I never write about going on the walk back. Well last week I went up to Nob HIll twice and “maintained elevation” as long as I could drifting over to Russian Hill, which makes a dramatic drop right to my block. The campanile of Arts Institute is pretty magnificent, right against the hillside. It’s one of those landmarks I didn’t notice until moving into the neighborhood. People focus on Coit Tower or Transamerica building, but there are some other significant landmarks… stairways for one, there are three against Telegraph hill: Greenwich, Filbert and Francisco, all alongside the same route. Anyways, last night I was coming from the gym at Steuart and Market, pretty far down near the Ferry Building. I crossed market then walked up through the Embarcaderos to take advantage of cover while it was raining. It was Valentine’s day and sure enough there were tons of people aimless like me just darting around. The movie theater (too close to the gym for comfort, haha) is playing some good stuff there- Bride & Prejudice and Being Julia! – in its 80s style, I think the Embarcadero mall is pretty functional downtown shops, open to the street and public but maintaining a clean, well-lit aura of private property. And even though it’s old fashioned it’s still got architecture that is graceful and serviceable.

One of the great walks is Commercial Street, which stems from the output of Emb. 1 up to Chinatown. You get cover along that walk as well. There are some beautiful historical buildngs on this little street, and one of my favorite dim sum restaurants (closed at night), Di cheng, or City View. Walked along Kearny to pick up the Valentine’s day traffic (more stag and heifer nights than couples, by the way, oh the conspiracy of Hallmark). I got super hungry (hadn’t eaten since 3pm and it was 8) had to walk by amazing Italian restaurants, Indian restaurants (2), Vietnamese, my favorite cheap Chinese (DPD!), Il Pollaio the roasted chicken place that was recently recommended to me. It was tough going. Luckily with teh walk home it’s a few uphill blocks that I charge up then a slow descent. I wish I could take pictures of some of these buildings at night, truly beautiful. Might borrow a friends tripod and come out with my manual.