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Taking the Kids To San Francisco's California Academy of Sciences
Eileen Ogintz
We're at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, which in the year since it has re-opened has emerged as the city's top cultural tourist attraction, drawing more visitors than Alcatraz
Day Around the Bay
Oakland Gay Pride, 9/5
Oakland Pride, forgotten mousy cousin of San Francisco Pride? Maybe a little. But this year's LGBT Pride celebration on the other side of the bridge promises to be worth a BART trip under the Bay. Headlining the queer festivities is none other than Chaka Khan. She feels for you. She thinks she loves you. She's every woman. So, give her some love back this Sunday, Sept. 5. Also on the bill are Yo-Yo, God-dess and She, Caravanserai, Valerie Troutt, Blair Hansen, Dahrio Wonder and the Oakland East Bay Gay Men’s Chorus. Also also, according to Oakland Local, there will be parties galore. Well, three of them. OL notes: "In addition to the Pride festivities, three parties will be jumping off: Good Times, Hella Gay and Temptations. Good Times is held at the Den, 1912 Telegraph Ave.; Hella Gay is just down the street, at 1928 Telegraph Ave.; and then there's the fun at 510 17th St. for Temptations." It all goes down, so to speak, at Uptown Oakland, 19th Street & Franklin Street (Exit 19th Street BART Station); $5. Visit Oakland Pride for more details.
Afternoon Palate Cleanser: Massive Water Balloon Fight
An estimated 4,000 people in Provo, Utah "attempting to set the world record for the largest water balloon fight, throwing a total of 120,000 water balloons," noted Laughing Squid who brought this refreshing video to our attention.
Oh, and said water balloon fight is the framework for “You Always Make Me Smile” by Kyle Andrews. Enjoy.
SFist Digests: Foodie Kids, Fleeing Ladies, and Refreshing Chè
What in heaven's name is chè? Jonathan Kauffman explains. Some sort of XX chromosome chef migration is afoot downtown. First, according to Grub Street, Jennie Lorenzo leaves Fifth Floor, and then Erica Holland-Toll exits Ducca, notes Inside Scoop. Burger King sold for a whopping $3.26 billion. Leah Garchik has word that SF kids are getting too big for their britches. During a sojourn at the California Academy of Sciences, one 13-year-old boy quips, "It's been a tough day. Could we go to one of the Top 100 restaurants with a one-bell rating?"
Chè revolution! (Photo: Jonathan Kauffman)
UPDATED: Small Plane Crashes in Redwood City Lagoon, at Least 1 Dead
A little before noon today, a small plane crashed into a lagoon in Redwood Shores. At least one person, an unidentified woman, died. According to BCN (via CBS 5), "The plane had taken off from the nearby San Carlos Airport and was headed to San Martin, [Battalion Chief Dave Pucci] said. FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford said the plane, a twin-engine Beech 65 Queen Air, crashed into the water about 30 seconds after taking off." Authorities are currently looking for a second body. As of now, the plane is fully submerged in the lagoon. UPDATE: KGO reports, "Two more bodies have been found in the wreckage of the plane that crashed into the Redwood Shores lagoon."
Girlfriend of Murder Suspect Efren Valdemoro Spoke to Boss During Car Chase
Tran's body was found moments later in the passenger seat of the car at the strip mall where, shortly thereafter, Valdemoro was shot by police in a standoff. Below, KTVU has a full report on the latest developments. Also check with them at 2 p.m. for a live news conference about the case, which involves four murders in three cities, with a fifth potential victim still missing. PREVIOUSLY: Police Discover Two Dead Women, Bomb Materials in Vallejo Home
Cindy Tran
Phrenological San Francisco: Another Wacky Neighborhood Map from 7x7
For their Fall Arts Preview, 7x7 has produced yet another kooky neighborhood map, this time using the theme of phrenology, and like, human tendencies? Or something? Anyway, we live somewhere in the vicinity of Cautiousness and Love of Sex, but we have no goddamn idea what Veneration is doing anywhere near the Marina. [7x7 via SF Citizen]
Get Off Grindr, And Get Into Your Nearest Sex Club
Scheduling male-on-male sex dates using Craigslist, Grindr, or any number of social media outlets devoted to penetration, some might argue, is a tad impersonal. Downright rude sometimes. Instead, why not visit one of the many fine sex clubs still left in the Bay Area? Matt Baume has compiled a convenient breakdown of said clubs for Bar Tab SF. A few noteworthy places to explore? Baume suggests the Tearoom Theater ("old-timey charm"), Nob Hill Theater ("engaging entertainers like Adrian, Isaic, Max, and Tiger"), Folsom Gulch ("better-than-average chance of meeting men who go home to wives"), Blow Buddies (they have something called "Whiz World," which isn't a night dedicated to a processed cheese spread), SF Citadel ("disruptively loud whip-cracks are frowned upon"), and more. Check it out. Psst, remember to take all your belongings back home with you; otherwise, they could end up in print!
SFist Tonight
7 to 9 p.m. // Rare Device (1845 Market St) // free SCIENCE: Enjoy an evening in outer space at the Exploratorium After Dark's Cosmological Constructs, featuring installations by Pasadena’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory artist Dan Goods, a presentation by Megan Prelinger titled Another Science Fiction: Advertising the Space Race 1957-1962, an audiovisual journey through the peculiar cargo loaded onto NASA’s Voyager missions by media artist David Cerf, and a discussion by Timothy Ferris on communication with our yet-to-be-discovered neighbors in space. 6 to 10 p.m. // Exploratorium (3601 Lyon St) // $15 FILM: Electronic music duo Daft Punk's directorial debut, Electroma, chronicles two robots on a quest to become human. "Austere yet saturated in Americana, the film manages to brilliantly complement Daft Punk's style even while containing no music by the successful group." 7 p.m. // SF MOMA, Phyllis Wattis Theater (151 Third St) // $5
'Alphabet Memories' by Mati McDonough
Woman Killed After Prius Hit And Run
Sad news. A 70-year-old woman was stuck and killed by a Priu in the Haight on Wednesday. According to BCN (via SF Appeal), the "woman had been crossing the street at Waller and Cole streets at about 8 a.m. when she was struck by a black Toyota Prius." After hitting the woman, later identified as Joyce Lau, the driver fled the scene. Luckily, our city's increasingly swift police department managed to catch the suspect. Authorities tracked down the Prius, arresting San Franciscan Iddo Avital, 26, at his home.
Photo du Jour 684
Speaking of Bjork, Darwin Bell snapped this shot at last week's Bjork Tribute Night at Trannyshack.
3.3 Earthquake Hits East Bay
At 9:35 a.m. this morning, a small 3.3 earthquake hit the Bay Area, just northwest of San Pablo, reports UCGS. The jolt, according to KRON 4, was felt in Berkeley, Oakland, and up in Marin. On the Twitter front, @DJEROCKSF1 says, "No matter how long you've lived in the bay area, you can never get used to an earthquake. Never." So true, so very true. Let this morning's gentle tremor remind you to get your earthquake emergency kit ready. So, did you feel it?
Sales of Burning Man Supplies, Silly Outfits Way Up Over Last Year
"We ran out of anything that holds water this year," says REI store manager Doug Tracey. Uti, the owner of Piedmont Boutique, says that she's sold tons of "glitzy pieces, goggles, hologram clothes, and costumes that light up... They can be very artistic." Right... artistic. PREVIOUSLY: Burners Upset Over Orchard Supply Hardware Ad?
(A photo from 2009's fest - AP Photo/Tara Todras-Whitehill)
Another sure apparent sign of economic recovery: Sales of Burning Man-related supplies at places like REI and Haight-based costume shop Piedmont Boutique are way up over last year, indicating both that more people are headed to the playa and that they're spending more on their "creative expression." As Bay City News reports (via SF Appeal), from the perspective of local merchants, attendance looks to be at about 2008 levels, when 50,000 people went to Burning Man.
SFist Interviews: The Eels' Mark Oliver Everett (aka E)
The Eels have just released their ninth album, Tomorrow Morning, which is the final installment in their recent trilogy of records, preceded by 2009's Hombre Lobo and 2010's End Times, and will be at the Fillmore on October 11th. Before releasing the trilogy, frontman Mark Oliver Everett (aka E) published a best-selling autobiography Things the Grandchildren Should Know and was the subject of a documentary about his relationship with his groundbreaking quantum physicist father Hugh Everett III, Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives, which aired on PBS' NOVA. Daniel Phifer speaks with E about what he's been up to. SFist: Good morning, thanks for taking the time to talk to us. E: Thanks for taking time for talking to me. E: In Glasgow, Scotland and it’s evening. E: No, it’s rainy. E: Yeah. E: They’re often not their real names. E: Well actually all the examples you just gave were real names. But a lot of times they aren’t. E: I stopped naming names now. E: It’s nobody’s business. E: Yep. E: I don’t know. Part of it might be because I write a lot of my songs in my studio and it overlooks my backyard which is very forested and full of wildlife. Going back to past lives for a moment, are you a religious person at all? E: No. Not at all. E: Well I’m just doing kind of what Ray Charles used to do in terms of taking the Lords music and putting it in the devils hands. Although it’s not exactly the same thing because it’s not about a woman so much as it is about being grateful and enjoying the nice things in your life. E: Yeah that’s my favorite I think. It was just the most fun I’ve ever had in the recording studio. E: Well I can’t give away all my trade secrets. E: That wouldn’t be right. E: It was an awful lot of fun. E: (Laughs) E: No it’s really what’s going on with me at this point and it’s nice because I’m pretty happy these days. Go figure. E: Yeah. It kind of feels like that. It’s strange. I wish someone could have told me when I was younger that I would have ended up here. It’s a nice place to be. E: Um, I would say it’s some of both. There’s definitely a lot of positive things about it. Well I don’t know about file sharing per se. But just the internet in general. There’s a lot of positives and a lot of negatives. I don’t really know what the answer is about the file sharing thing, it’s hard to say. E: Right. E: Most of our records are made in my basement studio with some exceptions here and there. Occasionally you have to go outside to a more traditional recording studio if you want to do something like record a live orchestra or something. I could fit a 24 piece orchestra in my basement if I piled them all on top of each other, but it’s hard to bow your violin like that. E: Los Angeles. E: (Laughs) E: All the things you just said are things that happen. There’s not any real recipe or rule or set way that any of that happens. It’s kind of case by case, always different. Which is what’s fun about it. E: No, no. that’s what’s fun about it. It’s always different, I just like to immerse myself into different musical worlds each time. It keeps it interesting. E: Um. (Pause) Well, I think it’s an album for the whole family and everyone can enjoy it, It will make you feel good. And when I say it’s an album for the whole family, I mean every member of the family should own their own copy. You don’t want to fight over it. SFist: Absolutely not. E: That’s just how good it is. SFist: I agree. It’s been great talking to you and we look forward to seeing you when you come out to San Francisco. Have a great tour and thanks for you time. I really appreciate it. E: Thanks a lot, man.
by Daniel Phifer
SFist: Where are you this morning?
SFist: Glasgow in the evening sounds beautiful.
SFist: Oh. Well should of guessed it being Scotland.
SFist: I’m wondering who this "Spectacular Girl" is. It seems like a lot of times you have proper names for the women in your songs like Jeanie, Susan, Elizabeth, Did you have anybody in mind
SFist: They’re pseudonyms?
SFist: So how about this song?
SFist: Oh yeah? Any reason?
SFist: So the official answer for this one is it’s nobody’s business. (Laughing)
SFist: Birds are a favorite theme of yours and one of the first tracks on your album is “I’m a Hummingbird”. How would you describe your connection to birds? Do you think you might have been a bird in a past life, or would you just like to fly somewhere?
SFist: Yeah you know you inspire a lot of people with the birds. I was at an Eels show at the Fillmore and there was a woman running around with a homemade hat. She had sewn fake birds onto it and attached a sign that said “I Like Birds”. So I think the bird thing is working well.
SFist: Interesting, because the song “Looking Up” sounds like you might have attended a Sunday Service once or twice in your life.
SFist: Yeah that track is very uplifting and I think it has a lot to do with that gospel choir feel that it has to it.
SFist: How did you do that? I mean obviously you got some people to come in and sing, but how was that set up?
SFist: (Laughs)
SFist: I can’t blame you.
SFist: Too bad the rest of my questions are all about your trade secrets.
SFist: A lot of your albums start of in a very soft and sad way, then song by song they become more optimistic and upbeat. Usually by the last song it reaches some sort of bittersweet conclusion. Is this really a reflection of your day to day life or is it something just outside that sphere?
SFist: Yeah, I mean you do sound on this album, a lot, I don’t even want to say mature, but you seem like you kind of figured something out here. Lyrically.
SFist: We’ll that’s good to hear. I’m very happy for you. So switching gears a little bit, your career started right on the precipice of the digital music boom. Do you think the proliferation of file sharing and computer culture has helped or harmed you as a musician?
SFist: Right. On the one hand it does get you out there a little more than possibly before, but on the other hand nobody’s paying for it.
SFist: So do you do a lot of home recording?
SFist: Where are you based out of?
SFist: Oh, okay. So you probably have a little more space than we do here in San Francisco, I can fit a computer and a bass and a guitar in my home recording studio. Which is also the baby’s room, the dining room, and the home office.
SFist: So maybe this falls under trade secrets again but what’s your songwriting process like? Is it lyrics first, music first? Can you hear a song before you write it? Do you have some sort of grand thematic thing in mind when you first start out writing an album?
SFist: So this being your 9th studio album do you approach the process of recording any differently now than when you were recording some of your earlier work? Have you got it down to a science?
SFist: I agree. It does. My last question to you is, in the spirit of the song "What I Have to Offer” what do you think Tomorrow Morning has to offer someone who’s maybe never heard the Eels before?
UPDATED: Another Oil Rig Just Exploded in the Gulf of Mexico
Update: Excellent news! A mile-long oil sheen is spreading from the site of the explosion. [AP/SF Gate]
There was an explosion this morning on the Vermilion Oil Rig 380, 80 miles south of Vermilion Bay along the central Louisiana coast, west of the site of the Deep Water Horizon blast. 13 workers were rescued by the Coast Guard, with only one seriously injured. The rig is owned by Houston-based Mariner Energy, and it's unclear whether it was a drilling rig or production platform. [CNN, NPR]
- After his iconic March show in Oakland, comedian Dave Chappelle returns to New Parish. [38th Notes]
- Botanical garden that spends $10K/month on PR cutting services for residents. [SF Appeal]
- Papalote’s salsa to hit shelves in 2010. [Aggressive Panhandler]
- Economic leaders say S.F. ready to bounce back strongly. [SFGate]
- Apple censors Lady Gaga's pro-gay marriage sentiments at today's announcement. [Gawker]
- Burners in flux. [SFBG]
- Grana Padan, the poor man's Parmigiano Reggiano? Not so. [Cooking With Amy]
Photo by Travis Jensen
That Temporary Transbay Terminal? It Has No Toilets.
For the next seven years, as a new Transbay Terminal is constructed, commuters gathering at the temporary, mostly al fresco transit hub downtown will be going without restrooms -- or just finding a discreet spot, Dolores Park-style. Greyhound passengers are allowed a restroom, and AC Transit workers have a toilet there, but no one else. As KGO reports, this could spell lawsuits, seeing as there are inevitably going to be a lot of people with medical conditions and such for whom a nearby restroom is a necessity. But who to sue first? [KGO]
Afternoon Palate Cleanser: Robyn Covering Bjork's "Hyperballad"
Can we be frank? We're not the biggest Bjork fan. (More like Byuck, eh? Eh? *crickets*) However, we do enjoy Bjork's "Hyperballad" and we enjoy chanteuse Robyn, and here they are together. Best of all, Robyn is covering it in front of the Icelandic poster child herself. Chilling.
Hat Tip: The Awl
'Like,' Follow SFist, Won't You?
Have you heard of this newfangled Facebook thingamajig the kids talk about these days? Sticky privacy issues notwithstanding, it's pretty neat-o. And that Twitter? That sure is fun. Have you also heard that SFist is on Facebook and Twitter? True. They're easy ways to keep up on our stories. If the mood should strike, check us out on Facebook and Twitter.
That's a Wrap: Alioto-Pier Ineligible to Run for Re-election
Today the California Supreme Court refused to listen to D-2 Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier's "request to review her legal bid to run for re-election in November - a decision that effectively ends her campaign," reports the Chronicle. This comes on the heels of the longtime Supe taking her case to the California Court of Appeal who ruled "3-0 on Aug. 24 that San Francisco's voter-approved term-limits law bars her from seeking another term." Read all about it.
Muslim Job Applicant Accuses Abercrombie & Fitch of Bias
Abercrombie & Fitch's unyielding adherence to one kind of beauty has, once again, gotten them in trouble. A Mulsim woman accuses the clothing retailer of not hiring due to her head scarf. Mercury News reports, "Federal civil rights lawyers today sued clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch on behalf of an 18-year-old Muslim woman who alleges the company's store at the Great Mall in Milpitas refused to hire her for wearing a religious head scarf, the second time the national chain has been hit with a similar discrimination lawsuit." The "hip" clothing line was hit with a similar lawsuit back in 2009.
Joanna Rees Makes S.F. Mayoral Bid
Matier & Ross have word that Joanna Rees, wealthy-ish venture capitalist and educator, will toss her adorable sweater set into the San Francisco mayoral ring. Part of her platform? Hot, hot, hot hyperlocalism. According to JoinJoanna, "This is going to be a campaign rooted in the neighborhoods. It's going to be a campaign of ideas — your ideas and mine. Over the next few months I'm going to be reaching out — and listening — in every neighborhood and every community of San Francisco." M&R go on to say that her "campaign team is being headed by Ace Smith and Sean Clegg, whose SCN Strategies is also running Mayor Gavin Newsom's campaign for lieutenant governor and District Attorney Kamala Harris' campaign for state attorney general, and is advising Sen. Barbara Boxer on her re-election drive." So far, she is the only dame in the race.
Rees will run as a "progressive independent," whatever that means. Also: "I'm not part of the City Hall crowd," she declares
SFist Tonight
8:30 p.m. // Roxie (3117 16th St) // $6-10 MUSIC: Mark Matos & Os Beaches, who are described as "Southwest smoke meets Bay Area sunshine folk-rock" headline Hotel Utah tonight, accompanied by Shareef Ali and The Radical Folksonomy, whose sound ranges from folk to jazz to country to rock and roll and who are releasing their debut EP The Once + Future Boyfriend, and Wolf & Crow. 9 p.m. // Hotel Utah (500 Fourth St) // $7 COMEDY: Madrone Art Bar's Happy Hour Comedy celebrates its one-year anniversary. Featuring Jules Posner, Brendan Lynch, Katie Compa, Nick Palm, Dave Thomason, Natasha Muse, and host Trevor Hill. 7 to 9 p.m. // Madrone Art Bar (500 Divisadero St) // free
FILM: You can still check out the much-hyped Banksy doc, Exit Through the Gift Shop, at the Roxie until September 6th. The film is "part personal journey and part an exposé of the art world with its mind-altering mix of hot air and hype."
Police Discover Two Dead Women, Bomb Materials in Vallejo Home
Also found in the house were chemicals consistent with the manufacture of explosives, and Rittenhouse is being held in connection with those. But the other prime suspect in the murders is 38-year-old Efren Valdemoro, a man who'd been driving Allen's Escalade, and was a suspect in the beating death of a 73-year-old Hercules man on Saturday. He was gunned down by police in a standoff last night at a Ranch 99 in Richmond. He was spotted, gave chase, and was finally shot because he refused to drop the meat cleaver he was holding. Authorities say Valderomo had been staying at the house with Rittenhouse and Allen, and seems a likely candidate for the murder suspect -- however Rittenhouse's dissembling with the missing persons report makes things weirder. Valdemoro was being sought by police after the body of his girlfriend was found in a car. Also missing is Frederick Sales, the 35-year-old son of the dead Hercules man, who had allegedly been in a fight with Valdemoro alongside his father days before the father was found dead. As ABC 7 reports, police are still investigating Rittenhouse's role, if any, in the murders, but meanwhile the project of removing all the explosive chemicals from his house will take all day. He is being held in Vallejo.
Valdemoro (center) and his two latest alleged victims
Spare the Air, Please
Today's warm weather prompted another Spare the Air Day. This means no wood fire, public transit, and other clean air such as, according to BCN (via CBS 5), biking to work or around town, working at home or telecommuting, stringing together errands for fewer driving trips, and cooking indoors rather than on outdoor grills or barbecues."
Apple Announces New Stuff to Buy; Steve Jobs' Forehead Questioned
Apple made some big announcements today. This morning at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, Apple's CEO Steve Jobs previewed updates to the iOS system, "unveiled updated iPods including a redesigned iPod nano and iPod shuffle as well as a camera-equipped iPod touch, and released the iTunes 10 update," beams Macworld. Also, something about Apple TV and Ping, a new social network for music ilk. It all sounds very delightful and expensive. Kudos to those of you who can purchase said items. Also, Gwyneth Paltrow's husband performed. How awful. (Chris Breen of Macworld liveblogs, "As a trained professional, may I just mention that Chris Martin has terrible piano technique." Snap.) In more pressing news, Steve Jobs' forehead looks shiny and new. Did Botox touch it for the very first time? He looks lovely. Feel free to speculate wildly in the comments.
(AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
Photo du Jour 683
"Jones & O'Farrell" by Troy Holden.
Heavy September
San Francisco has been an epicenter of great metal and hard rock throughout the years, and judging by some of the live music coming this month, the earth-shattering, head-splitting madness shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. The two biggest shows of the month are the back to back Sleep reunions going down at the Regency on the 12th and the 13th. For those of you not in the know, Sleep are a highly influential stoner metal band from the 90's featuring Matt Pike (currently of High On Fire) and Al Cisneros (currently of Om and Shrinebuilder). Original drummer Chris Kakius is sitting out these shows, so the band has tapped Jason Roeder (of Neurosis) to fill in on drums. The band will be playing their epic, hour-long song/record Dopesmoker, as well as selections from their Holy Mountain lp. The show on the 12th has Northwest weirdo Thrones opening, while on the 13th the band will be joined by Oakland's very own Saviours. If the Sleep reunions aren't enough Matt Pike for you in one month, be sure to catch High On Fire with Torche and Kylesa at the Great American Music Hall on the 29th. The Melvins are at Slim's on the 19th with long running locals Totimoshi, and if you're looking for more of that 90's grunge vibe, be sure to cross the bridge for Helmet, Bison BC, and Disastroid at the Uptown in Oakland on Sept 10th. For those of you who are recovering hardcore kids, Louisville, KY's Coliseum and Canada's Burning Love (featuring Hamilton, Ontario legend Chris Colohan of Cursed, The Swarm, and Left For Dead) will be bringing the mosh to Thee Parkside with locals Walken and Buried At Birth. If you prefer a more international flair to your metal, first wave Swedish death turned doom metal champs Katatonia will also be destroying Thee Parkside with Swallow the Sun from Finland and Orphaned Land from Israel. Orphaned Land are especially interesting because on their latest record, The Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR, the band sings in English, Hebrew, and Arabic, which can be a somewhat ballsy move for a band coming out of an often tense country like Israel. Orphaned Land also recently joined Metallica and High On Fire for two shows in Tel Aviv, which really ties this whole month of live metal together nicely. See you in the pit.
by Erick Pressman
SFist Blotter
8/31, 8/31, LOWER NOB HILL: A woman came home to notice her laptop and charger missing after leaving her apartment door unlocked. This happened on the 600 block of Sutter. According to police, a roommate was in the apartment sleeping and "awoke to see the suspects in the victim’s room." The suspects are described simply as a white man and Hispanic man somewhere in their 20s. Luckily, the thieves fled without causing harm. Scary. No arrests. 8/31, MARKET/GOUGH: At around 11 p.m.-ish, a lady was walking westbound on Market Street when a twentysomething black man approached her from behind and yanked off her purse. The hooligan fled the scene towards Otis Street. No arrests.
CASTRO GLEN PARK: A female walking south on Castro Street (near Sussex) was accosted by a 20- to 30-year-old black man who grabbed her purse from behind, pulled her sweater over her head, and swiped her cell phone. The incident happened at around 8:30 a.m. The suspect took off north on Castro. No arrests.
NIMBY WATCH: Dolores Park Battle Goes Down Tonight
Now, a few choice quotes, via Mission Local, from both sides of the issue, which include several neighborhood splinter groups named Dolores Park Works, SafeCleanGreen, and the Dolores Heights Improvement Club: "The park is dying from overuse and abuse." Deborah Bueti, a teacher at Everett Middle School who's lived nearby for 19-years, member of SafeCleanGreen. "...That’s to say nothing of other problems like public drunkenness and urination, cigarette butts blanketing the turf, broken glass." -- Gideon Kramer, founder of SafeCleanGreen. "I want to be able to go to the park and do whatever it is I want to do in the park for as long as I want to do it
. Be responsibly irresponsible and leave no trace, those are our goals as an organization." Crystal Vann Wallstrom, who opposes the new police enforcement. "No matter what we do, somebody’s upset. We have to try to strike a happy medium while assuring citizens are safe while they’re using Dolores Park." Mission station Police Captain Greg Corrales. "It’s never going to be the quiet little Victorian oasis [the neighbors] want it to be." Robert Brust, member of the Dolores Heights Improvement Club.
We here at SFist are ever the fans of civilized disagreement, and we shun all public meetings that devolve into crazy rantings by over-loud complainants, and/or shouting matches. But we just might have to show up at Mission High School tonight at 6 p.m. to watch the battle to the death between hipsters, parents, angry neighbors and the like over how Dolores Park has become too big of a sloppy party for its own good.
Great White Shark Spotted Eating Sea Lion In Pacifica
Warning signs have since been posted in the area, but surfers were back in the water within a couple of hours since the shark had already eaten and was probably full for the time being. [KTVU]
Several onlookers in Pacifica's Linda Mar Beach spotted what they described to be a great white shark attack and devour a sea lion about 200 yards from the beach on Monday afternoon. The shark was reportedly approximately 18 feet long or larger, and half a dozen witnesses reported seeing it jump out of the water from various vantage points, splashing "blood all over the place."
Day Around The Bay
Lady Gaga's Rosamunde Story Continues
You know how Lady Gaga was spotted at Rosamunde last week in the Mission? Well, Mission Mission got right to the bottom of what happened, exactly. Well, Gaga, it seems, ordered some wine, asked for the correct spelling of "diarrhea," requested an employee to design her necklace for next week's MTV Music Awards, El Farolito, an invitation to Waterbar, and more. Check it out.
Apple to Make Big Announcement Tomorrow
Like all of Cupertino company's announcements, tomorrow's Apple declaration will be big. What's more it will involve music, something big about music. And here is our contribution to the hype: What will the big announcement be, other than being big? Well, Macword predicts a new iPod touch, a revamped iTV, a 6G iPod nano, iTunes 10, and/ot streaming/TV rentals. Or, perhaps, and announcement that AT&T stores will, finally, get a new shipment of iPhone 4s. That would be big. Dare to dream. [Macworld]
Mission Burrito Book Crowns #1 Burrito In S.F.
While some argue that a steamy San Francisco burrito is as complex and interesting as a clam chowder sourdough bread bowl, the local foil-wrapped burrito -- packed with rice... and stuff -- has its fans. Many of them, in fact. Probably you. Which is why the superb 2010 Mission Burrito Book, a site devoted to one man's burrito-eating experience, culminated yesterday by naming the top burrito in San Francisco. Papalote came in at #5, Los Coyotes at #4, El Metate at #3, and... well, you'll have to visit 2010 Mission Burrito to find out the top 2 picks. (The entire site, brief and to the point, is worth a look.) [Grub Street]
SFist Tonight
ART: Check out Circular Time, "a live reading of artist Packard Jenning's project, Longshot: Dining Labor and Ponies on view now at the SFAC Gallery as part of the exhibition Now & When. For the project, Jennings "invited eight conceptual artists to meet in the private dining room of an upscale restaurant to discuss what project to make with their project budget provided by the gallery. The brainstorming for a time capsule took place over the course of a three-hour meal. After the bill was paid there was not enough stipend left to produce the project. All that remained was the conversation." And that conversation? Will be performed by hired reading a transcription of the Longshot dinner conversation. Think of it as A Chorus Line (a show also based on transcripts) minus the music, the dancing, and Miss Donna McKechnie's groundbreaking performance. 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. // Intersection for the Arts (446 Valencia) // $5-$15 sliding scale, ll proceeds go to pay the participating actors MUSIC: Gram Rabbit ("Dry and tough as mule jerky, sexy as a swayed hip, the music weaves elements of electro-dance, Byrd’s-era country rock, inner-space jazz, and gnomic meditations in the manner of Spiritualized and Pink Floyd into a sound that’s unaffectedly homey, profoundly ambitious, and frankly revolutionary," beams LA CityBeat), Chambers ("combine multiple genres, ranging all the way from trashy math-rock to dreamy ambient pop and retro-futuristic disco, while keeping a heavy rhythmic and melodic core to ground them in a unified direction," coos SF Weekly), and Part Time (", like Roxy Music scoring Liquid Sky," exclaims Dan Strachota) will perform in Hayes Valley. And, when was the last time you were in Hayes Valley? It's been too long, really. 8 p.m. // Rickshaw Stop (155 Fell) // $10
Police Shoot Mountain Lion On Shattuck Avenue
Early this morning, Berkeley police shot and killed a mountain lion on Shattuck Avenue, "not far from popular restaurants and shops in the north side of the city, reports KTVU. The early morning murder happened "just around the corner from Chez Panisse, Peet’s Coffee and other popular businesses on Shattuck Avenue." (Berkeley Daily Planet's Daniel Turman jests, "he or she was apparently drawn to the area by the promise of an exalted hunt: tender, young returning students and slow-moving, California Cuisine-fed, neo-hippies.") RIP, big fella.
Point-by-point Takedown of National Organization of Marriage's Lies
National Organization of Marriage (NOM), an anti-gay and anti-San Francisco group with strong ties to the Mormon church, unleashed this video on Aug. 27 about--what else--gay marriage and "San Francisco values." The video is deplorable, offensive, and worst of all, wrong -- nothing unusual for NOM.
Matt Baume (local writer and founder of Stop8.org) just came out with this impressive, sensible, and most best of all accurate rebuttal to NOM's propaganda. Check it out below.
888 O'Farrell Fire Might Have Been Suicide/Murder Attempt
We mentioned yesterday a two-alarm fire in the tenderloin where a woman jumped to her death. According to The Chronicle, the "woman who leaped from the eighth story of her burning apartment in the Tenderloin may have tried to murder a man by setting fire to the unit and then killed herself." The man in question, still in the hospital, is expected to survive.
Photo du Jour 682
"Pork Delivery. Chinatown." Photo by Julie Michelle/tangobaby. Hat tip: Uptown Almanac
SFist
SFist is a website about San Francisco.Editor: Brock Keeling Publisher: Gothamist
Rick Moody
Rick Moody, author of the acclaimed novel "The Ice Storm," joins us to discuss his new book "The Four Fingers of Death."
State Budget Update
The California Legislature ended its current session Tuesday with no state budget in sight, more than two months after it was due. Where does that leave the prospects for a state budget?
Transgender Kids
Some young boys insist on wearing dresses and identifying as a girl, and some young girls do the opposite. Parents are often left to puzzle out whether it's a passing phase, or if a child will grow up feeling stuck in the wrong body. We discuss issues facing gender variant kids, and a conference aiming to support them and their families this weekend in Berkeley.
Planned Parenthood
Citing concerns over administrative issues, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America has pulled its name from all seven locations affiliated with Planned Parenthood Golden Gate. The change will take effect September 3rd. We talk about the decision, and what impact it may have on Bay Area residents.
New Alcohol Fee for San Francisco?
San Francisco's Board of Supervisors is considering imposing a fee on alcoholic beverages, which would go to pay for programs associated with alcohol abuse. But critics say the fee would burden businesses in already tough economic times.
Craigslist Adult Ads Under Fire
Seventeen state attorneys general sent a letter to Craigslist last week, calling on the San Francisco-based classified ad website to shut down its "adult services" section over prostitution concerns. We take up the debate over the online ads.
Dr. Dean Ornish
After 16 years of review, a local medical doctor's comprehensive program of diet, exercise and therapy has been approved by federal health officials for reimbursement by Medicare and Medicaid for the treatment of heart disease. Dr. Dean Ornish joins us to discuss the program he developed to treat the nation's number one cause of death.
Iraq Update
As part of President Obama's promise to end combat operations in Iraq by the end of this summer, the number of American troops has been cut down to 50,000, the lowest number since 2003. As the U.S. prepares to end operations in Iraq by the end of 2011, what does the drawdown mean for both countries' political, economic and military futures?
An Ethics Guide for Freshmen
Incoming college freshmen face a minefield of ethical issues and choices. Ethics professor Kirk Hanson and his students have come up with a guide to navigating those risks and challenges, which range from excessive partying to plagiarism, to dealing with difficult roommates. We discuss the ethics guide with Hanson, who directs Santa Clara University's Markkula Center for Applied Ethics.
'The Two Escobars'
We talk with filmmaker Jeff Zimbalist about his documentary "The Two Escobars," which tells the intertwining stories of two famous Escobars in Colombia. One, Pablo Escobar, was head of the notorious Medellin Cartel and the other, soccer star Andres Escobar, was murdered after accidentally scoring a goal for the opposing team in the 1994 World Cup.
Mass Grave in Mexico
Mexican authorities this week found a mass grave containing the bullet-riddled bodies of 72 Central and South American migrants who were trying to make it to the U.S. Experts say the grave is yet another sign of the escalating violence and expanding power of Mexican drug cartels who extort money from migrants.
Restaurant Roundup
We get the latest on the Bay Area dining scene from a panel of restaurant critics.
Rethinking Home Ownership
Home sales have plunged to their lowest level in 15 years. Real estate experts say this may be a sign that potential buyers are having second thoughts about the value of buying a house, even with historically low interest rates. We look at the housing market and ask if you've changed your mind about whether home ownership is a good idea.
Endangered Cinemas
This week, The Clay theater in San Francisco's Pacific Heights became the latest neighborhood movie theater to announce it would go dark. We'll find out about the fight to save the city's remaining historic single-screen theaters. Also, we'll look back at the golden age of movie palaces in the Bay Area.
Labs in Limbo
National Institutes of Health director Francis Collins said Tuesday that the recent court ruling blocking federally funded research on human embryonic stem cells won't affect grant payments that have already been paid out this year. But the institute will freeze its reviews of new grants of this type. Although California's $3 billion stem cell initiative is not affected, we talk about the ruling and its potential impact on Bay Area biotech.
Mary Roach: 'Packing for Mars'
In her previous bestselling books, writer and East Bay resident Mary Roach has explored the often-esoteric science of subjects like sex, death and the afterlife. Roach tackles outer space in her latest, "Packing for Mars," a guidebook to the realm of zero-gravity for the armchair astronaut.
Egg Recall
More than 500-million eggs have been recalled after outbreaks of salmonella nationwide. The head of the FDA says her agency needs more authority to prevent food borne illnesses. We discuss the weaknesses in food safety regulation and what should be done.
Interfaith Dialogue
Stories with religious overtones have dominated the news in recent weeks: the proposed mosque near Ground Zero, same-sex marriage, and public confusion over President Obama's faith, to name a few. We talk with a panel of local religious leaders about the role of religion in modern American society -- and about their work building dialogue between faiths.
Student Drug Testing
The ACLU and school officials in Shasta County will be in court this afternoon, arguing whether or not it's OK to randomly test students for drug use as a condition of participating in school-sponsored activities. Last year, a state court ruled that such testing violates a student's right to privacy. We take up the debate over student drug testing.
Transit First: Battling Over Bike Lanes
An expanded network of bike lanes will appear on San Francisco streets following settlement of a four year legal tussle. Supporters say it's progress toward fulfilling the city's Transit First policy, which aims to control traffic congestion and pollution by decreasing the number of cars in the city. How does the Transit First policy play out in the real world?
San Francisco's Bid for the America's Cup
Backers of San Francisco's bid to host the America's Cup say the world sailing competition would bring $1.4 billion and nearly 9,000 jobs to the Bay Area. But environmentalists are angered that the city's proposal seeks an exemption from an environmental review. We discuss the America's Cup -- San Francisco's chances of getting it -- and what it would mean for the Bay Area.
KQED's Forum
KQED's live call-in program presents wide-ranging discussions of local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.
WOLFGANG PUCK RECIPES
World-renowned chef Wolfgang Puck with an extraordinary passion for food now shares that passion in Wolfgang Puck's Kitchen. Wolfgang Puck makes great cooking easier than you ever imagined. Each feature includes both an expert tip and an easy recipe - exactly what you need to transform your home cooking from acceptable to delectable.
Easy-to-Make Gourmet Recipes featuring Wolfgang Puck Click Here