The ‘Joy Ride’ stars called their latest film “liberating” and “the first of its kind” at the red carpet screening in San Francisco on Thursday.

Ashley Park, who plays one of the film’s main characters, was in attendance and told SFGATE that it was her third time seeing the film in front of an audience. She said each time the crowd left energetically.

“We love everything in this genre, and at least what I’ve personally seen is that everyone leaves the theater happy, horny, seen or heard and just full of life,” she said.

The film, which officially hits theaters July 7, is a comedy about four Asian-American girlfriends, played by Park, Stephanie Hsu, Sherry Cola and Sabrina Wu, who travel across different parts of Asia to meet one of their birth mothers to find. The comedy is like a cross between ‘Bridesmaids’ and ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ with hilarious moments including lots of cocaine, a very ‘interesting’ sex scene with a messy threesome montage and an appearance by a fake K-pop group.

Directed by Adele Lim, “Joy Ride” had a nearly full hall with 1,400 spectators screaming and bursting with laughter at almost every moment of the San Franciscremiere.

“[‘Joy Ride’] “Everyone is in a good mood and can relate to one, if not all, of the characters and situations – and we were just all Asian,” Park said before the premiere.

According to its website, the studio comedy premiered in San Francisco during CAAMFest, the world’s largest festival for Asian-American films. The film festival takes place from May 11th to 21st in San Francisco and Oakland.

Wu, a comedian and actor who notably wrote for the Disney+ series Doogie Kamealoha, declared her appreciation for San Francisco on the red carpet at the historic Castro Theater.

“San Francisco is so beautiful right now, and living in Michigan with my gay friends, we always thought, ‘One day we’re all going to escape to California. We’re going to move to the gay west coast,” they said. “I guess it’s exactly what I imagined being here on this street with a rainbow flag flying every ten feet.”

Thuy Tran, festival and exhibition director of CAAMFest, said in a recorded video shown at the premiere that the story of “Joy Ride” propels the industry and the Asian American community forward with its “taboo” but groundbreaking topics.

“‘Joy Ride’ is so emphatic about Asian-American joy,” Tran said. “It’s so uncompromising about our desires, period.”

In the film, the four characters, most notably Park’s character Audrey, struggle with their sense of self and personal identity. Audrey, who works in a law firm, ignores the seemingly “wild” aspects of life that make her happy and struggles with her cultural identity as an Asian American. The film does a great job of depicting the characters’ breakthroughs in their self-discovery while also capturing their pure and diverse friendship, without missing out on hilarious moments that will make you laugh.

During a question-and-answer session after the premiere, the cast said they were grateful for the film’s writers’ ability to assemble such a diverse cast with distinctly different personalities and identities. The cast also mentioned that much like their on-screen characters, they felt that their identities as Asian Americans limited their opportunities, and “Joy Ride” was a major breakthrough in their professional careers.

“I actually think sometimes that I had such low expectations of myself because I didn’t see a way forward,” said Hsu, who plays Kat, during the Q&A session. Hsu recently played several supporting roles in blockbusters like Everything Everywhere All at Once and Marvel’s Shang-Chi.

Park, who also played Mindy Chen in Emily in Paris, said she felt the similar experiences of all the leading actors in the film industry created a bond between the four.

“If you’ve only had a handful of supporting role opportunities, you’ve got a really supporting cast,” she said during the Q&A session.

“Joy Ride” was a fantastic portrayal of a life without shame, and if the reception at the Castro was any indication, it will be a revolutionary film for the talented cohort of actors and an important chapter in the next wave of Asian-American cinema.

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It’s going to be a very busy weekend in San Francisco, as are multiple events planned to mark the start of the Lunar New Year, The Brooklyn Nets face the Warriors at Chase Center and people going to nearest bars to watch the NFC Championship Game between the 49ers and Rams.

But as crowds are expected to gather, The city’s health department is urging everyone to keep their guard up as they said the omicron isn’t gone yet.

At Harry’s Bar, they’re ready for the big 49ers game on Sunday and the crowd that comes with it.

They’re holding some walk up space for regulars and setting up tv’s both inside and outside to give fans safe space.

“We’re going to be expanding our outdoor seating area i rented 40 additional chairs from a local party rental so we’re going to seat as many people as we can outside,” Charles Johnson said.

They upgraded the HVAC system a while back. They’re also following city mandates on masking and vaccinations.

“We do continue to sanitize everything we do make our own sanitizer we do sanitize the table and menus and everything between seating,” Johnson said. dr Mary Mercer, medical co-lead for COVID Task Force at the San Francisco Department of Public Health told NBC Bay Area that people will still need to be careful how we come together.

“San Francisco is now on the downslope of the omicron surge cases are still quite high though so its very important for us to layer up our many layers of protections,” she said.

That includes masks like an N95 or KN95, isolating and testing if you have symptoms – and they want to remind everyone that outdoor gatherings are safer than indoors.

Meanwhile, as excitement builds for the return of the Lunar New Year parade, organizers are cautiously optimistic and have protocols in place, for the crowd they hope will return as well.

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San Francisco’s popular fireworks celebration will return to the city’s waterfront this weekend for the first time since 2019.

The show kicks off at 9:30 p.m. this year, and while the fireworks can often be seen from many spots in San Francisco – if the fog isn’t too thick – the city says it’s best along the north waterfront between Aquatic Park and pier can be seen 39.

Anyone planning to attend the show or a large personal holiday gathering is encouraged to get a full vaccination, get a negative COVID-19 test before attending the event, or wear a well-fitting face covering. People who are not yet fully vaccinated should celebrate safely by holding outdoor gatherings and continuing to wear face masks when interacting closely with people outside their household.

“Although today we celebrate our hard work during the pandemic, it is more important than ever for any San Franciscan to get vaccinated so we can continue to attend these grand gatherings,” Mayor London Breed told a press conference Thursday. “If you plan to come to the fireworks this weekend and are not vaccinated, please get tested. We are so close to ending this pandemic! “

With the return of vacation traditions to the city, vacation traffic is also returning. The American Automobile Association expects travel volume to recover almost entirely to pre-pandemic levels, with the second highest Independence Day travel volume ranking second after 2019. AAA predicts 47.7 million Americans will hit the streets and skies, up nearly 40% from last year.

Pier 39 advises visitors to be aware of public transportation when planning trips to see the fireworks, as water access and parking will be very limited.

“We expect larger crowds than usual,” said a representative.

Bob Partrite, COO of Simco Restaurants, who owns the Fog Harbor Fish House at Pier 39, said its restaurants will add staff and stay open a little later on July 4th.

“We are planning a very busy weekend, the whole weekend is busy, hoping people will come from out of town,” he said, adding that the fireworks in the bay will be “one of the best around” .

“I don’t think this year will be as busy as it has been in the past, but I think we’re going to see some strong numbers,” he added.

In order to accommodate the fireworks and the influx of visitors, BART will provide additional trains at the Embarcadero station after the end of regular operations and advise visitors to be at the station by 10:40 p.m. to take a train home.

The regular BART service ends on July 4th at 9:00 p.m. and passengers can only enter the system at Embarcadero Station after the regular BART service ends.

About 30 minutes after the fireworks end, BART will run two special trains from Embarcadero Station to Richmond, Antioch, Berryessa and SFO / Millbrae, all of which will stop. Muni will also offer shuttles along the Embarcadero to the BART, and passengers are encouraged to pre-load their Clipper cards with enough cash to get home after the show to avoid long lines. Masks are still required on the trains, and on Monday, July 5, BART will return to normal weekday operations.

San Francisco’s pyrotechnic show comes as many parched Bay Area counties crack down on home fireworks over the holiday weekend. Drought conditions only worsen in the state, with the Santa Clara Fire Department warning they would adopt a zero-tolerance policy this year. San Mateo County announced in early June that it would increase the fine for illegal fireworks tenfold – from $ 100 to $ 1,000 per incident – with a separate $ 1,000 fine for each party host that sets off fireworks, either legal or illegal.

Instead, party-goers and fireworks fans are encouraged to watch fireworks at authorized professional shows or on television.

Chef Amaryll Schwertner owns the Ferry Building’s Boulettes Larder, which is closed during the fireworks.

“We are not participating,” she said, citing the large crowds and safety concerns in the ferry building.

Also the return to the port of San Francisco is the Bay Ferry Service. From Thursday, the ferry service will increase the number of trips in and out of the city for both visitors and commuters. Bay Ferry will offer a record 136 weekday Transbay departures on five routes, and a new ferry service will offer direct 20-minute trips between the Seaplane Lagoon Ferry Terminal at Alameda Point and downtown San Francisco.

San Francisco Fleet Week will return in October with its Air Show, Parade of Ships, and Humanitarian Village, as well as joint military and civilian disaster planning exercises. The annual event honoring the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces attracts millions of visitors each year and generates over $ 10 million in annual revenue for the city.

Elaine Forbes, executive director of the Port of San Francisco, told the conference that the port is “proud to once again welcome major events on the boardwalk and eager to see residents and visitors return.”

“The waterfront has something for everyone with more exciting options on the horizon,” she added.

Nina Riggio, an intern at the San Francisco Chronicle, contributed to this report.

Emma Talley is a contributor to the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: emma.talley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ EmmaT332

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LOS ANGELES – Sunshine drew crowds to California’s beaches and parks on Sunday despite a statewide stay-at-home order, leading to further closings as officials announced plans to step up testing for the coronavirus.

Santa Monica closed oceanfront parking lots to deter people from visiting its famous beach, and Los Angeles was due to do the same in neighboring Venice Beach starting Monday to help curb the spread of the virus.

Most of the people on the sand made sure to follow the guidelines to stay 6 feet away from others. But spacing became an issue in popular areas like Venice’s Promenade, leading Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to reprimand visitors for “being too close together too often”.

“The longer we do this, the more people will get sick and more people will die,” Garcetti said at an evening press conference.

Dozens of parks, trails, and facilities in the Los Angeles area that were overseen by the Mountain Recreation and Conservation Authority were closed on Sunday.

In the San Francisco Bay Area, authorities have closed Drakes Beach, Agate Beach, and other popular coastal locations, including Point Reyes Lighthouse and Chimney Rock Headlands.

President Donald Trump passed a major disaster statement on Sunday in support of California’s COVID-19 preparedness and emergency response. The move will free up federal funds to help with mass supplies and emergency aid, unemployment assistance and legal assistance in the event of disasters.

Trump also announced that he had ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency to send mobile hospital centers to California, Washington and New York.

When the U.S. Navy ship Mercy arrives in Los Angeles, it will open 1,000 beds and become the city’s largest hospital, Garcetti said. The time of the ship’s arrival was not disclosed.

The mayor said the city will set up a website this week that will direct people to centers where they can be tested for the virus. The first tests would be reserved for the “most vulnerable people,” including those with symptoms, those aged 65 and over, and those with pre-existing conditions, the mayor said.

In neighboring Riverside County, testing began this weekend in a drive-through facility outside a minor league ballpark in Lake Elsinore.

Governor Gavin Newsom’s order last week that Californians should stay home to contain the pandemic in the nation’s most populous state was by far the most comprehensive and was followed by similar announcements in New York and Illinois.

California is one of the hardest hit states, with more than 1,600 confirmed cases and 30 deaths on Sunday, according to a record from Johns Hopkins University.

Newsom has said that COVID-19 virus infection rates are doubling every four days in some areas. He predicted that millions could contract the virus in the next two months if aggressive prevention is not taken.

Newsom ordered $ 42 million in emergency funding to allow the state to rent two hospitals – Seton Medical Center in Daly City and St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles – for three months to serve patients with COVID-19 supply.

The emergency fund will also be used to buy or refurbish ventilators, provide more patient transportation services, and expand testing capacity in a government laboratory.

Residents were instructed to stay away from others, not to gather in groups, and to wash their hands frequently. They can get food, fill out prescriptions, seek medical help, look after vulnerable relatives or neighbors, and get exercise, such as going for a walk.

Petrol stations, supermarkets and convenience stores were open, as were auto repair shops. Those who did important services, such as plumbers and electricians, continued to work. But restaurants only delivered or offered take-away.

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WORKING DAY: This is where the Bay Area beaches are open and closed

Dozens of campfires burned on Ocean Beach Sunday night, which is not allowed during Spare the Air days. This after a day that consisted of hot temperatures, smoky conditions and massive crowds along the beaches.

“We were absolutely shocked when we got to the beach today. I mean, we actually thought we should go back to the car and get our masks because we’re not used to seeing so many people,” says Muffi Bailey, who lives in San Francisco.

Ocean Beach parking was closed after an estimated thousand people showed up Saturday night to celebrate Burning Man.

RELATED: San Francisco Closes Ocean Beach Parking Lot After Big Saturday Meeting, Mayor Says

Even so, many parked nearby and went inside on Sunday. Others opted for different locations like Crissy Field’s East Beach.

“It’s about as full as I’ve never seen it before,” said Chris Apicella from San Francisco.

Crissy Field East Beach in San Francisco is packed. One man said it was busier than he’s seen in 20 years. Some people told me other beaches are closed so they came here. You could really smell smoke earlier in the day, but right now it’s not that bad. @ abc7newsbayarea pic.twitter.com/SG0MmlFFzV

– JR Stone (@jrstonelive) September 7, 2020

Most of the Sunday smoke in the Bay Area came from two fires. Both the Woodward and August fires burn north of San Francisco.

Add three-digit temperatures and you have additional concerns in some areas.

Ralph Borrmann of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District said, “This is leading to high levels of ozone, particularly in parts of Santa Clara and the Livermore Valley.”

RECORD HEAT: SF hits 100 degrees, more than 10 cities in the Bay Area hit record temperatures

“People still enjoy themselves, but it’s not the bay we’re used to seeing, it’s not beautiful San Francisco that people visit,” said Austin Teece of Berkeley.

Still as crowded as these beaches. The attitude was positive. The spirit was festive and everything was topped with a spectacular sunset and the hope that we could meet during a hot, smoky pandemic.

“We’re doing our best and I think we just have to try not to match every last letter of every little regulation 100%. Just be patient with all of us, you know,” said one beachgoer Sunday.

The parking lots at Ocean Beach are still closed and will be closed until Tuesday.

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