Thanksgiving DIY

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Thanksgiving is almost here. If you are hosting Thanksgiving or helping out, there are plenty of things to do to be ready for Thursday. Food preparation, cleaning, dessert baking and of course setting the table. The table may seem like the least important task, but with a few creative touches you could have a gorgeous holiday table that all of your friends and family will remember. Keep reading to learn how to make the perfect centerpiece for your new Thanksgiving tradition.


Flowers

The staple of any centerpiece are the gorgeous flowers. For a Thanksgiving centerpiece, we recommend sticking with browns, golds, oranges and reds. Apartment Therapy recommends using mums, goldenrods, hypericum and mystery greens. Instead of getting these flowers at the big superstore, head to your Union Square Flowers for fresh gorgeous flowers. Union Square Flowers is located at 780 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94102, just 5 minutes from your home at The Wilson.

Accessories
Whether you live in the city or in the country, you can always find creative ways to use what is available outside. Head to Mission Dolores Park and pick up some branches, pine cones or leaves from the trees. This is the perfect accent to your completed centerpiece. You may not use everything you find, but it is better to have extra than not enough.

Gather Your Supplies

You will need glue, rubber bands, scissors and more for your centerpiece. Head to FLAX art and design to gather your supplies. You can even get creative with what you want to include in the centerpiece. If you want to add some glitter or a coat of paint to stick with a theme, you can pick that up at FLAX art and design also. The final look of the centerpiece is all up to you.

Put It Together

Start by putting one stem and laying another across it. Make sure to continually attach your stems together. You keep doing this process in a clockwise motion. Once you have a few basic stems and flowers attached, start inserting leaves, branches or anything else you have gathered. Keep building this way until you have a bouquet that you are happy with. You can then insert the bouquet into a vase, or build a base out of the leftover supplies that you have.

We hope your new centerpiece comes out beautifully. If you want detailed instructions and images, please go to Apartment Therapy to learn more.

Thanksgiving Food Drives and Donations

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Thanksgiving is a great day to spend with friends and family. Every year we say what we are thankful for, as we have a day or two off work to relax and enjoy our time together. However, not everyone has a place to go on Thanksgiving. San Francisco has many organizations that raise money or collect donations for this specific time of year. Here are a few options that will let you give back this Thanksgiving.


The SF-Marin Food Bank helps supply over 47 pantries across the area. They have a goal to collect 500,000 pounds of non-perishable food via food drives and $8 million in donations by the end of December. These amounts add up to almost half their annual budget. Thanksgiving dinner is not the only thing these donations provide. They also organize regular meals and holiday meals throughout December.


The SF-Marin has other programs for helping others with Thanksgiving and other holidays throughout the end of the year. You can donate money on this page for the SF-Marin Food Bank. Every dollar you donate through November 26th will be matched by Sutter Health. This match donation program will continue up to $50,000. This gift will help the coordinators donate over one million pounds of food to neighboring food pantries and community partners.


Everyone loves turkey on Thanksgiving. The SF-Marin Food Bank is in need of 2,500 birds before Thanksgiving. These turkeys help provide Thanksgiving meals at all of SF-Marin’s Thanksgiving dinners. You can donate a turkey at either of these sites: Marin site: 75 Digital Drive, Novato, CA 94949 or San Francisco site: 900 Pennsylvania Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94107.


Finally, you can also volunteer for this great organization. They are looking for help with many of their food drives and other dinners they have throughout the year. They are in specific need of people that can speak Korean and Russian. You can sign up on their website SFMfoodbank.

We are so thankful for our friends, family and wonderful residents at The Wilson. Do you know of other organizations in need of help? Share them on our Facebook Page.

Cozy Up With A Drink And A Fire

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The weather is getting chillier, and that means the days of outdoor happy hours are limited. However, in San Francisco there are many bars and restaurants that bring the outdoor experience to the winter months. Cuddle up by a fire at these patio bars and restaurants for your work happy hour. You can stay warm while enjoying the outdoors all year around.

Zeki’s

The “friendliest bar in San Francisco” may be self proclaimed by the Zeki’s owners, but this Nob Hill location is perfect for the chilly winter months. The roaring fireplace is a perfect setting to sip your favorite cocktail long into the night. You can visit this cozy bar at 1319 California at Leavenworth. 

The Summer Place

It might have summer in the name, but you can still enjoy the chilly weather at The Summer Place. Their cozy fireplace makes it a warm location to enjoy the gorgeous San Francisco outdoors. Cozy up with your favorite drink, few friends from The Wilson and enjoy the night away. The Summer Place is a short drive at 801 Bush at Mason. 

Swig

Swig is a perfect place to relax after a long day at the office. The fireplace is in the center of the downstairs room that can get busy on weekends. We recommend getting there early if you want to sit by the fire. Swig is located at 561 Geary at Jones. 

Twenty-Five Lush

This bar is unique and a great place to hang out with friends. They have ‘60s-style suspended fireplaces making it one of the coziest bars in San Francisco. Make sure to check their website ahead of time to avoid coming in during a private event or party. Twenty-Five Lush is located at 25 Lusk at Townsend. 

The Riptide

If you want a bar experience that is cut right from a holiday movie, come to The Riptide. Their cheap drinks and logs cracking in the brick fireplace will keep you warm during the chilly winter air. They also have free snacks for you to enjoy throughout the night. You can find The Riptide at 3639 Taraval (at 47th Avenue).

These are just a few of the bars in San Francisco that are perfect for the chilly winter weather. Try a few and figure out which one is your favorite, before the first cold day hits. 

Nachos and Margaritas

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Today is National Nacho Day. This delicious snack has so many different varieties that you could eat a different type every day. In order to celebrate this holiday, we want to know about the best nachos in San Francisco. From spicy to unique, take the next week and try these nachos for your lunch, dinner or late night snack. You can even make your own nachos while relaxing at The Wilson.

Señor Sisig

Sigig is known around San Francisco, but it is also known in the wider community from the restaurant’s appearance on Diners, Drive-In’s & Dives. Guy Fieri sampled Sigig’s burritos and nachos for the world to see. He was even a fan of the many delicious options the restaurant has. Make sure to try their nachos with either the sigig-style pork or chicken. Check out their website to find their closest location.

Puerto Alegre

You won’t need to worry about a fork and a knife to dig into Puerto Alegre’s nachos. Their thin, highly fried tortilla chips are perfect to handle all of the toppings you desire. You can enjoy a plethora of cheese, sour cream, guacamole, picante salsa and high-quality carne asade. If nachos are not enough, you can enjoy a citrus cadillac margarita on the side. This perfect plate for two is great for a lunch or dinner between friends or loved ones.

Velvet Cantina

Velvet Cantina will never make you dig all around to get the most nacho ingredients on one chip. This restaurant makes sure to evenly spread all of the ingredients over their housemate chips. You can even add chicken or chorizo for a little extra. If you are still craving nachos after your dinner, you can try their s’mores nachos. These fried tortilla chips with graham crackers, Mexican chocolate and “flaming marshmallows”  are perfect to end your meal. 

Which of these specialty nachos sound perfect to celebrate National Nacho Day? We are so excited to try all of them on our nights free. Do you have a perfect nacho recipe? Share it on The Wilson’s Facebook page.

What Is Your Favorite Candy?

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Boo! It is almost Halloween, and we are ready to inhale as much candy as possible. Chocolate, pixie sticks and gummy worms are plentiful on this spooky holiday. We are glad we have these classic treats, but San Francisco has many unique candy shops that we are also excited to try on this “cheat day” every year. Head out with some friends from The Wilson and try this unique candy on Halloween this year. 

 Cioccolato

Can you imagine barrels upon barrels of candy? At Cioccolato, your dream can become a reality. This family owned candy shop on North Beach has candy as far as the eye can see. They have over 300 different flavors for you to choose from on your candy adventure. Their most popular flavor is called “Black Panther. This flavor consists of Milk and Dark Chocolate fudge, sea salt caramel and fresh peanut butter. Come in on Saturday and sample their flavors to decide what taffy and fudge you want to take home this year. 

The Candy Store

The Candy Store is located in Russian Hill, and it is considered one of San Francisco’s premier candy boutiques. This store does not specialize in one specific kind of candy. They have everything from nostalgic childhood items to new artisan confectioner creations. You can even be transported back a few decades with their old fashioned candy jars filled with all your favorite sweets. This is also the perfect place to go to for unique and customizable gifts and favors for any occasion.

Powell's Sweet Shoppes

Smorgasbords at dinner are great, but a smorgasbord of candy is something we are very excited for. Powell’s Sweet Shoppes have packaged candies, fresh gelato and delectable chocolate treats. This shop is a modern take on old-fashioned candy shops from history. There are so many varieties and kinds of candy, that many believe if you can not find it at Powell’s, it does not exist. You can snack on some candy while purchasing and playing one of the many candy inspired toys and games.

Do you have a sweet tooth? Here are a few stores that your sweet tooth should be very excited to try out on Halloween.

Halloween At The Bay

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Are you excited for Halloween? Whether you are dressing up as a devil, a witch or a celebrity, San Francisco has some amazing events for you to celebrate the night of the living dead. The Wilson is in a great location to be able to get to all of these local events. Check them out and have a great Halloween in the Bay Area.

ScareCo

Alameda has a 72-year-old historic naval ship called the USS Hornet. This old battle ship has turned into a floating haunted house. You can find ghoulish specters of officers as you explore the fog-shrouded deck. They have a huge Halloween bash on October 31st featuring a 70s, 80s and 90s cover band called The Cocktail Monkeys. You can also win $500 in their costume contest. ScareCo is located at 707 W. Hornet Avenue.

Clancy's Pumpkin Patch

Maybe you want a Halloween celebration that is a little less scary. Clancy's Pumpkin Patch is perfect for the people that want to celebrate the season. You can pick an assortment of pumpkins. They currently have sugar pie, Cinderella, blue, white, mini and striped pumpkins that you can carve for Trick-or-Treat. These pumpkins are also great for baking and decorating. After you have found your perfect pumpkin, take a hayride through the scarecrow-lined maze. This pumpkin patch is located at 1620 7th Ave. between Lawton and Moraga Streets.

Haunted Carnival at Pier 33

Halloween along the edge of the Bay will never be the same. Head to the Haunted Carnival at Pier 33 for a new kind of carnival that you have never experienced before. The Butterfly Lounge waterfront provides the venue for DjS The Les and TonyTone. If you arrive before 10:30pm you will get in for free. This event does fill up so make sure to get their as early as you can. You can party the night away with creepy clowns and costume carousers at the Butterfly Restaurant in Embarcadero.

These are just a few of the fantastic Halloween events around San Francisco. Do you have an event you are attending? Share the details on the The Wilson Facebook Page. 

Best Road Trips From San Francisco

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Even when you live somewhere as amazing as The Wilson, sometimes nothing is more relaxing than getting away for the weekend. When you’re ready to hit the road and get out of town, choose one of these hidden gems for your next trip.

Pescadero, CA

If you don’t like being on the road too long, head to Pescadero. It’s only an hour drive from San Francisco and the perfect spot for anyone who wants to visit historic sites. You can visit the Pigeon Point Lighthouse, which is from 1872 and is one of the tallest lighthouses in the country. Also, head to Duarte’s Tavern for a social spot that’s been family-run since 1894.

Cayucos, CA

For anyone who enjoys the drive as much as the destination, the 227 mile drive from San Francisco to Cayucos is for you. Even for the people who think a three and a half hour drive is a little long, might think that this relaxed beach destination is worth it. If you plan your trip accordingly, you can see the elephant seals during their migration periods.

Lassen Volcanic National Park, CA

Lassen Volcanic National Park is the place for anyone who likes to be active on their time off. You can climb Mount Lassen or wander around Bumpass Hell, the hydrothermal areas. This is sure to please the adventurist inside of you.

San Luis Obispo

Beer fans need to take the time to check out San Luis Obispo. It has several craft breweries. You can even take Hop on Beer Tour to visit all of them. If you’re looking for a place to stay, choose the Madonna Inn. It has themed rooms that are sure to please.

Gualala, California

If you like to have your fun on the water, Gualala River is perfect for kayaking or just relaxing on the water. Also, if you hate being away from your dog, you can bring him along and you can both stay at the Sea Ranch Lodge.

Whether you want to get away for an afternoon or for an entire weekend, these trips from San Francisco are sure to be the getaway you’re looking for.