Essay questionnaire for residents of San Francisco
Jul 14th, 2004, 01:28 PM
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Essay questionnaire for residents of San Francisco
Dear San Franciscan,
Greetings! My name is Chloe Stephen and I am a fourth year student at Glasgow School of Art doing research for an honours degree essay which is due in September.
The work which I am doing focuses on What has made up a tourists gaze to the city of San Francisco and the way in which holiday brochures portray a certain selected view of a city.
Being a resident of the city I would be most grateful if you could help me break down
the myths the tourist companies convey and tell me what is actually true..
I would be most grateful if you could answer my questions as they will contribute to a large section of my final year art school essay.
Here are my questions...
Questions on San Francisco Tourism
1 - Haight ashbury and references to the rock art art 'scene' that went
on during the 1960s is rarely mentioned in holiday brochures. this era is surely a
large chunk of sfs rich history, why do you think it has been omitted?
(this is just your personal viewpoint I would like but if you know an official reason
that would be good too!)
2- myths of the city/preconceptions - what do you think the tourist industry portrays about san francisco that isn't true?
3 - Are there any bad areas of San Francisco that brochures keep quiet about?
4 - What about the most marketed areas ie Fisherman's Wharf, are they near the less desirable areas?
5 - Do you feel that the city is almost marketed as a theme park?
6 - why has little been played on landmarks? Why are only the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge advertised?
7 - Any myth about the city being "the city by the bay?"
Would it be possible for you to email me images of any non tourist areas of the city or direct me to literature which portrays images of a non tourist side to the city???
Thankyou for the time taken to read this letter!
I would be most grateful for your help by perhaps replying to me at my email address.
I will look forward to hearing from you
Yours sincerely
Chloe Stephen
Greetings! My name is Chloe Stephen and I am a fourth year student at Glasgow School of Art doing research for an honours degree essay which is due in September.
The work which I am doing focuses on What has made up a tourists gaze to the city of San Francisco and the way in which holiday brochures portray a certain selected view of a city.
Being a resident of the city I would be most grateful if you could help me break down
the myths the tourist companies convey and tell me what is actually true..
I would be most grateful if you could answer my questions as they will contribute to a large section of my final year art school essay.
Here are my questions...
Questions on San Francisco Tourism
1 - Haight ashbury and references to the rock art art 'scene' that went
on during the 1960s is rarely mentioned in holiday brochures. this era is surely a
large chunk of sfs rich history, why do you think it has been omitted?
(this is just your personal viewpoint I would like but if you know an official reason
that would be good too!)
2- myths of the city/preconceptions - what do you think the tourist industry portrays about san francisco that isn't true?
3 - Are there any bad areas of San Francisco that brochures keep quiet about?
4 - What about the most marketed areas ie Fisherman's Wharf, are they near the less desirable areas?
5 - Do you feel that the city is almost marketed as a theme park?
6 - why has little been played on landmarks? Why are only the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge advertised?
7 - Any myth about the city being "the city by the bay?"
Would it be possible for you to email me images of any non tourist areas of the city or direct me to literature which portrays images of a non tourist side to the city???
Thankyou for the time taken to read this letter!
I would be most grateful for your help by perhaps replying to me at my email address.
I will look forward to hearing from you
Yours sincerely
Chloe Stephen
Jul 14th, 2004, 02:50 PM
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I'll take a stab at this. I grew up in the city 0-18 years and now have moved back after 10 years on the East Coast. I have lived SF as an adult for 1 year (although I visited 2x per year during my 10 years away).
1 - Haight ashbury and references to the rock art art 'scene' that went
on during the 1960s is rarely mentioned in holiday brochures. this era is surely a large chunk of sfs rich history, why do you think it has been omitted? (this is just your personal viewpoint I would like but if you know an official reason that would be good too!)
Possibly b/c there is nothing really tangible left to see of that era, besides maybe the Fillmore (not in the Haight). If you go to the corner of Haight and Ashbury Streets, there is a Gap and a Ben & Jerry's - two chain stores are antithesis of that era. There's nothing really tourist worthy there (except maybe Amoeba records, b/c it has such a vast collection of music).
I see Haight Street as the place I used to hang out at in high school and buy and sell used clothes (during the "grunge" era of the early 90s). Now, I kind of just think the area is dirty (and I used to live in a pretty dirty area of NYC) and a teenager hangout.
2- myths of the city/preconceptions - what do you think the tourist industry portrays about san francisco that isn't true?
This isn't a result of the tourist industry, but when I lived outside of SF, people who used to hear I was from there, would recite the Rice a Roni theme song. Rice a Roni is a gross packaged food here in the US whose theme song is "Rice-a-roni, the San Francisco treat."
3 - Are there any bad areas of San Francisco that brochures keep quiet about?
Don't know. Because I live here, I don't read the tourist brochures about SF. Maybe they don't mention the Tenderloin neighborhood?
4 - What about the most marketed areas ie Fisherman's Wharf, are they near the less desirable areas?
Fisherman's wharf isn't near an undesirable area. Union Square is near the Tenderloin, which is considered undesirable.
5 - Do you feel that the city is almost marketed as a theme park?
I don't think so. Most of the articles I read on SF are in the NY Times travel and food sections or other more upscale travel articles. So they don't portray the city as a theme park.
6 - why has little been played on landmarks? Why are only the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge advertised?
Perhaps, b/c they are very attractive and are one icon that can be universally recognized as representing San Francisco. In the same way they show the Empire State Bldg and the Statue of LIberty to represent NYC when there are a zillion other interesting things about that city other than those two monuments.
I've never seen the Bay Bridge advertised. WHen I lived back East, those who had never been to SF did not know what the Bay Bridge was. THey only knew the GG bridge.
7 - Any myth about the city being "the city by the bay?"
It isn't really a myth as it IS a city by a bay. Maybe I don't understand the question.
1 - Haight ashbury and references to the rock art art 'scene' that went
on during the 1960s is rarely mentioned in holiday brochures. this era is surely a large chunk of sfs rich history, why do you think it has been omitted? (this is just your personal viewpoint I would like but if you know an official reason that would be good too!)
Possibly b/c there is nothing really tangible left to see of that era, besides maybe the Fillmore (not in the Haight). If you go to the corner of Haight and Ashbury Streets, there is a Gap and a Ben & Jerry's - two chain stores are antithesis of that era. There's nothing really tourist worthy there (except maybe Amoeba records, b/c it has such a vast collection of music).
I see Haight Street as the place I used to hang out at in high school and buy and sell used clothes (during the "grunge" era of the early 90s). Now, I kind of just think the area is dirty (and I used to live in a pretty dirty area of NYC) and a teenager hangout.
2- myths of the city/preconceptions - what do you think the tourist industry portrays about san francisco that isn't true?
This isn't a result of the tourist industry, but when I lived outside of SF, people who used to hear I was from there, would recite the Rice a Roni theme song. Rice a Roni is a gross packaged food here in the US whose theme song is "Rice-a-roni, the San Francisco treat."
3 - Are there any bad areas of San Francisco that brochures keep quiet about?
Don't know. Because I live here, I don't read the tourist brochures about SF. Maybe they don't mention the Tenderloin neighborhood?
4 - What about the most marketed areas ie Fisherman's Wharf, are they near the less desirable areas?
Fisherman's wharf isn't near an undesirable area. Union Square is near the Tenderloin, which is considered undesirable.
5 - Do you feel that the city is almost marketed as a theme park?
I don't think so. Most of the articles I read on SF are in the NY Times travel and food sections or other more upscale travel articles. So they don't portray the city as a theme park.
6 - why has little been played on landmarks? Why are only the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge advertised?
Perhaps, b/c they are very attractive and are one icon that can be universally recognized as representing San Francisco. In the same way they show the Empire State Bldg and the Statue of LIberty to represent NYC when there are a zillion other interesting things about that city other than those two monuments.
I've never seen the Bay Bridge advertised. WHen I lived back East, those who had never been to SF did not know what the Bay Bridge was. THey only knew the GG bridge.
7 - Any myth about the city being "the city by the bay?"
It isn't really a myth as it IS a city by a bay. Maybe I don't understand the question.
Jul 14th, 2004, 02:50 PM
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OK, some of you obviously think Chloe is a troll but I'll bite since I love to talk about the city of my birth.
Chloe, see my answer to your other thread re the Haight-Ashbury. It was a great time and the best part was all the music at the Fillmore, Avalon and Winterland Ballrooms - every top act in the world playing two sets a night for under $5 per ticket. By the time I was 18, I had seen the Rolling Stones, Animals, Santana, Doors, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, the Who - the list goes on and on - I consider myself lucky to have been a teenager then.
San Francisco is physically one of the most beautiful cities in the world, built on its seven hills and overlooking the bay and Golden Gate Bridge. There are some beautiful homes in many areas of the city.
I used to work as a sportswriter and had to travel thorugh what is considered one of the bad neighborhoods, Hunter's Point (near the football stadium and baseball park at the time) but never had any problem. Of course there is crime and some iffy neighborhoods, just like any city. But many of these neighhborhoods, such as the Tenderloin (near Union Square) are experiencing something of a re-birth as new immigrants move in.
Fisherman's Wharf is very touristy and it makes me sad to go back there as I remember it from childhood. The surrounding area has actually been gentrified a lot since I was a kid and the new baseball park on the bay is a real gem. Fisherman's Wharf has great views of the bay and Alcatraz Island and you can get a delicious walk-away fresh crab cocktail. The area does now remind me of a theme park but many, many people enjoy it.
San Francisco has wonderful ethnic neighborhoods - North Beach (Italian), Chinatown, the Mission district (Hispanic) - you can get any kind of food from Nepalese to Polish to Cuban.
I love the tolerance of my city and since I gew up there I often find it hard to comprehend others' prejudices. Yes, we have a problem with the homeless and are maybe too tolerant there but I love all the different ethnic festivals and the annual Gay Freedom Day Parade.
If you are on the level, I would be happy to answer more questions - I met some nice people when I was in Glasgow a few years back.
Chloe, see my answer to your other thread re the Haight-Ashbury. It was a great time and the best part was all the music at the Fillmore, Avalon and Winterland Ballrooms - every top act in the world playing two sets a night for under $5 per ticket. By the time I was 18, I had seen the Rolling Stones, Animals, Santana, Doors, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, the Who - the list goes on and on - I consider myself lucky to have been a teenager then.
San Francisco is physically one of the most beautiful cities in the world, built on its seven hills and overlooking the bay and Golden Gate Bridge. There are some beautiful homes in many areas of the city.
I used to work as a sportswriter and had to travel thorugh what is considered one of the bad neighborhoods, Hunter's Point (near the football stadium and baseball park at the time) but never had any problem. Of course there is crime and some iffy neighborhoods, just like any city. But many of these neighhborhoods, such as the Tenderloin (near Union Square) are experiencing something of a re-birth as new immigrants move in.
Fisherman's Wharf is very touristy and it makes me sad to go back there as I remember it from childhood. The surrounding area has actually been gentrified a lot since I was a kid and the new baseball park on the bay is a real gem. Fisherman's Wharf has great views of the bay and Alcatraz Island and you can get a delicious walk-away fresh crab cocktail. The area does now remind me of a theme park but many, many people enjoy it.
San Francisco has wonderful ethnic neighborhoods - North Beach (Italian), Chinatown, the Mission district (Hispanic) - you can get any kind of food from Nepalese to Polish to Cuban.
I love the tolerance of my city and since I gew up there I often find it hard to comprehend others' prejudices. Yes, we have a problem with the homeless and are maybe too tolerant there but I love all the different ethnic festivals and the annual Gay Freedom Day Parade.
If you are on the level, I would be happy to answer more questions - I met some nice people when I was in Glasgow a few years back.
Jul 14th, 2004, 03:06 PM
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I am very curious as to what the marketing in the UK is as far as San Francisco. I have never seen the Bay Bridge marketed as a landmark--more often it is the Golden Gate and Alcatraz. The marketing there may be very different then it is for domestic travellers. To answer your questions:
1. (My opinion only) Haight while historical may not be for every tourist. It is located in a non-tourist area and mainly consists of shops. While it may be historical, it is just a street to shop on now. John Lennon reportedly stated (during the summer of love), that is appeared to be a bunch of dirty people not doing much. I personally find the beat history in North Beach or the history of Chinatown more interesting and relevant to today.
2. I don't know--again, I live here so I would have difficulty viewing the tourist marketing objectively.
3. Of course. I don't think it is the brochures "keeping quiet" but rather the idea of why mention it. Most of the crusty areas of San Francisco would not be visited by tourists purposely or even mistakenly. There would be no reason to mention these areas and it would not help your marketing.
4. Nope, there are no bad areas in FW. There were some projects (that are currently being redone) there but still it was not unsafe.
5. Again I know little about marketing overseas. Our current local campaign does not market it as a theme park.
6. I was under the impression that it was the opposite--Golden Gate Bridge, beaches all around the city, Chinatown, Lombard Street, the cable cars (the only moving historical landmark
), Coit Tower, the Marin Headlands, Fort Point, Golden Gate Park, etc. I thought the landmarks were the big part of attracting tourists.
7. I am not quite sure I understand the question. We are the City by the Bay in the most literal terms. How is "City by the Bay" explained over there?
I am not quite sure what you mean by nontourist areas and photos. Most of the city is just regular residental/commerical neighborhoods. Nothing different then anywhere else (except for our cool Victorian/ Edwardain houses
).
1. (My opinion only) Haight while historical may not be for every tourist. It is located in a non-tourist area and mainly consists of shops. While it may be historical, it is just a street to shop on now. John Lennon reportedly stated (during the summer of love), that is appeared to be a bunch of dirty people not doing much. I personally find the beat history in North Beach or the history of Chinatown more interesting and relevant to today.
2. I don't know--again, I live here so I would have difficulty viewing the tourist marketing objectively.
3. Of course. I don't think it is the brochures "keeping quiet" but rather the idea of why mention it. Most of the crusty areas of San Francisco would not be visited by tourists purposely or even mistakenly. There would be no reason to mention these areas and it would not help your marketing.
4. Nope, there are no bad areas in FW. There were some projects (that are currently being redone) there but still it was not unsafe.
5. Again I know little about marketing overseas. Our current local campaign does not market it as a theme park.
6. I was under the impression that it was the opposite--Golden Gate Bridge, beaches all around the city, Chinatown, Lombard Street, the cable cars (the only moving historical landmark
), Coit Tower, the Marin Headlands, Fort Point, Golden Gate Park, etc. I thought the landmarks were the big part of attracting tourists.7. I am not quite sure I understand the question. We are the City by the Bay in the most literal terms. How is "City by the Bay" explained over there?
I am not quite sure what you mean by nontourist areas and photos. Most of the city is just regular residental/commerical neighborhoods. Nothing different then anywhere else (except for our cool Victorian/ Edwardain houses
).
Jul 14th, 2004, 04:16 PM
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I'm with Faina, "What has made up a tourists gaze to the city of San Francisco"
Hmmmm.
Any myth about the city being "the city by the bay?" Hmmm. How can a geographic location be a myth??? The city is surrounded on two sides by the Bay and on another by the Ocean.............
Hmmmm.
Any myth about the city being "the city by the bay?" Hmmm. How can a geographic location be a myth??? The city is surrounded on two sides by the Bay and on another by the Ocean.............
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Jul 15th, 2004, 09:06 AM
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Why is everyone so paranoid about trolls?! Besides, the San Jose freak will have won if we all become so suspicious of SF questions that we stop answering them.
Point of logic: do you really think the SJ freak has the wherewithal to create a UK e-mail address? Another point of logic: these questions are lengthy, and never mention SJ at all. Could they be--hold on, now--legitimate?
Sorry, Chloe, I can't help with your questions, just needed to weigh in on some Fodorite dysfunction!
Point of logic: do you really think the SJ freak has the wherewithal to create a UK e-mail address? Another point of logic: these questions are lengthy, and never mention SJ at all. Could they be--hold on, now--legitimate?
Sorry, Chloe, I can't help with your questions, just needed to weigh in on some Fodorite dysfunction!
Jul 15th, 2004, 09:07 AM
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Kikahead, s/he posted several similar questionnaires, when I opened Fodor's I saw them 3 or 4 together. Now some of them sank or got deleted, not sure.
My personal preference is another questionnaire about mammoths
My personal preference is another questionnaire about mammoths
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