Moms just wanna have fun sometimes. And what better time to follow in Scissor Sisters’ musical advice and take yo momma out than Mother’s Day itself. It had been a while since my very own mom had visited me in San Francisco so I thought it was perfect timing to try out the GayCities’ guide to Mother’s Day that I myself had written the week before.
My mother, Ofelia Raymundo (pictured right), and I started out the weekend by catching the sunset from The View bar on the 39th floor of the Marriott. Even during foggy days, you can see all of the neighboring skyscrapers in San Francisco’s downtown. And as the sun sets, the twinkling of the city is breathtaking through those high glass windows.
The daily happy hour is from 4pm – 6pm. The crowd tends to be older, professional and out of towners, so my mom didn’t feel out of place.
For dinner, I decided to take my mom to Starbelly, the upscale and comfy restaurant in the Castro we deemed perfect for “hip moms.” My mom was instantly overjoyed by all the rainbow flags hanging in the Castro. “Are they for a party or Pride?” She asked, but I had to tell her that they hung all year round.
It can be tough to get a reservation at Starbelly on the weekends, so make sure to call a couple of days in advance. You can also call 45 minutes before you are planning on to eat and put your name on their wait list.
And don’t hesitate if you end up sitting at their communal table. The crowd at Starbelly is friendly and respectful. However, if your mom is not fond of jalapeños (their signature pizza and spaghetti come sprinkled with them), you might want to take her the more hearty but less spicy Chow a couple of blocks away on Church Street. Both spots are perfect to introduce your mom to your boyfriend especially because you certainly won’t be the only same sex-couple dining there.
Starbelly is also known for its wide selection of red, white and pink wine. If wine makes mom groggy or sleepy, though, you can also opt for an order of Starbelly’s tasty and thirst quenching Sangria. I had the Sangria (delicious!) and she has the signature drink The Starbelly 75, a concoction of various liquors.
After dinner we walked across Market Street to Blackbird, the cocktail lounge known for attracting J. Crew gays and the straight folk who love them.
Blackbird was also nominated in our Best of GayCities, 2011, as best bar to take your mom , so I decided to put the swanky hotspot to the mom challenge.
Right after dinner, Blackbird was pleasantly crowded but shortly after there was a line out the door. Mom was a fan of the Blackbird Royale, their signature champagne drink not on the menu. And you can never go wrong with a pool table and photo booth. And the fact that it’s cash only wasn’t a problem since moms tend to carry wads of cash!
Mom and I ended our weekend with a visit to Harry Denton’s Starlight Room on top of the Sir Francis Drake hotel for their Sunday’s a Drag brunch spectacular. Buffet brunch with omelettes and french toast, carafes of mimosas, drag queens with dresses the size of Arkansas — what more could mom ask for? Maybe Harry Denton himself walking around, greeting the guests and refilling your mimosa? Wait, that happens too!
And Mother’s Day is made extra special by the Starlight Room. For the last 18 years, Harry Denton has invited 25 homeless moms from the Hamilton Family Center to makeovers at the hotel and free Mother’s Day brunch.
Click on the next page to see how drag stars Donna Sachet, Cassandra Cass, Lady Tia and Kendra Monroe pulled all the stops to entertain the moms in the audience.
Donna Sachet reminds the audience that we all need to be kind to one another.
While Cassandra Cass likes to bounce on unsuspecting men.
Kendra Monroe is oh-so-good at the evil witch from Wicked.
Lady Tia takes us to the “Land of the Living.”
