Londonist are starting to think their city is getting just a little bit too expensive, when even Christian Slater can't afford to go out there. And there's no escaping, as local singer Lily Allen discovered when she was barred entry to the US. The British mapping agency caused further bad karma, by blocking a 3-D representation of London in Google Earth. But the smiles returned to Londonist's faces as they interviewed Baroness von Reichardt,......

-- Writers With Drinks: Tonight Robert Mailer Anderson, writer and game designer Austin Grossman, Sheng Wang, Darieck Scott, and Dom Brassey read. 7 p.m. at the Make-Out Room, 3225 - 22nd; $3-$5. -- Deep Fried Murder: A play about the world of competitive eating, veganism, and breaking up. Curtain rises at 8 p.m. at the Climate Theatre, 285 - 9th Street; $12. -- Altered Barbie Show: Fifth annual doll/art show has over 75 designers......

Zombie Time has a chortle-worthy review of the Propaganda III art show -- a not-so-mildly anti-capitalist (and surprisingly anti-Semitic) exhibit -- which was held at, where else? The always-chic Bambuddha Lounge! You know, that sanctuary of fine dining, poolside lounging, and choice beats in the middle of dingy, deplorable poverty? The place where Gavin and a smattering of Trainas get shoved into a pool for an annual charity benefit? (Total hoot, anyone?) Anyway, it's......

The artists in We, Asian Sex Workers want to make it clear that they are not slaves or victims. They don't need to be "saved," but they would like some respect, or at the very least, sensitivity. As part of the fifth annual San Francisco Sex Worker Festival, curator Gennifer Hirano and artists Sarah Mac, Mariko Passion, Reagan Louie, Tracy Quan, Annie Chen, Surgeon Scofflaw, The Girls of Banteay Srei (Oakland, CA), and Ivy from......

Saturday.... in the park... wish it were the Fourth of July! (That's the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra performing the Chicago classic above). Here's your events for today: --Supervisor Dreamy, Ross Mirkarimi's picking up litter and planting trees as part of the Community Clean Team in the Inner Sunset today from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Meet at the City Parking Lot on 9th between Irving and Judah. --Close out the month-long National Queer Arts......

On time this week! Last week's winner: the East Bay Express. All pro-Wiccan letters except for one, which says witchcraft is not a religion. That's right -- it's a sandwich store! The mayors of Alameda and Oakland suck. Skating in the East Bay. Cover article: a local Burning Man DJ is popular, wants to get into hip-hop. That new movie by the Shawn of the Dead guys is pretty funny. Is payola coming back for......

Here's a listing for tonight's events...

SFist interviews Artis Mark Mulroney...

LA's The Love Movement, an art collective whose members are recent Philadelphia transplants, are changing the world with love and art—not in a hippy way, but in a hip way. They are wise beyond their years but fresh and innocent at the same time. They recently bought a well in West Africa, and Integrity Fashions had a piece of their artwork printed on t-shirts to draw awareness to the genocide in Darfur. Add them on MySpace to be part of the love and to stay updated on their latest projects. The Love Movement are having an art show called "Love Conquers All," a collaboration with the Love Bandits, on Saturday night at the fabulous Space Gallery, and they will be giving away free art. They invite you to come and "share the love." ...

While we have not cultivated or honed our food-writing skills as much as our SFist food chroniclers, let alone Meredith Brody, we are quite fond of cheese. While we cannot confirm the presence of cheese at the following events, the art is worth checking out. Eleanor Harwood was once the curator of the influential back room gallery at Adobe Bookstore, and now has her own eponymous gallery (1295 Alabama St at 25th). Tonight at......

C'mon, doesn't anyone want to run for mayor against Gavin Newsom? Isn't there's someone out there who's dying for a chance to answer the Board of Supervisors' questions once a month? So here's everyone's current status: Ross Mirkarimi: Mirkarimi told the Chron (where we got most everyone's quotes), "I'm being encouraged to run, but I don't want to be a sacrificial lamb." He did tell us at yesterday's art show in his office, though, that......

We went to our very first Ross Mirkarimi Third Friday art show yesterday, and had a very nice time -- loved the eggnog! We also picked up the following piece of gossip: Chris Daly is growing a mustache. Our source reported that Chris has shaved off his goatee but left a lush growth of hair underneath the nose. Our source was either serious or joking (we're not entirely sure which) when he said that Chris......

Wow, there's a whole lot of benefits for worthy causes going on this weekend, as well as a head-spinning amount of other stuff to do: Friday that's tonight, and it's the kick-off for Creativity Explored's (3245 16th St. at Guerrero) Annual Holiday Art Sale, a bargain hunter’s paradise of original artwork by artists with developmental disabilities. And it’s all on sale for rock bottom prices – many items as low as $5. Creativity Explored......

First, the excitement of the election, and now the excitement of a (for many people) three day weekend. More excitement! Movies: Third I South Asian Film Festival, In Debt We Trust by Danny Schecter Friday and Saturday night, Hardcore Viewmaster on Saturday night, early Werner Herzog shorts at SF MoMA, Saturday afternoon, and New Italian Cinema all day Sunday. Book Parties: Friday at the Cartoon Art Museum, Just Like Heaven, which is a children's......

Whew, it's finally Halloween - is it just us or has Halloween become a multi-day holiday like Hannukah or Kwanzaa? Of course, we'll be eating our words (and half-price Halloween candy) tomorrow when stores start preparing for 2 months of Christmas. But tonight is Halloween, so cue the Halloween stuff to do. Space Gallery and The Hemlock are having a mini-block party with the closing reception for PHANTASM: (in)visible bodies & haunted spaces, an......

Earlier this week kissy couples were wading through roses and red tissue paper deeper than an east coast snow dump and singles shook a tiny, lonely fist (no ring!) at it all. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - Valentine's season is in the can, finally. Austinist is already pulsing with SX energy and posting on the People's Choice Award nominees and the short films that will be playing while the......

Supervisor Chris Daly takes a break from smashing the state to continue the Matt Gonzalez tradition of Smashing The State through art, as he hosts what looks like his first City Hall art show. (is that right?) Hey, is Ross Mirkarimi still having his art shows, or has he moved onto the ultimate performance art project of compiling a 5 bazillion-page zoning guideline for pot clubs? We can't find any information about Daly's show online -- not even at the Daly Blog -- but sources (and the fine print on the .jpg we got forwarded) tell us it'll be featuring the work of photographer Mark Ellinger, who takes pictures of SROs in the Tenderloin and SoMA. Sounds like Daly's going to be featuring Ellinger's work and talking about SRO mailbox legislation, with free food and drink to boot. The event's next Friday (2/10) and open to the public. We can't wait! The photographs are beautiful, and -- well, all right, we are totally dying to see what Chris Daly's office looks like too. We promise not to start any fights! Okay, and this is not related to anything, but is it a bad sign when a news article entitled: "As Wife Heads To Jail, Daly Shoots 69" is published and two or three people email asking you how SFist will be covering this? (John Daly! The golfer!) The Hotel Project February 10, 2006, 4-7 p.m. Room 273, City Hall, SF. Picture by Mark Ellinger...

In our continuing search for cool stuff to buy for holiday gifts, we can't wait to hit Root Division's Holiday Art Show and Sale. Head over to Root Division (3175 17th at South Van Ness) Saturday any time between 11a.m. to 11p.m. to pick up works from local emerging artists -- perfect fodder for gifts, or to keep! From 6 to 11 p.m. there'll be a reception complete with DJ Carrie B, so if......

Sfist interviews Nathalie Roland...

Got no plans this weekend? Go listen to some music or check out these other cool happenings. Tonight at Fort Mason, Stewart Brand will be speaking on the topic of "Cities & Time" as part of the Long Now foundation's Second Friday seminar series. Brand is responsible for publishing the Whole Earth Catalog -- their computer network, the Well, just celebrated it's twentieth anniversary. Ten dollar suggested donation. Friend of SFist Jess Barron invited......

SFist loves it when punk kids get embraced by advanced-degree wielding curators, independently wealthy socialites and other high-art hangers-on. So when Robin tipped us to Thursday's "Video Game Art Show" we had to check it out. With the Game Developer's Conference at the Moscone Center, StartSOMA probably figured that they might actually have some interested buyers who could afford to decorate their walls with something besides a few plasma screens for Halo LAN parties.......

Join us tonight at 111 Minna for an art show curated by Aaron Burtch, entitled "Five Ways To See." When he's not making great music with Grandaddy, Burtch is making great paintings and pictures, which he'll be showing alongside artwork from Souther Salazar, Alexander Cheves, Jeffery Harland, Joel Elrod. Afterward, your music options include the oft-recommended Neko Case with The Sadies at Bimbo's, the electro-pop of locals The Lovemakers at Popscene, or the gentle Brit-pop......

SFist always has a good time in Japantown. We enjoy the bookstore, the many restaurants, and the chance to pretend we're in The Executioner. And there's another reason to head down to the Post and Webster area - the awesome Super 7 retail store. Brought to you by the same folks who bring you Super 7 Magazine ("the first and only all English publication covering all aspects of Japanese Toy Culture"), the Super 7 store......