Hotel Manager's Picks

The month of October ushers in some of the best weather of the year in San Francisco as the central valley cools, limiting the fog that is pulled in from the Pacific. Bright, sunny days are ahead where you can actually don shorts and flip-flops and not worry about being comfortable. It's our Indian Summer, so enjoy.

October also marks an annual tradition in the Bay Area ... Fleet Week!

Fleet Week originated in 1908 when President Theodore Roosevelt's "Great White Fleet'' visited our City. It became a San Francisco annual tradition in 1981, when then-Mayor Dianne Feinstein established it as a city celebration. Fleet Week is now the Bay Area's opportunity to pay tribute to the men and women of our nation's Navy and Marine services.

Taking place in mid-October, Fleet Week will feature Navy ships dock-side, while the Blue Angels and other aircraft fly above the San Francisco Bay. Fisherman's Wharf serves as the prime viewing spot for the Fleet Week airshow and the hub of Fleet Week related events, all listed below under Best City Pick.

To help plan your stay, visit our Local Events page on our website for details of some of the more interesting events that are happening in San Francisco this month. Regardless of what you have planned, enjoy visiting our beautiful city.

What's your favorite spot in San Francisco? Let us know at sheratonsf@ihrco.com or Share on Facebook.

Happy Travels ... Craig Schwan, General Manager

Fleet Week - October 7 to 12, 2010
In addition to the information provided above, below is a list of events scheduled for this special weekend:

• Thursday, October 7 Blue Angels Circle and Arrival Maneuvers
• Friday, October 8 Blue Angels Practice Air Show from 3-4 pm
• Saturday, October 9 Parade of Ships & Opening Ceremony,
  Fleet Week Air Show, PIER 39 Fleet Week Celebration and
  Blue Angels/AirShow Performers Meet the Public
• Sunday, October 10 Ship Tours for the Public at Pier 32, Fleet Week Air Show and PIER 39 Fleet Week Celebration

This immensely popular annual festival pays tribute to the men and women of our nation's Navy and Marine services and features a visually stunning Parade of Ships at the opening ceremony, a variety of Navy ships available for touring dock-side, while the Blue Angels and other aircraft fly above the San Francisco Bay. Fisherman's Wharf serves as the prime viewing spot for the Fleet Week airshow and the hub of Fleet Week related events. For further information, visit: www.visitfishermanswharf.com.

Albona Ristorante
Only a few blocks away from the hotel, the first and only Istrian restaurant on the West Coast boasts a cozy dining room bathed in a rosy glow, accented by the mahogany woodwork and reflected in the beveled mirrors.

Intimate seating and background music add to the ambience.
Albona Restaurant's uniqueness is derived from it's distinctive roots in the European town of Albona, Istria, built on a high hill overlooking the gateway of the Adriatic Sea, sharing cultural and political soils with Croatia, Slovenia and Italy.

The culinary infusions are mostly from the Italians, but also from the Austrians, Hungarians, Slavs, Spaniards, French, Jews, Greeks, and Turks. While cumin, pasta str udels, sauerkraut, etc. are usually not associated with Italian cuisine, in Istria they reflect the unusual dishes and recipes of that region.

The dominant Venetian cuisine excels with "Brodetto Istriano"; hearty polenta garnishes the dish of braised fish with calamari and shellfish, glazed with a velvety sauce made with fish stock, tomato, and a hint of balsamic vinegar. The Istrian appetite for lamb, rabbit and veal shanks is savored by authentic recipes.

It is no wonder that Albona Restaurant has been rated among the "The Best Ethnic Restaurants in the Bay Area" by Sharon Silva (Hidden S. F. and Northern California). Michael Bauer, S.F. Chronicle's Food Editor has incuded Albona Restaurant in his list of "The Bay Area's Top 100 Restaurants" for eight consecutive years.

For reservations and information, call (415) 441-1040.

Love, Chaos & Couture Arrives at Teatro ZinZanni
Relax and be prepared to be entertained! Set along San Francisco's historic waterfront, Teatro ZinZanni is a bewitching evening of European Cabaret and Cirque, Divas and Madmen, Spectacle and Sensuality with Live Music and a Gourmet Five-Course Dinner - set in the nightclub of your dreams!

This month, following his meteoric rise and fall in the European fashion world, Caesar (Frank Ferrante), once clothier to the Stars, has retreated to San Francisco. Now wildly successful, he lures his former muse and lover, Liliane (Liliane Montevecchi), to witness his new life as a hip Club owner.

The show features an ensemble cast of world-class performers, generally headed by a marvelous "hostess," ably assisted by a "chef de cuisine" who introduces each course and generally involves audience members in the action, while comedy and mayhem are supplied by acrobats, jugglers, comedians, singers, musicians, and others.

The list of acclaimed performers has included celebrated singers Joan Baez, Sally Kellerman, Liliane Montevecchi, Maria Muldaur, Melba Moore, Ann Wilson, among others. For information call (415) 438-2668.

Napa & Sonoma Wine Country
The mesmerizing scenic beauty of wine country in Autumn enhances the romance of both Sonoma and Napa valley. For a taste of timeless romance and some of the best vintages of wine in the world, journey north to enjoy the fragrance of wine in the air and superlative epicurean delights ... you will revel in the simple pleasures of being together.

Situated an hour's drive north of the hotel, Napa Valley is a great getaway idea for a weekend, although it is equally apt for a longer and more leisurely holiday. You will be in awe of the many great wines, luxurious spas, and fine restaurants in Napa Valley, as well as interesting cultural events and the beautiful rolling hills and colorful countryside. 

Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley together compose the traditional wine country of Northern California, often referred to as the vintner capital of the USA. A magnet for those who appreciate the good life, the area is famous for the medicinal hot springs and spas that soothe the soul and pamper the senses. 

West Side Story
More than fifty years ago, a show about New York City changed musical theatre forever. Now, it's come home to make history once again. This Fall, West Side Story journeys to San Francisco in a groundbreaking new production directed by its legendary librettist, Tony Award winner Arthur Laurents.

From the first notes to the final breath, West Side Story is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time.  Mr. Laurents' book remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever.

The score by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim -- a collection of standards that includes "Tonight," "America," "Maria," "I Feel Pretty" and "Somewhere" -- is widely regarded as one of the best ever written. And the extraordinary, Tony-winning choreography by Jerome Robbins completely changed the language of Broadway dance. Don't miss this thrilling presentation of a matchless work of art!

At the Orpheum Theatre. For tickets call: (888) 746-1799.

Pixar: 25 Years of Animation
Walt Disney's arrival in Los Angeles in the 1920s firmly established California as a magnet for animation artists.

Home to a number of leading studios, the San Francisco Bay Area has emerged as a global center for animation today. Pixar: 25 Years of Animation provides an unprecedented look at the renowned East bay-based studio and showcases the creative work behind its wildly successful computer-animated films.

After its opening in New York and its five-year  international tour, this exhibition comes home to the nearby Oakland Museum. The presentation includes all of the artwork from the original presentation at MOMA, plus art from Ratatouille, WALL•E, Up, and Pixar's latest film, Toy Story 3.

Getting there couldn't be easier, as the Oakland Museum is only one block from the the Lake Merritt BART station. For further information, call (510) 238-2200.