Weekly Travel Roundup By TravelingIQ

Contemplating clothing

Global Correspondent Ivan Quintanillais an actor, traveler and blogger extraordinaire. Once a week he provides a re-cap of noteworthy travel stories. We pilfer his round-up (with his permission) so you don’t have to. Follow his travels at TravelingIQ.

*You can leave your heart in San Francisco, but keep your privates to yourself.  The city’s supervisors have voted to officially ban public nudity, marking the end of an era for the City by the Bay.   Exemptions, however, are being made for Folsom Street Fair and similar festivals.   (via Huffington Post)

*Uganda plans on passing anti-gay laws carrying life imprisonment for homosexuality… wait for it… as a “Christmas gift.”  (via BBC News)

San Francisco Packs In Early Fall Events

Photo: http://www.castrostreetfair.org

I’m missing these events all taking place the first week of San Francisco (I’m leaving Monday, October 1. Drats!) But you don’t have to. If you hurry, you can catch one of the following fun events, whether you’re proclivities tend towards the sporty, the literary or the queer. (Or all of the above.)

• America’s Cup World Series, Oct. 2-7
• Fleet Week, Oct. 4-8
• Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Oct. 5-7
• Litquake, Oct. 5-13
• Castro Street Fair, Oct. 7 (This one is super gay; see photo above)
• San Francisco Italian Heritage Parade, Oct. 7
• San Francisco 49ers vs. Buffalo Bills, Oct. 7

The folks at San Francisco Travel have posted details on these events and others on their website, www.sanfrancisco.travel. To help you navigate around the city efficiently and economically, the San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency has also provided maps and other transit updates specifically related to these events as well.

She Looks Like $70 Million Bucks! Grand Hyatt San Francisco

Look, Macy's is really close by!

By Jenni Olson

Boasting a recent $70 million renovation, the Grand Hyatt San Francisco is an exciting option for San Francisco visitors wanting the style, décor and amenities of a boutique property with the convenience, size and loyalty perks of a large-scale chain.

The renovation spiffs up the property’s 659 guest rooms and suites (as well as the corridors, elevators and conference facilities) bringing them into the 21^st century with Uno-Bitell iPod dock phones, Wi-Fi and HDTVs featuring multimedia hubs to connect to your laptop. Meeting the needs of both work and play travelers — guest rooms include ergonomic workstations and spa-like glass and tile bathrooms.

Featuring clean, modern design (favoring light wood and calming textiles in the décor) the overall atmosphere of the rooms and common spaces is light and relaxing. This is truly a notable accomplishment from L.A.-based design studio, Indidesign (named one of the top hospitality design firms in the US by Interior Design Magazine).

Located just off Union Square, the Grand Hyatt is a great option for easy access to shopping, theatre, art galleries, museums and scores of great restaurants. Speaking of which, be sure to visit the 36^th floor Grandviews Lounge for a drink so you can experience the amazing view (but skip the Grandviews Restaurant with its over-priced and in need of renovation old-school hotel menu).

Other notable claims to fame include: 21 hypoallergenic rooms, 22 ADA accessible rooms, scenic 35^th floor fitness center, executive business center; in addition to a lengthy list of other expected amenities, all rooms have low-flow toilets and electronic blackout drapes with bedside controls (tres James Bond!). If you’re looking for upscale comfort and style the Grand Hyatt is one good choice amongst the admittedly numerous accommodation offerings in the City by the Bay. Also note that additional renovations are planned for the foyer, lobby, lounge, restaurant and mezzanine in the next two years.

Rooms start at $199 (Sunday-Thursday) and $179 (Friday-Saturday) for queen, king and double rooms. Starting rate for an Executive suite are $399 (Sunday-Thursday) and $379 (Friday-Saturday). For reservations call (415) 398-1234 or visit www.grandsanfrancisco.hyatt.com.

Grand Hyatt San Francisco

• 345 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.
• Tel. 415-398-1234.
• Fax. 415-391-1780.
• Website: http://www.grandsanfrancisco.hyatt.com

Sweet, er, suite!

SAN FRANCISCO TREATS: UPCOMING STREET FAIRS

Many major gay cities offer outdoor festivals that range from mild to incredibly wild. In the U.S., however, San Francisco offers two of the wildest such events: Up Your Alley Street Fair (July 31) and Folsom Street Fair (September 25). Up Your Alley Street Fair, Sunday, July 31: Often called the step brother of the later Folsom Street Fair, this smaller annual South of Market street fair is not for the faint of heart, celebrating the Leather, BDSM and fetish Community with stages, demos, merchandise and information booths.  Many locals find Up Your Alley more authentic and approachable, dating back to the origins of the SOMA leather scene on Dore Alley.  Donations are collected at the gates for local charitable causes. Info: www.folsomstreetevents.org Folsom Street Fair, Sunday, Sept. 25: This is known to be the largest street fair in the world, encompassing 13 city blocks, numbering more than 400,000 people and welcoming a broad spectrum of South of Market lifestyles, including Leather, BDSM, uniforms, fetish and other alternatives.  From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. check out two live stages with 16 separate acts, more than 250 informational and retail booths, hot food and cold drinks, artists and more. Donations at the entrances benefit local charitable causes.  Saturday night, Sept. 25, is Magnitude the no-holds-barred dance party at 525 Harrison St. from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. with DJs Ted Eiel and Joe Gauthreaux. Info: www.folsomstreetevents.org

Deal of the Week: Dine About Town San Francisco

Foodies know San Francisco is about as good as it gets in the U.S. for fabulous cuisine and wine. Now’s your chance to experience some of the best eats in the land — for unbelievably inexpensive prices.

“Dine About Town San Francisco” returns for the second half of its tenth year on June 1-15, 2011.  More than 100 San Francisco restaurants are participating in the twice-yearly restaurant promotion, offering a two-course lunch menu for $17.95 and/or a three-course dinner menu for $34.95. This pricing can represent up to a 25 percent savings off regularly priced a la carte items.

The complete restaurant list for “Dine About Town San Francisco” will be posted on San Francisco’s official visitor website www.dineabouttown.com.
Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com.

San Francisco Celebrates Gertrude Stein

This spring, the Contemporary Jewish Museum debuts the first major museum exhibition to fully investigate this fascinating visual legacy and life of Gertrude Stein, May 12-September 6, 2011.

Seeing Gertrude Stein: Five Stories is an art-filled biographical exploration of Stein’s identities as a literary pioneer, transatlantic modernist, Jewish-American expatriate, American celebrity, art collector, and muse to artists of several generations.The exhibition also features Alice B. Toklas (1877-1967), Stein’s life-long partner, and explores the aesthetics of dress, home décor, entertainment, and food that the two women created together.

The Contemporary Jewish Museum is located at 736 Mission Street (between 3rd & 4th streets), San Francisco.

Our San Francisco guide.

Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com.

Deal of the Week: Parker Guest House, SF

The Parker Guest House in San Francisco — one of the finest guesthouses in the city and certainly among the top gay guesthouses in the country is offering a deal.

The big news here is that they have given the property a complete beauty make over this year, with new interior and exterior renovations and a fresh new  look.The hotel is offering our readers an exclusive $20 per night discount on stays of three or more nights. Book directly and mention this savings.

More San Francisco trip-planning info.

Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com.

West Coast Dining Deals

Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com

Hope you’re hungry! This month there are two “Dine Abouts” to talk about in two west coast foodie capitals.

In San Francisco, now through January 31, 2011, locals and visitors have the opportunity to experience some of the finest restaurants in town at a fraction of the price. You may select from more than 100 participating restaurants offering a two-course lunch menu for $17.95 and/or a three-course dinner menu for $34.95. For a complete list for Dine About Town San Francisco, click here: DineAboutTown.com.

Further north, Dine Out Vancouver kicks off January 24 and goes through February 6. This celebration of local food and British Columbia wine offers three-course prix fixe menus at $18 $28, and $38 price points (not including taxes, alcohol and tip) at 215 restaurants across Metro Vancouver. More info: Dine Out Vancouver.

Five Bites: San Francisco’s Tasty Treats

Originally published in GPS.OutTraveler.com

During a culinary tour of San Francisco, I got to sample savory and sweet sensations at five new or newly improved restaurants. This is a foodie town and my visit was in no way meant to be an exhaustive search. I just found these eminently worthy of mention. Here are my latest five favorite dining spots in Baghdad by the Bay (in order of increasing likelihood of food-related orgasm).

Level III

• The food and service were fantastic in this dining room, located on the third floor of the J.W. Marriott at Post St. and Mason St. in downtown San Francisco. The decor may be a bit too corporate to make it a romantic or “big night” destination dining spot, but it’s a terrific option for dinner after work or for some energy for before or after a shopping binge.

E&O Trading Company

• Also on Sutter St. (near Grant St.) E&O Trading Company, a Southeast Asian Grill, has been around for a while but re-invented itself with the arrival of its latest chef, who introduced the new “lunch break” option, incredibly tasty and inexpensively priced options that have proven to be wildly successful with the business and shopping crowds at lunch.

Marlowe

• This market-driven neighborhood bistro is located at 330 Townsend, deep in the once-scary, now super-cool SoMA (south of Market) district. Characterized by an eclectic offering of snacks, appetizers, sides, and mains and affordable and interesting wines, Marlowe recently featured a divine Jerusalem artichoke soup (with whipped creme fraiche), a garlic-y dish of roasted pistachios, and a warm open-faced deviled egg sandwich.

Starbelly

• Serving brunch, lunch, and dinner just off Market in the still super gay-popular Castro district Starbelly has been wowing fans for over a year with inexpensive, farm-to-table cuisine. Dine in the patio year round. Enjoy snacks (like three Starbelly salumi for $14), small plates (including the mouth-watering pan seared day boat scallops also $14) or if you’re feeling peckish (or want to share) a pizza (the fall squash and sage pie is delish and cheap at only $13).

Baker & Banker

• Save up one evening to enjoy a to-die-for meal at this eponymous restaurant. (The chef is actually Mr. Jeff Banker and his wife, the pasty chef is Lori Baker.) The restaurant serves upscale dishes and a great wine list at affordable prices in a relaxed yet chic setting, with terrific service. It’s one of those places that’s less known than the big name-dining spots but beloved by in-the-know locals.

For lots more great dining, as well as clubs, bars, hotels and much more in San Francisco, download our Out guide.