In San Francisco’s Pioneer Park (map), atop Telegraph Hill (map), stands the 210-foot tall, art deco, Coit Tower. The tower was built in 1933 with funds donated by Lillie Hitchcock Coit.  Folklore claims that the tower was designed to look like a fire hose nozzle, and was a tribute to the firefighters of the 1906 earthquake fire.  Although this version is disputed, and it’s not clear if it’s true or merely urban folklore, the story is widely retold and is consistent with the general quirkiness of the donor. Today, Coit Tower has become as much a part of the San Francisco landscape as the Golden Gate Bridge (map) or the Transamerica Pyramid (map), and is one of the recognizable pieces of architecture in the San Francisco skyline.  It went through a major restoration in 1984, and remains one of popular […]

As the second largest city in the United States, Los Angeles gets it fair share of visitors attracted by the ocean beaches and sunny days.  Home to Hollywood, Disneyland, and museums and parks galore, LA is as distinctively west coast as New York City is east coast.  It is also a major city for sports, having hosted two Olympic Games.  Sports are also big business in LA, attracting millions of visitors each year who come for both spectator and participatory athletics. If you’re a sports fan, here are some considerations that may help you plan your visit to Los Angeles. Basketball (fall to early summer):  The LA Lakers and the LA Clippers both play at Staples Center (map).  It’s not unusual to see television and film celebrities sitting court side cheering on their team.  Dyan Cannon, Denzel Washington, and Jack […]

For one block, San Francisco’s Lombard Street is the crookedest street in the world.  You may have seen that one block in photographs, movies, or on television, but the full length of the street is much more than just that one block. The street runs east and west, and starts at The Presidio, runs through Cow Hollow, Russian Hill, Telegraph Hill, and finally ends at The Embarcadero.  For much of that distance, it’s a pleasant, but relatively boring street.  That one crooked block between Hyde and Leavenworth Streets (on Russian Hill), however, is what’s made Lombard Street famous. The crooked block is paved in brick, and has eight S-turns, in a switchback design, and was originally designed to ease the natural grade of the street.  Houses and townhouses line both sides of the street, and despite the incredible driving and pedestrian […]

The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles is one of the largest museums in the world dedicated to  chronicling the evolution of the car and exploring our love affair with them.  The museum was founded by Robert E. and Margie Petersen in 1994, and was originally located within the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.  It is now in its own permanent location along museum row in the Miracle Mile neighborhood. You’ll find over 100 vehicles on display, covering topics that include the history of the automobile and its impact on popular culture globally as well as on Los Angeles. Here’s a little bit about what you’ll find at at the museum: The first floor is an interactive presentation of the history of the car and its impact and influence on our popular culture. The second floor has permanent […]