San Francisco

I recently returned from a four day trip to San Francisco with the firm. The firm sent some of us to the American Association for Justice Convention. I attended a number of interesting seminars which expanded my knowledge on operating a firm and marketing myself.

The flight to the west coast was spectacular. I had a window seat at 36,000 feet, and our flight plan took us up the southern coast of California. A solid layer of white clouds which resembled cotton candy covered the Pacific Ocean far below for as far as the eye could see. The cloud cover did not break until just before the shoreline. Much of the shoreline was mountainous. One partner of the firm told me to never take a cruise in the Pacific Ocean because clouds like that will obscure the view for most of the trip.

As we closed in on San Francisco and flew lower in altitude, we passed directly over Stanford University. I could tell which school it was by the markings on the athletic fields. I also noted the Bay Bridge, which I first saw on television in 1989 during the World Series earthquake. San Francisco's airport is similar to New York City's LaGuardia in that the runway goes to the edge of the water. As the plane got lower and lower, we were still over water until the last moments when the runway appeared and we touched down.

My first morning there, I went on a 5k run sponsored by one of the city's law firms. The last part of the race was almost all uphill, and it was the first time in years that I had to start walking during a 5k and also the first time in years that I felt a little nauseous during the run. The hills in San Francisco are seriously steep, and the streets do not wind to accommodate the grade. I still managed to finish the race in a sprint, though.

Exploring San Francisco was great as well. The city is surprisingly cold. Highs were only in the 60s, and it seemed colder due to the wind coming in off the ocean or the bay. Fog is common. As it got dark, it would often seem to be raining as I looked at the light from the street lamps. I felt no water drops, though. A taxi driver told me that the warmest weather is usually in September and October where temperatures can go into the 80s. But always after 5pm, he said, the weather drops into the 50s. It is always cold at night in San Francisco. If you go just a few miles inland, the temperature range jumps dramatically, he said.

I took some time to walk through Chinatown and to see Lombard street, the most crooked street in the world. I also biked across the Golden Gate Bridge, which provided a spectacular view of the bay and Alcatraz island. Riding my bike along the Fisherman's Wharf area, I saw about 40 or 50 California Sea Lions resting or arguing with each other on the piers.

One of the partners of the firm treated us to some awesome meals. The Crustacean is a seafood restaurant owned by a Vietnamese family. The restaurant has a special kitchen apart from the main kitchen where only family members are allowed. In this special kitchen, the family members cook some of their famous dishes (the recipes to which are jealously guarded). I also enjoyed some crab cakes at Houston's, and a delicious Chocolate Sunday at Ghiradelli's. Both establishments are on the San Francisco Bay.

So, it was a fun time and I am appreciative of the experience. Still, I feel that my stories of San Francisco are only the run-of-the-mill experiences that any tourist could relate. San Francisco is different from New Orleans (another city the firm visited this summer). In New Orleans, in Las Vegas, in Philadelphia, in Miami, I felt like I could walk down the street and suddenly find myself in a unique adventure. I did not feel this with San Francisco. To really enjoy San Francisco and understand its character, I think one probably needs to have a lot of money and be connected with the appropriate social circles. Despite its liberal reputation, the city felt conservative and private. The clubs, the people, and the beautiful hilly streets all seemed quite tame. The most interesting characters of this city are sealed away from curious visitors like me in ornate Victorian homes. They eat their meals apart from me in those homes or in fine dining restaurants out of reach to me at this point in my life.

But perhaps one day I will come back under different circumstances.

Universal Health Care Now,

Nathan Marshburn