Ellis Street Becomes the Epicenter of San Francisco Nightlife with the Official Portola 2025 Pre-Party Featuring DJ Jazzy Event part of the Ellis Street Entertainment Zone, an initiative aimed at further revitalizing downtown San Francisco
San Francisco, CA—John’s Grill,The Midway, Portola Festival, are teaming up to present an unforgettable Portola 2025 Pre-Party today, transforming the Zero Block of Ellis Street into a world-class entertainment zone. Headlined by DJ Jazzy, the evening will be a free outdoor celebration for the community with music, food, and culture at its core, and will be the first event of a regular “Third Thursdays on Ellis” activation.
The event will take place from 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. tonight on the Zero Block of Ellis Street in downtown San Francisco. Jazzy, the headliner, will begin her performance at 8 p.m. RSVP details and more information about the event is available here.
“Partnering with Portola Festival and The Midway means we’re bringing global energy to a local street,” said John Konstin Jr., owner of John’s Grill and founder of the Ellis Street Entertainment Zone. ““This moment has been years in the making. John’s Grill has always been a San Francisco destination—a gathering place for locals, visitors, and celebrities alike. For decades, we’ve been part of the heartbeat of the city, from dinners that turned into late night celebrations to block parties that take over Ellis Street. The Ellis Street Entertainment Zone is my way of reimagining what a downtown block can mean: a stage for music, art, and culture that unites generations.”
This landmark event on Thursday is part of San Francisco’s growing Ellis Street Entertainment Zone, an initiative dedicated to revitalizing downtown with immersive nightlife experiences that blend live music, culinary excellence, and street culture.“Third Thursdays on Ellis” is part of that initiative, with the block between Stockton and Powell streets transformed into a party featuring new music and acts each month.
“We are so excited for the ongoing renewal of Ellis Street, which has always been such an important part of the Union Square District,” said Union Square Alliance CEO Marisa Rodriguez.“There’s nothing better than great music and great food, and that’s exactly what people can expect to experience when they comes to John’s Grill tonight for this special event.”
Media interested in interviewing John Konstin, Jr and other involved parties should contact Lee Housekeeper by emailing newsservice@aol.com or calling him at 415-654-9141.
As the fog lifts and San Francisco’s true summer arrives in September and October, the Presidio becomes the city’s ultimate staycation escape. Think cocktails at the Glass Pavilion or Dalida, golden-hour strolls with your dog at Crissy Field, or one last weekend of camping under the stars at Rob Hill before the season closes.
For those looking to linger longer, the award-winningLodge and Inn at the Presidio offer the perfect Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples Day 3-Day Weekend (or anytime) retreat—steps from trails, history, and some of the best views in the Bay Area. And of course, with the recent opening of Outpost Meadow,a 1.5-acre expansion of the beloved Presidio Tunnel Tops, there’s now even more space for kids to run, climb, explore—and for parents to relax and picnic with Golden Gate Bridge views.
Below: links to learn more about Presidio Lodging and all the upcoming events at the Presidio and some especial highlights.
Saturday, September 20: Access to Adventure Day. A family fun day of inclusive programs! Back for its third year, bring the family to Presidio Tunnel Tops and learn about inclusive recreation, after-school care, and summer programs available in San Francisco while exploring the park. This is a chance to connect with other families and staff from Support for Families and San Francisco Recreation and Park’s Therapeutic Recreation and Inclusion Services. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be provided at this event.
Saturday, September 27: Join us for National Public Lands Day. Since 1994, this annual event on the fourth Saturday of September has been the nation’s largest single-day volunteer effort. Last year, over 130 national parks hosted events with 7,600 volunteers donating an impressive 41,500 hours of service. All national parks that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone on September 27, 2025 in celebration of National Public Lands Day.
Saturday, September 27: Chuseok Festival 2025, the Presidio’s 7th annual celebration of Korean culture, a vibrant mix of traditional music, dance, and community spirit right in the heart of the Presidio. Check it out via the event calendar below.
Daily: Park Overview Talks offered four times daily at the Presidio Visitor Center
Daily: Park Ranger Campfire Talks at the Presidio Tunnel Tops Campfire Circle
Every Saturday & Sunday: Military Intelligence Service Historic Learning Center
Every Friday through Sunday: Free history exhibitions at the Presidio Officers’ Club
Every Friday through Sunday: Fort Point History Talk & Exhibition – Black Gold: Stories Untold
New Space to Picnic & Play: Outpost Meadow Directly next to the Outpost nature play space and Field Station, this new open lawn area is designed with families in mind: bring a blanket, celebrate a birthday, or enjoy a post-hike snack. Think of it as your new go-to outdoor living room—no reservation required.
Hands-On Discovery at the Field Station Located just steps away, the Field Station is the place where curiosity turns into adventure. Kids can borrow Explorer Backpacks, complete the Adventure Passport, and take part in rotating crafts and nature activities with friendly park staff and volunteers. StoryWalks—picture books placed page-by-page along short trails—add a dose of literacy to the outdoor fun. Link here to all Self-Guided Adventures: https://presidio.gov/explore/self-guided-adventures
Presidio Pop Up: Family-Friendly Food Trucks Whether you’re craving tacos, wood-fired pizza, or a sweet treat, Presidio Pop Up food trucks are a delicious way to fuel up during your park day. Trucks are located steps from Outpost Meadow and also up at the historic Main Post, with shaded seating and open space to sprawl.
This is the perfect moment to cover the Presidio as a must-visit destination. We’d love to connect you with images, spokespeople, or a guided visit so please reach out.
11 March 1941 – 14 September 2020: Ann Gilbert Getty
(photo by Drew Altizer)
Five years ago today, the world lost Ann Getty — philanthropist, publisher, patron of the arts, and a woman of immense grace. She devoted her life to nurturing culture, education, and design, all while maintaining a deep generosity of spirit that touched countless lives. Whether through her work in publishing, her elegant vision in interior design, or her tireless support for the arts and humanitarian causes, Ann Getty left an enduring legacy of beauty, intellect, and compassion. Today, we remember her not only for what she accomplished but for the way she elevated everyone around her. Below: her obituary in the New York Times.
Un Día de Viaje: ¡San Fernando, Sanlúcar – Dios Mío!
— Por David Eugene Perry
(La vista desde la Catedral de Cádiz. Foto de Alfredo Casuso)
Después de un desayuno deliciosamente decadente en el Parador, nos dirigimos al paseo marítimo de Cádiz, aún pensando en cómo la vieja ciudad fue alguna vez una verdadera isla, conectada a tierra firme únicamente por estrechos istmos y puentes construidos en el siglo XX. La brisa marina transporta siglos de historia: fenicios, griegos, romanos y moros dejaron su huella en este enclave atlántico.
De allí cruzamos hacia San Fernando, desde siempre ligado a la tradición naval de España, y hacemos una parada en su Museo Naval. Es un tesoro para un “apasionado de los barcos” como yo, y una excelente preparación para mi próxima serie de presentaciones de historia marítima “Liner Lore” a bordo del Oosterdam de Holland America y el Encore de Seabourn.
(El Museo Naval de San Fernando. Foto de Alfredo Casuso)
Algunos puntos destacados:
• Una maqueta finamente elaborada del trasatlántico Cristóbal Colón, que en su día fue vapor correo en rutas desde Bilbao, Santander y Gijón hacia La Habana, México y Nueva York. Ver sus detalles en madera policromada devuelve a la vida el glamour de los viajes oceánicos de principios del siglo XX. Hundido en octubre de 1936, es el pecio más grande (y en aguas poco profundas, uno de los más populares para bucear) frente a las Bermudas.
• Exposiciones sobre los inicios de la Aviación Naval Española: en 1917 el rey Alfonso XIII aprobó la creación de una rama aérea de la Armada, y en 1925 España ya contaba con sus primeros aviones navales, dirigibles y una base en El Prat de Llobregat.
• Un llamativo emblema y maqueta del portaaviones Dédalo, símbolo de la era moderna de la aviación naval española.
• Una conmovedora galería sobre la Gesta del Glorioso (1747), cuando el capitán Pedro Mesía de la Cerda luchó contra escuadrones británicos transportando cuatro millones de pesos en plata. A pesar de las enormes desventajas, hundió barcos enemigos antes de verse obligado a arriar bandera al agotársele la munición — un testimonio de la pericia marinera española.
• El inquietante busto semipreservado de la Virgen del Rosario, que solía llevarse a bordo de barcos como patrona de los marineros. Textos ocultos encontrados en su interior durante una restauración en 2011 hablan de plegarias por travesías seguras en mares peligrosos. Esta figura de proa encabezaba una de las naves españolas durante la crucial Batalla de Lepanto. El guía, claramente un orgulloso veterano de la Armada, me dijo: “este es el objeto más importante del museo”. Estoy absolutamente de acuerdo. Lepanto siempre me ha fascinado, y es sin duda uno de los momentos más importantes de la historia mundial del último milenio.
• Un retrato de Ana María de Soto y Alhama (1775–1833), quien se disfrazó de hombre para servir en la Armada. Luchando a bordo de fragatas y en la batalla del Cabo de San Vicente, obtuvo el grado y la pensión de sargento primero — prueba de que el coraje en el mar no conocía género.
Al dejar San Fernando, seguimos hacia el norte por la Costa de la Luz. Nuestra primera pausa es en Rota, un pueblo donde la base naval estadounidense marca la vida diaria. Americanos y españoles se mezclan aquí; los militares suelen vivir fuera de la base, mientras que muchos locales encuentran trabajo estable dentro.
Un poco más allá está Costa Ballena, un complejo turístico de playas, campos de golf y apartamentos aireados construido en los años 90. Muchos de los que trabajan en la base lo convierten en su hogar, atraídos por su comodidad moderna y su cercanía al mar.
En Chipiona, alzamos la vista hacia su faro imponente, el más alto de España, y luego visitamos el Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Regla, guardiana de los marineros. Aquí todavía se respira el legado de la legendaria cantante Rocío Jurado, “La Más Grande”; su estatua junto al mar es lugar de peregrinación. Solo mi favorita personal, Lola Flores, es aún más icónica. Tristemente, ambas han fallecido, pero su música y su influencia siguen siendo ubicuas — especialmente en Andalucía. El dulce vino moscatel es el orgullo de Chipiona, y sus doradas playas parecen no acabar nunca, salpicadas de bodegas.
Finalmente, llegamos a Sanlúcar de Barrameda, en la desembocadura del Guadalquivir, donde el río se encuentra con el océano. Como mi nueva novela en preparación, Thorns of the 15 Roses, incluye al personaje histórico Juan Ponce de León, una visita aquí, desde donde zarpó en el segundo viaje de Colón, era obligada. Sanlúcar rebosa historia. Algunos hitos que me interesan especialmente:
• El Segundo Viaje de Colón (1493) se aprovisionó en Sanlúcar antes de llevar colonos y ganado al Caribe.
• Su Tercer Viaje (1498) zarpó de este mismo puerto, rumbo a Trinidad y al continente sudamericano.
Una generación después, Magallanes partió con cinco naves en 1519, y Elcano regresó maltrecho en 1522, completando la primera circunnavegación del mundo a bordo de la nao Victoria.
Durante nuestra breve estancia en Sanlúcar, finalmente encontré mi viajera estatua de San Pancracio. Es tradición que oficinas, bares y otros negocios en España tengan una pequeña figura del “Patrón del Trabajo”. Mi oficina remota ya está completa.
Al recorrer el casco antiguo, paramos a tomar un vermut y una cerveza. Sin duda Juan Ponce de León también lo hizo aquí, antes de iniciar el segundo viaje de Colón. 🙂 Es un lugar especial. Esta ciudad de apenas 70.000 habitantes fue declarada “Capital Española de la Gastronomía” en 2022. Bodegas, y en particular aquellas especializadas en la manzanilla local, se alinean junto a bares de croquetas en la plaza principal que lleva a las orillas del Guadalquivir, de donde partieron legendarios viajes de descubrimiento.
Pero la última sorpresa del día nos esperaba: el Castillo de Santiago en la parte alta del casco antiguo. Junto a bodegas históricas, incluida la legendaria Barbadillo, se alza una de las fortalezas mejor conservadas e impresionantes de España. Desde estas murallas una joven Reina Isabel vio el mar por primera vez. Unas décadas después, desde estas mismas aguas, enviaba a Colón al “Nuevo Mundo”.
Bien andados y bien historiados, regresamos a nuestro lugar favorito en Grazalema, Zulema, y brindamos por dos días increíbles siguiendo los pasos de los exploradores.
A Day’s Journey: San Fernando, Sanlúcar – Oh My! — By David Eugene Perry
(The view from Càdiz Cathedral. Photo by Alfredo Casuso)
After a deliciously decadent breakfast at the Parador we head to the Cádiz waterfront, still thinking about how the old city was once a true island, connected to the mainland only by narrow causeways and bridges built in the 20th century. The sea breeze carries centuries of history: Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, and Moors all left their imprint on this Atlantic outpost.
From there, we cross toward San Fernando, long tied to Spain’s naval tradition, and make a stop at its Maritime Museum. It’s a treasure trove for a “ship nut” like me, and good preparation for my next set of “Liner Lore” maritime history presentations aboard Holland America “Oosterdam” and Seabourn “Encore.”
(The San Fernando Naval History Museum. Photo by Alfredo Casuso)
Here are some highlights.
• A finely crafted model of the transatlantic liner Cristóbal Colón, once a mail steamer running routes from Bilbao, Santander, and Gijón to Havana, Mexico, and New York. Seeing its polychrome wood detail brings to life the glamour of early 20th-century ocean travel. Wrecked in October 1936, she’s the largest wreck (and in shallow water a popular diveable one) off Bermuda l.
• Exhibits on the dawn of Spanish Naval Aviation: in 1917, King Alfonso XIII approved the creation of an aviation branch of the Armada, and by 1925 Spain boasted its first naval planes, dirigibles, and a base at El Prat de Llobregat.
• A bold patch and model of the carrier Dédalo, symbolizing Spain’s modern naval aviation era.
• A moving gallery on the Gesta del Glorioso (1747), when Captain Pedro Mesía de la Cerda fought through successive British squadrons carrying four million pesos of silver. Despite immense odds, he sank enemy ships before finally being forced to strike his colors when his ammunition was exhausted — a testament to Spanish seamanship.
• The haunting, half-preserved bust of the Virgen del Rosario, once carried aboard ships as a patroness of sailors. Hidden texts found inside it during a 2011 restoration speak of prayers for safe passage across dangerous seas. This figurehead was at the bow of one of the Spanish ships during the seminal Battle of Lepanto. The docent, clearly a proud Spanish navy veteran, told me “this is the most important item in the museum.” I would absolutely agree. Lepanto has always fascinated me, and is inarguably one of the most important moments in world history of the last millennium.
• A portrait of Ana María de Soto y Alhama (1775–1833), who disguised herself as a man to serve in the Navy. Fighting aboard frigates and at the battle of Cape St. Vincent, she earned the rank and pension of a first sergeant — proof that courage at sea knew no gender.
Leaving San Fernando, we continue north along the Costa de la Luz. Our first pause is in Rota, a town where the U.S. naval base shapes daily life. Americans and Spaniards mingle here; service members often live off base, while locals find steady work within.
Just beyond is Costa Ballena, the “Whale Coast,” a resort complex of beaches, golf courses, and airy apartments built in the 1990s. Many who work at the base make it home, drawn by its modern comfort and proximity to the sea.
In Chipiona, we crane our necks up at the towering lighthouse, tallest in Spain, then visit the Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Regla, guardian of sailors. Here the legacy of the legendary singer Rocío Jurado, “La Más Grande,” still permeates; her statue by the waterfront is a place of pilgrimage. Only my personal favorite, Lola Flores, is more iconic. but Sadly, both those great talents have passed on, but their music and influence is ubiquitous still — especially in Andalucía. Sweet moscatel wine is Chipiona’s pride, and its golden beaches stretch endlessly, punctuated with bodegas.
Finally, we arrive in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, poised on the Guadalquivir where river meets ocean. As my underway new novel, “Thorns of the 15 Roses”, includes the historical character Juan Ponce de Leon, a visit here from whence he sailed on Columbus’ second voyage is a must. Sanlúcar is drunk with history. Some highlights that especially interest me:
• Columbus’ Second Voyage (1493) provisioned in Sanlúcar before carrying settlers and livestock to the Caribbean.
• His Third Voyage (1498) set sail from this very port, bound for Trinidad and the South American mainland.
A generation later, Magellan departed with five ships in 1519, and Elcano limped back in 1522, completing the world’s first circumnavigation aboard the nao Victoria.
During our brief stop in Sanlúcar, we finally find my traveling San Pancracio statue. It’s tradition for offices, bars and other businesses in Spain to have a small figurine of “The Patrion Saint of Work.” My remote office is now complete.
As we visit the old town, we stop for a vermut and beer. Undoubtedly Juan Ponce de León had one here, too, before starting Christopher Columbus’ second voyage. 🙂 It’s quite the place. This city of only 70,000 was declared “Spain’s Capital of Gastonomy” in 2022. Wineries and especially those specializing in the local sherry, manzanilla, stand cheek to croqueta, along the main plaza leading to the banks of the Guadalquivir from which legendary voyages of discovery departed.
But, the final treat of the day awaited: the Castle of Santiago in the upper part of the old town. Next to historic wineries, including the legendary Barbadillo Bodega is arguably one of Spain’s best preserved and most impressive fortresses. From these ramparts a young Queen Isabella saw the sea for the first time. A few decades later, she was sending Columbus to “The New World” from these very waters.
(The Castle of Santiago. Photo by Alfredo Casuso)
Well walked and well historied, we return to our favorite Grazalema watering hole, Zulema, and toast an incredible two days walking in the steps of explorers.