SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.
Today’s Look: Madeliaine, Mission and 19th St.
Tell us about your look: “No comment…”
SFBG Blogs
Why is Geithner violating federal law?
This is a most revealing commentary by William K. Black, senior regulator
during the S&L debacle and a professor at the University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.
Click here to read William K. Black’s February 23, 2009 article from the Huffington Post, Why Is Geithner Continuing Paulson’s Policy of Violating the Law?
Sit-Down Specials: Haute cuisine for beginners (and paupers)
SFBG’s Diana Dunkelberger digs her fork into a deliciously local low-price menu every week. Check out her most recent installment here.
Blackened beef carpaccio and crisp salsify with rocket, corn cream and a basil emulsion. Brandade of salt cod with crostini and pequillo peppers. Ossobuco with gremolata, risotto milanese, grilled radicchio, tomato confit and parmesan bone marrow crisp. At Carême 350, you can have courses like these for just a fraction above the cost of the raw ingredients.
Cruising Craigslist:This week’s best personals
Each week, Justin Juul combs the SF Craigslist Personals and Missed Connections for true gems that prove there’s enough love for everyone. View his last installment here.
Taking public transportation to work can be boring, but it doesn’t have to suck completely. I mean, you never know right? If you were to pull your head out of your iPhone for a second, you might just lock eyes with your future soul mate. You might find a drinking buddy or new member for your book club. And that’s just the beginning. MUNI and BART may be brimming with lost tourists, stuffy businessmen, and panhandlers, but those trains and busses are also full of sex…or at the very least, unrequited lust. If you could read the minds of your fellow passengers, you’d see that all those boring people are, in fact, pretty damn saucy. Take that preppy-looking girl with the curly hair who always gets off at Stockton & Kearny. She may look like she’s preoccupied with work stuff, but she’s actually in the middle of a hot and heavy groping session with the passenger behind her. Then there’s that scruffy old man who sits next to you on BART every morning. He likes the way you smell so much that he goes home everyday and…well, maybe it’s better we can’t read minds. And maybe we should hold off on acknowledging our neighbors until we check the missed connections posts on Craigslist to see who we’re dealing with.
2002 N-Judah Muni at Civic Center Station – w4m (downtown / civic / van ness)
Reply to: [redacted]
Date: 2009-02-19, 8:56AM PST
In 2002, I was riding an inbound N-Judah MUNI -not too crowded but a few people standing. I was sitting alone on the right aisle next to the door on the back half of the train facing the front… possibly listening to music and rather oblivious to my surroundings.
Then, when the train stopped at (what I’m pretty sure was) the Civic Center station, you tapped me on my shoulder from behind. Surprised, I turned in your direction and you said something like “you’re beautiful” to me as you were getting off the train with another male (friend).
I had no time to react because the door closed as soon as you stepped off.
I don’t really remember much of how you looked like other than I think you had curly dark (black) hair of medium-short length. This happened almost 7 years ago, but I still think about it constantly.
Picks from San Jose’s Cinequest Film Festival
By Natalie Gregory
The three films I have watched from this year’s Cinequest all feature characters grappling with different life periods. In Swiss entry Another Man, Francois deals with a quarter-life crisis: he’s trying to find his voice as a film critic, but is constrained by his small-town surroundings and lack of actual experience. In Euforia , from Mexico, Pat is obsessed with the accomplishments of his youth and is hopeless in his middle age. In The Caller, Frank is an older man, accepting of his fate, trying to understand the course of his life.
Frank Langella plays a corporate whistleblower in The Caller.
Noise Pop: Antony and the Johnsons emerge from the shadows
Wailin’: Antony and the Johnsons at the Masonic. All photos by Ariel Soto.
By Ariel Soto
Antony and the Johnsons performed at Nob Hill Masonic Center on Feb. 24, the first night of the Noise Pop music festival. The stage was lit by nothing more than seemingly soft candle light. The audience grew ever so quiet as Antony began to play the piano, his voice stretching and weaving throughout the auditorium. Between songs, he spoke about how he felt to be back in San Francisco, remembering the days when he used to panhandle down near Union Square.
Times have obviously changed: instead of shivvering in the cold, he’s now playing to packed concert halls full of adoring fans. Antony is the star of the band, but it’s obvious that he’s rather shy, dipping behind shadows, letting the audience just barely get a glimpse of that luscious black hair.
Noise Pop: Take two with Thao – the SF singer-songwriter on watermelons, crazy Eights, and the ‘burbs
There’s a lot more to Thao Nguyen of Thao with the Get Down Stay Down than meets the eye: watermelons, missing cowboy boots, wash-and-fold duties, and missing mini-vans. Here’s more of a talk with her; for the rest of this interview, go here. Nguyen performs as part of Noise Pop ‘09 on Feb. 26.
SFBG: You just got back from Portland? How’s the recording of the new album going?
Thao Nguyen: It’s a pretty slow process. Everything has to be of a higher standard than you’re used to. With our producer, he’s really into details. It’s still Tucker [Martine, who recorded We Brave Bee Stings and All (Kill Rock Stars)]. He’s awesome. He has an incredible ear and has higher standards than I’m used to. He’s always asking me for more.
The Chron — for sale? Shut down?
By Tim Redmond
Well, that’s the news, anyway. Frank Vega, the publisher, sent a memo out to employees today that lays out some grim options (thanks, SFIST for breaking the story and running the memo):
Memo from Frank Vega, Chairman & Publisher
February 24, 2009Dear Fellow Employees:
The rapidly declining economy, coupled with severely declining advertising revenues, is forcing nearly every newspaper company to re-think how it conducts business while continuing to serve its respective communities.
Despite all of our best efforts as an organization, The Chronicle continues to show staggering losses each week. Recent staff and expense reductions have not stemmed these losses, which are only worsening in the present economy. In response to our financial picture and the bleak economic forecast for the foreseeable future, our management team has begun a series of cost-saving initiatives designed to alleviate those losses.
First and foremost of these cost savings will be a significant reduction in force across all areas of our operation affecting both represented and non-represented employees. We will shortly begin discussions with union leadership on proposals. Our current situation dictates that we accomplish these cost savings quickly. Business as usual is no longer an option.
If we are unable to accomplish these reductions in the immediate future, Hearst Corporation, which owns The Chronicle, has informed us that it will offer the newspaper for sale or close it altogether. We know these are painful times for everyone and we face difficult choices. We share in the sincere hope that we will reach agreement with all parties involved on the concessions needed to continue to operate and provide the Bay Area with a quality newspaper.
I will update you throughout this process. Thank you for your support and good work, particularly in economic times that are difficult for all of us.
Now, I agree with the SFIST folks — this could be a shot across the bow to the unions, a message that they better accept deep job and pay cuts or lose everything. Vega is known for being a tough negotiator who wore a gun to work during the Detroit News-Detroit Press Press strike in 1995. And even he’s had a hard time getting costs under control at the Chron, which is still losing roughly $1 million a week. I doubt that Hearst would actually shutter the only major daily paper in San Francisco. Particularly since Vega has negotiated a contract with a Canadian company to print the paper on fancy new presses — and it would be expensive as hell to get out of that.
On the other hand, the green-eyeshade guys in New York aren’t going to tolerate these losses much longer. And if the Chron goes on the block, you have to wonder: Who’s going to buy it?
Guardian editorial: Losing the tax argument
Raising taxes on those who can afford to pay is not only good politics, it’s good policy
EDITORIAL
The lead topic on the local cable TV show City Desk News Hour Feb. 21 was the state budget, and a panel of local reporters were talking about the mix of tax increases and service cuts the Legislature finally passed. After a bit of back and forth, Scott Shafer, host of KQED’s California Report, piped up. “Everyone knows it’s a bad idea to raise taxes in a recession” he said.
Ssshhh: ‘Secret’ Deerhunter show at Rickshaw
Well, we all know the RSVP list to the free Noise Pop opening party with Deerhunter at the Mezzanine is closed (though try going early – rumor has it you’re likely to get in anyway). But, hey, here’s yet another chance to catch Deerhunter: a “MySpace Secret Show” at Rickshaw Stop with the Pains of Being Pure at Heart (look for a story on their label Slumerland in an upcoming issue of the Guardian).
DEERHUNTER
With the Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Wed/25, 8 p.m., free
Rickshaw Stop
155 Fell, SF
(415) 861-2011
Tharoor: Slumdog Oscar
Shashi Tharoor is a contributing writer for the Project Syndicate news series. Tharoor, a novelist and commentator, is a former Under Secretary General of the United Nations.
Slumdog Oscar
By Shashi Tharoor
NEW DELHI – Indians haven’t often had much to root for at the Oscars, Hollywood’s annual celebration of cinematic success. Only two Indian movies have been nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category in the last 50 years, and neither won.
So Indians take vicarious pleasure in the triumphs of “mainstream” pictures with an Indian connection – the seven Oscars won by Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi in 1983, for instance, or the success of The Sixth Sense, written and directed by a Philadelphian of Indian descent, Manoj Night Shyamalan.
Garamendi leads the way on reform
Some California heavy hitters, led by the Bay Area Council and including Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, are meeting up in Sacto today to talk about a California Constitutional convention (pdf).
The idea: The state’s such a mess right now that we might as well get a group of people (not elected legislators) together and rewrite the rules for governing.
It’s either a brilliant idea or a horrible one, depending, to a great extent, on whether the progressives in this state have it together to influence the outcome. Otherwise, we’ll wind up with all sorts of awful stuff in there.
Guardian report Rebecca Bowe is there, and will be blogging on it later today, but an interesting element is already emerging. I just got a copy of Garamendi’s speech, and the Lt. Guv, who based on his history would seem to be the most moderate to conservative Democrat, is going out front on the reform platform:
“We have tied ourselves in knots with the two-thirds vote requirement. It’s time to go back to what this nation established years ago – a majority rule plan, plain and simple, on every issue,” Garamendi said. “That would solve a lot of problems. Whatever the minority party is, they should not dominate the policies of the state of California. That’s the two-thirds vote requirement on appropriations including the budget and taxes.”
That makes him the only leading Democrat in the governor’s race who is willing to say publicly that the Legislature ought to be able to raise taxes on a 55 percent vote.
Attorney General Jerry Brown, who built his early career on political reform, is running for the fences and hasn’t taken any position on the 2/3 requirement.
And San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who ought to be the liberal in the race, is kinda sorta playing the halfway game. Eric Jaye, his campaign manager, told me today that Newsom supports reducing the threshold for budget approval – but hasn’t decided about the tax threshold.
“It’s a question that’s been posed to him and he’s exploring it,” Jaye said. “There’s no question that the current system’s broken and needs to be fixed.”
Yes, it needs to be fixed – but fixing it by allowing the Democratic majority to pass a budget, and then allow the Republican minority to hold the state hostage because the anti-tax nuts won’t approve the spending measures, is worse than no fix at all.
So the lineup for gov is already shaping up in odd ways, with Garamendi becoming the populist reformer, Brown acting like the kind of politician he used to despise, and Newsom getting left behind with the really squishy can’t-take-a-stand center.
People’s History lessons
By Steven T. Jones
If there is a Bible of the modern American progressive movement (and there probably isn’t, given our skepticism about divine revelations), it would probably be A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn.
For many of us, it was like a lightbulb that illuminated the flipside of the fables we were told in school. And once we understood our country’s history from the perspective of its losers and the vanquished, we instinctively knew that making progress meant finally dealing honestly with our past and with the people being left behind in the present.
Voices from that seminal book will emanate from the stage at Mission High School this Thursday is a special, star-studded performance that includes Zinn, Benjamin Bratt, Josh Brolin, Diane Lane, Boots Riley, and Robin Penn Wright. Unfortunately, the performance sold out quickly, but it’s just nice to know it’s there.
Peepshow: Sex Styles with the godfather of pornocore
Each week Justin Juul highlights a rad upcoming local sexy event.
Who Kool Keith is an underground hip-hop artist who raps about dinosaurs, aliens, robots, Elvis Presley, and murder. But that’s all beside the point because the only thing Kool Keith really cares about is sex. An adventurous and non-discriminating fornicator, Kool Keith writes eroto-biographical lyrics so weird and raunchy they make Too Short sound like a thugged out version of Dr Seuss. It’s true that he’s matured a little since the release of “Sex Styles,” “Dr. Octogynecologist,” and “Spankmaster,” but…actually, scratch that. Kool Keith hasn’t matured at all. I mean, sure he talks about global warming sometimes, but his most recent albums feature songs/skits with names “Booty Clap,” “Our Operators are Masturbating,” and “Eat It.” Plus, he hangs out with Ice T and Princess Superstar every day. ‘Nuff said.
What This show is called “Kool Keith: Dr. Octagon vs. Dr Doom,” which probably sounds confusing if you’re not familiar with Keith’s multiple personalities. Here’s a little background. Keith’s most famous alter ego, Dr. Octagon, is an extraterrestrial time traveling gynecologist from Jupiter who likes anal sex and shark meat. He has yellow eyes, a green face, and a pink-and-white Afro. Dr. Doom is a serial killer who eats other humans and breeds rats. Doom and Octagon got into a little scuffle about 10 years ago and Octagon lost. He died. Or at least that’s how it seemed. Somehow Dr. Octagon managed to record an album and make some videos back in 2006. This really pissed Dr. Doom off so now they’re having a musical re-match that’s bound to last an eternity (check the video footage here). Expect Dr. Sperm, Alien Man, Mr. Nogatco, Willie Biggs, Jimmy Steele, and many many others to appear. Mike Relm, Crown City Rockers, and Hopsin will also be performing. Dj set by Kut Masta Kurt. This show is part of Noise Pop.
Where The Mezzanine (444 Jessie, SF). Tickets ($18).
When Thursday, February 26th. 8pm.
Why “Big Sniff is back. Word to honey’s ass crack.” –Kool Keith, The Mack is Back
Street Threads: Look of the Day
SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.
Today’s Look: Omar, Mission and 19th St.
Tell us about your look: “My style is rocker all the way.”
The Larder: Smell, don’t speak
Diana Dunkelberger gets the scoop on yummy local edibles. View her last installment here.
Yesterday evening, on my way to a friend’s house for dinner, I got it in mind to bring with me an extra special cheese. So I marched on over to Cheese Plus, a shop you can easily find with your eyes closed if the wind is blowing just right. The hundreds of cheeses here work together to produce thick, billowing clouds of the loveliest, most exquisite stench you have ever inhaled. After making a beeline to the cheese display in the back of the store, I spent at least 20 minutes hemming and hawing and sampling and re-sampling (you know, just to make sure). Then finally, inexplicably, I landed on the tiniest package there: California Crottin goat cheese, made by the Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery in Sonoma.
Too late for UK band Late of the Pier?
LATE OF THE PIER
Fantasy Black Channel
(Astralwerks)
By Todd Lavoie
Given the manic pulsations emanating from this English indie-electro quartet, I suppose it’s only appropriate that Late of the Pier‘s ascent from teenage obscurity to darlings of the British music press would be swift and twitching with drama. Formed in 2004, when all four members were only 16 or 17 years of age, the group released its first single on an independent label in March 2007 – the hype machine began tossing superlatives almost immediately thereafter. From there, a couple of additional singles followed – and the accompanying hyperbole from the press seemed to compound exponentially.
By the autumn of last year, their debut, Fantasy Black Channel – which includes some of their previously issued singles – found a major-label release in Britain (on Parlophone/EMI), preceded of course by a level of advance buzz that almost always dooms the poor coveted object to eventual disappointment. Now, several months later, the disc has finally seen a domestic release; only time will tell whether the famously excitable Brit press will stick with these guys long enough to respond to their next move, but in the meantime, a valid question persists – was the hype merited?
It takes a Foot Village – and the Drums and T.I.T.S. to make a glorious noise at Bottom of the Hill
By L.C. Mason
The drum gods were smiling down on Bottom of the Hill Feb. 18 as drum-centric bands Foot Village and the Drums pounded out thunderous reveries that undoubtedly had even the stars in the sky dancing to their rhythm.
Heating things up good and hot was psychedelic noise outfit T.I.T.S., an all-girl ensemble that definitely brought the ruckus down on an unsuspecting crowd. Their deafening, doom metal-tinged jams would have made Metal Machine Music-era Lou Reed proud and filled the space with minor key dirges and menacing, monotone lyrics about the void and phantom animals. Bassist Mary “Elizabreast” Yarbrough dazzled as she punched her guitar strings in an attempt to make the ceiling fall, while the rest of the girls, dressed in mismatched flower-print housewife garb, maintained professional poker faces as they laid down riffs so heavy you couldn’t get under them if you tried.
Weighing in on the “Wrecked Park Department”
By Ben Terrall
Hundreds of Recreation and Park Department workers and their supporters, family, and friends packed a Recreation and Park Commission hearing on proposed budget cuts to the department on Thursday. Overflow attendees watched the hearing on a large screen in another room.
They warned that the cuts will decimate violence prevention programs and have other serious long-term costs to San Francisco, while criticizing the purported privatization savings as a costly illusion. And still, the commission voted unanimously to approve the package of cuts.
Bad Sex makes good reading
By Molly Freedenberg
What’s the worst thing about waiting two hours in the airport for a delayed flight after a long weekend of drinking and subsequent hanging over? Almost everything.
The one redeeming thing? My extra two hours at O’Hare, without a convenient outlet for plugging in my computer, gave me the chance to finish Bad Sex: We Did It, So You Won’t Have To” (Chronicle, 2008), a collection of essays by Nerve.com contributors about funny, embarrassing, ill-advised, and just plain silly sex encounters.
The book, like Nerve itself, is charming, hip (but not trying too hard), entertaining, and extremely readable. It’s also refreshingly multi-generational, containing stories from recent college grads and middle-aged divorcees alike.
Highlights: Monica Drake’s “The Splatter Artist,” about a lover who can’t keep his fluids to himself; David Amsden’s “The Incomplete Triangle,” in which a man discovers the pitfalls of dating a bisexual woman (read: it does not guarantee you a threesome); and Porochista Khakpour’s “The 20-Year-Old Virgin,” which is about small liberal art school culture as much as it is about the boyfriend who believed intercourse was “commercial, pedestrian, and perfunctory.” Though there are some stories too crazy to believe (see the one on vampirism by Kevin Keck), and some about sex so bad it hurts (see “On the Rebound,”), most of these tales are about sex that’s less obviously bad but rather awkward, strange or disappointing in the way most of us have experience less-than-stellar sex. What these it-could-happen-to-me confessions lose in titillation they certainly gain back in relatability and humor.
Appetite: Steak, pork, Victoria Lamb and an El Carajo cocktail or two
Welcome to Appetite, a new column on food and drink. A long-time San Francisco resident and writer, Virginia Miller is passionate about this incomparable city, obsessed with finding and exploring its best spots, deals, events and news. Miller started with her own service and monthly food/drink/travel newsletter, The Perfect Spot, and will continue to pass along up-to-the minute news to us. View her last installment here.
By Virginia Miller
Luke Magnan of South is raising money for Down Under
New openings
FiDi’s A5 Steak Lounge for the urban-chic carnivore
Frisson was one of the coolest restaurant spaces I’ve seen: a modern-day-chic meets the ’60’s vibe with orange couches, a round room and striking dotted-lighting ceiling. Though closed awhile, the space is now reincarnated. The same round, dome ceiling remains, though this time the room is redone in softer, sleeker hues with faux-alligator chairs and cream-colored booths. Steve Chen and Albert Chen (not related), are the new owners, creating a current-day steakhouse for the urban carnivore, A5 Steak Lounge. A5 refers to the highest grade of Japanese Wagyu beef, which, yes, will be served along with some choice US Prime beef. Chef Marc Vogel helms the menu, which refreshingly offers a range of sizes and prices in steak cuts – even those who just want a taste can order, let’s say a 4 oz. rib-eye (around $12), an 8 oz. slab (low $20’s), on upwards. You can have your steak and eat it (all), too.
A5 is in the middle of a soft opening until the official launch date of March 10. Be the first to try it out (with reduced prices) during the limited, four-nights reservations, with the caveat that you provide feedback as the staff hones the menu and service prior to opening.
244 Jackson Street
415-989-2539
Email for reservations: rsvp@a5steakhouse.com
Tipsy Pig gastrotavern debuts in the Marina on Feb. 24
The Marina restaurant take-over of Nate Valentine, Sam Josi and Stryker Scales (behind Mamacita, Umami and Blue Barn Gourmet) continues with The Tipsy Pig , opening today in the former Bistro Yoffi space. The Tipsy Pig will start out only with dinner, but will eventually serve brunch and lunch as well, and the bar will be open till 2 a.m. I hear it’s a rustic, wood space separated comfortably into a Living Room (with bar, leather booths, wood tables), the Library, and an inviting back patio pleasantly aromatic with citrus trees, seating up to 50 people at communal picnic tables. Produce will, by-and-large, be sourced from Sonoma’s Oak Hill Farm for a locavore nod, while over 50 artisanal beers are available on tap or by the bottle along with — what else? — classic american cocktails. Menu items include a Spinach Salad with kabocha squash, plenty of pig dishes and a Brussel Sprout/Apple Hash. Whether or not we need another gastropub, the Marina doesn’t have one and I think all things combined (patio, beers, yummy-sounding menu, open all day…), it sounds well worth checking out.
2231 Chestnut Street
415-292-2300
www.thetipsypigsf.com
Special events
Tuesday, 2/24: South Fundraiser for Australia’s bushfire victims
Dine for a cause tonight at our local Australian/New Zealand gem, South. Aussie chef Luke Mangan wanted to help his homeland and is doing so with a special, four-course dinner benefiting victims of the Victorian bushfires. For $125, there’s dinner, wine pairings (from South sommelier Gerard O’Bryan) and a live auction with proceeds donated to the Australian Red Cross Bushfire Relief Fund . The menu is listed on the website with Down Under-influenced dishes like Victorian Lamb with rhubarb, nettles and parsley puree, or for dessert, Creme Fraiche Panna Cotta with kumquats and caraway. Seating is limited, so RSVP — and note a credit card is needed to hold your place.
7pm
330 Townsend Street, Suite 101
415-974-5599
RSVP to: info@southfwb.com
Dungeness Crab Week runs through March 1st
So it’s been a lackluster crab season, but what’s there is sweet and succulent as ever… and 44 SF chefs from 54 restaurants (do the math?) are featuring signature crab dishes on their menus this week. Visa is a sponsor, so if you pay with a Visa Signature card, you’ll get a complimentary cookbook featuring a slew of crab recipes from some of the chefs and restaurants involved. Some of my faves are participating (like Incanto, 1300 on Fillmore, Bix, Jardiniere, Pesce, Shanghai 1930, etc… and there’s no meat I’m more crazy about than crab, particularly our West Coast Dungeness.
For added fun, there’s the annual Crab Cracking Contest in Union Square on Saturday, 2/28, from noon-3pm. It’s free, though you’ll need to purchase tickets for food, beer and wine tastings. There’ll be Union Square chefs (like Jen Biesty of Scala’s and Adam Carpenter of Ponzu) and San Francisco 49ers (yeah, you heard right) crackin’ crabs together, with live music from Diego’s Umbrella, who myspace lists as Experimental-Flamenco-Rock, booths for kids, and plenty to drink.
Details and list of participating restaurants here:
Make reservations here
Bar news
Cocktails and small plates at Pisco
Get sultry with Brazilian Wednesday Nights at Pisco Latin Lounge
In these rainy days, one of the best ways to warm things up is a well-crafted drink and lively music. Pisco Latin Lounge offers you both in weekly Brazilian-themed Wednesdays. I recently enjoyed an ideal end to a long day here, sipping the El Carajo cocktail ($12, made of Veev Acai Liquor, St. Germain and Aji amarillo pepper), while watching spicy Brazilian music videos on the flat screens. DJ Anjo Avesso spins while you sip a specially-priced $7 Caramelized Caiparinha and chow down on Latin small plates. This Wednesday, 2/25, bring your business card or email address to possibly win a magnum (double-sized) bottle of Cachaca. Lindo maravilhoso!
Wednesdays, 7-11:45pm
1817 Market Street
415-874-9551
www.piscosf.com
Deals
Foreign Cinema’s three-course prix-fixe honors 10th anniversary
Foreign Cinema may not be the latest hotspot anymore, but it still packs ’em in with the mystique of being located on a dodgy Mission block, down a candlelit hallway, into an oasis of foreign film, a roaring fireplace and quite tasty food (I’ve long been partial to the pot de cremes for dessert). In honor of the restaurant’s 10th anniversary, a special prix-fixe menu is available every night of 2009 (!) for $36 per person ($55 with wine pairings, including a dessert wine pour), though menu items and wine flights change daily (I hear so far the Pot de Creme has been seen on the prix fixe menu, along with dishes like Fried Oysters with spinach, smoked bacon and preserved lemon).
2534 Mission Street
415-648-7600
www.foreigncinema.com
Mission Beach Cafe ushers in Pot Pie Sundays and Let Them Eat Cake!
One of my favorite cafes for its eclectic decor, friendly service, and, best of all, Blue Bottle coffee and amazing house-made pastries, Mission Beach Cafe further sweetens the ‘hood with two new specials. Pastry chef Alan Carter is already known at MBC for his flakey pot pies – that’s what baking and living in Paris did for him. Lucky us, he’s sharing his pot pie magic skills every Sunday night creating pies filled with rabbit, beef, duck or veggies. Sounds like a perfect winter dinner to me. On Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights, you can further rack up the calories (happily so) with a Let Them Eat Cake offer from 5:30–6:30 pm: a free slice of cake with each entrée ordered. Knowing how decadent the pastries and pies are, I’ve no doubt the cakes will give you sweet dreams, too.
198 Guerrero Street
415-861-0198
Snack Attack: Bolanis, the gateway drug
SFBG’s Juliette Tang gets a little satisfaction.
The free samples is how they get you. The sample is a gateway drug. Once you try a bolani, you’ll be hooked for life. They’re that good.
If you’ve ever been to any of the San Francisco farmer’s markets (or to any of the San Francisco Whole Foods stores), you might have passed an East and West Gourmet Afghan Food stand. And if you have, I’m sure one of their spectacularly convincing salespeople has handed you a free sample of bolani. Like I said, it’s all about the samples.
I remember my first sample as if it were yesterday.
I was at the Alemeny Farmer’s Market. I was minding my own business, filling my tote bags with fruits and vegetables, when — from the corner of my eye — I notice a small crowd milling about a nondescript, ubiquitous food stand shepherded by a pretty Middle Eastern girl. Out of curiosity, I head over to check out the action.
Not just about talent: Nels Cline turns in a mercurial ‘Coward’
NELS CLINE
Coward
(Cryptogramophone)
By Brandon Bussolini
By the third track of his new solo LP, Coward, Nels Cline has already limned sruti box-assisted drone (opener “Epiphyllum”), applied John Fahey’s fingerpicking style to British folk revival harmonies (“Prayer Wheel”), and, with the aptly titled “Thurston Country,” written what could pass as an outtake from the Sonic Youth guitarist’s solo outing Trees Outside the Academy (Ecstatic Peace!, 2007).
It’s tempting to describe the album as an identity crisis commited to tape, but that would involve delving into the fact that I’ve never quite understood what Cline was doing playing guitar for Wilco in the first place, even though the choice also seems perversely satisfying. Coward feels less like the jazz-reared guitarist is blowing off steam from his day job and recalibrating his personal goals, and more like he’s picking back up on a solo and collaborative career that has precious little commercial potential and an embarrassment of merit.
Ammiano: the budget is a real stool sample
Today’s Ammianoliner:
Schwarzenegger and Maldonado claim that budget plan is a four legged stool. Yeah, a real stool sample.
(From the home telephone answering machine of Assemblyman Tom Ammiano on the weekend of Feb. 2l, 2008).
Another good Ammianoliner was rolling around City Hall but did not make his answering machine.
As the legislative sleepins continued, Ammiano was reported to say: I haven’t slept with so many men since the ’70s.