San Francisco - a Slow Burn

You have all heard the stories as it has been impossible to ignore. A glaring red flag - San Francisco, one of the greatest cities to ever exist…or at least it was before the unfortunate series of events that has taken over every Google search of the keyword phrase “San Francisco”. A once vibrant city filled with people from all sorts of backgrounds and stories has been clouded with the notion that doomsday is here to stay.

Since the great pandemic that has hit the 21st century, the city has not quite recovered…at least that is what the news and media portrays. Call it the real-life “Gotham” or “The next Detroit.” The thing about coverage is it only tells one side of the story, looks at a select few neighborhoods, chooses its key words carefully. The data is skewed and exaggerated (Said). Zombies! Garbage! Empty spaces! There is a tale that speaks highly about what San Francisco looks like, however there are promising details that suggest there is a tunnel of revival, one that is synonymous with the breath of life the city used to have…only better.?Those who see the everyday foot traffic share a different narrative than the one on your Facebook feed, one that highlights the true spirit of the people known as San Franciscans.?

Although the city is experiencing uncharted territory facing the aftermath of the pandemic, it has scratched the surface of a new era that the “City that knows how” or “The Paris of the West” is proudly showing. A major shift is in the air and many can feel it pulsing through. A renaissance is emerging and the statement “out with the old and in with the new” might just be the slogan for this campaign.?As the city’s flag sways through many notable buildings - a sight that most will forget - a phoenix rising emblem symbolizes resiliency (Long).

One of the industries that has had the hardest blow is in fact the one that caters to the masses - the hospitality and tourism sector boldly defined by the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers, you are encouraged to feel mindful and fulfilled. Take a page out from some of the most notable hoteliers - J. Willard Marriott’s mission to “Make guests feel whole again and nourish the soul” or Four Season’s own Isadore Sharp’s pillar and lead by the golden rule and note we have a history of responsibility to maintain - not just for us but for everyone that steps into our city.

San Francisco is not dead. It is very much aware of what has happened and what needs to be done and what will be. Take a walk over to Lori’s Diner on Union Square, grab a burger and people watch or head over to Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company and you will see. There are remnants of the San Francisco that was. Nostalgia is one of the stronger emotions a person can experience and a warm feeling will fill you up. Peer closer and you will see the San Francisco that is emerging. It will get better.

San Francisco is alive. It lives on in the community. In the curated bar menus and the drinks you share with a colleague after a day of work and on the smile of a stranger you cross on Market Street, the Bart on 16th Street, the muni on Emarcadero, the ferry ride from Vallejo. It is in the culturally enriched and flavorful dishes of the Mission District, it is in the colorful and bright Castro, it is in the lobby of your favorite hotels wrapped in a warm good morning, good afternoon and good evening of a bellman who has worked in the same hotel for over 20 years (even through different ownerships and rebranding).

San Francisco is alive and will once again be one of the greatest cities to ever be. We all love a good comeback story and this one is one you will want to pay close attention to.

Hartlaub, Peter. “The Flag San Francisco Needs Is Flying, with a Phoenix for Our Post-Coronavirus Rebirth.”?San Francisco Chronicle, 29 Apr. 2020, www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/The-flag-San-Francisco-needs-is-flying-with-a-15232690.php.?

Long, JT. "Don't Believe Everything You See on Twitter about a San Francisco Meeting Apocalypse." Smart Meetings, 21 Jul. 2023, https://www.smartmeetings.com/news/153260/dont-believe-everything-you-see-about-a-san-francisco-meeting-apocalypse

Said, Carolyn. "They're Making upStuff: How the Narrative of S.F. as Dystopian Hellscape is Affecting the City." San Francisco Chronicle, 26 Jun. 2023, https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/2023/sf-downtown-doom-loop/