You got your work neighborhood, your going-out neighborhood, your dollar-beers neighborhood.
Your straight-up fun neighborhood?
Food trucks? Trampolines? Bridge views and park space?
Come take a tour with us of Fort Mason — courtesy of one of the best cocktail-slingers in town: Jennifer Colliau, beverage director of The Interval, the style-y combination bar-café-museum.
Colliau, for the record, is a fascinating polymath: entrepreneur, mixologist, cabinet maker.
Below, her picks for entertainment in and around this singular neighborhood, itself resistant to categorization: a natural playground, one-time military base, art space, picnic place and national parks center.
Wait for a sunny day — and consider this a checklist for the best Fort Mason has to offer.
Off the Grid at Fort Mason on Friday nights is the original, and still — in my opinion — the best. Live music, fantastic food, and a great crowd, right against the Bay. Quintessentially San Francisco.
BATS Improv in Fort Mason is eclectic and hilarious. (Shows are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with student shows on Sundays; if you’re feeling over your career choice, consider one of their classes.)
Greens has exceptional vegetarian food and one of the best views in the city. (Editor’s note: Can cake be cake when it’s flourless? Yes, if it’s a chocolate torte with salted caramel ice cream and cocoa nib tuile. P.S.: A tuile is “a thin curved cookie, typically made with almonds,” in case you’re not up on your advanced dessert vocabulary.)
The burger at Causwells in the Marina is what a burger should be: not too big, modestly sauced and perfectly cooked. A fantastic burger.
For those with kids — or those that like to behave like them — go to the House of Air in Crissy Field for tournament-style trampoline dodgeball. High-spirited play with very soft balls so nothing gets hurt. Except for egos.
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