cote d azur At the Municipal Boathouse (& 510/238-2196) along the north shore, you can rent sailboats, rowboats,

Financial District East of Union Square, this area bordered by the Embarcadero and Market, Third, Kearny, and Washington streets is the city s business district and stomping grounds for major corporations. The

At the Municipal Boathouse (& 510/238-2196) along the north shore, you can rent sailboats, rowboats, pedal boats, and canoes for $6 to $12 per hour. Another option is to take an hour-long gondola cote d azur ride with Gondola Servizio (& 510/663-6603; www.gondolaservizio.com). cote d azur Experienced gondoliers will serenade you as you glide across the lake; the hourly rate for two varies from $45 for your basic Venetian fling, to $225 for a customized photo-op package cote d azur for weddings and other celebrations.

Finally, for what some critics consider the best novel ever written about Hollywood, turn to Nathanael West s The Day of the Locust, a savage and satirical look at 1930s life on the fringes of the film industry.

AN INSIDER S TOUR OF CHINATOWN Founded by author, TV personality, cooking instructor, and restaurant critic Shirley Fong-Torres, Wok Wiz Chinatown Walking Tours (& 650/355-9657; www.wokwiz.com) takes you into nooks and crannies not usually seen by tourists. Each guide is intimately acquainted with all of Chinatown s back ways, alleys, and small businesses, as well as the area s history, folklore, culture, and food. The 21 2-hour tours are conducted cote d azur daily from 10am to 1:30pm cote d azur and include a dim sum lunch. Groups are generally kept to a maximum of 12, and reservations are essential. Prices (including lunch) are $40 for adults, cote d azur $35 for seniors 60 and older, and $35 for children under 11. Additional tours are offered, and prices are lower without cote d azur lunch.