Over the next few days, Facebook could file an IPO. Raising as much as $10 billion at a valuation anywhere between $75 billion to $100 billion, it stands to be "one of the biggest-ever U.S. public debuts." What does this mean for investors of the social media mammoth? It means they will make disgusting amounts of money. Lots of it. More than you could possibly imagine. Citing anonymous sources, the Wall Street Journal reports:
Facebook IPO Could Come Next Week; Investors To See Ridiculous Windfall
Mayor Ed Lee & 1% Attend Fortune's '40 Under 40' Party At Zynga
In fancypants news, a gaggle of tech ilk, public relations birds, and assorted media-ish types attended Fortune Magazine's 2011 "40 Under 40" fete at the Zynga headquarters in SOMA. (Think Out Magazine's OUT 100 list, only gayer and just as relevant.) Mayor Ed Lee, the dirty bottom to the tech industry's aggressive dom top, made a required appearance at the festivities. So did Google VP Marissa Mayer and Gawker's Ryan Tate.
Umami Burger Introduces 'Money Is No Object' Burger
Occupy stories too much for your sensitive soul? Well, listen up, you money-to-burn thug: Using a version of his acclaimed truffle hamburger, Umami Burger founder Adam Fleischman created the Money Is No Object burger. What does it feature? Well, it starts wil a hand ground and formed patty made from one single cow and dry aged. ("The beef is extremely rare grass-fed Wagyū," we're told. The burger is then topped with Grade-A Hudson Valley foie gras, an onion marmalade and reduced 1977 Croft Vintage Port. gilding the entire thing off, Fleischman adds a 1/4 inch of freshly shaved Italian white truffles, which are now in season now.
Religious Leaders Join Occupy SF
Proving that the Occupy SF movement isn't limited to the average and benign San Francisco protester, Bay Area's religious leaders joined the movement today. With denominations as varied as Muslim and Buddhist to Jewish and Christian, an estimated 25 congregations marched today in solidarity with Occupy SF, decrying the disparity in wealth between the rich and the poor.
Watch Burning Man 2011 Gala Live
Too poor or too interesting to attend this year's Burning Man festivities in the Black Rock Desert? Have no worries. Here's some live streaming to whet your appetite. Arid-looking, yes? Unlike the days of yore, however, this year's Burning Man has plenty of luxe style and artisanal comforts for "[p]eople [who] have less and less time to be radically self-reliant."
This Is the Most Important Piece You Will Ever Read On Denise Hale
Skullcap-shatteringly brilliant blogger Diane Dorrans Saeks just posted what could possibly be the most important lifestyle piece you will ever read. Why? Because it's about Denise Hale, that's why. And yet? It's also about so much more. Or not.
Kate Middleton's Alexander McQueen Wedding Dress Reviewed
Kate Middleton and Prince William got hitched today. Did you watch? Did you cry? Did you even care? Anyway, the most important part of this wedding (nay, any wedding) is the gown. The Duchess of Cambridge wore a dress by Sarah Burton, artistic director of Alexander McQueen, with a v-neck and lace long sleeves. (Hopefully, this will put a dent in the overplayed strapless gown market.) SFist asked StyleBistro Managing Editor Chloe Harris for her thoughts on Middleton's frock. Harris tells us: "Alexander McQueen was the rare genius who could make a gown both majestic and cutting-edge, so I was secretly hoping for a McQueen design. For me, Kate Middeton's gown lacked a bit of that raw but intricate drama that I love so much from McQueen, but I think Sarah Burton did a wonderful job of toeing the line between Kate's brand of simple chic and the majesty required of a royal wedding. It was a gown fit for a modern Grace Kelly."
Watch Prince William & Kate Middleton Wedding At The Palace Hotel
Yeah, we're totally going to this. Whatever. Shut up. When Prince Williams marries Kate Middleton next week, Gilt City and 7x7 will host a party honoring elite British matrimony at the Palace Hotel. (Yeah, we watched the Lifetime movie, too. And what?) Come on, the entire world will be wondering -- the important parts of the world, anyway -- if Middleton's dress will outshine Princess Diana's 25-foot train wedding gown. Don't you want to be in a state of glamour and/or glitz upon the big reveal? Of course you do.
Miss Bigelow's Social City By the Numbers: SF Society Celebrates Giants Home Opener
Who was celebrating what: San Francisco society, investors, politicians and other notables came out to AT&T Park to celebrate the season home opener in exclusivity and style. For many said notables, this was the first and last game they will attend for the entire season.
Fancy Sunday Brunch Alert: 10-Year Anniversary at Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay
Yearning to leave the city this weekend, but not stray too far from San Francisco? Want to get buzzed on some top-drawer champagne and grub? Have a rich aunt or uncle in town? Well, we've got just the thing for you: the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay, along with Moet & Chandon champagne, will celebrate the resort's 10-year anniversary with a celebratory brunch (named Best Weekend Brunch buy San Francisco Magazine) on Sunday.
Miss Bigelow's Social City By the Numbers: Anna Wintour at the De Young for Balenciaga Bash
Who was celebrating what: Dede Wilsey's sanity-shattering Gone With the Wind-cum-Goth dress. Oh, and Saturday night at the de Young Museum for the opening-night gala of the Balenciaga and Spain exhibition, curated by Vogue European Editor-at-Large Hamish Bowles and Fine Arts Museums' curator Jill D'Alessandro.
Miss Bigelow's Social City By the Numbers: CalShakes at Four Seasons
Let's see how the numbers stack up in the most recent installment of Social City by the Numbers, a tally of Catherine Bigelow's recurring SFGate column, "Social City," about people in S.F. who have so much more money than you, that it would be almost funny if it weren't so depressing. Enjoy.
Rumor Mill: Facebook, Google Eyeing Twitter Buy?
Rumors are swirling - swirling! - about Google and Facebook conducting clandestine meetings about about buying Twitter. According to the Wall Street Journal, "Executives at both Facebook Inc. and Google Inc., among other companies, have held low-level talks with those at Twitter Inc. in recent months to explore the prospect of an acquisition of the messaging service, according to people familiar with the matter."
Google's Eric Schmidt Nets $100 Million
Although Google CEO Eric Schmidt is on his way out of the prized gig - company co-founder Larry Page, 37 (!), will replace Schmidt in April - he will be awarded $100 million worth of shares once he steps down. Which is nice. That's the dollar amount at which we start buying lottery tickets. So, you know, kudos all around, we guess.
Shares of Facebook & Twitter On Sale
Hey, rich people with nary a care in the world! Listen up: Although they have yet to go public, Facebook and Twitter (as well as San Francisco-based Zynga) have shares to sell. According to SF Biz Times, "wealthy investors can get a piece of the action long before these companies make their public debuts." How so? Like this: "San Francisco-based SharesPost Inc. and SecondMarket in New York run markets where qualified investors can buy into private companies from insiders who have stock to sell." The perfect stocking stuffer for that special some who already has it all. Trust us, they'll be the envy of the Valencia Corridor! [SF Biz]
Haight Voters Rejected Sit/Lie: But Money and Votes from City's Richest Hoods Made for Successful Measure L
While Haight residents rejected Measure L -- election 2010's divisive sit/lie law that, after passing, will now keep city sidewalks sparkling clean, or whatever -- loads of cash and plenty of votes from San Francisco's richest neighborhoods helped edge the anti-street urchin law into victory. SF Appeal's Chris Roberts looked at precinct results, basically showing sit-lie snatched vote in rich person places -- i.e., Pacific Heights, Seacliff, and West of Twin Peaks.
People Wore Fancy Clothes at Tuesday's San Francisco Symphony Gala
Last night, the San Francisco Symphony kicked off another season via--you guessed it--a posh gala. Who was there? People with loads of money, that's who. Let's see: Marissa Mayer sported a gorgeous red Carolina Herrera gown, Newsom's head looked oddly rectangular, some ladies flashed peace signs and side boob, Jennifer Siebel-Newsom donned a visibly short-ish dress, this lady wore Lacroix, George and Charlotte Shultz stopped by, this lady wore fancy white gloves, this lady sure looked pretty, Paula Carano wore this bit of nuttery, Deepa Pakianathan slipped into this fun Marc Jacobs piece, and.... dear God, that's a lot of sparkling wine.
Nob Hill Gazette's 'Best of Bay Area' Features Best Private Jet Company, Plastic Surgeon, More
Following the release of SF Bay Guardian's Best of San Francisco guide, The Nob Hill Gazette ("An Attitude, not an Address") launched their own Best of the Bay Area guide as decided by their tony readership. A few of the winners:
Robert Downey Jr. Parties at Getty Manse
Robert Downey Jr., star of such blockbusters as Chances Are and Only You stopped by Ann and Gordon Getty's fortress last night. Along with gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown, the ruling Getty duo hosted a party for Downey Jr. to benefit Oakland School for the Arts. (If the mood should strike, you can donate here.)
Social City By the Numbers
Number of people pictured in Saturday's "Miss Bigelow's Social City": 72
Social City By The Numbers
Number of people pictured in today's Miss Bigelow's Social City: 51
Social City By The Numbers
Number of people pictured in this week's Miss Bigelow's Social City: 28
Miss Bigelow's Social City By the Numbers
Number of people pictured in this week's Miss Bigelow's Social City: 50
Miss Bigelow's Social City By The Numbers
Following in the footsteps of Rita Hao's groundbreaking Swells By The Numbers -- where she carefully deconstructed Catherine Bigelow's "Swells" society column --SFist returns to San Francisco's upper echelon registry with, you guessed it, Social City By The Numbers. And, yep, we'll tally Bigelow's new and marvelously entertaining Social City column for SFGate. Got it? Good.
Breaking: Twitter Founder Sells Home, Buys Home
The fine folks over at Curbed reported yesterday that Twitter co-founder Evan Williams (heretofore known as @ev) sold his SOMA penthouse (going for a scant $1,498,000) on Fourth Street. You know, that large megaplex across the street from K&L Wine Merchants? That one. Anyway, Williams bought a fancy new Victorian in Noe Valley. Charming! This comes on the heels of his partner, @biz, selling his own pad for fancier grounds. What's this mean? It means Twitter is doing well. Very well. (Can you give us some money, Evan? Oh, just kidding. Sort of.)
Two Studies Conflict Over Number of Millionaires in San Francisco
DISCLAIMER: The following post is aimed at statistics wonks and math nerds and those who want to mock certain newspapers only.
Breaking: Larry Page Is Rich
The uber- and always-divine Leah Garchik reports on who the wealthiest person in San Francisco is: Larry Page, co-founder and of Google. (Of course, the award for sexiest-wealthiest person in San Francisco, hands down, goes to The Brin. Know Sergey, know beauty; no Sergey, no beauty.) Garchik mentions Page because there's a book coming out this week about the Google kingpin and 99 other fat cats in the U.S. Penned by Randall Jones, it's called The Richest Man In Town. While we plan on giving the book a once-over, we had hoped Page's section would open any top-shelf cans of worms the way Oh the Glory of It All did, which famously shattered the glitzy Aqua-Net veneer of Pacific Height's Dede "French is a faggy language" Wilsey. , it seems, looks more like a living-the-American-dream guide, not a vengeful tell-all. Alas. Anyway, Jones' "smug paean to extreme wealth" is available on Wednesday.
We're Richer Than All Of This New Hollywood Trash
What with all of the Dedes, Newsoms, Nessies, and guilty white trustifarians using "gentrification!" as both a battle cry AND a lifestyle, it should come as no surprise to you that San Francisco crazy-ass rich. At least according to the California Franchise Tax board's recently released annual report, we are.

