by Jack Deal

Created on: July 28, 2008   Last Updated: December 04, 2008

For many of us, San Francisco is the best city in the world. No matter how you score it, good old San Fran always is near the top, whether you leave your heart there or not.

Driving downtown to Union Square is not so bad but it's always best to park early. In fact, one of San Francisco's downsides is the parking problem.

At any rate you can try the Stockton Street Public Parking Garage and if you get there before 10:00 or so you should not have any problems.

In the current economic downturn, some Union Square hotels are offering early bird rates if you leave by 6:00 PM. Parking from 8-6 runs about $30; half that if you get an early bird rate.

Union Square combines the ethnic, financial, artistic, retail and down and out side of the City. In fact, you can hang around Union Square and get your fill of just about anything.

Today we saw a finely dressed business executive give a boisterous panhandler a $5 bill. Where else can you see that?

We were attending a local search technology conference at the Marriot. Since we live nearby, we decided to drive and not spend the night. The conference had discounted rooms for $250 plus taxes; we could save enough to splurge on fried oysters in Pescadero.

If you don't live in or near San Francisco, it is important to remember that visiting San Francisco is not cheap.

The conference was great but technology can be nerve-wracking so at lunch we decided to take a break from the Virtual Earth and see some real Earth and maybe stop by some galleries in Union Square.

We wandered into a gallery on the Square and it was spiffy. Art in The City is always fun, edgy and stylish. At least in the presentation; the presentations can be as interesting as the art.

We saw Chagalls, Picassos and Miros. Most of the Miros and Chagalls were prints and some of the Picassos were ceramic. How does one authenticate a Picasso ceramic?

The salesperson was very courteous, not following us around but intermittently dropping in on us and asking us questions like "wouldn't you like to buy this wonderful Dali?"

The prices weren't listed and we didn't ask. Except once. It was a mobile by Calder, perhaps the best known mobile or 'hanging art' artist.

"OK, how much is this one?" the wife asked.

"$1.5 million", was the answer. Food for thought. We wondered just how many credit cards it would take to buy this one. Probably a shoe box full.

We also wondered where one would put this thing if one were to buy it. At 1.5 Big Ones maybe the only place to keep it is in

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