San Francisco: The city's historic streetcars

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

Growing up in Manhattan, I never dreamed of moving to Jersey. But that's just what my husband and I did two summers ago. We were open to a change and lured across the Hudson River to Jersey City for more space and amenities at a much lower rent. It's easy to poke fun at Jersey, so reactions to our new address included plenty of bridge-and-tunnel references and (mock?) horror. But friends who've crossed state lines to hang out in our neighborhood tend to be pleasantly surprised; a few have even moved in nearby. The downtown area is quiet, safe, clean, easier to reach than most Brooklyn neighborhoods, and supports a low-key arts scene—if Jersey City ever changes its name, our rent is going way up. The PATH train connects Jersey City with various points in Manhattan 24/7 for $1.75, and on my 20-minute weekday rides to and from midtown, I've noticed periodic suitcase- or guidebook-wielding tourists. At first I was surprised: could the same qualities that made Jersey City appealing to me as a resident make it an appealing base for tourists? At least one Budget Travel reader, Lloyd, thinks so. When we asked readers to share favorite New York City hotels, he wrote in to recommend the "fabulous" waterfront Hyatt Regency Jersey City, and its views of the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline, stretching from Wall Street up past the Empire State Building. The Hyatt is adjacent to the Exchange Place PATH station, a ferry dock, and a few minutes' drive from the Holland Tunnel entrance. Rates start at $139 for a 385-square-foot room—a steal when compared to Manhattan Hyatts like the Andaz Wall Street, where a 372-square-foot room starts at $250, or the Grand Hyatt at Grand Central, where a 250-square-foot room starts at $279. Two more affordable hotels: the all-suite Doubletree Jersey City from $149, and the Westin Jersey City Newport from $169. But major chains aren't the only option. Even as New York City issues a crackdown, short-term apartment rentals are gaining momentum in Jersey City. NYC-JC.com, launched by Norwegian real estate developer Jarl Haugedal in 2009, offers rentals with fully furnished kitchens and washer-dryer units in a choice of historic brownstones and high-rise condos. Opt for the latter, and you'll often get resort-like amenities, such as a rooftop pool and fancy fitness center. Some sample apartment rates: a studio for two people goes for $125 a night at the Mercer; an apartment that sleeps four is $165 a night at The Grove; and a studio that can sleep three people goes for $245 a night at the luxury high-rise and flagship location, 70 Greene. NYC-JC.com provides a concierge service and can coordinate pickups for guests at train stations or airports. If you're looking for a local restaurant, gallery, or shop, one resource is this directory from NewYorksSixth.com, a site whose name stakes a claim at Jersey City as New York's sixth borough. You certainly won't confuse Jersey City with Manhattan, but my hunch is that for some visitors, especially families, that's a good thing. What's your take? Would you book a stay in Jersey City? PREVIOUSLY New York's soccer team scores a European-style arena, accessible by PATH