This Week on Sights and Culture - April 1, 2015

“Cars and Coffee”: Exotic & Muscle Car Meetup
Come and view some really special cars and interact with other car lovers at Cars and Coffee. Unlike other car shows, their fantastic turn out allows them to limit the cars to truly rare, unique, or exotic vehicles. Spectator parking is at the lot next door for a show special of $3.

Saturday, April 4, 2015 - 8:00 am to 11:00 am | Cost: FREE*
SpA Cars and Coffee SF | 599 The Embarcadero

*Perfect for car lovers.

2015 Macy’s Flower Show: Final Day | Union Square
The annual Macy’s Flower Show is a celebration of flowers, food, art and music at Macy’s Union Square.

The 2015 theme is Art In Bloom which will offer spectators a glimpse into the art of flora through food and flower demos, artist exhibits, fashion events and live music.

Macy's Union Square
Level 3, Impulse Department
170 O'Farrell Street

Sunday, March 22 – Saturday, April 4, 2015
* Flower, art and music enthusiast

Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure
Turn San Francisco into a giant game board with this fun scavenger hunt adventure. Combine the excitement of the Amazing Race with a three-hour city tour. Guided from any smart phone, teams make their way among well known and overlooked gems of the city, solving clues and completing challenges while learning local history.

*Family, friends and tourists

Come check out the newest initiative run by the Alite Outpost called the Fresh Air Club (FAC). They'll be having their launch party on Thursday, April 2 from 6 - 9 PM. 

If you want to make going outside, exploring the secrets of the city, and meeting new people a big part of your 2015 lifestyle, then you can attend their launch party.
- learn more about the program and how to get involved
- get in the know about how you'll score mega discounts on all of our gear by participating in several activities
- grab some sweet Alite schwag (think merit badges and postcards)
- get the lowdown on upcoming campsite giveways, workshops and meet-up groups
- reserve a Ranger Station Kit for their next camp adventure
- enjoy a brew or two
Where: The Alite Outpost, 3376 18th Street

Botticelli to Braque: Masterpieces from the National Galleries of Scotland
Spanning more than four hundred years of artistic production, this exhibition includes works by many of the greatest painters from the Renaissance to the early twentieth century. Some, including Sandro Botticelli’s Virgin Adoring the Sleeping Christ Child (ca. 1490), have never before been seen in the United States.

MARCH 7–MAY 31, 2015 • HERBST EXHIBITION GALLERIES
Golden Gate Park | 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive

* Art Lovers

SAMURAI GEISHA FESTbrings Japanese arts and entertainment to the world.

4/1/2015- 4/30/2015
ART SHOW "SAKURA EXHIBITION" (Sakura Exhibition)
Kinokuniya, Japan Town

SAKURA (cherry blossom) has been loved by Japanese people since ancient times, and today it is well-known as a Japanese flower all over the world. "SAKURA Exhibition" to be held in the blooming season of SAKURA is a contest exhibition planned for the purpose of introducing Japanese artists to the world.

Sights and Culture - March 31, 2015

Firehouse 8: 

A historic firehouse located in Russian Hill. This building was left vacant for 30 years and is now revived into an event space, with co-working and mixed retail. Pop-ups with food, fashion, art and performance will intertwine and rotate throughout the space. Expect well curated, cohesive collections with a mix of local artisans, designers and producers.                                                  

• Open Hours: Closed on Wednesdays, but otherwise open from 10AM-3PM if private events permit. Sunday is currently by appointment only. 

• Tours: Based on appointment. Email us to schedule: contact@firehouse-8.com 

• Firehouse 8’s Accommodations: Skylight Room- Up to 127 banquet style or 280 standing. The Engine Room- 100 seated or standing. Penthouse and Mezzanine each accommodate 20 guests. 

San Francisco Market Street Railway brings Trolley Tours back! 

Come ride the not-often-seen streetcar 737 representing Zürich, Switzerland, built in 1952, by going on this 2-hour excursion on Muni’s oldest surviving rail line, the J-Church line, about a 13-mile round-trip. 

• Excursion is on Sunday, April 12, 1:30-3:30pm. 

• Destinations : Market Street, the Castro, scenic Mission Dolores Park, Noe Valley, Bernal Heights, Glen Park, Balboa Park, and Cameron Beach Yard, Muni’s storage and maintenance facility for the historic streetcar fleet (normally off limits to the public). 
• All Tours and Excursions start and stop at the San Francisco Railway Museum, 77 Steuart Street 

Fresh Air Club

Come check out the newest initiative run by the Alite Outpost called the Fresh Air Club (FAC).

Created to motivate and inspire urbaneers to take part in accessible outdoor adventures. With an abundance of unique spaces and places in the Bay Area, Alite has compiled a list of local outdoor activities as well as group events this spring and summer for club members, as well as numerous campsite giveaways, product discounts and Alite schwag as encouragement for participation.

Today's Pick

Privately-Owned Public Open Space (POPOS)

Privately-owned public open spaces (POPOS) are publicly accessible spaces in forms of plazas, terraces, atriums, small parks, and even snippets that are provided and maintained by private developers. In San Francisco, POPOS mostly appear in the Downtown office district area.






525 MARKET PLAZA
The plaza at 525 Market is one of the most pleasant plazas in the Financial District, thanks in part to the huge fountain and rock sculpture that blocks out noise from the street. The plaza is surrounded by eateries, which makes it one of the most popular lunch spots in the FiDi.

Where: 50 Post St; the rooftop deck at Crocker Galleria

How to get here: Take the escalators to the third floor, turn left, and look for a hallway that says "Garden Terrace".

Amenities: Well, aside from the fact that it's super easy to pick up some food in any of the shops below, they also offer free Wi-Fi, so you can "work from home" while getting a tan/probably not really getting a tan.

Where: 343 Sansome St

How to get here: Walk into the lobby, pass the security guard, and get into one of the elevators to the 15th floor.

Amenities: It's got a ton of linear benches and seating areas around large planters, plus, there's an awesome view of the Transamerica Pyramid, a view of the Bay, and a sundial... for all your ancient time-telling purposes.

Where: 555 California

How to get here: If you walk up from California, then it's right there. If you're coming off Pine, you'll need to walk in and look for escalators up to the terrace.

Amenities: Though not exactly a rooftop, the mezzanine does still overlook the rest of the FiDi. There are a ton of benches and a bamboo tree forest thing in the middle of it all. You can almost pretend you're not in the FiDi. Almost.

Where: 303 2nd St

How to get here: Not really visible from the street, the terraced sides of the plaza protect a large, sunken, grassy area with a huge fountain. Best bet: find the plaza on 2nd St between Folsom and Harrison, and walk towards the grass steps.

Amenities: The aforementioned huge fountain, abstract wooden benches, and alcoves complete with tables to eat/work off of. You could even sunbathe here without feeling too weird. Decently weird, but not too weird.

Where: 835 Market St; the Westfield Sky Terrace.

How to get here: This one's the hardest to find. Don't go into the mall, but instead into the building to the left at 835 Market with an SF state flag over it. Walk in past the guard at the lobby (like you know what you're doing, so no one gets weirded out), and hop in one of the elevators to the 8th floor. Only one elevator goes to the 9th, so rather than waiting for that one, just hop off on the 8th (unless you lucked out) and hit the 'Up' button to call an elevator to the 9th floor.

Your Daily Drink - March 31, 2015

Bonjour Mesdames et Messieurs! Today, my report will be about French cocktail bars in SF! jouir! (Thanks to my bff, Google translate!)

First on my list:
Trou Normand
http://www.trounormandsf.com/
140 New Montgomery Street, 
San Francisco
(415) 975-0876
Neighborhood:  SoMa
Hours:
Monday thru Friday 11:30am - 12am
Weekends 10:30am - 12am

All Day “Charcuterie” Menu: Everyday until 12am
Ever wonder what Charcuterie is? It means cold cooked meats such as bacon, sausage, terrines, galantines, ballotines, pâtés, and confit, primarily from pork. oink! oink!

This restaurant is owned by Thad Vogler, owner of Bar Agricole. Bar Agricole is known for having outstanding cocktails and they're nationally-known in drinks. The design of Trou Normand is very spacious with high ceilings. They celebrated their first anniversary last March 17th. Trou Normand's drink menu is similar to Bar Agricoles' and they focus on Armagnac, Cognac, and Calvados. This restaurant is more expensive than Bar Agricole.

#Loveits

• They do not have tipping required because the tip is included on their price. 
• The ambiance of the restaurant is super classy and it has an airy feel. 

$$$ This is for customers who are not on a tight budget. 



Next up!
Garcon
http://www.garconsf.com/
1101 Valencia St,
San Francisco  (between 22nd St & 23rd St in Mission)
14154018959
Hours: 
Tue-Thur 5:30-10PM
Fri-Sat 5:30-11PM
Sun 5:30-10PM
Monday CLOSED

Garcon was opened in 2005 by Jerome Rivoire with the vision of bringing a true friendly French atmosphere to the Mission district. Garcon is small but brings an old-world French bistro with a casual and friendly atmosphere like one would find in France. Garcon offers a diverse selection of local and old world wines.

#Loveits

• Chef Arthur creates an authentic tastes and comes around to introduce himself and talk in depth about the food. 
• They have a delightful house of cocktails and they brag about their wines. 
• The atmosphere of the restaurant is as if you're in Paris. 

Last but definitely not the least.

Absinthe Brasserie & Bar
http://absinthe.com/
398 Hayes St at Gough, (Hayes Valley Neighborhood, walking distance of Civic Center and the performing arts centers)
14155511590
Hours: 
Mon to Wed: 11:30 am to 12am
Thur and Fri: 11:30 am to 12am (bar open til 2 am)
Saturday: Brunch, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm; 3:00 pm to 12am (bar open til 2 am)
Sunday: Brunch, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm; 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm

The Restaurant features French and Northern Italian-influenced brasserie fare for lunch and dinner, plus weekend brunch. Absinthe’s lively bar offers classic and creative cocktails and late-night dining. The bar manager of Absinthe is Jared Schmidt. They focus on maintaining the original, well-crafted cocktail list, while continuing the seasonal ethos in the daily-changing chalkboard menu. Many customers loves their cocktails especially Crusta and Joyride.

#Loveits

• Many customers said that they love the food, drinks and the service. 
• The restaurant has a really nice vibe. 
• Staffs are very knowledgeable about the drink list. 

#PossibleChallenges

• Their menu is a bit pricey. Definitely not for customers on a tight budget. 
• Some customers had parking issues. 

One of the customer reviews: "Overall, 4 stars. Undeniably, Absinthe deserves 5 stars for the cocktails. But approximately 3.5 stars for the rest of the package. There was an element of magical missing in the brasserie part that the bar nailed. But I'm willing to come back and have my mind changed."


That's all for March 31st. Thanks for reading! 

Healthy hugs, 
Meg

Food For Thought 3/31/2014

Craving for HOTDOGS? Try out these gems!

Dapper Dog

What's Special About it: 
A great place to try out a variety of hotdogs (classics like Chicago or New York dog, as well as more creative ones like Banh Mi Dog). It's a small place, so be prepared to eat standing up!

What Customers Say: 
“Chicken dog smothered New York style with sauerkraut, onions and mustard on an oversized sesame bun. For $5 and change it was a well priced delicious mess.” - Yelp

What to Order:
Try the Buffalo dog (with blue cheese, diced celery, and spicy ranch), or the popular Salty dog with crumbled bacon, pickle, and yellow mustard

Location:
417 Castro St
San Francisco, CA 94114

Neighborhood:
Castro

Rye Project

What's Special About it: 
One of the few spots where you can find the classic Chicago dog (sported with peppers, dill pickle, bright green relish, celery salt, and Cleveland brown mustard, on a poppy seed bun). They also serve sandwiches on Rye and Bagel. 

What Customers Say: 
“I also highly recommend the kabash sandwich with Swiss cheese. It's juicy and yummy! Also get the mustard sauce and cole slaw. Comes with a tasty pickle. 
Friendly staff and fast service.” - Yelp

What to Order:
CHICAGO STYLE DOG (sport peppers, pickles, bright green relish, onion, celery salt, tomatoes only in season)
HABA DOG (house-made haba kraut, onion, Cleveland brown mustard)
SLAW DOG (house cole slaw, Cleveland brown mustard)
CHILI DOG (cinnci chili, muenster cheese, onion (Thursdays and Fridays only))

Location:
180 7th St
San Francisco, CA 94103

Neighborhood:
SOMA

Wings Wings

What's Special About it: 
This is primarily a Wings place, but they do serve hotdogs! Try the Coney-style dog special (with beef chili, yellow mustard, onion, and cheddar, loaded on a beef frank) on Saturdays. There is also a chili dog/hot plate special: two dogs and a beer for $10.

What Customers Say: 
“Really good wings. Great selection of sauces. The place is pretty small, but it does have some space to eat there. These are the best wings I've found in the city so far.” - Yelp

What to Order:
Chicken wings with a variety of sauces to choose from (such as Buffalo, BBQ and Angry Korean)

Location:
422 Haight St
San Francisco, CA 94117

Neighborhood:
Lower Haight

Your Daily Drink - March 30, 2015

Tommy's Restaurant

5929 Geary Blvd at 23rd Ave
San Francisco 
Open from Mondays through Sundays
12:00 pm - 11:00 pm

This bar is perfect for those who loves tequila. This bar has an excellent and well-chosen range of tequilas. They label themselves as the “World's Best Tequila” because they have hundreds of varieties to choose from. 

#Loveits 

• Their staff really know their stuff. They can even tutor customers about tequila and tell you stuff like how tequilas age etc.  
• This bar is also known for serving one of the best Margaritas in SF. 
• They celebrated their 50th anniversary last February 14. 
• This bar is owned by Julio Bermejo. Julio has been named U.S. Ambassador for tequila by the Mexican government. He is very hospitable. Customers can even talk to him, and he will tell you everything you want to know about Tequila.  Julio can usually be found behind the bar.   

Bar Agricole
355 11th St, 
San Francisco
Hours: 
Mon-Fri 6pm - 10pm 
Saturday 11am – 2pm, 5:30 – 11pm
Sunday 11am – 2pm, 6 – 11pm
14153559400

Fresh flavours, artisan ingredients and flawlessly executed cocktails take the spotlight at this SoMa (South of Market) district spot run by bar legend Thad Vogler.This is a very good SoMa restaurant with hip industrial-chic interiors and a great vibe. This place is perfect for those who are not concerned about budget. 

#Loveits

• The bar's design has big open skylights, warm wood tones, and cool concrete. 
• Guests can also stay at their heated garden patio. 
• They have delicious craft cocktails and an interesting menu. 
• Their menu is a bit hard to understand but they can definitely ask the friendly, extremely knowledgeable and attentive waiters for recommendations. 
• The tip is already included in the price so no tipping is required.  

Rickhouse
246 Kearny St, (At the bush St.,)
San Francisco
Hours:
Mon 5:00 pm – 2:00 am
Tue Fri 3:00 pm– 2:00am
Saturday 6:00pm-2am
14153982827

This bar is a cocktail heaven with an encyclopedic cocktail list. They have a 1920's theme interior with a speak-easy vibe.

#Loveits

• They use fresh juices, natural sugars and local produce. They do not use high-fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors. 
• Their bartenders are very friendly, you can tell them what you like and they will give you recommendations.  
• Customers love their whiskey sour, Laphroaig Project and La Bonne Vie. 

Oddjob
1337 Mission St.,
San Francisco
Hours: Hours:
Mon - Sat 6:00 pm – 2:00 am
Sun- Closed
HAPPY HOURS: Weekdays 5pm-7pm
(The bar is a bit hard to spot because there isn't a sign. Just look for the large windows and fluorescent lights trimming the windows.)

They have a small space but with very enthusiastic bartenders.It's unique because they do not have menus, the bartenders will make your drink to your preference. You can tell them about your flavor profiles and they mix something up based on your response. However, this Bar only accepts cash.

#Loveits

• They have a special made-to-order based on your mood & preferences drinks. ;) 
• Upon checking the reviews of the this bar, Joey the bartender has an awesome reputation. He makes the most delicious and intricate custom drinks. 

Shotwell's
3349 20th St,
San Francisco
Hours:
Mon - Sat 4:30 pm – 2:00 am
Sun 4:00 pm to 1:00 am
Happy Hour (All draught beers $1 off during happy hour)
Monday–Friday 4:30 pm–7:00 pm
Sunday 4:00–7:00 pm
14156484104

One of the oldest bars in San Francisco, they opened before the 1900's. The place is a historic saloon-style bar with an old timey feel. They don't have a full kitchen but they do have snacks. Cash only, but there is an ATM by the entrance (with a $2 fee).

#Loveits

• If you like beers, then this is the place to be. There are great selection of beers to choose from and bartenders. 
• This place is also perfect for those who likes to play pinball or pool. 
• The bar has a "neighborhood and at home" vibe. 

Note: No special events for these bars this week, but I've gone ahead and followed them on Twitter and subscribed to their newsletters for instant updates.

That's all for today. TaTaThank you! 


Always yours in service, 
Meg

Check Out the Menu For Reverb, Verbena's New Incarnation

Check Out the Menu For Reverb, Verbena's New Incarnation

What's Special About It:
This is an iteration of Verbena, Russian Hill's 18th month old resto (after its chef Sean Baker left). Reverb is supposed to be a downscale concept that would cater to a wider crowd (aka drop in price).

What Customers Say: 
“Had the salmon benedict and it was pretty good - would've been better with a light arugula salad rather than a flurry of parsley, but still tasted good and devoured it ;). Fiancee enjoyed his burger - seemed a little raw for me on the inside. Expensive for brunch, but I'd go back.” - Yelp 

What to Order:
Kale salad, grilled octopus, charcuterie plates, sourdough gnocchi chowder

Location:
2323 Polk St
San Francisco, CA 94109

Neighborhood: 
Russian Hill