Sam Spade's San Francisco

Holiday Tea
Where: Top of the Mark,999 California Street
Dates: 12/3/2008-12/18/2008 Phone:

A Christmas Carol
Where: Geary Theater, 415 Geary Street
Dates: 12/4/2008-12/27/2008
Phone:
Cost: $12-$80

Magical Mark Hopkins Holiday Tea
Where: Top of the Mark, 999 California Street
Dates: 12/5/2008-12/27/2008
Phone:

Holiday Sunset Dinner
Where: Top of the Mark, 999 California Street
Dates: 12/5/2008-12/27/2008
Phone:
Cost: $79-$99

December Holiday Cruises
Where: Hornblower Cruises - Pier 3
Dates: 12/5/2008-12/26/2008
Phone:
Cost: $35.40-$59

"Season's Greenings" Gift-Making Extravaganza
Where: Crissy Field, 603 Mason Street, Presidio
Dates: 12/6/2008-12/6/2008
Phone:
Cost: Free Admission, $1-$5/Individual Activities

Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration
Where: The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, One Miramontes Point Road
Dates: 12/7/2008-12/7/2008
Phone:
Cost: Free Admission

A Cathedral Christmas
Where: Grace Cathedral, 1100 California Street
Dates: 12/7/2008-12/22/2008
Phone:
Cost: $15-$50

The Nutcracker
Where: War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Avenue
Dates: 12/11/2008-12/28/2008
Phone:
Cost: $18-$224

2008 Fairy Winterland
Where: Children's Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Avenue
Dates: 12/12/2008-12/21/2008
Phone:
Cost: $6/Each

A Chanticleer Christmas
Where: First Congregational Church, 2345 Channing Way
Dates: 12/12/2008-12/12/2008
Phone:
Cost: $30-$48

Dmitri Matheny's The Snow Cat
Where: Bay Area Discovery Museum, 557 McReynolds Road
Dates: 12/13/2008-12/27/2008
Phone:C
Cost: $10/Adults, $8/Seniors (62+) and Children (1-17), Free/Members and Children under 1

38th Annual KPFA Crafts and Music Fair
Where: Concourse Exhibition Center at the San Francisco Design Center, 635 Eighth Street
Dates: 12/13/2008-12/14/2008
Phone:
Cost: $7-$10

A Chanticleer Christmas
Where: St. Ignatius Church, 650 Parker Avenue (University of San Francisco campus)
Dates: 12/13/2008-12/20/2008
Phone:
Cost: $30-$48/Each

6th Annual Parol Lantern Festival and Parade
Where: Yerba Buena Gardens, 760 Howard Street
Dates: 12/13/2008-12/13/2008
Phone:
Cost: Free Admission

Handel's Messiah
Where: Grace Cathedral, 1100 California Street
Dates: 12/18/2008-12/19/2008
Phone:

A Chanticleer Christmas
Where: St. Vincent Church, 35 Liberty Street
Dates: 12/19/2008-12/19/2008
Phone:
Cost: $30-$48

A Child's Christmas in Wales and Holiday Animation Film Festival
Where: Exploratorium, 3601 Lyon StreetDates: 12/20/2008-12/20/2008
Phone:
Cost: Free with Admission: $14/Adults, $11/Seniors and Students, $9/Children (4-12), Free/Members and Children Under 4

A Family Sing-Along
Where: Grace Cathedral, 1100 California Street
Dates: 12/20/2008-12/20/2008
Phone:
Cost: $10-$25/Adults, $5-$15/Children

Christmas Eve Dinner Buffet
Where: Top of the Mark, 999 California StreetDates: 12/24/2008-12/24/2008
Phone:
Cost: $95/Adults, $55/Children (4-12)

Christmas Eve Dining in Navio
Where: The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, One Miramontes Point Road
Dates: 12/24/2008-12/24/2008
Phone:
Cost: $112/Each plus tax and gratuity

Christmas Eve Brunch and Dinner Cruise
Where: Hornblower Cruises - Pier 3
Dates: 12/24/2008-12/24/2008
Phone:
Cost: $72-$105

Christmas Eve Dinner
Where: Hyatt Regency San Francisco, 5 Embarcadero Center
Dates: 12/24/2008-12/24/2008
Phone:
Cost: To Be Anounced

The 16th Annual Kung Pao Kosher Comedy: Jewish Comedy on Christmas in a Chinese Restaurant
Where: New Asia Restaurant, 772 Pacific Avenue
Dates: 12/24/2008-12/27/2008
Phone:
Cost: $62/Dinner Show, $42/Cocktail Show

Open House at the Ford House Museum
Where: Ford House Museum, 735 Main Street
Dates: 12/25/2008-12/25/2008
Phone:
Cost: Free Admission

Whale Watching at the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse Museum
Where: Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, 45300 Lighthouse Road
Dates: 12/25/2008-12/25/2008
Phone:
Cost: Free Admission

Christmas Day Dinner
Where: Hyatt Regency San Francisco, 5 Embarcadero Center
Dates: 12/25/2008-12/25/2008
Phone:

Christmas Day Dinner Cruise
Where: Hornblower Cruises - Pier 3
Dates: 12/25/2008-12/25/2008
Phone:
Cost: $72-$105

Nutcracker Brunch in The Ritz-Carlton Ballroom
Where: The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, One Miramontes Point Road
Dates: 12/25/2008-12/25/2008
Phone:
Cost: $110/Adult, $55/Children 5-12, Free/Children under 5, plus tax and gratuity

Christmas Day Dining in Navio
Where: The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon BayOne Miramontes Point Road
Dates: 12/25/2008-12/25/2008
Phone:
Cost, : $130/Each plus tax and gratuity

Visit with Santa,
Where: The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon BayOne Miramontes Point Road
Dates: 12/25/2008-12/25/2008
Phone:
Cost: Free with Admission to Nutcracker Brunch or Navio Dining

Christmas Day Brunch/Dinner Buffet
Where: Top of the Mark, 999 California Street
Dates: 12/25/2008-12/25/2008
Phone:
Cost: $95/Adults, $55/Children (4-12)

Free Family Day on Christmas
Where: Contemporary Jewish Museum, 736 Mission Street
Dates: 12/25/2008-12/25/2008
Phone:
Cost: Free Admission

Kwanzaa Celebration
Where: Bay Area Discovery Museum, 557 McReynolds Road
Dates: 12/26/2008-12/26/2008
Phone:
Cost: Free Admission

2008 Emerald Bowl
Where: AT&T Park, 24 Willie Mays Plaza
Dates: 12/27/2008-12/27/2008
Phone:
Cost: $89-$97

New Years Eve: The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Where: Grace Cathedral, 1100 California Street
Dates: 12/31/2008-12/31/2008
Phone:
Cost: $20/General Admission, $10/Senior and Student

New Year's Eve Dinner and Dance Gala
Where: Top of the Mark, 999 California Street
Dates: 12/31/2008-12/31/2008
Phone:

New Year's Eve Dinner in Navio
Where: The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, One Miramontes Point Road
Dates: 12/31/2008-12/31/2008
Phone:
Cost: First Seating: $130/Adult, $65/Children 5-12, Free/Children under 5; Second Seating: $228/Each

New Year's Eve Gala in The Ritz-Carlton Ballroom
Where: The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, One Miramontes Point Road
Dates: 12/31/2008-12/31/2008
Phone:
Cost: $248/Each plus tax and gratuity

Ritz Kids New Year's Eve Party & New Year's Eve Teen Lounge
Where: The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, One Miramontes Point Road
Dates: 12/31/2008-12/31/2008
Phone:
Cost: $110/Child, $90/Each Additional Sibling

Premier New Year's Eve Cruise
Where: Hornblower Cruises - Pier 3
Dates: 12/31/2008-12/31/2008
Phone:
Cost: $155.40-$259

Belle New Year's Eve Cruise
Where: Hornblower Cruises - Pier 3
Dates: 12/31/2008-12/31/2008
Phone:
Cost: $125.40-$209

New Year's Eve Dance
Where: U.S.S. Hornet Museum, Alameda Point, Pier 3
Dates: 12/31/2008-12/31/2008
Phone:
Cost: $50-$98

Moulin Rouge Parisian Pleasures New Year's Event
Where: Evergreen Lodge at Yosemite, 33160 Evergreen Road
Dates: 12/31/2008-12/31/2008
Phone:
Cost: $50/Dinner, $50/Party

New Year's Eve Onboard the U.S.S. Hornet
Where: U.S.S. Hornet Museum, Alameda Point, Pier 3
Dates: 12/31/2008-12/31/2008
Phone:
Cost: $50-$98

New Years Eve Dinner and Airship Flight Celebration
Where: Airship Ventures, NASA Research Park, Moffett Field
Dates: 12/31/2008-12/31/2008
Phone:
Cost: $25000/Group of 12

Beach Blanket Babylon New Year's Eve Extravaganza
Where: Club Fugazi6, 78 Green Street
Dates: 12/31/2008-12/31/2008
Phone:
Cost: $65-$190

In addition, specifically for the Gay and Lesbian Community, San Francisco offers these holiday events:

Milk, the Movie

LGBT pioneer Harvey Milk appears on the silver screen this fall, thanks to director Gus Van Sant and Sean Penn, who spent much of this year filming all over the City, but particularly in the Castro District, historically recreated to suggest the free flying 1970's.

"Milk," the movie, showing at the Castro Theatre Nov. 26 - Dec. 23, and benefiting LGBT charities, will give renewed attention to this bold activist and the LGBT community from which he emerged. There is already Oscar buzz… See the movie (see the trailer here); then explore the neighborhood. Click here for tickets.

Crusin' the Castro

In addition to the popular Cruisin' the Castro, the original walking tour, where you will see America's only Pink Triangle Memorial Park, the original site of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, the first gay bar with transparent windows on the street, and much more, check out the new Come Out to the Castro, led by a local comedian or Sister Betty's Walking Tour, both revealing the quirkier side of this rich neighborhood. All of these guided treks will point out the famous and lesser known spots frequented by Harvey Milk. Other than a few steep hills and those deadly "drag traps," or street grates, strolling is relaxed and easy.

December Shows

December brings holiday shows of every description, but pay special attention to these three offerings from within our LGBT community: The SF Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band presents "The Dance Along Nutcracker" where the audience is invited to leave their seats and join in self-expressive abandon at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Dec. 13-14.

Dec. 15-17 brings Donna Sachet's 16th annual "Songs of the Season," a musical variety show offers something for everyone; featuring great local soloists and benefiting the AIDS Emergency Fund.

Finish up the holiday season at one of three performances on Christmas Eve of "Home for the Holidays" at the Castro Theatre with the venerable San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, now in its 31st year of performing, conducted by Dr. Kathleen McGuire.

Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz

Wicked: The untold story of the ladies of Oz — the green-skinned Wicked Witch and the pure-of-heart Glinda the Good Witch — is being brought to San Francisco's Orpheum Theatre this January by Carol Shorenstein Hays' theatrical production company, SHN Broadway Reframed.
Tickets for the musical, one of Broadway's biggest blockbusters, are now available!

LGBT Resources:
Harvey Milk
Uncle Donald's Milk Page
Milk, the Movie
Castro Theatre
Harvey Milk Movie News
Pink Triangle Memorial Park
AIDS Memorial Quilt
National AIDS Memorial Grove at Golden Gate Park
Sister Betty's Walking Tour
Crusin' the Castro
SF Gay/Lesbian Freedom Band
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Donna Sachet
AIDS Emergency Fund
San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus
Wicked: the Untold Story of the Witches of Oz
Uncle Donald's Castro Street
Bay Area Reporter - SF Queer newspaper
SF Bay Times - SF Queer newspaper
Theatre Bay Area - best source for ticket

San Francisco's Openly Queer State Legislative Representatives:

Tom Ammiano is California State Assemblymember-elect representing the 13th Assembly District (currently held by Mark Leno), which is essentially the people of San Francisco. Tom is currently a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

Mark Leno is California State Senator-elect representing the 3rd Senate District which includes the people of San Francisco and Marin Counties. Mark won the seat from another member of our family, Carol Migden, who is retiring to her home in Marin County. Mark is currently our California State Assemblymember, the seat just won by Tom.

San Francisco's Fabulous Lesbian Chefs

Some of the finest food in San Francisco comes from a small community of some of the world's greatest chefs - and many of them in San Francisco are lesbian. It's not that gay men are not also great chefs. It just seems that lesbians in San Francisco are particularly impressive (and for the record: I am not discriminating against straight people. It's just that they always get the good press, so forget them this time around).

Get the full story at: San Francisco's Fabulous Lesbian Chefs

Free Holiday Dinners in San Francisco:

Several local churches and other organizations will offer free Holiday dinners on December 24th and/or december 25th for those in need and for those who don't want to spend the holiday alone. Please keep in mind that these organizations are in desperate need of cash donations and can also use your help if you would like to volunteer.

Here are a several offerings:

Tenderloin Tessie

One of San Francisco's oldest community meals by and for members of the LGBT community, Tenderloin Tessie's Thanksgiving dinner is now in its 31st year. .The Tenderloin Tessie dinner features roast turkey, gravy, stuffing, potatoes and vegetables, coffee and beverages, pumpkin pie and a special gift bag takes place from 1 to 4 p.m. at the First Unitarian Church at (at Geary) in San Francisco. Volunteers are always welcome; call Toby Nelson at .

Glide Memorial Church - Rev Cecil Williams

Glide Memorial Church will host a special Thanksgiving celebration and is expecting 4,500 people for its annual holiday meal. Glide operates one of the largest free meal programs in San Francisco. ."At Glide we reach out to everyone. No one should be left out and the need is more critical this year," said the Reverend Cecil Williams..Glide starts off the day with Celebration, the worship and music service at 10 a.m. (usually 9 am and 11 am on non-holidays). Holiday meals will be served from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the church, 330 Ellis Street in San Francisco. .Volunteers and donations are welcome. To sign up call . To make a cash donation, visit the Web site or send checks to Glide Memorial, . Food donations should be dropped off at the side entrance of the church.

St. Anthony Dining Room - The Franciscan Friars

St. Anthony Dining Room, a part of the larger St. Anthony Foundation was founded by the Franciscan Friars who are members of the Order of Friars Minor - O.F.M. of St. Boniface Church, located in the depth of The Tenderloin. Drop off your holiday gifts of clothing, turkeys, food and monetary donations to . To volunteer please call or send an email to .

A note about volunteering:

All four of these organizations welcome volunteers. Glide Church and St. Anthony's Dining Room always have more volunteers for the special Holiday meals than they need. In the case of both Glide and St. Anthony's the best thing you can do for them is to give them a generous donation. Money is the one thing they both have way too little of.

MCC and Tenderloin Tessie rely much more on volunteers. Volunteers, for both these groups are not only warmly welcome, they are absolutely necessary to make the dinners work. Both the MCC and Tenderloin Tessie dinners are smaller than the Glide and St. Anthony's efforts and as result they get fewer donations, but are equally in need of support. Keep that in mind if you are thinking about making a donation. And, by the way, the Tenderloin Tessie Dinner has grown quite large in recent years - which means their need for both money and volunteers have grown as well.

Donations of small quantities of canned goods or other food items are not very useful to any of the organizations. They need very large quantities of identical items. The best way to help these groups serve holiday meals to those in need is to write several or all them generous checks.

The other thing you can do to help is get involved: volunteer on a day that is not a major holiday. Keep in mind that both Glide and St. Anthony's Dining Room serve hot meals to thousands of people every day of the year from their Tenderloin locations. You have 365 days in every year available to you to volunteer.

San Francisco's Most Elegant Sunday Brunch:

Read the full story of the magnificent 19th century Garden Court restaurant at the renowned Palace Hotel. Click here to read the full story.

Other San Francisco Resorces:

Presidio of San Francisco - What's there to see and where to eat

San Francisco Ferry Building Marketplace - A Complete GuideTaxicab Crooks and Scam Cabs in San Francisco - Read this warning before jumping in a cab!

Public Transportation Links - from the Port of San Francisco

Ferry Schedule Links - from Bay Crossings

San Francisco Metropolitan Transportation Agency (MUNI) website

San Francisco City Hall - Architectural MasterpieceDirections, public transit and a map to SF City Hall

SF City Hall Photo Gallery San Francisco City Hall - Wikipedia article

Mayor Gavin Newsom's Welcome Page

San Francisco Visitors and Convention Bureau California Academy of Sciences at Golden Gate Park

Asian Art Museum Barbary Coast Trail

Bill Graham Civic Auditorium

Exploratorium Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

MOMA (Museum of Modern Art)

Moscone Center

Other Museums

Steinhart Aquarium

Strybing Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Symphony

Zoo, San Francisco

San Francisco International Airport

Municipal Railway (MUNI)

Events Search, Convention & Visitors Bureau

Treasure Island Special Events

Restaurants in San Francisco - Inside Local tips - the Ultimate Guide

San Francisco Film Festivals 2008

San Francisco History Links and Resource Guide

Warning! If you intend to use taxicabs while you are in San Francisco, please be sure to read this important information: Taxicab Crooks and Scam cabs in San Francisco.

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