Gay Travel Buddy

The Park Lane Hotel London

With much regret, I hate to write a bad review about a Starwood Property.  But after flying out our entire team and staying at this hotel last week.  We feel it is very important to share our experience.

Overall, the facilities are very nice, especially for an older property.  However, the problem lies within the staff.  The keyword being LIES!

Starwood is known for its Starwood Promise.  A contract binding the hotel to perform to a certain level.  After checking in, I needed a nap, however there was a very lonely dog barking in the room that it was locked in and left alone.  I called down to the front desk and asked if the hotel was pet friendly?  A simple question, the answer was NO, there is no way a dog could be in the building.  So instead of checking, they basically blew me off and said it was impossible.  I asked to speak with the manager, who just avoided me and did not return my calls.  One of the other rooms we had, had what I call a furniture mover.  It’s a person who can’t sleep and likes to move stuff around all night, rare but annoying.  When reported, they did NOTHING!

Ordered room service for 3 people, not only could they get the order in the computer, so I had to pay cash.  Hmm, I wonder who’s pocked that money went to?  No simple condiments where provided, when you order French Fries usually Ketchup, comes with it.  So we called and asked for the simple thing and the guy brought up tabasco sauce.  Now I know American English is considered a sub par language to the British but how do you screw that up?  So after an hour, we finally got it for our cold fries.

Every day, even though the DO NOT DISTURB sign was on the door.  House keeping would pound on the door, this was rather insulting after the first few days.  Normally I do not complain unless there is something really troublesome about the hotel.  On my last day I demanded to speak to the GM, he called me and instead of listening to what was wrong he just argued with me about every detail.

Stay away from this hotel, do yourself a favor and find a place with real service.  London is one of the most beautiful and culturally alive places in the world.  No one should have to put up with the level of crap we did.

Over a 5 day stay, they couldn’t even bother to refill the mini bar.  I have stayed at better Motel 6′s in my life, what a let down!!!

Cafe La Boheme

Since 1075, Cafe La Boheme has been bringing it’s world flavor to the Mission. They offer delicious coffee, teas, wine and even sangria. In addition, their menu includes both American and Mediterranean cuisine options. Vegetarian or vegan? They have menu items to both accommodate and thrill you. Sandwiches, paninis, salads and variety plates dominate the menu.

The coffee is wonderful here. Just as important, the atmosphere is delightful. I felt quite welcome there and noticed quite a few people reading or working on their laptops. In addition, the owner is often here and is quick with a smile and a kind word. There are even a few older gentlemen who reminded me of  Statler and Waldorf from the Muppet Show, minus the grumpiness.

There is live music from time to time in the evenings, usually of the “World” variety. That makes this sort of an all around coffee shop. It is a place to grab a bite, get caffeinated, relax, get some work done and be entertained. A great variety of experiences to be had in one location.

Located at 3318 24th Street -San Francisco -Mission

It is right near the 24 street BART station.

Folsom Street Fair

San Francisco is well known for its Folsom Street Fair, as you may have guessed its located on Folsom St. which is located in SOMA (South Of Market Area).  This street fair is not just for gay men, this is one of the largest Leather Fettish fairs in the world.  The city of San Francisco shuts down a very large portion of Folsom St and several streets leading up to the fair.  If you are not aware San Francisco is a very difficult place to find parking at any time, day or night.  This fair causes massive traffic problems getting in and out of the city.

If you are flying in to SFO and want the fastest route in during the fair, take BART.  BART is our Bay Area Transit System, trains depart directly from the international terminal at SFO.  Cabs are plentiful, however if you take one be prepaired for a VERY expensive trip.  BTW, if you hate bad drivers stay away from the cabs, NYC cab drivers are tame compared to the lunatics that drive in SF.  When you get to the BART station, which is interconnected via the airport tram.  Just head to the International terminal which also says BART, there are 2 stops, pay attention or you will get off on at the wrong station.  The train fair is about $10, which has doubled due to our lovely Union operated train system which is already poorly maintained.  You would figured at the prices they charged they could at least have a cleaning crew through the day.  Watch where you sit or you could be sitting on gum, or who knows what else?  Although if you are easily grossed out, I would suggest avoiding this fair.

Just a few years back the city health department shut down one of the most disgusting parts of the fair down.  The worlds largest cum rag, I am not joking.  Down one of the side streets, guys would do their thing from the balconies above on a giant cloth.

As a reference, different colored leather or vinyl means different fetishes.  Red, which I didn’t know any better means you like to get fisted!  I will never do that again.  Yellow, you can probably guess means you are into water sports or for the folks who do not know means you like to get urinated on and or urinate on other people.  Trust me, straights are into this as well.  Golden Showers are another commonly used term for this is Golden Showers.  I just got a little queazy writing that.  But wait, Brown means well you either like to receive or give a number 2 or take a dump on someone, otherwise known as SCAT.  I am grasping to not loose my lunch to finish this.  I know there are other colors, however I really just don’t want to know about it.  If you come unprepared and want to dress up, the largest leather store in the city is Mr S leather, located just a few blocks south on 8th St on the left hand side.  They can outfit you with a custom harness, you better not be shy about someone grabbing your privates in order to size it around your loved ones.

For the GLBT community, please patronize the businesses that have spent serious money to put up booths.  NONE of the food is operated by gay companies, many gay owned businesses in SF and around the bay area donate part of their proceeds to very important charities that help disabled people and those who are living with HIV or advanced AIDS.  The pharmaceuticals are getting rich on the medications.  For example one medication called costs about $1,500 a month without insurance.  I have personally paid for several desperate young men’s prescriptions, I was horrified.  Unlike most gay men in San Francisco, I think of others before myself and unless they are Meth addicts I will help them.  Meth addicts will lie and use the money for more Meth and not the drugs that will keep them alive.  Don’t let any of them fool you.  A close personal friend of mine, John McLaughlin an openly recovered meth addict and a gay actor in Hollywood.  He opened my eyes to what the drug does to people, he has a film about his struggles with it and I am SO genuinely proud of him and what he has done for the gay community.  The group GLAAD (Gay and Lesbians Against Anti-Defimation), which I used to donate to on a regular basis until they treated me like SHIT as a volunteer who donated many thousands of dollars to them.  But their management is to blind and full of themselves to see who really makes a difference in our community.

Enough of me bitching about the empowered gay’s and how poorly they work well together.

Folsom has many closed booth’s where they demonstrate different fetishes, including whips and other instruments of pain for pleasure.  I have met many of my straight friends in the fair, their curiosity to what goes on in this fair.  So if you are straight and are interested in seeing whats going on, don’t be affraid.  No one will push you to do anything you don’t want to do.

Most of the gay bars within the confines of the street fair cater to the “Daddy/Leather/Bear” segment of the gay community.  I have attended at least 6 of these street fairs over the years and have always found those bars are packed to the gills.  The whole smelling like a poorly maintained high school locker room is revolting to me, however I will not criticize any part of the community.San Francisco for the most part is safe, but if you have not been here before.  It’s important to know that there are some not so great areas and getting mugged is a possibility especially late at night.  Always watch where you are walking, don’t play with you phone while walking.  Especially if you have an iphone, I have heard countless times from friends that they where mugged and stole their phones.  Just stay aware, I have personally NEVER had a problem that I couldn’t get away from, and have lived in the city many years.  I pay attention, that’s the only difference.

If you are staying in Union Square, you can walk to the fair in 10-15 minutes.  I would suggest walking, taking a cab can be a fruitless effort with all of the traffic.  There is always crazy traffic during the fair.  Just walk down 5th St and you will run right into it, the fair ends at 12th st.  It’s a huge event, many thousands of people will go through it.

Folsom St. between 5th and 12th St.

Gay Spots in SOMA - All links are to Google Maps, the exact location of each Business.

Gay Sex Clubs

The city of San Francisco requires all sex clubs to provide condoms and require their staff to look to make sure you are using them.  There is no private rooms of any sorts, to find that you will need to go over the bridge to Berkeley to Steam Works.

Blow Buddies - 933 Harrison St.  Just a short walk away.

Shops

Mr S. Leather – By far the largest leather & fetish shop in the city, also very close. 385 8th St.

Restaurants

Mars, a good 15 minute walk is worth the walk and has many gay events. Mars has a broad menu, American Fair at high quality, great brunch with outdoor seating  798 Brannan.

Basil Canteen is an amazing Thai Restaurant, if you like Thai food, make sure to try them. 1489 Folsom St.

Custom Burger is an amazing burger with the finest selection of meats and vegetarian options.  121 7th St.

San Francisco Gay Pride

It’s coming up on that time of year again, San Francisco loves Gay Pride and you will see signs of it all over town.  Rainbow flags can be seen on most major street for at least a month before pride.  The festivities are scattered all over the city, you may think that the Castro would be the center of everything.  However, the Castro is no wear near large enough to host the event.  The city is very generous to us and provides the park just across from city hall and ropes off many blocks beyond the common areas.

Entertainment

Throughout pride, there will be a very diverse set of shows, concerts and other fun and very well organized events.  This map is from sfpride.org, it can give you an idea of the size.  The line up of acts are scattered all over, each street has its own stage, some have several.  A very detailed map can be found here.

Pride Parade

The official Pride Parade is held June 26th, it starts at 10:30am.  Still blows me away that they start it so early, especially since so many party till 6am.  The parade starts near the Embarcadero that famous building that says the Port of San Francisco and is in many movies.  Depending if the city changes things, at the moment its scheduled to start at Market at Beale and heads down Market st and ends on 8th St.

This is the 41st pride parade with the theme of “In Pride We Trust”.

Transportation / Parking

This is really important to know if you have not been to SF Pride before.  If you are driving in, Market St is closed for the Parade from the Embarcadero, where Market st starts and will be close all the way to Van Ness.  It will be impossible to drive across Market and when the parade is in motion, you will not be allowed to cross on foot either.  Under the Westfield center, where Nordstroms and Bloomingdales are easy to find, at the basement levels and also on the street, harder to get to when its that crazy.  You can enter the MUNI/BART station and come up on the other side, making it easier to get through.

Be aware, parking will be VERY difficult, even as a local who knows where find parking, I struggle and everyone says I have the ultimate parking Karma.  So just do yourself a favor and try not to drive, if you are coming in from out of town you can always stop at a major BART station just outside of the city and take the train in.  The trains will be packed and uncomfortable, if you are clostrophobic I would suggest not going this route.

I highly suggest arranging for a driver, if you are an iPhone user or an Android user.  Download the free app UberCab, I use this service all the time and so far have had little to no problems.  Get a group to meet in one of the outside of the city parking lots and have a driver pick you up and drop you off.

If you are coming from SFO on the day of the parade, either take BART, which is going to suck.  Or arrange a car service, TRUST ME, the cab drivers here will purposely try to drive through the worst of it just to get that meter up.  Most car services are just a little more expensive than a cab.  Be sure to be VERY specific in your instructions about how to get there.  TRUST me, you will hate life waiting in the car for 3 hours fighting through traffic.  Always double check traffic online, if you don’t have an iphone or another smart phone, you should not be even getting on a plane.  Sorry this is just too basic.

Have the driver take you 101N heading to the Golden Gate Bridge, DO NOT get off on 7th, normally that is the fastest route, just not on any parade day.  The 101 to the bridge is on the left side and you will want to head towards Duboce.  There are 2 lanes, the right lane will force you into Mission St, it moves faster and you will be tempted to take it. DONT!!  Take Duboce to either Pearl or Guerrero St. and turn right.  You will run into Market, turn right on Market and merge left IMMEDIATELY!  Or be stuck in the traffic I am trying to get you out of.  The left lane will push you towards Franklin, you want to turn left on Franklin.  Your best bet, unless you are handicap, is to have the driver drop you at the San Francisco Opera on the Franklin side.  Just walk across Van Ness and you will be right there.  That may be a mess, so here is another option.

If Franklin is too busy here is a local shortcut, taught to me by a vet cab driver.  Same way off the 101 N, head on Duboce and do not turn.  You will hit Market St.  Cross over and head up the hill, the name changes to Buchanan St.  As soon as you see a clear street to turn left, turn left and then take a right on Webster.  Webaster is a hidden, very fast way across the city, its heavily patrolled so don’t drive like I do.  Keep going till you get to at least Eddy and the turn right.  Cross over Van Ness and then turn right at the first available street that does not look like a disaster.  Yes, it is possible to look before turning, most drivers can’t do this, but well learn.  Those are the easiest ways to get dropped off.  You should not get picked up on the East site of Van Ness, its just too crazy.

The best pickup locations are going to be south of Market, way south, like 5 -10 blocks down.  West of Van Ness at least 2-4 blocks.  This event is worth planning a transportation strategy or you will be SO SORRY that you will never want to do this again.  I have been to 6 of these, every year its worse and worse.  Of course if you are staying in Union Square, you can just walk and that saves tons of un wanted stress.

The parking garages will be nearly all full unless you get there at say 6 am.  Let’s face it, you come to SF Pride and are not out late the night before?  The geriatric pride is in another city.

Have a disabled placard?  That’s cool, won’t help you worth a shit.  There is NEVER even close to enough diables spaces to accommodate everyone, maybe 10% at most.  SF is big on helping disabled people, but this is one event that no matter if they made every space around the area for disabled vehicles, it would not help at all.  I am disabled, I rarely use the placard myself unless I am in dire need, so I understand the frustration.

So you are staying in Union Square and are going to walk over?  I do not intend to scare you with this, but just follow these simple rules and you will have no issues.  To get to this area you have to walk through the Tenderloin District, an area with a tremendous amount of homeless and drug addicts.  They prey on tourists.  This is slightly hard to stomach, but just trust me and keep walking, do not make eye contact and say no thanks.  Most of them will not go much further than that, unless you make eye contact.  You can read a little more about how to handle them on our Castro page.

San Francisco Hotels

It’s easy to assume that the gay mecha in the US would have a great selection of hotels in the Castro.  Sadly there are only a few options and only 1 of them is a typical hotel rather than a bed and breakfast.  The only main stream hotel is Beck’s Motor Lodge, I have been unable to get a rate with them yet.  But will post a link if I can get one.

The majority of the bars are located in Union Square, below are hotels that I have personally stayed in.  If you choose to book through the link provided, we receive a tiny commission to help pay the hosting.

Union Square

Hotel Diva – A simple boutique that I used to stay at all the time before moving here.  Great staff, small rooms, very simple amenities.  Great location, plus a StarBucks attached to the lobby for the coffee addicts.

Westin St. Francis – By far my favorite hotel in San Francisco, it is older, but very well maintained.  Some of the views, especially from the newer tower is breath taking.  The elevator is all glass and freaks people out.

There are far more great, gay friendly hotels that we have not had a chance to write up yet.  The Monaco, Adagio, St. Regis, Hyatt, 4 Seasons, Sheraton and a few others are great.  We will get more up soon.  If you are like me and want to not hear screaming children when I am on vacation or a business trip.  Stay away from the Marriott, the lobby is constantly covered in them.  Imagine waking up with a raging hang over and going down to the piercing screams of a miss behaved 10 year old or 30 of them?  I just can’t do it.

SOMA – South of Market Area – Near Union Square

Westin – The Westin is located just half a block from Market St. a wonderfully upgraded hotel and views that are hard to forget in the right rooms.

W Hotel – A great choice for the trendy crowd, the bar is a great place to people watch and is only 2 blocks from Market St.

The Castro

Will be absolutely nuts during the entire event, by no means is this a warning to stay away.  You must visit the Castro, help keep our community strong by eating at places that are gay owned.

Parking is horrible all year round in the Castro, during pride or the Castro Street Fair, just forget about it.  The absolute best way to get in and out is using the underground MUNI train.  They will be very busy during pride, do not go down to BART, you will wind up in another city.  The most common lines are K,L,M or as a very good friend told me tonight.  Just think of Martin Luther King, MLK when getting on a train.  None of those will send you the wrong way.  From the event, you will want to go “Out Bound”, “In Bound” will send you the wrong way.  There is a station directly in the Castro, just wait till you get there.

Security and Self Protection

Even in the most gay friendly town in the US, we still have problems.  Please be aware of your surroundings at all times.  Do not accept a drink from a random stranger, that cute boy may give you something that will make you do what he wants.  Likely just to rob you, but maybe worse.  While in bars, DO NOT ever let you drink out of your hand or site.  Getting drugged is not a common problem, but especially during big events when people from out of town come in, all sorts may show.

San Francisco Police Department is very supportive of Gay Pride and provides a literall army of officers to keep things under control.  Unless you are being dumb, peeing on the street – illegal now, finally.  Or beng out of control, they will be very helpful.

The Castro page has links to every bar and most restaurans in the area, hopefully that will help you find the right bar.

I spent about seven years living in Washington DC and although it obviously has some downsides, the District is a wonderful place to vacation and the gay community is everything you would expect in the Capital city of our country. Although everyone is hyper-politically aware, this doesn’t mean Washingtonians don’t like to have fun. In fact, the half conservative/half liberal atmosphere in DC encourages everyone to fly their freak flag even higher, even if only to flaunt it in front of those most offended. The fact that all major protests find their way to DC combined with the fact that gay Americans have a lot to protest about means there are plenty of passionate beautiful men to be found in this city. The firmly established and political vibrant gay community in Washington DC is certainly one reason to visit, but when it comes to a selection of hotels, bars, restaurants and shopping, Washington DC is hard to beat.

The main gayborhoods in our nation’s capital are all close to Dupont Circle which has an easily accessible metro stop. Besides Dupont Circle itself, the area around 17th Street and P Street is bustling with gay bars, gay friendly restaurants and wonderful shops. The gay community is actually expanding into newer areas such U street and Logan Circle. The selection of bars, restaurants and shopping available is uniquely Washingtonian and can’t be found anywhere else.

Washington DC Gay Friendly Hotels

W Hotel -> W style luxury with an official flair, this is historic hotel is right across the street from the White House.

Westin Grand -> An international hotel in the heart of Georgetown, this Westin is perfect for business or pleasure

St. Regis -> Superb Luxury hotel in the heart of the city. If you have the means this is the place to stay.

Washington DC Gay Bars, Restaurants and Shops

Town Danceboutique -> This Washington DC Mega gay dance club is a must see.

Ziegfeld’s/Secrets -> A male strip club mixed with drag shows and female illusionists make this another DC must see.

Nellie’s Sports Bar -> Another gay sports bar with a great atmosphere, fun bartenders and a friendly crowd.

Cobalt -> This 17th Street cornerstone of the gay community is a relaxed lounge downstairs and wild dance club upstairs.

Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse -> Also on 17th Street, Annie’s has a great menu and a new hip lounge upstairs.

Duplex Diner -> A classic diner between Dupont and Adams Morgan, you may glimpse the occasional gay celebrity here.

Kramerbooks & Afterwords -> Good cafe food and a large gay/lesbian book section make the hours disappear here.

G Star RAW -> Stand out fashion in this button-down town at a bearable price.

The Leather Rack -> Love leather? You’ll feel right at home at the Leather Rack.

Human Rights Campaign Store -> Contribute to the Human Rights Campaign by shopping at their store.

Gay St. Louis

St. Louis is another island of tolerance in the red sea of Midwest America and well worth the visit. Of course, this means that the cosmopolitan LGBT community in St. Louis attracts explorers from far and wide making for an extremely friendly mixture that runs a bit thick. Needless to say, you can get as crazy as you want in St. Louis if you’re looking for more than a quite little gay bar. A pretty good selection of gay bars and restaurants can be found in St. Louis with the majority of them concentrated around Manchester Ave in the Central West End, the historic Soulard District and the South Central part of the city.

I stayed at a nice Westin in the Cupples Station District, but there is a Sheraton downtown and several other gay friendly accommodations available such as the Lafeyette Park B&B, Napoleon’s Retreat B&B and the St. Louis Guesthouse. Since the bars and restaurants you’ll want to see are somewhat spread around town you should probably put aside some cab fare for a long night of bar hopping in St. Louis.

St. Louis Gay Friendly Hotel Deals That I Pre-Arranged:

Westin – Guaranteed Best Rates at the Westin!

Sheraton – The Best Rates. Guaranteed.

St. Louis Gay Bars and Restaurants

Korners -> Fun cabaret bar with darts, video games and a very diverse crowd.

Just John -> Popular gay night club/video bar with different DJs and Karoake nights.

JJ’s Clubhouse -> Bear/leather/biker bar with pool tables, dart boards and lots of events.

Eleven Eleven Mississippi -> This St. Louis bistro mixes Tuscan and Northern Californian cuisine with great wine.

Everest Cafe & Bar -> Nepalese, Korean and Indian choices give exotic food lovers an amazing selection.

King and I -> Fans of Thai food must visit this popular restaurant in St. Louis.

St. Louis Shopping

Blues -> Boutique jeans store with expensive brands and nice shoe selection.

Boxers -> Men’s underwear and swimsuit shop with great selection of styles.

TAG -> T.A.G. stands for Timeless Authentic Garments. Extensive selection of quality vintage clothing.

11th Street Diner South Beach Miami

A hub of the gay community, this small diner in the heart of the Art Deco Design District serves breakfast to everyone in South Beach eventually. The Diner was originally built in the 40s in New Jersey and passed through Pennsylvania before finding a permanent home in South Beach. The food is as classic as the design of this real dining car. The Location and the significance of the 11th Street Diner in South Beach makes this greasy spoon paradise a must dine. The staff were upbeat and friendly and the service was spotless.

1065 Washington Ave 305.534.6373

Crew Chicago – Boystown

I try to occasionally check out gay friendly sports bars when I come across them. Crew is high on the list of gay sports bars with the kind of quality food you would expect in a restaurant instead of a sports bar. I found it funny when I visited Crew that several groups wandered in to grab a bite to eat while I was there and they all slowly realized they were in a gay sports bar. These people were most likely meeting and eating before a show at the Riviera Theatre. Located on Broadway in the heart of Chicago’s theatre district, crew is a great place to gather before seeing a show at any of the windy city’s many Broadway attractions. The drinks are great for a sports bar, the beer selection is large and they occasionally have dancers, but check their website for an event calendar. The staff was very friendly as were the other patrons playing at the pool table and the dart board in the back. Parking is difficult anywhere in Downtown Chicago, but I had a good time and will definitely return.

4804 N Broadway St 773.784.2739

The Castro

The Castro is well noted as the Gay hot spot of the world. The Castro is filled with some good shopping, great food and bars and clubs. I do not suggest trying to stay in the Castro as hotel choices are limited, there are some bed and breakfast options. The best hotels are in Union Square and its a 10 minute cab ride to the Castro or about 15 minutes via the MUNI, specifically the underground rail system in San Francisco.

Gay Friendly Hotels:
When planning on staying in San Francisco and your destination is the Castro plan on staying in Union Square or SOMA “South of Market Area” The Castro only has one hotel. My Favorite hotels in San Francisco are:

Westin St. Francis

Westin in SOMA

Hotel Diva

Hotel Monaco

W SOMA

St. Regis - Ultra luxurious hotel in SOMA.

Sheraton Fisherman’s Wharf

Within the Castro Beck’s motor lodge is your only choice.

GAY GYMS

Gold’s Gym – It’s a very popular gay gym, very cruizy. It has underground parking.

24 Hour Fitness – Small very busy, not very cruisy if that is what you want.

The Gym SF Castro - Small gym, haven’t tried them yet, but would love to hear from anyone who uses them.

PARKING:

There is only one paid parking garage in the Castro and it’s pretty well hidden, entry is on Noe St. just north of Market. Be aware this garage closes at Midnight. If you are looking for this place on any map program the address is on Market St. so it may be confusing to find.

Meters are STRICTLY enforced! The Castro is the single most enforced part of the city, there are more meter maids than any other part of the city. Watch your meter carefully and READ the signs very carefully. Some of the commercial spots are only for commercial vehicles until 4pm and may or may not be commercial on Saturday. Meters are free on Sunday, even commercial spots. Commercial spots are Yellow. Watch carefully for red meters, these are 30 minute meters. If you have a disabled placard, do NOT park in commercial spots when they are commercial, you will get a ticket. In California commercial plates are identified by having a single letter in them. For example 1×12345 is commercial, 1xyz1234 is not. These meter’s can be very expensive and most of the people I know have far less than $10 in quarters in their pocket, they sell cards that you can use for the meters around the city at a convenience store called Rossi’s Deli.

Look for temporary signs posted on the meters for events or construction, they will enforce these strictly. Look for chalk on your tires, if you keep feeding your meter past the allocated time you may get a ticket. The easy way to check is for a chalk mark on your tires that are street facing.  Be aware that parking fines have increased by about 100% in 2010.  I just looked at the SF MTA web site today and meter violations can be up to $100 and are very difficult to fight.  Be very careful, fighting these tickets are very difficult.  They have metal detectors at the MTA office with bullet proof glass, so just fill in the blanks about your chances of getting out of a ticket.

I do not know this for sure, but I have been told that a private contracted company takes care of the parking tickets. Once a ticket has been issued, there is no way for them to cancel it, don’t fight with them or you can wind up in jail. No kidding, if they feel threatened they can get you thrown behind bars! Many of these meter maids are very short tempered and do not put up with anything. It is in your best interest not to push them. You can attempt to fight a parking ticket, in my experience this is nearly an impossible thing to win. It’s worse than fighting a speeding ticket, but do what ever you want.

Be aware that the Castro Theater has 4 or 5 spots in front that at any time, at their discretion can become no parking, loading only zones. They will put out signs, again don’t try it, its really not worth it.

FYI, additional metered parking is available behind the Castro Theater, Naia, Sliders are right in front. Access to this lot is to the right of Naia. There is a second lot just off 18th st. behind Walgreen’s between Magnet, the STD testing facility.

The meters are expensive, $.25 will not get you but a few minutes at some locations. You can purchase a parking card in advance from the MTA website, the Montgomery MUNI station sells them during regular business hours.

You can buy parking cards at both Rossi’s Deli, they are at 426 Castro St near the Diesel store at Market and Castro St. The other place I have bought the cards at is the Chevron, also at the corner of Market and Castro. They

only have the $20 cards.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION:

If you are looking for alternatives to get to the Castro, you are in luck. San Francisco has a great public transportation system, so you have plenty of options. During street fairs such as Gay Pride and the Castro Street Fair it may be easy to get a cab in, but getting one out is a mess. Forget about parking, you will have a very hard time finding parking. Many of the streets are temporarily shut down or are setup for no parking.

There is an above street cable car called the F line, these street trains go from Fisherman’s Wharf to the Castro. Typically this service ends around 11 or midnight. You can catch this service from Union Square, where most of the major shopping and large hotels are located. This is the slowest possible way to travel in San Francisco, other than walking. These cars are antiques and are very slow!

If you are coming from Union Square, the fastest way to the Castro is via the Muni train service which is located underground. To alleviate confusion, from Union Square you can enter at the Montgomery Station, Powell Street, or Civic Center. These stations are the closest to Union Square, Powell Street is the most central to Union Square. There is also a cable car stop and BART stop at Powell.

At the platform there are two directions, In Bound and Outbound. In Bound trains are heading towards the Embarcadero or heading West toward the bay. Outbound is heading East or towards the Castro for this example. Do not use the J, which heads to the Church St, it get’s close but is not the best choice. The N line heads to the Sunset district which goes all the way to the beach. It’s not even close to where you want to be, it does stop at the Church station, so you can walk from there. Both the J and N lines go out and above ground.

The Outbound lines that will take you to the Castro station are K, L and M. During weekday rush hour, there is an S or Castro Express line that skips many stops and is very quick. Don’t wait for it, at times between trains can be lengthy and I have waited for the S at Powell st to find it so full that no one could get on.

Do not lean on the door’s, I have heard stories of the doors suddenly flying open while these trains are moving at full speed. I am sure it will not be fun if you fly out. Do not attempt to ride the train without a valid pass, do not throw your pass out after you go through the gate. These trains have police that check tickets. They will give you a fairly nasty fine. I also would not touch anything on the train, some people who ride the trains are very un-hygienic!

Some evenings they shut the trains down early and switch to street buses, they will have the same letters as the trains. During the weeken

ds there are buses that run all night long down Market st. They don’t run that often, but its an alternative if you do not have cab money.

NIGHTLIFE AND GAY BARS:

The Castro has a nice long list of gay bars, you may think there would be more to choose from, however there is a strict limit on liquor licenses within the Castro so it’s nearly impossible to open more.

The Blackbird is a newer bar to the Castro, they tend to have a younger mixed crowd. It’s a bit of a walk from Market and Castro, but worth the effort. It’s the closest bar we have that’s lounge like and has a pool table.

Blush – A personal favorite is a very laid back, sophisticated wine bar, located in the heart of the Castro, near 18th and Castro St.

22-23 is both a bar and restaurant, so you can have brunch and get trashed all in one sitting. Good food!

The Cafe is a large bar and gay dance club located in the center of the Castro, lot’s of events each night.

Twin Peaks is a good sized bar for the Castro, it caters to an older crowd. Is also known as the Glass Coffin, so you can read between the lines.

440 Castro is a decently sized bar that tends to cater towards the leather crowd, they also have a few nights that are for younger guys and a very popular beer bust.

Bar on Church formally known as Bar on Castro, but after loosing its lease moved. The new place is really nice, the crowd is a mix but on the younger side in general. Just steps away from Gayway, or Safeway.

Trigger is a bar for the gay yuppie crowd, drinks are typically twice as much as anywhere else. I used to like it myself, but they have let it fall apart in my opinion. I even paid for their black card the first year, will never do that again.

Martuni’s is a gay piano bar, located on the out skirts of the Castro. They have very strong drinks and different events most nights, it’s a nice spot.

The Mix is another average sized gay bar with a nice outside deck off the back, they have some fun events and a pool table. It attracts a wide range of age groups, but I have met some very nice guys here before.

Moby Dick’s is a fun small bar with a pool table and a nice big fish tank in the back ground. A popular spot for the gay sports teams to meet after a game.

Harvey’s is a popular iconic restaurant and gay bar located in the heart of the castro right off 18th and Castro, a must see for visitors.

The Edge is a bear’s bar, I have never been here but it’s usually crowded.

Toad Hall is a popular gay bar with a large outside patio, a mixed crowd with lots of youngsters to choose from. I call it Toad Vomit, but that’s my view.

Badlands is the most popular gay bar in the Castro, very young crowd with LCD screens all over. This is the main tourist trap to visit, very reasonable drink prices and a happy hour geared to kill people with alcohol poisoning.

The Mint, technically is outside the Castro but it is close to Martuni’s so worth a mention. This is your Karaoke spot of choice.

SHOPPING

Best in Show – A boutique dog toy store for your loved one, a well run store.

HOMELESS:

San Francisco is the homeless capital of North America. Tourists are the prime targets. I know you will feel sorry for them and they will tell you all sorts of crazy stories about their problems. If you give them money they will keep asking, once one see’s you give to one, the others will chase you down. As cold as this sounds, don’t make eye contact and just say no thank you and keep walking. If you give them a cigarette it opens you up for them to ask for money. The city provides them money, food and housing. They also have dozens of options for education, help getting a job and medical aid. They either have mental issues or choose the route of driving hard working people crazy.

RESTAURANTS:

The Castro has a great selection of restaurants to choose, all pretty easy to walk to. On the higher end you have Catch, a seafood restaurant which is really good, It’s located on Market St. Just at Castro. As well as Eureka, which is located on 18th, 3/4 of a block heading towards Delores Park from Castro St. One of the best new additions is Starbelly, at the corner 16th and Market. Both Catch and Eureka you can make reservations on Open Table. Starbelly, unless you have a really big group is first come first serve, expect a wait.

French

Bisou – This by far is my favorite French restaurant in San Francisco, hands down!  Must try!

American – Gay Drunk Food

Harvey’s – This is a must try, for American fair the food is well done, they have a great bar and very friendly staff.

Home Restaurant – This is a great brunch spot, make sure to get a reservation and try their home made breads.

Cafe Flore – An indoor outdoor cafe, with a full bar and restaurant, nice on sunny days.

Orphan Andy’s – Classic American dinner affair, open 24 hours, they also have a very large low cal and carb section for the conscience drunks.

Chinese

Brandy Ho’s – One of my personal favorites as well, it’s Hunan style so can be spicy.

Nirvana – This is more of Asian Fusion – Noodles, very good worth trying. Great cocktails!

Sushi

Osaka Sushi Good food, great location, usually some pretty good fish options.

Indian

Bombay

Kasa – Kasa is a great small unique Indian Restaurant, I have eaten here dozens of times and always loved it.

Mexican – Latin

Luna

Mediterranean

Cafe Mystique – A newer choice in the Castro and a nice change from the typical choices.

La Mediterranee – Haven’t tried it, but this is an option.

Italian – Pizza

Nizarios – Pizza sold by the slice and always good.

The Sausage Factory – One of my favorite Italian restaurants in San Francisco, a must try.

Escape From New York Pizza – A good place for a slice or if you need delivery.

Marcello’s Castro – Pizza by the slice..

Seafood

Anchor Oyster Bar – A great option for the Oyster Lover!

Catch – Fine dining, but one of my favorite spots.

Southern – Soul Food

Criolla Kitchen- A new addition to the Castro, this is a great restaurant with an excellent menu.  Criolla Kitchen has taken over Bagdad Cafe.

Thai Food

Thai House Express

Vietnamese

Zadin – A great Vietnamese restaurant, with a Gluten free menu as well.

Deserts – Coffee Shops

Castro Tarts A great small coffee shop, its a little hard to find so you may want to hunt this one out.

Hot Cookie – A small bakery that makes a few cookies that look awfully similar to the human reproductive system, but tasty, none the less.

The Cove Cafe – A small coffee shop with deserts.