Preparing for any large celebration, I always think to go first and foremost to Sue Fisher King on Sacramento Street. Table linens, centerpieces, candles and even place cards can be found here. I did today. For not being a cook, I can't believe I'm preparing to serve 18 for Thanksgiving. At least my table will look stunning. Combining three banquet tables into one long table is always fun but a challenge. Sue Fisher King always helps me pull it off.

While in her shop this morning, I learned about an event this Wednesday worth sharing with our local Rugged Elegance community.

The event will take place this Wednesday evening from 6 - 9 pm on the east end of Presidio Heights.

The Merchants of Sacramento Street hope to celebrate "the warmth and congeniality of the winter season" with us!

Shopping, bubbly and hors d'oeuvres will be served at sixteen boutiques on Sacramento.

The Rugged Elegant Select Establishments that are participating in the Holiday 2005 kick-off celebration include:

On October 31st, as the sun set on the city of San Francisco, an eclectic community of ghosts, goblins, witches and princesses came out in force to celebrate Halloween. The San Francisco Chronicle called the annual Castro party "peaceful" relative to years past. It was a complete culture shock for our nineteen year-old Swedish au pair, Sabina Dahlstrom, who begged to differ with The Chronicle. Her two-hour experience included two tripped out real-live devils fighting in the streets, to a man dressed up like Adolph Hitler, to a tamer Adam & Eve, as well as Adam & Steve, to grown men dressed as stunning princesses. Sabina says she will never be the same.

Just hours earlier and blocks away children paraded along Cow Hollow's Union Street and door-to-door, castle-to-castle on Broadway, wearing pretty princess and tough guy San Francisco Giants costumes.

At a local school parade earlier in the day, the costumes that got the biggest applause were two boys wearing girls' school uniforms. "Only in San Francisco!" said Randy Dilena, who went to the same all boys school as a kid.

On Monday evening, Mars was shining bright in the sky as large, creepy crawly spiders looked like they were descending from the top of Gordon Getty's castle.

Mr. Getty personally opened the door to offer us a selection from his huge basket of candy.

Gordon & Ann Getty's Scary Spider-Invested Castle

"Broadway Street is one of the most fun neighborhoods to trick-or-treat in," my ten year-old, who was dressed this year as a "pretty-bad" witch, proclaimed.

As she put a large Nestles Butterfinger bar into her bag, she added:

Mr. Getty hands out King-sized candy bars. He is so friendly.

All of the neighbors on this block are incredibly nice and generous.

Moments earlier, we were with a group of at least twenty friends in Sea Cliff where we visited Robin and Marsha Williams' beautiful mansion. Talk about generous.

A Strong Political Message on a Pumpkin

Robin was no where in sight. Unless we just didn't see him. For all we know he might have been dressed in drag practicing for his return as Mrs. Doubtfire. I hear that in years past, he's been known to get in costume and pretend to be a trick-or-treater in front of his own house.

While we did not see Robin, Marsha came out of her castle gate for a moment to take pictures of the hundred huddled around her front gate. As she took photos of us, we captured a picture or two of the Williams' Peace Pumpkin, their "Indict Rove" Jack-O-Lantern, and Robin and Marsha's sixteen year-old budding movie star daughter, Zelda handing out colorful plastic necklaces as treats. Each glow-in-the-dark band must have cost a pretty penny.

Howard Park with Zelda Williams behind him