A Nitronaut’s Guide to EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW, SEE AND DO A GUIDE TO SAN FRANCISCO

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome ...... 03 Letter from the EE Team ...... 03 Nitro Headquarters ...... 04 About the office...... 04 Quick Help Refrences ...... 04 Dressing for San Francisco ...... 05 HQ Kitchen ...... 05 Dining Options Near HQ ...... 05 Fun at HQ ...... 06 San Francisco ...... 06 San Francisco: The Summary...... 06 Transportation Around Town ...... 07 Landmarks and “Must Do’s” ...... 08 Food, Drinks and Entertainment (by Neighborhood) ...... 09 Bay Area ...... 12 North Bay ...... 12 Napa, Sonoma, Marin ...... 12 ...... 14 Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda ...... 14 South Bay ...... 15 Santa Cruz, Monterey ...... 15 Tahoe and beyond ...... 15 Skiing ...... 15 A GUIDE TO SAN FRANCISCO

WELCOME

Hello and welcome to Nitro HQ! The Employee Experience Team and the SF Nitronauts are excited to welcome you to the Nitro Headquarters and to show you around our fantastic the city by the bay. We are so glad you’re joining us for a visit!

To make your trip as enjoyable as possible, we have put together the following guide so you can become familiar with our office, the city, and the surrounding area. We’ll point out great cafes, landmarks, must-see attractions, and give you some insider tips on where the locals like to go.

The first order of business is to get you feeling at home and make your arrival at HQ easy. We are located at 225 Bush Street, in Suite 700. Our office is between Sansome and Montgomery. If you ever get lost and can’t call us for help, hail a cab and give them those coordinates – they’ll have you here in a jiffy. We are also located next to the Montgomery Street BART/MUNI Station, a 30 minute train ride from the airport.

Nitro Headquarters is located in the heart of the Financial District, where you will experience the hustle and bustle of San Francisco during the workweek. There are lots of fast moving bodies on the streets during working hours so watch your step and keep in mind we walk on the right side of the sidewalk. FiDi’s high energy will get you ready for the workday, but if that ever fails you, there’s a coffee shop on almost every corner.

When you walk into the office you will be greeted by our Receptionist. They’ll be the smiling person sitting along our fully stocked beer and wine bar (where some of us spend our Friday afternoons hanging out). They can help point you in the right direction of where you are headed, or chat with you – preferably both! Depending on when you arrive, you might notice a distinct pinging and ponging – that’s just the regulars over at the “all hands on deck” meeting space, The G, playing ping-pong. Challenge a fellow Nitronaut to a game (it’s a great way to work off your lunch, and to get to know everyone). And don’t worry, we will be sure to give you a tour of the full office once you’re settled in. The space can feel a bit overwhelming at first!

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If there is anything you need during your stay, please feel free to reach out to the EE Team. We are here to help you enjoy yourself and get acclimated to San Francisco and the office.

Cheers! The EE Team

NITRO HEADQUARTERS

About the office

The saying “work hard play hard” is a bit overdone, so we’d rather show instead of tell you about our unique work/play mentality: random ping pong tournaments throughout the day, Tuesday and Thursday catered lunches, a beer cart rolling by your desk every Friday at 3:30pm… basically, we try to make every day as efficient yet enjoyable as possible.

Now, let’s talk about how you are actually going to get into the office. Our building hours are Monday-Friday; 6:30am-6:00pm, although our office is open 24/7. Coming in during regular hours is a breeze (pop on up and we’ll let you in), and we’re happy to get you a temporary key card for after hours – just let us know. If you want to get into the building past 6pm you will have to check in with the doorman, who usually sits behind the big desk right when you walk into 225 Bush Street. Your name should already be on the list (feel free to double check with us just in case).

Quick Help Refrences

Key Card: contact the BITS team at [email protected] Office Supplies: try the big white cabinet in the CSS departent IT Help: send a detailed email to [email protected] Anything else: email [email protected]

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Dressing for San Francisco

SF’s weather can be as quirky as the people who live here. While our office culture remains start-up casual (anything from jeans and a Nitro t-shirt to a fashionable pencil skirt and heels are absolutely welcome), do make sure you bring layers for the city at large. San Francisco natives are born with the know-how to put a sweater over any outfit and the tendency to bring a beanie with them even when the sun is shining. Be prepared for diverse weather — it can easily go from the mid 40’s to the mid 60’s in the same day.

HQ’s Kitchen

In order to be as efficient as possible, coffee (or tea) is a must, right? We have a heavy duty espresso machine in the office if you feel like honing your baris- ta skills – it’s easy to use, and we’re happy to give you a quick tutorial. We also have a Kurig, which drips regular coffee into your cup without muss or fuss. If you’re short on time, Coffee Bar our favorite coffee and tea shop is just down the street. Even the more convenient, but slightly less delicious, Coffee Cultures which is at the base of our building (they make their own excellent vanilla syrup)

Every day you can find goodies in our fully stocked kitchen, from snacks to full on sandwich or salad making fixings. Tuesdays and Thursdays, we have a catered lunches. Sarah Abendschein, our Office Coordinator, will reach out to you to make sure you are put on the email list that allows you to view our weekly catered meals. The catered meals are randomized but they range from Italian food to yummy African skewers. Not feeling the menu? Read on.

Dining Options Around HQ

If nothing in our fridge interests you, here are some of our favorite lunch spots around the area:

Café Bastille: beloved by Gina, this sit-down French restaurant is a great place to dine. Café Venue: right across the street from HQ and the wait is never longer than 6 minutes. Sandwiches, salads…oh, and you have to try their breakfast burritos

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(only served until 11am). Focaccia: make your own salad or have a go at the hot food bar. Great for salads, chicken, veggies and mashed potatoes. Mixt Greens: a popular salad bar that lets you build your own lettuce bedded meal. Onigilly and Sushiritto: outside the box, these two little places are home to Japanese inspired fare with a twist. Per Diem: another sit-down restaurant, home to the best burrata!

Fun at HQ

Hard work needs balance, so we offer on-site activities throughout the month. Join us for trivia night, wine club, movie night (with fresh popcorn!), meet-ups, lunch-time learning sessions, yoga, and other sociable activities.

Happy Hour Friday Every Friday at 3:30pm, our newest Nitronauts push the beer cart around the office, helping ensure they get to meet everyone! If you’re here on Friday, expect to be asked to give the cart a push. Happy hour is a nice time for everyone to unwind from a busy week, socialize and celebrate accomplishments.

SAN FRANCISCO

A bit about San Francisco

San Francisco is one of the greatest cities in the world, packed with rich history and modern beauty. Although this is a subjective statement, you will soon come to see why so many people believe it to be true. Founded on June 29, 1776, SF grew to become the city that spawned the Summer of Love and the gay rights movement thus fortifying San Francisco as a center of liberal activism in the United States. It’s pretty impressive for a city contained within a seven-mile by seven-mile plot of land (you’ll see classic 7x7 references around town).

Enough history, let’s move on to the fun stuff! Although San Francisco’s skies tend to be covered in clouds, there have recently been more days than not where the sun is shining and the weather is not too far from the mid-60s. Strap on your

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walking shoes and start exploring, so long as you’re okay with a few (okay, many) hills. SF is made up of 27 districts and a little over 100 neighborhoods, each with their own unique qualities that make them special. We don’t expect you’ll get to all of them (but if you do you should win an award or something). Later in this guide we have outlined our recommended places to explore.

Not into hiking hills? Let’s talk about other means of SF transportation, like Muni, BART and of course, Uber, Sidecar and Lyft – aka, cabs.

Transportation

Muni Muni is one of the more popular transportation methods, composed of both street-trains and buses that can get you most anywhere. A ride is $2.00 – ask the driver for a transfer pass that lasts for about 5 hours, making near-future bus and train rides free. Muni does offer visitor day passes – but talk to a fellow Nitronaut about whether that’s worth the expense for you.

Cable Car The famed cable cars fall under the Muni category, but unless you buy a day pass, one ride costs more than a bus or train fare ($6.00). The closest cable car pick up is in Union Square, and will take you up and down death-defying hills (slight exaggeration) to Fisherman’s Wharf. It’s a treat, even for locals!

Bart BART, or , is our regional subway service. It’s best utilized to get to and from the Mission District or SFO (the airport), and it also sprawls into the East Bay.

Sidecar-Taxi, Uber-Taxi, or Lyft Ride sharing is huge in SF. Think of it like a taxi, but often driven by common folks, though local drivers and professional cabbies alike will get you around the city with these services. Ride sharing requires a smart-phone application. Most folks in the office have one (or all) of these services, so ask around. You can also be old-fashioned and hail a cab, which will always work.

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Landmarks and must-sees

• Academy of Science: Go geek out at the science museum! From an albino alligator to exploring the cosmos to an indoor rainforest, the Academy has it all. • : Take a tour through the prison where notorious criminals such as Al Capone were housed. Go in the evening for a more formally guided tour with a creepier atmosphere. • : Tucked away on the Presidio’s western shoreline, Baker Beach’s outstanding views of the and the Marin Headlands are unreal (and often the backdrop for photography shoots). • : Built in 1933, Coit Tower gives you a bird’s eye view of the city. This breath-taking view can be found at the top of Telegraph Hill. If you want some exercise, walk up the 400 steep steps all the way to the top! • Crissy Fields: Crissy Fields is a great place to relax on the grass, drink a beer, and enjoy the view. • : Located in the heart of , across from the Academy of Science! Here you will find many fine art exhibits, by artists like Georgia O’Keeffe and David Hockney. • Dolores Park: When the weather is nice, this park is packed with tech savvy hipsters trying to get away from the daily grind. If there’s sun on a weekend, there is great people-watching (and dog watching!). • Embarcadero (The Ferry Building): (5 minute walk from the office— great place to explore on your lunch break). There are great places to eat seafood and drink wine in the Ferry Building, along with a gorgeous view of the ocean and Bay Bridge. Go at night to experience the Bay Lights, the new lighting project on the bridge, which will take your breath away. • Golden Gate Bridge: This gorgeous bridge, as portrayed on the first page of this packet, is a picture perfect spot to either walk/bike across or take a picture of and leave. Either way, seeing the iconic Golden Gate Bridge that is on the front of every SF post card is worth the effort. It tends to al- ways be very windy there so make sure to dress a bit warmer even if the weather in other parts of SF is warm. • Golden Gate Park: Golden Gate Park is located in the heart of San Francisco and is where many concerts, festivals, and kick ball tournaments take place. I recommend you visit the Botanical Gardens and perhaps

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the Japanese Tea Gardens as well which are located within the park. • Lombard Street: Capture the city from a different point of view. Lombard Street is a very steep and windy road that overlooks Russian Hill (and much more of the city). Plus, it’s a close walk to and the famed sea lions. • : The Painted Ladies are Victorian houses (where the Full House opening was filmed) that are located in Alamo Square. Sit down, bring a picnic, and enjoy the view.

Food, drinks, and entertainment by districts

Financial District (also known as FIDI): The Financial District is where our office is located. This district is known for its modern and historic buildings that house headquarters of corporations like Charles Schwab, Gap Inc., VISA, the Federal Reserve, Nitro and more. Although this area is known for its “work life,” we all know this city doesn’t just work hard.

There are awesome bars where you can grab some deliciously made cocktails and beers such as House of Shields, Rickhouse, and Irish Bank. Not only are there good bars, but some of the best restaurants in San Francisco are in the Financial District, too. Kokkarri and Salthouse are a couple of our favorites. Kokkarri has amazing Mediterranean cuisine with some of the best grilled octopus around. Blue Stem is also a great restaurant that has the infamous Honey Badger cocktail that will floor you, (literally).

If you walk down Market Street towards the water, you will hit the Ferry Building where you can eat on the water at either La Mar (Peruvian) or Slanted Door (Vietnamese). The Slanted Door is one of the best restaurants in the city. There are also lots of great shops at the Ferry Building, and one of the biggest Farmer’s Markets you’ll ever see on Saturdays— it’s a delicious place to explore.

Union Square: Union Square is only 4 blocks from the HQ and is SF’s mecca for shopping. Macys, Saks, Neiman Marcus, Levi’s, Prada, H&M, Bloomingdales and many more shopping delights are located here. There is a great burger bar at the top of Macys if you work up an appetite from all the shopping. Head to the corner of Market and Powell if you want to pick up a cable car ride over to

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Fisherman’s Wharf. Right nearby is also SF’s theater district, and Johnny Foley’s Dueling Piano Bar – both which make for excellent nights out.

SOMA (South of Market): SOMA is a cool area that is walking distance from the financial district. This area is also known as the warehouse district due to its urban lofts and industrial feel. There are a lot of awesome bars around here like Tempest, Slims (live music), Bar 888 (if you’re lookin to get fancy), and Bar Agricole (cool industrial modern atmosphere). If you are a beer guy/gal then 21st Amendment Brewery would be a great place to visit. These are just a few of many bars located in the SOMA.

SOMA is also home to the where you can find an an IMAX movie theater, restaurants, spas, a bakery and of course, shopping, inside.

North Beach: North Beach is known for its strip clubs and Italian food—San Francisco’s version of the Red Light District. This is where the annual North Beach Jazz Festival takes place every August. There are a lot of good restaurants such as 15 Romolo, Cigar Bar & Grill, and Park Tavern. If you are in the mood for some traditional Italian food, check out Trattoria Contadina. Last but certainly not least, Cotonga is to die for! It is tough to get reservations but if you can it’s a must! Best fried squash blossoms in the world (there is no hyperbole here).

Into seeing some live comedy? Check out Cobb’s Comedy Club and The Purple Onion

The Marina: The Marina is known for its preppy atmosphere, but don’t worry, if you left your polo and khakis at home, you can always keep it casual. Check out Bin38 and The Tipsy Pig, for drinks, and Delarosa has really good Italian food. Union Street offers fun boutique shopping, along with the big names like Mac cosmetics. Chestnut Street is another cute avenue where you can easily get lost in a sea of poking around one-of-a-kind shops and cafes.

Nob Hill: Nob Hill is known as one of the most iconic neighborhoods in SF due to its swanky style and broad array of landmarks—vintage barber shops, classic cocktail lounges and upscale boutiques. Some of San Francisco’s most famous hotels are located in Nob Hill: Intercontinental , Nob Hill Hotel

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and The Huntington Hotel (home to one of the best spas, Nob Hill Spa).

As far as bars go, there are plenty to chose from. The Tonga Room, is a huge tiki bar with delicious beverages, a live band, and waterfalls. You’ll feel like you’ve entered a classy pirate’s paradise. sits at the top of the Mark Hopkins and makes an excellent Martini, while Big 4 is another. They really exemplify Nob Hill’s classical feel – but if you want a dive bar with artesian cocktails, try Tunnel Top

The Mission: A blend of Hispanic culture and tech-geeks, the Mission is home to amazing Mexican and South American food. Pop into any tacqueria on Yelp’s Best-Of list

Check out Bottom Of The Hill for live music—a lot of different genres of music play at this venue. If you want to go to a show, ask Josh or Abiy if they want to join.

And oh man, the food. Bar Tartine is a great restaurant that has a Spanish flare to it. For Italian food there is Farina (great wine list) and Flour + Water who have homemade pasta and wood-fired pizza. Across the street from Flour + Water is a dimly lit bar called Trick Dog that has an old school menu where each fancy drink is labeled on an 80s record. Foreign Cinema (Californian food) has a really cool artsy urban feel to it due to the large industrial space with exposed brick walls and high iron-beam ceilings making it perfect for projecting the night’s foreign film.

One of the best places to go in the Mission is Southern Pacific Brewery. This is a great place to sit outside and drink a pitcher of beer with your fellow Nitronauts while eating some delicious fries and Brussels sprouts.

Haight-Ashbury: This intersection located on upper Haight Street is where the famous ‘60s psychedelic Summer of Love took place. Despite gentrification and proliferation of stores like Ben & Jerry’s and The Gap, it still retains its hippie counterculture credentials, and is dotted with Victorian houses, anarchist bookstores, piercing and tattoo salons and funky clothing shops. Stop into Magnolia for beer and a burger, or walk all the way into Golden Gate Park.

The Castro: The Castro district is predominantly known for its LGBTQ history of

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activism. In 1972 a migration of gay men and women fled to the Castro District during Harvey Milk’s rise to political power/activism. Milk became an icon and a martyr in the gay community and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. There is a fascinating GLBT Historical Society museum located in this district along with a lot of fun bars and clubs.

Some of the well-known bars are The Café, which is a dance party no matter what time it is, Café Du Nord (live music), The Mint (karaoke lounge), and Blackbird.

There is a cute theatre called The that shows really cool movies that don’t always make it to the bigger theaters – they also host musical sing-a-longs to famous movies of the past.

BAY AREA

Although there is way too much to do in San Francisco, we want to give you an opportunity to explore all that the Bay Area has to offer—hiking, biking, eating, beaches and wine drinking.

NORTH BAY

Napa

Napa Valley is known for its wine, champagne and fine dining. Make sure to make a reservation at whichever winery you choose as most all of them do not take walk-ins, same goes for all restaurants.

Wine Schramsberg Vineyards is a historic landmark located just south of Calistoga. Schramsberg is the first American producer to follow the traditional French Champagne method. The wine caves are unreal. At any given time, as many as 2.7 million bottles are in the Schramsberg caves, aging two to ten years before release.

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Cakebread Cellars (in St. Helena) is a very adorable estate that has some of the best Sauvignon Blanc. They also do wine and food pairing for $45.00 a person. Miner Winery is a friendly family owned winery that has an unbelievable Petite Sirah and Sauvignon Blanc. Their service is impeccable, so even if you do not like any of the wines you are guaranteed a good time.

Food Oxbow Public Market is a local gathering for great food and wine. It has a variety of different shops from Anette’s Chocolates to Hog Island Oyster Bar.

Morimoto is a delicious restaurant that mixes Western and Japanese ingredients.

Bounty Hunter is a wine bar that serves BBQ. They have some delicious smoking St. Louis cut ribs and a great spirits menu.

REDD is a wonderful restaurant that has awesome tuna tartare and really good cocktails. ad hoc is another favorite restaurant that serves a 4 course family style meal that changes every day, very fresh.

Sonoma

Wine Cline Winery is located just 45 minutes north of San Francisco in the Carneros AVA. Their tasting room is located in a 1850s farmhouse which makes the experience that much more quaint.

Viansa Winery & Marketplace is a beautiful winery located on top of a hill. The views are breathtaking hence its constant wedding parties. I recommend going to this winery during the evening to watch the sunset over the hills.

Food Vella Cheese Company is a great place for all you cheese lovers! They get their milk in their cheeses from a local sustainably farmed Sonoma family dairy and they’re free range happy Cows. Go on in and sample some cheeses

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before you go and drink some delicious wine!

Harvest Moon Café is an adorable restaurant with a great vibe and awesome American food. They have great outdoor seating with cute red tables and chairs and romantic lights across the sky.

Mamma Tanino’s Ristorante is an old school Italian restaurant with unbelievable deserts and pasta.

Marin

Hiking Hiking in Marin is a beautiful escape from the hustle and bustle of San Francisco. The Marin Headlands are a section of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Check the weather forecast before going; if the forecast calls for fog or rain, it might be best to wait another day. Here is a hiking trail map.

Want to hike around some beautiful waterfalls? Go to Cataract Trail Loop It’s a gorgeous 7 mile trail through the scenic lands of the Mount Tamalpais Watershed. You could just hike a mile and a quarter to the top of the Cataract Creek Trail and return. The trail includes scenic vistas stretching to the Pacific Ocean, narrow single-track into the wooded hillsides into forests of young redwood and Douglas fir. I would wear layers—the climb will warm you up, but much of the hike is on even terrain so you’ll cool back down. Bring lots of water and a camera!

Muir Woods is a must! This is an unbelievable redwood forest with trees as tall as 379 feet, 74 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty. The average age of the coastal redwoods at Muir Woods is between 600 to 800 years, with the oldest being at least 1200 years old.

EAST BAY

Just to the east of SF is the East Bay, home to Oakland, Berkeley and Alameda. They are accessible by BART and ferry, and offer some unique views of San Francisco.

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Oakland

Hailed as the Portland of the Bay Area, Oakland is an up-and-comer in the Bay Area. Much like SF, the food and booze opportunities are endless. The Trappist offers a huge Belgian beer collection, while you can’t go wrong at any restaurant or bar in (check out Forge and Heinold’s First and Last Chance Saloon, where Jack London himself used to drink).

Berkeley

A true college town in the middle of the Bay Area, Berkeley is best known for their internationally acclaimed university, UC Berkeley. If you venture this way, don’t miss Tilden Park, the , or Telegraph Avenue – which is a lot like a smaller Haight-Ashbury and with more college students.

Alameda

This small, man-made island feels like a quaint, sleepy town in the Midwest, complete with tree-lined streets and oddly well-behaved citizens. Get into a little trouble at the local distillery, St. George Spirits (makers of America’s first legal absinthe), or tap into your inner child at the Pinball Museum Arcade.

SOUTH BAY

The south bay is an area of California that is known for its beaches and boardwalks.

Santa Cruz

If you feel like eating some funnel cake, drinking cheap American beer and going on roller coasters then you have to visit Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. It’s right on the beach so you can hang out on the sand after you get tired of all the rides.

Mystery Spot is so much fun! It is a gravitational anomaly located in the redwood forests just outside of Santa Cruz. You can step into weird tiny but big slanted houses that make you feel like you are taller or smaller than you really are.

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Henry Cowell Redwoods is a beautiful park similar to Muir Woods. This park features 15 miles of hiking and riding trails through a variety of forested areas including redwoods, mixed evergreens, riparian, ponderosa pine, as well as rare ancient marine deposits called Santa Cruz sandhills.

Monterey

Monterey Bay Aquarium is where you can see the adorable otters! They are so cute; I would go just to see them. The beach (Lover’s Point) is just a 2 minute drive from the aquarium!

Tomales Bay Oyster Company is where you can shuck and barbeque your own oysters on the beach. You and your friends can get your own table to shuck and cook up your oysters that are farmed at the same location.

Big Sur is a ridiculously gorgeous area to hike and enjoy some fresh ocean air while on top of tall seaside cliffs.

TO TAHOE AND BEYOND

Skiing If you love to ski, Lake Tahoe is the place for you. It is around a 3-4 hour drive from San Francisco. It’s called Lake Tahoe because of its beautiful big blue lake that is typically frozen over during the winter. The most popular mountains to ski on are Heavenly, Northstar, Alpine and Squaw Valley.

THAT ABOUT COVERS IT

Phew! And that’s a wrap for Nitro’s Visitor Guide! Something we didn’t cover? Feel free to reach out to the EE Team via email (Employee.ExperienceTeam@ nitropdf.com) or in person (our office is toward the back, near Finance and Mr. Wenzel) and ask any questions you may still have.

Enjoy SF!

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