One day, while coming home from middle school years ago, I passed by a group of tourists who asked me if I knew how to get to a bookstore called City Lights. I gave them the directions, and they thanked me graciously. A few weeks after that, I met a few more tourists who was looking for a bookstore that they could not remember the name of, describing the store by using adjectives like "legendary, special, unique, famous," and "widely-known." I asked them if they were talking about City Lights, and they all nodded immediately, smiles on their faces.
At the time, I could not understand why City Lights was so popular. And then I went there about a year ago, and kicked myself for not going sooner. City Lights is a neighborhood bookstore at its best. A sweet little spot that many people will pass by without noticing, but a grand palace for those who are seeking it. City Lights is, believe it or not, a San Francisco landmark of sorts, and it's only a bookstore! Filled with history, culture, politics, tradition, and - of course - lots of quality books, City Lights is probably the only place in San Francisco you probably would not mind getting lost in.
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