Let’s talk about trends, shall we? The beginning of 2015 is an excellent time to discuss some new things happening in the food world, and look to what might be coming in the new year. After years of increasingly casual restaurant experiences, it looks like elevated tableside service is back, as diners start looking for quality hospitality to match quality food. Gaspar Brasserie offers tableside cocktail service of their Café Brulot, a flaming coffee cocktail for two that originated in New Orleans with coffee, clove, orange peel, and lots of live flame. At The Progress, the brand-new project from Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski of State Bird Provisions, a pork broth is poured over miso sausage meatballs, pumpkin mochi, kimchi, fresh-grated pumpkin, black butter, and fresh pumpkin ... Read More
Recently I had lunch with Carl Nolte, who writes the Native Son column for the San Francisco Chronicle. Carl is a young whippersnapper compared to me, but we find common ground whe... Read More
It’s always dangerous to make predictions with something as volatile as tech companies and the stock market, but it’s that time of year, so here we go: 1. The raging bu... Read More
San Francisco is renowned for its interesting events, so it’s no surprise that another occasion for unique enjoyment is soon upon us: The 15th Annual Edwardian Ball and Edwar... Read More
Not long ago on a cloudy afternoon, I happened to be thumbing my way through Helpful Hints to Housewives, the 1928 edition. It belonged to my mother, and when she gave it to me alo... Read More
Once you’re beyond Highway 101 and headed west to Bodega Bay, the drive is through open farm and ranch land, orchards, and vineyards — serenity in every direction. Then it&... Read More
I’ve always been amused by the concept of New Year’s resolutions. That whole charade where people use the turn of the calendar as an excuse or a line in the metaphorica... Read More
Californians just endured what might be the single most boring gubernatorial election in memory, with incumbent Jerry Brown winning in a walk. The big news — the GOP expanding it... Read More
The Progress (1525 Fillmore Street, 415-673-1294) from Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski of State Bird Provisions, opened on Dec. 16. The two restaurants are actually right next d... Read More
A new year can mean rebirth and renewal, although in today’s movie business, those words tend to actually mean resuscitation, regeneration, and retread. The concept of “... Read More
After three years of little rain, the sky opened up in December and the rain came down in what sounded and felt like buckets complete with thunder and lightening. At 8 a.m. I sat d... Read More
Though the recent rain storms have been a blessing due to the extreme drought our state has been experiencing, it has also highlighted some of our city’s vulnerabilities in p... Read More
A good friend said recently, “the days are long but the years are short.” I couldn’t agree more, because this is exactly how I feel looking back over 2014. It was... Read More
Books Inc. best-seller list Yes Please, by Amy Poehler (hardcover) Panorama: Tales from San Francisco’s 1915 Pan-Pacific International Exposition, by Lee Bruno (hardcover)... Read More
San Francisco has had a love affair with coffee that dates back to when the Hills Brothers Coffee was founded here in 1878 and subsequently built their headquarters along the Embar... Read More
A thousand points of lights Members of the Union Street Association gathered in mid-December to award a prize for best holiday lighting and decor. With umbrellas in hand and cell p... Read More
We all know how to identify a crime after it happens, but it can still be helpful to know what a neighborhood’s crime profile is before moving into it or visiting it for a ni... Read More
With the start of the new year, many of us have resolved to make fitness a priority. And whether we are longtime gym rats or just starting a new wellness regime, the array of worko... Read More
If you run across a restaurant where you often see priests eating with priests, or sporting girls with sporting girls, you may be confident that it is good.” I am indebted fo... Read More
In December 1950, Neal Cassady wrote a letter to his friend Jack Kerouac. Like a message in a bottle, these pieces of paper traveled, lost in time, only to resurface years later in... Read More
At the Presidio’s ven-erable and historic Golden Gate Club, a noteworthy — albeit somewhat under-the-artistic-radar-screen — concerts series celebrates its tenth year of ... Read More
Part 2 of a 3-part series The following Thanksgiving, Jazzy seemed almost embarrassed to bring yet another soggy letter. “Again?” Kickie said, shaking her head. “... Read More
Getting organized is a common New Year’s resolution. The less space you have, the more creative you need to be, but the more organized your living area, the more spacious it ... Read More
Happy 2015, faithful readers! We’ve all just emerged from a boisterous period of celebration, and you’re probably as exhausted as I am from cooking, decorating, gift-wr... Read More
