San Francisco: 5 best April values

Given the recent infatuation with Prohibition-style bars, the timing seems about perfect for this small new museum that shines light on the role of bootleggers and gangsters in the 1920s and throughout U.S. history. It's located in a once-notorious speakeasy at 80 St. Marks Place, which happens to be down the block from one of the city's new-wave speakeasies, PDT (enter through a phone booth in Crif's Dogs). The museum's main gallery won't be ready until late April or early May, but co-founder and curator Lorcan Otway has started giving informal preview tours that draw on his personal connection to the building—his father bought it from gangster Walter Scheib in 1964. When I stopped by last weekend, Otway gathered us in a group by the mahogany bar, lined with artifacts including vintage whiskey bottles, a Tommy gun, and newspaper clippings and photos. He told us that shortly after the purchase his father came upon two locked safes in the basement. "He called Walter Scheib, and said he was too curious to own a building with locked safes and too cautious to open them without him," said Otway. Together they uncovered $2 million in gold currency meticulously wrapped in newspaper. Armed with hard hats, we went down to check out the basement's series of rooms, including a beer locker and the office of Scheib's partner, Frank Hoffman, who rigged it with a near-impenetrable door, radiator bars with copper wiring, and a phone system so that bartenders could alert him in the event of an FBI raid. We learned Hoffman also paid off business owners along First Avenue in order to dig a series of tunnels out through their basements onto the avenue. Otway and the museum's co-founder, historian Eric Ferrara, are still uncovering new stories about what went on in the speakeasy. They've got ambitious plans for neighborhood walking tours (launching tomorrow, April 1) and eventual workshops, lectures, and historic reenactments. Even the bar will be back in business soon—they've applied for a liquor license—which will also be dandy for patrons of Theatre 80, with which the museum shares the building. Museum preview tours, Mon-Fri at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., Sat. at noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m.; $10 suggested donation, no reservations necessary. MORE ON COCKTAIL CULTURE 9 Places to Party Like It's 1929

Just as North Beach was the epicenter of the Beats movement in the 1950s, San Francisco's sprawling Mission district was home to a movement called the Mission School of Art in the '90s and early 2000s. During that time, the Jack Hanley Gallery was instrumental in propelling artwork from the Mission School into the mainstream, international arena. After 20 years, the illustrious gallery is closing at the end of April—here's your chance to see it before it's gone. The Mission School of Art was made up of a group of young, influential artists whose work was heavily influenced by street subcultures, pop culture, skateboarding, surfing, and graffiti. You may know some of these characters from the traveling exhibit and eponymous film Beautiful Losers: Contemporary Art and Street Culture, which features many of the artists as well as their New York contemporaries. The final show at Jack Hanely features some of the school's better-known artists, including Chris Johansen (pictured), Leslie Shields, and Shaun O'Dell. Despite Jack Hanley's closure and the departure of many of the original artists to larger venues like the MOMA and the Whitney, the city's subcultural art scene is still alive and well. While many of the individual artists aren't the same, much of the ethos and style is still there. Here are a few places to experience it for yourself. Adobe Books Backroom Gallery This small bookstore and gallery features regular exhibits and is considered the real epicenter of the scene. In fact, Jack Hanley usually discovered his artists during their first shows at Adobe. 3166 16th St., 415/864-3936 The Luggage Store exhibited many works by the late Margaret Kilgallen and now features a gigantic mural by her husband, Barry McGee, on the side of the building. The store also holds regular art exhibits of emerging San Francisco artists. 1007 Market Street, 415/255-5971 Andrew Schoultz's murals cover walls around the Mission District. Be sure to check out the the Clarion Alley outdoor murals (off Valencia street, between 17 and 18 streets). For more information about the background of the Mission art scene, check out the San Francisco Bay Guardian article in which art critic Glen Helfand coined the term. The artwork is expensive, so we suggest you go to look, not to buy. But you can take home a souvenir: For SF Moma's 75 anniversary, the museum partnered with the Gap to put out limited-edition T-shirts featuring the work of artists in the Mission School: Simon Evans, Barry McGee, Chris Johansen, and Leslie Shows. Available at SFMOMA store, 151 Third Street, 888/357-0037 Jack Hanley Gallery, 395 Valencia Street, 415/ 522-1623. Opening: April 3, 6-9 p.m., free. Exhibit: April 4–28, Tue-Sat, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Up to a million visitors descend on Rome between Palm Sunday (March 28) and Pasquetta (Easter Monday, April 5). It's an incredible experience to be among the faithful for one of the pope's Holy Week masses, projected on massive screens in St. Peter's Square outside the church. For tickets to get inside, check the Vatican website; a letter from a parish priest can be enough to secure tickets, occasionally even at this short notice. (If you want to visit the jam-packed Vatican Museums this week, be sure to make an advance online reservation.) Palm Sunday's open-air mass begins at 9:30 a.m. in St. Peter's Square (note that this is also the day Italy switches to daylight savings time). Pope Benedict XVI will focus on the theme for the 25th annual Youth Day: "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" If the crowds are too daunting, try one of the Rome's many other churches, where Palm Sunday is celebrated with the traditional blessing of palms leaves and olive branches. April 1, Holy Thursday, calls for the traditional Chrism mass, where the pope presides over the confirmation and baptism of Roman citizens in St. Peter's Basilica. This is the easiest mass to get tickets for. At 5:30 p.m., the pope will travel across town to St. John Lateran (Rome's diocese church) to celebrate the Passion and Resurrection and wash the feet of ordinary citizens. Romans often line the streets to get a glimpse of the pope as his entourage passes through the city. This year, any donations will go to rebuilding a seminary destroyed by the earthquake in Haiti. After a solemn 5 p.m. service* in St. Peter's Basilica on Good Friday, the pope moves to the Colosseum at 9:15 to recite the stations of the cross (the Via Crucis) by candle light. Tickets aren't required, but go early to ensure a spot nearby. All who attend this moving event will be given a candle that's used to illuminate the Colosseum. The Saturday Easter vigil that begins at 9 p.m. is the most popular mass on the Holy Week calendar. Tickets to attend the mass inside the basilica are essential. It's also projected on big screens in St. Peter's Square, and Gregorian chants can be heard through the speakers for up to two hours before the mass begins. The pope's Easter Sunday "Urbi et Orbi" blessing is generally the only celebration Romans attend, and they will be there in plenty of time to take the good spots. The blessing begins promptly at 10:15 am in St. Peter's square—arrive at least three hours early if you want a chance at getting close to the action. Easter Monday is a traditional day of rest in Rome. A handful of restaurants are open, but most museums, stores and banks are closed. Do as the Romans do—take the day off to stroll along the Appia Antica or escape to the beach at Ostia for lunch. GOING TO ROME SOON? Our Rome city page lets you post questions, recommendations, photos, and more. You might hear back directly from our editors. Browse deals and click around our improved map—now with street views. *The wording of the sentence has been changed to "service" to clarify that Catholics don't celebrate mass on Good Friday.

If there's an ideal time to visit our nation's capital, the month of April would be it. D.C. has always welcomed families with budget-friendly attractions (walking through the National Zoo, touring the free Smithsonian museums), and now it welcomes the start of spring with its annual National Cherry Blossom Festival (March 27-April 11, 2010) and the 40th Earth Day. The Earth Day Network—headquartered in D.C. with more partners in 190 countries—has grown into its own this year by taking a hard-hitting stand for a 2010 climate bill in the hopes of creating more American jobs and capping carbon emissions. The capstone event will be held on Sunday, April 25th, when a major Climate Rally at the National Mall will feature international entertainers, speakers, exhibits, and eco-villages. In conjunction with the week-long celebration, the organization hopes to gather a billion pledges from participants willing to modify their bad habits for the better, from replacing energy sucking light bulbs with a more efficient model to joining in a community project throughout April. It's fitting then that the fragile pink blooms of the city's cherry trees—a good-will gift from Japan in 1912—are a prelude to the celebration of a network devoted to preserving nature. The following events don't cost a thing except for your support, and that just feels right. • March 27, 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Earth Hour Sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund, the majority of the world will be going dark for an hour starting at 8:30 p.m. their local time in a symbolic demonstration against climate change. Last year, landmarks joined in, like the Empire State Building, Las Vegas Strip, Golden Gate Bridge, Great Pyramids of Giza, Eiffel Tower, and Sydney's Opera House. Register as a member online to support your home state. • April 3, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Fireworks Light Up the Night The fifth annual Prelude to the Fireworks is a three-hour family festival of live musical performances, kids craft activities, and cuisine from local restaurants. Leading up to a fireworks show, the starry-skied display starts at 8:30 p.m. and can be viewed from the festival area (Southwest Waterfront, 877/442-5666, free) or aboard the Spirit of Washington dinner cruise (866/302-2469, from $91). • April 4, 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., Lantern Lighting Ceremony The highlight of this event is the lighting of a 359-year-old stone Japanese lantern, with a formal ceremony including traditional performers, Washington dignitaries, and Cherry Blossom Princesses. (Tidal Basin at Independence Ave. and 17th St. SW, free.) • April 10, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade This annual tradition features giant colorful balloons, marching bands, and other high-energy performers, and will also be simulcast live on ABC 7/WJLA-TV and NewsChannel 8. (Constitution Ave. between 9th and 15th St. NW, free; grandstand seating on Constitution Ave. between 15th and 16th streets NW, 800/551-7328, $17.) • April 10, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sakura Matsuri This Japanese street festival takes over right where the Cherry Blossom parade leaves off, with the largest one-day exhibition of Japanese culture in the U.S. Demonstrations of taiko drums, samurai swordsmen, karate, and the art of bonsai are only a few of the more than 30 hours of live performances on five stages. Make sure to arrive hungry to sample the Japanese fare and potent sake at the Matsuri Markets, and check out the traditional products for sale at the Ginza Marketplace. The younger members of the family will appreciate the 1,600-square-foot Children's Corner, where they can try their hand at origami, learn a few Japanese words, and listen to traditional storytelling (12th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. NW, free). Visit the Japan National Tourist Organization tent for the chance to win a trip for two to Japan (West side of 12th St. and Pennsylvania Ave.). • April 25, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., Climate Rally Although there will be earth-friendly activities happening all weekend on the National Mall, this last event for Earth Day 2010 will be considered the big hoorah. A massive rally will gather to support a new climate bill demanding clean energy legislation this year, with celebrity speakers and performers participating. And if the very first Earth Day in 1970 is any indication—with 20 million global supporters—this anniversary rally may recreate history. (National Mall grounds, between Independence and Constitution Aves., from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial.) GET GOING! Strategies for avoiding the cherry blossom crowds Top 3 free things in D.C. year round Real Deals: D.C. From $149