THIS WEEK AT THE VOICE FOR THURSDAY, DEC. 11, 2025
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by Mike Ege
Editor in chief, The Voice of San Francisco
This past Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting was a relatively routine meeting of about two hours, but two items of new business were presented during roll call that crystallized the body’s continued appetite for the performative.
First and foremost among these was District 5 Supervisor Bilal Mahmood’s legislation aimed at freezing out the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency from using city property for enforcement actions. The law would basically bar any entity from using city assets in such a way that would disrupt city business.
Fair enough, given the merits and rationale for ICE raids at present under the current administration. That said, one wonders how Mahmood’s ordinance, if adopted, could be enforceable given the Constitution’s supremacy clause. We asked a spokesperson for City Attorney David Chiu, who wrote the ordinance at Mahmood’s request, and they couldn’t comment as “any advice or analysis we may have provided to our client is confidential under attorney-client privilege.”
Meanwhile, more consequential events are rocking the current administration as they face midterm elections that could well slingshot control of Congress to the Democrats and begin yet another season of impeachments, and Washington seeks out even more enemies in the culture war, such as … fonts.
Back at City Hall, another initiative announced at roll call on Tuesday beckoned interest. District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder announced that she had asked the city attorney “to draft legislation to mandate a minimum bathroom ratio in the city.”
“Public conveniences like restrooms are essential infrastructure … we must not neglect access to bathrooms,” she added. “Access to public accessible bathrooms is on the decline, harming public health, dignity, and urban life by forcing people to find unsanitary alternatives, and disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations, such as the unhoused, disabled, and those with medical needs.”
Fielder ended her speech by noting that she intends “to work closely with the Department of Public Works and the controller to establish and maintain a citywide public bathroom network,” including “an inventory of public and private bathrooms, legislative policy, and capital planning strategy, and coordination with private entities or additional agencies to meet and maintain this target ratio.”
At first glance, this is all well and good. According to a 2023 New York Times report, American cities strove for fairly ubiquitous access to public conveniences from the nation’s founding until the strip-mining of city budgets in the 1970s and security concerns after 9/11. When you reach a certain age and try to navigate the city, you come to understand the need to undo this. Several civic-minded individuals and groups have stepped up with helpful resources, such as the Bathroom App.
But at second glance, this is coming from Jackie Fielder — which means the initial public impacts of implementation, which, rather than planning and budgeting, could be when DPW employees bang on the door of your small business and demand that you open your employee bathroom up for use by the mentally ill homeless. We asked a spokesperson for the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce for their view on Fielder’s plan, and they said they didn’t have enough information yet to comment.
That said, we may have a solution. Fielder also has robotaxis on her mind, since a recent unfortunate incident in which a Waymo ran over a cat. Waymo garnered more news coverage this month when several of them had a tantrum in a cul-de-sac, and then another helped deliver a baby. Surely they have the potential for providing other services while on the go. This seems especially true of Amazon’s Zoox robotaxis, where they enthusiastically declare “no more calling shotgun” due to their generous seating, which also appears to be easily hosed down. Surely some device of convenience could be fit in them somewhere.
Just be sure to leave the windows open when you’re finished.
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EVENTS
Out and about Dec. 11–17, 2025
What to do this weekend and beyond.
By Lynette Majer
Managing Editor, The Voice of San Francisco
Happy holidays, all! It’s a busy time of year, so here are some more ideas to help you fill your calendar, if need be, to enjoy the season.
Thursday, Dec. 11
Have you seen Let’s Glow S.F. yet, the nation’s largest, free holiday projection arts festival, where sites across the city are illuminated with large-scale animated projection art on landmark San Francisco buildings? It’s nearing the end of its run, so go out and enjoy. Visit the link above for locations. 5:30 to 10 p.m. through Dec. 14. Free admission.
Here’s what sounds to be a delightful alternative to all those Nutcrackers: the Grand Kyiv Ballet’s world premiere of The Snow Queen. She’s a powerful, cold-hearted ruler who brings winter to wherever she goes. The tale is about a young girl who tries to rescue her friend from the nasty queen in a classic fairytale ballet about love, friendship, and devotion with beautiful staging and choreography. 7:30 p.m. at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre. Tickets from $44 and change.
Friday, Dec. 12
Celebrate the San Francisco Lighted Boat Parade, a tradition since 1994. The parade starts at Pier 39 and heads to the St. Francis Yacht Club and returns. Bundle up; it’s been cold out there. 6 p.m.-ish for a coupla hours. Free viewing.
Saturday, Dec. 13
It’s a full day at Grace Cathedral, beginning with the sing-along Sing You a Merry Christmas (11 a.m.) for the entire family, followed by A Cathedral Christmas (3 p.m.) with the Men and Boys Choir, and capped off with the immersive light experience AURA (through Dec. 31). Tickets from $10.
‘Tis the season for pop-ups, and here’s a sure-to-be delicious one that also gives back: Saturbake, which will celebrate two local award-winning institutions: Guittard and Melissa Perello’s Octavia. Enjoy pastry chef Melissa Loar’s celebrated menu featuring Guittard’s chocolate (like the Tiramisu doughnuts with mascarpone coffee cream, and chocolate glaze pictured above). Proceeds benefit 18 Reasons, which “promotes the transformative and healing power of home cooking through classes, dinners, and community outreach.” 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; first-come, first-served.
Parol lanterns symbolize hope, peace, and community in the Filipino culture. The 23rd annual Parol Lantern Festival, whose theme this year is Makibaka: Ignite the Fight, Light Up Our Legacy, “a rallying call to fight, rise, and shine amidst hardship,” includes a parol stroll, a Taste of Christmas, featuring a sampling of traditional Filipino holiday snacks and treats, a Makibaka Legacy exhibition (through Jan. 4, 2026), a dance party, and more. 3 to 8 p.m. at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Free with RSVP.
Don’t miss Union Square’s Winter Walk, a special holiday marketplace for your holiday shopping curated by West Coast Craft, and featuring 10 local artists daily. Enjoy live music, food trucks, seasonal cocktails, and more with Santa visits on the weekends (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.). 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Monday through Wednesday) and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Thursday through Sunday) on Stockton Street through Dec. 24. Free admission.
Award-winning playwright and actor Brian Copeland will perform his acclaimed The Jewelry Box tonight about a 6-year-old Oakland boy’s efforts to buy the perfect Christmas gift for his mom. 5 p.m. at The Marsh. Tickets from $25.
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