I never thought I would have the opportunity to visit San Francisco. I had seen it in shows like "Full House" and in cult movies like "The Room", but I never envisioned myself going to visit the city. In San Francisco, rent was high, but so was innovation. This is where the world was being changed, one productive idea at a time. This is the city where mega start-ups like Airbnb and Uber were founded and continued to be operated from today. Zuckerberg and Musk were names that were tossed around like ancient gods within these tight, hilly streets. The Bay provided cool wind all through the city, and I was here to experience it for myself.
The first place we visited in San Francisco was the Fisherman's Wharf. This interesting part of town was directly next to the Bay, and shops and restaurants galore lined both sides of the streets. For lunch, I had the West Coast's famous In-N-Out Burger, and this was an experience in and of itself. In-N-Out is only a chain out West, and that's a rather interesting idea, for it is so popular that it could likely explode if it franchised out further East. However, with its unique style of placing burgers in a paper pocket and its simple menu, the chain has given itself a cult status that makes it appear exclusive and one-of-a-kind. If expanded further, it loses its allure to an East Coaster like myself. It's a lesson in branding: if you have something special, make it exclusive.
I toured more of Fisherman's Wharf, and the part that stuck out to me the most was Pier 39. Somehow, I had never heard of Pier 39, a lengthy dock which contained what must have been over one-hundred shops, including the memorable store which only sold products for left-handed folks. There were quirky stores such as that one, arcades, sports memorabilia shops, and everything in between. It was a remarkable marketplace that could offer just about anything anyone could want. The most memorable experience though, aside from seeing the faint outline of Alcatraz in the Bay, was getting to see the multitude of sea lions conglomerating on the K-Dock. The sea lions, which suddenly arrived in droves around 1990 and have stayed due to the plentiful herring supply, were there by the dozens, each one honking towards the heavens, trying to gain supremacy over its mates. I stood for about 30 minutes just watching nature in motion, and it gave me a greater appreciation for this area. Fisherman's Wharf decided to embrace its unusual visitors and turn their shops into more than just a marketplace, the sea lions added character, and it rubbed off on the rest of the strip.
The city of San Francisco, and the surrounding San Jose area, I mostly remember for the intense traffic. With so many heavily-employed start-ups in such short distance from each other, it is no surprise that the highways are clogged day-in and day-out, but this traffic far surpassed that of any DC traffic I have experienced. In terms of how companies were physically positioned, most companies were not too far from one another. Due to the immense synergy that takes place and the frequent job-moving that occurs, this is helpful for the overall sustaining and development of the Valley as a whole. Through the many visitors and speakers we had in the Valley, it was clear that each company relied on the fostering of this city's atmosphere and the mutual buzz each start-up created. When companies do well in this city, talent flocks there, increasing the quality of the pool and creating a more innovative-friendly atmosphere.
My favorite part of the trip was visiting the Golden Gate Bridge, a national icon. I had only ever seen picture of this monument, so being able to witness the majestic bridge firsthand was a pleasure. I took some fantastic pictures and got to feel the heart of the pride of San Francisco. San Francisco and the surrounding San Jose are make up what we deem to be "Silicon Valley". It is here where the greatest minds go to pursue opportunities and it is here, within these pristine weather conditions, where companies have decided to set up shop for years to come, ultimately jacking up rent prices. San Francisco was a unique city, and I was excited to see which companies fuel the town.
The first place we visited in San Francisco was the Fisherman's Wharf. This interesting part of town was directly next to the Bay, and shops and restaurants galore lined both sides of the streets. For lunch, I had the West Coast's famous In-N-Out Burger, and this was an experience in and of itself. In-N-Out is only a chain out West, and that's a rather interesting idea, for it is so popular that it could likely explode if it franchised out further East. However, with its unique style of placing burgers in a paper pocket and its simple menu, the chain has given itself a cult status that makes it appear exclusive and one-of-a-kind. If expanded further, it loses its allure to an East Coaster like myself. It's a lesson in branding: if you have something special, make it exclusive.
I toured more of Fisherman's Wharf, and the part that stuck out to me the most was Pier 39. Somehow, I had never heard of Pier 39, a lengthy dock which contained what must have been over one-hundred shops, including the memorable store which only sold products for left-handed folks. There were quirky stores such as that one, arcades, sports memorabilia shops, and everything in between. It was a remarkable marketplace that could offer just about anything anyone could want. The most memorable experience though, aside from seeing the faint outline of Alcatraz in the Bay, was getting to see the multitude of sea lions conglomerating on the K-Dock. The sea lions, which suddenly arrived in droves around 1990 and have stayed due to the plentiful herring supply, were there by the dozens, each one honking towards the heavens, trying to gain supremacy over its mates. I stood for about 30 minutes just watching nature in motion, and it gave me a greater appreciation for this area. Fisherman's Wharf decided to embrace its unusual visitors and turn their shops into more than just a marketplace, the sea lions added character, and it rubbed off on the rest of the strip.
The city of San Francisco, and the surrounding San Jose area, I mostly remember for the intense traffic. With so many heavily-employed start-ups in such short distance from each other, it is no surprise that the highways are clogged day-in and day-out, but this traffic far surpassed that of any DC traffic I have experienced. In terms of how companies were physically positioned, most companies were not too far from one another. Due to the immense synergy that takes place and the frequent job-moving that occurs, this is helpful for the overall sustaining and development of the Valley as a whole. Through the many visitors and speakers we had in the Valley, it was clear that each company relied on the fostering of this city's atmosphere and the mutual buzz each start-up created. When companies do well in this city, talent flocks there, increasing the quality of the pool and creating a more innovative-friendly atmosphere.
My favorite part of the trip was visiting the Golden Gate Bridge, a national icon. I had only ever seen picture of this monument, so being able to witness the majestic bridge firsthand was a pleasure. I took some fantastic pictures and got to feel the heart of the pride of San Francisco. San Francisco and the surrounding San Jose are make up what we deem to be "Silicon Valley". It is here where the greatest minds go to pursue opportunities and it is here, within these pristine weather conditions, where companies have decided to set up shop for years to come, ultimately jacking up rent prices. San Francisco was a unique city, and I was excited to see which companies fuel the town.