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Remember: Tonight Is Guy Fawkes Night In SF

guy_fawkes_portrait.jpg"Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I know of no reason
Why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot
"

Wait, remember what? Well, Guy Fawkes and his part in an attempt to blow up England’s Parliament in 1605.

Why? Because Guy was an English Catholic and he wanted to ‘splode the Protestant aristocracy that controlled England at the time. Read more about it with these links here: parliament.uk; Wikipedia; Gunpowder Plot Society.

Nowadays, November 5th is an English holiday. Fun.

And how might you observe Guy Fawkes Night here in San Francisco? Here are our suggestions:

* Have some gunpowder tea. It’s a form of green tea rolled into pellets with a smoky tang. Here’s a link to tea rooms ‘round the Bay Area. And, while we’re on the subject, don’t forget about Pinhead Gunpowder – the East Bay pop-punk semi-supergroup with Aaron Cometbus on the drums and Green Day’s Billie Joe guitarin’. They got their name from the Pingshui Gunpowder variety of the tea, and their split seven-inch single with Dillinger Four is as bracing as a cuppa gunpowder. Mmm.

* Be glad that our monarchy is less obviously ostentatious than England's, if no less an annoyance.

* For fireworks in your mouf, get hot salsa on your burrito instead the mild salsa you usually get (, wuss). Look to the oracle of burritoeater.com for guidance (and mustaches).

* “God save the Queen / she ain't no human being / there is no future / in England's drrrreaming
Bump some Sex Pistols. Can y’ believe they’ve been around more than 30 years? Gawrsh.

* Read a graphic novel written by Alan Moore, the iconoclastic scribe of the Fawkes-centric V For Vendetta. (Bonus nerdiness: if someone asks you what book you're reading, don't credit him. Moore is notoriously prickly about his non-creator-owned work.)

* Blow up on a dance floor. That is, dance in such an impressive fashion on a dance floor that people around you will be impressed enough to admirin’ly intone under their breath to one other, “aw, they’re blowing up, son!”

* Don't be a jerk to someone who has a different belief system than you. Seriously.

* Got suggestions for more ways to celebrate Guy Fawkes Night? Add ‘em in the comments section, smart guy!

Contact the author of this article or email tips@sfist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

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