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Get Me to the Show On Time
by: Antoinette May

It's a short walk among some of San Francisco's finest theaters, restaurants and hotels.

When I ran into an old friend that I hadn't seen in years, five minutes before show time, I expected to miss the first act. Not so.

Jane and I chanced to meet in the foyer of the Cortez Restaurant and Bar just as both our parties were leaving. Ten years is a long time; there were husbands to introduce, photos to share. She and her guy were headed for an American Conservatory Theater production at the old Geary. My husband and I had tickets for Jersey Boys at the Curran. Our foursome enjoyed more than handshakes and hugs and still managed to be in out seats by curtain time. Our saving grace was the Cortez's location-550 Geary St.-across the street from both theaters. We had an excellent dinner there, too, served by a staff dedicated to getting patrons to their theaters on time.

Two weeks later, my husband and I were finishing a leisurely dinner at Kuleto's on Powell. We felt comfortable ordering dessert knowing that the theater for that night's show was just around the corner. That was before Charles looked up from his strawberry shortcake and casually asked, "You've got the tickets, don't you?"
"No!" My fork plopped into the creme brulee. "I thought you had them."
Turned out, neither of us did. Our tickets were on the dresser back at the hotel. Once again, location saved the day-or evening. The Hotel Diva is around the corner from Kuleto's and exactly across the street from the theater. We had plenty of time to retrieve the tickets and amble to our seats.

The Post Street Theater, at 450 Post St., is in another historic venue. In 1924, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks commissioned architect Anthony Heinsberger, creator of San Francisco's Orpheum Theatre, to build a palace. His 15-story Spanish Gothic design, built at a cost of $1.5 million, contained 100 rooms (now the Kensington Park Hotel) for resident and visiting Elks. The second floor assembly hall (now the theater) was designed with a maple stage, pipe organ and seating capacity for 1,000. The main floor today houses the fancifully designed seafood restaurant Farallon.

Where to sleep

For location, it's hard to beat the Hotel Diva, a sleek and sexy space across the street from both the Curran and A.C.T. theaters at 440 Geary St. (800-553-1900; hoteldiva.com). But then there's also the lovely Kensington Park Hotel at 450 Post St. (800-553-1900; personalityhotels.com) that houses its own theater, the Post Street, plus the world-class restaurant Farallon. And these two charmers are only the beginning.

Hotel Union Square-This boutique hotel, with connections to celebrated detective novelist Dashiell Hammett and the city's colorful speak-easy days, provides an authentic San Francisco experience: Guests wake up to the sounds of clanging cable cars. 114 Powell St. (800-553-1900; personalityhotels.com).

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