Some areas of San Francisco are so steep that the sidewalk literally is a stairway; other times it’s just more interesting to have a stairway between streets… or a slide. I once saw a grown man with a briefcase matter-of-factly go down this slide and continue on his way down the hill. Why not?

Adobe Bookshop brings me much happiness. Not only are there a zillion wonderful used books of all kinds, there is the man behind the books, Andrew McKinley. He is the heart and soul, and his wise, welcoming and super fun personality draws all sorts of colorful characters to gather and be eccentric.

Shopping area in Japantown connected by an outdoor plaza with a Japanese Pagoda. The malls feature some good food spots and as well as Kinokuniya Bookstore.

#1 in the city for old book smell and creaky wooden floors. Too small to find anything specific you’re looking for, good enough that you’ll find something else instead.

This hole-in-the wall noodle shop reminds me a lot of Taipei, an unassuming place that pleasantly surprises the taste buds. San Francisco has endless amounts of amazing food, but this place stands out because of it's size, taste, and prices. There are only about 9 seats in the place but if it's packed, it's worth the wait. While you wait for your noodles or curry, they'll chop open a fresh coconut so you can hydrate yourself before downing a bowl of pure, salty goodness.