On that note, I went to Chinatown -- not to be confused with the movie -- on Sunday afternoon to buy souvenirs and sample dim sum. Walking through the gate at Grant Avenue and Bush Street was like being transported halfway across the world as residents and tourists crowded the streets. Chinese roots in this city date back to the mid-1800s, when millions of people emigrated from their homeland in search of a better life.
Speaking of history, one of the neighborhood's main attractions is the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company. In business since 1962, this factory makes its namesake product by hand, luring passersby to witness their handiwork and purchase their goods. (I don't care for the taste, but I enjoy breaking them apart to read the proverbs.) Due to its location, the shop may be easy to miss ... but the smell is hard to ignore.
