Designed by architect A. Page Brown, the steel-framed Ferry Building originally opened  in 1898 and was a main transportation access point for travel to and from the city. Built atop a 660 feet concrete and pilings foundation, the building was the largest such foundation for a building over water in the world. The 245-foot clock tower was modeled after a 12th century bell tower at the cathedral in Seville, Spain, and the interior contained ornate mosaic floors and dramatic brick and ceramic arches. At it’s peak nearly 50,000 commuters walked through the building every day. With the expansion of automobile use along with the openings of the Bay Bridge in 1936 and the Golden Gate Bridge in 1937, ferryboat travel decreased dramatically. The Ferry Building was converted to office space in the 1950s, and the construction of the unsightly Embarcadero freeway in 1957 caused the once iconic structure to sit partially obstructed for nearly 35 years. After the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake damaged the double-decker freeway that sat in front of the building, the Ferry Building and central waterfront were once again opened up with the freeway’s demolition in 1991.

After undergoing a significant re-developement to bring the building back to it’s original splendor, the Ferry Building re-opened in 2003 as a mixed-use office space on the upper floors and a marketplace on the ground floor. The marketplace has a nice variety of high-end specialty food purveyors such as |Frog Hollow Farm|, |Cowgirl Creamery|, |Blue Bottle Coffee Co.|, and |Acme Bread Company|, along with upscale eateries |Boulette’s Larder|, |Hog Island Oyster Co.|, |Gott’s Roadside|, |Il Cane Rosso|, and |Boccalone Salumeria| just to name a few. High end Vietnamese restaurant |Slanted Door| also calls the Ferry Building home. Many of the restaurants located at the rear of the building offer al fresco dining with unobstructed views of the waterfront and Bay Bridge. |Market Bar| and Gott’s Roadside, which are located at opposite sides of the building along the Embarcadero both have expansive patios for outdoor dining with views of downtown. The Farmers Market is held at Ferry Plaza three days per week and is a popular place to pick up farm fresh produce, artisan products and gourmet street food. |Ferry Plaza|

Minimum Hours of Operation:
Mon – Fri: 10am – 6pm
Sat: 9am – 6pm
Sun: 11am – 5pm

Farmers Market Hours:
Tues: 10am – 2pm
Thurs: 10am – 2pm
Sat: 8am – 2pm

Nestled between much taller buildings (the St Regis and the W Hotel), the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s minimalist brick exterior and striped circular skylight, still make a dramatic statement. This |Mario Botta| designed structure, completed in 1995, feels right at home amongst the tall buildings that dot this part of the city.

Founded in 1935, the SFMOMA was the first museum on the West Coast completely dedicated to modern and contemporary art. The museum now boasts a collection of more than 26,000 pieces of artwork in various mediums. For a quick meal between exhibits, try |Caffe Musseo| near the front entrance or the the new rooftop coffee bar that pours |Blue Bottle Coffee|. Best of all, admission is free on the first Tuesday of every month.

The gallery below has some of my favorite pieces from a recent visit to the museum, copyright credits and more information on all of the SFMOMA’s permanent collection can be found here: |SFMOMA Art Scope|SFMOMA Museum Site|

Museum Hours of Operation:
Mon-Tue: 11am-5:45pm
Wed: Closed
Thurs: 11am-8:45pm
Fri-Sun: 11am-5:45pm

Erected on the site of the 1895 original that was demolished following the ’89 earthquake, the rebuilt M. H. de Young Museum is a great example of modern architecture that enhances its natural surrounding landscape. Clad in perforated copper plates that patina over time, the long, dramatic lines and sharp edges of the exterior exude an industrial feel that create beautiful outdoor spaces, perfect for enjoying a sunny afternoon.

The de Young is a great place for that daytime date, tickets are only $10 for general admission, and the special exhibits, while additional, have featured some amazing art pieces like Chihuly’s massive glass installations (seen below). Current special exhibits include the work of the late fashion designer |Yves Saint Laurent|, currently on display until April 5th, and Andy Warhol Live, on display until May 17th.

When a moment to relax is needed, the expansive outdoor patio at the de Young Café is a great place to enjoy the landscape, accompanied by a hot espresso. |de Young| |Dale Chihuly Glassworks|

Hours of Operation:
Tues-Sun: 9:30am-5:15pm
Fri: 9:30am-8:45pm (extended hours mid Jan. thru Nov.)