San Francisco Metblogs » sf_todd

Block Party Bonanza: The Lower Haight Joins the Crowd

sf_todd — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 01:16:46 +0000

The Lower Haight Merchants Association is hosting its first neighborhood Block Party on Sunday October 22, 2006 from 11am to 6pm on Haight Street between Filmore and Pierce and Steiner between Laussat and Page.

The Block Party will feature live music, special events for families and children, and reasonably-priced booth spaces to accommodate local and emerging artists. The event will not include alcohol booths, and food booths are available only to the existing restaurants within the confines of the event.

The Lower Haight Merchants Association is a neighborhood organization whose purpose is to develop and maintain a thriving business environment within the membership area. They seek to provide a safe, clean and supportive atmosphere where businesses can thrive, working closely with city and state government agencies, community-based organizations and neighborhood residents.

Lower Haight Merchants Association 597 Haight Street San Francisco, CA 94117
Email: lowerhaightblockparty@gmail.com

Live Music & Performers
Hosted by MC Radioactive
Maestro Curtis, Kalimba Records recording artist
Music For Animals
Sugar & Gold
Miles Ahead 5150, Featuring Top Cat

D.J’s
djb.cause (4onefunk)
mikebee (amoeba / kusf)
DJ. B-Love (400 blk fool)
D.J. Disk (SF Turntablist Kings)
D.J. Lady Fingaz (SF Turntablist Kings)

Street Performers Include:
The Western Addition Steppers
Rock The Block B-Boy Street Jam
San Francisco Circus Center
Face Painters and balloon artists.

Are You Mortified?

sf_todd — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 01:00:27 +0000

If you’ve never experienced it, you have a chance to go to “Mortified” at the Make Out Room this Friday and Monday: Mortified in San Francisco

Hailed a “cultural phenomenon” by Newsweek, Mortified is a celebration of teen angst ripped from the pages of real life. From the stage to the page and beyond, Mortified stars everyday adults reading aloud their most embarrassingly real teenage diary entries, poems, letters, lyrics and locker notes… in front of total strangers.

So, if you’re not busy, drop by and wallow in our collective self-deprecation. There’s a bar, so you can cry into your beer if things get too serious.

Churros in San Francisco

sf_todd — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 02:54:23 +0000

If you’re in the mood for something long and greasy and sweet, skip the Stud and head to the corner of Mission and Third. For some time now, I’ve noticed this lady outside the Walgreen’s selling churros. Today, I couldn’t resist and decided to buy one. For only $2, I got a two-foot long piece of Mexican pastry goodness. Now, if only I had some “chocolate con mis churros. . . .”

Evicted from your un-home?

sf_todd — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 22:25:00 +0000

As Mark Pritchard noted in his entry We’re Rich, social service workers have begun sweeping Golden Gate Park and informing the “inhabitants” there that they must move on. The SF Gate reports today that this endeavor is “part of a new push by Mayor Gavin Newsom to make Golden Gate Park more like New York’s Central Park, with its immaculate opens spaces and low crime rate. The endeavor is the latest development in Newsom’s attempt to tackle San Francisco’s homeless problem, which began with his Care Not Cash homeless-welfare reform initiative before he became mayor.”

I wonder, though, how is this tackling the homeless issue? It reminds me of living in Seattle when the city leaders would push the homeless and drug addicts from one part of the city to another in a sort of underclass game of musical chairs. No problems were solved, just relocated.

I work downtown where we have no shortage of homeless. One particular gentleman often catches my eye. He wears a blanket, is covered in grime, and often stands outside the Starbucks near Second and Mission. His pose is reminiscent of Jesus; he is obviously mad. And I want to know why someone, some organization does not help him. In this city of million dollar flats and billionaire venture capitalists, can we not take care of the most helpless among us? Or do we need this scapegoat? Is there another agenda at work?

And, should I find it odd that the SF Gate chose to highlight this in its photos?

Are drugs (and stolen bikes also pictured in the story) the motivation for moving these people out of the park? Or, is this a convenient reason to grasp hold of?

These men and women will have to go someplace. Simply asking (telling) them to leave the park won’t make homelessness go away. It will displace it, and we may yet have our Central Park West. But, when people begin camping out on Union Street or curled up in the doorway of Whole Foods, we may have to rethink our methods for dealing with this issue.

Castro Street Fair This Sunday

sf_todd — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 20:40:24 +0000

I’m surprised that no one has mentioned it, but the Castro Street Fair will be this Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm. Come out and enjoy the Castro crazies. With the political season heating up, you can bet there will be plenty of political and community organizations represented at the booths. Other than that and the slew of great shows that are lined up, just go support the heart of the gay universe: the ‘Stro.

Bloomie’s Opens Tomorrow!

sf_todd — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 03:14:42 +0000

I know you’re all excited, but did anyone see and/or attend the red carpet affair at the Emporium tonight? I was SO jealous as I rode by on the 21 Hayes.

Thanks to TristanT we have this shot from inside the sanctum sanctorum of Bloomingdale’s:

LA Times

Buju Banton in SF? Not so fast

sf_todd — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 23:07:02 +0000

Buju Banton, notorious for his homocidal rants against gays, was scheduled to perform at the Mezzanine on September 30. Thanks to some swift action by the politically astute and active Queer community, however, the Mezzanine and City Hall were flooded with calls and emails. Now, according to Bevan Dufty, the concert has been cancelled. Power to the people!

No Gay PDA in the Castro?

sf_todd — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 00:55:24 +0000

Now, of course, I’m using hyperbole here. Thankfully, all the gay boys and girls can hold hands and make out to their hearts’ content in the Castro. I just wanted to report that I had a little experience recently on the corner of Church and Market.

I was saying goodbye to a friend–one of those, “you should really come over to my place instead of going home alone” goodbyes. And, while trying to tempt the boy, a car drove by, the occupants yelled “faggots” and tossed a bottle of Aquafina at us.

Outrageous! I deserve to be bashed with Evian at least! Or Metromint.

My friend was a bit flabbergasted. “We should be throwing things at them, not the other way around,” he said. I know and I agree. Alas, we can’t stop the B&T crowd from cruising the ‘Stro looking for fags.

Lucky for us, the mood was only broken momentarily. We resumed our goodbye session shortly thereafter. Victory was ours.

Still, it’s weird. I’ve lived all over really: midwest, northwest, Hawaii, southwest. And, this is the first time I’ve had anything hurled at me. Watch out, boys and girls. Duck and cover. That designer water may just be a weapon.

Drink up for a good cause

sf_todd — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 02:59:00 +0000

This Thursday, Aug. 24, San Francisco bars will be donating a percentage of their sales to the STOP AIDS project: www.stopaids.org/baraids/

Now, I know you don’t need a good reason to drink on a Thursday. Lord knows, I have a bottle of Sky chilling in the freezer right now. But, if you can guarantee a place in heaven just by sipping a Cosmo, isn’t it worth the trip to your local gay bar?

Click here for a list of participating bars: Drink Up