November 7, 2025
Michael and I decided to take a break from Monterey and go to San Francisco for the weekend.
My first visit was at age 18 and I was actually in Haight Ashbury during the so-called Summer of Love (1967). If you are unfamiliar, I have attached an explanation at the end. Anyway, I think San Francisco is channeling the Italians with Pinocchio. The Italians have been riding that puppet for decades, selling souvenirs, telling the tale and so forth.
From the drug haze of 1967, today, the Summer of Love is probably copyrighted and when you go to HA, lots of Pinocchio-like stuff…Jim Hendrix souvenirs and so forth. You know, I’m just saying that sometimes the world can become a less interesting place. And eventually, everything winds up on a coffee cup.
Anyway, that was my first visit, and over the years, probably another half dozen times, sometimes on vacation, mostly corporate. Michael has also visited several times, in her case, all corporate.
We approached the trip with trepidation. You’ve read all the news and so forth, Trump wanting to send in the troops, homeless populations, Salesforce CEO getting his knickers in a twist asking for troops, then chastised by leadership in San Francisco, repented at the communal fountain and I’m sure today, wishes he had just kept silent.
How many times can we say it…companies who get involved in hot button issues come to regret it.
I am here to tell you that we’ve all been played by the Right on this one. The center can be a lonely place, so you have time to noodle on these things, and I’ll say it again…we’ve been played.
President Donald Trump threatened to send National Guard troops to San Francisco during an interview on Fox News on Sunday, according to a new report. The New York Times reported that Trump reiterated the threat during an interview on the Fox News program “Sunday Morning Futures” with host Maria Bartiromo. His comments come at a time when the administration is deploying troops to several Democratic-run cities such as Los Angeles, Memphis, and Chicago. “We’re going to go to San Francisco. The difference is I think they want us in San Francisco,” Trump told Bartiromo on her show.
“San Francisco was truly one of the great cities of the world. And then 15 years ago it went wrong, it went woke,” he said. He added that, “We’re going to make it great.” Trump appeared to be referencing to comments from Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, who told The New York Times last week that San Francisco doesn’t “have enough cops, so if they can be cops, I’m all for it,.”
We spent the better part of three days walking the city. We saw pretty much all of it and we supplemented it with the Hop on Hop Off bus thing and a tour of Alcatraz. I don’t know…15 miles of walking?
And here is what we found:
The city was lovely. We never felt unsafe, I think we saw all of two homeless people the entire weekend. It doesn’t even make the top 10:
It is #11 with roughly 8,000 homeless people, 1% of population. About 2,900 are on the streets. Homelessness is a stain on our country, but contrary to impressions, SF does not stand out.
In regard to crime, the big issue is auto smash and grab:
And in regard to homicides, all 35 of them, compare:
So, park your car in valet and if you must park it on the streets, have nothing in the car to tempt a smash and grab. Not sure if this justifies sending in the National Guard. Well, no, check that. That does not justify it.
As for ambience…
Shopping was a big disappointment. In the center of the city, shopping has pretty much disappeared. Malls, at least those still breathing, are on life support.
Basically, they don’t exist and can hardly compete with other big cities. Retail has just been hollowed out. The Westfield San Francisco Centre was the big gun in mall retailing, it is today a ghost town (7% occupied), and the owners have given the keys to the bank (a $1B decline in value). Reasons given are online shopping, crime (shoplifting) and so forth. But no matter, shopping is a disappointment.
There is a certain quietude about the city now. A lot of 30-somethings wandering around, jeans mostly. It has a kind of Novocain in the brain thing going on. Very chill, if you like that. We like more “jump” in our cities when we visit, so its probable we won’t be back.
Two great restaurant experiences. First, Bix, a throwback to Art Deco, where a “soft” dress code is enforced. They ask for business casual and people adhere to it. Three people came in, one guy had a baseball cap on, they put them back in the corner by the kitchen. But everything about the experience was terrific. The martini was perfect, the bread was crusty, the lobster spaghetti properly made. Cannot recommend it more highly (and don’t be put off by the alley location…just trust me). Then, we had Dim Sum at Yank Sing, it was terrific. Possibly the best we’ve ever had.
The visit to Alcatraz is a must-do, of course.
Well, in summary, the city has a certain hollowed-out feeling to it. Not horrible, just kind of quiet with a chill blandness in the air. Of course, the scenery is spectacular, and you never can get enough of it.
But to be clear, we had a great weekend and enjoyed it very much. But what I’m struck by is the bad rap the city has gotten by a relentless right-leaning press, hammering away on it. Totally unfair and unjustified. Like all big cities, it has its problems. I’m sure natives can give me examples of downward experience that makes life there less than optimal, but I think that’s everywhere. And I’m sure natives can give me example of things we missed and the better aspects I’ve missed.
But my point here is not to create a travelogue, but rather to illustrate by personal experience, how much media can try and lead us around by the nose, creating themes and schemes that in the end, have no/little basis in reality.
Over the past four years, Michael and I have visited probably 100 or 150 big cities, all around the world. If we broke them into quintiles, San Francisco would be in the top quintile, if that’s helpful for context.
When I was a young man, I did lose my heart in San Francisco, and when we visited it last week, I was grateful to realize that a piece of my heart is still there and will remain.
Thoughts, questions, or reflections? I’d love to hear them. You can reach me anytime at anthony@workingprofit.com
