Posts Tagged ‘coffee’

Inaugural NoPA Velo a Huge Success – Monthly Bike Ride Kicks Off With Patty Hearst Theme

Monday, February 1st, 2010

Bike NOPA organized a successful bicycle ride yesterday – join them on the last weekend of the month, why don’t you? They’ll always start and end in the North of Panhandle Area, conveniently located just west of the EaPA .

Organizer Lenore is Patty Hearst:

She matches up well with this awesome WANTED poster, anyway. (Warning: Photoshop just might have been used here, albeit more skillfully than what you can see in similar materials from Mayor Gavin Newsom’s inchoate gubernatorial campaign.)

But let’s start at the beginning, at the ridiculously popular Central Cofee Tea and Spice at the corner of Central and Hayes. Owner Ali was impressed with the early-morning turnout:

40+ cyclists began the trek:

It almost looked like Critical Mass, that monthly illegal bicycle parade, except that NoPA Velo riders actually stop at red lights to let cross-traffic through. And that makes all the difference…

And then the handsome crowd…

…went up the hill to visit the secure undisclosed location where Patty Hearst’s kidnappers* kept her in a closet on Golden Gate Avenue in the NoPA:

Off the riders go, through Golden Gate Park and on up to the Presidio to hear of recent developments from Ranger Dale:

And then it was over to Jannah on bustling Fulton for an apres-velo lunchtime bite.

See you on the next ride!

*Patty Hearst Shaw managed to get pardoned by two different U.S. Presidents. Here she is, just after the second pardon, on the Larry King pwning local attorney Stuart Hanlon:

“KING: People not happy with your pardon, Stuart Hanlon, the defense lawyer for the former SLA fugitive Kathy Soliah, now known as Sara Jane Olson.

HEARST: What a surprise. He’s also my kidnapper’s lawyer, too.”

Pwned.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in bikes | 2 Comments »

Cal Academy Goes Coffee Crazy – Tomorrow’s NightLife to Feature Ritual, Four Barrel and Blue Bottle

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

The people behind the popular NightLife program at our California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park know that you kids (21 and over) just love your coffee. So tomorrow’s NightLife will be heavily caffeinated:

THE GREAT SAN FRANCISCO COFFEE TASTING

“Coffee should be black as Hell, strong as death, and sweet as love” – Turkish Proverb

This week’s piping-hot party features a coffee (and tea) tasting with an opportunity to learn more about the science of coffee and how it can be harvested and produced sustainably. Some of the Bay Area”s finest local producers, including Blue Bottle, Ritual Roasters, Equator Coffee, Barefoot Coffee, Om Shan Tea, Samovar and Four Barrel Coffee are participating.

NightLife @ The California Academy of Science w/ Coffee tasting and music by Future Universal 

time: Thursday, January 21st, 6pm – 10pm
location: California Academy of Sciences
admission: Tickets are $12 ($10 for Academy members)

You’ll get so hepped up that you’ll just want to dance, dance, dance the night away in the atrium

All the deets. See you there!

FUTURE UNIVERSAL DJs

This week is Future Universal’s much anticipated return to NightLife. They are a collective of seasoned electronica DJs, artists, and promoters based in San Francisco. Focusing on exposing local talent to the world, it acts not only as an event production company, but also a talent agency. Working with local venues and groups, FU’s produced events include Super Ego, Bump, Robotronika and more.

Future Universal DJs on the Main Floor:
Sarah Delush
KidHack
Mario Muse
Matt Haegan

Future Universal DJs in the Aquarium:
Kirin Rider
PETE

Age 21 and over, with valid ID. Tickets are available online or at the door. General $12, Members $10.

Upcoming Installments:

1/28: Music by Aaron Pope and Expedition Medicine with Dr. Matt Lewin

2/4: Music from OM Records’ J-Boogie and Fred Everything and the Insect Discovery Lab

Become a fan of NightLife. Share your comments and experiences and get the latest updates.
Check out our Facebook page

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in museums | No Comments »

NightLife at the Academy of Sciences – Thursdays Starting at 6:00PM, Free on Your Birthday!

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

The popular NightLife program at our California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park is back for 2010, starting tonight at 6:00 PM. 

This is what it looks like.

What’s new for 2010?  

-Special V.I.P. tickets for $59 each.

-Free entry on the Thursday night closest to your birthday! (This special deal starts up February 4, 2010)

All the deets are below.

You can mingle with people on the dance floor…

Click to expand

…or with the animals in the rainforest dome:

via Alumroot

Or go downstairs with your drink and attract a predator or two:

See you there!

WEEKLY “NIGHTLIFE” EVENTS AT THE CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES RE-LAUNCH FOR 2010 ON JANUARY 14
Every Thursday, visitors ages 21+ can experience the museum at night
Exciting new programming, VIP Tours, and resident DJs are part of 2010 lineup
 
NightLife, the California Academy of Sciences’ popular evening event series, returns in 2010 with an exciting new programming lineup, resident DJs, VIP Tours, and a new birthday promotion.  Every Thursday night, the Academy transforms into a lively venue filled with provocative science, music, mingling, and cocktails, as visitors ages 21 and up get a chance to explore the museum from 6-10pm. Tonight, NightLife’s 2010 lineup begins with performances by The Un-scripted Theater Company, and music by accomplished DJ and producer Michael Anthony.
 
What’s New?
Programming details for each week are available at www.calacademy.org/events/nightlife. Highlights in the upcoming three months include:

January 21: The Great San Francisco Coffee Tasting, with music by Future Universal DJ Collective. Sample the wares of local sustainable coffee roasters including Blue Bottle, Ritual Roasters, Equator Coffee, Barefoot Coffee, and Four Barrel Coffee, and try your hand at “Coffee Jeopardy.”

February 11: Romance and Reproduction, with music by Resident DJ Jeff Stallings.  In honor of Valentine’s Day, roam the Academy and learn about some of the animal kingdom’s most amorous creatures and unique sexual behaviors.  The species with the world’s largest sexual organ? The snake you might find at the center of a “breeding ball”?  Gender-bending clownfish? Find them all at the Academy.

March 25: The Science of Love, and music by Zach Moore & Deckard.  Join Scientific American’s Editor in Chief Mariette DiChristina for a fun and engaging multimedia discussion on the psychological, physiological, chemical and social effects of love, including the latest science on emotional intimacy.  

In honor of NightLife’s upcoming first anniversary, the Academy is announcing a new NightLife birthday promotion. Effective February 4, visitors can get into NightLife for free within 7 days of their birthday by showing a valid photo ID at the door. The offer is good for a single admission ticket only.
 
NightLife VIP Tours now offer visitors the opportunity for a more exclusive Thursday evening experience. Tickets ($59 per person) include admission to NightLife, a one-hour behind-the-scenes tour featuring the Academy’s renowned gem and mineral collection and interaction with Academy researchers in the lab, express entry into the building, an open bar in a reserved cocktail area prior to the tour, VIP access to the rainforest, and a reserved pass for the 8:30 planetarium show.
 
NightLife continues to feature a range of San Francisco’s most popular DJ acts, and is now home to three resident DJs, who will each perform once per quarter:

Aaron Axelsen— Live 105 music director, and founder of SF indie club Popscene
Aaron Pope—The Academy’s own environmentalist by day, eclectic and energetic DJ by night
Jeff Stallings— An SF club fixture, whose sets feature Balearic, African, Bedouin and Latin beats

Every Week
Each Thursday evening, NightLife features entertainment and bars stocked with food and drinks available for purchase. Visitors can explore the Academy’s exhibits– from the fish, snakes and other creatures in the aquarium, to the dioramas of African Hall—and attend Planetarium shows and stargazing sessions on the living roof (when weather permits). 
 
In addition, each week includes engaging science programming and activities that introduce visitors to cutting-edge science in an informal, social environment. Programming highlights during NightLife’s inaugural year included sustainable seafood cooking demonstrations with local celebrity chefs, film screenings, performance art, robot demonstrations, chocolate tastings, and talks by filmmaker Jean-Michel Cousteau, adventurer David de Rothschild, astronaut Buzz Aldrin and other notable figures.
 
Since launching on February 12, 2009, NightLife has been named “Best Steamy Date Night” by 7×7 Magazine, “Best Place to Party Like it’s 1929” by San Francisco Magazine, and “Best Penguin Party” by the San Francisco Bay Guardian.
 
What:   NightLife at the California Academy of Sciences (for adults ages 21+) Featuring music, cutting-edge science, and food and cocktails available for purchase
When:   Every Thursday, 6-10 pm
Where: California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Cost:     $12 per person ($10 for Academy members)
             Tickets available at the door or online at www.calacademy.org/event_tickets/

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in museums | No Comments »

The Blue Bottle Coffee Kiosk Still Attracting Crowds in Hayes Valley

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009

This is the scene down in Hayes Valley on Linden Street near Gough on a Saturday morning. This Yelp-rated kiosk is phenomenally busy, as busy as nearby Brenda’s French Soul Food. Here’s the skivvy:

“We have an odd but convivial little coffee kiosk in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley: 315 Linden Street, SF, CA 94102. We have a small menu of espresso drinks, drip coffee, our New Orleans iced coffee, a few cookies from the cute girls at Miette Cakes, and biscotti from Pizzetta 211. We offer beans to sell, dropped off Tuesday morning, Wednesday evening and Saturday morning. We use Clover organic milk, and organic sugar. Please drop by. M-F 7-5 or 6; Sat, Sun 8-5 or 6.”

Click to expand:

CRW_6009 copy

But it’s just coffee, right people?

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in food and drink | Comments Off

All Mission District Residents Get a 25% Discount at American Apparel in San Francisco!

Tuesday, February 10th, 2009

Oh, you people in the Mission District have been waiting for this. Just get some ID and something that has your name and address on it showing you live in the 94110 (or somewhere close enough to give you a colorable claim of Missionite status) and then hop on your polluting moped to get over to any of the three remaining American Apparels. Then demand your 25% discount on anything in the store until March 15, 2009

Forget the controversy, just get yourself some new clothes. Joaquin Phoenix would want you to, and plus, you’ve earned it, baby!

Another iconic advertisement. Don’t click to expand: 

 
Cow Hollow

 2174 Union

 (415) 440-3220
 
Haight Ashbury

 1615 Haight

 (415) 431-4028
 
Union Square

 363 Grant

 (415) 986-0388

Just one issue remains – what to put into the empty space at 998 Valencia? How about a Starbucks? The Mission is currently under-served by Amerikkka’s favorite purveyor of caffeinated beverages. See?

Click to expand.

Anyway, AA is open to suggestions. Think about it.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in shopping | 3 Comments »

Anti-Festival Letter from 1600 Webster Creates a Hail of Opposition in Japantown

Monday, August 11th, 2008

First, get up to speed on this issue here. The latest is this – San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi is fully engaged on the question of whether the Nihonmachi Street Festival should be allowed to continue next year. And guess what? He’s in favor of festivals. Ross believes there’s room for accomodation and compromise on this issue. Quite a reasonable approach, actually

Ross Mirkarimi in dialogue with the Japantown community on Post Street yesterday.

img_0790-copy.jpg

It appeared the residents of 1600 Webster had full access to their parking spaces during the entire festival. We’ll have to wait and see how dirty Post Street is today.

To be continued….

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

1600 Webster vs. San Francisco’s “Filthy” Japantown and “Mediocre” Nihonmachi Street Fair

Sunday, August 10th, 2008

The 35th Annual Nihonmachi Street Fair continues today. Look at the schedule and check it out. But you should also check out Akit’s Complaint Department, where there’s trouble a brewing. It seems that the President of the 1600 Webster Street Homeowners’ Association, David H. Zisser, has some issues.

Read all about it here. 

The lively Nihonmachi Street Fair adds a little color to an otherwise dreary day. There were no signs of life at the million dollar condos at 1600 Webster on the left. Click to expand:

img_0767-copy.jpg 

And since we’re here, let’s go through a bit of the letter:

…this Association (along with other members of this neighborhood) must tolerate what seems to be an endless use of Post and Webster Streets

“Members” of a neighborhood? NIMBY alert!

 for a series of look-alike street fairs with the same purveyors of schlocky souvenirs,

You can find a lot of schlocky stuff at street fairs, that’s true.

mediocre food stands and exhibitors

One person’s mediocre exhibitor is another’s treasured community member, right?  

There is no other neighborhood which is asked to put up with these sorts of disruptions, and that, of course, doesn’t include the disruption presented by the Fillmore Street Fair which is only one block away.

That’s the plaintive wail of the NIMBY, no doubt about it now.

The streets and sidewalks of this neighborhood are usually filthy,

Boy, this reads just like a real estate agent’s brochure, doesn’t it?  

especially those that surround that appalling mall,

This appears to be a reference to Post Street’s Kintestsu Mall, which probably wasn’t the best idea to come out of the 1960’s. You can ride your bike down cycle-friendly Post Street all the time and be unaware all the activity going on up inside the mall at night. Of course, it’s kind of an old-fashioned idea to wall off all these folks from the street, as J-Town appears to be a dead area most of the time.

Indeed, the whole place could use something like a Starbucks on the street, but that’s a matter for another day.  

Today’s issue is the question over why people who seem unable to handle Japantown’s rich pageant would move into a building specifically designed to have a “Japanese look” and then hate on harmless street festivals. The world wonders.

Read of further developments here and on the Yelp Talk.

See you there!
 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

San Francisco’s Japantown Could Use a Starbucks, or something

Saturday, July 19th, 2008

Post Street in Japantown could use a Starbucks, or something along the lines of a Third Place environment. It might liven things up. Maybe they could put it here in this empty windblown storefront at 1600 Webster? Oh, that’s right, Starbucks got run out, out, out of the area not too long ago.

But these days, coffee shops owners are welcoming Starbucks into their nabes. How did this merchant fare when the Big S moved in next to his store?

“I didn’t suffer whatsoever. Ultimately I prospered, in no small part because of it.”

Well, O.K. then.

photo_071808_001-copy.jpg

J-Town needs to get more foot traffic on Post Street to help ameliorate the effects of terrible choices (concrete mini-mall, etc…) made four decades ago.  A Starbucks, or something like it, could be a good thing.

Just saying… 

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

It’s On! It’s on AGAIN! Free Tully’s Coffee at Bay Area BART Stations.

Thursday, April 17th, 2008

Next Tuesday, April 22, 60 volunteers from TransFair USA will hand out vouchers for free Fair Trade and organic coffee from Tully’s at six busy BART stations.

So if you’re riding BART from 6:00 to 9:00 AM and you’re at any of the following stations – Montgomery Street, Embarcadero, Powell Street, Civic Center, Oakland City Center/12th Street or Downtown Berkeley – make sure you get your Tully’s swag.

Tuesday, Tuesday Tuesday! It’s on!

13901712_925859517d_o.jpg
nakagawa-kun via Flickr

Full details after the jump
(more…)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off