Heading to SF for a short period seems like a good idea. Since you don't seem to have a network there, it is probably a good idea to do a recon trip. This also works well with the visa situation. It is probably considerably easier to meet people willing to sponsor you if you meet them in person, so just take a "vacation" to SF and plant your seeds. This also gives you the chance to see if you really like SF, although i would be surprised if you didn't like it. Good luck!