Yahoo News How to spend a weekend in San Francisco
Where to eat
The famous Tartine Manufactory, based in a huge warehouse, will sway even the most carb-conscious (stock up on colourful tableware at Heath Ceramics next door). Outerlands is worth the short trip west: renovated by the owners, former artists Dave Muller & Lana Porcello, a revolving menu champions farm-to-table eating. For dinner, try Che Fico’s famous parmesan-dusted pizzas ... just get there early to avoid the queues. No US trip is complete without a milkshake and stepping into The Ice Cream Bar on Cole Street feels like going back in time, with its art deco façade and retro diner fittings.
Where to drink
The place to be when the sun goes down is on the impressive 120-foot-high rooftop at Charmaine’s, along with its fire pits and extensive drinks list (the bourbon selection alone fills three pages). Be sure to try the Mr Bigglesworth, a mix of mezcal, whiskey and orange bitters. It’s as dangerous as it sounds. Nearby, Trick Dog serves up cocktails created in collaboration with celebrated local chefs such as David Nayfeld of Che Fico. Biannually these are collated together into a cookbook that you’d be proud to display on your coffee table back home.
Where to shop
Hero Shop was set up by former American Vogue editor Emily Holt and brings together all the coolest fashion names, from HVN to Brook Collection. The Perish Trust is filled with original home goods, trinkets and earthy potions as beautiful as they are useful. Antiquario brims with antiques while nearby is possibly my favourite find: Bell’Occhio, where stationery never looked so desirable. At Stuff 60 small dealers offer a wealth of vintage treasures.
Where to stay
While the San Francisco Proper Hotel might inhabit a historic flatiron building, interiors guru Kelly Wearstler has given it a modern design; the lobby alone, with its vast proportions set against the eclectic mix of abstract works, feels grand but constantly buzzy. At Villon, the hotel’s restaurant, the ribbed walls and impressive bar are as talked-about as the food: contemporary American cuisine using seasonal ingredients. Matilda Goad was a guest of San Francisco Proper Hotel.
Rooms from £305 (properhotel.com)
What to see
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art recently unveiled a £235 million extension, with an impressive collection ranging from Jackson Pollock to Diane Arbus. To me, there is no better way to get a feel of a city than to get lost and find yourself again. Walk up to the top of the De Young Museum, pad up and down Nob Hill and, of course, drive over Golden Gate Bridge. Touristy, sure, but the open-air trams are charming, especially when ascending San Francisco’s steep inclines.
The Matilda Goad pop-up shop is open until 18 Nov at 297 Westbourne Grove, W11
