volume 128 - (my) san francisco staples

a look at my fav spots from back home

i’m back in SF for a short time to help my family, hang out with friends, and visit some of fav spots. today’s Run It Back will be a brief insight on how i grew up, where i’ve lived, and what i try to do whenever i go back

(i got hella love for the rest of The Bay, but i had to limit it to SF otherwise this’d be a dissertation lmao 😅)

i’m grateful to have grown up in San Francisco. i was born in Houston but moved over when i was young. i’ve spent a majority of my time here sans a couple years at San Diego State + moving to Austin during freshman year of COVID

a lot of people have a love / hate relationship with SF. it reminds me of this quote from the The Last Black Man in San Francisco (a film about the push and pull of gentrification in SF and the struggle SF natives experience):

it’s easy to dump on SF. it’s easy to love SF. it’s easy to have an opinion one way or another. both hate and love coexist in this messy middle

as far as my experience goes, there’s emotional and mental baggage coming home. but at the same time there’s so much to love (the slang especially) and i hope to capture some of why i love the city today

highlighted are some of my favorite songs (from local artists) that remind me of home. instead of traditional entries, there’ll be insight on that neighborhood along with some of my fav highlights

please note: this list is incomplete and a small subsection of what makes SF great! this is one person’s favs! it will not be spots you find on Eater! people will disagree with me!

enjoy :)

and with that, let's get to the music for the week ❤️‍🔥

- claudio / claud / @offballscreen

p.s. - shoutout to the good folks at

White Crate

for putting me and others onto contemporary music from The Bay. it's one of the recent newsletters i've discovered that's made me feel more connected to home 🙏

Aubrey and i didn’t talk for a couple weeks after this

this week’s music ⤵️

1. Boss Tycoon
   Mac Dre
   Released: 2002

I ride around town in my clean ass Benz
Range Rove, Cougnut on some clean ass rims
Felt like Ted Turner, I pack a lead burner
Spit it, to get it, can't quit it, I'm a bread earner (ch-ching)

map via Kopa

i grew up in Sunnyside / Glen Park neighborhood. there’s so much packed into this neighborhood. close to BART (our subway) and various MUNI stops (public transit) to access any part of SF / The Bay relatively easy. shoutout to the architect that designed the Glen Park BART station in brutalist form:

via Curbed SF

my favorite taqueria is out here too. ask any SF native and what’s considered the best taqueria are always contentious. personally, i feel ones’ best is whatever was most accessible. for me? that’s La Corneta. couldn’t even tell you why they’re my favorite other than they’re what i grew up on. when you know, you know

highlights (including adjacent neighborhoods)

• La Corneta (inefficiently prepared burritos by Glen Park BART)

• Roxie’s (corner store sandwiches with the best dutch crunch bread)

• Mitchell’s Ice Cream (SF staple opened in 1953 — get the cookies n cream or grasshopper pie)

• Arizmendi (co-op bakery serving up sweet and savory carbs + veggie pizza of the day)

2. I Gott Grapes Feat. E-40 & The Federation
   Nump
   Released: 2005

Pull up, turn the scraper in the circle
Hit the block one time, tryin' to see who got purple
Who got purple? (I got grapes)
Who got purple? (I got grapes)

map via Kopa

when i first moved away from home, i settled in the Outer Sunset. i’m highlighting both Inner/Outer Sunset and Richmond because they were so accessible. the outer parts are sleepy and the inner parts felt more lively. with easy access to both, we couldn’t lose

most Saturday mornings you would catch me hooping at the University of San Francisco and then eating incredible açaí bowls from Judahlicious after. i also played soccer at the Beach Chalet fields, where crashing waves eased in and out of earshot

via Hawkeye Photography

even when fog envelops the area, it’s easily one of my favorite walking neighborhoods with how close it is to the ocean and Golden Gate Park. grab a hoagie and a bottle of natty wine from Palm City and head to the beach for immaculate vibes

highlights (including adjacent neighborhoods)

• Judahlicious (pro tip: ask for it to-go so you can more peanut butter)

• Tazaki Sushi (amazing sushi spot)

• Palm City (an actual hoagie spot with sandos that can feed 2 + natural wine)

• Kezar Stadium & Kezar Pub (go for a run in a historic stadium then grab a bev at the only Liverpool bar in SF)

• Balboa Theater (classic, old school theater showing new, old, and indie flicks)

3. 76 Buccaneers
   ALLBLACK & Kenny Beats

   Released: 2018

I be ridin' solo in that Range, clutchin' on that thang
Slappin' Acorn, Mac blastin', Detroit BandGang
Black & Milds fucked up my lungs, where the fuck is my flame?
Before I pulled down on Tuttle I had to sweat the blade

map via Kopa

i was incredibly lucky to have worked in DTSF / SOMA for the early part of my career. it was easy to hop on BART from Glen Park and then mosey on through all the old, beautiful buildings. my second job was right by the Ferry Building and i would take meetings walking along the pier with ocean in tow. stark contrast to WFH life lmao

also! there’s the incredibly designed piece that is the Hyatt Regency:

via Hidden Architecture

shoutout John Portman who designed this back in 1974 🙏

highlights (including adjacent neighborhoods)

• Ferry Building (incredible views and by the ocean)

• Hyatt Regency

• SFMOMA (modern and contemporary art museum)

• all the old buildings in DTSF and Fidi

4. Rolex Truffles
   Larry June
   Released: 2020

In order to grow, you gotta let go
Nobody taught me that, that’s what the streets told me (Numbers)
I just touched a mil quick, you ain’t even notice
Tax-write-off the whip, quick game for you (Off top)

map via Kopa

my fav view of the city is Twin Peaks. if the day permits, you can see most of SF and follow along Market Street all the way to the Ferry Building and see Oakland’s metal dinosaurs (aka shipping container cranes). it’s breathtaking to see how dense the city is across the landscape

photo by Lena Steinke on Unsplash

you can see how even though i have close ties to certain neighborhoods, there’s always still room to explore. therein lies the beauty of why i love the city so much. i’ll always cherish my time here