The Blog - The Bold Italic - San Francisco

Poop Delivery Service?! Yup, It's for Real

Wed, 15 May 2013 11:33:49 -0700

Recently, a friend introduced me to the founders behind IPoopYou.com, an SF-based company that sends "high quality, farm raised, and eco-friendly, hand-picked animal poop" via snail mail. You can send the package to yourself or to anyone you choose, signed with your name or, even, anonymously. Apparently, business is booming for this dung delivery service. I asked Guillermo Sanchez, "Shit Executive" at IPoopYou, to explain more about what, exactly, the company is all about.

Abby Wilcox: So let’s start with this question since I Poop You is such a novel idea. What exactly is a professional poop delivery service?

GS: Although it is funny, it’s not a joke. For the first time ever, people can send and receive grade A organic animal poop in the most classy way possible – neatly gift wrapped in a pretty little box. With the click of a button people can select the finest poop from Northern California.

AW: How did this whole idea start? Was it a joke among friends?

GS: The idea has been always there. There are hundreds of reasons to send and thousands of people who deserve poop mailed to their doors. We believe that through humor, efficient and professional business practices, and ethical treatment of everybody in the equation (animal or otherwise), we are breaking taboos, allowing friends to share a whole new expression of feelings, and filling a niche that nobody had really conceived of yet.

And come on, sending flowers is so last year.

AW: How would you describe your clients? A scorned lover, a sworn enemy, an off-the-wall prankster or your average joe?

GS: Our clients are awesome! All of them. I would say it’s just people like me and you… Folks able think out of the box and with a strong sense of humor. They really understand our message and through that they give their recipients an unforgettable surprise.

AW: What’s the funniest reason someone has used your service?

GS: I couldn’t pick just one of them, they all are very special to me. One that I particularly liked was from a girl who sent our stinkiest poop to her boyfriend in respond to all his farting.

AW: Where does the poop come from?

GS: Each and every poop is hand picked from local farms from the Bay Area and greater peninsula of Northern California, the mecca of slow food and organic agriculture.

AW: You have poop specialties like “Cow Chocolate Pudding” and “Horse Spring Rolls”… What’s in a name?

GS: Every poop is different and they all have their own personality. Like a fine dining locavore restaurant, we are making sure that the descriptions match the quality of our product and the care that goes into...well...the "making", and...uh..."handling"...of it.

AW: What’s your top seller?

GS: Cow or Pig I guess.

AW: How do you package the poop?

GS: A special gift deserves a special packaging. Every poop will arrive at its destination in a beautiful gift box including a leak-proof container that keeps the aroma always fresh and smelly. You can also add a personalized card.

AW: Is it legal to send poop in the mail?

GS: Yes. Otherwise we would not be doing it. Even though there are certain restrictions, that’s why our clients must accept our terms of use and privacy policy. You can learn about that at our legal page.

AW: Do you find that many of your clients want to remain anonymous?

GS: Very few of them. The majority like to have their orders signed.

Why Star Trek is as San Franciscan as Sourdough Bread

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:55:37 -0700

(San Francisco’s first appearance in the Trek universe, in 1979’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture)

Star Trek is known for boldly going where no one has gone before, but Star Trek Into Darkness, the franchise’s latest offering, spends about 50 of its 130 minutes in a place millions of us have already been: San Francisco. In Star Trek’s fictional universe, the city is home to Starfleet Headquarters – more or less the capital of the galaxy – and Captain Kirk and his successors have found reason to return to the Bay Area again and again in Trek’s nearly 50-year history. Here are a few reasons why San Francisco’s relationship with Star Trek can be expected to live long and prosper:

Recognizability: Like the Statue of Liberty in Planet of the Apes, the Golden Gate Bridge tacitly situates our heroes on Earth, which is important since they’re usually somewhere else. There are a handful of landmarks that could do this job – the Eiffel Tower or the Great Wall of China, for example – but San Francisco’s distinct geography makes it recognizable from a bird’s (or a starship’s) eye view as well. Inland cities fail this test: at a certain altitude, it’s hard to distinguish Paris from Tulsa. The overhead view was used to great effect in J.J. Abrams’ 2009 reboot, when the villain launches a drill from space into the San Francisco Bay, just a stone’s throw off Fort Point.

Here’s the drill descending toward the peninsula:

And here it is about to strike. Marin is up top; Golden Gate Park is just visible at bottom left.

Cutting-edge technology: Silicon Valley didn’t exist when Star Trek first aired in 1966, but it’s no secret that the tech mecca has subsequently brought several Trek technologies into the real world – notably smartphones, tablets, and speech recognition software. Some programmers at Google even admitted recently that they’re consciously working to develop other specific Trek devices.

Progressive culture: The United Nations’ founding charter was signed in San Francisco, and Star Trek's casts are famously diverse – both by the show's fictional standards (e.g., a Klingon serving alongside humans) and in the real world (where else on TV could you find a Russian, a Japanese man, an alien, a black woman, and a corn-fed white Iowan working together as equals in the 1960s?). The Bay Area is not exactly free of race- and class-based conflicts, but San Francisco’s reputation as an inclusive city fits Star Trek to a T. As it happens, the city made its first Trek appearance in 1979’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture, just a year after Harvey Milk took his seat on the Board of Supervisors.

LGBT identity: Star Trek has encountered species with three genders, no genders, and those which swap genders over a lifetime. It has also explored male pregnancy and a society in which women are the historically dominant sex. Furthermore, in the future BART and Muni have been replaced by a mass-transit system delightfully named “Trans Francisco” – which also happens to be the name of a 2010 documentary about transgender people in the city. Here’s a train stop in the Mission:

(Screengrab from the Star Trek: Voyager episode “Non Sequitur”)

Shipbuilding: The U.S.S. Enterprise was built in a San Francisco shipyard, just like countless Navy vessels during World War II. Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was well acquainted with this association, as he served as a pilot in the Army Air Corps, and crossed the Pacific in Navy vessels. (Legendary art director Matt Jefferies, who designed the original Enterprise and many of its iconic sets, was also a pilot in Europe and Africa during the war). And Star Trek's captains borrow many customs from the Navy, from their ranking system to the boatswain’s whistle ahead of ship-wide announcements to burying lost crewmen at space.

Reasons why Starfleet should NOT be in San Francisco: Despite Star Trek’s abundant cultural ties to SF, even a non-Trekkie could think of a few reasons why Starfleet should have been built far away from the Bay. Recently I asked Alan Dean Foster, one of the writers of the first Trek movie, about this, and he had this to say:

“Given the choice myself, I would have opted for a more geologically central and stable and more climatologically transparent location, with more room for expansion (assuming that real estate in the future will not be free for the taking). New Mexico, for example… where the Spaceship One/Virgin Galactic folks are operating from…

“On the other hand," he added, "the food in SF is better.”

Use This Flowchart Before You Trust Yelp

Wed, 15 May 2013 10:59:51 -0700

The entire city of San Francisco is about to get wasted on Sunday. Here are some important items you should consider before that seven miles of drunken stumbling:

If there's one thing SFers love, it's a scary interactive maps that reminds us about the potential dangers of living in (and affording) our beloved city. Based on theft data from the SF District Attorney's office, the IDG News Service put together this handy dandy interactive map of where all the cell phone and tablet thefts have taken place in the city over the past year. And just in case you are confronted with imminent theft, here are some tips on how not to fuck up your mugging. (InfoWorld)

But while you still have your phone, you may want to consider downloading this free app. Buycott – the work of one Los Angeles-based 26-year-old freelance programmer, Ivan Pardo – allows you to scan the barcode on any product to trace its ownership all the way to its top corporate parent company, including conglomerates like Koch Industries. Even better, if you have certain causes near and dear to your heart you can program the app to tell you whether or not the parent company supports gay marriage or opposes GMO labeling. (Forbes)

Photo by Gary Soup

The most bike friendly city in the nation ... is not San Francisco! Yes, the city that diligently celebrates Bike to Work Day, Bike-In Movies, and has thousands of commuters pedaling down Market St. everyday (thanks to our new bike barometer, we can actually quantify this) has been ousted from the top spot. So who's the new pedaling hot shot? Portland. (HuffPost SF)

Photo by twelves

Now we all know that this Sunday is Bay to Breakers – the lovely exhibition of booze and costumes that is sure to have your mind in a daze. But in case you'd rather spend your Sunday waiting around for Game of Thrones, SFist presented 15 signs that you're too old (and/or jaded) for the city's biggest play day. But in case you're roaring to go, print out a game board of our Bay to Breakers Bingo for a fun new way to get blotto. (SFist)

Finally, in light of the amazing season finale of Kitchen Nightmare featuring those crazies in charge of Amy’s Baking Company Bakery Boutique & Bistro in Arizona, here's a nice infographic to decide whether or not you can trust those scheming Yelp Elite. Follow the paths of plausible scenarios to determine whether or not you should actually eat at a specific restaurant. (Wired)

Sac vs SF? Sure, Let's Do This

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:15:57 -0700

Photo by bsterling Photo by Mr. Babyman

Sacramento Magazine published its long anticipated story Sac vs SF yesterday and we gotta say, LOL. Sacramento is awesome. I'll give you that. And yes, Lavender Heights is the best name for a gay neighborhood I've ever heard. But better than us? Better than San Franfuckingcisco? You're trippin, Sacramento.

I will concede all arguments about Sac being where a lot of our food comes from, better for conventions, and not dying in an earthquake, but regarding the important issues, here is a break down of why Sac's got nothing on us:

1. Sacramentans sounds stupid.

San Franciscans sounds awesome.

2. Bridge wars

I'm kind of surprised Sacramento would pick this fight. Who cares if the Golden Gate Bridge is "decidedly orange." Golden poppies aka the state flower are also orange and nobody has problems with those. And not to be a dick, but you realize we have TWO awesome bridges, right? And don't kid yourselves, size matters.

3. Ban Francisco is awesome

Having crazy bans and debates over them is something that makes this city great. If you can't stand the heat, get out of our undersized, overpriced kitchen.

4. Mayor 1 on 1 challenge

Everyone knows dance fights (not basketball games) are the only challenges that actually matter. I don't care how tall your mayor is. The real question is: Can he twerk?

5. River Cats vs Giants is not an OK comparison

You don't compare major league and minor league game prices. Actually, just steer clear of comparing the Giants to anyone else ever.

6. Seasons are overrated

Someone (probably not Mark Twain, although everyone attributes him) once said, “The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco.” But how cool is it that?! Where's your epic seasonal quote, Sacramento?

7. About Sac having cheaper gas, private education, food, rent, sales tax, and Brazilian waxes

I only see this as a testament to San Francisco's X factor. I'm not talking about the magic spell within the city limits that draws ex lovers into each others' paths constantly, I'm talking about that thing about SF that makes all the money you bleed while living here worth it. I wouldn't wanna go broke anywhere else.

Enough with the Tech Hate

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:05:50 -0700

I was really happy to see the guest editorial by Johnny Koch in this week's Bay Guardian arguing that "Tech Workers Aren't All Evil". I'm sick of all the bitching lately about some lumped together stereotype of a "tech person." It's easy to create a straw man based on everything pissing us off about urban living and set it all ablaze at once. Yes, the rents are insane, as are the prices of some shops and restaurants in The Mission. But the inflated housing bubble is also a national issue. And if you're on a budget, there still are plenty of cheap things to do in San Francisco.

I don't blame an entire industry (and every single person who works within it) for a city growing expensive, and I'm getting tired of hearing complaints from friends and strangers who make mass generalizations about people they likely have never met or worked with. I know we've done our own stereotyping on TBI of tech folks too, but our writers have approached the topic as parodies. It's hard watching the very serious hatred for people who have tech jobs grow stronger in posts and forums. It's not like these folks are making assault weapons for a living. Most of my friends who work in startups are helping build information systems that benefit universities, organize and label your iTunes music collections, and help get the bands you want to see to your city. You can't lump all tech work, or people using the medium to push out new ideas, as evil.

This isn't to dismiss the challenges of living in San Francisco. It has been and continues to be incredibly expensive to live here. As the Bay Guardian also shared, evictions in this city are up. But I wonder what are these "tech people" supposed to do? Not live in San Francisco? And how do we know where every person with a tech gig eats, drinks, or shops? There are other industries – and old-money families – that have gotten people rich in this town.

We also are living in a time when technology is allowing us to innovate and share ideas so differently than we've done in the past. I see the most ranting and generalizations about the tech sector on Facebook, which, I hope these ranters realize, is a product created out of the tech sector. We text and listen to music and post ideas and images at a speed that was unfathomable before, and for that we can thank those who spend their days behind computers. Even The Bold Italic is a product of new technology. I spent 10 years in the print industry before TBI, and I can tell you in that world, ideas move at the speed of old white men with big egos (which is to say, they move with little innovation or openness to shaking things up). It's exciting to be able to act on our brainstorming sessions in a timely fashion and to work for an agile media outlet, thanks to the medium in which we share our work here.

There are organizations working to use technology for good, to make interesting things happen in San Francisco. The tech industry is more than the buses that take its employees to work, and it's more than the amount someone may or may not pay a landlord. The hate being spewed about people who work in tech is getting ridiculous because it discounts so many new ideas and ways to engage with people, cities, and information.

I don't want to go the other extreme and say tech companies are by nature blameless. If a specific company takes advantage of city laws and relationships in a way that hurts San Francisco, that company should be questioned. But I am arguing, as the SFBG editorial did, for focusing frustration about the changes in this city on the very policies causing our pain, and looking forward to solutions for effective fixes. Creating a very general good guy/bad guy scenario based solely on an industry does little to move the conversation – or the future of San Francisco, for that matter – forward.

Illustration by Brad Amorosino

Check out the New Adobe Books!

Tue, 14 May 2013 14:33:58 -0700

Our friend Katie Conry shared photos of the work-in-progress at the space that'll soon be the new home to the beloved Adobe Books. The shop, which has long championed SF's art scene (literary, visual, and musical), has been located on 16th Street for the past 25 years, but was recently forced to find a new location when the landlord raised the rent. This wasn't the first time it seemed like things were over for Adobe, but the threat did feel very real. Luckily, the community came together and made sure that this little but mighty bookstore could remain open. Katie, along with 13 others, have joined Adobe founder Andrew McKinley to turn the shop into a worker owned cooperative bookstore, art gallery, and community space.

Adobe Books will celebrate its grand opening at 3130 24th Street in July, but you can get a peek at the new location this Saturday, May 18, at its Marketplace party. From 2-7 p.m., Adobe will welcome local artists and merchants (including The Bold Italic!) to sell their wares at the new storefront. Be sure to stop by and show your support. And stop by our booth to say hello!

Photos by Tiffany Sainz

All the News that's Fit to Embroider: Works by Lauren DiCioccio

Mon, 13 May 2013 18:24:08 -0700

We at The Bold Italic have been longtime fans of the artwork of Lauren DiCioccio. In fact, we carry this San Francisco artist's handy embroidered polyester taffeta interpretation of the classic plastic "Thank You" bag in our online shop. If you're like us and want to see more of her work, you're in luck – one of Lauren's most impressive installation collections, Sewnnews, will be on display at the artMRKT Contemporary Art Faire at Fort Mason, from tomorrow, May 15 through Sunday, May 19.

For this series, Lauren takes important moments in history as they are depicted on the front page of the various sections of The New York Times and stitches them in stunning color. With print media becoming less and less a part of our everyday lives, Lauren has found another way to make news tactile. The subject matters of the pieces range from important sports moments to political history to pop culture. Each of these snapshots are beautifully captured in cloth and thread by Lauren's intriguing style and color palette.

Wanting to know a bit more about her work, I reached out to Lauren with some questions:

TBI: How do you choose the photos you embroider?

Lauren DiCioccio: When I started this series, I particularly looked for people who were communicating in some way – gesturing or speaking. As the series progressed, I decided that I wanted to represent a fuller spectrum of subjects covered in the daily paper, so I started drawing images from other sections of the paper. I collect images through the serendipity of seeing the paper, and also every few months I will go to the library and pull all The New York Times from the archives to look for source material. It's a fascinating way to travel through time, leafing through every page of a three-foot high stack of newspapers. I really choose the images for their subject matter and narrative qualities, and also the formal characteristics that make the image conducive to my embroidery (size, background/foreground, light, etc).

TBI: What inspired you to use newspaper?

LC: I started making these embroidered newspapers in 2006. At the time, I was making paintings on newspaper pages as an inexpensive and convenient surface on which to work out ideas. When I looked at my paintings from years past, I would flip them over and appreciate the exposed newsprint on their undersides – reading the articles and noting what city the newspaper had been from was such an interesting and evocative indicator of time and place. I thought about the newspaper as an object; it has such specific and unique qualities like the way it smells and the way it feels, the way the newsprint rubs off onto your fingers, and the sound of turning the pages.

TBI: What process do you use for transferring the photos to cloth?

LC: I transfer the image onto tracing paper, and from that drawing, I transfer it onto cloth using a disappearing ink fabric marker. With the fabric in an embroidery hoop, I do a running-stitch over the line drawing, wash away the pen, and start "painting" the image with the colors of thread.

TBI: How long have you been embroidering and who taught you?

LC: I have been using embroidery in my work since 2005 or 2006. I learned to embroider from my mom when I was young. We were always doing craft projects – sewing, cross-stitching, etc. When I started using embroidery as a medium in my artwork, it looked pretty traditional. I eventually loosened up my techniques by thinking about applying color and line as if I were drawing or painting.

TBI: I love how the threads extend from the images down through the copy; what inspired that?

LC: I bring all of the threads I embroider with to the outside/front of the embroidery, rather than tucking them in the back and clipping off the excess. This allows the image to drip off the "canvas" or to knot and tangle and turn abstract. I like that these threads show process but also fragility. I leave my embroidery somewhat unfinishedlooking and like them to feel like if you tugged on any of the threads, the whole image might unravel. This conveys the fragility not only of the medium but of the newspaper and the stories it tells, and perhaps of life in general.

In addition to artMRKT this weekend, Lauren’s work can also be found at "The Art of Recology" at the SFO Airport Museum and "Faux Real" and the Laguna Art Museum in Laguna Beach.

8 Things People Should Stop Saying Like, Literally, Right Now

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:16:01 -0700

Photo by oriolsalvador

We've all done it. Said something and cringed with instant regret as soon as the inappropriate, condescending, or random words leave your mouth. You can try and play it down with awkward laughing, claim you were just kidding, or apologize and break eye contact indefinitely, but you will always be remembered as the person who said "YOLO" at a funeral.

I know it's hard to resist the allure of adding chunks of snappy catch phrases to the word vomit of your life. And I'm not innocent in all this. I've been known to throw around "totes" and "peeps" way too frequently. But I'm ready to turn over a new leaf and you can too! Join me in boycotting these tired and annoying phrases:

1. Yay me

If you catch yourself saying any combination of sounds that is, or has ever been, a Disney Channel star's catch phrase. Seriously rethink your life choices.

2. _____ on steroids

It might be possible to trace this phrase back to someone funny, but it isn't actually very funny. If you find yourself about to use this comparison to describe your new juicer, substitute a more precise word like bigger or stronger, instead of causing me to imagine your juicer with huge biceps and tiny shrunken balls.

3. No problem

Did I say there was a problem? This phrase isn't equally annoying for everyone, but for some people it's reason to throw down. Problem.

4. Double reallys

This sounds like "Really? *pause* Really?!" It seems to be a way of addressing the universe and asking in disbelief if there really is a line at Jamba Juice and if some one should really have to be suffering through such an injustice. It's really irritating.

5. Not gonna lie

Wait, how long has lying been on the table? I was kind of assuming you weren't gonna lie, so maybe skip saying that. It doesn't soften the blow of whatever you're about to say, a la "no offense." It just makes talking to you take longer.

6. Sorry, not sorry

It would probably be easier to say nothing at all than to say something and then instantly take it back just to make sure your vocal chords are still functioning.

7. Wait for it

It's for your own good that you stop using this phrase ASAP. All you're doing is raising expectations for whatever you say next, and making me super disappointed when you end up saying "boobs."

Note: This phrase can occasionally be funny if it comes before a fart, but it really depends on the fart.

8. I may or may not be...

This always means you are. Just say that you will be getting shwasted and watching The Lion King this Friday night instead of trying to be coy. That way I'll know how to react and probably even join you.

San Francisco's Most Hilarious Craiglist Ads

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:37:09 -0700

This is possibly the best Craiglist job posting ever, and not in the creepy crazy-person-with-strange-fetish-got-ahold-of-a-computer kind of way. In fact, the poster's desperate plea for a "emotionally moving descriptive writer" actually makes me want to help the poor guy out. Unfortunately, I don't have a degree in hyperbole.

The ad – posted May 5– may have been the result of a boozy Cinco de Mayo (emotional drunks really shouldn't be allowed near technology) but something tells me that this guy is actually for real. In which case, I feel the need to warn him that searching for someone who believes "that the world still has good, caring people in it" in one of the most jaded cities in the nation, probably isn't a good idea.

As for the "highly personalized services," which he offers women and need to be so beautifully described – what are they? I am burning with curiosity. I'm tempted to reply to this person (or people? – who is "we") just so I can find out. Or if you answer this call, please let me know.

Not surprisingly, this isn't the first time that strange SFers have made headlines for their even stranger Craigslist ads. In 2011, some douchebag from the Mission was dubbed the "Holiday Boyfriend" for his chivalrous advertisement requesting someone to have relations with just for the holiday season.

"Deep down inside, you don't want to be alone for the holidays. [...] But, you've spent all year working on your career/training for charity bike rides/getting drunk and haven't had the time or inclination to track down and capture a boyfriend."

What a catch.

In the same year the self-dubbed "Best Roommate Ever" entertained the Internet with his colorful post trying to convince someone in SF to rent him a room. The ad began, "Konichiwa bitches. Are you looking for the most kick-ass fucking roommate that ever lived? If so, look no further. You fucking found him."

Finally, last year, SF blogger Maneesh Sethi actually hired someone off Craiglist to slap him in the face every time he tries to use Facebook while working.

Only in San Francisco ...

Want Help Making Friends and Expanding Your Social Circle?

Wed, 08 May 2013 11:35:40 -0700

Maybe you’re new to the city. Maybe the friends you inherited from college or work just aren’t cutting it any more. Whatever the reason, there are plenty of ways to meet new and interesting people in San Francisco. And since we’re such an entrepreneurial and creative city, there’s a plethora of unconventional methods you can use to meet your new bestie, bro, amigo, or pal.

1. Join a Team for Sunday Recess

Games are one of the most fundamental ways that we socialize, and Sunday Recess takes that school-yard spirit of yore and gives it an adult twist. It’s a co-ed, multisport rec league in which teams compete in everything from frisbee to soccer to kickball. Afterward, the league sponsors a bar for the evening, where participants can engage in some indoor recreational activities.

2. Throw a Potluck

San Francisco is full of foodies, amateur chefs, and budding cooks. A new SF-based startup, inthis, takes the communal-potluck idea and removes the headache of organizing who brings what dish. The company is integrated with social networking sites, so you can use their simple drag-and-drop interface. Inviting guests (and meeting new friends) is just a click of a button away. Perhaps you can discover a new friend who makes the best casserole in the world.

3. Attend a Rock-Climbing Party

If you’re the outdoorsy type looking for like-minded adventurers, you might want to try your luck at one of SF’s two rock-climbing gyms. Meeting someone is as simple as asking one of the staffers to make an announcement over the loudspeaker for a belay partner. But if that sounds too intimidating, both gyms hold special social evenings where you can buy gear, compete, and talk shop. Check out the Singles & Swingers Night at Planet Granite in the Presidio if you want to tie up more than a climbing partner.

4. Join a Meetup.com ... for Your Dog

Meetup.com has been around for a while, allowing people to see what events are being held in their neighborhood and host their own. But there’s a growing community of local dog lovers organizing through the social service around breed and type of walk. Want to meet a bunch of sheepdog owners for a huge game of fetch in Duboce Park? Or play around with a bunch of English bulldogs? Maybe you’ll meet your new best friend with...um...man’s best friend.

5. Try to Survive “Journey to the End of the Night”

Journey to the End of the Night is an epic city-wide race/chase/game put on semi-regularly in San Francisco and in other major cities. A good pair of sneakers and a loyal band of comrades are key for this game, but it’s also a great way to forge new relationships in the crucible of competition. If you can’t wait for the next event, there are a number of other urban exploration groups and street-game outfits out there, such as SFZero and Wanderers Union.

Photo by Emanuele Spies

ArtPadSF!

Wed, 08 May 2013 13:55:07 -0700

We're stoked that May 16 is just a week away. That evening marks the third annual ArtPadSF event which happens at the Phoenix Hotel. The iconic Tenderloin hotel has a lot to offer (including the amazing bar and restaurant Chambers Eat+Drink and, wait for it, a pool. Yes, a pool in San Francisco), but once a year ArtPadSF takes it up a notch by hosting an epic arty party.

Each of the hotel's 40 rooms will be taken over by a prominent gallery, featuring art by emerging and contemporary artists. In addition to the exhibits in the rooms, the Phoenix's courtyard will be bangin' with performances by synth-pop band Altars, followed by a DJ set from Altars member Bertie Pearson. Sadly, the pool will not be available to attendees, but it'll be in use by the Tsunami Synchro Swim Club, who'll be performing synchronized swim routines to all kinds of tunes, from beatbox to vocal a capella. And Bay Area artist Andrew Benson will be projecting a digital mural on the adjacent six story building.

Galleries participating in this year's ArtPadSF include:

Beta Pictoris, Luis De Jesus Los Angeles, Johansson Projects, Walter Maciel Gallery, Gregory Lind Gallery, Marx & Zavattero, New Image Art, Steven Wolf Fine Arts, The Luggage Store and Unspeakable Projects, Blythe Projects, Charlie James Gallery, and many more.

The opening night preview and ceremony will support the SFMOMA's Society for the Encouragement of Contemporary Art (SECA) Award. The SFMOMA and SECA have been biannually presenting this award to Bay Area artists since 1967.

Tickets and more information can be found here. Check out our photos from ArtPadSF 2011.

SF Restaurant Named Best in the Nation

Wed, 08 May 2013 14:26:58 -0700

Your weekly roundup of things you should really know about if you live in the Bay.

A new movie poster for Fruitvale Station, the film that chronicles the last days of Oscar Grant's life before he was killed by BART police in 2009, was just released. The movie has already received a lot of buzz and won both the audience and the grand jury awards at the Sundance Film Festival this year. The movie, which stars Octavia Spencer as Grant's mother – is set to release July 26. (IMDB)

Photo by State Bird Provisions

The Bay Area was well represented at this year's James Beard Awards, but the shining award for Best New Restautrant in the (whole damn) country went to hometown heroes, State Bird Provisions. Locals also took home the awards for Best Chef West (Christopher Kostow at The Restaurant at Meadowood), Outstanding Wine Professional (Merry Edwards of Merry Edwards Winery), and Rising Star Chef of the Year (Danny Bowien of Mission Chinese Food). (HuffPost SF)

Photo by OPD

Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan abruptly announced Wednesday morning that he was stepping down from his post for indefinite medical leave. The announcement came just minutes before city consultant and former LA Police Chief William Bratton was set to unveil a new plan to help Oakland reduce crime. In the meantime, Assistant Chief Anthony Toribio, a 23-year veteran, is now in charge of the department. (SF Gate)

Photo by San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers' new stadium in Santa Clara is getting a huge endorsement rooted in Bay Area history. Levi Strauss & Co. dished out $220 million for naming rights to the new football arena. Considering the iconic blue jeans were originally made for Gold Rush miners, Levi's Stadium seems to be the perfect fit for the Niners and keeps some SF-centric pride with the team despite the move to the Silicon Valley. After all, at least the stadium isn't called Google Field. (ESPN)

Photo by Angela May Chen

In greener news, Oak Street finally got its own bike lane this week. The new commuter path between Baker and Scott streets connects the Panhandle and the Wiggle for your biking leisure and also makes sure you have less of a chance of getting run over. Plus, it was laid down just in time for Bike to Work Day! (SFist)

Top 3 Things I Learned from the Bike + Design Lecture

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:41:00 -0700

Calling all bike nerds – a new series of Bike + Design lectures hosted by the Industrial Designers Society of America and California College of the Arts just launched yesterday. If you’re into the history of bike culture, innovation of bike design, or bike brand building, you might want to check out these lectures by some of the biggest names in the Bay Area bike world.

I got a chance to attend the first lecture in this three-part series, which was on the history and legacy of mountain biking. Now many of you may already know these things, but here are the three most interesting points I learned.

1. Mountain biking was invented in the Bay Area.

I had no idea that mountain biking actually originated in Marin on Mount Tam. I didn’t realize that Northern California was responsible for so much of the transformation of mountain bike design all through the '70s and '80s. Even the lightweight Giro-style helmet was created in Santa Cruz.

2. The spirit of craftsmanship is alive and well.

Now with all the mass-produced bike giants, it’s good to hear that the handbuilt frames from boutique shops are still going strong. The speakers from Rock Lobster, SyCip, and Retrotec bikes mentioned that a lot of people turn to custom bikes because they want a product created from someone they can meet. There has also been a boom with the tech crowd who are more willing to pay for specialized bikes for leisure or aesthetics.

3. Many custom bike frame companies are still one-man shops.

I was surprised to find out that several of these custom bike shops were still run by one person with just a few assistants. These builders truly care for their craft and try to cut out other middlemen in the production line. They are the ones running the process from measuring you for you bike to welding the frame together.

It was inspiring to hear about to the trial and error process the speakers went through to perfect their designs and how they continue to live up to the ethic of always creating personal fit and performance on a bike.

The next Bike + Design lecture is in June and you can check it out here.

What Foursquare Insights Would Look Like If They Kept It Real

Thu, 09 May 2013 10:04:54 -0700

Foursquare seems to be coming to terms with how little people care about being mayor of their local Waffle House. Starting today, Foursquare is making it easier to share the encouragement that pops up after a check in. But I for one think post check-in commentary could use a little more real talk. Here are some examples of Foursquare insights that actually tell it like it is.