The Autumn Moon Festival falls on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month of the Chinese calendar. It’s a time to celebrate and remember the lore of Chang E – the mythical Moon Goddess of Immortality. But the moon shines upon everyone. From moon cakes to ribbon dances, it’s a colorful array of rich…
The 12th Annual Power to the Peaceful festival in Golden Gate Park landed on a somber day in San Francisco — the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks. But here it was all about unity and three days of believing we can build a better world. At a draw of 70,000, it is one of…
BAADS is just too cool a name and their signature Pirate logo hat is a must have in San Francisco. BAADS stands for the Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors. When I first discovered this amazing organization and their mission, I couldn’t wait to come out with a video camera. The Saturday Dinghy program…
More than 10,000 people flocked to San Francisco for their chance in the spotlight this month. A sea of dreamers with tickets to audition brought their vocal talent, instruments, and a much needed supply of patience. By 5am, there wasn’t a parking space to be found outside AT&T Park as Hollywood hopefuls lined the pavement…
The last six years have been a whirlwind of back and forth decisions on the rights of same-sex couples to legally wed. The latest hurdle in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals puts another postponement on marriages while the legal process plays out — ultimately heading to the U.S. Supreme Court. So I guess it’s…
Every August 1st in San Francisco’s Excelsior District fans celebrate the sounds of their hero – Jerry Garcia – with music, tie-dyed t-shirts, posters, peace signs and endless paraphernalia to mark his birthday (this would have been his 68th). But what makes it special to buy your hippie gear here is that it goes to…
Mural art is widely displayed in San Francisco neighborhoods, and every year in Bernal Heights over 2,000 square feet of portable wall space opens up to artists of all ages as a ‘freedom of expression forum.’ The 14th annual Urban Youth Arts Festival – Paint your heart out Day – is a celebration of amazing…
Nearly five years after his street flair scored him a bit part in the Will Smith flick, “The Pursuit of Happyness,” street musician Larry Hunt is at risk of losing his space on Market Street. Some merchants don’t care that he once played the big screen, hob-nobbed with Hollywood or became a celeb online; they…
If you want to make a buck in San Francisco, you can set up a stand or play your tunes on the street any day of the week, but there’s something special about “Sunday Streets”. The city blocks off major thoroughfares to open up the arteries for bikes, skateboards and lots of food and music. …
San Francisco’s Recreation and Parks Department has to be celebrating this one – their gamble to put up a jumbo screen for the World Cup outside City Hall turned out to be one fabulous win for the city. World Cup Soccer Live is a hit. Throughout the whole event, the crowds have been huge and…
43 years after the summer of love, the Drum Circle is alive and well on San Francisco’s ‘Hippie Hill’. In Golden Gate Park near the Haight, it’s a scene right out of the 60’s when the mantra was good view, good vibes and good drugs. You can’t help but conjure up images of a Robert…
It’s the stuff dreams are made of — A teacher, a youth group and a financially-strapped city department didn’t let a zero budget stop them from finding a way to bring World Cup Soccer to the square — they went knocking on doors for corporate donations. The result is a jumbo screen outside City Hall…
Postcards from SF 