The five-star rated San Francisco Waterfront app is now available for Android devices, so you can take detailed information about nearly 300 venues along the San Francisco waterfront wherever you go.

If you’re a San Francisco resident, you’ll appreciate the fascinating facts, historical tidbits, and local trivia you can share with friends—they’ll think you’re a genius!

If you’re a traveler looking to make the most of your time in San Francisco, the app is also packed with:

• Maps, phone numbers, and URLs.
• Information about cabs and parking.
• Info about tours and transportation.
• Info about bike trails and resources for cyclists.
• Tips for getting in on FREE tours.
• Info about getting discounted tickets to major attractions.
• More than 60 FREE things to see and do along the waterfront.

Get the San Francisco Waterfront app for Android devices. It’s just $2.99—less than the cost of a magazine. Buy it once and get free updates.

Only in San Francisco: Check out the “Chocolate School” at the Ghirardelli Chocolate Cruise on the National Liberty Ship Memorial, SS Jeremiah O’Brien. It’s on Saturday, July 21, 2012 — Boarding at 8 am; departure at 9 am; returning at 2 pm. Departure is from Pier 45, Fisherman’s Wharf. Tickets are available from Eventbrite.

From above board and the bitter end to under the weather and a wide berth … these terms will make you sound like you know what you’re talking about on land or at sea.

• Above board: On or above the deck, in plain view, not hiding anything.
• Anchor’s aweigh: Said of an anchor when just clear of the bottom.
• Aye, aye: Reply to an order or command to indicate that it, firstly, is heard; and, secondly, is understood and will be carried out.
• Avast: Stop, cease or desist from whatever is being done. From the Dutch hou’ vast (“hold fast”), from houd (“hold”) + vast (“fast”).
• Batten down the hatches: To prepare for inclement weather by securing the closed hatch covers with wooden battens so as to prevent water from entering from any angle.
• Bitter end: The last part or loose end of a rope or cable. The anchor cable is tied to the bitts; when the cable is fully paid out, the bitter end has been reached.
• Brass monkey: Used in the expression “it is cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey.” A brass monkey was a brass frame used to hold fast the bottom layer of a pyramid stack of cannon balls; when it was so cold (how cold?) the frame would shrink sufficiently to allow the cannon balls to collapse.
• By and large: By means into the wind, while large means with the wind. “By and large” is used to indicate all possible situations “the ship handles well both by and large.”
• Cat o’ nine tails: A short nine-tailed whip kept by the bosun’s mate to flog sailors. When not in use, the cat was kept in a baize bag, hence the term “cat out of the bag.”  “Not enough room to swing a cat” also derives from this.
• Chock: Hole or ring attached to the hull to guide a line via that point.
• Chock-a-block: Rigging blocks that are so tight against one another that they cannot be further tightened.
• The Doldrums or equatorial calms: The equatorial trough, with special reference to the light and variable nature of the winds.
• Fathom: A unit of length equal to 6 feet, particularly used to measure depth.
• Fly by night: A large sail used only for sailing downwind, requiring little attention.
• Footloose: If the foot of a sail is not secured properly, it is footloose, blowing around in the wind.
• Full and by: Sailing into the wind (by), but not as close-hauled as might be possible, so as to make sure the sails are kept full. Figuratively it implies getting on with the job but in a steady, relaxed way, without undue urgency or strain.
• Groggy: Drunk from having consumed a lot of grog.
• In the offing: In the water visible from on board a ship, now used to mean something imminent.
• Jury rig: Both the act of rigging a temporary mast and sails and the name of the resulting rig. A jury rig would be built at sea when the original rig was damaged, then it would be used to sail to a harbor or other safe place for permanent repairs.
• Knot: A unit of speed: 1 nautical mile (1.8520 km; 1.1508 mile) per hour. Originally speed was measured by paying out a line from the stern of a moving boat. The line had a knot every 47 feet 3 inches, and the number of knots passed out in 30 seconds gave the speed through the water in nautical miles per hour.
• Know the ropes: A sailor who “knows the ropes” is familiar with the miles of cordage and ropes involved in running a ship.
• League: A unit of length, normally equal to three nautical miles.
• Leeway: The amount that a ship is blown leeward (in the direction the wind is blowing).
• Loose cannon: An irresponsible and reckless individual whose behavior (either intended or unintended) endangers the group he or she belongs to. A loose cannon, weighing thousands of pounds, would crush anything and anyone in its path, and possibly even break a hole in the hull, thus endangering the seaworthiness of the whole ship.
• Pipe down: A signal on the bosun’s pipe to signal the end of the day, requiring lights (and smoking pipes) to be extinguished and silence from the crew.
• Slush: Greasy substance obtained by boiling or scraping the fat from empty salted meat storage barrels, or the floating fat residue after boiling the crew’s meal. In the Royal Navy the perquisite of the cook who could sell it or exchange it (usually for alcohol) with other members of the crew. Used for greasing parts of the running rigging of the ship.
• Slush fund: The money obtained by the cook selling slush ashore. Used for the benefit of the crew (or the cook).
• Taking the wind out of his sails: To sail in a way that steals the wind from another ship.
• Three sheets to the wind: On a three-masted ship, having the sheets (ropes used to control the setting of a sail) of the three lower sails loose will result in the ship meandering aimlessly downwind. Also, a sailor who has drunk strong spirits beyond his capacity.
• Toe the line: At parade, sailors and soldiers were required to stand in line, their toes in line with a seam of the deck.
• Under the weather: Serving a watch on the weather side of the ship, exposed to wind and spray.
• Wide berth: To leave room between two ships moored (berthed) to allow space for maneuver.

More terms at:

• Wikipedia
• Marinas Directory (basic)
• Sea Talk Nautical Directory (extensive)

Explore the most popular part of San Francisco—the waterfront—during the city’s superstar time on the world stage—America’s Cup!

Because it’s America’s Cup, you’ll thrill to the sight of the fastest yachts in history racing across the cityfront and out under the Golden Gate Bridge. You’ll meet the greatest sailors on earth, delve into the history of the world’s oldest international sports event, and share in the non-stop celebration.

Because it’s San Francisco, you’ll dine at a Michelin-starred restaurant, ride a cable car halfway to the stars, see Alcatraz from inside a cell, cheer on the World Series-winning SF Giants, stroll across the Golden Gate Bridge, eat a just-caught crab at Fisherman’s Wharf…

If you’re planning to visit San Francisco for America’s Cup, for business or for some other pleasure, you need this definitive guide.

ENJOY AMERICA’S CUP IN SAN FRANCISCO

• Discover the best places to watch the America’s Cup action, brush up on your sailing lingo, and meet the America’s Cup athletes.
• Let a pro show you how to crack crab on Fisherman’s Wharf.
• Find the perfect restaurant, whether you’re after cheap eats, a romantic view, or a celebrity chef.
• Walk or bike across the Golden Gate Bridge after learning about its history and viewing gorgeous slides that show it from the tiniest rivet to full-length span.
• Explore your passions with our custom tours, such as Chocoholic Pilgrimage, Historic Ship Hop, and more.
• Free downloads: San Francisco bike and hiking maps, America’s Cup info, Accessibility Guides, and a wealth of other helpful information.

WHAT REAL-LIFE APP USERS ARE SAYING

• Best App on my phone!
• Brilliant! All my favorite spots are covered plus some new little goodies to explore.
• I love it. Lots of interesting stuff to read, useful links, distance to each site, button to call a cab, etc. Very functional and clever.
• I found so many “Who knew?” items about San Francisco’s waterfront!
• The app is a whole city in itself—I’m already using it every time I’m in SF.
• This app is a perfect guide for the first time tourist, the casual visitor, and even to the longtime resident.

Watch this enchanting video showing ping-pong balls touring Scott Weaver’s popsickle-stick rendition of San Francisco. You’ll see Golden Gate Bridge, the Ferry Building clock tower, AT&T Park’s Coke bottle and mitt, Steiner Street’s painted ladies, Coit Tower, the Transamerica Pyramid, Humphrey the Whale, the Castro, the Haight, Golden Gate Park, the windmill, Ghirardelli Square, and much more.

Scott Weaver’s Rolling through the Bay from The Tinkering Studio on Vimeo.

Here’s a unique way to explore San Francisco’s waterfront: Fisherman’s Wharf, Fort Mason, and the Marina District. The Long Now Foundation presents Mechanicrawl—Explore the mechanical marvels along San Francisco’s North Shore, including the triple expansion steam engine of the SS Jeremiah O’Brien!

Buy a ticket or join a participating organization and for admission to all locations. You can map your crawl prior to embarkation or on the fly with a smartphone.  You can also purchase or reserve your tickets online, including on the day of the crawl September 24, 2011.

Participating locations:
Exploratorium
3601 Lyon Street, San Francisco, CA 94123
Fort Mason Center
Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA 94123
The Long Now Foundation
Fort Mason Center, Building A, San Francisco CA 94123
Musee Mecanique
Pier 45 at the end of Taylor Street, Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco, CA 94133
Outdoor Exploratorium
Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA 94123
The San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
2905 Hyde Street, Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco CA 94133
S.S. Jeremiah O’Brien
docked at Pier 45 , Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco CA 94133
USS Pampanito
docked at Pier 45 , Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco CA 94133

Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children, students and seniors. Free for members of the participating organizations: Long Now, Exploratorium, SS Jeremiah O’Brien & The SF Maritime Park Association. (Join today to get your free tickets!)

Mechanicrawl is produced by The Long Now Foundation in partnership with Exploratorium, Fort Mason Center, Musee Mecanique, SS Jeremiah O’Brien & The SF Maritime Park Association.

San Francisco Cocktail Week, a week-long celebration of the Bay Area’s liquid culture, cocktail heritage, bar talent and industry, has announced its schedule of main events for September 19-25, 2011, plus a special CUESA Farmer’s Market Happy Hour SF Cocktail Week Preview Night on August 24.  Tickets are now on sale for the event, which has set a new bar both in its scope of events and its record number of spirit and media partners.

Equal parts soiree and symposium, shaken with a lot of fun and presented by the non-profit Barbary Coast Conservancy of the American Cocktail (BCCAC), San Francisco Cocktail Week events will be held in venues, bars and restaurants throughout the Bay Area.  Additional Main Events, Seminars and Cocktail Dinners will be announced in the coming weeks.

“For our fifth annual celebration we have engaged a broad team of professionals to make our little fête even better,” says H. Joseph Ehrmann, co-founder of San Francisco Cocktail Week and president of the Barbary Coast Conservancy of the American Cocktail.  “We’ll promote the talents of the bartenders that have honed their skills and become shining new stars, while we honor the leaders that have gotten us here. An array of venues, bars and restaurants are embracing the energy with grand cocktail parties, dinners, seminars and, of course, the requisite amount of revelry.”

New this year is the Gold Pass, which allows its bearer entry into every San Francisco Cocktail Week Main Event, After Party and Seminar, as well as a Cocktail Dinner and exclusive VIP perks and events.  A limited number are available now ($600 through August 31; $700 after Sept. 1). Single tickets, Gold Passes, and additional information are available at www.sfcocktailweek.com. Early bird ticket prices are available through August 31.

Preview Party at the Ferry Building

CUESA FARMER’S MARKET HAPPY HOUR – SF COCKTAIL WEEK PREVIEW NIGHT
Wednesday, August 24
5:30 to 8 p.m.
Location: San Francisco Ferry Building
Tickets: $45 (available through CUESA)

Produced in partnership with the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA), this happy hour, walk-around tasting of farmers market cocktails has been one of the most successful and lasting programs of SF Cocktail Week.

This year the event is also a special Preview Party for many of the seminars, soirees and cocktail dinners slated for mid-September.  Attendees will enjoy two full-sized signature drinks crafted with late summer produce (think peaches, plums, pluots, blackberries, heirloom apples and tomatoes, peppers, fennel and more) as well as tasting 14 sample-sized cocktails, while talking with more than 20 of the Bay Area’s best bartenders who are behind the programs and parties of SF Cocktail Week.  Small bites are provided from local restaurants.

Guests are encouraged to vote for their favorite drinks, and five names will be selected from the votes to win advance tickets to SF Cocktail Week’s opening night party.  Proceeds support CUESA’s Schoolyard to Market program, a youth entrepreneurship project in which students grow produce in local high school gardens and sell it at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market.

In a letter from the Regional Water Quality Control Board to the port and race organizers (Bay Citizen link), RWQCB officials asked for information on various aspects of the America’s Cup race plan, including creosote removal, pipelines for potable water and sewage, and possible spread of invasive seaweed. Read more on SFGate.

Participate in a most worthwhile and delicious community event: Ghirardelli Square will host the 16th Annual Chocolate Festival on Saturday and Sunday, September 10-11, 2011.

The festival benefits Project Open Hand, a San Francisco-based organization that provides meals for people living with HIV/AIDS, as well as senior citizens and homebound critically ill persons.

15 Samples (just $20!): Tickets must be purchased to sample chocolate. Each ticket is valid for 15 samples. Online ticket sales will end at 8:00 AM Saturday, September 10th. Tickets may also be purchased day-of (cash preferred).

VIP “Sweet Sixteen” Affair ($50): Skip the lines and enjoy exclusive music, sweets, and wine in addition to a “15 Sample” ticket for full access to the 16th Annual Ghirardelli Square Chocolate Festival! Online ticket sales will end at 8:00 AM Saturday, September 10th. All guests must be 21+

The Chocolate Festival has become a San Francisco tradition attended by thousands of Bay Area residents and visitors.

Start this self-guided pilgrimage in south end of the Ferry Building with Recchiuti Confections. Then check in a few stores north, at Scharffen Berger. Both these shops, as well as others along the way, offer free samples, so you’ll want to pace yourself. In fact, you might want to fortify yourself with some protein while you’re here; perhaps going whole hog at Hog Island Oyster company. This is your Date with Decadence, isn’t it? Across the aisle, Cowgirl Creamery, Golden Gate Meat Company (which also sells take-out salads) and Acme Bread are other options.

Keep moving, because you’re just getting started. They’re not solely chocolate emporiums, but two nearby shops merit a mention: Miette Patisserie offers lovely cakes and tarts, although it is best known for its seven flavors of Parisian-style macaroons (try the Rose Geranium). And Ciao Bella provides a rotating offering of 18 Italian-style gelatos and sorbets. Their pistachio gelato and blood orange sorbet are both worth the calories. Ciao Bella’s best seller? Chocolate! (Why are we not surprised?)

For your next stop, exit the Ferry building and head north along the Embarcadero to TCHO and savor a shot of high-tech dark chocolate decadence. Continue along the Embarcadero to Pier 39, where you may wangle a sample at Chocolate Heaven, Kara’s Cupcakes or the Fudge House. Breathe in the sea air—deeply—if you’re feeling a little light-headed.

Next, stroll westward along North Point Street to Ghirardelli Square, where you can shop a bit or relax and enjoy historic architecture and a world-class view. Finish at a classic San Francisco original, Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop.

The SF Waterfront Editors Recommend…

The Ghirardelli Chocolate Cookbook: Recipes and History from America’s Premier Chocolate Maker.

America is experiencing a chocolate renaissance, and the epicenter is right here in the San Francisco Bay Area, where Ghirardelli has long been the standard-bearer for great chocolate. Growing consumer demand for higher-quality cacao and specialized chocolate products prompted the experts at Ghirardelli to revise this collection of classic cookies, bars, cakes, and drinks.

The recipes range from simple sweets to show-stopping desserts. Includes more than 80 recipes, a primer on chocolate varieties and uses, and more than 25 full-color photographs. This perfect gift for chocolate lovers includes a new section with a guide to creating edible gifts like cocoa mixes and decadent fudge sauce. About $15. Buy The Ghirardelli Chocolate Cookbook: Recipes and History from America’s Premier Chocolate Maker.