Archive for November, 2007
November 30th, 2007 by amy c
Union Square lit up for the holiday season
photo uploaded by hjl
I was lucky enough to go home for Thanksgiving this year for much-needed family time and a little California rejuvenation to gear up for another New England winter. I’ve stayed in Boston for school the last few years and forgot how much I love San Francisco around the holidays.
It has all the holiday charm as New York City or Chicago but weather that doesn’t require massive layers; and the fall foliage that New Englanders raked up weeks ago are still decorating tree tops and sidewalks. I was amazed at the vibrant color still stubbornly clinging to the trees. The mild weather will promise travelers in the next few weeks similar foliage.
There is no better way to enjoy some mother-daughter bonding than with facials and massages, followed by Christmas shopping. Mom and I started out at , located in Union Square. We were both in need of some pampering and relaxation and that is exactly what we got. Shrouded in comfy over-sized robes we lounged in a luxurious Asian-inspired waiting room while nibbling on nuts and dried cranberries and sipping tea or spa water.
I got the Oxygen Facial, hoping that the “cocktail of oxygen and vitamins” would bring new life to my skin that had taken a beating from the travel. I noticed a huge difference immediately–my skin emerged softer, brighter, and cleaner. A week later, and my skin still feels supple and emollient, allowing me to skip the makeup this morning…no wonder stars such as Cameron Diaz and Kate Hudson are fans of this treatment. My mother got a hot stone massage which she said was exactly what she needed. (more…)
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November 29th, 2007 by amy c
Thursday, November 29- December 23
Jersey Boys at the Curan Theater: Don’t miss this Broadway hit that chronicles the story of how blue-collar boys became one of the biggest pop music sensations. Playing at the Curan for a special holiday encore engagement, get your tickets here.
Friday, November 30-Sunday, December 2
50th Annual International Auto Show: Take a look at more than 800 vehicles in the bay area’s number one international auto show.
Friday, November 30
Neon Nights: Rock out to Soul, Funk, Electro this Friday at 222 Club’s 80’s night.
Weekends through December 23
The Great Dickens Christmas Fair: The Cow Palace is transformed into 90,000 square feet of the Charles Dickens’ London town complete with pubs, winding lanes of entertainment, dance parties, artisans, and familiar Dickens characters. Theatrical lighting, decorations, food, and actors representing characters from literature and history will have you stepping into a Victorian Christmas in this elaborate fair.
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November 28th, 2007 by amy c
photo uploaded by ladypie28
Whether you are looking for a midday pastry treat, something delicious to bring to a party, or the perfect place to continue a fabulous date, these dessert places will make a San Francisco excursion all the sweeter:
Tartine: Located in the up and coming Mission District, this modest storefront offers elaborate pastries, delicious breakfast, and artisan sandwiches. I sampled a buttery brioche, melt in your mouth Mexican wedding cakes, and a rich chocolate hazelnut tart –all sinfully delicious. The atmosphere is intimate with limited seating at asymmetrical tables and counters that still retain the shape of the tree it came from. Mobiles hang from the walls, matching the quirky ambiance of its neighborhood. This is the perfect place to stop in for a breakfast pastry and coffee, or indulge in a rich dessert after work. For a more date-friendly dessert place nearby, try the Castro’s Sweet Inspirations, where you can split a towering slice of cake with a friend. Tons of flavors and a presentation comparable to a work of art makes this place a beloved favorite among locals.
: No San Francisco vacation is complete without a trip to the world famous chocolate factory and ice cream parlor. You can watch the rich chocolate being churned the the old-fashioned way, while waiting for an unforgettable sundae, made with Ghiradelli’s own chocolate sauce. This fun place is always packed with tourists and is especially festive during the holiday season with one of the city’s most famous Christmas tree and carolers on the square.
Victoria Pastry Company: 75 years ago my big Irish family merged with an even larger Italian family in a wedding that would start one of my favorite traditions. My great aunt and uncle had this North Beach bakery make their wedding cake and ever since then Victoria Pastry’s Italian delicacies have been at every Erwin-Cordini wedding, baptism, Thanksgiving feast, Christmas party, and family reunion. Every Sicilian inspired pastry is made from scratch in a brick oven as it was in 1914 when the place first opened in the heart of North Beach. My favorite indulgences are the cream puffs and miniature tiramisu cups, rich in rum and espresso flavor. Whether you are looking for the perfect arrangement of sweets to bring to your next holiday function or just want a fresh cannoli to top off a North Beach meal, stop in at this warm and inviting bakery.
Rubicon: For a fancier after-dinner treat, head to Rubicon, where famed pastry chef Nicole Krasinski will take you to entirely new dessert level. San Francisco Magazine named Krasinski the best pastry chef of 2005 for her inventive desserts that blend surprising taste with innovation. You won’t find traditional or boring sweets here, but rather creations such as Cocoa Nib Crepes, Chocolate-Toffee-Date Cake, and Honey-Thyme ice cream. The atmosphere is cozy with warm dark wood and an award-winning selection of over 1,700 wines. It is the perfect place for an intimate date where you can bond over the taste bud adventure that is dessert here.
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November 27th, 2007 by jamie a
Photo uploaded by tukaintheusa
Attention chocoholics! From old-fashioned Ghirardelli to the modern Scharffen Berger, San Francisco can fulfill your wildest chocolate dreams.
Founded in 1852 by Italian immigrant Domingo Ghirardelli, Ghirardelli Chocolate Company went on to become America’s longest continually operating chocolate manufacturer. Starting with the finest in carefully selected cocoa beans, they roast the beans in-house in order to ensure their signature flavor. To savor their luxurious intense dark chocolate or their smooth and creamy hot chocolate blends, visit their main location in Ghirardelli Square, which was declared a San Francisco landmark in 1965.
For the more modern palate, Scharffen Berger, another great chocolate establishment, was founded in 1996. Using only a coffee grinder, mortar and pestle, an electric mixer, and a hair dryer, John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg made their first batch of chocolate. Specializing in the finest blends of dark chocolate, Scharffen Berger even offers free public tours of their amazing factory!
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November 26th, 2007 by jamie a
Photo uploaded by gwdexter
Start your holiday season off with a bang by enjoying the Embarcadero Center ice rink, which is now open for the season. From November 7 through January 15, you can don your skates and round the rink to your heart’s content.
While you’re at the Embarcadero Center, you can also visit over 100 shops and restaurants as well as the five-screen cinema, which shows the best in independent and foreign language films.
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November 20th, 2007 by amy c
Thursday, November 22
Thanksgiving Day Buffet Cruise: If you’re visiting San Francisco over Thanksgiving there is no better, stress-free way to enjoy the holiday than on a sunset cruise around the bay. Board the famous s for a delicious spread of traditional Thanksgiving fixings in a picturesque setting.
Thursday, November 22
2007 Turkey Beach Trot: Get some exercise before indulging in a feast at the Ocean Beach Turkey Trot underneath the famous Cliff House.
Friday, November 23
Ghirardelli Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony: Enjoy live free entertainment all day before the culminating 35-foot Christmas tree lighting in the evening. For more lighting ceremonies, head over to Macy’s at Union Square for another festive display of charity and holiday decorations.
Saturday, November 24,
Gingerbread building: Take your kids to the to make their own gingerbread house creation.
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November 19th, 2007 by susan j
Photo uploaded by WTL_photos
If you’re among the 27+ million people who plan to fly this Thanksgiving, then you’ll want to read Peter Greenberg’s last-minute travel tips. Greenberg is a Today Show contributor who reminds travelers to check in online the night before and try to fly out of a smaller airport to avoid travel congestion (good tips for other times of the year, too). To relieve airplane gridlock, President Bush recently approved a “Thanksgiving express lane” from Florida to New England and added additional measures to avoid delays. Happy travels!
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November 16th, 2007 by susan j
Photo up loaded by Josh.Ev9
With many of Broadway’s stagehands on strike, travelers are starting to look elsewhere to get their theater fix. Though the city is over 3,000 miles away from the Great White Way, San Francisco offers Broadway-caliber theater and enough variety for even the pickiest arts patron. Here’s a roundup of performances in the Bay Area this winter:
October 9-December 9
San Francisco’s Best of Broadway series presents The Color Purple, a musical based on the popular Alice Walker novel.
October 19-December 8
Actors Theatre of San Francisco brings Tennesssee Williams’ Camino Real to the stage.
November 8-December 2
Berkeley Playhouse journeys to Whoville with Seussical the Musical.
November 23-December 16
42nd Street Moon introduces audiences to Jerome Kern and P.G. Wodehouse’s little known musical Oh, Lady! Lady!!
December 5-23
American Conversatory Theater presents the classic holiday spectacle A Christmas Carol.
December 1-January 12
The San Francisco Playhouse takes a quirky look at Christmas with the Sna Francisco premiere of Christopher Durang’s Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge!
For more on theater in San Francisco and half-price tickets, check Theatre Bay Area’s website.
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November 15th, 2007 by amy c
Friday, November 16
Embarcadero Holiday Kick-off: The Embarcadero, shopping central and Winter Wonderland, begins its famous celebration of the holiday season this Friday. Complimentary appetizers and holiday cheer abounds in this famous celebration.
Saturday, November 17
3rd Annual Reindeer Romp: Real live reindeer return to the San Francisco Zoo to celebrate the holiday season.
Sunday, November 18
Free day at the museum: is offering a free day from 10- 5!
Sunday, November 18
Holiday Harmony: Enjoy Bay Area performances at Fisherman’s Wharf’s Pier 39 of traditions from Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanzaa. The majestic Christmas tree will also be lit and adorned with hundreds of multi-cultural bows.
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November 13th, 2007 by susan j
Sunrise over San Francisco
Photo uploaded by celinet
If you’re looking for a new way celebrate Thanksgiving, then the Indigenous People’s Thanksgiving Sunrise Gathering may be just the ticket. Departing at 4:45 am, 5 am, 5:15 am, 5:30 am, 5:45 am and 6 am, this event commemorates the start of the 1969-1971 occupation of Alcatraz by the “Indians of All Tribes.” Click here for more information.
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