Amy H.

Urban Bay Properties

Rita Roti is fabulous! She's super smart, knows the TIC, Condo, and multi-unit building market like the back of her hand. This is key for us San Francisco/urban folks. She's got a great sense of humor, tells the truth, and she knows her business. Urban Bay Properties is not a huge firm, and that shows in the personal attention you receive from them.

Millenium Restaurant

First of all, let me say, I'm not a vegan. I'm not even a vegetarian. Millenium still rates among my top dining out experiences, though. The food is beyond belief. The flavors that are mixed together in their dishes are subtle and full at the same time. The wait staff is really knowledgeable and not shy about recommeding what they think you might need to round out a meal. I typically order 4-5 small plates to share with a friend and we leave feeling super satisfied and yet not stuffed to the gills. The restaurant is located in the lobby of the Savoy Hotel in the theatre district of SF and is beautiful and simple in its design. It's not an inexpensive restaurant, but you will be happy to have spent $60-$100 (without wine) on such a delicious experience and meal.

Alice's Restaurant

Alice's is consistently tasty and reasonably priced. They do a nice job of presenting the food and the restaurant itself is nicely decorated and the staff friendly. They do a big take-out business, too, so don't miss that opportunity. I love their string beans with bean curd!

Thep-Phanom Restaurant

Thep Phenom offers some of the best Thai food in San Francisco, and that's saying something! The restaurant is often quite loud but that's the only real downside to this hot little spot. There are many, maybe too many tasty items to choose from, and the food never fails to be delicious. The wait staff is helpful in choosing if you need it, and they are courteous and efficient. The price is reasonable, too.

Savor Restaurant

Savor never fails. The food is consistent and always tasty. The restaurant can be loud and you often have a wait, especially for brunch on the weekends and lunch during the week, but it's worth it. The sandwiches are HUGE, the salads as well, and the egg dishes are just super good. The food is healthy and you always have enough of it. The service is great, too, friendly and efficient. Finally, the price is certainly right. You can usually get out for under $15/person.

Liberty Cafe

The Liberty Cafe has many qualities to recommend it, not just their absolutely wonderfully tasty pot pies. The ceasar salad is fabulous, their daily specials always do the trick, and the service is pleasant and efficient. You sit down and within minutes you have a little basket of warm breads and rolls to nosh on. The wait person comes and answers any of your questions. Your main dish arrives and you are in heaven! The prices are completely reasonable, you can park on streets nearby, and you can enjoy selections from a lovely wine list, too. If you have to wait, especially on weekends, there is a nice wine bar in the back.

Marina Auto Paint & Body Rpr

Marina Auto Body has worked on two cars of mine (after accidents) and they did a great job both times. They're thorough and have made sure that all damage to my car, not just what the insurance adjuster saw, was listed on the claim. They're polite and friendly and my car always looked better than ever when they were done with it. They deliver on time and within the price quoted. I would go back to them again without a second thought.

Day One Ctr

DayOne is staffed by experienced lactation consultants and others who are clued into the experience of expecting and new mom's. They aren't cheap, but they are also highly recommended and regarded in the community. They run a whole series of support groups for parents and their lactation specialists are wonderful - very supportive and understanding and creative. Worth a visit!

Kookla

Denise Helias, who owns Kookla Salon in the Fillmore area of San Francisco, is a very experienced colorist. In fact, color is all she does. She always has a stylist in her salon as well, but her business is hair color and she does it very, very well. So well, in fact, that once every 6 weeks she flies to NYC for 3 days of intense work with her client base there (she's from NYC).

I came in after a botched home hair coloring experience and she helped me look good again. I've gone back since then and been most impressed with her knowledge of color and hair. She's fun to talk to, and the salon is a pleasant place to visit. Kookla's prices are good, much less than the downtown salons, but fair, and the service is unbeatable. Street parking, too!

Judith Bishop, CNM

Judith Bishop is among the best hospital based midwives around. She has a strong belief in women and their bodies. She has a history of being a homebirth midwife and brings to her hospital practice the strong belief that women are able to birth their babies in a healthy manner. She teaches this to her resident students at UCSF and she helps women have the best births they can have. Her attitude is almost unfailingly positive and she supports women in whatever birth experience they have.

USCF is a world-class hospital and Judith is part of the reason why the labor & delivery group gets such high ratings.