Exactly 20 years ago one could walk into Wolfgang Puck’s iconic Postrio and, depending on the time of day, spot Sean Penn and Robin Wright lunching at one table, or perhaps Elizabeth Taylor, her dog Sugar, and Jose Eber at another, while Herb Caen made notes for his next column.
President Bill Clinton might be there for a fundraiser, Tommy Hilfiger or David Letterman for breakfast. Tina Brown could be hosting a dinner with Larry Ellison, Steve Jobs and Susie Buell. Anyone with fame, power and money who passed through San Francisco made a stop at Postrio.
It was 1996, the year Google was invented, and San Francisco was very much a different kind of town than today– now our bold faced names come not from Hollywood, New York or DC, but from our local multi-billion dollar tech firms the are impacting everyone in the world from Mission Street to Hyderabad.
The changes of the past 20 years were no more evident that at the recent opening of the fabulous new Rambler restaurant and bar in Postrio’s former home at 545 Post Street.
Hosted by Vanessa and Billy Getty, with friends Alexis and Trevor Traina (founder of IfOnly.com), the preview party drew the kind of techies and tastemakers that are remaking the City, many of whom were barely out of preschool when the former restaurant opened in 1989 — a great example being guest Kaitlyn Krieger, the fashionable art connoisseur and tech consultant married to Instagram co-founder Mike Krieger.
Created by Andy Wasserman, Adam Snyder and Hugo Gamboa of Hat Trick Hospitality (the successful team behind The Brixton, Sabrosa, and Redford), the California style restaurant, with executive chef Robert Leva (formerly of Auberge du Soleil, Calistoga Ranch, Salt House and Redd), will eventually operate all day, but for now is open only for dinner.
The decor by Lori Yeomans also reflects the current vibe of the City, where one respects old world authenticity and a slightly industrial edginess, while introducing a modern, graphic minimalism to bring it into the 21st century.
With an entrance anchored by an oversize aluminum print entitled “On,” by John Waguespack, Rambler’s mood is warm, welcoming, and familiar, with luxurious textures, a soothing color scheme, and sophisticated vintage photography and lithographs on the walls.
With the opening of Rambler on its ground floor, Hotel Zeppelin completes its transition into San Francisco’s hippest hotel.
It too reflects the style of the day, as our Burning Man culture so often seems a direct continuation of the City’s heritage in the 1960s counter-culture — an era the hotel celebrates in its decor and of course its rock-n-roll name.
The hotel projects an atmosphere of creativity, color and fun while providing convenience, attentiveness, luxury and ease in its accommodations.
Rambler is open Sunday through Wednesday from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. to start.
