Happy Friday!
I hope that it’s been a good week for you. I continue to be hard at work prepping and rehearsing "GRANDMA & ME: An Ode to Single Parents,"
my new solo play. It begins previews at the Marsh San Francisco on 9/9/2022 at 8 with the Press Opening scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 8, at 5 PM. Tickets are available now at The Marsh.
Since the show is about single
parenting, single parents get in 2 for 1 during the month of September. I’m also looking to reach out to groups and organizations here in the Bay Area that support single parents. I’m having a hard time connecting though since, based on my online searches, you have to actually be a single parent and join the groups in order to even send a contact email. I was a single parent (hence the show) but my youngest is now 27 so I don’t think I qualify.
If you know of or can connect me with any single parenting groups in the Bay Area, please reach out to me at [email protected].
I actually got a day off this week for a San Francisco based stay-cation so, here are a few recommendations.
HOTEL
The Handlery Hotel
321 Geary Street
San Francisco, CA
(866) 306-0942
The Handlery is a luxurious, boutique hotel located in Union
Square, right across the street from another of my famous spots, the St. Francis. The Handlery has been family owned and run for three generations. It’s luxury without the prices you’d pay for a similar stay at other Union Square hotels. The rooms are ultra-modern and provide all of the amenities you’d expect from a high-end hotel in one of San Francisco’s most high-end districts. Reservations recommended. I was shocked to discover that even in these uncertain times, the hotel sells out most
nights.
COPIE’S CHOICE: GO!
EATS
Mastro’s Steakhouse
399 Geary Street
San
Francisco, CA
(415) 363-9539
Mastro’s is a relatively new restaurant in Union Square, walking distance from the Handlery. I LOVE steakhouses and the service and ambiance here are excellent. It’s pricy, though. As is the trend with most steakhouses these days, the steaks run $50 and up, with the Waygu Tomahawk steak topping out at $250. All sides are a la carte. I’ve been to steakhouses of the caliber
that Mastro’s aspires to many times at the prices Mastro’s charges, and I’ve had some marvelous meals. This one was just…okay. One of the diners I was with had a 6-ounce filet ($53) that was flavorful, yet overcooked. Another had their pan-seared halibut ($49) that was dry and overcooked as well. In my opinion, if you’re going to charge $49 for a piece of fish, it had better be perfect.
As I said, the service was great, though. The staff is
wonderfully attentive. The restaurant is beautiful. There is an extensive wine and mixed drink menu and there is live music to accompany your dining. Now…if they can just get the food part down.
COPIE’S CHOICE: Eh
Sears Fine Food
439
Powell Street
San Francisco, CA
(415) 986-0700
I first discovered this San Francisco jewel back in my KTVU days when I was sent to do an interview with Sidney Amber, the greeter at the eatery, who was still at his post at the age of 104. Mr. Amber was as much a fixture of Sears as the décor. I remember he said that his secret to long life was to take two
teaspoons of straight Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce a day. He may have been on to something. He lived to be 109! I remember him guesting on "The Tonight Show" and getting Jay Leno to swallow a few spoonfuls.
The restaurant is one of my favorite breakfast spots in the city with their corned beef hash out of this world, their eggs farm fresh and their orange juice freshly squeezed. Expect a wait as they are popular and do not take
reservations.
COPIE’S CHOICE: Go!
TELEVISION
WATCHING
MIND OVER MURDER
HBO Max
This six-part docuseries tells the heartbreaking, infuriating story
of the Beatrice 6, six twentysomethings wrongly convicted in a 1985 murder in the town of Beatrice, Nebraska. After more than questionable interrogation techniques, including getting them to confess and testify against each other under threat of the death penalty, a county attorney who wanted to make a name for himself, an egomaniacal investigator and literal brainwashing, they spent decades behind bars before finally being exonerated by DNA that identified the real killer and proved that they
were not at the crime scene. In fact, some of the six didn’t even know each other before they were arrested and charged with the murder and rape of 68-year-old Helen Wilson.
The docuseries uses the unique framing device of the community theater in Beatrice mounting a new show about the case, using only interrogation and trial transcripts to tell the story, which is still controversial in town. Some of the acting company even received death
threats for daring to tell the tale. This is one of those towns where people have a hard time being convinced by science and still consider the six to be either murderers or accomplices no matter what the DNA results are.
I was hooked every minute.
COPIE’S CHOICE: WATCH!