Bill and I have an event in SF on April 20 & 21. Anyone available for lunch or dinner in the days before the 20th or after the 21st?

We are just beginning our planning, and we've decided to play tourist for a few days before and/or after this event.

Let me know if you can join us, and suggestions for a good place to meet.

Charity

Lunch on the 22nd will work for me as it is on a Sunday and not a workday for me.

I will watch this and see if it is a go.

Charity, I would love to meet up with you and Bill (you too Eden!). I am pretty flexible at this point, so I really don't have much of a preference as to the where or when. Where will you be staying?

Charity, didn't we meet many years ago at a GTG in Berkeley? It was at a restaurant on Fourth Street, I think it was called Eccolo?

Great Eden!

Susie, Bill and I were at the first GTG in Berkeley, many moons past, but I don't remember you at that one. Was (my) Bill there? In any event, I'm looking forward to seeing you in April, and I hope your hubby will be able to come, also. I really appreciated all of the effort he made in explaining photo things to we Slowtravelers! Would he be able to come on Sunday, April 22nd?

Charity

I forgot to tell you that we are staying at the Palace Hotel for two day during Bill's reunion (50th medical school). I want to find a cheaper place for a few other days, tho. The Palace is too rich for our blood!

Any new recommendations for boutique hotels or B&Bs in SF?

Charity

Charity, I would love to join the GTG in San Francisco, especially the chance to visit with you and Bill again. So far the 22nd looks good provided it is around 1 pm or later.

Drat! I just returned home from a house sitting gig near Seattle and discovered I will be traveling throughout the possible GTG period. Sorry to miss it!

Oh, Joan, I'm sorry we will miss you! Another time, another GTG , yes?

Does anyone have suggestions for a place for our gathering?

Charity

Topping this up to gather more folks for our GTG on Sunday, April 22nd.

Are there suggestions for a good place for a GTG lunch or dinner in San Francisco on Sunday? Quiet, preferably.

Bill and I are staying for one week at a home in SF--a bedroom suite with bath--secured thru Airbnb. Kitchen priveleges, parking for our car, but with bus nearby. Bill's reunion is at the Palace Hotel, but we didn't want to stay there.

I bought a membership at the California Academy of Sciences just so we can come and go all week as we want!

Who's in for a GTG?

Charity

Hi Charity and Bill,

I think Rob and I can make this.

So, I will say yes, with the slight possibility we won't. I hope we can.

I love SF GTG's

Great, Wendy! What a treat if you and Rob can come!

Do you folks have any suggestions for a restaurant and a time on Sunday the 22nd?

Charity

Charity
Just happened across this today. I believe that at least I can show on April 22. I haven't verified my husband's calendar yet, since he is out of town right now, but will let everyone know ASAP. Could you indicate what type of food you prefer? If so, I may be able to make some restaurant decisions. I know Susie is also a wealth of SF restaurant info....

Hi, Ruth! Glad you (and hubby) might be able to come!

I love any good food--except Chinese I know, I know, everyone likes Chinese.

Good food, quiet , and accessible (parking or public transit nearby) are my requests. Quiet is important for me because I wear hearing aids and they amplify environmental sounds more than they do voices.

I hope Susie will check back in here. She posted earlier, but haven't heard since then.
I think the Bay area folks should choose time and place.

Keep the ideas coming !

Charity

Where are you staying after the Sheraton Palace?

Not sure if I can make this GTG but will try.

Great! I hope you can come.

We won't stay at the Palace at all--we're just more comfortable in simpler and smaller places. Our base will be in a home near lower Market, several blocks from the Castro district. It's where Clayton merges with Market.

Charity

Hi there, we do not have any suggestions of where to meet - we haven't been to the City since the gtg at Tony's over a year ago.

Lunch will work for us, but dinner will not.

We look forward to seeing you, Charity, and Bill, and whoever will make it.

Of course we never know what is going to happen, but we plan on being there. Cheers, W&R

Sunday, April 22nd, is fast approaching--time for our San Francisco GTG!

Want to finalize our plans. Kolkari's was suggested as a site for lunch. How many of us will be able to attend?

Those who asked for lunch--what time would be best? 12 Noon, 1:00, or 2:00?

Looking forward to hearing from anyone who wants to join us!

Charity

Charity
I will be there for sure and would prefer on the early side, but will go with whatever the consensus is. See you soon, Ruth Koffman

I'm planning to be there... Need to Google Kolkari and find the address. Just let me know the time. Thanks, Charity.

Hi Charity, thanks for the PM! Mark and I will be there.

Eden, it is Kokkari. Easy street parking on Sunday too. Kokkari is one of my favorite restaurants!

When there is a decision as to where to meet instead of Kokkari, would you please post it here. Thank you! I do not have any other suggestions as I do not know the city that well.

All
I recently had a good small plates meal at Andalu at 3198 16th S 2 blocks from the Mission/16th St Bart. They only recently started serving brunch there, so I am not familiar with it for Sunday other than that it serves brunch from 10:30 - 2:30 PM. Does anyone want to try that? It has a good by the glass wine selection as well as bottles.
Also, my husband David will be with me!

Great to hear that David will be joining us!

Here's the Brunch menu for Andalu:
Andalu Brunch Menu 3198 16th St. @ Guerrero, San Francisco - 415.621.2211 - Sun-Tue 5:30-9:30, Wed-Thu 5:30-10:30, Fri-Sat 5:30pm-1:00am - Brunch: Sat/Sun 10:30-2:30

Ruth, do you think this is a good place for quiet conversation? Perhaps we can get a table on the mezzanine for a group of 7 persons.

What do you all think?

Charity

Charity
I honestly have only been there once, and it was not on a Sunday. I am headed to the city tomorrow and can perhaps get a chance to check it out and inquire about possibilities for this Sunday for a group our size. I have also been to another restaurant in the same general area, but can't remember the name. If I locate it, I can check it out for semi-private space also. would you like me to do that?

Thanks, Ruth! If you have time, it would be helpful to know more about both restaurant--quiet spot, best time to come, and parking on Sunday.

I was hoping Susie would have another suggestion. I'll try to reach her.

If you think either of these restaurants would be good for us, make a reservation for 7, please. We can cancel later if we change our minds.

Charity

Hi, I know Charity and Bill already know this, but I thought I would just say that Rob and I are sorry to miss seeing you, our friends, this coming Sunday in the City.

We just can't get our acts together/leave home again, after everything that has been going on with my health - which is just fine now, got the 'all clear' from our cardiopulmonary doctor, thank you - and my sister's husband passing away totally unexpected, and the continuing problems with Rob's mother - Susie, I know you understand that subject....

Anyway, we hope you all have a great time, and that maybe you will all come here for the MontereyGTG July 13-15th. (Susie, please consider this one for you and Mark).

The weather is supposed to be gorgeous this coming week/weekend, so enjoy the day and the company. We will be thinking of all of you.

And, Charity and Bill, have a great time exploring your old haunts and territory.

Cin Cin,
Wendy and Rob

Sorry to hear you won't be able to make it! No one who is that familiar with the restaurants in SF has responded with any ideas for where...do you two have a suggestion?

Ruth, we haven't been to SF since the lunch at Tony's in North Beach over a year ago - maybe two years. It is really shameful that we have not gotten up the road, we certainly are ashamed of ourselves.

We love (knowing we haven't been in the area for a while), Rose Pistola - North Beach, La Scala is nice, Union SQ., though they may not be so happy with a 4 hour meal , A favorite would be Slanted Door. Other than those we can't help, really we are so not equipped - it is shameful.

Have a great time together, if by any chance we can make our way up those 100+ miles we will, and we will let you know ahead of time, but I don't think we have it in us.... so enjoy

Charity is hoping for a quiet place where we can actually talk, and I am not so sure SF can deliver! Thanks anyway, and again sorry to hear you won't make it.

I've been doing some more searches (I know Ruth is exploring an option today in SF).

Two suggestions: A16 (Italian), which has been recommended on Slowtrav, and Dosa on Fillmore or Dosa on Valencia (Indian). These options have Brunch on Sunday. These are $30/and under.

Letha is currently in India and Indian food sounds really good to us right now.

Let's see what Ruth finds, though.

Charity

Charity
I did check out Andalu on Tuesday while I was in the city. It is only two blocks from 16th & Mission BART station. They told me they get quite busy but they offered me an 11:45 AM reservation and said they would be able to seat us at a banquet that sits a little above the regular dining room floor in either window in the front of the restaurant. There is also a cool used bookstore down the street which I confirmed as open on Sundays if anyone wants to browse. The mission is not the poshest neighborhood in town, but is well known for good food and drink.

I also checked out La Scene (in the Warwick Hotel)and Grand Cafe (in Hotel Monaco) both on Geary within easy walking distance of the BART Powell Street station. LA Scene is quite small and I can't imagine it getting too loud to talk in, plus brunch looked good.

I talked to a manager at Grand Cafe and they also serve brunch and have a semi-secluded banquet area that could seat our party.

I have made reservations at all three, but can cancel any or all of them before Sunday.

I have been to A16, but not the other restaurant mentioned, and am willing to go with the consensus if we can get one!!

Please just let me know your preference so that I can cancel extraneous reservations by Saturday.

It is your special time in the city, so whatever you and Bill want to do should override any suggestions. Ruth

I would vote for Grand Cafe as it maybe the easiest for me to find. But as you said, Ruth, Charity and Bill should overide any suggestions.

Thanks for looking into all the mentioned restaurants, Ruth!

I also checked out La Scene (in the Warwick Hotel)
Warwick San Francisco Hotel - California (CA)
490 Geary Street, San Francisco, California 94102
Reservations: + 1 415 928 7900 Fax: + 1 415 441 8788
Email: info.sf@warwickhotels.com
http://www.warwicksf.com/
This is the info I found for La Scene--private dining room--Mask Room--might be nice.

Brunch Sunday from 10:30am to 2:00pm
Bar - Tuesday through Thursday 5:00pm to 11:00pm
Friday and Saturday from 5:00pm to 12:00am
Closed Monday and Sunday
Private Dining Roooms - We have two dining rooms that are perfect for any upcoming private dinner parties you plan to host in San Francisco. Both our Mask Room and Stage Room are located adjacent to the restaurant and can accommodate 13 people and 25 people, respectively.

The Grand looks nice, also. How are the prices at these three places? You need to decide, Ruth, since you have seen all three.

Post here with a decision and the time, please.

I don't know if I will be able to get online while in SF.

Thanks for your work

Charity

Finally - A decision!
We have reservations at La Scene at 12:00 PM for brunch. It is a small restaurant at the Warwick Hotel at 490 Geary Street. It has a small but nice looking menu with very reasonable prices for Brunch. It is just up the street on the opposite side of Geary from the ACT Theatre. You can get there by taking BART to the Powell Street station, and there is also parking at the Union Square Garage, or at the Ellis-O'Farrell Garage, both of which are quite close. If you have any problems locating us, you can call my cell, 650 766-8626 for help!
Looking forward to seeing you all!

Have a wonderful time Sunday, sorry we will miss this gtg. We will be thinking about you. W&R

We are sorry to miss seeing you two also. Charity probably does not have access to the NET in SF, but I will let her know that yo are thinking of us!

Hi Everyone,

I am sorry to have been MIA. I have been dealing with my stepmother's health issues. Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend this GTG, I was hopeful things would have improved for her by now.

Ruth, what wonderful research! Have a good time everyone.

Getting ready to get this GTG on!
Sorry that we will miss you, Susie, Wendy, and Rob.

Hey - Charity, Bill,and Eden, David and I had a good time! We hope to see you again soon.

It was great to see you all! Ruth, thank you for your pre-GTG research. I really enjoyed talking and listening to all. Bill and Charity, enjoy the rest of your stay in the city. Hope to see you again soon.

Are there pictures of this gtg you can post? Glad you had such a nice time.

Barb Cabot

Here is one photo that I had of the SF GTG... better late than never?

Thanks for posting Eden. Everyone looks good, esp you!

Thank you, Ruth. I agree everyone looks good! I will look for another one that Charity is not facing away. I'll check my cell phone.