San FranCelia

San Francisco will never leave you wanting more music.  One of the best remnants of the hippie era is the City’s love of music.  Outdoor, indoor, local, international – we love it all.  Throughout the summer there is the festival season, which we all love, but there is also a plethora of outdoor concerts, most of which are free.  And what’s awesome is that they go well beyond the summer months.  What other city is this great?  Tell me that.  This coming weekend is no different.  In honor of Woodstock’s 40^th anniversary, they will be playing a free tribute concert called “West Fest” on Sunday in Speedway Meadows of Golden Gate Park.  The massive span of lawn is the perfect venue for a concert.  Gorgeous views of every type of foliage and tree, completely blocked from the City, and lots of space… lovely.  Every type of person gathers for these events, so it’s sure to be energetic, fun, and colorful!  Many of the original musicians will be involved in the show, too, including Ray Manzarek  of The Doors and Denny Laine of Moody Blues.  How cool!  And it’s FREE people!  I consider the many, many things to do for free in San Francisco as part of my rent.  It makes me feel ok spending so much, since really, I’m getting so much free of charge, and in my case, since I’m a block from the popular concert spot that is Speedway Meadows, I’m in the perfect locale to enjoy it with ease.  Lucky me.  West Fest lasts all day starting at 9am, but getting there early will be best if you have to park.  Try to take public transit though – better for everyone’s sanity.  Enjoy – it’s on of the last ones for the season, so take it all in!

Peace and love Xo

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I love San Francisco this time of year.  Because we generally only get two months out of the year that are shining with sun, many of the festivals, events, and outdoor city activities take place during this time – September and October, specifically (the latter being the best month of the year as far as I’m concerned… ah, Indian Summer… love it!).  I’ve been organizing an apartment search lately in my attempt to get my own digs (which I did!!), and it’s been taking up a lot of my time.  However, I have to fill everyone in on some of the great things the city has been offering lately.  And, since many of these activities are on a yearly basis, it’s great to learn about what is going on each year, so you can map out a game plan for when the next year comes around.  Many weekends during these early fall months are packed with more than one event that, I believe every person should go to at least once.  This past weekend was no exception, and on the docket was Love Parade (or LovEvolution for 2009 – I like Love Parade better), and boy oh boy does this event mean fun.

Love Parade, for those of you who aren’t familiar, originated in Europe as a way to bring people together through song and dance and celebrate the simple (yet never simple) emotion of love.  In San Francisco, this is no different.  This isn’t really an event for the conservative crowd (as many San Francisco activities aren’t), but if you have an open mind and are ready for a peaceful day of dance outside, you will love it – no pun intended.  The parade starts on Market Street, and like the Pride Parade, lends itself to hosting a plethora of nude, interesting, and colorful people.  If you ever wanted to buy a brownie from a hippie on the corner, this would be the time.  The parade, which is made up of various floats that are all playing different types of house and trans music, ends at San Francisco’s Civic Center, where every person that is along the route and following the parade (there are no barriers people – the more the merrier) ends up.  The floats encircle the city hall and proceed to host hours of dancing delight, where everyone spends their time showing others kindness while dancing in the streets.  A payment of about $10 is needed to pay city fees, but other than that…free.  You will see every type of person at this event, from the bridge and tunnel crowd who come to the City to view something so wildly different than the suburb can offer, to the people who want to shock and awe peaceably.  While some things will make you double take, it’s such a wild and fun time, it only adds to the charm.  If you really want to get into it, dress up.  You will just end up blending in, to be honest.

These types of events bring the spirit to the City to the people as far as I’m concerned.  Everyone being able to get together and celebrate love is something that San Franciscans have been striving to continue since the 1960s, and while we may not always get there (hello Muni fight!), these types of happenings remind and inspire us to live, laugh, and most importantly, love.

Peace and love Xo

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When deciding what do to on a Saturday night, there are endless options in San Francisco.  You can hit up a new restaurant and sit for hours through all the courses, check out the bars for the perpetual draw of ‘the scene’, or go see a show in one of the many musical venues the City offers.  Deciding that the latter was something I don’t usually do, we decided to go old school and visit the San Francisco Symphony.  What a rare treat that’s so close yet feels so far away.  The Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall is a nod to modern art as it’s exquisitely lit exterior draws crowds into its simple, yet effective interior.  You look around as the music is playing, and you begin to appreciate the true architectural genius of the space in regards to acoustics, as well.  There are movable convexacrylic reflecting panels that can change position with each performance to optimize sound.  Brilliant!  I love orchestral experiences like this, as I feel it’s not only something that I remember from being involved in music when I was young, but also it’s a way to understand and keep in mind our musical roots in today’s ever changing musical environment.  Last night was a part of the Symphony’s Mahler09Festival, where they paid homage to a true orchestral genius, Gustav Mahler.  The effervescent music ebbed and flowed perfectly, and was only broken up by brief explanations of the music by the conductor. What a great idea, as it really helps you understand what you are listening for.  Very accessible to those of us who love music, but don’t necessarily go to the symphony all the time.  This is one of the best parts of events like this in San Francisco; the easy and relaxed feel of the people involved.  It’s such a plus, as the events are truly accessible for the every day person.  Yes, the people you see at intermission are dressed nicely and are probably a board member of some sort of artistic endeavor, but you wouldn’t know it.  Everyone is there for the music alone.

While an older crowd for the most part which can be a turn off, I believe it’s important to support artistic treasures that are truly San Francisco.  Don’t let it deter you, as the music is definitely worth it.  If you feel a little too chi-chi afterwards, you can always do what we did and hit up a divey (but delicious!) taqueria for a late night dinner.  Nothing better than mixing up your nightly experiences, which thank God for us, is so easy in our illustrious city.

Peace and love Xo

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