Contrasting Weekends

The first weekend in December we had the gayest time in San Francisco. We drove up from the peninsula and found a great parking space in the Castro. We then shopped the Castro neighborhood for a couple of hours. E found several great bargains. It was a beautiful sunny day and people were out everywhere.
We then saw the 4pm showing of "Milk" at the Castro Theatre. If at all possible, make a point to see the movie at the Castro Theatre. It is a visual landmark all through the movie. We both enjoyed the film tremendously and cried through it. Actor Emile Hirsch as Cleve Jones was my favorite performance.
We then rushed off to Paul K's to have dinner and to socially catch up with another couple. The restaurant features fancy Mediterranean cuisine and is located on Gough, a few blocks up from Market Street. One of the waiters at Paul K’s is an amazing artist. Richard Freeman always has wonderful works displayed on the walls. After a delicious meal, our friends went off to a holiday work party.
We had tickets to see the 9pm show of "Golden Girls Christmas Shows". We last attended a “Golden Girls” performance a couple of years ago. Back then the show was performed in one of the actor’s living room. Now the show has grown and moved to a small alternative theatre space. It features four drag queens doing 2 complete episodes at a little theatre at Mission & 11th. It is hysterical and you shouldn’t miss it if you enjoyed the TV series. It is playing thru 12/27. (info at http://www.cookievision.com/shows.html). The episodes are: "Twas The Nightmare Before Christmas" - The girls try to get away for the holidays and "That's For Me To Know" - When Blanche wants a hot tub.
While walking back up Market Street to the Castro where our car was parked we decided to stop and visit one of the gay clubs along the way. We stayed up until the bars were nearly closed. Our sinful splurge for the evening was a slice of greasy pizza at 2am. We didn't get home until after 3am.

The second weekend in December was our family weekend. We spent Friday and Saturday night at a bed and breakfast in Hayes Valley area of SF with the two youngest kids. Friday night we all had dinner at a local Italian restaurant with our oldest son who lives nearby. Saturday, we along with the young kids and their oldest sister who also lives in SF, attended the “family concert” at the San Francisco Symphony. We were very impressed with the study guides and books received ahead of time from the symphony about that day’s program. I think E and I learned more about the development of orchestras that the kids did.
From there we visited the SF main library, Union Square and had drinks at the Slanted Door in the Ferry Building.
We finished the evening with a dinner cruise and dance on the Bay. All week the weather report said it was going to rain on Saturday, but it turned out to be a glorious, still night on the bay with a full moon shimmering down on us.
On Sunday, the five of us went to check out the new Contemporary Jewish Museum. We saw exhibitions on “In the Beginning: Artists Respond to Genesis” and “Warhol’s Jews: Ten Portraits Reconsidered”. We also had a wonderful lunch in their café.
We finished the afternoon at 42nd Street Moon to see their production of “Franklin in Paris.” It is a forgotten musical from 1964, which dramatizes Franklin’s efforts to get Louis XVI to recognize the fledging United States as a nation. It was a cute/fun production.