Sun day, sun day, sun day!

July 21, 2008 12:12 PM

San Francisco Sunday Brunch?

contraption and I are coming to town for a wedding this Saturday, and have Sunday for meeting up! But we'll have to start the drive home by 6pm, so I thought perhaps a little brunch would be fun. Or maybe a lunch picnic?

posted by Ambrosia Voyeur to MetaFilter gatherings at 12:12 PM (34 comments total)

I like the picnic idea, but the weather here has turned to classic SF themes. Chilly, windy, with banks of moist fog rolling through.

Which is to say it's about damn time. Any more of that scorching sunlight and I was going to turn into a pillar of elemental ash.
posted by loquacious at 12:26 PM on July 21, 2008

Yeah, I'm actually pretty nuts to be even thinking about more sun, huh?
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 12:31 PM on July 21, 2008

Sunday, Jul 27
High: 73 °F RealFeel®: 69 °F
Plenty of sunshine, breezy and pleasant

*raises eyebrow*
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 12:34 PM on July 21, 2008

That forecast is on crack. It's currently 57. Yeah, it might get sunny by Sunday. No, it's probably not going to rain, but it was sprinkling/drizzling from the fog this morning. But if you wanted to picnic in a park that wasn't jam packed with people, that leaves us parts of Golden Gate, Merced Lake/Ocean Beach or the top of Twin Peaks or Bernal Heights.

The top of Twin Peaks and Bernal Heights is awesome - but almost aways windy, usually foggy and less "park" and more "undeveloped grassy hillsides". The beach is also usually windy, plus possible fog. Golden Gate is foggy/windy often too, but more sheltered, with microclimates within microclimates.

I'm not personally complaining. I'm mostly just warning you to bring a jacket like you never do. :)

And I'm currently going crazy looking for my favorite tiny little meadow in GGP on google maps, without much luck.
posted by loquacious at 12:48 PM on July 21, 2008

Ooo, I just remembered a totally insane picnic spot. The wave organ. It has incredible views, and the stones and such make it like a scene out of Myst.
posted by loquacious at 12:51 PM on July 21, 2008

Agree that the forecast is on crack, especially almost a week out.

If it's a picnic meetup, maybe Dolores Park? It's likelier to be warmer and sunnier there than anywhere in the western part of the city. Though it still might be cool and cloudy.
posted by rtha at 1:25 PM on July 21, 2008

I don't mind Dolores Park - it's close by, too, but it just seems like it's often excessively crowded on weekends. But it tends to be warmer. But that (and the fact that it's right between Castro/Mission/Bernal) tends to make it more crowded. Whatever!

(I like less crowded because it's quieter, more private and more conducive to sharing a bottle of wine or whatever without getting harrassed by the fuzz - but in Dolores you're sometimes less likely to be harrassed just because there's fifty other groups doing the same thing.)

The view from the top of the Bernal Heights peak is one of the best in the city, IMO, and if it's not too windy or cold, but it might not be conducive to an elegant picnic. You can barely eat a burrito up there without having it blow away.
posted by loquacious at 2:20 PM on July 21, 2008

Oooh, a picnic! Sounds great! Is anything on at Stern Grove this Sunday? That would be a picnic + music meetup, which might be fun. The grove is in the fog belt but the trees and topography tend to shelter it from the wind somewhat.

Somebody ping aubilenon - we need to make sure he shows up with some more of his excellent homemade treats!
posted by Quietgal at 3:57 PM on July 21, 2008

Know what? That sounds great. Plus it's one of my last weekends here before I'm LA-bound so it'd be nice to see everyone! :)
posted by miss lynnster at 5:36 PM on July 21, 2008

I've never been to Stern Grove. From the look of it, there's a lot of room for freestyle bocce, and trees too? That seems like two big positives. Add in Sambada and other Latin Rockers in the amphitheatre, and that's a pretty attractive option. Your thoughts, locals?
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 10:55 PM on July 21, 2008

I was just going to look up the schedule for Stern Grove, but our hostess beat me to it. Latin rock sounds like fun - I'd be up for a picnic and concert!

Based on past experience, I think we should get there pretty early and stake out some space on the grass. I haven't been there in a few years, but assuming it hasn't changed much, the best spots are on the flat part of the lawn and there aren't really any chairs or tables. If you get there late you have to sit on the hillside among the trees, which is OK for watching the concert but not great for picnicking (stuff rolls downhill) or socializing. I don't know about space for bocce.

The sun often comes out around midday; even if the fog doesn't burn off completely it usually thins out and it can be nicely warm in the grove where you're sheltered from the wind. Just dress in layers and you'll be fine. Bring sunscreen too.
posted by Quietgal at 7:38 AM on July 22, 2008

I think this sounds great. I'm hoping we can roam around a little, since I read that

"Stern Grove consists of several "mini-parks," including the Concert Meadow, the West Meadow, and Pine Lake Park. The grove's Pine Lake is one of two natural lakes in the city of San Francisco"

and if it gets really crowded and loud, being able to get up and walk somewhere else, shadier, more private, more conducive to freestyle obstacle bocce! is nice.

So! Potluckish type picnic in Stern Grove, this Sunday, July 26. I think I'll attempt to show up at about noon. The music starts at 2. I has iPhone, so if you don't have my number already and can't locate me visually (the hair is part pink again), email or memail, anytime.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 11:33 AM on July 22, 2008

Okay, I failed at Francisco and it's Sunday the 27th!!! Please forgive my continually bad habit of looking at calendars with MTWThFSS eyes on.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 11:36 AM on July 22, 2008

Hey. This sounds nice. Plus I haven't seen any of you in ages. I'll be there.
posted by tangerine at 11:40 AM on July 22, 2008

Are dogs welcome or no?
posted by miss lynnster at 12:20 PM on July 22, 2008

There's an off leash area, and apparently dogs on leash are allowed in all SF city parks.

You have a dog? Zoe? I thought Zoe was a specimen of the rare Beldovian Longhaired Scampercarrot!
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 2:20 PM on July 22, 2008

They won't let dogs into the concert area at Stern Grove, but the rest of the park is cool.
posted by tangerine at 3:35 PM on July 22, 2008

I probably should leave her home amidst the boxes...

She is a bit of a scampercarrot. But of the Shorthaired Viennese (aka Wiener) variety. :)
posted by miss lynnster at 4:08 PM on July 22, 2008

I might show up, now that I live up here. :)
posted by mayfly wake at 11:53 AM on July 26, 2008

Please do, mayfly wake! It's always nice to meet a newly local MeFite.
posted by Quietgal at 2:19 PM on July 26, 2008

Is alcohol permitted in Stern Grove? Yes.

Well then, I guess I'd better bring some.
posted by ryanrs at 5:13 AM on July 27, 2008

So are we tentatively meeting at the Pine Lake area of the park first? (never been there and don't know how big it is)
posted by iamkimiam at 8:24 AM on July 27, 2008

Oh, and Twitter is a great way to find people in a crowd, I am "iamkimiam" (how redundant) and Ambrosia's twitter handle is AmbrosiaVoyeur as well.
posted by iamkimiam at 9:12 AM on July 27, 2008

I'm not sure if I'll be there but I'll try. I'm twitter-free, though... so I'm worried about finding the group if I do show up.
posted by miss lynnster at 9:36 AM on July 27, 2008

My twitter is predictably mayflywake.

I am coming with other friends as well so I might flutter back and forth.
posted by mayfly wake at 10:52 AM on July 27, 2008

I'll be in the concert area, staking out some turf on the lawn. Look for a small gal with dark hair and a teal backpack sitting on a striped picnic blanket. I'll have a sign that says "MeFi" but it's kinda small, so look for the blanket, I guess. It's got light green and yellow and white stripes and a fringe at the ends. I expect to get there around noon (Muni willing) and I'll be on the lookout for you guys!

I also don't have twitter, being something of a dinosaur, so I'll rely on visual target acquisition. If there's absolutely no room on the flat lawn to cram in our group, I'll be on the hillside in the trees.
posted by Quietgal at 10:59 AM on July 27, 2008

I have prior commitments in the afternoon, but if anyone would like to join me in seeing Erase Errata at Million Fishes tonight (5pm) get in touch.
posted by whir at 12:24 PM on July 27, 2008

okay we've clustered near the Brazilian flag, directly in front of stage left and at about 20 feet elevation. The pink hair will do it.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 12:48 PM on July 27, 2008

Looks like I'm not making it. Possible buyer wants to look at my dad's truck. Have fun in my absence! :)
posted by miss lynnster at 12:57 PM on July 27, 2008

sweet. We are at your 4:00 and will be heading over soon. Rocking a blue metafilter shirt, natch.
posted by iamkimiam at 12:58 PM on July 27, 2008

kay, moving uphill and stage right. More space. iamkimiam's in a mefi shirt.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 1:05 PM on July 27, 2008

Where exactly? Argh.

I have various people's phone numbers somewhere in my possession, but as it turned out the only number actually on my phone was rtha's, and she couldn't make it.

If I'd been smart, I'd have asked rtha who else's phone number she had, but by the time I thought of that, I'd already eaten most of the cannellini bean stuff I brought (what's the name for it? It's like hummus, only you make it with cannellini beans and lots of rosemary and garlic) and was already back in the car heading down 280.
posted by tangerine at 6:01 PM on July 27, 2008

tange, I am SO SORRY I didn't call you... that would have fixed everything, huh? I'm spoilt by the internet-on-phone thing. Hope you had a good time regardless!?

A few pics added.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 11:18 AM on July 28, 2008

Photos up.
posted by iamkimiam at 3:56 PM on July 28, 2008