My friend and neighbor Lorene Jackson is a true biking enthusiast. In fact, she loves it so much that she wrote a book about the birthplace of the mountain bike revolution, complete with outlines of 60 easy family trips to epic singletrack rides, breathtaking vistas, and more, from the North Bay, South Bay, East Bay,…
It’s not every day that you get something free. But today is that kind of day at The Cannery at Del Monte Square, one of the historic gathering places near Fisherman’s Wharf, overlooking San Francisco Bay. The San Francisco Tomato and Olive Oil Festival runs today from noon to 4pm — with free admission —…
Why drive up to Sonoma or Napa County and fight the crowds to see winemaking demos, sample food and sip some great wine? This Sunday, September 17, from 2-5 pm, you can find out how to actually make your own wine at Crushpad’s third annual Harvest Kickoff Party. Here, you can buy a barrel that…
It’s a national historic landmark. It’s been in existence since 1873 when Andrew Hallidie built the first one. Its gripman lowers a piece a metal that grabs a cable that runs in a slot beneath the street at a constant 9.5 mph. And it’s $5 a ride. When I was a kid, you could hop…
I love a good walking town. There’s nothing more exhilirating than strapping on some comfy shoes and heading out to discover a new city — or reacquaint yourself with an old one. The American Automobile Association (AAA) has come up with North America’s Top Ten Most Walkable Cities. The AAA listing is based on information…
A nun who’s a killer, a librarian who’s a nerd, and televangelists who are religious fanatics collide with the military-industrial God complex in the S.F. Mime Troupe’s smart “GodFellas” play. It’s been reviewed as “one of the company’s sharpest, funniest and most fundamentally patriotic, original musical comedies in years.” The San Francisco Mime Troupe, which…
For 54 years, international artists from Holland to Japan have flocked to the Sausalito Art Festival to show their works. In fact, this year, there will be 260 juried artists out of 1,200 applicants, 19 of which are from other countries. What’s the big attraction? It could be the brilliant fall weather for this Labor…
I used to go to The Emporium downtown as a kid to shop. I’d always stand in the center of the floor under its storied 19th century rotunda with my mouth open. But in less than two months, I can stand there and drool all over again because the Westfield San Francisco Centre, a $440-million…
Few things in the world are as iconic as Levi’s Jeans. Manufactured globally by San Francisco-based Levi Strauss & Company, this local institution is 153 years old, has its own museum, and even boasts a full-time historian who, for 17 years, has overseen its unique archives –– clothing, photos, oral history tapes, letters from customers,…
I’ve dined a handful of times in New York’s Little Italy and Boston’s West End. But I’ve had hundreds of meals in my home town’s North Beach neighborhood. Famed for its family-run establishments, we left the 80-degree warmth of San Rafael, crossed the Golden Gate into San Francisco, and entered the foggy 60-degree climate of…
There are dozens of upscale hotels in San Francisco with views of the Bay. But only one has carved a niche as a luxury hotel on the San Francisco Waterfront –– Hotel Vitale. This boutique opened about 16 months ago with a modern interior, unique luxurious touches and soothing natural elements. Call it an urban…