San Francisco Union Square
Union Square is both the name of the San Francisco luxury shopping district and the park at its center. The square has recently been renovated and often has an art market featuring local artists. In the center of the square is a monument to memorialize the victory of Admiral Dewey over the Spanish Navy during the Spanish-American War. Dedicated in 1903, the column features statue on top that was modeled after Alma Spreckles. Alma had a very colorful history that includes working as a nude model. Eventually, she married her "sugar daddy", sugar baron Adolph Spreckels and built a mansion in Pacific Heights that is now occupied by Daniel Steele.
Powell Street runs to the west of Union Square. From the corner of Geary and Powell it's only a short two block walk down to the Powell and Market turnaround point for the Hyde and Mason lines of the San Francisco cable cars. This is the most popular boarding spot for the San Francisco cable cars, so you'll often encounter long lines (sometimes as long as two hours). For a shorter wait, I recommend the turnarounds for either end of the California line (California and Market or California and Van Ness). The California line, doesn't get you over to the piers, but you'll get a nice ride over Nob Hill.
Stockton street runs to the east of Union Square. From the corner of Geary and Stockton it is a short two block walk down to the San Francisco Apple Computer store. This is one of Apple's best stores rivaling those in London and New York.
Maiden Lane and Frank Lloyd Wright Building
Also on the east side of Union Square, you'll find steps leading down to Maiden Lane. At 140 Maiden lane is a Frank Lloyd Wright building. The building has a single archway in from that encompasses both a window and a door. The building's tenant is an art gallery, so stop in a take a look at the interior. Rather inauspicious and small looking from the outside, the building opens to a single room with a circular ramp leading to the upper floor. Fantastic! At 171 Maiden Lane, you'll find one of only two Diptyque locations in the U.S. This Paris based maker of scented candles has a loyal following. My friend on a visit from New York, listed a stop in the Diptyque store as his top priority for sights to see in San Francisco. He bought a $60 candle to take home as a souvenir. Maiden Lane has not always been so refined. It was once home to houses of prostitution.
Luxury Shopping
Union Square is bounded by the Saint Francis Hotel (history...) and many luxury retailers, including Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Levis, Saks Fifth Avenue, Williams and Sonoma, Borders and Tiffany and Co. There are also many fine art galleries on the streets surrounding Union Square. If you're up for an afternoon of shopping and have a thick pocket book, this is the place to go.
