July 14th is
Bastille Day. In France, this is something like the 4th of July with fireworks, drinking, and general stupidity for a day. Belden Place has become something of a focus for all things French in San Francisco even though there are only two restaurants that are actually French on the alley. Because of this, people think that Belden Place is the place to go for Bastille and why not? Balloons are put up for the occassion as well as a lot of red, white, and blue streamers to make it look as authentic as possible when really it's just a bunch of people packed in to the alley getting drunk.
The drunkeness used to be a lot more out of control a few years ago and all of you who came over a bridge or down from the Marina really liked to tear it up down there on the alley not so much for the food, but for the booze.
Because of that there had to be a crack down on the "festivities", which were mostly comprised of open-air bars in the alley. Now celebrating at Belden is about as worthwhile as celebrating anywhere else. Get drunk, loud, obnoxious, and pretend that you somehow have a claim on French heritage just like you do on St. Patrick's Day.
