SFBayStyle

Slide into the Speakeasy for Raphael House

Raphael House, a San Francisco organization dedicated to combating family homelessness, made themselves quite at home at Slide recently to kick-off the promotion of their annual "One Home, Many Hearts" gala to be taking place April 17 at Bimbo's 365 Club in North Beach. The pre-party was "password required" and guests came decked in roaring twenties threads to celebrate.

Claudia Ross, founder of CrossMarketing PR continues to produce fabulous events to raise funds for worthy organizations and as Chairman of the Board of Raphael House, she's dedicated to making the benefit gala at Bimbo's one to remember. “The Gala is our single most important fundraiser for the year – the revenue generated from this event is critical to our programs and services for our families.” This is no joke - Raphael House has housed over 17,000 children during its 38 years of service.

Ready to buy a ticket? They range from $100 to join in the festivities in April. There will be jazz, gambling and "prohibition-era libations." See you there!

(Pictured above left: Carolyn Bojanowski, Caleb Krasnor, John Warren, Stephanie Warren; right: Claudia Ross. Photos by Drew Altizer Photography.)

Sold-Out Symphonix Soiree Rocks Postrio, Celebrates Grammy Winning Symphony

Those who don't know the San Francisco Symphony may well assume that it's all about long-dead composers like Beethoven, Brahms and Mozart. On the contrary, that couldn't be more off the mark. The Grammy winning symphony (yes, you heard us right - they won 3 Grammys in January) led by Michael Tilson Thomas performs powerful music in the heart of San Francisco to packed houses and the young professional league that supports it, Symphonix, has grown 1600 strong, packing Postrio recently for a sold-out event dedicated to underwriting concert attendance for local tweens. Classical music, yes. But far from dead.

 For their first event of the year, Symphonix chose Postrio's art-filled atmosphere filled with works by Lichtenstein, Rivera and Chihuly. With the run of the three tiered restaurant, the revelers wined and dined on behalf of the San Francisco Symphony's Concerts for Kids program. But the party's not really over - this weekend, the symphony will be performing with the Grammy winning chorus, Mahler's 2nd Symphony, also known as the Resurrection Symphony. (Their recording of Mahler's 8th won the Grammy awards.) Inside sources say they sound amazing. Tickets start at $35.

(Pictured top right: Zen St. Clair, James Key Lim, Ye-Hui Lu.)

More Photos from SF Symphony Gala

We're not the only ones showcasing some of the great looking ensembles from events, but that doesn't mean we don't know our readers like to see the photos too. Here are some of our favorites from this year's San Francisco Symphony Gala, to complement our full article. All photos provided by Drew Altizer Photography.

Pamela Joyner pictured left.

SF Symphony Opening Night Gala Sizzled with Style

Wednesday night's San Francisco Symphony Opening Gala introduced the new arts season with thoughtful music, fine delectables, and throngs of fetching gowns. As the sun set on the warm Bay Area, the event kept buzzing. Turning up the heat, the concert featured one of People magazine's "Sexiest Men Alive," Lang Lang, the 27 year-old piano virtuoso and a trio of dizzying waltzes conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas.

The evening began with cocktails and parallel dinner events organized by the San Francisco Symphony League and Symphonix, the young professional league. McCall's catered, and everything looked grand, beginning in the tent pavilion, City Hall, and of course Davies Symphony Hall where patrons flocked for the main event.

Martini Brothers Perfrom at Le Colonial

Join the Martini Brothers this Thursday evening, 7:30 at Le Colonial restaurant in San Francisco for some stylin' old school fun. In 1940s matching suits and fedoras, crooners Bob Dalpe and Richard Fishman will transform you to yesteryear with the tunes of Frank Sinatra, Cole Porter, and Ira Gershwin.  

Have a cocktail and a fabulous Le Colonial appetizer. Show off your best moves on the dance floor. See and be seen in your finest. It's all good with the Martini Brothers this Thursday, August 27, 7:30-10:30, Le Colonial, 20 Cosmo Place, downtown San Francisco. 

Be there or be square, Brother.  

Berkeley Playhouse's "Peter Pan: The Musical" Takes Flight at the Ashby Stage

I love the theatre. To watch others capture a character and bring such depth and emotion to the room that one becomes completely immersed in another world is a gift unlike any other. As such, I feel the absence of the theatre experience in my life acutely, and so when I saw that the Berkeley Playhouse was presenting Peter Pan: The Musical, I jumped at the chance. At last, here was a production I could take the kids to and perhaps feel a little magic myself. I was not left disappointed. 

From the small yet creatively functional stage to the enthusiastic and well-cast actors, the entire show is a delight. Compensating for a tight space, the atmosphere transitions from nursery to Neverland with ease, and then back again- though you wish it to stay Neverland forever.

Symphonix Gala Preview Event - Educational and Entertaining

It's hard to believe another exciting season of galas and events is just around the corner. The challenge of introducing each new generation to classical music can be daunting, but as one of the premiere arts organizations in the country, the San Francisco Symphony has been working tirelessly to make this happen. Through the symphony's Volunteer Council, they have several Leagues that support the efforts of the symphony organization by helping with concerts, planning events, providing education and raising awareness. Symphonix, the "young professional" (ages 21-45) League plans their own event series leading up to the Opening Night Gala each year. The first of these events happened last week in San Francisco.

The ‘Britney Spears of Taiwan’ Gets A Clothing Line in the U.S.

Wednesday, Jolin Tsai, the Taiwanese pop star, was in town at Nordstrom Westfield San Francisco Centre to promote her new clothing line, Seventy Two Changes.

Tsai designed a “pop star meets street” daytime to nighttime clothes with a menswear feel. With lots of tight leggings, loose tops, boyfriend blazers and menswear shirts in slate black, white and light and dark gray, her line fits in well with the upcoming trends for fall '09.

Inspired by contemporary jazz, the modern clothes lean towards a younger crowd while enabling both comfort and a chic look. It works well with the older, more sophisticated L.A.M.B. line to which it's attached.  Not sure what to think?  Stop by Nordstrom and see for yourself.

Composer Philanthropist Gordon Getty Honored by Lavish Gala Performance

"The older I get, the less I know, but I am certain that what we do matters." - from Master Class, music by Jake Heggie, lyrics by Terrence McNally

Gordon Getty is one of those names one automatically associates with San Francisco and the arts, but not everyone knows that he was a student of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the Bay Area equivalent to Julliard.  Years later, Getty donated funds to help build the new Recital Hall, named after Getty's principal teacher there, Sol Joseph.  Among his many talents, Getty is also a composer, so it's fitting that for their gala this year, the Conservatory honored Gordon Getty with a performance for him including pieces written by him, to thank him for his passion and generosity over the years.

6th Annual Spice of Life Festival next Sunday in Berkeley

For the sixth year, Berkeley will host it's delectable Spice of Life Festival next Sunday, October 19th, in the neighborhood commonly known as the "Gourmet Ghetto." This year's festival will include cooking demonstrations and cookbook signings by popular neighborhood chefs and restaurants, and will feature a culinary stage hosted by Kitchen on Fire's Chef Mike C showcasing the Bay Area's finest chefs. Gourmet food and wine will abound for your eating pleasure, and if you are feeling inspired to cook yourself, the North Berkeley All-Organic Farmer's Market will be held as part of the event on Shattuck near Rose St.
Other entertainment will include live local musicians, local vendors, community information from local businesses and non-profits, a Raffle and Silent Auction, yoga and bodywork demonstrations, and a variety of children's activities.
Having been once before, I can honestly say this is a fantastic festival for adults and children alike. You will be in heaven if you are a foodie; take advantage of the rare access to conversations with the Bay Area's most respected chefs and restaurants! The Spice of Life highlights the best Berkeley has to offer in the culinary arts and community!

The 6th Annual Spice of Life Festival
Sunday, October 19th, 2008
10:00am until 6:00pm
North Shattuck Avenue -Virginia St to Rose St
Berkeley, CA
http://www.spiceoflifefestival.com/

Capsule Design Show Sunday in Hayes Valley

Etsy comes to life in Hayes Valley this Sunday, May 25th. One Hundred and sixty designers will come together in Hayes Valley Park for the  Capsule design show. Capsule has become the largest marketer of independent designers in the Bay Area. You will be able to find hand screened, hand thrown and hand made products, while enjoying an afternoon of music. The show is from 11-6, and is between Fell and Hays streets. Be sure to check out the many wonderful boutiques while you are there.

KDFC

We are lucky here in the Bay Area to have a classical music station. I spend many mornings listening to KDFC .KDFC streams through my computer as I clean up the breakfast dishes. I listen to Mozart in the morning as I drive my kids to school. In the afternoon, I tune into their "Islands of Sanity" as I pick the kids up and run my errands around town. Everything seems  more enjoyable with some Haydn or Mozart in the background. The  KDFC website is a great resource. If you hear a piece that you liked, but, like me have no idea who the composer was, you can find out. There is also an events page with listings of great shows all around the Bay Area. Take advantage of what the station has to offer- tune to 102.1, or listen through your computer at work. I promise you that your day will be a little more enjoyable with the sounds of classical music.

The New Yoshi's Buzz

If you've heard one thing about the San Francisco jazz scene, you've heard about the San Francisco Jazz Festival. If you've heard a second thing, you've heard about Yoshi's. Now Yoshi's has a new home at the Fillmore Heritage Center (1330 Fillmore street, in addition to the Oakland club in Jack London Square); the grand opening in SF was last week.

Here's some of the buzz about the new Yoshi's:
Chronicle article about the jazz club opening
Beyond Chron article
San Francisco magazine feature
Yahoo! News (from Billboard/Reuter's)
Today's Chronicle piece on the restaurant

Gen Art's Ignition Tomorrow - RSVP By Tonight

Gen Art throws some great parties and tonight's will probably not be an exception to that - 7:30 at Mezzanine (444 Jessie St, SF) they will be hosting "Ignition", a party with 2 bands, 4 DJs, live graffiti art, projected art and hip hop dance performance. Just the amount of organization required to put together an event with this much detail deserves applause in my book.

Join Gen Art and enjoy your evening. RSVP by tonight at rsvpsf(at)genart.org.

SF Jazz Festival Salutes Thelonious Monk Tonight

For jazz lovers, October is hot in San Francisco (not to mention the weather of late). This year's San Francisco Jazz Festival festival runs from Oct. 17 through November 30 - a long run with some amazing concerts. Tonight, SFJazz features the T.S. Monk Sextet and Monk's Music Trio.

T.S. Monk, a renowned drummer, is the son of Thelonious Monk, and Monk's Music Trio consists of Bay Area locals. It sounds like a really great show. Tickets are reasonably priced at $25 for general admission and $40 (listed as $36 on the ticket page) for reserved seating at the Great American Music Hall, 859 O'Farrell Street. It should be a good show.

Keep up with the rest of the programs for the Jazz Festival at SFJAZZ.org.

Inaugural Edgewood Hope Ball Tonight

It's probably too late to get tickets for this, but the first Edgewood Hope Ball will be taking place tonight at San Francisco's City Hall from 5:30-11:30. Edgewood Center for Children and Families is a well-respected organization that helps children and families in crises. It's a full service event with pre-party, cocktails, silent auction, dinner, live auction and dancing.

Expect some great photos from this event in most Bay Area publications - the honorary host committee is long and distinguished including many of the usual suspects like Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris and Willie Brown as well as Danielle Steel and Wilkes Bashford. And if you really want to find a way in, call Mary Tam at 415-682-3201 or email events(at)edgewood.org.

The Nostalgic Domino Effect of Genesis

Last night, Genesis filled the HP Pavilion in San Jose with their unique sound, ranging from old classics to (relatively) new hits, with a stage that dazzled, humorous anecdotes and some intriguing depth. It was one of those occasions where the audience all felt at home, led by Phil Collins, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford, Chester Thompson and Daryl Streumer. Over the past couple of years, I've been going to see all of the classic rock masters I can, and Genesis - as would be expected - did not disappoint.

Wikipedia describes them well, noting that they "incorporate complex song structures and elaborate instrumentation." I wouldn't send a Britney Spears fan to a Genesis concert, at least not without the proper introduction. While they have excellent melodies and simple themes in some songs, the richness of their music lies much deeper. Genesis has a bit of magic in the space of their songs, for a split second when they all stop playing, before they enter back in unison, following another glistening theme through to where one wouldn't necessarily expect the music to go. In that space, and then again when they change time signatures and reposition themselves, is brilliance.

Symphonix Evening with MTT at Harlot on Tuesday

For "young" (aka anyone who feels OK in a crowd where most people look under 30) symphony goers, the Symphonix league is having a rare event Tuesday night Oct. 2nd at Harlot - "An Evening with Michael Tilson Thomas" from 6-8pm. You have to be a member to attend, but membership is a great deal if you are at all interested in the San Francisco performing arts scene. MTT, for those who don't know, is the San Francisco Symphony's Music Director and a world renowned conductor.

As a former season ticket holder and multi-gala attendee, I've enjoyed being a member of Symphonix for several years now. While their events tend toward young professionals, I've been told that almost half of the members are married and many have children, so if that's you, don't feel put-off by the crowd. Symphonix hosts an annual Scavenger Hunt along with pre-gala events and parties. It's a great organization and this should be an interesting event.

Memberships ($75 for one person; $120 per couple) are available online and will be sold at the door. Symphonix will be providing complimentary wine, vodka drinks and hors d'oeurves. Side note: Harlot and Slide seem to be preferred venues for events like this lately, so check them out.

Save Farallones & Party with Minnie Driver TONIGHT

At 6pm, the VIP doors open for the Farrallon Islands Blue Ball at the Bentley Reserve at 301 Battery Street in SF. The Farallones are islands like the Galapatos just 27 miles off the shore of San Francisco. Tonight's event benefits PRBO Conservation Science and the Farallones. It includes organic food, wine and vodka bars, a DJ and a silent auction. Honorary hosts include Minnie Driver, Tippi Hedron, Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris. Party is $125/person and VIP event goes for $350/person including eco-gift bags. It may already be sold out, but if not, call 707-781-2554 or goto this link to reserve space. (Also note: the event is carbon neutral, thanks to Planktos ecosystem restoration.)

Organic Dining & Jazz in Menlo Park

JZ Cool and Flea Street Cafe, two fabulous organic restaurants, will be alternating hosting the Judicious JAZZ Quartet on Friday and Sunday nights, respectively. The band will play at JZ Cool Fridays from 6:30-9:30pm and at Flea Street Cafe from 7-9pm on Sundays. JZ Cool, a great local spot for organic eats, recently re-opened with an added wine bar. See CoolEatz for more details.