Music
Dark cloud descended again
And a shadow moves in the darkness
Beasts don't have a second to think
But we don't appreciate our things
-- "Boys Latin" by Panda Bear (1.1 million views; Dec '14 upload)
Noah
Lennox, a co-founding member of the band Animal Collective, experiments
on his own under this pseudonym to the tune of five albums to date. He
grew up in Baltimore, attended school in Boston, and now lives in
Portugal with his wife and daughter. The trippy video itself could be
interpreted in different ways - the terror of either raising a child,
staying committed in a relationship, entering an altered state, or
coming out of the closet. Panda Bear will be part of the Treasure Island
Music Festival, October 17-18.
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); You Cheated Me (Martha Wainwright); Beggin' for Thread
(Banks); Elevate (St. Lucia); Speed of Sound (Alzara & Brother
Spellbinder); You're Not the One (Sky Ferreira); My Silver Lining (First
Aid Kit); Never Catch Me (Flying Lotus); Devils (Say Hi); Seasons -
Waiting on You (Future Islands); Riptide (Vance Joy); Get Low (Dillon
Francis feat DJ Snake); Collide (Laidback Luke feat Project 46 and
Collin McLoughlin); Christmas Miracle (WestJet); Budapest (George Ezra);
Rich Kids (Judah and the Lion); Now We Can See (The Thermals); Kites
(Geographer); Demon Dance (Surfer Blood); Odessa (Caribou); Home - Leave
the Lights On (Field Report); Unbound (Cathedrals); Bridges (Broods);
Wraith Pinned to the Mist (of Montreal); Papaoutai
(Stromae); Who Needs You (The Orwells); Blank Space (Taylor Swift);
High Road (Mastodon); Worlds Apart (Seven Lions, feat. Kerli); O
Valencia! (The Decemberists); The Letter That Johnny Walker Read (Asleep
at the Wheel); Paradise (Wild Nothing); September Fields (Frazey Ford);
I Wanna Get Better (Bleachers); I'm Gonna Show You Crazy (Bebe Rexha);
She Looks So Perfect (5 Seconds of Summer); Take Me to Church (Hozier);
Bohemian Rhapsody (Jake Shimabukuro); Since U Been Gone (Kelly
Clarkson); Aloha `Oe (Amy Hānaiali`i Gilliom); Feel It All (Tokio
Hotel); In This Diary (The Ataris); Back to Me (The Frail); Gooey (Glass
Animals); Red Eyes (The War on Drugs); I Will Never Let You Down (Rita Ora).
News of the Week
Pinatas bearing the likeness of Donald Trump
- who currently leads in national polling for the Republican
presidential nomination - are a hot ticket in San Francisco's Mission
District.
"Why do you need to put candy inside Donald Trump? Maybe poison, not candy."
-- Shafi Mohammad, Discount City store manager
"Trump is not nice. He is for hitting."
-- Felix Gomez, San Francisco Tropical store manager
"I don't think there's one person around here who likes him. But he would be good to break apart."
-- Athena Gonzales, resident
"When
Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best.... They're
bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I
assume, are good people."
-- Donald Trump, Republican presidential candidate
Food
Ike's Place
3489 16th St
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 553-6888
Yelp - 4-1/2 stars (6758 reviews)
The
sandwich shop with the heavenly secret sauce has come a long way since
2007. Ike Shehadeh and his mom would be there in the kitchen every time I
visited the first few years. A neighborhood dispute moved them
temporarily away from this corner, but they returned eventually. Now the
empire has spread throughout the Bay Area (such as Walnut Creek and
Santa Clara) and beyond (Tempe, Arizona for one). I tried one of their
sandwiches again earlier this month. The verdict: still doggone tasty.
Prices have gone up about 50%, and much of the menu has changed, though
the secret menu remains for those in the know.
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; Boulevard; The Sausage Factory; Tommy's Joynt; Truly Mediterranean; Tadich Grill; Little Nepal; Roxie Food Center; New Eritrea Restaurant & Bar; Vega; Mitchell's Ice Cream; Marcello's Pizza; Olive Garden;Burmese Kitchen; Citizen's Band; Velvet Cantina; Brenda's Meat and Three; Guddu de Karahi; Shin Toe Bul Yi; Miyabi Sushi; Señor Sisig; Marcella's Lasagneria; Taqueria Guadalajara; Mission Beach 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/San Jose); Pluto's (Palo Alto/San Jose); 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); Old Port Lobster Shack (Redwood City); Souvlaki's Greek Skewers (San Jose); Gorilla Barbeque (Pacifica); Ramen Dojo (San Mateo); Phil's Kitchen (Menlo Park); Gombei Japanese Restaurant (San Jose).
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/
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); Lighthouse Cafe (Sausalito); Bovine Bakery (Petaluma/Point Reyes Station).
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
Dogpatch Saloon
2496 3rd St
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 643-8592
Yelp - 4 stars (46 reviews)
The
historic element (built in 1912) remains, but a recent renovation by
the fellows behind 83 Proof have given considerable life to the space. A
full bar with decently priced craft beer on tap is available, and
significant seating options near massive opening windows ring the
periphery.
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; Novela; Twin Peaks Tavern; Great American Music Hall; Elixir; Topsy's Fun House; Wild Side West; Social Kitchen & Brewery; Triple Voodoo Brewery & Tap Room; Valley Tavern; 500 Club; The Mix; Redwood Room; The Plough and the Stars; 21st Amendment; Urban Putt; Bar 821; NightLife at the California Academy of Sciences; The Riptide; Pilsner Inn; Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar; Third Rail; Spitfire Rose; Mission Bar.
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); Freewheel Brewing Company (Redwood City); Cinebar (San Jose);Devil's Slide Taproom (Pacifica); The Dutch Goose (Menlo Park); The Branham Lounge (San Jose).
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 (
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); No Name Bar (Sausalito); William Hill Estate Winery (Napa).
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); The Abbey (Seal Beach); Marble Brewery (Albuquerque); The Far Bar (Los Angeles); Epic Brewing Company (Denver); The Firkin & Fox (Carson City, NV); Berryessa Brewing Company (Winters); Brewski's Bar (San Diego); 49ers Tavern & Grill (Long Beach); San Diego Beerworks.
Nooks & Crannies
Pier 70
San Francisco, CA
The
SF Street Food Festival was my first introduction to Pier 70, on the
waterfront of the Dogpatch. The first West Coast shipyard sprang up here
during the 1880s and became a bustling area through WWII. Pier 70 then
fell into disrepair, only to be the epicenter for a new construction
project with a 15-year timeline for housing, parks, artist studios,
renovated historic buildings, and light manufacturing. The upcoming Bay
Area Brew Festival will be next up for this area.
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); Berkeley Rose Garden; Moraga Steps (SF); Angels Flight (Los Angeles); Grandview Park (SF); Corona Heights Park (SF); Lake Chabot (Oakland/Castro Valley);Friends of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge (San Antonio, NM); Heron's Head Park (SF); History Park (San Jose); Runyon Canyon Park (Los Angeles); Cataract Falls (Fairfax); Coyote Point Recreation Area (San Mateo); San Pedro Valley Park (Pacifica); Ano Nuevo State Park (Pescadero); Redwood Regional Park (Oakland); Laguna Honda Reservoir (SF); Joaquin Miller Park(Oakland); Holly Park (SF); Belden Place (SF); Swetsville Zoo (Fort Collins, CO); Treasure Island (SF); Temescal Alleys (Oakland); Kite Hill (SF); Cascade Falls (South Lake Tahoe); Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve (Stanford); Pier 39 (SF); Mountain Lake (SF); Ring Mountain (Corte Madera); Vermont Street (SF); The Armory (SF); Vacaville Premium Outlets; Kezar Stadium (SF); Botanical Building (San Diego); Musee Mechanique (SF); Armstrong Redwoods State National Reserve (Guerneville); Murphy Windmill (SF); Pinnacles National Park (Paicines); Mission San Francisco de Asis(SF); Grace Cathedral (SF); Flora Grubb Gardens (SF); Lake Merritt (Oakland); Diego Rivera Mural Project (SF); Baker Beach (SF); Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve (Huntington Beach); Botanical Building (San Diego).
Charity
Congrats to J-Sei, the latest Randy's Guide donation recipient.
Westside Community Services
San Francisco, CA
This
mental health agency has been based in San Francisco's Western Addition
for over four decades. Their services range from black infant health to
substance abuse to HIV/AIDS. The program also has a satellite office in
SoMa.
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), City Slicker Farms, SCRAP, Good Karma Bikes, Milo Foundation, Rising Sun Energy Center, Vida Verde Nature Education, J-Sei.
Free Activities
1. Pier to Pier History Walk
Saturday, 9am-noon
Enjoy
the SF Maritime Historical National Park during this walk between
Municipal Pier and Hyde Street Pier. At the end, you'll find a raffle
with great prizes, health and fitness resource tables, and Zumba demos.
2. Silicon Valley Pride
Sunday, 10:30am-7pm
Not to be outdone by its neighbors to the north, San Jose will host its 40th annual Pride festival and parade. Entertainment lineup includes Steve Grand, Cheer SF, and Jeannie Tracy.
3. "Jaws" Movie Night
Saturday, 8pm
See
this beloved classic under a supermoon-lit sky, while enjoying
complimentary popcorn and ice cream at The Yard (across from AT&T
Park).
Friday, August 28, 2015
Randy's Guide 4-5-0
Saturday, August 22, 2015
Randy's Guide 4-4-9
Music
There's a million ways to go
Don't be embarrassed if you lose control
On the rooftop, now you know
Your body's frozen, and you've lost your soul
-- "I Will Never Let You Down" by Rita Ora (111.2 million views; Mar '14 upload)
The
British singer-actress was born in Kosovo and quickly gained attention
while still only a teenager. She opened for Drake, Coldplay, and Usher,
and captured three #1 hits on the UK charts from her first album. This
song, produced by Calvin Harris, comes off of her second record and also
hit #1 on the UK charts. You may have also seen her in ads for Calvin
Klein, DKNY, Adidas, Coca-Cola, or Samsung. Her area stop is on Tuesday
at the intimate Independent in SF, with DJ Nic Nac and Tkay Maidza
opening.
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); You Cheated Me (Martha Wainwright); Beggin' for Thread
(Banks); Elevate (St. Lucia); Speed of Sound (Alzara & Brother
Spellbinder); You're Not the One (Sky Ferreira); My Silver Lining (First
Aid Kit); Never Catch Me (Flying Lotus); Devils (Say Hi); Seasons -
Waiting on You (Future Islands); Riptide (Vance Joy); Get Low (Dillon
Francis feat DJ Snake); Collide (Laidback Luke feat Project 46 and
Collin McLoughlin); Christmas Miracle (WestJet); Budapest (George Ezra);
Rich Kids (Judah and the Lion); Now We Can See (The Thermals); Kites
(Geographer); Demon Dance (Surfer Blood); Odessa (Caribou); Home - Leave
the Lights On (Field Report); Unbound (Cathedrals); Bridges (Broods);
Wraith Pinned to the Mist (of Montreal); Papaoutai
(Stromae); Who Needs You (The Orwells); Blank Space (Taylor Swift);
High Road (Mastodon); Worlds Apart (Seven Lions, feat. Kerli); O
Valencia! (The Decemberists); The Letter That Johnny Walker Read (Asleep
at the Wheel); Paradise (Wild Nothing); September Fields (Frazey Ford);
I Wanna Get Better (Bleachers); I'm Gonna Show You Crazy (Bebe Rexha);
She Looks So Perfect (5 Seconds of Summer); Take Me to Church (Hozier);
Bohemian Rhapsody (Jake Shimabukuro); Since U Been Gone (Kelly
Clarkson); Aloha `Oe (Amy Hānaiali`i Gilliom); Feel It All (Tokio
Hotel); In This Diary (The Ataris); Back to Me (The Frail); Gooey (Glass
Animals); Red Eyes (The War on Drugs).
News of the Week
Please
share this outreach video for my agency's programs with your social
media accounts, community organizations, and loved ones.
English: vimeo.com/134769014
Spanish: vimeo.com/133188112
Cantonese:
vimeo.com/133188111
Food
Phil's BBQ
3750 Sports Arena Blvd
San Diego, CA 92110
(619) 226-6333
Yelp - 4-1/2 stars (9080 reviews)
I
see there's no need to add my own Yelp review, seeing as how over 9,000
other individuals have beaten me to it. The legendary long lines (over
an hour and streamed through their website) were deterred by unusual
90-degree weather. It was only 20 minutes for my visit. The beefy ribs
are gigantic and meaty - a person could eat at most two for lunch. The
baked beans are infused with healthy doses of ham, while the macaroni
salad is definitely among the best I've tasted from a restaurant. Split a
large meal among two or three, and you've got yourself a fine barbecue
spread. Other locations have since opened at San Diego airport, San
Marcos, and Santee.
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; Boulevard; The Sausage Factory; Tommy's Joynt; Truly Mediterranean; Tadich Grill; Little Nepal; Roxie Food Center; New Eritrea Restaurant & Bar; Vega; Mitchell's Ice Cream; Marcello's Pizza; Olive Garden;Burmese Kitchen; Citizen's Band; Velvet Cantina; Brenda's Meat and Three; Guddu de Karahi; Shin Toe Bul Yi; Miyabi Sushi; Señor Sisig; Marcella's Lasagneria; Taqueria Guadalajara; Mission Beach 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/San Jose); Pluto's (Palo Alto/San Jose); 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); Old Port Lobster Shack (Redwood City); Souvlaki's Greek Skewers (San Jose); Gorilla Barbeque (Pacifica); Ramen Dojo (San Mateo); Phil's Kitchen (Menlo Park); Gombei Japanese Restaurant (San Jose).
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/
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); Lighthouse Cafe (Sausalito); Bovine Bakery (Petaluma/Point Reyes Station).
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
San Diego Beerworks
437 S Hwy 101
Solana Beach, CA 92075
(858) 353-2815
Yelp - 4-1/2 stars (46 reviews)
On
the other end of the spectrum from Phil's is this relatively quiet,
somewhat out-of-the-way beer bar. I recall a few TVs and maybe 15-20
taps. No nonsense or lines.
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; Novela; Twin Peaks Tavern; Great American Music Hall; Elixir; Topsy's Fun House; Wild Side West; Social Kitchen & Brewery; Triple Voodoo Brewery & Tap Room; Valley Tavern; 500 Club; The Mix; Redwood Room; The Plough and the Stars; 21st Amendment; Urban Putt; Bar 821; NightLife at the California Academy of Sciences; The Riptide; Pilsner Inn; Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar; Third Rail; Spitfire Rose; Mission Bar.
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); Freewheel Brewing Company (Redwood City); Cinebar (San Jose);Devil's Slide Taproom (Pacifica); The Dutch Goose (Menlo Park); The Branham Lounge (San Jose).
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 (
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); No Name Bar (Sausalito); William Hill Estate Winery (Napa).
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); The Abbey (Seal Beach); Marble Brewery (Albuquerque); The Far Bar (Los Angeles); Epic Brewing Company (Denver); The Firkin & Fox (Carson City, NV); Berryessa Brewing Company (Winters); Brewski's Bar (San Diego); 49ers Tavern & Grill (Long Beach).
Nooks & Crannies
Botanical Building
San Diego, CA
Nestled
within San Diego's enormous Balboa Park is this picturesque Botanical
Building, with a lily pond and lagoon. They date back to the 1915
Exposition - happy centennial! Over 2000 plants and flowers call this
building home. Totally free, totally worth a visit.
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); Berkeley Rose Garden; Moraga Steps (SF); Angels Flight (Los Angeles); Grandview Park (SF); Corona Heights Park (SF); Lake Chabot (Oakland/Castro Valley);Friends of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge (San Antonio, NM); Heron's Head Park (SF); History Park (San Jose); Runyon Canyon Park (Los Angeles); Cataract Falls (Fairfax); Coyote Point Recreation Area (San Mateo); San Pedro Valley Park (Pacifica); Ano Nuevo State Park (Pescadero); Redwood Regional Park (Oakland); Laguna Honda Reservoir (SF); Joaquin Miller Park(Oakland); Holly Park (SF); Belden Place (SF); Swetsville Zoo (Fort Collins, CO); Treasure Island (SF); Temescal Alleys (Oakland); Kite Hill (SF); Cascade Falls (South Lake Tahoe); Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve (Stanford); Pier 39 (SF); Mountain Lake (SF); Ring Mountain (Corte Madera); Vermont Street (SF); The Armory (SF); Vacaville Premium Outlets; Kezar Stadium (SF); Botanical Building (San Diego); Musee Mechanique (SF); Armstrong Redwoods State National Reserve (Guerneville); Murphy Windmill (SF); Pinnacles National Park (Paicines); Mission San Francisco de Asis(SF); Grace Cathedral (SF); Flora Grubb Gardens (SF); Lake Merritt (Oakland); Diego Rivera Mural Project (SF); Baker Beach (SF); Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve (Huntington Beach).
Charity
J-Sei
Berkeley, CA
This
East Bay nonprofit, with roots stretching back to 1971, provides
assisted living and an activity center for seniors, with a particular
emphasis on the Japanese-American community. Big community events are
the February Crab Feed and the food and wine tasting event in April.
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), City Slicker Farms, SCRAP, Good Karma Bikes, Milo Foundation, Rising Sun Energy Center, Vida Verde Nature Education.
Free Activities
1. Caltopia
Sunday-Monday, 10am-4pm
Back to school time means free massages, cookies, and other corporate handouts to starving students and community members alike at the UC Berkeley Recreational Sports Facility.
2. Oakland Chinatown Street Festival
Saturday-Sunday, 10am-5:30pm
Nine blocks of Oakland's Chinatown will host over 200 booths and two entertainment stages.
3. Film Night in Union Square
Saturday, 8pm
Bring a blanket and some picnic fare to catch a public screening of "Toy Story" in Union Square Plaza.
Friday, August 7, 2015
Randy's Guide 4-4-8
Music
And you don't go home
But you abuse my faith
Losing every time but I don't know where
You're on my side again
-- "Red Eyes" by The War on Drugs (2.5 million views; Mar '14 upload)
The lead singer moved from Oakland to Philly and started The War on Drugs in 2005. Their third album, released last year, hit the top twenty of the Belgian, Danish, and UK charts. Catch them at the Treasure Island Music Festival, October 17-18.
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); You Cheated Me (Martha Wainwright); Beggin' for Thread (Banks); Elevate (St. Lucia); Speed of Sound (Alzara & Brother Spellbinder); You're Not the One (Sky Ferreira); My Silver Lining (First Aid Kit); Never Catch Me (Flying Lotus); Devils (Say Hi); Seasons - Waiting on You (Future Islands); Riptide (Vance Joy); Get Low (Dillon Francis feat DJ Snake); Collide (Laidback Luke feat Project 46 and Collin McLoughlin); Christmas Miracle (WestJet); Budapest (George Ezra); Rich Kids (Judah and the Lion); Now We Can See (The Thermals); Kites (Geographer); Demon Dance (Surfer Blood); Odessa (Caribou); Home - Leave the Lights On (Field Report); Unbound (Cathedrals); Bridges (Broods); Wraith Pinned to the Mist (of Montreal); Papaoutai (Stromae); Who Needs You (The Orwells); Blank Space (Taylor Swift); High Road (Mastodon); Worlds Apart (Seven Lions, feat. Kerli); O Valencia! (The Decemberists); The Letter That Johnny Walker Read (Asleep at the Wheel); Paradise (Wild Nothing); September Fields (Frazey Ford); I Wanna Get Better (Bleachers); I'm Gonna Show You Crazy (Bebe Rexha); She Looks So Perfect (5 Seconds of Summer); Take Me to Church (Hozier); Bohemian Rhapsody (Jake Shimabukuro); Since U Been Gone (Kelly Clarkson); Aloha `Oe (Amy Hānaiali`i Gilliom); Feel It All (Tokio Hotel); In This Diary (The Ataris); Back to Me (The Frail); Gooey (Glass Animals).
News of the Week49ers linebacker Aldon Smith, one of the top defenders in the NFL, was released by the team on suspicion of a hit-and-run, DUI, and vandalism. He previously was arrested at LAX in 2014, had a DUI arrest in 2013, and committed three misdemeanors and was stabbed at his 2012 party.
"It's a sad day. This is a day that doesn't have anything to do about football."
-- Jim Tomsula, 49ers head coach
"Justice will be served. The truth will come out. There's no DUI, and I'm sorry for anybody I let down."
-- Aldon Smith, former 49ers linebacker
"He was definitely one of my favorite players. I think they did give him a good amount of chances -- he wasn't able to learn."
-- Eduardo Cisneros, 21-year-old 49ers fan
"I think everybody was shocked."
-- Anquan Boldin, 49ers wide receiver
Food
The Donuttery
17420 Beach Blvd
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
(714) 847-7000
Yelp - 4-1/2 stars (1788 reviews)
A short drive from Huntington Beach Pier and its volleyball courts is this 24-hour little donut shop, which serves up a mean red velvet cream cheese or maple bacon. And for those who stroll the vegan walk, there are multiple flavors for you too.
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; Boulevard; The Sausage Factory; Tommy's Joynt; Truly Mediterranean; Tadich Grill; Little Nepal; Roxie Food Center; New Eritrea Restaurant & Bar; Vega; Mitchell's Ice Cream; Marcello's Pizza; Olive Garden;Burmese Kitchen; Citizen's Band; Velvet Cantina; Brenda's Meat and Three; Guddu de Karahi; Shin Toe Bul Yi; Miyabi Sushi; Señor Sisig; Marcella's Lasagneria; Taqueria Guadalajara; Mission Beach 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/San Jose); Pluto's (Palo Alto/San Jose); 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); Old Port Lobster Shack (Redwood City); Souvlaki's Greek Skewers (San Jose); Gorilla Barbeque (Pacifica); Ramen Dojo (San Mateo); Phil's Kitchen (Menlo Park); Gombei Japanese Restaurant (San Jose).
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/Rosevi
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); Lighthouse Cafe (Sausalito); Bovine Bakery (Petaluma/Point Reyes Station).
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
49ers Tavern & Grill
5660 E Pacific Coast Hwy
Long Beach, CA 90814
(562) 494-4449
Yelp - 4 stars (133 reviews)
Since 1958, the tavern has stood steps from the Long Beach State campus to serve up tasty cocktails and beer to students and other locals alike. Thursdays offer $3 beer on tap, and Tuesday is trivia night. Or if you prefer Sundays, you have four hour bottomless mimosas for $12 - perfect for NFL watching on the multiple TVs.
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; Novela; Twin Peaks Tavern; Great American Music Hall; Elixir; Topsy's Fun House; Wild Side West; Social Kitchen & Brewery; Triple Voodoo Brewery & Tap Room; Valley Tavern; 500 Club; The Mix; Redwood Room; The Plough and the Stars; 21st Amendment; Urban Putt; Bar 821; NightLife at the California Academy of Sciences; The Riptide; Pilsner Inn; Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar; Third Rail; Spitfire Rose; Mission Bar.
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); Freewheel Brewing Company (Redwood City); Cinebar (San Jose);Devil's Slide Taproom (Pacifica); The Dutch Goose (Menlo Park); The Branham Lounge (San Jose).
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); Bar Three Fifty-Five (Oakland); Triple Rock Brewery and Ale House (Berkeley); Fauna (Oakland); Ben & Nick's Bar & Grill (Oakland); District Oakland; Albany Taproom; The Pig & the Pickle (Concord); The New Parkway (Oakland); Torpedo Room (Berkeley); Moxy Beer Garden (Berkeley); Ale Industries (Oakland); Faction Brewing (Alameda); Woods Bar & Brewery (Oakland); Diving Dog Brewhouse (Oakland).
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); No Name Bar (Sausalito); William Hill Estate Winery (Napa).
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); The Abbey (Seal Beach); Marble Brewery (Albuquerque); The Far Bar (Los Angeles); Epic Brewing Company (Denver); The Firkin & Fox (Carson City, NV); Berryessa Brewing Company (Winters); Brewski's Bar (San Diego).
Nooks & Crannies
Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve
Huntington Beach, CA
The battle for this land has extended over a century, as entities ranging from the Bolsa Chica Gun Club and Hearthside Homes have attempted to develop the land. Migratory birds, various snake species, and coyotes all call this area home. A lengthy project to reconnect Bolsa Chica to the Pacific Ocean completed in 2006. Presently, the reserve is approximately 1400 acres.
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); Berkeley Rose Garden; Moraga Steps (SF); Angels Flight (Los Angeles); Grandview Park (SF); Corona Heights Park (SF); Lake Chabot (Oakland/Castro Valley);Friends of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge (San Antonio, NM); Heron's Head Park (SF); History Park (San Jose); Runyon Canyon Park (Los Angeles); Cataract Falls (Fairfax); Coyote Point Recreation Area (San Mateo); San Pedro Valley Park (Pacifica); Ano Nuevo State Park (Pescadero); Redwood Regional Park (Oakland); Laguna Honda Reservoir (SF); Joaquin Miller Park(Oakland); Holly Park (SF); Belden Place (SF); Swetsville Zoo (Fort Collins, CO); Treasure Island (SF); Temescal Alleys (Oakland); Kite Hill (SF); Cascade Falls (South Lake Tahoe); Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve (Stanford); Pier 39 (SF); Mountain Lake (SF); Ring Mountain (Corte Madera); Vermont Street (SF); The Armory (SF); Vacaville Premium Outlets; Kezar Stadium (SF); Botanical Building (San Diego); Musee Mechanique (SF); Armstrong Redwoods State National Reserve (Guerneville); Murphy Windmill (SF); Pinnacles National Park (Paicines); Mission San Francisco de Asis(SF); Grace Cathedral (SF); Flora Grubb Gardens (SF); Lake Merritt (Oakland); Diego Rivera Mural Project (SF); Baker Beach (SF).
Charity
J-Sei
Berkeley, CA
This East Bay nonprofit, with roots stretching back to 1971, provides assisted living and an activity center for seniors, with a particular emphasis on the Japanese-American community. Big community events are the February Crab Feed and the food and wine tasting event in April.
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), City Slicker Farms, SCRAP, Good Karma Bikes, Milo Foundation, Rising Sun Energy Center, Vida Verde Nature Education.
Free Activities
1. Perseid Meteors
Monday-Wednesday nights
Nature is awesome. Try to get to an elevated, darker area after midnight since the moon won't interfere this year!
2. Bernal Heights Garage Sale
Saturday, 9am-3pm
I even joined one year as a seller. It's huge. Score some deals by showing up early!
3. Ping Pong Festival
Sunday, 8am-3pm
Five locations throughout Chinatown, including Portsmouth Square, will host ping-pong matches as well as other cultural activities.
