Page 190 - People & Places In Time

San Francisco
Pinpointing a certain moment in time is not easy when our points
of reference stretch so far back in memory; like shooting at a swiftly receding target. One of these moments was a point that happened during the very early 1950’s. So, for now I’ll say it’s the summer of 1952; as precise as need be for this account. I’m with Dad, Mom and my sister younger Carol, we’re staying at the Fairmont hotel in San Francisco.
Through the years I’ve visited or stayed in a few of the grand hotels around the world. Not to say that I’ve extensively traveled the world, because I haven’t. But anyway, the Fairmont Hotel was my first experience at traveling well. While we did stay from time to time at the Manx Hotel or the Chancel- lor, both on Powell Street, there was never the elegance found in the Fairmont. With its expansive lobby filled with an extensive assortment of plush furniture.
I recall much of it covered then in red velvet; the décor is more subdued these days. There were, and still are, the large gold veined columns of marble stretch- ing toward the ornate ceiling, creating one large open space that combines to make this place one of my favorite hotel lobbies to hang out in. Hotel lobbies are some of the best places to watch people or to read a newspaper, to sit with coffee in the morning or a Scotch in the late afternoon.
Traveling to the City was special then, dad would wear a sport coat and tie during the day, a suit at night. Mother wore a suit during the day, a dress and gloves in the evening. It’s not lost on me that the elegance of those years before the 1960’s is gone, not to be captured again in my lifetime. I suppose
the casual look is on my generation. Still, I don’t feel comfortable when in San Francisco, if not well dressed.
My parents would spend quite a bit of time in San Francisco during the late 1940’s into the 50’s; my sister Carol and I were not always along. On those occasions, without children they would frequent such exotic places as George Mardukians middle eastern restaurant, Omar Khayyam; or Charlie Lows Forbid- den City, often referred to in the day as the Cotton Club of the west.
For those occasions when I was part of the trip, the experience most certainly would shape my sensibilities for a lifetime to come. I say this given
an early inclination toward architecture, art and design. Visiting the de Young and Legion of Honor museums with my parents didn’t change my life’s path so much as expanded my appreciation for what was possible. From my earliest years, galleries museums and the emporiums displaying the best in design have been among my favorite places to spend time. I’ve often said that I would rather spend time in an art gallery than in church.
Mom always enjoyed visiting the City of Paris and Joseph Magnons. Two department stores that no longer exist. Nieman Marcus is now at the Geary and Stockton streets corner where the City of Paris had stood for seven- ty-five years; directly across Geary from J. Magnons, which is now Macys. To this day and for as long as I recall, there have stood two street florists at these same two corners, where I’ve bought flowers from curb side while driving past.
The most exciting time to visit the Union Square vicinity was during the Christmas season, not unlike today; yet then, not so hectic or crowded. Today Nieman Marcus continues to place a two-story high tree at the front entrance to their new building; just in the same location as the City of Paris would have done beneath the stained-glass dome of their old building.
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