When the ancient Polynesians invented surfing, they often used a paddle to help them navigate. Fast-forward a few millennia, and Stand-Up Paddleboarding, or SUP, finds itself trendy again. Part of its increasing popularity is that standing upright allows surfers to spot waves more easily and thus catch more of them, multiplying the fun factor. Paddling back to the wave becomes less of a strain as well. The ability to cruise along on flat inland water, surveying the sights, is another advantage. Finally, it’s a good core workout. If you’re sold on the idea, schedule an intro SUP lesson, free with board and paddle rental, and you may find yourself riding the waves like a Polynesian king.More
Many of us remember coming home from our elementary schools with freshly glazed pinchpots, cups, or whatever else our young imaginations could conjure up. Saturday mornings at the Randall Museum can bring that memory back, or create a new one for the youngsters. Ceramics make great gifts — especially on Mothers' and Fathers' Day. Hop on board for the Randall's once-weekly class, and for $6 and two weeks to have your work fired and glazed, you'll have all the materials you need.More
December is almost over - the New Year is coming up and everyone is busy drying off from the rain or holiday shopping. Let's take a look at what's happened this month.
It may seem insane to open a nightclub during the current economic freefall, but that just makes the people behind the newly refurbished Paradise Lounge that much cooler.
A viable solution to keep families from eating crap?
Our favorite morsel from the blogs.
Produce-ganda: Today at Civil Eats, Sarah Henry describes volunteers' efforts to stock and staff a farmers' market stall Tuesday afternoons at Glenview Elementary School. It's one of 10 public schools in Oakland with stands, only it isn't a fundraiser or part of some Edible Schoolyard-style curriculum. Instead, it's an effort to encourage parents to start eating stuff they normally wouldn't. Like, here: Try cooking up some kale at home. Here's Henry (after the jump):
PostedByTamara Palmer
on Tue, Jan 26, 2010 at 4:58 PM
With the announcement that Burger King is readying Whopper Bar in Miami Beach, the chain's first beer-and-burger joint, we think it's time for BK's competitors to step up into the area of brand extension, too. We wonder what would happen if these ideas were floated at corporate meetings:
8. Jack in the Box Haunted Houses Jack is a scary mother-effer, especially after dark, and if a few more spooky bits were added ― maybe worms in the fries? ― company execs could have a frightening hit on their hands.
Last night marked 111 Minna's ninth Monday EAT event, love child of Phoenix Supper Club chef Tommy Halvorson (Bix, Gary Danko, Chez Panisse) and Examiner music journalist Crystal Yang, who curates music at the events. Though it began in October as a monthly happening, EAT went weekly late last year.
The fare at EAT is more accessible than Halvorson's menus for his elite roaming restaurant Phoenix. Bites like pork tacos with queso fresco (two for $7) and a hefty bruschetta with chèvre and hen of the woods mushrooms ($7) support local farms and sustainable agriculture. The first 50 guests to attend get a coupon for one free "chef's choice" appetizer, like the Peruvian purple potato chips with horseradish crème fraîche we received.
Heidi Gibson confers with architect Wylie Price at the South Park site.
Is it possible to turn Kama Sutra success into a viable restaurant career? Heidi Gibson means to find out. This spring, the 37-year-old former tech worker plans to open the American Grilled Cheese Kitchen in South Park, a breakfast-and-lunch café devoted to everybody's favorite sandwich. And while Gibson has essentially zero restaurant experience, she has scored multiple successes at the annual Grilled Cheese Invitational ― including in the GCI's Kama Sutra freestyle category.
Gibson's partner in business (and life) is 26-year-old Nate Pollak ("We're a bit of a cougar couple," she admits). The 950-square-foot space at 1 South Park (at Second St.) is halfway through build-out. With two degrees from MIT, Gibson is a kind of grilled cheese engineer. Spurning traditional panini machines (she thinks they're too messy), Gibson's invested in a TurboChef impingement oven, which circulates superheated air. "It cooks the perfect grilled cheese sandwich in about a minute," she says.
Yesterday, we reported that teensy cupcake company Mission Minis had been forced to suspend operations last week by order of the Health Department, pending final sign-off on a handful of permits. Word today is that Mission Minis' retail store at 3168 22nd St. (at Capp) will reopen at 11 a.m. tomorrow. The only hitch? No baking at the 22nd Street kitchen until installation of a custom-made hood still being fabricated. But a Mission Minis source told us the company's been baking at La Cocina since the shutdown, and will continue to do so till its own kitchen is production-ready. Deliveries to wholesale customers (Whole Foods, Philz, and Ritual, among others) haven't been affected by the city snafu. The Fire Marshall inspected this afternoon, and Health Department officials were said to be expediting the remaining inspections. Meanwhile, the fate of the company's North Beach kiosk is still up in the air.
PostedByTamara Palmer
on Tue, Jan 26, 2010 at 1:10 PM
Doug Zimmerman
Namu's version of happy hour eating.
We stopped in at Namu (439 Balboa at Sixth Ave.) last night to check out the restaurant's long-running Monday night free food promotion. From 9:30 p.m. till midnight (or until the food runs out), purchase a soju cocktail infusion, shot of sake, glass of wine, or pint of beer and you'll be treated to a pretty awesome array of complimentary family-style eats, along with some deep hip-hop and soul beats, the latter courtesy of a crew of rotating DJs.
PostedByBrian Yaeger
on Tue, Jan 26, 2010 at 12:15 PM
Matt G./Yelp
Pint of Racer IPA at Rosamunde's.
The lunchtime line is proof that if you grill them, they will come. In its first week of operation, Rosamunde's is already sporting a crowd, which, given its tasty lineup of 17 gourmet sausages, comes as no surprise. That most of the diners were quaffing pints at lunch (or probably breakfast) is what the Mission purveyor of sausages was likely relishing most.
No mere hot dog stand, not just a bar, and by no means a gastropub, Rosamunde's offers an alternative for when you need a break from Pi Bar's pizza'n'pints. The fun about deciding between tubesteaks of various animals -- pig, cow (or calf), chicken, duck, pheasant, lamb, or the token PETA-friendly vegetarian offering -- is playing mix-n-match with available drafts. On first visit, we paired the pheasant with pork and cranberry sausage with an Allagash White. Yesterday, to soak up the beers enjoyed during football conference championships, we celebrated with a spicy pork andouille.
As a daily windup to the Weekly's Best of S.F. 2010 on May 19, we've teased out 92 of our favorite local dishes that taste like here. Details after the jump.
La Cocina would be able to operate one cart on weekdays, two on weekends.
La Cocina has gotten the initial nod for a contract to do pushcart food sales in both Dolores Park and Justin Herman Plaza, said director Caleb Zigas. Pending final approval by the seven-member Rec and Park Commission, the nonprofit food business incubator would be able to operate one cart space in Dolores on weekdays, and two on weekends.
Zigas said he was delighted, and is already looking into purchasing food carts for La Cocina vendors to use in Dolores on some kind of rotating basis. Zigas has yet to meet with vendors about which ones might be interested in selling at the Park, though both Cristina Besher of Kika's Treats and bacon-wrapped hot dog vendor Lucero Muñoz have expressed interest.
Tomorrow at 4 p.m., in a food-themed episode of her show, Oprah Winfrey will host Michael Pollan, the Berkeley-based swami of sustainability, along with actress and vegan-ista Alicia Silverstone and Chipotle Mexican Grill founder Steve Ells. They will discuss ― what else? ― what we eat, where it comes from, what we should change about our habits, and, of course, why it's all important in the first place. We're sure it'll be a civil occasion. Yank down the blinds on your office window and tune in. Just try not to pair the viewing experience with a content-inappropriate sack of bonbons.
Sub Pop recording artists 'clipping.' brought their brand of noise-driven experimental hip hop to the closing night of 2016's San Francisco Electronic Music Fest this past Sunday. The packed Brava Theater hosted an initially seated crowd that ended the night jumping and dancing against the front of the stage. The trio performed a set focused on their recently released Sci-Fi Horror concept album, 'Splendor & Misery', then delved into their dancier and more aggressive back catalogue, and recent single 'Wriggle'.
Opening performances included local experimental electronic duo 'Tujurikkuja' and computer music artist 'Madalyn Merkey.'"
