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.

Carmel overview

Carmel itself is a high-end mix of shops and restaurants. It's overrun by tourists. However, a bit of digging around and exploring will expose a different side of Carmel.

We stayed at the Mission Ranch. Upon arriving and checking in, we decided to eat at the restaurant on the grounds. As the place is owned by Clint Eastwood, we joked that he might sit next to us. We walked in the door and had to hold the door open for the person walking in behind us: Clint. Pretty exciting way to start the weekend, and also a good sign that the celebrity-0wner actually comes to his own place.

We decided to sit outside, next to a fire pit, overlooking the sheep pasture. Simple, easy comfort food with an eclectic mix of wines (including local Monterey Peninsula wines). We warmed ourselves by the fire, and took notice that everyone was enjoying themselves, including Clint!

After dinner, went inside to sing and dance along with everyone else. The Piano Bar is a locals' favorite where everyone takes a turn singing. Great fun and a great introduction to Carmel and its colorful local people.

The next morning, we went for a long walk through the local neighborhoods where everyone seems to be a in a competition to produce the most beautiful yards. We came out at the Carmel River, with a view back over the sheep pasture we overlooked the night before. Then, walking over the beach, scrambling over rocks, and taking in the views, we made our way bit-by-bit to the main town.

There, we came upon the aforementioned shops and restaurants. There's a great women's clothing store called Paloosh (no website). There's also a local winery Galante tucked away down a very cool little alley. We also popped into a local deli Nielsen Brothers which allowed us to stock up on some picnic supplies. We went into Carmel Bakery ("we bake while you sleep" is their slogan) which has been around since 1906. We also stopped by the Highlands Inn for its stunning views.


Finally, on the way back home from Carmel, we detoured via Pebble Beach to drive along 17-Mile Drive for some more exquisite views over the ocean, making sure to stop at Bird Rock and Seal Rock.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Lisa! ;)

Ramp it up

I've heard about the Ramp. And it certainly did not disappoint.

After some big few days in a row: Thursday night (yield), Friday night (St. Regis & Swig), and Saturday (oyster fest), Sunday was a long sleeping-in followed by a lazy brunch.

It was an absolutely gorgeous sunny blue skies day and a perfect way to spend it would be outside on the water. Off to the Ramp we went.

Upon arriving, you come to what seems a dead-end and a parking lot. There's some brown wooden walls, and it looks like there's noone there. After we made our way around those walls, though, we realized we were not the only ones who decided to show up, so there would be a little wait. Bloody Mary's for a little hair-of-the-dog was the perfect cure for the hangovers we were nursing.

While waiting for our table, we moved outside to sit in the sun and look around. There's usually a cruise ship parked across, and you can glance over the Bay. The wait was not that long and we were brought over to our table in the sun.

There's a lot of choices. You can go brunch - which we did with huevos rancheros and another egg dish (which contained chorizo, cheese, and peppers) - or you can go their full lunch menu. A lot of others chose to go the non-egg route and were enjoying burgers and other dishes.

Go on a sunny day, hang out for a couple hours.

San Francisco Gas Prices

Keep checking back here to see if prices are changing at all.

Climate Change Research

It's really interesting to see not only leading financial publications devoting time to green issues (such as the Economist), but various leading financial companies making their "green" research public.

In addition, anyone who's worked in the financial industry is aware of the ubiquitous Bloomberg terminals. The founder of that company, Michael Bloomberg, is the current mayor of NYC (and potential 2008 independent presidential candidate). Earlier this week, he announced that all the yellow cabs in NYC would go green within 5 years.

JPMorgan has made its climate change research public.

Goldman Sachs has an Environmental Policy Framework (where you can see where they invested).

Bloomberg has made Environment & Sustainability one of his key platforms.

10 simple ways to save yourself from messing up your life

You may agree or disagree with this overview from lifehack on 10 simple ways to save yourself from messing up your life, but it's an interesting little read.

There's a lot of opinions over on digg about this (http://digg.com/health/10_simple_ways_to_save_yourself_from_messing_up_your_life)

I'll let you click over to the appropriate links and let you decide whether this is useful information, a bunch of pop psychology, or completely and utterly worthless.

New Zealand's 4th Most Popular Folk Parody Duo!

You've probably seen the random Outback commercials where a dark-haired guy with glasses talks a bit of nonsense about various meals. He's one half of Flight of the Conchords and they are ridiculously funny.

You can check out What the Folk and listen to some of their previous work.

The reason I'm posting this, by the way, is that after watching Entourage last night I noticed a little commercial that Flight of the Conchords are going to have their own show on HBO. You can catch the pilot on the interwebs here, or go here to RSVP for a chance to catch it at the Rickshaw Stop (where it's simply listed as "private event") tomorrow as noted in the flyer to the right.

This is kind of a grab-bag of links.

New music picked up recently at Rasputin - http://www.rasputinmusic.com/ and on itunes
Rodrigo y Gabriela - http://www.rodgab.com/
Peter, Bjorn & John - http://www.peterbjornandjohn.com/
Sea Wolf - http://www.seawolfmusic.com/
Glenn Hansard - http://www.myspace.com/theswellseason

A great hike I went on the other day was at Land's End / Coastal Trail - http://www.josephstubbscreations.com/Home2/sf/sfparks/lincoln/lincoln.html

Benkyodo - mochi - http://www.benkyodocompany.com/
Park Chalet - chilled out place - http://beachchalet.com/aboutus/index.php?page=parkchalet

12 steps to a healthy home

Taken from the Spring website.

16th (today) through 20th (Sunday)

This is a reformatted version of a previous post.

16. The SF International Arts Festival starts today with the Zachho Dance Theater doing a free dance/installation off the top of the roof of SFO.

17. My favorite beatboxer, Kid Beyond, will open up for the New Deal at the Independent tonight.

18. I'm pretty excited that Cantina is finally going to open over in the Tenderloin at Sutter and Mason. Cantina's the brainchild of the former bar manager at Frisson. He's doing a soft launch starting this weekend (the official opening will likely come a couple weeks later). Here's a sample of their drinks menu.

19. O'Reilly's is hosting its 8th annual "Oysters & Beer Festival" featuring, um, oysters and, uh, beer on Saturday. Also some music (of the Flogging Molly and Tea Leaf Green variety).

20. Sunday is Bay to Breakers. However, I'll likely be hiking and then drinking steins laden with beer und essing einen sausage at Mayfest up at the Tourist Club in Mill Valley.

The Guardian also puts out its weekly picks on Wednesday, as does the SF Weekly. Note that this week is SF Weekly's annual Best of issue.

Baobab

On Friday night, I was taken out to the Mission. I wasn't told where exactly we would go nor what exactly we would be in store for. We ended up at Bissap Baobab, a Sengalese restaurant. Immediately, upon walking in, you are greeted warmly and asked to wait at the bar (there's always a wait due to their popularity).

There's a high-energy buzz in the place, African music playing, and the bar makes some potent ginger and tamarind drinks. After a bit, they'll come get you and take you to your table.

It's a real mixed crowd: very international in feel. We had (some salty) beef pastries which were balanced out by a sweet plantain dish (with tamarind dipping sauce). For the main courses, we tried a tilapia (dry) in a wonderful sweet and creamy coconut sauce and a (also dry) chicken kabob with a nice mafe dish on the side. Mafe is basically peanut sauce and they don't skimp on the amount you get. Overall, the sauces definitely were great, but for some reason the actual meat itself was overcooked.

I would definitely go back, though, as the place itself is a lot of fun. There are large groups, people on dates, and everyone enjoying the food, music, interesting African-inspired decor, and the unmistakable energy of the place.

"After your meal, take a few steps around the corner to the Little Baobab. Bursting with energy, this little juke joint has a big heart that beats to the rhythms of music from around the world. " Their website does not lie, it was a great mixture of African music (heavy on the beats), reggae, and salsa. Even more international feeling crowd than in the restaurant and more of those potent ginger and tamarind drinks.

Summer Festivals in San Francisco

May 16-27 SF International Arts Festival

May 19 Uncorked! Public Wine Festival
May 19 San Francisco Oyster & Beer Fest
May 20 Bay to Breakers
May 20-June 17 Mountain Play (Mt. Tam)

May 26-27 Carnaval

June 2-3 Union Street Festival

June 8-10 Harmony Festival (Santa Rosa)
June 10 Haight Ashbury Street Fair

June 16-17 North Beach Festival
June 17-August 19 Stern Grove

June 20-24 Sonoma-Marin Fair (Petaluma)

June 29-July1 Pinot Days
June 30-July 1 Fillmore Jazz Festival

July 6-September 29 Marin Shakespeare Company Festival (Forest Meadows)

July 14-15 International Chocolate Salon

July 25-29 North Beach Jazz Festival

Local and Reused

One way you can be a bit greener is to "think global, act local." In fact, a localvore is a person who eats only locally-grown and produced food. You could extend that definition to one who also shops and supports locally owned businesses.

For example, a localvore would shop and eat locally rather than patronizing national or international chains. The San Francisco Locally Owned Merchants Alliance can help you find locally-owned businesses. The following is taken - often verbatim - from that site.

Supporting local businesses reduces environmental impact. Locally owned businesses can make more local purchases requiring less transportation and generally set up shop in town or city centers as opposed to developing on the fringe. This generally means contributing less to sprawl, congestion, habitat loss and pollution.

There are many other reasons, though, such as significantly more money re-circulates in your city when purchases are made at locally owned, rather than nationally owned, businesses; most new jobs are provided by local businesses; your city's one-of-a-kind businesses are an integral part of your distinctive character; and local business owners invest in community.

Other reasons are that oftentimes customer service is better; competition and diversity leads to more choices; public benefits far outweigh public costs; encourages investment in your city; and non-profits receive greater support as non-profit organizations receive an average 350% greater support from local business owners than they do from non-locally owned businesses.

Stores like Cole Hardware or Standard 5 & 10 instead of large hardware chains. Amoeba Music instead of the mall CD store. Book Passage or Books Inc. instead of Borders or Barnes & Noble. Rainbow Grocery or farmers' markets instead of big supermarket chains. For a good guide to organic and green stores and restaurants, look to the Green Zebra.

For even less impact on the environment, look to purchase reused / recycled / vintage at places like the once-a-month Alameda Flea Market. Looking to redo your home, look to Ohmega Salvage in Berkeley. Across the street from Ohmega, you may want to see if there's any vintage clothes you might like at Twisters Vintage, Dolled Up Vintage, or Retro Diva / Icon Vintage. Those stores are more focused on the 50's, 60's, 70's vintage clothes. Closer to home in San Francisco and sporting more recent styles look to any of the various Crossroads.

Alembic

Seven months ago, the owners of Magnolia Brewery opened up a restaurant called The Alembic on Haight, near Cole.

Soft glow from Edison bulbs hanging from the ceiling, dark wood, that similar tin ceiling (as seen in Bourbon & Branch), blackboards with lists of rye, bourbon, and Scotch, make you think that you've walked into a bar.

The Cole Valley crowd gathered around the bar sipping well-crafted drinks, the above mentioned whiskeys, or Magnolia Brewery beers will confirm that you are in a bar. However, if you continue walking further back, you'll see a smattering of tables and people eating different bits of food here and there.

The menu - divided up into drinks and eats - is a small plates menu meant to be shared. These are not light dishes, though. They're heavy, good fall weather eating along with a scotch or ale from Magnolia. We sampled a few dishes and thought they were a bit too much on the heavy side (too much oil on the calamar) but I thought overall they were tasty. Be prepared, though, for the food to be on the more gamey side - with rabbit, porcini mushrooms, duck.

Art you don't know about this weekend

While the SF International Film Festival ends tomorrow tonight, there's other ways to get your cultural fix this weekend.

Emergining indie artists and designers are showing their creations in Noe Valley on Saturday at the Maven Craft Fair.

Over in the Mission, artists of Workspace Limited will be holding Open Studios all weekend long.
A new exhibition of Martin Munkaci's photographs opens up at the SFMoMA. (Yeah, I've never heard of him either, but he's influenced Henri Cartier-Bresson and Richard Avedon).

Zazie

On Saturday morning, we had brunch at Zazie. They have a nice assortment of sweet and savory.

For their French Breads, they use challah bread so the slices are nice and thick. They also have gingerbread pancakes on the menu, plus of course there's a rotating selection of specials.

On the savory side, they have a variety of different eggs benedict with a light hollandaise sauce. There's usually a very long line, due to the fact that the food is so good. In addition, there's good people watching and you can hit Egg or Cole Hardware while you wait.

Hint: the four tables outside are first come, first serve (no need to wait in line).

Once - great movie

Saw a great movie at the SF International Film Festival last night. Once is very un-Hollywood - there's no big explosions, you won't recognize any of the actors. You may even have a little trouble understanding the accents sometimes. Set in Ireland, it tells the story of two people (played by non-actor musicians Glen Hansard and Market Iglova) who find each other.

The music is incredible as Glen, lead singer of the Frames. and classically-trained Czech pianist Market create beautiful, romantic, poignant, and in-the-end extremely catchy songs together.

Sometimes described as a modern musical, don't let that put you off. Rather, the songs really do fit well into the story which shows a relationship developing bit-by-bit. Hopefully, this movie will get some decent distribution, rather than be shown only at film festivals (at which it has picked up awards this year).

Some music for you

Hit a few shows recently at the Fillmore and the Independent.

Gym Class Heroes (their video - http://youtube.com/watch?v=eiiU-Fky18s) and RX Bandits opened up

Also went to the Silversun Pickups show at the Independent and and Dangerbird Records labelmates Sea Wolf opened up (2 of their songs)
http://www.seawolfmusic.com/media/youreawolf.mp3
http://www.seawolfmusic.com/media/Thegardenthatyouplanted.mp3

In between, I went to see A Pack of Wolves, a brother of one of my friends is in it.

Top 100 Restaurants

These are the top 100 restaurants for 2007, according to the SF Chronicle.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/food/top100/2007cuisine

Some of my favorites (link through the above website)

Buckeye Roadhouse (Mill Valley)
Chow (San Francisco and Lafayette)
French Laundry (Yountville)
Michael Mina
Tartine Bakery
Town Hall
Betelnut
Bocadillos
Coco500
Foreign Cinema
Gary Danko
Nopa
Scott Howard
Koi Palace (Daly City)
Ton Kiang
Yank Sing
Bistro Jeanty (Yountville)
Bouchon (Yountville)
Dosa
A16
Ozumo
Sushi Ran (Sausalito)
Zuni Cafe
La Taqueria
Tres Agaves
Limon
Aqua
Hog Island Oyster Co.
Slanted Door

Mark your calendars: May 16-20

Good god, I just saw what's all going on the weekend of the 16th-20th (what, your weekends don't start on Wednesdays?). I was reading the Guardian on the bus and then had a couple e-mails in my inbox. Thought I'd share.

The SF International Arts Festival will start the 16th with the Zachho Dance Theater doing a free dance/installation off the top of the roof of SFO. Note that it's starting about one week after the SF International Film Festival ends, which is currently going on.

My favorite beatboxer, Kid Beyond, will open up for the New Deal at the Independent on the 17th (note: the New Deal's playing 2 nights at the Independent and only one night with Kid B opening up).

I'm pretty excited that Cantina is finally going to open over in the Tenderloin at Sutter and Mason. Cantina's the brainchild of the former bar manager at Frisson. He's doing a soft launch starting the weekend of the 18th (the official opening will likely come a couple weeks later). Here's a sample of their drinks menu.

O'Reilly's is hosting it's 8th annual "Oysters & Beer Festival" featuring, um, oysters and, uh, beer on Saturday the 19th. Also some music (of the Flogging Molly and Tea Leaf Green variety).

In addition, that Sunday is Bay to Breakers.

Gasolina

As most people don't yet have compressed-air cars or hybrids (but if you look out for them in SF, you'll constantly see Priuses on the road), you can take the bus or bike to work, especially on May 17.

However, the reality is that most people still rely heavily on their car. It's unfortunate, especially as it looks like gas prices will continue to rise into the $4 per gallon category.

There's a pretty useful site called Gas Buddy which allows you to find the best-priced gas stations in your area. The local SF version is at http://www.sanfrangasprices.com/

Point Reyes, Olema

We were up in western Marin this weekend, a beautiful one-hour drive north of San Francisco.

West Marin is very much at the forefront of the local, organic, sustainable farming movement. If you want to get a better understanding of the why behind that, head over to Marin Organic, which is a collection of farmers that believes in sustainable farming.

The Olema Inn is a 130-year old bed-and-breakfast located in Olema (population: 55). There are only six rooms, and its restaurant attempts to use as much local, organice food as possible. So, breakfast includes fresh local fruits (strawberries, kiwis, kumquats, blood oranges to name a few), local organic cheeses, and buttery croissants made with organic flour.

At night, their dinner really shines. We started off with Hogs Island oysters and an incredibly fresh salad (Point Reyes blue cheese, walnuts, and beets were featured along with the greens). We then had a Niman Ranch pork chop and some wontons. Both were able to balance out the sweet and savory. We had some local wines and for dessert we had a strawberry-and-apple tart with vanilla ice cream

On Saturday, we headed north. On the way from Olema to Marshall, we stopped off at Point Reyes Station (population: 350) to make sure we picked up some cheese from Cowgirl Creamery.

For the third year in a row, a group of us converged at Tomales Bay Oyster Company to barbecue oysters and enjoy kicking back on the beach. This was the biggest group yet (we were 25 people strong) and everyone contributed - beer, wine, shrimp kabobs, sausages, salmon, salads, chips, pita, hummus, dips, sauces, and for dessert: carrot cake and pecan pie. In addition, the Olema Inn was kind enough to send us off with a large cup of their classic mignonette to help with the oysters (we also had garlic butter, hot sauce, limes, and vodka for shooters). The weather, sunny and warm, cooperated nicely.

Afterwards, we drove along the beautiful 1 (winding roads, through redwood forests and on tops of cliffs along the coast) towards Muir Woods. There, a traditional pub (The Pelican Inn) features shepherds pie, fish & chips, cider, and a host of ales on tap. They have several rooms to stay at as well.

On Sunday, we explored Point Reyes. We checked out the lighthouse, hiked amongst wildflowers, headed over to Chimney Rock to check out the seals, and had a picnic lunch featuring Cowgirl Creamery's Mt Tam cheese, salami from a local Berkeley producer, and some other foods we had purchased in Point Reyes Station. We also just made it before closing time at Drakes Bay Oysters, where you can shuck your own oysters. On the way back, we stopped to look at The Embers (all that remains of Mankas Inverness Lodge).

We again took the 1, catching some beautiful views over the Pacific Ocean, before making it back to San Francisco.

Menlo Park

While in Menlo Park earlier this week, I spent quite some time browsing a great bookstore that's been part of the community for over 50 years, taking the book I bought next door to a family-run cafe. Finally, I hit a dive bar that's been around for 40 years for a burger and a beer.

Kepler's is set up to appreciate books. When I walked in, an author was finishing up his book reading by answering one last question. The book store has author events about 3 times a week, plus other events 2 other days. Their fiction offerings snake along the wall, while their nonfiction books create the aisles. There's even a section dedicated to what different book clubs are reading.

After you purchase your book, head over to Cafe Borrone for a latte or even a full meal. This place is always packed, so expect a line. Then, either lose yourself in your book or spend some time checking out the scene: there's a group of Italians, there's a family, a couple on a date, two college students flirting with the venture capitalists at the other table, and on it goes. On weekends, they have live music.

If instead you are looking for a place where you can kick back with the game on the TV, multiple beers on tap, juicy burgers at the ready, and a pool table, then head over to the Dutch Goose. Having been around for 40 years, you can take some time poring over the etchings people have scratched into the tables. Also, make sure to get a bag of peanuts and throw the shells on the floor.

San Francisco International Film Festival

Today marks the opening of the 50th anniversary of the San Francisco International Film Festival, the longest-running film festival in the Americas.

Some highlights include the opening night film Golden Doors, centerpiece film Delirious, and closing night film La Vie en Rose. George Lucas, Spike Lee, Robin Williams, Rosario Dawson, and Sam Rockwell will all receive various awards.

Other films that seem interesting include the following:
- Forever, Dutch documentarian Heddy Honigmann's look at Pere-Lachaise cemetery (anyone who's spent more than a week in Paris while in their teens or early 20's probably spent some drunken afternoon looking for Jim Morrison's grave...or maybe that was just me). By the way, she's also receiving an award.
-All in this Tea, which follows a tea importer who travels throughout China trying to find the best possible tea (ideally handpicked).
-After This Our Exile, Patrick Tam's return after 15 years picked up best picture awards in Hong Kong and best Asian film at the Tokyo Film Festival.

There's several films about music:
-Fabricating Tom Ze, a documentary about one of tropicallismo's pioneers
-The Old, Weird America: Harry Smith's Anthology of Folk Music
-Punk's Not Dead, which follows the history of punk rock from the Clash and Sex Pistols through the underground 80's and into the commercial success it has today (but, by definition, how can DIY punk be commercially successful?). Go see this, and then go check out the Vivienne Westwood exhibit at the DeYoung.
-Once, a little Irish film about musicians that charmed Sundance.

There are also six movies which combine film and live onstage performance, highlighted by a 1921 classic silent film. "The Phantom Carriage rides again with a new score composed and presented live by local icon Jonathan Richman." (By the way, you know him from the guy who sang in There's Something About Mary). Other films that have a live onstage performance can be found here.

There are also shorts, many new directors highlighted, and even several horror films.

Fort Mason Tonight

I am looking forward to checking out the SFMOMA Artists' Warehouse Sale. The CCA (California College of the Arts) 100-year celebration is also tonight. We may stop by there as well.

Update: we did go to the 100-year celebration and saw some extremely talented seniors show their designs on a runway.

French bistros: brunch

There are quite a few French cafes throughout the city, most of which serve brunch.

This weekend, I headed to South Park to eat at The Butler and the Chef. A classic Perrier umbrella out front, French cafe chairs and Cinzano tables. The scene definitely depicts typical French bistro. The menu doesn't disappoint either: savory and sweet crepes, gauffres (belgian waffles), quiches, croques monsieurs, and various types of eggs. Various types of coffee as well. Note as well that they use organic ingredients where possible, such as organic milk, organic eggs and organic flour in all their breads. Their portions are huge, so bring a big appetite. They serve brunch all day on weekends. Walk it off by strolling around the park and checking out the deals for both men and women at Jeremy's. Or, it's a great place to get some brunch before heading over to check out the Giants on a weekend afternoon game, a few blocks away.

Over in Noe Valley, I've been to Le Zinc several times. On a nice day, make sure to get a table out back in the sun-lit garden. The name of the place comes from the classic zinc bar, which is an antique from France. Their menu has some interesting takes on crepes (both savory and sweet), and various egg dishes. Great fresh-squeezed orange juice and various coffees on the menu, plus an extensive wine menu should you choose to imbibe. Portions are more French-sized. Post-brunch, walk along 24th Street checking out shoes at Rabat (no website, 4001 24th Street), women's clothes at Ambiance, or pick up some Belgian chocolate at the only place in SF that sells Leonidas: Belgano.

In Pacific Heights, I'm often at La Boulange, part of the Bay Bread Group, which makes organic artisan breads. They have croques monsieurs, quiches, various types of breads and pastries, salads, and of course buttery croissants (with pots of marmalade and nutella to put on as much as you want). They also have great fresh orange juice and coffees. There's too many choices of where to go afterwards on Fillmore Street, but some choices include Jonathan Adler (home decor), Bittersweet (chocolate), In Water (flowers),

ROY RULES

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/#mea=94842

Cultural Options in SF

This month, at some of the leading cultural centers in the city, there are a lot of options.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art - I get to the SFMOMA about twice a month. This month, check out the Picasso exhibit (how Picasso impacted modern American artists like Jasper Johns, Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, etc.) and the Brice Marsden exhibit.

DeYoung - I get to the DeYoung about once a month. This month, check out the Vivienne Westwood exhibit.

Legion of Honor - I don't get to the Legion of Honor nearly enough. This month, check out the Masterpieces of French Jewelry.

Yerba Buena Center of Arts - The YBCA has art exhibits, plays, dance, and other performance options. This month, I caught Alonzo King's Lines Ballet's performance with the Shaolin Monks. I've always wanted to see Shaolin monks showing their martial arts skills. This combination with ballet dancers was an amazing merging of West/East movement.

I'm a sushi chef

I've been meaning to make my own sushi for a while.

We headed off to a book store to dig up a "how the hell do you make a sushi roll" book of some kind. They sell these cheap kits (like $20 or less) that offer the book, a little bamboo mat, and some other sushi paraphernalia (sp?).

Then, it was off to Yum Yum Fish (no website, 2181 Irving Avenue between 22nd and 23rd Street). This is an excellent place to buy your sushi-grade fish. They had some salmon, tuna, hamachi, and other fish lying ready to be picked up by us and transformed into spicy tuna rolls and whatever else we decided to make.

The great thing about Yum Yum is that you've got a couple of dolts (that would be me, or you - if you go) who are "going to make some sushi! Yup!" An older Japanese gentleman grumbles a bit and cuts up some fish for you and then the softer side comes out. "You no eat this part." OK? why? Will we get sick? "grumble" What? "grumble" OK. He then cuts out the parts that you shouldn't eat. You can also pick up some wasabi, pickled ginger, and sushi rice here if you'd like.

Now that you've got your fish, you would still have to get some cucumber, avocado, and other accoutrements for your rolls. Maybe you'll also make some miso soup? Go next door to the market (I have no idea what the name is), and you'll be able to pick up miso paste, green onions, mushrooms, and tofu. You better know what your veggies look like, because everything is labeled in Cantonese.

Cheesesteaks

A few years ago, I was in Philadelphia. I ran up the art museum stairs and struck my Rocky pose, took in a Phillies game, and of course had a cheesesteak.

Here in SF, there's two places that vie for cheesesteak supremacy. Jay's (no website) and The Cheese Steak Shop. Either one is a decent option, but for my money I have to recommend The Cheese Steak Shop.

Jay's just fell short - the steak is not as succulent, they did not have as much cheese, and the sandwiches are frankly smaller. Hey, if you're looking to eat healthy, don't have a cheesesteak.

As for The Cheese Steak Shop - big sandwiches, loaded with gooey cheese, and the right amount of peppers. The steak was better too.

Both are on Divis - TCSS between Bush and Sutter, while Jay's is between Fell and Hayes (Jay's has another outpust on 21st Street).

Mmmmmmm DOSA

DOSA is a great Southern Indian restaurant.

Read any review and they will rave about the variety of dosas. The best way to describe dosas are what the restaurant itself says, "Dosa is one of the world’s great culinary delicacies. Similar to a crepe, it is served with a variety of fillings that will offer you the most authentic and tantalizing flavors of South India."

However, that's only one thing on the menu, which focuses on South Indian food. So,here's some suggestions on how to navigate your way through the menu:
-order a soup or a salad (for example the mung sprouts salad)
-then, have a starter. Actually, not just any starter but a Dahi Vada. It's lentil dumplings, topped with yogurt, tamarind, mint, and spices.
-next would be the dosa. Dosas come with potatoes, chutney, vegetables, or any of a host of fillings
-you could continue on to the curries if you would like, but the above would already be quite filling
-finally, they have a range of south Indian delicacies

The drinks are great. Rather than the typical Taj Mahal beer, there's a well-selected wine list and the drinks at the bar are made not only with the ubiquitous soju but lillet. Lillet's a wine, which pairs well with fruit juices and are a great way to start the evening.

We enjoyed the food so much at dinner, we came back for brunch a week later. We tried a different dosa and had the dahi vada again. Also tried a refreshing mango lassi.

Green

A couple months ago, the IPCC produced its report on global warming (see link at the bottom). Since then, global warming has dominated the headlines from Republican Bush announcing plans to reduce emissions in the State of the Union Address to Democrat Gore picking up an Oscar for An Inconvenient Truth (see link at the bottom of this e-mail). Cutting across political lines, 5 Western states signed an agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions quicker than the federal government has pledged.

Political posturing aside, and for all of you who simply want to make money, even Wall Street is getting in on the act. "Climatic Consequences" is a 120-page analyst report put out by Edward Kerschner at Citigroup that shows you where you should invest.

If Wall Street recognizing that money can be made is not proof enough, here's further proof that going green is going mainstream. The NY Times magazine just had a very long article by Thomas Friedmann (also at the bottom). Levi's is now marketing organic denim jeans. And of course, Ah-nold the Governator drives a bio-fueled Hummer.

But, the key question for you is likely to be "what can I do to make a difference?" To make a difference you should consider: how can I reduce my carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions?

By looking at your own behavior, you can reduce your carbon footprint (which is a measure of how much greenhouse gases you produce). In addition, by choices you make on what you consume and purchase, you can benefit companies that have a lower carbon footprint (or potentially encourage other companies to have a lower carbon footprint). There are things I do every day which achieve that:
Drive less: walk, bike, take mass transit, and when I drive, I keep my tires inflated
Recycle more
Avoid products with a lot of packaging
Adjust my thermostat down 2 degrees in winter and up 2 degrees in summer
Use less hot water by using cold/warm water when washing clothes and only running fully-loaded dishwashers
Buy locally grown & produced (ideally with sustainable farming methods), fresh (not frozen), organic foods (like those found at a farmer's market)
Turn off electronic devices when not using them
I've started looking at changing all my lightbulbs to CFL's
Other things I could be doing more of:
Carpool or join a car-share program
Install a low-flow shower head
When purchasing a new appliance, get one of these
Plant a tree
Unfortunately, San Francisco's PG&E does not allow me to switch to clean, renewable sources of energy
To get to completely zero impact, you would have to become carbon neutral, which means that you've reduced your global warming pollution to zero. All of the above will help you reduce your carbon footprint. No matter what you do, though, you will never get to zero (you still have to stay warm in the winter, you have to get to work, you don't always have the opportunity to recycle, you have to fly to places, you have a fuel-UNefficient car, etc.).

You can calculate your carbon footprint and purchase offsets at many different place, such as http://www.nativeenergy.com/. How does purchasing an offset work? If you produce 8 tons of emissions and you purchase 8 tons of reductions, you are at a net zero (or carbon neutral). Purchasing an offset means you are helping to finance and build new clean and renewable energy projects. These new projects are aimed to displace electricity generated from fossil fuels or reduce other greenhouse gas emissions making up for the CO 2 emissions you can't avoid.

A month-and-a-half ago, I looked at what I could do better, calculated my carbon footprint, and purchased the appropriate offsets. I also thought that I would post this to show that the actions you take don't have to be that drastic and you are probably incorporating them in your every day life already.

To find out more about global warming:http://www.ipcc.ch/
http://climatecrisis.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming
http://economist.com/research/articlesBySubject/display.cfm?id=7933604
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/15/magazine/15green.t.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin

Brick!

I'd heard about brick as the owners of solstice and fly (no website) decided to venture off Divis and move into the Tenderloin with a bigger place. Similar to fly and solstice, brick has its focus on both drinks and food.

While I'd heard about it, it was only recently that I'd been able to try it out. Upon walking in, you are greeted by a big rectangular bar in the middle of the restaurant. It's well worth sitting at the bar and trying one of their concoctions. They are potent and well crafted. In addition, they have a well-selected wine menu.

Their food is well prepared. We tried the calamari dish, which was grilled and had a spicy drizzle over it. We also had the hamachi sashimi. That's all I can recommend, though. The food is set up on the menu in traditional appetizer / entree style, but the concept of the place is to share. So it's sort of small/big plates? The appetizers work better in this setup, as I was not very impressed with the main dishes.

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.