Just a few doors further from the last stop of the gallery trek is Union Square: the heart of San Francisco. There one can sit outside or in at the square; recommended is the Emporio Rulli cafe. It is a cafe with a nonchalant European ambiance--people and city watching is at its best here. Perhaps at the square, like when I meandered along, there will be an open air art sale, but if not there will always be a splendid view of some of the most beautiful buildings and architecture of San Francisco. As you enjoy a coffee or a small pastry you can perhaps see how the square itself is a quintessential creation of an urban ‘natural' landscape; a quick oasis escape to nature and relax  from the lively city. The curvilinear shrubbery encloses the center quadrant, changes the look to be inviting, and something about the flora and fauna is calming and relaxing. The palm trees accent the points of entry and exit, and enclose the square from the city beyond. The square also provides space for public sculptures, specifically the new Heart placed on the square's Post and Stockton corner on February 14, 2008, painted by Rob Cox, an evening scene of the Ferry Building.

--Monique T. Willms

(*Image, Emporio Rulli il Caffè, courtesy of Emporio Rulli.)