The San Francisco
Convention & Visitors Bureau has announced the eight finalists
from the more than 170 “Escape to the
City” online videos that capture local San Franciscans sharing their
personal “only in San Francisco” experiences.

The eight
finalists are: Ian Anderson (South Park), 
Steven Blum (Westfield Mall), Stannous Flouride (The Haight), Tim Floyd
(the Warming Hut), Julie Cummins (Ferry Building Farmer’s Market), Brent Podesto
(Yerba Buena Garden), Mike Salcido (AT&T Park) and Sabrina Foss and Geena
Dabadghiv (SF Pride). Videos can be viewed at
onlyinsanfrancisco.com/escape/contest.

Each video was rated on a
scale of 1 – 5 (with 5 being the highest) for the following
criteria:

1. Number of views per
   video
2. Originality of
   content
3. Most unique/creative
   “Only in San
   Francisco” experience
4. On-camera enthusiasm for
   topic
5. Entertainment value
   

 From
the announced finalists, the SFCVB will select the grand prize *winner based on
the number of votes received per video. 

Each person who visits the Escape to the City
micro-site through Aug. 14, and votes for their favorite video,
will also be eligible to win the following ‘Only in San Francisco‘ “Escape to
the City” prize package:

        
A two-night stay at the
Hyatt Regency along the Embarcadero waterfront

        
A Champagne cruise on Hornblower Yachts

        
Two
tickets to Beach Blanket
Babylon

        
A $100
dining certificate to Sens

        
Two San
Francisco CityPasses (which includes complimentary Muni and Cable Car
passes; admission to the new California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park;
the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Aquarium of the Bay; the Exploratorium;
or the deYoung Museum in Golden Gate Park and the Legion of Honor; and a Blue
& Gold Fleet Bay Cruise)

        
A gift
certificate for a pound of See’s Chocolates

*Please note that
participants must be 18 or older to win.. 

The videos may be viewed on http://www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/escape/ and
voting concludes on August 14, 2009. The Grand Prize winner will be announced
August 17, 2009 via Facebook www.facebook.com/onlyinsf and
Twitter http://twitter.com/onlyinsf