Stay Here: San Francisco π
It's hard to believe that Ophelia is starting her fifth (!) year of living in San Francisco β she loves calling this amazing city her home. Summer in SF means locals live through months called June Gloom and Fogust (in honor of Karl the Fog). Over the years, Ophelia has learned to love sweater weather in the middle of summer and to cherish those rare sunny days. Despite the seemingly unending fog, this city has so much to offer β from the surrounding nature and hiking spots right on your doorstep, to the delicious and diverse food scene. On top of all that, San Francisco has an incredibly distinct architectural landscape and prides itself in its mix of Victorian, Gothic revival, and modernist houses. Here's to renewing your love for the place you get to call home!
San Francisco Proper Hotel
Mid-Market, San Francisco, CA
Starts at $229/night
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Designed by the talented American interior designer Kelly Wearstler, this gorgeous space is filled with vintage European pieces and draws inspiration "from modernism to Victorian florals, a very eclectic blend." Wearstler also designed the effortlessly beautiful Santa Monica Proper. Her other work includes a Malibu beach house for her family and an imagined garage for LeBron James' electric Hummer.
We love the unique mix of materials, textures, shapes, and patterns in the lobby.
Charmaine's, the rooftop bar with elegant seating and fire pits, is a local favorite when Karl the fog behaves (very rarely).
Each one of the 131 guest rooms in the hotel is "uniquely designed."
Hotel Kabuki
Japantown, San Francisco, CA
Starts at $179/night
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Japantown has incredible food, is centrally located, and is highly walkable. Hotel Kabuki is in the heart of Japantown and one of Ophelia's favorite neighborhood spots. CN Traveler calls this hotel "a chic mix of Japanese design and Western cool."
Nari, a contemporary Thai restaurant (aptly led by a team of women) is attached to the Kabuki lobby and owned by the renowned Michelin-star chef Pim Techamuanvivit. Hilariously, someone name-dropped a famous chef's restaurant to get a table for Kanye West at Nari.
We love the mix of cozy, industrial, and Japanese design styles. Pre-pandemic, Ophelia loved to meet friends in the lobby and grab drinks from this beautiful hotel bar.
Hand Crafted Cottage
Noe Valley, San Francisco, CA
$265/night, sleeps 2
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This calm, peaceful retreat would be perfect for a staycation, and the Noe Valley neighborhood is quiet, residential, and perfect for young families.
The host, Sebastian, is a designer and woodworker by trade, and "has created almost all of the furniture for the guest cottage."
How beautiful is that window placement in the bedroom!
Honorable mentions
A converted warehouse apartment in North Mission that used to be home to the See's Candy Factory ($250/night, sleeps 2). That gorgeous window wall is absolutely dreamy~
This lovely garden flat in Corona Heights ($115/night, sleeps 2). Note: Their next availability is next April.
This modern home in the Haight, with lots of plants ($439/night, sleeps 4).
A classic Victorian home in Cole Valley with a beautiful outdoor patio β outdoor space in the city is so rare ($270/night, sleeps 7).
A guest suite in Bernal Heights with a back deck and patio ($151/night, sleeps 2).
Do this
Ophelia's full (and comprehensive) list of San Francisco recommendations is lengthy, and it's hard to pick just a few. Here's some recs that she's been loving lately:
Dinner at The Tailor's Son. This impeccably designed Italian restaurant opened a few months ago and is from Adriano Paganini and Freedom Rains, who is the chef behind A Mano. Incredible pasta and cocktails.
Two hole-in-the-wall spots: Yuanbao Jiaozi (shoutout to Megan for taking me here) for dumplings and beef noodle soup, and Yamo (shoutout to Kirstie for sharing about this) for Burmese food run by a mother/daughter duo at $7 a dish, cash only.
Walking through Golden Gate Park, the third most visited park in the US.
Visit Hamon Tower (free always) and James Turrell Skyspace at the de Young (free on the first Tuesday of every month, free on Saturdays for Bay Area residents)
Walk through San Francisco Botanical Garden (free for SF residents, free for all from 7:30-9am, and the second Tuesday of every month) during Flower Piano (Sept 17-21, 2021) where 12 pianos are placed around the garden for both public use and professional musicians to perform alfresco concerts.
A couple classics: watch the sunset at Sutro Baths or walk down Crissy Field toward Fort Point (we should mention it's also dog friendly!). Be sure to stop for a drink at Radhaus or the Interval at Long Now.
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Next up on Stay Here: San Diego, CA, the city Ophelia spent her college years in that still holds her heart. Let us know if you have any recs or favs from the area (reply to stayhere@substack.com)! We'll be sure to give you a shout-out. :)
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