Old Ship Saloon Highway 101 Kearny Post Sutter HSBC House of Nanking flowering blossom tea Muni 30 Stockton 9x AT&T Park Angelina’s 22 Avenue and California fog son mist fog Stanford ELMI McCovey Marichal Mays Cepeda Portsmouth Square Ghirardelli Square Mechanics Institute Library Post Giants Winn Eugenio Velez Bay Bridge Adobe Saint Gregory’s of Nyssa Sara Miles Federal Reserve Bank Powell & Hyde Powell & Mason Van Ness Third & King Chronicle beach siren artichoke hearts salmon Golden Gate 1 Marin Vista Point yes yes yes Saint Francis!

If you’d rather see something artsier, experimental music maven Pamela Z (pictured at left) is presenting the second in her ROOM series of performances, tonight at 8:00 pm at the Royce Gallery, 2901 Mariposa St. at Harrison.

And if you’re up for something mystical, dark and theatrical, attend one of the many Easter Vigil services held at Christian churches tonight. Classically, a congregation would meet in the “undercroft” of the church, the sub-basement where the skeletons are buried, to remind them of the tomb from which Jesus rises. Nowadays you’re more likely to find yourself in a candle-lit church basement, but the service is still great theater, with scripture readings that move from the creation to the exodus from Egypt to the passion and resurrection. Good bets are Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in North Beach, 8:00 pm; St. Gregory Nyssa Episcopal Church on Potrero Hill, 8:00 pm; Grace Cathedral on Nob Hill, 8:00 pm; or St. Francis Lutheran Church in the Castro, 7:00 pm.

Plum trees, planted on sidewalks and in landscaped areas, are starting to bloom in San Francisco. I took this shot early this morning on Mariposa St. outside St. Gregory Nyssa church. Prunus cerasifera, known as the cherry plum or purple-leafed plum, can be seen throughout the city, many of them planted by Friends of the Urban Forest or by CalTrans.

The 12th International Latino Film Festival is set to open tomorrow night at the Castro Theatre with Cachao: Uno Mas!, and it closes November 23rd. In between, the festival offers more than 50 films at four venues in San Francisco (plus one in Berkeley and 10 on the Peninsula).

The opening night film celebrates “the life of one of the most influential Afro-Cuban musicians,” Israel “Cachao” Lopez. The documentary “follows the legendary bassist from his early days in Cuba to worldwide recognition and features interviews with Andy Garca, John Santos, and more.” (As I recall, it was quite the favorite at SFIFF 51.) Naturally there will be a Noche Cubana to follow the film! (Nota bene: the party’s at the Hotel Kabuki.) If that’s not your style, you might stay on at the Castro to watch Los travestis tambien lloran, a French feature about two Ecuadorian transsexuals struggling to get by in Paris.

Other opening weekend highlights include Chevolution, which explores the life and legacy of Che Guevara; Children in No-Man’s Land, which documents the plight of the 100,000 unaccompanied minors who enter the US each year and are caught by immigration authorities; and the film that has, for my money, one of the best titles ever: Amor, dolor y viceversa, a “sexy thriller” featuring “the stunningly beautiful but forever single Chelo (Barbara Mori),” who is “haunted by recurring visions of a handsome lover (Leonardo Sbaraglia). But dreams turn to nightmares and nightmares to reality. As this tense and noirish jigsaw plot unfolds, truth, fantasy, and lies blur together, and a longing for love turns to unrelenting obsession.” Wow, sounds pretty good to me!

All films Saturday and Sunday are being screened at the Brava Theater for Women in the Arts (located at 24th & York, near Bryant, in Potrero Hill). There are several worthy films this weekend that I haven’t mentioned; for info on them and the other films in the weeks ahead, just check out the full schedule here.

Among the several radical changes:

• Bryant Street is totally out of luck. No more service in the Mission District or South of Market. That means that if you wanted to take a bus to or from the Hall of Justice — like if your car was towed and you wanted to get it back — you have to catch a bus on Folsom and then walk two blocks.

• The 22-Fillmore will no longer climb Potrero Hill, but go all the way down 16th St. to Third St and turn around in the biotech district. If you want to go to Potrero Hill, you’d have to transfer to the 33.
• The 7-Haight would be no more. The 6-Parnassus would take over the route and go all the way down Haight St — meaning no more service to Masonic and Frederick and Clayton. That neighborhood is just fucked. Also, buses would no longer go on Page St. inbound; Haight St. would be two-way all the way.

Those are just a few of the changes, and there are many small ones. To find out, you have to browse the Flickr set.

For more on Muni’s proposals, which could be implemented by July 2009, see the Muni TEP page. I think TEP stands for Transportation Elimination Project.

Awesome local rockers 20 Minute Loop, whose new album Famous People Marry Famous People is filled with power-pop goodness reminiscent of Letters to Cleo, performs tonight at Bottom of the Hill.

The Porchlight reading series celebrates its 6th anniversary with a show on the Seven Deadly Sins, 8:00 pm at the Swedish American Hall. And tomorrow Ishmael Reed and Mistress Morgana headline Writers with Drinks at 7:30 pm at the Makeout Room.

CineKink, a program of alternative erotic films written up this week by the unsinkable Violet Blue, plays tonight at 7:00 pm at YBCA. And for the less carnally minded, Artists Television Access has The Monastery, about an old guy who buys a castle with the idea that it will some day become a spiritual retreat, and the nuns who take him up on it.

Or just hit the beach. It’s nice and cool out there today.

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!

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

Sorrow Town Choir – My Momma Don’t Keep No Pictures Of Me

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Mark Curry’s Hell’s House Band (Feat. El Hefe)
“Come On Out” (mp3)
from “Dozen Lies”
(Hard Soul Records)

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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.

Slim’s features a show by Lez Zeppelin, a New York City-based all-lady Zeppelin tribute act that has won a national rep, even releasing an album produced & mastered by the same studio vets as Page & Plant used back in the day.

The APAture event presented by Kearny St Workshop at Intersection for the Arts on Valencia has several local ladies of note presenting work including tonight’s musical performance featuring Aireene Espiritu, other participants this year have included filmmaker Emiko Omori, and visual artist Misako Inaoka and comic artists Lark Pien.

Local lady comedian Alicia Dattner will be onstage at The Make Out Room, there will be boy comedians too, but I bet Dattner throws down, and not just “like a girl” … as heard in this mp3 podcast , done with her Grandma.

What gal doesn’t love herself some gala action? Tonight, weds Sept 26th, The SF Neighborgood Parks Council holds their”Only in San Francisco” gala affair atop Alamo Square park from 6-9. All those dog walkers & tourists better watch out as the tents & tuxedo crowd swarms the site for silent auction items and biodynamic wines. Amongst the local retaurants backing the event include Absinthe, NOPA, beard Papa, Patxi’s and many more…

For the less affluent set, also in town from the tiny desert outpost of Gilbert AZ comes Lydia, an energetic young emo-esque indie rock act featuring keyboardist/co-vocalist Mindy that’s been building momentum on the road to ruin.
Lydia
“Smile, You’ve Won” (mp3)
from “This December; It’s One More And Im Free”
(Hourzero Records)

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Even the king of mopey males, Morrissey has a lady opening his series of 4 shows at The Fillmore this week, that being Kristeen Young, the half Apache warrior woman whose albums are produced by famed veteran producer Tony Visconti. One British music rag recently referred to her as like “Kate Bush fronting Metallica”.

For the mellower set, I suggest songstress Sylvie Lewis who will make an appearance at Hotel Utah, bringing her sweet voice to the venerable venue. Sylvie made her first album, “Tangos and Tantrums,” in Spain in 2005 where she apparently also learned to make some damn good sangria. She continued living in Spain and worked on her second album ‘Translations’ which emerged in the summer of 2006 before she moved to Rome Italy. Her light hearted jazz influenced music’s been compared to everyone from Diana Krall to Doris Day and she’s only in town tonight, so now your’s chance to catch her before she plays some far pricier venues in the future.