Thursday, April 25, 2013

Randy's Guide 338

Dining Out For Life 
The annual adventure to find a charitable restaurant ends tonight. 25% of food proceeds will be donated to SF AIDS Foundation. OpenTable shows available tables for two this evening at Alamo Square Grill, Catch, Dosa on Valencia, Maverick, Radius, and Urban Tavern. If you're going casual, American Grilled Cheese Kitchen (Mission), Harvey's, Hi Tops, and Starbelly are good bets. 

Music 
And with words unspoken
A silent devotion
I know you know what I mean
And the end is unknown
But I think I'm ready
As long as you're with me.
 -- "Angels," by The xx (10.5 million views, July '12 upload) 
 
Previous songs: Down to the River to Pray (Alison Krauss); Three Rounds and a Sound (Blind Pilot); Chicken Fried (Zac Brown Band); The Story (Brandi Carlile); Lucky One (Pure Bathing Culture); Easy Way Out (Gotye); Hell or High Water (William Elliott Whitmore); Hymn #101 (Joe Pug); Midnight City (M83); So American (Portugal. The Man); Carry On (Fun.); Remembrance (Balmorhea); Miss Atomic Bomb (The Killers); Take a Walk (Passion Pit); Closer (Tegan and Sara); It's Time (Imagine Dragons); Higher (Matt Nathanson); Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second (STRFKR); So Many Details (Toro Y Moi); Ho Hey (Lumineers); Winter Winds (Mumford & Sons); Wanted (Hunter Hayes); Levels (Avicii); The A Team (Ed Sheeran); Hold On (Alabama Shakes); Don't You Worry Child (Swedish House Mafia); Lonely Boy (The Black Keys); It's a War (Blackbird, Blackbird); Man on Fire (Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros); Big Girl (Mika); Step (Vampire Weekend); All of Me (Tanlines); King and Lionheart (Of Monsters and Men); Celestica (Crystal Castles).

Current Event 
Issue: The unofficial 4/20 celebration in Golden Gate Park racked up over $10,000 in clean-up costs for the City to pick up and haul away thousands of pounds of leftover trash on Sunday.

"It's almost completely unmanageable.... The people paying for all of this are going to be the taxpayers."
 -- Lt. Simon Silverman, SFPD Park Station

"If you can't be responsible for yourselves, you can't have a party."
 -- Dan Kling, 39-year-old resident near the Park

"There was so much garbage, you'd swear we just had Woodstock."
 -- Amir Holmes-el, 4/20 participant and 4/21 clean-up volunteer

Food 
280 Golden Gate Ave. (at Hyde St.)
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 567-3354 
Yelp 

It's a boon to nearby City Hall suits for nearly seven years. The reuben - whether with tofu or pastrami-corned beef - is heavenly. The mac 'n' cheese gets a lot of props too. Stop in on a weekday (it's open until 9pm), and you'll be on a mini-trip to New York City. 4-1/2 stars - 325 reviews

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; Super Duper; Kokkari Estiatorio; Olea; Bodega Bistro; The Chairman Truck; Molinari Delicatessen; Wayfare Tavern; Wexler's; Thorough Bread & Pastry; Lers Ros Thai; Helmand Palace; HRD Coffee Shop; Fat Angel; Aperto; Pho Huynh Hiep 2; Ted's Deli; Zero Zero; Zazie; Shalimar; Swan Oyster Depot; Dottie's True Blue Cafe; La Taqueria; Chez Maman; Radio Habana Social Club; Tony's Pizza Napoletana; Hard Knox Cafe; Shabusen; Ragazza.

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); Kabab and Curry's (Santa Clara); Fiddler's Green (Millbrae); Alana's Cafe (Burlingame); Sushi Sam's Edomata (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); Gregoire (Berkeley/Oakland); Val's Burgers (Hayward); Homeroom (Oakland); Jong Ga House (Oakland); Cheese Board Pizza (Berkeley); Vik's Chaat (Berkeley); Wat Mongkoratanaram (Berkeley); Phnom Penh House (Oakland); Luka's Taproom & Lounge (Oakland).

Previous North Bay picks: Bouchon Bakery (Yountville); Della Fattoria Bakery (Petaluma); Sol Food (San Rafael); Stumptown Brewery (Guerneville); Moustache Baked Goods (Healdsburg); Super Duper (Mill Valley); The Pelican Inn (Muir Beach); Garden Grill (Guerneville); Buckeye Roadhouse (Mill Valley). 

Previous Other picks: Shoki Ramen House (Sacramento); Built to Grill (Portland); Freshies (South Lake Tahoe); Mon Ami Gabi (Las Vegas).

Nightlife 
Rye 
688 Geary St. (at Leavenworth St.)
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 474-4448 
Yelp 

Up and over a few blocks from Morty's is another stand-out from the team that brought you Bourbon & Branch and Rickhouse. Its smoking cage, high ceilings, and pool table room give the lounge an expansive feel. Whiskey shows up in various forms here, and the happy hour spares you a dollar. Every bit counts I suppose. 4 stars - 1080 reviews

Previous San Francisco picks: Blackbird; El Rio; Rickhouse; Southern Pacific Brewing; The Hidden Vine; Vesuvio; The Pig & Whistle; Biergarten; Martuni's; Tosca Cafe; Toronado; The Alembic; Trad'r Sam; Sugar Lounge; Speakeasy Ales & Lagers; Lucky 13; Hotel Biron; Bottom of the Hill; Blackthorn; Local Edition; Magnolia Pub & Brewery; Whiskey Thieves; Bourbon & Branch; The Monk's Kettle; Amsterdam Cafe; Aunt Charlie's Lounge; Latin American Club; Two Sisters Bar and Books; Doc's Clock; 15 Romolo; Thee Parkside; The Social Study; The Page.

Previous Peninsula/South Bay picks: Antonio's Nut House (Palo Alto); The Oasis Beer Garden (Menlo Park); Rose and Crown (Palo Alto).

Previous East Bay picks: The Trappist (Oakland); Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon (Oakland); The Turf Club (Hayward); Jupiter (Berkeley); St. George Spirits (Alameda); Drake's Barrel House (San Leandro); JC Cellars (Oakland); Dashe Cellars (Oakland); Room 389 (Oakland); Beer Revolution (Oakland); Make Westing (Oakland).

Previous North Bay picks: Lagunitas Brewing Co. (Petaluma); Bear Republic Brewing Co. (Healdsburg); Tourist Club (Mill Valley). 

Previous Other pick: New Deal Distillery (Portland); Stateline Brewery (South Lake Tahoe); The Garage (Las Vegas).

History
Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett
 (1914-1997)

The Florida-born leader became one of the first to graduate with a doctorate in psychology from UC Berkeley. His profitable medical practice allowed him to buy a struggling newspaper, which he would build into the mighty Sun-Reporter empire. He advocated desegregation of the City's labor unions and hiring equality for the Municipal Railway. In the 1966 gubernatorial race, Mr. Goodlett made a historic primary challenge to the incumbent Jerry Brown, who later would lose to Ronald Reagan. Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, which is a one-block stretch of Polk Street and marks the official address for City Hall, is 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; Lawrence Ferlinghetti; Angelo Rossi; Charles Brenham; Warren Hellman; John McLaren; Dogpatch; Thomas Larkin; Nancy Pelosi; Levi Strauss; John Sloat; Jose Sarria; William D.M. Howard; Edwin Bryant; George Davidson; William Alvord; George Moscone; Jack Early; Thomas Starr King; Minnie Ward; Rosalie Stern.

Previous Peninsula/South Bay history: Millbrae; Tanforan Racetrack; T. Jack Foster; Leland Stanford; Milpitas; Donald Tresidder; Josiah Belden; Hiram Morgan Hill; Simon Mezes; James Forbes; Henry Coe, Jr.; John Gilroy; Joseph Grant; Henry Naglee; Anson Burlingame; William Ralston.

Previous East Bay history: Charles Tilden; William Hayward; John Fremont; Mariano Vallejo; Ygnacio Martinez; Henry Kaiser; Anthony Chabot; Thomas Caldecott; Laurentine Hamilton; Joel Clayton; Edson Adams; Robert Crown; Samuel Merritt; Joaquin Miller.

Previous North Bay history: Cotati; Charles Fairfax; Luther Burbank; William Richardson; Oscar and James Shafter; George Guerne; Frank Doyle; Samuel Taylor; Harrison Standley; Helen Putnam 

Previous Other history: Francis Pettygrove (Portland); Betty Willis (Las Vegas).


Charity 
Charity: Re-volv. Quite simple, really. Individual donors contribute to a solar funding pool. The pool then helps build solar energy projects at community centers. The community centers lease the solar equipment, with the payments reinvested into the solar funding pool. 

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), KQED (88.5 FM), FabMo Creativity Center; Duboce/Valencia Fire Relief; The Coming Home Project; Urban Tilth; Queer Lifespace.



Weekend Weather 
San Francisco and Oakland broke recorded heat records on Monday. Things have cooled temporarily, but should warm up again by Sunday. 

~ Thursday ~
Coast: mid-50s
SF: mid-60s
Bay: upper-60s
Inland East Bay: low-70s
South Bay: mid-70s
North Bay: upper-70s

~ Friday ~
Coast: upper-50s
SF: upper-60s
Bay: low-70s
South Bay: upper-70s
Inland East Bay: upper-70s
North Bay: low-80s

~ Saturday ~
Coast: upper-50s
SF: low-70s
Bay: mid-70s
South Bay: low-80s
Inland East Bay: low-80s
North Bay: mid-80s

~ Sunday ~
Coast: low-60s
SF: mid-70s
Bay: upper-70s
Inland East Bay: mid-80s
South Bay: upper-80s
North Bay: upper-80s


Free Activities
1) Music makes the people come together. 
- Geographer/Rogue Wave concert: Friday, 6pm
- Chamber Orchestra: Friday, 8pm (SF); Saturday, 8pm (Palo Alto); Sunday, 3pm (Berkeley)
- How Weird Street Faire: Sunday, noon-8pm
- Golden Gate Park Band concert: Sunday, 1pm
- Two Gallants/Fresh & Onlys concert: Sunday, 6-10pm 

Take your pick: indie rock, classical, Broadway, electronica. The only required RSVP appears to be for the Sunday evening concert at Treasure Island. The shows span Berkeley, Palo Alto, and San Francisco from Treasure Island to Golden Gate Park. 

2) Just dance. 
- YBCA Dance Classes: Saturday, 10am-4pm 
- Fire Dancing Expo: Saturday, 8-10pm 

Over 600 free dance events will take place over the next couple of weeks. YBCA offers half-dollar dance classes on Saturday. Then, in Union Square Plaza, you'll be treated to over three dozen fire dancing acts. 

3) History... or gossip? 
Port of San Francisco 150th Anniversary: Sunday, 10am-5pm 

Walking and biking tours, a treasure hunt, a lecture series, union labor film festival, and an artist studio open house... sounds like a very full day quite possibly!

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Randy's Guide 337

Music
Follow me into nowhere
Woven with the utmost care
Have they cleansed you with chloride
And scrubbed behind the knees
Has your body been hollowed by the breeze
 -- "Celestica," by Crystal Castles (2.6 million views, July '10 upload)
* Fox Theater, April 27
* Shoreline Amphitheater, September 26 (support for Depeche Mode)

Previous songs: Down to the River to Pray (Alison Krauss); Three Rounds and a Sound (Blind Pilot); Chicken Fried (Zac Brown Band); The Story (Brandi Carlile); Lucky One (Pure Bathing Culture); Easy Way Out (Gotye); Hell or High Water (William Elliott Whitmore); Hymn #101 (Joe Pug); Midnight City (M83); So American (Portugal. The Man); Carry On (Fun.); Remembrance (Balmorhea); Miss Atomic Bomb (The Killers); Take a Walk (Passion Pit); Closer (Tegan and Sara); It's Time (Imagine Dragons); Higher (Matt Nathanson); Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second (STRFKR); So Many Details (Toro Y Moi); Ho Hey (Lumineers); Winter Winds (Mumford & Sons); Wanted (Hunter Hayes); Levels (Avicii); The A Team (Ed Sheeran); Hold On (Alabama Shakes); Don't You Worry Child (Swedish House Mafia); Lonely Boy (The Black Keys); It's a War (Blackbird, Blackbird); Man on Fire (Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros); Big Girl (Mika); Step (Vampire Weekend); All of Me (Tanlines); King and Lionheart (Of Monsters and Men).


Current Event
Issue: Recent suicide by a teenage girl allegedly sexually abused and photographed by three teenage boys
"School districts cannot suspend or expel someone from school solely on alleged behavior."
 -- Bob Mistele, Los Gatos-Saratoga Union HS District Superintendent

"The school district was obligated to investigate and take action against these young men. The Pott family, in fact, participated in several meetings with school administrators to demand that the young men be expelled or removed from campus."
 -- Robert Allard, Attorney for the Pott family

"I have a reputation for a night I don't even remember.... My life is over."
 -- Audrie Pott, 15-year-old student

3655 S Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 944-4224
Yelp
I'm willing to guess that this location out of five nationwide options is the best overall. Simply look across the street from the open-air patio at the Bellagio Fountains. I highly recommend its affordable bistro prices, ranging from mussels to filet mignon. Arrive before 6:30pm for a shorter wait time! 4 stars - 2555 reviews


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; Super Duper; Kokkari Estiatorio; Olea; Bodega Bistro; The Chairman Truck; Molinari Delicatessen; Wayfare Tavern; Wexler's; Thorough Bread & Pastry; Lers Ros Thai; Helmand Palace; HRD Coffee Shop; Fat Angel; Aperto; Pho Huynh Hiep 2; Ted's Deli; Zero Zero; Zazie; Shalimar; Swan Oyster Depot; Dottie's True Blue Cafe; La Taqueria; Chez Maman; Radio Habana Social Club; Tony's Pizza Napoletana; Hard Knox Cafe; Shabusen; Ragazza.



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); Kabab and Curry's (Santa Clara); Fiddler's Green (Millbrae); Alana's Cafe (Burlingame); Sushi Sam's Edomata (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); Gregoire (Berkeley/Oakland); Val's Burgers (Hayward); Homeroom (Oakland); Jong Ga House (Oakland); Cheese Board Pizza (Berkeley); Vik's Chaat (Berkeley); Wat Mongkoratanaram (Berkeley); Phnom Penh House (Oakland); Luka's Taproom & Lounge (Oakland).



Previous North Bay picks: Bouchon Bakery (Yountville); Della Fattoria Bakery (Petaluma); Sol Food (San Rafael); Stumptown Brewery (Guerneville); Moustache Baked Goods (Healdsburg); Super Duper (Mill Valley); The Pelican Inn (Muir Beach); Garden Grill (Guerneville); Buckeye Roadhouse (Mill Valley).



Previous Other picks: Shoki Ramen House (Sacramento); Built to Grill (Portland); Freshies (South Lake Tahoe).


Nightlife
1487 E Flamingo Rd.
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 440-6333
Yelp
Just a stone's throw from the Strip is this clean, affordable, non-smelly nightspot. Actually, it's open 24 hours, like most drinking establishments in town. The theme is decidedly NASCAR - uniformed bartenders, memorabilia, drink names... and I managed to teach my friends how to play shuffleboard. Score! 4-1/2 stars - 47 reviews

Previous San Francisco picks: Blackbird; El Rio; Rickhouse; Southern Pacific Brewing; The Hidden Vine; Vesuvio; The Pig & Whistle; Biergarten; Martuni's; Tosca Cafe; Toronado; The Alembic; Trad'r Sam; Sugar Lounge; Speakeasy Ales & Lagers; Lucky 13; Hotel Biron; Bottom of the Hill; Blackthorn; Local Edition; Magnolia Pub & Brewery; Whiskey Thieves; Bourbon & Branch; The Monk's Kettle; Amsterdam Cafe; Aunt Charlie's Lounge; Latin American Club; Two Sisters Bar and Books; Doc's Clock; 15 Romolo; Thee Parkside; The Social Study; The Page.


Previous Peninsula/South Bay picks: Antonio's Nut House (Palo Alto); The Oasis Beer Garden (Menlo Park); Rose and Crown (Palo Alto).



Previous East Bay picks: The Trappist (Oakland); Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon (Oakland); The Turf Club (Hayward); Jupiter (Berkeley); St. George Spirits (Alameda); Drake's Barrel House (San Leandro); JC Cellars (Oakland); Dashe Cellars (Oakland); Room 389 (Oakland); Beer Revolution (Oakland); Make Westing (Oakland).



Previous North Bay picks: Lagunitas Brewing Co. (Petaluma); Bear Republic Brewing Co. (Healdsburg); Tourist Club (Mill Valley).



Previous Other pick: New Deal Distillery (Portland); Stateline Brewery (South Lake Tahoe).


History
Betty Willis
(1923 - present)
Now retired, the daughter of the first assessor of Clark County struck fame with her design of the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign. It's perched about a mile south of the airport and Mandalay Bay resort. She also designed the Stardust Casino sign.


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; Lawrence Ferlinghetti; Angelo Rossi; Charles Brenham; Warren Hellman; John McLaren; Dogpatch; Thomas Larkin; Nancy Pelosi; Levi Strauss; John Sloat; Jose Sarria; William D.M. Howard; Edwin Bryant; George Davidson; William Alvord; George Moscone; Jack Early; Thomas Starr King; Minnie Ward; Rosalie Stern.

Previous Peninsula/South Bay history: Millbrae; Tanforan Racetrack; T. Jack Foster; Leland Stanford; Milpitas; Donald Tresidder; Josiah Belden; Hiram Morgan Hill; Simon Mezes; James Forbes; Henry Coe, Jr.; John Gilroy; Joseph Grant; Henry Naglee; Anson Burlingame; William Ralston.



Previous East Bay history: Charles Tilden; William Hayward; John Fremont; Mariano Vallejo; Ygnacio Martinez; Henry Kaiser; Anthony Chabot; Thomas Caldecott; Laurentine Hamilton; Joel Clayton; Edson Adams; Robert Crown; Samuel Merritt; Joaquin Miller.



Previous North Bay history: Cotati; Charles Fairfax; Luther Burbank; William Richardson; Oscar and James Shafter; George Guerne; Frank Doyle; Samuel Taylor; Harrison Standley; Helen Putnam



Previous Other history: Francis Pettygrove (Portland).


Charity
Charity: Re-volv. Quite simple, really. Individual donors contribute to a solar funding pool. The pool then helps build solar energy projects at community centers. The community centers lease the solar equipment, with the payments reinvested into the solar funding pool.

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), KQED (88.5 FM), FabMo Creativity Center; Duboce/Valencia Fire Relief; The Coming Home Project; Urban Tilth; Queer Lifespace.


Weekend Weather
Mild sunshine and afternoon winds for the next week, with record heat possible for Monday and Tuesday.
~ Thursday ~ 
Coast: upper-50s
mid-70s everywhere else

~ Friday-Saturday ~
Coast: low-60s
SF: upper-60s
Bay: mid-70s
North Bay: low-80s
South Bay: low-80s
Inland East Bay: low-80s

~ Sunday ~
Coast: mid-60s
SF: low-70s
Bay: low-80s
South Bay: mid-80s
North Bay: upper-80s 
Inland East Bay: upper-80s


Free Activities
1. Cherry Blossom Festival 
Saturday-Sunday, 10am-5pm
Since 1967, Japantown has hosted this spring-time festival. Stop by exhibits on origami, bonsai, tea ceremony, taiko, and calligraphy. Local organizations set up booths to sell food, crafts, and memberships. Plus, free sake!

2. Celebrate the Earth
 

- BART Blue Sky Festival (SF): Friday, 11am-2pm
- Wildcat Creek Cleanup (Richmond): Saturday, 9am-12:30pm
- Earth Day Oakland: Saturday, 9am-noon
- Earth Day Festival (SF): Saturday, 10am-6pm
- Earth Day on the Bay (Redwood City): Saturday, 10am-5pm

Clean up beaches, check out the latest eco-friendly businesses, pick up a free $6 BART pass, and learn about tide-pool animals. A clean Earth is a happy one.

3. Cal Day
 

Saturday, 9am-6pm

Robot car races, lectures on Medieval Islam or stem cells, Brooklyn-based The Antlers, and admission to the Berkeley Art Museum. Enjoy Cal campus!

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Randy's Guide CCCXXXVI (336)

Music
Howling ghosts they reappear
In mountains that are stacked with fear
But you're a king and I'm a lionheart.
 -- "King and Lionheart," by Of Monsters and Men (2.8 million views, Jan '13 release)

- May 16, Fox Theater (sold out)
- May 19, Shoreline Amphitheater (BFD Festival)

Previous songs: Down to the River to Pray (Alison Krauss); Three Rounds and a Sound (Blind Pilot); Chicken Fried (Zac Brown Band); The Story (Brandi Carlile); Lucky One (Pure Bathing Culture); Easy Way Out (Gotye); Hell or High Water (William Elliott Whitmore); Hymn #101 (Joe Pug); Midnight City (M83); So American (Portugal. The Man); Carry On (Fun.); Remembrance (Balmorhea); Miss Atomic Bomb (The Killers); Take a Walk (Passion Pit); Closer (Tegan and Sara); It's Time (Imagine Dragons); Higher (Matt Nathanson); Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second (STRFKR); So Many Details (Toro Y Moi); Ho Hey (Lumineers); Winter Winds (Mumford & Sons); Wanted (Hunter Hayes); Levels (Avicii); The A Team (Ed Sheeran); Hold On (Alabama Shakes); Don't You Worry Child (Swedish House Mafia); Lonely Boy (The Black Keys); It's a War (Blackbird, Blackbird); Man on Fire (Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros); Big Girl (Mika); Step (Vampire Weekend); All of Me (Tanlines).


Current Event
Issue: Unionized San Francisco Symphony members, with a starting salary of $141,700 and ten weeks of paid vacation, authorized a strike to force one show already to be cancelled.

"At the Los Angeles Philharmonic, which is our closest sister orchestra, the wages are 5 percent higher. And virtually every other city that houses an orchestra has a lower cost of living than San Francisco."
 -- David Gaudry, violist and chairman of the players' negotiating committee

"We have incurred an operating deficit during each of the last four years. Under these circumstances, it is important for every orchestra to look carefully at its finances."
 -- Brent Assink, Symphony Executive Director

"I tried for seven months to work out a deal with the management.... But the more I went through the process, the clearer it became that I just would not have the same opportunities here - either artistically or financially - that I would in Chicago."
 -- David Herbert, principal timpanist

Food
Ragazza
311 Divisadero St. (at Page St.)
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 255-1133
Yelp
After four unsuccessful efforts to dine at this hotspot in my neighborhood, last night proved fruitful. The thin-crust pizzas are worth the acclaim. Chef/owner Sharon Ardiana opened this outpost in 2010, following three hit years with Glen Park's Gialina. Reservations for larger parties are now accepted on the heated patio. I highly recommend the amatriciana (pancetta, chilies, egg) and the pork belly with beet greens. 4 stars - 330 reviews

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; Super Duper; Kokkari Estiatorio; Olea; Bodega Bistro; The Chairman Truck; Molinari Delicatessen; Wayfare Tavern; Wexler's; Thorough Bread & Pastry; Lers Ros Thai; Helmand Palace; HRD Coffee Shop; Fat Angel; Aperto; Pho Huynh Hiep 2; Ted's Deli; Zero Zero; Zazie; Shalimar; Swan Oyster Depot; Dottie's True Blue Cafe; La Taqueria; Chez Maman; Radio Habana Social Club; Tony's Pizza Napoletana; Hard Knox Cafe; Shabusen.

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); Kabab and Curry's (Santa Clara); Fiddler's Green (Millbrae); Alana's Cafe (Burlingame); Sushi Sam's Edomata (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); Gregoire (Berkeley/Oakland); Val's Burgers (Hayward); Homeroom (Oakland); Jong Ga House (Oakland); Cheese Board Pizza (Berkeley); Vik's Chaat (Berkeley); Wat Mongkoratanaram (Berkeley); Phnom Penh House (Oakland); Luka's Taproom & Lounge (Oakland).

Previous North Bay picks: Bouchon Bakery (Yountville); Della Fattoria Bakery (Petaluma); Sol Food (San Rafael); Stumptown Brewery (Guerneville); Moustache Baked Goods (Healdsburg); Super Duper (Mill Valley); The Pelican Inn (Muir Beach); Garden Grill (Guerneville); Buckeye Roadhouse (Mill Valley).

Previous Other picks: Shoki Ramen House (Sacramento); Built to Grill (Portland); Freshies (South Lake Tahoe).


Nightlife
298 Divisadero St. (at Page St.)
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 255-6101
Yelp

Conveniently across from Ragazza in case of a table wait, this friendly neighborhood dive offers a surprisingly healthy selection of whiskey to go with 20+ craft beer options. Throw in a jukebox, two pool tables, and a foosball table with some faux hunter-lodge decor ... and you've got yourself a fine way to pass an hour. 3-1/2 stars - 388 reviews

Previous San Francisco picks: Blackbird; El Rio; Rickhouse; Southern Pacific Brewing; The Hidden Vine; Vesuvio; The Pig & Whistle; Biergarten; Martuni's; Tosca Cafe; Toronado; The Alembic; Trad'r Sam; Sugar Lounge; Speakeasy Ales & Lagers; Lucky 13; Hotel Biron; Bottom of the Hill; Blackthorn; Local Edition; Magnolia Pub & Brewery; Whiskey Thieves; Bourbon & Branch; The Monk's Kettle; Amsterdam Cafe; Aunt Charlie's Lounge; Latin American Club; Two Sisters Bar and Books; Doc's Clock; 15 Romolo; Thee Parkside; The Social Study.

Previous Peninsula/South Bay picks: Antonio's Nut House (Palo Alto); The Oasis Beer Garden (Menlo Park); Rose and Crown (Palo Alto).

Previous East Bay picks: The Trappist (Oakland); Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon (Oakland); The Turf Club (Hayward); Jupiter (Berkeley); St. George Spirits (Alameda); Drake's Barrel House (San Leandro); JC Cellars (Oakland); Dashe Cellars (Oakland); Room 389 (Oakland); Beer Revolution (Oakland); Make Westing (Oakland).

Previous North Bay picks: Lagunitas Brewing Co. (Petaluma); Bear Republic Brewing Co. (Healdsburg); Tourist Club (Mill Valley).

Previous Other pick: New Deal Distillery (Portland); Stateline Brewery (South Lake Tahoe).


History
Rosalie Meyer Stern(1869-1956)
Born in Los Angeles, she moved to the Bay Area and eventually married Sigmund Stern, the president of Levi Strauss & Co. She actively worked with the Red Cross during the 1906 earthquake/fire and WWI. Education also proved a high priority, including the construction of UC Berkeley's Stern Hall. The family name, though, lives on with Sigmund Stern Grove, which she donated to the City and helped set up the ongoing summer concert series that now draws 10,000+ patrons weekly.

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; Lawrence Ferlinghetti; Angelo Rossi; Charles Brenham; Warren Hellman; John McLaren; Dogpatch; Thomas Larkin; Nancy Pelosi; Levi Strauss; John Sloat; Jose Sarria; William D.M. Howard; Edwin Bryant; George Davidson; William Alvord; George Moscone; Jack Early; Thomas Starr King; Minnie Ward.

Previous Peninsula/South Bay history: Millbrae; Tanforan Racetrack; T. Jack Foster; Leland Stanford; Milpitas; Donald Tresidder; Josiah Belden; Hiram Morgan Hill; Simon Mezes; James Forbes; Henry Coe, Jr.; John Gilroy; Joseph Grant; Henry Naglee; Anson Burlingame; William Ralston.

Previous East Bay history: Charles Tilden; William Hayward; John Fremont; Mariano Vallejo; Ygnacio Martinez; Henry Kaiser; Anthony Chabot; Thomas Caldecott; Laurentine Hamilton; Joel Clayton; Edson Adams; Robert Crown; Samuel Merritt; Joaquin Miller.

Previous North Bay history: Cotati; Charles Fairfax; Luther Burbank; William Richardson; Oscar and James Shafter; George Guerne; Frank Doyle; Samuel Taylor; Harrison Standley; Helen Putnam

Previous Other history: Francis Pettygrove (Portland).


New Charity
Congrats to Queer Lifespace, the latest recipient of a Randy's Guide donation. The group reached its fundraising goal for this drive!
New Charity: Re-volv. Quite simple, really. Individual donors contribute to a solar funding pool. The pool then helps build solar energy projects at community centers. The community centers lease the solar equipment, with the payments reinvested into the solar funding pool.
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), KQED (88.5 FM), FabMo Creativity Center; Duboce/Valencia Fire Relief; The Coming Home Project; Urban Tilth; Queer Lifespace.


Weekend Weather
Breezy conditions, with no rain in sight for the next week.
~ Thursday- Saturday ~
Coast: low-60s
SF: upper-60s
Bay: low-70s
South Bay: mid-70s
Inland East Bay: mid-70s
North Bay: upper-70s

~ Sunday ~
Coast: mid-50s
SF: low-60s
Bay: low-60s
South Bay: upper-60s
North Bay: upper-60s
Inland East Bay: low-70s
 
 
Free Activities
1. The Exploratorium lives.
Wednesday, 9am-11pm
At last, the day has arrived. The Exploratorium, in a bid to increase attendance, moves from the Palace of Fine Arts to Pier 15 along the Embarcadero. Free activities, ranging from a ribbon cutting with the Mayor to a live radio broadcast, will dot the periphery of the museum.

2. Rivals Unite.
- Berkeley Bay Festival: Saturday, 11am-4pm
- Stanford FanFest: Saturday, 2:30-6pm
Berkeley celebrates Earth Day with an outdoor festival along the Marina. Free sailboat and dragon-boat rides, an adventure playground, and assorted environmental educational groups are at your perusal. Stanford's annual Red-and-White scrimmage game moves back to Stanford Stadium, with Rose Bowl trophy photos, player autographs, and face painting as side activities.

3. Exit your car.- Walk to Work Day: Friday
- Sunday Streets: Sunday, 11am-4pm

San Francisco marks the first U.S. city to embrace Walk to Work Day. Meet your area supervisor and other commuters to score some free coffee, treats, and a return-ride Clipper card. The second of the monthly Sunday Streets event strikes the Mission District. Expect heavy crowds along both Valencia and 24th St. Outdoor yoga, pilates, roller disco, bluegrass, Crossfit, bike rentals. . .


Free Promotion
The Melt is offering 10,000 free grilled cheese sandwiches through tomorrow. You can use the QR code after 1pm any day through April 21. Go to www.eatcheese.com to sign up!

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Randy's Guide CCCXXXV (335)

Music
Worn out faces, hangin' on the wall
Foreign places, names you still recall
You said laugh to yourself
Why you just don't care
Say the things no one else
Will ever dare
 -- "All of Me," by Tanlines (0.4 million views, Mar '12 release)

Previous songs: Down to the River to Pray (Alison Krauss); Three Rounds and a Sound (Blind Pilot); Chicken Fried (Zac Brown Band); The Story (Brandi Carlile); Lucky One (Pure Bathing Culture); Easy Way Out (Gotye); Hell or High Water (William Elliott Whitmore); Hymn #101 (Joe Pug); Midnight City (M83); So American (Portugal. The Man); Carry On (Fun.); Remembrance (Balmorhea); Miss Atomic Bomb (The Killers); Take a Walk (Passion Pit); Closer (Tegan and Sara); It's Time (Imagine Dragons); Higher (Matt Nathanson); Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second (STRFKR); So Many Details (Toro Y Moi); Ho Hey (Lumineers); Winter Winds (Mumford & Sons); Wanted (Hunter Hayes); Levels (Avicii); The A Team (Ed Sheeran); Hold On (Alabama Shakes); Don't You Worry Child (Swedish House Mafia); Lonely Boy (The Black Keys); It's a War (Blackbird, Blackbird); Man on Fire (Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros); Big Girl (Mika); Step (Vampire Weekend).


Current Event
Issue: Increasing estimates for California's high-speed rail project
"Spending a little more time and money upfront can have huge benefits.... The overwhelming majority of all funds will go toward (construction) that people can see, touch, and ride."
 - Jeff Morales, California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO
"I think we're going to just burn through the money without ever really seeing a project."
 - Assemblywoman Diane Harkey, R-Dana Point
"It's going to be very hard to hold costs down for such a big project."
 - State Senator Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord

Food
Shabusen Restaurant
1726 Buchanan St. (at Sutter St.)
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 440-0466
Yelp
A pleasant surprise in the heart of Japantown. On a cool spring evening, I strolled in and felt the wave of aromatic steam hit my face (and glasses). The boiling pots of either spicy miso or regular bonito broth are tasty, and the ingredients feel fresh. You're given two dipping sauces (similar to soy sauce and peanut sauce), and then you're ready to go! 3-1/2 stars - 299 reviews

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; Super Duper; Kokkari Estiatorio; Olea; Bodega Bistro; The Chairman Truck; Molinari Delicatessen; Wayfare Tavern; Wexler's; Thorough Bread & Pastry; Lers Ros Thai; Helmand Palace; HRD Coffee Shop; Fat Angel; Aperto; Pho Huynh Hiep 2; Ted's Deli; Zero Zero; Zazie; Shalimar; Swan Oyster Depot; Dottie's True Blue Cafe; La Taqueria; Chez Maman; Radio Habana Social Club; Tony's Pizza Napoletana; Hard Knox Cafe.

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); Kabab and Curry's (Santa Clara); Fiddler's Green (Millbrae); Alana's Cafe (Burlingame); Sushi Sam's Edomata (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); Gregoire (Berkeley/Oakland); Val's Burgers (Hayward); Homeroom (Oakland); Jong Ga House (Oakland); Cheese Board Pizza (Berkeley); Vik's Chaat (Berkeley); Wat Mongkoratanaram (Berkeley); Phnom Penh House (Oakland); Luka's Taproom & Lounge (Oakland).

Previous North Bay picks: Bouchon Bakery (Yountville); Della Fattoria Bakery (Petaluma); Sol Food (San Rafael); Stumptown Brewery (Guerneville); Moustache Baked Goods (Healdsburg); Super Duper (Mill Valley); The Pelican Inn (Muir Beach); Garden Grill (Guerneville); Buckeye Roadhouse (Mill Valley).

Previous Other picks: Shoki Ramen House (Sacramento); Built to Grill (Portland); Freshies (South Lake Tahoe).


Nightlife
The Social Study
1795 Geary Blvd. (at Webster St.)
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 292-7417
Yelp

Across bustling Geary sits a quiet little place. It's easy to miss actually. The lights are dim, and the scene screams neighborhood rather than destination. You've got a fine selection of beer and wine options, including cocktails with the aforementioned. Light food options, as well as Four Barrel Coffee, round out the menu. 4 stars - 104 reviews

Previous San Francisco picks: Blackbird; El Rio; Rickhouse; Southern Pacific Brewing; The Hidden Vine; Vesuvio; The Pig & Whistle; Biergarten; Martuni's; Tosca Cafe; Toronado; The Alembic; Trad'r Sam; Sugar Lounge; Speakeasy Ales & Lagers; Lucky 13; Hotel Biron; Bottom of the Hill; Blackthorn; Local Edition; Magnolia Pub & Brewery; Whiskey Thieves; Bourbon & Branch; The Monk's Kettle; Amsterdam Cafe; Aunt Charlie's Lounge; Latin American Club; Two Sisters Bar and Books; Doc's Clock; 15 Romolo; Thee Parkside.

Previous Peninsula/South Bay picks: Antonio's Nut House (Palo Alto); The Oasis Beer Garden (Menlo Park); Rose and Crown (Palo Alto).

Previous East Bay picks: The Trappist (Oakland); Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon (Oakland); The Turf Club (Hayward); Jupiter (Berkeley); St. George Spirits (Alameda); Drake's Barrel House (San Leandro); JC Cellars (Oakland); Dashe Cellars (Oakland); Room 389 (Oakland); Beer Revolution (Oakland); Make Westing (Oakland).

Previous North Bay picks: Lagunitas Brewing Co. (Petaluma); Bear Republic Brewing Co. (Healdsburg); Tourist Club (Mill Valley).

Previous Other pick: New Deal Distillery (Portland); Stateline Brewery (South Lake Tahoe).


History
Joaquin Miller(1837-1913)
Born Cincinnatus Hiner Miller, Joaquin changed his name, birthdate, and birthplace. He traveled to wide-ranging locales such as Alaska, England, and Nicaragua, and married three times. His poetry and other literary works alternated on anti-Mormon, pro-Confederate, or frontier ideology. The Hights, the home during Joaquin's latter days in life, is now known as the Joaquin Miller House, which is in Oakland's Joaquin Miller Park.

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; Lawrence Ferlinghetti; Angelo Rossi; Charles Brenham; Warren Hellman; John McLaren; Dogpatch; Thomas Larkin; Nancy Pelosi; Levi Strauss; John Sloat; Jose Sarria; William D.M. Howard; Edwin Bryant; George Davidson; William Alvord; George Moscone; Jack Early; Thomas Starr King; Minnie Ward.

Previous Peninsula/South Bay history: Millbrae; Tanforan Racetrack; T. Jack Foster; Leland Stanford; Milpitas; Donald Tresidder; Josiah Belden; Hiram Morgan Hill; Simon Mezes; James Forbes; Henry Coe, Jr.; John Gilroy; Joseph Grant; Henry Naglee; Anson Burlingame; William Ralston.

Previous East Bay history: Charles Tilden; William Hayward; John Fremont; Mariano Vallejo; Ygnacio Martinez; Henry Kaiser; Anthony Chabot; Thomas Caldecott; Laurentine Hamilton; Joel Clayton; Edson Adams; Robert Crown; Samuel Merritt

Previous North Bay history: Cotati; Charles Fairfax; Luther Burbank; William Richardson; Oscar and James Shafter; George Guerne; Frank Doyle; Samuel Taylor; Harrison Standley; Helen Putnam

Previous Other history: Francis Pettygrove (Portland).


New Charity
Congrats to Urban Tilth , the latest Randy's Guide donation recipient.
New Charity: Queer Lifespace. Reader Wes S. volunteers with this mental health and substance abuse agency. Currently, the group is fundraising to help pay for its move from 470 Castro St. to 2275 Market St. Help support this portion of the drive, which ends April 9.

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), KQED (88.5 FM), FabMo Creativity Center; Duboce/Valencia Fire Relief; The Coming Home Project; Urban Tilth.


Weekend Weather
Scattered showers today should give way to mostly cloudy conditions through Sunday. Things start heating up next week, with possible record temperatures anticipated for Wednesday.
Coast: upper-50s
SF: mid-60s
Bay: upper-60s
North Bay: upper-60s
Inland East Bay: upper-60s
South Bay: upper-60s
 
 
Free Activities
Now I've been to the Circus Center. Such a bizarre, lovely place.
1. Museum of Craft & Design
Saturday, 11am-6pm
Its move from SoMa to Dogpatch is complete. Food truck vouchers, MakeArt Lab activities, pinewood derby cars... sounds pretty cool.

2. AMD Video Game Day
Saturday, 5:30pm-midnight
New AMD technology will be on display at Metreon's City View using the latest video games. IGN is on hand too. So is free food. And Cyberlink software with AMD processors as parting gifts.

3. Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon
Expo: Friday, noon-6pm; Saturday, 9am-5pm
Race: Sunday, 7am
Score free samples, check out free running clinics, and pick up your race materials at the Expo, held in Moscone Center. Then, the race. It hits Crissy Field, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Fort Mason. The finish-line celebration at Aquatic Park will have live music from the Mowglis and assorted sponsor booths.


Free Promotion
Ben & Jerry's is hosting its annual Free Cone Day at all nationwide locations on Tuesday, April 9. Here in the Bay Area, it's perfect timing, with weather forecast to be in the 70s everywhere.