Ultimate iPhone Campout Guide: SF Downtown

And if you're in the market for free wifi surrounded by cool art and possibly in the mood for a cocktail, 111 Minna (located at, surprise! 111 Minna Street) is San … Francisco's original art gallery/bar/nightclub and a great place to chill if you ignore the nihilist art-school overflow crowd. Though waving your iPhone triumphantly at the bar may win you some street cred. [link]

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Specialty's Bakery is a local gourmet chain open early for breakfast through early evening, offering excellent sandwiches, soups, and salads in addition to stellar baked … goods (chocolate chip-cookies are awesome). Plus you can order online for picking up during the lunch hour crush. [link]

For cheap eats during breakfast/lunch that aren't crappy chain restaurants across the street in the mall, Split Pea Seduction is an absolute can't-miss - it offers a … unique healthy takeout menu that changes daily, with great soups, salads, and crostatas, and the only quasi-piece of gentrification on an otherwise typical seedy south-of-Market block. [link]

Rasputin Records is another bathroom choice -- 'cause don't you want to combine doing your business with a little music shopping pleasure? [link]

The Metreon movie theater/entertainment complex at Mission and Fourth (which also has free wifi) has public bathrooms [link]

Citizen Cupcake (sister store of Citizen Cake) on the third floor of the Virgin Megastore offers cake and cocktails to go with free wifi. The Virgin Megastore is … literally right across the street from the Apple Store, so if you miss it, you don't deserve your iPhone anyways. [link]

We all need to heed nature's call at some point. One of the best options for clean bathrooms and unhasseled bliss is at the San Francisco Shopping Center (Westfield Mall) across Market Street from the Apple Store. No public bathrooms in the BART station or most of the fast food and coffee shops in the neighborhood, so don't bother. [link]

If you feel a sudden urge to get your drink on, the Gold Dust Lounge is several blocks up on Powell Street, waiting in all its kitschy interior, seriously cheap … happy hours ($3 cocktails), and Midwest-tourist MILF & alcoholic-geezer glory. [link]

If you're not sleeping on the street in front of the store (i.e. not drinking Night Train out of a paper bag), you'll need a bed, and who wants to spring for a fancy … place when you're ploppin' down 500 big ones the next day? The Mosser Hotel is a typical traveler's hotel -- cheap, very small rooms, shared bathrooms for the less-expensive ones, but very clean, decently appointed, and well-run, starting at $75-$90 a night. [link]

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