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Marrakech Magic Theater
There is something timeless about magic. It entertains young and old alike. Sure, there will always be someone who wants to explain an illusion or trick. But, even the most worldly of know-it-alls and grumpiest of skeptics will find themselves laughing or even gasping in disbelief, at the Marrakech Magic Theater in San Francisco. It is a unique, up-close magic show that combines illusion and comedy, with a healthy dose of audience participation, to give locals and tourists a memorable experience.
Dog Weddings at the Treasure Island Flea
The Treasure Island Flea is back once again for two days of unbelievable fun, food, and antics. This time, on August 27th and 28th, the Flea will be featuring a marvelous lineup of food trucks and cocktail slingers, but the real draw will be the theme, “Dog Days of Summer.” Already known as one of the most dog-friendly events in the Bay Area, this special edition of the Treasure Island Flea will contain some extra special qualities, like:
The Chapel is one of San Francisco’s Best Venues for Live Music, Great Food and Cool Ambiance
The Bay Area in general, and San Francisco in particular, are blessed with some superb venues for hearing live music. Some offer great views of the city and the Bay, others are lovingly restored vaudeville theaters, many have outstanding acoustics and others have a unique sound, style and feel all their own. One of the best examples of the latter category is The Chapel, located in San Francisco’s Mission District. This cool club opened in a historic building built in 1914 that was a mortuary for many years. The stage and main bar are located in the former sanctuary of the mortuary and the arched ceilings and intimacy of the room make this venue one of the best and most unusual places to see and hear live music in the city.
The Koret Children’s Quarter in Golden Gate Park is a Magical Place for the Young and Young at Heart
Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you
If you’re young at heart.
For it’s hard, you will find, to be narrow of mind
If you’re young at heart.
– Johnny Mercer
Mr. Mercer may or may not have ever visited the Koret Children’s Quarter during his time on earth but he certainly knew the value of maintaining a youthful outlook on life. Located in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, the Children’s Quarter is the latest version of a children’s playground that dates back to 1888. It features the usual swings, slides, monkey bars, teeter-totters and other playground essentials but best of all, particularly for city kids starving for open spaces, it gives them a safe, fun and green place to simply be kids.
San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park is One of the Biggest and Most Popular Public Parks in America
The vast majority of people who visit San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park each year cannot imagine that this part of the city was once an uninhabitable zone of sand dunes known as the Outside Lands. Since the 1870s, the expanse of sand and dune grasses has been gradually transformed into a verdant space of trees, open spaces, recreational areas and many of the Bay Area’s most important and beloved civic treasures and institutions.
Visit Vik’s Chaat Corner for some of the Best Indian and Vegetarian Food in the Bay Area 2014
One of the best and most promising signs of the quality and authenticity of the food in an ethnic food restaurant is the number of diners of that particular ethnicity eating, smiling and reaching for another portion of something at the tables. If you’re looking for good Indian and vegetarian food in the Bay Area, a fine place to begin is Vik’s Chaat Corner at 2390 Fourth Street in Berkeley. In the Hindi language, the word “chaat” loosely means “street food” and literally means “to lick.” This is a very auspicious combination of meanings to those who love comfort food, no matter the origin and Vik’s has been pleasing hungry people for over twenty years.
For the Best in Bay Area Food, Drink and Music, Check out San Francisco’s Outside Lands Festival
Each August, the verdant meadows and tranquil grounds of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park come alive with great food, beer and wine and multiple stages featuring some of the best touring bands in the country. The Outside Lands Festival takes its name from the part of then-unincorporated San Francisco that now comprises Golden Gate Park and the Sunset and Richmond districts of the city. Locals referred to the area as the “outside lands,” as it was regarded as an uninhabitable part of town with sand dunes, few roads and no infrastructure.
For Great Views, Hiking, Biking, Camping and much more, Check Out China Camp State Park
China Camp State Park in Marin County is one of the Bay Area’s best places to get away from it all. Although fairly close to San Francisco, across the Bay and north near San Rafael, it doesn’t draw as many visitors as other Bay Area state parks, which is just fine with the locals who love hiking, biking, camping and exploring this beautiful place. China Camp draws its name from an old Chinese shrimp-fishing village located on San Pablo Bay, which provided shrimp to most of the Chinatowns in the U.S., as well as exporting many tons to China. Today, there are many vestiges of this once-thriving community from a junk anchored just offshore to a visitor’s center inside a weathered old warehouse full of old artifacts and exhibits explaining the history of the camp and the area.
Visit the Yerba Buena Center of the Arts for Superb Local, National and International Art of all Kinds
The Yerba Buena Center of the Arts may not be as large as the art museum (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art) across the street but if you love art, make sure to leave room in your schedule to visit this venue as well. The YBCA is a thriving art space and event venue with an ever-changing lineup of performances, exhibitions, workshops, films, community outreach programs and much more.
San Francisco’s Conservatory of Flowers is one of the Jewels of Golden Gate Park
If the stunning array and displays of flowers, shrubs, trees and other greenery found at the Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park doesn’t lighten your mood and bring joy to your soul, you may need to check your pulse. The rich profusion of colors, stunning variety of shapes and beautifully tended grounds make it very easy to unplug from the world and lose all track of time. Many Bay Area residents say they visit the Conservatory a few times each year to do exactly that, as once they begin walking through the gardens, it is easy for them to imagine they are in Versailles, Villa d’Este, Stourhead or another world-class garden.
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