Buying or renting winter sports gear generally comes with a large and sometimes complicated list of what, why and how much it all costs. But equally important is where: Tahoe area shops are probably your best bet. You may have to pay more than if you rented or bought your gear in the Bay Area, but getting outfitted by the person who knows where all the powder stashes are three days after the last storm, or had a featured part in the latest Matchstick Productions film, more than offsets the extra cost.

The following are five favorite places to pick up gear–and maybe a tip or two–in the Lake Tahoe area:

Alpenglow Sports (415 North Lake Boulevard, Tahoe City; 530-583-6917), whose main focus and passion is cross-country and back-country skiing, has an amazing selection of gear, suitable for newbies to uber-black diamond powder hounds. They have a knowledgeable staff and an enormous catalogue of top-quality products.

South Shore Snow (955 Emerald Bay Road, South Lake Tahoe; 530-544-2699) has perhaps the friendliest staff in the South Lake area, and when your owner is former U.S. freestyle team member Chris Hernandez and your master tuner is former U.S. ski team technician Pam Warman, you know they know their stuff.

The Start Haus (10990 Donner Pass Road, Truckee; 530-582-5781) is perhaps the place to get your ski boots fitted or skis tuned–sorry, no snowboard stuff here–in the Tahoe region. Owner Jim Schaffner, the former World Cup ski and boot technician, and his professional and knowledgeable staff know how to give you the racer's edge.

Tahoe Sports LTD (4000 Lake Tahoe Boulevard, South Lake Tahoe; 530-542-4000) may be the largest sporting goods store in the Tahoe basin, but to them it's the little things that count, like having a friendly and knowledgeable staff, offering professional service and, most importantly, getting times done in a prompt and timely manner.

Truckee Sports Exchange (10095 West River Street, Truckee; 530-582-4510) has a huge selection of new and gently used resort and back-country gear and a large consignment loft. But what sets this shop apart is that it is staffed by seasoned winter athletes who enjoy sharing their extensive knowledge of the local mountains with visitors.

The valley’s 400-plus wineries and bustling tasting rooms can make Napa a daunting conquest. On your next trip, keep it simple with 10 of our favorite spots, from the nationally renowned to the rare hidden gem.

Swanson Vineyards
Swanson offers two tasting experiences under celebrated winemaker Chris Phelps. The Sip Shoppe is a candy store for adults, reinventing the rituals of fine wine and offering clever delights and gifts. It provides a glimpse into the world of Swanson through candy stripes and Dixie cups. The coveted Salon tasting is curated for the oenophile. Offered three times daily and limited to eight guests, this tasting thoroughly explores our favorite wines.

1271 Manley Lane, Rutherford, 707-754-4018

Mumm Napa
Mumm Napa offers three distinct seated tasting experiences with personal table service. Enjoy a glass of sparkling wine on the beautiful outdoor patio, taste in the enclosed tasting salon, or visit the oak terrace to sample exclusive library wines and enjoy the spectacular views. Guided tours provide a look at the méthode traditionnelle 
sparkling winemaking process, or take a self-guided stroll through the photography galleries.

Open daily 10 a.m.–4:45 p.m. 8445 Silverado Trail, Rutherford. 800-686-6272

Peju
Peju is a family-owned and family-run estate winery with two generations working side-by-side. As a Bay Area green business, Peju is 1 of only 21 certified organic wineries in Napa Valley. Visitors are invited to explore the lush garden oasis, sample our award-winning wines, and tour the contemporary art gallery for an unparalleled Wine Country experience.

Open daily 10 a.m.–6 p.m. 8466 St. Helena Highway, Rutherford 800-446-7358

Trefethen Family Vineyards
Designated a national 
historic landmark, the 19th-century redwood winery is still a working cellar. Along with their gracious staff, Trefethen provides a warm and inviting environment for sampling distinctive and award-winning estate wines. A daily tour, seated tastings, and an even more special Twilight Tasting are also available with prior reservations.

Open daily 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 1160 Oak Knoll Ave., Napa, 866-895-7696

Ca’ Momi Winery
Ca’ Momi Winery produces award-winning California and Napa Valley wines that can be enjoyed every day in celebration of life’s simple pleasures. The name “Ca’ Momi” is Italian for “House of Momi.” It is the name of the family’s home near Torreglia, Veneto and is named after Momi dea Bionda, the house’s prior owner. Momi is remembered for obsessively protecting his home and the surrounding vineyards. The winery’s portfolio is wide-ranging and includes Ca’ Secco Frizzante, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Rosso Dolce, a sweet California red.

PO Box 6860, Napa, 707-252-6664, wines@camomi.com

Pine Ridge Vineyards
Pine Ridge Vineyards produces wines that showcase 200 acres of estate vineyards across 5 renowned appellations in Napa Valley. Relax on their terrace overlooking a spectacular panoramic view of the Stags Leap District palisades while enjoying their exceptional, world-class Cabernets. Experience our new 5x5 Tasting—savor five of their appellation wines paired with five gourmet samplings designed by winery chef Janet Sheehan.

Open daily 10:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 5901 Silverado Trail, Napa, 800-575-9777

Silverado Vineyards
For more than 30 years, family-owned Silverado Vineyards has crafted exceptional wines from their estate vineyards in the heart of Napa Valley’s Stags Leap District. A visit to the winery offers a unique opportunity to taste single varietals and red blends in a majestic setting, high above the valley floor.

Open daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m. 6121 Silverado Trail, Napa, 707-257-1770

Canard Vineyard
Each year, they create a selection of beautifully handcrafted wines from their historic family-owned vineyard. These wines reflect our commitment to quality over quantity and a belief that wine is to be enjoyed with food and friends in a relaxed setting. They invite you to discover what Napa insiders have known about for almost 30 years. For the first time this year, they have opened their doors to a limited number of guests each week.

Open by appointment only. 1016 Dunaweal Lane, Calistoga. 707-942-1149, info@canardvineyard.com

Reata
Head to Reata country to experience a vibrant atmosphere that intrigues your senses with gold-medal-winning Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and other limited-production wines. Taste at the bar, or take in the panoramic views from the veranda. Kick back and relax with memorable vineyard and winery tours, as well as decadent food and wine pairings. Mention this guide to upgrade your tasting to include a complimentary gourmet food and wine pairing. Reservations are recommended.

Open daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m. 1 Kirkland Ranch Road, Napa, 707-254-8673 ext. 119

Paraduxx

Paraduxx winery is located in the center of Napa Valley near the town of Yountville. The estate’s architectural innovation is our 10-sided fermentation building, which houses a contemporary winemaking facility. Additionally, the visitors' center features a courtyard and seated tasting both indoors and outdoors (weather permitting).

Open by appointment daily, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. 7257 Silverado Trail, Napa, 866-367-9943

The complete Napa Guide was published in 7x7's November issue. Click here to subscribe.

This topic of WiFi is a touchy subject in the travel industry. While most bed and breakfasts and budget hotel brands have gotten the memo that travelers want complimentary Internet access, many luxury hotels continue to charge for it, often at a daily rate close to what you may be paying for a month of Internet access at home. When recently talking about travel trends I'd like to see, I mentioned free WiFi as a norm I'd like to see across all hotels and airports. While you may be hard-pressed to find a luxury hotel in San Francisco with complimentary WiFi, the Bay Area is home to some notable hotels with free wireless Internet access:

1. Personality Hotels. Of the properties discussed here, this is likely the group of hotels you're least familiar with. The Personality group of hotels are a brand of local accommodations, most of which are within walking distance of Union Square, with the exception of the Mariposa Hotel in Monterey and Flamingo Resort and Spa in Santa Rosa, both of which are affiliate hotels. You can find complimentary wireless Internet access at each of the San Francisco hotels. Also of note is that all of their San Francisco hotels are dog-friendly. 

2. Kimpton. Kimpton follows that of some other hotel brands in providing complimentary WiFi for those who are loyalty members, but with a slight difference. While some loyalty programs may require a certain status level to receive complimentary WiFi, Kimpton offers it for all of its InTouch members. Even if you're not a member, you can easily sign up as soon as you walk into one of their hotels, open your laptop, and connect to the Internet. San Francisco has several Kimpton properties, including the Sir Francis Drake, Palomar, and Harbor Court.

3. Joie de Vivre Hotels. Joie de Vivre is a collection of boutique hotels, most of which are in California. While you won't find complimentary WiFi across all of their properties, you can find it at most of their hotels. Joie de Vivre's San Francisco properties that offer complimentary WiFi include the Galleria Park, Hotel del Sol, Carlton, Kabuki, Rex, Tomo, Laurel Inn, Petite Auberge, Phoenix, and White Swan Inn.  

Grab your friends and get ready for girls’ night out featuring four-time Grammy® award-nominated, Bridesmaids scene-stealing Wilson Phillips as they take the stage at Davies Symphony Hall on November 17 with their band. They'll perform songs from their new release Dedicated, which features covers of The Beach Boys and The Mamas and the Papas including “California Dreamin’,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” and “Good Vibrations.”

In this one-night-only performance, Wilson Phillips reinvent these hits from the 60s and 70s, and perform their own greatest hits including “Release Me,” “You’re in Love,” and of course, “Hold On.”

http://youtu.be/zOK7ijzywgs

You won't want to miss it! We have two tickets to give away. Just add a comment below by November 15 telling us your ultimate girls' night out in SF, and we'll choose a winner at random! And be sure to check out the rest of the SF Symphony's stellar special events planned for this season, which include performances by Natalie Cole, Judy Collins, and Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings.

Welcome to Ticket Tuesdays, a new weekly chance for you to score entry to some of the hottest shows and events in the Bay Area.

Now that the air is crisp, the days are shorter, and ice skating rinks are everywhere, it definitely feels like the holidays. But the Cal Academy of Sciences has made it official with their 'Tis the Season for Science series of festivities that include live reindeer grazing on their living roof, indoor snow flurries, and a special theater show about the Earth's seasons and how animals have adapted to them, inside a dome shaped like a snowman!

Want to experience the seasonal magic? We've got two entry passes to give away, and here's what you have to do: Just sign up for our newsletter below by tomorrow, and we'll choose a winner randomly. The winner will be notified via email on how to pick up his or her tickets! Good luck!

The Sacramento Delta is the equivalent of a water playground for many Bay Area folks. Water skiing, wakeboarding, fishing… and you can do it all less than two hours from San Francisco. But as the hot summer sun gives way to chilly fall days, staying dry can lead to hidden surprises.

South of Sacramento, near Highway 160 is the town of Locke. If you drive too fast, you’ll blow right by. Located next to the Sacramento River, the entire town is a historical site.

Locke was founded in 1915 after a fire in the Chinese section of nearby Walnut Grove. The Chinese wanted to establish a town of their own but by law were not allowed to own land so they asked landowner George Locke if they could build on his property. An agreement was reached and a town was born.

Levee construction brought the Chinese to the area, but by 1930, fruit orchards were flourishing in the area. The Chinese were the Delta’s major work force. At its peak in the 1940s, Locke had a permanent population of 600. Seasonal farm labor population provided an additional thousand, and the town thrived with restaurants, markets, a school, gambling halls and brothels.

Park your car and get out and walk. Chances are you won’t be alone. Visitors armed with cameras are easy to identify. The Locke Boarding House Visitors’ Center is free and worth a quick stop.

From the Visitors’ Center you’ll have a straight line of sight down Main Street, and you’ll understand why in 1990 Locke became a National Historic Landmark. It stands now essentially as it did 50 plus years ago. It’s the only town in America built and inhabited almost exclusively by Chinese until recent years. It’s like a ghost town that many have left behind, but the remaining few refuse to give up on.

An estimated 80 people, about 10 of which are Chinese, call Locke home. Though the Chinese population has dwindled, the Chinese feel has not. Locke does not look like a town you’d expect to see in Northern California, or anywhere in the United States for that matter. Think rural river area China, not bustling San Francisco Chinatown.

Many of Locke’s storefronts and homes have seen better days. Age and neglect has taken its toll. But in between empty storefronts are signs of life. A restaurant, a community garden and a working artist’s studio.

If you’re not in a rush to get home and jump back into the modern world, Sacramento’s own version of the past isn’t far. Old Sacramento is only about 30 miles away. The closest river port for the thousands of people who came during the gold rush hoping to get rich, now offers a variety of activities for thousands of visitors hoping to enjoy a long weekend.

Dana can be found on twitter @drebmann

Turkey. It's the undeniably one of the biggest achievements of any Thanksgiving spread. But before you cook it, you gotta buy it. Don't leave home without our handy guide to SF's best turkey slangers.

Olivier's Butchery, 1074 Illinois Street, 415-558-9887

This distinctly French butchershop not only offers free-range Branigan's turkeys, which are $4.99 a pound and start at 12-13 pounds–they're also prepping turkey roti, which are deboned, tied, and seasoned, for you to cook at home. Those are $12.99 a pound and start at 5-6 pounds. Customers can also special order ducks, pick up housemade sausage (made with pork, apricots, prunes, black truffles, and cognac for $8.99 a pound), and brining kits.

Avedano's, 235 Cortland Avenue,415-285-6328

This Bernal Heights butcher shop has two breeds of hormone- and antibiotic-free turkey from Bill Niman's BN Ranch in Bolinas: The broad-breasted variety for $5.50 a pound (it has more white meat), and the heritage variety, which has more dark meat, for $7.50 a pound. They range from 12-18+ pounds. They've also got ducks for $5.50 a pound, and stuffing made with pork sausage for $10.50 a pound.

Bi-Rite, 3639 18th Street,415-241-9760

Bi-Rite has four kinds of birds this year. There are two from Diestel Ranch–the broad-breasted, free-range variety for $3.49 a pound (ranging from 10-26 pounds) and the organic Diestel Heidi's Hen for $4.99 a pound. Then there are the two from BN Ranch–the broad-breasted for $4.99 a pound, and the heritage for $6.99 a pound, both ranging from 10-22 pounds. You can also score ducks from Liberty Ducks for $5.49 a pound.

Bryan's Quality Meats, 3473 California Street,415-752-3430

Though prices aren't set in stone yet, Bryan's has Diestel organic turkeys and Diestel's Heidi heirloom hens this year. As for sides, they make everything in their own kitchen, like green beans, mashed and scalloped potatoes ($9 a pound), stuffing for $7 a quart, gravy for $8 a pint, and cranberry sauce for $6 a pint.

Guerra's Quality Meats, 490 Taraval Street,415-564-0585

Winning the prize for the least pricey turkeys is Guerra's, which sells Diestel organic turkeys for $4.49 a pound, which start at 12-13 pounds, and free range Diestel natural turkeys for just $2.99 a pound. These range anywhere from 10 to 30 pounds.

Golden Gate Meats, Ferry Building, Shop #13,415-983-7800

Birds go fast here, so it's best to pre-order if you can. They've got Diestel heirloom ($5.99 a pound), Diestel organic ($4.99 a pound), and natural ($3.99 a pound) turkeys, as well as Mary's Heritage turkeys ($6.99 a pound). And they've got quite the spread of homemade sides as well: Applewood stuffing, bread stuffing, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce (prices vary and start at $5-8 a pound). Gravy is $5 a pint, and turkey stock is $4 a pint.

Drewes Brothers, 1706 Church Street,415-821-0515

Even if you're not in the neighborhood, Drewes Brothers (100 years old and going strong!) could be your one stop shop for Thanksgiving. They're going all out with not only Sonoma-raised Willie Bird turkeys ($3.69 a pound from 10-30 pounds), Diestel Family Ranch Heidi brand hens ($4.49 a pound) and petite Diestel turkeys ($3.99 a pound from 6-9 pounds), but smoked and brined turkeys (both $4.99 a pound), pasture-raised chickens ($5.99 a pound), fresh Cornish game hens for $8-10 each, and housemade turduckens (!) for $125 a pop. The deadline to order is tomorrow, and they come stuffed with garlic, cranberries, pinenuts, sourdough bread and andouille sausage. Yum! They also make pies (apple, berry, and pumpkin) to order, as well as a variety of housemade sausages and dinner rolls.

Marina Meats, 2395 Chestnut Street,415-673-6700

Head to Marina Meats for Bill Niman's BN Ranch heritage birds ($7.99 a pound) as well as the BN Ranch broad-breasted turkeys ($5.99 a pound). If you're on a budget, pick up a Martinelli brand, antibiotic- and hormone-free turkey for $3.99 a pound. As for sides, they're offering housemade mild and spicy Italian sausages, as well as chicken sausages (made with white wine, ham, and chicken thigh meat), stuffing, and cranberry sauce.

Fatted Calf, 320 Fell Street,415-400-5614

This Hayes Valley shop carries Good Shepherd's heritage turkeys from Kansas this year. The breed's bloodline dates back to the 1800s, and range in weight from 8-20 pounds, at $7.75 a pound. You'll want to call ahead to order them as soon as possible, because these birds are going fast (the earliest you can pick them up is November 17). They're also selling brine kits for $10, and uncased, housemade fennel and Boudin Blanc sausages for stuffing for $10 a pound, and turkey broth for $6.50 a pint. If you're not feeling like turkey this year, you can instead grab Broken Arrow quail (stuffed with Boudin Blanc sausage and braised chestnuts) for $11.50 each.

4505 Meats, meats@4505meats.com

Don't feel like cooking yourself? 4505 Meats definitely has you covered. This Ferry Plaza Farmers Market regular is the grand purveyors of turducken in this town, as well as a host of other Thanksgiving goodies. If you're going for regular turkey, their heritage breed smoked turkey from Bill Niman's BN Ranch in Bolinas will do the trick ($60, 10-14 pounds). Check out the fresh, unsmoked version here. They've got a Turducken Junior, as well as a Grand Turducken, which involves 20 pounds of "pure poultry pleasure" and a bunch of accoutrements like root vegetables, herbs, gravy, an oven thermometer, and much more. For details on other holiday items like pork truffle butter, soaked pork rillettes, and turkey, apple and campari sausage, click here. All of it available for pre-order using the email above.

Everyone I know assumes that lesbians are hot for monogamy, but all I want to do is play around. I’m in my early 30s and nowhere near ready to settle down. I get so much grief from my circle of lesbian friends about this, or when I meet a new woman and she asks my “relationship history.” At this age, I feel I deserve the same right to casual sex that gay men—and for that matter, straight single women—do, but my circle of women isn’t buying it. Don’t’ get me wrong, there are always ladies ready to hook up late at night, but it is not acceptable to openly talk about it, never mind celebrate it like the guys do. I spent the first 20 years of my life pretending to be straight, and now I feel I have to pretend to be monogamous. Help.

He Said: There's the old joke that lesbians show up on a first date driving a U-Haul. And of course there is some truth to the stereotype. Biologically, women tend to be more oriented to finding a mate than a series of f-buddies. However, biology is not destiny, and a lot of modern women are eager to hook up before setting down (or, even better, to spice things up while they are settled). There is very little risk and lots of reward: Women who have sex with women are the group least likely to contract HIV and other STDs.

This is a simple case of peer pressure. As much as the gay community has distanced itself from the schoolmarms who arbitrarily attempt to control the behavior of others, we sometimes adhere to our own version of anti-sex social stigma. (Gay men sometimes do the opposite of your friends, raising eyebrows when a male friend turns down sexual opportunities, as if there is something wrong with monogamy.) There are two ways of changing the repressive attitude you are encountering, and they work well in tandem. Reach out to a more sexually progressive set of friends to supplement your own, and firmly inform your own circle that for the time being, you are more interested in promiscuity, although you have not foreclosed the idea of monogamy—or some mixture therein—later on in life. After all, one state of affairs often leads quite naturally to the other.

She Said: You have a point. When I look around at my dozen or so lesbian friends, I do tend to see more monogamy and a more discreet attitude about hooking up. They definitely don’t spend as much time as the boys do geo-locating potential f-buddies with various heat-seeking apps. Oh, biology.

But I also find it hard to believe that your friends’ opinions are as steadfast, or even as serious, as you make them seem. Isn’t there one single girl in the bunch who could be your wing-woman? Or a previously adventurous friend you could enlist to side with you on the pleasures of youthful romping? Lighten up a little. So what if you’re the only one hooking up? Play the “slut mascot” with grace and humor. Let your friends frown or lecture you all they want. Laugh it off, go hook up again, and report back. It’s good practice for your 40s anyway—when, I assure you, you will stop worrying about what anyone thinks of you.

If this laissez-faire approach causes genuine friction, then scale down your expectations. Our friends silently judge us all the time. They just usually are polite enough to keep it to themselves. When we do notice their disapproval, or the ways in which we’re not “on the same page,” each party tends to adjust their behavior a little. If you get too much grief about your sex life, do what humans have done since the dawn of civilization, whether straight, gay, male, female, married, or single: Keep it private. Eventually, you’ll want to find a few new friends who share your values, but there’s no need to toss anyone out, or attempt to change them.

Curious? Confused? Heartbroken? Send your questions to twosense@7x7.com

1. Independent Spirits Expo: SF's annual celebration of craft distillers is back for another round tonight, with plenty of small-batch rum, vodka, whiskey, tequila, mezcal, cognac, and liqueurs for drinkers to sample. You'll also be able to chat with distillers and brand representatives, enjoy custom cocktails, and compare spirits side-by-side. Tickets are $60 for the general public and $85 for VIPs (who get in 30 minutes before everyone else), and if you use code MURRAYAID when you register, you'll get $10 off your ticket and send a $10 donation to legendary Seattle bartender Murray Stenson, who's battling heart problems. After the event, head over to Elixir for an afterparty also benefiting Stenson; a plethora of top SF cocktail talents, many of whom are brand ambassadors and rarely seen behind a bar these days, will be mixing up special drinks. (Wednesday, November 14. Expo: 5:30-9:30 pm, at Swedish American Hall, 2174 Market St., Castro. After-party: 9 pm-2 am, at Elixir, 3200 16th St., Mission.) 

2. SF Hearts NY: SF bartenders are also teaming up this weekend for another important cause: raising money for victims of Hurricane Sandy. A murderer's row of mixologists, representing the likes of Bourbon & Branch, Rye, Smuggler's Cove, 15 Romolo, Beretta, Tradition, and Jasper's, will mix $5 drinks and serve up Coney Island-inspired fare, and with spacious Local Edition (pictured above) as the host, they'll have plenty of room to ply their craft. Tickets are $25, and all proceeds go to NYC and New Jersey bars that were damaged by the recent storm. (Sunday, November 18, 4-8 pm, at Local Edition, 691 Market St., Financial District.) 

3. See You Later Sandy: Also on the Hurricane Sandy relief train this Sunday is Dobbs Ferry, which is throwing a big bash with an open bar and passed appetizers to benefit the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers foundation, which is based in Staten Island and has a special Sandy charity dedicated to helping families in that hard-hit area. The restaurant, whose owners have roots in New York, is aiming to raise $15,000, and they're charging $100 for tickets, with all money going to the foundation. (Sunday, November 18, 5-9 pm, at Dobbs Ferry, 409 Gough St., Hayes Valley.) 

4. Twice's Sunday Brunch Clothing Swap: Twice, a new marketplace for secondhand fashion, is hosting a giant clothing swap this Sunday morning, with complimentary mimosas and plenty of breakfast fare to keep you shopping. Attendees are asked to bring a minimum of three items to sell, two to swap, and one to donate, and all donations will benefit Goodwill and the SF Food Bank. Stylists from Tog + Porter and the Cinta Aveda Institute will also be on hand to offer advice on clothing selection, makeup, and hairstyling. RSVP here. (Sunday, November 18, 11:30 am-3:30 pm, at Laurent Studio, 470 Alabama St., Mission.)  

5. La Maison Cointreau: The folks behind Cointreau orange liqueur are in town this week, and they've created a unique space featuring bites, live French music, a collection of rare and first-edition cocktail books, and of course, plenty of free drinks. Head mixologist Kyle Ford, who used to tend bar here in SF, will lead cocktail-making classes for attendees as well. Attendance is free, with plenty of times still available tonight and tomorrow night; sign up on their website to get in the door. (Wednesday, November 14 and Thursday, November 15, 7-10 pm, at Big Daddy's Antiques, 1550 17th St., Potrero Hill.) 

We've reached the final voting stage of our buzzed-about Favorite Charities contest, created in partnership with fellow San Francisco native Pacific Gas and Electric Company. After a landmark 17,000-plus votes for individual San Francisco organizations working hard to do good, we've culled the Top 7 Finalists for you to vote on. So get started!

All seven will be taking home cash - the top six will be taking home $2,000 grants from PG&E. But, one who garners the most votes will have their holidays brightened with a total of $10,000.

Top 7 voting closes at 5 pm on December 10.

HOMELESSNESS & HOUSING

Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco

Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco is a local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International that partners with hardworking families, community volunteers and donors, to build affordable ownership homes in Marin, San Francisco and on the Peninsula. Through the Habitat for Humanity program, families working in service, manufacturing, retail and other sectors are able to live near their jobs in decent, safe, permanent homes.

WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT

WOMAN, Inc.

Women Organized to Make Abuse Nonexistent, Inc. (WOMAN, Inc.) has operated since 1978 as a community-based, multi-service agency, serving survivors of domestic violence in San Francisco and the larger Bay Area. In addition to our 24 hour crisis line, they provide culturally sensitive support to survivors in domestic violence situations.

CIVIC PHILANTHROPY & VOLUNTEERISM

SF Smiles

SF Smiles believes that no one should go without the basic essentials of living. Their mission is to create a community in which no fundamental need goes unmet, thereby giving every individual the opportunity to lead a healthy, productive life.

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY & JOB DEVELOPMENT

Upwardly Global

Upwardly Global connects skilled immigrants with employers and provides both with the resources to succeed together. They are practical visionaries, inspired to deliver on the promise of America, since their commitment to integration of skilled immigrants is a pledge to the future of the United States.

HEALTH & NUTRITION

Meals on Wheels SF

This agency's mission of delivering nutritious balanced meals to homebound seniors in San Francisco has remained the same since its founding in 1970. For 40 years, MOWSF has set the standard for alleviating the financial and emotional costs of premature and/or inappropriate institutionalization of seniors.

YOUTH & EDUCATION

Larkin Street Youth Service

The mission of Larkin Street Youth Services is to create a continuum of services that inspires youth to move beyond the street. They provide a peer-based substance abuse treatment program, provide safe temporary housing for kids who before slept on the streets, and in 1997, they opened the nation’s first comprehensive housing program for HIV+ youth, named Assisted Care.

ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY VITALITY

Rocket Dog Rescue

Rocket Dog Rescue saves dogs from death at over-crowded shelters and find them loving, happy homes. Now into their tenth year, RDR has saved the lives of over 6,000 animals.

On Grove Street, across from the gilded, Beaux-Arts exterior of City Hall, the San Francisco Arts Commission has a space that it is no longer allowed to use as a gallery – quite. 155 Grove has been deemed seismically unsafe, which means the general public is not allowed inside, but the city does allow SFAC to put the space’s large front window to use: A rotation of artists fill the cube with site-specific installations that the public can view from outside. It is a fishbowl rife with apparent limitations that, as current resident artist Val Britton has found, give rise to unexpected possibilities.

I found Britton, an East Coast transplant and graduate of California College for the Arts, on hands and knees in the fishbowl, crouched beneath an exploded constellation of meticulously cut paper – her work. “The Continental Interior,” as it is titled, consists of hundreds of scavenged and recycled pieces, ranging in size from fleck to frond, hued in a paint palette of corals and faint blues with occasional black singe. Suspended from the rafters by heavy string, the individual pieces speak the language of cartography, resembling landmasses or territories. The installation as a whole recalls something between a desert sunset and the backside of a highly abstract Koi fish.

Britton’s practice has a compelling origin story that, while no longer central to her work, bears mentioning. Her father, a long haul truck driver, passed away suddenly when she was young. In graduate school, her mapmaking became a way to project imagined atlases of the routes he might have travelled, and in so doing, somehow insert herself into his story – one she never really knew. “It was a metaphorical connection to him,” she said, “but it also was an exercise in drawing, in opening up. I was projecting really big. I started to work bigger. It opened up my hands and I made things differently. I needed to do that.”

As an artistic point of aperture, it is just that: A point, one that recedes further and further into the background with each new work. “Iterations,” Britton calls them, “in a single, ongoing project,” each installation faces unique conditions that propel the artist toward wider explorations of space, of abstraction, of landscape – literal as well as emotional.

The SFAC Gallery, being a fishbowl, sets up some rather unique conditions.

For one, it functions as a kind of diorama where viewers are limited in their possible vantage points, in effect necessitating some 2D considerations: Britton’s arrangement of paper pieces becomes an almost collage-like project; her taut suspending strings, criss-crossing in space, take on the character of line drawing. Then there is the role of the windowpane itself – during the day a reflective surface, superimposing the impressive image of City Hall upon “Continental Interior”; during the night, a barrier between the chilly autumn street and a warmly lit interior, where dramatic shadowplay enters the piece.

And, of course, there is the matter of audience, namely, any and all Civic Center passersby. Throughout the install process, Britton has taken unanticipated delight in her public exposure – a unique circumstance in the art world, which tends to set up barriers that shelter the art and limit, whether by intention or convention, its audience. “It has actually been really thrilling,” said Britton. “As I’ve been working in here people literally bang on the windows, wave at me, give me the thumbs up and tell me what they think. They’re really different than the usual audience; I don’t know if they actually know what this space is, but they’re aware that there are these art installations and they change. They’re actively following the process. It’s been really inspiring.”

As part of Britton’s process of evolving iteration, she re-uses her paper segments in new works down the line (many of the imagined landmasses in “The Continental Interior” came from her two previous installations, both aptly titled “Burst Apart”), an accumulative process that seems to be towing the artist toward ever-bigger locations. “The Continental Interior” will remain intact for over a year, though – more than enough time for the work to become a fixture in this singularly visible, if officially inaccessible, locale.

The Continental Interior will be on display through January, 2013.
Opening conversation and reception: Wednesday, November 14, from 6:30 – 8:30pm, at 155 Grove Street.

It’s getting chilly at night, which means it’s time to indulge in one of the best all-in-one meals: The pot pie. (You thought I was going to say burrito, didn’t you.) Here are some top picks around town where you can get your pot pie on.

Chile Pies
This is some next-level pot pie: Red chile carne asada pot pie ($8)! Yeah, it’s damn good. Option number two at this New Mexican outpost is the green chile pot pie, with a cheddar crust (you can get chicken or vegetable)—and all come with a ladle of green chile gravy on top. (Don’t forget a slice of their green chile apple pie for dessert!)

Comstock Saloon
Chef Carlo Espinas does not mess around. He is known for his delicious pot pies (the crust is a thing of beauty), like a beef shank and bone marrow pot pie. The kitchen is magically open until 12 am, so swing by late and warm up with the current rendition of chicken pot pie with English peas and button mushrooms ($22), which is served with arugula salad and chanterelles, plus a side of pickled figs and apricots.

Michael Mina San Francisco
If you want to go luxe with your pot pie, executive chef Ron Siegel is the man to do it. You can order a deconstructed version of a pot pie with Maine lobster, Thai spices, coconut, green papaya, and finger lime. (N.B. If you’re looking for a classic rendition of pot pie, this is not the one to order.)

Mission Beach Cafe
What has become a San Francisco wintertime tradition, Mission Beach Cafe offers a selection of golden and delicious pot pies on Tuesdays once we’re deep into winter, made with pastry chef Alan Carter’s exquisite dough. There are four different kinds, but the rabbit ($17) is where it’s at: It comes with roasted turnips, baby parsnips, toybox carrots, and a savory velouté. (Let’s hope pot pie Tuesdays kicks off in December—tick tock!)
 
Presidio Social Club
Swing by this Presidio culinary outpost on Sundays for chicken pot pie Sunday night supper by chef Jay Abrams. For $29, you also get a butter lettuce salad and a dessert.

Marcia Gagliardi is author of the weekly tablehopper e-column and book The Tablehopper’s Guide to Dining and Drinking in San Francisco. Read more at tablehopper.com.

It’s no secret that in San Francisco, we have some of the greatest parks at our disposal. Hiking, biking, running, swimming – you name it – we’ve got a place to do it. With so many choices, not knowing about, or even forgetting a good one is bound to happen every now and then. Perfect example?Alcatraz Island.Yes, that rock out in the middle of the bay isn’t just a tourist attraction, it’s a federal park. Don’t let out-of-towners have all the fun.

We’ve all taken the boat ride over at one point, showing around guests, and gleaning an unknown fact or two from the audio tour. But spend a little more time on Alcatraz and you’ll discover this Rock has many secrets to tell, especially when the sun goes down.

“Congratulations. You’ve won the lottery,” says Park Ranger John Cantwell as he gets a group of 30 high school freshman from Santa Rosa ready to spend the night on Alcatraz. (I was lucky enough to score a spot as a parent chaperone.)

Armed with PJs and sleeping bags, it’s a sleepover unlike any other these kids have ever experienced. But getting an invitation to this party takes homework and a lot of luck.

These unique sleepovers are a fairly regular occurrence on Alcatraz. There are 18 overnights every year with 200 to 400 groups vying to win a spot. Since demand is high, only 501 © (3) non-profit groups are eligible to apply. Applications are accepted only during the month of November for dates the following year.

The overnight program got its start when a group of Boy Scouts who spent the day on The Rock doing community service were invited to spend the night on Alcatraz as a reward. The idea stuck. Groups who come prepared to spend the night, also come prepared to get their hands dirty while doing a community service project of their own. Once the work is done, the fun and education begins.

With a Park Ranger in the lead overnight, visitors explore Alcatraz and see things most folks (even locals) don’t know exist. You don’t have to be a history buff to be fascinated by the island’s varied past (remember, I was with teenagers) and understand why it’s important it be cared for in the future.

Though best known as a federal penitentiary, Alcatraz Island first served as a military fortress during the Civil War. At its peak, there were over 110 cannons mounted on the island. You might walk through one of the numerous tunnels (originally built to allow soldiers to travel quickly on the island) or see a very rusty washing machine Al Capone may have used to do the laundry during his time on The Rock.

For some, there’s a certain creepiness that comes along with the idea of spending the night curled up in a cell on Alcatraz and touring the hospital operating room armed with flashlights can certainly warrant a good case of the chills. But I was remarkably surprised by how creepy my experience wasn’t. On a clear night, one glimpse of the San Francisco skyline is all it takes to see the brighter side of this island in the bay. And if the nighttime sky doesn’t win you over, sunrise surely will.

Dana can be found on twitter @drebmann

Karlsson’s just launched the newest jewel in its vodka crown, Karlsson’s Gold Vodka Batch 2009, a limited edition vodka made solely from the 2009 harvest of the Solist potato from the Cape Bjäre region of southern Sweden.

What makes it so tasty? It's a limited edition vodka with terroir, made from the 2009 crop of a single varietal of one of the world’s most exclusive new virgin potatoes (the potato’s fine skin and delicate taste means that it pairs well with fish and grilled meats), Karlsson’s Gold Vodka Batch 2009 will be available at select fine retailers and restaurants in the United States starting this month.

The 2009 crop of Solist potatoes allowed the creation of 1,980 bottles of the vintage, each of which is numbered and signed off on by Master Blender Börje Karlsson. In short, this is quite the coveted bottle of vodka. Each 750 ML bottle of Karlsson’s Gold Vodka Batch 2009 will retail for $80 at fine spirit retailers in New York, Miami, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, as well as through online merchants. Get yours while you can!

When a man invites you to share a couple samosas before revealing the details of a new top-secret retail concept, you oblige. After all, finding him and this place was no easy task. It took a circuitous path of contacts offering only vague descriptions of a gallery slash boutique slash workshop slash design incubator slash event space slash food truck lot. And so it was, over Indian food, that Bob Wilms finally began to shed light on the obscure amalgam that his team is calling The NWBLK (that is, “the new black,” OBV).

The reality of the concept by interior designer and creative director Steven Miller—the effervescent son of an inventor—does indeed fit all the descriptions. Housed in a 6,000 square-foot warehouse with adjacent artist studios and a lot for food trucks (called Mission Dispatch), The NWBLK takes up a corner of Bryant Street on the same Mission turf where Heath Ceramics recently opened its new factory-cafe-showroom. “It means a great deal to me to be an innovator,” says Miller, who counts several notable Bay Area projects, including Berkeley’s Hotel Durant, in his growing oeuvre.

For their part in this burgeoning community, Miller and his partners—development director Wilms and production director David Fredrickson (the founder of Figureplant)—have cultivated a rare space dedicated to “applied arts” (an umbrella term for beautiful and useful products, from fashion to furniture). “I wanted to see if there was a more novel way of pulling [artists] together and give them a new home,” Miller says.

Emeryville-based designer Basil Racuk’s line of bags for The NWBLK includes a tote designed for founder Steven Miller as well as The Weekender ($1,488, shown here) in a custom red-and-black color scheme.

To that end, the team partnered with local and international craftsmen whose pieces adhere to a certain level of quality, aesthetic innovation, and complexity of process; and they all have pretty great backstories. Take, for example, the Timber table conceived of by New York-based industrial designers Brad Ascalon and Frederick McSwain, who both grew up in wooded areas. Carved from a single aluminum slab with wooden legs poking through the top, the table represents once rural lands that were leveled to build strip malls. It’s “as if nature is taking it back,” says Ascalon.

The narrative is part of The NWBLK’s credo to present products in the context of their creators. Ditto the emphasis on exclusivity: This is the only place on the West Coast where you can shop hand-sculpted lighting by Australian designer Christopher Boots, and it is the third retailer in the world to carry Emeryville-based Basil Racuk’s exquisite leather goods (“I’m an artist, so I’m very picky about where I sell my bags,” says Racuk). Additionally, Ascalon is working directly with Miller and Wilms (a former sales director at antique dealer Coup D’Etat) on The NWBLK’s furniture collection, to be manufactured and sold in-house come spring.

With production and retail cohabiting here, The NWBLK has potential to usher in an era of small-batch, high-impact manufacturing in San Francisco. Under one roof, communal workspaces and talent-mentoring mean to aid independent craftsmen with every aspect of their business—from consulting to product development and marketing. There is even an on-site modeling agency primed for photo shoots. “It seems like a basic idea, and yet no one is doing it,” says Miller.

“Craft and technology go hand in hand,” says Brad Ascalon, whose line of furnishings—in collaboration with Frederick McSwain—includes this Timber table ($2,100), made of anodized aluminum and wood.

Among The NWBLK’s prominent collaborators are Mark Rogero of ConcreteWorks, the award-winning studio that fabricated the feat-of-physics benches at Bar Agricole (Rogero is also producing special-edition furniture for The NWBLK), and commercial photographer David Martinez (Levi’s and Sony are clients). The result is a hub for makers who are inspired by and inclined to help each other toward common goals: “In a sense, they’re reinventing collaboration. San Francisco needs this—there aren’t many places to cross-pollinate for people truly making things,” says Ian Hannula, designer and cofounder of N.I.C.E. Collective, an SF-based fashion label launched in 1997.

While N.I.C.E. Collective’s System leather jacket is made elsewhere, its innovative display here is emblematic of The NWBLK’s vision for its showroom floor. The jacket’s production is delineated, from sketch to materialization, along a low table. On a pedestal just beyond, the bomber plays a part in a head-to-toe look whose individual pieces—scarf, shirt, pants, and boots—are also all for sale. “It’s a long journey from idea to fruition. We’re showing the actual process visualized,” says Hannula. And so the retail floor becomes akin to museum gallery; its products elevated to collectibles. This perspective is echoed in every part of the business—even the parking lot.

With a conveniently large lot between the warehouse and studio spaces, the group saw an opportunity to host neighbors and creative conspirators for daily lunch. Depending on the day, crowds can be found sampling from Seoul on Wheels, Bacon Bacon, or Kasa Indian, staying to dine and converse at picnic tables. “The more you can bring community into the equation, the offering becomes more compelling,” says Wilms. “It generates magnanimity and puts a stronger foot forward.” Plus, if you can’t afford that bomber jacket, you can at least get a mean samosa.

This article was published in 7x7's November issue. Click here to subscribe.

Weekends are for amateurs. Weeknights are for pros. That's why each week Stuart Schuffman will be exploring a different San Francisco bar, giving you the lowdown on how and where to do your weeknight right. From the most creative cocktails to the best happy hours, Stuart's taking you along on his weeknight adventures into the heart of the City's nightlife. So, who wants a drink?

When you’ve lived in San Francisco long enough, your personal history becomes a residue on every block you pass. Over there is the restaurant you worked in when you first moved to The City. Around the corner is the bar you spent too much time in back when you had extra time to spend. Across the way is the house you lived in in your early 20s, when the things you thought were important were the things you couldn’t give a shit about now. Storefronts and businesses come and go in this town, but your experiences and memories attach themselves to places like ghosts that haunt only you. 

A couple months ago, I was at the Top of the Mark with Becca and Lindsay, talking about the different lifetimes we’ve each seen while living in San Francisco. It seemed rather appropriate considering that the Top of the Mark was opened in 1939 and has probably seen more lifetimes than just about anyplace in The City. Officially, we were there because the PR company they work for represents the Top of the Mark and wanted me to write about it. This happens a lot; some of the places I write about, some of them I don’t. Regardless, I make it a rule to never pass up booze and food when it’s offered to me. We discussed work stuff for the appropriate amount of time before going into our own stories.

The last time I’d been at the Top of the Mark was for an ex-girlfriend’s birthday. I’d taken her there after we’d seen one of Bob Marley’s many children at The Fillmore. Before that I’d really only been during their exquisite Sunday brunch. This was an anniversary tradition with another girlfriend I had. These were my ghosts, my personal history left as a residue in this rooftop bar at the Mark Hopkins Hotel. Becca and Lindsay offered up their own stories, and we talked, ate and drank while a few drunk old men looked out the window longingly, probably thinking about their own past lifetimes. Tourists snapped photos of themselves making funny faces in front of the world class view, not realizing they were leaving their own historical residue amongst the decades of ghosts that already inhabit the place.

It was a Monday night and even though there was no live jazz like there is Wednesday through Friday, the atmosphere was still sultry and sophisticated. In a town where most millionaires dress in hoodies and jeans, the Top of the Mark feels like a throw back to old money and elegance, while still being accessible to the rest of us. At one point I walked around enjoying the view and looking at photos of the Top of the Mark throughout the years. Apparently, it was customary during World War II for GIs to have one last drink and take in the view before shipping off. The northwest corner was even called the “Weeper’s Corner” because the soldiers’ sweethearts would watch with tears and running mascara as the ships departed the bay carrying the young men off to war.  

But there was no weeping this night. Instead, we were celebrating our histories, and telling stories, and talking optimistically about our futures. We all had great things on the horizon, especially Lindsay, who informed us about her recent engagement. We drank and offered cheers to Lindsay and her future husband–adding one more layer of historical residue to a classic establishment that already has plenty, and will receive many more.

Stuart Schuffman has been called "an Underground legend" by the SF Chronicle, "an SF cult hero" by the SF Bay Guardian, and "the chief of cheap" by Time Out New York. Follow him @BrokeAssStuart.

Take a glimpse at the San Francisco skyline and you won't notice anything out of the ordinary. Yet, walk into a few downtown San Francisco hotels and you might notice some stark differences. That's because local hotels have been getting major upgrades. Today, we feature three San Francisco hotels that have recently undergone significant renovations. 

1. Grand Hyatt San Francisco. The Grand Hyatt is in the final stages of finishing their multi-phased $70 million dollar renovation. Guests who have previously stayed at the Grand Hyatt will notice something different as soon as they walk in, as the hotel features a stylish new lobby with contemporary decor to complement it. There's a heavy culinary emphasis with the renovations, which includes a new restaurant and bar, called OneUp, featuring regional cuisine. Also of note is the revealing of Grand Hyatt's very own food truck. While San Francisco is no stranger to food trucks, it hasn't had a hotel-run mobile operation like this. Other upgrades include renovations to meeting spaces and revamped guest rooms.  

2. Hotel Adagio. While the Hotel Adagio's renovations may be the slightest among the hotels listed here, they don't go unnoticed. One of many of San Francisco's historic hotels, the Adagio's guest room upgrades include new luxury linens and in-room technology, such as flat-screen televisions and iHome docking stations. Most of the other hotel upgrades are cosmetic, such as more contemporary decor in the public areas, restaurant, and bar.

3. Mandarin Oriental San Francisco. Renowned for its beautiful views, the Mandarin Oriental San Francisco has undergone a slew of renovations over the last year. While last spring saw the debut of a new restaurant, Brasserie S&P, and revamped rooms, this fall sees the unveiling of the Mandarin Oriental's new 8,000-square-foot spa and fitness center. The fitness center is open 24 hours a day, while the spa, which is the hotel's first spa, is open daily from 9 am to 9 pm, with an array of different treatments, including "Time Rituals," encouraging guests to book time, rather than specific treatments, so the services can be more tailor-made. 

Cointreau and the International Queen of Burlesque, Dita Von Teese, hosted the exclusive San Francisco debut of La Maison Cointreau—a first-hand discovery of the true art of cocktail making and entertainment—near San Francisco's Design District. The private, VIP launch event brought the history and mystique of the iconic, French orange liqueur to life, as guests embark on an unforgettable voyage through a series of elaborately-designed rooms filled with celebration and surprises at every turn.

Guests were treated to special performances by Cointreau Ambassador Dita Von Teese; French singer/accordionist Nicole Renaud; chanteuse superstar Lady Rizo; glass player Johnny Rodgers; and DJ Jonjon Battles.

The venue featured a labyrinth of experiences, beginning with a meticulously curated library of libations where Alfred Cointreau—sixth generation family member—spoke of Cointreau's rich history, its beginnings in Angers, France in 1849 and its inclusion in some of the very first cocktail recipes ever created. Enchanted attendees also participated in a hands-on cocktail making class with Cointreau's Master Mixologist, Kyle Ford.

At the magic hour, the Mistress of Ceremonies led the way into the last stop of the tour—a French boudoir-inspired ballroom echoing with Parisian chansons. With a myriad of extraordinary and unique performances, guests ended their night of exploration with a toast to an unforgettable evening, courtesy of Cointreau.

La Maison Cointreau is free and open for its final experience tonight. Visit www.LaMaisonCointreau.com to sign up and for more information.

Photos: Hardy Wilson for Drew Altizer Photography

Farb Nivi, founder and chief product officer of the social learning company Grockit, calls the company’s latest product, Learnist, a “multimedia collaborative interactive ebook for the future.”

Nivi has been a leading advocate of social learning since his days as a teacher for Princeton Review and Kaplan, and the principles of collaborative learning form the underpinning for Grockit’s popular college test prep service as well as for Learnist, which is available both on the web and as an iOS app.

So what exactly is Learnist? One user calls it “Wikipedia on steroids meets Facebook.”

The number one type of content on Learnist is embedded video – everything from educational videos like how to solve linear equations to “how-to” videos about gardening, cooking, and swimming.

The second most common type of content is text (articles), and the third is entire Wikipedia entries.

“What we have done here is to create a platform where anyone can remix the web,” says Nivi. “There are so many free resources on the web – more than could ever fit into any $200 textbook. We then make it super easy for people to share what they know.”

Looking back over the past decade, Nivi marvels at how quickly this huge mass of  free educational and instructional content has flooded online.

“Human beings simply decided they wanted to share their knowledge with one another, for free,” he notes, citing the rise of Wikipedia and the free knowledge movement as the harbinger of what was to come.

“So now there’s a new problem,” he continues. “Too much information. Everything that there is to learn is available online. Starting about five years ago a flood of video has come online, at YouTube and elsewhere, so now there are probably some 2000 videos on how to solve linear equations.

“It all happened so quickly – from nothing to too much.”

Users who sign in to Learnist (it says “By Invitation Only” but the company says anyone who clicks will receive an invite) can create “learnboards” to curate content on pretty much any topic they choose. (Topics are called “tags” at Learnist.)

Users can also embed these boards on to their blogs, websites, or lesson plans.

Up until now, teachers have been somewhat constrained in their ability to use Learnist because there was not an option to keep their boards private.

But the company is changing that by launching a “groups” feature that will allow educators to protect the privacy of their students while using Learnist in the classroom.

So now that teachers – who Nivi says “have been beating down our doors for months” – will be integrating this new learning platform into their teaching methods, it’s intriguing to revisit the evidence of how collaborative learning works.

Here is how Nivi explains it:

“We’re data driven here. And what we’ve learned over the past five years with Grockit is that when students collaborate online and work together they all get smarter in the process. What’s amazing is this holds true on all levels. If a smart kid and a dumb kid study together they both do better. If two smart kids study together they both do better. If two dumb kids study together they both get better.

“Everyone does better on tests after studying together.

Nivi cites a recent example where a group of impoverished kids in Detroit improved their scores on the college admission test ACT so dramatically that the testing board opened an investigation into whether they had somehow cheated on the test.

When the kids explained they had been studying together with Grockit, the board quickly closed its investigation.

Now that the days are getting shorter and more chilly, it gets harder and harder to get yourself to the great outdoors. But here in SF, we're damn lucky to have one of the nation's most vast parks as our collective backyard. Golden Gate Park is always there when you're ready to bike, hike, and play–and there are a ton of hidden spots we bet you never knew existed. Take our photo tour of it all.