From there, we got into a discussion of whether San Francisco is a single-friendly city. At least we don’t have Disneyland, the land of little kids and disgustingly cuddly couples, so we have that going for ourselves. And with the abundance of varied activities in San Francisco, I’m sure that there are things to do for us single people. Right?
Why yes, there are. What I aim to accomplish with this column is to point out the places, events, and things that are worth troubling yourself with, in the midst of your crazy, studying-filled time here at UCSF. As a recent transplant myself, I can’t wait to further explore the city, and will happily pass along nuggets of information that I’ll stumble upon. Or, it’s a great excuse to go around town and get reimbursed for things and get paid to blab about my weekend. Just kidding.
To that end, a couple of weeks ago, a few of my single friends and I checked out a concert at Speedway Meadows in Golden Gate Park. Last time I was here, it was for another concert in the park, hosted by Alice 97.3, headlined by Lifehouse. Now, I know what you’re gonna say, and yes, I was surrounded by prepubescent Christian girls singing their hearts out while waving their hands in the air, but I didn’t care; Jason Wade can serenade me anytime, anyplace.
But in all seriousness, one of the things that San Francisco does best during the summer is the concerts at Golden Gate Park, and this one that we went to was no different. “Power to the Peaceful” is a “not-for-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the promotion of cultural co-existence, non-violence and environmental sustainability through the arts and music”, according to their website. Through music and art and activism, the organizers aim to highlight the similarities and celebrate the diversity of all of the world’s inhabitants.
The music lineup was quite impressive, enlisting the likes of Michael Franti and Spearhead, Ziggy Marley, and Warren Haynes, among others. There was also a DJ booth, spinning house and electronic music, as well as a Kids Zone, Morning Yoga, and“Taste of the World” food booths, with their eco-friendly ways of cooking.
While chowing down on some corn on the cobs sold by an organization promoting awareness of African violence, I realized how much I love outdoor festivals. The vibrant energy, the hustle and bustle contrasted with the peace and serenity, and the variety of people that it attracts always makes it an interesting afternoon. For example, there was a grandma selling marijuana brownies at a discount next to a young Vote-for-Obama fanatic and an anti-establishment middle-aged guy warning bystanders the peril s of trusting the government. My other favorites were the yoga people with their acrobatic balancing skills and this 6-year-old kid battling a twentysomething at break dancing, and let me tell you, little Ray Boyd (the little kid from Jerry McGuire) look-a-like showed up that poor guy. Will definitely be looking forward to next year’s show, though I guess what I’ll end up doing next year differently is to arrive earlier and to NOT drive. I got to the park around 1:50ish and I was not able to find parking until 3pm; I almost missed Ziggy’s set.
Maybe Mark Twain had it right with the weather, but I guess to his credit, he was probably way too busy self-deprecating to notice much of anything else.
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