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An Evening in Chinatown
Tonight you will visit San Francisco's exotic Chinatown, the "city-within-a-city" as it is often called. In one of the largest Oriental communities outside of Asia, Chinatown is alive with specialty shops, temples, museums, food markets and apothecaries. This evening you will have the pleasure of dining on authentic Chinese cuisine in the heart of this exciting neighborhood. You will be served a delicious gourmet Chinese meal, in the traditional family-style manner. Large platters of steaming, aromatic food are placed in the center of the table, and all guests are invited to partake of the delicacies.
Dining on Pier 39
Tonight your guests will dine at Pier 39, on San Francisco's world famous Fisherman's Wharf. Once an abandoned cargo pier, Pier 39, has been transformed into one of the Bay Area's most visited waterfront locations. Unique stores and boutiques, exciting visitor activities and of course, fine restaurants, abound here. Each restaurant commands an excellent view of the San Francisco Bay, Fisherman's Wharf, the Golden Gate Bridge, or Alcatraz Island, as well as delicious cuisine.
An Evening on San Francisco Bay
The San Francisco Bay is one of the world's most beautiful locations. Low rolling hills ring the sapphire waters of the Bay. In the winter and spring, the hills are a lush, vivid green; in summer and fall, they turn the topaz color that gave California its nickname - "the golden state." The sun sets in the west, framed by the magnificent towers of the Golden Gate Bridge, and the lights of bayside cities spill down the hills towards the water, twinkling like diamonds against a black velvet background.
No visit to San Francisco is complete without a cruise on the Bay. Tonight, you will enjoy deluxe accommodations aboard a luxurious yacht, as you cruise past the San Francisco waterfront, Alcatraz and Angel Islands, and the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges. Nautically attired crew will serve refreshing cocktails and a delicious selection of gourmet cuisine. Throughout the evening, live music will provide the perfect background music for tonight's festivities.
Dinner in Sausalito
Tonight you will be taken to the San Francisco waterfront, where you will board one of the sleek ferries that ply the waters of the bay. As the sun sets over the Golden Gate Bridge you'll glide over the scintillating waters of the Bay, past Angel Island and the infamous Alcatraz before docking in Sausalito, a sparkling Riviera-like bayside village.
Your dinner destination this evening is the Alta Mira Hotel. This quaint stylish inn is nestled comfortably in the Sausalito hills, and is one of Marin's oldest and most renowned hotels. The outdoor deck, and the dining room, with its walls of windows, have one of the most spectacular panoramic views of the San Francisco skyline, and command a sweeping view of the Sausalito harbor, the San Francisco Bay, and the City skyline. The Alta Mira is also known for its fine food, as well as its spectacular view. You will enjoy a delicious dinner, featuring California-fresh produce, cooked in a classic manner.
Scaling the Heights
Dinner in San Francisco's Carnelian Room
Tonight, your guests will "scale the heights," for a spectacular evening high atop one of the tallest buildings in San Francisco. The famed Carnelian Room Restaurant perches on the top floor of the Bank of America building, and the view is unparalleled. Depending upon where you are in the restaurant, the span of the Golden Gate Bridge, or the Bay Bridge arches magnificently across the water. The appointments and decor mesh in perfect harmony with the surrounding views; walnut paneling, antique marble buffets, and sprays of flowers in elegant vases highlight this bastion of West Coast corporate power. Here in this spectacular setting your guests will enjoy cocktails and hors d'oeuvres as they relish the unsurpassed view from high atop San Francisco. At the appropriate time, they will be served a delicious dinner, featuring California-fresh cuisine with a European flair, complemented by premium California wine. Throughout the evening, live music will add the perfect note to the evening.
Quintessentially North Beach
This evening, your guests will delight in quintessentially San Franciscan pastime - attending a performance of Beach Blanket Babylon, and dining at one of North Beach's famous Italian restaurants. Beach Blanket Babylon is the most fabulous live performance in San Francisco. A modern version of the Commedia d'ell Arte that flourished in the Italian heyday, "Beach Blanket Babylon" has celebrated unprecedented 5,000 performances on the San Francisco stage! This ever-changing show is the most visually exciting and entertaining live performance you'll ever see -- its outrageous sets, props and costumes have become as much a part of San Francisco as the Golden Gate Bridge.
Asian Opulence
Evening at the Asian Art Museum
The Asian Art Museum's collection contains almost 12,000 objects, spanning more than 40 Asian countries and over 6,000 years of history. The museum was begun in 1966, with a major bequeathment from Chicago millionaire, Avery Brundage. Included in the collection are the oldest known dated Chinese Buddha image, the largest collections of Gandharan sculpture in North America, a Chinese jade collection that ranks among the best in the world and the largest museum collection of Japanese netsuke and inro in the United States. Tonight your guests will enjoy an exclusive evening in these beautiful surroundings. Docents will be on hand to answer questions about the renowned collection, covering the entire scope and span of Asian art. The exotic sounds of a Chinese musical trio will add the perfect note to the festivities.
An Evening with History
Aboard the Balclutha
The 256' Balclutha was built in 1886 in Glasgow, Scotland. After her long and varied career, spanning the Pacific from Hawaii to Alaska, the San Francisco Maritime Museum and the Bay Area community rescued the Balclutha from decay in 1954, and restored the square-rigger as a memorial to the by-gone days of sail. Today she is designated a National Historic Monument, on display at the Hyde Street Pier. Tonight you will enjoy exclusive use of this beautiful old sailing vessel. As you board the boat, you will be greeted by the Dogwatch Nautical Band, performing traditional sea chanteys. At the appropriate time, you will be escorted below decks, and seated to a delicious dinner. However, this will not be a typical shipboard meal, like the hardworking sailors on the Balclutha ate for so many years in the very spot you now sit. Tonight's gourmet meal features the finest cuisine, prepared with a flair and complemented with premium California wines.
Life is a Cabaret
An Evening at Bimbo's 365 Club
Life may or may not be a cabaret, but here in San Francisco, the cabaret scene is unquestionably one of the liveliest elements of the city's inexhaustible nightlife. Bimbo's, with its plush red and black diamond checkered carpet, pleated cloth along the walls, statues, glowing candle-lamp wall sconces, and a long history of classy entertainment are all part of what makes this night club like something out of a 1930's movie. The grand Show Room, a magnificent supper-club-size room, will generously accommodate your guests this evening. This opulent room has a fully equipped theatre stage and orchestra stand where top stars of the entertainment world, such as Mel Torme and Duke Ellington, have performed.
An Evening in the Tower
Cocktail Reception and Dinner in Coit Tower
High atop Telegraph Hill, completed in 1893, is the monument dedicated by Lillie Coit. This spectacular tower, in addition to being an architectural landmark, has one of the most remarkable view of San Francisco's waterfront. During regular working hours the elevator whisks visitors to the top to enjoy a dazzling city panorama; the 1930's, WPA-style murals featuring "Californians at work," which cover the inside of the tower are another visitor favorite. At sundown however, the old fire nozzle, bathed by floodlights, glows warmly in the evening haze. Coit Tower becomes a place for dreamers and romantics to stand in silence, gazing at the carpet of lights spread below. Your guests will begin their evening with a selection of savory hors d'oeuvres, and premium cocktails as they enjoy the view from the observation desk above, or, weather permitting, from the lawn and gardens surrounding the tower. At the appropriate time, your guests will be seated to a gourmet meal, featuring the finest and freshest of local products, complemented with premium California Wine Country wines. Throughout the evening, classical or jazz musicians will play subtle background music, providing the perfect enhancement to your guests' enjoyment.
An Evening in Wonderland
Reception at FAO Schwarz
Tonight your guests will venture into wonderland - San Francisco's outstanding and renown toy store - FAO Schwarz. With three floors of toy boutiques, and brimming with over 30,000 of the world's newest and most unusual toys, FAO is truly the ultimate toy store! Tonight's festivities will bring back the wonders of childhood in this magical atmosphere.
A giant sized, live toy soldier stands at attention at the front door, courteously greeting your guests. Just steps from the entrance, FAO Schwarz's famous animated clock tower spins, chugs, pops up, dances, marches, talks, sings, and plays its way from the ground up to a height of two stories. A 14-foot giraffe cranes its neck to peek at your guests as they make their way up to the second and third floors. Inside a host of come-to-life toys - a ballerina doll, an oversized stuffed animals, and perhaps an assorted elf or two - are on hand to charm your guests. As they wander through the store, your guests can try out the toys - play a walking piano, test out the latest in remote control, radio control or battery operated vehicles, play one of the prominently displayed Nintendo games or just hug a teddy bear. Guests can also avail themselves of the delicious buffets scattered amidst the jungle of life-sized stuffed animals - offering, of course, all their favorite foods from childhood - pizza, ice cream sundaes, hot dogs, popcorn.
An Evening at the
Old Federal Reserve Building
Originally completed in 1924, the Federal Reserve Building has recently been fully restored to its original splendor, and is now included in the National Register of Historic Places. Tonight your guests will enjoy an exclusive dinner in this spectacular setting. The Sansome Street lobby hints at the magnificence to come - 25' tall Ionic, French and Italian marble floors and magnificent bronze double doors. Inside, the Banking Hall is a basilica in plan, with marble Corinthian columns, supporting the intricate plaster ceiling that, until 1955, contained a skylight. Magnificent chandeliers, designed by the architect and installed in the early 1920's have been carefully reconditioned. As your guests enter this magnificent hall, formally attired waiters will serve an array of delicious hors d'oeuvres and a selection of cocktails. At the appropriate time, guests will be seated to a gourmet dinner, featuring fresh California cuisine, and complemented by premium California wines. Throughout the evening, jazz musicians will play soft background music.
Unsurpassed Elegance
An Evening at the California Palace of the Legion of Honor
Overlooking Lincoln Park, the city, and the Golden Gate, the California Palace of the Legion of Honor is a truly unique museum in a spectacular setting. The Legion perches on a knoll that looks out over the dazzlingly lit span of the Golden Gate Bridge, the lights of ships and boats on the water, and the velvety blackness of the Marin Headlands. With its formal fountain, graceful balcony overlooking the park, and colonnaded courtyard, the Legion is a vision from another age. Tonight, your guests will enjoy exclusive use of this magnificent museum for an evening to be remembered.
Once inside the large galleries and opulent rotunda, tuxedoed waiters will serve your guests gourmet cuisine, and premium beverages. Musicians play classical selections, adding a refined note to tonight's festivities. Throughout the evening, your guests will have complete access to the museum's galleries and docents will be standing by to answer any of your questions concerning the museum's collections.
Eclecticism and Elegance
VIP Reception at the Museum of Modern Art
Located in Yerba Buena Gardens, The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, opened in January of 1995, is the second largest single structure dedicated to modern art in the United States. This striking architectural landmark provides a spectacular home for the Museum's works of art. The design, created by Swiss architect Mario Botta, represents a classic example of Modern architecture, reflecting the influences of Louis Kahn and Le Corbusier. The stepped back brick and stone façade, topped by a soaring cylindrical skylight, is flooded with natural light and provides the perfect atmosphere for the display of the Museum's permanent collection and traveling exhibitions. Tonight, your guests will have the exclusive opportunity for a private viewing of SFMOMA's incomparable collection of painting, sculpture, photography, architectural and design works, and a variety of works in eclectic media, as well as the fabulous space that houses it all.
Summer of Love
At San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium
San Francisco in the sixties was an exciting time. As the center of the youth revolution and "flower power" movement, the City attracted hundreds of young people - hippies - looking for a new lifestyle. Musicians, poets, writers, and artists of all mediums came along with the scene, and the City was vibrant and exciting. To choose one place that absolutely personifies the 1960's San Francisco music scene, you need look no further than the Fillmore, where Bill Graham changed the way we look and listen music! The Fillmore continues to be an outstanding location for events, from public performances of all the hottest bands, to elegant private parties. Newly renovated and reopened, the auditorium's sparkle and style has been well preserved.
Inside, your guests will find themselves in one of the most venerable locations in the City. Here, in the 60's, history was made, and tonight your guests will be given a taste of this epic era! Colorfully dressed hippies will delight your guests with their face painting. They can also greet your guests as they arrive and "draw" them into the party. Flower children will hand out love beads and daisies. A mystical guru provides each guest with a personal mantra to help them in the journey to a higher level. Protesters march through the room, bearing colorful hand-lettered signs, proclaiming messages of love, peace and brotherhood. Your guests are sure to have a groovy time tonight.
Discover a World of Adventure
At The California Academy of Science
In the heart of Golden Gate Park, sharing the Music Concourse with the De Young Museum, the California Academy of Science is the oldest scientific institution on the West Coast. Tonight, your guests will have exclusive use of this fascinating facility. Lavish hors d'oeuvre buffets are placed throughout the Academy, encouraging party goers to explore the many interesting exhibits. Surround yourself in the fascinating twilight world of the Aquarium; you can ride "The SafeQuake," in the Earth and Space Hall; delight in the life-like dioramas from the African savannah, the tropical jungle or - closer to home - a California beach. Entertainment abounds throughout the facility, and your guests are sure to have a spectacular experience.
San Francisco's Finest Arts
The de Young Fine Arts Museum
The de Young Museum, located in the heart of Golden Gate Park, is San Francisco's oldest and most diversified fine arts museum. It boasts 22 galleries of American art from the 17th century to the 20th, including works by Copley, Sargent, Bingham, Home, Whistler and Cassat. Of particular note are a grand gallery of American paintings and still life works from the turn of the century. The museum also possesses an important textile collection, glass ware collection and powerful art from Oceania and the Americas, as well as significant holdings in ancient art. Tonight, your guests will visit the de Young, where they will enjoy an exclusive viewing and a private catered party in these superb surroundings.
The party is centered in the sunken Hearst Court, a magnificent two-story space, created from authentic antiquities which Hearst transported in pieces from Europe, and reassembled here in America. The baroque masonry serves to highlight the clean wall space reserved for large works of art. A cadre of highly trained docents will be standing by throughout the museum, to conduct tours for those who wish it.
From Einstein to Oppenheimer
"Mad Scientist" Party at the Exploratorium
San Francisco's Exploratorium is an innovative hands-on museum of science and human perception. The museum is filled with hundreds of hands-on displays. Visitors are encouraged to manipulate, tinker and activate the perceptual exhibits which deal with everything from sensory perception to Einstein's Theory of Relativity - the rule here is "Do touch!" This evening, your guests will have run of the Exploratorium, for an exciting party that is sure to be remembered and talked about for years to come!
Your guests will be free to wander through this wonderland of innovation and experimentation. A column of swirling water demonstrates the principals of a whirlpool; sand grains dance to the strokes of cellist's bow in varying resonant patterns on a vibrating metal plate; whirling discs reveal intricate Moire patterns. Your guests can have their shadow frozen on the wall; clap, shout or whistle, and watch a sound-activated light display; or create their own musical ensemble in an electronic booth! Many of the most intriguing displays you see here tonight have been created by artists working in the Exploratorium's "Artists-in-Residence" program. Though their approaches may differ, both artists and scientists try to understand and illuminate aspects of nature. Our chefs are artists too, and have created a delicious menu to tempt your intellect and tastebuds. Interactive entertainers will delight and amuse your guests, and, when they can pull themselves away from the exhibits, a dance band plays all the hottest beats.
Turn of the Century Elegance
An Evening at the Flood Mansion
San Francisco's "Silver King," James Leary Flood, built several grand mansions for himself and his family here in the City. Two of them, located in the exclusive Pacific Heights neighborhood, are available for private functions. These stately mansions feature impressive architecture, and grand views of the San Francisco Bay, the islands and the hills of Marin County.
Upon arrival at tonight's elegant mansion, your guests will be served a delicious selection of hors d'oeuvres, and their choice of premium cocktail. At the appropriate time, they will be seated to a delicious dinner, featuring gourmet cuisine prepared with care and style from the freshest and finest ingredients available. Tonight's meal will be complemented by premium California wine. Throughout dinner, musicians will play background music; after dinner, you can dance in the Great Hall, or simply relax in these beautiful surroundings.
A Gala Evening at The Galleria Design Center
There is no place like San Francisco's Galleria Design Center for receptions and festive after-dark events! Located in the midst of Showplace Square, a unique enclave of interior design showrooms developed from historic brick warehouses, the Galleria is the jewel of the complex. Its dramatic, four-story atrium is enhanced with exposed brick and glass walls, flowering plants, thousands of stage-lights and glass enclosed elevators. The Galleria atrium has been acclaimed as America's most exciting dining room. Tonight, your guests will enjoy exclusive use of this spectacular glass, brick and steel pavilion.
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