By Virginia Miller

As long-time San Francisco resident and writer, I'm passionate about this city and obsessed with finding and exploring its best food-and-drink spots, deals, events and news, in every neighborhood and cuisine. I started with my own service and monthly food/drink/travel newsletter, The Perfect Spot, and am thrilled to share up-to-the minute news with you from the endless goings-on in our fair city.

New restaurant openings

Flavors of Spain delight Noe Valley at Contigo

Noe Valley's tastebuds awaken to the flavors of Spain as chef Brett Emerson shares his passion for and knowledge of Spanish cuisine in this week's debut of his long-awaited Contigo. This isn't your usual tapas joint. The gorgeous, sleek room, wood-fired oven, and charming back patio with emerging vegetable garden, set the stage for warm service reminiscent of a welcoming neighborhood hangout in Spain.

Conversing with friends over a glass of Cava, Sherry or Rioja, order fresh Anchovies straight from Spain, intriguing Oxtail Fritters, a salted Rock Cod and Orange Salad or the Txistorra Burger with manchego cheese and fried onions. If the sneak preview I attended is any indication, this will be many a local's regular go-to for finely-crafted food that comforts as well as challenges the palate.

1320 Castro Street
415-285-0250

Pickles opens in FiDi serving gourmet burgers under a retractable roof

The closing last year of Myth, one of our better upscale restaurants, was a sad one. But Myth alum chef Matthew Kerley has resurfaced in an unexpected place: the former Pickles (the new owners kept the name) which, prior to that, was Clown Alley. I personally am happy to see creepy clown motifs and circus colors gone. The place has gone upscale, or as upscale as a burger joint can, with brown tones and wood, a fireplace and a retractable roof in the shadow of the Transamerica Building. The menu entices with bacon burgers, mini corn dogs, beer-battered onion rings, sundaes and favorites from the also-shuttered Cafe Myth menu, like deviled eggs and Brussels sprouts. I've heard about long lines and service issues still to be worked out, but give 'em time... gourmet burgers are the right idea for the Financial District set by day or North Beach crowd at night (Pickles will soon be open till 3am; it's lunch only until April 1st).

42 Columbus Avenue
415-421-2540

Bar news

North Beach's 15 Romolo re-invents itself with premium cocktails and crispy hot dogs

15 Romolo is back. The North Beach fave re-opened a few days ago, reinvented by bartenders from Coco500 and Rye. It’s in an alley, and there's a still that speakeasy air about it, but the aqua-colored interior is gone, with a more understated look and neutral tones. $8 cocktails, like the Yellow Bicycle (St. Germain, Yellow Chartreuse) or a classic Corpse Reviver #2, are made with premium liqueurs, while there's also a wealth of top shelf pours and gourmet beers, like local Speakeasy's Hunters Point Porter. A kitchen is the biggest addition, with two deep fryers frying up tortilla-wrapped Crispy (hot) Dogs, Pork Sliders and Savory Funnel Cakes. Now that's what I call the ultimate bar food.

Happy hour daily, 5-7:30pm
15 Romolo Place
415-398-1359

Events

Tre Bicchieri, Slow Food's Italian Wine Awards, comes only to N.Y., L.A. and S.F.

Only coming to three cities – New York, L.A. and yes, S.F. -- Tre Bicchieri (i.e. "three glasses") is the Italian wine event of the year with some big names hosting. Gambero Rosso and Slow Food Nation are showcasing wine producers honored with the Tre Bicchieri award. Tickets are available through K&L Wine Merchants at $50, which includes a complimentary copy of Gambero Rosso’s "Italian Wines 2009" (a $40 value and guide to all things Italian wine). Sounds reasonable for the added bonus of being able to taste more than 100 wines at the event.

4:30-7pm
Fort Mason Center, Herbst Pavilion
415-441-3400

Cafe Maritime's seafood platter

Deals

Cafe Maritime impresses your date with free champagne and cream pie

Cafe Maritime is one of those underrated gems that's been around for years but many locals still don't know about. One reason: it’s tucked in the midst of cheap motels and chain restaurants on Lombard Street, where a few unexpected spots reside (hello, the ultimate, Zushi Puzzle ?) Maritime is one of those cozy New England seafood houses serving buttery lobster rolls, crispy fish and chips and creamy chowders. Wednesday nights are now "Date Night Special" with a free glass of champagne with dinner and a free coconut cream pie to share afterwards. On top of that, there’s a new prix-fixe every night with three courses for $33, starting with New England Seafood Chowder or a salad, moving on to your choice of four entrees, ending with dessert.

2417 Lombard Street
415-885-2530

Classes

Go whole hog with Meatpaper mag's butchery class at UC Berkeley

The Society for Agriculture and Food Ecology starts the series, "Meet your Meat," with "The Art of the Butcher," a class at UC Berkeley hosted by Meatpaper magazine . The meat panel is all-star: Ryan Farr, formerly of Orson, now Ivy Elegance, A16/SPQR/Urbino's Nate Appleman, Avedano's Melanie Eisemann and David Budworth, Mark Pasternak of Devil's Gulch Ranch and moderator, Marissa Guggiana of Sonoma Direct and Meatpaper. Ryan Farr demonstrates how to break down an entire carcass into cuts of meat, while the panel discusses getting whole animals from local slaughterhouses to more humanely, economically use all meat instead of buying plastic-wrapped grocery store meats.

7pm
UC Berkeley Campus, 105 North Gate Hall
Berkeley
510-536-5800

www.agrariana.org/speakers

RSVP: agrofoodecology@gmail.com

SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.

Today's Look: Marika, Oakland

Tell us about your look: "My fashion philosophy is eclectic. I like to change it up from day to day, but right now i am really into yellow thrift store sweaters."

SFBG's Juliette Tang peeps the best eco-friendly products and boutiques. Check out her most recent installment here.

Eco-friendly fashion a wonderful concept we should all get behind, but not so wonderful are the poor quality, high cost, and bad design that too often accompany the eco-friendly clothing on the market. Who wants to wear scratchy hemp cargo pants? What about a lumpy wool sweater with an embroidered peace sign? Eco Citizen fights the stereotypes associated with green clothing - that eco-friendly garments are ugly, uncomfortable, or out of touch with what's currently in style - by offering beautiful garments with high design value that appeal on both an ecological and aesthetic level.

SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.

Today's Look: Michael, 24th St. and Diamond

Tell us about your look: "My wife dresses me. She has a great eye and she even made me this hat."

Zomg, the new Terminator Salvation trailer is out today. We've all listened to star Christian Bale's awesomely vitriolic rant, and we've all seen The Dark Knight (some of us more than once, apparently, since the movie's box-office haul was somewhere in the bajillions). Hell, if you're like me, you're already looking forward to the summertime release of Public Enemies -- Michael Mann's Depression-era gangster drama starring Bale as a G-Man out to nab Johnny Depp's John Dillinger. No trailer for that flick yet (it's out July 1), but Bale's got plenty more, in a diverse career that includes everything from his debut in 1987's Empire of the Sun to 1998's Velvet Goldmine; 2000's American Psycho; 2005's The New World; and 2007's Rescue Dawn and I'm Not There.

But there's a Bale movie that often gets overlooked -- and no, I don't mean 1993's Swing Kids or even 1992's Newsies. I'm talking post-apocalyptic despair, shaggy facial hair, fire-dodging reflexes, and the ability to act opposite a ridiculously over-the-top Matthew McConaughey while keeping a straight face. Yep: it's 2002's Reign of Fire, y'all.

SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.

Today's Look: Victoria, 24th St. and Noe

Tell us about your look: "I work at Five and Diamond, so I love getting clothes from them. Also, anything with a unique touch and warm layers."

SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.

Today's Look: Jackie, Elizabeth and Castro

Tell us about your look: "I'm a designer myself and I'm wearing St. John. It's important to dress to look your best and feel comfortable and also wear clothes that flatter your own body."

Body art-averse parents are allegedly up in arms over the Totally Stylin' Tattoo Barbie, who is clearly totally styling with her totally stylin', tiny butterfly tattoo (my prediction: if they make a Ken version, he'll have something tribal).

Don't worry, Mom and Dad! Just because kids are begging for tattoos like Barbie doesn't mean you have to cave! Take 'em to see Britney Spears' new tour, where this t-shirt will be available. Buy it and pad the laser-removal fund for Brit-Brit's many tattoos (most souvenirs from her unfortunate downward-spiral period, and many in the realm of Barbie's pink butterfly). And if your little precious does get some ink work done, don't fret -- as part of her Sephora make-up line, L.A. Ink goddess Kat Von D has introduced -- somewhat ironically -- tattoo concealer. Billy Bob forever, never!

SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.

Today's Look: Jack, 24th St. and Sanchez

Tell us about your look: "I like color. No grays."

SFBG's Diana Dunkelberger digs her fork into a deliciously local low-price menu every week. This time ‘round, she recruited SFBG’s Laura Peach to dig in with her. Check out Diana’s most recent installment here.

While discussing what sort of special place to sit down at, Diana had a hankering for the light, salty dishes of Japantown, but Laura was craving the rich, warm crêpes served up at Portland’s Le Happy. A compromise seemed out of the question. Yet a quick Google search revealed that in San Francisco, no cultural divide is so wide that it cannot be bridged by food. For there is, in fact, a crêperie in Japantown. Our curiosities piqued, we set off in the same direction to satisfy our divergent appetites.

On the second story of the Japantown mall we found Sophie’s Crepes, its sign partially obscured behind the bowed, flowering branches of faux cherry trees that sprout up out of the atrium. Past the clouds of pink blossoms and the plastic crêpes showcased in the window (a standard Japantown eatery practice), Sophie’s shows no frills in the airy, sunny space, distinguished by floor-to-ceiling windows at the back of the shop that overlook cars swishing along Geary Blvd.

SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.

Today's Look: Jenny, 24th Street and Valencia

Tell us about your look: "I don't really care about my look. I wear what I like and get most of my clothes at thrift shops."

Finding themselves at 50: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at Zellerbach Hall. All photos by Ariel Soto.

By Ariel Soto

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater celebrated its 50th anniversary at Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley from March 3 to March 8. The performance consisted of a succession of snippets from 50 years of work, and the company took the audience through Ailey's work and the important mark he left on the.history of modern dance.

I was impressed by the dancers themselves: their toes appeared to almost touch the ceiling and their fluid, precise movements flowed like honey across the stage. I have had the chance to see Alvin Ailey several times in the past, but I still cried like a baby and clapped my hands in time with the music till they hurt because there's no other dance company in the world like Alvin Ailey. The company can draw you so far into the dance that you forget everything around you and just become one with movement, the emotion, and those amazing twirls.

By Virginia Miller

As long-time San Francisco resident and writer, I'm passionate about this city and obsessed with finding and exploring its best food-and-drink spots, deals, events and news, in every neighborhood and cuisine. I started with my own service and monthly food/drink/travel newsletter, The Perfect Spot, and am thrilled to share up-to-the minute news with you from the endless goings-on in our fair city.

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NEW RESTAURANT OPENINGS

Herb Caen glory days hang on as North Beach's classic WashBag returns
Herb Caen would be proud. When Washington Square Bar & Grill closed last year, many mourned the loss of one of SF's most beloved classics, a preferred hang-out of the aforementioned Caen, local writers and politicos ever since the '70's. Under new ownership, Liam and Susan Tiernen of Tiernan's (www.tiernans.com), the historical spot returns with brasserie menu intact. Pull up to the long wood bar or dine on white tablecloths as you order the famed WashBag burger on Dutch crust bun. Bartender Michael McCourt is also back... so bring on the Mad Men-reminiscent martini lunches!
Washington Square Bar & Grill
1707 Powell, SF.
415-433-1188

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EVENTS - FOODIE DINNERS

March 18-20 - Jamie Lauren creates a four-course scallop dinner in honor of her Top Chef run
Ok, all you Top Chef fans, Jamie Lauren is back to her home base of Absinthe, with an ode to Fabio's "Top Scallop" comment by cooking a special, four course Scallop Tasting menu (reserve quickly - it's sure to fill up fast!) Beginning with Bay Scallop Crudo, moving on to Scallop Clam Chowder, then a Hokkaido Grilled Scallop with sunchoke puree, artichokes, erbette chard and Meyer Lemon, finishing up with Seared Dayboat Scallops with asparagus, creamed green garlic and fava beans. Now you can pretend you're a Top Chef judge, giving props to our very own Jamie.
5:30pm throughout dinner service
$75, not including beverages, tax or gratuity
Absinthe
398 Hayes Street
415-551-1590
www.absinthe.com

March 16 - Splurge for a James Beard Dinner at Fifth Floor
Food fanatics, save up your pennies (and then some) for a rare James Beard Foundation dinner at Fifth Floor, themed on the Cuisine of Southwestern France. The event honors famed cookbook author (and James Beard Award-winner), Paula Wolfert. Fifth Floor Sommelier, Emily Wines, selects wine pairings for the decadent six-course meal, including dishes like Foie Gras with shallot confit and quince compote or Braised Rabbit with sauteed crepes and dried plums. Headed up by Fifth Floor and Aqua's Laurent Manrique, each course is created by a different chef: Jennie Lorenzo and Lionel Walter (also of Aqua and Fifth Floor), Ariane Daguine of D’Artagnan in NYC, Jean Pierre Moulle of Chez Panisse and Gerald Hirigoyen of Piperade. Whew, what a line-up! That crew can cook me dinner any time.
6pm reception; 7pm dinner
$165, including wine pairings ($150 for James Beard members)
Fifth Floor
12 4th St., SF
415-348-1555
www.fifthfloorrestaurant.com
www.jamesbeard.org

Haul your ass over to this world o' internet adorability: ZooBorns: "the newest and cutest exotic animal babies from zoos and aquariums around the world!"

Seriously. Cuteness from aardvark:

Detroit Zoo's baby Amani, born December 8, 2008.

...to zebra:

Toronto Zoo's Kali, pictured here at two months.

And everything in between! Better procrastination fodder is not possibly found anywhere, on land (baby porcupines!) or sea (baby beluga whales!)

PS Thanks to Guardian contributor Louis Peitzman for the tip.

SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.

Today's Look: Heather, 20th Street and Valencia

Tell us about your look: "I like to be comfortable and I'll shop anywhere for clothes."

LOCAL ARTIST Lindsey White

TITLE Wonder (from the series A Field Guide to the Atmosphere), c-print, 50 by 40 inches.

THE STORY "I look for truth in everyday objects. I find solitude in the ones that offer me gateways elsewhere. For example, I came across a metal-encased flashlight with the brand name Wonder written across the front. This flashlight offers itself as a multifaceted tool of discovery. Everyday magical acts are happening before our eyes, but how often do people identify what they're seeing as extraordinary?"

BIO White was born in Tulsa, Okla. She teaches at the California College of the Arts and is currently an Artist in Residence at the Kala Art Institute. Her work has been exhibited at Southern Exposure and Eleanor Harwood Gallery in San Francisco, and the Blackfish Gallery and Reading Frenzy in Portland, Ore. She is contributing to upcoming group shows in Izmir, Turkey and Houston.

SHOW "A Field Guide to the Atmosphere," through April 10. Tues. and Thurs., 6–9 p.m.; Fri., 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Ping Pong Gallery, 1240 22nd St., SF. (415) 550-7483, www.pingponggallery.com

WEB www.magicmadesimple.blogspot.com

Fried river moss in Laos. Photo by Ariel Soto.

(1) Scralifornia and grits, Pork Store, SF

(2) Fried river moss and water buffalo chili paste, Luang Prabang, Laos

P.D.R.

(3) Chicken piccata, rice pilaf, and Hardys boxed wine

(4) Shots of fernet at Ask Dr. Hal show

(5) Dungeness crab and Fish Eye red, Woodhouse Fish Company, SF

The SFBG's Laura Peach helps her roomie take the fear out of shopping for sexy underthings.

A few weeks back, my roommate Gina and I sat in our living room, chatting about life and drinking cheap red wine as had become our custom since we'd both broken up with our significant other, when she dropped the bomb: she had never been lingerie shopping.

I was aghast.

She named off her reasons: She was a tom boy at her core and didn’t know how to buy things like that. She was trying to live fairly simply and could certainly get by fine without lingerie. And most of all, she was simply too intimidated and afraid to go lingerie shopping.

“Oh Gina, you don’t even know what you’re missing,” I said. I vowed to take her out.

It was a while before we could find a time when our schedules coincided. When we finally set out on a drizzly Monday morning, I wouldn't let anything -- not mising keys, a flat tire, or a forgotten credit card -- get in our way.

We started with Haight Street’s best vintage and modern underthing outpost, Dollhouse Bettie . Gina was wide-eyed and nervous at first, but then became seduced by a purple babydoll slip. Soon her ooohhh’s and aaahhh’s and light fingertips on corners of fabric gave way to pulling hangers off the rack, and before she knew it, Gina had a dressing room stocked full of lingerie.

Photo from Dollhouse Bettie.

SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.

Today's Look: Jessica Lanyadoo, writer of Psychic Dream Astrology, 23rd Street and Valencia

Tell us about your look: "I dress according to my mood, always, and I believe in glasses."

By Steven T. Jones

Almost three years after La Contessa – an authentic Spanish galleon built on a bus for Burning Man by members of the Extra Action Marching Band – was deliberately burned to the ground by Nevada rancher Mike Stewart, the artists have filed a civil lawsuit seeking more than $900,000 in damages.
A 2007 Guardian cover story told the tale of this unique artwork, its colorful builders, and the man who admitted torching it. Stewart and his attorney claimed he had a right to destroy La Contessa because it had been left on property he purchased. “I was forced to clean it up,” Stewart told Washoe County Sheriff’s Deputy Tracy Bloom.
But the suit is based the federal Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990, which makes it illegal to destroy artwork even if it is no longer in the artist’s possession. “It’s right on point with the facts of this case,” attorney Paul Quade told the Guardian.

Stewart is a major landowner in the region around Gerlach, where Burning Man has been held since 1989 after it moved from San Francisco’s Baker Beach, and he has a history of battling both the organization and its attendees. Although Bloom considered the fire arson, he opted not to recommend criminal charges because he thought Steward lacked criminal intent. As he told us at the time, "Chances are this is something they will pursue civilly."

By Laura Peach

Old West meets Studio 54 retro with Pop Junkie's "Disco Roosters" Tee.

This week, we chatted up local master printmakers Aaron Feiger and Ashley Marcinczyk about the sugary sweet, super sexy San Francisco-inspired designs they’ll be pulling off the press in the next few weeks. Their whimsical T-shirts sprouted into screenprinting project Pop Junkie. The funky, fun tees and totes are popping up not only on the streets of our fair city, but also across the country and in fashion forward, graphic-obsessed Japan. Here’s what the design duo had to say about their work, life, and love of San Francisco style.

SFBG: So… what are you working on right now? Tell us about the new spring line you’re currently cultivating.

Aaron: This season we’ve done our own take on a Barberella theme. I watched it over and over as a kid—I was only 7 or 8 years old. Looking back I can’t believe my mom let me watch something with so many sexual references. We’re adding some geometric shapes into these designs too.

Ashley: I’m making some re-usable beer bags. Everyone’s out at Dolores Park brownbagging it, and I thought it would be great to have an attractive, eco-friendly option. Our homewares will be expanding: we’ll be making more pillows and bags, and coming out with some laser-cut candleholders.

SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.

Today's Look: Brandon, 21st Street and Guerrero

Tell us about your look: "I like to put on clothes. I get most of my clothes at thrift stores."

Editor's note: The Second Annual Poetry Luchador Battle of ALL of the Sexes on Valentines Day was a multi-generational, multi-lingual, multicultural ash-up of art, gender, poetry, wrestling, language, and theatre brought to you by the favorite revolutionary poets, media-makers, poverty scholars and cultural workers at POOR Magazine. As cosponsors of the event, we're proud to run the winning poem. We published the first-place winner in the paper this week -- here are the second- and third-place winners of the contest.

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Second place: "Queer Boi and his HIStory with Biological Males"

By Queer Boi aka William Romero

The first one

Bought me Suszy Q's, cherry cokes, and let me pick the Fantasy Five on Fridays.

He would wake up at 4 a.m. five days a week to go shine-up new cars so I wouldn't have to

He carried me asleep in his arms, up the stairs to our two-bedroom apartment

His actions spoke his affection

Especially on nights when he would blast Vicente Fernandez while

drinking his Budweiser

Doors slamming, vases flying, his screaming, my mother's crying

I'm not enough, was the feeling my seven-year-old lips sobbed onto my pillow

The second one

Made me lunches and fruit punch Kool-Aid during our summers at home alone

Beat the S-H-I-T out of any boys who made fun of me

And let me be Laserbeak to his Soundwave on our Cybertron

Unlike the one before him, whom we both called father, he let his

words speak to his affections

I would rather you be a criminal than turn out to be gay

I'm not enough was the thought that crept into my head as I fled home

By Juliette Tang

For the next three days, everything at the McSweeney's store will be marked at $1, $5, $10, or $15. If you weren't the type of person inclined to buy All Known Metal Bands, a book that "contains the names of over fifty thousand metal bands" for the lofty sum of $22, it's yours for the less lofty sum of $5, this week only. Baby Do My Banking, a "12-page vibrantly colored instructional board book is suitably scaled and captivating for parents and babies alike" is $3.50, and worth it at that price for all the hours you will save once you teach your toddler how to balance your checkbook and withdraw money for you from the ATM. Unfortunately, the sale does not extend to the combo subscription to The Believer, McSweeney's, and Wholephin. But it does include Michael Chabon, Nick Hornby, Art Spiegelman, Dave Eggers, and more, all at discount prices.

By Natalie Gregory

Some movies do not need to be so long. Ryosuke Hashiguchi’s All Around Us feels a little like that. One of the installments in this year’s San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, it’s mainly about a couple in the 1990s who aren’t all that in love, but come to care for one another. A few key things happen that guide the story: they have a baby who dies in infancy, which sparks a depression in Shoko, the wife. Kanao, the husband, gets a job as a courtroom sketch artist, witnessing the real life trials that occurred in the nineties. The crimes are bizarre and fucked up.

As far as representing the progression of a relationship, this film nails it. There’s a moment mid-way through the film where Shoko breaks down and expresses her frustration with Kanao’s inability to communicate. It’s a semi-climactic scene. Before this, they truly don’t communicate very much. At least not very well. Anyway, the argument ends with a better understanding between the two. Kanao says he wants to kiss her, but instead he wipes the snot from her face (she’s been crying). It’s actually pretty romantic. It feels like we are witnessing an intimate moment, something real and connected.

SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.

Today's Look: Janice, 19th Street and Valencia

Tell us about your look: "I dress for comfort, always."

SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.

Today's Look: Zoe, 18th Street and Valencia

Tell us about your look: "I wait for my friends to try out new looks and then I try them myself."

SFBG's Laura Peach rounds up local items and experiences to die for. See her last installment here.

As a girl, I would spend summers wandering through island woods at my grandparent’s house. I always loved the birch tree bark, and would peel pieces off the trees to make little dresses of white and pale pink for my dolls, always wishing that there was a big enough section of bark to create a skirt my size.

Although I was never able to wear the wood of my childhood, recently I’ve been on the lookout for ways to bring the forest alive in my everyday urban home life. Here are a few of my favorite finds, wooden through and through. They just may bring out a different type of tree hugger in you.

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1. Wooden Wallet

A real slab of wood is not the best thing to have in your pocket. No one wants slivers in their behind. But the thoughtful, science geek designers at San Francisco’s Hlaska were enamored by the beauty and grace of wood grain. They reproduced the patterns found in a real pine tree onto Italian leather for their Evergreen wallet ($125).

Hlaska, 2033 Fillmore, SF. (415) 440-1999, www.hlaska.com

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2. Log Life

This watering can ($16) is the sweetest stump I’ve ever seen. Hydrate thirsty plants using the log pitcher and they may be inspired to grow grander and greener. Made from recycled plastic, so no trees were harmed and you can hold the branch handle guilt free. Oh, it also makes for a nifty vase.

Doe SF, 629 A Haight, SF. (415) 558-8588, www.doe-sf.com

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3. Pink Poison

The bright, bold berries bursting off the black branch on this t-shirt ($28) are supposedly poisonous. But such a pretty pink color makes them hard to resist. I might be tempted to pop one in my mouth.
Designed by San Francisco contemporary art golden boyTucker Nichols exclusively for Richmond’s hippest object/art/book shop Park Life, this berried branch shirt is a catchy closet addition for sure.

Park Life, 220 Clement, SF. (415) 386-7275, www.parklifestore.com

By Virginia Miller

Chocolate time! See "events" below

As long-time San Francisco resident and writer, I'm passionate about this city and obsessed with finding and exploring its best food-and-drink spots, deals, events and news, in every neighborhood and cuisine. I started with my own service and monthly food/drink/travel newsletter, The Perfect Spot, and am thrilled to share up-to-the minute news with you from the endless goings-on in our fair city. View the last installment of Appetite here

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NEW RESTAURANT & CAFE OPENINGS

Caffeinated Comics, the breakfast of champions
Four Barrel coffee, free wi-fi, comic books and donuts? Could this possibly all be in one place? It is now with Caffeinated Comics, SF's first comic book/coffee shop rolled into one. The Outer Mission shop is a bright red, orange and yellow space where you can sift through superhero memorabilia or check out DC or Marvel's latest comic books, all while sipping a high-quality espresso. (Note: there's also affogatos using neighbor, Mitchell's, legendary ice cream). CaffCom's applied for green certification with green lighting, building materials and energy efficient freezers and fridges. Holy caffeinated geekdom, Batman.
Caffeinated Comics
Weekdays 7am-6pm
Weekends 9:30am-5pm
3188 Mission Street
415-829-7530
www.caffcom.com

Livin' La Dolce Vita at Pizzanostra
Jocelyn Bulow of the Chez Papa and Chez Maman restaurant group and Italian chef, Giovanni Aginolfi (who was cooking pizzas in Nice, France, prior to coming to SF), join forces for a new pizzeria/osteria on Potrero Hill called Pizzanostra. Aginolfi placed sixth in the World Pizza Championship and now we can get 'em right here. There are two themes to this restaurant: a pizzeria serving Aginolfi's famed pies, and an osteria with a menu of antipasti, foccacias, salumi, pastas, gelatos and Italian wines. The outdoor sidewalk terrace will be a huge hit on sunny days for filling up on bruschetta topped with eggplant, prosciutto, mozerella and tomato, a salad of celery hearts and fennel, or pizzas covered in lamb sausage and egg or clams and prawns. This is la dolce vita realized.
Pizzanostra
300 De Haro Street
415-558-9493
www.pizzanostrasf.com

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EVENTS

March 17: Screening and Iyemon Cha Tea Reception as part of the Asian American Film Fest
Asian film screening and tea tasting sound good? Iyemon Cha is a one-of-a-kind organic bottled green tea made at the historic Fukujuen tea house in Kyoto, Japan. Only recently available in our city, the tea and complimentary appetizers will be served at an exclusive pre-screening reception you have to sign up for online. At the reception you'll meet the director, Dave Boyle, and cast of that night's film, "White on Rice." Consider it a culturally fun education in tea and Asian film.
5:30pm reception at Bar Bistro; 6:45pm Film Screening
Free for pre-screening reception but must register on website ahead of time
Film screening, $10: www.festival.asianamericanmedia.org/2009.
Sundance Kabuki Theatre
1881 Post Street
www.iyemonchaevents.com

SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.

Today's Look: Charlotte, 18th Street and Valencia

Tell us about your look: "My friends call me a trendsetter."

Quaintly nestled in San Francisco's dreamy Bernal Heights district at 827 Cortland Avenue, Ladita is a darling little eco-boutique in that could be described as "similar to Anthropologie, but much better for the environment." Even for someone whose overtly girly side is as repressed as mine, it will prove impossible to resist Ladita's quiet charm. On my visit, scented (soy) candles bouqueted the store with the abstract but pleasant aroma of wildflowers, the soft, fuzzy sound of old folk LPs purred on the vintage record player and, in an almost suspiciously perfect touch, a lazy cat (the owner's pet) napped under the cash register in a swath of warm afternoon sun. If a shopping experience could be distilled to a soothing cup of tea, this would be it.

There is no shortage of the lovely and the whimsical at Ladita, but Christine, the owner, is also a practical businesswoman, and her store is stocked with crowd-pleasing brands like James Jeans and Ella Moss, which complement more specific, eco-oriented labels like Stewart + Brown, Taxi CDC, and Sworn Virgins. Ladita offers a comprehensive and well-edited baby department, which includes Kicky Pants and Speecees, both favorites with eco-leaning moms and dads, as well as Erbaviva, a wonderful line of bath and body products for babies and moms-to-be.

By Steven T. Jones, aka Scribe

Burning Man is more than an annual event popular with San Franciscans: it is a year-round culture, one that really comes into season right around now as the art projects take shape and the myriad theme camps starting fundraising. And recently, there have been some fun and inspiring manifestations of this festive season.

Opulent Temple, Burning Man’s biggest and most enduring large-scale sound camp (and my former camp), threw a massive March 6 fundraiser in a Treasure Island warehouse, featuring legendary DJ Carl Cox (and a long list of other spinners) and mind-blowing art pieces by the Flaming Lotus Girls and Peter Hudson. The NBC news clip above insightfully focuses on how the Bay Area’s art communities help each other during hard economic times.

Then last week, there was the benefit party for Hollis Hawthorne, a friend of the Guardian and Burning Man families who is in coma. The event at Slim’s turned out a wide range of talented acts and community-minded burners that raised a staggering amount of money for a one-night event to bring Hollis home to the Bay Area.

The Burning Man story itself came to the stage in San Francisco in January as “A Burning Opera: How to Survive the Apocalypse,” and after receiving critical acclaim for this talented production’s limited engagement, the crew will hold two fundraisers this week to stage another run: Wednesday at the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence “Burning Bingo” event and this Saturday evening at Café Flore.
There’s also the release of a film about the event, “Dust & Illusions” (an early version of which I reviewed here) by Oliver Bonin (who was embedded with the Flaming Lotus Girls at the same time I was). Among other showings is one at Chicken John’s place on March 28.
Meanwhile, the company that stages Burning Man, Black Rock LLC, is about to be homeless. That well-entrenched crew is getting bounced out of its Third Street headquarters to make way for a massive new UC hospital on the Mission Bay site. Word is they’re still looking for the right digs and only have until next month to find them.

LOCAL ARTIST Renée Gertler

TITLE Instability collapses (gold leaf, acrylic paint, expandable foam, bass wood; 17 by 11 inches)

THE STORY "Modality Room" muses on the magnitude of nothingness, black holes, wormholes, and outer space. Building from the impossibility of fully understanding such complex concepts, Gertler constructs a domestic setting as the environment in which to explore these mysteries.

BIO Gertler was born in Santa Barbara and currently lives and works in San Francisco. She received her MFA from California College of the Arts in 2007. She is participating in upcoming group shows at Ping Pong Gallery and Southern Exposure.

SHOW "Modality Room," Sat/21 (reception Sat/21, 7–10pm) through April 17. Sat.–Mon., noon–5 p.m.; first Fridays, 7–10 p.m. Blank Space, 2208 San Pablo, Oakl. (510) 547-6608. www.blankspacegallery.com.

WEB www.web.mac.com/reneegertler

By the ravenous Guardian Staff

(1) Chicken noodle pho, Sunflower, SF

(2) Kshocolat Little Black Boxes: dark chocolate mintettes and milk chocolate black currants

(3) Fish tacos with mango salsa

(4) Lamb stew, salad, and injera, Club Waziema, SF

(5) Pumpkin pancakes, Fat Apple's, Berk.

SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.

Today's Look: Kenya, 19th Street and Guerrero

Tell us about your look: "No comment."

By Laura Peach

Harputs has been keeping San Franciscans sneakered for three decades, and they are celebrating their anniversary (while doing quite the spring cleaning project) by selling off most of the store’s stock for $30. Yes, three 10-dollar bills can get you a pair of cherry red Adidas Powerphase high tops, sky blue Superstar shelltoes, or my favorite pair in the store: emerald green suede tennis classics.

Several of the pairs in the shop are one of a kind and hard to find. The top shelves of Harputs are lined with priceless vintage sneaks—not for sale. Glass cases keep the most prized (and pricey!) kicks from harm. The cased sneakers can cost upwards of $8000, like the ones that superstar designer Jeremy Scott teamed up with Adidas to create. If designer faux animal print and glitter are not your footwear fetish, though, the rainbow of bright colors that define several of the styles will add a happy splash of lighthearted fun to your winter wardrobe and skip you right into spring. Classic styles will let you set your right foot forward.

SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.

Today's Look: Anna (and Kona), 20th Street and Valencia

Tell us about your look: "I always dress to be comfortable and by my mood. Sometimes it's jeans, sometimes it's a mini skirt ... and some days it's a clown suit."

Juliette Tang shouts out to local bloggers. Read her last installment here.

I die. This is so cute that I'm literally having a heart attack on the floor right now. Someone call an ambulance.

The confection you see above is called a bento, which Wikipedia defines as "home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine... Bento can be very elaborately arranged... often decorated to look like people, animals, or characters and items such as flowers and plants." It's also the handiwork of Biggie, a San Francisco work-at-home mother to a 4-year-old pre-schooler, the envy-inducing devourer of her beautiful bento lunches.

Biggie writes about her adventures in bento boxing on the blog, Lunch in a Box, which has caused me to question the extent of my own mother's devotion to me during my childhood years, as my lunches consisted of a brown-bagged cheese sandwich and a bag of Wise chips. What Biggie's son gets, instead, are heart-shaped onigiri (rice balls flavored with salt) dyed with Hula Hana Ebi shrimp powder and decorated with little hearts made out of soy wrappers and nori seaweed. Biggie reveals on her FAQ page that her son is attending a Japanese immersion school here in San Francisco, where beautiful bento boxes are the norm. I have a word of advice to Biggie: keep your son in Japanese immersion programs for the rest of his life, or he'll hit the 5th grade and realize he wants to be just like everyone else, demanding a ham sandwich, some Ritz crackers, and a packet of Gushers, washed down with a Capri-Sun, because Peter the culturally insensitive ADHD creature from Health called him a bad name for eating his mom's lovely edible hearts. Avoid the untimely and callous intrusion of a mainstream culture taught to distrust the poignant cuteness in things!

Say it ain't so! Oakland's Parkway Theater announced this week that its doors will close Sunday, March 22. According to the theater's web site:

"After more than twelve years of serving the great cultural crossroad of Oakland, the Parkway Speakeasy Theater will be closing at the end of business day, Sunday March 22, 2009.

From African Diaspora to Thrillville to lesbian fashion shows and educational porn, the Parkway has offered an eclectic array of movies and events. It was the first theater in California to offer food, beer and wine service in a lounge style movie theater. With a nudge or a push from the community, there was little programming the Parkway theater would not try in order to better be a community center and a safe haven for diverse ideas. The Parkway brought Baby Brigade for the shuttered and abandoned parents of newborns, the first international black gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender film festival and Sunday Salon, a free event for cultural and community enhancement. We, at the Parkway Speakeasy Theater, are deeply proud of the Parkway and will profoundly miss serving its community. Thank you for your patronage."

Fortunately, all is not entirely lost -- the Parkway owners still have their Cerrito Speakeasy Theater, which, like the Parkway, has beer and pizza (and sandwiches with cheeky names: "The Zombie Cow," anyone?) on the menu, along with new films and special events, including the ever-cool monthly B-movie celebration, Thrillville. It's also very BART-friendly -- literally just a handful of blocks and a Bed, Bath, and Beyond parking lot's length from the station.

The Parkway closes down with a trio of standout films from 2008: The Wrester, Revolutionary Road, and Let the Right One In (your choice -- five bucks!), plus a movie about Lucha Libre that looks pretty unmissable (seven bucks for this one). Head over and show your support Sun/22, or hit up the Cerrito in the coming months to make sure it keeps unspoolin' films and pourin' pitchers of PBR.

By Virginia Miller

A delicious-looking dish at Midi. See "Openings" below.

As long-time San Francisco resident and writer, I'm passionate about this city and obsessed with exploring its best food-and-drink spots, deals, events and news, in every neighborhood and cuisine type. I have my own personalized itinerary service and monthly food/drink/travel newsletter, The Perfect Spot, and am thrilled to share up-to-the minute news with you from the endless goings-on in our fair city each week on SFBG. View the last Appetite installment here.

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NEW RESTAURANT AND BAR OPENINGS

Whew! There are a slew of openings this week. Here's a rundown of four and stay tuned for many more ...

Missionites' new all-day cafe-wine bar-resto combo: The Corner
Weird Fish, the Mission's quirky, sustainable seafood joint, debuted a sister spot next door last week, The Corner, which should begin all day hours this week. Seeking to be all things to all people, it's a cafe with wifi and Four Barrel coffee in the am, BLT Paninis at lunch, and at night, DJs, unique wines by the glass and dishes like duck and medjool dates or fennel-crusted pork chops.
2199 Mission, SF.
415-932-6939

Mission take two: Morak Lounge, a new Moroccan hookah bar
Sixteenth and Valencia has no lack of global eating options, all within a couple block radius. What it hasn't had up till now is a chic, Marrakech-style lounge where you can smoke a double-apple flavored hookah while sampling Middle Eastern bites (the usual: hummus, baba ghanoush, skewers) or Cardamom-infused martinis. Enter Morak Lounge. Behind bronze doors, bright curtains and comfy cushions equal a sultry space to linger and puff away long into the night (open until big city hours of 3am on weekends).
3126 16th St., SF
415-626-5523

Midi: FiDi's new French Asian restaurant
Joie de Vivre luxury hotels debuted a new restaurant this past weekend, open for lunch and dinner with a downstairs bar open all day for the Financial District set. Midi, with Chef Michelle Mah of Ponzu at the helm, has been in the works for two years but is finally open in the former Perry's space. The French Asian fare reinvents classics like duck leg confit with a ginger-rhubarb jus, with Euro-Asian offerings from Hawaiian kampachi crudo to pork rillettes with Dijon mustard. It all goes down nicely post-work (or during a lunch break) with a Lavender French 75 cocktail or with one of seven craft beers or 15 wines by the glass.
185 Sutter Street
415-835-6400
www.midisanfrancisco.com

SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.

Today's Look: Andrea, McAllister and Van Ness

Tell us about your look: "I always buy cheap clothes, but I try to make sure they're unique."

By Natalie Gregory

Cruise Inc: Big Money on the High Seas -- CNBC’s new documentary about the $30 billion cruise industry -- certainly illustrates how arduous it can be to make people drink constantly. Cruise ships are like floating consumption carriers. From what I understand, they offer decent deals on the rooms. Then you enter the ship, and they bombard you with casinos, shops, and overpriced restaurants because you’re trapped. It’s like being in an airport with a pool and more children getting in your way.

There's got to be a morning after...

In the doc, Peter Greenberg investigates the business model specifically on the Norwegian Pearl of Norwegian Cruise Line. He examines day-to-day operations and tries to hone in on the cost of both consumer and cruise line. The overall point Greenberg is after is whether or not this type of vacation is more economically viable during a recession. That, or whether the industry is headed for disaster because of economic downturns. While cruise lines sell on the idea of consumer choice, at the end of the day, you’re stuck on a boat. Sure you get off at ports. But then they herd you off to spend more money on local tours. But that’s just me. Either way, Cruise Inc. offers an interesting look at the travel industry and the billions of dollars at stake in it.

Cruise Inc. airs Tues/24 at 9 p.m. on CNBC.

Check CNBC's website for repeats.

Diana Dunkelberger gets the scoop on yummy local edibles. View her last installment here.

I haven’t yet had the pleasure of meeting the 20-something pastry chefs who left Café Gratitude to found Coracao Confections, a raw chocolate company based in Emeryville. But I imagine, based on their bubblingly exuberant website, that Matthew Rogers and Daniel Korson are a little bit like younger, hipper versions of Willy Wonka, the twinkly-eyed chocolatier from Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

“We LOVE good food and good chocolate!” Matthew and Daniel exclaim in the secret section of their site, where they chronicle their long love affair with all foods raw. “We became inspired to eat more RAW, MINERAL RICH foods after experiencing the clarity and energy it brought us first-hand,” they explain. “After about five years of working in the raw food industry, reading books, taking classes, teaching classes, going to cutting edge, raw superfood seminars, and TONS of experimenting we finally hit the JACKPOT and developed our line of signature chocolates.”

SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.

Today's Look: Wallace, Laguna and Hayes

Tell us about your look: "Wallace Berman is my fashion inspiration."

By Natalie Gregory

Editor's note: Twilight is now available On Demand and on DVD. Even if you haven't read the books, and even if you avoided the theatrical release, you might still be powerless. Read on...

I’m just going to come out and say it. I liked Twilight (2008). I liked it so much I can’t wait to go home and watch it again before it expires in my On Demand. I have come to the conclusion that I must be a 14-year-old girl. I was consumed by the whole lusty, breathy, forbidden teenage love affair of the century. So he’s a vampire. And he wants nothing more than to suck her dry. The very first moment she enters the room, he looks like he is going to vomit with lust. They don’t really explain the attraction between the two, except that she is delicate and reflective, he is beautiful and powerful, and he can’t read her mind like he does everyone else. No matter. They are drawn to one another. This is probably explanation enough. The actors are so good-looking you forget to ask questions. Why ruin it?

As far as sexual tension goes….nailed it! The scene that really did it for me (and probably millions of my fellow mental and literal 14-year-olds) is when he attempts to kiss her. He instructs her to be very still. He moves in ever so slowly. They kiss. But the excitement forces him back against the wall in restraint. Right then it hit me: they are only going to be able to keep this abstinence thing going for so long. The audience will consummate for them if they can’t do the job. Congratulations Summit Entertainment. I am now invested in the fate of the Twilight series. Hats off to the casting directors.

By the peckish Guardian staff

(1) Michelle Obama's creamless creamed spinach

(2) Sonoma duck breast and ginger milk caramel ice cream, bushi-tei, SF

(3) 2005 Chateau La Paws Cote du Bone Roan

(4) Power lunch, Luce, SF

(5) Mint tea, SF Zen Center

LOCAL ARTIST Todd Sanchioni

TITLE Laos Rockers

THE STORY Sanchioni traveled throughout Laos recording musicians and taking portraits with a Mamiya 6 by 7 and a 35mm camera. Visitors can listen to a portable CD player or download and listen to a podcast while at the resulting show of work.

SHOW "The Changing Face of Laos Through its Music," through April 18. Call for an appointment to guarantee viewing. Reception: Thurs/26, 6–10 p.m. Artists' Television Access, 992 Valenica, S.F. 415- 824-3890. www.atasite.org.

WEB www.fotosanchioni.com

SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.

Today's Look: Aisha, Civic Center

Tell us about your look: "I made this dress from material I bought in Ghana. This is an everyday sort of dress they would wear in Ghana."

Warning, San Franciscans, we've just received word of an imminent zombie attack! This is not a drill, I repeat, THIS IS NOT A DRILL! Guardian intelligence operatives tell us the attack should begin around 4 p.m. in the vicinity of Market and 5th streets. Humans, hide your children or show up with your cameras. Zombies, prepare to eat some brains!

By Juliette Tang and Laura Peach

San Francisco’s fashion scene is vibrantly alive. In our city, you can find almost any garment you want, whether it be a new pair of yoga pants or some crushed velvet medieval slippers, straight out of the studio of a local designer. We love supporting local culture, and we love that there are so many talented designers out there contributing to the melting pot that is San Francisco style.

Besides those we featured in this week's Spring Fashion Issue, we want to give some shout outs to 50 designers who’ve been on our radar lately. These individuals each have a unique approach to fashion, but together, they contribute to the vast diversity and uniqueness of our distinctly San Franciscan fashion culture.

Distilled Clothing

MEN
1. Printed playful hoodies: Gama-Go
2. Fashionable urban dandywear: Nice Collective
3. Hip-hop flavored urban streetwear: Upper Playground
4. Sexy undies for men: Diane Kirkland of DMK
5. Clothes for art/fashion rockstars: Shotwell
6. Loud and colorful nu rave hoods: Official Tourist
7. Casual daytime menswear: Artificial Flavor
8. Tongue-in-cheek geek chic: Distilled

David Enos is a man of many talents: artist, musician, moviemaker. He recently had a show of art at [2nd floor projects], he's made a lot of great comic books in the last few years, he did the covers (vinyl and CD) for the new album by the group he's in, Papercuts. And now, Mr. Enos the director steps behind and in front of the camera once again to add a small chapter to a filmography that includes animated portraits of Jim Morrison, Dennis Wilson, and Leonard Cohen.

His latest effort adds a personalized twist to the great Damon Packard's flair for making movies that are previews. Witness Enos as the handsome caped romantic lead of Janus A.D., "an entirely different motion picture experience."

SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.

Today's Look: Stefanie, Market and Hyde

Tell us about your look: "I love mixing old vintage pieces with new clothes."

By Ariel Soto. For more chocolate love (tis the season?) on Pixel Vision, click here.

Chocoholics swarmed Herbst Pavilion March 21st for the 3rd Annual San Francisco International Chocolate Salon at Fort Mason. One had to have sharp elbows and quick maneuvering tactics to get to the tables piled high with samples with everything for durian fruit truffles to, my favorite, locally made chocolate covered Brazilian Honey Cakes by Kika's Treats. There were also chocolate flavored liquors and Omnivore Books, a bookstore specifically dedicated to books on food and drink. Something for everyone -- and I left shaking from so much caffeine and chocolate goodness running through my veins, my fingers sticky and stained a rich, luscious color.

By Natalie Gregory

(Editor's note: intrepid film intern Gregory reviews a pair of upcoming Comedy Central shows.)

Lt. Dangle protects and serves.

Reno 911!, how come you’re so good? The upcoming sixth season looks pretty spectacular. When Jonah Hill is the guess star of the premiere episode, I think it’s an omen for good things to come. There are some new members of the troop, including Deputy Frank Rizzo (Jo Lo Truglio, who you might remember from Superbad) who has a stocked resume, but no recommendations. A stakeout explains why (think drug busts and prostitutes). New officer Sergeant Jack Declan (Ian Roberts) has a hilarious scene coding out a street kids’ lingo for the happenings on the street. Nick Swardson fans, prepare to laugh out loud in that scene. And of course there’s always Lieutenant Dangle (Thomas Lennon) who utters “Goddamnit!” better than anyone in the world. Side note: it’s always nice to see veterans of The State doing well, even if I still miss “I’m Doug. And I’m outta heeeeeerrre”. When's The State DVD release gonna happen, already?

SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.

Today's Look: Tadesse, Gough and Hayes

Tell us about your look: "I'm a ballet dancer, so I don't have much time to think about what I'm putting on -- but I always try to keep it colorful."

By Louis Peitzman

Though she’s probably best known for playing Tara on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Amber Benson has kept busy since her three-season stint on the series. A screenwriter, director, and author, she recently released her first solo novel. The first in a trilogy, Death’s Daughter follows Calliope Reaper-Jones as she’s forced to take over for her father (that would be Death) while trying to locate his whereabouts. I spoke to Amber about the origins of the story, her mythologist ambitions, and the future of the series.

San Francisco Bay Guardian: My first question is sort of the obvious one — where did these ideas come from?

Amber Benson: You know, I hadn’t really read a lot of paranormal romance, and then I read Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse series, and I was like, this is an awesome genre. I really like it, the paranormal romance-slash-urban fantasy world. And I thought I’d like to try something in that vein. Until then, I’d written mostly horror with a Victorian slant to it, so I started just trying to come up with ideas for something in that genre. And then I was like, well, I love mythology, I love American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Maybe there’s a way to incorporate this mythological sort of context to the paranormal romance. That’s when I came up with the idea of Death’s Daughter. What would happen if death was run like a corporation, and the daughter of Death had to come and take it over because her dad was missing, and she didn’t want any part of it? I guess that’s where the idea came from: working all these things that I liked into a genre I was curious about.

SFBG: So did you end up doing any research, or was this all mythology you were already familiar with?

SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.

Today's look: Jocelyn, Hayes and Laguna

Tell us about your look: "As long as you have one robust color on, you can wear all black and you'll be golden."

By Louis Peitzman

Editor's note: See below or click here for part one!

San Francisco Bay Guardian: When you were writing Death’s Daughter, did you think about casting any of the characters?

Benson as Tara on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Amber Benson: It’s funny — somebody asked me about that recently, and I was like, I’d love to play [Calliope] myself. But I don’t know, I try not to give actors to the characters when I’m writing, because then, all of a sudden, they’re talking in that person’s voice, and it gets a little muted and weird. So I try to keep them separate, and give them their own sort of — like, I have an idea of what they look like in my head. Like, I always thought Calliope looked like Zooey Deschanel, but less hip. But definitely that elfin sort of look. Also, the character of Jarvis, I did cast, only because I worked with this guy named Ashley Artus on this film called Gryphon, and I’m like, that’s what Jarvis looks like. Jarvis looks like Ashley and sounds like Ashley and is kind of just like Ashley.

SFBG: This was your first solo novel. How was it different writing by yourself instead of with a collaborator?

SFBG photog Ariel Soto scoops SF street fashion. See the previous Look of the Day here.

Today's Look: Sam, 26th and Castro

A note from Ariel: "Sam doesn't know I'm submitting this -- but he's just so darling, I had to!"

By Virginia Miller

The Cosmopolitan on Spear Street. See "Deals" below.

As long-time San Francisco resident and writer, I'm passionate about this city and obsessed with exploring its best food-and-drink spots, deals, events and news, in every neighborhood and cuisine type. I have my own personalized itinerary service and monthly food/drink/travel newsletter, The Perfect Spot, and am thrilled to share up-to-the minute news with you from the endless goings-on in our fair city each week on SFBG. View the last Appetite installment here.

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NEW RESTAURANT and BAR OPENINGS

Awesome sandwiches out of a Dogpatch garage at Kitchenette
Debuting less than two weeks ago out of warehouse in Dogpatch is Kitchenette, a project from chefs who've worked at places of such high caliber as Incanto, Chez Panisse and Foreign Cinema, creating daily offerings that are, you guessed it: fresh and seasonal. Check the website for the changing menu which usually consists of a meat and vegetarian sandwiches (occasionally pizza), a salad, fresh juice and cookie. Last week I was converted by the fabulous Bahn Mi-like sandwich of beer & tangerine roasted Berkshire pork ($8) with cilantro, jalapeno, cabbage plus a side of macaroni salad. Washed down with a tart Meyer lemon, tangerine, blood orange juice ($2), I was already planning my next visit. Bring your cash (no other option) and come early because once their daily creations of lunchtime goodness are gone, well... they're gone.
Monday-Friday, 11:30am-1:30pm or until food runs out
958 Illinois Street (in the American Industrial Center)
www.kitchenettesf.com

Fine dining made more affordable at La Folie's Lounge
San Fran's 21-year old French fine dining mecca, La Folie, may not be cheap even in lounge form, but if I don't have to pay $70 to $105 for the only option of tasting menus in the dining room, I can still make a night of it ordering a la carte in the next door lounge, opening March 31 during their 21st birthday party. You can now eat as little or as much as you wish of the Michelin-starred food given a lounge-twist (think Lobster Croque Monsieurs), cocktail in hand (note: the bar is helmed by Casper Rice of Michael Mina and Rubicon).
2316 Polk Street
415-776-5577
www.lafolie.com

Cafe Altano, a casual, new restaurant in Hayes Valley
Hayes (Valley, that is) is home to a regular foodie row with primo sushi, German food, coffee and chocolate within a couple blocks. Cafe Altano is a humble entry into to the 'hood, a corner Med-Italian eatery taking over the Modern Tea space (R.I.P.) With pizzas, pastas, mussels, paninis and beers, it sounds like a relaxing late afternoon spot to chill, sitting at the copper bar, communal or sidewalk tables.
602 Hayes Street
415-252-1200

LOCAL ARTIST Dean Smith

TITLE thought form #13a, 2008, graphite on paper, 24 by 17.8 inches

THE STORY "Revisiting the 1905 spiritualist book Thought Forms by Annie Besant and Charles Leadbeater, I present an updated group of visual thought forms. Composed primarily of graphite on paper, this precise and deliberate series is rooted in my interest in scientific illustration and the concomitant aesthetics of wonder: an old and constant human impulse to render the invisible visible."

BIO Smith lives and works in the East Bay. His work has been collected by the British Museum, L.A. County Museum of Art, the Albright-Knox Gallery of Art, the UCLA Hammer Museum, and the Berkeley Art Museum, among other public collections.

SHOW "thought forms 2003-2009," Wed/1 through April 25 (reception Thu/2, 6–8 p.m.). Tues.–Fri., 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Gallery Paule Anglim, 14 Geary, SF. (415) 423-2710.

WEB www.deansmith.us

By the peckish Guardian staff

(1) Assorted canapes, Secret Garden, SF

(2) Pik-khing bpet, Basil Canteen, SF

(3) 2004 Castle Rock merlot

(4) Lamb brioche with flageolets, L'Ardoise, SF

(5) Chongga kimchi

By Johnny Ray Huston

Steve McQueen's Hunger brings the story of Bobby Sands to the movie screen. As far as directorial debuts go, McQueen's is a prodigious, visceral one. While a lot of filmmakers try to create Hitchcock-style suspense movies, in Hunger, McQueen goes deeper than those surface concerns to deliver the type of formal daredevilry and structural experimentation worthy of Hitch. He revives the bio drama genre -- more specifically, the political bio drama -- with a story of one man starving to death. I spoke on the phone with the Turner Prize-winning artist in January about Hunger and topics ranging from his Queen and Country project (Royal Mail stamps depicting recently deceased UK soldiers) to the 1982 Wimbledon final.

SFBG What is the status of Queen and Country at the moment?
Steve McQueen The Art Fund in England has supported the project, and aligned with me and the relatives. It’s a process. People have to be convinced. I spoke to Gordon Brown a couple of months ago, and he wrote back and is looking into the logistics. It’s something I don’t want to let go of until we get it done.

Steve McQueen photographed by his Queen and Country art project

SFBG It seems there has been a heightened back and forth between the UK art world and feature film, with you and Douglas Gordon, or going back further, people such as Isaac Julien. And also there are filmmakers such as Gus Van Sant, David Lynch, and Michel Gondry, who have had gallery-related projects. By extension, considering you’ve made short works in the art world, I wondered what drew you to want to make a feature for commercial theatres.
SM I can’t answer the question as far as other people are concerned, I can answer simply for me. When I was in art school I wanted to be in film school, and when I was in film school, I wanted to be in art school. I was in NYU for three months but I hated it and left because they wouldn’t allow me to throw a camera up in the air. I went back to London to continue where I’d left off there, within an art context.
That back and forth has always been happening, though. It isn’t exclusive to now. Obviously there’s Warhol and Man Ray. And Ken Russell and so forth.

SFBG I’m glad you bring up Ken Russell -- the descriptions I’ve read of [McQueen's 1993 short film] Bear remind me of the wrestling scene in Women in Love.
SM I never saw it. I saw Tommy.

Still from Steve McQueen's Bear

SFBG For whatever reason, though, publications such as Artforum have really shifted their emphasis more to film and film-related art in recent years.
SM Feature film is more populist in its content and approach – it reaches more people. The net gets cast broader or wider year after year within the arts.
Also, film has a certain glamour and appeal to the mass public, and if you can cross over, then people love you even more.