Randy's Guide - Your Weekly Guide to Life: May 2012

What started as a throw-back quick-service burger joint in the Castro is evolving into a popular Bay Area chain. The highlights: 100% Niman Ranch beef fresh ground daily; organic Strauss cream for shakes and cones; in-house baked goods and pickles; and all-compostable packaging. You can also find beer and wine on tap, as well as spiked milkshakes. 4 stars - 543 reviews (Castro); 4 stars - 537 reviews (Union Square); 3-1/2 stars - 147 reviews (Marina); 3-1/2 stars - 73 reviews (Mill Valley).

Previous San Francisco picks: Radius; Limon Rotisserie; Art's Cafe; Little Star Pizza; Yamo; Breakfast at Tiffany's; Humphry Slocombe; Tu Lan; Foreign Cinema; Zanze's Cheesecake; San Tung; Katana-Ya; A La Turca; Boxing Room; Frances; Saigon Sandwich; Brenda's French Soul Food; Park Tavern; Broken Record; Rosamunde Sausage Grill; Curry Up Now; Yasukochi's Sweet Stop; Lime Tree Southeast Asian Kitchen; Firefly; Red Door Cafe; L'Ardoise Bistro; Pluto's; My Tofu House; Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous; Walzwerk; Good Luck Dim Sum; Amber India; Sotto Mare; Sweet Maple; Shanghai Dumpling King.

Previous Peninsula/South Bay picks: Curry Up Now (San Mateo); Little Lucca Sandwich Shop & Deli (Burlingame/South SF); Falafel's Drive In (San Jose); Sunny Bowl (Mountain View); Back A Yard Caribbean Grill (Menlo Park); Pluto's (Palo Alto/San Jose); Ramen Dojo/Ramen Parlor (San Mateo); Amber India (Mountain View/San Jose/Palo Alto); Nini's Coffee Shop (San Mateo).

Previous East Bay picks: Little Star Pizza (Albany); Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen (Berkeley); Asmara (Oakland); Keanu's Island Kine Food (Vacaville); Tara's Organic Ice Cream (Berkeley/Oakland); Pluto's (Chico/Davis/Sacramento/Roseville); Bakesale Betty (Oakland); Zachary's Pizza (Oakland/Berkeley/San Ramon); Shoki Ramen House (Sacramento); Gregoire (Berkeley/Oakland).

Previous North Bay picks: Bouchon Bakery (Yountville); Della Fattoria Bakery (Petaluma); Sol Food (San Rafael); Stumptown Brewery (Guerneville); Moustache Baked Goods (Healdsburg).

Local Bar Pick

Southern Pacific Brewing

620 Treat Ave. (at 19th St.)

San Francisco, CA 94110

(415) 341-0152

Southern Pacific

Yelp - Southern Pacific

I almost don't want to say anything about this new brewery in the Mission. The space is amazing: very high ceilings (think warehouse high), wind-protected patio, balcony, minimal decor. Typically you'll find about a half-dozen house-made brews, starting at $3 a pint, along with a dozen guest brews and a few specialty cocktails. There's also a limited food menu; I've heard good things about the burger and fries. A minor complaint is the lack of bicycle parking, about which the establishment is more than aware. 4 stars - 119 reviews

Previous San Francisco pick: Blackbird; El Rio; Rickhouse.

Previous Peninsula/South Bay pick: Antonio's Nut House.

Previous East Bay pick: The Trappist.

Previous North Bay pick: Lagunitas Brewing Co.

Local History

William A. Richardson

(1795-1856)

The London-born mariner arrived in 1822, assumed Mexican citizenship in 1825, and married the daughter of the San Francisco Presidio commandant. He built the first permanent civilian home in present-day San Francisco, and laid out the town's street plan. His petition to own land across from the Presidio was successful in 1838, and he named it Rancho Saucelito. Richardson Bay and the Marina District's Richardson Avenue are named after him.

Previous San Francisco history: John Geary; Samuel Brannan; Michael O'Shaughnessy; Jasper O'Farrell; Frank McCoppin; Thomas Hayes; Francisco de Haro; Jose Bernal; David Broderick; Henry Haight; John Townsend; Cyril Magnin; Jose Arguello; Keiko Fukuda; John Le Conte; Eugene Schmitz; Theodore Judah; Herb Caen; James Phelan.

Previous Peninsula/South Bay history: Millbrae; Tanforan Racetrack; T. Jack Foster; Leland Stanford; Milpitas; Donald Tresidder; Josiah Belden.

Previous East Bay history: Charles Tilden; William Hayward; John Fremont; Mariano Vallejo; Ygnacio Martinez; Henry Kaiser; Anthony Chabot.

Previous North Bay history: Cotati; Charles Fairfax; Luther Burbank.

Bay Area Charity

FabMo Creativity Center

2423 Old Middlefield Way

Mountain View, CA 94043

FabMo

Started in 1997, this Mountain View-based nonprofit is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) organization that diverts fabrics to Bay Area artisans and teachers. FabMo also hosts an annual art boutique and a variety of workshops.

Previous organizations Randy's Guide has spotlighted and donated: Common Ground Relief, LYRIC, Aldea Inc., Glide Memorial, City CarShare, Maitri, Loaves and Fishes, Friends of the Urban Forest, Farm Sanctuary, Bay Area Community Services, Blue Energy, My New Red Shoes, College Track, Foundation for the People of Burma, Vital Life Services, Little Angel Fund, San Francisco Health Services Coalition, Natural Resources Defense Council, Bay Localize, San Francisco Women Against Rape, Sustainable Conservation, Ashoka, Old Skool Cafe, Darfur Sister Schools, Rebuilding Together San Francisco, Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center, Urban Solutions, San Francisco Suicide Prevention, The East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse, Shanti, Curry Without Worry, SF Neighborhood Theater Foundation, La Cocina, Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Northern California, The Bike Kitchen, First Graduate, Lazarex Cancer Foundation (Amy C), and KQED (88.5 FM).

Bay Area Holiday Weekend Highs

Gusty conditions and a slight chance of rain through Friday. Below-normal temps for the entire weekend.

Coast: mid-50s

SF: mid-60s

Bay: mid-60s

North Bay: low-70s

Inland East Bay: low-70s

South Bay: low-70s

Bay Area Free Activities of the Week

1. Golden Gate Bridge 75th Anniversary

Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 11am-11pm

Celebrate the Bridge's 75th anniversary with free fireworks, watercraft parade, historic cars, sustainability fair, art installations, and bike tours. Activities are centered on Crissy Field, Marina Green, and Fisherman's Wharf. www.goldengatebridge75.org

2. Carnaval 2012

Sat-Sun 10am-6pm

Three live music stages, salsa dance classes, local vendors, and children's activities span seven blocks along Harrison Street. On Sunday morning, catch the parade from Bryant/24th to Mission/17th. www.sfcarnaval.com

3. Memorial Day

Mon 10am-8pm

Gatherings in San Francisco, San Anselmo, and Colma will honor fallen soldiers. www.presidio.gov/Calendar/Pages/memorial-day-2012.aspx www.facebook.com/events/203250076374041 www.cypresslawn.com/_mgxroot/page_10779.php

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Randy's Guide CCXCI (291)

Local Food Pick

Nini's Coffee Shop

1000 N. Idaho St. (at Bayswater Ave.)

San Mateo, CA 94401

(650) 348-9578

Yelp - Nini's

Since 1955, Nini's has been serving up comfy goodness to breakfast and brunch patrons. I really like the large back patio to take in the warm Peninsula air. Indoors, you'll be treated to countless tchotchke. Teriyaki steak & eggs, chicken apple sausage, biscuits & gravy... you get the picture. Coyote Point is nearby too. 510 reviews - 4 stars

Previous North Bay picks: Bouchon Bakery (Yountville); Della Fattoria Bakery (Petaluma); Sol Food (San Rafael); Stumptown Brewery (Guerneville); Moustache Baked Goods (Healdsburg).

Local Bar Pick

Lagunitas Brewing Co.

1280 N. McDowell Blvd. (at Ross St.)

Petaluma, CA 94954

Lagunitas

Yelp - Lagunitas

A local band filled the air with raucous rock music. The sunny patio swelled with patrons from all backgrounds. Bartenders worked tirelessly on orders for pints and taster samplers. The beloved Bay Area brewery is most definitely worth a visit, especially since free tours with tastings can complement your afternoon here. Several of the beers are near impossible to find on tap anywhere. 4-1/2 stars - 301 reviews

Previous San Francisco pick: Blackbird; El Rio; Rickhouse

Previous Peninsula/South Bay pick: Antonio's Nut House

Previous East Bay pick: The Trappist

Local History

James D. Phelan (1861-1930)

A San Francisco native, Mr. Phelan studied law at UC Berkeley and was later elected Mayor of San Francisco (1897-1902). During the post-earthquake recovery, he was a member of the Committee of Fifty and became Chairman of the Board of Directors for the San Francisco Relief and Red Cross Funds. He served one term as a U.S. Senator, later defeated in part due to his conservatism. One campaign poster featured the headline "Keep California White." His country estate, Villa Montalvo, was gifted to Santa Clara County and now serves as a center for performing arts. Phelan Avenue, which runs through City College of San Francisco, is named after him.

Previous Peninsula/South Bay history: Millbrae; Tanforan Racetrack; T. Jack Foster; Leland Stanford; Milpitas; Donald Tresidder; Josiah Belden

Previous East Bay history: Charles Tilden; William Hayward; John Fremont; Mariano Vallejo; Ygnacio Martinez; Henry Kaiser; Anthony Chabot

Previous North Bay history: Cotati; Charles Fairfax; Luther Burbank

Bay Area Charity

FabMo Creativity Center

2423 Old Middlefield Way

Mountain View, CA 94043

FabMo

Bay Area Weekend Highs

I'm glad it's windy and cool here in SF now versus the weekend. Bay to Breakers will shine for all of the revelers and visitors under glorious sun.

Coast: low-60s

SF: upper-60s
Bay: low-70s

South Bay: upper-70s

Inland East Bay: upper-70s

North Bay: low-80s

Bay Area Free Activities of the Week

1. Bay to Breakers 101

* Friday 11am-7pm (expo)

* Saturday 9am-6pm (expo)

* Sunday 7am (race start) + 8:30am-1pm (fair)

It's the 101st year of the run. Expect the usual outlandish costumes, nudity, public intoxication, and police presence. The fair, which runs along MLK Drive between Great Highway and 41st Ave., takes the place of Footstock this year. www.baytobreakers.com

2. Nature = Awesome

* Love Your Parks Day: Saturday, 10am-1pm

* Solar Eclipse Viewing: Sunday, 5:15-8:18pm

On Saturday morning, clean up your local parks and be rewarded with t-shirts, lunch, or other goodies. McLaren Park, Hayes Valley Farm, and Mountain Lake Park are among the volunteer options. Then, on Sunday, check out the first annular solar eclipse in the Bay Area since 1994. The National Park Services lists out key meeting spots, and a silent meditation group will meet on Ocean Beach across from the Beach Chalet near Stairwell #17. http://nature.nps.gov/features/eclipse/index.cfm

www.meetup.com/SF-Free-School/events/64579462

3. Be Proud

* Asian Heritage Festival: Saturday, 11am-6pm

* Harvey Milk Day: Tuesday

This is the largest gathering of Asian Pacific Islanders in the nation. You can get free Hepatitis B screenings, cooking demos from Martin Yan and Charles Phan, and free film screenings by the Center for Asian American Media. It runs along Larkin Street, between the Asian Art Museum and Little Saigon. May 22 is Harvey Milk Day in California, and the GLBT Museum in the Castro is offering free admission from 11am-7pm. Rare videos of Milk will be screened in the Main Gallery. www.asianfairsf.com www.glbthistory.org

Spread the Word!

- Yelp the Guide

- send San Francisco Area activities or e-mail updates

- forward the Guide to friends, family, and colleagues

- check out the online version

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Randy's Guide CCXC (290)

Local Reader's Pick

Reader Oth writes about Guerrilla Rep's "My Tia Loca's Life of Crime," which runs at San Francisco's Bindlestiff Studio through June 2. Themes range from immigration and race relations to spousal abuse and family reunification. Tickets are $20. www.brownpapertickets.com/event/243065

Local Food Pick

Shanghai Dumpling King

3319 Balboa St. (at 34th Ave.)

San Francisco, CA 94121

(415) 387-2088

Yelp - Shanghai Dumpling King

Per reader Eddie's referral, I found myself at a small dive-y Chinese cafe in the Outer Richmond on a warm night. Air flows in nicely to aerate the dining area. The xiao long bao (soup dumplings) are phenomenal and worthy of multiple orders. Pork tofu has a great spicy kick, and the sugar egg puffs finish the meal in a beignet-like manner. Cash only, with waits being fairly standard. 3-1/2 stars - 1300 reviews

Previous North Bay picks: Bouchon Bakery (Yountville); Della Fattoria Bakery (Petaluma); Sol Food (San Rafael); Stumptown Brewery (Guerneville); Moustache Baked Goods (Healdsburg).

Local Bar Pick

Rickhouse

246 Kearny St. (at Bush St.)

San Francisco, CA 94108

(415) 398-2827

Rickhouse

Yelp - Rickhouse

The Bourbon & Branch team has a FiDi winner on its hands, as whiskey and beer flow freely into patrons happy to have left their workdays behind. The layout, with open windows and a more discreet balcony, lends nicely to the atmosphere. Expect a healthy wait as your bartender whips up a complex concoction of fanciful ingredients. 4 stars - 904 reviews

Previous San Francisco pick: Blackbird; El Rio

Previous Peninsula/South Bay pick: Antonio's Nut House

Previous East Bay pick: The Trappist

Local History

Anthony Chabot (1813-1888)

After a recent bike ride around Lake Chabot, I wondered who Mr. Chabot might be. He was raised in Canada and eventually moved to California in 1849. He spent a few years in the mining business before moving into the water industry. His projects included San Francisco's first public water system, Tamascal Dam, and San Leandro Dam. It is this dam of San Leandro Creek that helps create the man-made reservoir now called Lake Chabot. He would also donate a telescope and an observatory fund to Oakland, which would later build the Chabot Space & Science Center.

Previous Peninsula/South Bay history: Millbrae; Tanforan Racetrack; T. Jack Foster; Leland Stanford; Milpitas; Donald Tresidder; Josiah Belden

Previous East Bay history: Charles Tilden; William Hayward; John Fremont; Mariano Vallejo; Ygnacio Martinez; Henry Kaiser

Previous North Bay history: Cotati; Charles Fairfax; Luther Burbank

Bay Area Charity

FabMo Creativity Center

Bay Area Weekend Highs

Looking good. Spring is here! Warmest day should be Saturday.

Coast: mid-60s

SF: mid-70s

Bay: mid-80s

South Bay: upper-80s

Inland East Bay: upper-80s

North Bay: low-90s

Bay Area Free Activities of the Week

1. Powwow in Palo Alto: Friday-Sunday

Tribal dancing and drumming will be the highlight of the 41st annual Stanford Powwow. More than 100 vendors will also be present. www.stanfordpowwow.org

2. Golden Gate Park: Friday + Sunday

Friday Nights at the De Young has activated a dead time at museums. This week, the theme is the Golden Gate Bridge's 75th anniversary, with dance lessons, jazz-era music, and a lecture by FAMSF docent Kay Payne. Then on Sunday, the Golden Gate Park Band strikes up music at 1pm to commemorate Armenian Independence Day, while the San Francisco Rose Society hosts its annual Mother's Day Rose Show starting at 12:30pm at the Hall of Flowers and offers the roses to the public afterward at 4pm. http://deyoung.famsf.org www.goldengateparkband.org www.sfrosesociety.com

3. Amgen Tour: Monday + Tuesday

Catch 16 professional cycling teams criss-cross the Bay Area. On Monday, they travel 117 miles from San Francisco's Marina Green to Santa Cruz County. Then, Stage 3 on Tuesday is a 115-mile route from San Jose to Livermore. www.amgentourofcalifornia.com

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Randy's Guide CCLXXXIX (289)

Local Food Pick

Gregoire

2109 Cedar St. (at Shattuck Ave.)
Berkeley, CA 94709

(510) 883-1893

Gregoire

Yelp - Gregoire (Berkeley)

Yelp - Gregoire (Oakland)

Chef-owner Gregoire Jacquet, who previously worked at the Ritz-Carlton, opened a high-end takeout restaurant in 2002 in the heart of Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto. The shareable crispy potato puffs ($4.50) deserve their cult status, and the fried chicken sandwich topped with cole slaw ($8.25) rivals that of Bakesale Betty. Much of the menu changes monthly. With the small kitchen and lack of numerous nearby tables, I'd recommend coming before noon for lunch or calling ahead for your order. A second location opened in 2006 in Oakland's Piedmont district. 4 stars - 1175 reviews (Berkeley); 4 stars - 309 reviews (Oakland)

Previous North Bay picks: Bouchon Bakery (Yountville); Della Fattoria Bakery (Petaluma); Sol Food (San Rafael); Stumptown Brewery (Guerneville); Moustache Baked Goods (Healdsburg).

Local Bar Pick

Antonio's Nut House

321 S California Ave. (at Birch St.)

Palo Alto, CA 94306

Antonio's

Yelp - Antonio's

It's hard to believe that this rests in Palo Alto. Ample beers are on tap, free peanuts are offered by a gorilla, and an in-house taqueria dishes up burritos and tacos to patrons. Game players will find pool tables, foosball, and darts. Gotta love shells-on-the-ground watering holes! 4 stars - 308 reviews

Previous San Francisco pick: Blackbird; El Rio

Previous East Bay pick: The Trappist

Local History

Herb Caen (1916-1997)

Born in Sacramento, Mr. Caen started writing for the San Francisco Chronicle in 1938 to begin a 59-year career in journalism. The daily columnist would become known for his colorful terms (such as beatnik and hippie), ellipses, and insider gossip. He received a Pulitzer Prize in 1996 and would have Herb Caen Way... named after him along the Embarcadero in San Francisco. Today, the Chronicle continues to republish his old columns.

Previous Peninsula/South Bay history: Millbrae; Tanforan Racetrack; T. Jack Foster; Leland Stanford; Milpitas; Donald Tresidder; Josiah Belden

Previous East Bay history: Charles Tilden; William Hayward; John Fremont; Mariano Vallejo; Ygnacio Martinez; Henry Kaiser

Previous North Bay history: Cotati; Charles Fairfax; Luther Burbank

Bay Area Charity

FabMo Creativity Center

Bay Area Weekend Highs

Spotty showers today, then a warming trend into the weekend.

~ Thursday-Friday ~

Coast: upper-50s

SF: mid-60s

Bay: upper-60s

South Bay: upper-60s

Inland East Bay: low-70s

North BAy: low-70s

~ Saturday-Sunday ~

Coast: low-60s

SF: low-70s

Bay: upper-70s

South Bay: low-80s

Inland East Bay: low-80s

North Bay: mid-80s

Bay Area Free Activities of the Week

1. Bicycle Time!

Bike to Work Day: Thursday

Sunday Streets

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition sets up 27 stations around San Francisco to refuel cyclists with coffee, energy bars, tote bags, and fruit. Several stations will offer free maintenance too. Nine Supervisors will ride with commuter convoys, including Scott Wiener (Castro) and David Campos (Mission). You can also make use of the gorgeous weekend weather by cruising around the Mission district for Sunday Streets. www.sfbike.org

2. Fiesta Time!

Cinco de Mayo: Saturday

The Bay Area - from Danville and Santa Rosa to San Jose's Santana Row and San Francisco's Dolores Park - will celebrate Mexican heritage with live music, parades, and festive activities.

3. Art Time!

Oakland Art Murmur: Friday

Comic Book Day: Saturday

The massive art-inspired event in Oakland's Uptown has spread into other neighborhoods like Jack London Square and Temescal. Uptown Nightclub is hosting a free concert featuring The Hundred Days. Comic book shops such as Comic Experience in the Panhandle and Jeffrey's Toys in Union Square will offer a free comic book to all patrons. www.oaklandartmurmur.com www.freecomicbookday.com

Bay Area Freebie of the Week

Haagen-Dazs

Free ice cream! Stop by between 4-8pm on Tuesday at Bay Area Haagen-Dazs stores in San Francisco, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, San Jose, Concord, Walnut Creek, Fairfield, Pleasanton, and Santa Rosa. www.haagendazs.com

Randy's Guide - Your Weekly Guide to Life

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Randy's Guide CCXCII (292)

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Randy's Guide CCXCI (291)

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Randy's Guide CCXC (290)

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Randy's Guide CCLXXXIX (289)

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