I wouldn’t drop my guard just yet, but after people in Potrero Hill and Bernal Heights were plagued by a spate of muggings over the last several weeks, three men were arrested last night after an incident on Potrero Hill. Police said the men may be linked to the previous incidents.
8TH ANNUAL ‘BYOBW’
EASTER SUNDAY
MARCH 23, 2008 - 5 PM
VERMONT STREET @ 20th, SF
BIG WHEEL RACE
FREE OUTDOOR EVENT
the race is no longer down lombard street!!
BIG PEOPLE ON KIDS’ TOYS
NO RUBBER WHEELS
NO REGISTRATION
HAND-MADE PRIZES
FUN
Out of all the crazy San Francisco events I attended last year none is closer to my heart than the Bring Your Own Big Wheel race. Unfortunately the crowds were so huge last year that Lombard Street is now sadly off limits. This year has been moved to an even windier street! Vermont St is the new location and this Sunday at 5pm is the start. The official website has details of past events. You can also check out my photos from the last event. Hope to see you there!
While I can hear the bagpipes & marching bands from the St. Patty’s Parade in the background, I know that fans of down n’ dirty white trash rock n roll should be heading over to the Alcoholocaust showcase at Thee Parkside tonight to catch a bad batch of musical acts yer momma woulda warned ya about if she’d ever heard of ‘em.
Appearing at this sordid soiree at Thee Parkside is Mark Curry’s group based outta the Sacto area called Hell’s House Band. Curry, a tall grizzled tatooed biker/model lookin’ dude, spent a few years on Virgin being pimped alongside labelmates like Janet Jackson & Lenny Kravitz, yet was found less on radio playlists, and more likely hanging out in bars at dawn with his pals in punk bands like NOFX.
I’ve thrown in an mp3 below for you to familiarize yourself with his latest musical direction…
Appearing after Curry’s band is a headlining set from Bay Area locals Sorrow Town Choir who are out supporting their second CD “Espinas de la Vida”. Their heathen blend of raw rootsy mid tempo tunes takes it’s cues from the garage rock greats & stadium seasoned sinners alike. If you don’t mind hearing a lil’ whiskey burned Skynyrd riff & a Nick Cave influence or two blended into your indie dirges, this could be a fine show to sit in the shadows & enjoy tonight.
Also on the bill Kemosabe & an acoustic set from Scott Quay of October Allied
Yes it’s ladies night… who knew that Weds Sept 26th held so many prospects and events to discover bold, beautiful, brainy and bodacious babes abounding in the Bay Area tonight.
Amongst the choices we have to enjoy their influence on our cultural landscape include:
Author Naomi Klein, who when she’s not grilling Alan Greenspan on the radio, is speaking at the First Unitarian Universalist Center on Franklin St, exploring the subject of “disaster capitalism” seen in the rampant corporatization occurring in the wake of cataclysmic events. 
Hiding in plain sight in the aftermath of either forces of nature or war, greed has replaced need and Klein’s new book “The Shock Doctrine: The Rise Of Disaster Capitalism” explores how. Klein identifies a “disaster capitalism complex” building a booming niche amidst the traumatic breakdowns after events like Katrina, WTC collapse, the Sri-Lankan Tsunami and and the Iraq war. Using highly visible examples of corporations enriching their coffers at the troughs of trauma, she extends her analysis to include numerous instances over the past 50 years where a common economic ideology has slipped in to win similar spoils amidst a backdrop of human suffering. She’s even narrated a short film on the subject, click pic at right to preview the flick. She dissects the politics & policies of mass manipulators that have enacted egregious economic blackmail techniques into so many ravaged regions from Latin America and Eastern Europe to South Africa, Russia, and now of course the U.S and Iraq. Is your interest piqued? Then head down to 1187 Franklin Street (at Geary), seating starts at 7 pm.
Or maybe you need something besides a shocking mental exercise, how about a series of Beginner’s Hula Hoop classes for ladies, or perhaps some Punk Aerobics?
At Thee Parkside aerobics instructor Gina “Lunges” Lovoi has tailor-made rock n roll infused workouts for all levels every Wednesday from 6ish to 7:30. Yer DJ is Me First & The Gimme Gimmes vocalist Spike, and unlike most gyms, there’s plenty of beer, cocktails and even burgers and french fries available to ease those post work out pains & hunger pangs…
Hula heads should boogie on down to 1805 Divisidero to work those abs, and be prepared to take this class run by Isabella Zamor seriously folks, as the instructor’s fees reflect that she surely does… more info at http://www.hoopgirl.com
…and for those in the mood for something a little less strenuous on the brain or body, like say kicking it to some live music, there are plenty of female talents lurking about on stages in venues ranging from The Hotel Utah to The Fillmore tonight, with several of these ladies listed after the jump. So whether you want to see a lesbian Led Zeppelin cover band, ambient indie rock from Arizona, or hear an upcoming jazzy chanteuse on tour from Rome Italy, a local lady comedian or attend a gala affair in Alamo Square… simply read on, and check out some mp3 samples and videos.
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Run, don’t walk to SocketSite to see the latest posting about… the squalid life of Potrero hill and how you too can buy it for only $1,000 per square foot. Excellent. Meth lab, or “photo lab.” Words do no justice. Seems like the realtor has taken off of SFARMLS the oh, so excellent photos from earlier this afternoon when they realized it wasn’t, um, selling the place. Still, SocketSite is worth checking out in all its glory.
Apparently this picture is originally from The Traveling Tiger. They were out at Goat Hill Pizza when they saw this limo:
Sometimes, ya gotta laugh. PWN3D!
I’m at Farley’s coffee in the midst of a jazz Thang with the twangy bassline & saxophone - a lot of toddlers - Scrabble players - two people playing cards with a Republican Chickenhawks of America deck - more gay families that I usually see in one cafe at the same time. How to tell the gay couples from “friends with a baby”? Besides invoking my basic gaydar, I figure if Daddy and other Daddy and baby Hannah are wearing matching Merrills, it’s a good bet. Conversation is impossible at this volume - it’s too loud inside…. Their jamming is good… particularly the spastically hyper bass player’s connection with the drummer. Out on the street it sounds great, saxophone drifting over the hills gracefully along with the swooshing of cars and distant highway.
The band is called Darktet. I’m won over despite my skepticism of live music in cafes.
Outside, I met a super nice smiley woman & her daughter putting up flyers for the Potrero Hill Festival, which happens in a couple of weeks:
Potrero Hill Festival
Saturday, October 14
10am - 5pm
Pancake breakfast 9-11am, $7.00
Potrero Hill Neighborhood House
953 De Haro Street
(On Southern Heights between Carolina & Rhode Island)
More info: 415-826-8080, potrerohillsf.com
dance - jewelry - art - ethnic food - music - kids’ activities - craft
Technorati Tags: cafe, san francisco
It’s not hard to notice that San Francisco teeters somewhere on the edge of fashion forward, with all the queer eyes for straight guys & gals monitoring the situation. Yet, the panache of the “properly” pierced, pampered & perfected people who can be seen obsessing into makeup mirrors on morning muni trains, can’t stop situation from quickly tilting into retrograde whenever some oblivious hippie boards wearing sandals & socks. I won’t even mention the popular khaki armies massing at lunch each noon in the financial district.
Working to put SF back on the fashion map is dedicated team of attitude laden ladies, and their week is finally upon us…
A few years ago, entrepreneurial hipster Erika Gessin of Mystery Girl Productions started hosting local fashion showcases awhile back at venues like 111 Minna and Ruby Skye , and that has now evolved into the more fully evolved event in it’s 3rd incarnation she calls San Francisco Fashion Week™. In fact, now using the power of suggestion, she’s even previously gotten the rug ready Harper’s Bazaar pinup Gavin to issue a Mayoral proclamation declaring it so…
While not on par in volume or star power with the NYC namesake, or even just the regular industry activity seen monthly in LA, the event does boost the spirits of local FIDM grads and fashion afficionados. This week the kick off event is on Weds night at The Galleria at The San Francisco Design Center. For thos of you new to town, that’s in the “design district” at 101 Henry Adams Street, kinda at where the bottom of Potrero Hill hits South of Market.
Runway shows with local designers will be featured starting at 7pm, each night this week through Friday and afterwards for late night clubbers, on Friday a loosely affiliated Fisherspooner concert takes place at Mezzanine. Read on for more info …
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La Raza park is a dividing line between two gang territories, where the Mission turns into Potrero. Over the past ten years working at SRL, which is nearby, I’ve seen and heard some pretty intense stuff. This is on the ground across the street behind the park.
Here’s something that we can all enjoy:
Like many things that better with age, Sister SF has given San Francisco a party that year after year, somehow manages to top itself. For 9 years running, we’ve managed to morph some of the man-ly-ist local DJ boys around into fishnet wearing, skirt bearing blondes. We call this phenomonon Dragnet: We Like Boys.
So pull your skirt up and get over to Mighty. 8 solid Misters drag-teaming with all the resident Sisters. It’s not testosterone that makes a DJ. It’s not stilettos that break a DJ. What matters are the skills under the skirt.
Here’s what my friend Doug has to say about the lineup:
FYI, if you’re not up on the SF DJ scene, here’s some 411:
- Smoove spins some of the best Breakbeats in SF. Hands down. He’s
been mixing up his sets recently with some “Drum and Breaks”, but the
beats are sick, Sick, SICK!- Others of note:
Forest Green has been playing “Chill and Bass” and downtempo, so get yer chill on.Bam, A:Dubl, and Samira play totally phat breaks.
Melyss, Fred Funk, and Scott Carrelli throw down the House.
Bam is just totally sick breaks. You will be clutching your stomach it’s so sick.Mighty has a great sound system and multiple rooms, and hopefully your faves are in the main room. The club hardly ever sells out, so I wouldn’t worry about advance tix for this.
But if you want, you can save a dollar and get your ticket here. Mighty claims to be in SOMISSPO (where SOMA, the Mission and Potrero Hill meet) at 119 Utah St. Doors at 10.
