|
Row, Row, Row Your Kayak
It's that time again: Oscar returns to Tahoe, the tall ships sail through the Golden Gate and your starlight paddle awaits.
|
posted on June 30, 2008
|
 email page
|
print page 
|
 Image credit: courtesy of George C. Knies
LAND HO
A dozen stunning tall ships sail through the Golden Gate for the five-day Festival of Sail, running from July 23 through 27. Learn about San Francisco's colorful maritime history and tour the vessels, especially the HMS Bounty—an 18-sail, 120-foot beauty built for the 1962 film Mutiny on the Bounty, and also featured in Pirates of the Caribbean 2, that'll have you imagining you're Keira Knightley in all her bodice-ripping glory.
|
 Image credit: Lynda ClarkSWIRL CRAZY
Wine tasting is fun, but isn't everything more fun when prizes are involved? Regular joes and trained sommeliers alike will head to Greenwood Ridge Vineyards in the Anderson Valley July 26–27 for the California Wine Tasting Championships. Join in the singles or doubles wine competition or, if you prefer, focus on the chocolate or cheese tastings. And since you'll most likely want to stay overnight, your best bet is the Heritage House, 24 miles up the road in Little River, just outside Mendocino. The rustic-luxe oceanfront resort offers suites in two styles—traditional and modern, some as large as 1,200 square feet—as well as a spa that features private suites with showers, decks and ESPA products and a fitness studio to work off all that wine, cheese and chocolate. Just one more harrowing weekend.
|
 Image credit: Jack Jones
SEEING IS BELIEVING
You can think of the one-day SF Theater Festival in Yerba Buena Gardens on July 27 as a sampler plate of the city's theater scene: 77 short (20- to 30-minute) presentations of everything from Shakespeare to musicals to dance to improv from dozens of local companies, including the Marsh, Intersection for the Arts, Exit Theatre, the Magic Theatre, the Asian American Theater Company and many more.
|
 Image credit: Stefanie Michejda
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOC
Catch British alt-rock gods Bloc Party on their way to Lollapalooza. On July 30, two days before the Chicago festival begins, the quartet brings its moody punk sound to the Fillmore in support of last year's sophomore effort, A Weekend in the City, and to preview songs from its upcoming October release. Does It Offend You, Yeah? (unfortunate winner of the worst-band-name-ever award) opens.
|
 Image credit: Amy SnyderMOON KILL SUN
Even if this summer's total solar eclipse were visible from here (it isn't), you'd still want to experience it from the Exploratorium's overnight viewing party July 31–August 1 instead of your own backyard. Why? Because the museum's team of scientists, stationed in northwestern China, will broadcast images back from four superpowered telescopes along with expert commentary on sunspots, the corona and other once-in-a-lifetime visions. Bring your sleeping bag—the party (complete with food, drink and roving astronomers ready to answer your questions) starts at 9 p.m., and the eclipse begins at 3:30 a.m., reaching totality at 4:09 a.m. Kinda like the original Burning Man.
|
 Image credit: Tom Gibbons
OSCAR PARTY
Gas up the jet (okay, the Prius) on August 2. For $350, you can get a seat at the social event of the summer: Oscar de la Renta's annual fashion show on Lake Tahoe's west shore, which regularly draws the crème of SF's crème and raises about half a million bucks for the League to Save Lake Tahoe. Or, for $3,500, upgrade to two seats on the runway (plus preferred parking) and be recognized as a sponsor. Give our best to Dede—if, that is, we don't see her first. 530-541-5388
|
 Image credit: courtesy of Sea Trek
ROW YOUR BOAT
It's Saturday night, and really—how many new restaurants, hip bars and killer live shows can you stand in one summer? Spend the evening of August 2 getting back to nature. Sign up for Sea Trek's guided Starlight Paddle and, after a short introductory kayaking lesson (no experience required), you'll spend three hours quietly paddling along the Sausalito coastline under the night sky—and falling in love with the city all over again.
|
 Image credit: Sony Classics
FOG DAY EXTRA
Yes, "mumblecore" is back. On August 1, the semi-horror film Baghead, by the makers of the Sundance surprise hit The Puffy Chair, opens in SF.
|
Image credit: courtesy of George C. Knies
LAND HO
A dozen stunning tall ships sail through the Golden Gate for the five-day Festival of Sail, running from July 23 through 27. Learn about San Francisco's colorful maritime history and tour the vessels, especially the HMS Bounty—an 18-sail, 120-foot beauty built for the 1962 film Mutiny on the Bounty, and also featured in Pirates of the Caribbean 2, that'll have you imagining you're Keira Knightley in all her bodice-ripping glory.
|
Image credit: Lynda Clark
SWIRL CRAZY
Wine tasting is fun, but isn't everything more fun when prizes are involved? Regular joes and trained sommeliers alike will head to Greenwood Ridge Vineyards in the Anderson Valley July 26–27 for the California Wine Tasting Championships. Join in the singles or doubles wine competition or, if you prefer, focus on the chocolate or cheese tastings. And since you'll most likely want to stay overnight, your best bet is the Heritage House, 24 miles up the road in Little River, just outside Mendocino. The rustic-luxe oceanfront resort offers suites in two styles—traditional and modern, some as large as 1,200 square feet—as well as a spa that features private suites with showers, decks and ESPA products and a fitness studio to work off all that wine, cheese and chocolate. Just one more harrowing weekend.
|
Image credit: Jack Jones
SEEING IS BELIEVING
You can think of the one-day SF Theater Festival in Yerba Buena Gardens on July 27 as a sampler plate of the city's theater scene: 77 short (20- to 30-minute) presentations of everything from Shakespeare to musicals to dance to improv from dozens of local companies, including the Marsh, Intersection for the Arts, Exit Theatre, the Magic Theatre, the Asian American Theater Company and many more.
|
Image credit: Stefanie Michejda
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOC
Catch British alt-rock gods Bloc Party on their way to Lollapalooza. On July 30, two days before the Chicago festival begins, the quartet brings its moody punk sound to the Fillmore in support of last year's sophomore effort, A Weekend in the City, and to preview songs from its upcoming October release. Does It Offend You, Yeah? (unfortunate winner of the worst-band-name-ever award) opens.
|
Image credit: Amy Snyder
MOON KILL SUN
Even if this summer's total solar eclipse were visible from here (it isn't), you'd still want to experience it from the Exploratorium's overnight viewing party July 31–August 1 instead of your own backyard. Why? Because the museum's team of scientists, stationed in northwestern China, will broadcast images back from four superpowered telescopes along with expert commentary on sunspots, the corona and other once-in-a-lifetime visions. Bring your sleeping bag—the party (complete with food, drink and roving astronomers ready to answer your questions) starts at 9 p.m., and the eclipse begins at 3:30 a.m., reaching totality at 4:09 a.m. Kinda like the original Burning Man.
|
Image credit: Tom Gibbons
OSCAR PARTY
Gas up the jet (okay, the Prius) on August 2. For $350, you can get a seat at the social event of the summer: Oscar de la Renta's annual fashion show on Lake Tahoe's west shore, which regularly draws the crème of SF's crème and raises about half a million bucks for the League to Save Lake Tahoe. Or, for $3,500, upgrade to two seats on the runway (plus preferred parking) and be recognized as a sponsor. Give our best to Dede—if, that is, we don't see her first. 530-541-5388
|
Image credit: courtesy of Sea Trek
ROW YOUR BOAT
It's Saturday night, and really—how many new restaurants, hip bars and killer live shows can you stand in one summer? Spend the evening of August 2 getting back to nature. Sign up for Sea Trek's guided Starlight Paddle and, after a short introductory kayaking lesson (no experience required), you'll spend three hours quietly paddling along the Sausalito coastline under the night sky—and falling in love with the city all over again.
|
Image credit: Sony Classics
FOG DAY EXTRA
Yes, "mumblecore" is back. On August 1, the semi-horror film Baghead, by the makers of the Sundance surprise hit The Puffy Chair, opens in SF.
|
email page
|
print page
|
|
|
