Things To Do In SF This Weekend

What are your plans this weekend? San Francisco has so many great events that you can choose.  There are even activities for your favorite puppy this weekend. The Bay Area is so diverse that almost every member of your group will be satisfied.  Instead of sitting in your apartment, try heading out into the Bay Area for one of these great events.  You can learn more at SFist.


FRIDAY, MARCH 27

DANCE: If "Shooting Star" is among your favorite songs, head over to Mezzanine to check out the act behind it — Bag Raiders — when the take the stage on Friday night. It should be a great gig from an Australian artist whose star is still on the rise. Mezzanine, 444 Jessie Street, 9 p.m., $20-25

DANCE HARDER: Rubblebucket shows are intense, knock-down-drag-out shindigs. This band is wild and awesome and will keep you moving all evening. Vacationer opens to start things off.The Independent, 628 Divisadero Street, 8:30 p.m., $18

SATURDAY, MARCH 28

BASIC BALL: Or, per the spelling from the squad, the Bay-sic Ball. Hella Saucey presents the night with DJs Andre & Jibbz, hosted by Jocquese of Vogue & Tone. Expect go-go dancers and more, my basic friends. Elbo Room, 647 Valencia Street, 10 p.m., $5

EASTER FOR DOGS: Dogs are natural hunting creatures and it's time for an Easter egg hunt for them. The idea is to let dogs sniff out the eggs while you enjoy food and take Easter Bunny photos. It's free to observe from the sidelines but $15 for admission with all proceeds benefitting Muttville Senior Dog Rescue. Speedway Meadow, JFK Drive and Marx Meadow Drive, 12 p.m., $15

SUNDAY, MARCH 29

FLEA MARKET: The Treasure Island Flea comes but once a month, so make it count and bring lots of bag or trunkspace for your goodies. Yes, there are cocktails and snacks to be bought along with finds to be found. Treasure Island Flea Market, Avenue of the Palms, 10 a.m., $3 entry

An Excuse To Eat Out This Weekend

Are you not in the mood to cook this weekend? Lucky for you San Franicsco has some of the best restaurants in California.  If you are in the mood for Chinese, we have found some of the best Chinese noodles in the area.  These various restaurants have a ton of options for whatever you are craving this weekend.  You can learn more at SFist.

Terra Cotta Warrior
Lovers of New York’s Xian Famous Foods [raises hand] decried San Francisco’s utter lack of Shaanxi-style cuisine… until Terra Cotta Warrior opened in the Sunset, boasting salty-sour soups, and most importantly, hand-made noodles. Those shine best in the Qisan Minced Pork N oodles, a soup featuring one gloriously long, tender, ropey, hand-pulled noodle. The vinegary-rich broth is laced with ground pork and topped with a slick of chili oil. Also excellent are the Mian Pi, a cold dish of knife cut noodles, simply topped with garlic chili oil and tossed with cucumber.
2555 Judah Street at 31st Avenue

Old Mandarin Islamic
Why yes, San Francisco does have a halal Mandarin restaurant — in Parkside, to be exact. Old Mandarin is well worth the trek for all a manner of dishes, but we’re obsessed with the “Stirred Shredded Pancakes,” found under the “Flour Specialities” section of the menu. Chewy, crepe-like pancakes made from rice flour are sliced to resemble thick, doughy noodles — the texture alone has us coming back for bite after bite, but the accompanying sweet and salty soy sauce, and the egg and vegetable stir-fry add-ins, take this carby, magical dish over the top.
3132 Vicente Street between 42nd and 43rd Avenues

San Tung
You’d be remiss to only focus on the wings at San Tung (or San Tun # 2, right next door, with the exact same menu) — their fresh noodles are worth your attention, and may be even better than the aforementioned chicken wings. With a base of homemade noodles it’s hard to go wrong, but we’re fans of the Black Bean Sauce Noodles, featuring a salty-tangy fermented black bean sauce laced with shrimp, calamari, and beef.
1031 Irving Street between 11th and 12th Avenues

King Won Ton & Noodle
While Yelpers have written off this Outer Sunset spot with a lowly two and a half stars, the spindly-thin home-made noodles at King Won Ton & Noodle make braving the admittedly subpar service worth your while. In a Hong Kong style and inexpensive in many variations, those noodles are best with the decidedly oversized won tons. Yes, atmosphere is an afterthought or no thought at all, so perhaps this is a take-out destination, but a destination nonetheless. — Caleb Pershan
1936 Irving Street at 21st Avenue

SO
Having discovered that San Tung’s noodles are tops, it stands to reason that sister restaurant SO’s noodles would be all kinds of rad, too. And, I mean, considering their feelings aboutgluten-free, MSG-hating diners, obviously their noodles are great. Their Black Bean Sauce Noodles are excellent, too (and have the option of a fried egg topping!), but we also dig the Stir-Fried Pork with Hot Peppers, punched up with jalapeno.
1010 Bryant Street between Converse and 8th Streets

Mission Chinese Food
Mission Chinese may have had their ups and downs this year, but their Tingly Lamb Face Noodle Soup remains one of our favorite in town. The meltingly tender lamb cheek meat is the star, but it’s well matched by buttery bok choy and springy Shanghai noodles (plus peanuts for crunch). The “tingly” factor, courtesy of a Schezuan-peppercorn laced chili oil, is spicy without completely obliterating your taste buds, allowing you to eat and enjoy even more noodles.
2234 Mission Street between 18th and 19th

Z&Y Restaurant
Speaking of blasting out your tastebuds, Z&Y Restaurant in Chinatown is a great place to go overboard on the chili peppers. Find some balance with their excellent Tan Tan Noodles, an excellent dish featuring tender, springy noodles coated in a ground-pork dominated sauce. There is chili oil, but just enough to lend salt and a little kick of heat — sesame seeds add a nice nuttiness, and they are nothing if not generous with the garlic. It goes without saying that a nice, cold Tsing Tsao is a must here.
655 Jackson Street between Grant and Kearny.

Chino
It can be easy to get distracted at Chino, what, with the colorful decor, dumplings, and killer cocktails. But stay focused just long enough to put in an order, and thoroughly appreciate, their Chilled Sesame Noodles. This lovely little bowl of noodles features thick noodles with the right about of give, and a fantastic, salty-nutty sesame paste sauce. Cucumbers, carrots, and snow peas add freshness and crunch, while the surprising addition of mint lends an unexpected herbal freshness. It’s refreshing, satisfying, and perfectly flavorful, all at once.
3198 16th Street at Guerrero

R&G Lounge
If you’re coming to R&G Lounge, you’re getting crab. This we know. You should also plan on getting noodles — because the only thing better than crisp-fried crab is crisp-fried crab with delicious, delicious noodles. Stay in theme with the Garlic Seafood Noodles a perfectly massive pile of studded with shrimp, scallops, and mussels. Or, the Longevity Noodles, topped with abalone sauce. Or: the Braised E-Fu Noodles, tossed with shredded pork, mushrooms, and chives. I mean, we won’t judge if you get them all. Just don’t forget the crab.
631 Kearny Street at Commercial

Shan Dong
Shan Dong is an institution in Oakland’s Chinatown, beloved and revered for their famous dumplings. Their noodles, though. You guys. for $1 extra, you can get any of their noodle dishes made with handmade ones — do it. They're springy and snappy, and have that perfectly uneven texture that makes handmade noodles so good. Their Spicy Sesame Paste noodles are killer — laced with chili oil and balanced with some fresh baby spinach, as is the Pork with Preserved Vegetables. Really, though, once you opt in to the handmade noodles, they’re all fantastic.
328 10th Street between Webster and Harrison, Oakland

Spices 3

Oakland's Spices 3 has us seriously considering relocation, just so that we can get it delivered when we’re feeling a little under the weather (read: hungover). Seriously, though — this Szechuan restaurant can cure pretty much anything that ails you, be it whiskey or life induced. There is no bad noodle order, but we’re partial to the spicy Szechuan Beef Noodle Soup, loaded with silky, egg-rich noodles, ample amounts of slow-cooked beef, and a deeply savory, just-spicy-enough broth. And yes, a trip to number 3 is 100% worth it - in our expert opinion, it's far superior to Spices 1 and 2, both of which are located in the Inner Richmond.
369 12th Street between Franklin and Webster, Oakland

St. Patrick's Day In The City

Are you celebrating St. Patrick's Day this weekend? Did you know that San Francisco has the largest St. Patrick's Day Celebration on the west coast? This great event attracts over 100,000 people every year.  You can learn more at sf fun and cheap.

The West Coast’s largest Irish event celebrating Irish history and culture, the 164th Annual San Francisco St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival, attracts some 100,000 revelers every year and is one of the city’s most popular events.


164th San Francisco St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival
Saturday, March 14, 2015
- Parade: Starts at 11:30 am
- Festival: 10 am to 5 pm
Parade begins on the corner of Market and 2nd Street and runs to Civic Center
Festival is in Civic Center Plaza
FREE

The parade will start at the corner of Market and Second Streets where over 100 colorful floats, Irish dance troupes and marching bands will wind their way to Civic Center Plaza.

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade celebrates and showcases the Irish community, Irish culture and character in all its forms. Featured groups from throughout the Bay Area’s Irish community including schools, youth organizations, labor unions, cultural groups, as well as the San Francisco Police and Fire, will proudly march up Market Street.

The popular festival is back in 2015 and will take place from 10 am to 5 pm in Civic Center Plaza.

The colorful festivities surrounding the parade will showcase Irish Culture through live performance and entertainment, arts and crafts exhibitors, food and beverage concessions, children’s rides and inflatables, cultural displays, a petting zoo and pony ride and a number of non-profits booths representing the Irish community.

Date Night in SF

Where are you going this weekend?  Date nights do not need to be repetitive.  You can find great creative ideas everywhere in San Francisco.  You can keep reading and check out thrillist. for your next creative date night.   


Virtual golf

Eagle Club Indoor Golf
A virtual, indoor driving range means you can enjoy the best aspects of golf -- hitting balls and "helping" her improve her swing -- without having to endure any of the negatives (stuffy dress codes, early tee-times, committing to 19 holes with a person you met on Tinder).
Pro tip: Upgrade your standard happy-hour date by suggesting an after-work tee-time (it’s located on 2nd and Howard, near all your standard happy hour bars, anyway).

Roller disco

Church of 8 Wheels
Ice skating is lame (and cold), but roller-skating? See, that right there is retro and cool, and still provides plenty of opportunities for rom-com-like falls that inevitably lead to touching. Also: DJs spinning old-school funk and disco while you skate around a converted historic church is awesome in and of itself.
Pro tip: Bring a flask -- there’s no bar on the premises
Archery

Golden Gate Park
Tucked away just North of the golf course is Golden Gate Park’s archery field, surrounded by woods that look like Robin Hood’s Sherwood Forest (the cartoon one with the foxes, not the Costner one). You rent your equipment at the nearby San Francisco Archery Shop, where the expert archers on staff give you a quick tutorial. Then walk down to the field where nine target bales await you and your best Katniss Everdeen impression.
Pro tip: Bring wine or beer (probably just for post-shooting), plus picnic provisions.
Hiking

Lands End
You know what’s expensive? Dating. You know what’s free? Hiking. And thanks to panoramas around every corner, San Francisco turns what’s basically just walking into an exercise in romance. SF offers several awesome urban date hikes, but a walk that ends at Sutro Baths is especially dreamy. Making out... in a cave... while waves crash near by -- it’s like Danielle Steel created SF’s coastline herself. Wait... did she?
Boat ride

Stow Lake
Take a page out of a Nicholas Sparks novel with a picturesque paddle on Golden Gate Park’s Stow Lake. Sure, the waterfall on the center island, sweeping city views, ducks, and storybook wooden bridges could tip this date into cheesy territory, but that’s nothing a few tall boys in paper bags can’t temper. Plus, is it really the worst thing in the world if you start to remind her of Ryan Gosling?
Pro tip: Rent the pedal boats instead of the rowboats so your hands are free for sipping beer. Oh, and bring snacks to share with the ducklings.
Bowling

Mission Bowl
Classic courtship gets the trendy, hipster treatment at Mission Bowl. It’s basically a typical Mission bar -- complete with decent food, craft cocktails, and people in flannel -- only there are bowling lanes, too.
Pro tip: Come during the week when the wait list for the two first-come, first-served lanes is generally shorter. And enjoy drinks or food on the patio while you wait.
Mortified Storytelling

DNA Lounge and The Uptown
Dating can be awkward and embarrassing, but for once the angst will not be your own when you witness Mortified’s hilarious exploration of most embarrassing moments. There’s just something about sharing in other other's misfortune that really helps people bond. Newsweek, The Onion's A.V. Club, This American Life, and more rave about the raw storytelling, so even if the relationship doesn’t last, this "cultural phenomenon" is worth seeing. Catch it in SF on October 10th, or in Oakland on the 11th. If you're gonna go to Oakland, make sure you read this first.
Sidewalk Food Tours

Various Locations
For around the same cost as a dinner for two at any moderately priced restaurant in the city, you’re treated to a much more interactive experience with this food tour of San Francisco’s most delicious neighborhoods. Choose from Italian goodies in North Beach, Latin flavors in the Mission, or Chinese delicacies in Chinatown (coming soon) and taste popular dishes from five of the most iconic restaurants and holes-in-the-wall the neighborhood has to offer.
Giant trampolines

House of Air
A massive trampoline park in a historic airplane hangar. Do we really need to explain further why this is awesome?
Pro tip: After you’re done jumping around like kids, plan on sharing a bottle of wine on Crissy Field across the street like the adults (with the healthy, active love lives) that you are.