What to do in Pescadero?

http://www.normsmarket.com/store/ - go by Arcangeli Grocery to pick up hot-from-the-oven bread and delimeats from the deli in the back.

http://www.duartestavern.com/ - Duarte's is a classic old diner/restaurant/bar that's been around since the late 1800's. We had dinner there one night - go early (4/5) if you want to be in all the madness, or wait a bit ( 7.30/8) and you'll have the place to yourself. Pick up a strawberry-rhubarb jam on the way out.

There's some other shops to browse in town, as well - but probably a total of 6 businesses (including the above 2).

http://www.harleyfarms.com/ - swing by here to try some awesome goat cheese. Make sure to check out the upstairs for the cool dining room-in-a-barn which she uses to partner up with SF-based chefs and create dinner parties. To get here, follow the signs of the little girl pointing (you'll see what I mean when you get there).

Drive over to the http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=533 (Pigeon Point Light House) and explore it। Park near it or anywhere along the coast to watch the surf crash the shore and eat the picnic (bread & deli meat from Arcangeli, goatcheese from Harley, etc।) If you look back over across the 1, you'll see a house/cabins perched (that's where we stayed).

Nua in North Beach

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about Kokkari.

I neglected to mention that we went somewhere else for dessert. Nua is a wine bar and restaurant in North Beach that also features some delectable desserts.

The design features lots of woodwork and clean lines. We had a dessert wine and a chocolatey creation whose name escapes me at the moment. Very friendly people.

French bistro

We had come from Wine - where we had appetizers with a variety of great wines - and were on our way to Burma Superstar. However, the wait would be over 90 minutes, so we decided to check out what else Clement Street had to offer.

Tucked behind some trees on Clement Street between 2nd and 3rd lies Clementine, a warm inviting restaurant that specializes in French fare. We were welcomed by the Dutch hostess (yes, we ended speaking with her at the end of the meal) and decided to take some seats at the bar where the French bartender looked after us.

He generously poured our wines (we went with some Burgundy and Cotes du Rhone) and took our order. They had creamy butter and warm French bread for while we waited. As we had just had appetizers, we went with the main dishes.

As I was drinking a pinot noir, I went with the duck breast (try that sometime: FIRST order your wine and then figure out what you'll have to eat with it). There was a rich, creamy sauce that accompanied it. I believe other dishes ordered were steak and pork, although I don't remember exactly how they were prepared.

What I do remember, though, is that everyone raved about their food - this is classic French cooking. As we continued to dine, a group of French people walked in and were greeted boisterously by the bartender who soon summoned the chef. Chef came out and it was a true Gallic reception.

Their dessert menu looked tasty, but we headed down the street to Toy Boat.

Tawan's Thai Food

One evening we had Thai food. I had been meaning to try a place I'd heard very good things about: Tawan's Thai Food (no website, 4403 Geary Blvd between 8th Ave & 9th Ave).

Tawan is the owner's son. He was a little kid when they opened the place and his drawings adorn the walls and the menu. While he gets pushed front-and-center, his mom is the real star here. My mom commented that with her cheery demeanor and pleasant voice, how could anyone ever possibly get upset with her? She's just constantly smiling while taking our orders.

We had a meal of excellent satay with a sweet peanut sauce. Then, we had a panang curry filled with veggies and chicken that was the right balance of sweet and spicy (we went medium). We also had a portion of sauteed pork in a sweet/sour/spicy sauce that came with fruit and vegetables.

You can order sodas or the ubiquitous Thai iced tea, or go next door and pick up some beer as they allow you to BYO.

For dessert, you can't go wrong with the FBI: fried banana with coconut ice cream.

Excellent, well-priced place that deserves multiple repeat visits.

Bar Crudo Revisited

We went to Bar Crudo one night and it was as good as it had been before. This time, we sat upstairs rather than at the bar. Click on the link for my previous review.

Florio - bistro on Fillmore

The wait at SPQR was going to be 45 minutes, so we walked back up Fillmore and went to Florio, which I've been to several times and they are always consistently good. The name suggests Italian food - and there are hints - but think gourmet bistro:

For appetizers, we had
-chicken liver pate with crostini
-melon with prosciutto
-marinated olives
-virgin olive oil to dunk the bread in

For mains, we had
-steak frites
-seafood stew
-a corn rissotto
-roasted chicken

They have an excellent wine list and we had a bottle of the Navarro Pinot Noir.

Everything was fresh, well executed.

We skipped the dessert menu and instead walked down the street to Tango Gelato.

Over the past 2 weeks, my parents were in town. We managed to hit some favorite places of mine plus tried out some new ones. Over the next few days, I'll update where we went.

Wine Bars and Restaurants

Pretty good article about wine bars in SF by the NY Times. Also, the Tablehopper posted an entry about her favorite dishes at 20 restaurants. Both good guides.

Kokkari!

I've been wanting to go to Kokkari for more than 2 years. For some reasons or another, I never made it until last Thursday.

I was taken there as a surprise, and the experience is fantastic. The restaurant is located in Jackson Square. You enter through an extremely high door, which hints at the high ceilings inside. Very comfortable chairs, white linen on the table offset by lots of wood set an elegant-but-rustic and comfortable scene.

The food is gourmet Greek and we made sure to try a lot of the dishes on offer. There are various fruit-and-cheese appetizers (we tried the watermelon with feta). We bypassed the crispy zuchini cakes and opted for the phyllo dough stuffed with spinach and cheese. We also opted for some excellent octopus (the worry is always that it may be tough/chewy, but this was succulent). There are a host of other appetizers to share that all looked excellent. We chose to have the lamb chops, which the restaurant is known for and deservedly so.

The wine list is phenomenal, hitting all the key spots around the world. We opted for a glass form Burgundy and a glass from Cotes du Rhone. There are plenty of bottles to choose from as well. We skipped dessert (we headed off somewhere else), but the desserts looked delectable.

This is one of the best restaurants in San Francisco and I'll be back soon!

Tinderbox is Excellent

Tinderbox opened August 31. I've had a chance to eat here twice already: once before it officially opened and once two days after it opened.

The concept behind the restaurant is local / organic. Therefore, you'll find cheese from Cowgirl Creamery and other provisions from local farms such as Marin Sun Farms and other nearby places. The entire design of the place is also local / organic, so you will see cork on the walls, local artists featured, and recycled materials used throughout. However, when you look around, what you will see is not a hippy-dippy green cafe, but a very sexy, elegant space.

Some favorites include the following:
-Rabbit Hot Pocket
-Tikka Masala Shrimp
-Squid with Prosciutto
-Fried Plantain Game Hen
-Pork Love

The chef shines in his creations, which highlight a mix of different flavors and textures. It's definitely a place that allows you to play around and find out how different tastes work together. For example, the game hen fried with the plantain gives a chewy/crunchy/tender mixture while at the same time giving a creamy/spicy/sweet mixture.

I think by now I've gone down the wine list and tried all the wines by the glass. Here, they decided to not simply stay local, but find reasonably priced wines from around the world (including of course local wines from Mendocino, Sonoma, Napa, etc). The wines are very aromatic and pair well with the bold flavors.

Desserts that we've tried:
-Chocolate Cake with Blue Cheese
-Blackberry Beignets with Iced Tea
-Almond Cannolis with Strawberry/Cheese filling

Here again are the mix of tastes/flavors/aromas/textures. The chocolate cake with blue cheese center is the boldest example of that. Rather than the usual chocolate cake with molten center, the molten center is still creamy but now a pungent blue cheese. The amazing flavors contrast well.

The service is great, with friendly waiters and waitresses. The kitchen is open, so you can see into the kitchen how everything is prepared. The wine consultant/sommelier will help you pair wines with your dishes. The maitre d' / part-owner / musical consultant has good tunes spinning at all times.

I've been here twice and will be back again. I highly recommend checking out this restaurant, especially if you have not yet made it over to Cortland Avenue: an exciting part of Bernal Heights.

Flight of the Conchords: Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros

Flight of the Conchords: Business Time

Biggest Upset Ever!

I always enjoy when Michigan loses. It's even better when they lose in arguably college football's version of Biggest. Upset. Ever.

Heading into the game, Michigan was ranked #5 in the country, picked to win the Big Ten, and some people were even talking potential national championship.

They played the Appalachian State Mountaineers. Never heard of them? That's because they are not even in Division I. They are a Division I-AA team! (Wait, they are no longer Division I-AA as that's the old designation, they are now the much more catchy "NCAA Football Championship Subdivision").

When you lose your first game, you have to blame that on the coaches. When you read this blog at the Detroit Free Press, the author even mentions the words "Fire Lloyd Carr." It's headlined APPALLING! Dan Shanoff also calls for Carr's firing (and calls it the upset of the decade update: revised to "greatest upset EVER").

Here's the AP writeup, Deadspin's take on it, and here's a link to the Appalachian State newspaper, although currently the lead article is about a public hearing regarding a creek; once the students get over their hangovers from partying all weekend I'm sure the lead article will change. (update: it has been - here.)

Over at AOL Fanhouse, they ask the question "Would Michigan Can Lloyd Carr" and link to Mgoblog where the boards are heating up and calling for Carr's head. He's done. Toast. (update: Brian at Mgoblog has lost it as at this point, it's all pictures of kittens).

Note: I just texted some friends who went to Michigan. They not too happy and thinking Carr should go too.

You can listen to the last part of the Appalachian State radio call here and watch it here:

Pho

Pho Clement (no website, Clement Street between 3rd & 4th Avenue) offers some good phos and other tasty Vietnamese treats. Weird service. Crazy paintings on the walls. Big huge flat-screen TV showing SuperNanny and the like. A family-run place.

We popped in late (9.45 or so) and were warmly welcomed in. A few other tables were also taken. We ordered pho and some imperial rolls. They were brought pretty quickly - and we immediately loaded it up with sricacha (or whatever that red stuff is called) and some of that black sweet stuff. Our waters never came. One table left. Bye's all around. The other table left, and now we were the last ones there. We took the hint that they wanted to leave after they: turned off the TV, slid the doors closed, bundled up, and sat around in their woolen caps waiting for us to finish. Good prices too!

Favorite movies of 2007 (so far)

With a record-setting summer at the box office coming to an end, I thought it might be interesting to look at my favorite movies so far. Of course, the way the game is played in Hollywood is as follows:

May 1 - September 1 is summer - time for $100+ million budgeted movies, sequels, and lots of stuff blowing up. There's not much creativity and that was especially proven this year with all the 3quels: Spiderman 3, Shrek 3, Rush Hour 3, etc etc.

Then, in September, the serious movies start. These are the movies that will fight it out for Oscar glory.

Of course, that does not mean that there are no good movies released at other times of the year. Here's my top 10 (so far). I expect only 3 of these will make my top ten of the year list, given the abundance of great directors and actors lined up in the coming months.

1. Once - I cannot say enough about how great this movie is: read what I've posted previously here

2. The Bourne Ultimatum - an extremely satisfying end to the Bourne trilogy, the finest action films of the last several years. Bourne would kick Bond's ass.

3. Superbad - an uproarious day and night in the lives of three geeks trying to score some alcohol for a party

4. Knocked Up - more ridiculousness from the guys of Superbad

5. Hot Fuzz - from the same team that brought out Shaun of the Dead, this is another genre-bending take, this time focusing on the buddy cop formula rather than zombies

6. The Lives of Others - an atmospheric period thriller that sheds light on the East German

7. Waitress - wonderful movie where Keri Russel shines

8. Zodiac - a thrilling true crime movie set in 70's San Francisco

9. Breach - another true crime movie centered on an FBI double-agent

10. Transformers - actually pretty engaging, especially for a popcorn movie starring autobots

What makes a romantic restaurant?

I recently got the following e-mail:

My coworker who hasn't had a date with his wife in six years, yes six years,
is finally getting a babysitter, so they can actually eat without the kid
for once.

I'd love to get a list of your three top most romantic restaurants in San
Francisco.

Let's put aside the fact that he and his wife have not gone out together on a date for six years. What's more important for you is: what makes a restaurant romantic? And, what are the top three in San Francisco?

I really don't know what makes one restaurant romantic and another one not. It's not whether something is expensive: there's plenty of restaurants that are geared more towards the business deal than wooing your love. It's not whether something is small or large: there's plenty of romantic restaurants that are intimate, and ones that can seat over 100 people. No, romance and the romantic restaurant is in the eye of the beholder and can be very personal. You know it when you see it.

There are definitely some expensive restaurants out there that could be put on top of the list: Gary Danko and French Laundry are both excellent choices. Both feature chefs heralded far and wide as amazing culinary masters. With Gary Danko, you stay in San Francisco. With French Laundry, a whole Napa weekend could be built around it. Spruce just opened up and is also elegant. Any of these would mean s/he chose the very best and is willing to pay for it. The downside when choosing a very expensive restaurant, and especially in the case of my friend's question: it could come across as saying that money will make up for the fact that he did not take her out for six years.

However, a big production may be the exact opposite of what someone might be into. In fact, a little out-of-the way bistro may be more her/his style. I would say Bar Crudo or Kiss Seafood are both tiny places that, if you like seafood, should be on your list of choices. I think Zoya is a great little romantic find (and went there for Valentine's Day).

Wine bars are inherently romantic and popping into one before moving on to dinner is a great way to set the mood. There's some cool wine bars like Hotel Biron and Cav (Hayes Valley), and Yield (Dogpatch) that have little snacks along with their wine offerings.

Ultimately, though, what will be romantic for them would be something one of them has done very thoughtfully for what the other likes. Has she mentioned a certain places she'd like to go. Or food he's been craving. Or a part of town she's been wanting to go to. Or a complete surprise of a place that he's never heard of. They've probably driven by places where she said, that looks cute. Or maybe seven years ago they went on a date and loved a place. I think that's more romantic than any suggestion posted here.

"Mexican" food

I dined at a wonderful Mexican restaurant yesterday. Perhaps they have expanded to your town?

Tinderbox: New Restaurant!

Friends of friends of mine are opening up a restaurant in Bernal Heights. Recently, I got a chance to hang out with them in Dolores Park and hear some more about what they are doing. I think officially, they'll be opening on Friday, August 31 but they may have a soft opening starting this weekend.

So, while I usually only write about places that I've been to, I thought I'd make an exception here. Tinderbox Restaurant will have interesting takes on comfort foods with a bit of Asian and French influence made from local, organic, sustainable ingredients. When I talked to them, it sounded like they're going to have some witty takes on things. They like to play around with ingredients, textures, flavors.

Not only is the food organic, but they are using lots of green products in the construction (everything from the fabric to the wood to the paint). I believe there's seating for about 40-50 people, something around that size.

It's going to be pretty hip-and-happening as you've got guys who've worked in 111 Minna, Campton Place, Pizzaiolo, not to mention spots around the US and the world. There's going to be a strong local art vibe and excellent music as well (one of the partners is very involved in the local music scene). Don't be surprised if one of the busboys rocks a mohawk.

Check 'em out. As soon as I have eaten there, I'll post a review.

Go see Superbad

Fuck. This movie's funny. I missed so many lines because we were laughing so hard. GO SEE IT.

Excellent Dining: Bi-Rite Creamery

It's Friday, so why not end on a dessert note?

After you've been lounging in Dolores Park all day or if you have eaten somewhere in the Mission, head on over to Bi-Rite Creamery for some excellent organic artisinal small-batch ice cream. Flavors are always interesting and unique: salted caramel, chai spice milk chocolate, hibiscus, roasted banana, and others.

While their ice cream is their focus, don't neglect popsicles (such as pineapple with mint). They also have things to take home - unique candies, books on chocolate, and walnut chocolate chip cookie dough.

The word's gotten out, so don't be surprised if you have to wait about 15 minutes or so.

Excellent Dining: A new list to peruse

If you're not signed up for The Tablehopper, you should. It gives you a great sense 0f what's going on in the SF dining scene and she seems to always have the first news (did you know, for example, that Bar Crudo is opening up a new restaurant over in the Western Addition/NoPa area across from the Independent?). It comes out once a week, delivered neatly to your inbox and gives you a good chance to figure out where to eat later that week.

Last week, she hosted a first-ever Tablehopper dinner and the diners each chose their favorite 2 places to eat. It's a great, eclectic list that covers all corners and cuisines of San Francisco from high-end places like Gary Danko to local ice cream favorite Mitchell's (and everything in between). What I like about this list is how many places I have not been to yet and even places not heard about yet. Lots to explore.

Reader favorites from the first tablehopper supper at Cortez, August 7, 2007

(everyone picked two local faves)

1550 Hyde (3 votes)
A16 (2 votes)
Acquerello
Amasia Hide’s Sushi Bar
Balboa Café (chicken paillard on Wed., caramel sundae)
Bar Bambino
Belden Taverna
Bushi-Tei
Café Divino (Sausalito)
Café Gratitude
Chapeau!
Chez Spencer
Clementine
Colibri (and their 350 tequilas)
Evvia (Palo Alto)
Fleur de Lys
Frascati
Front Porch (2 votes)
Garibaldi’s
Gary Danko (“the bomb”) (2 votes)
Hog Island Oyster Co. (grilled cheese and clam chowder!)
Incanto
Jackson Fillmore (zucchini carpaccio, tortellini al forno)
Jardiniere
Kokkari
La Taqueria
Laiola
Liberty Café
Limon
Luella
Mamacita
Mandalay
Maverick (esp. the fried chicken!)
Mediterranean Spirit
Mitchell’s Ice Cream
NUA
Oliveto
Out the Door
Perbacco
Piperade
PPQ Dungeness Island
Q
Range
Rubicon (esp. the desserts!)
Ryoko’s
Saha
Salt House
Shanghai Dumpling King
Shimo
Slanted Door
Slow Club (2 votes)
Tartine
Terzo
TWO
Umami
Woodward Garden
XOXO Chocolates
Zarzuela

Excellent Dining: Spruce

A couple weeks ago, and after a nearly 3-year wait, Spruce finally opened. This restaurant has an impeccable pedigree: owners are from Woodside's Village Pub, Pizza Antica, and Postino.

It is an amazing space. A former garage 70 years ago, the space most recently was another restaurant. It has been transformed into a stunning mix of English gentlemen's club, bold art gallery, and open space. The design was worked out with Williams & Sonoma Home, so: mohair, brown wood, leather chairs.

Upon walking in, to the right is a fireplace with a British bulldog painting above and several leather couches. As you continue on, you are greeted by the maitre d' and to the right is a long bar. This area does not accept reservations and is intended for walk-ins only. There are seats along the bar, a corner with several couches and small tables, and a group of tables along one wall. On the left is the restaurant proper with about 20 tables and leather chairs. In the back, you can view the cellars of wine and the open kitchen. There is a private room in the back, which contains space for another ten tables.

The wine list is epic: nearly 1000 wines from around the world. A long list of wines-by-the-glass and a fully stocked bar with attentive bartenders. Meanwhile, the 2 food menus are actually quite simple by comparison. One is a bar menu which contains a plate of charcuterie (made in house) and plate of cheese (both American and foreign), plus things like a Niman Ranch burger and other casual food. The other menu contains French-influenced locally-sourced food, such as arugala salad, sweetbreads, pork tenderloin, and steak.

We ate on the bar side this time, enjoying some glasses of wine including a glass of pinot noir from Peay, which is usually very difficult to find. It's amazing they are offering it by the glass as this is one of the best pinot noirs made in the Sonoma Coast today. We had a plate of charcuterie, which included duck liver mousse, country pate, beef tongue, bologna, and three other choices. We then chose to go with the American plate of cheese which were paired with champagne grapes and other accoutrements. We then had the chowder, which featured some sweet figs. Finally, we had their chocolate dessert: rich and delicious.

They are certainly working out the first weeks' bugs: we did not have reservations, but we noticed some people waiting for their reservations for a long time; the service seemed a bit uneven at times. Again, though, that seemed like first weeks' bugs that will be worked out. This is a serious dining destination with a stunning setting, wonderful food, and amazing wine list.

Excellent Dining: Town Hall

Across from where I work is a restaurant I've been meaning to eat at for over 2 years. It often seems to be that way: you venture far afield for great places, but ignore the excellent places in your neighborhood. Finally, a few weeks ago, we went.

Town Hall has a great layout. Once you walk in there is a big communal table that is intended for walk-ins, single diners and those who are in a more convivial mood. Next, a long bar beckons where you can also be served a full menu. Finally, the restaurant proper opens up while to the right you can peek into the open kitchen.

They have a well-selected wine list and I was able to enjoy some local wines and one from Australia. Their bread is very tasty and no wonder: it's the best local bread around, Acme Bread. After some wine and bread, we ordered some more food.

We enjoyed some very fresh tuna tartare paired with fried green tomatoes. I've never seen the pairing before, but it worked extremely well. We also had the barbecue shrimp. Do NOT skip this dish when you come. The shrimp are placed on garlic herb toast and doused in barbecue sauce so sweet, spicy, and rich, you will do as we did and ask for more Acme bread to mop up every last bit. We also had a dessert that essentially combined the best of butterscotch and chocolate and tasted like a chocolate pudding topped with skors.

There are many other things to enjoy off the menu and we will certainly be back soon.

Diners & Dives: Day Four - Lions Den

Tucked behind a bunch of ferns, in an old Victorian building, it should not be a surprise that the rumor is that this used to be a gay bar. Whether true or not, Lion Pub - commonly called the Lion's Den - is now a fruit-mojito, greyhound, and beer-fueled party for 20-somethings (and the cougars that want them). Always a hot, humid, somewhat dank-smelling place, it can be a good spot to end the evening if you want to just enjoy the mating rituals of 22 year olds, or hit on them! No website, located at Divis and Sacramento.

Diners & Dives: Day Three - Beale Street Bar & Grill

A block from where I work, and as unpretentious a place as you'll find downtown, lies Beale Street Bar & Grill (no website - 133 Beale Street). It's a great place to grab some lunch (think burgers) while catching whatever game is on. They usually are packed when a key European soccer game is on. At night, it's a great place to grab a pitcher, and often they have free snacks such as mini tacos or hot dogs.

Diners & Dives: Day Two - Tony's Cable Car Restaurant

A great little diner is Tony's Cable Car Restaurant, tucked right next to the tunnel where Geary goes below Masonic. This 35-year old instituioin has about 6 tables, and serve up hamburgers, hot dogs, crinkly fries, and shakes. You've also got your choice of sodas. Sure, they list a lot of other things on the menu (of the chicken/turkey variety), but this is not a place to pop into if you want to eat healthy.

Diners & Dives: Day One - BlueJay Cafe

There are so many different great places sprinkled throughout San Francisco that are tucked away and difficult to find. They often do one thing and do it well. They don't worry about decor (or sometimes service), but they serve up ________ (fill in the blank) extremely well. This week, I'll highlight several of these different diners and dives.

One spot in the Western Addition is BlueJay Cafe (no website, 919 Divisadero St between McAllister and Golden Gate). Great spot to shake off the previous night's hangover with solid brunch choices: lots of great egg dishes, crab cakes, various pancakes, muffins, heaping cups of coffee, bacon, sausage, etc. On the walls, rotating art and in the seats a pretty interesting motley mix of hipsters, NoPa visitors, and other assorted randoms.

Vallarta Overview

Here's a brief overview of our time in Puerto Vallarta.

We flew down and stayed for 6 days at a great 5-bedroom villa in Conchas Chinas (just south of Puerto Vallarta). This villa had just about everything we wanted: a swimming pool which we made good use of day and night, bedrooms for each of the 5 couples, lots of places to lounge (including a shaded hammock), and an excellent indoor/outdoor style. The picture above is from the pool with the view we had over the Bay.

We had brunch and dinner cooked nearly every day by the chef on-site (yes, it was a rough 6 days indeed). The meals covered everything from french toast, bacon, omelets, huevos rancheros for brunch to lobster and prime rib for dinner. On the day that the chef was off, we went out to a restaurant right on the beach called La Palapa, which features Asian-influenced Mexican dishes. We sampled some of their fine wines (we went with a chilean sauvignon blanc and an Australian shiraz/cab). They also featured some lit-on-fire Mexican coffees with very tasty desserts.

One day we went to Yelapa on a 38-foot catamaran. We were able to lounge on the boat with all our snacks and drinks taken care of. When we reached Yelapa (a tiny village on the Bay of Banderas reachable only by boat), we hiked up to a waterfall and were able to explore a bit of the town. On the way back, we caught a yellowfin tuna and had extremely fresh sashimi and ceviche on the boat.

While we mainly enjoyed pina coladas, margaritas, and cervezas at the villa, one night was spent at Andale knocking back drinks. While shopping, we mainly explored the zona romantico hitting a lot of shops plus the mearket, also popping into Cafe Roma for a slice of great pizza and also friendly conversation with Fox and Tequila. Hopefully, they'll post one of the pictures they took of us there.

All in all, a great 6 days.

P.S. I highly recommend parking at Park SFO (our $90 parking bill was reduced to $0 with a coupon we had!)

Off to Vallarta

I'm off to Puerto Vallarta from tomorrow through July 31. I'll have some posts in August about things to do there.

Neecha Thai

A quick overview before heading into the weekend.

I'd passed by Neecha Thai (no website, 2100 Sutter, corner of Steiner) many times. Across from what-was-Winterland-and-is-now-Cassis, this Thai place always seemed full of people. A little while ago, we ordered in from Neecha and were very pleasantly surprised.

We ordered some pad thai, a curry, spring rolls, a calamari salad, and a cucumber salad. The pad thai was a balance of spicy and sweet, and lots of bean sprouts, tofu, shrimp, peanuts, and other excellent tastes. The curry was the highlight - creamy, sweet, spicy. The calamari salad was a lot spicier than we expected, though. The spring rolls were an excellent way to start the meal.

We'll be back to eat in the restaurant itself.

Tokyo Go-Go

Along 16th Street, there's a host of different cuisines on offer. Last night, we had some Japanese. When you walk in, there's a long bar and several high tables. Beyond this set of tables, there's a sushi bar where we chose to sit. In the back is another collection of tables. The music was house, and there's a Japanese movie playing against one wall.

The happy hour hand rolls at Tokyo Go-Go are one of the best deals in the city. Every day from 5.30 to 7.00, they offer a selection of ten hand rolls for $3 each.

Between the two of us, we had the crab & salmon, unagi, spicy tuna, albacore poke, shrimp tempura, and hamachi with quail egg hand rolls. Each came with generous portions of fresh fish, interesting flavor combinations, and of course the price is unbeatable.

We tried only two other things off the menu: a unique Japanese twist on an oyster shooter and a straightforward california roll. That was more than enough for an early dinner.

The bill total came to $36 (including tip) for the two of us as we only had water to drink. It's not often that you can have a great sushi dinner for under $20 per person.

Some music I've been listening to

Check out the following. Some great new music.

http://www.youngbabyrecords.com/ - Coconut Records is Jason Schwartzman (you saw him in Rushmore).

http://www.kdouble.com/ - Coco B's is a band out of LA. And they give mad props to Boom Dizzle and the W's. You gotta like that.

http://www.myspace.com/meiko - Meiko's from Georgia, but now in LA. Cool voice.

http://www.myspace.com/kerenann - Keren Ann's from Israel and has mainly sung in French, but now's got an album out in English.

http://www.spoontheband.com/ - Spoon, from Austin, TX, just put out their latest album Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga.

Ferry Building - quick guide

The Ferry Building has some great restaurants and places to buy food.

For all your fresh produce needs, stock up on Saturdays at the Farmer's Market. You can sign up here to be kept in the loop. You can get farm fresh produce at any of the produce places inside the Ferry Building on any day, too.

Here's how you can make your own picnic:
Pop into Acme Bread for some bread. For great artisinal cheese, stop by Cowgirl Creamery. If you would like some ham, stop by Golden Gate Meat Company. To drink, how about a bottle of wine from Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant? Get some dessert at Miette or Ciao Bella Gelato. Eat it outside watching the ferries come and go, or across the way in the grassy park.

However, you may prefer to leave the food-making to the experts at Slanted Door (interesting takes on Vietnamese food), Hog Island Oyster Company (excellent oysters from Tomales Bay), Mastrelli's Delicatessen (a classic Italian deli), delica rf-1 (a Japanese deli), or a burger, fries & a shake from Taylor's Refresher.

If you're after something a bit different, stop by Far West Fungi for msurhooms, Imperial Tea Court for teas, or Stonehouse for olive oils.

That still leaves over 20 other places to check out.

Cole Valley Neighborhood Spot

When we were in Cole Valley to eat brunch at Zazie a couple months ago, we stopped by to look at the menu and realized that Eos could be a great dining experience: excellent wines, lots of Asian-influenced small plates.

We finally had a chance to go last Friday. It has a local, neighborhood feel but also has a smart vibe to it. The wine list is one of the best ones in the city, and it should not be a surprise that the people behind Bacar opened up Eos before they opened up Bacar. Similar to Bacar, you can choose bottles or stick to the by-the-glass menu. There you can have tastes, glasses, or flights.

We started with fresh oysters on the half shell (from Puget Sound when we went) and decided to have some sauvignon blanc to accompany the oysters. It paired perfectly. The mignonette and horseradish sauce helped bring out the flavors even more. Next, we had a goat cheese salad. While the goat cheese was excellent, the salad underneath left more to desire. We actually wondered if the salad was more a garnish.


By now we had finished the sauvignon blanc and we switched over to a shiraz flight. The shirahs came from all over the world: Australia, South Africa, Chile, and Northern California. These wines would end up pairing well with the next hot dishes we had. We then had the highlight of the meal: the shitake mushroom dumplings, pictured above. This rich, creamy, somewhat spicy dish is bursting with flavor. We used our bread to mop up the last bit of the sauce. Definitely order these when you go.


We thought the ahi tuna and mango rolls would be something similar to the delectable ahi tuna and mango tacos at Andalu. These rolls, though, were deep-fried. The dipping sauce was a nice spicy blend of wasabi and mustard. The last dish was a Pekin duck breast with a quince and pink peppercorn compote. The sweet compote spread over the rich duck worked well together.


We looked at the dessert menu, but we had seen the couple next to us have the dessert we wanted: molten dark chocolate cake with a milk chocolate center. The cake also came with salted caramel ice cream and peanut brittle. The hot / cold, different textures, salty/sweet, rich combinations worked their magic. I recommend Eos for its wine list, setting, and its great Asian-inspired small plates. As the above shows, there may be a bit of unevenness in the dishes. Overall, though, the food shines.

Burma's Baby Sister

Burma Superstar (see my previous writeup here) has an offshoot called B Star Bar (no website 172 Clement Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenue).

While there are many similarities, there are some big differences. Burma Superstar is an established, long-standing place where the smells are ingrained in the walls and ceilings. B Star Bar is a newer place that does not yet have a lived-in feel to it yet.

Burma Superstar offers a long list of Burmese dishes prepared the traditional way. While B Star Bar has a lot of similar dishes, they are not exactly the same. In addition, B Star Bar extends beyond Burma to hit upon interesting food combinations that might have influences elsewhere in South East Asia or Northern California.

B Star Bar's look is cleaner lines, more modern. That's reflected in the food as well. The food tastes very fresh and may be toned down somewhat from what you might expect at Burma Superstar. The differences may be subtle, such as no dried shrimp in the tea leaf salad.

We had the above-mentioned tea leaf salad and also the chicken biryani, which we had enjoyed at Burma Superstar. They were both very good, but as noted above, had something slightly different - I felt it left a bit lacking, but it certainly was a fresher crisper taste.

We tried other things such as the mango tacos with portabella mushroom and some very tasty appetizers whose name I forgot (sorry). For drinks, they have the Burmese coolor (beer + ginger) and a host of soju drinks - such as a Thai Iced Tea-ni. All in all, a good meal. Not as good as Burma Superstar, though.

When the weather's nice, make sure to check out the patio. I'd go back and this time also have the chocolate cake with ginger ice cream for dessert (we instead went down the street for ice cream filled crepes).

The best brunch spot in town?

The Tenderloin not only has some of the best bars and South East Asian food, it's also got one of the best brunch spots - if not THE best - in town.

Dottie's True Blue Cafe (no website, 522 Jones Street between Geary and O'Farrell) is a small, somewhat cramped spot (maybe 10 tables?) located in the heart of the Tenderloin. You should expect to stand in line for at least an hour and the wait is definitely worth it.

Their menu runs the gamet from eggs (any way you like them) with hash browns and bacon to a variety of omelets stuffed with things like sausage, feta, bell peppers, and a host of other choices. On your table, you can spice up your selection with a variety of tabascos (I didn't know there was a chipotle tabasco).

They make amazing pancakes and other baked goods if you crave something sweeter. The list changes constantly, but to get an idea, have a look at the picture of the menu up above in the right hand corner.

SLUSHO!

Slusho / Cloverfield / Abrams / 1-18-08

Before Transformers, there was a trailer for a mysterious movie. It immediately got people buzzing. Many filmed it and put it on Youtube (which were then pulled down by Paramount). Paramount then released the trailer for download and viewing at Apple. Watch it, listen carefully, look for clues. Is it a Godzilla movie? A Voltron movie? A Rampage movie? Something else?

Note that the movie is produced by J. J. Abrams. Any info on IMDB? IMDB refers to it as Untitled J.J. Abrams Project but also has put up the a/k/a's of Cloverfield and Slusho.

Note also that the movie is in theaters on 1-18-08 and that means, of course head on over to http://www.1-18-08.com/ and you will see two pictures (update: three pictures as of July 12). What do they mean?

There's an ARG related to Ethan Haas which somehow people speculated was linked to this movie (it likely is for something else, though). On AICN Abrams has disavowed any connection to any sites related to Ethan Haas. Go there anyway, there are weird videos, fun games, and who knows if Abrams is simply misdirecting.
http://www.ethanhaaswasright.com/
and the inevitable "response" at http://ethanhaaswaswrong.blogspot.com/

If you solve all the puzzles, you will get a chance to enter your name and e-mail address and there's a reference to August 1.

What Abrams does say on AICN is that there are other sites out there. In the trailer, Rob is heading off to Japan. So, what do we find but a weird Japanese website (in English) extolling the virtues of Slusho at http://slusho.jp/ which has a history and downloads. Read them and start googling the names. Similar to Ethan Haas, there's a chance to e-mail Satoshi AT slusho DOT jp (you'll get a simple e-mail back).

Sites at cloverfield.com and cloverfield.jp seem to have absolutely no connection to the movie.

There's a lot of speculation on the interwebs and, besides the above mentioned websites, you can head over to the following for more information:
http://www.slashfilm.com/tag/cloverfield/
http://projectcloverfield.com/
http://www.jasonwindsor.com/blog/

Meanwhile, there have been a lot of fake websites set up by now, which is inevitable.

After a break for the 4th of July and helping my girlfriend get ready to go to Nicaragua, I'll be putting up posts again this week.

Five and Ten

From zagat's

A “true find” in Athens, Hugh Acheson’s “high-end” New American is “worth the drive from Atlanta even on a ‘school’ night” for his “exquisite” cuisine that makes “clever use” of “local and seasonal ingredients”, “rivaling” big-city counterparts at “lower prices”; the wine list is “outstanding” and the service “charming”, but the “neat old house” is rather “small”, so reservations are advisable

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Restaurant of the Year: Works of art, pure and simple
Tattoo shows a whimsical side, but Acheson's thoughtfulness shines on menu at Five & Ten
Published on: 10/04/2007

Chef-owner Hugh Acheson has a gloriously detailed tattoo of a radish on the inside of his left forearm. "I borrowed the image from Alice Waters' "Chez Panisse Vegetables" cookbook," he says in a kind of mock explanation, since it's easy to surmise from talking with Acheson about food, tattoos and the restaurant business that the tattoo is more about Acheson than Waters.

A self-made chef, Acheson is likely to answer "why not?" whenever he is asked why. "At least I know no one else will ever have a tattoo like mine," he quips over the phone.

His restaurant, Athens' Five & Ten, is one of the best destinations in the Southeast. Acheson's take on modern American cooking has loads of classical French influence with a heavy slant toward all things Southern, and it's this year's pick for Restaurant of the Year. Most Atlantans looking for a dose of his house-made pickles (okra, green tomatoes, bread-and-butters), frogmore stew and sticky date pudding don't find the 45-minute to an hour drive to Athens a hurdle — Athens has become a backyard to Atlanta, and folks are willing to drive for a fix of this kind of thoughtful, approachable cooking.

That's what Restaurant of the Year is all about — a chef-owned, chef-driven small spot that puts food first. There's no wait for the unisex bathrooms; the design didn't cost more than a Lamborghini and a mortgage off Tuxedo Road. It may not even show up on a critic's top 10 list. But after several years of proving itself, it has become a destination. A place people will go out of their way for, simply because the food — and the attitude — is worth it.

This defines Five & Ten, a simple spot Acheson opened in March of 2000 with Athens' restaurateur rigour Melissa Clegg (who is behind the city's successful Last Resort Grill). Acheson, who helped open Gary Danko's Danko in San Francisco, also chefed and managed Last Resort for Clegg for two years. He bought out her claim to Five & Ten several years ago, and it's been smooth sailing for this little restaurant that could.

Acheson has the two finest qualities that make a great chef: He's curious and he's not afraid to make mistakes. He may push the envelope from time to time, but he creates a stable of well-prepared menu items that his regulars — and Athens loves him— can always rely on. The culmination of his efforts resulted in a James Beard nomination this year for best chef, Southeast. (The award went to fellow Georgia chef Scott Peacock of Watershed.)

Acheson is a big believer in using well-sourced products — he procures Allan Benton's bacon from Madisonville, Tenn., and serves Red Mule grits from a local miller in Athens. He gets Tybee Island shrimp when they are available. His influences range from Paula Wolfert (his new restaurant, the National, opened in downtown Athens last month and has a notably Spanish-North African theme) to Alice Waters.

When his menu says local tomatoes, expect big, ripe fresh fruit simply combined with yummies such as arugula, fresh basil, shards of Parmesan cheese and a little drizzle of balsamic with some olive oil. Fresh. Pure. Simple. No reinvention of the wheel. Yet when he cooks veal sweetbreads, expect tender meats dredged through a batter of cornmeal, over a bed of hedonistically creamy Red Mule grits custard and a succotash of field peas and okra — an offering that turns any classic rendering of sweetbreads on its Southern ear.

The agreeable attitude of the kitchen is expressed throughout the restaurant: in the bric-a-brac décor — fuzzy umbrellas hanging from the front room, pressed tin ceilings, chunky wooden tables and fun blackboard toward the bar that espouses the daily specials — to the affably affordable wine list that offers everything from Old World reds to whites such as a grenache blanc-roussane from Tensley Vineyards.

"The best restaurants are the kind I leave and say, 'Man I wanna come back tomorrow,'" explains Acheson. Five & Ten is just that kind of destination.

Five & Ten, 1653 S. Lumpkin St., Athens, 706-546-7300, http://www.fiveandten.com/.

Healdsburg Day Four: Other activities

Lake Sonoma has good hiking trails with expansive views over the lake and surrounding area

Armstrong Redwoods State Park has hiking trails among the redwoods.The main square in Healdsburg usually has something going on - whether it's some type of market or even Shakespeare in the Park

Healdsburg Day Three: Where to eat

My favorite place to eat in Healdsburg is Willi's Seafood. Offering a mix of tapas and a raw bar, you won't leave disappointed. The tiny ribs are my favorite.

Other ways to go, especially during the day, is stopping off at places like Oakville Grocery or the Jimtown Store to pick up your picnic to eat at whatever winery you will be tasting at later.

Healdsburg Day Two: Where to drink wine

Healdsburg is surrounded by three valleys. Here's 1 or 2 wineries per each valley and 15 (!) wineries in town to check out.

DRY CREEK VALLEY
Yoakim Bridge - small mom & pop outfit with a relaxed setting, small tasting room and great view. They make less than 2000 cases a year, great zinfandels, and great meatballs served up with a zin bbq sauce.

Papapietro-Perry - I'm a club member here and they recently closed their club, so get on the waiting list. Great selection of pinots and zins and a small tasting room.

ALEXANDER VALLEY
Jordan - Tom Jordan put Sonoma on the map. A visit to his French country manor is accompanied with a small tour of the grounds, a taste of his olive oil. Jordan only makes excellent cabs and chardonnay. Tasting is done in library with couches (by appointment only)

RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
J - I'm a club member here and everyone I take to it seems to really enjoy the tasting. It's an excellent setting, but what really sets them apart is that they have an executive chef on premises. That allows them to serve up food pairings with tastings. Known for their brut, but all their wines are excellent especially their Nicole's Vineyard Pinot Noir. FYI - the J stands for Judy Jordan, Tom Jordan's daughter.

GaryFarrell - Excellen pinot noirs along the Russian River. They are set on top of a hill and so command some stunning views.

HEALDSBUG TASTING ROOMS
Healdsburg has about 15 tasting rooms to check out, all within walking distance. Some of my favorites include Toad Hollow, Thumbprint, and La Crema.

Healdsburg Day One: B&B

I go up to Healdsburg a lot, as I'm member of a couple wine clubs and it's a great getaway from the city. Only about an hour drive north, and with plenty of things going on in and around Healdsburg, it can be enjoyed as a week-long base for all types of activities to as short as a daytrip.

Recently, we went up for a weekend and stayed at the Haydon Street Inn. This great Victorian b&b is located a couple blocks off the main square. With well-appointed rooms (each with its own unique touch), fireplaces, and jaccuzzi tubs built for two, it's an excllent spot. One of the owners is a former chef at Churchill Downs and creates excellent snacks to be enjoyed during the daily wine tasting where you can meet the other guests.

The highlight of the Haydon Street Inn is a three-course breakfast. While we were there, we enjoyed some freshly baked pastries, a refreshing fruit salad, and a delicious eggs benedict, all served with your choice of coffee, decaf, or tea.

We'll be staying there again in September!

Week of Lists Day Four: AFI's Top 100 Movies (updated)

Last night, AFI updated their top 100 American movies of all time (adding in movies from the last 10 years to the mix). Roger Ebert has a commentary up about it. There's also a good overview here about which films have been added, which have dropped out, and which films have moved positions.

The top 10 & then some of my favorite movies:

1. "Citizen Kane" (1941) - every single shot is perfect
2. "The Godfather" (1972) - this, really, is America's story
3. "Casablanca" (1942) - my favorite movie of all time
4. "Raging Bull" (1980) - Deniro at his best
5. "Singin' in the Rain" (1952) - I've only seen highlights
6. "Gone With the Wind" (1939) - Frankly my dear...
7. "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962) - Lean at his best
8. "Schindler's List" (1993) - Speilberg at his best
9. "Vertigo" (1958) - Hitchcok at his best
10. "The Wizard of Oz" (1939) - technicolor magic

13. "Star Wars" (1977) - although I like Empire Strikes Back better
14. "Psycho" (1960) - the classic thriller
15. "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968) - got to rewatch this for Lost clues
17. "The Graduate" (1967) - coming of age in the 60's
19. "On the Waterfront" (1954) - classic Brando
20. "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946) - what's Chrismtas without it?
21. "Chinatown" (1974) - Jack at his best
24. "E.T. -- The Extra-Terrestrial" (1982) - my youth
25. "To Kill a Mockingbird" (1962) - excellent courtroom drama
30. "Apocalypse Now" (1979) - trippy Heart of Darkness
31. "The Maltese Falcon" (1941) - my favorite flim noir
32. "The Godfather, Part II" (1974) - more about America's favorite family
33. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1975)
35. "Annie Hall" (1977) - hilarious, Woody Allen at his best
36. "The Bridge on the River Kwai" (1957) - classic war film
38. "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" (1948)
39. "Dr. Strangelove" (1964) - best anti-nuclear / anti-war film made
47. "A Streetcar Named Desire" (1951) - STELLA!
48. "Rear Window" (1954) - creepy
50. "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" (2001) - fantastic
52. "Taxi Driver" (1976) - even creepier
53. "The Deer Hunter" (1978) - Christopher Walken will freak you out
55. "North by Northwest" (1959) -
56. "Jaws" (1975) - da da....da da...da da...
57. "Rocky" (1976) - da da da da da da da da ...dada da dada da...
64. "Network" (1976) - I'm mad as hell...
66. "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981) - reminds me of my youth
68. "Unforgiven" (1992) - great Clint movie
70. "A Clockwork Orange" (1971) - trippy
71. "Saving Private Ryan" (1998) - the opening scene alone is amazing
72. "The Shawshank Redemption" (1994) - best Stephen King adaptation
73. "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (1969) - Redford & Newman
74. "The Silence of the Lambs" (1991) - one of my favorites
84. "Easy Rider" (1969) - the 60's: drugs, hippies, motorcycles
86. "Platoon" (1986) - more vietnam madness
89. "The Sixth Sense" (1999) - I just wish M. Night Shyamalan would make more like this
92. "Goodfellas" (1990) - gangsters done Scorcese style
93. "The French Connection" (1971)
94. "Pulp Fiction" (1994) - phenomenal, especially Samuel L. Jackson
97. "Blade Runner" (1982) - best Philip K. Dick adaptation
99. "Toy Story" (1995) - great cartoon

Week of Lists Day Three: Failed States

Today, the Fund for Peace released its annual "failed states" list. There's also a lengthy article in Foreign Policy. Here's your rogue's gallery of top 20 failed states:

1. Sudan
2. Iraq
3. Somalia
4. Zimbabwe
5. Chad
6. Cote d'Ivoire
7. Democratic Republic of Congo
8. Afghanistan
9. Guinea
10. Central African Republic
11. Haiti
12. Pakistan
13. North Korea
14. Burma/Myanmar
15. Uganda
16. Bangladesh
17. Nigeria
18. Ethiopia
19. Burundi
20. Timor-Leste

Week of Lists Day Two: most expensive cities

This came out today and I've lived in quite a few of these cities (no wonder I've not saved a lot of money!). My current city, San Francisco, ranks 54th.

World's most expensive cities 2007
1. Moscow
2. London (lived here 1994-1996)
3. Seoul
4. Tokyo
5. Hong Kong (lived here 1999 and 2001-2002)
6. Copenhagen
7. Geneva
8. Osaka
9. Zurich
10. Oslo
11. Milan
12. St. Petersburg (Russia)
13. Paris (lived here 1993)
14. Singapore (lived here 1998-1999)
15. New York City (lived here 1994, 1998, and 1999-2001)
16. Dublin
17. Tel Aviv
18. Rome
19. Vienna
20. Beijing
Source:Mercer

Week of Lists Day One: You should know all these words

According to Houghton Mifflin, "The editors of the American Heritage® dictionaries have compiled a list of 100 words they recommend every high school graduate should know."

"The words we suggest," says senior editor Steven Kleinedler, "are not meant to be exhaustive but are a benchmark against which graduates and their parents can measure themselves. If you are able to use these words correctly, you are likely to have a superior command of the language."

abjure
abrogate
abstemious
acumen
antebellum
auspicious
belie
bellicose
bowdlerize
chicanery
chromosome
churlish
circumlocution
circumnavigate
deciduous
deleterious
diffident
enervate
enfranchise
epiphany
equinox
euro
evanescent
expurgate
facetious
fatuous
feckless
fiduciary
filibuster
gamete
gauche
gerrymander
hegemony
hemoglobin
homogeneous
hubris
hypotenuse
impeach
incognito
incontrovertible
inculcate
infrastructure
interpolate
irony
jejune
kinetic
kowtow
laissez faire
lexicon
loquacious
lugubrious
metamorphosis
mitosis
moiety
nanotechnology
nihilism
nomenclature
nonsectarian
notarize
obsequious
oligarchy
omnipotent
orthography
oxidize
parabola
paradigm
parameter
pecuniary
photosynthesis
plagiarize
plasma
polymer
precipitous
quasar
quotidian
recapitulate
reciprocal
reparation
respiration
sanguine
soliloquy
subjugate
suffragist
supercilious
tautology
taxonomy
tectonic
tempestuous
thermodynamics
totalitarian
unctuous
usurp
vacuous
vehement
vortex
winnow
wrought
xenophobe
yeoman
ziggurat

Week of Alchol Day Four: Raw food and wine

If you think of great pairings, you might consider steak and zinfandel, duck and pinot noir, and of course oysters and sauvignon blanc.

Recently, we made it to an excellent raw bar near Union Square that is located in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it space. Tucked on top of the Stockton tunnel, in between the Tunnel Top and a deli, Bar Crudo features an assortment of great food, wines, and beers.

We started with an order of fresh oysters, accompanied with the aforementioned sauvignon blanc. The fresh oysters went well with the mignonette and the sips of wine afterwards helped pull everything together.

Next, we had a platter of various crudo. Mixing spices, fruits, caviar, creams, and other assorted delicacies with various raw fish, these crudo were amazing. From spicy tuna to delicate fluke, each one stood out and was distinctly different from the next.

We also had their tartare, paired with a tempranillo. The tartare was very fresh and had been prepared with a variety of spices and mustard. A unique touch was the little sliver of fish they placed on each: the saltiness of the fish worked extremely well with the spicy meat.

Besides raw food, Bar Crudo also has some hot dishes on the menu. One not to be missed is an extremely buttery, creamy, velvety smooth chowder chock full of seafood. One of the best chowders I've ever had.

The space is great: 2 tiny bars downstairs with several stools arrayed about it (one in the window, one overlooking the chefs at work). In the back hangs a jellyfish chandelier and the upstairs loft has all of about 8 tiny tables. The service is casual, friendly, and people pop in all the time, creating a dropping-over-at-friends atmosphere.

While we stuck to their excellent wines, their beer list is potentially even better. Mainly sticking to Belgium, I'll be back to sample them!

Week of Alcohol Day Three: Alcohol was involved

Chain Saw-Wielding Man Arrested in Maine
Thursday, June 7, 2007
(06-07) 13:42 PDT Howland, Maine (AP) --




A man who waved a chain saw over his head, threatened motorists and did some impromptu pruning of local shrubbery was arrested at gunpoint.




Lionel Dube Jr., 47, of Argyle, was charged with disorderly conduct, criminal threatening and violation of bail conditions after police responded to reports that he was waving the chain saw at passing motorists late Tuesday.




"You know how in the 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' the guy raised his chain saw up and revved it? That's what he was doing," Deputy Sheriff Michael Knights said. "Alcohol was involved."




Knights and Maine State Police Trooper Thomas Fiske said they disarmed Dube at gunpoint near the Howland-Enfield Federal Credit Union. By that time, Dube's chain saw didn't pose much of a threat because the chain had fallen off, they said.




"It's not a common occurrence for this sleepy little town," said Gary Bragdon, the credit union's manager, who learned of the incident when he reported to work Wednesday morning.




Bragdon, who lives near the building, said he'd heard the chain saw the night before. "You hear a chain saw at 11:30 at night and you think, no, it can't be. My mind must be playing tricks on me," Bragdon said.



Dube, who has a lengthy criminal record consisting mostly of minor offenses, is due in Lincoln District Court Aug. 7.

Week of Alcohol Day Two: Classic guys night out

Saturday was a big night out which had a bit of everything:

• steak


• red wine


• limo


• whiskey


• cigars


• club


• late-night-bar-that-owner-opened-up-for-us

We started on Van Ness at the House of Prime Rib, where 10 of us crowded into a table making sure we had plenty of wine (Merry Edwards pinot noir, Rafinelli zinfandel, Yoakim Bridge zinfandel, and overflow Opus One). Huge meal: caesar salad, baked or mashed potato, creamed spinach, yorkshire pudding, and of course huge slabs of steak. Excellent meal.


Afterwards, a limo picked us up and we made sure it was stocked with some excellent prosecco. We moved on to North Beach to the Cigar Bar where others met us so that now we were a group of 15. Much drinking of Scotch, bourbon, beer, and even jaeger shots were consumed. In the back was salsa, but we mainly stuck to smoking the cigars in the outside patio.


Then, it was on to Soma and Fluid. Here, one of the guys was able to get us in without having to stand in line (and if I remember correctly, we didn't pay either). It's getting fuzzy at this point.


We then made our way back to the limo when the club closed and moved on to the Mission. Here, we ended up at a bar/restaurant that was closed. However, walking in through the back door, we were greeted by the owner who made sure we had plenty to drink. Then, he thought we might be hungry so made us some amazing ribs with an excellent barbecue sauce.

I somehow made it home at likely around 4 a.m.

Week of Alcohol Day One: Pinot Days are coming

In three weeks, Pinot Days is upon us.

Week of Music Day Four: Don't Mess With Beatles-Loving Judges

FROM THESMOKINGGUN.COM

Week of Music Day Three: my favorites

My favorite three radio stations:

KEXP - possibly the best radio station in the world

KCRW - excellent, especially Nick Harcourt 's Morning Becomes Eclectic program

KUSF - the local university station!

My favorite three labels:

Dangerbird Records - home to Silversun Pickups and Sea Wolf

Saddle Creek Records - home to Bright Eyes and Rilo Kiley

Sub Pop Records - home to Band of Horses, Flight of the Conchords, Iron & Wine, Rogue Wave, the Shins, Wolf Parade, and so many more


My favorite three albums in 2007 (so far...)

Neon Bible - Arcade Fire - follow-up to the phenomenal Funeral, this one reminds me of Bruce Springsteen

Writer's Block - Peter, Bjorn & John - pop by way of Sweden

The Once soundtrack - words don't do it justice. Go see the movie and listen to the album.

Week of Music Day Two: Upcoming concerts of bands you don't know yet but should

A good lineup of indie bands coming through town in the next 2 months.

6/8 LCD Soundsystem @ Mezzanine
6/8 Mice Parade, Tom Brosseau @ Bottom of the Hill
6/12 The Pipettes @ Popscene at Rickshaw Stop
6/14 The Fratellis @ The Fillmore
6/15 Scissors for Lefty The Independent
6/16 Architecture in Helsinki @ Bimbo's 365
6/18 Ariel Pink, Gang Gang Dance @ The Independent
6/19 Bebel Gilberto @ Bimbo's 365
6/19 Low, Death Vessel @ Great American Music Hall
6/26-27 Feist, Grizzly Bear @ The Fillmore
6/28 Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Hot Tuna @ The Fillmore
7/13 Dr. Dog, The Delta Spirit @ Café Du Nord
7/17 The Polyphonic Spree @ Great American Music Hall
7/27 Daft Punk, The Rapture @ The Greek
8/3 Rufus Wainwright, Sean Lennon @ Nob Hill Masonic Auditorium

If you want to stay in touch with what indie bands are coming, sign up at Filter Magazine. Go here - http://visitor.constantcontact.com/email.jsp?m=1100819204984&lang=en

Week of Music Day One: Preview of Stern Grove

Several weekends stand out.

Local boy Huey Lewis & the News kick off the season onJune 17th.

Two weeks later, on July 1st, the venerable Preservation Hall Jazz Band brings a little N'Awlins jazz to SF.

July, in fact, is a great month at Stern Grove as July 8 is the SF Symphony's turn. The symphony will present some Rossini, Mozart, and Beethoven.

July 15 will feature tropicalia masters Os Mutantes. Along with Gilberto Gil, Tom Ze, and Caetano Veloso, Os Mutantes were leaders in the tropicalia movement.

Then, in August, the SF Ballet will be featured on August 12 and the SF Opera will close out the season on August 19. Both those days will likely be highlights, rather than a full ballet or full opera.

For a full list of who is to come go here.

All concerts start at 2 p.m., but get there early!

I got a ticket

On May 30, Google Maps launched "StreetView" where you can see not only simply the maps, but also views from street level. So far, it's only a handful of cities including San Francisco, NYC, Las Vegas, Miami.

There's been some interesting pictures that people have found and you can find out more at this NY Times blog and more pics here and here. These are not live pictures, by the way, but pictures that Google has been taking over the past year.

I of course looked up my address and saw my car parked in front. Then, I noticed that DPT had noticed my car parked there as well. You can see for yourself that I have a ticket. I think I remember getting this ticket a few months ago.

Damn.

nonstop art

Over the next week, there's a lot of art exhibit openings.

On Friday at the Asian Art Museum, the upcoming Tezuka: The Marvel of Manga exhibit will get a lavish opening reception. Saturday is the first full day. Tickets start at $350.

You could also head over to Mina Dresden Gallery for a food/art/music/wine night benefitting Red Poppy Art House. It's $30 to get in, and there's both a silent and live auction.

On Saturday, Catherine Clark Gallery has their grand opening at their new location at 150 Minna.

This weekend is also Arcade Fire at the Greek Theater.

On Sunday, the SFMoma has their monthly First Sunday Connections with breakfast and other events. The Legion of Honor has their usual Sunday jazz brunches (but this Sunday and next are already sold out).

Monday and Tuesday are days to check out great movies like Once (now playing at the Embarcadero) or take a break.

On Wednesday, back at the SFMoma, they have their preview night of the new Matisse exhibit. Thursday is the first full day.

Thursday is First Thursday at a lot of galleries around town. As this site shows, besides 49 Geary there are other downtown galleries to check out as well.

Finally, Friday is First Friday at Artist X-Change in the Mission.

Big Sur overview

Waves crashing on craggy rocks below, soaring condors swooping above verdant hills in blue skies, sun shining down, fog rolling in in the distance. Those images are the ones you will keep with you when you think back to Big Sur.

This stretch along the PCH-1 is hauntingly beautiful. One of my favorite jazz artists is Chet Baker and it's his music - romantic, smokey, aching - that you can hear in your head as you wind your way down along the coast.

Big Sur is a mixture of hippie sensibilities, outdoor activities, and high-end get-away-from-it-all. We made sure to experience all of it.

Nepenthe - a classic spot where Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth used to have a retreat. This simple restaurant (try the ambrosiaburger) has excellent views whether you sit inside or out (we sat outside), very good wine list (we had a Bonny Doon) and great family history: it's been owned and run by the same family for well over 50 years.

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park - an excellent choice if the day is very hot as here we hiked in the shade through the redwoods, to a waterfall

Ventana - we stopped here to enjoy a wonderful lunch of oysters, tuna, crab, and beautiful views. The sun was shining strongly by now and the views are truly spectacular. We sipped champagne and bloody mary's as it was brunch. We finished off our meal with a delicious dessert, which Cielo - the name of the restaurant - is known for.

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park - this hike is an excellent choice when there are blue skies and you want views across the ocean. You can also hike inland through redwoods and clovers. Here, we saw an even more spectacular waterfall pouring onto the beach with stunning views out across the ocean (note: a wedding took place while we were there).

Esalen - this place has a very hippie vibe. Check your inhibitions at the door and strip down to join other naked people in the hot tubs. Outside, with the waves crashing below, views out over the ocean and clffs soaring above, Esalen is perfectly situated. After soaking in the hot tubs, the masseus will collect you to give an hour 15 minute Esalen massage which should work out all your kinks. Finally, you could either head back to the hot tubs or, if like me, you fall asleep the masseuse will allow you to sleep for another 30-45 minutes. Afterwards, make sure to explore the grounds to see them live the organic localvore way: their own garden with organic veggies, a communal dinner, and cabins dotted throughout the property. A wonderful retreat where you could sign up for interesting workshops (I noticed a sign noting Deepak Chopra coming to give a lecture).

There's still much to explore in Big Sur, so we will certainly be back soon.