This is a spectacular annual event held at the Regency Ballroom, dedicated to Edward Gorey,…read moreamerican author and artist with a lot of unique and interesting works in his lifetime, some a bit creepy yet still remarkable, including illustrations for Charles Dickens and Virginia Woolf, and a single popup book in 1982, The Dwindling Party, the theme of the 2025 Edwardian Ball I had the pleasure of attending this past weekend. The line to get in wasn't long and went quickly around 9pm on Saturday, an hour after opening time. And there was so much to see and do inside, we didn't know where to start. The decor and setup were magnificent and not cheap looking, a lot of attention to detail. There were multiple levels to engage with activities and exhibits throughout. On the entry level, there was a ghostly "concierge" (more like mimes... if you ask them a question, they don't talk, but they will probably make you laugh as they stay in character), several attached rooms/lounges with bars and arts & crafts, such as shadow puppetry (guests could create their own shadow puppets), and the grand ballroom offering fashion portraits on one side (which we took advantage of, as the artist was talented), a tea room and exhibit on the far end, and the main stage with a fascinating program during the 2-day event. Live entertainment took place on and off the stage, including musical performances by several different bands made up of talented musicians, aerialists, circus acts, and burlesque by Vau de Vire Society, and reenactments of some of Gorey's books, including The Dwindling Party of course, which was great with the elaborate sets, props, costumes, and music by Jazz Mafia. But I was even more wowed by the marvelous production of Gorey's The Listing Attic, so quirky and done with such artistry by the performers. From the event entryway, there was one set of stairs to the right leading to a second level coat check (and a dead end). Another set of stairs leading to a second level of the ballroom, with first-come first-served seating along the balcony to watch the entertainment on the stage below (no VIP or special tix needed, this was open to all). The second level also led to more stairs going up, what felt like at least 4 levels, with a few stops along the way (like vendors/entertainers selling nightmares or taking your dreams!?!). At the top level was the Museum of Wonders, which was not just a display of oddities and interactive exhibits, but also felt like a whole 'nother world. More live music and entertainment presented on a beautifully decorated and lit stage in this room, as well as from a lovely gazebo at the center of all this extraordinary madness. And even though we had already gotten fashion portraits of ourselves on the main level ballroom, we opted to also do portraits in the museum, this one an "offensive" caricature. If that's not enough, there's a basement floor below street level, where the Vendor Bazaar was located. This section was lined with merchandise booths selling unique costumes, clothing, hats, jewelry, a plethora of quirky items, and even gourmet chocolate. Food was also available from the bar on this level, though we only ordered drinks while at the event, several custom cocktails and Death in the Afternoon, one of their drink specials for the night, all of which were decent but pricey. There were several different bars available, and we hardly encountered any waits for drinks. Beyond the captivating environment filled with endless pieces of art to explore and performances to enjoy, the attendees added to the entertainment and charm with creative and impressive costumes, one of which could even tell your fortune. Yes, we met some interesting characters while there. And friendly and helpful staff (vendors, bartenders, coat check, security, etc.) made sure guests had an amazing time. I always thought this event would be too fancy for me, but as it turned out, it was just right. Not perfect... it did feel overcrowded at one point, especially going up and down the staircases between 10-11pm, and wait times for portraits weren't the fastest... but for the most part, it felt very comfortable, welcoming, and fun, the entertainment value high, well executed by the organizers, and best when you expect the unexpected. It was definitely a one-of-a-kind and memorable experience. I'm sure to return and take advantage of the early bird pricing next time.

This event is still awesome! I went there with a new friend on Friday. It was her first time there…read more We both had fun at the event. There was a new thing there this time with the guy in the corner serving hot tea & a butter cookie in nice tea cups for only $1 there. There were tables that you could sit at too which was nice. The upstairs area was open too which was nice for people who wanted or needed to sit dowm at the event.

Always a great time at Chase for the Warriors game. Great atmosphere , food and doesn't matter…read morewhere your seats are you'll still get a great view of the game. Do miss Oracle, but Chase is great. The team is always helpful and have great energy. Chase is once in a lifetime experience that you must try.

First time watching an NBA game in person last Tuesday. My husband is a big Warriors fan. I was…read morewearing one of his long sleeve Warriors t-shirt, and he's wearing a Warriors jersey. It was so much fun watching the game with other fans. Almost everyone was wearing some Warriors gears. We're all cheering when the Warriors took over OKC briefly at one point. Such a great atmosphere. There're also some short games, performances, parachute/t-shirt giveaways. Never a dull moment. On the other hand, I was disappointed that Steve Curry was injured and we didn't have a chance to see him play. Warriors lost the game, but it was still a great experience for me. So much better than watching the game on TV. Go Warriors!

Went via the Yelp Elite tickets. Was curious to see what it was about…read more It was in downtown oakland, between Grand and 18th, between Broadway and whatever block is east of that. 4 stages - 2 outdoor, 2 indoor. A long line to get it, despite already having a ticket....I thought maybe that it was a tight security check or something....nope, just slow. They only had 2 ticket takers trying to scan the codes using phones - my ticket girl had a broken screen - not the most efficient. Overall, it was ok but nothing amazing. The best parts of the day for me were inside the club upstairs during SoSuperSam's set, and the set on the main stage by SZA. Otherwise, the musical acts were "ok, not amazing" with a few solid ones - I guess consistent with most festivals. I thought it was ok overall - but would I have paid $35 for the event? Likely not.

Nothing short of incredible, fresh, and easy breezy. I had the good fortune of checking out the…read moresecond annual OMF thanks to free GA tickets from Yelp! And couldn't be more pleased to support this east bay event. Residents of the best bay in the world came out in droves repping their hardest fashion and dance moves to an eclectic mix of hip hop, rock, and alternative beats on a beautiful sunny day. There were beer sections with seating areas for the crowd weary, tons of restaurants open on the streets of the fest, funky people watching galore, and all manner of street artists working their magic in real time. I loved seeing all the Oakland businesses come out to support the musical event and went home with new local acts to add to my Spotify. Tickets are only $35 for a full day of east bay cultural immersion so if you're contemplating tickets for next year I highly recommend you nip it in the bud and put a reminder in your calendar NOW.

What can I say? It's…read morean honor and privilege to go inside the Giants' Clubhouse. When I got an invite to attend a very special and private tour of AT&T Park by people from the MLB during their playoff run in 2012, I jumped at the opportunity like a cop at Dunkin Donuts. I love the park and it's the best ballpark, IMHO. I've taken the regular tour before and have been to several FanFests so I've seen the visitors' clubhouse and other areas. I'm usually a reserved guy and have to stay professional in my line of work, but once we got inside the Giants' Clubhouse, I turned into a 10 year old kid again. Hey, I wasn't the only 40 something in our group that transformed magically just by stepping foot inside the Holy Grail of 24 Willie Mays Plaza. I couldn't contain my glee and started searching for Posey's, Lincecum's and Panda's locker. Yes, I probably took several dozens of photos inside the locker room and of course I had to post one on FB just to make them jealous. The clubhouse itself looks a lot bigger on TV, but it's glorious and beautiful nonetheless. It's classic yet modern and state-of-the-art at the same time. They have a vast array of amenities, services and equipments that a modern ballplayer needs. This is where the magic happens. This is where the players prepare for every game and where shenanigans occur courtesy of the Panda and Romo as we were told. This is where Barry Bonds had his massive reclining chair and where he and Jeff Kent probably duked it out on several occasions. I can still feel the presence of Barry Bonds in this locker room, and how could you not? This is where the celebration occurred after Matt Cain's Perfect Game. This is where the players celebrated all those playoff victories and where champagne showers never felt so good. This is where history is made. If you are lucky enough to get an invite, you would be a fool not to jump at the opportunity. I can cross another one on my bucket list.

If you ever get a chance to attend an event at AT&T Park that includes hanging in the Giants…read moreClubhouse.....GO! Its a gorgeous room with the dark wood and leather chairs. The decor of the room showcases the Giants through the years. There's even a tribute to Sue Burns. Yes, you can usually see the Clubhouse during FanFest but its roped off and they move you through like cattle then. On gameday there's no way security is even letting you anywhere near it. For the Holiday Heroes fundraiser tonight, we got to sit where a Giant hung his jerseys, put his cap on his shelf and stored his belongings. Plus we got to hang with the 2012 World Series Trophy! WooHoo!

Great beer selection. Vendors were willing to give you as many samples as you can hold (within the…read more8 tastings, of course). But the layout leaves a lot to be desired. Maybe rope off sections so that people can walk through the crowd? Maybe have the vendors at each side of the square, rather than along the same side? The band was fun. The check in process went smoothly. But I don't think I'd go again because the wait in line was not worth a small sample of beer and it was tough to mingle when everyone is crammed so close together. You're better off buying a regular sized beer inside the park.

Came here with a large group to kick off Memorial Day weekend. I thought that for its first year,…read moreBewfest, wasn't too bad. Hopefully, next year they will learn from some logistical snafus and make it even better. Here is the lowdown. For $20, you received five free tastings from local breweries, a ticket to the game, and a commemorative beer tasting glass (for the first x amount of people). The local breweries included Thirsty Bear, Speakeasy, and 21st Amendment. Overall, I had a good time. But I hope that next year, they expand the area. It felt pretty crowded when we first got to Lot D which I don't like since I'm not the tallest girl. I can't complain, though, since it was a gorgeous day out, I had good company, and some great brews!

I have seen the Chinese New Year parade in person several times over the years and even…read moreparticipated in it a couple times as part of the dragon. I went to the parade last year with a friend to celebrate the Year of the Snake (my year) and we had a fabulous time. We took the ferry to the city and walked a short distance up Market Street and boom the parade was right there! We saw a bunch of lion dance groups and other people dressed up near the parade route who were getting ready which was neat to see. It took awhile for the parade to start and there were long pauses throughout it, but definitely worth it. All of the floats were beautiful and unique. I loved seeing the various snakes and props. There were also plenty of firecrackers, lion dance teams, dragons, marching bands, local organizations and lots more. There are hundreds of participants from all different age groups. The tall giant shopping cart is always fun to see. The Channel 2 news crew are always in the parade riding in a SF trolley. We even saw the SF mayor walking the parade route saying hi to the crowd. The parade is free unless you purchase bleacher tickets that are located at Union Square which is the end of the parade route. Make sure to bundle up and bring some patience. It has rained some years so be prepared for any kind of weather. I can't wait to attend again this year. I highly recommend seeing it in person if you can because it doesn't compare at all to watching it on tv. It's one of the most famous Chinese New Year parades for a reason. There's nothing like it!

This weekend was the Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco. It is the year of the horse and as…read moremuch as I love the lion dancers and they are always the highlight of the parade, I have to say that all the little children with their stick horses just melted my heart! One of the marching bands was also exceptionally good this year, I'm sorry I can't recall which one but the colors were purple and gold. The parade is supposed to last 2 hours but seemed to start a little early and definitely went late this year. In the last 20 years I have probably been to this parade 4 or 5 times and I have kept coming because it was always a lovely celebration. One year when my son was smaller the crowds were so intense that we ended up leaving early because he was small and we were worried about the potential for trampling. This year was much less intense but that is likely because crowds were smaller. The smoothness and coordination were also not as good as they have been in years passed and the entertainment level seemed a bit diminished as well. That being said, this is still considered the best and largest Chinese New Year parade in the United States, and in the past has been considered one of the top 10 in the world, so it is definitely worth the trip if you can make it.

Christmas came earlier, but at a price…read more I only went here for the meet and greet with Gillian Anderson. What a rip off. A bunch of booths that you could find on Irving Street or even San Jose, a bunch of anime comic books etc for sky high prices. Had to pay the close to $60 entry fee in ADDITION to the fees for anyone you wanted to meet. 2025 fan meet and greets this year had Henry Winkler, Danny Glover, Christina Ricci, Christopher Lloyd, the cast of Twilight and The Boyz, etc. Expect to shell out $100 plus tax for a signature and $125 for a 4 second photo. Barely had any time with Gillian Anderson. Literally just said "hi" to her and that was about it as they took a photo. I also did the autograph session and she looked like she was having a bad day. So much for true love. She barely acknowledged me or anyone else. Oh well, she was out of my league anyways LOL.

The check in part was exhausting. There are two different entrances. You go in one entrance to get…read moreyour badge, then you exit, and go around the corner to the other entrance. I didn't like that system, but there had to be a reason for it. Anywho, I'm not a comic guru. But my kid likes anime so I decided to surprise him. It was overwhelming for me. The venue is 3 floors. Rows ontop of rows of memorabilia. Artists from all over the country with beautiful artwork. We even attended a couple voice actor panels. The event was nice. Not too crowded on black Friday. I was told Comic Con is about 15x bigger. I was satisfied with the smaller scale. I feel like they had everything a comic lover would need. Great for young fans because due to the smaller venue. *park in the lot by Mel's Diner

The Valks are Everything and Ballhalla is a Vibe!…read more The most successful WNBA expansion team in history! This magical season has been Nothing But Net and so fantastically on point from the inception. From the selection of the first Black female GM in the W (Ohemaa Nayanin), to the selection of the first Asian American head coach (Natalie Nakase), The Golden State Valkyries (GSV), are showing up as the "upstarts that could", as they topple records and slay unexpected opponents in what is now considered the most amazing arena in The W, Ballhalla! There in Ballhalla the magic continues, as every home game has been played to sellout crowds of 18k+ roaring and adoring fans which are said to rival that of Dub Nation! Nakase has created a team that systematically picks apart opponents with what as now known as one of the top rated defenses in the league, and urges her very cohesive team, made up of primarily rookies and what were previous role players, to intuitively execute game plans with, at times, breathtaking precision. Now as the regular season moves toward its spectacular conclusion, GSV is poised to push further into history as the first expansion team to go to into the playoffs! When you go to Ballhalla, prepare yourself for the thrill of your basketball lifetime ... life is good in Ballhalla ... WELCOME TO THE W!

Finally, after many years of conjecture and yearning, the WNBA is in the Bay Area. Though the team…read moreoffices are based in old offices of their male counterparts in the NBA, the team plays its games at Chase Center in San Francisco. The ownership is the same too. What is different is that the general manager and head coach are both women. The team took their maiden voyage last week and was treated to rousing support by locals. The demographics are a bit different from NBA team but the enthusiasm reminds me of those Warrior fans from the mid to late 2000's who stuck with the home team through thick and thin... and there was a lot of thin, trust me. There were over 18,000 in attendance for the regular season home opener on a Tuesday night. Many of my seat neighbors are also Warrior season ticket holders from varying locations in the arena. It is great to see this fanbase rewarded with its own team, only the 2nd in California now (the Sacramento team folded several years ago). The WNBA with its roster of star power with Caitlyn Clark, Paige Bueckers fresh out of college, the stars from the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty, which include Sabrina Ionescu, an East Bay native has raised its popularity exponentially. Looking forward to seeing how they gel this season and it'll fun to see the local fanbase support them. The crowd is very similar to the We Believe fanbase in Oakland except the cheers are an octave higher. The ticket prices are prohibitively less expensive than Warrior tickets so you'll definitely see a more diverse audience at games. We were fortunate to experience the 1st win for this team that's making history with every achievement. Go catch a game and you'll know what the buzz is about... who knows, if you're a hoops fan like me, you might be hooked too.