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Greetings,
 
I live in France, near Geneva, and work for the World Health Organization as a Resource Mobilization Officer. However, I formerly lived in San Francisco for fifteen years (until 2004), still consider it my beloved home, and it is where I am registered to vote. So, hopefully you will not mind my contributing a suggestion.
 
I am certain you have heard scores of ideas, and mine I am sure is not new in and of itself. In any case…
 
Have you considered if San Francisco might be a "sister city" to the city of Beaune, France?
 
I know that the former Mayor explored sister-city status with Paris and did not succeed. But, you may look to a commercially burgeoning wine producing focal point in France that may offer other benefits than the glory of ol’ Paris.
 
My husband received his Wine Masters in Beaune, so I am vaguely aware of this city and its charms. He would be the true resource, however. In any case, Beaune is a small village in the Burgundy region. They produce superior wines, but are not as savvy say as the Bordeaux region in marketing and distribution/exporting and/or tourism. They take great pride in their culture, techniques and production, but are not exporting as much wine these days as they have in the past due to cheap wines sold via the global economy such as from South Africa. There is some stirring to the effect that they may explore more innovative wine tourism and marketing to draw more people to this incredibly charming village in Beaune that is the focal point for the wine burgundy region.
 
Might a San Francisco/Beaune, France sister city status open a door for many opportunities?
 
1) Sharing of wine producing methods between California and Burgundy regions (academic links between wine professionals);
 
2) Supporting SF small business owners by commercially linking SF with Burgundy for the trade and sale of wines mutually;
 
3) Cross-tourism between California and Burgundy;
 
4) Strengthening the wine culture in San Francisco, that I might quite frankly say is taken for granted these days. I see a great deal of quantity in terms of wine culture in SF City proper, but not in terms of pure quality: therefore, I do not get a sense of pride of these traditions and history and the pure appreciate of wine, how California wine culture is defined and unique to Europe’s, learning and developing wine trade as a career and maintaining the commercial integrity and traditions of the small producers in your neighboring wine region (using SF as their commercial hub).
 
5) Building upon your youth program with scholarships for inner city youth to travel to Burgundy and learn wine trade, production, farming, etc., and possibly linking this exposure to a career in oenology.
 
Therefore, might San Francisco take its rightful place as the commercial vortex of your wine region and to champion wine quality linking its California wine traditions and culture with that of the fine traditions of Burgundy?
 
These are just a few thoughts I throw out there, actually with very little pre-thought and more of an exercise of free association. But, for what it is worth, I put it out there. I wanted to respond with something for this very interesting opportunity for feedback that you provide on your website.
 
I admire the Mayor’s programs and efforts. He honors San Francisco.
 
All the very best,
 
Dede
 
Ferney Voltaire, FRANCE

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