San Francisco

A cable-car silhouette stands against the lingering brilliance of the setting sun, the Golden Gate Bridge is aswirl in fog as dawn creeps over the bay. Victorian houses on Alamo Square, drenched in color, compete for attention, and stacks of steaming crabs await the tourists on Fisherman's Wharf. Over a period of two years, Santi Visalli has beautifully captured more than 165 photographs.

Visalli has explored the financial district, its skyline punctuated with skyscrapers such as the Bank One of America and Transamerica buildings; Chinatown and the Japanese community, Ginza West, where East meets West in a medley of pagodas, antique stores, and exotic foods; historical San Francisco, with its nineteenth-century Victorian homes and refurbished developments, including the Cannery and Ghiradelli Square; and beautiful Golden Gate Park, teeming with activities as diverse as opera and kiteflying. Seaside cliffs, zigzag streets, intimate restaurants, smoke-filled night spots, public gardens, and cultural institutions--Visalli has photographed them all in varying light and weather for visitors and natives alike.

An essential seaport, San Francisco has become a world city, despite its small size and population. A crossroads between America and the East, it is a city of diverse cultures, peoples, and lifestyles. In this volume Santi Visalli brings together the historical and topical, creating a lasting tribute to this pearl of the Pacific Rim, San Francisco.