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As an American Express® Cardmember, we invite you to ask the editorial team an entertainment related question. Our entertainment editors will provide expert answers, with other Cardmembers providing additional input on the best in city entertainment!
Q: So I'm a little nervous about taking a girl out. How do I know that she'll like me in spite of my slight geekiness?
Ah, dear reader! What you are seeking is a litmus test for geeky tolerance. The question to ask is how geeky are you? Are you a Starwars or LOTR geek? Were you dressed up at Wondercon in SF this past weekend? And dare you take your date to the One Man Star Wars performance running at the Post Street Theater until March 11th? "Search your feelings" and perhaps you'll find out.
One Man Star Wars, through March 11
Post Street Theatre
450 Post Street, 2nd Floor, San Francisco | 415-771-6900
Q: I hate doing laundry and have to lug my stuff around since I don't have a washer/dryer in unit (common in sf). What can I do?
Two favorite laundry hang outs in the city are Brain Wash — where you can sip a coffee or beer, play a video game, maybe catch live music or hang out with the free wifi in the city — and Bernal Bubbles, which hosts a "Soap Box" lecture series as your whites get extra white. Bring your own quarters, of course. Otherwise, drop off your goods at Kent Cleaners for fluff and fold service and go outside and play.
Brain Wash
1122 Folsom St., San Francisco | 415-431-9274
Bernal Bubbles
397 Cortland Ave., San Francisco | 415-821-9530
Kent Cleaners
601 3rd Ave., San Francisco | 415-751-5478
Q: I'm looking for some super quick, cheap (or free) entertainment during the day. Where should I go?
Check out Amoeba to see if any local or touring bands are doing any in-store performances. Shows are free and you'd be surprised at the caliber of the artists they've had in the past. Of course the sets are short and there isn't any accompanying glitz and lights performance but access to get a CD (you remember, those plasticky things that you put in your computer before downloading to your phone/iPod/PDA) signed is worth it. I mean PeeWee Herman (Paul Reubens) is doing a signing at the store in the Haight as we write this, and hundreds are out and about in short suits and slicked back hair.
Also, Green Apple Books is having a store-wide clearance with books for a buck. If that isn't worth some quality entertainment time in scouring through the book collections for a find and getting them for a single buckaroo, then you're too cheap for even us to hang out with.
Amoeba Music
1855 Haight St., San Francisco | 415-831-1200
Green Apple Books
506 Clement St., San Francisco | 415-387-2272
Q: I've got some new years resolutions that I've already broken. What should I do to get back on track?
Silly you are. Absolution you seek. Easy to find, you will note. Trek over to the Presidio and walk through the open campus of Lucas Arts to find the Yoda Fountain. Present your woes and meditate before the life-size statue of Yoda. For after some geek satisfaction and inspiration you can get back on track with all your resolutions. After all, "Do or do not. There is no try."
Yoda Fountain
Chestnut & Lyon, San Francisco
Q: "My 23rd anniversary is February 14th, 2007. I would like to take my husband someplace really special in San Francisco. Any suggestions? Thanks."
For a stunning evening where you can count on superior food, service and an overall fantastic experience, I cannot recommend Gary Danko more. Located in Fisherman's Wharf, you feel like royalty as soon as you step through the doors. Outstanding selections available including outstanding risottos, seafood selections of snapper and venison are highpoints sure to place. Set menus (three, four or five courses) are also available for the indecisive. The bright and affable waitstaff will direct you to the ideal wine accompaniaments. Book reservations well in advance to secure your ideal evening, and congratulations!
Gary Danko
800 N. Point St., San Francisco
415-749-2060
Q: OK, so I know it's San Francisco and I can't get snow for Christmas, but I miss the lights. Where are good stretches in the city to see lit up?
One can't avoid the holiday cheer while strolling around Union Square at night, but other great haunts for seeing homes lit up with silvery shimmer include the Marina — start off near the Exploratorium and the Palace of Fine Arts and then swing eastward on Mason. You'll not only see a streak of gorgeous homes lit up in lights but several boats docked in the Marina as well. We don't have snow, but we do still have cheer. Swing down Taylor Street and head towards the steps of Grace Cathedral. On December 22nd, get the last moment's chance to hear the Grace Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys (7pm - new show just added), which should provide enough holiday cheer to last till Christmas Eve.
Grace Cathedral
1100 California St., San Francisco
415-749-6300
Q: Where can I go for good people watching and coffee?
There are several favorite finds for sipping a cup of joe while getting a taste of San Francisco life. Our favorites include the following:
Crossroads Café — Indoor/outdoor seating area, loads of books, and fantastic sandwhiches and coffee make it a great meeting point or place to escape the business district or South Beach.
Coffee to the People — It's a progressive coffee joint with free wifi and an innumerable quantity of powerplugs making it easy to spend long afternoons online, waiting for inspiration, or getting familiar with the latest political concern on the multitude of community driven message boards in the Haight. Good people. Good coffee. Good wifi.
Brainwash Cafe — A coffeeshop and laundry combination that serves beer and occasionally has live music. It's in SOMA and it's open late. There's very little to dislike when you can feel productive (getting a couple of loads of laundry done) while slacking and sipping a brew.
Caffe Greco — Outstanding desserts, strong espresso and a frequently changing crowd of locals and tourists make this cafe an interesting intersection of San Francisco life in North Beach. I wouldn't go out of my way here since parking in North Beach can be brutal, but if you're strolling around Washington Square Park anyway, this is a great place to stop in to relax.
Crossroads Café
699 Delancey St., San Francisco
(415-836-5624
Coffee to the People
1206 Masonic Ave., San Francisco
415-626-2435
Brainwash Cafe
1122 Folsom St., San Francisco
415-431-9274
Caffe Greco
423 Columbus Ave., San Francisco
415-397-6261
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