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There’s a 50-Year-Old Ashram in the Heart of SF’s Mission

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There’s a 50-Year-Old Ashram in the Heart of SF’s Mission


Among the stately Victorians and Chinese elms lining Folsom Street in San Francisco’s Mission District, there’s one house that stands out—but only if you know what to look for. 

With a sign in Sanskrit out front and bright orange curtains visible on the second floor, the legacy of a renowned guru animates 2872 Folsom, one of a few remaining ashrams (or places for religious retreat) in a city that has embraced Hindu spirituality for more than half a century. 

Part of what makes the Yoga Society of San Francisco so unusual is that it’s a deeply spiritual refuge in the middle of a bustling neighborhood better known for dive bars and taquerias. 

The exteriors of a Victorian era homes along a citystreet.
The Yoga Society of San Francisco purchased this three-story Victorian home on Folsom Street in 1973. | Source: Gina Castro/The Standard

When Mahendra Agarwal first came to the ashram in 1998 in search of a place to meditate, he stepped inside the Cosmic Templum—the meditation room where Vedic fire ceremonies happen daily—on the ground level of the expansive property. He was blown away. 

“It was magical,” he said. “It’s in the heart of the city—and yet I feel like I am in India.” 

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The Yoga Society of San Francisco first set up shop in a rented two-story building in Potrero Hill in 1972 as a center for yoga, meditation and Sanskrit study. Quickly outgrowing the space, ashram member Alan Klonsky employed the services of Herth Realty in the Castro to locate the group’s forever home—a Queen Anne Victorian on a double lot with a carriage house, 12-foot ceilings, stained glass and pocket doors made of redwood. 

The Yoga Society bought the circa-1900 home for $40,000 in 1973. Shabby yet spacious, dark yet grand, it was exactly what the group was looking for—and now the organization is celebrating 50 years in the space. 

“It filled in all the blanks,” Klonsky wrote. “Answered positively all the questions.” 

A person walks by a wall of yogis and spiritual advisors.A person walks by a wall of yogis and spiritual advisors.
Kiranavali Devi, president of the board of directors at the Yoga Society of San Francisco, looks at pictures of spiritual leaders who have died. | Source: Gina Castro/The Standard

The Cosmic Templum 

The heart of the Yoga Society of San Francisco is its meditation temple, and the heart of the meditation temple is the fire pit. In a Hindu ritual that’s more than 4,000 years old, cow dung is set on fire and ghee is poured onto the flames as Sanskrit chanting ripples through the air. Fire can illuminate—and it can also destroy. 

The temple is decorated with a mosaic floor featuring the 12 astrological signs and covered by a roof containing 12 spokes echoing the zodiac theme. The ceiling is painted with multi-colored swirls, shapes that are a cross between flames and the lotus flower. 

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An altar on one side of the temple has images of ashram founder Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati—and also Hindu deities, Jesus, Buddha and the Virgin of Guadalupe. Attendees remove their shoes to enter the room, where they sit on cushions for the Vedic fire ceremony, which includes 10 minutes of chanting and 20 minutes of silent meditation. At the end, the fire leader doles out prasad—an offering of seeds and dried fruit—from a large glass jar with a metal spoon. 

Before the building of the meditation room, Shanta Bulkin was sitting at one of the ashram’s programs in the 1970s when Sarasvati—the guru of the Yoga Society of San Francisco—came up to the young disciple with an odd declaration. Sarasvati told the 23-year-old, who had no construction experience, that he would build the ashram’s temple.

“I thought he was talking to someone behind me,” Bulkin said. 

A man with white hair and a blue vest sits in a booth with reindeer and snowflakes behind him.A man with white hair and a blue vest sits in a booth with reindeer and snowflakes behind him.
Shanta Bulkin built the Cosmic Templum, or meditation room, at the Yoga Society of San Francisco despite having no previous construction experience. He went on to found the East West Sanskrit Institute. | Source: Julie Zigoris/The Standard

The arrangement appeared even stranger since a top-caliber professional architect, John Hornyak, was already on the job. Hornyak had designed 4 Embarcadero Center with the John Portman Company. Even though Hornyak was upset about the new arrangement—he wanted a break from corporate buildings—he took Bulkin under his wing. The experienced builder met with the young spiritual seeker once a week at Hornyak’s tall office tower to teach him about construction. 

Hornyak, in his early 50s, wore a suit and tie every day and was immaculately coiffed. Bulkin was a suicidal 23-year-old with long wiry hair, dressed in what appeared to be pajamas. 

“The contrast between us was striking,” Bulkin said. 

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Despite his total lack of experience, Bulkin fell in love with the trade—Sarasvati had ended up directing him onto his life’s path. Within 30 years, Bulkin had 30 full-time employees as the head of his own construction company, Shanta Design | Build. 

“He knew you as soon as he saw you,” Bulkin said of Sarasvati. “He knew you before he saw you.”

A detail of photo of Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati with beads hanging off the topA detail of photo of Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati with beads hanging off the top
A photo of Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati, also known as Ramamurti S. Mishra, M.D., stands in the Sanskrit room at the Yoga Society of San Francisco. | Source: Gina Castro/The Standard

The spiritual leader could also be demanding. When the residents of the ashram painstakingly painted the flame-lotus designs on the boards for the Cosmic Templum’s ceiling, the guru made them take them down when he saw they hadn’t included the black stripe he wanted in the multi-colored design. 

“He was very particular about what he wanted,” Bulkin said. “And he thought we should not be afraid of darkness.” 

Challenges and Miracles   

Mahendra Agarwal returned to the ashram in 2012 after a 14-year gap, newly divorced and broken-hearted. The Yoga Society welcomed him with open arms, and he knew he had come back to his spiritual home. He teaches breathwork and raw food workshops at the ashram as part of the ongoing schedule of meditation and yoga classes, all of which are open to the public and many of which are donation-based and available online. 

A man sitting in a yoga pose with a guitar and Sanskrit in the background.A man sitting in a yoga pose with a guitar and Sanskrit in the background.
Mahendra Agarwal, also known as Briksha, meditates at the Yoga Society of San Francisco. Agarwal is the residential manager at the site and teaches breathing classes. | Source: Gina Castro/The Standard

Agarwal, who is more commonly known by his nickname Briksha, also serves as the residential manager of the ashram. He loves the position because he gets to live above the temple and meet people from all walks of life. Seven residents live at the ashram, representing a range of backgrounds, from the well-off to the struggling, from Gen Z to Baby Boomer. 

One of those seven people is Vishnu Das. He has a long white beard, warm eyes and lots to say about yoga philosophy—including how early gurus were breaking ranks by sharing the secretive, quasi-magical powers of yoga and meditation with the masses. 

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For decades, Das has come to the ashram for periodic stays from the Sierras, and he’s eager to talk about human suffering, modern pscyhology and the path to enlightenment. 

“Vedanta melts everything,” he said, speaking of the lineage represented at the ashram. “It’s beyond all knowledge.” 

Down the hall from Das is a young Facebook employee who has been living at the ashram for nearly three months. Abhishek Pandit appreciates the serenity of the environment and said it’s particularly conducive to creative endeavors, like the musical he’s writing about the connection between technology and climate change.  

“It’s a great contrast to my work at Facebook,” he said. “But you still get to live in a city.”

Three people sit arond a fire ceremony in the center of a room with Hindu gods and goddesses on the wall.Three people sit arond a fire ceremony in the center of a room with Hindu gods and goddesses on the wall.
Abhishek Pandit, left, and Vishnu Das, center, residents of the Yoga Society of San Francisco, participate in the fire ceremony in the cosmic temple at the Brahmananda Ashram. | Source: Gina Castro/The Standard

Yet alongside the joys are the challenges of communal living. 

“They haven’t even graduated from the primary school of life,” Agarwal said of some of the ashram’s residents, noting that he often has to teach people how to wash dishes. 

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Another struggle is the economic situation. The all-volunteer board directing the ashram operates on a shoestring budget. Taking in some meager funds from donations and the residents who pay only $1,000 a month to live there—which includes room, board and all programs—the ashram has to fundraise to cover major expenses, like painting the large expanse of the house. 

“It’s a miracle,” said Kiranavali Devi, president of the board of directors of the Yoga Society of San Francisco, when asked how they are able to keep the bills paid at such a palatial property. 

Part of what has kept the ashram alive over all those years—and perhaps contributed to the wonder of sustaining it—is the ongoing presence of the alleged miracle healer who founded it, Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati. 

A person seats in a school chair with a black board and poster boards in the background.A person seats in a school chair with a black board and poster boards in the background.
Kiranavali Devi, president of the board of directors at the Yoga Society of San Francisco, poses for a portrait in the Sanskrit room of the Brahmananda Ashram on Thursday. | Source: Gina Castro/The Standard

Sarasvati died in 1993 and acted as a spiritual guide until the very end. He was leading a program about the section of the Bhagavad Gita that deals with how the enlightened yogi leaves his body on his last night. The session ran long. 

“But he finished the chapter,” Devi said. “And then he finished that other chapter.” 

Devi first encountered Sarasvati in New York City. She was living at Columbus Avenue and 75th Street, and her future guru was giving a talk just three blocks away. 

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“When I saw him, I had this feeling I knew him, this kind of recognition,” Devi said. “Almost like that feeling when you fall in love.” 

Sarasvati fits the mold of a guru: He hailed from North India, he wore all orange, he had a deep dedication to meditation, chanting and yoga. But he also broke expectations. He was a trained medical professional and a Sanskrit scholar who adored books. He had a sense of humor that balanced out his temper. He also adored Christmas. 

“We still put a tree on the altar for him,” Devi said. “He loved all the twinkly lights.” 

Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati is seen at two points in his life: giving teachings about the philosophical aspects of spiritual chantings and leading the chants themselves. | Source: Courtesy Subbudh Parekh/The Yoga Society of San Francisco

Before he took the Sanskrit name Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati, the Yoga Society’s guru was known as Doctor Ramamurti S. Mishra, a surgeon and professor of medicine in Bombay. 

Sarasvati came to the U.S. to teach at medical centers—including New York University’s Bellevue Hospital—and led meditation classes that grew in popularity, spurring him to found the Ananda Ashram that still exists in upstate New York.

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A black and white photograph of a group of people standing on stops with a sign that reads "Yoga Society of San Francisco" behind them.A black and white photograph of a group of people standing on stops with a sign that reads "Yoga Society of San Francisco" behind them.
A group of disciples stands in front of the Yoga Society of San Francisco at 2872 Folsom St. | Source: Courtesy Yoga Society of San Francisco

“It’s very typical for these gurus to become doctors or scientists,” said Daniel Stuart, associate professor of religious studies at the University of South Carolina. “Pairing with the traditional to justify the validity of the spiritual.” 

Around the ashram people don’t call the spiritual leader Dr. Mishra or even the Sanskrit Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati—they say “Guruji.” In Hindi, the -ji suffix is an honorific that bestows another level of adoration to the word “guru.” 

A man in orange walks in front of steps with five people in orange following behind him.A man in orange walks in front of steps with five people in orange following behind him.
Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati leads a group of disciples out of the Yoga Society of San Francisco on Folsom Street. | Source: Courtesy Yoga Society of San Francisco

Many say that Guruji’s presence is so powerful, his energy so magnetic, that you can still feel his presence in the ashram. The second floor of the house has a room dedicated to him. There’s an altar with Sarasvati’s photograph and the hat and shoes he wore. The many books he wrote are collected on a shelf and a nearby bed. Orange curtains hang from the window and make the whole room glow with a warmth that looks alive—in here, with the door closed, you can almost feel Guruji sitting on the meditation cushion next to you. 

“This is not just a yoga studio,” Devi said. “This is the ashram of a great guru—he is cosmic.” 



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San Francisco, CA

First Alert Weather Friday night forecast 6-28-24

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First Alert Weather Friday night forecast 6-28-24


First Alert Weather Friday night forecast 6-28-24 – CBS San Francisco

Watch CBS News


Chief meteorologist Paul Heggen has the Pride Weekend forecast.

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SF Giants to hold celebration of life for Willie Mays on July 8

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SF Giants to hold celebration of life for Willie Mays on July 8


SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — The Giants are inviting all fans and friends of the late, great Willie Mays to a public celebration of life.

It will be held on Monday, July 8 at 4 p.m. at Oracle Park.

Admission is free and no registration is required.

Fans pay tribute to Willie Mays at San Francisco’s Oracle Park

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Fans will enter through the Willie Mays Plaza gates on 3rd and King.

The Giants legend died on June 18 at the age of 93.

Copyright © 2024 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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Pride and More – San Francisco Bay Times

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Pride and More – San Francisco Bay Times


By David Landis, The Gay Gourmet–

First off, it’s great to be back writing this column, with a new bionic knee, no less. Thanks to all the loyal readers who have sent notes of concern and support. The good news is that I’m back in the saddle, doing great, and well on the way to recovery.

Now, to the matter at hand! There’s a lot of talk about Pride this month. But what does Pride really mean? I’m of the opinion, in the spirit of Harvey Milk (who said everyone should come out), that Pride means showing up.

Showing up can express itself in a thousand ways. For me, I’m proud that during my short time on this planet, I’ve: held the hands of dear friends who were dying of AIDS, while I was still in my twenties; been the first to dance at my employer (KPIX TV)’s holiday party in the 1980s with my boyfriend (now husband); delivered thousands of meals over 11 years to people with terminal diseases through Project Open Hand; helped start television’s first AIDS education series on national TV, inviting Elizabeth Taylor to get involved in the cause for the first time (and winning a Peabody award); boldly celebrated my 10th anniversary with my husband in a redneck town in Montana where everyone sang to us in front of the locals; helped a popular on-air anchor come out when you didn’t know if you’d lose your job; joined the throngs of newlyweds at City Hall to get married when Gavin Newsom made same-sex marriage legal; supported ZATA, an organization that helps people with AIDS in Zimbabwe; purposely called my partner “husband” (even though sometimes he cringes), especially in front of those who might call us something else; honored our local and out-of-town drag performers by turning up at just about any drag show I could possibly attend; brought thousands of out-of-towners and locals to AsiaSF to help expose them to what transgender means; gathered openly at that great bar, 440 Castro, with my gay brothers, sisters, and others, to watch the passing parade on Castro Street; and started this column, proudly calling myself “The Gay Gourmet.”

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But, like many of you, I’ve only just begun. There is so much more to do. With each day that passes, I fear that, unless we continue the fight, we will lose all the rights and privileges we’ve gained during our lifetimes.

Back to the point. I guess Pride means doing whatever you can do to help celebrate our community in whatever way you can. To that end, I’m proud that our diverse and celebrated restaurant community has joined the month-long observance. Here are just a few ways that they—and you—can continue to exhibit Pride.

Sizzle, San Francisco’s Dinner Drag Show to Kickoff SF Pride Weekend: One Market Restaurant and famed SF Drag Queen Bobby Friday present SIZZLE: San Francisco’s only dinner drag show to kickoff SF Pride Weekend 2024 on Thursday, June 27. Experience eye-popping performances paired with an indulgent 4-course dinner from Chef Mark Dommen, for an unforgettable evening of glamour and entertainment. The dinner is a benefit for LYRIC—a San Francisco LGBTQ+ youth organization. 

The Al Hirschfeld Foundation celebrates Pride Month with its latest online exhibition, Hirschfeld’s Drag Show, now live through August 15. The special guest curator for the exhibition is Tony-nominated playwright, actor, director, novelist, and drag legend, Charles Busch. The new exhibition celebrates some of the greatest drag performances of stage and screen, as seen through the eyes of legendary artist Al Hirschfeld. Charles Busch offers his commentary on Hirschfeld art depicting scenes from Broadway and Off-Broadway theater, and film, including Hairspray, Some Like It Hot, Victor/Victoria, Charlie’s Aunt, Tootsie, and Peter Pan, and artists including Julie Andrews, Mary Martin, Harvey Fierstein, Charles Ludlam, José Ferrer, Katharine Hepburn, Raquel Welch, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Dustin Hoffman, BD Wong, Tony Roberts, Robert Morse, and more.

The Madrigal features 3 Pride cocktails inspired by the Beacon of Light, San Francisco’s rainbow light installation that beams with equality and community. These include: Clone Canyon, with gin, pineapple, hibiscus shrub, lime, cilantro, firewater, grapefruit soda, and a pink glowing ice cube; The Ensemble, with Ketel One vodka, pea flower, vanilla, lime, egg white, and club soda; and Mayclem’s Whey, with light rum, Zacapa 23, lemon, orange, pineapple, coriander, cinnamon, green tea, and milk whey.

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San Francisco Pride month is in full swing at the Ferry Building. Indulge in Humphry Slocombe’s “Make It Gay” sundae, featuring two scoops of Tahitian vanilla ice cream, house-made pink marshmallow fluff, and Fruit Loops. Savor Acme Bread Company’s “Rainbow Sandwich” all month long with roasted eggplant, house-made romesco, basil, and spicy giardiniera on its Pizza Bianca.

Early To Rise is offering a special “Glitter Doughnut” during the month.

Alora on the Embarcadero is donating proceeds to LYRIC from the sales of its Pride cocktail, “Rosé All Day” and its Pride dessert, “Farmers’ Market Berries.”

Above It All Pride Parade Viewing Party: Join Charmaine’s at The San Francisco Proper Hotel on Sunday, June 30, for a fabulous day filled with celebration, music, and fun. Get ready to watch the vibrant Pride Parade from a prime rooftop spot on Market Street, while enjoying crafted cocktails and delicious bites.

On June 30, The Phoenix Hotel’s iconic Mighty Real Pride Sunday is one of the hottest and most sought-after celebrations in the city. Back this year for another day party by the pool, the event features popping DJ artists, flowing drinks, and Pride vibes galore. Artists include David Harness, Evelyn “Champagne” King, and Tedd Patterson. This event will sell out, so it is highly encouraged to snag a ticket while you can. 

Barrio in Ghirardelli Square is celebrating Pride month with a special “Rainbow Margarita,” where a portion of proceeds are donated to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. This upgraded signature margarita features a blend of blue curaçao, cherry, and pineapple juice.

The new Beacon Grand Hotel at Union Square (formerly the Sir Francis Drake Hotel) unveiled a 3,000-square-foot Pride flag down the side of its building in celebration of Pride month. Throughout the month, the historic property will offer a special room package and cocktail in support of SF Pride. Available at the hotel’s bar and restaurant, The Post Room, the “Simply Complicated” cocktail will be served with an oversized Pride cookie from local gay-owned Hot Cookie, and a portion of proceeds will directly support SF Pride. Inspired by a chocolate-dipped strawberry, the “Simply
Complicated” cocktail is made with Pasote Tequila, spiced agave, fresh strawberry purée, and basil.

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Starlite, the rooftop bar at the Beacon Grand Hotel, is also honoring LGBTQ+ Pride. Through the end of June, Starlite will be offering the “Little Red Dress,” a delicate cocktail of vodka, blood orange, Meyer lemon, and sparkling wine shaken and served in a coupetini glass with a touch of sparkle. 25% of each cocktail will be donated to Rainbow Honor Walk, the walk of fame installation in the Castro that honors notable LGBTQ+ individuals from around the world who left a lasting mark on society.

The Downtown SF Partnership is producing the return of Drag Me Downtown, a weekly series of pop-up drag performances featuring some of the biggest names in San Francisco drag, every Thursday in June. Performers at this year’s event include Afrika America, Oliver Branch, Tito Soto, Amoura Teese, Tyson Check-in, Kipper Snacks, Mahlae Balenciaga, and Carnie Asada. There will also be two Queer History Bus Tours and a sing-along before the final Drag Me Downtown performance on June 27 from 1–2:30 pm and 3:30–5 pm. Legendary drag queen Sister Roma of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will lead the tour and show attendees the hidden LGBTQ+ past of downtown San Francisco while cruising past lesser-known queer landmarks and singing along to classic pride anthems before the final drag show in the series. 

In honor of Pride month, Gentleman Farmer Wines has created a Pride-themed 2021 Red Blend (mostly Merlot) and is donating 5% of the proceeds of the wine to the It Gets Better Project and 5% to LGBTQ Connection.

Ginger’s, San Francisco’s only Financial District LGBTQ+ bar, is reopening June 28, just in time for Pride. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, “Ginger’s will reopen in its home since 2017 at 86 Hardie Place. An opening celebration will include a blessing from the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence drag group and a party hosted by Bay Area drag performers Miss Shugana and Madd-Dogg, with special guests Kylie Minono, MGM Grande, Laundra Tyme, and Helixir Jynder Byntwell.” 

Kokak Chocolates: This queer-owned Castro chocolatier is offering several Pride specials, including: the Kokak Pride Combo: “Love is chocolate” organic t-shirt and the “Kokak Pride 2024 chocolate collection” (customers can use the code SFBAY15 at checkout to enjoy a discount for the combo). In addition, Kokak has a special Castro Pride chocolate collection with artisanal Pride designs for sale. 

Bouchon Bakery, Yountville: Celebrate Pride with Bouchon Bakery’s “Rainbow Cake.” This deliciousness is six layers of almond cake, filled with alternating apricot and raspberry jams, and topped with a dark chocolate glaze and shimmering luster dust. Slices are available for the month of June. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Hetrick Martin Institute to support LGBTQ+ youth.

Pride lasts all month long at St. Helena’s Clif Family Winery. Enjoy a “Rainbow Sprinkle Sugar Cookie” from the Clif Family Bruschetteria Food Truck, where 100% of the proceeds from every cookie sold through June will be donated to LGBTQ Connection Napa. This organization is an initiative fueled by youth and other emerging leadership, and it fosters a healthier, more vibrantly diverse, and inclusive community in Napa and Sonoma counties.

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Be Bubbly in Napa features its “Blush and Bubbly” dinner/drag show on June 28. Ava Lashay returns for an encore drag performance and brings her best Pride show to be bubbly. Colorful attire is encouraged.

The New Bar, San Francisco’s new nonalcoholic bar in the Marina, is popping up to support The Phoenix & The Castro Club for their “Sober Pride Party” at Hotel Yotel during the Pride Parade on June 30.

It’s not during June, but Opera Parallèle, in collaboration with The Transgender District, will help launch the first-ever statewide Transgender History Month in August with the third edition of Expansive, an enthusiastic showcase of transgender and nonbinary classical artists in two performances at 7.30 pm on Thursday, August 8, and Friday, August 9, at A.C.T.’s intimate Strand Theater.

Following Pride, Out in the Vineyard’s “Gay Wine Weekend” takes place this year at the Vintner’s Resort in Santa Rosa July 19–21. The weekend-long event is centered on LGBTQ+ community building while enjoying delicious food + wine, and benefits the local HIV/AIDS charity Face to Face.

This June, the Palace Hotel, A Luxury Collection Hotel in the heart of San Francisco, has planned several Pride events, including: a colorful Pride-themed afternoon tea with rainbow pastries, which benefits the SF LGBT Center; and a Pride hotel package in hotel rooms with guaranteed views of the June 30 SF Pride Parade. Guests who book this limited-time package will also receive a bottle of wine from VOON, a San Francisco based, LGBT-owned wine label focusing on low-intervention, small-production wines and a whimsical aesthetic. The package is valid for stays from June 28–30, using booking code: LVU.

Pomella in Oakland is once again offering its yearly tradition of house-made Pride Rainbow Cookies. 

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They’re only $8 for a four-pack, you can order online—and oh, they’re so yummy! 

Summer Bar & Lounge in Oakland hosts a “Know Your Status” party beginning at 9 pm on June 29. In partnership with Sutter Health, they’re offering free HIV testing and same day Prep, all with free cover.

Launched in 2021, Suncliffe is a botanical gin company founded by business and life partners Ryan Lawrence and Thomas Giddings, in partnership with their Brooklyn-based friend, Clare Byrne. Together, the creative trio have crafted an aromatic gin that utilizes three local junipers, foraged in the high desert of Sedona. Suncliffe’s “Arizona Botanical” signature gin is perfect for mixing or sipping. 10% of Suncliffe sales during June—from online, retail, and restaurant accounts—will go to the ACLU’s LGBTQ rights initiative.

The Academy SF is hosting a “Pretty in Pink” garden party on June 29. According to the social club, guests can “step into a kaleidoscope of love and liberation while indulging in signature cocktails, uplifting beats, and dazzling go-go’s, all amidst a lush garden backdrop. Embrace your own shade of pink, and let your true colors shine as we come together.”

Throughout June, restaurant recommendation site The Infatuation will be partnering with LGBTQ+ and ally bakeries in San Francisco and elsewhere to make one-of-a-kind treats to celebrate Pride. The Infatuation will grant the Queer Food Foundation (QFF) a donation of $50,000 as a part of this campaign. QFF is a collective of queer individuals who work at all intersections of the food system—from food justice, culinary to community organizing, media, hospitality, and more. San Francisco bakeries (all queer-owned or outspoken allies!) selling a bake sale-exclusive Pride-themed treat include: Kokak Chocolates, Chadwick’s, and Dynamo Donut and Coffee.

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Nob Hill’s The Summer Place is featuring several Pride-themed cocktails during June. The special drinks include the San Francisco, a frozen drink with Astral tequila, hibiscus, cucumber, rose water, and sparkling rosé; the Key West, with Tito’s vodka, elderflower, dolin blanc, citrus, sparkling wine, and mint; and the Provincetown, with Botanist gin, creme de violet, citrus, and maraschino liqueur. All drinks are created to represent three proud cities, which have a large presence that supports the LGBTQ+ community.

And finally, 13-time World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani has teamed up with long-time San Francisco drag queen (and my fellow San Francisco Bay Times columnist) Donna Sachet to create limited-edition Rainbow Bagels to celebrate Pride month. Baked daily, the technicolored bagels will be available at Tony’s Dago Bagel in North Beach and for delivery via DoorDash Thursday through Sunday throughout the month of June. Bagels are plain or patrons can order it “Sachet Style,” which comes toasted and topped with sweet confetti cream cheese. All proceeds from the bagels will benefit the Rainbow Honor Walk, which is supported by Donna.

One Market Restaurant:
https://onemarket.com/
The Al Hirschfeld Foundation:
https://bit.ly/3zshiA7
The Madrigal:
https://www.themadrigalsf.com/
The Ferry Building, San Francisco:
https://bit.ly/3XG3mgg
Humphry Slocombe:
https://humphryslocombe.com/
Acme Bread Company:
https://acmebread.com/
Early To Rise:
https://www.earlytorisesf.com/
Alora:
https://visitalora.com/
Charmaine’s:
https://tinyurl.com/yuhwaejm
The Phoenix Hotel:
https://bit.ly/4cBwNEd
Barrio:
https://www.barriosf.com/
The Beacon Grand Hotel:
https://www.beacongrand.com/
Drag Me Downtown:
https://bit.ly/4eGmj8k
Gentleman Farmer Wines:
https://gentlemanfarmerwines.com/
Ginger’s:
https://www.gingers.bar/
Kokak Chocolates:
https://www.kokakchocolates.com/
Bouchon Bakery:
https://bit.ly/3RIVfvt
Clif Family Winery:
https://www.cliffamily.com/
Be Bubbly:
https://www.bebubblynapa.com/
The New Bar:
https://thenewbar.com/
Opera Parallele:
https://operaparallele.org/
Out in the Vineyard, Gay Wine Weekend:
https://tinyurl.com/3dhcmc8z
The Palace Hotel:
https://tinyurl.com/2xmvw8tn
Pomella:
https://www.pomellaoakland.com/
Summer Bar & Lounge:
https://www.thebarsummer.com/
Starlite:
https://tinyurl.com/w7w2vhjv
Suncliffe Gin:
https://www.suncliffegin.com/
The Academy San Francisco:
https://www.academy-sf.com/
The Infatuation:
https://bit.ly/4eDovgY
The Summer Place:
https://thesummerplacesf.com/
Dago Bagel:
https://dagobagel.com/
440 Castro:
http://www.the440.com/

David Landis, aka “The Gay Gourmet,” is a foodie, a freelance writer, and a retired PR maven. Follow him on Instagram @GayGourmetSF or email him at: davidlandissf@gmail.com Or visit him online at: www.gaygourmetsf.com

The Gay Gourmet
Published on June 27, 2024

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