I live near SF. The place we go for brunch on really special occasions is the top of the Mark Hopkins Hotel at the top of Nob Hill (across the street from the Fairmont Hotel). It has a great view and a wonderfully amazing brunch -- the best I've ever seen and I have travelled a lot. For drinks, lunch or dinner, I would also recommend the revolving restaurant at the top of the Hyatt Embarcadero. I have taken out of town guests there several times. I don't remember much about the food but the view is wonderful. Walking across the Golden Gate Bridge is also fun (and still free, I think) (you will need a car or cab to get there, though, and getting a cab for the ride back could be tricky). If you decide to get a car (and San Francisco is not THAT hard to drive in) I would also recommend Guaymas restaurant in Tiberon or a stroll in Sausalito (across the Golden Gate Bridge from SF). Both have great views of San Francisco and are only a short drive from SF (assuming traffic is OK across the Golden Gate).

Thank you for your kind words. Where was your family's company located? I understand the method the Sterchi family employed very early on (they bought the land this house was built on in 1845 and passed it down) was to purchase wooded land, cut the trees and make furniture out of the hardwood and then turn the land into very productive farmland. Our house was the 3rd house built on this spot that served as the main house on a 1,500 acre estate. Of course Sterchi Brothers Furniture stores were all over the southeast. I believe there were 76 stores operating when it was sold to a major furniture chain.

I met many celebrities in a job I had in the theatre business during the 70's and 80's, when the stars finished their London or Broadway run, and toured with the production, to other cities. 'Star' cast members usually have clauses added to their 'green room/dressing room' contracts, that fulfill any personal requirements they demand. Shortly after arrival, I'd meet them to get their signature on the green room contract, and occasionally for a future signature, if a new issue arose that needed amendment. Some were a short 'greet and sign' while others could be chatty. Many of them are now deceased, and I won't include more personal opinions, such as being slovenly unhygienic, or 'fidelity challenged' (only one listed here, but I knew of several 'stars' who clearly 'dabbled when they travelled.') I'll just refer to my impressions regarding any short conversations I had with them. I know I'm forgetting many, but these ones are perhaps most well known. Yul Brynner- articulate, outrageously arrogant, boorish...(one specific memory is that his dressing room had to be repainted 3 times, until he was satisfied with the shade of 'chocolate' brown.) Peter O'Toole - intelligent, vulgar Richard Harris - gregarious, warm Laurence Olivier - surprisingly soft spoken, considering his forte was acting Katharine Hepburn - gracious Audrey Hepburn - sweet, polite, elegant Elizabeth Taylor - funny, loud, brash Richard Burton - same as Elizabeth (I guess they were too much alike) Rex Harrison - charming Maggie Smith - lovely, impeccable manners Vanessa Redgrave - kind, warm Julie Andrews - same as Vanessa Christopher Reeve - congenial, chivalrous Margot Kidder - rudely presumptuous Liberace - humourous, generous, stubborn

Really? Cool. Maybe that will get me to use it? Nah probably not. As for motion sickness, I used the Scopolamine in Antarctica. Worked but made me drowsy. I prefer dramamine actually. I will try Nekotish's method. Honestly I am not too worried due to the short duration of the ferry we chose. Scopolamine patches are as effective as Dramamine at preventing motion sickness. And in general, both scopolamine and Dramamine are well-tolerated. Dry mouth, drowsiness, and blurry vision are common side effects