Guide to Mother's Day 2008 in San Francisco
Some ideas for treating mom to a special event or day on May 11, 2008
- Mother's Day Dining, Flowers & Spas
- Mother's Day Chocolate
- Mother's Day for Wine Lovers
- Mother's Day on the Bay
- Mother's Day - Events & Outdoors
Chocolate Shops in San Francisco
San Francisco has a variety of local chocolatiers offering Mother's Day boxes and customized gifts. You can shop local, and make a chocolate lover happy at the same time.
For a bit of culture fused with your cacao, Andrea Nadel hosts a city walk and chocolate tasting in San Francisco -- the San Francisco Gourmet Chocolate Tour.
Scharffen Berger Factory Tour
For a guided chocolate experience, take your mom on the Scharffen Berger factory tour, across the Bay in Berkeley. The one-hour tour is free, and shows visitors the production process, from bean to chocolate bar. If you'd like to show your appreciation financially while you're in the neighborhood, buy her lunch at the adjacent Cafe Cacao or pick up a box of Fleur de Sel Caramels or marzipan treats at Charles Chocolate in Emeryville.
Bittersweet Tastings
Bittersweet Chocolate Cafe has guided chocolate tastings from Monday through Thursday. Average price per person is $30 and includes a gift certificate. Check the Bittersweet website for details.
Cooking For Mom or With Mom
If your mom does enjoy experimenting in the kitchen (and doesn't see it as a dreaded chore), you can purchase an interesting cooking class at one of the local culinary schools -- or take a class together.
A few options are:
- First Class Cooking which offers topics like "Nod to North Africa" or "Fuss-Free French"
- Also in San Francisco is Tante Marie's school for both home cooks and aspiring professionals
- The Cheese School of San Francisco has all sorts of cheese related classes, for beginners and serious cheese lovers both.
- On the Berkeley side, check out Kitchen on Fire for themed classes like "Shanghai Nights" and "Spanish Tapas"
Mother's Day Brunch Recipes from About.com Cooks
Danilo Alfaro (About's Guide to Culinary Arts) put together a Mother's Day Menu with classic egg, waffle and hash brown ideas.
More . . .
Mother's Day Martinis | Breakfast in Bed Recipes | Healthy Mother's Day Brunch |
Other Favorite Recipe Websites
Epicurious | Sunset Magazine Online | Food Network | All Recipes
Sponsor an Animal for a Nature Lover
One of the best birthday gifts I received was an "adopted" animal at a wildlife sanctuary. A friend who knew I was fascinated by bats, bought me a year's sponsorship of Juliette the Bat (at a wildlife refuge in England). I'd get reports of Juliette and became attached to my bat's portfolio and her well-being.
This is obviously not the gift for everyone, but if your mother has a passion for animals, nature or conservation, consider one of these local organizations for their sponsorship programs:
- Marine Mammal Center (Marin): Adopt-a-Seal Program
- Wildcare (Marin): Adopt an Ambassador Program
- Lindsay Wildlife Museum & Hospital (Walnut Creek): Adopt an Animal Program
- San Francisco Zoo: Adopt an Animal Program
Friends of the Urban Forest, an organization that has contributed many trees to the San Francisco landscape, also has a Give a Tree program.
There are many ways to donate to a charity of your choice, on behalf of Mom. The organizations above have specific sponsorship programs, but a charitable donation in your mother's name can be a great and lasting choice any time.