Toms Place House

Tom's Place is a single-family home built circa 1895. It and much of the surrounding beautiful Castro neighborhood survived San Francisco's 1906 earthquake and fire. Its intricate façade was restored and the original 1890's interior is decorated in antiques, kitsch and leather homoerotic art. Both guest rooms, one with a firm double bed and view of Twin Peaks, the other with two twin beds (one firm, one plush) and view of the rose garden, have digital cable TV/VCR and share a bath with douche. No parking is provided but guests may load and unload vehicles in the drive. Tom's Place is far enough from the hubbub of the Castro that street parking isn't too difficult but cars are more a liability than an asset in San Francisco. Many guests who arrive by car leave it parked until departure. Guests have access to a phone for local calls, a desktop computer to check email or may connect their own laptop wirelessly or by cable in the office to the broadband router for Tom's network. Guests have their own well-equipped play space in the garage, accessible from within the house or the street, with slings, toys, TV/VCR and enough equipment to make most leather men comfortable. Guests can have intimate play sessions and/or host their own reasonably sized play parties. Not only is Crisco permitted, it's encouraged. <G> Tom's guests most often flag red and/or to a lesser extent black hankies.
The Castro is the heart of San Francisco's gay community and near the geographical center of the City. A four-block walk brings you to 18th and Castro Streets, the district center. Many cafes, shops and bars are within a two-block radius of this intersection. Tom's Place is a guesthouse, as opposed to a B&B, so no breakfast is served but guests can prepare coffee and tea and use the refrigerator. The Castro is also a public transit hub.
 
The Folsom (also known as SOMA or South of Market) is a short two-stop ride from the Castro on SF's municipal railway. Most leather bars, shops and clubs are located within a four-block by four-block rectangle in this district. If you plan to explore other areas of the City you're advised to bring a good pair of walking shoes. San Francisco can be warm or cold at anytime of the year or day so bring a good leather jacket, too. Your host, Tom Rodgers, has been a San Francisco resident since 1979. He retired from a full-time law practice in 1995 but maintains his license and does considerable pro bono work for the community. He rides a 1987 BMW K100RS motorcycle and identifies himself as a leather man. He's a usually reliable source on where to go, where not to go and everything in between. Tom's Place is the ideal location for your San Francisco adventure, whether to cruise the Castro, troll the Folsom, admire the architecture, people watch, shop, dine, see the tourist sites or just relax in a comfortable environment.