Frommer's San Francisco 2012 - Matthew Poole [137]
Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park.
San Francisco Botanical Gardens at Strybing Arboretum More than 7,000 plant species grow here, among them some ancient plants in a special “primitive garden,” rare species, and a grove of California redwoods. Docent tours begin at 1:30pm daily, with an additional 10:20am tour on weekends. Strybing is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 4:30pm, and Saturday, Sunday, and holidays from 10am to 5pm. Admission is free. For more information, call 415/661-1316 or visit www.strybing.org.
Strawberry Hill/Stow Lake Rent a paddle boat or rowboat and cruise around the circular Stow Lake as painters create still lifes, joggers pass along the grassy shoreline, ducks waddle around waiting to be fed, and turtles sunbathe on rocks and logs. Strawberry Hill, the 430-foot-high artificial island and highest point in the park that lies at the center of Stow Lake, is a perfect picnic spot; it boasts a bird’s-eye view of San Francisco and the bay. It also has a waterfall and peace pagoda. For the boathouse, call 415/752-0347. Boat rentals are available daily from 10am to 4pm, weather permitting; four-passenger rowboats go for $19 per hour, and four-person paddle boats run $24 per hour; fees are cash-only.
RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Glide Memorial United Methodist Church ★★ The best way to spend a Sunday morning in San Francisco is to visit this Tenderloin-area church to witness the exhilarating and lively sermons accompanied by an amazing gospel choir. Reverend Cecil Williams’s enthusiastic and uplifting preaching and singing with the homeless and poor of the neighborhood has attracted nationwide fame over the past 40-plus years. In 1994, during the pastor’s 30th-anniversary celebration, singers Angela Bofill and Bobby McFerrin joined comedian Robin Williams, author Maya Angelou, and talk-show queen Oprah Winfrey to honor him publicly. Even former president Clinton has joined the crowd. Cecil Williams now shares pastor duties with Douglas Fitch and alternates presiding over the roof-raising Sunday services in front of a diverse audience that crosses all socioeconomic boundaries. Go for an uplifting experience and some hand-clapping, shoulder-swaying gospel choir music—it’s an experience you’ll never forget. Tip: Arrive about 20 minutes early to make sure you get a seat; otherwise it’s standing room only.
330 Ellis St. (west of Union Sq.). 415/674-6000. www.glide.org. Services Sun at 9 and 11am. Bus: 27. Streetcar: Powell. BART: Powell.
Grace Cathedral Although this Nob Hill cathedral, designed by architect Lewis P. Hobart, appears to be made of stone, it is in fact constructed of reinforced concrete beaten to achieve a stonelike effect. Construction began on the site of the Crocker mansion in 1928 but was not completed until 1964. Among the more interesting features of the building are its stained-glass windows, particularly those by the French Loire studios and Charles Connick, depicting such modern figures as Thurgood Marshall, Robert Frost, and Albert Einstein; the replicas of Ghiberti’s bronze Doors of Paradise at the east end; the series of religious murals completed in the 1940s by Polish artist John De Rosen; and the 44-bell carillon. Along with its magical ambience, Grace lifts spirits with services, musical performances (including organ recitals and evensong, or evening prayer, on many Sun), and its weekly Forum (Sun 9:30–10:30am except during summer and major holidays), where guests lead discussions about spirituality in modern times and have community dialogues on social issues.
1100 California St. (btw. Taylor and Jones sts.). 415/749-6300. www.gracecathedral.org.
Mission Dolores San Francisco’s oldest standing structure, the Mission San Francisco de Asís (also known as Mission Dolores), has withstood the test of time, as well as two major earthquakes, relatively