ITALY IN SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Thanks for sharing this post, Gala - If I travel to San Francisco, I will for sure visit "Tosca" for a good coffee and , why not, maybe to meet a Coppola...

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! (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