Music
I've been calling since four o'clock last night
You cheated me, and I can't believe it
I saw you singing and dancing in the rain
All the way home
-- "You Cheated Me," by Martha Wainwright (140K views; Oct '09 upload)
She's good. I saw her open for her flamboyant brother many years ago, and now she's gracing the intimate Porch Stage at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass on October 5. Can't wait. Her latest album, released last year, was the season soundtrack for the television show Trauma.
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); Tall Tall Shadow (Basia Bulat); Sunday (Crocodiles); Pompeii (Bastille); Breezeblocks (Alt-J); Sweater Weather (The Neighbourhood); Hurricane (MS MR); Trojans (Atlas Genius); Animals (Martin Garrix); Promising Actress (John Vanderslice and Magik*Magik Orchestra); Lightning Bolt (Jake Bugg); San Francisco (The Mowgli's); The High Road (Broken Bells); Call Me in a Day (La Luz); I Can't Go for That (Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers); Black Night (The Dodos); I Learned the Hard Way (Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings); The Robots (Kraftwerk); We Can Make the World Stop (The Glitch Mob); The Truth Don't Stop (Dr. Dog); & It Was U (How to Dress Well); Heartbeats (The Knife); Alive (Empire of the Sun); Holding on to You (twenty-one pilots); Tessellate (Tokyo Police Club); After Hours (We Are Scientists); It's Not True (William Fitzsimmons); Dance with Me (Ra Ra Riot); Inhaler (Foals); Will Do (TV on the Radio); A Few Honest Words (Ben Sollee); Higher Than the Clouds (Anuhea); Taking Chances (Sharon Van Etten); Sad Song (Au Revoir Simone); Keep Your Head Up (Andy Grammer); Zapata Se Queda (Lila Downs); Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk (Rufus Wainwright); Alexandra (Hamilton Leithauser); Latch (Disclosure, feat. Sam Smith); Clarity (Zedd, feat. Foxes); Wonder Why (Vetiver); Jubel (Klingande); World Without Tears (Lucinda Williams); Talk Is Cheap (Chet Faker).
News of the Week
A Kaiser Family Foundation survey conducted this summer showed that fewer than 20% of gay and bisexual men nationally have had an HIV test in the previous six months. San Francisco fares slightly better in terms of HIV positive status according to the CDC, with an estimated 8% not knowing they are positive, as opposed to the nationwide rate of 18%.
"HIV has kind of faded into the background in the lives of many gay and bisexual men."
-- Richard Wolitski, CDC senior adviser
"We get a sense that a lot of younger gay men don't see this as an issue that is personally affecting them. More than half say they're not personally concerned about getting infected.
-- Liz Hamel, Kaiser Family Foundation director
"We have a relatively good situation compared to what's happening nationally. What we need to realize is we can't become too complacent."
-- Dr. Susan Philip, SF Dept. of Public Health director
Food
Kabana Restaurant
1025 University Ave
Berkeley, CA 94702
(510) 845-3355
Yelp
Affordable, tasty Indian food is in relative abundance in the Bay Area. This stop in West Berkeley hits the spot. Lamb and goat make multiple appearances on the menu, and the usual curries and tandoori are there as well. 4 stars - 450 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 Fried; Range; Suzu Noodle House; The Codmother Fish & Chips; The Front Porch; Blue Plate; Chomp N' Swig; Piccino; La Mediterranee; Ken Ken Ramen; Tommaso's Ristorante Italiano; 1760; The Richmond; Nick's Crispy Tacos; Cinderella Bakery; The Little Chihuahua; Zuni Cafe; Bistro Central Parc; Old Skool Cafe; Starbelly; The Sandwich Place; Primo Patio Cafe; Pearl's Deluxe Burgers.
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/San Jose); 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); Romolo's Cannoli (San Mateo); Koi Palace (Daly City).
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); Shan Dong Restaurant (Oakland); Taste of the Himalayas (Berkeley); Korea House (Concord); Miss Ollie's (Oakland); Gather (Berkeley); Phnom Penh House (Oakland); Sue's Kitchen (El Sobrante); John's Ice Cream (Brentwood/Berkeley); TrueBurger (Oakla
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); Andie's Cafe (Napa); West Brooklyn Pizza Co (San Rafael).
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); Masa of Echo Park (Los Angeles); Biker Jim's Gourmet Dogs (Denver); Philippe the Original (Los Angeles); Han Bat Sul Lung Tang (Los Angeles); Jayne's Gastropub (San Diego); Quinn's (Seattle); Geo
Nightlife
Moxy Beer Garden
3136 Sacramento St
Berkeley, CA 94702
Yelp
Great outdoor setting, with multiple obscure microbrews (Casey Jones? Black Diamond?) to boot. I didn't try the food, but I see that the usual pub fare, from burgers to fries are there. As a nod to Berkeley, vegan wings and truffle fries are also on the menu. 3-1/2 stars - 137 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 Homestead; The Phoenix Bar & Irish Gathering House; Fillmore Karaoke; Musee Mechanique; Royal Cuckoo; The Phone Booth; The Bitter End; Dear Mom, Eureka Lounge; Elbo Room; Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe; Amelie; Buckshot; Greens Sports Bar; The Hearth; The Armory Club; Vinyl Coffee & Wine Bar; The Willows; Barrel Head Brewhouse; Third Rail; 440 Castro; Shotwell's; 83 Proof; The Dark Horse Inn; Hopwater Distribution.
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); Grape & Grain (San Mateo).
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 (Oak
Previous North Bay picks: Lagunitas Brewing Co. (Petaluma); Bear Republic Brewing Co. (Healdsburg); Tourist Club (Mill Valley); Mill Valley Beerworks; Billco's Billiards & Darts (Napa); Cline Cellars (Sonoma).
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); El Prado (Los Angeles); Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey (Denver); Angel City Brewery (Los Angeles); The Hermosillo (Los Angeles); Polite Provisions (San Diego); Sun Liquor Distillery (Seattle); Alex's Bar (Long Beach); Avanguardia Wines (Grass Valley); The 1up (Denver); Fall River Taphouse (Redding).
Nooks & Crannies
Berkeley Rose Garden
Opened to the public in 1937, the garden holds 3,000 rose bushes - an impressive number that still pales in comparison to Portland's garden, which boasts over 7,000. Tennis courts border the garden, and the amphitheater boasts a breathtaking view of the Bay.
Previous Nooks: The Secret Garden (SF); Cal Park Hill Tunnel (San Rafael); Mount Olympus (SF); Watts Towers (Los Angeles); Seward Street Slides (SF); Bison Paddock (SF); St. Ignatius Church (SF); Albany Bulb (Albany); Feather Falls (Oroville); Wolfe Ranch (Brentwood); South Park (SF); Castle Rock State Park (Los Gatos); Sutro Baths (SF); The Dish (Stanford); Bernal Hill (SF); Little Giant Gold Hydrant (SF); Redwood Valley Railway (Berkeley); Howard Langton Garden (SF); Philosopher's Way Trail (SF); Point Reyes Lighthouse; Sundial Bridge (Redding); Bay Bridge Trail (Oakland).
Charity
SCRAP (Scroungers' Center for Reusable Art Parts)
San Francisco, CA
It's the Bay Area's oldest creative reuse center, which collects reusable art materials and distributes them to teachers, students, and artists. Donate directly to its Bayview office if you have supplies such as crayons, scissors, yarn, mannequins, buttons, and silk.
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 (Wes S), Re-volv, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Prevent Blindness, Hamilton Family Center, Rocky Mountain Wild, Plant SF, Delivering Innovation in Supportive Housing (DISH), and City Slicker Farms.
Free Activities
1. Alice Now & Zen Fest
Sunday, noon-5pm
Neon Trees, Matt Nathanson, American Authors, and Lindsey Stirling will grace the stage at Golden Gate Park's Sharon Meadow.
2. Free Drive-In Movie Night
Thursday, 6pm
Not a lot of time to prepare, but go if you can. The drive-in theaters in Concord and San Jose both are offering free double features tonight. The four films are Guardians of the Galaxy, TMNT, Transformers, and Planes.
3. Smithsonian Museum Day; Free National Park Day
Saturday
Since we aren't all lucky enough to live near the free (and sprawling) Smithsonian Museums in D.C., this day celebrates museums and national parks nationwide. Museum-wise, the de Young and Legion of Honor in SF, the San Jose Museum of Art, and the Pacific Coast Air Museum in Santa Rosa are participating. RSVP online. Our great area parks include Yosemite, Sequoia, Lassen, Muir Woods, and Pinnacles.
I've been calling since four o'clock last night
You cheated me, and I can't believe it
I saw you singing and dancing in the rain
All the way home
-- "You Cheated Me," by Martha Wainwright (140K views; Oct '09 upload)
She's good. I saw her open for her flamboyant brother many years ago, and now she's gracing the intimate Porch Stage at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass on October 5. Can't wait. Her latest album, released last year, was the season soundtrack for the television show Trauma.
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); Tall Tall Shadow (Basia Bulat); Sunday (Crocodiles); Pompeii (Bastille); Breezeblocks (Alt-J); Sweater Weather (The Neighbourhood); Hurricane (MS MR); Trojans (Atlas Genius); Animals (Martin Garrix); Promising Actress (John Vanderslice and Magik*Magik Orchestra); Lightning Bolt (Jake Bugg); San Francisco (The Mowgli's); The High Road (Broken Bells); Call Me in a Day (La Luz); I Can't Go for That (Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers); Black Night (The Dodos); I Learned the Hard Way (Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings); The Robots (Kraftwerk); We Can Make the World Stop (The Glitch Mob); The Truth Don't Stop (Dr. Dog); & It Was U (How to Dress Well); Heartbeats (The Knife); Alive (Empire of the Sun); Holding on to You (twenty-one pilots); Tessellate (Tokyo Police Club); After Hours (We Are Scientists); It's Not True (William Fitzsimmons); Dance with Me (Ra Ra Riot); Inhaler (Foals); Will Do (TV on the Radio); A Few Honest Words (Ben Sollee); Higher Than the Clouds (Anuhea); Taking Chances (Sharon Van Etten); Sad Song (Au Revoir Simone); Keep Your Head Up (Andy Grammer); Zapata Se Queda (Lila Downs); Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk (Rufus Wainwright); Alexandra (Hamilton Leithauser); Latch (Disclosure, feat. Sam Smith); Clarity (Zedd, feat. Foxes); Wonder Why (Vetiver); Jubel (Klingande); World Without Tears (Lucinda Williams); Talk Is Cheap (Chet Faker).
News of the Week
A Kaiser Family Foundation survey conducted this summer showed that fewer than 20% of gay and bisexual men nationally have had an HIV test in the previous six months. San Francisco fares slightly better in terms of HIV positive status according to the CDC, with an estimated 8% not knowing they are positive, as opposed to the nationwide rate of 18%.
"HIV has kind of faded into the background in the lives of many gay and bisexual men."
-- Richard Wolitski, CDC senior adviser
"We get a sense that a lot of younger gay men don't see this as an issue that is personally affecting them. More than half say they're not personally concerned about getting infected.
-- Liz Hamel, Kaiser Family Foundation director
"We have a relatively good situation compared to what's happening nationally. What we need to realize is we can't become too complacent."
-- Dr. Susan Philip, SF Dept. of Public Health director
Food
Kabana Restaurant
1025 University Ave
Berkeley, CA 94702
(510) 845-3355
Yelp
Affordable, tasty Indian food is in relative abundance in the Bay Area. This stop in West Berkeley hits the spot. Lamb and goat make multiple appearances on the menu, and the usual curries and tandoori are there as well. 4 stars - 450 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 Fried; Range; Suzu Noodle House; The Codmother Fish & Chips; The Front Porch; Blue Plate; Chomp N' Swig; Piccino; La Mediterranee; Ken Ken Ramen; Tommaso's Ristorante Italiano; 1760; The Richmond; Nick's Crispy Tacos; Cinderella Bakery; The Little Chihuahua; Zuni Cafe; Bistro Central Parc; Old Skool Cafe; Starbelly; The Sandwich Place; Primo Patio Cafe; Pearl's Deluxe Burgers.
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/San Jose); 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); Romolo's Cannoli (San Mateo); Koi Palace (Daly City).
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); Shan Dong Restaurant (Oakland); Taste of the Himalayas (Berkeley); Korea House (Concord); Miss Ollie's (Oakland); Gather (Berkeley); Phnom Penh House (Oakland); Sue's Kitchen (El Sobrante); John's Ice Cream (Brentwood/Berkeley); TrueBurger (Oakla
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); Andie's Cafe (Napa); West Brooklyn Pizza Co (San Rafael).
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); Masa of Echo Park (Los Angeles); Biker Jim's Gourmet Dogs (Denver); Philippe the Original (Los Angeles); Han Bat Sul Lung Tang (Los Angeles); Jayne's Gastropub (San Diego); Quinn's (Seattle); Geo
Nightlife
Moxy Beer Garden
3136 Sacramento St
Berkeley, CA 94702
Yelp
Great outdoor setting, with multiple obscure microbrews (Casey Jones? Black Diamond?) to boot. I didn't try the food, but I see that the usual pub fare, from burgers to fries are there. As a nod to Berkeley, vegan wings and truffle fries are also on the menu. 3-1/2 stars - 137 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 Homestead; The Phoenix Bar & Irish Gathering House; Fillmore Karaoke; Musee Mechanique; Royal Cuckoo; The Phone Booth; The Bitter End; Dear Mom, Eureka Lounge; Elbo Room; Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe; Amelie; Buckshot; Greens Sports Bar; The Hearth; The Armory Club; Vinyl Coffee & Wine Bar; The Willows; Barrel Head Brewhouse; Third Rail; 440 Castro; Shotwell's; 83 Proof; The Dark Horse Inn; Hopwater Distribution.
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); Grape & Grain (San Mateo).
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 (Oak
Previous North Bay picks: Lagunitas Brewing Co. (Petaluma); Bear Republic Brewing Co. (Healdsburg); Tourist Club (Mill Valley); Mill Valley Beerworks; Billco's Billiards & Darts (Napa); Cline Cellars (Sonoma).
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); El Prado (Los Angeles); Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey (Denver); Angel City Brewery (Los Angeles); The Hermosillo (Los Angeles); Polite Provisions (San Diego); Sun Liquor Distillery (Seattle); Alex's Bar (Long Beach); Avanguardia Wines (Grass Valley); The 1up (Denver); Fall River Taphouse (Redding).
Nooks & Crannies
Berkeley Rose Garden
Opened to the public in 1937, the garden holds 3,000 rose bushes - an impressive number that still pales in comparison to Portland's garden, which boasts over 7,000. Tennis courts border the garden, and the amphitheater boasts a breathtaking view of the Bay.
Previous Nooks: The Secret Garden (SF); Cal Park Hill Tunnel (San Rafael); Mount Olympus (SF); Watts Towers (Los Angeles); Seward Street Slides (SF); Bison Paddock (SF); St. Ignatius Church (SF); Albany Bulb (Albany); Feather Falls (Oroville); Wolfe Ranch (Brentwood); South Park (SF); Castle Rock State Park (Los Gatos); Sutro Baths (SF); The Dish (Stanford); Bernal Hill (SF); Little Giant Gold Hydrant (SF); Redwood Valley Railway (Berkeley); Howard Langton Garden (SF); Philosopher's Way Trail (SF); Point Reyes Lighthouse; Sundial Bridge (Redding); Bay Bridge Trail (Oakland).
Charity
SCRAP (Scroungers' Center for Reusable Art Parts)
San Francisco, CA
It's the Bay Area's oldest creative reuse center, which collects reusable art materials and distributes them to teachers, students, and artists. Donate directly to its Bayview office if you have supplies such as crayons, scissors, yarn, mannequins, buttons, and silk.
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 (Wes S), Re-volv, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Prevent Blindness, Hamilton Family Center, Rocky Mountain Wild, Plant SF, Delivering Innovation in Supportive Housing (DISH), and City Slicker Farms.
Free Activities
1. Alice Now & Zen Fest
Sunday, noon-5pm
Neon Trees, Matt Nathanson, American Authors, and Lindsey Stirling will grace the stage at Golden Gate Park's Sharon Meadow.
2. Free Drive-In Movie Night
Thursday, 6pm
Not a lot of time to prepare, but go if you can. The drive-in theaters in Concord and San Jose both are offering free double features tonight. The four films are Guardians of the Galaxy, TMNT, Transformers, and Planes.
3. Smithsonian Museum Day; Free National Park Day
Saturday
Since we aren't all lucky enough to live near the free (and sprawling) Smithsonian Museums in D.C., this day celebrates museums and national parks nationwide. Museum-wise, the de Young and Legion of Honor in SF, the San Jose Museum of Art, and the Pacific Coast Air Museum in Santa Rosa are participating. RSVP online. Our great area parks include Yosemite, Sequoia, Lassen, Muir Woods, and Pinnacles.
