Thursday, October 24, 2013

Randy's Guide 3-6-1

Music 
You're running away
But the shadow is yours.
 -- "Tall Tall Shadow," by Basia Bulat (4,966 views; Sep '13 upload)

Ever since I first came across her as the opener for DeVotchKa at the Fillmore in 2008, she's been a mainstay on my playlist. I last saw her with her autoharp at Hardly Strictly back in 2010. Now, her third album is being touted as part of her latest tour, with a stop at the new Chapel venue in San Francisco's Mission District on December 9. Go! 

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); Angels (The xx); Out of My League (Fitz & the Tantrums); If I Know You (The Presets); Dumb Disco Ideas (Holy Ghost!); Even If I Could (Rachael Yamagata); Tired Eyes (The Trophy Fire); Knock Knock (Band of Horses); Around the Block (Pretty Lights); Brave (Sara Bareilles); Same Love (Macklemore + Ryan Lewis, feat. Mary Lambert); Safe and Sound (Capital Cities); All-American Boy (Steve Grand); Entertainment (Phoenix); Your Drums, Your Love (AlunaGeorge); Garden (Lost in the Trees); Royals (Lorde); The Mother We Share (Chvrches); High School Lover (Cayuca); She Keeps Me Warm (Mary Lambert); Dyin' Bedmaker (Andrew Bird); Zombies (Radiation City); Bitter Rivals (Sleigh Bells).


Current Event 
Recent SoMa high-rise development and tech company influx cannot mask the grittier alleys such as Minna. Fecal waste, urine streams, overflowing garbage cans, drug needles, and used condoms are common street-side occurrences.

"The odor of urine is so bad you can barely breathe some days. But it's gotten so bad recently, I'm ashamed to have visitors here. It's disgusting."
 -- Aman Jabbi, 14-year resident on Minna St. and owner of filthysf.tumblr.com 

"In all these alleys, it takes organizing by the residents.... I hope Aman will continue to meet with police, attend community meetings, and work with his neighbors."
 -- Sunny Angulo, aide to area Board of Supervisor Jane Kim 


Food 
Blue Plate 
3218 Mission St.
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 282-6777 
Yelp 

Look for the neon "EAT" sign along a stretch of Mission St. that doesn't seem to have changed much in the five years. Sure enough, Blue Plate opened back in 1999, and two mainstays - the housemade meatloaf and fried chicken entrees - are as delicious and well-valued as ever. Might I also add that a side of the drunken goat mac 'n' cheese is warranted? 4 stars - 987 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; Morty's Delicatessen; Hawaiian Drive Inn #28; Just For You Cafe; Woodhouse Fish Co; Mission Pie; El Metate; V-105; Kitchen Story; Frisco FriedRange; Suzu Noodle House; The Codmother Fish & Chips; The Front Porch.

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); Shanghai Dumpling Shop (Millbrae).

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); First Street Ale House (Livermore); Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe (Oakland/Emeryville); Mua Lounge (Oakland); Grand Lake Kitchen (Oakland).

Previous North Bay picks: Bouchon Bakery (Yountville); Della Fattoria Bakery (Petaluma); Sol Food (San Rafael/Mill Valley); 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); Fox & Goose Public House (Sacramento); La Bonne Soup Cafe (Sacramento); Snow City Cafe (Anchorage); Starling Diner (Long Beach).


Nightlife
The Phone Booth 
1398 S. Van Ness Ave. (at 25th St.)
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 648-4683 
Yelp 

Quite likely, you'll find a puff of smoke and some '70s British punk upon entering. The free popcorn generally doesn't have a lot of flavor, and the decor isn't up to snuff by Valencia St. standards. Then again, you didn't come here for that, right? Enjoy the pool table, stiff drinks, and jukebox before this place also gets taken over. 4 stars - 245 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; Rye; Bloodhound; Azucar Lounge; The Residence; Tommy's Mexican; The Revolution Cafe; Trick Dog; The Hot Spot; Hi Tops; The HomesteadThe Phoenix Bar & Irish Gathering House; Fillmore Karaoke; Musee Mechanique; Royal Cuckoo.

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

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); Altamont Beer Works (Livermore); Prizefighter (Emeryville); Heart and Dagger Saloon (Oakland); Dogwood (Oakland).

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

Previous Other picks: New Deal Distillery (Portland); Stateline Brewery (South Lake Tahoe); The Garage (Las Vegas); The Shady Lady Saloon (Sacramento); Mercantile Saloon (Sacramento); 49th State Brewing Co (Healy AK); Goat Hill Tavern (Costa Mesa).



History 
Frank Turk
(1818-1887) 

The prominent San Francisco attorney was raised in Stamford, Conn., then moved to New York City for his J.D. As a member of the first baseball club, the New York Knickerbockers, he eventually moved to San Francisco with a teammate and introduced the sport to the area. His work with the John Geary at the Post Office paid off, as Geary was elected Alcalde (mayor) in 1849 and Turk was Vice Alcalde. Turk Street, which runs east-west from the Civic Center to the USF area, 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; Carlton Goodlett; Phillip Burton; Jose de Jesus Noe; Frederick Funston; Shotwell's; Castro Theatre; Kezar Stadium; Nathaniel Lyon; Playland at the Beach; Edward D. Baker.

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; Paul Trousdale; San Gregorio General Store; William Kimball; James Fair.

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; Robert Livermore; Gay Nineties Pizza Co; Joseph Emery; Oakland Athletics. 

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); Esteban Munras (Monterey); John Sutter, Jr. (Sacramento); James Marshall (Placerville); William Seward (Alaska); Seal Beach Pier.


Charity 
Charity: Prevent Blindness. The Northern California chapters in San Francisco and Redding have screened over one million individuals for vision since 1966. Recently, they partnered with fuseproject to launch See Well to Learn, which provides free eye exams and glasses to Bay Area students. 

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; Re-volv, and now American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.


Weekend Weather 
We've been too spoiled the past few weeks! The weekend is looking mighty sunny and nice though... well, aside from our beaches.

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

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


Drivers Alert!
Critical Mass Halloween Bike Ride takes place this Friday from 5:30pm onward. Be forewarned!


Free Activities
1. SF Chamber Orchestra
Friday-Saturday 8pm, Sunday 3pm
 

The two pieces are by Pulitzer Prize-winning artist Jay Kernis and Franz Joseph Haydn. The stops will be at Nourse Theatre (SF), First Palo Alto United Methodist, and First Congregational (Berkeley). 

2. Dia de los Muertos 
Sunday noon-4pm 
To honor friends and family who have passed on, the Mexican Museum in San Francisco's Presidio is offering free admission, with performances by Ensambles Ballet Folklorico de San Francisco, hands-on crafts, and a book talk by a noted local author. 

3. Ferry Building Harvest 
Saturday 9am-1pm, Sunday 11am-2pm 
Autumn also ushers in the harvest season, and the San Francisco Ferry Building is hosting apple pressing, cooking demos, a pie contest, honey tasting, pumpkin decorating, and other seasonal activities. While you're there, stop by the farmer's market on Saturday!

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