Music
Hey there
I know it's hard to feel like I don't care at all
Where you are and how you feel
With these lights off
As these wheels keep rolling on and on
-- "Ohio is for Lovers" by Hawthorne Heights (3.2 million views; Oct '11 upload)
This debut single, released back in 2004, harkens to fonder days for this band from Dayton, Ohio. Their second album peaked at #3 on the US charts, with significant airplay on MTV. A tragic death of a band member, multiple record label fights, and a dwindling fan base have not discouraged the group from touring again. See them at the intimate Bottom of the Hill on February 19 playing the second album in full, with The Ataris and Mest opening.
Previous songs: Against Me! - Thrash Unreal; Alabama Shakes - Hold On; Alison Krauss - Down to the River to Pray; Alt-J - Breezeblocks; AlunaGeorge - Your Drums, Your Love; Alzara & Brother Spellbinder - Speed of Sound; Amy Hānaiali`i Gilliom - Aloha `Oe; Andrew Bird - Dyin' Bedmaker; Andy Grammer - Keep Your Head Up; Anuhea - Higher Than the Clouds; Asleep at the Wheel - The Letter That Johnny Walker Read; Ataris - In This Diary; Atlas Genius - Trojans; Au Revoir Simone - Sad Song; Avicii - Levels; Balmorhea - Remembrance; Band of Horses - Knock Knock; Banks - Beggin' for Thread; Basia Bulat - Tall Tall Shadow; Bastille - Pompeii; Bebe Rexha - I'm Gonna Show You Crazy; Ben Sollee - A Few Honest Words; Black Keys - Lonely Boy; Blackbird, Blackbird - It's a War; Bleachers - I Wanna Get Better; Blind Pilot - Three Rounds and a Sound; Brandi Carlile - The Story; Broken Bells - The High Road; Broods - Bridges; Capital Cities - Safe and Sound; Caribou - Odessa; Cathedrals - Unbound; Cayuca - High School Lover; Chet Faker - Talk Is Cheap; Chvrches - The Mother We Share; Crocodiles - Sunday; Crystal Castles - Celestica; Darkness - I Believe in a Thing Called Love; Decemberists - O Valencia!; Dillon Francis, feat. DJ Snake - Get Low; Disclosure, feat. Sam Smith - Latch; Dodos - Black Night; Dr. Dog - The Truth Don't Stop; Echosmith - Bright; Ed Sheeran - The A Team; Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - Man on Fire; Empire of the Sun - Alive; Family Crest - Love Don't Go; Father John Misty - Nancy From Now On; Field Report - Home (Leave the Lights On); First Aid Kit - My Silver Lining; Fitz and the Tantrums - Out of My League; 5 Seconds of Summer - She Looks So Perfect; Flying Lotus - Never Catch Me; Foals - Inhaler; Frail - Back to Me; Fratellis - Chelsea Dagger; Frazey Ford - September Fields; Fun. - Carry On; Future Islands - Seasons (Waiting on You); Geographer - Kites; George Ezra - Budapest; Glass Animals - Gooey; Glitch Mob - We Can Make the World Stop; Gotye - Easy Way Out; Hamilton Leithauser - Alexandra; Holy Ghost - Dumb Disco Ideas; Houndsmouth - Sedona; How To Dress Well - & It Was U; Hozier - Take Me to Church; Hunter Hayes - Wanted; Imagine Dragons - It's Time; Jake Bugg - Lightning Bolt; Jake Shimabukuro - Bohemian Rhapsody; Joe Pug - Hymn #101; Judah and the Lion - Rich Kids; Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone; Killers - Miss Atomic Bomb; Klingande - Jubel; Knife - Heartbeats; Kraftwerk - The Robots; La Luz - Call Me in a Day; Laidback Luke, feat. Project 46 and Collin McLoughlin - Collide; Lila Downs - Zapata Se Queda; Lorde - Royals; Lost in the Trees - Garden; Lucinda Williams - World Without Tears; Lumineers - Ho Hey; M83 - Midnight City; Macklemore + Ryan Lewis, feat. Mary Lambert - Same Love; Magik*Magik Orchestra and John Vanderslice - Promising Actress; Martha Wainwright - You Cheated Me; Martin Garrix - Animals; Mary Lambert - She Keeps Me Warm; Mastodon - High Road; Matt Nathanson - Higher; Mika - Big Girl; Mowgli's - San Francisco; MS MR - Hurricane; Mumford & Sons - Winter Winds; Muse - Uprising; Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats - S.O.B.; Neighbourhood - Sweater Weather; Neko Case - This Tornado Loves You; Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers - I Can't Go For That; Of Monsters and Men - King and Lionheart; of Montreal - Wraith Pinned to the Mist; Orwells - Who Needs You; Panda Bear - Boys Latin; Parker Millsap - Truck Stop Gospel; Passion Pit - Take a Walk; Phoenix - Entertainment; Portugal. The Man - So American; Presets - If I Know You; Pretty Lights - Around the Block; Pure Bathing Culture - Lucky One; Ra Ra Riot - Dance with Me; Rachael Yamagata - Even If I Could; Radiation City - Zombies; Rancid - Ruby Soho; Rita Ora - I Will Never Let You Down; Rufus Wainwright - Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk; Sara Bareilles - Brave; Say Hi - Devils; Seven Lions, feat. Kerli - Worlds Apart; Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings - I Learned the Hard Way; Sharon Van Etten - Taking Chances; Sky Ferreira - You're Not the One; Sleigh Bells - Bitter Rivals; Sophie B. Hawkins - As I Lay Me Down; St. Lucia - Elevate; Steve Grand - All-American Boy; STRFKR - Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second; Stromae - Papaoutai; Surfer Blood - Demon Dance; Swedish House Mafia - Don't You Worry Child; Tanlines - All of Me; Taylor Swift - Blank Space; Tegan and Sara - Closer; Thermals - Now We Can See; Tokio Hotel - Feel It All; Tokyo Police Club - Tessellate; Toro Y Moi - So Many Details; TV on the Radio - Will Do; twenty-one pilots - Holding on to You; Trophy Fire - Tired Eyes; Vampire Weekend - Step; Vance Joy - Riptide; Vanessa Carlton - A Thousand Miles; Vetiver - Wonder Why; War on Drugs - Red Eyes; We Are Scientists - After Hours; WestJet - Christmas Miracle; Wild Nothing - Paradise; William Elliott Whitmore - Hell or High Water; William Fitzsimmons - It's Not True; X Ambassadors - Jungle; xx - Angels; Zac Brown Band - Chicken Fried; Zedd, feat. Foxes - Clarity; Zella Day - Hypnotic.
Food
SO
1010 Bryant St
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 552-7676
Yelp - 4 stars (1370 reviews)
If the chicken wings at San Tung make you drool uncontrollably, you may want to check out SO, its sister restaurant in SoMa. Probably the other hit dish here is black bean noodles. Expect a wait here during busy lunch and dinner weeknights, and it has very limited open hours on the weekends.
Previous San Francisco picks: A La Turca; Alta CA; Amber India; Aperto; Art's Cafe; Balompie Cafe; Big Mouth Burgers; Bistro Central Parc; Blue Plate; Bodega Bistro; Boulevard; Boxing Room; Breakfast at Tiffany's; Brenda's French Soul Food; Brenda's Meat and Three; Broken Record; Burmese Kitchen; Chairman Truck; Chez Maman; Chomp N' Swig; Cinderella Bakery; Citizen's Band; Codmother Fish & Chips; Curry Up Now; Dottie's True Blue Cafe; El Metate; Fat Angel; Firefly; Foreign Cinema; Frances; Frisco Fried; Front Porch; Goat Hill Pizza; Good Luck Dim Sum; Guddu de Karahi - CLOSED; Hard Knox Cafe; Hawaiian Drive Inn #28; Helmand Palace; HRD Coffee Shop; Humphry Slocombe; Ike's Place; Just For You Cafe; Katana-Ya; Ken Ken Ramen; Kitchen Story; Kokkari Estiatorio; L'Ardoise Bistro; La Mediterranee; La Taqueria; Lers Ros Thai; Lime Tree Southeast Asian Kitchen; Limon Rotisserie; Little Chihuahua; Little Nepal; Little Star Pizza; Marcella's Lasagneria; Marcello's Pizza; Mission Beach Cafe; Mission Pie; Mitchell's Ice Cream; Miyabi Sushi; Molinari Delicatessen; Morty's Delicatessen; Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous; My Tofu House; New Eritrea Restaurant & Bar; Nick's Crispy Tacos; Old Skool Cafe; Olea; Olive Garden; Park Tavern; Pearl's Deluxe Burgers; Pete's Barbeque; Pho Huynh Hiep 2; Piccino; Pluto's; Primo Patio Cafe; Radio Habana Social Club; Radius; Ragazza; Range; Red Door Cafe; Richmond; Rosamunde Sausage Grill; Roxie Food Center; San Tung; Saigon Sandwich; Sausage Factory; Señor Sisig; 1760; Shabusen; Shalimar; Shanghai Dumpling King; Shin Toe Bul Yi; Sotto Mare; Starbelly; Super Duper Burgers; Suzu Noodle House; Swan Oyster Depot; Sweet Maple; Tadich Grill; Taqueria Cancun; Taqueria Guadalajara; Ted's Deli; Thorough Bread & Pastry; Tony's Pizza Napoletana; Tommaso's Ristorante Italiano; Tommy's Joynt; Truly Mediterranean; Tu Lan; V-105 - CLOSED; Vega; Velvet Cantina; Volcano; Walzwerk; Wayfare Tavern; Wexler's - CLOSED; Woodhouse Fish Co; Yamo; Yasukochi's Sweet Stop; Zanze's Cheesecake; Zazie; Zero Zero; Zuni Cafe.
Previous Peninsula/South Bay picks: Alana's Cafe (Burlingame); Amber India (Mountain View/San Jose/Palo Alto); Back A Yard Caribbean Grill (Menlo Park/San Jose); Cowabunga Creamery (San Carlos); Curry Up Now (San Mateo); Falafel's Drive In (San Jose); Fiddler's Green (Millbrae); Gombei Japanese Restaurant (San Jose); Gorilla Barbeque (Pacifica); Kabab and Curry's (Santa Clara); Koi Palace (Daly City); Little Lucca Sandwich Shop & Deli (Burlingame/South SF); Nini's Coffee Shop (San Mateo); Old Port Lobster Shack (Redwood City); Phil's Kitchen (Menlo Park); Pluto's (Palo Alto/San Jose); Ramen Dojo (San Mateo); Ramen Parlor (San Mateo); Romolo's Cannoli (San Mateo); Shanghai Dumpling Shop (Millbrae); Souvlaki's Greek Skewers (San Jose); Sunny Bowl (Mountain View); Sushi Sam's Edomata (San Mateo).
Previous East Bay picks: Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen (Berkeley); Asmara (Oakland); Bakesale Betty (Oakland); Battambang (Oakland); Cheese Board Pizza (Berkeley); Fentons Creamery (Oakland); First Street Ale House (Livermore); Gather (Berkeley); Grand Lake Kitchen (Oakland); Gregoire (Berkeley/Oakland); Homeroom (Oakland); John's Ice Cream (Brentwood/Berkeley); Johnathan's Sandwich House (Alameda); Kabana Restaurant (Berkeley); Jong Ga House (Oakland); Keanu's Island Kine Food (Vacaville); Kensington Circus Pub; Korea House (Concord); Little Star Pizza (Albany); Luka's Taproom & Lounge (Oakland); Miss Ollie's (Oakland); Mua Lounge (Oakland); Ole Ole Burrito Express (Oakland); Phnom Penh House (Oakland); Pluto's (Chico/Davis/Sacramento/
Previous North Bay picks: Andie's Cafe (Napa); Bouchon Bakery (Yountville); Bovine Bakery (Petaluma/Point Reyes Station); Buckeye Roadhouse (Mill Valley); Della Fattoria Bakery (Petaluma); Fairfax Scoop; Garden Grill (Guerneville); Lighthouse Cafe (Sausalito); Moustache Baked Goods (Healdsburg); Pelican Inn (Muir Beach); Sol Food (San Rafael/Mill Valley); Stumptown Brewery (Guerneville); Super Duper Burgers (Mill Valley); West Brooklyn Pizza Co (San Rafael).
Previous Other picks: Ampersand Ice Cream (Fresno); Ballast Point Brewery (San Diego); Ben's Chili Bowl (D.C.); Biker Jim's Gourmet Dogs (Denver); Biscuit Head (Asheville, NC); Built to Grill (Portland); Champa Garden (Redding); Crema Cafe (Seal Beach); Donuttery (Huntington Beach); Frontier Restaurant (Albuquerque); Fox & Goose Public House (Sacramento); Freshies (South Lake Tahoe); George's Greek Cafe (Long Beach); Han Bat Sul Lung Tang (Los Angeles); Hangout (Seal Beach); Hey That's Amore (Pasadena); Ike's Quarter Cafe (Nevada City); Jayne's Gastropub (San Diego); La Bonne Soup Cafe (Sacramento); Masa of Echo Park (Los Angeles); Mon Ami Gabi (Las Vegas); Pantry Restaurant (Santa Fe); Phil's BBQ (San Diego); Philippe the Original (Los Angeles); Quinn's (Seattle); Red Scooter Deli (Paso Robles); Rioja (Denver); Root Down (Denver); Shoki Ramen House (Sacramento); Snow City Cafe (Anchorage); Solano Baking Company (Dixon); Sprouts Cafe (South Lake Tahoe); Starling Diner (Long Beach); Yak and Yeti Restaurant + Brewpub (Arvada, CO).
Nightlife
Tempest
431 Natoma St
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 495-1863
Yelp - 4 stars (485 reviews)
Sometimes, going down a secluded alley yields great results. Tempest is everything right about the term "dive bar" - from the $5 special (a shot of Jim Beam with a pint of PBR), to the pool table and massive TV plus smaller ones for sports fans. Next door, Box Kitchen provides an interesting counter-punch with upscale bar fare.
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; Showdown; Knockout; Gestalt Haus; Noc Noc; Make-Out Room.
Previous Peninsula/South Bay picks: Antonio's Nut House (Palo Alto); Branham Lounge (San Jose); Cinebar (San Jose); Devil's Canyon Brewing Company (San Carlos); Devil's Slide Taproom (Pacifica); Dutch Goose (Menlo Park); Fiddler's Green (Millbrae); Freewheel Brewing Company (Redwood City); Grape & Grain (San Mateo); Oasis Beer Garden (Menlo Park); Rose and Crown (Palo Alto); 7 Mile House (Brisbane).
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 (
Previous North Bay picks: Bear Republic Brewing Co. (Healdsburg); Billco's Billiards & Darts (Napa); Cline Cellars (Sonoma); Lagunitas Brewing Co. (Petaluma); Mill Valley Beerworks; No Name Bar (Sausalito); Petaluma Hills Brewing Company (Petaluma); Tourist Club (Mill Valley); 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; Epic Brewing (Denver); Nellie's Sports Bar (D.C.); Fullsteam Brewery (Durham, NC); Twisted Chile Brewing Company (Socorro, NM); Eberle Winery (Paso Robles); Beachwood Brewery (Seal Beach); Downtown Rookies Sports Bar (Visalia).
Nooks & Crannies
Stern Grove
San Francisco, CA
Thirty-three acres focus intently on the amphitheater, which hosts a wildly popular summertime concert series ranging from the San Francisco Ballet and Preservation Hall Jazz Band to Smokey Robinson and OK Go. The festival is heading into its 79th season, and relies entirely on donations. The grove is named after Sigmund Stern, a nephew of Levi Strauss, and was built by FDR's Works Progress Administration.
Previous SF Nooks: Armory; Baker Beach; Belden Place; Bernal Hill; Bison Paddock; Corona Heights Park; Crissy Field; Diego Rivera Mural Project; 826 Valencia; Flora Grubb Gardens; Garfield Square; Grace Cathedral; Grandview Park; Heron's Head Park; Holly Park; Howard Langton Garden; Hunters Point Shipyard; Kezar Stadium; Kite Hil; Laguna Honda Reservoir; Little Giant Gold Hydrant; Mission San Francisco de Asis; Moraga Steps; Mount Olympus; Mountain Lake; Murphy Windmil; Musee Mechanique; Philosopher's Way Trail; Pier 39; Pier 70; Saint Ignatius Church; Secret Garden; Seward Street Slides; South Park; Stow Lake; Sutro Baths; Transamerica Redwood Park; Treasure Island; Vermont Street. Previous Other Nooks: Albany Bulb (Albany); Angels Flight (Los Angeles); Armstrong Redwoods State National Reserve (Guerneville); Ano Nuevo State Park (Pescadero); Bay Bridge Trail (Oakland); Berkeley Rose Garden; Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve (Huntington Beach); Botanical Building (San Diego); Cal Park Hill Tunnel (San Rafael); Cascade Falls (South Lake Tahoe); Castle Rock State Park (Los Gatos); Cataract Falls (Fairfax); Cow Palace (Daly City); Coyote Point Recreation Area (San Mateo); Dipsea Trail (Marin County); Dish (Stanford); Feather Falls (Oroville); Friends of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge (San Antonio, NM); History Park (San Jose); Huckleberry Botanic Regional Park (Berkeley); International Civil Rights Center (Greensboro, NC); Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve (Stanford); Joaquin Miller Park (Oakland); Lake Chabot (Oakland/Castro Valley); Lake Merritt (Oakland); Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial (D.C.); Mile Square Regional Park (Fountain Valley); Mount Evans (Colorado); Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery (San Simeon); Pinnacles National Park (Paicines); Point Reyes Lighthouse; Redwood Regional Park (Oakland); Redwood Valley Railway (Berkeley); Ring Mountain (Corte Madera); Runyon Canyon Park (Los Angeles); San Pedro Valley Park (Pacifica); Sundial Bridge (Redding); Swetsville Zoo (Fort Collins, CO); Temescal Alleys (Oakland); Tunnel Log (California); Vacaville Premium Outlets; Waterdog Lake Park (Belmont); Watts Towers (Los Angeles); White Sands National Monument (New Mexico); Wolfe Ranch (Brentwood).
Charity
Youth Tennis Advantage
San Francisco, CA
The youth development program focuses on scholar athletes in inner-city communities through tennis and academic tutoring. Area locations are on the UC Berkeley campus, Oakland's Mosswood Park, and two in SF (McLaren Park and Hunters Point).
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, Westside Community Services.
Free Activities
1. SF Giants Fan Fest
Saturday, 10am-3pm
It's an even year... you know what that means. Score autographs from Buster Posey or Madison Bumgarner, listen to player interviews, or buy single-game tickets at the gorgeous AT&T Park.
2. Tulipmania
Saturday through February 21, 10am
Guided tours at Pier 39 will highlight the tens of thousands of tulips in the area, with a refreshment finale at Trish's Mini Donuts.
3. Valentine's Day Pillow Fight
- San Jose: noon
- San Francisco: 6pm
Bring a soft pillow, bring a bandana for mouth coverage, bring a camera... the annual tradition with hundreds of revelers at Justin Herman Plaza and in downtown San Jose continues!
Hey there
I know it's hard to feel like I don't care at all
Where you are and how you feel
With these lights off
As these wheels keep rolling on and on
-- "Ohio is for Lovers" by Hawthorne Heights (3.2 million views; Oct '11 upload)
This debut single, released back in 2004, harkens to fonder days for this band from Dayton, Ohio. Their second album peaked at #3 on the US charts, with significant airplay on MTV. A tragic death of a band member, multiple record label fights, and a dwindling fan base have not discouraged the group from touring again. See them at the intimate Bottom of the Hill on February 19 playing the second album in full, with The Ataris and Mest opening.
Previous songs: Against Me! - Thrash Unreal; Alabama Shakes - Hold On; Alison Krauss - Down to the River to Pray; Alt-J - Breezeblocks; AlunaGeorge - Your Drums, Your Love; Alzara & Brother Spellbinder - Speed of Sound; Amy Hānaiali`i Gilliom - Aloha `Oe; Andrew Bird - Dyin' Bedmaker; Andy Grammer - Keep Your Head Up; Anuhea - Higher Than the Clouds; Asleep at the Wheel - The Letter That Johnny Walker Read; Ataris - In This Diary; Atlas Genius - Trojans; Au Revoir Simone - Sad Song; Avicii - Levels; Balmorhea - Remembrance; Band of Horses - Knock Knock; Banks - Beggin' for Thread; Basia Bulat - Tall Tall Shadow; Bastille - Pompeii; Bebe Rexha - I'm Gonna Show You Crazy; Ben Sollee - A Few Honest Words; Black Keys - Lonely Boy; Blackbird, Blackbird - It's a War; Bleachers - I Wanna Get Better; Blind Pilot - Three Rounds and a Sound; Brandi Carlile - The Story; Broken Bells - The High Road; Broods - Bridges; Capital Cities - Safe and Sound; Caribou - Odessa; Cathedrals - Unbound; Cayuca - High School Lover; Chet Faker - Talk Is Cheap; Chvrches - The Mother We Share; Crocodiles - Sunday; Crystal Castles - Celestica; Darkness - I Believe in a Thing Called Love; Decemberists - O Valencia!; Dillon Francis, feat. DJ Snake - Get Low; Disclosure, feat. Sam Smith - Latch; Dodos - Black Night; Dr. Dog - The Truth Don't Stop; Echosmith - Bright; Ed Sheeran - The A Team; Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - Man on Fire; Empire of the Sun - Alive; Family Crest - Love Don't Go; Father John Misty - Nancy From Now On; Field Report - Home (Leave the Lights On); First Aid Kit - My Silver Lining; Fitz and the Tantrums - Out of My League; 5 Seconds of Summer - She Looks So Perfect; Flying Lotus - Never Catch Me; Foals - Inhaler; Frail - Back to Me; Fratellis - Chelsea Dagger; Frazey Ford - September Fields; Fun. - Carry On; Future Islands - Seasons (Waiting on You); Geographer - Kites; George Ezra - Budapest; Glass Animals - Gooey; Glitch Mob - We Can Make the World Stop; Gotye - Easy Way Out; Hamilton Leithauser - Alexandra; Holy Ghost - Dumb Disco Ideas; Houndsmouth - Sedona; How To Dress Well - & It Was U; Hozier - Take Me to Church; Hunter Hayes - Wanted; Imagine Dragons - It's Time; Jake Bugg - Lightning Bolt; Jake Shimabukuro - Bohemian Rhapsody; Joe Pug - Hymn #101; Judah and the Lion - Rich Kids; Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone; Killers - Miss Atomic Bomb; Klingande - Jubel; Knife - Heartbeats; Kraftwerk - The Robots; La Luz - Call Me in a Day; Laidback Luke, feat. Project 46 and Collin McLoughlin - Collide; Lila Downs - Zapata Se Queda; Lorde - Royals; Lost in the Trees - Garden; Lucinda Williams - World Without Tears; Lumineers - Ho Hey; M83 - Midnight City; Macklemore + Ryan Lewis, feat. Mary Lambert - Same Love; Magik*Magik Orchestra and John Vanderslice - Promising Actress; Martha Wainwright - You Cheated Me; Martin Garrix - Animals; Mary Lambert - She Keeps Me Warm; Mastodon - High Road; Matt Nathanson - Higher; Mika - Big Girl; Mowgli's - San Francisco; MS MR - Hurricane; Mumford & Sons - Winter Winds; Muse - Uprising; Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats - S.O.B.; Neighbourhood - Sweater Weather; Neko Case - This Tornado Loves You; Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers - I Can't Go For That; Of Monsters and Men - King and Lionheart; of Montreal - Wraith Pinned to the Mist; Orwells - Who Needs You; Panda Bear - Boys Latin; Parker Millsap - Truck Stop Gospel; Passion Pit - Take a Walk; Phoenix - Entertainment; Portugal. The Man - So American; Presets - If I Know You; Pretty Lights - Around the Block; Pure Bathing Culture - Lucky One; Ra Ra Riot - Dance with Me; Rachael Yamagata - Even If I Could; Radiation City - Zombies; Rancid - Ruby Soho; Rita Ora - I Will Never Let You Down; Rufus Wainwright - Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk; Sara Bareilles - Brave; Say Hi - Devils; Seven Lions, feat. Kerli - Worlds Apart; Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings - I Learned the Hard Way; Sharon Van Etten - Taking Chances; Sky Ferreira - You're Not the One; Sleigh Bells - Bitter Rivals; Sophie B. Hawkins - As I Lay Me Down; St. Lucia - Elevate; Steve Grand - All-American Boy; STRFKR - Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second; Stromae - Papaoutai; Surfer Blood - Demon Dance; Swedish House Mafia - Don't You Worry Child; Tanlines - All of Me; Taylor Swift - Blank Space; Tegan and Sara - Closer; Thermals - Now We Can See; Tokio Hotel - Feel It All; Tokyo Police Club - Tessellate; Toro Y Moi - So Many Details; TV on the Radio - Will Do; twenty-one pilots - Holding on to You; Trophy Fire - Tired Eyes; Vampire Weekend - Step; Vance Joy - Riptide; Vanessa Carlton - A Thousand Miles; Vetiver - Wonder Why; War on Drugs - Red Eyes; We Are Scientists - After Hours; WestJet - Christmas Miracle; Wild Nothing - Paradise; William Elliott Whitmore - Hell or High Water; William Fitzsimmons - It's Not True; X Ambassadors - Jungle; xx - Angels; Zac Brown Band - Chicken Fried; Zedd, feat. Foxes - Clarity; Zella Day - Hypnotic.
Food
SO
1010 Bryant St
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 552-7676
Yelp - 4 stars (1370 reviews)
If the chicken wings at San Tung make you drool uncontrollably, you may want to check out SO, its sister restaurant in SoMa. Probably the other hit dish here is black bean noodles. Expect a wait here during busy lunch and dinner weeknights, and it has very limited open hours on the weekends.
Previous San Francisco picks: A La Turca; Alta CA; Amber India; Aperto; Art's Cafe; Balompie Cafe; Big Mouth Burgers; Bistro Central Parc; Blue Plate; Bodega Bistro; Boulevard; Boxing Room; Breakfast at Tiffany's; Brenda's French Soul Food; Brenda's Meat and Three; Broken Record; Burmese Kitchen; Chairman Truck; Chez Maman; Chomp N' Swig; Cinderella Bakery; Citizen's Band; Codmother Fish & Chips; Curry Up Now; Dottie's True Blue Cafe; El Metate; Fat Angel; Firefly; Foreign Cinema; Frances; Frisco Fried; Front Porch; Goat Hill Pizza; Good Luck Dim Sum; Guddu de Karahi - CLOSED; Hard Knox Cafe; Hawaiian Drive Inn #28; Helmand Palace; HRD Coffee Shop; Humphry Slocombe; Ike's Place; Just For You Cafe; Katana-Ya; Ken Ken Ramen; Kitchen Story; Kokkari Estiatorio; L'Ardoise Bistro; La Mediterranee; La Taqueria; Lers Ros Thai; Lime Tree Southeast Asian Kitchen; Limon Rotisserie; Little Chihuahua; Little Nepal; Little Star Pizza; Marcella's Lasagneria; Marcello's Pizza; Mission Beach Cafe; Mission Pie; Mitchell's Ice Cream; Miyabi Sushi; Molinari Delicatessen; Morty's Delicatessen; Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous; My Tofu House; New Eritrea Restaurant & Bar; Nick's Crispy Tacos; Old Skool Cafe; Olea; Olive Garden; Park Tavern; Pearl's Deluxe Burgers; Pete's Barbeque; Pho Huynh Hiep 2; Piccino; Pluto's; Primo Patio Cafe; Radio Habana Social Club; Radius; Ragazza; Range; Red Door Cafe; Richmond; Rosamunde Sausage Grill; Roxie Food Center; San Tung; Saigon Sandwich; Sausage Factory; Señor Sisig; 1760; Shabusen; Shalimar; Shanghai Dumpling King; Shin Toe Bul Yi; Sotto Mare; Starbelly; Super Duper Burgers; Suzu Noodle House; Swan Oyster Depot; Sweet Maple; Tadich Grill; Taqueria Cancun; Taqueria Guadalajara; Ted's Deli; Thorough Bread & Pastry; Tony's Pizza Napoletana; Tommaso's Ristorante Italiano; Tommy's Joynt; Truly Mediterranean; Tu Lan; V-105 - CLOSED; Vega; Velvet Cantina; Volcano; Walzwerk; Wayfare Tavern; Wexler's - CLOSED; Woodhouse Fish Co; Yamo; Yasukochi's Sweet Stop; Zanze's Cheesecake; Zazie; Zero Zero; Zuni Cafe.
Previous Peninsula/South Bay picks: Alana's Cafe (Burlingame); Amber India (Mountain View/San Jose/Palo Alto); Back A Yard Caribbean Grill (Menlo Park/San Jose); Cowabunga Creamery (San Carlos); Curry Up Now (San Mateo); Falafel's Drive In (San Jose); Fiddler's Green (Millbrae); Gombei Japanese Restaurant (San Jose); Gorilla Barbeque (Pacifica); Kabab and Curry's (Santa Clara); Koi Palace (Daly City); Little Lucca Sandwich Shop & Deli (Burlingame/South SF); Nini's Coffee Shop (San Mateo); Old Port Lobster Shack (Redwood City); Phil's Kitchen (Menlo Park); Pluto's (Palo Alto/San Jose); Ramen Dojo (San Mateo); Ramen Parlor (San Mateo); Romolo's Cannoli (San Mateo); Shanghai Dumpling Shop (Millbrae); Souvlaki's Greek Skewers (San Jose); Sunny Bowl (Mountain View); Sushi Sam's Edomata (San Mateo).
Previous East Bay picks: Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen (Berkeley); Asmara (Oakland); Bakesale Betty (Oakland); Battambang (Oakland); Cheese Board Pizza (Berkeley); Fentons Creamery (Oakland); First Street Ale House (Livermore); Gather (Berkeley); Grand Lake Kitchen (Oakland); Gregoire (Berkeley/Oakland); Homeroom (Oakland); John's Ice Cream (Brentwood/Berkeley); Johnathan's Sandwich House (Alameda); Kabana Restaurant (Berkeley); Jong Ga House (Oakland); Keanu's Island Kine Food (Vacaville); Kensington Circus Pub; Korea House (Concord); Little Star Pizza (Albany); Luka's Taproom & Lounge (Oakland); Miss Ollie's (Oakland); Mua Lounge (Oakland); Ole Ole Burrito Express (Oakland); Phnom Penh House (Oakland); Pluto's (Chico/Davis/Sacramento/
Previous North Bay picks: Andie's Cafe (Napa); Bouchon Bakery (Yountville); Bovine Bakery (Petaluma/Point Reyes Station); Buckeye Roadhouse (Mill Valley); Della Fattoria Bakery (Petaluma); Fairfax Scoop; Garden Grill (Guerneville); Lighthouse Cafe (Sausalito); Moustache Baked Goods (Healdsburg); Pelican Inn (Muir Beach); Sol Food (San Rafael/Mill Valley); Stumptown Brewery (Guerneville); Super Duper Burgers (Mill Valley); West Brooklyn Pizza Co (San Rafael).
Previous Other picks: Ampersand Ice Cream (Fresno); Ballast Point Brewery (San Diego); Ben's Chili Bowl (D.C.); Biker Jim's Gourmet Dogs (Denver); Biscuit Head (Asheville, NC); Built to Grill (Portland); Champa Garden (Redding); Crema Cafe (Seal Beach); Donuttery (Huntington Beach); Frontier Restaurant (Albuquerque); Fox & Goose Public House (Sacramento); Freshies (South Lake Tahoe); George's Greek Cafe (Long Beach); Han Bat Sul Lung Tang (Los Angeles); Hangout (Seal Beach); Hey That's Amore (Pasadena); Ike's Quarter Cafe (Nevada City); Jayne's Gastropub (San Diego); La Bonne Soup Cafe (Sacramento); Masa of Echo Park (Los Angeles); Mon Ami Gabi (Las Vegas); Pantry Restaurant (Santa Fe); Phil's BBQ (San Diego); Philippe the Original (Los Angeles); Quinn's (Seattle); Red Scooter Deli (Paso Robles); Rioja (Denver); Root Down (Denver); Shoki Ramen House (Sacramento); Snow City Cafe (Anchorage); Solano Baking Company (Dixon); Sprouts Cafe (South Lake Tahoe); Starling Diner (Long Beach); Yak and Yeti Restaurant + Brewpub (Arvada, CO).
Nightlife
Tempest
431 Natoma St
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 495-1863
Yelp - 4 stars (485 reviews)
Sometimes, going down a secluded alley yields great results. Tempest is everything right about the term "dive bar" - from the $5 special (a shot of Jim Beam with a pint of PBR), to the pool table and massive TV plus smaller ones for sports fans. Next door, Box Kitchen provides an interesting counter-punch with upscale bar fare.
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; Showdown; Knockout; Gestalt Haus; Noc Noc; Make-Out Room.
Previous Peninsula/South Bay picks: Antonio's Nut House (Palo Alto); Branham Lounge (San Jose); Cinebar (San Jose); Devil's Canyon Brewing Company (San Carlos); Devil's Slide Taproom (Pacifica); Dutch Goose (Menlo Park); Fiddler's Green (Millbrae); Freewheel Brewing Company (Redwood City); Grape & Grain (San Mateo); Oasis Beer Garden (Menlo Park); Rose and Crown (Palo Alto); 7 Mile House (Brisbane).
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 (
Previous North Bay picks: Bear Republic Brewing Co. (Healdsburg); Billco's Billiards & Darts (Napa); Cline Cellars (Sonoma); Lagunitas Brewing Co. (Petaluma); Mill Valley Beerworks; No Name Bar (Sausalito); Petaluma Hills Brewing Company (Petaluma); Tourist Club (Mill Valley); 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; Epic Brewing (Denver); Nellie's Sports Bar (D.C.); Fullsteam Brewery (Durham, NC); Twisted Chile Brewing Company (Socorro, NM); Eberle Winery (Paso Robles); Beachwood Brewery (Seal Beach); Downtown Rookies Sports Bar (Visalia).
Nooks & Crannies
Stern Grove
San Francisco, CA
Thirty-three acres focus intently on the amphitheater, which hosts a wildly popular summertime concert series ranging from the San Francisco Ballet and Preservation Hall Jazz Band to Smokey Robinson and OK Go. The festival is heading into its 79th season, and relies entirely on donations. The grove is named after Sigmund Stern, a nephew of Levi Strauss, and was built by FDR's Works Progress Administration.
Previous SF Nooks: Armory; Baker Beach; Belden Place; Bernal Hill; Bison Paddock; Corona Heights Park; Crissy Field; Diego Rivera Mural Project; 826 Valencia; Flora Grubb Gardens; Garfield Square; Grace Cathedral; Grandview Park; Heron's Head Park; Holly Park; Howard Langton Garden; Hunters Point Shipyard; Kezar Stadium; Kite Hil; Laguna Honda Reservoir; Little Giant Gold Hydrant; Mission San Francisco de Asis; Moraga Steps; Mount Olympus; Mountain Lake; Murphy Windmil; Musee Mechanique; Philosopher's Way Trail; Pier 39; Pier 70; Saint Ignatius Church; Secret Garden; Seward Street Slides; South Park; Stow Lake; Sutro Baths; Transamerica Redwood Park; Treasure Island; Vermont Street. Previous Other Nooks: Albany Bulb (Albany); Angels Flight (Los Angeles); Armstrong Redwoods State National Reserve (Guerneville); Ano Nuevo State Park (Pescadero); Bay Bridge Trail (Oakland); Berkeley Rose Garden; Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve (Huntington Beach); Botanical Building (San Diego); Cal Park Hill Tunnel (San Rafael); Cascade Falls (South Lake Tahoe); Castle Rock State Park (Los Gatos); Cataract Falls (Fairfax); Cow Palace (Daly City); Coyote Point Recreation Area (San Mateo); Dipsea Trail (Marin County); Dish (Stanford); Feather Falls (Oroville); Friends of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge (San Antonio, NM); History Park (San Jose); Huckleberry Botanic Regional Park (Berkeley); International Civil Rights Center (Greensboro, NC); Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve (Stanford); Joaquin Miller Park (Oakland); Lake Chabot (Oakland/Castro Valley); Lake Merritt (Oakland); Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial (D.C.); Mile Square Regional Park (Fountain Valley); Mount Evans (Colorado); Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery (San Simeon); Pinnacles National Park (Paicines); Point Reyes Lighthouse; Redwood Regional Park (Oakland); Redwood Valley Railway (Berkeley); Ring Mountain (Corte Madera); Runyon Canyon Park (Los Angeles); San Pedro Valley Park (Pacifica); Sundial Bridge (Redding); Swetsville Zoo (Fort Collins, CO); Temescal Alleys (Oakland); Tunnel Log (California); Vacaville Premium Outlets; Waterdog Lake Park (Belmont); Watts Towers (Los Angeles); White Sands National Monument (New Mexico); Wolfe Ranch (Brentwood).
Charity
Youth Tennis Advantage
San Francisco, CA
The youth development program focuses on scholar athletes in inner-city communities through tennis and academic tutoring. Area locations are on the UC Berkeley campus, Oakland's Mosswood Park, and two in SF (McLaren Park and Hunters Point).
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, Westside Community Services.
Free Activities
1. SF Giants Fan Fest
Saturday, 10am-3pm
It's an even year... you know what that means. Score autographs from Buster Posey or Madison Bumgarner, listen to player interviews, or buy single-game tickets at the gorgeous AT&T Park.
2. Tulipmania
Saturday through February 21, 10am
Guided tours at Pier 39 will highlight the tens of thousands of tulips in the area, with a refreshment finale at Trish's Mini Donuts.
3. Valentine's Day Pillow Fight
- San Jose: noon
- San Francisco: 6pm
Bring a soft pillow, bring a bandana for mouth coverage, bring a camera... the annual tradition with hundreds of revelers at Justin Herman Plaza and in downtown San Jose continues!
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