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roogles

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The week after next I am making the annual pilgrimage to San Francisco for the MacWorld Conference and Expo. (Jan 23-25 at the Moscone Center)

This will be my 15th time to San Fran (in 11 years), but it will be my first time out that way since becoming a regular pipe smoker. That being the case it will also be my first time there with pipes and tobacco in my gear.

So... I'm curious if there are any Bob'ers around the bay area who will be at or around the convention and also if there are any "must stop" pipe shops, tobacconists, places to go and smoke or other pipe & tobacco related adventures that you would consider a "have-to-do".

If any of you fine fellows will be around the convention, let me know - I have some free exhibit hall passes that I'm happy to share.

Cheers!

 
Unfortunately I think you'll be on the wrong end of the states for a must visit B&M and certainly no place to stock up as the taxes in CA are no joke. I know of a few shops in the south bay, but nothing in SF proper.

If I were down there around that time, I'd certainly join you!
 
Track down a good SF B&M and pick up some GL Pease "Fog City" collection, walk around, and contemplate. 8)
 
No tobacco shops come to mind but Chinatown is a must for Dim Sum!! You can walk from there....

I lived just south of SF for a few years in Daly City. Loved it there!
 
Chinatown is great if you want awful, tourist Chinese food. :lol: Since word got out a few decades ago that the "alley way diners" are the way to go, you can probably find better Chinese food in the Texas panhandle.
 
Kyle Weiss":vkylysi4 said:
Chinatown is great if you want awful, tourist Chinese food. :lol: you can probably find better Chinese food in the Texas panhandle.
:suspect: You're not serious?
 
Grants on Market Street is pretty cool. One of the few good tobacconists left in San Francisco.
 
MisterE":fswz2z75 said:
Kyle Weiss":fswz2z75 said:
Chinatown is great if you want awful, tourist Chinese food. :lol: you can probably find better Chinese food in the Texas panhandle.
:suspect: You're not serious?
I have spent a lot of time in the Bay Area. Chinatown is a frightening gastrointestinal experience.

Enter a small town north of Sacramento called Williams, CA. They're a typical north CA valley farming community, home to a few gas stations, some motels, and a somewhat abandoned main street off Interstate 5. We stop by for some dinner. Find a 1930s looking diner, and walk in, surprised to see the place run by Chinese. Except for a few red tassels, a garishly painted Buddha and a "waving cat" statue, the place still looks like a 1930s diner. Art deco, green, gray and stainless steel. Even the mantle clock above the kitchen is a faded, brass-faced bakelite electric clock.

The menu is in Chinese, with prices, with big pictures. The staff spoke very little English except "Please, thank-you," and "good." All were extremely friendly.

I had never had Chinese food like this before. It was flavorful, light, fresh-tasting and delicate. Even the fried stuff was decidedly non-greasy, the sauces were minimal, and the vegetables wonderfully and perfectly cooked. Our meal cost us less than $10. Best Chinese food I ever had.

When I describe my experience to a friend, who happens to be Chinese, his eyes lit up and asked me all about it. He said it was probably emigrants who had no idea what "Americanized" Chinese food was (heavily fried, battered, covered in goopy sauces, filled with copious amounts of nuts and cheap meat, etc) and were likely to be serving the real thing. He said I was very lucky and asked to take a road trip (apparently his family is terrible at cooking... :lol: )

We've been back four times now, all good. Locals love it there, and they do good business.

So, backwater cowtown Chinese food for me any day, compared to tourist traps. 8)
 
Kyle Weiss":6jhmovo3 said:
Chinatown is a frightening gastrointestinal experience.
Probably the best quote on the board in a while. LOL!

Martin
 
Williams huh? Went back four times? You might be the only non resident to have ever returned to Williams four times 8) My sister in law is from Williams, probably the coolest thing to come out of Williams, her and her sisters. I think they turned out kind of wild because there was absolutely nothing to do there and it affected them :lol: It was either that or learn to permanently :sleep:

Chinese food, like Mexican food, has become very bastardized because the mainstream wants it but they want it palatable to their McDonalds taste buds. You have to hunt down the real stuff. If you walk in and the joint is filled with white boys, leave. :afro:
 
The stir fried string beans at Nanking (or Nanjing) kitchen in Chinatown are a MUST! They may even insist that you order some, and don't run afoul of their protocols, as they can get a little testy...
If you get out to Sacramento, the Briar Patch has a very nice selection of pipes, and sometimes they have some hard to find blends. Very friendly place as well.
 
Puff Daddy":tss2yj9g said:
Williams huh? Went back four times? You might be the only non resident to have ever returned to Williams four times 8) My sister in law is from Williams, probably the coolest thing to come out of Williams, her and her sisters. I think they turned out kind of wild because there was absolutely nothing to do there and it affected them :lol: It was either that or learn to permanently :sleep:
Nope, there's one more good thing: Tamaki Haiga rice from Williams Rice Milling. My favorite sushi rice. 8)

I'd never live there, but the Chinese food is good!
 
As asianhombre said, Grant's is the only real tobacconist I found in SF. It is between Montgomery and Sutter on Market so from Moscone you would go up to Market and turn right towards the Bay. It is on the other side of the street midway in the block. There is a huge pipe on the building I believe that looks like it was made in the '50s. Try the Emperor Norton if you like English.

I'm happy you get to experience three of my favorite things: pipes, macs and SF! Have fun.
 
asianhombre":u5sgkohv said:
Grants on Market Street is pretty cool. One of the few good tobacconists left in San Francisco.
Blue Max":u5sgkohv said:
As asianhombre said, Grant's is the only real tobacconist I found in SF. It is between Montgomery and Sutter on Market so from Moscone you would go up to Market and turn right towards the Bay. It is on the other side of the street midway in the block. There is a huge pipe on the building I believe that looks like it was made in the '50s. Try the Emperor Norton if you like English.

I'm happy you get to experience three of my favorite things: pipes, macs and SF! Have fun.
Doing some Google mapping and just realized that Grant's is less than a five minute walk from my hotel (and right next to the BART stop where I'll be coming from the Airport).

I will definitely be stopping in there next week!

Thanks for the tip on this guys!
 
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