My City By The Bay

I first saw Samar perform at the Grand re-opening of the DeYoung Museum in 2005.  Although many call it belly dancing, what Samar performs is a specific dance style called (Rags Sharki) and is based on Egyptian folklore.  She is also a very gifted musician and artist.  She opened her own dance studio in Berkeley called Hipline.  Her passion for music, dance and art is always present through her creative expressions.  The above video was taken during one of her performances at a festival in Berkeley.

You can find much more information by visiting her myspace page.

Sitting within the Sunset district, Stern Grove is a 30 acre natural oasis among the urban sprawl of residential neighborhoods.  It is located on 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard  to 34th Avenue.  Sigmund Stern’s wife donated this nature lover’s paradise to the city in the 1930’s as a tribute to her late husband.  The above photo shows the main driveway entrance to the grove.

As you are walking through the entrance down the road to the center of the park, if you look towards your right you will see these gorgeous trees and what seems like a mini forest.  There are barbecue pits at the base of these hills and picnic spots where you can sit back and revel in the beauty of it all.

Depending upon the time of day the sun will peek through the trees displaying a warm glow upon the roads and green pastures.  There is also a lake situated at the end of the grove near 34th avenue which is one of two natural lakes in San Francisco.  It is called Pine Lake.   I actually live near 34th avenue so when I take my walk to the Grove I enter through the end where the lake resides and and walk the path around it to the main area of the grove.  In the center of Stern Grove you will find a small amphitheater with concrete seating that can house around 20,000 or more concert goers during the Summer months.  Each Sunday from June through September there are afternoon concerts held at the grove free of charge.  The money for these concerts is all donated to the Park and Recreation departments to be used specifically for music entertainment.  There are a wide variety of entertainers who perform at the Grove to include, Latin, jazz, ethnic, rock, funk and classical ensembles.  Although tourists normally stick to the downtown and wharf areas, it is very worthwhile for them to venture out to the neighborhoods and enjoy the variety of activities they have to offer.  Living in the Sunset district my whole life I have been frequenting Stern Grove on a regular basis ever since I was a child.  There is a small playground for children as well as a tennis court on the grounds.

Being a nature lover I relish being able to take a walk through this forest setting and just enjoying the serenity of the wind gently blowing through the trees and experiencing the meditative pulses emanating from this beautiful park.

For more information on the Summer concert series visit http://www.sterngrove.org