Interview: Teresa Williamson
One of the coolest 60 minutes segments ever (yah, yah, we know, '60 minutes' and 'cool' in the same sentence, but bear with us, please) was about Finland’s national obsession with the Tango. That’s right; the traditionally reserved Finns really are hot to trot when it comes to this passionate dance. Now, SFist has no way of knowing if this hot to trot-ness combined with tango in anyway influenced Teresa Williamson’s name for her travel company for women, but we’d like to think so.
Regardless of its etymology, Tango Diva is a great service for women travelers. Plus it’s rife with inspiring quotes about life, love and the like—really, Tango Diva should be in the greeting card biz as well. The fact that Teresa loves to travel, and seems to have been everywhere permeates the site, making it the perfect place to daydream up escapes for yourself. Since it’s Friday, and you won’t be getting any work done this afternoon anyway, take the Tango Diva quiz to identify where your travel adventure should be.
Introduce yourself in one sentence
Hi, My name is Teresa and my goal is to promote global understanding and peace by empowering women to explore the world and themselves through solo travel.
Age and Occupation
36 years. Founder of Tango Diva, the premier website for women solo travelers. Author of Flying Solo. Lifestyle and destination editor for Flying Adventures magazine. My bi-month column is called Luxe Landings and I write about fabulous destinations you fly to in your private jet or plane. www.flyingadventures.com
Home Town
Benicia, California
How much time have you spent in the Bay Area?
I lived in the Bay Area until I was 19, then I moved to Australia for five years. I moved back to San Francisco when I was 25 and had to leave for a few painful years to LA. I’ve been back now for four years and I don’t plan on going anywhere!
Where abouts and doing what?
North Beach - partying, Pacific Heights - shopping, and now I live in Half Moon Bay – writing and horse riding.
Favorite website
TangoDiva.com – of course!
Favorite dot com or local business
Well… TangoDiva.com! Our goal is to create connections throughout the planet and make this world a bit safer for women travelers. We work hard to inspire, inform, and connect women from every continent. All very exciting!
What I'm currently Reading
The Essential Rumi and The Power of Intention
Best Deal in San Francisco
Best place to get fabulous, quirky gifts is Timeless Treasures on Sutter Street.
Favorite mode of transportation
Private plane
Best Band or Musician to come out of the Bay Area
Carlos Santana
Favorite local hangout
Fillmore Grill – they have free wireless Internet!
SF has the BEST:
People in the world. They’re smart, savvy, and social. I get so energized by the thoughtful individuals who live here.
You've never lived in SF until:
Volunteered for a great cause or ice blocked down a golf course.
Favorite Bay area politician of past or present:
Future President Gavin Newsom.
Now that Gavin Newsom is single, who are you going to set him up with?
My editor-in-chief.
You can tell someone is a local here IF:
They have a wireless headpiece on.
SF would be soooo much better if only:
We did something meaningful about the homeless problem.
Best Burrito:
Three Amigos in Half Moon Bay
Best Restaurant:
La Mediterranee, Fillmore Street
Best movie scene filmed in or about SF:
All the wedding scenes at Grace Cathedral
Best thing to do in the city in the summer:
Go to Golden Gate Park and sit in the botanical gardens with a good book, or rent a boat on Stow Lake.
Favorite artist to come out of the bay area:
Daniel Tousignant
Favorite author to come out of the bay area:
J.T. LeRoy
Place you always tell visitors to check out:
The Palace of Fine Arts
Golden Gate Park: Japanese Tea Garden, De Young Museum, etc
Cliff House and the museum below, and the Sutro baths
The fort under the Golden Gate Bridge
Nob Hill, Grace Cathedral, Top of the Mark when it’s clear
Favorite Bridge in the area:
The Golden Gate, so majestic, so iconic, so wonderful to fly over!
You have two hours and $15 bucks to kill in SF, what are you going to do?
Go to City Lights bookstore and get a cheep book or some magazines and head to Café Roma for a cappuccino.
I have found/sold/bought the following on craigslist:
I have found some exceptional freelance writers there.
I want all the SFists out there to know:
“There is a community of the spirit.
Join it, and feel the delight
of walking in the noisy street,
And being the noise.”
-Rumi
Spirit is alive here in San Francisco!
Tell us a San Francisco Story:
When I was working in advertising, I was asked to host two of the country’s best creative directors during a conference in town. They were both very conservative gentlemen from the East Coast who never been to San Francisco, and they were leaving the next morning. So, my friend and I decided to take these guys on a whirlwind tour of San Francisco in a frenetic hour. We hit most of the iconic spots – while breaking most traffic rules. After crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, Seeing Cliff house, driving through the park, passing by the Wharf and Ghirardelli Square, down Lombard, and past the Embarcadero, we ended our tour on the corner of Columbus and Broadway, where we were going to let the guys jump out of the car and run across to Big Al’s for a peek. At that moment, we all jumped out of the car, my friend included – with the engine of her car still running - and all the doors locked shut. We were stuck on this famous corner –illegally parked, trying to get into her idling car. We had a few homeless helping us out because we were offering $20 to whomever could get the car open without breaking a window.
A few years later, I was at a marketing event in New York and ran into one of the creative directors from the earlier adventure. I didn’t recognize him, but he recognized me and said, excitedly to me and everyone else in ear’s reach, “Hey, I know you! You’re that crazy porno shop girl in San Francisco!”
Question you'd ask if you were doing this interview:
What moment in your life did you feel most alive?