I have been shopping and travelling for years, but I hadn’t come across an urban mall that has it all under one roof until I found the Westfield San Francisco Centre. Westfield has anchors like Nordstrom (and this particular branch is beautiful) and Bloomingdales occupying opposite sides of the Centre with absolutely everything else in-between. You’ll see European stores like Zara, H&M, Mango, Hugo Boss, Furla, Reiss and Jacadi on the one hand; and virtually every mainstream American chain store from Banana Republic to Wet Seal, and Express to Victoria Secret on the other. This makes for an expedient and efficient shopping experience.

While I prefer to shop like a true urbanite, striding through endless streets spotting hidden treasures along the way, braving the elements can get tedious and tiresome as you traipse from one side of town to the other. But what makes Westfield Centre somewhat unique is that it’s right in the heart of the bustling city. It’s the perfect way to enjoy an edgy urban experience, with all the conveniences of a suburban mall. Make this your shopping destination if you only have an hour or two to spare for a wee shop in San Francisco. It’s quick, convenient  and brings the best of what international retail has to offer all in one place. Brilliant!

The San Francisco Centre is a famous landmark that was all but destroyed in 1906 and rebuilt. In 1996 it closed and was renovated to what it is today, retaining key architectural elements like the dome and facade shown above.