Was That Weekend Spectacular or What?
When we're lucky enough to have summer weather during Actual Summer-like Months, San Francisco becomes that much more awesome. I went downtown on Sunday to drop off my MacBook for repairs, and decided to put the weather to good use - how else? - but by taking a cable car ride.
Even though the line looked really long, the fact is if they've got a lot of cars stacked up, they can get through a long line rather quickly. So I figured I'd have a small wait and riding a cable car on a warm day is just kinda fun. I ended up talking to a number of tourists, mostly from Europe and Asia, and explained to them how to get the most out of their cable car ride. One thing that strikes me constantly is how there's literally 20+ ways to pay for a ride on Muni, and some cover Cable Cars and some do not. I can see how this would be extremely confusing to a visitor, especially a visitor from a city that has an easier to understand system.
After my ride, I walked over to Ghirardelli Square, to make an impulse purchase of Victoria Bitter at Cellar360, which is literally the only place you can buy this beer on the entire North American continent.
Afterwards I got a drink at a waterfront bar downstairs. While there I noticed something - almost every person that came in was asking for quarters. I talked to the bartender and he said that they and every other business were all getting asked for quarters for the meters out there. You'd think that the DPT would consider installing those meters that take debit cards and other forms of payment, as it would make it easier for out-of-towners AND reduce the quarter pestering out there.
It's also unfortunate that Supervisor Alioto-Pier, working on behalf of a handful of wealthy donors to one of her failed campaigns, blocked any more study of extending the F-Line to Fort Mason - a proposal businesses and others in the area supported, but she felt that the interests of her rich friends was more important. Oh well.
All in all, though when the weather gets that nice, staying inside just isn't an option for me - we have so many "summer" days that are more like winter, so we have to really take the time to appreciate those few long sunny days we get around now!
Even though the line looked really long, the fact is if they've got a lot of cars stacked up, they can get through a long line rather quickly. So I figured I'd have a small wait and riding a cable car on a warm day is just kinda fun. I ended up talking to a number of tourists, mostly from Europe and Asia, and explained to them how to get the most out of their cable car ride. One thing that strikes me constantly is how there's literally 20+ ways to pay for a ride on Muni, and some cover Cable Cars and some do not. I can see how this would be extremely confusing to a visitor, especially a visitor from a city that has an easier to understand system.
After my ride, I walked over to Ghirardelli Square, to make an impulse purchase of Victoria Bitter at Cellar360, which is literally the only place you can buy this beer on the entire North American continent.
Afterwards I got a drink at a waterfront bar downstairs. While there I noticed something - almost every person that came in was asking for quarters. I talked to the bartender and he said that they and every other business were all getting asked for quarters for the meters out there. You'd think that the DPT would consider installing those meters that take debit cards and other forms of payment, as it would make it easier for out-of-towners AND reduce the quarter pestering out there.
It's also unfortunate that Supervisor Alioto-Pier, working on behalf of a handful of wealthy donors to one of her failed campaigns, blocked any more study of extending the F-Line to Fort Mason - a proposal businesses and others in the area supported, but she felt that the interests of her rich friends was more important. Oh well.
All in all, though when the weather gets that nice, staying inside just isn't an option for me - we have so many "summer" days that are more like winter, so we have to really take the time to appreciate those few long sunny days we get around now!
