Axios San Francisco

February 11, 2025
🌮 Plan on tacos for dinner. It's Tuesday.
🌤️ Today's weather: Mostly sunny. High near 60, low in the mid 40s.
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Today's newsletter is 925 words — a 3.5-minute read.
1 big thing: 💘 Last-minute Valentine's Day ideas
Valentine's Day is approaching fast and if you haven't made plans yet, we've got you covered.
Zoom in: Since the holiday falls on a Friday this year, romantic restaurant reservations can be expensive or hard to come by, but you can still treat your loved one to something special.
Here's a roundup of some last-minute ideas that won't break the bank.
🚣♂️ Take a boat ride in Stow Lake: Pedal or row across this charming little lake in Golden Gate Park. Rentals are first-come, first-served and start at $26. You can also bring your pup for a small fee. Open Friday and Saturday from 10am- 4:30pm at 50 Blue Heron Lake Dr.
🌅 Head to a view spot: San Francisco is spoiled by picturesque vantage points to take in the sights while maybe doing a little canoodling.
- Corona Heights Park has stunning views of the city skyline.
- Crissy Field near the Marina is the perfect place for a picnic with scenic views of the Golden Gate Bridge along the shore.
- Bernal Heights Park has panoramic views of downtown and the East Bay's hills.
🎵 Bathe yourself in sound: Forge an auditory connection with your partner with an evening sound bath at Haum in the Mission, complete with a restorative yoga session. Tickets start at $40. From 6:15- 7:30pm at 2973 16th St.
👾 Play games at an arcade bar: The city's many arcade bars are a great option for couples looking to have an evening packed with booze and playful competition. Our favorites include Emporium and The Detour.
🎭 See a sultry cabaret show: AfterDark by the pole athlete Pink Puma combines acrobatics, cabaret and burlesque for a steamy show certain to captivate you. Showtimes vary. Tickets start at $44. Located at the Great Star Theater at 636 Jackson St.
2. 💅 Now, for Galentine's Day
Treat yo' self! Galentine's Day, the better half of Valentine's Day, is on Feb. 13.
Why it matters: Inspired by the show "Parks and Recreation," Galentine's Day is a celebration of female friendships. It's a reminder that while a valentine may come and go, our closest girls are often the true loves of our lives.
- As the saying goes: Uteruses before duderuses. Ovaries before brovaries.
The latest: Here are some ways to celebrate in the Bay Area.
🍽️ Host a dinner party. Treat your ladies to a special, home-cooked meal, followed by an evening of board games, cult-favorite movies or trash talking your toxic ex.
💃 Dance it out. Attend a disco-pop dance party and drag show on Saturday commemorating your fellow gals at Oasis at 9:30pm. Tickets start at $17. Located at 298 11th St.
🎨 Paint and sip. Create a unique piece of art together while sipping on your favorite drink. Class prices range from $79- $89. Located at 310 4th St.
🧖♀️ Go to the spa. Meet up at Kabuki Springs & Spa in Japantown, where you can indulge in a massage or opt for a relaxing soak at the public bathhouse. Day pass costs $49. Located at 1750 Geary Blvd.
3. The Wiggle: 🚘 Parking fines scrapped
🏛️ San Francisco City Hall is considering layoffs for the first time in years amid a looming fiscal crisis. (SF Standard)
🅿️ San Francisco will drop its plan to issue $40 fines to drivers who park in unmarked "daylighting" zones. (SF Chronicle)
Read more from Axios: SF begins enforcing new parking restrictions
💾 The San Francisco-based Internet Archive is scrambling to decipher how much it captured before the Trump administration ordered federal agencies to scrub their websites of DEI language and records related to the Jan. 6 insurrection. (SF Gazetteer)
🚨 Two suspects were arrested in connection to a multi-injury crash that destroyed a parklet outside The Napper Tandy Irish pub in the Mission on Super Bowl Sunday. (SF Standard)
4. 📚 "More Than a Month" with SFPL
The San Francisco Public Library (SFPL) is spearheading a string of activities to honor Black History Month this February and beyond.
Driving the news: SFPL's 2025 celebration is centered around Bayview native and self-taught artist Malik Seneferu, whose exhibition is on view at the African American Center in the Main Library through April 20.
Zoom in: Titled "Malik Seneferu: A Retrospective," his exhibition showcases a diverse portfolio, ranging from a legacy series that honors Black elders to reproductions of original artworks.
- "From the Hill and Beyond #6," pictured above, pays homage to his grandmother and other women ancestors who farmed and cultivated life through soil.
Other SFPL events include:
- A screening of "Soul" at the Bayview/Linda Brooks-Burton branch tomorrow.
- A night of painting while listening to poetry by Nikki Giovanni at the Noe Valley/Sally Brunn branch, also tomorrow.
- A concert performed by local musician Keenan Webster, featuring traditional instruments of the Mandinka and the Mande-speaking people of West Africa, at the Golden Gate Valley branch on Saturday.
- A tour through San Francisco's rich Black history at the Main Library next Wednesday.
5. 🏈 Photo to go: Hand-off to SF
All eyes are shifting to the Bay Area as it prepares to host the 2026 Super Bowl next February.
Driving the news: Super Bowl LX will be played at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara — 10 years after the home of the San Francisco 49ers last hosted the big game.
- The official hand-off took place Monday in New Orleans, with Bay Area Host Committee president and CEO Zaileen Janmohamed and San José Mayor Matt Mahan at the scene.
What they're saying: "We're showing off the technology of tomorrow. And from San Francisco to San José, whether residents or visitors are attending the game or not, there will be something for everyone," Mahan said.
🧋 Shawna doesn't get the hype over Chicha San Chen... It doesn't rank high on her list of Bay Area boba spots.
🍝 Nadia had a great time at the soft opening of Piccino in the Presidio last night, which opens to the public today. She recommends trying the bucatini with smoked trout roe.
🌸 Claire is delighted to start smelling the cherry blossoms on the trees in her neighborhood. Spring is coming!
This newsletter was edited by Ross Terrell.
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