Music
Dancer in the night
Playing with my eyes
Velvet tongue so sweet
Say anything you like
-- "Paradise" by Wild Nothing (1.4 million views, Oct '12 upload)
The quartet from Blacksburg, Va., home of Virginia Tech, have mixed elements of both dream pop and new wave into their two albums. A third is reportedly on the way. The band is part of some sort of Converse-sponsored tour, with free shows in Toronto, Boston, Brooklyn, L.A., and San Francisco's The Chapel (May 22).
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).
News of the Week
The San Francisco Giants, not to be outdone by the Warriors' plan, have a new proposal for a mixed-use development across from AT&T Park. It will include 1500 housing units (one-third of which will be affordable housing), eight acres of parkland, a new brewing facility for Anchor Brewing, mom-and-pop retailers, and a parking garage. Voters will have a say during the November municipal election.
"Our first objective was that this project be an asset to the neighborhood.... We have the opportunity to look at the neighborhood holistically, and that doesn't necessarily mean getting the most rent for the retail spaces."
-- Jack Bair, San Francisco Giants general counsel and senior vice president
"It appears the Giants have touched all the bases with this revised project. And those bases are: reasonable heights, increased affordable housing, open space, and neighborhood-serving retail to bring some spark to what is an unfinished neighborhood."
-- Art Agnos, former San Francisco mayor
"We really want to see them succeed in getting something by the voters who can be cranky and unpredictable."
-- Tim Colen, SF Housing Action Coalition executive director
Food
Solano Baking Company
1160 Pitt School Rd
Dixon, CA 95620
(707) 678-0950
Yelp - 4 stars (107 reviews)
The family started with the operation of four Winchell's Donut shops - what nostalgia, Winchell's! - before going independent in 1981. Their day starts at 4am to make donuts from scratch. Check in on Yelp, and you'll score a free donut or cookie!
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.
Previous Peninsula/South Bay picks: Curry Up Now (San Mateo); Little Lucca Sandwich Shop & Deli (Burlingame/South SF); Falafel's Drive In (San Jose); Sunny Bowl (Mountain View); Back A Yard Caribbean Grill (Menlo Park/San Jose); Pluto's (Palo Alto/San Jose); Ramen Dojo/Ramen Parlor (San Mateo); Amber India (Mountain View/San Jose/Palo Alto); Nini's Coffee Shop (San Mateo); Kabab and Curry's (Santa Clara); Fiddler's Green (Millbrae); Alana's Cafe (Burlingame); Sushi Sam's Edomata (San Mateo); Shanghai Dumpling Shop (Millbrae); Romolo's Cannoli (San Mateo); Koi Palace (Daly City); Old Port Lobster Shack (Redwood City); Souvlaki's Greek Skewers (San Jose); Gorilla Barbeque (Pacifica); Ramen Dojo (San Mateo); Phil's Kitchen (Menlo Park).
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).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
Berryessa Brewing Company
27260 Hwy 128
Winters, CA 95694
(530) 795-3526
Yelp - 4-1/2 stars (62 reviews)
Just a little ways up Interstate 505 from Vacaville and Dixon, you'll find an unexpectedly good brewery in a rustic country setting. It's open Friday through Sunday, with live music every day. Berryessa's IPAs are quite potent, but usually there are about 4-6 available on tap.
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.
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).
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).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).
Nooks & Crannies
Vacaville Premium Outlets
Over 100 retail outlets -- including Banana Republic, Gucci, Nike, and Cole Haan -- call this prominent location along Interstate 80 their home. And, if you crave some nibbles, In-N-Out Burger sits nearby!
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).
Charity
Vida Verde Nature Education
San Gregorio, CA
Underserved Bay Area youths in the 4th-6th grades are given free outdoor education trips at the Optimist Youth Camp, a 100-acre site in San Gregorio. They learn cheese making (and have it for supper), take hikes in the redwoods, explore tidepools, and harvest enough organic vegetables for the evening salad.
"I really liked learning about birds and the forest. I really appreciated this trip."
-- 11-year-old Alejandro Padilla
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.
Free Activities
1. Happy Mother's Day!
- Aquarium of the Bay (SF): 10am-8pm
- Exploratorium (SF): 10am-5pm
- Sunday Streets, Mission (SF): 11am-4pm
- Zoo (SF): 10am-5pm
Even though, every day is Mother's Day, take the time to celebrate all over San Francisco. Sunday Streets will sprawl along Valencia (between Market and 26th St), and will feature taiko, Cuban salsa dancing, free bike rentals, pilates demos, and free popsicles.
2. SF Porchfest
Saturday, noon-6pm
About three dozen bands will perform at outdoor venues in the Mission and Noe Valley districts. Locations range from homes to businesses such as Revolution Cafe and House of Brakes.
3. Silicon Valley Irish Fleadh Festival
Saturday-Sunday, noon-8pm
Soak in two days of Irish bands, shepherd's pie, and Guinness in downtown Mountain View.
Dancer in the night
Playing with my eyes
Velvet tongue so sweet
Say anything you like
-- "Paradise" by Wild Nothing (1.4 million views, Oct '12 upload)
The quartet from Blacksburg, Va., home of Virginia Tech, have mixed elements of both dream pop and new wave into their two albums. A third is reportedly on the way. The band is part of some sort of Converse-sponsored tour, with free shows in Toronto, Boston, Brooklyn, L.A., and San Francisco's The Chapel (May 22).
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).
News of the Week
The San Francisco Giants, not to be outdone by the Warriors' plan, have a new proposal for a mixed-use development across from AT&T Park. It will include 1500 housing units (one-third of which will be affordable housing), eight acres of parkland, a new brewing facility for Anchor Brewing, mom-and-pop retailers, and a parking garage. Voters will have a say during the November municipal election.
"Our first objective was that this project be an asset to the neighborhood.... We have the opportunity to look at the neighborhood holistically, and that doesn't necessarily mean getting the most rent for the retail spaces."
-- Jack Bair, San Francisco Giants general counsel and senior vice president
"It appears the Giants have touched all the bases with this revised project. And those bases are: reasonable heights, increased affordable housing, open space, and neighborhood-serving retail to bring some spark to what is an unfinished neighborhood."
-- Art Agnos, former San Francisco mayor
"We really want to see them succeed in getting something by the voters who can be cranky and unpredictable."
-- Tim Colen, SF Housing Action Coalition executive director
Food
Solano Baking Company
1160 Pitt School Rd
Dixon, CA 95620
(707) 678-0950
Yelp - 4 stars (107 reviews)
The family started with the operation of four Winchell's Donut shops - what nostalgia, Winchell's! - before going independent in 1981. Their day starts at 4am to make donuts from scratch. Check in on Yelp, and you'll score a free donut or cookie!
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.
Previous Peninsula/South Bay picks: Curry Up Now (San Mateo); Little Lucca Sandwich Shop & Deli (Burlingame/South SF); Falafel's Drive In (San Jose); Sunny Bowl (Mountain View); Back A Yard Caribbean Grill (Menlo Park/San Jose); Pluto's (Palo Alto/San Jose); Ramen Dojo/Ramen Parlor (San Mateo); Amber India (Mountain View/San Jose/Palo Alto); Nini's Coffee Shop (San Mateo); Kabab and Curry's (Santa Clara); Fiddler's Green (Millbrae); Alana's Cafe (Burlingame); Sushi Sam's Edomata (San Mateo); Shanghai Dumpling Shop (Millbrae); Romolo's Cannoli (San Mateo); Koi Palace (Daly City); Old Port Lobster Shack (Redwood City); Souvlaki's Greek Skewers (San Jose); Gorilla Barbeque (Pacifica); Ramen Dojo (San Mateo); Phil's Kitchen (Menlo Park).
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).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
Berryessa Brewing Company
27260 Hwy 128
Winters, CA 95694
(530) 795-3526
Yelp - 4-1/2 stars (62 reviews)
Just a little ways up Interstate 505 from Vacaville and Dixon, you'll find an unexpectedly good brewery in a rustic country setting. It's open Friday through Sunday, with live music every day. Berryessa's IPAs are quite potent, but usually there are about 4-6 available on tap.
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.
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).
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).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).
Nooks & Crannies
Vacaville Premium Outlets
Over 100 retail outlets -- including Banana Republic, Gucci, Nike, and Cole Haan -- call this prominent location along Interstate 80 their home. And, if you crave some nibbles, In-N-Out Burger sits nearby!
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).
Charity
Vida Verde Nature Education
San Gregorio, CA
Underserved Bay Area youths in the 4th-6th grades are given free outdoor education trips at the Optimist Youth Camp, a 100-acre site in San Gregorio. They learn cheese making (and have it for supper), take hikes in the redwoods, explore tidepools, and harvest enough organic vegetables for the evening salad.
"I really liked learning about birds and the forest. I really appreciated this trip."
-- 11-year-old Alejandro Padilla
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.
Free Activities
1. Happy Mother's Day!
- Aquarium of the Bay (SF): 10am-8pm
- Exploratorium (SF): 10am-5pm
- Sunday Streets, Mission (SF): 11am-4pm
- Zoo (SF): 10am-5pm
Even though, every day is Mother's Day, take the time to celebrate all over San Francisco. Sunday Streets will sprawl along Valencia (between Market and 26th St), and will feature taiko, Cuban salsa dancing, free bike rentals, pilates demos, and free popsicles.
2. SF Porchfest
Saturday, noon-6pm
About three dozen bands will perform at outdoor venues in the Mission and Noe Valley districts. Locations range from homes to businesses such as Revolution Cafe and House of Brakes.
3. Silicon Valley Irish Fleadh Festival
Saturday-Sunday, noon-8pm
Soak in two days of Irish bands, shepherd's pie, and Guinness in downtown Mountain View.
