Sunny Saturday in SF

To set the record straight, Mark Twain did NOT say or write, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” But if he were still alive, he would probably be delighted that everyone gives him credit for that witticism. Anyway, this has not been true for us (so far). We are enjoying lovely, warm summer weather here in San Francisco. Perhaps it’s because Los Angeles is in the throes of a sweltering heat wave. Whatever the reason, I’m thankful.

Last Saturday’s blue skies and comfortable 70℉ temps were perfect for a long walk. It was the first day of Pistahan, the Filipino community’s annual celebration. The Pistahan Parade was reportedly the largest of its kind on the West Coast, so we walked up to Market Street to check it out. The parade started late (we belatedly remembered the phenomenon of “Filipino time”) and unfortunately did not live up to the hype. There were more participants than spectators, and most of those participants were first responders, local politicians, and costumed figures with an unclear connection to the Philippines (Star Wars Storm Troopers? National Rodeo Queen?). Still, we were happy to show our support; we cheered for the folk dancers and bopped along as the Black Eyed Peas’ Bebot played on endless loop.

We walked up Market Street and across the Embarcadero to the Ferry Building. Market Street was deserted, but the Farmers Market was bustling! From the vibrant fresh produce to the sweeping views of the Bay Bridge, it was a visual feast. We picked up some heirloom tomatoes, sweet peaches and pluots, and ube-flavored sourdough bread.

The Pistahan Festival was on our way home, so we stopped by to check it out. Unlike the parade, there was a huge crowd enjoying the many booths. The big stage had the SFMOMA as a backdrop, and we caught an excellent performance of one of my favorite traditional Filipino dances, Singkil. This is a royal dance with bamboo poles, from the largely Muslim island of Mindanao.

We had just eaten Filipino food at the Ferry Market, so we avoided the long food lines and settled for free bottles of chilled fruit drinks with chewy bits of Nata de coco (mango for Steve, lychee for me). The sun was strong, and they really hit the spot! Finally, we returned home for another favorite Saturday afternoon activity, a well-earned nap.