Photo Credit: Super Bowl 50 Host Committee
Are you ready for some football? With Super Bowl 50 just days away, it’s time for you to get into spirit. There’s no better way to do that than with a visit to Super Bowl City, which opens on Saturday, Jan. 30 and tops our list of the five hautest things to do in San Francisco this weekend.
Visit Super Bowl City
In a break from tradition, Super Bowl City will be open for an extra weekend this year, providing us locals the opportunity to experience the excitement of Super Bowl 50 before all of those Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers fans invade our region. Super Bowl City presented by Verizon opens January 30, 2016, with hours of operation from 11 a..m. to 10 p..m. and the day’s activities topped off with “Saturday Night Lights”: the official re-lighting of The Bay Lights on the Willie L. Brown, Jr. Bay Bridge followed by the Macy’s Fireworks Show and performances of by Sean Hayes then Chris Isaak on The City Stage presented by Levi’s. This free-to-the-public fan village is designed to celebrate the milestone Super Bowl 50 and to highlight its unique place in the Bay Area. Centered in Justin Herman Plaza, on the Embarcadero at the foot of San Francisco’s famed Market Street, Super Bowl City will feature family-friendly activities for fans of all ages In the heart of Super Bowl City is where you’ll find the Fan Energy Zone presented by SAP, which celebrates the Bay Area’s leadership in technology and innovation—and will showcase the latest in interactive gaming, social media and data visualizations.
There’s also a Taste of Sonoma lounge, where you can sip wines from 50 Sonoma County, and plenty of food offerings. Featured restaurants in Super Bowl City will include Santa Clara’s Bourbon Steak & Pub, Alameda’s Calafia, The Hall and Woodhouse Fish Co. from San Francisco, and items from the Southern Comfort Kitchen food truck, and local-inspired bites from Legends. Local highlights will include local rock cod fish and garlic fries, the Calafia Pork Bowl with pork sourced from Marin Sun Farms, and Michael Mina’s Gold Rush Burger with Schmitz Ranch beef.
Take Part In The NFL Live Experience
Also kicking off on Saturday is the NFL Experience Driven by Hyundai, held at Moscone Center North and South in San Francisco from Saturday, January 30 – Sunday, February 7, 2016. NFL Experience is the most exciting continuous event surrounding Super Bowl 50 — pro football’s interactive theme park offering participatory games, youth football clinics, merchandise from NFL Shop and free autograph sessions from NFL players. NFL Experience also will debut new attractions in San Francisco including personalized digital photos, upgraded 40-yard dash and vertical jump against NFL players on LED screens, a virtual reality experience, an enhanced Super Bowl rings display and a new NFL Draft set. Tickets are available for purchase on Ticketmaster.com, by calling 866-TIX-4NFL (849-4635) or at the Moscone Center box office one hour prior to doors opening. To avoid lengthy lines at the box office, the pre-purchase of tickets online or over the phone is recommended. Ticket prices include all games and attractions.
Star in a Jaguar Movie
Are you ready for your close-up in a Jaguar? Then sign up here for your opportunity to take part in Jaguar’s Art of Performance tour. Taking place at Pier 35, you can get behind the wheel of the new Jaguar XE, the brand’s newest compact sports sedan, before it goes on sale in Spring 2016, and make a personalized, action-packed mini-movie, The Audition that you can share on social media. The new Jaguar XE boasts some amazing features including all-wheel drive capabilities, Apple Watch connectivity, InControl WiFi, 10.2-inch tablet-style touchscreen & Jaguar InControl® Touch Pro™ infotainment system to name a few. So we’re sure you’ll have a good time. Not to mention you can also get up close and personal with the all-new Jaguar F-PACE.
Check Out Leo’s Oyster Bar
Leo’s Oyster Bar, the fourth offering of Big Night Restaurant Group (the combo behind The Cavalier, Marlowe and Park Tavern), opened on Thursday so this is a great time to check it out. Located at 568 Sacramento Street, in San Francisco’s Financial District, Leo’s is named for the young son of owners Anna Weinberg and James Nicholas. This sure-to-be haute spot is fashioned after the great cocktail and oyster bars of the golden era. Serving afternoon cocktails and bites from 3 p.m. into the early evening, Leo’s then provides a glamorous, cozy drinks and dinner service. The extensive raw bar, open from 3 p.m., features East and West coast oysters, clams, crab legs and uni, among other delicacies of the sea. Chef Jennifer Puccio has created inventive crudos, like Diver Scallop, Jalapeno, Cucumber, Radish and Lime that share top billing with hot oysters, such as Oysters Carbonara, Oysters baked with Seaweed Butter, Togarashi and Lime,and the Wing Fried Oyster, which rests on top of a classic Puccio deviled egg. There’s traditional caviar service and Puccio’s more-refined version of the San Francisco classic dish, the Louie, in variations with
crab and rock Shrimp. Looking for something more hearty? There’s a New England Style Lobster Roll, and a Braised Short Rib with Uni Butter. While the Marlowe Burger is not offered at Leo’s, Puccio’s new Marlowe Burger French Fries are- in which the fries are topped with the classic burger condiments: cheddar cheese
sauce, aioli, bacon, caramelized onions and crisp shredded lettuce. Big Night pastry chef Emily Luchetti serves beautiful desserts in vintage glassware, and reprises the classic Stars cookies that she made for Jeremiah Tower and Denise Hale. Of course there are fine cocktails and champagne.
Stop By the New Axiom Hotel
When you’re out and about, swing by the new Axiom Hotel at 28 Cyril Magnin St. in San Francisco, which also opened this week. Perched at the famed Cable Car turnaround at the nexus of historic Union Square and innovative Mid-Market, the tech-forward boutique hotel welcomes guests and locals. You’ll want to grab a seat at the Turn Cafe, a cafe bar designed for people on the go to meet, interact and recharge. You’ll find a variety of dishes prepared with fresh, local, and organic ingredients throughout breakfast, lunch, and dinner for both sit down and takeaway. Menu items include organic juices, local micro-roast coffee, artisan sandwiches, and the signature Axiom Burger made with 100% grass-fed Niman Ranch beef. In the evening, enjoy shared plates alongside a full bar with hand-crafted specialty cocktails and a variety of local wines. On the mezzanine level—named the Cloud, a nod to the hotel’s digital influence—you’ll find classic arcade games that further fuse vintage entertainment with present-day gadgets. There’s an iPad station for you to easily order food and beverages, seating areas including a communal table with easily accessible outlets for device charging, and a unique “selfie station” with a live social media feed. The first level and lobby area—dubbed the Hallidie Library as homage to Hallidie Square, located next to the hotel—features a harmonious mix of old and new with vintage photographs and a collection of books interspersed among decidedly modern furnishings and other pieces.
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