Some cities reveal what I cherish about them much more immediately than others. I've noticed that what I love about SF can be hard for visitors to see. How do you visit "weird people taking ideas v seriously"? How to put that in a guidebook? You've gotta go to the dinner parties.
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Last Sat I met someone on their first visit to SF, at a small informal event. An attendee gave a lightning talk on computational theories of consciousness; I thought: aha, excellent! Weird, sure, but *now* this visitor got to see the SF I love!
Replying to
By contrast I feel like what I love culturally about LA and NYC are much easier to "visit".
(But maybe if I moved there I'd develop some more niche "taste" for the city which would be hard to "visit".)
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Somehow forgot: I absolutely got my heart broken when I visited SF for the first time at 16. I was quite isolated growing up, pinned my hopes on SF as a place where I'd feel culturally at home. As an outside visitor (who didn't know how to travel), I was so disappointed!
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Sure, great views, great food, fun to walk around, but… where was the magic? I couldn't find it!
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I love the idea of the soul of the city, but a difficult one to “visit”. How would you recommend, I understand what SF stands for if I’m in the city?
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(Before visiting) build relationships with a couple SF people online via correspondence
Tell them when you’re visiting, ask to go on a walk, enjoy their SF vibes
Ask what events are going on when you’re in town, and to let you know if any come up