British pop star Adele’s latest music video shows the singer enthroned atop a red inner tube, adorned in a glittering gold dress, regally floating down a lazy river with a glass of rosé in hand as she sings the lyrics to her boozy ballad, “I Drink Wine,” from new album 30.
This vision of absurdity and elegance was brought to life by an SF hometown hero, Joe Talbot, who directed the video. Talbot is one of the filmmakers behind the A24 hit, “The Last Black Man in San Francisco.”
The director grew up in SF and recently gushed about working with Adele on Instagram, writing: “She supported us in the making of this in every way a fellow artist can. I feel like the luckiest boy in a Giants hat.”
Whether you’re a fan of Talbot or Adele, here are four spots where you can emulate the singer-songwriter’s wine game:
📍950 Mason St.
☎️ (415) 772-5278
Note: You could be fined $1,000 for jumping into the pool at the Fairmont Hotel’s legendary Tonga Room, according to a sign posted by the pool. But sitting around the old school tiki bar’s blue lagoon could be the closest best option to floating down a lazy river in SF.
The atmospheric cocktail lounge, complete with thunderstorms on the half hour, is known for its classic tiki cocktails (think Mai Tais, Zombies and rum-driven drinks), but Tonga Room also has an equally whimsical list of wines, including a “Whispering Angel” rosé of pinot noir and a badass sounding “Banshee” chardonnay.
📍601 Eddy St.
☎️ (415) 776-1380
Rock & roll legends from Kurt Cobain to David Bowie have stayed at the famous boutique hotel close to the storied Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, and we think Adele would dig the Phoenix’s vibe too. The wood-paneled lobby is modeled after a retro recording studio, vintage rock posters adorn the guest rooms, and the hotel boasts a “wall of fame” where musicians have left their mark with band stickers for decades.
The mid-century style hotel has a groovy—and architecturally significant—pool to boot. The oval pool, with a mural of sixes and nines painted on the bottom by artist Francis Forlenza, is one of only two swimming pools in the United States to be landmarked—thanks Willie Brown!—and Courtney Love is said to have skinny-dipped in its fabled waters.
While the pool is reserved for those staying at the rockin’ inn, guests and the general public can sip a drink in the hotel’s poolside courtyard while grooving at one of the Phoenix’s DJ parties, or while dining at the hotel’s onsite restaurant, Chambers Eat+Drink. Chambers’ has an extensive record collection and wine list, with whites and reds from all over California—and an assortment of bubbly from Italy, Spain and France.
3. Arcana
📍2512 Mission St.
☎️ (415) 795-3842
Adele’s latest music video is laden with flora and fauna. If you’re looking for an equally lush landscape in which to imbibe, drop into Arcana—a stylish Mission Street hang that’s a plant shop by day and a hip wine bar by night. The beautifully designed spot not only specializes in natural wines and plant-based bites but also hosts live music several nights a week, which we think Adele would approve of. Whether you’re into oranges or zins, jazz or world music, the spot is ideal for listening to acoustic sets while sipping on an assortment of complex wines.
📍 748 Innes Ave.
☎️ (415) 206-9000
Where can you get an authentic Russian sauna experience and a drink? The answer: Archimedes Banya in Bayview-Hunters Point.
The spa blends bathhouse traditions from Finland, Greece, Germany, Turkey and Mother Russia for a uniquely San Francisco experience. After taking a steam, plunge into the cool pool to refresh your body. Then repeat the steam room session or go for a rejuvenating Russian-style hot massage, also known as Venik Platza.
After these spa treatments, you’ll be ready to relax and lounge like Adele on Archimedes’ rooftop deck, complete with astounding views of the bay. Stop by the spa’s in-house cafe, Zteamer’s, for some vino and unwind on the rooftop, glass-in-hand.