How I See San Francisco: Actor Adam Jacobs

Broadway's original Aladdin, Adam Jacobs, returns to the Bay Area with the national tour of Disney’s "Aladdin" for the 2017 holiday season. Here, Adam shares with us his highlights of San Francisco. "Aladdin" runs Nov. 1, 2017 through Jan. 7, 2018 at SHN’s Orpheum Theatre.

Living in New York, how do you stay in touch with what's new in San Francisco?

I keep in contact with some old high school buddies as well as a few teachers/mentors from my time at St. Ignatius College Preparatory.  I also have some family members who are scattered across the Bay Area from Salinas up to Sacramento. They keep me relatively up to date.

Where and what would you choose for your last meal in San Francisco?

I'm always a big fan of the fresh "catch of the day" and some clam chowder in a sourdough bowl.  Whether it's cooked and wrapped in parchment from Hyde Street Seafood House or from one of the many restaurants on Fisherman's Wharf, or from my personal favorite, Barbara's Fishtrap, just north of my hometown of Half Moon Bay, where I ate countless times with my family. That particular meal is quintessential San Francisco to me.

What is new to the theater scene here that you’re excited about?

I'm excited to see that more and more Broadway-bound musicals are being developed in San Francisco.  I hope that trend continues. I'm also a proud alum of the Young Conservatory at A.C.T. so I like hearing about what new and innovative work is coming from there.

What's your favorite annual or seasonal event in the city?  

The Half Moon Bay Annual Pumpkin Festival, of course!  Complete with super giant pumpkins from all over the Pacific Northwest being weighed, pumpkin carving contests and pumpkin ice cream. Yum!

What is your favorite historic spot in San Francisco?

My top three historic spots:

• Legion of Honor
• Palace of Fine Arts
• Site of the old Cliff House and Sutro Baths
  
  

Is there a must-see in the city for visitors?

I love exploring Golden Gate Park.  The Japanese Tea Garden and Botanical Gardens there are especially beautiful during the spring and summer.

Growing up in the Bay Area, what was your favorite thing to do in the city?

Growing up, I pretty much lived on the beach. I loved skim-boarding, surfing, and cliff-jumping off the bluffs onto the steep sand with my friends in my hometown of Half Moon Bay.  I never worked up the courage to surf the Mavericks, though (very strong surf and occasional 20-foot waves!).

What's one to-do item on your San Francisco bucket list?

One thing I haven't done yet is taken a boat trip out to the Farallon Islands to see some great white sharks. It's one of the best places in the world to see them.  Probably not something you'd find in the tourist brochures but it's on my bucket list.

Do you have a favorite day trip excursion out of the city to recommend ?

Sausalito is a cute and chic little town right across the Golden Gate Bridge.  I recommend grabbing an ice cream cone or ice coffee from Lappert's and perusing the art galleries.

Do you have a favorite place for a photo in San Francisco?

The top of the Presidio has great views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the city.  I used to see wedding photographers up there all the time, using the beautiful cypress trees to help frame the shots with the city in the background.

What do you miss about San Francisco when you’re back east?

I miss seeing the sun set over the ocean, the dramatic coastline, the smell of the salty sea air, and the way the fog dances around the tops of the hills in the afternoons.  New York has boundless energy, but it doesn't have the beauty that San Francisco has.

How have you seen the San Francisco theater scene develop?

I grew up performing with Theaterworks in Palo Alto, the Palo Alto Players, A.C.T, and even got to perform with the San Francisco Opera at the Orpheum Theatre, where "Aladdin" will be playing.  From my perspective, San Francisco has always been extremely supportive of artistic expression in all its forms, but especially theater.  The community embraces the arts and it's comforting to know that whenever I've performed here.

Any last advice for visitors to San Francisco?

 "Wear layers" is usually my go-to phrase.  The weather is deceptive year-round.  It can be warm in the sun and chilly/breezy in the shade but it really depends where you are in the city. Other than that, get some steamed crab at Fisherman's Wharf, grab a mallet and some newspaper and go to town!