San Francisco Metblogs » sf_guest

Funny Valentine

sf_guest — Thu, 10 Feb 2005 23:14:44 +0000

I read, in NewsWeek, that the average man (whatever that is) will spend over $200 on Valentine’s ~~junk~~ gifts this year. The average woman (wherever she may be) will spend about $130. Frankly, that all seems pretty freakin’ ridiculous. My partner and I have been together 5 years and have never once celebrated this Holiday, but I know other people enjoy it.

So! What better way to celebrate it, than by going to hear a bunch of people talk about Vaginas!

You may not be aware, but most Universities are home to women’s groups that have a tendency to put this show on for Valentine’s Day. I nearly choked on my pasta salad Wednesday as I heard one of the students at UC Berkeley performing a selection outside Sproul. It sounded really polished and had a definate spoken word influence to the reading. Also, Eve Ensler, who additionally conceived of the monologues has recently added some diversity to the program, and the Berkeley show will include a trans perspective or two.
If you can’t make it to Berkeley, there are over 600 campuses performing the show, so there’s probably one closer to you. The Berkeley show is Friday and Saturday at 6 pm, and Monday at 7:30, and is sponsored by the Gender Equity Resource Center.

You can find more info here.

Pho Sheezy

sf_guest — Fri, 21 Jan 2005 18:42:33 +0000

So, I was listening to Pacific Time last night, and there was a report about a Pho place in Hanoi called Pho Cali. The program talked a little about the history of Pho, and what goes into it, and all of a sudden I got a powerful urge to go devour a big bowl of it.

Thing is, I’ve never had Pho before. When I lived in LA, I was blessed to live close to the Little Tokyo area by Sawtelle, and so I ate the most amazing Ramen constantly, 3 times a week, at least. Actually, it’s one of the only things I miss about LA. Next time you’re in the area, try to find Ramen Ya, and order the meatballs. Oh. my. god.

So, anyway, back to the point. I need to know: Where should I go to get good Pho? City suggestions are welcome, but if you can recommend good places in the East Bay, near Oakland or Berkeley, I would be forever in your debt. Pho sure.

On the Road Again

sf_guest — Wed, 12 Jan 2005 16:11:03 +0000

I haven’t posted in a while, I know. Between working the Holiday Season and getting ready for school to start again, I have had no time to go out among people and have some of what the kids call “fun”. My New Year? I called my partner to say “Happy New Year” and then went back to sleep.

I don’t know whether it’s just me, but it seems like everything is going on this week! Some notable entertainment I have discovered this week:

Wil Wheaton is in town for a conference and will, according to his blog, be doing a reading at Border’s in Union Square on Friday, at 7 pm.
Tristan Crane and Ted Naifeh will be doing a reading from their book How Loathsome at A Different Light on Thursday at 7 pm. How Loathsome is a comic that defies description. Stories of subculture, drugs, love, fetish and obsession, all seen through the eyes of gender outlaw Catherine Gore. The trade paperback was released last year, and earned a top ten listing as the Advocate’s pick for Best Book of 2004.
Varnish Fine Art gallery is showing the work of Oakland based artist and illustrator Laurenn McCubbin. Laurenn is the art director for the award winning Kitchen Sink Magazine as well as the artist for Michelle Tea’s newest book, Rent Girl, and Warren Ellis’s latest Comic, Quit City. The show is up now through the 29th, with a reception on Friday, from 7-11 pm. Even if galleries aren’t your thing, McCubbin’s art is far away from the stuffy, inaccessible contemporary fare that might scare you off. She paints portrait of people and places you think you recognize, and that you want to explore. Don’t miss this one.

Santa Baby

sf_guest — Thu, 09 Dec 2004 16:56:34 +0000

No matter how you gauge it, we’re deep into the Holidays

now. The first night of Hanukkah began at sundown on Tuesday.

Winter Solstice visibly approaches as

the days get shorter and darker. And of course, Christmas has

become omni-present.

The streets are lined with twinkling lights, golden bells

and red trimmed ornaments perch atop street lamps. As someone

who works in retail, I saw holiday decorations going up just

after Halloween this year. It was as if, concerned with the

stumbling economy, retailers decided to remind consumers of

their Holiday obligations as early as humanly possible,

without interfering with Back to School sales.

And while it may do you good to stare out into a city

decorated with tiny lights that twinkle like stars, I’d be

willing to bet that you are not enjoying the crush of Holiday

shopping. As someone who works in retail, I will say this: If

people truly knew the spirit of frustration, irritation and

even anger that accompanied the purchase of many of the gifts

people buy during the holidays, I think they would not be so

well received.

The fact of the matter is that Holiday Spirit is supposed

to be about joy, good will and giving. It is difficult to do

this when you’re circling a mall parking lot for half an hour

looking for someplace to park, and waiting in long lines with

mounting bad temper.

So, I will say it again. I have seen countless Holiday

Seasons pass from the inside of retail, and I am forever

compiling tips for myself on how to avoid the frustration of

Holiday shopping in a way that will allow me to truly

experience the joy of Holiday giving, without making me want

to bludgeon anyone with an inflatable, glowing Santa.

I give to you my Holiday Survival List!

- Do not go to a mall on Saturday. Just don’t do it. I

know you think you’ll do it all in one fell swoop, and get it

over with, but that is what everyone is thinking. You

will only end up hating most of humanity, because you will see

them at their very worst. If you have no other options, go to

the mall as early as you can so that you can get out of there

before it gets really busy.

- Most malls have Holiday hours. The thing is, most people

don’t know about them, or have no desire to shop that late. If

a mall is usually open until 9, but they are staying open

until 10 0r 11, you are guaranteed to have better customer

service, short or non-existent lines, close parking spots and

a better overall shopping experience. In fact, most stores use

this time to do re-stocking as well, so you may be able to

find things that appeared sold out during the busiest rushes.

Check your mall website for holiday

hours. They also usually list what sales you can expect to

find.

- Consider not going to a mall. I know they are convenient,

because they have lots of stores in one area, but they are

incredibly loud, and even the ones with high ceilings begin to

feel cramped and can induce claustrophobia with their

incessantly recycled air and blaring Holiday music. As an

alternative, consider outdoor shopping areas.

Some of my favorites in the Easy Bay include the shopping

center in Emeryville. Get there early and get an

enormous $2 breakfast at Ikea, and then shop outdoors at

places like Pottery Barn, Old Navy, Barnes and Noble and the

Gap. Less than a mile away you’ll also find a Best Buy, Toys R

Us and Ross. Granted, it’s still a mall, but the fresh air is

a great way to perk yourself up after the crush of Holiday

shoppers, plus you can get some fantastic peppermint icecream

at Coldstone’s.

Another good one is Solano

Ave. near Berkeley. It’s right off the freeway, and

although parking is a little more difficult, it’s an excellent

place to shop. There’s everything you could want there, from a

small Oaxacan folk art shop, to a Tibetan store that sells

jewelry and clothes. Of course, my very very favorite is The Bone

Room, a store that sells real and cast skeletons, jewelry

cast to shape vertebrae and skulls, mounted butterflies and

bugs trapped in lucite. Nothing says Happy Holidays!!

like a voodoo inspired chicken foot! There’s also some amazing

restaurants on Solano, although the prices can be a little

high. Try Sophia Cafe for some fantastic kosher food and

the nicest servers you could ever hope to meet. Seriously,

they even ask you if you prefer your water with or without

ice.

While you’re over there, why not stop by Telegraph Ave,

too? You’ll find a lot of great gift ideas in both the shops

and the tables set up on the street, and you can stop by both

Rasputin and Amoeba to get some great alternatives to the

never-ending Holiday music, as well as truly one of a kind

gifts at the vintage and resale stores like Shark’s Vintage

and Buffalo exchange. If you’re getting cold and hungry, stop

by either Bongo Burger (try the lamb burger, I swear you won’t

regret it!) or Smart Alec’s, which has some of the best

homemade soup I’ve ever tasted! As a word of warning, they

love to give parking tickets in Berkeley, but the good news is

that most of the businesses on Telegraph will happily validate

you for the parking garage just off Telegraph on Durant. Also,

you’ll find some of the most amazing fresh flower merchants on

Telegraph, and I highly recommend the one outside the book

store on Haste. The arrangements they put together truly are

art, and are far less expensive than anything you could buy at

the grocery store.

- A couple miscellaneous tips: Don’t eat at the mall. Far

from being a relaxing way to avoid the Holiday crush, you’ll

wait in long lines, be surrounded by screaming children and

tired frustrated shoppers, and your options of fast food will

leave you feeling bloated and tired. Budget yourself an extra

$20 and treat yourself to dinner after you’re done shopping.

-Don’t bring anything unnecessary. Heavy coats, large bags

and your doggie satchel will only get in your way. However,

remember that most malls are still air conditioned, and

outdoor malls can’t protect you from rain.

-Remember that all of this is about the spirit of

giving. If you find yourself having a really lousy time,

consider just going home. Many people already have more than

enough stuff. Personally, I would rather have some home made

cookies as opposed to a mass produced gift that was bought

under duress and unhappiness.

That’s all I’ve got, but I’m sure other people have great

Holiday survival tips. What’s your favorite way to spread

Holiday cheer?

Just a little too close to be funny

sf_guest — Sat, 27 Nov 2004 21:28:52 +0000

Living in North Beach now, Paul Boutin has a fresh perspective of the life of a San Franciscan, relishing in the air of freedom, creativity and aesthetics.

All he has to do is walk down Columbus to “Cafe Pucinni” or go find this incredible place called “Albona” (on Francisco) to know that he’s in a place, like no other place on earth.

Yet – it’s getting harder and harder to stay here.

I have three sons approaching draft age…..

Here’s Paul’s post…..

Now you can quit blogging about it and just go! CanadianAlternative.com makes it easy- they’ll even host a seminar December 6 in San Francisco, to help with that big Toronto-or-Vancouver decision. The Associated Press reminds you that “Americans have to follow the same procedures as everybody else — including the $500 (387 euro) application fee, the $975 (755 euro) landing tax, and the wait of six months to two years.” I made a few calls and confirmed that yes, you’re allowed to come back for Burning Man, but don’t try to bring your “medicine” across the border.

[Paul Boutin]

Medicine indeed.

Alaina is getting to know SF

sf_guest — Sat, 27 Nov 2004 21:19:29 +0000

It’s fun watching a New Yorker get to know our fair city.

The R&G Lounge is one of the leading, authentic Chinese places in town.

Here’s some photos from her recent visit:

R & G Lounge

Highlights from a recent meal at R & G Lounge. From top to bottom:

Salt and Pepper Crab, Three Treasures with Black Bean Sauce (bean curd, eggplant, and hot peppers stuffed with with shrimp meat), Prawns with Honey Walnuts.

[aFullBelly]

[reprinted from Marc's Voice Nov. 12th, 2004]

Thank You for Being a Friend

sf_guest — Mon, 22 Nov 2004 15:10:58 +0000

I don’t know about you, but I like to occasionally read the other Metblogs, and the LA blog had a really fun suggestion, that, as we approach Thanksgiving, we blog about the things in San Francisco about which we are thankful (actually, the idea in LA was to blog about things in LA, but that just wouldn’t make sense for us). So, I thought it was a great idea.

You can even participate at home, too! If you have a blog, livejournal, or personal website, you can write about it and leave a comment below.

As for me, the past year has given me a lot to mourn, a lot to curse, and a lot to be bitter about, but after living in the Bay Area for almost a year and a half, here’s what I’m thankful for:

- BART. Sure, most days I end up driving 35 miles each way to work, and it may seem like I wouldn’t have much use for BART. And sure, I wish it ran past midnight so I could take it to go to the clubs and late night dinners. But while I was in college I walked everywhere, including the 3 miles it took to get to a grocery store. And my first year out of college I walked a mile to and from my job because there was no bus route in my neighborhood in Virginia. And when I moved to Los Angeles, I took the buses, and the less said about that, the better. A bus system that goes on strike and only affects about 3% of the population says volumes about its quality. If you ever want to research Crazy, take an LA bus. But now, now I live in the Bay. I don’t have to wait an hour for public transit. I don’t get stuck in traffic on a bus filled to the gills, stuck behind an SUV trying to parallel park. I don’t have to pay $100 to park at the airport because no one will drive me at 4.30 AM, and it’s cheaper than a taxi. So, I for one, say Thank you! to BART.

- I would also like to say Thank you to the veritable plethora of independent restuarants that practically litter the landscape of the Bay Area. Organic, Vegetarian, Raw and Macrobiotic stand side to side with Ethiopian, Malaysian, Mexican, Vietnamese Japanese, Thai and nearly every kind of influence, fusion and culture. I could eat out for every single meal, and never visit every restaurant. I’d be broke, but I’d be well fed and happy. I miss LA tacos, I must admit, from improbable carts at 2 in the morning, and I have yet to find a good Oaxacan place. However, all you other restaurants, you make it more than worthwhile.

- Any list of things about which I’m thankful would be remiss without mentioning the people. I’m from the midwest, but I moved to LA to be in a city. In LA, I missed trees, missed people who smiled on the street, missed strangers stopping to ask if you were okay when your car broke down on the side of the road. I thought about moving back to Ohio, but then I realized I would miss concerts, and restaurants, and progressiveness. Up here, though, I seem to have found the best of both worlds. We’ve got a city big enough and progressive enough to host Folsom street fair, a Yaoi-con, and a DIY/Small Press publishing convention, but still down to Earth enough that, the other day when I blew out my tire on 580 E, someone stopped to try to help me change it.

Also, in no particular order, I’d like to say thanks for Oakland, for supporting struggling artists, Berkeley, for just being…well, Berkeley, The Parkway Theatre, the Cartoon Art Museum, the only museum dedicated to sequential art in the entire country, and Bottom of the Hill (as well as many other) venues, that host such amazing and under-valued original artists.

I could go on, and on and on. But I bet you all have stuff to share, too. Now, I have to go prepare for Black Friday, the most notorious shopping day in the entire year. Cheers!

The Fix is In

sf_guest — Thu, 04 Nov 2004 17:14:51 +0000

Forgot to post this earlier, but if you’re looking for something fun to do tonight, and you want to support an amazing independent local business, head out to Berkeley, to Comic relief.

Comic Relief has been a mecca for comics fans and comics creators. Rory Root has supported small press and indie DIY comics, and been an amazing resource to the comics community for years, and his store is arguably the best in the whole Bay Area.

Unfortunately, they are being evicted from their current premises on University Ave. To help support their move, Comic Icon Warren Ellis will be doing a signing from 5-7 pm tonight at the shop.

There is no cover and no cost, just the opportunity to revel in a store that has won countless awards and been part of Comics history for almost 20 years. Sequential Tart Marcia Allass sums it up beautifully:

Comic Relief is so much more than just a comic store. From the start, it set out to be a comic bookstore – with the emphasis on the ‘book’ – and for twenty years owner Rory Root has worked towards that aim. Rory, together with manager Todd Martinez and the hard-working staff have shaped Comic Relief into one of the most influential and respected stores in the US, and anyone setting foot inside their door can see why. The first store ever to win an Eisner Spirit Of Retailing award, and the only store to win a Friends of Lulu award, they can regularly be found running booths at major comic conventions and book fairs. Sales of graphic novels and trade paperbacks to libraries provide both an additional source of revenue, and an effective outreach programme to those who may not be regular readers of sequential art.

Comic Relief is within blocks from a BART station, and there’s tons of bars and amazing restaurants within walking distance, as well.

Where: Comic Relief, 2138 University Ave.

When: Warren Ellis signs from 5-7 pm, but store hours run until 9 pm.

Why: Help support Comic Relief as they prepare for their impending eviction and imminent move to a new location.

“A king of Men am I”

sf_guest — Thu, 04 Nov 2004 13:30:43 +0000

So. Last night, as I was went to vote, I thought about the whole experience of, and what an amazing thing it is. Unlike the previous tear, when I voted on the recall at a local elementary school, this year I voted in someone’s garage. Far from fearing potential for fraud, I felt a real sense of community under the fluorescent lights and pop open ballot booths. The polling station was a block away from my house, and in the fading light I could see small groups of people walking towards the polling station. There was the smiling young woman with her dog, the couple with their baby who was allowed to go vote in the kitchen, and myriad others who joined my partner and I as we queued up to cast our ballots.

It seemed like such a beautiful moment, all these smiling people doing their civic duty before heading off to dinner, a movie, or whatever else they chose to do until, ostensibly, they could watch the rest of the results roll in.

As for me, I had already called my family in Ohio, who was actually afraid to answer the phone because of the plague of calls asking them “Have you voted yet?” Apparently, despite the fact that no one in the world likes to receive phone calls from strangers, that’s the best get-out-the-vote effort the political supporters could think of. I suppose it’s better than kidnapping pets, and sending ransom letters threatening their demise unless their owners vote, but still.

After casting my ballot, I happily plastered the little oval proclamation “I voted!” onto the lapel of my leather jacket, and headed into the city. As my friends and I walked to find a Thai restaurant that apparently no longer exists, I was surprise at the amount of supporters holding signs saying “Have you voted, yet? Vote for…” Seems to me that at 7:30, if you haven’t voted yet, you probably have no intention of doing so. Of course, people were still in line in Ohio and Florida at 12:30 at night, so maybe the sign-holders had a point.

When we failed to find the Thai place, because it didn’t exist, we went instead to a Japanese restaurant that has the best Wasabi I’ve ever had. This has nothing to do with voting, but their Wasabit was the kind that burns your sinuses and causes you to tighten your thighs in anticipation of the surge of pain and the adrenalin that follows.

I also loved the fact that, the moment we walked in the door, a couple in the middle of dinner looked up and asked “Has there been any news, yet?” I told them what I’d heard at that point; Kerry had won two states, but Bush had won about 5, and poll results from the East were still coming in. And, of course, that Obama had won. This moment of solidarity marked the high point of my evening, because it was right after we left dinner that the poll results started flooding in.

We watched the results from a living room filled to the brim with technology. A large television, replete with Tivo for replay, broadcast C-span while two laptops were busy reporting on the latest local results, as well as information about challenges, injunctions and court orders. There were also Trios and camera phones, ready to record the momentous occasion, and periodically someone would call to get reports from people in other cities, other states, try to find out the news that wasn’t being reported yet. And no matter what screen we looked at, it just continued to get progressively more and more red. At around 1 in the morning, when Ohio had been stuck on green (green? Why green? wouldn’t purple have made more sense?) for what seemed like hours, it became clear that no resolution would be made in the small hours.

We all drifted away towards our respective corners of the city. 11 states had passed ammendments to discourage or ban gay marriage, including Ohio, which, despite opposition from Republican senators and their Republican governor, passed an amendment that bans gay marriage as well as civil unions. Across the nation voters went further to the right, tossing out senate minority leader Tom Daschle and adding an additional 4 Republicans to the Senate and 3 to the house.

I went to sleep, uneasily, with a faint hope that things might look different in the morning. Instead, all I woke up with was a hangover.

Spill of Words and Art Auction this Saturday

sf_guest — Thu, 14 Oct 2004 16:47:48 +0000

There’s a lot going on with regards to Art Gallery openings this month.

In line with that is the fantastic “Artists for Jane” event this upcoming Saturday.

Artists for Jane! October 16, 2004
7 pm Doors Open and Silent Auction
8-10pm Show and Live Auction Punch Gallery at 155 10th Street (cross street: Howard Street). $10
ALL AGES

Renowned slam artists Bao Phi, Shailja Patel, Jason Mateo, James Kass, Adriel Luis, and Aimee Suzara raise their voices in support of Jane Kim for School Board in this combination performance and art auction. There artists are National Poetry Slam and Def Poetry Jam artists. Works from local Bay Area photographers, graphic artists, painters as well as from Matt Gonzalez’s personal art collection will be on silent and live auction. More info on artists to come!

Special discount for youth and student volunteers. Email Students 4 Jane at: students4jane@yahoo.com to sign up!

If you have previously been curious re: Spoken Word events in SF, I highly recommend this event, regardless of your thoughts re: local politics. It should be an amazing evening of nacreous beauty in both lyric, song, and art. The art show/silent auction should be interesting as well since Matt Gonzalez, an insanely avid art collector, is donating several pieces from his personal collection. Who knows what you might be able to find.

Myself, I will be donating my Carwash Series Prints. Considering that the framing along cost $150+, we’re hoping to raise some good dollars for the campaign. Maybe this will give me a bit more confidence with some more of my photagraphy.

If you would like to donate art for the auction, or plan on attending: please let me know. It’ll be a delightful way to spend the evening with you.