Music
Chelsea I believe when you're dancing
Slowly sucking your sleeve
The boys get lonely after you leave
It's one for the Dagger
And another for the one you believe
-- "Chelsea Dagger" by The Fratellis (11.3 million views; Feb '10 upload)
I
remember this Scottish trio quite vividly from a few years back. They
hit it big around the same time as another group from Glasgow: Franz
Ferdinand. The band's name references the Goonies, and their high-tempo rock
merriment returns to perform from four albums (one released this year)
on October 4 to the Regency Ballroom. Grizfolk opens.
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); Boys Latin (Panda Bear); This Tornado Loves You (Neko Case); Nancy
From Now On (Father John Misty); Thrash Unreal (Against Me!).
Food
Cowabunga Creamery
784 Laurel St
San Carlos, CA 94070
(650) 593-8577
Yelp (4 stars - 219 reviews)
Though
the ice cream is sourced from Marianne's (of Santa Cruz), the shop
itself offers up a multitude of flavors. I opted for a salted caramel
milkshake - yum! Stop by if you're in the San Carlos downtown.
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; Ike's Place, Alta CA.
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); Fairfax Scoop.
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); George's Greek Cafe (Long Beach); Ike's Quarter Cafe (Nevada City); Root Down (Denver); Champa Garden (Redding); The Hangout (Seal Beach); Pantry Restaurant (Santa Fe); Hey That's Amore (Pasadena); Rioja (Denver); Sprouts Cafe (South Lake Tahoe); Solano Baking Company (Dixon); Ballast Point Brewery (San Diego); The Donuttery (Huntington Beach); Phil's BBQ (San Diego); Yak and Yeti Restaurant + Brewpub (Arvada, CO).
Nightlife
Devil's Canyon Brewing Company
935 Washington St
San Carlos, CA 94070
(650) 592-2739
Yelp (4 stars - 64 reviews)
Lots
of kids, food trucks, dogs, and beer are available on Friday nights in
an industrial zone of the Peninsula. You buy a branded pint glass for
your first round, then reuse it thereafter. Scotch ale is probably their
biggest seller, but about six or seven options are usually available.
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; Dogpatch Saloon; Cellarmaker Brewing Company.
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); Petaluma Hills Brewing Company (Petaluma).
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; Epic Brewing (Denver).
Nooks & Crannies
Waterdog Lake Park
Belmont, CA
Convenience,
relative ease, and shade are the main strengths of this open space. The
hike is maybe two miles, though you can extend it by looping the lake
itself. Lots of dog owners, some mountain bikers, great sunshine.
Apparently you could encounter a rattlesnake or mountain lion... though
poison oak is far more likely.
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); Pier 70 (SF); Dipsea Trail (Marin County); Mount Evans (Colorado); Transamerica Redwood Park (SF).
Charity
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. Super Blood Moon
Sunday, 7pm
It's
a full moon. It's a super moon because the moon is within 224,851 miles
from Earth, so it appears larger. It's a blood moon because it's the
fourth lunar eclipse this year. And, it's a total lunar eclipse. Go see
it!
2. Folsom Street Fair
Sunday, 11am-6pm
Several
hundred thousand people will converge on 13 blocks in SoMa to celebrate
leather, fetish, and rubber in a very public manner. Clothing check
stations, two dance stages, and over 200 theme-relevant booths make this
an only-in-San-Francisco event.
3. Art Explosion Open Art Studios
Friday, 7-11pm; Saturday-Sunday, noon-5pm
The
fall opening gala is Friday night at its two locations (744 Alabama and
2425 17th St). You'll see over 100 artists showcasing their latest
work.
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Randy's Guide 4-5-4
Friday, September 18, 2015
Randy's Guide 4-5-3
Music
They don't know nothing about redemption
They don't know nothing about recovery
Some people just aren't the type for marriage and family
-- "Thrash Unreal" by Against Me! (3.8 million views; Oct '09 upload)
Thomas
Gabel probably didn't expect to deal with drugs, depression, divorce,
and dysphoria by the time he was a teenager. But the Southern boy
somehow charged through, formed a mildly successful punk band, and
recently announced a gender transition to Laura Grace. The group's sixth
album - entitled "Transgender Dysphoria Blues" -- will be the focus for
the upcoming performance at Slim's on September 24. Annie Girl and the
Flight and Cayetana open.
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); Boys Latin (Panda Bear); This Tornado Loves You (Neko Case); Nancy From Now On (Father John Misty).
Food
Alta CA
1420 Market St
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 590-2585
4 stars - 300 reviews
It's
a gorgeous venue on a forgettable stretch of Mid-Market. This is the
type of place that offers $17 bacon cheeseburgers, where the well-to-do
(and those who are aspiring) want a respite from the workday. It
probably helps that I came here to celebrate my birthday, so no pain on
my wallet as I had a delightful deconstructed pastrami bialy dish.
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; Ike's Place.
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); Fairfax Scoop.
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
Cellarmaker Brewing Company
1150 Howard St
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 863-3940
4-1/2 stars - 195 reviews
Dangerously
close to my office, this tiny brewery packs in the crowds for its
expert beers, ranging from the super hoppy Triple IPA to the Four Barrel
collaborative porter. It basically has a stranglehold as the closest
"local brewery" label for the Twitter/Dolby/Uber workforce. Pints are
near the $7 range, which to me seems high, but is on par with others
like Mikkeller and Beer Hall in the area.
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; Dogpatch Saloon.
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); Petaluma Hills Brewing Company (Petaluma).
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; Epic Brewing (Denver).
Nooks & Crannies
Transamerica Redwood Park
San Francisco, CA
This
half-acre grove features redwoods moved from the Santa Cruz Mountains,
along with a fountain and plenty of areas to sit and relax in the midst
of the Financial District. It's located on the bay-side of the Pyramid,
near Clay and Sansome.
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); Pier 70 (SF); Dipsea Trail (Marin County); Mount Evans (Colorado).
Charity
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. Eat Real Street Food
Friday, 1-9pm; Saturday, 10:30am-9pm; Sunday, 10:30am-5pm
San
Francisco had its time to shine, now it's Oakland's turn. Dozens of
food vendors, along with many local beers and wines, will take over Jack
London Square. Live music, cocktail workshops, and a kiddie zone add to
the mix.
2. Int'l Dragon Boat Festival
Saturday-Sunday, 8am-5pm
Over
100 dragon boat teams will compete on 300- and 500-meter courses off
Treasure Island. Parking is very limited on the island, so festivalgoers
are advised to take the free shuttles from Chinatown and SoMa.
3. Tour de Fat Bikes & Brews
Saturday, 11am-5pm
Colorado's
New Belgium Brewing stops by 10 cities - ranging from Boise to Durham -
and locally we're lucky to have this in Golden Gate Park. The quirky
bike parade starts things off, then contests (donate your car for a free
bike) and music complement the nine or so offerings on tap.
Friday, September 11, 2015
Randy's Guide 4-5-2
Music
How was I to know
That milk and honey flowed
Just a couple states below
-- "Nancy From Now On" by Father John Misty (1.1 million views; Mar '12 upload)
Joshua
Tillman (AKA Father John Misty) previously was a member of Fleet Foxes,
so the sound on his own rings familiar. His strong childhood link to
religion - Baptist, Episcopal, Pentecostal Jewish - delayed his exposure
to most music until going off to college. After living in Seattle for a
while, he's settled down in New Orleans with his wife. Now, you can
settle in for his set at Treasure Island Music Festival next month.
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); Boys Latin (Panda Bear); This Tornado Loves You (Neko Case).
News of the Week
Heineken, the world's second largest brewer, has purchased a 50% stake in Petaluma-based Lagunitas Brewing
Company, known for its flagship craft IPA beer. Craft beer currently
represents 11% of the overall U.S. beer market, though its sales
increased nearly 18% in the past year, compared to the overall market
growing just 0.5%.
"We
look forward to that same team partnering with us to expand Lagunitas
globally, so it can reach parts of the world that other craft beer
brands have not."
-- Jean-Francois van Boxmeer, Heineken Chairman-CEO
"Lagunitas
has just been on an absolute tear in growth. It's a very successful
brand with a story behind it that can be told really around the world."
-- Tom McCormick, California Craft Brewers Association executive director
"The
Dutch are very consensus-building.... In their own words, we will be
partners, and partners talk to each other. I'm confident we aren't going
to find ourselves at loggerheads in this."
-- Tony Magee, Lagunitas Brewing founder-owner
Food
Yak and Yeti Restaurant + Brewpub
7803 Ralston Rd
Arvada, CO 80002
(303) 431-9000
Imagine that - an Indian restaurant that also brews its own beer. I'm sure it would be a hit here in San Francisco. The lunch buffet is a steal (I believe around $9), and the chai milk stout is definitely unique and worth a pint. A second location is in the nearby suburb of Westminster.
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; Ike's Place.
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); Fairfax Scoop.
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
Epic Brewing
3001 Walnut St
Denver, CO 80205
(720) 539-7410
Yelp - 4-1/2 stars (164 reviews)
The Salt Lake City-based brewery opened up a tap room in an industrial area of Denver two years ago to rave reviews. The space is simply gorgeous, and the options are endless, whether you want something classic or experimental.
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; Dogpatch Saloon.
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); Petaluma Hills Brewing Company (Petaluma).
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
Mount Evans
Clear Creek County, Colorado
An easy day trip from Denver brings you to the highest paved road in North America, a tad over 14000 feet above sea level. You have a good chance of seeing mountain goats, bighorn sheep, marmots, and pikas. Take it easy on the hikes though, as you will want to avoid altitude sickness.
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); Pier 70 (SF); Dipsea Trail (Marin County).
Charity
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. Bernal Heights Film Crawl
Saturday-Sunday, 7-10pm
Though the warm weather may have dissipated, cinephiles will want to check out the local short films shown in businesses along Cortland and in Precita Park.
2. 20th Street Block Party
Saturday, noon-6pm
The heart of the Mission hosts two stages featuring Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, as well as a chef stage that includes Flour + Water's Thomas McNaughton.
3. Solano Stroll
Sunday, 10am-6pm
The East Bay's largest street festival is over one mile long and features over 500 booths along Solano Avenue, which involves both Berkeley and Albany.
