Paris: 5 free September events—plus 2 under $15

While the cable cars are much celebrated, the F-Line Market Street Railway is another historic transit option that shouldn't be missed. (Thanks, reader Jaime Raba for reminding us about them!) The F-Line runs from Fisherman's Wharf, along the Embarcadero, and up Market to the Castro. The brightly colored vintage streetcars were imported by the city from places around the world, from Australia to England, Philadelphia to St. Louis. On any given day, as many as 20 different trolleys are on the street. Perhaps the most notable is the 1934 open air roofless "boat tram," strung with lights that came from the seaside resort town of Blackpool, England. Kids (and kids at heart!) will especially get a kick out of riding the train and hearing the old-fashioned bell ring at each stop. History buffs should stop by the SF Railway Museum south of the Ferry Building for exhibits and more information. Check out the website for a background guide to the origin of the different trolleys. The F-Line runs every 5-20 minutes from approx. 6:00 AM until 11:20 PM. As a part of Muni, transfers work throughout. $2 for adults, $.75 for youth and seniors, and free for kids under 5. streetcar.org Museum, 77 Steuart Street, (415) 974-1948, Free, Open Tuesday–Sunday 10:00am–6:00pm

I'm leaving soon for Florence, where I'll be renting an apartment, seeking out the best bars for an aperitivo, and exploring what's new since my last visit. The sandwich shop 'ino and the Museo Nazionale Alinari della Fotografia in Piazza Santa Maria Novella are high on my list. I'm also curious to find out more about the young mayor's ambitious plans. So I've got my questions, but I'm wondering what you would like to know about Florence? Maybe it's something about Florentine etiquette, local markets and shops, how to tackle the world-famous museums, or where to find some green space in the crowded city. Now's your chance to ask, and I'll see what I can fit in. PREVIOUSLY Share your favorite hotels and restaurants in Florence

Where the chefs shop: The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market Considered one of the top farmers' markets in the country, and a magnet for the area's locavore chefs, purveyors set up outside the food-centric Ferry building—whose tenants include Cowgirl Creamery and Miette's pastry shop. Our fresh pick: maple breakfast croissants from 4505 Meat's, which you can take down to the benches overlooking the Bay. When: Tuesdays, 10am–2pm Thursdays, 10 am–2pm Saturdays, 8am–2pm Open late: Upper Haight Street Farmers' Market Over 30 farmers and food producers set up stalls catering to the after-work crowd—and occasionally there's live music, too. Our fresh pick: Marshall's Farms small batch raw honey. When: Wednesdays, 4–8 pm Most scenic: Fort Mason Center Farmers' Market Located near Fisherman's Wharf and the Marina, the stretch of green at Fort Mason offers stunning views of the Bay, including Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge, and is a favorite spot for kite flyers. (Bonus: free parking.) Our fresh pick: The sustainably-farmed grilled meats from the roving Roli Roti truck. When: Sundays, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm The newest: Mission Community Market Revenues from this month-old effort—featuring fresh fruit, homemade empanadas, and locally-made arts and crafts—will be reinvested into community activities, public murals, and after-school programs at the market. Our fresh pick: For grown-ups? Thirty varieties of apples from Hale Farms. For kids? A writing workshop with Dave Eggers' team from the 826 Valencia tutoring center. When: Thursdays, 4–8 pm One day only: The Underground Farmers Market An event that's grown from a house party to a 50-vendor extravaganza (over 1,200 people attended the last one), this to-do features food made and grown in urban gardens, backyards and kitchens right here in the city. Unlike at regular farmers' markets, sellers don't have to use a commercial kitchen, so small batch growers, bakers and cooks who are priced out of the Ferry Building sell here instead. Because it's considered a "private event" you must sign up to attend. Our fresh pick: We love it all—from the locally-foraged mushrooms and raw chocolate to the mixed drinks. When: Sept 11th from 11am–4pm (Admission: $2) and 6–11pm (Admission: $5) at SomArts

Visitors who have tired of the Mona Lisa can now turn to Mario and Luigi for some unusual museum fun. The Mario Bros.—along with Donkey Kong, Sonic and Pacman—are the stars of a popular new exhibition at the Musée des Arts et Métiers. Museo Games presents the history and evolution of video games and includes more than two dozen consoles for "interactive learning." Museo Games, in other words, has transformed this national museum into a buzzing and beeping arcade. Fans of old-school gaming can start off playing Missile Command on an Atari 2600 before joysticking their way through the Nintendo and Sega periods into the modern era of the Xbox. After thoroughly exhausting their thumbs, visitors can recover on the rooftop café before exploring the rest of the Musée des Arts et Métiers. This Marais museum (60 rue Réumur, 3rd arrondissement) has exhibitions on construction, transportation, computers and other wonderfully geeky subjects. Admission to the exhibit is €3 ($3.80) and the museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Museo Games runs through November 7. RELATED Paris: Free art galleries worth a visit