REAL ESTATE • First Person
City of the future
When we saw The Francesca — perched at 850 Powell St. on the crest of Nob Hill — my wife Yaz and I both knew that we wanted to live there.
We got lucky, and got a deal for $750,000. Our apartment is just over 1,000 square feet, in the 102-year-old building with a doorman and original details that echo San Francisco’s past. We’re on a second-floor corner, with cable cars gliding past our windows. Their bells ring out against the morning fog, a reminder that while this is a city, it’s also distinctly Californian in beauty, tempo, and light.
In the 1930s, various musicians lived in the 40-unit building, including violinist Yehudi Menuhin, who played in the ornate lobby. It brings back memories of our time on 9th Street and 5th Avenue in Greenwich Village — an urban, warm, and walkable creative scene. San Francisco’s cultural, political, and economic revival is genuine, even if it’s still finding its footing.
Nob Hill is a neighborhood that still carries itself with quiet dignity. It’s peaceful, tree-lined, and safe, anchored by 97-year-old Grace Cathedral, which towers across from Huntington Park. We’re neighbors with the Pacific-Union Club, an exclusive retreat housed in the old Flood Mansion. Just across the street is the Fairmont Hotel, which rose from the ashes after the 1906 earthquake. Julia Morgan, California’s first licensed female architect, led its post-fire restoration — an early chapter in women shaping the city’s identity.
Soon, the 100-year-old Huntington Hotel (which closed during the pandemic) will reopen, bringing back Big 4, a bar and restaurant with a name that refers to Stanford, Huntington, Hopkins, and Crocker, the railroad barons who once ruled the hill. It’s been said that Lauren Bacall would take up residence at the hotel when she wanted to escape Hollywood, and was known to enjoy her scotch and sodas at Big 4’s bar. Whispers say the chicken pot pie will be back on the menu, proving that comfort still counts even in Nob Hill.
The past lingers here, but the future’s no stranger. At dawn, you can spot a long, quiet procession of Waymos humming up Sacramento Street. This is San Francisco now, a place where more groceries, meals, and wine are delivered via apps than bought in person. Most of the world’s leading AI tools are being created a few blocks away in Jackson Square.
But history and innovation don't compete anymore; they coexist in a special way. Move over, Dubai, San Francisco is the city of the future.
Very noticeably, a new generation — Gen Z — has arrived with its colorful fashion flair, optimism, and ambition. The moment echoes the 1967 Summer of Love, a special time when another generation of young people sought meaning. Today in a different key, they come pursuing new AI models and iPhone applications, but with the same purpose: to change the world.
As longtime chronicler of the city, Armistead Maupin once wrote, “San Francisco is where you come when you want to be someone else, and it’s also where you come when you want to find out who you are.”
That's kinda why I came back. –Brad Inman
WORK • Friday Routine
Forget Paris
KAIS BOUZIDI • proprietor • Bon Délire, Sens, Barcha, Kaisen Concepts
Neighborhood you live in: Noe Valley
It’s Friday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
Mornings kick off at my restaurant Sens, which is where my office is and where I like to ground my day. I check in with my team, go over the essentials, then make my way to the Ferry Building for that second (or sometimes third) cup of coffee. The walk to Bon Délire from the Ferry Building is always a pleasure. Once there, I dive into every detail, from reservations and menu specials to the ambiance, music, and lighting. After touching base with everyone, I’m off to Barcha. By the time I arrive, lunch is in full swing, so I love to do my rounds, greet regulars, and eventually eat. After lunch, it’s back to Sens, where I repeat this rotation at least twice more throughout the day until about 9p.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Yes, I’m planning to stop by Verjus in Jackson Square! It’s been a favorite of mine, and I’ve been meaning to get back there since they reopened. I appreciate the food, the people and the space. It’s always inspiring to see what they’re doing.
How about a little leisure or culture?
I make it to Chase Center pretty regularly with my best friend, which is probably my favorite way to unwind outside of work. I’m also a huge PSG (Paris Saint-Germain) supporter, so Sundays are all about catching the games at home. Music is a big part of my life, too — I’m always working on playlists for the restaurants. My go-to genres are French rap and American R&B classics; all of the playlists are mixes that feel like me and bring a unique vibe to each restaurant.
Any weekend getaways that have been memorable lately?
With three restaurants, I don’t get away for weekends much. My ideal weekend is low-key in my neighborhood, Noe Valley, which feels like its own getaway. I love starting the day with a coffee at Noe Cafe, taking a stroll along 24th Street, grilling at home, and watching sports. It’s the perfect recharge.
What was your last great vacation?
Tokyo, without a doubt. I went in May for my birthday, and it’s my favorite city in the world. There’s something about Tokyo that makes me feel both at peace and incredibly inspired. It’s the ideal blend of vibrant and calming, which is why I keep going back.
WORK LINKS: A 1225-foot sign of life for SF’s office comeback • Casual carpool return means commuting is officially back • Blue collar jobs are cool again • Salesforce’s AI sweep • Stanford study mixed on Gen Z job prospects • The elite college myth.
REAL ESTATE LINKS: SF home prices up, but so is inventory • Gap heirs plot 3456 Washington St. mansion • $70M residential development breaks ground in North Fair Oaks.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Crash Override
Hackers • 30th-anniversary screening • DNA Lounge (SoMa) • Fri @8p • bal, $30 per
Godfrey • San Jose Improv (San Jose) • Sat @ 7p • VIP, $90 per
Norman Brown • Yoshi’s (Oakland) • Sun @ 7p • VIP, $113 per
CULTURE & LEISURE LINKS: Live music landmark Mabuhay Gardens set to reopen • Ali Wong’s SF Giants obsession • Meet the latest Bimbo’s fishbowl girl • Historic Oakland mural comes down • Finding (actually) great art for under $10K.
GETAWAYS • Kenwood
Lucky star
Eastern Sonoma’s most exciting recent restaurant opening is Stella, the new spot from the team behind Glen Ellen Star. As at the Star, the menu here features seasonal California cuisine, but with more striking Italian influences. That includes a full mozzarella bar, with burrata and fresh mozz dressed-up with toppings like artichoke and lemon vinaigrette, or brown-butter walnuts and aged balsamic.
Chef Bryant Minuche’s excellent starters include tender, rich mortadella meatballs with pistachio pesto. The Sicilian focaccia arrives hot and showered in grated parmesan. Among the pastas, the creste de gallo is crescent shaped with a smooth and Cognac-kissed chicken liver ragu reminiscent of the early days of Flour + Water. Also great: the rigatoncini with pork and beef ragu, aged parm, and sourdough breadcrumbs. There are also a whole grilled dourade, half roasted chicken, pork chop, and trio of steaks on the menu.
Wine selections span the best of Sonoma and Napa counties, including a section devoted to Italian varietals like bottles of Unti’s barbera and aglianico, and a nebbiolo from Talisman. Nearly every table finishes with the Baked “Gelaska” — vanilla gelato, raspberry sorbet, and sponge cake cloaked in torched marshmallow. –Jay Barmann
→ Stella (Kenwood, CA) • 9049 Sonoma Hwy • Sun-Thu 430-9p, Fri-Sat 1130a-2p & 430-930p • Reserve.
GETAWAYS LINKS: Coronado Island is cool again • Is an oceanfront room in Hawaii worth the splurge? • SAN’s new Terminal 1 shines • High desert, high style in Santa Fe Does TSA PreCheck save time at the airport? • Amtrak’s new Acela trains are here • Pizza in the Tetons.