Arts & Entertainment

Remember that Mavericks movie that's in production, during the shooting of which actor Gerard Butler kind of almost drowned in December? Well, the crew is back in order to capture more shots of big big waves this week off Steamer Lane and Mavericks, two of the biggest west-northwest swells on the coast. more ›

Laughing Squid brings our attention this this video, created by Boing Boing's Rob Beschizza, showcasing almost every Apple design in 30 seconds. Enjoy. more ›

PHOTOGRAPHY: Tonight's installment of the popular 200 Yards is centered around Satellite 66, in which photographers showcase the shots they captured within — you guessed it — 200 yards of the gallery. (6 to 9 p.m., Satellite 66, 66 6th Street) more ›

Good grief, it's almost Valentine's Day. Where should you go on February 14th, the calendar's annual ode to love? Let us help you. The SFist staff each revealed their top hot spots for romance in San Francisco. Some places are ideal for couples, others are best for lovelorn singles. Let's begin, shall we? more ›

Fresh off of a less than stellar SNL performance followed by an actually quite lovely Letterman appearance, Lana Del Rey — the lippy chanteuse with a flair for vintage California — breezed through San Francisco last night for a free show in a former bowling alley. more ›

"The Sunset Building" by Ariel Dovas. more ›

Some of you might remember Tammie Brown from RuPaul's Drag Race Season 1, or from this kooky Cinco de Mayo video. She's a little bit twisted! And here's her latest single, "Love Piñata." You'll see in the video how the piñata magically transforms into... Tammie Brown! "I'll be your love piñata/ hit me with your love stick if you can." There's some Valentine's sentiment for you. [via WOW] more ›

Fifty years after he debuted "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" at the Venetian Room in the Fairmont Hotel, noted San Francisco fan and former Belvedere mansion owner Tony Bennett will return for a special Valentine's day performance of the city's unofficial theme song under the dome at City Hall. The event is free and open to the public, of course. And because we can't all just drop what we're doing on a Tuesday and head down to Civic Center (or possibly because the city is testing out some sort of Tony Bennett mind control device), the city will also broadcasting the 85-year-old crooner's performance in the plazas and parks around Union Square and over the radio waves like our very own honey-throated overlord. more ›

Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger re-united with his Expendables 2 co-star Sylvester Stallone yesterday. By sheer coincidence, the two aging action heros ended up in the same room, which also happened to be in a hospital. We'll let Arnold tell the story, because it's already too perfect: more ›

The Great Gatsby takes an unsentimental glimpse into the conspicuous, arrogant life of the 1%, which makes it an unlikely subject for an opera. After all, that is the percentile that would be funding it and sitting their well-padded asses in the grand tier, what with the million dollar budget required to produce an opera with an orchestra of 90 musicians and the voices. So, you know, a unique and timely choice. more ›

Among NBC's lineup of must-see-free TV this past couple seasons — oh, don't you "OMG, Smash" us — the most useless, America's Got Talent, will hold auditions in San Francisco's Civic Center this weekend. Who should audition? Those of you with sad background stories (make something up; NBC doesn't care either way) and some talent involving singing or dancing or dancing and singing. Simon Cowell, who produces America's Got Talent, has the following advice for acts auditioning: 1) Be original, 2) don't be boring, 3) Stand out from the crowd, and 4) be fearless. more ›

"Golden Gate Theatre Balconies" by Demetrios Lyras. more ›

MUSIC/FILM: SF IndieFest kicks off tonight with a Spinal Tap Tribute and Opening Night Party, featuring Live Evil performing as Spinal Tap, along with Motley Crue tribute band, Wildside, and hard rock hits cover band, Godz of Rock. (8 p.m., Sub-Mission, 2183 Mission Street) more ›

The Haight-Ashbury Museum of Psychedelic Art and History, a proposed museum that would focus on psychedelic art and Haight-Ashbury during the psychedelia movement of '60s. Supporters are trying to raise funds via IndieGoGo. Here's what it's all about: more ›

A wayward teenaged Jesus heads East, lovelorn bike enthusiasts pair up, and an award-winning quarterly magazine showcases the best work by world-renowned photojournalists. more ›

"Smarter Water" by Erik Wilson. more ›

This week's installment of SFist Memoirs comes from Jim Doeppers, the uncle of this contributor. In 1973, Jim drove his hippie van from the Midwest to San Francisco at the tender age of 23 and instantly immersed himself in the counter culture of the time, where he remained for the next twenty years. From growing his own crops in Humboldt County and being Jerry Garcia's friend and drug connection to working the houseboat docks in Sausalito, and then ultimately ending up in rehab, Jim has experienced the party lifestyle inside and out. Let's start from the very beginning, shall we? more ›

We think we smell a Siri meme brewing on YouTube, lo these many months after she was i-born. Yesterday we brought you this, and today we find a new short film called 'Psycho Siri,' which after a slow start (we're impatient these days, forgive), takes Siri's creepy little voice to all new horror-movie levels. more ›

When it comes to the San Francisco Giants, there are fashion statements and then there are fashion statements. While Brian Wilson might be the undisputed king of fratboy costume party antics, it's nice to see a member of the Giants' pitching staff at least attempting to dress like a normal human being who steps out in public once in awhile instead of acting like an insane dictator. Anyhow, here's Matt Cain orange and black argyle pants at the Giants vs. 49ers Charity Shootout at Pebble Beach. A bold fashion statement, to be sure. more ›

MUSIC: Veteran a capella group The Persuasions bring their legendarily eclectic repertoire, which includes "the heavy influence of gospel, a major measure soul, and a dose of pop," to Yoshi's tonight. (8 p.m., Yoshi's Oakland, 510 Embarcadero West, Jack London Square) more ›

Mission Bicycle recently unveiled via Facebook a bicycle for children named after the area's neighboring 'hood, Noe Valley (a neighborhood stereotypically teeming with families and lesbians and lesbians with families) called "The Noe." Cute, right? Well, according to the Mission Bicycle employe SFist spoke with today, it's a joke. Said employee claimed it was a potshot at poor, innocent Noe Valley. Heh. Then again, the Mission District also bubbles over with, dare we say, native Latino kids residing in many, many parts of the Mission. But that's... well, it's not something any self-respecting Zeitgeist-going, Brian Wilson beard-growing, Tartine-queuing young adult chooses to think about too much. Kills the magic, you know? more ›

"Two Mops" by Brandon Doran. more ›

(by D. Hanousek) So, this week I'm writing from Portland, Oregon. I'm in the middle of a two-week offsite and I've been away from San Francisco for eight days. I was lucky enough to see my husband and kids in Tahoe over the weekend, but as I sit in my hotel room feeling homesick and watching First Week In, I realize that I have another confession to make: I Love San Francisco. more ›

There are countless stories to tell in San Francisco, but sometimes a picture says so much more that mere words. Each Tuesday, we present to you 7 Reasons. (Our sister site LAist does the same thing, which we found too inspiring to resist.) Much like Photo du Jour highlighting a nifty image shot by our readers, 7 Reasons features recent photos from the SFist pool on Flickr showcasing the uniqueness of San Francisco. And with that, here are 7 reason why S.F. is, for lack of a better word, rad. more ›

As we mentioned earlier, RuPaul's Drag Race is the show you should be watching. If you don't get Logo from your cable provider, then head over to Midnight Sun. Or any homosexual bar with a TV. You have no excuse now. Because the quality of the show is as excellent as any Breaking Games of Mad Men on a Throne and as viscerally appealing as an episode of Bad Girls Club Goes to Intervention. It is, in a word, art. Drag Race is that exquisite—and, unusually, it keep getting better. (Now in its fourth season, we predict Sharon Needles to slam the competition, past or present.) The only thing missing are appearances by San Francisco's notorious drag sect. So far not one queen from the Bay Area has competed on the show. more ›

Banana Sam, the squirrel monkey stolen from the San Francisco Zoo just before the new year, is finally ready to greet his legion of adoring this weekend. Sam, you'll remember, went missing and was believed to be stolen from the zoo on December 30th, only to turn up in Stern Grove nearby (allegedly, anyway). Now that Sam has had a month in rehab to shake off that terrible New Year's experience, the Zoo is throwing an "I Love Banana Sam" Weekend this Saturday and Sunday, and they would like all of us Samfans to shower him with Valentine wishes. more ›

Time to shed this grizzly winter of ours, yes? Oh wait, no. It has not been a glacial winter. Not at all. It has, in fact, been downright balmy this winter season of ours, full of shorts, sun, and getting high at your neighborhood park. While that doesn't exactly predict the best fall harvest season for our artisanal brethren up north, it does mean that we are more than ready for spring. And with that, you should consider checking out Passport to Dry Creek Valley. more ›

MUSIC: Tonight's installment of the monthly Communion club, which originated in the U.K. and was founded by Mumford & Sons' Ben Lovett, features a stellar line-up, including The Entrance Band, Tim Cohen, Hot Lunch, Matt Baldwin, and Ready Steady. (7:30 p.m., Cafe Du Nord, 2170 Market) more ›

Saturday's Giants FanFest brought out true Giants fans for the chance to mingle with some of their favorite players, lolligag on the field, and get a taste for the upcoming 2012 season. (Buy your tickets now!) Here's a scene of the fan frenzy that went down at AT&T Park over the weekend. more ›

Lolz. Tagline: "Apple Scotland: Havin' a wee bit of trouble." Siri has English and Australian accent options, but maybe it's time for a Scottish one as well? [via WOW] more ›

"Owen" by Bob Horowitz. more ›

On Saturday night, Joe Payne captured this shot of a fire hydrant geyser shooting water into the air like it just didn't care. Wee! The scene happened on Folsom and 20th in the Mission District. Mission Mission has some choice shots of the blast as well. Oh, and check out video footage, shot and edited by Michael Gondry, below. more ›

Super Bowl, Schmuper Bowl, here's some other stuff that's going on — 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' at the Castro, experimental surf/garage rock at the Hemlock, and a solo theater performance at Stage Werx. more ›

"Leavenworth @ Geary" by Jeremy Leaird-Koch. more ›

"Year of the Dragon Boat" by Erik Wilson. more ›

Yellow Bike Project wants your spare parts and donations, artists explore the concept of "Made in America," and Go Van Gogh play their multi-cultural country music. more ›

Ah, yes. Now, this is the kinda of graffiti we like: bold with a dash of guilt and a hint of self-awareness. Friend of SFist Pete Cat came across this gem while lollygagging in the city's Mission District Friday night. Some rapscallion wrote on a brick wall (a canvas notoriously difficult for building owners to erase), but left such a cheeky (and French, if we may say) spray of graffiti that one can't get that mad at it. Adorable, really. Adorable. more ›

This week, Willie checks out Chinatown for the Lunar New Year before some celebrity encounters at the Four Seasons, dinner at Pican in Oakland and ruling over North Beach's new holy trinity of dining. more ›

Tonight: Maira Kalman and Daniel Handler (a.k.a. Lemony Snicket) in conversation at the Herbst Theater, a group photo exhibition from members of the SFFD and SFPD, and San Francisco's favorite space-surf android rockers. more ›

Apparently, on the campus of the University of Michigan, there exists a person who dresses in a wolf mask and plays the violin. There's even a tumblr blog documenting the travels of said wolfman/violinist. Today, according to the Violin Monster twitter feed, we learn the hirsute violinist has been busking around San Francisco lately despite the currently not-quite-full moon. On Wednesday, he entertained tourists at the Powell Street Cable Car turnaround/Gap flagship store and today, he can be found lurking in the tunnels of the Embarcadero BART station. If anyone gets close enough to spot him, do let us know how it goes. more ›

Hey, Dolores Park fans, the new footbridge was installed today meaning that the new playground is almost done. Dolores Park Works notes: "The new Dolores Park Helen Diller Playground will be 'substantially complete ' by the end of this month and ready for a spring opening. This according to Nancy Gonzalez-Madynski, chair of the Friends of Dolores Park Playground. Rec and Parks capital division confirmed today a March completion in the Project Status Report." more ›

After a much-needed (?) $30 million makeover, the Metreon, struggling early aughts mall fortress at Fourth and Mission, will open a new set of "reimagined" restaurants and shops on Saturday. Among the reworked ideas: a simpler, cleaner tone to the place; easier entry; and stores that—get this—one can enter without having first to walk through a human maze. Which is to say, many retail stores will now be accessible from Fourth Street. more ›

It's Friday. Also it's sunny out and you are chained to your desk, probably dreaming of lounging on a beach somewhere. (We know this guy is.) So why not take a journey down to the soothing, screensaver-esque vistas and squawking seagull sounds of San Francisco's very own Baker Beach? Presented in a ridiculously high definition video seemingly designed for a sleep clinic waiting room. We feel like it is best enjoyed when you should be finishing up some expense reports or something. more ›

As you'd expect, there are lots of Super Bowl festivities happening on Sunday. We've highlighted a couple, along with a few other non-sports items. Enjoy! more ›

Not 5 minutes into SFG Live, and we're already antsy and elated for Giants season 2012. Which: Rad. As some of you know, Giants Fan Fest Day is tomorrow. And it's free! In anticipation of tomorrow's fanboy and fangirl festivities, SFG Live is interviewing a slew of Giants teammates for your viewing pleasure. If you're watching a live right now — and you should be — send in your questions via Twitter with #sfglive. Watch it live here. more ›

Untitled image shot in the Western Addition by Brandon Doren. more ›

What does the Chronicle's middle-aged sit-lie advocate listen to while riding his bike to work? Jimmy Buffet's finest album of country music collaborations from 2004, of course. As Nevius himself tweeted from his morning commute earlier: "Another sunny day in San Francisco. Riding to work listening to Jimmy Buffett's 'License to Chill.'" more ›

Friend of Kreayshawn, Oakland rapper, and unapologetic user of the N-word, V-Nasty (born Vanessa Reece) got her very own SF Weekly profile yesterday. Allow us to sum up: more ›

MUSIC: A transcendental evening will be had tonight and tomorrow night at Great American Music Hall, as the infectiously (pun intended) charming and poppy with Cambodian pop band Dengue Fever shares the bill with Secret Chiefs 3, an instrumental rock group led by guitarist/composer Trey Spruance (formerly of Mr. Bungle and Faith No More). (7:30 p.m., Great American Music Hall, 859 O'Farrell Street) more ›

Michael Krasny took on the Facebook IPO today on Forum (a morning talk show on NPR's Bay Area affiliate), and not surprisingly, the call-in audience had A LOT to say about how Facebook has affected — and ruined — their lives. more ›

San Francisco announced the 20 recipients of the upcoming Rainbow Honor Walk installation — think Hollywood Walk of Fame, only vastly more important — last year. The installation wil stretch from the Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy on 19th Street at Diamond down to Castro, continuing up to Market and along 18th Street and over near the LGBT Center at Octavia Boulevard. But they need someone to create a superb design to compliment the honor and people it commemorate. Might that someone be you? more ›

"Looking for Dimsum" by Mark.2000. more ›

Despite the recent declaration by Sam Singer, spokesman for Jon Handlery, that the The Gold Dust Lounge is definitely closing on March 6th, the folks behind Save the Gold Dust Lounge haven't given up. As the Snitch reports, the group filed paperwork yesterday requesting that the city recognize the space as a historic landmark. more ›

As is our monthly tradition around here, we now present our favorite utterances from the February issue of San Francisco's "most exclusive news magazine". Provided (mostly) without commentary and in no particular order. This month's themes: Romance, Love, and the 17th Annual "Eligibles" list. Observe: more ›

Friend of SFist and all-around fan of large vehicles, Telstar Logistics brings to our attention this vintage photo of three U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers docked at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard way back in August of 1971. more ›

See Paris through rose-colored glasses, learn about why Hitler jokes were prevalent even in Nazi Germany, and hear some skilled storytellers tell randomly themed tales without any scripts or notes. more ›

We can hardly believe the awesomeness of today's palate cleanser, which comes to us straight from the airwaves via Buzzfeed. On the latest episode of the reality show Joan & Melissa, Joan Rivers and her buddy Lynne score some medical marijuana and then, like a couple of teenagers in Lynne's Scion, go find a quiet cul de sac in which to smoke out. more ›

St. Joseph's Church, which has stood empty since suffering damage in the Loma Prieta quake a little over 22 years ago, is finally going to get put back to use as the market for office space in San Francisco returns to its dot-com-era frenzy. Developer Chris Foley of the Polaris Group bought the property three years ago, and with office space now at a premium, the process of retrofitting and restoring the building is now underway, with the hope of finding an edgy office tenant with a taste for ecclesiastical architecture by mid-2013. We're just a little sad it isn't becoming a nightclub. more ›

Untitled image shot at the Embarcadero by analogskirt. more ›