It's Christmas In San Francisco

Christmas is my favorite time of year. There are also about 8 million other photos I could have put in this post so I am using great restraint.
First up, was the annual lighting of the Christmas tree at Union Square. On the day after Thanksgiving I slept late. No Black Friday sale madness here unless you factor in the damage I did on Amazon.com in the comfort of my bed. That evening I slipped in to the my favorite Burberry coat, which I got as as an amazing Black Friday score in 2008, and finally made my way downtown.


My first stop in an attempt to get some photo was the Holiday Ice Rink at the Embarcadero Center. Unfortunately, the settings on my digital camera were incorrect so my photos didn't turn out at all. I didn't even realize it until later so no photos of that.

I finally boarded the 21 Hayes to make my way to Union Square. The first display I got a photo of was the window at Louis Vuitton. A lot of color there! The crowds were already out in full force. I wanted to get a few shots of Neiman Marcus and their gigantic tree that spans multiple floors but I had to go reserve my spot.

I made my way over to Macy's, which was about half a block away and managed to score a spot at the front of the barricade. It was a good thing I got there when I did because it was packed. We waited. And waited. And waited. You can kind of make out the crowd in some of the photos. I am someone who is not in to crowds. I am really private, I am really low key so this really isn't my kind of evening, but this is one of my favorite activities of the year. Seriously. So finally they start the show, a bunch of songs were sung... someone from American Idol even sang a few. He was actually really good. I don't watch that show so the name meant nothing to me. I should have paid more attention solely for my blog post, but oh well. Just as we were counting down to the lighting, the 38 Express pulled right in front of those of us by Macy's and I thought the people next to me were going to push it over to get their camera shot. Luckily, the bus moved just in time and I was able to get my photo. : ) And that was it. All of the pushing, the crowds, the people for 5 seconds of glory. It was worth it.

The last photos are of some of the decorations at 101 California Street. These are some of my favorite in San Francisco. I love the huge ornaments. These things have got to be about six feet tall.

I have a few other Christmas decoration photos from around the city I'll try to post but I hope you enjoyed these. So, Merry Christmas to those who celebrate. I want to thank all of my readers who have had such a positive response to this blog. I love doing it.

Happy Holidays!

Wicked - The Musical

While nothing beats having seen Wicked on Broadway, the show in SF is very good. If you love musicals and have the opportunity, I recommend checking it out while you're here. Playing at the Orpheum Theatre.
Tickets: http://www.shnsf.com/

Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival

September 19 - 20

I get how weird this may sound to some of you Andrew Zimmern fans out there, but last year, there was a vendor selling durian mooncakes which were really good. If you want to try durian, I tend to think this is a fairly good way to do so. : ) There are all kinds of good foodie treats and it is also very family friendly. If you're in the area, this is an event you may wish to check out. If you want to try a mooncake, you can also get them in various Chinatown bakeries around this time. Amazingly, I don't have a photo... must take one!

A Taste of Greece Greek Festival

http://annunciation.org/festival/

I feel like everyone likely already knows I come from a Big Fat Greek Family. If you want to experience a bit of this, join in the fun at the Greek Festival. September 25 - 27. You can even go to the website I listed above and print out a ticket to get free admission. : )

Flim Night in the Park

http://www.sfntf.org/

If you have the time during your visit, film nights in the park are worth checking out. See the website above for more infomation as well as the dates of upcoming screenings.

Fleet Week 2009

October 8 - 13

http://www.military.com/fleetweek

If you're in town, be sure to check out the air show... and trust me, even if you choose not to watch, you'll hear it, so you may as well watch anyway. ; )

San Francisco Street Food Festival 2009

http://sfstreetfoodfest.com/

August 22, 2009
11 am - 7 pm
Folsom Street between 25th & 26th

Something that sounds rather worth while if you'll be in the city that day. : )

LGBT Pride Festival 2009

http://www.sfpride.org/

Saturday, June 27-28.

Pride is kind of a SF rite of passage in a way... even if you're straight. Come on out, have some fun and a one of a kind experience. I would say that some of it isn't exactly child friendly. If you're super conservative, this is an event you'd probably be better off skipping. For the rest, come on out and enjoy. All info can be found on the website above.

Happy Pride.

Fillmore Jazz Festival

Music, cuisine, culture... what more could you ask for? Very fun event and one that is good for the whole family. I really do try to come up with family friendly ideas on here even if it doesn't seem like it! I don't have kids so it is one of those areas that I may overlook. Sorry about that. Anyway, this year, check it out July 4 & 5, 2009. See the website for more info.

http://www.fillmorejazzfestival.com/

Dining Out for Life

April 30, 2009

The STOP AIDS Project and Wells Fargo invite you to the 8th Annual Dining Out for Life presented by San Francisco's own SKYY Vodka, SF Weekly, and CBS 5/The CW Bay Area!

Simply dine at one of our participating restaurants on Thursday, April 30, 2009 and 25 percent of your food bill will benefit the HIV prevention programs of the STOP AIDS Project.

Check out the website for more info and a list of participating restaurants: http://diningoutforlife.com/sanfrancisco/participating

San Francisco International Beer Festival 2009

http://www.sfbeerfest.com/index.html

I should state that I am not a beer person so the greatness (or lack thereof) of this event is a bit lost on me. However, I thought is sounded like an interesting happening to inform you about. I try to keep my eye out for all kinds. So. If this sounds interesting, be sure to check out the beer festival Saturday April 25, 2009.

Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason, San Francisco

Sample over 300 incredible beers from some of the best craft brewers in the world. Taste a delicious variety of offerings from some of San Francisco's best restaurants.

Admission includes unlimited beer tastings
and noshing.

Cherry Blossom Festival

http://nccbf.org/home/

One of the best things about the festival is the food. If you can't tell, I like food. Of course, experiencing Japanese culture is pretty cool too. Great thing to check out on a nice day in SF.

Beach Blanket Babylon

One of the issues about doing a blog on my hometown and giving people things to do is that I often feel as though I've recommended something 100 times only to realize that I somehow forgot to put it on my blog. One of these things is Beach Blanket Babylon! Keep in mind that you kind of have to love "kitch" but I think this is a fun thing to do at least once. The costumes, hats especially are great. Some of the jokes are rather dated but if you're a pop culture junky, you'll probably appreciate them nonetheless.

You do need to be 21+ for most showings as they do serve alcohol. There are matinee performances that you can go to if you have minors with you, however.

http://www.beachblanketbabylon.com/

Xin Nian Kuai Le!

"Happy New Year!"

I am a bit late on the posting but Chinese New Year kicked off in SF over the weekend, but the big parade this year is scheduled for Feb 7. For those who want something more low key, the San Francisco Symphony is holding their Chinese New Year celebration on Feb. 8. You can currently pre-order your tickets online if you're interested. The Chinese community street fair and carnival are also things that may be of interest.

There is a lot going on and it is worth checking out if you'll be in town. : )

http://www.sanfranciscochinatown.com/events/


http://www.sanfranciscochinatown.com/events/sfschinesenewyear.html

Bay to Breakers

Basically, this is one big city wide block party! Very fun and unique event. If you're under the impression that San Franciscans are rather nuts, well, this is kind of a stereotype at its best but it sure is fun. Join the race (or not) or just come and check out the festivities.

http://www.baytobreakers.com/main.html

First Annual Fabulous Food Festival

This sounds promising for the foodies out there. If you're in town, admission is only $10 and may be worth your while if you're in to food. : )

"The First Annual Fabulous Food Festival will feature a festive feast of flavors. Festival goers will enjoy a unique retail marketplace with delicious free samples offered by over 250 exhibitors and sponsors. Specialty and gourmet foods will star, and everything "foodish" will be featured.More than twenty different food categories will be featured, including: Baked Goods, Condiments, Confectionery, Dairy and Eggs, Grains/Cereal Pasta, Lifestyle (including slow, kosher and green), Meat/Game/Pate, Oils and Vinegar, Sauces, Seasonings and Cooking Enhancers, Seafood, Soups, Stews and Beans, Spreads and Syrups, Vegetables, Fruit, Snacks, Stews and Beans. In addition, beverages for sampling and purchase will be provided by prominent local wineries, micro-breweries and producers of non alcoholic beverages. Food-related offerings, including cookware and cooking publications will also be available. The merrymaking will be further enhanced by live musical entertainment and ongoing giveaways."

http://pacificexpositions.com/FabFoodFest/

Union Square Christmas Tree Lighting

If you don't already know, I love Christmas, probably to an annoying degree. I am already in the spirit if you can't tell. Of course I have to mention the annual lighting ceremony of the Union Square Christmas Tree. Typically done on the Friday after Thanksgiving across from Macy*s on Union Square. Crowds are extreme but it is lovely nonetheless. A great family friendly activity.

Dance Along Nutcracker

I happen to think this is really rather cool. The website gives the info because on this one, it explains much more than I could. Very fun if you're here around the holidays and another activity that is fun for all ages. A lovely take on the Nutcracker which is likely a holiday tradition for many.

Dance Along:
http://www.sflgfb.org/dancealong.html

And for those who are more traditional,
http://www.sfballet.org/performancestickets/nutcracker.asp

Chinese New Year Parade

If you're in town and have never witnessed Chinese New Year, I highly recommend checking it out. Good for all ages and likely something that you will find pretty unique... unless you're from Hong Kong in which case you'll probably think our Parade is stupid. ; )

http://www.sanfranciscochinatown.com/

Fleet Week

Fleet Week... This can be a very fun time of year for visitors and the weather is typically incredible. I used to live in a building that allowed me to watch the Blue Angels (see photo) air show from my front window. You can wander in to bars at this time and meet some really interesting people. One year I ended up on a cable car with the Marine Corps Band and the played songs the whole ride. Definitely a rather interesting night.

For more Fleet Week info, check out http://fleetweek.us/fleetweek