This Week in The City
Weekly Roundup in SF
Events in SF this weekend:
San Francisco Upcoming Events: August 22-25
1. Fridays on Front St. — Downtown Block Party
- Where: Front Street (between California & Sacramento)
- When: 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM
- What: Downtown SF’s newest entertainment zone comes alive with live music curated by Noise Pop, food and drink pop-ups, lawn games, sports viewing, and more. Outdoor bars expand legally, and once the sun sets, DJs keep the energy going indoors. - LEARN MORE
2. Bingo Rave at the Midway
- When:
Saturday, August 23, 2025
Doors open at 5:00 PM — the show kicks off at 6:00 PM and runs until approximately 8:30 PM - Venue: The Midway, 900 Marin St, San Francisco, CA (21+ only — valid ID required)
- General Admission is priced at $35- TICKETS
3. Festival of Chariots – Golden Gate Park
- When: Sunday, August 24, 10:15 AM–4:00 PM
- Where: Robin Williams Meadow, Golden Gate Park
- Featuring colorful parades, devotional music, and a joyous, inclusive atmosphere rooted in Himalayan spiritual culture. - LEARN MORE
4. Clipse on the “Let God Sort Em Out Tour”
- When: Monday, August 25 at 8 PM
- Where: The Warfield
- Rap duo Clipse performs with support from Earthgang - TICKETS
Bay Area’s Iconic ‘Basic Instinct’ Oceanfront Estate Returns to Market for $91M
A legendary piece of California coastline has returned to the market with one of the highest price tags in the Bay Area. The Carmel Highlands estate, made famous in the 1992 thriller Basic Instinct and later featured in HBO’s Big Little Lies, is now listed at $91.35 million. Known as Seacliff, the property sits on more than five acres at the gateway to Big Sur and has recently undergone an $11 million renovation that expanded its footprint and modernized its amenities.
If sold, the estate would more than double the record for Monterey County real estate, surpassing a Pebble Beach home that closed at $45 million in 2024. The cinematic property is also just down the road from Brad Pitt’s $40 million Carmel mansion, placing it firmly among some of California’s most star-studded enclaves.
The sprawling compound now includes six residences across five parcels. At its center is the 12,000-square-foot main lodge, which features five fireplaces, a commercial-grade kitchen with a 1,250-bottle wine cellar, and dramatic living spaces with sweeping ocean views. Four additional cottages provide private accommodations for guests, while a newly built one-bedroom home adds to the estate’s flexibility. Beyond its existing structures, more than an acre of land remains available for further development, offering buyers the chance to expand with additional residences or guest units.
Luxury amenities include an outdoor pool, steam room, dry sauna, and a four-car garage, all designed to maximize both comfort and entertainment potential. The estate’s careful landscaping, new water well, and extensive improvements reflect years of investment by its current owners, software entrepreneur Gary Vickers and his wife Kerry. Vickers, who built his fortune in the tech sector, has described Seacliff as his personal retreat and “crowning achievement,” blending natural beauty with architectural vision.
AI Hiring Boom Drives SF Rents Back to Pre-Pandemic Highs
San Francisco rents have surged to their highest point since 2020, fueled by a wave of AI hiring and a long-standing housing shortage. Tech leaders like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Scale AI are luring top talent with big salaries, driving demand in neighborhoods like SoMa, Mission Bay, and Hayes Valley.
According to Zumper, one-bedroom rents jumped 13.3% year-over-year to $3,415, while two-bedrooms climbed 16.3% to $4,780 — both near pre-pandemic peaks and well above national averages. With home prices still out of reach for many, even high earners are competing for rentals. City leaders are eyeing zoning changes to add over 36,000 new units by 2031, though resistance to higher density may slow progress.
Family Wineries Acquire St. Helena Estate Amid Napa Price Drop
The William Harrison Vineyards & Winery in St. Helena has been sold for about $6.8 million to members of two Bay Area winemaking families - the Clarks of Amizetta Estate Winery and the Longs of David Arthur Vineyards. Renamed William Perry, the winery will keep producing wines under the William Harrison brand and plans to reopen for tastings this fall after renovations.
The sale comes as Napa Valley vineyard prices drop, with price reductions hitting a four-year high in June and inventory surging, creating a buyer’s market. The new owners see this as a rare opportunity for small, family-owned wineries to acquire prime properties in the Rutherford AVA. Read More Here!
