May Festivals In San Francisco

Spring is here! This means that it is festival season across San Francisco. There are many festivals that you can attend in San Francisco. No matter what your interest, there will probably be a festival that you can enjoy this year. Berkeley Central Apartments have found a few festivals for you to check out this spring and summer.

American Graffiti Festival

Image From Wikipedia

Do you remember the movie American Graffiti?  This coming of age story from George Lucas has an event in San Francisco every year. This Saturday in downtown Petaluma come celebrate American Graffiti. This event is free and includes art shows, a car cruise, and live music.  This movie was originally filmed in Petaluma in 1972.  You can learn more and find out the event schedule by clicking here.

San Francisco International Arts Festival

This International Arts Festival starts on May 21st and continues until June 7th. There are many events occurring over this three week period. This festival includes music, dance, and visual arts all displayed throughout the festival. Make sure to check out the calendar before you leave for the festival. Some events are free and open to the public, while others you need to buy tickets ahead of time. The festival is held at the Fort Mason Center.  You can learn more by visiting their website SFIAF.org.

San Francisco Carnaval Festival 2015

On May 23-24th, come watch as Harrison Street is turned into a party of food, colors, music, and events for Carnaval. This two day festival spans Harrison Street from 16th-24th street. Parades, music entertainment, and delicious food are included in this schedule of activities celebrating the many cultures of the world. This event is free, but there are some performances that you may need tickets. Please visit Carnaval San Francisco for more information.

We cannot wait to visit some of these festivals around San Francisco. Make sure to keep up with our blog to see what other great events and festivals will be happening around San Diego this summer.

We cannot wait to visit some of these festivals around San Diego. Make sure to keep up with our blog to see what other great events and festivals will be happening around San Francisco this summer.

Cinco de Mayo in Berkeley

Happy Cinco de Mayo to all of our residents at Berkeley Central! Are you celebrating with friends and family today?  We have found some great local restaurants with Cinco de Mayo parties for you to check out.  Make your way after work to one of these great establishments and enjoy the holiday specials after a long day.  

Comal

Comal is not only celebrating Cinco de Mayo, they are also celebrating their third anniversary. You can try their unique menu that includes a special spiced rum cocktail and a special snack that includes fried masa cakes with grasshoppers. You can also enjoy the nice weather as the back patio will be open with a live DJ. Coal is located in Berkeley.

FIVE Restaurant and Bar

Five will be hosting a great Cinco de Mayo special in Berkeley. You can enjoy a four course dinner with a tequila pairing menu for your Cinco de Mayo feast.  This all inclusive dinner is $55.00 a person. 

Cinco de Mayo Community Celebration

Finally, at 8pm tonight you can join Berkeley in a Cinco de Mayo Community Celebration. You can head to Freight and Salvage at for a night of music with friends  This event is $14.00 in advance or $18.00 at the door. It is a perfect way to finish your Cinco de Mayo celebration.

There are many more places to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with your friends after work.  Margarita and taco specials are at many locations throughout the Bay Area. If you want more information on these places, or any other restaurants in the Bay Area you can check out SF Eater.  We hope everyone has a safe and happy Cinco de Mayo.

Art And Culture in San Francisco

We love the art and culture in San Francisco.  Dance, theater, art, and music are all displayed in various aspects throughout our community.  We are lucky enough to have many art events that are just a short commute from Berkeley Central.  There is something for everyone in our gorgeous city.  Here are some of the best art events going on right now in the Bay Area.

Are you looking for something to do with your mother this Mother’s Day?  The Exploratorium in San Francisco is holding a Mother’s Day special.  You can explore these great exhibits for free all day.  The Exploratorium features creative exhibits that include science, art, and culture.  They have been open for 40 years, and have provided guests of all ages with a fun and educational visit.  

Make sure to visit North Beach at Broadway and Columbus one day this summer.  You can visit the public art display for free.  This display was created with Brian Goggins' artwork and Dorkha Keehn.  On your next trip to the beach, make sure to visit this area to see the gorgeous art on display.  You can learn more about public art commissions here. 

Finally, on May 10th you can head to Noe Valley Town Square for Grove on the Road.  This pop up art festival is a production from the Stern Grove Festival. There will be performances and hands on art experiences for all ages.  This event is free from 11am-3pm.  You can find out more by clicking here.

Make sure to check out these great works of art and more throughout the month in San Francisco.  This is a great way to get out and enjoy something you cannot see everyday in the bay.   For more art exhibits through the Bay Area, please check out SfArts.

Music in San Francisco

Music can bring people together.  It is also something that people are very passionate about.  No matter what type of music you like, there are always concerts close to home at Berkeley Central. San Francisco has a great music community for all tastes. We are also lucky enough to have some of the best performance venues in the United States. Here are some shows you can check out over the next month in the bay area.

Tonight you can see Damien Rice at the Fox Theater in Oakland.   This acoustic guitar artist has had many hits over the years. This Irish singer/songwriter broke through in 2002 with his first album called ‘O’.  He has collaborated with many artists including Tori Amos and David Gray since 2002.  You can buy tickets for tonight’s show here!

Next month, head back to the Fox Theater to hear Spoon play.  This band has been playing for over 18 years across the world. Their music has been featured on popular television shows including The Simpsons and The O.C.  This Austin, Texas group is touring to promote their new album ‘They Want My Soul’. You can get tickets for the May 29th show here. 

Finally, on June 5th at the Fox Theater you can see Sufjan Stevens live.  This folk artist has experimented with many types of music over the years. This artist has been out of the spotlight for over five years, but he is returning with this tour and his two night show in San Francisco. You can get your tickets here. 

These are just three of the many great concerts coming to the San Francisco area.  You can find more shows at the San Francisco Theater website. 

Prix Fixe Menu and A New Restaurant

During restaurant weeks, we get the opportunity to sample plenty of food for a fixed menu price.  The fixed menu price is a great feature because you can plan your spending and where you go.  However, this option only comes around once or twice a year in a few locations.  We would love if their were restaurants that had a fixed menu price all year around. Lucky for us, this could be happening in the San Francisco area according to Hoodline. 

Trestle will be opening soon in the bay area. This restaurant is the home of the $35.00 Prix Fixe Menu.  The creators behind this restaurant have plenty of experience behind them.  Opening restaurants like Michael Mina, A16, and SPQR.  

Trestle will be opening in the 531 Jackson St. on the corner of Columbus Avenue. This area is not known as a bargain district, but Trestle will help add a good price and value option to the area. Trestle will be the perfect weekend getaway in the city.  It is a short 20 minute commute from Berkeley Central Apartments. 

This may be a Prix Fixe dinner, but there are still plenty of options to choose from. There are many ways to substitute items for allergies or other reasons you may have.  There may be a small charge, but it will be worth it after you taste your three delicious courses.  Trestle’s motto is “Return to the Proper Meal”.  This includes hearty portions, a good price, and a great value.  You should not be expecting discounted or low cost ingredients at this restaurant.

The creators of this restaurant want to make sure that their dinner is available to everyone.  They do not want to lose the customers that enjoy eating out and the fun that comes with that experience.  This menu price gives people the option of making a dinner the centerpiece of a night out.  We do not get this option very often, and we are super excited about trying Trestle. 

Winter is Coming Back to San Fran?

San Francisco didn’t get the worst of the weather this past winter, but we could soon be experiencing some sub-zero temperatures. According to Hoodline, a Craigslist ad was posted seeking out a manager and a general manager for the newest Minus 5 ice bar soon to be located in the Hilton San Francisco Union Square Hotel. The lease hasn’t officially been signed yet for Minus 5, but they already have a solid relationship with Hilton since their New York location is housed in a Hilton hotel. This is only Minus 5’s 6th location of one of their unique ice bars. Currently, there are 2 in Las Vegas and 1 each in New York, Orlando, FL and the Cayman Islands.

With tickets ranging in price from $20 to $75, all of which include the use of borrowed parkas and gloves, this can be a pricey excursion. Once you are outfitted in your gloves and military grade parkas, it’s time to delve into the icy world of Minus 5. Everything inside of the bar is crafted from ice. Everything. The walls, the bar, the glasses you drink your chilled cocktails from and even the seats. Minus 5 employs an ice carver to constantly update and change the feel of the bar with new sculptures throughout the year.

Dance to music while enjoying your cocktails and take in an LED light show all while the in house professional photographers capture freeze frames of your experiences in the ice bar.

However, with nearly 98% of California now under restrictions due to the drought, the ice bar could possibly feel the crack downs. California Governor Jerry Brown, stated, "We're trying to use the water in the wisest way possible." 2 San Franciscan bars even offered one dollar off drinks if you ordered them sans ice.

Is a bar crafted entirely out of ice the ‘wisest’ use of the state’s water supply? What do you think?

Sources consulted:

http://www.minus5experience.com/

http://sf.eater.com/2015/4/6/8355849/san-francisco-ice-bar-minus5-hilton-union-square

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/04/09/drought-california-brown/25544867/

Berkeley Easter Weekend Happenings

Hippity, hoppity, Easter weekend is here! Maybe you were even lucky enough to have a day off work today! Berkeley is home to a couple of huge area Easter events - the Egg Hunt Extravaganza and The Eggster Egghunt and and Learning Festival. Whether you have children yourself or are hosting some younger family members for the weekend, these events are the perfect way to have a fun, family-friendly experience!

Egg Hunt Extravaganza
On Saturday beginning at 9:30 AM, Willard Park on Derby Street in Southeast Berkeley will be home to an Easter wonderland! A petting zoo, carnival and crafts are some of the activities that await you. Children up to age 11 may participate in the egg hunt, while children 11 and older may participate in an organized scavenger hunt. Participation in the egg hunt costs $6. After the hunt is over, you can join in on Bunny Hop dance lessons!


The Eggster Egghunt and Learning Festival
The University of California, Berkeley is home to the largest free egg hunt in our part of the state. The hunt takes place on Saturday at the Sather Tower on the UC Berkeley campus. In addition to the egg hunt, there is a silent auction with gift cards and sports memorabilia, raffle and music. Egg hunt participants will need to bring their own baskets, as none will be provided at the event itself. Please be advised, parking in this area can be difficult! Luckily, a walk to Sather Tower at UC Berkeley from Berkeley Central apartment homes only takes about 10 minutes!

From Eggster:

This year's performances are*:

• 11:00 - Fei Tian Dancers
• 11:30 - California Golden Overtones
• 12:00 - Campanile's Carillon Bells
• 12:30 - Cal VSA Lion Dance
• 1:00 - Magical Nathaniel
• 1:30 - EGO (traditional Korean percussion)

Sources consulted:
Berkeleyside
YourBerkeley
Eggster