Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
more comfortable with the lowered intensity. When you go in, try to be
enthusiastic about the teas and how they differ, because you'll find the
service is better if you do. You can usually try most of the teas before you
decide to purchase any of them, and be warned that the salespeople will
work hard to push you toward buying the most expensive leafs. Ten Ren
has installed a little dessert counter, too, with tapioca and bubble tea to
round out the tourist experience, but this place is really about teas and
not the food. The American HQ of Ten Ren is located in town, but it's an
office without public tea service.
Another authentic place to go is the
Asian Art Museum
(p. 114),
where there's a permanent Japanese Tearoom, complete with tatami mats;
it was made in Kyoto and shipped here. The area is pretty impressive, with
an electric well for water heating, an alcove for hanging scrolls, and other
elements that have become parts of the ancient ceremony. The museum
works with tea ceremonies of several styles; as it turns out, there are many
different ways to perform a tea ceremony, including different implements,
and the museum engages with experts in five of them. Attending these
ceremonies, which happen at least bimonthly, costs $20 including the
price of the tea. You must make reservations.
Finally, there's the
Japanese Tea Garden at Golden Gate Park
(
%
415/
752-1171; www.parks.sfgov.org; p. 116),
which is mostly a pretty garden
that has the cultural depth of a miniature-golf course. Tea is served, but in
a touristy milieu (for instance, soft drinks cost more than $4). It's on the
principal tourism circuit—the other three options are better.
SoMa. Some will have a barbecue going, and some will be no-nonsense for serious
music-heads. Some parties are announced with only a few hours' notice, so having
access to the Internet is pretty crucial to knowing where the shindigs are. Illegal? Not
all of them, and even then, only technically, unless the venue tries selling alcohol.
If you see word of one of Pacific Sound's “Sunset Parties,” jump at the
chance—they're often relaxed and take place in interesting venues such as on a
boat circling the Bay.
u
Hyperreal
(www.hyperreal.org) sends out a monthly e-mail calendar listing
the upcoming events.
u
BayRaves
(www.bayraves.com) is a bulletin board where events are
announced; sometimes it goes off-topic, but it's a good place for up-to-the-
minute alerts of parties.
u
RaveLinks.com
links to a calendar of events.
u
SPRACI
(www.spraci.com) covers worldwide events, but its San Francisco
offerings are well-maintained.
u
Nitewise
(www.nitewise.com) lists underground happenings as well as main-
stream stuff, so it's a good place to check.
