Yes, even a hard working candy maker who is trying to make it is a cold, hard and highly competitive world of confections needs a VACATION! Finally, the three of us decided to take a short vacation and go somewhere exciting (and warm). So we went to San Francisco. I have been here several times and know the city relatively well, but still love coming here and get excited every time as if it was my 1st time here.
We took United flight from Chicago (once again, had some trouble checking in because we bought award tickets and turns out that the reservations agent did not subtract the miles from our account). Then Rita was searched at the gate by an over-zealous airport workers: apparently her ticket had some sort of a code calling for extra caution. Next thing you know: she is on no-fly list (who knows with us anything is possible!)
We arrived to SF around noon only to discover that it's just a chilly there as it is in Chicago. I don't know what I was expecting, but for some reason this was a disappointment.
We met Dhruba at the hotel (he arrived earlier). We're staying in Westin St. Francis , right on Union Square. Normally, we would not stay there, but Dhruba is here for the conference and his company picks up the check. I have to say: despite the "free ride" I still don't think that this hotel provides an exception guest experience. Here is why
1. No "Heavenly Bed"- whatever happened to it I don't know. Our bed is just a regular, old bed and does not have any heavenly characteristics. At least it's clean (I checked between the spring box and the mattress for the tell-tale brown dots and there are none). I am really paranoid about the bed bugs.
2. No coffee maker in the room: again, I am not sure why management here thinks that we don't really need coffee. I LIKE the option of brewing my own coffee: even when I worked for a large company and traveled on business I tried to expense as little as possible. If I have coffee maker in the room, I won't buy Starbucks or whatever else overpriced coffee is served in the lobby.
3. The wireless Internet connection: no explanation needed. There is a high speed access on an impossibly short cord located on the desk. Literally, only about 2 inches are available and if one wanted to, say, work on the bed instead of being propped next to the desk- that would not be accommodated by the length of the cord. Dhruba got really upset about this and wrestled the rest of the cord from under the table and freed it from a monstrous bundle of other cords that is hidden under the table.
4. The hotel charges $12.95 for the use of the fitness center. If there are two people are staying in the room- they are charged separately! - that is just simply ridiculous! Even Holiday Inn does not do that.
On the positive side: the hotel is centrally located and has a cable car stop right next to it. The lobby downstairs is very posh and is hopping with well to do Europeans and successful middle managers on business trips.
We had lunch/dinner at Chinatown where we filled on unbelievably inexpensive Dim Sum (mmm, delicious sticky rice and Chinese sausage!) After that we spent 1 1/2 hrs leisurely browsing grocery stores (Rita felt bad for poor bull frogs in the seafood section of the stores and refused to go inside). We also bought Dragon Pearls and Rose Hip tea in bulk. Finally we stopped by the San Francisco Fortune Cookie Factory and stocked up on flat cookie sheets.
Back at the hotel Rita and Dhruba immediately lapsed into a Dim Sum induced coma and I stayed up to plan the next two days. Tomorrow Dhruba is going to be busy all day while Rita and I will browse Castro and Noe Hill neighborhoods.
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