What I learned in SF:

Flowers (and I don't mean pansies) can bloom outside even in January. Just not in Oklahoma.

Real Chinese food can mix black beans and water chesnuts with sweet potatoes . . . and the result is wonderful. Also, generic "Asian" food should be done away with. Tei Kei's, I'm looking your way.

If you can't find your bus stop in the ghetto, go to an intersection and head toward the street in the distance that looks the least scary. Then look to your left.

Ham and swiss are best when baked inside a flaky croissant and eaten outside on the wharf.

It is possible to catch a bus if you run fast enough.

Ghiradelli chocolate is far better when fresh and when poured over ice cream.

Cities can be, as I always suspected, grand and eloquent like nothing else.