest city in the state of California. It also claims the title of the fourteenth largest state in the United States with a population of approximately 740,000 people. It is one of the most recognizable cities in the world.

During the Gold Rush in 1848, there was a growth surge that helped form the city as we know it. The city was devastated by an earthquake in 1906 but was quickly rebuilt bigger and better.

The fog rolling in, the steep hills, view of the Pacific Ocean and the diversity of many cultures melded together make San Francisco a beautiful city full of history and a wonderful place to visit.

I’ve actually found out a handy trick to avoid this problem. Whenever you’re headed to parts unknown, travel with a local! I was a bit shocked however, when on a recent trip to Monterey my "local" guide had led me into one of the most touristy parts of the city to get a bite to eat…smack in the middle of the Fisherman's Wharf. "You've got to be kidding me!" I thought silently as she led me down the wharf, which was full of screaming kids running around hopped up on ice cream with frustrated parents in tow.

My "local", who at this point I thought had lost her mind, re-assured me we were eating at a good place, and eventually led me to a relatively simple looking restaurant called the Old Fisherman's Grotto. The restaurant sign said it had been on the Wharf since 1950, so I figured it had to be at least OK. We walked in and I prepared for the worst.

This restaurant is usually packed with tourists because of its location and free samples offered outside, yet to my surprise, despite the commotion we were seated quite quickly. There were two things that I immediately noticed with this restaurant; it had a great view of the harbor from the dining room, and, despite the fact that it was located right on Fisherman’s Wharf and had a great view, the prices were pretty decent. A sandwich with fries costs between $8-$10 dollars, whereas a more sophisticated seafood meal like crab or lobster will cost between $16 and $22 dollars, which considering the location, wasn’t too bad.

I opted for a sandwich and a bowl of their clam chowder. While the sandwich was good, it wasn’t anything to write home about (the turkey was a little dry), but the clam chowder is hands down the best clam chowder I’ve ever had in my lifetime, and I think that means a lot when you take into consideration that i don’t care much for seafood. The bread that they gave you with the chowder was not your run of the mill free restaurant bread either, it was actually quite moist and fresh. If you don’t want your chowder in a regular bowl, they also offer chowder in fresh sourdough bread bowls. My friend enjoyed her half chowder half-sandwich special ($9 dollars), and actually was so full by the time she got to her sandwich she couldn't even finish it. Throughout our lunch the wait staff were actually quite nice, attentive and served us very quickly. Overall it was a pretty good place to eat, and it didn't hurt the pocketbook too bad either.

My only complaint with The Grotto was that there isn’t much to select from on the menu if you’re not big on seafood (lunch wise, I had a choice between chicken and a sandwich). Also, the ambience of the restaurant is not that great (it’s a great place to take your wife for lunch or meet up with some friends, but not quite first-date material.). I would definitely recommend the place to anyone who is a fan of clam chowder and fresh seafood (My local friend told me that the fried Calamari is one of her favorites).

If you’re looking for a quick place to grab dessert, there is also a LOT of ice cream and candy stores within a short distance of The Grotto. I stopped by Carousel Candies on 31 Fisherman's Wharf, which is next door and has prided itself on making handmade fudge, toffee, and chocolates for over 45 years. I grabbed myself a quarter pound of toffee for $5 dollars, and it was so rich and full of flavor that I was actually quite impressed! They even show you part of the toffee making process in the front window display of the store. Even though I think my dentist might hate me after eating a quarter of a pound of sugar, overall, I would have to say my trip to Monterey was a sweet success.

Being a makeup fiend, there are plenty of shops on Union Street that I visit fairly regularly. Usually, I find an excuse to head out for an afternoon of shopping just before it’s about time for a little something, and that something can always be found in this cozy café, regardless of what sort of treat I’m craving. For example, I need my coffee – I know I’m not alone in this. Every morning of mine has to start with coffee. Some of them have to start with a LOT of coffee. For those days when even a LOT isn’t quite sufficient, a BOWL of coffee, also known at La Boulange as a double latte, is the only way to go. Prefer tea? Their selection includes eight standard flavors of Mighty Leaf tea with a few random rotating varieties sitting alongside the regular ones.

If I’ve already had my caffeine for the day and just need a little nibble, their pastries are exceptional. The tarts in particular come in a fantastic array, from sweet potato to tropezienne, leaving no sweet tooth unattended. If it’s time for lunch, an open-faced sandwich here is just the right size to finish off every bite without feeling sluggish and full or as though there wasn’t enough meal for the money – I’ve tried the tuna melt, smoked salmon, roasted turkey, and the club, and each one has spoiled me for the same thing anywhere else.

They make their own potato chips, which are kettle cooked to perfection, and their side salads are crisp and generous; either of these comes with each sandwich they serve. Also available are main course salads fairly overflowing with delicious ingredients, as well as a handful of brunch plates, served all day. Two soups are also on the menu each day so if you need a little warming up, try the fantastic carrot ginger or, their specialty, French onion. Don’t have time to sit and chat? Grab one of the mini sandwiches on fresh baked crusty rolls or the most adorable baguettes I’ve ever seen – the fillings could be anything from apples and brie to avocado and hummus to turkey and provolone, all sure to satisfy.

You know, all this talk about their food is making me a little nibbly… I think it might be about time for a little something. I’m sure you can imagine where I’ll be heading…See you there, perhaps?

For starters, it’s not JUST the shoes, though they’re definitely well made, original, and, well, super hot. But it’s truly the people in this particular shop that make each visit a lot of fun and worth going out of my way. I’ve never been into a Fluevog store and been treated more kindly and more like a friend than I did the first time I entered this Haight Street shoe haven. I’d been in the city for less than a week; I was job shopping, and figured why not combine business and pleasure? I popped into Fluevog and met Denny and Monica, who to this day greet me by name, know what I do for work, ask about my partner, AND remember my shoe size. I don’t get pressured into shoes that don’t feel perfect, and I get honest feedback about how a style works for me. Does it get any better than that?

If you’re not familiar with Fluevog shoes, you really need to take a peek at the website and see what you’ve been missing. John Fluevog’s style is impossible to miss, and gets you noticed from miles away. From classic to funky, and always in colors that complement and get compliments, you absolutely cannot go wrong with a pair of these beauties. You should also bear in mind that most styles are limited edition, be it the heel, the upper, the color, or any combination, so if you fall in love, don’t let them get away, because often times, once they’re gone, they’re gone for good.

I’m going swing dancing tomorrow night, and you know, there’s a pair of Fluevogs on clearance in my size that I’ve been eyeing for a bit now and I think they’d be perfect for this occasion… Time to take my own advice and snag them before they’re out the door!

The library hosts a variety of events and classes open to the community, enjoyable to both children and adults. Children and their caregivers can attend a one-hour storytime held in the children’s branch of the library, usually from 11-12 in the morning (just in time to get home for lunch and naptime!), where they can read, sing, and play together. Grandparents are even officially invited. The younger storytime, called Laptime, runs from 10:30-11:30, offers children (infants to 3-year-olds) and their caregivers songs, stores, and fingerplays. Older children (over 12) can participate in classes such as Beyond Journal Writing, a nine-week class that give them the opportunity to develop and shard their writing in a nurturing and open atmosphere, led by a Writers Corps teacher.

Parents with children old enough to independently experience the library can settle their kids in the children’s wing, and take adult writing classes, learning such concepts as how writing in their journal can make a difference in their health and happiness. Families together can enjoy performances of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”, and learning sessions on subjects like Jazz and American Pop cosponsored by the Art, Music, and Recreation Center, listening to music of an open-horn Victoria, Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, among others.

Forget reading. The building itself is something worth seeing. The beautiful and uncomplicated architecture, the steps leading to the front doors flanked by palm trees, the arched wooden window frames letting in plenty of sunshine. The atmosphere alone sheds a new light on reading. Plus the facility’s impressive amenities. Within the seven-floor library, readers will find room for over one thousand laptops, over three hundred computer terminals, private rooms, and the children’s wing. Children will also love visiting the large atrium and the photo collection on the sixth floor exhibiting San Francisco’s history from 1850 to the present. Children will love returning to both the atrium and the photos.

Not to mention the good old fashioned pastime of sitting and reading with family. Children can attain their own library cards, teaching them the value of choice (Corduroy or Where the Wild Things Are?), organization, and accountability. The library system, one of the city’s oldest institutions, is a pastime that can occur repeatedly, rain or shine, is always a great pastime.

The short 20-minute drive to the museum, located in Berkeley, is absolutely worth experiencing this popular and well-run establishment. The Habitot Children’s Museum even hold its own special exhibits, such as the Fire Station display where kids can touch, move things, climb and jump (and learn as children do best). Other special exhibits include Train Week, where children can run trains at a brand new train table, ride on miniature trains, play with mini BART trains, and even create a boxcar. They can participate in the Day with the Dentist exhibit, and listen to professional dentists talk about teeth health, receive gift bags, make and decorate a giant toothbrush, and play toothbrush limbo. Learning doesn’t get much more fun than this.

Habitot is a great venue for special events, camps, and classes. The museum is a fun and creative way to spend a birthday. Birthday party rental options includes a 2-hour rental for up to s75 guests for $325; a birthday room rental at the cost of $16 per child; and private parties for 30 guests for $295. The museum also holds special classes for both children and parents. Classes for children include such focuses as ceramics, drama, carpentry, and cooking. Parents can take CPR classes and become certified, can learn about anger management, or can learn how to potty train their child. Habitot holds week-long seasonal camps in winter and spring, which includes art, music, stories, dramatic play, and of course free exploratory play and snacks.

For such a great experience, deciding to make the drive is a no-brainer. And the ride back will seem even shorter with a fun discussion that will inevitably ensue. Let your children (and their imaginations) run wild.