Andalu!

I've been to Andalu a few times now and it's a strange place. They get busy at times, or so they say, but whenever I've been there it's not been too crowded.

Upon arriving recently, I was told that there were no tables available. Looking around and counting 7 tables free, we shrugged and headed to the bar. We kept an eye on the tables and while a few did fill up, most stayed empty. Serendiptiously, though, sitting up at the bar gave us the chance to have the cheese fondue on the house and taste one of their desserts.

Another time, we showed up and it was half full, but the waitress told us it had been packed right before we showed up. We had the corner table with the windows which provided a full view of a girl suffering a meltdown due to (competing story assumptioins): having broken up with someone, it being her birthday, or her just being dramatic.

Anyway, Andalu's the typical tapas/small plates deal. Lots of great choices here: cheese foundue with apples and pears, various salads, duck dumplings with a dipping sauce, carpaccio, grilled shrimp, and a host of other options. While some dishes fall a little short, overall, the dishes are all prepared very well.

However, the standout dish is the Ahi Tartar Tacos with a mango salsa. Make sure to order these for your table. Great wine list and other mixed drinks. The desserts are excellent - everything from churros to donuts.

Viva la Revolution!

The Revolution Cafe is a perfect place to go on a lazy Saturday or Sunday morning. They'll have some eclectic music playing (when we went, it was folk). Tables strewn outside, with large doors that open up to allow breezes to come in from outside. Besides the eclectic music, there's an eclecit clientele, so also a good spot to people watch. Have a bowl of latte or mocha, and sit back. As for the food, well, it's okay if you go for the sweet stuff (chocolate chip pancakes with banana, for example), but the eggs were flavorless.

At night, a good place to stop for a wine or a beer.

Medjool

On a nice night in SF, this place is one of the best to head to. With a large outdoor deck, you can kick back with a drink or two (good mojitos and an extensive beer & wine list). Plus, they fire up the grill, so you can have a variety of grilled meats and veggie options.

Later, as it cools down, head to the mezzanine level where you can have a view over an expansive restaurant.

Green Bar

I've been to Elixir a few times because I like the friendly atmosphere and the drinks are very good.

The other day, I noticed that thimmakka.org had it listed as one of its green-certified bars. And then I found out that the city has green certified it, the first bar to have been certified as such.

They produce organic drinks, make sure to recycle, and have taken all the right steps.

Mediterranean

There's a couple great Mediterranean places throughout the city.

Depending on your mood, these are two great bets.

If you want something quick and easy, head over to the Mission to check out Truly Mediterranean (no website - 3109 16th Street @ Valencia). They have shwarma, falafel, and um, that's about it. It's tiny with only a few stools lined up facing a mirror. Absolutely worth it, and very well-priced.

For another option that's more of a sit-down place, head over to Fillmore or Noe for
La Mediterranee (they also have an outpost in Berkley). I really like the plate of fillo dough specialties. One is with feta and spinach, one is with cheese, one with lamb, and finally one with chicken (that could almost be a dessert). Their hummus, baba ghanoush, tableh, and others are great with some pita bread. They have a rotating menu of specials. All the food is very well-priced, as are the wines that help round out the meal.

Tapas!

I love coming to Ramblas and sip some of their (a bit too sweet, but strong) sangria and then decide what I'm in the mood for that particular day. It's by no means the best tapas place in the city, but it's loud and friendly and a good start to your evening.

If you want cold, they range from olives, a plate of cheeses, different jamons, Spanish tortilla, and other choices. As for hot, they have sausages, potatoes, mushrooms, calamari, and a host of other choices. I've not had their paella, but noticed it's on the menu.

Truckee

Here's a few places to check out next time you're up in North Tahoe. Most of these places are located along Donner Pass Road a/k/a Commercial Row.

Breakfast: Swing by Squeeze In for one of their amazing omelets.

Lunch: you'll have lunch on whichever mountain you're skiing.

Dinner: I don't know the real name of this place, but it has a big sign above it that simply says "Mexican Restaurant" (no website as far a I can find). This place is not on Commercial Rowe, but located next to Porter's and has excellent Mexican dishes plus a salsa bar.

Live music: Moody's is the place to go to check out live music, especially jazz.

Drinks: Tourist Club (no website) is a good place to hang out with locals and skiers/snowboarders. Friday night is karaoke night (you've been warned).

More drinks: Bar of America (no website) is a bigger spot that occasionally has live music. Go to jambase to find out who's playing.

Mom & Pop

There's a little restaurant in Hayes Valley that you've never heard of, but should check out. You haven't heard of it, because it's just one block off the beaten path and it's attached to the Day's Inn. You should check it out because this husband/wife team craft exceptional food and work together to create a wonderful ambiance.

When you arrive, you first come in downstairs where the small bar is. Tracey will greet you and take you upstairs to your table. There could not be more than 6 tables upstairs.

We arrived and ordered our meal. The waitress/wife/owner could not have been more helpful. Her suggestions on what we should have, and that we even might be ordering too much, were spot on. The food was all excellent as cooked by John, the chef/husband/owner - the wonderful lobster bisque (with 2 huge lobster pieces in it!), the 2 different salads, the lamb chops, and the filet Oscar. For dessert, we had a rice pudding that was a perfect light/sweet/creamy balance.

The waittres also went out of her way to make sure we would get to the symphony on time, which was an excellent extra touch of service.

Bahama Mama

I haven't posted in a while as I've been up to Tahoe (post about Truckee coming soon) and the last week of January and first few days of February I was in the Bahamas.

I'd highly recommend staying on Paradise Island. If you're more into the Vegas-type atmosphere or have kids, stay at Atlantis.

For a romantic, couples-only atmosphere, I'd stay at the One & Only Ocean Club.

Even if not staying at either place, they are worth visits. We particularly liked hanging out at Bimini Rooad (Atlantis) and Dune (Ocean Club).

Stick to local specialties (conch fritters, cracked conch, and other types of seafood) and wash it down with your choice of Kalik (the local beer), Goombay Smash, or a Bahama Mama.

Salsa and Meatballs

If you continue up Mission, when you cross Cezar Chavez you enter the Bernal Heights area. There, you will find a restaurant specializing in "urban Italian 4-star ghetto dining" called Emmy's Spaghetti Shack (no website). It is a small, intimate setting with a DJ spinning records from the 70's and 80's. Think comfort food like bbq ribs, risotto, spaghetti with meatballs, and the best brussels sprouts you've ever had. There's no reservations, so you'll have to wait. What you should do is head towards the restrooms and then go through the unmarked door which takes you into the local Latino dive bar next door. Play a game of pool, have a corona, and listen to some reggaeton. After that little appetizer of Latino music and after you've had your fill, walk down Mission a few blocks for a stroll into what-could-be-another-country: Roccapulco. With a live 10-piece band churning out salsa, meringue, mambo, and everything in between, you'll be dancing all night long even if (like me) you have no idea what the right steps are. When you get tired, kick back in the many booths and tables arrayed around and watch the floor show of people dancing.

Boogaloo

If you wake up hung over, head on over to 22nd and Valencia in the Mission for some greasy breakfast at Boogaloos, where watching the hipster assortment of freaks and free spirits is half the fun. Diagonally across the street is an amazing old school, NY-style deli called Lucca, which has fresh homemade ravioli, lasagna, and pesto; imported parma ham and other prosciutto; and other delicacies. Finally, back across the street again is a very cool t-shirt shop called Fabric8, which features local artists.

Coachella 2007

Damn, that's a tasty lineup.

Before or after the Indpendent

Heading down Haight and then taking a right on Divisadero takes you to the slowly-but-surely gentrifying part of the Western Addition now dubbed NoPa (North of Panhandle). This designation was further cemented with the opening of the same-named restaurant. Anchoring this stretch of Divis is The Independent, a great place to see a show. On Friday the Onion had their Celebration of Broken Resolutions with many local bands performing, including The Lovemakers, Chow Nasty, and Persephone's Bees. A couple blocks further north is Fly Bar (no website) where you can have unfiltered sakes, sake & soju cocktails and a healthy assortment of beers either before or after the show. If you go before, have one of their salads or pizzas.

beer & sausage

The Lower Haight is not the hippie-touristy section of the Haight, but rather has a more hipster vibe - sort of a mini-Mission. Toronado is a great place to grab a beer. Their selection is legendary and ever-changing. Rosamunde (no website) is located right next door. All they do is sausages (except on Tuesday afternoons when they serve up burgers). You can eat the sausage at the limited seating, take it to go, or take it next door to Toronado. Beer & sausage? Doesn't get much better than that.

Best films of the year

[Update - Oscar nominations announced http://www.oscars.org/79academyawards/noms.html]

Little Miss Sunshine is my favorite movie of 2006.
Just your typical black comedy about a dysfunctional family that goes on a roadtrip to enter their child in a beauty pageant. Death, Nitzsche, drugs, failed suicide attempts, and motivational speakers were never this darkly funny

Half Nelson
Ryan Gosling shines in this look at a drug addict who is a teacher at an inner city school

The Departed
While I still prefer the original Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs on which Scorcese based this movie, this was quite possibly the best movie of 2006

United 93
Moving and extremely well done, which points out the breakdowns in communication on 9/11 and serves as an homage to the passengers on this airplane (the only one of the 4 hijacked planes not to reach its target)

Borat
Wa wa wee wa! I like this cinemafilm very much. If you were Youtubing every scene before seeing the movie, it may not have lived up to expectations. This was a movie you needed to see early in a packed theater.

Babel
Intricate layered film that looks at how connected the world now is, while questioning the larger war on terror

Children of Men
Bleak vision of the future which actually takes a hard look at the current governments in power and terrorism

Pan's Labyrinth
A fairy tale for adults that intersperses a disturbing story about World War II with a darkly fantastic tale of a princess, a faun, fairies, and a monster.

Volver
I'm a big fan of Almadovar's movies and this was my favorite foreign film of the year. Penelope Cruz shines in this movie (as she always does in Spanish-language films).

An Inconvenient Truth
Best documentary of the year that is a must-see to understand global warming

Thank You for Smoking
Darkly funny and very politically incorrect

V for Vendetta
The movie I most anticipated in the early part of 2006 was a topical, intelligent take on the comic adaptation

Brick
Film noir (nods to Maltese Falcon) in a modern high school setting

Hard Candy
A disturbing, psychological thriller that heralds the emergence of Ellen Page

Sausalito Overview

A lot of people head over to Sausalito, not exactly sure of where they should go. They take the ferry or drive over the bridge and head to the main street downtown. There's a lot more to it than bad food and overpriced tsotchkes.

I'm not completely against the main portion of Bridgeway in Sausalito, though I do think that it's very touristy and that there could be more emphasis on real local touches as opposed to overpriced bad food and bad art in stores. Some of my favorite stops include

*The hole in the wall that does not have a name but simply serves hamburgers - these are some of the best hamburgers I've had (fresh high quality beef fired up on a grill). Always a long line. Eat them on a nice day in front of the fountain.

*Lappert's Ice Cream - it's not really local, but it's damn good. Lappert's is from Kauai, but they opened up a factory in Richmond (across the Bay) and so the ice cream is very fresh. Grab a cone and pretend you're a tourist.

*The candy store - I don't know the name, but I like the candy store. They have bins set up - old school style - where you can pick and choose which candy you want. They don't really mind you sampling a piece here and there. They have very good salt-water taffy.

*The Philipino guy balancing rocks - I always stop by to watch the Philipino guy balance rocks along the water. He's pretty cool.

Caledonia Street - most tourists stay on Bridgeway and along the water. Locals and SFers-in-the-know head one street back. If you're not in the mood for sushi, there's a great Italian place with live music, a tasty Thai restaurant, and an Indian restaurant as well. In addition, there's a movie theater that usually shows independent movies plus shops and art galleries. An organic-focused health and grocery store is located here too.

Sushi Ran - one of the best sushi restaurants in the entire Bay Area, and located on Caledonia. The restaurant side has a (slightly) longer menu, but you need reservatons. The more boisterous, relaxed cafe side does not need reservations. Besides the fresj sashimi and sushi, they have excellent, inventive cooked dishes.

Caffe Trieste - while I prefer the Caffe Trieste in North Beach (the original), this Caffe Trieste is really friendly and laid back. They have jazz some nights and it's a spot where locals, tourists, and bikers converge. Years ago, it changed hands and became an Italian restaurant. When it became a Caffe Trieste again, they kept the wood-burning oven so their pizzas are pretty good.

Bike trail to Tiburon & Mike's Bikes - Mike's Bikes is a great place to buy a bike and you can also rent them here. It's a good place to start the trail, which will wend its way through wetlands, cross over the 101 and then through Blackie's Pasture and end up in Tiburon. If you feel agressive, continue it all the way along Paradise Road and back. Otherwise, turn around and come back same way you came - end up at Caffe Trieste for a snack or a drink.

Fish - see my post yesterday.

Hiking trail at the top of Donahue Street - This hiking trail (and popular dog walking spot) runs along the top of a hill in the Marin Headlands. You have spectacular views over the water towards Tiburon. To get there: take the 101 and take the latter exit into Sausalito, continue past Marin City (home of Tupac!) and the shopping center, up to the top of Donahue Street.

Drive through the Marin Headlands to Rodeo Beach - This is probably one of the most beautiful drives in the world. You're on 101 and heading back to SF. Before you cross the GG Bridge, take a right for some amazing views through the GG Bridge back across to San Francisco. There's pullouts along the way. Continue on to Hawk Hill (look over at the birds flying south gathering up the courage to cross the SF Bay) and then plunge down a one-way road that hugs the side of the headlands. You can continue on to Point Bonita Lighthouse or turn inland a bit, along a lagoon and over to a black sandy beach to either surf (or watch the surfers surf). Climb up the hill for beautiful sunsets.

Fish.

Last night I was in Sausalito and went to my favorite restaurant. No, it's not overlooking the Bay (like Scoma's or Horizon's). It's not one of the best sushi restaurants in the Bay Area (Sushi Ran). It's tucked down a street that dead-ends in a parking lot, past the Mollie Stone's (directions on a cocktail napkin to the right).

This restaurant is very simple: think redwood picnic tables and drinks served in mason jars. They take cash only. Even the name is simple and to the point: Fish.

The seafood they serve though is a combination of comfort food (fish & chips, tuna melt) to haute cuisine (freshest fish prepared in inventive ways). They are very interested in sustainable farming, organic materials, overfishing issues, and focus on wild fish as opposed to farmed fish. The ingredients are always the freshest as possible and their specials are ever-changing.

Last night was typical. You order up at the counter, pay your cash and then find your own table. When it's a nice night or during the day, I prefer to sit outside on the patio overlooking the sailboats. On a cold night and when there's only 2 of you, grab one of the smaller round tables next to the fireplace. Don't forget to pick up your cutlery.

We started with one of their chowders (I prefer the red portugese). They had a few oysters and so we tried some of those (mix of small/flavorful and large/fresh-tasting). Simple adornments of lemon, vinegar, cocktail sauce, or tabasco are all that's needed.

Our main dish was a large crab prepared in a broth with noodles. They used lots of Asian ingredients (think ginger and lemongrass) to create a delectable spicy/sweet mixture. Putting on the crab bib, cracking crab legs and pulling out the tender meat is half the fun. Best to roll up your sleeves on this one.

They always have great sides too. This time we had a butternut squash which seemed to have been prepared with some type of butter/brown sugar/cinnamon for a real sweet vegetable.

To wash down all of this food, I usually go for one of the beers. The Newcastle Brown Ale is my personal favorite.

While they do have desserts, you may want to instead head into Sausalito itself and stop off at one of the ice cream shops and have a stroll around downtown, look at the Philipino guy placing rocks on top of each other, or watch the moon rise over San Francisco lit up in the distance, moonbeams cascading off the water in the Bay.

Laloop

Nai, a Thai woman I work with, recommended to me her favorite Thai restaurants in the city. Writing of Sai Jai Thai, she said, "My favorite in San Francisco. I usually get Pork Shoulder Salad but other things are also delicous."

Since then, I've been wanting to check out SAI JAI Thai Restaurant (no website - 771 Ofarrell St (at Hyde) / 415.673.5774). A month ago, I had a chance to go and today we had food from it delivered in for our company lunch.

I loved it. It was very authentic - everyone in the restaurant is Thai. It reminds me of going to a night market and just getting some food from the different vendors. The food was delicious. Although, they could turn down the lights some and the yellow/orange decor leaves something to be desired. You're there for the food, though.

Start with meng come (sometimes spelled mieng khum at other restaurants) which are laloop leaves topped with peanuts, coconut, onion, ginger, chili, and lime. You add a sweet tasting sauce to it and the different textures and flavors are a great introduction to Thai cuisine. The laloop leaves grow on the laloop tree, which is actually a bush, or a shrub. They don't grow in the city. There's a picture of the dish in the upper right hand corner of this post.

I've had several dishes now and every single one has been a great balance of sweet, salty, sour and spicy. Their chicken satay was typical. Tasty, good peanut sauce to accompany it. The penang curry was very delicious, while the green curry (which I usually don't get) was a mix of creamy, spicy, and had a freshness to it. I've now also had some of their chicken and tofu dishes, which also highlighted the important balancing act.

Their pad thai and other noodle dishes I've had there were very good. Sometimes you get the noodles that seem to have been sitting around (sticking together), but these felt and tasted freshlymade and had the requisite chopped peanuts, lime, beansprouts and other tidbits arrayed over it.

I highly recommend going. Make sure you get the laloop leaves!

Kiss Seafood

Kiss is tiny. Think of the smallest restaurant you have been in. Now halve it. That's the size of it. When we went, we arrived and there were 2 tables pushed together for 4 Japanese businessmen and the remaining table was taken up by a couple. There was one couple at the counter. When we sat down, the place was full.

We went for the tasting menus (or the omakase). You essentially put yourself in the chef's hands. Because of that, I highly recommend sitting at the counter, so that you can see him at work and ask him questions about what you are about to eat. He's also very interesting to talk to - we spoke about his youth in Sapporo, his love of skiing, and just helped continue the feel that you are in someone's kitchen.

Be prepared to be there for a while as the omakase are 6-course tasting menu. You never will quite know exactly what you will receive, but it will be some form of the following.

A little salad to start with (probably consisting of some seaweed). Then we had a platter of various dishes, including eggplant and roe.

The fish is fresh, unique, and varied. We received a large assortment of sashimi: various types of tuna, hamachi, salmon, toro, mackerel, and other fish that we did not know existed.

There was a tempura-battered creation at one point. Later there was a custard soup type of dish. We had sushi as well - again, a wide assortment of fish.

In classic Japanese dining, dessert consisted of one single fruit.

You can enjoy a variety of Japanese beers here (we went for a Sapporo) and then you can go for the sake. They have sweet to dry and they are poured in rather large sake glasses.

By the way, the symbol they use is one of a fish and joy, which together are pronounced Ki-Su. However, they chose to go with "Kiss." And, if you go on a date here, you will certainly receive one.

Superstar!

Burma Superstar is located on Clement Street near 3rd Street amongst lots of Chinese, Thai, Indonesian, Vietnames and other East Asian restaurants. What makes Burma Superstar stand out, though, is the interesting Burmese cuisine it produces with such high quality on a night-in, night-out basis.

There is a no-reservation policy, and people are willing to wait in line for a coveted table for hours. The smells emanating from inside only help stoke your hunger more. Keep that in mind: if you're starving head down the road a bit for a pint at the Plough and Stars so that your stomach does not drive you crazy.

So, what is Burmese food? Keep in mind that Burma touches China and Laos and is located in between Thailand and India, so you see influences of both South Asia and South East Asia. You'll see samusa on the menu next to egg rolls, for example.

You'll be smelling the amazing flavors and looking over at what your neighbors are having, and be tempted to try everything on the menu. A good way to approach it is to have an appetizer (the aformentioned samusas for example) followed by one of their salads.

The salads are amazing! Almost sublime. Try a salad made with tea leaves. Or one with pickled gingers. All of them have a tremendous amount of ingredients, but the Rainbow Salad -weighing in at 22 ingredients- is the heavyweight. Four types of noodles, green papaya, tofu, onions, dried shrimp, and a tamarind dressing.

Moving up to the main dishes, I highly recommend the Burmese Chicken Casserole with Cardamon Cinnamon Rice. It's actually not just chicken, there's shrimp in it as well. Plus a smattering of raisins and nuts. The flavors infuse each other and it hits the spicy/sweet mix just right.

The restaurant really warrants multiple visits as the menu is so extensive. What do you drink with this? They have a lemon/ginger infused beer which goes really well with the food. They also have an assortment of other beers and wines.

Dine about town 2007

Don't forget it's Dine About Town 2007 in January. That means three course prix fixe meals priced at $32 (dinner) and $22 (lunch). There is a very big list of great restaurants (bacar, Rubicon, Campton Place, Absinthe, to name a few) which you can find at both the official site and at OpenTable.

Happy New Year

I've been a slacker. I've been out of town so there's not been too many posts. I put up a few this week - mainly about music.

However, to make up for the lack of posting, the first week in 2007 I'll review 3 Asian restaurants located in the Inner Richmond (Burma Superstar), the Tenderloin (Sai Jai Thai), and Japantown (Kiss Seafood).

My favorite albums of 2006

My favorite album of 2006 was Silversun Pickups - Carnavas which features post-grunge fuzzed out brilliance channeling Billy Corgan. Here's an acoustic version of Lazy Eye.

Other albums that I liked, in fairly random order:
Cold War Kids - Robbers & Cowards
Raw, soul-flecked rock that reminds you that this rock-and-roll thing used to be FUN.

Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
Jumping from hip-hop to pop to soul to rock, Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse don't fit into any one genre and produce a dark album of introspective songs.

Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am That’s What I’m Not
Punk rockers from Sheffield - drunken pub nights followed by coffee-and-cigarette-fueled mornings.

Jenny Lewis - Rabbit Fur Coat and Cat Power - The Greatest
These two albums released within a week of each other are pure unabashed soul and Americana. Chan Marshall (a/k/a Cat Power) has probably the wider range, but who can resist Jenny Lewis (late of Rilo Kiley) and her backup bluegrass band The Watson Twins?

The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
Having sung about pirates, the Civil War and basing albums on Irish poems, why not come out with an album based on a Japanese story? Theatrical and lyrical, Colin Meloy puts out an amazing major-label debut.

The Flaming Lips - At War With the Mystics
Slamming Dubya at every turn, this album is a reaction to the War in Iraq and Dubya's presidency. At times ethereal, catchy, and dreamlike, the Flaming Lips (more than 20 years on) are still as relevant today as they have ever been.

Mogwai - Mr. Beast
Scotland's Mogwai eschewed its usual electronics for a more stripped down sound. They still have extremely hard sounding rock songs on here but are able to feature their slower side too.

We are Scientists - With Love and Squalor
Looking like math geeks, sounding like rock gods, this post-punk trio puts out danceable tracks in the same sense of Bloc Party and Franz Ferdinand.

Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
This year was all about bands with animals (think Wolf Parade, Wolfmother, Arctic Monkeys, to name a few). So, Band of Horses are an appropriate band to feature in a best-of-2006 overview. Melodies evoking Neil Young over raw rockness.

By the way, my favorite album for 2005 was Bloc Party – Silent Alarm.

Others included:
Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock and Roll
Beck – Guero
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Jose Gonzales – Veneer
Kaiser Chiefs – Employment
Kanye West – Late Registration
Of Montreal – The Sunlandic Twins
Ok Go – Oh No
Wolf Parade – Apologies to the Queen Mary

Shake your

bootie

http://www.bootieusa.com/bestofbootie2006/

If you like the mashups, this is a great compilation.

Merry Christmas!

Samberg & JT - Christmas wishes

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/#mea=51414

Samberg & Parnell - Lazy Sunday

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/#mea=2921

Samberg & Natalie Portman

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/#mea=2922

Extremely Loud Night

My ears are still ringing from Jack White's blistering guitar and vocals work in fronting The Raconteurs.

Last night, Live105 put on its annual holiday concert, appropriately titled Not-So-Silent Night. The usually eclectic lineup of indie bands and alternative bands was again in evidence last night. In reverse order of my favorite performances:

The Shins proved very underwhelming in concert. Perhaps this is not the right venue for them, as this soft, atmospheric indie pop band may be better suited for more intimate settings. And, if you have only a 30-minute set, how do you not play your biggest hit (New Slang off the Garden State soundtrack)? Disappointed.

Modest Mouse has been making indie rock since 1993. However, their sound was not fully embraced by people (when "alternative" led by grunge masters Nirvana took over the public conscience and "indie" stayed underground). In 2004, though, with their second major-label album, they broke through to the masses with songs like Float On and Ocean Breathes Salty (both played last night). Their modest sound and laid-back attitude on stage paled in comparison to the top 3 bands of the night.

The Killers put on a glitzy finale befitting their Las Vegas roots. They knew what people wanted, balanced it with new offerings from their latest album and benefitted from being able to play for a full hour. Post-punk with keyboards to recall the 80's, they blasted through the songs everyone wanted - everyone singing along to Hot Fuss favorites like Somebody Told Me, Jenny Was a Friend of Mine, and Mr. Brightside. At one poin, in All These Things That I've Done, Brandon Flowers - in true showman form - got up on top of his piano turned the microphone around and allowed the audience to sing the chorus. Great show.

Silversun Pickups - a band I've written about previously - give you the fuzzed out bliss of songs that Billy Corgan could have written. Sounding like a mix of Pixies-meets-Smashing Pumpkins-by-way-of-My Bloody Valentine (or maybe I should just say post-grunge?), Brian Aubert puts his falsetto voice over pounding drums and distorted guitars. A tight, 30 minute performance that proclaimed they are every bit as good as their hype.

Jack White, the showman, the performer, was in full effect last night. While in The White Stripes, he shares the stage with only one other person, in the Raconteurs he is one of five (they have a touring keyboardist) and actually only one of two guitarists. He often doesn't sing lead and he only had one of the guitar solos. Yet, he was the star of the night. He commands such a presence on stage, and was able to guide the band from a near-country ballad to pop favorite Steady As She Goes to feedback-drenched rawk. They stole the show and were the best performance of the night.

Wonder who they'll line up next year...

Tagine!

When I traveled around Morocco, I would eat tagine whenever I got a chance. Tagine is both the type of pot it's cooked in and the meal itself. There's a picture here of what a tagine looks like. What is the food? It's usually a mixture of lamb, prunes or dates, almonds or some other nuts, chick peas, and couscous: a real spicy/sweet mix.

You don't have to travel all the way to Morocco to enjoy a good tagine, though. In fact, there's a great French-Moroccan restaurant called Baraka in Potrero Hill. Perched on the corner of 18th and Connecticut, it has a cozy, intimate feel to it.

Their menu is an interesting mix of typical French bistro offerings (foie gras, steamed mussels), Moroccan specialties (stuffed dates, tagine), and offerings from all over (prawns ceviche, dungeness crab cakes).

When we went, we had the prawns ceviche (presented on a plate - we were expecting to receive more than we got, but they were excellent) and the stuffed dates (stuffed with chorizo, cabrales, and jamon serrano). We had originally chosen a glass of wine each (she chose a rose, I chose a pinot noir), but the manager/sommelier came over and suggested that the rose we were going to get would not be as good as another rose. He preferred us to try the other rose and, if we did not like it, he would happily spend the rest of the night drinking the bottle himself.

He was right, the wine was excellent - from Provence, by a winemaker called Dott. Look for it when you are dining at Baraka. The great thing about rose is that it does not overpower the food you are eating and it accompanies things like Asian food and turkey exceptionally well. Pairing it up with a tagine works out well as well.

The tagine: the lamb was succulent, the prunes were bursting with sweet flavor, the almonds gave an interesting textural balance. Just an excellent all-around dish. With the ambience, nearly the whole bottle gone, and the wonderful food, this restaurant is an excellent date place. After, when you are walking back to your car, make sure that if it's a clear night like it was when we were there, to look back across to San Francisco's skyline with its lights twinkling.

Hill of Goat

I had dinner on Monday night in Potrero Hill. So, this week I thought I'd focus on this part of town. In particular, I like the corner of 18th and Connecticut with its assortment of restaurants, cafes and bars: Chez Papa, Chez Maman, Baraka, Aperto, Goat Hill Pizza, Lingba, Eliza's, Farley's to name a few.

The pizza at Goat Hill is some of the best in the city. It's a great place to go with a bunch of friends and have a lazy lunch of pizza and a pitcher.

Their crust is pretty unique - it's not the thick deep dish Chicago style, nor is it the thinner NYC style. It's a medium crust, and what makes it unique is that it is made from sourdough. They've been around since 1975, so they definitely know what they're doing and people still keep coming back.

The sauce is homemade as well and the toppings range from the traditional to the gourmet (think everything from pepperoni and sausage to sun-dried tomatoes and feta). Of course, you can come by here at night as well - it's usually pretty boisterous, fun atmosphere especially on the "all-you-can-eat" Mondays.

After Work Downtown

You are spoiled for choice when it comes to drinking options in the Financial District. I'll highlight four spots that might fit your mood.

Opened last year, Americano at the Hotel Vitale (one of the Joie de Vivre hotels) quickly became the trendy spot for financial types and the Gap-ettes who love them. It's a pretty strong singles scene and fits in a bit more in New York than laid-back San Francisco. Good mixed drinks, impossibly long lines, lots of wine choices, and surprisingly good food. During the nicer months the outside patio with its picnic tables is the place to hang out for a higher-priced afterwork drink.

Across the street in the Ferry Building, there are two great spots. First, MarketBar also features an outdoor patio (one side drinks only, the other side dinner only) and a great bar whose bartenders really know their stuff. They will sometimes whip up their own concoctions for you to try. They have an ever-changing wine-by-the-glass list. Food is excellent. Not as expensive as Americano, but still fairly hefty.

The other place I recommend in the Ferry Building is inside - it's the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant. It's a wine shop with very knowledgeable people who work there, so you can simply buy some wine and leave. They allow you to bring in any food you wish, although they also have some basic snacks on offer. What I like doing is going to Cowgirl Creamery in the Ferry Building, purchasing some cheese, and then heading over to see what wines-by-the-glass are on offer that night. Every couple weeks or so, they feature a wine flight by a particular vineyard with the winemaker there to talk about their particular offerings. This place is reasonably priced.

Finally, if you're simply looking to grab a pitcher, catch the game, and snack on some mini tacos or hot dogs, then Beale Street Bar & Grill (no website - 133 Beale Street) is your spot. They have great deals during happy hour. They always have the games on (this was definitely World Cup HQ this past summer). And the people who work there are very friendly. So are the prices.

Aqua

One restaurant in the Financial District that stands out and has stood the test of time is Aqua (252 California Street). I first ate here 6 years ago during the first dot-com boom, and even then it had already been around 9 years. At 15 years, Aqua is still going strong - even through changes of chefs and changing trends amongst other restaurants.

If you put stock into what various guides say, Aqua is ranked very high. Zagat's has Aqua in its top 10 San Francisco fine dining experiences and the Michelin Guide has Aqua in the top 5 restaurants in the entire Bay Area.

All of those high rankings do mean that it's expensive. Therefore, if you are someone who does not necessarily care for impeccable service and stunning decor (and paying up for that), this is not the place for you. If, however, you are someone who does care for that and tremendous seafood, then this is definitely a place you would want to go: special date, celebrating a business deal, or when the 'rents are in town.

So, what is the food? It's seafood, prepared in a California way with French overtones. Expect appetizers like hamachi with kaffir lime, albacore carpaccio, and even foie gras. Entrees run the gamet from ahi tuna to lobster (with ginger and bok choy) to more exotic offerings. An amazing wine list hitting all corners of the globe pairs up with all the seafood. They also have multi-course tasting menus in which the sommelier will help you pair each course with a different wine.

I wear my stunna glasses at nite

Fuck, boca's closing.

Last time I was there it all started at Harry's Bar (2020 Fillmore, no website) where I had some sliders and a few beers. Met up with some buddies of mine. The night continued on to R Bar (1176 Sutter - no website). Now, R Bar is known for a few things and it just meant more drinks for all of us. This place is a classic - make sure you check it out.

While there, we ran into some friends-of-friends who told us about the two year anniversary of Element Lounge. We hung out, met some young ladies from Reno, and eventually moved on to Lush Lounge - I'm not a big fan of this place. Whatever, one of my buddies was drunk and it was on the way BACK to R Bar. So, back in R Bar. Good god. It was a rough night, but it did not end there.

I continued on to boca. They had a friggin' bouncy castle inside the bar. boca WAS one of my favorite places in the city - a very mixed crowd of hipsters and hip-hoppers and and art fans and booze fans and post-Warfield-concert-goers and lesbians making out on the dance floor and pre-Club-goers and post-bar-goers. The place itself is run by these guys and has rotating artwork on the walls. Plus, they manage to attract DJ's from all over. I don't know where in 2007 it will resurface.

Name of this post? One of the DJ's at boca played the song.

Cafe Algiers

So, after a huge Thanksgiving dinner & lots of drinking this past weekend, I'm back.

I thought that this week I'd focus on downtown, the Financial District - the FiDi if you will. My favorite place, if not one of my favorite places in the city, is Cafe Algiers (50 Beale Street - no website). It's small, even cramped and family-owned.

It's a real mish-mash of people, actually from the Algerian owner to the various people who have strayed from all over the world arrayed behind the lunch counter. Their coffee is excellent (don't just take my word for it - go to http://coffeeratings.com/ and you'll likely see them in 3rd place).

I often come in for a single shot of espresso as I wait for my bagel to be toasted. They put on some shmear, a healthy serving of lox, some tomato, a bit of pepper, and of course a heaping spoonful of capers. Other people I see going for the croissants or other pastries. For lunch, you can't go wrong any of their sandwiches, but especially their spicey turkey.

You can read it here first, or you can wait...

...for magazines like 7x7 to catch on to what's going in the lounge scene or SF Chronicle to find out what's going on in wine bars.

Probably better to read it here first...

Epic Sundays

Last year, May had five Sundays in it. San Francisco and the Bay Area have so much to offer. These Sundays were spent with one other person, a few friends, or a large group of friends.

First Sunday, May 1. Drive up the 1 through the Marin Headlands and beyond to finally stop at Tomales Bay. This picturesque bay is known for its oysters. A beach spreads out where you find picnic tables and small barbecues. Fresh oysters directly from the bay are dropped on each barbecue until the shells pop open. It's all very simple and anything beyond oysters (drinks, salads, etc.) is brought from home. Drive back down the 1 to Rodeo Beach for a look through the Golden Gate Bridge over San Francisco and then a bright fiery sunset over the Pacific. Dinner was from my favorite restaurant in Sausalito - Fish (think freshest seafood possible, redwood picnic tables, and wine or beer out of mason jars).

Second Sunday, May 8. It rained actually, but the day before I saw the Washington DC Nationals and SF Giants engage in a classic back-and-forth battle at PacBell, I mean SBC, I mean AT&T Park. I'm not sure if a baseball stadium is better than this one - it's a retro-park that not only sits right smack in the heart of the city, but is on the Bay itself. A 15-minute stroll down the Embarcadero brings you to the Ferry Building where the MarketBar beckons with its excellent appetizers and wide selection of wines.

Third Sunday, May 15. Bay to Breakers. A 12 kilometer (7.5 mile) run or walk from the SF Bay to the ocean. Tortillas are thrown, people dress up in costume (or run naked), bands play along the route, DJ's spin, and everyone has a good time. Afterwards, at Footstock, I relaxed with a beer, had a burrito and checked out some bands.

Fourth Sunday, May 22. After the night before attending a wedding at Auberge du Soleil, the day was focused on hitting Napa's wineries. Cakebread Cellars, Duckhorn Vineyards, and Bremer Family should be on everyone's short list of places to taste. And Sterling, while not the greatest wines, does have an unbeatable view. Then, the evening was spent in Sausalito at a friend's housewarming party/barbecue under a (nearly) full moon.

Fifth Sunday, May 29. From the 101 south, a winding drive through the hills along 17 down to Santa Cruz for good old-fashioned boardwalk on the beach action. Then a drive along the coast on the classic PCH Route 1 to Half Moon Bay, where just beyond you find yourself at the Moss Beach Distillery. There, while sipping a beer and munching on fried artichoke hearts, you can lean back in chairs made for 2 under a blanket, watching pelicans fly by and sailboats float by as the sun sets over the Pacific. A drive back along another winding road (92) brings you back to the 101 and back up into San Francisco.

Who are Tony and Nik?

A block up from Washington Square, on Stockton, is a tiny little place. It's far from the craziness of Columbus Avenue, even though it's only a block away.

A neighborhood drop-in, the local, but with a bit of style thrown in, Tony Nik's (1534 Stockton, no website) has been operating since the 1930's and it's a real throwback to what a bar should be: bartenders who give good service, strong drinks, and that's pretty much it.

Hanging out at the bar works well when you're there with some friends, but if you want some more privacy head to the back for the tables tucked away with some candles. The crowd is very mixed - I don't feel it gets too many tourists, age range is from young to old, many people looking for that drink to start the night, or to end the evening.

Mad props to Lisa Mao, as this is her favorite bar in the city.

Italian Restaurant in North Beach

How do you pick and choose amongst the Italian restaurants in North Beach. There are several great options mixed in with the touristy ones.

I have not been to Trattoria Contadina (but friends all highly recommend it). Mario's Bohemian is a great place for a snack (think paninis or a plate of lasagna). MangoRosa actually is only half Italian (and half Brazilian) - they somehow pull it off, the food is excellent. For a classic, hearty Southern Italian meal, Tomasso's is your best bet and they've been around for over 70 years.

My favorite place, though, is Ristorante Ideale (1309 Grant Ave, no website). The food is tasty and the service is excellent. The wine list is fairly extensive and well-priced. The waiters spend time with you helping to understand the specials.

I'd highly recommend their pear/mascarpone/prosciutto as an appetizer. Find out what the specials are, or go with one of their pasta dishes (pumpkin ravioli is very good). They have a host of classic Italian desserts, and if you've been having some wines the waiters will probably bring over a shot of lemon liquer over to end the meal.

The portions are not heavy and not huge - it's very European in that sense. In addition, I believe the waitstaff is all from Italy, which adds to the authenticity of this place.

My favorite place in North Beach

I was having dinner on Sunday night at Burma Superstar in the Inner Richmond (review will come up in the next few weeks), when my friend and I got to talking about different neighborhoods. One we started to talk about was North Beach.

North Beach, for me, has been the entryway into San Francisco. A friend of mine has lived for years in an apartment on Stockton near Chestnut and I've crashed on her couch time and again before I moved here. Then, when I did move to the Bay Area two friends of mine were living at that apartment and I ended up crashing there again from time to time.

I always liked to walk from her place down Stockton, past the big church where Marilyn Monroe and Joe Dimaggio got married, along Washington Square (pausing to watch the tai chi practitioners), up Union Street, along the shops of Grant, and arrive at a place that's survived the test of time.

It's 50 years since they introduced the West Coast to espresso, and Caffe Trieste is still going strong. Yes, it's overrun by tourists, I know that. But if you have a chance to go by during the day and sit and just observe, you'll see the tourists flit in and out. What remains and what sits there for hours on end is a true neighborhood of San Francisco originals.

There's the painter, the crazy guy, the two guys who always bicker, the bedraggled looking hippie who just happens to be a famous poet, the woman with the dogs, and on and on. There's true cameraderie amongst these lost souls, who find family in a coffee shop in North Beach.

This little coffee shop in this neighborhood made me realize San Francisco is very different from most other cities in the US. There's a real European aspect to this city. Sure, the architecture reminds some people of Europe, but to me it's the people - especially those that gather here. It's the pace of life, it's the wanting to connect with others over, simply, a cup of coffee.

This post should be about lunch, but the food's so-so. Maybe this will do? They don't have non-fat milk, so order up a real cappucino, sit back for a couple hours, and enjoy.

More music links

Wanted to turn you on to this band that has been getting bigger every time they come through San Francisco. Check their progression: Cafe Du Nord, Popscene, a street fair in Oakland, Rickshaw Stop, Fillmore (with Wolfmother), and Bill Graham Civic (Not-So-Silent-Night).

Silversun Pickups may as well be called Silversun Pixies or Silversun Pumpkins. Think fuzzy guitars mixed with bittersweet melodies. Lazy Eye is just a nice slice of circa 1993 fuzzed-out bliss and Well Thought Out Twinkles is "Billy Corgan's best song that he never wrote" according to a magazine.

Stream it here - http://www.myspace.com/silversunpickups or http://www.silversunpickups.com/

Here's some other bands I've been listening to / going to shows recently (bands mentioned yesterday have links here). Most of these you can stream some music or download some songs.

Cold War Kids - http://www.myspace.com/coldwarkids or http://www.coldwarkids.com/
Arctic Monkeys - http://www.myspace.com/arcticmonkeys
Mogwai - http://www.myspace.com/mogwai
Manu Chao - http://www.manuchao.net/
Wolf Parade - http://www.myspace.com/wolfparade
The Lovemakers - http://www.myspace.com/thelovemakers
Futureheads - http://www.thefutureheads.com/home.php
M Ward - http://www.myspace.com/mward
The Shins - http://www.theshins.com/
Badly Drawn Boy - http://www.myspace.com/badlydrawnboy
Fiery Furnaces - http://www.thefieryfurnaces.com/
Voxtrot - http://www.myspace.com/voxtrot
Arcade Fire - http://www.myspace.com/arcadefire
Bloc Party - http://www.myspace.com/blocparty
Franz Ferdinand - http://www.myspace.com/franzferdinand
Dr. Dog - http://www.myspace.com/drdog
Wolfmother - http://www.wolfmother.com/
The Killers - http://www.thekillersmusic.com/
Modest Mouse - http://www.modestmousemusic.com/
The Raconteurs - http://www.theraconteurs.com/
Deerhoof - http://deerhoof.killrockstars.com/
Imogen Heap - http://www.imogenheap.co.uk/
Kid Beyond - http://www.kidbeyond.com/
Zero 7 - http://www.zero7.co.uk/
Sia - http://www.siamusic.net/
Jose Gonzalez - http://www.jose-gonzalez.com/
Tesoro - http://www.tesoromusic.com/
Royksopp - http://www.royksopp.com/
OK Go - http://www.okgo.net/news.aspx
Manu Chao - http://www.manuchao.net/


The Hype Machine aggregates MP3's from blogs all over - http://hype.non-standard.net/

IndieFeed - http://feeds.feedburner.com/IndiefeedAlt/modernRock
Stereogum (blog) - http://stereogum.com/mp3_index.xml
KEXP (radio station in Seattle) - http://kexp.org/podcasting/podcasting.asp

Go to http://www.team-love.com/ (Conor Oberst's site) to download the new Jenny Lewis album - also Tilly & the Wall, and other Bright Eyes' friends...

Go to http://www.tvtrecords.com/download/ for TVT Records' selected downloads

Kill Rock Stars - http://www.killrockstars.com/

SubPop - http://www.subpop.com/

Check out Live Music

San Francisco has a great local music scene, plus bands come through here all the time.

What's coming up? I'm signed up for Filter Magazine's weekly San Francisco newsletter (info@filter-mag.com), plus I go to SF Weekly, the Guardian, SF Gate, Live105's concert calendar, and Pollstar for information on upcoming gigs.

Here are the venues I find myself at more often than not. They are ranked roughly in size and should give you a sense of what type of band (local, indie-up-and-coming, has-a-hit-video-on-youtube, has-a-hit-video-on-MTV, up to well-known).

Very small venues - mainly local music
Boom Boom Room - small, blues joint across the street from the Fillmore
Hemlock - punk in the Tenderloin
Make Out Room - mainly local music (various types of rock and pop) in the Mission
Elbo Room - also in the Mission, bit more jazz and dub thrown in with the rock and pop

Small venues - mix of local, West Coast (LA, Portland, Seattle), and a smattering of national or international up-and-coming indie bands
330 Ritchie a/k/a Popscene gets some of the best up-and-coming bands from all over the world (they also have a weekly party called Leisure which focuses on all the UK music from the 90's)
Cafe Du Nord - feels like you're in somebody's basement living room in the Castro (bands seen: Cold War Kids, Dr. Dog)
Bottom of the Hill - in Potrero Hill, perhaps SF's most beloved live music venue?
The Independent - on Divis, you can catch a band on the rise or on the slide back into obscurity
Mezzanine - while it gets its share of rock bands, this place focuses on electronic and hip-hop
Slim's - on Folsom and 11th, features indie rock & pop and a bit of everything else (bands seen: Kid Beyond)

Bigger Venues - more well-known bands
Great American Music Hall - my favorite venue, in the Tenderloin - mainly indie rock & pop (bands seen: OK Go, Fiery Furnaces)
The Warfield - a classic theater where bands who are really breaking big play (bands seen: Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand)
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium - impersonal big box, unfortunately (bands seen: Beck, Franz Ferdinand)
The Greek Theater - a 100+-year old outdoor amphitheater on Berkeley's campus (bands seen: Manu Chao)
The Fillmore - the venerable place that has a great sense of its history (check out all the classic posters through the years) as much as it's a place for bands currently making a name for themselves (bands seen: Bloc Party, Mogwai, Wolf Parade)

Places I want to check out but have not been include Yoshi's (jazz in the East Bay) and the Rickshaw Stop (in Hayes Valley).

Wish

This place is tiny. That's a good thing. You WILL meet other people, that's guaranteed. The drinks are strong. Wish is located at 1639 Folsom.

It's a very chill vibe in here, very San Francisco but there's definitely an LA or NYC twist. You have a good mix of 20-year olds and 30-year olds, people just looking to have a few drinks, some people looking to get they groove on early, and others just looking to chill out on the comfortable couches. You even have some hipsters post-Slim's show and club kids pre-1015 thrown in for good measure.

Get here early and it's very loungey, some house beats playing in the back. As the night moves on, it gets more and more crowded and the beats pick up. Some dancing starts (aided of course by the drinks). The bartenders know how to make drinks. They are also very willing to try out their new concoctions on you!

Very friendly in a hipster, chilled out way. Enjoy.

Stunna Sushi

You may have been to the Sushi Groove over in Russian Hill - been there for years - an old standby. You may usually head over to Folsom around 3rd, 4th, 5th Streets rather than this part of Folsom (near 11th Street) for dinner. But, there are good spots around. Marona's on the corner of Folsom and 11th is one of the best Thai restaurants in town (see my lunch post from yesterday).

So, this Sushi Groove (called Sushi Groove South - 1516 Folsom Street - no website) has a good ratio of fresh sushi and sashimi, great vibe, good crowd, and bangin' beats.

But, you may ask: is this real authentic Japanese sushi? Yes and no. Their sushi and sashimi is fresh. But really it's all about crazy rolls and other weird concoctions that would shock a true sushi afficionado. But come on, you're either sitting at the bar or at some table listening to a dj spin some tunes while drinking sake cocktails like lemon ginger snap. Afterwards, you're going to be heading off to Butter, Slim's or Wish (see tomorrow's post for that).

This is what I'd recommend. Start off with some edamame and a sake cocktail (or ask for an unfiltered sake). Kick back, put on your stunnas, listen to some mashups, get mashed up on some drinks. At some point, lob in an order for rolls - dragon, spider, all your favorites and ones you'd not thought of. Make sure to get some sashimi or sushi as well.

You can get lunch on Folsom?

I'm usually here at night. Either going to catch a show at Slim's, or a drink over at Wish. Maybe a bite to eat several blocks down at Oola or Azie. Or over at Sushi Groove South, once even at Sneaky Tiki's. Late, late night of course 1015 beckons.

But lunch? Who comes here during the day? There's that crepe truck, but I don't know if they're open during the day. However, one great place to go is Manora's.

This excellent Thai place has been around for years. It's on 1600 Folsom Street and has no website. A friend of mine introduced me to this place. First meal there I tried out with her, we had the usual Thai meal: pad thai, duck curry, and washed it down with a Thai iced tea. Their pad thai is teeming with prawn, tofu, peanuts, bean sprouts, and lots of other delicious bits of goodness. Their duck curry was spicy/sweet. And their iced tea was the way it should be.

I've been back to try out different parts of their menu (yum ma keur - eggplant, chicken, prawn in a sauce, soups, and things that I don't know how to pronounce, even a clay pot) and different drinks (good selection of Thai beers like Singha). Their desserts are excellent too (fried banana with ice cream, for example).

You can definitely come for dinner, but they have amazing lunch deals - specials that are priced ridiculously cheap!

Perfect Weekend in Healdsburg

Healdsburg is surrounded by 3 distinct and different valleys: Dry Creek, Alexander, and Russian River. This allows you to explore one valley at a time and return to Healdsburg in the evening.

BREAKFAST
There are a host of cafes in Healdsburg with some focusing more on fresh-baked bread, others more on good coffee. Take your pick. Center Street Cafe for an eggs-and-bacon type breakfast.

LUNCH
As the valleys do not really have any places to go for lunch, it's best to do a picnic. Stopping off at Oakville Grocery (in Healdsburg) or the Jimtown Store (in Alexander Valley) and then hitting one of the wineries with picnic tables is the way to go. Try Lambert Bridge (Dry Creek) for example.

WINERIES hit in each valley

DRY CREEK VALLEY
Ferrari-Carano - over-the-top Tuscan-style villa with views / wines generally so-so, but v good affordable Syrah
Preston - bit disapointed in the wines, but nice bucolic setting
Lambert Bridge - do the reserve tasting, wonderful setting
A. Rafanelli - small, family-owned, v good cabs, merlot, and zin (by appointment only)
Yoakim Bridge - even smaller, less than 2000 cases a year, great zins + great spicy meatballs!

ALEXANDER VALLEY
Stryker - great views of the Alexander Valley, but the wines are so-so
Jordan - this was probably the 2nd favorite - Tom Jordan's French country manor w/a small tour of the grounds, excellent cabs and chardonnay / tasting is done in library with couches (by appointment only)
Alexander Valley - some good picnic tables, did not go and taste
Simi - it's big, impersonal, and the wines are not so good, apparently the tour is good

RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
J - this was everyone's favorite. They do food pairings with tastings. Known for their brut, but all their wines are excellent esp their Nicole's Vineyard Pinot Noir. FYI - the J stands for Judy Jordan, Tom Jordan's daughter.
Hop Kiln - nice setting, inexpensive wines
Gary Farrell - stunning views and excellen pinot noirs

OTHER ACTIVITIES
Lake Sonoma has good hiking trails with expansive views over the lake and surrounding area
Armstrong Redwood 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

LOUNGES in Healdsbug
Barndiva (outdoor garden)
Hotel Healdsburg lobby (big fireplace)
Lots of tasting rooms as well, but they usually close by 5.30

DINNER in Healdsburg:
Willi's Seafood (tapas and oysters - absolute favorite place to go)
Zin (pork chops, steaks + big zins to go with them)
Manzanita (wood-fired pizza and straightforward dishes)
Dry Creek Kitchen (high end dining - Charlie Palmer is the chef - did not end up going)

Perfect Weekend in Mendocino

Quick overview and tips about Mendocino wine country (a.k.a. Anderson Valley).

Up the 101 from San Francisco to Healdsburg. Good place to make a stop. We hit the main plaza where there's lots of restaurants/cafes/shops to choose from.

Continue up the 101 to Cloverdale and then to 128. The 128 is a great, curving road that takes you from vineyards with commanding views to the redwood forests so thick that you need your headlights on.

Along the 128 is also where you'll find the Anderson Valley wineries. Most are old-school, laid-back, good times. No annoying tasting fees, good conversation usually. Also, most places have amazing views or cool orchards with picnic tables. There's not really any restaurants or lunch spots (or not many at least). Therefore, make sure you have a picnic packed - another reason to stop at Healdsburg in other words.
Wineries hit:
-Navarro (I love these guys, especially their pinot noir)
-Greenwood Ridge (right next door to Navarro, with a pond as well, wines are ok but nothing spectacular)
-Husch (the best tiny tasting room you'll ever come across)

There's also:-Handley Cellars (no view, seemed a bit tired, we arrived, parked, and did not taste after we walked in briefly)
-Goldeneye (this is part of Duckhorn)
-Roederer Estate (looks big and imposing / kind of out of place)
-Scharffenberger (champagne)
-several that you need an appointment for

Then continued on the 128 to the 1. We then took the 1 a few miles north through Albion and into Little River. In Little River we stayed at Heritage House. The Heritage House has amazing views over the cove, fireplace in the room, very quiet (no TV / no phone). The night sky in Mendocino/Little River was spectacular as you might imagine.

We had dinner in Mendocino which is only a few miles north along the 1. We first walked/drove around town. We found a very casual place with a deck that overlooked the Pacific where we had a drink. Dinner reservations at Cafe Beaujolais. Excellent food / warm / inviting / they use all organic ingredients and the food was fresh. Excellent wine list - that of course highlights the local vineyards, but is not limited to just those. Next door is 955 Ukiah which seemed to be a good spot as well.

The next day we had a big breakfast and took it easy in the morning, not getting on the road until noon. We drove down the 1 in beautiful sunny weather (hit a patch of fog once) doing the usual thing of making stops where we wanted, hiked down to a beach, took lots of pictures, checked out the Pt Arenas lighthouse, hit Bodega Bay, etc.

Wine Country Links

NAPA VALLEY

Duckhorn
http://www.duckhornvineyards.com/

Bremer Family
http://www.bremerfamilywinery.com/

Cakebread Cellars
http://www.cakebreadcellars.com/

Peju
http://peju.com/
Robert Sinskey
http://robertsinskey.com/

Frog's Leap
http://www.frogsleap.com/flash/intro.html
St. Supery
http://www.stsupery.com/

Sterling
http://www.sterlingvineyards.com/

V.Sattui
http://www.vsattui.com/

Viansa
http://www.viansa.com/
Far Niente
http://www.farniente.com/

Opus One
http://www.opusonewinery.com/

Darioush
http://www.darioush.com/

Girgich Hills
http://grgich.com/index.html

Artesahttp://www.artesawinery.com/

Trefethenhttp://www.trefethen.com/home.html

Schramsberg
http://www.schramsberg.com/

Clos du Valhttp://www.closduval.com/v1/

Hess Collectionhttp://www.hesscollection.com/

Stag's Leap Wine Cellarshttp://www.cask23.com/index-flash.htm


SONOMA

Tara Bella Winery (cabs)
http://www.tarabellawinery.com/

Gary Farrel (pinot noirs)
http://www.garyfarrell.com/

Ravenswood (zins)
http://www.ravenswood-wine.com/rwd/about/begin.do

Jordan
http://www.jordanwinery.com/

BR Cohn
http://www.brcohn.com/

Cline
http://www.clinecellars.com/

and...any of the vineyards along Westside Road.


MENDOCINO

Navarro
http://www.navarrowine.com/neighbors.php

Esterlina
http://www.esterlinavineyards.com/visit_us.html

Goldeneye
http://www.goldeneyewinery.com/visiting_the_winery/

Husch
http://huschvineyards.com/

Roederer Estate
http://www.roedererestate.net/estate/tastingrm.html

Handley
http://www.handleycellars.com/taste.html

Go see OK Go!

OK Go was back in San Francisco last night, playing at the venerable Great American Music Hall. While they did not recreate this video on treadmills, they did close out the show by recreating this video dancemove-by-dancemove on stage.

Go see them when they come to your town.

Best wine bar in the city!

Hotel Biron is neither a hotel nor located in southwestern France. Biron is located halfway between Cognac and Bordeaux and that should give you a tipoff that this is a wine bar. Around the corner from Zuni Cafe, tucked down an alley, you see a fairly nondescript door with an orange sign jutting out simply stating b.

This cozy, intimate place is another excellent choice for starting a night out right. Their wine list is limited, but varied enough (and constantly changing) to keep it interesting. What's interesting about their wine list is that they usually mix and match local wines with wines from France. Often, you'll end up in a wine bar that's very heavily local focused or very heavily French focused. Hotel Biron allows you to compare a pinot noir from, say, Sonoma to a burgundy.

You can also order a plate of cheese (usually accompanied with some bread and fruit) to make this an appetizer place before heading off to one of the many restaurants around. Note also that the art on the wall rotates out every month or so, highlighting different local artists.

Almost too many choices in Hayes Valley for dinner!

Given that there are so many choices of eating out in Hayes Valley, I thought I would quickly review 4 different places that should fit different budgets.

Starving Student - Under $15 - I love Frjtz. I love that they serve savory (I prefer ham, gruyere, and egg) and sweet (NUTELLA!) crepes. I love that they have a tiny little area with mismatched chairs and tables, and even a little area to lounge on. I love their patio bathed in sunshine. But most of all, I love that they serve Belgian fries with mayo. Have a Belgian beer like Chimay or Duvel to wash it all down (come on, you can get Stella everywhere).

Group of Friends - Under $30 - Before I moved to SF, I went out with a group of people sitting at a communal table, drinking steins of beers, eating weiner schnitzel and spatzle. If you want hearty meals, good atmosphere, and a place where you can easily bring your 10 closest friends and then meet the others sitting next to you, go to Suppenkuche. Obviously, great selection of German beers.

Great Date Place - Under $40 - So, I still don't quite understand exactly why this restaurant is called Sauce. There's not a different sauce highlighted with every dish, nor are any of the dishes overpowered by any sauce. Highlights here are definitely the appetizers (in fact, I would prefer this place to become a small plates share the food type of place). Their wine list is excellent.

Have your Sugar Daddy or Sugar Mama take you - $50 or higher - The classic. The old standby. Zuni Cafe (no website - 1658 Market / 415-552-2522) has been in business since 1979. And no wonder! Nothing spectacular jumps out at you from the menu. But, whether it's their oysters-on-the-half-shell, their roast chicken, their burgers, or their shoestring fries, one bite and you'll understand why they've lasted for so long. And Alice Waters' partner-of-20-years from Chez Panisse just came aboard last month. Drinks excellent here too.

What the flip were you doing in Hayes Valley?

Heck yeah, Flippers (no website - 482 Hayes St) is one of the best places to go for a burger. Excellent, well made, tasty. Gosh!

But, even better is to go there in order to cure the previous night's hangover. Whether you wake up at 9 or 4, they'll still be serving breakfast (pretty much all day). Kick it off with a mimosa or a never-ending-cup of coffee. You could make it a latte, even a soy latte or skim latte. But, is that 'cause you think you're fat? 'Cause you're not. You could be drinking whole if you wanted to.

For the food, you could go either hearty or sweet. If you get the pancakes (recommend: blueberry) or waffles, you'll get this amazing almond butter (Katie's favorite - she says, "the best butter ever") to spread all over it. Going hearty means excellent omelets, classic bacon-and-eggs combos, or even one of their burgers.

The best part of this place, though, is the patio. It's tucked to the side, surrounded by greenery, and you can bring any of your pets with you - lucky! Lounging here, sipping on a coffee, helps you enjoy that little respite on Saturdays where you can figure out the skills you possess. You know, like nunchuck skills, bowhunting skills, computer hacking skills. Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills.