Christmas Present ideas

From the land of cute, I just have to share this darling designerly set of stuffed animals from MUJI, the Japanese version of Ikea.

There's an elephant, bunny, bear and dog, and they're available through the MOMA store. They're made of recycled yarn, and in great colors. Says they're for age 3 and up, but I'm thinking you could add 30 to that and they'll still go over well. :)

2 for 1

I was trying to get back on the bandwagon here and do my thing of the day more often, but I fell off yesterday, even though I had been stockpiling ideas all week!

So, I'm going to give you a friday night 2 for 1 special. I'm going to be attending both of these (that is if I can get my act together to actually do both) even though they are completely different things...


1 - start with a visit to Gallery 16 to see a new exhibit by Rex Ray. He's one of my favorite local artists. I got introduced to his work when he was commissioned by Apple to design holiday wrapping paper for their stores when they first opened. One of the more random things that came out of that job, but I do have a seemingly endless supply of Rex Ray wrapping paper in my closet now. I read about his work - he started as an advertising designer and would make collages from cut out pieces of magazine ads - but way cooler than those ones you did in elementary school art class. And he has a new book out which I plan on purchasing with his signature from this opening event. Always a sucker for the signed copy.


2 - Shift gears entirely and go see the Warren Miller movie, Playground at the Castro Theater. I love these movies. They totally get me all geared up for the snow. And watching those runs (and sometimes falls) are such an adrenaline rush! And I can't wait to see the far away places they go to go skiing and snowboarding too. Makes me want to travel around the world in search of the endless winter.

Happy Friday!

So scary its funny

To continue on a theme, a friend saw my posting yesterday, and he reminded me of these fantastic recipe cards from the 70's that are probably what they were cooking up in those EuroBad kitchens from yesterday.

This link has been around for a while, but it still makes me laugh out loud - particularly like the commentary that goes along with the cards too. And apparently Mackerel was very popular then. My favorite is #14 Mackerelly. I have no idea what that means.

Bon Appetit!

So bad it's funny

I just came across this one today, and thought it was good to start off the week with chuckle. Eurobad 74 - a web exhibition of the worst interiors from 1974. I particularly liked the models expressions in some of them, and wait - is that a horse in the kitchen? You've just gotta see them for yourself.

Happy Monday!

File under Spectacle

In reading the Flavorpill update today, I came across something under the heading: Spectacle - The Cardboard Tube Fighting League Tournament at Justin Herman Plaza on Sunday.

I imagine it is probably a variation on those people who fight with foam swords and aspire to work at Medieval Times restaurant, but it looks like they're having fun in the photos! And it's probably a great stress reliever!

Start wrapping those Christmas gifts early this year to get down to the tube!

Do you know Jack?

Do you have the problem that every time you pull out your iPod, the earbuds are all tangled up in your keys and whatever else migrated to the bottom of your bag? Well, I do! But a friend of mine recently invented this great little gadget - Earbud Jack.

He's your friend who will keep you earbuds organized and free of knots. I may use him for my cell phone earbud that I keep in the car too... that's always in knots when I pull it out. I'm going to get a Jack for every bud!

A nice bonus for the purchase of Jack is that a portion of his sales will go to hearing research organizations.

So order yours today! They'll also make great stocking stuffers. And notice the packaging when you get it. I designed it. :)

Craft, Inc.

111 Minna has a good thing going. Everybody likes to have events there. Somehow, they're automatically cooler than a hotel ballroom or back room at a bar. I've had weeks with many things all at 111 minna - from an art opening (which seems applicable) to a Commonwealth Club mixer to a fundraiser for the Surfriders... you never know.

Next week's Minna shin dig on tuesday is the book launch party of Craft Inc. by Meg Mateo Ilasco - all about turning your crafty hobby into a business. Having done that myself recently, I encourage you to think long and hard before turning what you love to do for fun into your livelihood, but it is worth considering.

So go get your Minna fix if it's been a while and check out the book. They say there will be Chronicle Books give-aways and other swag, so why not?

Art for a good cause

My thing of the day turned into my thing of the week. And I admit, pretty weak at that... That's what happens when you have too much going on. I didn't even have time to go to any "things" much less tell you about them. So sorry.

So, now I'm getting back on that horse. I still have one crazy project, so no promises for daily updates, but at least it will be better, I hope.

Here's one that my friends and I may be going to check out next friday... Continuing on the theme of Old Enough to Buy Art - buying art for a good cause, Art for Aids is this friday night at Bonham's and Butterfields. Apparently "this event always sells out" according to their website, so I better get on it by getting my ticket now. It's a silent auction as well as a real auction, so that's going to be pretty exciting. I hope I don't sneeze at the wrong time.

And don't forget, you can still come to Old Enough to Buy Art Tuesday and Wednesday fron 7-9 and support the National Parkinson Foundation.

Cast your vote

I don't know why I feel compelled to participate in this public spectacle, but I do... I want to cast my vote for Barry Bonds' 756 home run ball. I'll say it now - I think it should go to Cooperstown with out an asterix and just be a part of history. But we're all entitled to our own opinions, so cast your vote!

Old Enough to Buy Art 3

A little shameless self promotion never hurt anyone, right? This is my event coming up next week! It's going to be great, so come on out!


Old Enough to Buy Art
Perfect pieces for burgeoning collections to benefit the National
Parkinson Foundation
___
Start a new art collection or supplement your existing collection with selected works from the Bay Area and beyond.
You'll find something to fit your budget and benefit a great cause.
This mixed-media show includes photography, prints, paintings,
and more.
Feel even better about buying art--the proceeds go to the National
Parkinson Foundation.
____
Melting Point Gallery
1340 Bryant Street, SF, CA, 94103
http://www.studiopicotee.com/artshow

OPENING RECEPTION WEDNESDAY, SEPT 19, 7-9pm

Gallery Open:
Wed Sept 19- Fri Sept 21, 7pm-9pm
Sat Sept 22 11AM-2PM (Kids welcome!)
Tue Sept 25-Wed Sept 26 7pm-9pm

Plenty of free street parking

Art with Construction Machinery

I know - it sounds like a burning man thing - I think I saw pictures of giant art sculptures made from heavy industrial equipment. But this is different - Roadworks - Steamroller Prints is sponsored by one of my favorite little places in SF - the Center for the Book. A place where you can go learn how to typeset the old fashioned way, bind books and this weekend - make art prints with a steamroller!

This is sure to delight the whole family - who doesn't get a kick from watching a steamroller rollover something and completely flatten it. In this case, artists have made large scale linoleum blocks that will then be run over in the middle of DeHaro Street! The prints they did last year look really great, and this year there are some great artists on the line-up, including Paul Madonna of "All Over Coffee" in the Chron.

Always a sucker for Chocolate

I'll be out of town this weekend in NYC, but I'm disappointed to be missing the Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival on Sat and Sun. As the site says, "Activities include tastings from over 30 vendors, a Wine & Chocolate Bar, Chef Demonstrations, a Children’s Activity Area, live musical entertainment, and the famous Earthquake Ice Cream Sundae Eating Contest!"

That Chocolate and Wine Bar sounds intriguing. Maybe it chocolate-y wine, or wine chocolates? You go and tell me! I also want to hear about all the new trendy shops that have popped up at Ghirardelli Square! No more tourist tchokes - more fun cool stuff!

Enjoy!

Weird Weather

I love stories about weird weather. Not the sad stories where people's lived get uprooted or worse, but just seeing the pictures of strange phenomena amazes me. And I think I found just the art show to pique that interest.

Strange Weather, an inaugural exhibition of the David Cunningham Projects kicks off this Sat with an opening from 6-9pm. It features the works of artists from SF, LA, and NY including painting, photography, sculpture, drawing, and video. The content invariably touches on the relationship of humankind to nature and the impact of the global climate change. A topic I'm interested to see in art form.

It's great to see another new gallery open up that is dedicated to new art and artists too!

Bringing the gardens to you!

OK, I know - enough with the gardens already, right? Well I've been so heads down with work lately that the plants I bought 2 weeks ago for my garden are barely staying alive in their little 6-pack containers. I dutifully water them - I can't wait to harvest my herbs! But in the meantime, I'm living vicariously through the gardens on the internet...

That said, I just came across this one - a veggie box you can go pick up at a local restaurant. What a great idea! Get inspiration from some great cooking while you're picking up the veggies for the rest of the week. Perfect for the SF foodies!

Hooking up with Mariquita Farms on Mystery Thursdays kind of reminds me of searching for raves in high school. You call them, give them your #. Meet at a random restaurant in the city. They pull up with the truck. Then instead of you climbing into the truck and heading off to an undisclosed location for partying into the night, they hand you a box of vegetables. And I don't think magic mushrooms are included. But they do have Sorrel. Whatever you do with that... I'd do it for the Heirlooms since they're at their peak right now and take the $25 risk that I get a few in the box!

Palms and Fronds and Gardens, Oh My!

I apologize for not having many things of the day last week. It was a busy, nose to the grindstone week. And I guess I wasn't inspired by many things of the day...

But I think I have gardening on my mind because this Monday's thing of the day is also a garden activity. For those of you who remember the palm broker garden center in the mission, it's not gone - it just moved to Dogpatch. Now known as Flora Grubb Gardens, together with the Garden Conservancy, they're hosting an educational series of talks about various garden topics. This week's, on thursday the 23rd, is about palms! Palm Myths is set up to dispel any misconceptions about these elegant plants and help you learn how best to used them in your San Francisco gardens.

And no talk is complete without some cocktails and hors d'oeuvres before hand. I haven't been to this place yet, but from the pics, it looks just delightful.

Garden Oasis at Fort Mason

I discovered something very cool this weekend while wandering around the city. I was headed over to Fort Mason for the Craft Festival and decided to take a detour back to my car via the park above the festival halls there. I was looking for the Officer's Mansion where there's another event in a couple weeks that I'll tell you about soon. But as I was wandering, I stumbled upon this little piece of paradise in the middle of it all - The Fort Mason Community Garden.

If you go to New York or Europe, you see these little gardens around, where the neighbors have a little plot to grow flowers or veggies. But I've never seen that here until now. They were having a BBQ party in there, so at first I was hesitant to walk in, but then I found a different entrance that looked a little more "public" and welcoming, so I decided to go in and check it out.

There were over 100 plots of about 5' x 20' containing a whole range of plants. Some were vegetable gardens, and the tomatoes were looking quite good now. Others had an array of roses or dahlias for cut flowers, and there was even a nice simple zen garden in the midst of it all. I was quite inspired and decided that I may go put my name on the list. It's a 4-5 yr wait, so who knows what I'll be up to then, but at the rate the trees are growing around my back patio - my one hour of sun will be down to about 10 mins, so I'll be in need of a sunny plot. Plus, I'd love to grow my own tomatoes in the city!

If you're in the area, or just need a nice place to take a break - take a wander in. There are some lovely little benches and quiet places to sit and just enjoy the jungle of all the different plants.

SF Home Movie Day

What has this world come to? Movies made on phones, emailed and deleted? The San Francisco Media Archive is hoping to bring back the nostalgia by hosting this Home Movie Day on Saturday, Aug 11, where you can dust off dad's or grandpa's movies and share them. Not just because you want to remember what Auntie Sue got for her 7th birthday, but because it's a piece of history to see what they were wearing, what they were driving, and where they lived.

There will also be clinics to help you preserve these movies and transfer them to DVD for "modern" posterity. (Until they have a DVD to future technology transfer service in 10 years!) And vintage San Francisco home movies that have been donated will also be shown.

It's time to share those memories with the city!

What this town needs is some good BBQ!

Every city, it seems, has their "great BBQ place." At least that's what they're always showing on the Food Network. I hear people talking about their favorites here, but I haven't heard any resounding agreements from multiple parties yet.

But in the meantime, it'll be good to go to the source - the single players who do it right, at least according to their family recipe. This Saturday, Aug 11, check out the Guardsmen's Bay Area BBQ festival! Head over to Justin Herman Plaza between 9:00AM and 5:00 PM - it's free to attend or $500 to throw your meat on the Q. Food will be available for sale on site. Judging is at 4:45 in case you want to see who the winners are.

And it's all for a good cause - raising money for programs for disadvantaged Bay Area youth.

Sounds just finger lickin' good to me!

Surfing the Art Scene

This thursday, 111 Minna is the place to be for a fundraier/art show/fashion event brought to you by Aqua Surf Shop and the Edgewood Foundation.

So says the press release:

"Aqua Surf Shop is pleased to announce its third annual major summer fundraiser, the fashion show "Summer in the City." As a benefit for Edgewood Center for Children and Families, this event represents Aqua's ongoing efforts to support a good cause in the local community by creating a vibrant, highly stylized setting showcasing the hottest summer styles and newest fall trends in a wide range of swimwear and sportswear."

And I recently read that the show that's up at minna right now is pretty awesome too. It's the Fecal Face 7.5th Anniversary show, with one of my favorite local artists, Kelly Tunstall.

All in all, it looks like it's worth a trip to Minna this Thursday!

Old School Vacation to the Catskills

I college, I got to go to the Catskills as part of my "Wilderness in the North American Imagination" course, AKA Camping for Credit. I think it was one of my favorite classes, and yes, the field trip was part of it! We went to a former utopian community in Woodstock, and it was way cool. In the summer it's an artists retreat now, but we got there just as it was becoming fall and the leaves were turning and it was beautiful! It became completely clear why all those romantic painters of the early 20th c. painted such glorious pictures of the Hudson valley and the Catskill mountins - it really looks like that!

Enough reminiscing - go on vacation to the Catskills. I came across this very goovy sounding retreat called The Roxbury. They do capitalize a bit on the hippie roots of the area, complete with a "Shagadellic Suite" but it looks like a lot of fun. And the rates aren't outrageous either!

They even claim to have skiing and snowboarding there - I'm not sure how it is compared to Tahoe, but could be worth a visit just for kicks.

Rent-A-Dog

How many times have you said you wanted a dog, but just didn't want to deal with it every day, taking it out in the rain, things like that? I know I have. I really want a dog actually, almost got one, and then I got a new landlord instead who said now I can't have a dog. I guess I missed the window of opportunity on that one.

But, I may still have the chance once the Flex Petz service makes its way up her to SF from San Diego and LA. None of these places have too many issues with rainy days, so they'll probably do OK. Seattle is on the list, I wonder how that will fare when it rains all the time.

Anyway, the way it works, is that you join for a $150 one time fee, then it's $49.95/month and a 39.95/day rental fee (cheaper on week days). They will also drop off and pick up the dog (for an extra fee) and the dogs come with their food, bed, leash, etc. so that they are comfortable and happy in your home for their stay. This all sounds like a cross between a gym membership and zip cars. But it barks.

The Chron had a good article on them the other day. We'll see if it works in SF. What do you say to that guy you meet in the park who compliments you on your dog? Thanks, she's a rental? I don't think so... ;)

Only in Dubai

I love San Francisco, but sometimes it's good to see what they're up to in other places of the world. I have recently come across some items of interest that have not yet made it to SF, but they're worth a look. My thing of the day is going on summer vacation...

Starting really far away. In Dubai.

With all those new luxury condos going up there, I'm sure there's a great market for interior designers to finish the look. If you're lucky enough to be in the Armani or Versace buildings, there's no doubt that they'll come with complete home decor packages as well. But if you are in one of the other skyscraper oases, or want to infuse a more retro-modern look, and less casbah style, you may want to consider the services of Luxe Interior. This London based company has a series of pre-set collections for you to choose from, all assembled by designers like Terrance Conran or Orla Kiely. My favorites are the Conran Partners Lustre Bedroom and the Orla Kiely Colour House Living room. Pick yours for your virtual vacation condo!

All of this can be yours at the low price of roughly 140,000 AED for a 1BR. Whatever that comes out to...

Flying High

When I lived near DC as a kid, I loved when they had the kite festival on the Mall. There were so many different kinds of kites, and I always wanted to be one of the people who got mine super high in the sky. And of course, we had to check out the selection at the Air and Space Museum.

It seems the Bay Area has their own kite festival, being held this weekend in Berkeley. Held at Cesar Chavez Park at the Berkeley Marina, it looks like there will be plenty to see, up in the air and on the ground. Being Berkeley, they have incorporated the kite traditions of many cultures from Japan to New Zealand. There will be lessons on flying acrobatic kites and shows of team kite flying. Their slideshow shows kites as big as the balloons at the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade - but no helium needed here! Just some good wind.

All in all, sounds like a feast for the eyes. Aim high!

Open those windows!

I usually wake up to KFOG, and today they had on Zem Joaquin, the writer for Ecofabulous, an eco-blog. Now all this stinks of SF-uber-eco-ness to me... Don't get me wrong, I am a friend of the earth, but sometimes all this hippy-dippy hoo-ha is a little much.

But between snooze buttons, I listened to what Zem had to say. The thing that really got my attention was that the air quality inside your home is 2-5 times WORSE than the air outside! Hard to believe, but she had decent back-up info. Mostly the worst offenders to indoor air quality are mold and cleaning products (a contradiction, it may seem). But both of which do make appearances in my home - a cause for concern that opening the windows more often can help cure.

Here's her blog, with the info on the indoor air quality. She could use a few paragraph breaks in there since it made me go a little cross eyed looking at it. But there are some nuggets of info in there to get you breathing easier indoors.

She also mentioned a store on Polk Street called Spring, that carries all sorts of products that you may need to have a healthier home. I may pay them a visit at some point... While I'm a little skeptical about some of this stuff, I'm not opposed to having the air inside my house be a little healthier than that when I'm walking down market street and the bus just went by. Bleech!

And now that the sun came out, I'm going to open my windows.

Jazz Fest kick-off

The North Beach Jazz Fest will get underway this Wednesday for the rest of the week, showcasing a whole range of acts adding to the already vibrant North Beach scene. Join the revelers on wed when Jazz on Grant gets going with acts in venues all the way down the street.

The festivities begin with a performance by the Realistic Orchestra at the SF Italian Athletic Club at 7pm. Quoting from their website, "Led by composer/trombonist/bassist Adam Theis, Realistic is a 20+ piece jazz orchestra composed from the "Jazz Mafia" collective. Other announced Jazz on Grant artists include Boca do Rio, Times Four, and NBJF legend BJ Papa."

Looking at the line-up, I don't think you can go wrong heading to North Beach this Wed! Or for any of their other events either! Sunday is Jazz in the park - so grab a slice and head on over.

Summer Reading

Some of you may already be on the list to get the next Harry Potter, but others, like me, may be OK waiting for the hand me down from those on the list... I think I can wait to find out if he lives or dies. That is unless the media doesn't spill it in headline news like they did with the Sopranos.

But if you're a little behind, and want to catch up on the older Harry's or just need some beach reading in general, head on over the SwapSF Book Swap this Saturday afternoon at the Phritzery in SOMA. Admission is $5 with books, and that includes a free drink ticket. And then, once inside, any books you want are free! Remaining books are donated to local schools and libraries.

Achieve Clarity and Relevance

The reason you didn't get a post yesterday was because I had a very busy day doing pretty cool things. One of which, I will share with you today here. The other was going to see Polyphonic Spree at the Great American, which was fantastic - highly reccommend going to see them live sometime. But since that's in the past, I won't waste your time.

The thing I did all day was attend a seminar by Edward Tufte on Presenting Data and Information. Sounds dry and boring, but was really great! We studied him in school for his graphic design lessons in clear presentation of information, and I used Gill Sans on all my projects then because he used it in his books. But it was really great to hear him talk about it all in person!

He covers ways to present statistical data, information graphics and do it all with clarity and relevance. He also talks a lot about methods of presentation, and how PowerPoint can actually hinder your presentation. This was not a course just for graphic designers, everyone I talked to did something different - environmental consulting, university recruiting, user interface design, business-types, lawyers, it goes on and on.

The seminar is one day, and you get all 4 of his books with it. I think EVERYONE should take this class, as there's something you can all get out of it. And you could even probably get work to pay for it.

And check out his website too - it's easy to get lost there exploring his Ask E.T. Forum for hours.

Dark Nights

Dark nights, deep shadows, mysterious guests, dapper detectives. If you like this stuff, you should check out the Film Noir Screenings at the City Club this Thursday, July 19. The featured film this week is the Phenix City Story starring John McIntire and Richard Kiley. The films are shown in vintage 16mm film for full effect.

Admission is free, but you must RSVP to the address on their website. And the venue is pretty swank, so dress the part.

Salon de Chocolat

Continuing along the theme of things the French do well... This weekend - Sat and Sun the 14th and 15th is the San Francisco International Chocolate Salon. YUM!

Hosted at Fort Mason, you can participate in chocolate tastings, demos, chef talks, wine pairings, and 2 things that make me very curious - chocolate painting and chocolate spa and makeup. Hmm. And just looking at their schedule of events - you don't have to worry about missing church on Sunday because at 2:30 there's a talk called "Chocolate and Meditation: Demonstration and talk on the spirituality of chocolate tasting," by Rev. R.M. Peluso. Sounds like my kind of religion!

But don't be skeptical of these funky takes on chocolate - the high class favorites will be well represented. XOX Truffles, Charles Chocolates, and many others will be there too.

Vive le Chocolat!

Bastille a Go Go

We just made it through our national holiday, so now it's time to celebrate with the French for Bastille Day, this Sat, July 14! I've seen that many of the standby French restaurants (ie Grand Cafe) are doing a prix fixe in honor of the day. And no doubt Belden Place and Claude Lane will be hopping! It's a sat nite afterall!

But the event that caught my attention was Bardot-a-go-go at the Rickshaw stop. I went to B-a-g-g once YEARS ago and had a blast! It was like a flashback in time to Paris in the 60's. The outfits were fantastic (made me wish I had my white go-go boots!) and the music was fab! The song I remember most specifically, and still enjoy today is the French version of "These Boots are Made for Walkin." You've got to check it out.

I wish I didn't have a zillion other things this weekend so I could go! Ces't la vie.

The new musical

For those of you who think movie musicals are hokey, this one will hopefully help change your mind. And for those of you who enjoy the musical, or just a beautiful, sweet, love story, this movie is for you. It's called Once, and is just a wonderful little film.

I heard about it on the radio, and since then I've read reviews, all of which say the same thing. It's a small movie, but good. It's not too long, not too complicated, has a simple production value, and is full of great music. I came out of the movie sort of hypnotized by the melodies, and was sorely disappointed that the theater had sold out of soundtracks. Luckily it's on iTunes also and I'm downloading now!

The movie is the story of two young people in Dublin, one a singer-songwriter, vacuum cleaner repairman and the other a Czech immigrant who sells roses and cleans houses and has a lovely voice. They find music as their common ground and their love grows, but it's not really that simple. I'll leave the rest for you to see in the movie, and I'm sure you'll want to listen more than once.

And here's a bonus - a charming animation of one of the sillier songs in the movie.

Roller Derby!

Are you looking for a little flashback fun? Come on out and support our very own Roller Derby team, The Bay City Bombers!

They're competing this saturday at the Cow Palace vs. the Brooklyn Red Devils. Should be a fantastic match-up. There are more bouts this summer - July 14 at the Cow Palace and Aug 18 at Kezar Pavillion.

And look out for Ron #30 - I know him. :)

Roll on!

Music in the Bay

It's been a while since I've been to an all out, day in the sun, music festival. But those days of Lollapalooza and Laguna Seca Daze were fun! Now, they're trying a new venue - Treasure Island. Check out the Treasure Island Music Festival - the festival in the Bay.

With Sat Sept 15 being the more rave-y day with Thievery Corporation as the headliner and Sunday Sept 16 being the more indie day with Modest Mouse, Spoon and Built to Spill on the ticket, there is sure to be something to appeal to most SF music lovers.

And to make it easy to get there, the organizer are providing transportation via bus from Pac Bell Park to the site so you can not drive, enjoy some beverages while on the island, and not have to sit in as much traffic. Sounds like a smart plan.

I just got my ticket for Sunday - see you there!

Summer Movies in the Park

Now that summer's here, it's time for those romantic nights of watching movies al fresco. I've been paying attention, and there are a number of options for movie nights in the park in SF and beyond. The first is this Saturday in Union Square where they're showing Casablanca! Next month is Sixteen Candles - 0ne of my favorites.

Here are the links to the schedules:

Film Night in the Park (SF - Union Square, Dolores Park and Washington Square)

Dolores Park Movie Night

Alamo Square Movie Night

Oakland Outdoor Films

Redwood City Movies on the Square

San Jose Outdoor Movie Nights

Carmel Forest Theater (take a weekend getaway down the coast and chill with the locals at this historical outdoor theater)

And... still taking applications is the Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema, which showcases local filmmakers. The season starts in late July, but the deadline to submit your works is July 1 - this Sunday!

See you at the movies!

Brian Eno's Ambient Paintings

I had been saving this one to share with you this week, since I am a big fan of Brain Eno, and I was very interested to see his latest works. But the Chronicle Datebook scooped me, so hopefully you saw the review already. That said, I still think this is cool, and it got a good review, so that's a good sign!

Friday and Saturday nights, go to Yerba Buena Center for the Arts to check out Brian Eno's 77 Million Paintings. In the tradition of his ambient music that is self regenerating, he has applied a similar program to a series of graphic elements to create a "kaleidoscopic display" of changing images. Music will also accompany this show, but it was not composed at the same time to go specifically with the images.

YBCA says that there will also be a full bar to cultivate conversations and make this showing an event. Plus, it's open until 2AM, so make it a party! The sponsor is the Long Now organization, the people who have designed a 10,000 year clock, of which Brian Eno is one of the founders. It all comes together now...

Looking out for my peeps

It's always exciting when you're reading about "cool things to do in the city" and you come across someone you know! That happened today as I was reading Flavorpill.

A colleague of mine, Amanda Hughen is having a show at the Electricworks, opening Thursday night the 28th from 6-8pm. Yes, I know, it's Antiques night too! So much to do on thurs!

This show is a collaborative show between Hughen and Jennifer Starkweather. Their pieces were for an Art on Market Street program where they translated urban elements into an artistic interpretation of an environmental statistic. The results are quite elegant.

Since I have a meeting for work that night I won't be able to go, but tell Amanda I said hello!

Treasures in the Attic

Antiques Roadshow on PBS is one of those perfect chill out on Saturday late afternoon after a good day out shows. I learn a little about history of the city they're in. I get excited when some lady's jewelry from a church bazaar is actually vintage Tiffany, and feel sad for the people whose ming vase is really just a cheap imposter from the 70's. And it always gets me thinking... what do I have from Grandpa's attic that might be worth something when they come to SF.

Well, wait no longer! Farley's coffee shop in Potrero Hill is having their own Antiques Roadshow this Thursday night, June 28. They'll have local collectors on hand to evaluate your treasures, and their great space will provide a nice venue to chat with other people interested in antiques and collecting.

Who knows? You may have a real gem in your midst!

Happy Summer Solstice!

Today is the longest day of the year. A beautiful sunny long day, and 14 hrs and 47 minutes of day, to be exact.

No specific event to mention today, other than that you should do what I always like to do on the longest day of the year - go watch the sun set. If you live in SF, there's bound to be a hill nearby. Go up it and look west around 8:30 tonight. But don't stare a the sun, silly!

I found this weather site that is quite helpful for those of us microclimate inhabitants. Weather Bonk. It's a great way to totally dork out about the local weather - basically you can see what the temperature is in your neighborhood and how different it is across town. And you can ever do a fog overlay that will show real-time what the fog is doing. It's sunny out by the beach now!

And even better they show a bunch of local webcams, so you can actually see that there's no fog over the Gate - Marin looks quite nice from my desk. No more "oops I guess it's foggy at the beach" picnic plans anymore!

Panhandle Bandshell

This Saturday, June 23, the Golden Gate Park Panhandle is getting a music venue all its own. The Panhandle Bandshell opens with performances from noon to 7. This is an acoustic venue, so they won't be blasting away the neighbors.

The unveiling of the project will happen at 2pm, and they're boasting, "an incredible line-up of acoustic music, dance and aerial performances throughout the afternoon." Yes, this was born out of some Burning Man ideals, but they've collaborated with the SF Dept of the Environment and have support of a number of neighborhood and arts foundations. And the structure is made out of recycled and re-used materials!

Midsummer with the Scandinavians

What better way to celebrate the Summer Solstice on Thursday than to join the festivities with the Swedes.

Take a lunch break in the sun on Thursday at Yerba Buena Gardens with the Consulate of Swededn to listen to soprano Paulina Pfeiffer and pianist Inese Klotina, both Jenny Lind scholarship recipients from Sweden. They will be performing on the Esplanade from 12:30 to 1:30.

If anyone knows how to enjoy the longest days of the year, it's those northerners!

Head outside - Summer is here!

I decided to have a theme this week - there are so many great things to do outside when summer arrives, that I decided everything I post this week will be an outdoor event.

The first is one of the SF staples that you need to check out. I STILL have never been after all this time in the city, but from what I hear, The Stern Grove Festival is one of the summer's best. Even if it does happen in the fog pretty often.

It takes place every Sunday from now until August 19. My top picks would be July 1 with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Lavay Smith, July 29 with some Afro-Caribbean music and August 12 with the SF Ballet. But you pick your faves - there are so many different styles of music and performance to choose from! Or go to them all!

Fly through the air with the greatest of ease...

Like that daring young man on a flying trapeze...

Check out this aerial performance, I Hate You, a Love Story, this weekend (June 15) - July 1st at the Brava Theater in the Mission. Seats are way cheaper than Cirque du Soleil, but the concept sounds similar. Along with the trapeze act, there will be juggling, hand-balancing, contortion, body percussion, and acrobatics.

With a dark comedy story line about a teenage circus performers trying to figure out love, what else could you ask for in a circus? Maybe an elephant or two?

Wanna Know a Secret?

Well, you'll have to go check out this event on Sat and see what you find out. Jeannene Przyblyski of the San Francisco Bureau of Urban Secrets is leading a hike in SF on Sat, June 16 - On the Trail with Comings and Goings.

Starting at the Merrie Way Parking Lot on Point Lobos Avenue (just below 48th Avenue and just above Louis’s Restaurant) the tour begins at 1:00 p.m. Wear sturdy shoes. Tour involves moderate walking, some steps and steeper grades.

They also suggest you download the 17 track podcast and track list to go along with the hike.

This is one of my favorite hikes in SF, one of those places you have to know to look for. I have no idea what secrets they'll be giving away, but with the ruins of the Sutro Baths, the labyrinth at Land's End, and the ever present mysterious fog cloaking the Golden Gate, the area is full of secrets, I'm sure.

Tell me what you learn. I won't tell anyone. ;)

Fonteriffic

Some of you probably don't understand the designer's obsession with fonts, but it's one of those quirks that we develop over the course of our careers.

Font house Font Font is celebrating its 15 year anniversary with a show at the AIGA gallery in SF. The opening is this Friday, font fun for everyone!

My "corporate" font is one of their specimens - Scala and Scala Sans. I chose it because I like the capital W and G. Not that any of my names or company names actually have those letters, but I still like them. And I have special respect for fonts that are a family with serif and sans serif together. I think that was very considerate of the type designer to do.

Happy Birthday Font Font!

P.S. If you ever come across a showing of the movie Helvetica you should see it. It's quite good, a great insight into the use of that font. Not nearly as boring as it might sound - it's actually quite entertaining. Too bad the showings this week are already sold out. I'll let you know if I see it come around again. BTW, I hate the Helvetica capital R. That's why I don't like to use it.

Hairy Hippies

We're at the tip of the iceberg for a reason to celebrate the Hippies. The Summer of Love '07 is upon us (although it feels more wintry right now!) This year is the 40th anniversary of that beloved Hippie musical, Hair. My parents "made" me watch the movie version when I was in junior high. I'm not sure why they thought it was good for an adolescent to see that, but I remember thinking it was fun, even if I didn't really get it.

But this weekend and next are a chance to see Hair, the musical, in the best possible place for it - high up on mount Tam at the Mountain Ampitheatre. I'm actually going to take my dad for Father's day next weekend, since he is after all, from the Age of Aquarius. This is the PG13 version though - no nudity. Marin is losing their edge.

And if a hippie musical on a mountain isn't enough, this Sunday is also the Haight Street Fair. Having lived 2 blocks from the Haight for 9 years now, I'm a little over it, but if you've never been, it's definitely worth the trip. I remember going when I was in college at about age 19, and I passed for 16 to get the youth fare on MUNI to get there, and then passed for 21 at the beer booth on the street. That was cool. Unfortunately (or fortunately) there will be no alcohol consumption on the street this year per the police dept. Now that I'm not 19, that may be a good thing... But I'm sure you can still get whatever you want to eat on-a-stick as well as all the hemp jewelry and tie-die shirts you can handle. And don't get me wrong, there's still always an interesting artist vendor with something you NEED to buy or cool costumed musicians and crazy people with snakes around their necks to make it a worthwhile distraction for an afternoon.

Peace.

Cheers to Slow Food

Buy Local, Slow Food, Sustainable Farming, who can keep up? But, even if you don't totally understand, you can still go drink wine and eat food this Sat to help these folks, all for a mere $50.

The Golden Glass is an event being hosted at Fort Mason as a fundraiser for Slow Food USA. This event in particular will feature (as they say on their site) top Italian indigenous & regional wines complemented by gastronomic delights from leading Bay Area restaurateurs and food producers.

There's also a Gala Dinner and silent auction on sunday if you're really into it. In general, I think this is one of those Super-SF-Foodie events, especially based on the list of purveyers - everyone from A16 to Slanted Door (and plenty in between!)

Stationery-o-rama

Hi! I'm back! The tour back east was great - caught up with a lot of people and saw all sorts of good stuff. I think I mentioned I went to the National Stationery Show in NY - many people wonder why in the world I'd go to that, but it's because it's so pretty! I love all that stationery I never use, and in this case, I couldn't even buy it so that was even better! I'm still a novice to the show since I only allowed one day for it, and it was HUGE, and apparently, you can take pictures of stuff you liked too!

Well, since I didn't take pictures, I just came across this other blogger who went there and did. Check it out, and maybe you'll understand why it's so fun! And you can look out for these items in stores near you, now that all the store owners have seen it and fallen in love too...

Stationery Show part 1
Stationery Show part 2

There's other cool design-y stuff on this blog too, so I'm going to have to add this to my list of sites to keep an eye on.

Art and Food - All good!

Greetings from Boston - the last leg of my East Coast tour. I'm here for a design conference, but also enjoying the local seafood (lots of lobster!) and looking forward to visiting the art museum with an Edward Hopper exhibit.

But while I'm enjoying art and food Boston style, I just saw this listing on tablehopper for an event this friday, June 1, by the Red Poppy Art House. An art auction and food tasting extravaganza. The food is from some local favorites - Delfina and Chez Panisse! And I liked the one art piece photo they showed - could be worth checking out what else is there.

Hayes Valley Design Fest

Just a quick note while I'm reading about SF from NY. Every time I come here I think I might just stay, and then I come home and think, why would I leave? Here's another reason to stay in SF: Fun street festivals every weekend of the summer...

This one is the Capsule Design Festival in Hayes Valley - a design enclave itself. Check it out on Sunday and tell me how it is.

BBQ Season

Memorial Day is officially the beginning of BBQ season and I can't wait! Last year I got totally into cedar plank grilling, so I definitely plan on experimenting with that some more.

Tablehopper recently published this link to a pretty interesting history of BBQ. Did you know it supposedly started in the Caribbean?

Along those lines, starting this Sunday, the 27th, the restaurant Front Porch is going to be offering a BBQ special on the first sunday of every month. (not sure why the last Sunday is part of the plan too - maybe it's just the kick-off.)
This info from Tablehopper:
~THE FRONT PORCH~ is going to be open on the first Sundays of every month through September, an all-you-can-eat Caribbean barbecue. The barbecue will go on from noon until sundown, with BBQ jerk steak, chicken, fish, and fresh veggie sides on offer. The price for a “roundtrip ticket” to the West Indies (i.e. all you can eat) is $25, and the price of a one-way ticket (i.e. one plate) is $17.50. There will also be a kid's plate price, and special prices on draft beer and select wine. No reservations necessary, and all the tables will be put together for family-style dining.

Sounds delish to me!

Celebrate SF

I'm going to be out of town for about 2 weeks, so no promises on daily updates, we'll see how it goes. But the whales are on their way back to sea, so at least we can be happy about that. :)

While I'm gone this weekend, there's and event I'd love to see - Carnival SF, complete with giant puppets. Those of you who know me, may have met my giant puppet the mermaid. She never got to go to a carnival. She now lives with a "Children's Entertainment Specialist" (aka professional clown) and I hope has had opportunities to leave the house more than the one time she came out with me for Halloween.

Anyway, Carnival SF looks like a lot of fun - Los Lonley Boys are performing Sunday, there's a festival on Sat and Sun that I'm sure will be complete with lots of food-on-a-stick options, and the parade, with the headdresses and puppets will be Sunday morning starting at 9:30am.

So, have a fantastic week everyone, and a great holiday weekend!

Whale of a Time

I don't know how many of you have been as fascinated by the whales in the Sacramento shipping channel as I am, but when I read about how they had been injured by boat propellers it literally brought tears to my eyes. I guess you could say I'm an animal lover.

Here's the article about their situation yesterday that made me so sad. After reading that I felt compelled to stay up to the minute on their progress in hopes of hearing the good news that they were headed back to sea. Alas, that is not the case yet.

Today when looking for the latest news, I came across the NOAA incident report where you can see close up pictures of the wound on the mom and hear the sounds the wales make (mostly just the scientists oohing and the sound of what I think was a blowhole spurt) and the sounds that they are using to lure the whales out. The "travel" one is pretty funny. I think I'd run the other way if I heard that coming from someone!

I hope they make it out of there soon. The experts say it could take a while, and the fact that the mom is nursing might make her less interested in the feeding sounds. Or that the sounds they're using are from a different pod of whales from alaska, so it might be like we're yelling in Chinese to whales who speak English.

Gotta hand it to the Chron today - their headline at the top of the paper was: Wii, Wine, Whales and Warriers. I guess those are the things that matter to this town.

And in other animal news - just came across this article too on the chron site. Baby peregrine falcons were born recently atop San Jose City hall. It's a heartwarming tale...

Floating with art

This came to my attention because my friend is having an art opening here on Sat evening, (the 19th) and it seems like a really unique place.

It's called Float, and it's a floatation therapy center with an art gallery. I'm not totally sure yet what floatation therapy is, but it sounds nice. Basically it looks like from their website that there are these pods filled with salt water that you lay in and float away your worries.

It's worth checking out, and bonus to see the art there too! Tempe Sikora is the artist I know, and I love her photography. She said she's tried some new ways of presenting her work, so I'm looking forward to seeing what she's done.

Float on!

Wine Making is Addictive

This is a somewhat self motivated post, but it's what I spent my afternoon on, and I thought I'd share it with you all!

Have you ever dreamed of making your own wine? Well, here's your chance, and it's even somewhat affordable! Visit Crushpad to learn about how you can form your own group to make a barrel or join one that's already somewhat organized. For a per barrel fee that you divide up with your fellow winemakers, you get to pick the vineyard that your chosen variety comes from, come up with a winemaking plan while consulting with a professional, participate in sorting and crushing, and taste along the way as it ages. In the end you get 25 cases from a barrel of wine to call your own! And you can name and label it however you want.

I may have an in for you on a group making a Rousanne, Syrah (rhone blend), Grenache, or Pinot, and maybe even a Merlot. Drop me a note at heatherl at mac dot com and let me know if you might want to make some with us! You don't have to be in SF, but you should come visit sometime if you want to see the operation.

Artsy Craftsy, DIY heaven

If you watch too much HGTV, Discovery Channel, or other similar cable shows, then this event is for you. This weekend, visit the San Mateo Fairgrounds for the Maker Faire 2007.

Per their website, it's a: "A two-day, family-friendly event that celebrates arts, crafts, engineering, science projects and the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) mindset. It's for creative, resourceful folks who like to tinker and love to make things."

It looks like there will be all sorts of goofy projects on display, great ideas for sharing and other crazy ways to geek out on doing projects at home. I know I've already got too many, but hey, this could be inspiration for more. And if you don't feel like going to San Mateo for the show, just go to the Edinburgh Castle for the "after party" and meet some other makers!

80s indie grunge is back

You may remember them from high school or college - they were on the indie grunge scene then, and they're back in SF - Dinosaur Jr. They're not New Wave or that other poppy stuff from the 80's - more friends of Sonic Youth and Pearl Jam.

Get out your Doc Martens and flannel shirts and head over to Amoeba tomorrow (Tuesday May 15) to see Dino Jr. in action. The clips I listened to on iTunes totally brought me back to a time when I made mix tapes and listened to music for hours in my room, while reading every word of the liner notes. I miss those days sometimes...

The take-anywhere hot tub

There are so many things going on in the city this weekend, but I couldn't pick one to feature since I'm going to be spending a lot of my free time at Wag, the new dog hotel I worked on. But have fun at Kaboom, Mission Open Studios, or even Horse Show Jumping in GG Park.

But if you can't decide either, and just want to relax and slip away from the world, then you need to get a Dutchtub. It's a hot tub that looks like a kettle where you fill it with a hose (or just dump water in from the lake or wherever you are) fill the burner with wood and start heating it up. Soon you'll have your own tub ready to go! It's super cute in fun colors and it even fits in the back of a pick-up or on the roof of your SUV. Take it to the mountains in the winter, the lake in the summer or just leave it on your back deck. And when your landlord hears that you had a hot tub on the premises, throw a plant in it and call it a planter.

A Cause for Chocolate

I'm letting my politics come through today. There are a few things that we should really stand behind. Against global warming, for saving the dolphins, and definitely for keeping chocolate real. This may sound silly, but it's for your own health.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a chocolate standard of identity requiring manufacturers to use approved ingredients in making chocolate, and it protects the consumer from any substitution of inferior ingredients. This means that in order for a product to be called chocolate, it must use cocoa butter and real milk. But the change on the docket would make it OK to use vegetable fats and whey to replace these ingredients, making chocolate cheaper to manufacture, but sacrificing the standards we know and love as chocolate. These vegetable oils would contain high amounts of trans fats, not something we need to add to our list of indulgences when eating chocolate!

So, I heartily urge you to take some time out of your busy day and fill out the petition at the Don't Mess With Our Chocolate website. It looks more complicated than it is. They give you the copy to cut and paste into the comments section and they don't collect your e-mail address.

Thanks for your support. Chocolate lovers unite!

Philanthropy by wine

Since I published the note about the Taste of New Zealand event, I've been overwhelmed by wine tasting events that contribute to the common good. I'm not sure what this says about our society here, but a summary is below:

California Wine Classic - Wed May 16
Benefiting the Northern California Chapter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. Taste wines from more than 20 of California's finest wineries, lavish delicacies from The Ritz-Carlton, incredible array of auction items, and a wine presentation from Karen MacNeil.

Urban Services Wine Tasting and Auction - Fri, May 18
For the fifth consecutive year the Urban Sevices Board of Managers is hosting their fundraising Wine Event and Silent Auction. Once again the event will take place at the beautiful Caldwell Snyder Gallery near Union Square in San Francisco. Prominent area winemakers are contributing exquisite wines to the cause, and the evening as always promises to be a fun and festive event.
Urban Services is the "Y" without walls. We collaborate with partners from the local to national level to provide diverse and accessible programs which value and empower youth and their families.

Vine and Dine Charity Event - Saturday, May 19
This year, Vine & Dine benefits Today's Youth Matter, a charitable organization that helps keep at-risk youth off the streets. Winemakers will pour wines from the ultra-premium market segment, which will be individually matched with food, expertly prepared by Chef Cynthia Bloebaum with David and Michelle King. It is held at the private estate of the 2006 Mayor of Atherton.

Taste of New Zealand - Wed, May 30
a New Zealand wine tasting to benefit the Taproot Foundation. The Taproot Foundation exists ensure all nonprofits have the infrastructure they need to thrive.

Vintage Affaire / Wine Auction and Gourmet Supper - Saturday July 21st 2007
Vintage Affaire 2007 will take place in the gardens of a private estate in Woodside. It is one of the largest wine auctions in California and benefits Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Palo Alto.The afternoon begins with a stroll through the estate gardens, sampling award winning wines and hors d'oeuvres prepared by some of the Bay Area's outstanding chefs. A string quartet will add to the atmosphere while guests examine and bid on a unique array of silent auction items. The day culminates in the live auction and a gourmet sunset supper accompanied by fine wines.

Waves to Wine, Start to Finish MS Bike Tour - September 29-30, 2007
Start training now! A ride from Ocean Beach to Healdsburg to benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Socitey. No tasting while riding but there is a festival at the end.

Here's to doing some good while drinking some wine!

A Hip Hotel for Dogs and Cats

I've been holding off on posting this one since I wanted to make sure it is actually happening! It's a little shameless self promotion, but I think still worthy of my list. The weekend is finally arriving when the opening of my first big project as a solo graphic designer is happening.

Wag Hotels, San Francisco, a hotel exclusively for dogs and cats opens its doors Saturday, May 12 and 13 with a grand opening celebration. There will be treats for pets and people alike all weekend so come on by and check it out. There's a pool, luxury suites, a boutique and salon. And make sure you stop to look at the restroom signs too. I designed those (along with the other big graphics in the store/hotel). :)

Oh yeah - it's from 10 am - 8 pm at 25 14th street - by Best Buy and Rainbow Grocery. I'll be there from about 6-8 on Sat and in the afternoon on Sunday so stop by and say hi!

Kiwi Wines and Golden Girls Review

I know I said only one thing of the day, but the other is a review of a prior thing of the day, so I think it's OK, right?

First, if you're in town the Wed before Memorial Day, you should absolutely go to Taste of New Zealand, a wine tasting event at SFMOMA benefiting the Taproot Foundation. I went last year, and it was a lot of fun! They say the tickets sell out, so get them ahead of time. The wines are good, and it's a great chance to see what NZ is all about. And the MOMA as a backdrop is never a bad thing.

Second, The Golden Girls: The Play was FANTASTIC! A true SF experience. First surprise (besides that the women were men, I hope you know that going in) was that it is performed "Salon Style" in someone's beautiful BIG old Victorian home. That meant there were also beverages being served to get you in the mood with the "Girls," and it's a pretty intimate setting. The Girls were great - it took me a minute to adjust to the gender illusion, but once they got into it, they were totally in character and it brought back all sorts of memories of the 80s. So, go see it! The shows are selling out fast, so book now.

Golden Girls of SF

Now this has to be hilarious - a live tranny version of 2 episodes of the Golden Girls. I can't think of a more perfect idea for interpreting that show!

Check out The Golden Girls: The Play weekends in May in Hayes Valley. I'm going sat nite - I have high hopes, but I'll let you know how it is.

Cinco de Soccer

Now, this sounds like just the right thing to do on Saturday for Cinco de Mayo - catch team California Victory play Mexican Club Nexaca at Kezar Stadium, 2pm May 5.

Apparently, Cinco de Mayo festivities start at 11am, and the game starts at 2. Live music, food (proper cinco fare, for sure!) and even soccer clinics for the kids.

Ole!

Sake Fest

We do lots of wine around here, but now it's time to go east and check out the world of Sake. The Banzai Sake Tasting Event is coming to Fort Mason on next wed, May 9. For $50 (or less if you purchase tix in advance) you can taste all the sake you want, and probably learn a thing or two about it also.

Their ad says 25 brewers offering over 55 sakes. That's a lot of sake. Get that asprin ready for Thursday morning!

Just note, if you show up at the door, it's cash only admission.

Kompai!

Run for the Roses

Saturday is the Kentucky Derby, and after a recent trip to the races at Bay Meadows, I'm kind of into this horse racing thing. Too bad Bay Meadows is closing!

I did come across a Kentucky Derby Party on sat, May 6 at Pier 23. It's a fundraiser for the Hopscotch Network, which, as you can probably figure out, does good things for kids. And they seem to have a good idea for a party too! Garden party attire is strongly encouraged, seersucker and big hats will be more than welcome. There will be mint juleps and bourbon, so it sounds like they've got it all figured out.

See you at the races!

Shopping for mom?

This one feels like a little bit of a cop-out, but I wasn't terribly inspired by anything that came today. Daily Candy did have some fun Mother's day gift ideas, so check that out. But the age range is not so much for my mother, but rather if I were to be a mother myself... I particularly liked the knitwear espresso cups (if only I drank espresso) and the pillows with pockets for your cold fingers or toes. Clever.

There were some other fun things there, and one linked me to this online store - greenergrassdesign. It's kind of like going to the museum gift shop online - they have all the cool stuff in one place.

Check it out - might be more for your friends than your mom, unless you have a super hip mom, which someday, I hope to be.

Art By The Bay

This weekend is a great chance to add some local art into your home. Visit the Spring Open Studios at Hunter's Point Shipyard to see local artists in their spaces. There are 160 Artists open with 250+ on site, so chances are pretty good that you might find something you like!

There is Fine Art, including painting, printmaking, drawing, sculpture, and photography, Fine Crafts including jewelry, textiles and ceramics, and even some demonstrations to watch. And the studios are on 15 acres of land, so you'll also get your exercise roaming around!

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry

Some of you may know this already, but right here in SF, we have a great resource that some may not realize is accessible to all - the JCC. Not just for Jews though! I came across a couple cooking and wine classes they have there that look like fun! Another portuguese wine tasting event, and a breadmaking class (unfortunately both at the same time, 6 pm on May 3, so I may have to pick one.)

But purusing their site, there were tons of other classes that sounded great too! There's an adult summer camp that could be a kick and even a class on canning your own pickles. The Jewish Delis always have the best dills, so why not learn from the source?

Shalom.

Beer-Pong-A-Thon

OK, just when you thought you'd seen everything, there's one more...

The First Annual Beer-Pong-A-Thon is coming to Jillians in the Metreon this Sat, April 28, from noon to 4. You can go as a spectator or a team. If you win, you get to go to Vegas for the World Series of Beer Pong. Who knew?!

Make sure you check out their website if you've forgotten how to play - they have a very good instructional video posted. And there's another goofy beer pong video here to give you something to work towards.

Bottoms up!

Goodbye and Hello

Often times this forum is a great place to find out new stuff, but sometimes, it's worth mentioning the old also. One of my favorite chill out places in the inner sunset is Canvas Gallery, which also has a great coffee shop and food offerings day and night. Unfortunately, those days are almost over and their last day in business is April 29. Canvas has all sorts of events planned this week, to go out in style, so if you share the love, give them one last visit.

In their place though, rumor has it, another Pacific Catch will be opening up. That place, in the Marina currently, has all my favorite foods under one roof at great prices. Where else can you get Ahi Tuna Wasabi Bowls, Fish Tacos AND Sweet Potato Fries. Now whithin walking distance of my place! Thanks to Tablehopper who let us in on the secret. :)

Film Fest Fun

The San Francisco International Film Festival is almost here - it starts this Thursday, April 26, so check out the listings now to decide what movies are on you list!

Personally, I'm looking forward to a Parker Posey movie called Broken English. She never fails to entertain. And a couple interesting documentaries - one on tea and the other on punk rock. Not two things one would often put in the same place, but hey, I like 'em both! And... I'm sort of intrigued by Cold Prey, a Norweigan slasher thriller about snowbarders in an abandoned cabin. I may need to go to the 1:30 in the afternoon showing of that though.

Enjoy the film!

Earth Day Extravaganza

Ok, so I missed a day. So sorry. But today, I'm going to make up for it with many listings of Earth Day events going on this weekend!

First off, KFOG has a nice listing of a bunch of stuff here.
And another listing on Greenopia too.
Stuff going on at the Zoo, basically in every park around the bay area, and lots of family friendly stuff too.

A couple things that stand out to me:

Penguins in the Park- a showing of Happy Feet along with other earth friendly activities and exhibits. I just recently watched Happy Feet and was surprised at how loaded it was with "save the earth, save the penguins" messages. I thought it was just a silly cartoon about singing and dancing penguins. Since saving Antarctica is one of my pet projects, I encourage everyone to see this movie, adults and kids alike!
Details:
Dolores Park is a perfect place for a picnic, which is why the setting will be all the more delightful when families gather there with their picnic dinners and blankets to watch a screening of the animated film “Happy Feet” in celebration of Earth Day. Other activities will include a light bulb exchange, a “Happy Feet” dance lesson, a community art project, and displays and exhibits by local green vendors.
When: April 21, 4 to 10 PM
Where: Dolores Park, San Francisco

Green Apple Music and Arts Festival - in Golden Gate Park - good bands, could be a blast if it's not raining on Sunday!

Visit one of my favorite places in SF, the Center for the Book for their Earth Day Extravaganza where you can make letterpress prints, bind an earth day journal using leaves and natural materials and make earthy beautiful postcards to send to you elected officials. Mon April 23 1-5pm.

For a schwanky shindig on Monday the 23rd, support the Friends of the Urban Forest at Arcadia 2007, a silent auction of art about trees, food, drink, muisic and more. Kind of pricey at $125 a pop, but you'd be helping save the urban trees!

Spring cleaning - get rid of all those electronics you've replaced and dispose of them properly at the Green Citizen Electronics Recycling Center near you.

And if you must travel further afield this summer, make sure to purchase your carbon offsets so that you can ease your green conscience as you fly across the globe. Daily Candy Travel had a great summary of all these options this week.

Dance Away

Not only is Earth Day coming up, but it is also National Dance Week next week. The week will be "kicked" off with a Conga Line around Union Square on this Friday, April 20. Along with the Conga Line there will be other performances going on in the square to keep you entertained at lunch hour. So, finish your hot ham and brie panini, get off your bum, and dance off the calories! You'll find the line circling somewhere around Union Square from 11:30-1:30pm.

There are all sorts of other dance events going on for this celebratory week too. Everything from hula hooping dance lessons, special performances by the pros at ODC, LINES, and the SF Ballet, kids shows from the YMCA, Salsa and Tango and so much more. And lots of stuff is Free!

Kick up those heels!

Jazz it up!

The W hotel is hosting a special event tomorrow - a celebration of Jazz Appreciation month with performances by Lavay Smith (remember her from the swinging dot com days at Cafe Du Nord?) Also, there will be a display of photos of the best female jazz musicians and a benefit auction.

Swing on by tomorrow evening to check it out. Sounds cool!

Here's the Scoop!

Tomorrow, April 17 is the Annual Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's! Hurrah! And it might even be warm enough. Visit their site to find the B&J's closest to you and go get yourself a scoop!

And hopefully you're toasting to your taxes being done too!

Jello Art

FunCheapSF was full of goodies this week. I'll start with this one...

I wish I didn't already have plans for sat nite because this one is a priceless Only In SF experience. As part of the opening reception for a show "Taste 2007" of art about food, there are going to be jello sculptures of SF landmarks being served!

Combine food, art, and a wacky, creative presentation and that's the recipe for a "typical" San Francisco experience.

Port of call

Quick - if you have no plans tonight - make some to go to this Portuguese wine tasting thing - ViniPortugal! It sounds great. I'd go if I didn't already have other wine club obligations.

Hosted at the SF Palace Hotel (a favorite landmark of mine too), the Portuguese Trade and Tourism Office and the Port and Douro Wines Institute are introducing more than 48 Portuguese wine producers and more than 400 wines including Port TONIGHT from 5:30-8pm.
The $25 donation at entry also goes to a good cause. Everyone wins!

La La Land

Just sneaking this one in before midnight here... I had hoped something more enticing would present itself today, but alas, no such luck. So instead I turn it over to Los Angeles. I used to always go there just to visit family, but slowly in my adult life, I've learned that there's a whole lot more going on there. And I now know a lot more people there too which makes it fun. So, I plan on consulting this guide from Daily Candy Travel on the next trip down. Some of the stuff I've already been to, but agree it's a must see to get the true flavor of the place. Plus I totally appreciated their nod to Clueless, one of my all-time favorite movies.

In addtion to what they list here, I'd also suggest making an appointment to see the Eames House in Pacific Palisades. It was a really fascinating visit, and really gave the flavor of what was going on with the mid-century modern world of architecture and design coming from California.

Just wasting time

You've got taxes to file, laundry to do, bills to pay, dinner to make, all that stuff of daily life, but you're just not in the mood.

Today, daily candy sent this link to the most soothing time wasting on-line game called Boomshine. You click on a colored dot and then it "pops" all the other dots that it comes in contact with and you try to pop as many as it asks for each level.

I just passed level 10 - not sure how long this thing goes, but it's awesome! And it has nice soothing music and pretty colors. How can you go wrong?

Make your reservations now!

Foodies, get ready! The SF Chronicle top 100 restaurants came out recently, and now it's time for Dining Out for Life where your dining dollars can help fight AIDS.

So, cross reference the lists, and this'll be the perfect opportinuty to splurge on one of the best of SF while also doing some good for the world. Or, find your favorite neighborhood place on the list, and make a night of it.

A few I'm tempted by are Firefly, Destino, EOS, and RNM. Not all on the top 100 list, but all good in my book!

Happy Eating!

Not just for Grandma's house

Are you doing a spring spruce-up to your place? Or a complete remodel? Either way, I just came across this super cool wallpaper on Nestmaker that would add a touch of whimsy to your decor.

It's called the Collection from a french company, and you can do things like put up a permanent (albeit well designed) stack of magazines on top of your loo. Or just add some cool bold graphics to an empty wall in the kitchen to give it some life.

Or, even if the landlord says no wallpaper, you can still be an armchair designer of your future dream home. :)

Giddy-Up!

It's that time of year again, time to put aside your San Francisco values, put on your cowboy hat, and head down to the Cow Palace for the Grand National Rodeo!

I went last year when I won tix from FunCheapSF, and had a blast! Those boys sure can ride them bulls! Make a night of it - starting with a BBQ sandwich and a beer, ride a mechanical bull in the mercantile area, then hit the stands and watch the action. It starts tomorrow, and goes through April 14. Different events are on different nights, so if you care, check out the schedule before you go. And if you want to go all out, go one of the nights that has a concert as part of the event at the end!

Ride 'em cowboy!

Remember Kozmo.com?

This one in from Daily Candy today - a utilitarian post, but you need that stuff sometimes. Remember Kozmo.com? They'd deliver whatever random stuff you wanted to buy from them whenever you wanted - A DVD, popcorn, ice cream, and the new Tony Hawk PlayStation game at 10pm on a tuesday. Ahh... the glory days of the dotcom.

Well, this new service, Likety Ship, kind of reminded me of them, but with a better business model that will hopefully stick around longer. These guys will pick up your stuff and trek it across the city for you within 4 hours, at the best price they can find. How nice! Kind of like a messenger service you use at work, but they don't revolve soley around the financial district.

They also say they'll work on craig's list and e-bay orders. Definitely good for not wanting to go to that random dude's place in the mission to pick up the TV you bought off craig's list.

How convenient!

BYOBW

What's the BW stand for? Big Wheel, of course! This looks like a must see event for anyone in SF on Easter Sunday. BYOBW is a Big Wheel race down Lombard street.

Check out the website - but beware - there is loud music that comes on too, so put your headphones on before you check it out at work. The photos are hilarious, and it just looks like a sight to be seen!

I've got plans to head to the 'rents in the east bay for Easter, but I kind of want to see this... What would Jesus do? :)

Coffee and a giggle

This one made me giggle today when I saw it. Another clever find at Charles and Marie.
The Taz Ah mug looks like a plain white mug for your boring workstation, but when you pick it up to drink, on the bottom is a cute drawing of a dog's nose, pig nose, or bunny nose. It's sure to give your coworker sitting across from you a little laugh to start off the morning.

And if you act fast enough, the bunny could be the perfect addition to someone's Easter basket this Sunday.

Laughing in Church

Laughing in church is not taboo at the First Church of the Last Laugh, the folks behind the annual St Stupid's Day Parade in North Beach on Saturday, April Fool's Day.

I've yet to make it to this event, but it was posted on both Daily Candy and FunCheapSF - so it must be popular! And with some beautiful weather likely for the weekend, why not enjoy it by checking out the crazies as they parade through North Beach. A little laughter never hurt anyone. :)

Barstool Explorer

So, I guess it's a theme this week - Travel related bar nights. Another one showed up in Daily Candy today, and I think I'm going to hit it with friends on Sat.

The Matador Travel launch party at 111 Minna. Their site is cool too. Looks like there are good resources for those of us with chronic wanderlust. And there's a feel good aspect to it too - info on eco-tourism, buying locally when traveling, and 1% for the planet that goes to the Surfrider foundation.

Can't wait to jump in!

Looking for a cure for wanderlust

I always have wanderlust. And I don't think there's a cure, because
every time I go on a trip, I come back ready to pick the next
destination. It's always nice to have something to look forward to.

I think I might have found a placebo, at least for the time being. FunCheapSF mentioned this travel themed happy hour in Oakland (yes, SFers, some travel involved here), called FLIGHT at this snazzy looking bar called Air Lounge on the last Friday of every month.

It looks like there are drink specials and free food along with a Lonely
Planet expert to help you plan your next trip. Sounds good! I think I'd
be willing to hop on BART and meet my east bay friends out there!

Bon voyage!

South African Gems

I just watched Blood Diamond, and I totally want to go back to Africa now. It's just such a captivating place with so many stories to tell. But perhaps in the meantime I'll take a virtual "flight" to the wine country of South Africa by visitng CAV wine bar on market street where they have a South African flight available.

You may be beginning to think that I only write about wine, but I'll try to mix it up more. So today, TheJuice arrived with this listing, and Daily Candy was about nighties and sheer shirts, and there's a sale at banana on handbags. South Africa is far more interesting. Thursday is when FunCheapSF comes out, so I usually get some goodies from them. :)

And thanks for the links from you all for other sites to get interesting listings from. Now we will definitely be in no shortage of interesting things of the day as those start rolling in.

Make your own wine

Have you always wanted to give someone a bottle of wine, have them tell
you how good it is and then say, "Thanks, I made it!" Well, now you
can! Crushpad is this awesome company that lets groups of people (or just 1 person if you have a lot of dough and need a lot of wine) make wine with the help and guidance of professionals. They source the grapes, you choose the vineyard. You make a wine plan with the help of a professional winemaker, your grapes arrive, they get sorted and crushed with your help then go through all the proper fermentation processes with professional monitoring. So you have little chance of making bad wine!

If you live in the NY area, Crushpad is having an open house for prospective customers and friends of clients. Since I'm a client, and you're my friends, you should go! You can even make wine in SF from there - maybe plan a trip to SF to coincide with the arrival of the grapes - that's the fun interactive part. Then they'll send you tastes of your wine as it goes along. And you can always come back here and visit your barrel.

Cheers!

Punk Fashion starts here

I just went to see the Vivenne Westwood show at the deYoung and it is SO cool!

I had no idea that she was at the forefront of punk fashion. And so much of her stuff from the 60s is totally being ripped off today. Nothing is new anymore - at least that's what I feel like when I see these classic artists and designers and realize they did it first.

The show goes unitl June 10, but don't miss it!

Chocolate & Wine = YUM

Some of you may have heard me rave about this class I took through the Ferry Building Wine Merchant and Michael Recchuiti Chocolates - it was amazing! And I think some of you even got to try the chocolate I scored from the extras in that class. But if you want the first hand experience, the class is being offered again this Sunday afternoon.

Chocolate and Wine Pairing

Completely worth the $85 fee - you get plenty of chocolate and wine for your money, so don't let that hold you back! I'm even tempted to do it again...

Nappening

The Nappening. This one is SO San Francisco, and if I still worked downtown, I'd be all over it.

Performance art Napping! Sponsored by Southern Exposure you can go take a nap in the solarium lobby of 55 second st for 20 minute increments. Call 415 863-2141 to schedule your nap!

Sleep well!

Green Zebra

I've seen this posted in a lot of places - lots of buzz about it -
Green Zebra.
It's a coupon book for all things green and earth friendly in SF. Kind
of cool, especially since it gives you a good idea of where to start
looking for these kinds of businesses.

I just entered today to win a free one off FunCheapSF,
but I might buy one anyway. I saw them for sale at href="http://www.colehardware.com/">Cole Hardware. There
are lots of coupons for Yoga Studios, which is good if you're into
Yoga. I'm not... yet. And there seemed to be a good number for food
establishments - always a good thing. And, if you're
building/remodeling there were interesting listings for that too.

Cool Feet for your computer

OK, so not the sexiest entry to start with, but I think they will solve a problem of mine. Cool Feet from the Charles and Marie list. They make your laptop stand off the desk so it gets air under it and doesn't overheat. I read somewhere that laptops move slower when they get hot, and my little TiBook needs all the oomph it can get these days.

I went to order them but C&M charges $9 for shipping on a $13 product! So, I found them elsewhere for $5 shipping.

Check 'em out:
Cool Feet

welcome to my thing of the day

Daily Candy, Splendora, The Juice, Charles and Marie, Nestmaker, FunCheapSF. These are all different e-mail lists that I'm on and that greet me morning, noon, or night to remind me that even if I haven't gotten e-mail from friends in a couple hours, my e-mail still works. The day my Daily Candy stopped coming, I realized, SOMETHING must be wrong! Luckily my e-mail is fixed and I'm hearing from all my friends again - subscribed and real. :)

You may or may not be on some or all these lists, but I find that usually, something pops out at me that I find interesting and get sidetracked into the world of the internet when I should be working. So, I thought I'd help you out. I'm going to pick my ONE thing of the day, and post it here.

These will be primarily San Francisco focused, but since I do love to travel, any must see/do things for other places will likely make an appearance too.

Happy sidetracking!