Ghost Tours San Francisco

Tour Mansions in Pacific Heights then-SF Symphony, Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances

[Those with Concert tickets will be taken off the Wait-list. ](https://www.axs.com/events/937951/san-francisco-symphony-orozco-estrada-conducts-dvorak-7-tickets?cid=usaffevvnt) Do you have a ticket, (cost is as low as $27.00). This is a special tour today. End time shown is for the walking tour. After the tour, it's over to **Davies Symphony Hall for, Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances.** We can have lunch before the concert at the Max's Opera Cafe. I have seats around **U12**, in the Upper Orchestra level. There is plenty of available free **parking** around the neighborhood and no restriction on weekends/holidays. After the tour go to the Symphony with us and have lunch there. Help out with Meetup expenses: (Recommended, $5./month for regulars, or $5.00 per Event, if irregular.) Venmo, @hermazon PayPal, herrmann48@comcast.net **(Don't be a no-show.)** It's good to give out name tags. I fill out the name tags just before I leave for the tour. This also gives me a way to take attendance. Name tags that are not picked up, are recorded as no-shows. *(See no-show listing for February in photos below.)* If you get too many no-shows recorded in your personal Meet-up profile you'll be cancelled from this Meetup. (To cancel your RSVP look for the, **"Edit Attendance"** tab at the bottom right hand corner of a notebook screen, left bottom for a phone.) If time allows, about midway through the tour we'll stop for a break atop Lafayette Park. The strange 19th century tale of Samuel Holladay and how he got away with building his mansion on the highest point in Pacific Hts., even though his residential real estate "empire", **was atop and within Lafayette Park**. This is a true tale and will be told with some of the old photos. There are restrooms at the Park and views and we'll describe the surrounding heritage Victorian houses, making our way back through some of the best examples of remaining Victorians in SF. Pacific Heights is best known for being one of the most affluent neighborhoods in San Francisco. This tour highlights the architecture, and some of the people who built, occupied and maintained these grand properties. About 30 of which will be on our tour with some information about each property. The walking tour is 3 miles. With the usual SF hills. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- We'll pass by some Victorians. If you want to know more read-on! **Looking at a San Francisco Victorian, what to look for:** *(There are five Styles)* 1. Flat front Italianate- (earliest Victorians). 2. Italianate with slanted bay windows. 3. San Francisco Stick Style (also called East Lake). Simpler square bay windows now used. Overall more elaborate decoration. 4. Queen Anne Tower House&Witches Cap, with angled or rounded bay windows & front gable 5. Queen Anne Row House"Cottage", 1, 1-1/2 or two stories. Large front gable. Possible moon-gate entry. * Features & "Gingerbread" * Floral Decor-Garlands (one of many types of decorations known as \*"Gingerbread") * Fish scale&Diamond shingles- * Towers & Witch's Cap- * Stained Glass or Beveled Glass- * Carvings of grotesque faces- * Sunbursts- often painted gold color, half or full. * Gables (Queen Anne's) in a variety of material- (mainly redwood) * Newel Posts and Finials on Tower tops and roof peaks- We'll see clusters of Victorian homes systematically built for the average working person by a development company, "The Real Estate Assoc." THEA, in business from 1870 to 1880. Not quite magnificent but many still standing. *Periods* **1860 - 1870s *Italianate*:** Buildings were vertical in emphasis with rounded classical detail. Earliest had flat windows, with false roof fronts. **1880s *Stick Style* (also called East Lake):** Squared off bay windows appear. **Late 1880s and 1890s *Queen Anne*** : Gingerbread would be applied to both the Stick and Queen Ann styles in San Francisco. Sloping roofs appear. With gables and towers. *Rooflines in the Queen Anne were irregular, combining the witches hat rooftop on a rounded or octagonal tower*. Following the Victorians the next major architectural style were the Period Revival residences popular in the 1920s and 1930s. [If you would like a scholarly and detailed explanation with photos, click.](https://sfplanning.org/sites/default/files/documents/preserv/bulletins/HistPres_Bulletin_18.PDF)

Be a Docent for the Victorian Alliance of SF's, Open House Tour of Oct.18,2026

**Victorian** **Alliance of SF's, Open House Tour of Oct.18,2026** Here's a terrific opportunity to get immersed in San Francisco Victoriana. The Victorian Alliance of SF (VASF) is holding their 2026 open house tour in the West Mission, Liberty-Hill area this year on Sunday, Oct. 18th. See the houses, meet the owners, neighbors and fellow SF Victorian fans, while learning the local lore and history. (As a docent you won't need a $55.,ticket.)[ Here is a link to the VASF tour announcement and the event description. ](https://victorianalliance.org/events/2026-west-mission-liberty-hill-historic-house-tour/) Below is an email link to volunteer. Many of you have been on the Walking with a Guide, Meetup, Victorian tours in different neighborhoods of the City. You've learned the basics, (it's all basics), so you're ready to assist others by acting as a volunteer docent. The date is Sunday, Oct 18, 2026, from about noon to 5:00pm, followed by a docent/volunteer appreciation, pizza and beer party. **Becoming a VASF docent, next steps:** 1\. I've posted this\, Docent only invitation\, as an opportunity and virtual gathering place for VASF\, docent volunteering for Meetup members\. 2\. Email\, [info@victorianalliance.org](mailto:info@victorianalliance.org) , Coordinator, Max Mertens, at VASF, to let them know you would like to be a Docent/Volunteer and for specific instructions, timing, to answer questions and to get ready for the Event.

HAGS Does Terror Vault

Liberty Ships & WWII Ghosts, Part 2, at SS Jeremiah O'Brien in San Francisco

After our introduction to Liberty Ships on October 17, let’s go see the finished product. The Bay Area is fortunate enough to have one, the *SS Jeremiah O’Brien*, on exhibit in San Francisco. Admission is Dutch treat, with prices ranging from free (for small children and active Military people in uniform) to $20 per adult. These are payable at its Pier 35 entrance. For specific price breakdowns, go to: [Visit the SS Jeremiah O'Brien — Pier 35, San Francisco Waterfront](https://ssjeremiahobrien.org/visit-us/) Please wear comfortable shoes and clothes and consider the weather that day. Be aware that visiting this ship is may not be feasible for the mobility challenged. It requires climbing steep stairs and ladders and having to step over the port frames for doors. For those interested in joining us for something to eat afterward, we’ll be walking down the street to have an early dinner at the Blue Mermaid Restaurant, located in the haunted Argonaught Hotel across the street from the cable car turnaround. War demands moving troops and supplies to where they’re needed. During World War II, Liberty Ships were built for transporting passengers and cargo around the world. These ships were designed with a pattern easy enough to be mass produced, usually taking only five to eight weeks to be put together. They were built quickly and used triple-expansion steam engines similar to the one used on the *Titanic*. It only went 11 knots per hour, but they did their jobs. They would be superseded by Victory Ships, but the efficiency in building Liberty class made it easier to outnumber the others. Their primary purpose was cargo, so most were operated on orders by the War Shipping Administration (WSA), not the Navy. Hence, they were part of the Merchant Marines with the SS status in their individual names. From 1942 to the end of the war in 1945, 2,710 were produced amongst the shipyards on both coasts. Many of these ships were assembled at the shipyards in East Bay, where Hendy Iron Works sent 754 engines to be installed. Henry J. Kaiser’s Richmond Shipyard had an excellent reputation for organization and expediency, in one case putting a ship together within five days. Today, only two Liberty Ships survive. Unlike the *SS John W. Brown* currently docked in Baltimore, the *O’Brien* retains the original design configuration. Over the course of WWII, the *O’Brien* completed seven wartime voyages to destinations in Northern Ireland, India, Australia, and South America. She also made 11 crossings to the Normandy beachhead during the D‑Day landings. When Madeleine and I paid a reconnaissance visit to the *O’Brien*, the volunteer staff had no on-board ghost stories to tell, but she had already picked up 20–30 astrals in residence. As we wandered around, she soaked in the vibes of soldiers feeling as if they were sacrificial lambs. For many of those young men, going to Normandy for D-Day was the last trip they would ever take. Even more surprising, the astrals told the *O’Brien*’s stories of stowaways. According to the *Jeremiah O’Brien* website, what sets it “apart today is more than her wartime legacy. She is the only Liberty ship in the world that retains her original WWII configuration, preserved without modern alterations or conversions. Her machinery, interior layout, and construction remain faithful to 1943 standards. “This remarkable authenticity does not come at the expense of functionality. The *SS Jeremiah O’Brien* is U.S. Coast Guard inspected and approved and maintains a current classification with the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)—a rare achievement for a historic vessel of her kind. She remains seaworthy and licensed to sail under her own power, a status no other Liberty ship can claim.” Sadly, the *O’Brien*’s certification is about to expire, since the nearby office that does the certification inspection has closed. It will be sailing for the last time during this year’s Fleet Week. I look forward to seeing other Bay Area Ghost Hunters there. Adrienne

SCARY GAMES GALORE @ Triple Rock Brewing / Berkeley

Game night returns after a short hiatus. ... Well we have some sad news. Triple Rock, one of our game night hangs for almost 10 years....is closing down. This will be our last game night there and its a tad bittersweet. Of course its spooky season, so were having our annual Spooky Games Galore! Plz bring any spooky themed games you have.....or dont and come play ours! We'll have some great games coming out! Making its game night debut, Gabi will be hosting DEEP REGRETS! An unfortunate fishing game about pulling progressively more horrifying things out of the ocean. Decide what to eat, what to sell, what to mount, and how many regrets you're willing to carry, as you push yourself too far and spiral towards a conclusion in this strategic horror fishing game. All the while trying not to succumb to madness! Fernie will be hosint BETRAYAL AT HOUSE ON THE HILL. A tile game that allows players to lay out the haunted house room by room, tile by tile, creating a new game board every time. The game is designed for three to six people, each of whom plays one of six possible characters. Players explore the haunted house, gathering items and discovering secrets, until one of the characters triggers a haunt and a monster hunts the rest of the party. The innocent members of the party must defeat the monster in their midst before the monster gets them! And Mike will be hosting GHOST STORIES! Ghost stories is a cooperative game in which the players protect the village from incarnations of the lord of hell – Wu-Feng – and his legions of ghosts before they haunt a town and recover the ashes that will allow him to return to life. Each Player represents a Taoist monk working together with the others to fight off waves of ghosts. DEEP REGRETS - cthulu-esque fishing game BETRAYAL AT HOUSE ON THE HILL-betray your friends and become the enemy GHOST STORIES - hold back the demonic ghosts as taoist monks KING OF TOKYO: HALLOWEEN EDITION -- monsters in costumes fighting MYSTERIUM PARK — solve a ghostly murder at a carnival. CTHULU WARS -- Lovecraftian conquering GLOOM --- be the first to kill your family FURY OF DRACULA -- try to outrun and survive the king of death BLOOD BOUND--- warring vampire clans LAST FRIDAY--- Jason vs camp players ELDER SIGN —- lovecraftian museum explore MUNCHKIN CYHULU — silly lovecraftian fun BETRAYAL AT BALDURS GATE — as above but set in dnd setting ZOMBIE DICE--- fun and simple zombie dice WEREWORDS--- clever take on werewolf WEREWOLF ONE NIGHT --- classic seduction \*\*We know how to play all these games and can teach you. If its your first time joining us, come on out!! \*\*This meetup begins at 6 with games starting around 6:30 / 7ish. Feel free to arrive arrive after that, but you may have to team up / hang out and wait for a new round of gaming to begin. ;) Friends First. Games Always.

HAGS Does Macmillan Mysteries' Home Haunt

Tour Dashiell Hammett & Sam Spade's San Francisco of the 1920's

Matching the opulence of the Victorians are the apartment and office buildings built after the 1906 earthquake and up to the Great Depression in 1929. . This was Dashiell Hammett's world and the world he placed the characters in his novels and stories including Sam Spade in the Maltese Falcon. In the eighties the worst thing you could say about a proposed downtown building was that it would Manhattanize San Francisco. By 2008 everything changed and Manhattanization of parts of downtown became almost a goal. An area now called the East Cut south of market around 2nd Street where back in the 1860s Rincon Hill was cut through by what was known then as the East Cut to link that part of downtown to the waterfront. It has now become a very hot development area. It contains Salesforce Park and the transit center. As well as the infamous Millienium Tower.

SF Marina Tour-Panama Pacific Int'l.Exposition of 1915, from Scott St. entrance

**Note:** The subject tour is of one of the great works of architecture, art and art display in history. It was all created in San Francisco's Marina District, all built in only the two years of, 1913 & 1914. The PPIE ran from Feb.1915 to Dec. And then it vanished. Aside from Bernard Maybeck's Palace of Fine Arts, the re-creation of the California Palace of the Legion of Honor.and some remaining statues and sculptures, all we have left are photos, drawings and written descriptions and accounts of what was there in 1915. But the land this was all on is still there and accessible (except for the Doyle Dr. entry ramp area). By combining the land with the eupherma mentioned above we can virtually recreate in our minds eye what was here. So it is not lost if we don't want it to be! The first tours will develop a summary view that will enable more detailed tours come later. Join in this journey into something very special in the worlds of art and architecture. [A link to a video of the PPIE.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY75exH6Rck) Imagine it's 1915, and you are going to tour the Panama Pacific International Exposition, a San Francisco cultural phenomena. (An idea conceived by Willis Polk in 1891, that eventually had to overcome not only the devastating 1906 Earthquake and Fire, (which made San Franciscans even more determined to have the Exposition), but the start of World War I in Europe. A quarter of million attended opening day and almost twice that many closing day. Imagine how you would spend your day there in 1915. That's what our tour will attempt to do. As we walk a likely route, we would have chosen in 1915. We'll read descriptions of and look at photos of what was along our route. Take a look and do an arm-chair, **\***[self-guided walking tour created by the NPS for the Presidio and GGNRA.](https://npshistory.com/publications/goga/brochures/pan-pacific-expo-1915.pdf) Before the PPIE which the lower part of the Marina District was created for, was a tidal marsh that required pumping Bay mud to fill, including the Marina Green. San Franciscans were very proud and serious about the PPIE. (In 1910 over 4 million$ was raised in a single, two hour, public meeting.) They were making a statement, in letting the world know, that they had successfully survived the 1906 Earthquake and Fire. In fact some very wealthy San Franciscans built mansions in Pacific Hts. just to overlook the PPIE. A way of making their own personal statement that they and the City were back from the ashes and had made an unbelievable recovery. **Chestnut St.** has a large assortment of traditional and avant-guard restaurants. Let's pick one out from the listing below. Or if you have a great favorite please recommend it. **Italian Restaurants and Pizza Shops** * **[A16](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=/m/0220x5j&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjH0ZyHiueTAxVkJzQIHVf_DkQQqdYPegQICRAC)** : A highly-regarded spot specializing in Neapolitan-style pizza and wines from the Campania region. * **[Little Original Joe's](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=/g/11t4kffz5b&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjH0ZyHiueTAxVkJzQIHVf_DkQQqdYPegQICRAF)** : A popular neighborhood staple offering Italian-American classics like vodka pasta, pizza, and burgers. * **[Delarosa](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=/g/1tgxts6d&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjH0ZyHiueTAxVkJzQIHVf_DkQQqdYPegQICRAI)** : Known for its Roman-style thin-crust pizza, small plates, and craft cocktails in a lively atmospher * **[Norcina (Pierce St)](https://www.norcina.com/)**: Located just off Chestnut, this Italian spot is praised for its Nor-sting-ya pizza and authentic pasta dishes. * **Roma Antica (Scott St)**: An authentic Italian restaurant featuring homemade pasta like Cacio e Pepe and Lasagna, often with Italian-speaking staff. * **[Napizza (Scott St)](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=/g/11rn77y0nx&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjH0ZyHiueTAxVkJzQIHVf_DkQQqdYPegQICRAO)** : Offers upscale pizza and pasta, such as truffle mushroom bruschetta and Meyer lemon pizza. **American & Comfort Food** [Causwells](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F1q66z5g1s) [4.3(941)](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F1q66z5g1s) [American](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F1q66z5g1s) [Open2346 Chestnut St10.2 mi](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F1q66z5g1s) A European-inspired bistro famous for its Americana double cheeseburger, as well as seasonal salads and baby back ribs. [Cracked & Battered - Marina](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11jghv89cs) [4.6(534)](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11jghv89cs) [$20–30Restaurant](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11jghv89cs) [Closed2240 Chestnut St10.1 mi](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11jghv89cs) A cozy brunch restaurant serving savory and sweet dishes, including fried chicken and waffles and lemon ricotta pancakes. [Chestnut Diner](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fm%2F04fjwx0) [4.0(562)](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fm%2F04fjwx0) [$10–20Diner](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fm%2F04fjwx0) [1312 Chestnut](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fm%2F04fjwx0) A classic, no-frills American diner known for its fluffy omelets and retro counter seat [The Dorian](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11ckvljj8w) [New American](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11ckvljj8w) [2001 Chestnut St](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11ckvljj8w) A swanky, modern American restaurant and bar popular for social gatherings and brunch. [Balboa Cafe](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fm%2F01zn48k) [4.2(842)](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fm%2F01zn48k) [$20–30Restaurant](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fm%2F01zn48k) [3199 Fillmore](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fm%2F01zn48k) An iconic neighborhood institution serving classic American fare and known as a social hub. **Global & Specialty Cuisine** [Dragon Well](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fm%2F04fj1z7) [4.2(343)](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fm%2F04fj1z7) [$20–30Chinese](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fm%2F04fj1z7) [Open2142 Chestnut](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fm%2F04fj1z7) A long-standing neighborhood favorite for health-conscious Chinese food and handmade potstickers. [Milos Meze](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11lvz40pvx) [4.9(365)](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11lvz40pvx) [Restaurant](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11lvz40pvx) [3348 Steiner](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11lvz40pvx) A modern Greek restaurant serving authentic dishes like lamb chops and spanakopita.[Souvla](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11gv_sljj1) [4.5(481)](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11gv_sljj1) [$10–20Greek](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11gv_sljj1) [Open2272 Chestnut](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11gv_sljj1) A casual, modern Greek rotisserie and salad spot.[Lobalita](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11n43r0k2m) [4.6(11)](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11n43r0k2m) [$20–30Restaurant](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11n43r0k2m) [Open2231 Chestnut](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11n43r0k2m) Recently replaced The Tipsy Pig, this modern Mexican bar offers tapas-style bites like aguachiles and tacos. [SF.gov](http://sf.gov/) +7 [Super Mensch](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11xkn4hmzs) [4.3(67)](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11xkn4hmzs) [$20–30Jewish](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11xkn4hmzs) [Open2336 Chestnut St10.2 mi](https://www.google.com/viewer/place?mid=%2Fg%2F11xkn4hmzs) A modern Jewish deli specializing in pastrami on house-made rye and matzah ball soup. ## References: Title: San Francisco's exposition year : the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition / 907.4794 Bruce Title: Panorama : tales from San Francisco's 1915 Pan-Pacific International Exposition / 979.461 B836p Title: San Francisco's Jewel City : the Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915 / 907.47946 Ac57s Title: San Francisco's wildflower : the Palace of Fine Arts / 708.074 B896s plus hundreds and hundreds of Google searches. such as, "Show me a photo of xxx State building at the PPIE.

Architectural Walking Tour with Campus Concert & Lunch at the Faculty Club

*\* Please see the No-show policy at the bottom. Don't be a No-show and lose your membership in the Group. Canceling within 24hr of meeting time for the Event, counts as a No-show.* (Event ending time includes staying for the three parts of the Meetup Event.) *There are essentially three parts today, a walk to the Campus of just over two miles up the hill* *After the walking tour we'll have lunch, finishing by 12:10, just in time for the Concert.* *\*The concert is 45 minutes long and will end at 1:00pm.* *The salad bar, sandwiches, hamburgers or the Kerr Bar located in the Faculty Club which is next door to the Music Dept. is very good. **We need to finish lunch by 12:10 sharp.*** \*The Chamber Music concert will feature students from the UC Berkeley Symphony Orchestra performing small ensemble works under the direction of Leighton Fong. Berryman Station was originally between Rose and Vine Sts. After the RR extended its line from Downtown in 1878, the nearby blocks developed into a commercial and residential district. The eight blocks located between Rose and Cedar from Arch to Shattuck were subdivided in 1873 and sold for $300 to $400 each for a 60' by 134' lot. \*There is limited attendance for this event. Don't RSVP unless you are sure you can make it, if you No-show you'll be needlessly taking someone's spot who is on the Waitlist. **(Don't be a no-show.)** It's good to give out name tags. I fill out the name 24 hrs. before the meeting time. This also gives me a way to take attendance. Name tags that are not picked up, are recorded as no-shows. If you get too many no-shows recorded in your personal Meet-up profile you'll be cancelled from this Meetup. (To cancel your RSVP [must be at least 24hrs in advance or it is a no-show] look for the, **"Edit Attendance"** tab at the bottom right hand corner of a notebook screen screen, left bottom for a phone.) Meet on the sidewalk at the intersection of Yolo Ave. & Sutter St. Berkeley, opposite 2019 Yolo Ave. 2019 Yolo Ave. · Berkeley, CA Students from the UC Berkeley Symphony Orchestra perform small ensemble works under the direction of Leighton Fong. 12:15pm concert at Hertz Hall. The neighborhood north of University Ave. between Shattuck and MLK began as farmland. Sub-divided after steam train service arrived in 1876. With the advent of electric streetcars, reaching Cedar Ave. in 1902 residential development accelerated. The dominant style is Colonial Revival popular between 1895 and 1905. Distance will be about four miles round trip up the hill. Architectural Walking Tour with Campus Concert & Lunch at the Faculty Club

Profs & Pints San Francisco: The Rise of Vampires

[Profs and Pints San Francisco](https://www.profsandpints.com/sfbayarea) presents: **“The Rise of Vampires,”** on the folkloric origins and literary evolution of today’s fanged fiends, with Sara Hackenberg, professor of English at San Francisco State University and scholar of Victorian literature and literature’s vampire tradition. [Tickets must be purchased online, at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/san-francisco-rise-of-vampires](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/san-francisco-rise-of-vampires) .] Did you know that vampires sprang from literature nearly a whole century before Bram Stoker wrote *Dracula*, and that they prowled in folklore for centuries before that? You’d have to visit a lot of gravesites to witness the unearthing of as many vampires as will be raised at the October 12th debut of Profs and Pints at The Dairy community space at San Francisco’s Presidio Sports Basement. The excavation will be carried out by Professor Sara Hackenberg, who previously has given excellent Profs and Pints talks on vampires and Christmas ghost stories. She’ll show you the vampire beneath the vampire beneath the vampire, tracing their evolution in old European folklore and the English literature of the nineteenth-century. You’ll get to know the seductive, snaky Lamia in Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s 1816 poem “Christabel” and the sapphic seductress at the center of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s 1872 novella Carmilla. You’ll spend time with the mad, bad, and dangerous Byronic vampire that originated in John Polidori’s 1819 gothic horror story “The Vampyre,” found his way into theatrical adaptations such as James Planché’s 1820 “The Bride of the Isles,” and then stalked through cheap popular publications–known as “penny bloods” or later as “penny dreadfuls”—such as James Malcolm Rymer’s mid-1800s serial *Varney, The Vampire.* We’ll consider how Bram Stoker was influenced by all of these texts and folded a variety of characteristics of their fearsome femmes and hommes fatales into Count Dracula, the most famous literary vampire of all. (Advance tickets: $13.50 plus processing fees. Door price: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: “The Premature Burial,” an 1854 painting by Antoine Wiertz (Wiertz Museum / Wikimedia).

McLaren Park & the Visitacion Valley Greenway

Early Spring walk through McLaren Park and the surrounding neighborhood via Visitacion Valley Greenway. Estimated distance four miles. The usual ups and downs. This is the first of our McLaren Park hikes. We won't cover everything while taking a look at what California early spring looks like in a more natural setting for San Francisco. Be sure to bring a bottle of water, protect with sunscreen, and very sturdy shoes, but preferably hiking shoes or boots. Dress in layers. *After the walk is over, we'll find a coffeehouse or restaurant.* **\*(Don't be a no-show or your membership will be canceled.)** It's good to give out name tags which I will do. I fill out the name tags 24 hours before I leave for the tour. This also gives me a way to take attendance. Name tags that are not picked up, are recorded as no-shows. See photo below of No-show name tags for February 2026. If you get too many no-shows recorded in your personal Meet-up profile, (only visible to the organizer) you'll be canceled from this Meetup. (**To cancel your RSVP** beforehand, [must be at least 24 hrs. in advance of the start time, or a no-show is recorded.], look for the, **"Edit Attendance",** *tab,* at the bottom right hand corner of the screen on a notebook and left bottom on a phone.)

Smoky Mountain Boots and Roots Hiking

**OVERVIEW** Are you into endless views? Old-growth forests? Mist bouncing off a 100-foot waterfall hitting your face? Then spend a long weekend with a small group of women hiking the best trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (including parts of the Appalachian Trail). Channel your inner goat girl as you stroll through iconic scenery and listen to stories of the women who helped shape the Smokies. Take a brief break from the trail living out your pottery fantasies throwing clay on the wheel and sculpting your very own mug. Then kick back like a queen with nightly glamping near Gatlinburg, TN. **BOOTS = HIKING** Get your blues and greens in on three stunning hikes that don’t even look real. The views from Charlies Bunion and Ramsay Cascades are complete madness. Wind your way through pine trees and over classic creek crossings that make you momentarily consider a coonskin hat. (But not really, because animals ♥️) **ROOTS = HER-STORY** Did you know a woman was the first settler to move to the Smoky Mountains? You didn’t? That’s because Martha Jane Huskey Ogle’s husband called dibs on the fame. Learn about the deliciously woman-heavy history of a wilderness that man tried real hard to claim as his own. Your Explorer Chick guide will drop all the juicy gossip, connecting you to the goosebumpy sisterhood who walked before you. Deep dive into Appalachian crafts straddling a wheel and molding a coffee mug with your very own hands. Local artists will guide you through the entire pottery process and only help when needed. After 10 weeks of drying, firing, and glazing, your mug will show up at your doorstep. Surprise! Relive the SHE-nanigans of your Smokies trip. **YOU FEELING MAX COMFY WHILE GLAMPING** Put your feet up in total Insta-worthy digs at our adorable glamping site minutes from Gatlinburg. You will sleep in a tent that has been tastefully decorated and luxuriously appointed with WiFi and temperature control – with meals freshly prepared at camp by your Explorer Chick guides. You only have one task after hiking: RELAX. **ADVENTURE HIGHLIGHTS:** * Hike the Appalachian Trail to the sweeping panaromic views from Charlies Bunion * Get up close and personal with the Smokies tallest waterfall, Ramsey Cascades * Learn how to work clay on a wheel as you create your one of a kind glazed coffee mug * Kick back at camp with breakfasts and dinners cooked by your Explorer Chick guides. * Sleep easy at our Glamping site with canvas tents outfitted with all the creature comforts. * Relax with a comprehensive itinerary that makes the logistics, transportation, navigation, meal planning, lodging, and everything between easy. * Geek out with supportive and encouraging Explorer Chicks on a private, women-only, small group adventure tour. **See the website for full details and to book.** [https://explorerchick.com/adventures/womens-smoky-mountain-boots-and-roots-hiking-trip/](https://explorerchick.com/adventures/womens-smoky-mountain-boots-and-roots-hiking-trip/) **Say Hello 👋** 💻 Website: [https://explorerchick.com/](https://explorerchick.com/) 📧 Email: [hello@explorerchick.com](http://hello@explorerchick.com/) 📸 Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/explorerchickadventureco/](https://www.instagram.com/explorerchickadventureco/) ❤️ Facebook: [https://www.facebook.com/ExplorerChickAdventureCo/](https://www.facebook.com/ExplorerChickAdventureCo/) 👯‍♀️ Facebook Group: [https://www.facebook.com/groups/weareexplorerchick](https://www.facebook.com/groups/weareexplorerchick) 🎥 TikTok: [https://www.tiktok.com/@explorerchick](https://www.tiktok.com/@explorerchick)