My City By The Bay

Enjoy!!!

Photo courtesy of www.richmondermet.org

REAF’s newest gala event, “All You Need is Love: A Help is on the Way Valentine Benefit” is shaping up to be a great event celebrating all things Valentines. It’s a great way to tell someone you care as well as show some love for three great AIDS service agencies who badly need our support and funding. We all know how bad the economy is and how it’s affecting so many people in so many ways. Charities are always one of the first things people cut back on which is understandable but the need now is greater than ever as most agencies are facing severe budget cuts and thousands of people living with AIDS and HIV are in jeopardy of losing services they depend upon.

“All You Need is Love” is a new event that will replace this year’s holiday gala, cancelled due to the timing of the elections, the recession and declining economy. But it’s a new year, a new administration and we have hope for better times ahead. Great seats are still available for this Valentine-themed event at the Post Street Theatre on Monday, February 9th at 7:30pm. The producers of the hot new Latin Ballroom show, “Burn the Floor,” and the management of the Post Street Theatre are donating the use of the theatre and dancers from “Burn the Floor” will joining our already fabulous cast.

Performance only tickets for this show are only $45 or $65. Gala tickets are $100 and include the dessert party with the cast in the Paris Ballroom of the nearby Hotel Monaco following the show. Underwriter level tickets start at $125 and also include the dessert party as well as other benefits (see our website for details). The dessert party features an array of delectable desserts, wine tastings from many premium wineries and special martini and margarita bars. You can order tickets online from our website or by calling the REAF ticket line at 415-273-1620.

This event benefits Maitri AIDS Hospice, the HIV services at Lyon-Martin Health Services and Sunburst Projects who provide day care and summer camps for kids with AIDS and their families from throughout Northern California.

For more information visit the REAF website.

Sutro Heights Park is where the Pacific Ocean meets the San Francisco Bay.  The twenty fourth mayor of San Francisco, Adolph Sutro owned about a tenth of the property in the city during the late 19th century.  He built the famous Sutro Baths, Sutro Heights Park and The Cliff House.  The above photo depicts the gazebo located within the park area.

Near the main entrance you will find the above photographed stone ram sculpture.  The park hosts various stone statues to include the lions situated at the main entrance to the park located at 48th Avenue and Point Lobos.  

Adolph Sutro built the park for his own pleasure.  This was basically his backyard park.  He enjoyed walking through the exotic trees and flower gardens while picnicking and exercising.  The stone sculptures were his babies.

There rests in the park a cornucopia of tree and plant species as well as colorful flower beds and lush foliage.  From within the confines of the park you can get an aerial view of the Cliff House, Ocean Beach and the San Francisco Bay.  The views on a clear day atop the park are spectacular.

This photo was taken at the park looking down upon the outer Richmond District, along the great highway and with the outer Sunset District in the distant background.  

Although these sights are not your typical tourist attractions, they are definitely something you should experience.  You can get to Sutro Heights park, The Cliff House and Ocean Beach in one day.  There are also some good restaurants in that area which I will be writing about soon.  For transportation inquiries please comment and I will get back to you.