My City By The Bay

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Photo courtesy of www.asianart.org

Each year in celebration of and preparation for the new year, The Asian Art Museum in San Francisco holds it’s Japanese Bell Ringing ceremony on New Year’s Eve day.  The bell used is from a 16th Century temple in Japan which is now housed at the museum.  The bell is struck 108 times with a log in order to cleanse the spirit of the 108 human desires to ward off evil and prepare a fresh slate for the New Year.  Visitors to the museum can partake in the ceremony by striking the bell.  The Asian Art Museum houses special exhibits and entertainment throughout the year so be sure to visit their website.  For more information visit the Asian Art Museum.

It is never a dull moment in San Francisco.  At the cable car turnaround on Powell and Market Streets in the heart of downtown San Francisco you can always find some street performer entertaining the crowds.  It is always alot of fun to just relax and watch the world go by on Powell street.  Only in San Francisco, Enjoy!

Since I took you to Hong Kong on my A Poet’s View blog I decided to bring a little Hong Kong to my San Francisco blog.  Dragon and Lion Dancing are a vital part of the Asian culture.  The performers are very talented in that they must be able to dance and work in sync while performing.  It is a difficult task, however many of these young men have been training for years.  The dance symbolizes a warding off of bad spirits and is performed at celebrations and the openings of new stores, restaurants and hotels etc… The above video was taken during a harvest moon festival in San Francisco which is celebrated as an annual event in Chinatown.  Enjoy!

I always love the ethnic festivals taking place around San Francisco.  The Cherry Blossom Festival is an annual event in Japantown and hosts some fantastic performances in music and dance.  Though it is a few months away I wanted to share a Hula Dance performance with you.  I will have more on Japantown and the festival in the months to come.  Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of www.cbs5.com

San Francisco has been dubbed “The City That Knows How” and rightly so.  Celebrations take place at the spur of the moment for anything and everything.  It is never a dull moment in my city by the bay.  On New Year’s Eve it seems that the whole city comes alive in one huge street party.  It’s one big venue for the “out with the old and in with the new” attitude.

The major restaurants and hotels offer NYE packages which include dinner and dancing.  Many offer dining which also includes entertainment.  All of these however, as you would expect do come at a price.  Depending on your budget and tastes you will find something to do.

As I had mentioned in a previous post, we will be at Enrico’s in North Beach celebrating the New Year.  Here is a link to my previous post for that event  NYE @ Enrico’s. With this event, if you do not want dinner, you can have a few drinks at the bar with no cover charge unless you arrive after 11:00 pm.  An added bonus being able to see the Sony Holland Trio perform for your listening pleasure.

There is also a major fireworks display along the Embarcadero waterfront at the foot of Market Street.  This is a free event and attracts thousands of people.  Many families come out to watch the display.  It does get loud though the majority of our police force is on duty there during the display.

There are many restaurants and hotels in the area who offer dinner and fireworks display special seating.  However you are going to pay a premium for these seats.  It is much better to be outside right along the waterfront viewing the festivities and not having to pay a dime.  If you do prefer the warmth and comfort of being within a festive hotel or restaurant setting you can peruse the NYE Events in San Francisco.

The above video is a short display of last year’s show.  Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Photo courtesy of http://www.d21c.com

The Free Hugs campaign made it’s way through San Francisco spreading hugs, love and joy around the city.  The video below displays the  sights and sounds.  Only in San Francisco, enjoy!!!

There is the 911 emergency service, the 411 phone and address listing service and the 511 Muni and transportation service.   Modeled after the Chicago information services San Francisco has established the 311 everything San Francisco customer service information service center.

The service by phone is available 24 hours and 7 days a week.  They receive over ten thousand calls per day asking everything from how do I operate my garage door opener to where is the best sushi spot in the city.   They have answers to all of your questions about San Francisco.  It doesn’t matter what it is - they have the answers.  Of course so do I so visit daily

If you are thinking about planning a trip to San Francisco obviously the first thing you should do is contact me then if you have further questions you can call the 311 customer service number from your area by dialing (415)701-2311. 

While in Hong Kong I visited the Museum of History and took the photo shown above. It is an understatement to say that Chinese New Year celebrations in Hong Kong are spectacular.  However in San Francisco they are just as extraordinary.  

The Divine Performing Arts Organization travels the world bringing cultural performances to major cities.  Beginning January 7th through the 11th the Chinese New Year extravaganza will be at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco.  They visit annually and put on a show stopping performance unlike anything you have ever seen.  The costumes are a blend of vivid color depicting ancient traditions which flow gracefully across the stage and beyond.  

Traditional Chinese music flows through the room in a zen synthesis of erhu and drums.  The choreography is unmatched and spellbinding.  It is graceful, powerful and passionate - a true celebration of beauty, light and life.  The astounding backdrops allow you to journey through another world.  A world of tradition and respect.  The vocalists will inspire and the live orchestra sets the tone for a fabulous musical experience.

With the Lunar New Year approaching this is a great way to ring in the year of the ox.  The ox being a born leader, serious in nature and somewhat of a loner yet sensitive and loving, this performance is sure to be a powerful display of Chinese tradition.  They will be performing in various cities so make sure to visit the website to find a performance in your area.

The show will dazzle and move you to tears.  To learn more visit Divine Performing Arts.

Photo courtesy of www.medicalsheepskins.com

Who doesn’t love a good pillow fight?  Well in San Francisco we’ve taken it to a whole new level.  On Valentines day each year people take to the streets and gather at Justin Herman Plaza along the Embarcadero at the foot of Market Street, armed with pillows and have a huge pillow fight party.  Thousands gather for this intimate event.  While it is fun for all it can also be a form of therapy.  What better way to express your frustrations especially if your loved one forgot it was Valentines Day.  Below is a video of this annual event.

So, if you are ever in San Francisco on Valentines Day, grab your pillow and take to the streets.  I am personally hoping that this becomes a monthly event - pillows, pajamas and all.  Only in San Francisco.