A Rainy Day in ....San Francisco, CA
San Francisco is known more for its fog than rain. They do get their share of wet weather, but not as much as you might expect. With an average of 62 days of precipitation per year - most of those falling between November and March - they are well below the national average of 117.
My first half a dozen visits to San Francisco were spent outdoors, rain or shine. I just walked and walked, intent on discovering new vistas of the city. On my most recent trip, however, I discovered some great interior views I was missing. In this issue I explore both the indoor and outdoor sights at the Fine Art Museums of San Francisco: the de Young and the Legion of Honor. We'll spend some time playing antique carnival games at the Musee Mecanique at Fisherman's Wharf; and I'll take you to the country's longest running musical revue, Beach Blanket Babylon in North Beach. We'll pass a reflective hour walking the Labyrinths at Grace Cathedral in Going Solo, and keep the kids busy all day at the Zeum in the Kid Stuff section. So come on in out of the rain and prepare to have some fun.
For more rainy day San Francisco alternatives, check out the San Francisco Rainy Day Links page.
Kayte Deioma
The Musèe Mècanique is a great place to entertain yourself and the kids for a rainy hour or a day depending on how many quarters you're willing to part with. Even if you're not a fan of the usual arcade games, you can admire the craftsmanship of the antique mechanical wonders and read up on the history of carnival and beach boardwalk culture.
Ed Zelinsky started collecting coin-operated games and machines when he was just 11 years old. His first was a penny skill game that he bought for a nickel. He soon discovered that he could get a quick return on investment by having his friends and family put in their pennies to have a try. Over the years he has amassed a collection of over 300 mechanical games, musical instruments and carnival attractions. Most of the collection is on display in the Musèe Mècanique in San Francisco. Visitors to the city prior to 2002 would have found...
Full story...
Even on a rainy day, one of the things that the Fine Art Museums of San Francisco have in common is that they both have an interesting view of the city, as well as a distinctive view on art. A ticket to either museum is good to visit both museums on the same day.
The Legion of Honor has commanded its impressive view from Lincoln Park since Alma de Brettville Spreckles gave it to the people of San Francisco in 1924 in honor of the Californians who lost their lives in WWI. A few steps to the north of the parking lot, a path looks out from the park to reveal a striking panorama of Mt. Tamalpais and the Golden Gate Bridge. To the west, Cypress trees frame a foggy view of the Pacific Ocean, like a Chinese painting hung over the city's oldest municipal golf course.
In the beginning there was sand, a lifeguard and some middle aged hula dancers in a back room at the Savoy Tivoli Restaurant. Thirty-three years later the sand and lifeguards are gone, but the name stuck on the ever-changing panoply of characters and grand millinery that calls itself Beach Blanket Babylon. Within its first year in 1974, the show moved to its current digs at Club Fugazi in North Beach where it still plays to a full house for eight shows a week.
What gives Steve Silver's little musical review such staying power? In part, it's the quirky way the show matches itself to the character of its home town of San Francisco. But much of its longevity can also be attributed to constantly being reinvented to reflect the news of the day. Many long time fans see the show over and over again because the spoofs change from month to month, and because there are always new and bigger hats...
Full story...
