Grace Cathedral

Grace Cathedral towers over Nob Hill in San Francisco. The impressive French Gothic structure is something I've seen each time I've visited the City by the Bay but never entered...until my most recent trip there.



Surprising, since it is prominently featured in two of my favorite movies: Hitchcock's "Family Plot" and "Time After Time." Although it is part of the story for the television mini series "Tales of the City," a cathedral in Montreal stood in for the interiors.



This labyrinth is based on the one inside the famous Chartres Cathedral in France.



What a view!



It seemed like this place was full of so many rooms and hallways to explore.



I found myself constantly changing lenses...wide angle to zoom to low light. So much going on here!



This mural really caught my attention.



The vintage look and feel had me at first glance.





The light through the stained glass cast some beautiful colors on the floor.



One of the many gorgeous stained glass windows:



More Grace Cathedral at my main website.

The Scarlet

In 2001, I took my first trip to San Francisco, staying at the Huntington Hotel in San Francisco. This historic gem of a boutique hotel was conveniently located in Nob Hill, just around the corner from The Fairmont. Please excuse the grainy shots from my point and shoot film camera. Yes...film.



Fifteen years later, I returned to the "scene of the crime." Now called The Scarlet, it is still a great place to rest one's weary head.



Same lobby chandelier, but the decor has definitely become a lot more vivid since my last visit.



The Spa area is breathtaking, with a balcony view of the city for hotel guests to enjoy.



Amazing I didn't get vertigo taking this shot.



The room was spacious and like the lobby, the decor was bright, yet uncluttered.



I was digging the bathroom.



The hotel restaurant is called The Big 4, which is a nod to Central Pacific’s “Big Four": C. P. Huntington, Charles Crocker, Mark Hopkins, and Leland Stanford.





The decor here includes a portrait of actor Walter Pidgeon. I'm not quite sure how he fits into the story, but the painting looks right at home.



Would I come back again? Take a look at the view from my room:



What do you think? See more Scarlet at my main website.