SF Mayor Breed Advocates for San Francisco at CA State Capitol 

Mayor Breed to join other California Mayors to speak on current and future initiatives at legislative hearing in the State Capitol, including Mayor Breed’s support for three key state bills authored by the San Francisco legislative delegation 

8 April 2024, San Francisco, CA: Today, Mayor London N. Breed traveled to Sacramento to advocate for the City’s Downtown recovery efforts by leveraging support for key state bills, and testified at the Capitol about the City’s ongoing work and what more is needed to support San Francisco’s Downtown. 

Mayor Breed spoke alongside Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, and Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson, at the first hearing of Assemblymember Matt Haney’s Select Committee on Downtown Recovery. The Committee’s goal is to bring together experts from across the state to further explore the barriers to revitalization that downtowns are facing due to the impacts of the pandemic and solutions to help them recover.  

Garnering continued support for San Francisco’s downtown recovery includes advancing state legislation that would encourage renewed investment in downtown San Francisco that is needed to support economic recovery. Mayor Breed is advocating for three pieces of state legislation, authored by San Francisco’s delegation: 

• SB 1227 (Wiener) would create a Downtown Revitalization Zone in San Francisco for a period of 10 years, streamlining approvals for academic campuses, student housing, sports and entertainment venues, lab and life science space, and other mixed-use and commercial renovations and developments; and create a new financing tool to spur workforce housing in the heart of the City’s jobs center. Mayor Breed is a sponsor of this bill.
• AB 3068 (Haney) would give cities like San Francisco the ability to create an adaptive reuse incentive program that would help finance office to housing projects. The program would support these projects by giving the City the ability to direct local property tax revenues generated by the projects to offset renovation costs for 15 years. 
• AB 2488 (Ting) would allow cities to use Enhanced Infrastructure Finance Districts (EIFDs) in downtown areas to help finance office-to-housing conversions by directing tax increment revenue generated in downtown areas to conversion projects and other downtown recovery infrastructure investments over a 30-year period. 

These three pieces of legislation would provide San Francisco with a number of additional tools to revitalize downtown and are a set of creative solutions the City needs to build on local efforts to revitalize the area.  

The Mayor also will testify about commitments she is making to continue to revitalize the area. These include 30 by 30, her proposal to add 30,000 more residents and students to downtown by 2030 through a combination of converting vacant office space to housing, building new housing, and bringing students, faculty, and staff downtown by attracting universities and colleges to the area. 

“San Francisco’s Downtown is changing, and we must be creative and aggressive in our work to transform our City’s core from an outdated 9 to 5 office environment to a bustling 24/7 neighborhood,” said Mayor Breed. “That means adding more housing, students, arts and culture venues to our worldwide reputation as a center of innovation and excellence. We are doing the work locally and will continue to build on our momentum, but there are tools that only the state can provide to help us do even more to revitalize our Downtown.” 

Mayor Breed has launched several key initiatives as part of her larger Roadmap to San Francisco’s Future strategy, including: 

• Office to Housing: Passed legislation to streamline the conversion process, lower housing fees, and authored a successful ballot measure to waive the transfer tax for conversions. 
• Tax Reform: Paused scheduled tax increases for retail, restaurants, entertainment, hospitality and other businesses, created a Downtown office tax credit and initiated business tax reform to encourage in-person work and make our tax base more resilient. 
• Public Safety: Expanded both law enforcement and community ambassador presence in and around Downtown, which has contributed to crime dropping to ten-year lows. 
• Fill Empty Storefronts: Established the Vacant to Vibrant program that matches pop-up businesses and artists with downtown landlords to activate ground-floor spaces, extended the First Year Free program that has waives City fees for businesses in their first year, and awarded over $20 million in grants to small businesses. 
• Vibrant Public Spaces: Implemented improvements in public spaces Downtown and Mid-Market such as the Landing at Leidesdorff, Mechanics Monument Plaza, Union Square, Hallidie Plaza, Powell Street, and a new skate park at UN Plaza.

Due to these continued investments and initiatives, San Francisco is beginning to see some initial positive results: 

• Both international and domestic travel has nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels.
• Hotel occupancy reached 80% of pre-pandemic levels in 2023
• In 2023, conventions brought in 400,000 visitors, generating $725 million in economic impact.
• San Francisco is the largest venture capital (VC) market in the world, attracting more than $34 billion in VC deals in 2023.
• Tenant demand for office space reached 6 million square feet in in the first quarter of 2024, a significant increase from the 4.2 million square feet of demand at the end of last year. 

Media contact: David Perry /  (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

Berkeley’s Crowden Music Center Presents
Grammy Award-winners Catalyst Quartet on April 21

https://www.crowden.org/catalyst-quartet/ 

8 April 2024 – Berkeley, CA:   Crowden continues its 40th anniversary season on Sunday, April 21, presenting the Catalyst Quartet at 4pm. Fresh off of Chamber Music America’s Album of the Year Award, Catalyst Quartet features Crowden alumna Karla Donehew Perez (’99), who returns to her middle school stage for a memorable program of Paquito D’Rivera, Astor Piazzollo, and Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson.

Hailed by The New York Times at its Carnegie Hall debut as “invariably energetic and finely burnished… playing with earthy vigor,” the Grammy Award-winning Catalyst Quartet was founded by the internationally acclaimed Sphinx Organization in 2010. Their global accomplishments range from sold-out performances from Cuba to Carnegie Hall, an impressive range of acclaimed recordings including a 2018 Grammy Award-winning 2-disc recording with Cecile McLorin Salvant, prominent residencies with SF Performances, Met Museum LiveArts series, and more. The ensemble (Karla Donehew Perez, violin (Crowden School ’99); Abi Fayette, violin; Paul Laraia, viola; and Karlos Rodriguez, cello) believes in the unity that can be achieved through music and imagine their programs and projects with this in mind, redefining and reimagining the classical music experience.

General admission tickets are $35, with discounted rates for seniors and students, and a free “Meet-the-Artists” reception. Children 8 to 18 can attend free of charge.

Crowden Music Center is celebrating its 40th anniversary this 2023-24 season, presenting illustrious alumni and faculty from throughout its history. Established in 1983 and still the only school of its kind in the country, The Crowden School’s unique chamber music-inspired curriculum for grades 3–8 features intellectually engaging collaborative academics side by side with its esteemed music program. Crowden also serves more than 1,000 community music students of all ages and levels of experience. Flagship programs for the general community include its John Adams Young Composers Program and acclaimed chamber music workshops for youth and adults. Crowden reaches a combined audience of 8,000 with a rich array of workshops, events, and concerts each year.

Learn how music changes everything at https://www.crowden.org.  

Catalyst Quartet:

Hailed by The New York Times at its Carnegie Hall debut as “invariably energetic and finely burnished… playing with earthy vigor,” the Grammy Award-winning Catalyst Quartet was founded by the internationally acclaimed Sphinx Organization in 2010. The ensemble (Crowden School alumna Karla Donehew Perez (’99), violin; Abi Fayette, violin; Paul Laraia, viola; and Karlos Rodriguez, cello) believes in the unity that can be achieved through music and imagine their programs and projects with this in mind, redefining and reimagining the classical music experience.

The Catalyst Quartet, known for “perfect ensemble unity” and “unequaled class of execution” (Lincoln Journal Star), has toured widely throughout the United States and abroad, including sold-out performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., at Chicago’s Harris Theater, Miami’s New World Center, and Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall in New York. The quartet has been guest soloists with the Cincinnati Symphony, New Haven Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the Orquesta Filarmónica de Bogotá, and has served as principal players and featured ensemble with the Sphinx Organization’s featured ensemble, the Sphinx Virtuosi, on six national tours. They have been invited to perform at important music festivals such as Mainly Mozart in San Diego, the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, Sitka Music Festival, Juneau Jazz and Classics, Strings Music Festival, and the Grand Canyon Music Festival, where they appear annually. The Catalyst Quartet was ensemble-in-residence at the Vail Dance Festival in 2016 and in the 2021-22 season were in residence with San Francisco Performances where they presented the complete series of works from their Uncovered Project. In 2014, they opened the Festival del Sole in Napa, California with Joshua Bell and participated in England’s Aldeburgh Music Foundation String Quartet Residency with two performances in Jubilee Hall. In 2022 the Catalyst Quartet was named ensemble in residence for the Chamber Music Northwest Festival in Portland and for the Met Museum’s LiveArts series in NYC.

Recent seasons have brought international engagements in Cuba, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and Puerto Rico, and expanded tours throughout the United States. The ensemble’s New York City presence has included concerts at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, at Columbia University’s Miller Theatre, for Schneider Concerts at The New School, for Lincoln Center’s Great Performers Series, at the 92nd Street Y, and six concerts with GRAMMY Award-winning jazz vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant for Jazz at Lincoln Center, for which the subsequent recording won the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album. The Catalyst Quartet launched its New York concert series CQ@Howl in 2018.

Highlights of past collaborations include Encuentros, featuring a commissioned work by innovative Cuban composer Jorge Amado Molina and other voices from across the Cuban diaspora; (Im)migration: Music of Change, a collaboration with the Imani Winds; and CQ Minute, a commissioning project of 10 miniature string quartets in commemoration of the quartet’s 10th anniversary with works by Andy Akiho, Kishi Bashi, Billy Childs, Paquito D’Rivera, Tania Leon, Jessie Montgomery, Kevin Puts, Caroline Shaw, Joan Tower, and two young composers selected from a national call for scores. The quartet premiered “Passage” a chamber ballet by Jessie Montgomery in celebration of Dance Theater of Harlem on their 50th anniversary with Kennedy Center honoree Tania Leon and was ensemble-in-residence for the Vail International Dance Festival, where they collaborated with members of the Silkroad Ensemble and some of the finest dancers in the world. Catalyst Quartet’s largest ongoing project, UNCOVERED, is a multi-volume set of albums on Azica records that celebrates composers of color whose works have been overlooked by the traditional canon. Volume 1, released February 2021, includes the string quartet and quintets of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor with clarinetist Anthony McGill and pianist Stewart Goodyear. Volume 2 features works by Florence B. Price and Volume 3, released February 2023 and recently named Chamber Music America’s Album of the Year, features Coleridge-Taylor, Perkinson, William Grant Still, and George Walker.

The Catalyst Quartet’s recordings span the ensemble’s scope of interests and artistry. Its debut album, The Bach/Gould Project, features the quartet’s own collaborative arrangement of J.S. Bach’s monumental Goldberg Variations, the first ever four-voiced version of the piece, paired with Glenn Gould’s rarely heard String Quartet Op. 1. The ensemble can also be heard on Strum (Azica 2015), the solo debut album of composer Jessie Montgomery, who was a member violinist from 2012-2020; Bandoneón y cuerdas (Progressive Sounds 2017), tango-inspired music for string quartet and bandoneon by JP Jofre; and Dreams and Daggers (Mack Avenue Records 2017), a 2-CD GRAMMY-winning album with Cecile McLorin Salvant.

The Catalyst Quartet combines a serious commitment to diversity and education with a passion for contemporary works. The ensemble has served as principal faculty at the Sphinx Performance Academy at the Cleveland Institute of Music and Curtis Institute of Music. The Catalyst Quartet’s ongoing residencies include interactive performance presentations and workshops with Native American student composers at the Grand Canyon Music Festival. Past residencies have included concerts and masterclasses at The University Of Michigan, University Of Washington, Rice University’s Shepard School of Music, Houston’s Society for the Performing Arts, Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, The Virginia Arts Festival, and Pennsylvania State University, and internationally at the In Harmony Project in England, The University of South Africa, and The Teatro De Bellas Artes in Cali, Colombia. The ensemble’s residency in Havana, Cuba for the Cuban American Youth Orchestra in January 2019, was the first by an American string quartet since the revolution.

The Catalyst Quartet members hold degrees from The Cleveland Institute of Music, Curtis Institute of Music, Juilliard School, and New England Conservatory. The Catalyst Quartet proudly endorses Pirastro strings.

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Crowden 40th Anniversary 2023–2024 Season Calendar

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April 21, 2024, 4:00pm

 Sundays @ Four: Catalyst Quartet

 Crowden Music Center (1475 Rose St., Berkeley)

Grammy® Award-winning Catalyst Quartet, featuring alumna Karla Donehew Perez (’99), tours the world to acclaim for its “perfect ensemble unity” and “unequaled class of execution” (Lincoln Journal Star).

Program:

  “But just a minute”, Paquito D’Rivera

 “Farewell mambo”, P. D’Rivera

 “Wapango”, P. D’Rivera

 Angel Suite, Astor Piazzolla (arr. Catalyst Quartet)

 Lyric Quartet, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson

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May 25, 2024

Crowden 40th Anniversary Concert & Reception

  Hertz Hall, UC Berkeley

  An unforgettable showcase of Crowden alumni, mentors, and friends at Hertz Hall, including Bonnie Hampton, Audrey Vardanega, the Catalyst Quartet, and more. This program features perennial Crowden favorites paired with special moments, including a work composed by Crowden’s greatest benefactor, composer Gordon Getty, and the world premiere of a new work for two violins and string orchestra by Samuel Adams, commissioned for our 40th anniversary and premiered by two acclaimed Crowden violinists: Nora Chastain, a world-famous soloist and chamber musician and student of founder Anne Crowden, and alumnus David McCarroll (’99), Concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony, formerly a member of the famed Vienna Piano Trio.

Program:

 * World premiere! Arches by Samuel Adams (’00): A Crowden 40th anniversary commission featuring globally renowned concert artist Nora Chastain and Pittsburg Symphony Co-Concertmaster David McCarroll (’99), violin soloists

* Octet in E-Flat Major, Op. 20 by Felix Mendelssohn: Award-winning and Grammy-nominated Catalyst Quartet featuring Karla Donehew Perez (’99) with Abigail Rojansky (’03) of the acclaimed Verona Quartet, Crowden faculty, and alumni.

* Carrot Revolution by Gabriella Smith (’05): New music local superstars, Friction Quartet

* Primavera Porteña (from The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires) by Astor Piazzolla: Virtuoso Audrey Vardanega (’09), piano, with distinguished summer faculty member Ariana Kim, violin

* Four Traditional Pieces by Gordon Getty (40th Anniversary Concert Honoree): Crowden students

* Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis by Ralph Vaughan Williams (an Anne Crowden favorite): Internationally recognized violinist Kenneth Renshaw (’08), concertmaster of a Crowden faculty and alumni orchestra

* Original composition by Nicole Targosz (John Adams Young Composers Program student): The Crowden School Lower School Orchestra

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May 26, 2024

 Crowden 40th Anniversary Alumni Brunch

 Crowden Music Center (1475 Rose St., Berkeley)

 Crowden alumni from all programs, alum families from all eras, and current and former faculty from throughout Crowden’s history to join us for a joyous brunch honoring Crowden alums from the past 40 years.

media contact: DP&A, Inc. / David Perry /  (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com 

CNN film “Blue Carbon: Nature’s Hidden Power” Opens
21^st Annual International Ocean Film Festival
April 12 at San Francisco’s Cowell Theatre Fort Mason

Film Premieres Nationally on CNN April 21: Earth Day  

www.intloceanfilmfest.org 

1 April 2024, San Francisco, CA: The 21st Annual International Ocean Film Festival (www.intloceanfilmfest.org), dedicated to showcasing films that inspire people to appreciate and care for the ocean, is proud to announce its opening night film, “Blue Carbon: Nature’s Hidden Power.” This compelling documentary, directed by Nicolas Brown and featuring Jayda Guy—a Grammy-nominated music producer, DJ, and environmental toxicologist—will have its festival premiere on Thursday, April 12, at the Cowell Theatre in San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center. Following its festival debut, “Blue Carbon” will be broadcasted nationally on CNN on Sunday, April 21, at 9 PM ET/PT in recognition of Earth Day.

“Blue Carbon: Nature’s Hidden Power” explores the crucial role of coastal ecosystems in carbon sequestration, a relatively newly discovered method for combating climate change. Through the eyes of Jayda Guy, the film embarks on an international journey, traversing the United States, Senegal, Vietnam, France, Colombia, and Brazil. It examines the latest science on blue carbon and its significant, yet underappreciated, potential to help remove carbon from our atmosphere. The documentary’s powerful narrative is enhanced by an evocative score from the Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA, with featured performances by Seu Jorge, blending music with science to underscore the urgent need for environmental conservation and action.

“Opening this year’s festival with ‘Blue Carbon: Nature’s Hidden Power’ could not be more timely,” said Ana Blanco, Executive Director of the International Ocean Film Festival. “This film not only highlights the critical role of our oceans in mitigating climate change but also embodies our festival’s mission to inform, inspire, and ignite public support for ocean protection. Nicolas Brown’s visionary storytelling, combined with Jayda Guy’s passion for both music and science, makes for a truly remarkable cinematic experience.”

The festival’s opening night will not only feature the premiere of “Blue Carbon” but also offer a post-screening discussion Jayda Guy and Executive Producer Sarah MacDonald of Making Waves. n, providing audiences with deeper insights into the film’s creation.

The International Ocean Film Festival is a celebrated event based in San Francisco that aims to inspire love and respect for the ocean by revealing its wonders through the lens of film. The festival showcases a wide array of ocean-themed films to educate and engage audiences about ocean conservation and the importance of marine ecosystems worldwide.

The year’s 21st annual Festival, April 12 – 14 features 34 films representing 13 countries. As part of the United Nations’ ongoing work to combat and educate around climate change and other environmental projects, UNESCO’s Ocean Decade Initiative (www.oceandecade.org) has officially endorsed the efforts of San Francisco’s International Ocean Film Festival.

The Festival accepts films of all genres that focus on any of the varied aspects of our big, blue ocean. Subject matter ranges from, but is not limited to, marine wildlife, conservation efforts, ocean environments, coastal cultures, ocean sports and exploration, ocean heroes, and innovative technology designed to help protect the ocean. Films can be documentaries, narratives, shorts, animation, and full-length films from around the world. A number of finalists from the main film festival program will be selected to participate in the world-renowned International Ocean Film Festival Traveling Program. This year’s film categories include Environmental, Marine Sciences/Wildlife, Exploration & Ocean Sports, Coastal Island Culture. Animation, Conservation, Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Shorts and the Golden Gate Award (Bay Area filmmaker).

Sponsors for this year’s International Ocean Film Festival are: RingCentral, Jenga Ocean, RBC Wealth Management, Laura Wais Underwater Photography and The Thor Foundation.

Since its launch in 2004, the San Francisco-based International Ocean Film Festival has attracted thousands of spectators of all ages from around the world, including film enthusiasts, sea athletes, educators, and environmental supporters. Since then, the Festival has presented over 815 films from 40 different countries and featured post-film Q&A sessions with visiting filmmakers, special panel discussions with content experts, and the Annual Free Student Education Program. It was the first event of its kind in North America, inspired by the well-established ocean festival in Toulon, France, which has continued to draw large audiences for more than 40 years.

Below is the full list (in alphabetical order by title, followed by director, country of origin and running time)

• 841 Rachel Burnett, (USA) 16 min Marine Sciences/Wildlife
• A Disappearing Forest Tyler Schiffman, (USA) 9 min Shorts
• Active Anilao Walter Marti (USA) 5 min Shorts
• Alien Contact Rick Rosenthal, (USA) 50 min Marine Sciences/Wildlife
• Blue Carbon: Unleashing Nature’s Superpower Nicolas Brown, (UK) 85 min Environmental
• Blue Whales: Return of the Giants Hugh Pearson, (UK) 45 min Marine Sciences/Wildlife
• Dahican Boogs Rosales, (Philippines) 16 min Conservation
• Daughters of the Waves Lisa Monin & Sebastien Daguerressar, (France) 53 min Exploration and Ocean Sports
• Deep Look: How Does the Mussel Grow its Beard? (USA) 4 min Shorts
• Deep Trouble Lavinia Currier, (USA) 10 min Marine Sciences/Wildlife
• Disappearing Jewels Will Kim, (USA) 15 min, Environmental
• Expedition Amana Mason Le & Kai Smith & Julian Goodman & Niki Wallin, (USA) 7 min Coastal and Island Culture
• Fish with A Story Karen Logan & Melissa Raemakers, (South Africa) 45 min Coastal and Island Culture
• Great White Summer Nick Armando Budabin, (USA) 79 min Coastal and Island Culture
• HAULOUT, Evgenia Arbugaeva & Maxim Arbugaeva, (UK) 25 min Shorts
• Kahu Mano, David W McGuire, (USA) 22 min Coastal and Island Culture
• Keepers of the Land, Deirdre Leowinata & Douglas Neasloss (Canada) 29 min Coastal and Island Culture
• Kingdom of Ice: Antarctica’s Leopard Seals, Paul Nicklen & Andy Mann, (Canada) 9 min Shorts
• Konstantin’s’ Legacy – Awakening the Love for Nature, Daniel Bichsel, (Germany) 6 min Conservation.
• Orca – Black & White Gold Sarah Nörenberg, (Austria) 93 min Conservation
• Return of the Mangroves, Leo Thom, (USA) 9 min Conservation
• Sequoias of the Sea, Natasha Benjamin & Ana Blanco, (USA) 14 min Conservation
• Shark Researchers: A New Approach to Shark Conservation, Arnau Argemi González, (Spain) 3 min Shorts
• Tahlequah the Whale: A Dance of Grief Daniel Kreizberg, (Lithuania) 15 min Shorts
• The Blue Quest Palawan, Clément Pourtal, Jérôme Brousse, (France) 47 min Conservation
• The Granny Grommets, Leah Rustomjee, (Australia) 9 min
• The Passage, Boogs Rosales, (Philippines) 20 min Environmental, Conservation, Shorts
• Why Blame the Seagulls? Philip Hamilton, (UK) 36 min Environmental
• Wild Hope: Return of the Manatees, (USA) 16 min Shorts
• With the Tide, Chelsea J Jolly, (USA) 25 min Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Representation
• Zoe, Gaby Scott, (USA) 27 min Exploration and Ocean Sports

The 21st International Ocean Film Festival runs April 12 – 14, 2024 at San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center. The International Ocean Film Festival is a 501(c) 3 non-profit. 

• www.intloceanfilmfest.org 
• https://www.facebook.com/intloceanfilmfest
• Twitter @oceanfilmfest
• Instagram @intloceanfilmfest

MEDIA CONTACT:
David Perry
For Hilton Union Square San Francisco/Parc 55
+1 415 676-7007 news@davidperry.com 

Hilton San Francisco Union Square and Parc 55 San Francisco,
A Hilton Hotel Bloom with Springtime Festivities

Iconic San Francisco Hotels Participate in Annual
“Union Square in Bloom” Campaign Now Through Labor Day

Download Hi-Res Images 

28 March 2024 – San Francisco, CA:  If you bloom it, they will come! That’s the spirit behind the Hilton San Francisco Union Square and Parc 55, A Hilton Hotel taking part in the Union Square in Bloom festivities now through Labor Day. This colorful celebration is part of an annual event that adorns San Francisco’s heart with magnificent blossoming displays, paying homage to the city’s rich floral tradition and California’s state flower.

“It is a beautiful time of the year, as the lobbies in both hotels are in full bloom, brilliant with colors,” said Peter Hart, Hilton complex general manager. “This year our entry at Hilton San Francisco Union Square is paying homage to California’s state flower, poppies. Guests will be greeted by a stunning display of oversized California poppies, blooming in captivating shades of golden orange along with great cocktails at our Poppy Lobby Bar.”

Hart explains that this immersive experience is further enriched by the introduction of an exclusive specialty cocktail program at the Poppy Lobby Bar. The menu features nine innovative Bloom cocktails, each inspired by San Francisco neighborhoods and the flowers that are culturally significant to them.  Highlights include:

• Golden Poppy: A smoky and honeyed delight celebrating Union Square.
• Zaddy’s Green Carnation: A fruity pebbles flavored punch, honoring The Castro’s queer community.
• Summer Daze in Dolores Park: A refreshing tequila concoction, embodying the spirit of the Mission neighborhood.

Other spirit raising elixirs include the “Golden Hour Cocktail,” a dazzling concoction that captures the essence of the Golden Gate and the magic of golden hour.

“The Golden Hour Cocktail really is a treat of flavors and spectacle,” says Nick Graham-Wells, Director of Marketing at Hilton San Francisco Union Square explaining its unique recipe: a base of champagne activated tableside with a sugar cube.  “As the sugar cube causes the drink to sparkle and fizz, guests are invited to add a vial of golden elixir, which swirls and shimmers, creating a mesmerizing visual experience. We are thrilled to introduce the Golden Hour Cocktail, a drink that embodies the spirit of San Francisco and the beauty of our skyline. With this new addition, we invite guests to savor the golden moments at our hotel and create memories together.”

Available exclusively at Cityscape, Hilton San Francisco Union Square’s renowned sky bar, the Golden Hour Cocktail is a celebration of the city’s golden heritage and breathtaking sunsets.  While the drink is available all night, it truly shines during the magical hour before sunset, when the sky paints the city in hues of gold.

Diagonally across from the landmark Hilton Towers, its sister hotel: Parc 55 San Francisco, A Hilton Hotel, will also be bursting in florals as part of the “Union Square in Bloom” campaign.  Known for its blend of art, culture and culinary excellence, Parc 55 celebrates spring with an explosion of color. Paying tribute to the Asian artisans that have made the hotel and the city so special, the property will bloom with artful displays of forsythia branches and flowers like lotus, plumeria and orchid, bringing the lobby and bar areas to life in shades of fuchsia, pink, white and yellow. Guests will be treated to:

• An Instagram-worthy selfie spot with cascading flowers.
• The Bloom 55 Pop Up Bar, featuring the 2023 “Best Bloom Cocktail” award winner, “Smoke on the Water,” among other signature cocktails and mocktails.
• The luxurious “The Aristocrat” cocktail, a visually stunning concoction served in a smoke box.
• The “Bubbles and Bloom” stay package, offering guests a memorable experience with overnight accommodations, a $50 credit to Bloom 55 and tokens for the Moet Champagne vending machine.

“Union Square in Bloom is not just a celebration of spring’s arrival, “ notes Marisa Rodriguez, CEO of the Union Square Alliance. “It’s a tribute to San Francisco’s long-standing floral legacy, from the historic Maiden Lane Spring Festival to the iconic Macy’s Flower Show.  The enthusiasm for and creative participation in ’Bloom’ by Hilton Union Square and Parc 55 is an integral part of our efforts in support of our efforts. It’s important to support our hospitality and tourism economy, and just as important for locals to come, rediscover and enjoy their Union Square neighborhood.”

“Located in the heart of San Francisco, Hilton San Francisco Union Square and Parc 55 – a Hilton Hotel, are gateways to the best the city has to offer,” said Alex Bastian, president and CEO of the Hotel Council of San Francisco. “From upscale accommodations and world-class dining options to state-of-the-art facilities and exceptional service, these properties ensure a memorable stay for guests exploring our vibrant city.”

Opened in 1964, Hilton San Francisco Union Square is the largest hotel in California and an architectural landmark known for dramatic lighting and signature events.  Both the Hilton and Parc 55 are at the very heart of San Francisco’s world-class Union Square with its internationally recognized retail brands, restaurants and Broadway style theatre. Also nearby are such offerings as the Asian Art Museum and steps away are the world-famous landmark Cable Cars, carrying visitors halfway to the stars and to such iconic destinations as Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown, Nob Hill, North Beach and the famous Alcatraz Island Tours. 

Parc 55, a Hilton Hotel is adjacent to the Hilton Tower and features city and Bay views from all of its windows. At the lobby drive in entrance, guests are greeted by the giant iconic sculpture “San Francisco Yesterday and Today”by famed local artist Ruth Asawa. These seven sculpted panels present a cavalcade of San Francisco sights and scenes – both historical and modern. Cast in glass-fiber-reinforced concrete, the one-of-a-kind artwork was made with old-world craft techniques rarely duplicated today.

For guest room reservations please visit Hilton.com or call (415) 771-1400.  

Note: images for media use may be found at: https://hiltonunionsquare.app.box.com/s/zyo7uye8mqul071hdwooa20anwsplj2n

About Hilton:
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 22 world-class brands comprising more than 7,500 properties and nearly 1.2 million rooms, in 126 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed over 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, was named the No. 1 World’s Best Workplace by Great Place to Work and Fortune and has been recognized as a global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for seven consecutive years. Hilton has introduced industry-leading technology enhancements to improve the guest experience, including Digital Key Share, automated complimentary room upgrades and the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the more than 180 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can’t buy. With the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone. Visit stories.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.