Photos | ACT Opens World Premiere Production of Hippest Trip – The Soul Train Musical

Event: American Conservatory Theater’s World Premiere Production of Hippest Trip – The Soul Train Musical
Date: Sept 6, 2023
Location: Tony Rembe Theater, San Francisco
Photos (76): Drew Altizer & Katie Ravas for Drew Altizer Photography

On September 6, dignitaries, arts leaders, and special guests—including Ahmir K. Thompson, Blair Underwood, Colman Domingo,  W. Kamau Bell, Tony Cornelius, Loni Love, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Ryan Coogler, Delroy Lindo, and San Francisco Mayor London Breed—gathered at American Conservatory Theater’s Toni Rembe Theater for the world premiere opening night of HIPPEST TRIP – THE SOUL TRAIN MUSICAL, the Broadway-bound musical based on the iconic TV show that brought Black music, dance, and style into every living room in America.

Related: $35 million gift to American Conservatory Theater means historic Geary Theater gets new nameDatebook


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Photos | Toast & Taste 2023 presented by SFPDV benefitting Compass Family Services

Event: Toast & Taste 2023 presented by SFPDV benefitting Compass Family Services
Date: August 22, 2023
Location: San Francisco
Photos (59): Katie Ravas for Drew Altizer Photography

The best fine dining restaurants in San Francisco came together on August 22nd to help end family homelessness! Toast & Taste raised over $48,000. The evening featured games, a photo booth, and more than 150 silent auction items of experiences and restaurant gift certificates. In its sixth year, the event is organized by San Francisco Private Dining Venues with the proceeds benefitting Compass Family Services.


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Photos | McMullen Launches Fall Season with Friends and Fashion

Event: McMullen Fall Presentation 2023
Date: August 24, 2023
Location: McMullen, Oakland
Photos (59): Drew Altizer for Drew Altizer Photography

Launching the Fall season in style, Sherri McMullen curated a remarkable Fashion Presentation at her Oakland flagship, McMullen. Attendees were treated to an exciting glimpse of Sherri’s favorite Fall ensembles and prominent trends, featuring a mix of highly coveted and emerging designers like Christopher John Rogers, Diotima, Dries Van Noten, Alejandro Alonso Rojas, Maison Rabih Kayrouz, The Row, and more. Hirsch Vineyards delighted guests with their exquisite blends as they indulged in post-show shopping. Distinguished attendees included Cori Graylor, Tanya Holland, Clara Brenner, Sadie Barnette, Gail Shifman, Dr. Akilah Cadet, and Pandora Thomas.


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Photos | American Heart Association’s Heart Ball

Event: American Heart Association Heart Ball 2023
Date: June 2, 2023
Location: Four Seasons, San Francisco
Photos (27): Drew Altizer and Devlin Shand for Drew Altizer Photography

The American Heart Association in the Bay Area held its annual Heart Ball on June 2 at the Four Seasons, San Francisco. More than 350 guests honored the 2023 Heart of the Bay award winner, Lloyd Dean, executive emeritus of CommonSpirit Health. Many of the attendees met award-winning actor Taye Diggs, who was the gala’s emcee and mingled with the crowd at a reception prior to the main event.

Guests had the unique experience of a winemaker’s supper, which included having one of 26 local wineries act as the table host. Mother-daughter duo Katherine and Kaitlin Lowry, 15, of Palo Alto moved the crowd to a standing ovation after sharing their story of Kaitlyn’s journey with heart disease since age 2. Event Chair Anirudh Devgan, President & CEO of Cadence Design Systems, outlined the impact that the Heart Association is making on his internal efforts to promote health equity through quarterly Heart Association-led wellness workshops for Cadence employees. Generous donors participated in live and silent auctions, helping to raise more than $400,000 at the event. 


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Photos | 181 Fremont Salutes Racing on the Spectrum

Event: 181 Fremont Salutes Racing on the Spectrum
Date: May 23, 2023
Location: Neiman Marcus, San Francisco
Photos (13): Natalie Schrik for Drew Altizer Photography

On Tuesday, May 23,  the team from 181 Fremont celebrated producers from Citizen Film who are creating a new documentary called Racing on the Spectrum. Their film portrays three young competitive race car drivers who are identified as on the autism spectrum and how this difference enhances their ability to perform at the highest levels of their sport.  Nearly 100 guests viewed clips from the film, met driver Armani Williams and learned how they could help producers hit their goal of $850,000 to complete this film and take it to wider audiences. 


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Photos | Healdsburg Jazz Festival 2023

Event: Healdsburg Jazz Festival 2023
Date: June 17-25, 2023
Location: Healdsburg, CA
Photos (18)

The 25th Anniversary Healdsburg Jazz Festival was celebrated with 9 days of concerts in Wine Country. The Festival honored the past, present, and future by presenting today’s hottest artists like NEA Jazz Master Dianne Reeves, 2023 Best New Artist and Best Jazz Vocal Album Grammy Award winner Samara Joy, vibraphonist Joel Ross, alto sax legend Charles McPherson, percussion maestro and Healdsburg Jazz artist-in-residence John Santos, New Orleans clarinetist Dr. Michael White, North Bay vocalist Stella Heath, New Orleans saxophone star NEA Jazz Master Donald Harrison, powerhouse tenor saxophonist Howard Wiley, and so many more.

They represented a range of genres, and their music was paired with food, wine, film, spoken word, and the visual arts. Each day an event took place in stunning, unique, and intimate settings that reflected the natural beauty and creative spirit of Healdsburg. With both ticketed and free community concerts, the Festival truly had something for everyone.

SF Chronicle, “One of the best small jazz festivals in the country if not the world.”


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Photos | SFCC’s CityBeat Breakfast 2023

Event: SFCC’s CityBeat Breakfast 2023
Date: May 23, 2023
Location: Pier 27, San Francisco
Photos (136): Natalie Schrik for Drew Altizer Photography

The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce’s Annual CityBeat Breakfast – Re:Imagine San Francisco presented by United Airlines was held at Pier 27 on May 23, 2023.

Results of United Airlines CityBeat Poll revealed that 91% of residents agree that a thriving downtown San Francisco is critical to the region’s economy.  San Francisco voters are pessimistic both about the current direction of the city, where three in four say San Francisco is on the wrong track with nearly half expecting economic conditions to be worse a year from now. Much of this has to do with concerns about crime, drugs, and the conditions of the streets.

For the fourth year in a row, 75% of residents agree that the overall cleanliness of our streets has gotten worse, and about 70% believe that quality of life in San Francisco has also gotten worse.  San Franciscans are overwhelmingly supportive of the solutions to these issues that were proposed in Mayor London Breed’s Roadmap to Downtown San Francisco’s Future.

Over 75% of residents support more housing, events, restaurants and bars, and more entertainment downtown. There is also strong support for offering financial incentives for small and large businesses to stay or move downtown – with 68% supporting incentives for large businesses.


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