SoMa

		SoMa (South of Market)

South of Market, otherwise known as SoMa, has become a very hip and popular neighborhood in San Francisco over the last decade. Once just a collection of warehouses and light industrial businesses, it became known as Multimedia Gulch and then emerged as ground zero for the internet industry and dot.coms, which have now ebbed away quite a bit, as everyone knows. However, there are still many of the hip restaurants and cafes that came along with the influx of the people. There are also many graphic design and printing businesses in this area. The addition of the deluxe Pac Bell Ballpark, at 3rd and Berry Streets, completed in the year 2000, has brought alot of traffic and visitors to South of Market. One of my favorite places in SoMa is the quaint little oval tree-lined park known as South Park, between 2nd and 3rd Streets and Brannan and Bryant Streets. It’s a wonderful place to go for lunch, with a nice selection of places to choose from. For very reasonable prices, my favorites include: the friendly and hip Caffe Centro, always abuzz with activity, music and the works of local artists on the wall; Pepito's for delicious Mexican food (especially the soft tacos!); and a very French AND friendly café, The Butler and The Chef. For a more formal lunch, Ecco Ristorante is an elegant choice for delicious Italian cuisine and excellent service. South Park Café is also a popular choice with more of an emphasis on French food, however there's no privacy since the tables are placed so close to each other. After lunch, there are some wonderful shops to browse. Maison d'Etre is an intriguing place to go to find an unsual gift or a unique item for your home décor. They carry an eclectic selection of new and also "found" items, that are whimsical and appealing. Isda and Babette are couple of high-end clothing outlets that are fun to peruse for bargains. There are always new places popping up around here. Just down the street on Brannan at 4th is another hard to resist home décor store called Ma Maison, with many contemporary French and Moroccan items. South of Market also extends over to Potrero Hill, which has become immensely popular in the last few years as a place to call home. It has sunnier weather than most of San Francisco, fantastic views, easy access to both the delights of The City and the highways down to The Peninsula, where many residents work in tech industries. Along Caroline at 18th Streets, there's a nice neighborhood feel. There are many, many nightclubs in South of Market, such as Slim's, owned by musician Boz Scaggs, to check out when you're in the mood, as well as many fine restaurants, including the new Bacar and also Dine, as well as the long-time favorite Lulu, just to name a few that enjoy excellent reputations. The San Francisco Design Center, at 9th and Brannan Streets is fun to explore, as well as many of the other fine furniture and home décor stores in the area lining San Bruno, Vermont, Kansas, Rhode Island and DeHaro Streets. The Gift Center at 888 Brannan is full of stores with discounted prices to the trade, however you can call a store there first to make an appointment to gain admission and take advantage of the special rates. Once inside, you will have full run of the place. Yip's of California is an excellent place to buy jewelry, and will custom-make items for you to accommodate your ideas for a special piece. You can call them at 415-552-9020 to schedule an appointment. South of Market also has the nation's largest Flower Market at Sixth and Brannan, which is a wonderful experience! Silver Terrace Nurseries offers the best selection to browse while listening to upbeat music.
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