“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
It seems like everytime my fiance and I decide to have a movie date night, we always end up amongst the flocks of people at Loews Metreon and Century Theaters. Last night, we decided to break the mold and check out what was playing at Embarcadero Cinema. The last time we were there we watched Slumdog Millionaire, and it won the Oscar for Best Movie in 2009. We stumbled across “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” on Rotten Tomatoes (my favorite movie review site ever) and since it got 83% fresh, we decided to check it out.
The movie would fit in the suspense-thriller category. The two lead characters, Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist, are so utterly mismatched that the relationship they develop throughout the story is so intriguing. It is a Swedish movie, so for those of you that aren’t blessed with 20/20 vision, you will need your specks to read the subtitles.
Lisbeth gives the movie its edge. She is one of the strangest and most eccentric female heroines I have ever seen in a movie, and her story and personality will just blow you away. There is something about her character that just draws you into her.
I don’t want to give too much away about this movie, but be prepared to sit at the edge of your seat the entire length of the movie (its a little over 2 hours). And for those who have weak stomachs, there are certain scenes that may just be too much to handle. The Swedish name of the movie is ‘Man Som Hatar Kvinnor’ which translates into ‘Men Who Hate Women’ so that should give you some kind of idea of what this movie is about. Salander and Blomkvist set out to unravel a deep family secret from 40 years past. And trust me, it is deep and twisted.
They say that the US of A is going to make its own Hollywood remake of this story-line, but they definitely have some big shoes to fill because this movie takes the cake as the best movie I have ever seen. Ever.
January, April & Everything in Between.
Last post: January 14th, 2010
Today’s post: April 9th, 2010
Here’s a snippet of whats happened in between, in no particular order:
- Stumbled upon Tropisueno and I can easily call it my favorite Mexican restaurant in the city (I have been there about 15 times in the last 3 months)
- Ousted as Mayor at Jeremy’s
- Discovered the BEST late night hot dog stand in SF (right in front of 1015 Folsom; bacon wrapped dogs…yum)
- The return of Sunday Streets
- Discussion of the Warriors moving back to San Francisco (in Mission Rock)
- Went to India for two weeks and learned that Taco Bell opened up there AFTER I got back
- Launch of the Zip Line to promote Vancouver Tourism
- Release of the iPad
- Taylors Automatic Refresher announced their rebrand to Gott’s Roadside Tray Gourmet (and not to mention handed out free grub back in March)
- Mavericks Surf Contest said to have the biggest waves ever surfed in a competition
- Manor West opens up in old Boss space
Whoa. Time flies.
A Taste of South Beach and Mission Bay Street Fair
What: Yet another street fair, this time in my ‘hood, South Beach.
When: Saturday, September 19th from 12noon – 6pm
Where: South Park (a cute little park nestled between 2nd Street and 3rd Street and Bryant and Brannan).
Why: Well, there are many reasons: Outdoor fun. Forecast calls for great weather. Local restaurants will be selling their signature dishes and drinks at a reduced cost. Entertainment stage with live performances.
Restaurants and Bars that are rumored to be participating are:
- 21st Amendment
- Bacar
- Brickhouse Cafe
- District
- Flytrap
- Hennessy’s Wines & Specialty Foods
- Hotel Utah
- Little Skillet
- MoMo’s
- O’Neill’s Irish Pub
- Panera Bread
- Paragon
- Pete’s Tavern
- South Food & Wine Bar
- Tres Agaves
- The Butler and The Chef Bistro
- Zuppa
The event is free, however, fair organizers will request a $10 donation at the entry way. For what, you might ask? To benefit the South Beach/Mission Bay Business Association and other non-profits.
The GO Urban Adventure Race – Sat 9/19
Want to combine your love for San Francisco with a fun, fast paced scavenger hunt loaded with physical and mental challenges? Then, I’ve found the event for you.
This Saturday, September 19th, San Francisco will be home for the 3rd GO Urban Adventure Race (so far, the race has taken place in Washington DC and Boston).
Each team, composed of two teammates receive 4 initial clues via SMS text messaging (therefore, it is mandatory to bring a phone that enables SMS text messaging).
Each clue leads to a specific GO point (any location in SF). You can run, walk, jog or take public transportation to the location.
At each GO point you will SMS a response to the clue, complete a physical or mental task, take a picture (with your phone or digital camera), and receive the next clue vis SMS text messaging.
There will be a total of 8 clues, and therefore 8 GO points. And once all 8 clues are solved, you race back to the finish line. 1st place wins $400, 2nd place wins $275 and 3rd place wins $100. And the top 30 teams from each city will be invited to compete in the Championship Race in Washington DC on July 17, 2010.
So? Ready to play?
It’s easy. Show up with your partner at Fort Mason (on the corner of Laguna and Bay Street) between 10:30 am and 11:45 am with $100 total, and you’re in. Just be sure to bring comfortable shoes. And just like any other event in San Francisco, costumes are encouraged. The race starts at 12:00 noon and should finish by 5pm or when the last team crosses the finish line.
Want to go to Bali but can’t seem to get away?
Well, this Saturday, you can. And you don’t have to be in flight for 15+ hours to get there, either.
This Saturday, September 5th, the culture, music, and dance of Bali is coming straight to you. As part of the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, the fifty performers of Sekar Jaya will present the beauty of Balinese performing arts.
This event is FREE. Starts at 1pm through 3pm. So now you can experience the people and culture of Bali without costing an arm and leg to get there. Now if only San Francisco can become its own island.
My Favorite Places in San Francisco
You’ve probably come across this icon on Google Maps. It symbolizes Favorite Places: A Collection of Favorite Places Around the Globe. Now I am far from being a world traveler, but what I do know well is San Francisco. So without further ado, here is an exploration of my favorite places in San Francisco.
Bakar Fitness and Recreation Center @ UCSF Mission Bay
When it comes to gyms, this one’s the cream of the crop. With a rock climbing wall and an outdoor pool on the roof, an indoor pool, squash and racquetball courts, basketball court, every possible group fitness class out there, and state of the art cardio and circuit training equipment, it just can’t be beat. It is a gym that makes working out fun again.
Delfina Pizzeria – Mission
Just the other day, I made a post about the best pizza in San Francisco, according to the locals. For me, Delfina Pizzeria is just phenomenal. Every time I take a bite into the Salsiccia Thin Crust, I feel like I’m in heaven. They have two locations now, the original in the Mission and the newest in Pacific Heights. There is something about the Mission location that makes it my favorite. And of course, can’t beat the fact that Bi-Rite Ice Creamery and Delores Park is right across the street.
Tuttimelon – Marina
It seems like Frozen Yogurt places are popping up all over the place. There are probably over 15-20 different Frozen Yogurt brands within San Francisco city limits, but the one brand that always makes me wanting more is Tuttimelon. They have several locations throughout the city, but the Marina location is my favorite. The staff there is super friendly, and their toppings just always look pristine, not to mention, they are never out of my favorites: gummi bears and captain crunch! Yum!
Being a doggy-mama, you can bet on me knowing some of the best dog parks in San Francisco. This hidden gem is my favorite dog park. A cute oval shaped park, with a kiddie playground in the middle, surrounded by cute little boutiques and cafes, make it feel like you are in some remote European town, playing fetch with your pooch.
Ferry Building Farmers Market
I pretty much never have an excuse to do nothing on a Saturday morning. The Farmers Market is pretty much the most ideal way to spend a Saturday morning. With an abundance of fresh flowers, organic produce and veggies, and other little nick-nacks, it is always bound to be a great way to start your weekend.
Swig
I may be a little biased about this place, but hey I cant help it. I randomly met my beau here. It will always hold a special place in my heart. PS, the bartenders here make awewome drinks.
Town Hall
When it comes to restaurants, this is number one in my books. The ham and cheese toast with the decadent jalapeno cream sauce and the buttermilk fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy are my staples here. And when I am feeling even more gutsy, I top off my meal with the Pumpkin Sticky Toffee Cake. ( G’on, log onto Open Table and make that reservation.)
Union Square
I am not talking about the shopping, but in fact THE actual Union Square. That area right on top of the parking garage. On nice sunny days, I grab the current book I am reading, get a Jamba smoothie from the downstairs of Macys, and find a nice little spot right on the steps of Union Square.
Street Food Festival
You and I both know that San Franciscans love to party. Day or night. Weekday or Weekend. We are always finding one excuse or another to have a festival, throw a party, eat, drink, and be merry.
And this Saturday, August 22nd, is no exception to that rule. La Cocina is teaming up with 7X7 magazine (no affiliation to me and my blog) to throw the first ever Food Festival in San Francisco.
This is what’s going to go down. Folsom street between 25th and 26th street is going to close down. Starting at 11am all the way through 7pm, the foods of San Francisco’s streets are coming directly to you. Casual. Ethnic. Affordable. It’s all coming straight to you.
The event is free. The cost of food and drinks is not. But they claim that nothing will be more than $8. Know before you go – the vendors will only accept cash for food/beverage payment. You can pre-purchase a Passport of Savings so you don’t have to worry about lugging around all that cash.
All proceeds of the event will benefit La Cocina
Just another event which makes San Francisco all the more wonderful to live in!
Lombard Street Transforms into Life-Size Candyland
This Wednesday, August 19th, one of San Francisco’s most well known streets is going to be transformed into something pretty darn yummy!
In honor of the 60th anniversary of the classic childhood game, Candyland, starting early Wednesday AM, Lombard Street is going to be transformed into a real life version of the popular boardgame.
Clearly, the street will be closed to traffic, as children from the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center participate in the beloved game as colored game pieces and interact with life-size game characters. Remember Queen Frostine and Gramma Nut? Wouldn’t it be freaking awesome to meet the life size version of these popular characters?
Can I play?
Pool Party, anyone?
Last week I went to Bambuddha Lounge for a Fundraising event to support Mayor Gavin Newsom’s gubernatorial bid. While I would love to write about what this event was all about and the Who’s Who that was there, I’ll leave that for another post.
What I would like to write about is Bambuddha Lounge and what I discovered when I was there during daylight hours. Now this was the first time I visited this lounge when it was light outside, and thus I was able to really appreciate what Bambuddha Lounge/Phoenix Hotel had to offer. Their pool!
I am a huge fan of pool parties, and there I was, standing in the patio of the Phoenix Hotel, visioning a Rehab-style pool party in San Francisco.
I know what a lot of you must be thinking? Why would one ever want to go to a pool party in the city? It is just too damn cold. Yes. You are right. BUT, we all know there are those very few occasions in which temperatures in the city reach a nice 85 degrees, and what better way to utilize the warmth than with a pool party at The Phoenix Hotel.
The pool itself is rather small, but the area around it is pretty darn beautiful. They have nice, comfy lounge chairs and booths situated around the pool, underneath some nice shade. They also have a lot of green foliage around which makes you feel like you are in some tropical paradise. It’s something you would never expect to find when you are approaching the hotel. The hotel itself looks a bit retro, situated right in the heart of the Tenderloin. But hey! I’m not complaining. All that needs to happen now is for one of those top notch San Francisco promoters to get busy and plan a pool party before our San Francisco summer slips on by.
Film Night in the Park
Why can’t the romance you find in movies happen in real life? Like in the Wedding Planner, when J. Lo and Matthew McConaughey go to Central Park in NYC to watch a movie in the park.
Well, guess what? They do!
There are three upcoming Film Nights in the Park planned for the upcoming three months. Where? The most common park, Dolores Park, is on an undisclosed hiatus, but Washington Square and Union Square in San Francisco have been chosen for upcoming Film Night in the Park locations.
Check out the schedule below:
(NOTE: for those of you that were planning on watching Pretty in Pink in Dolores Park tonight, the showing has been cancelled)
Saturday, August 22nd 8 pm – On the Waterfront @ Union Square (Geary and Powell)
Saturday, September 19th 8 pm – The Dark Knight @ Dolores Park (Dolores and 19th)
Saturday, October 3rd 8 pm – Slumdog Millionaire @ Washington Square Park (Union and Columbus)
Mark your calendar, pack your picnic dinner, and grab your cuddle partner for a night out in the park!