If you've wondered whether Al Capone or Robert Stroud (the “Birdman”) haunt Alcatraz, an upcoming cruise-tour might let you glimpse a specter.
The long-established Red and White Fleet plans to launch a “City Lights Cruise” next month that will depart around sunset. It will cruise along the San Francisco waterfront past Ft. Mason, the marina and the Presidio and then loop around the infamous former prison island, among other sights. It will also cross under the Golden Gate and Bay bridges.
Passengers on the two-hour cruise can enjoy a buffet, live entertainment and a free beverage, including beer or wine. Seating will be both outdoors and inside the heated cabin.
The trip, including food, costs $54 for adults and $36 for ages 5 to 17; children under 5 are free. The cruise will depart from Pier 43½ at Fisherman's Wharf at 5:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays from Nov. 12 to March 30. Reservations are recommended.
Info: Red and White Fleet, (415) 673-2900.
Hyatt hotels of San Francisco announced the introduction of 25 Respire rooms at Hyatt at Fisherman’s Wharf . The new accommodations are hypo-allergenic rooms, purifying the guest experience for travelers. Designed for all guests, but especially suited to those with asthma, allergies and other respiratory sensitivities, the Respire by Hyatt ─ Hypo-Allergenic Rooms, powered by PURE Solutions NA, are designed to eliminate up to 98 percent of airborne viruses and bacteria, as well as pollen and other irritants commonly found in indoor environments.
Each Respire by Hyatt room utilizes PURE’s state-of-the-art purification techniques. Each hotel room is treated comprehensively to minimize allergens and irritants for all surfaces and fabrics. Additionally, all mattresses and pillows are encased in a protective hypo-allergenic covering. The air in the room is continuously circulated through a medical grade purifier, filtering out up to 99 percent of impurities. The room is maintained and re-certified every six months. For Hyatt at Fisherman’s Wharf guests, this means the air in Respire by Hyatt rooms on average is 10 times more pure than outside air due to lower particulate counts. For more information, please visit www.respire.hyatt.com.
As the best hotel in San Francisco’s #1 destination, the newly renovated Hyatt at Fisherman’s Wharf recently introduced an enhanced “Senior Moments” room package for those 62 and older. Through December 30, 2010, guests 62 and over can book the hotel’s senior rate offer, which is up to 25% off of rack rates starting at only $152. Additionally, as an enhanced benefit, Hyatt at Fisherman’s Wharf has teamed up with PIER 39 to include the PIER 39 “Fun Pack” booklet, which includes special offers from attractions, restaurants and shops. Hyatt at Fisherman's Wharf is conveniently located to so many of the popular San Francisco attractions that appeal to senior travelers, including Fisherman’s Wharf, PIER 39, Ghirardelli Square, PIER 39 and the Cable Cars, to name a few. The hotel resides at 555 North Point Street, San Francisco, California, USA 94133. For reservations and additional information, visit http:fishermanswharf.hyatt.com* or call (415) 563-1234 or toll free (800) 233-1234. (*direct link to offer)
Go Giants!!!!! This is their first trip to the play-offs for seven years and they are playing like champs…creating a new kind of history! Let’s hope they win tonight!
FYI:
Back in the day, when the Giants moved from New York to San Francisco, they played in Seals Stadium (at 16th and Bryant streets) for their first two seasons. In 1960, the Giants moved to Candlestick Park (aka "The Stick"), a stadium built on a point in San Francisco's southeast corner overlooking San Francisco Bay. The new stadium quickly gained a reputation for being one of the most inhospitable in baseball, with swirling winds, cold temperatures and impenetrable evening fog. But, it stood its ground when the earth below shook violently during the 1989 World Series with a magnitude 7.1 earthquake during the pre-game ceremonies of Game 3. Eleven years later, in 2000, after 40 years at Candlestick Park, the Giants bid a bittersweet farewell to their old home and relocated to a new, privately financed downtown stadium. Originally know as Pacific Bell Park, then renamed SBC Park. However, since 2006, the Giants ballpark has been known as AT&T Park, and sits on the shores of China Basin (referred to as McCovey Cove by Giants fans). As of this posting, the Giants are one game up against the Atlanta Braves for the National League title.
The winning name is...“Red Hot Chocolate”
Created by Rick Lupo, Head Bartender at Hyatt's Knuckles at the Wharf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Cup of hot chocolate (made with real milk)
1½ ounces of Chambord Liquor
Whipped Cream
Chocolate (grated) shavings
(Combine the above ingredients into a glass mug or your favorite coffee cup)
Thanks to all who participated in the naming contest!
“Explore” The Weekend Package
For those who want to get out and really enjoy the adventures of San Francisco, the Hyatt at Fisherman’s Wharf features the “Explore Local Discovery” Package, which includes two cable car passes for unlimited use. Whether it’s “climbing halfway to the stars” or just getting from one place to another, the cable cars are not only the city’s most iconic landmark, but a charming and environmentally friendly means of transportation. And, to complement the special room package, the Hyatt at Fisherman’s Wharf has bundled theweekend together with a recommended itinerary of options, as follows:
1. Start the weekend by checking into the hotel in the afternoon, then take a dip in the outdoor pool or relax in the hot tub.
2. Before heading out for dinner, check out the wine list at the hotel’s Enoteca Musto wine lounge and order up a glass of a local, California wine.
3. Now, you’re all set to enjoy one of many neighborhood restaurants…all within walking distance. Our favorites are McCormick and Kuleto’s at Ghirardelli Square for fresh locally-inspired cuisine; Scoma’s for just off the boat seafood; or Boudin’s where freshly made sourdough bread and a host of upscale Fisherman’s Wharf favorites are served.
4. If you need a little pick me up, and you’re not ready to call it a night, head to the Buena Vista for one of their famous Irish Coffees…yummy!
5. Not ready to call it a night? Be sure to stroll along the waterfront before heading back to the hotel…to work off some of those calories. If the night is still young, and you’re interested in taking in tunes from one of the city’s live bands, head to Jefferson Street where Lou's Pier 47 Restaurant and Blues Club offers up live music. Otherwise, make use of your cable car pass and hop on board one of these historic San Francisco icons…it’s nighttime when the mood is most magical.
6. Nighty night…and sweet dreams.
7. Saturday morning should start with the amazing buffet breakfast in Knuckles at the Wharf, conveniently located at the Hyatt at Fisherman’s Wharf. This is the best value for the money…and you can fuel up for the day, if you so choose.
8. Next, climb the notorious Filbert Steps. This unique “stairway to Heaven” leads up to Coit Tower, with gardens ad sculptures guiding the way up to a phenomenal, panoramic view of the bay at the top. After you get your blood pumping and have taken in the views, choose from a huge assortment of diversions, in and around the neighborhood:
- Wend your way through PIER 39’s new mirror maze.
- Board one of Red and White Fleet’s vessels for a California Sunset Cruise or one of the city’s “original bay tours.”
- Walk the decks of the tall ships and stroll along the Hyde Street Pier, home of the world's largest collection of historic ships by tonnage, where visitors can board several National Landmark vessel.
- Explore the National Maritime Museum and the USS Pampanito Submarine Museum.
- Take a 30-minute flight-seeing tour of the bay with San Francisco Seaplane Tours.
- Rent bikes or roller blades and head out to the 240 miles of scenic Bay Trail
9. After your full day of exploration, check in at Knuckles for one of Bartender Rick Lupo’s famous signature cocktails…my favorite is the Raspberry Lemon Drop Martini.
10. Then, you’ll want to head up to your room, order room service and make it an early evening…tomorrow is another day.
11. Sunday morning is a grab and go kind of day. So, before you head out for a day trip to the wine country with Grand Limousine or a half day city tour aboard Tower Tours, you’ll want to grab a loaf of sourdough bread and maybe some cheese and fruit at Boudin’s before heading off for another day of adventure. (Note: the hotel’s concierge can assist with reservations) Be sure to ask for a late check out or pack up and have the hotel hold your bags for the day.
Raspberry Lemon Drop Martini
Created by Rick Lupo, Head Bartender at Hyatt's Knuckles at the Wharf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
2 ounces of Ketel One Vodka
½ounce of Chambord Liquor
Splash of simple syrup
Fresh squeezed lemon
(Combine the above, shake with ice until nice and cold, pour into a chilled martini glass that has been coated with a rim of sugar, garnish with lemon twist and a raspberry)
Chef Myo brings an extensive culinary career of sixteen years to the hotel where he will incorporate his vast array of cooking techniques and culinary influence. Chef Myo joined the Hyatt family over eight years ago at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco. He worked his way through the ranks as Sous Chef, Banquet Sous Chef and eventually Executive Sous Chef. His culinary background also includes positions at the renowned Westin St. Francis in Union Square, San Francisco as well as the Westin Hotel in Tokyo, Japan. His cooking style is influenced by French and Asian techniques while incorporating fresh California, local organic and sustainable foods.
Hardly Stricly Bluegrass Festival
Friday, Oct 1-3 10:00am
at Golden Gate Park: Speedway Meadow, San Francisco, CA
Price: FREE
"Best Music Festival" - SF Weekly 2010 Readers' Poll
What began as one music lover's fantasy in 2001 has now grown into one of the world's largest and most anticipated festivals for concert-goers and musicians alike...
A FREE festival... Three days, Six stages over 750,000 attendees and 350 musicians each year come together for Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in San Francisco's beautiful and historic Golden Gate Park... This year's event is Friday through Sunday, October 1st, 2nd & 3rd, 2010
2010 Autumn Moon Festival
09/23/2010 Through 09/26/2010
The Moon Festival, Chinatown's best-attended annual event for several years running, marks a significant holiday on the Chinese lunar calendar. To mark its celebration, several stages throughout Chinatown will feature a variety of live entertainment acts. Among the performers this year will be a host of Asian-themed dancers and drummers, traditional and contemporary musicians including martial artists, and magicians. Hourly lion dance performances will take place along famous Grant Avenue.
Time: Saturday-Sunday 11:00am-6:00pm
(415) 982-6306
URL: www.moonfestival.org
Oktoberfest By The Bay September 23-26, 2010
Bringing Munich's autumn beer festival to the Bay, Oktoberfest features non-stop singing, dancing, music, German food and beverages.
Time: Thursday 3:00pm-12:00pm, Friday 5:00pm-12:00am, Saturday 11:00am-12:00am, Sunday 11:00am-6:00pm
(888) 746-7522
URL: www.oktoberfestbythebay.com
28th Annual San Francisco Jazz Festival
Tuesday, Sep 14th, 7:00p
Price: $20.00 - $95.00
SFJAZZ is proud to announce the 28th Annual San Francisco Jazz Festival, September 14 through November 20.
At SFJAZZ we place importance on the idea of heritage — venerated artists connect us with the fabric of music history. In a time-worn tradition, older generations of musicians share their insights with younger ones — the ritual of apprenticeship. Rising stars stand on the shoulders of those who’ve come before them, re-inventing timeless material and bringing fresh ideas to the stage. We often say our festivals feature “Living Legends and New Directions.” This fall, we will hear extraordinary talent from every point on that vast continuum.
This year’s outstanding artist roster includes:
• Olodum • Chris Potter Underground • Henry Threadgill’s Zooid • Marcus Shelby Orchestra • Nikki Yanofsky • Anat Cohen and Avishai Cohen • Danilo Perez • Esperanza Spalding • Chucho Valdés • Manhattan Transfer • Garaj Mahal • Meklit Hadero • Asleep at the Wheel • James Carter and John Medeski • Yusef Lateef • Gretchen Parlato • Taj Mahal, Toumani Diabaté and Vieux Farka Touré • Jon Jang • Kenny Barron Trio with David Sánchez • Ravi Shankar and Anoushka Shankar • Stew and the Negro Problem • Steve Lehman Octet • Arturo Sandoval • Bitches Brew Revisited • Nellie McKay • Omara Portuondo • Lila Downs • Natacha Atlas • Roy Haynes Fountain of Youth Band • Ledisi • José James and Jef Neve • Yellowjackets with the Jeff Lorber Fusion • SFJAZZ High School All-Stars • Slavic Soul Party! • Rosanne Cash • Vijay Iyer Trio
The First Polk Street Blues Festival in San Francisco
Saturday, Sep 25 10:00a to 6:00p
at Polk District, San Francisco, CA
Price: Free
Phone: (800) 310-6563
Age Suitability: All Ages
Tags: blues, concerts, food, san francisco, all ages, arts and crafts, blues music, beverages, live performances, family events sf festivals
For many years, San Francisco has been known for its love of the blues. Since our company already produces one of the nation's largest free Jazz Festivals on Fillmore Street, it made complete sense to us and our client, the Polk District Merchants Association, to create a free Blues Festival on upper Polk Street.
If people are looking to escape the crowded downtown San Francisco chain stores and want to enjoy a warm, friendly neighborhood atmosphere, Polk Street is the place. Polk Street runs from Ghirardelli Square at Beach Street at the northern end, south to Market Street near City Hall and the Civic Center. Located on the west side of upscale Nob and Russian Hills, the neighborhood is in a San Francisco micro climate relatively immune to foul weather, especially during late September.
The Festival will feature two main stages, a merchant marketplace, arts and crafts, gourmet food booths, a large family area, cafe seating areas, and much more. We expect the event will receive a huge amount of press since it is now the only free blues event in San Francisco.
Please join us and help us build this event into one of the best in the country.
The Hyatt at Fisherman’s Wharf has announced last-minute Hot Dates for October 2010, typically San Francisco’s busiest convention, group and meeting period. Hot Dates for groups are Oct. 17 to 20 and Oct. 24 to 30. To book a group event, call Marianne Milton at 415-486-4415 or email marianne.milton@hyatt.com . For hotel information, call 800-233-1234 or visitwww.fishermanswharf.hyatt.com.
The driving force behind the San Francisco cable car system came from a man who witnessed a horrible accident on a typically damp summer day in 1869. Andrew Smith Hallidie saw the toll slippery grades could extract when a horse- drawn streetcar slid backwards under its heavy load. The steep slope with wet cobblestones and a heavily weighted vehicle combined to drag five horses to their deaths. Although such a sight would stun anyone, Hallidie and his partners had the know-how to do something about the problem.
Hallidie was born in England and moved to the U.S. in 1852. His father filed the first patent in Great Britain for the manufacture of wire rope. As a young man, Hallidie found uses for this technology in California's Gold Country. He used the wire rope when designing and building a suspension bridge across Sacramento's American River. He also found another use for the wire rope when pulling heavy ore cars out of the underground mines on tracks. The technology was in place for pulling cable cars.
The next step bringing Hallidie closer to his fate was moving his wire rope manufacturing to San Francisco. All that was now needed was seeing the accident for the idea to become full blown…a cable car railway system to deal with San Francisco's fearsome hills.
On August 2, 1873, Andrew Hallidie tested the first cable car system near the top of Nob Hill at Clay and Jones Streets, thus introducing this new transportation system to the world…and the rest is history, as they say. For more information, visit http://www.sfcablecar.com/
(Note: the Cable Car California Street line will be closed from January until June, 2011 while its tracks and mechanical parts undergo a much-needed overhaul.)
As the best hotel in San Francisco’s #1 destination, the newly renovated Hyatt at Fisherman’s Wharf is offering those with a sense of adventure the Explore Local Discovery Package. The package features accommodations for one night along with two cable car passes for unlimited, one-day use. Whether it’s “climbing halfway to the stars” or just getting from one place to another, the cable cars are not only the city’s most iconic landmark, but a charming and environmentally friendly means of transportation. Rates for this package start at only $244.
For reservations and information, visit http:fishermanswharf.hyatt.com or call (800) 233-1234 and click on or ask for the Hyatt at Fisherman’s Wharf “Special Offers.”
(Note: the California Street Cable Car line will be closed from January-June, 2011 while its tracks and mechanical parts undergo a much-needed overhaul.)
Top Ten Explore-Adventures In San Francisco
1. Climb the notorious Filbert Steps. This unique “stairway to Heaven” leads up to Coit Tower, with gardens ad sculptures guiding the way up to a phenomenal, panoramic view of the bay at the top.
2. Take ‘em out to the ballgame at San Francisco Giant’s AT&T Ballpark. From the hotel, the entire family can board the historic F Line street cars to get to the park.
3. Wend your way through Pier 39’s new mirror maze.
4. Board one of Red and White Fleet’s vessels for a California Sunset Cruise or one of the city’s “original bay tours.”
5. Walk the decks of the tall ships and stroll along the Hyde Street Pier, home of the world's largest collection of historic ships by tonnage, where visitors can board several National Landmark vessels
6. Explore the National Maritime Museum (www.maritime.org) and the USS Pampanito Submarine Museumwww.maritime.org/pamphome.htm
7. Take a thrilling adventure on Turbo Ride through the magic of films and sophisticated simulation technology where the hydraulic seats move in sync with the action on the big-screen at Pier 39
8. Take a 30-minute flight-seeing tour of the bay with San Francisco Seaplane Tours
9. Rent bikes or roller blades and head out to the 240 miles of scenic Bay Trail
10. And, to chill out from all the exploration at any point of the day, hang out at the Hyatt at Fisherman’s Wharf’s outdoor swimming pool, one of the only hotel pools in the city.
The 16th Annual Aloha Festival - Sat Aug 7 - Sun Aug 8
The Pacific Islanders of the San Francisco Bay Area offer their talents in music and dance during this FREE ADMISSION, two-day festival of arts held during the first full weekend of every August. Entertainment highlights include Pacific Islander music as well as Polynesian dance. The festival will also feature arts & crafts vendors, island cuisine, educational exhibits and workshops, and an `Ohana Korner with simple games for the kids! This is an alcohol-free event.
Location: Presidio Parade Ground at the Main Post San Francisco, CA between Lincoln and Presidio Blvds (near the Officers Club and Visitor Center)
Outside Lands Music Festival - August 14-15
