There are also many nightclubs, such as The Blue Bar at The Black Cat, which is also an excellent restaurant, along with others on Broadway. Broadway also has its flashy, trashy side with strip clubs and places that sell erotic toys and porno videos, so don't say I didn't warn you! On Columbus just down from Broadway, are several clubs and bars, including Tosca, which draws in big celebrities now and then just hanging out.

A daytime trip to the North Beach has its rewards and pleasures as well. Molinari's on 373 Columbus is a wonderful Italian delicatessen, which offers an excellent selection of Italian specialties at excellent prices. It's one of the best places to buy a gallon of Tiger Olive oil!

There are also some fun boutiques and places to have lunch on Grant Ave., between Columbus and Union Street.

Every year there is the North Beach Street Festival, where it's fun to peruse through all the artisan's stalls, sample some Italian food, watch the artists complete their chalk and pastel sidewalk masterpieces, and listen to excellent live music and poets reciting their poems.

Nearby, Telegraph Hill is crowned with Coit Tower, which features detailed murals in the lobby featuring key scenes from San Francisco's history. A flock of escapee green and red Cherry-Headed Conures, a type of parrot commonly found in Peru, South America, has made its home in the trees in and around Telegraph Hill. So, if you hear alot of squawking, look up and don't be surprised if you seen these exotic birds high in the tree-tops!