ITALY IN SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Gala Placidia Image
03/28/2011 - 06:25

I travel to San Francisco, California, quite frequently as my two daughters live there. I love the city and I have always noticed its strong Italian influence. You find many Italian surnames there, particularly from Northern Italy and even my good neighbours at Bagni di Lucca have relatives who live there and keep on working in the family's trade: making plaster and resin statues, fountains and ornaments. My daughters also know another family who came from the Cinque Terre many years ago and who regularly return home to visit their relatives. San Francisco has a great neighbourhood called "Little Italy" where the best coffee is served (no Starbucks, thank you) and it is not unusual to find Francis Ford Coppola or other members of the Coppola family sipping their coffee at "Tosca". If you are interested in the history of Italians in San Francisco, here is an interesting link: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/collections/italianamericans/ San Francisco's Italians have had a large input in the wine and olive industries and there are plenty of good and very authentic Italian restaurants in the city. But if you love homecooking, you will not be short of Italian ingredients. There are plenty of Italian delicatessens in San Francisco; however, I should mention a special one, Lucca on Valencia Street, where you can find any Italian product you may wish to purchase: http://www.luccaravioli.com/ And as the name of the company says, their ravioli are superb. If you love Italy, you will certainly love San Francisco.

Comment

Funnily enough on the blue directional sign for the nearby hamlet of "Aliforni" someone deftly changed this to "California" last summer! Was a very professional job!

I'm glad to see that you are interested in the story. "Little Italy" has always been one of my favourite places in San Francisco. I regularly go to St Peter and St Paul's and I visit the famous "City Lights" bookstore. Here is some more information: http://www.sallybernstein.com/travel/san_francisco/n_northbeach.htm htthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sts._Peter_and_Paul_Church,_San_Francisco I strongly recommend the walking tour of North Beach organised by volunteers through the San Francisco City Council. They are free although a donation is expected. If you are interested in the story of Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio, a google search will give you plenty of information. Joe was probably the person who loved Marilyn the most, although he wanted to change her into a demure housewife and this was an impossible task. It was said that Joe was going to propose again to Marilyn just before she died as he was very worried about her. In any case, he was the only one who kept on sending roses to her tomb until he also died. I have been trying to find the photos they had taken on the steps of St Peter and St Paul on their wedding day (they were married in a civil ceremony at the City Council as Joe had been previously married through the Catholic Church and he had not been able to obtain an annulment); however, I have been unable to find it. A copy if this photo is on display at one of the side entrances of St Peter and St Paul. A very sad love story.  

...Gala - it seems you are a true expert about San Francisco ...thanks again for all the tips and "insider" information - you have almost "sold" me the trip! yes (Ps: interesting the story of Di Maggio with Marilyn - didn't know about it..)

You will not regret visiting San Francisco, giorgiotan, as it is a great city, the most European city in America and, although I love New York, I simply adore SFO. Local food is exquisite and it has strong influences from all the different nationalities that settled in the are and Italy is no exception. A wonderful fish and seafood stew called "cioppino" is a must there and you can also eat "cacciucco" a similar dish which originates from Livorno, in Tuscany. They are all variations of the "burrida", "bourride" and "bouillabaise" adapted to the availability of local seafood. But you can have a look at the story of this dish:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cioppino