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Fun Things To Do And See While You're In Chinatown

Have fun with your friends and family at the 19th Annual San Francisco Chinatown Moon Festival, of course! You'll walk right out of the Four Seas Restaurant after the movies and there you are, right in the middle of the festivities. You'll see Asian fan dancers, jugglers, clowns, Chinese lions and dragons, traditional arts and crafts and much more. Don't miss the grand parade with one of the longest dragons in all the states. Go to www.moonfestival.org for a complete schedule of events! Map It!

Why not bring your favorite people along on a San Francisco Chinatown Ghost Tour! Tours usually run Friday and Saturday evenings, but special tour times are available upon request. Extended schedule available during the Moon Festival. San Francisco has the oldest Chinatown in the USA. Who knows what spirited characters you could meet from its illustrious past? Old Chinatown comes to life after the sun goes down. Go to www.sfchinatownghosttours.com or call (415) 793-1183 for a ghostly good time!

If you're looking for something to do really late at night, you might want to check out Li Po Cocktail Lounge. During the weeknights it's a cool and sleepy cocktail lounge that unveils traces of its heyday history when the bar ran 3-deep with cigarette smoke and bustled with perky USO girls and friendly servicemen. On Fridays and Saturdays Li Po hosts everything from comedy nights to all out rave parties. It's a neat mix of history and modern-day underground culture. Li Po Cocktail Lounge, 916 Grant Avenue (at Washington St), (415) 982-0072. Sorry, no website, but give them a call for some 411! Map It!

Follow your nose down Ross Alley to Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory. Workers sit at circular motorized griddles and wait for dollops of batter to drop onto tiny metal plates, which rotate into an oven. A few moments later out come pliable and foldable cookies. Buy a bagful of real fresh fortune cookies for less than $3. Fortuneless and specialized fortune cookies available as well. Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory, 56 Ross Alley, west of and parallel to Grant Ave. between Washington and Jackson Streets, (415) 781-3956, Open Daily 9am-8pm. Map It!

If you're going to be shopping for souvenirs in Chinatown, Far East Flea Market is the way to go! They have the best prices and a great selection of assorted housewares and gifts.  There is everything under the sun from Hello Kitty paraphernalia and assorted bobble-heads to authentic Asian dishware and collectibles. Get ready to fill up your shopping bags without putting too much of a dent into your purses. Far East Flea Market, 729 Grant Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94108, (415) 989-8588. Map It!

In the heart of Chinatown's Grant Street lies The Wok Shop, a family-owned cornucopia of Asian cooking  implements and gadgets ready to help you stir up something really delicious. You'll find everything from Chinese carving and garnishing tools to teapots and bamboo steamers as well as hard-to-find items such as Asian vegetable seeds, sushi boats, moon cake molds, and Chinese lunch boxes. And of course, their wok selection is the best you'll find anywhere, bar none! Prices and quality are excellent. Great gifts for any chef in the family! The Wok Shop, 718 Grant Avenue, (415) 989-3797. Website: www.wokshop.com. Map It!

Since you're already in Chinatown you better not pass up Old Shanghai. It's definitely not your typical Chinatown tourist shop. No "I Love SF" sweatshirts here. instead you'll find antique Asian furnishings,  exclusive gifts and accessories. Upstairs, you'll find gorgeous, traditional Chinese gowns with a modern flair. It's more high-end than most other stores in Chinatown. There are some incredible items from amazing duvet covers to great handbags to unique home furnishings.  There are some old ads from circa 1920s China that are great if you are looking for something different.  There are wonderful statues and sultry silk bedding as well. Old Shanghai, 645 Grant Avenue, (415) 986-1222‎.  Website: www.oldshanghaionline.com Map It!

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