It's that time of year again, when summer hits the rest of the country and the San Francisco Neighborhood Theater Foundation sets up their outdoor projection screens for the entertainment and delight of picnicking, schnapps-nipping film buffs across town.
Because we can't wait to don our layers in the middle of July and mix up a thermos of cocktails, here is your 2013 Film Night in the Park Schedule presented with film-appropriate food and drink pairings. Who knows, maybe some of these nights it might even be warm out:
Saturday, June 15: Raiders of the Lost Ark in Dolores Park
Bring a cooler full of facemeltingly hoppy IPAs like Speakeasy's Double Daddy or Bear Republic's Racer X. Pair it with spicy foods, the wrath of god and aged cheeses.
Saturday, July 13: Vicky Cristina Barcelona in Union Square
A bottle full of pre-mixed Negronis ought to get you through one of Woody Allen's less neurotic movies. For that deep, smoky Javier Bardem-esque flavor barrel age your Negronis for a month. Bonus points if you and your girlfriends share a chorizo.
Saturday, August 3: The Princess Bride in Dolores Park
For this children's classic and endlessly quotable cult film, bring two bottles of red wine: a nice one you've been saving for awhile and a crap one you just bought at a corner store on your way to the park. Mix them up a bunch and see if anyone can tell the difference. Pairs well with nostalgic foods, so bring DIY Handi-Snacks made from a box of Club Crackers, a block of Velveeta cheese and a plastic stick.
Saturday, August 17: Singin' In The Rain in Union Square
Have a dirty martini with a couple of olives across the street on the roofdeck of The Cheesecake Factory. Because if you're the kind of person who wants to sit through more than one musical number from "Singin' in the Rain" in Union Square Park, you're actually a tourist. Thank you for visiting, enjoy your new polar fleece!
Saturday, September 7: Moonrise Kingdom in Washington Square Park
Just in time for the Indian Summer, Wes Anderson's latest will remind you that you need to get out of the city for some fresh air and a romantic getaway. For a drink that's just as bittersweet and herbaceous as tweenage romance, make your own Fernet Floats (or get them across the street at Park Tavern). Take an extra shot of Fernet to get through the stormy third act.
Saturday, September 21: Skyfall in Dolores Park
Someone on the movie scheduling committee apparently has a thing for Javier Bardem, so drink him up with Bond's traditional Vesper — basically a gin martini with Lillet and an extra shot of vodka to seduce the ladies. A lemon twist evokes Bardem's disastrous haircut. Pairs well with caviar and a secret addiction to gambling.
Full Schedule and other Bay Area movie nights can be found here.