A 24-year-old Daly City man has been arrested in connection with a mid-April incident in which he allegedly punched a woman who was working the door at the bar Midnight Sun in the Castro neighborhood.

As the Bay Area Reporter reports, San Francisco police arrested 24-year-old Vaizzah Taito of Daly City last week, booking him on one count of misdemeanor battery in connection with an April 18 incident at Midnight Sun.

In that incident, doorperson Calliope Solis, 35, said she was violently punched by Taito at around 10:50 pm when she refused to allow him into the bar — based on previous experience with his behavior.

Solis previously described the situation to the Bay Area Reporter, saying that Taito approached the door at the bar with two women, while she was checking IDs and taking cover charges. Solis did not know Taito's name, but she said she had met him through a mutual acquaintance, and about two years earlier he had grabbed her by the hair at The Edge when she refused to answer questions he was asking her about someone they both knew.

"I … said, 'You are not welcome here and you know why,'" Solis tells the BAR. "The girl [he was with] asks me, ‘Why isn’t he allowed in?’ so I [turned my] focus to her and said, 'He knows why.' As I’m saying that, he lunges around her and punches me in the face. I took a second to recoil, and by that time, he had already sprinted away."

Solis reported the incident to police, and she told the BAR that she had alerted other people working in the neighbhorhood to be aware that Taito could be violent.

"I have been living in San Francisco for eight years, and the longer I’ve lived here, the more I’ve gotten involved in nightlife, one way or another. A lot of people know me, so when I decided to take the job at Midnight Sun, I never thought something like this would happen," Solis said.

"As a trans woman, I assumed I would be protected and people wouldn’t think to harm me, but it happened," Solis added. "It’s devastating, and I’m angry, and I would like him to be held accountable."

She now tells the BAR that she is glad an arrest was made.

Dave Burke, who works in the office of Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman, said to the BAR, "I want to thank the Midnight Sun for their persistence and cooperation in this matter. Violence has no place in the Castro, and it won’t be tolerated."

Taito reportedly made a court appearance on Thursday, May 28, and agreed to return on his own recognizance for a hearing on June 18.

This incident follows an unrelated incident of violence in the Castro neighborhood on May 18, in which a man with a pro-Charlie Kirk message on his vehicle allegedly assaulted a resident and sprayed a hateful message in graffiti outside a flower shop. No arrest has yet been made in that case.

Related: Man In SUV With Pro-Charlie Kirk Message Allegedly Tags Gay-Owned Castro Florist With Hateful Graffiti

Over the weekend, a suspect tagged a building housing a Castro-area floral design shop with hateful graffiti and assaulted a neighbor, and the shop owners are hoping San Francisco police will bring the suspect to justice soon.

Jeff Dumlao, the co-owner of floral design studio Chartreuse by Roje at Market and Church streets, was horrified to find graffiti sprayed on the wall outside his shop on Saturday, just after he and partner Roberto Cancel had closed up shop for the day.

"We closed at 5 pm and we were going to support one of our friends at an art show down the street, and on the way, we get a text from one of our clients saying, 'I know you just closed, but you might want to come back because there's some unpleasant graffiti on the wall outside your store and some sort of disturbance happening,'" Dumlao explains.

Dumlao and Cancel walked back to the shop and found there were already multiple SFPD officers on the scene, and their upstairs neighbor had just been assaulted by the lone suspect, who had fled the scene in a white SUV.

And, they saw they graffiti that had been left behind on the wall outside the store's front door.

"What bothered us the most was really the exact words," Dumlao says.

The message: "Faggots = gas chambers."

The upstairs neighbor had seen the suspect exit his SUV and start painting something on the wall. The neighbor then went down to the street and confronted him, saying "This is my home, you can't be spraying this on the walls."

At that point, the suspect allegedly punched the neighbor in the face, got in his car, and drove off, crashing into a parked car in the process. He then fled down 14th Street, according to witnesses.

The neighbor snapped a photo of the suspect's vehicle and license plate, and he had a message painted on his rear window that said "Onward Christian Soldiers. Charlie Kirk Rest In Power."

Charlie Kirk, the assassinated right-wing pundit and organizer, was known for espousing virulently anti-LGBTQ views and pushing a Christian nationalist agenda.

San Francisco police have reportedly said that they are preparing to make an arrest, and that they have a good lead — one would hope, with the license place. Police also believe this was an isolated incident, and not part of any larger pattern of similar acts.

The choice of the target location might simply have been its high visibility and its adjacency to an escape route to the freeway — the suspect obviously wasn't courageous enough to do something like this in the middle of busy Castro Street on a Saturday.

As for the graffiti itself, it did not survive for longer than a few minutes. Dumlao and Cancel found a can of paint in their shop and painted over it immediately.

"Our first instinct was just to cover that up," Dumlao tells SFist. "We don't want to give them any more ammunition, and let that message stay there or let them think they can get away with that — especially in the Castro of all places."

Dumlao adds that they are working with their landlord and a local artist to paint over the affected wall with a mural that is a bouquet of flowers. "I want to commemorate this with an image of beauty and of love," Dumlao says.

This remains an ongoing investigation and police have been working with the assault victim in making an eventual arrest.

Nate Bourg, the president of the Castro Merchants, issued a statement saying he is "deeply saddened" by the incident and what it says about "the hateful divisions still present in our society."

"This was not just vandalism — it was a deliberate hate crime targeting a gay-owned business and the values of safety, pride, and inclusion that define the Castro," Bourg says. "Our community has fought too hard for visibility, dignity, and security to be pushed backward by violence or intimidation."

Bourg added, "We stand united, and we will fiercely defend our businesses, our neighbors, and the community we have built together."

Sharbel Saker, a former SF resident who had worked at Fisherman’s Wharf prior to moving to LA last year, was found dead early Friday near Market and Page streets after reportedly leaving Martuni’s piano bar on mid-Market.

Friends began posting on social media over the weekend trying to locate 34-year-old Sharbel Saker, who was last seen leaving Martuni’s at Market and Valencia streets in San Francisco around 1 am Friday, as Mission Local reports. Saker’s body was found later that day at Market and Page streets, two blocks away, according to San Francisco Police Department spokesperson Paulina Henderson. He was reportedly not heading in that direction when he left Martuni’s.

The SFPD does not suspect foul play at this time based on lack of evidence. While it’s unconfirmed, commenters on social media say Saker’s phone was found in a plastic bag buried in a flower planter.

“I knew him,” said a commenter on Mission Local’s social media post. “It makes no sense. He used to live here. He was very familiar with nightlife and San Francisco at that hour. There’s more to this. That’s what my gut says.”

Based on Saker’s social media, he was from the Bronx in New York City, and moved to the Bay Area in 2017. He previously worked as general manager for the Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum at Fisherman’s Wharf before moving to Los Angeles last summer.

The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to contact the SFPD at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the message with SFPD.

Image: Sharbel Saker/Facebook

This is both Super Bowl Weekend and the grand reopening weekend for the Castro Theatre. And ahead of that big event, we have an update on the two small businesses at the front of the theater building.

There was some consternation in the Castro neighborhood last year following news that two well loved small businesses, Castro Coffee Co. and Castro Nail Salon, whose storefronts are at the right and left sides of the Castro Theatre entrance, were being evicted. Another Planet Entertainment, which now holds the master lease for the building, said that it will need the storefronts for back-office and box-office functions for the theater after it reopens, and both businesses were set to lose their leases last June.

They are, indeed, still going to be vacating those spaces, but district Supervisor Rafael Mandelman tells the Bay Area Reporter this week that he and the city are working to help them potentially relocate.

"I think our hope is each of them will be able to stay in the neighborhood. … That is one solution we are going to try to help them with," Mandelman tells the publication.

Brothers Ken Khoury and Riyad Khoury own the coffeeshop and the nail salon, respectively, and their family has other real estate holdings in the Castro neighborhood. They had both sought to stay in their spaces, with the coffeeshop having the longer tenure of the two — it has occupied the same space since

Now, per the BAR, both businesses have secured spaces nearby — though this appears to be not entirely confirmed, at least by Mandelman. The coffeeshop will reportedly be moving almost next door, to the Lisa's Hair Design space at 421 Castro — in a building owned by the Khourys' relatives. And the nail salon will be moving to the next block, the 500 block of Castro.

The Nasser family, which owns the Castro Theatre, expressed its gratitude for taking care of these longtime tenants.

"We extend our sincere appreciation to Mayor Lurie and board President Mandelman, both of whom played instrumental roles in reaching an agreement that thoughtfully balanced the needs of our long-standing tenants, the Khoury family, with those of Another Planet Entertainment as we move forward with the renovation and revitalization of the Castro Theatre," says Chris Nasser Padian, speaking to the BAR via email. "The solution devised ensures that these cherished businesses will remain right here in the Castro for years to come. We also thank the Castro community for its engagement, patience, and continued commitment to preserving the neighborhood’s cultural legacy."

The theater, meanwhile, officially reopens Friday with a benefit screening of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, and with a party hosted by drag impresario D'Arcy Drollinger on Saturday. Next week, Grammy-winning singer Sam Smith takes up residency with a series of shows lasting through mid-March.

Previously: Another Planet Evicting Longtime Castro Coffeeshop and Nail Salon, Likely for Box Office Space for Castro Theatre

The prominent corner at Noe and Market streets that for decades was home to Cafe Flore has a new tenant moving in, with hopes to bring some life back to this terrific space.

Castro neighborhood denizens may have noticed that one of those pop-up holiday cocktail things came to the former Cafe Flore during the holiday season. But the space has been otherwise pretty quiet for the last six months, since Fisch & Flore, the much-delayed replacement restaurant for Cafe Flore, closed last July after just over a year in business.

But thankfully the prominent corner spot won't stay dark much longer, and the handsome renovation that owner Serhat Zorlu did for Fisch & Flore won't go to waste. It will reopen, as the SF Standard is reporting, as Parasol at Flore, hopefully by June, with owner Jacob Paronyan saying he would like to get open in time for Pride Month.

Paronyan is the owner of Roaming Goat, the three-and-a-half-year-old wine bar in Cow Hollow with a unique focus on Armenian and Georgian wines — part of a trend of regionally specific international wine bars that the Chronicle highlighted in 2022.

With Parasol at Flore, Paronyan tells the Standard that he's looking to create more of a restaurant, and one leaning more toward California fare that has some Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influence — but no doubt some similarly unique wine pours. And he expects the place to have a lively daytime presence, especially for weekend brunch.

The Roaming Goat menu, if we're looking for clues, includes dips like hummus and mahammara, cheese plates, and some more filling items like meat and octopus kebabs, and kufta meatballs.

In terms of vibe and food quality, Paronyan tells the Standard, "I hope it will be somewhere in the realm of Starbelly across the street, which has been there for 15 years, or maybe a step or two below Zuni."

Hopefully, the menu at Parasol will be a bit more cravable and affordably priced than Fisch & Dlore, which seemed to suffer from an identity crisis from the get go — was it a bar? was it a restaurant? was it a fancy restaurant? While the cocktails were good, the food portions were notably stingy, given the price point.

Also, unlike at Roaming Goat, this space comes with a full liquor license, and Paronyan has not indicated what to expect in terms of cocktails.

The original Cafe Flore closed in 2020 after 47 years in business, following years of uncertainty around the space. One issue had always been its tiny, makeshift kitchen, which for many years was supplemented by an unpermitted prep kitchen across the street, in another building linked to the owners.

As SFGayHistory recounts, the original glass-enclosed cafe was built in 1973 by Alfred Finnila, an iron worker who had worked on the Golden Gate Bridge, on land owned by his family. The neighborhood had long been home to Scandinavian immigrants in the early 20th Century, and this had previously been the site of Finnila’s Finnish Baths — which also included part of the site where the Market & Noe Center (home of Barry's) now stands.

The property was purchased in 1977 by Mahmood and Ahmad Ghazi, who went on to run Cafe Flore for 25 years.

For decades, the place had been a reliable daytime cafe and go-to brunch spot, especially on sunny days, as well as an LGBTQ community gathering space.

Under Zorlu's ownership, as part of the extensive renovation that added an ADA bathroom and a more functional kitchen, the space also got a more finished patio with a fire pit and glass wind-blocks.

Stay tuned for more details as this opening gets closer.

The Castro is losing its second major coffee shop in four months, with the popular Market Street location of Peet's set to close later this month, and more Peet's locations are also getting axed.

There was a time not long ago when the Castro neighborhood was dealing with a glut of coffeeshops, with a new one seemingly opening every month. But now, in early 2026, the neighborhood is living without its once popular Starbucks on 18th Street — nicknamed Bearbucks — which closed in September. And news just arrived via Hoodline that Peet's Coffee is shuttering its longtime shop at 2257 Market Street.

The move comes as Peet's, which ceased to be an independent company in 2012 when it was acquired by German conglomerate JAB Holding, is being traded once more. The company, now merged with Dutch conglomerate Jacobs Douwe Egberts as JDE Peet's, was acquired by Keurig Dr. Pepper (KDP) last year. (Interestingly, Keurig, then known as Keurig Green Mountain, was acquired 10 years ago by the same German company, JAB Holding, that acquired Peet's, until it spun off as a private company and acquired Dr Pepper Snapple Group in 2018.)

A press release about the Peet's acquisition last summer discussed "cost synergies," and referred to "KDP’s disruptive legacy." That disruption now comes in the form of  30 local Peet's store closures, including locations in the Castro and Cole Valley (919 Cole Street).

KDP had declined to say where the other closures are happening, but clearly more are coming, to be announced in the coming days. The Castro shop will be closing by the end of January.

"Peet’s has made the difficult decision to close a number of Peet’s Coffee locations by the end of January 2026," said company spokesperson Stephanie O'Brien in a statement to Hoodline. "These closures reflect a broader effort to align our business with long-term growth priorities and current market conditions."

O'Brien added, "We are deeply grateful to our incredible employees and loyal customers for their continued commitment to the brand. As we move forward, we remain dedicated to the quality, craftsmanship, and heritage that have defined Peet’s for the past 60 years, while embracing new opportunities to innovate and grow."

Much like other Bay Area brands that went global, like Blue Bottle Coffee and Ghirardelli Chocolate, Peet's can't claim to be a local enterprise with any particular interest in its local clientele anymore.

Peet's was founded in Berkeley in 1966 as Peet's Coffee, Tea & Spices, near the Gourmet Ghetto at Vine and Walnut streets, where the original shop still stands. Founder Alfred Peet was born in the Netherlands to a father who owned a coffee company, and he later apprenticed at the famous London tea company Twinings, developing a love for tea as well.

When he relocated to San Francisco at the age of 35 in 1955, as the story goes, Peet was dismayed to see the sort of swill that Americans were drinking and calling coffee, saying, "I came to the richest country in the world, so why are they drinking the lousiest coffee?" He set out to change that, and Peet's Coffee, Tea & Spices was born 11 years later.

Peet famously, in 1971, trained the three young entrepeneurs who went on to found Starbucks, and served as the company's coffee supplier and roaster in its early years, until 1973.

Jerry Baldwin, one of those Starbucks c0-founders, bought Peet's four locations in 1984, selling his shares in Starbucks in 1987. Peet's would go on to expand widely and have an IPO in 2001.

Alfred Peet retired to Ashland, Oregon, where he passed away in 2007.

Coffee consolidation is happening across the board, with the once-ubiquitous Starbucks also slashing locations by the hundreds in the last two years.

The number of currently operating Peet's Coffee shops in the US is not clear — estimates seem to be around 280 company-owned locations as of late last year. There are 22 Peet's locations in San Francisco alone, and it sounds like a wide swath might be going away soon.

Following its two-year-long, $41 million renovation, the Castro Theatre will officially reopen to the public on February 6 with a film screening — and a very queer one at that.

There will be a movie screening at the renovated Castro Theatre, with its removable seats and retractable seating tiers, to celebrate the theater's grand reopening next month. And it will be a screening of the 1994 Australian queer cinema classic, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

Tickets for the screening go on sale Friday, January 9, at 10 am, and the event will double as a 20th anniversary fundraiser for the Castro Community Benefit District.

"This is more than a movie night; it is a homecoming,” says Andrea Aiello, executive director of the Castro Community Benefit District, in a statement. "We are inviting the community to be the very first to experience the ‘New Castro’ while supporting the preservation of the queer history and culture that makes this neighborhood a global beacon."

And, Aiello added, costumes and makeup are much encouraged. "You can’t show ‘Priscilla’ without audience participation, so dress in your best Priscilla drag!"

There was some intense consternation and community debate following the takeover of the management of the Castro Theatre by local concert promoters Another Planet Entertainment — who similarly, two decades ago, spearheaded the renovation of the defunct Fox Theatre in Oakland and turned it into a full-time concert venue.

But, unlike the Fox, the Castro had remained an active community performence venue and movie house, and a home base for film festivals including Frameline and SFFILM, and many in the community worried that Another Planet would only pay lip service to the film screenings and devote most of the programming to music.

An initial release of six months worth of programming at the theater, which includes a monthlong residency by queer and nonbinary singer Sam Smith, has perhaps mollified some of those concerns, with both a clear commitment to booking LGBTQ+ musicians and comedy acts, and a promise of more film programming to come.

Before Smith's residency kicks off on February 10, the theater will also be having a "soft-launch" party on Saturday, February 7, dubbed D'Arcy's Drag and Disco, hosted by Oasis owner and former SF Drag Laureate D'Arcy Drollinger. Tickets for that also go on sale tomorrow, Friday, January 9.

Another Planet's renovations included the removal of the orchestra-level theater seating, new HVAC, sound, and lighting systems, and a thorough restoration of the theater's ceiling, chandelier, and murals. There is also reportedly a new bar on the mezzanine level, and there will be mobile bars for concert nights on the orchestra level as well.

The February 6th screening will also, presumably, offer an opportunity to hear the new hybrid electric pipe organ that was in the works since before the renovations began, with the tradition of organ music before movies continuing.

Castro neighborhood brunch destination Kitchen Story, well known for its Millionaire's Bacon and bottomless mimosas, is closing its doors after 12 years, though its sister businesses will remain open and a new concept is promised at this location.

Kitchen Story, which opened to immediate popularity at 16th and Sanchez streets in 2013 as part of the mini-empire of restaurateur Hoyul Steven Choi, is serving its last deep-fried Millionaire's Bacon this weekend. The restaurant will close after Sunday, January 4, as announced in an Instagram post.

"We are deeply grateful to our guests who have supported, shared their mornings with us, and made this restaurant a part of their lives over the years," the posting reads. "Your love and encouragement have meant more to us than words can express."

But Choi, who has been in expansion mode for several years and has a second location of Kitchen Story in Oakland's Rockridge — in addition to his first restaurant, Sweet Maple, still open in Japantown, Blackwood in the Marina, and two locations of U:Dessert Story — may still be holding on to the space, as a "new concept" is promised in the announcement.

"While this chapter is coming to a close, it is not a goodbye. We look forward to welcoming you back soon with a new concept and a fresh beginning," the posting says.

Choi emigrated from South Korea in 1984 and originally had a sense of Americans' love of breakfast and brunch when he opened Taylor Street Coffee Shop in Union Square with his wife, Jiyeon, in 2002. He would later open Sweet Maple in 2010, followed by Kitchen Story three years later. Both restaurants featured his invention, Millionaire's Bacon, a dish of thick-cut slab bacon fried and doused in maple syrup and cayenne pepper.

The Chois have further expanded with Sweet Maple locations in Palo Alto, Walnut Creek, and Santa Monica, with bigger plans to expand to Texas and elsewhere in Southern California, however those plans have not yet materialized. As they told the SF Business Times in 2022, they also had plans for a restaurant called Noodle Story in the Sunset, however that has not yet opened.

While most of the menu at Kitchen Story skewed toward American breakfast, the Chois' other restaurants incorporate Asian dishes as well, like the bulgogi scramble at Sweet Maple, and ribeye omurice dishes that appear on both menus.

As Jiyeon Choi told the Business Times, "We are really the first Asian-themed brunch restaurant in the American traditional breakfast. People might have thought this was strange at first, but not anymore."

Hank, the Frenchie who was stolen from outside a Castro neighborhood bar last week, has been located, he's safe, and he's been returned to his very distressed dads.

We learned of the terrible dognapping earlier this week, which took place outside the bar 440, at 440 Castro Street, on the night of Wednesday, December 10. Hank, the French bulldog, was in the care of one of his dads when a male suspect reportedly unleashed him and ran off with him into a waiting car.

Dog owner Parker Brumfield sought the media's help in getting the word out and helping the police find his stolen five-year-old pet, who he said, "He’s like not just a dog; he’s my child."

On Thursday we learned that the SFPD had taken a suspect into custody for the dognapping, but Hank was still missing. That suspect is 44-year-old Dante Shaw of Oakland.

Now, the SFPD has announced on Xitter that Hank has been located, thanks to the help of a good Samaritan. And the dog was reportedly found on Thursday, December 18, so perhaps not long after Shaw's arrest.

"Hank appeared to be in good physical health and is home safe," the SFPD said. "Thank you to everyone who assisted us in spreading our posts."

Keep your Frenchies safe, everyone! They're a hot commodity for thieves.

Previously: Castro Dog Dad Seeks Public's Help In Finding Dognapped Frenchie, Hank

A man's French bulldog was stolen outside of a Castro bar last week and remains missing, and the dog's owner is seeking help from the public in locating the dognapping suspect.

The incident happened outside the bar 440, at 440 Castro Street, around 11:40 pm on Wednesday, December 10. Dog dad Parker Brumfield says that his five-year-old French bulldog Hank was stolen while in the care of "one of his parents," so possibly not in the care of Brumfield himself.

A suspect reportedly picked the dog up from the sidewalk while the caretaker was distracted and fled into a waiting car.

"He means the world to me," Brumfield tells the Bay Area Reporter. "I literally bought my apartment for him. It's every dog owner's worst nightmare."

And as Brumfield told KRON4, "He’s like not just a dog; he’s my child."

Brumfield declined to give further details about the circumstances of the theft, and gave no description of the suspect vehicle. He said the dog is microchipped.

If anyone has information about the incident, or the dog's whereabouts, they are asked to call 415-355-4349.

Tipsters can also contact the SFPD at 415-575-4444, or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the message with “SFPD.” Tipsters can remain anonymous.

This is the latest in a string of French bulldog thefts around San Francisco over several years, with Frenchies being one of the most popular targets for thieves.

Related: French Bulldog Stolen From San Leandro Found 900 Miles Away in Arizona, Returned Home

This week: 1960s gems at SCRAP, Muni’s holiday wrap artist, and Deck the Halls out the wazoo. Plus, queer performer and activist Tahara, astronomy talks, queer land stewardship, the wildlife of Yosemite, and the return of the salmon.

Holiday lights in the Castro

Deck the Halls has reopened for the season in a new pop-up space at 2298 Market Street, bringing its wall-to-wall holiday décor to the Castro. The bar leans into playful cocktails — cotton-candy spritzes, matcha-mezcal blends, an espresso martini riff, and a chestnut drink finished over an open flame.

Food ranges from pumpkin soup to small bites and sandwiches, with a weekend brunch buffet added for this year. It’s open daily from 4 pm to midnight, with brunch served Friday through Sunday from 11 am to 2 pm, and runs through December 28. — Secret San Francisco

Stars over the Sycamore

Astronomy on Tap is a monthly San Francisco event where local astronomers give short talks at local bars. The Sycamore in the Mission recently hosted a full house of attendees learning about planets, galaxies, and cosmic phenomena.

Presentations are casual, with time for questions and conversation, making space science accessible without a lecture hall. The next session will be held at Blackhammer Brewing later this month. — KPIX

Sparkle in the workshop

SCRAP SF is hosting its Jewelry & Joy Pop-Up from December 9–13, showcasing vintage Swarovski crystals and rhinestones from the 1960s. The pop-up highlights pieces that are no longer in production, giving collectors and jewelry lovers a chance to see and buy rare finds.

The workshop is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm, and visitors can browse the selection and shop directly on site. — SCRAP

Thread of the city

Anton Belov grew up riding Muni, always curious about who made the artwork on the buses. Now he’s that person, and in a new video he shares his perspective on designing the Patchwork of the City holiday wrap.

Belov talks about tracing landmarks, neighborhoods, and local wildlife into a single design, and how he hopes each rider catches a moment of joy, pride, or connection when they see it. You can watch him walk through the process and his inspiration in the video. — SFMTA

Angels and rebellion

Tahara, Bay Area performer and early queer activist, will share personal stories from the city’s gay liberation era in a conversation with August Bernadicou on December 14. He reflects on the ways art, costume, and fearless identity intertwined on stage and in the streets with groups like the Cockettes and Angels of Light, shaping a movement that still resonates today.

Known for his vibrant performances and dedication to queer storytelling, Tahara traces the threads of creativity and courage that carried through the 1960s and ’70s. His recollections offer a window into a moment when culture and community collided in unexpected, transformative ways. December 14, Queer Arts Featured, 575 Castro Street. — Bay Area Reporter

Tending the land

Along the Russian River, queer communities have long made their mark on the land, from redwoods to meadows. Shelterwood Collective manages 900 acres through controlled burns and restoration, creating space for both the forest and queer gatherings. Nearby, Solar Punk Farms combines small-scale farming with climate-focused events, from drag shows to natural wine tastings.

These projects continue a history of queer presence in the region while shaping practices for land stewardship and community. Weekend visits and seasonal gatherings welcome those looking for connection and time in the woods. — KQED

River runners

After years of absence, salmon are finding their way back to South Bay streams, leaping up Guadalupe River, Los Gatos Creek, and Penitencia Creek this season. The restoration work by local groups — removing barriers, cleaning creeks, and improving fish passage — seems to be paying off.

On weekend walks, you can spot the fish slipping upstream, especially after fresh rains swell the rivers. The season continues through December, offering a rare glimpse at these survivors in the Bay Area. — Weekend Wanderers Inc.

Hidden residents

Yosemite Wildlife, the new book by Beth Pratt, dives into the park’s animals, from pikas on rocky slopes to peregrine falcons soaring over Yosemite Valley. Paired with Robb Hirsch’s photos, it updates a century-old record and gives a close look at creatures often overshadowed by the scenery.

Pratt draws on decades of experience living near the park, showing how wildlife and landscape coexist. She’ll discuss the book Sunday at Corte Madera’s Book Passage. — Marin Independent Journal

Image: Angels of Light/Facebook

Previously: Field Notes: Kenny Alley, Holiday Architecture Book Fair, and Oakland’s Last Old Redwood

It won't be the first lesbian pie-eating contest in all the land, but it will be the first that we know of in San Francisco, when Rikki's hosts the event this weekend.

Yes, you heard it here, folks. There will be a lesbian pie-eating contest on Sunday, November 23 at Rikki's, the women's sports bar in the Castro. And the jokes come easy — comedian Jenny Hagel rattled off a few during a segment on Late Night With Seth Meyers recently, regarding a similar event held in Brooklyn. One example: "A lesbian pie-eating contest was held in Brooklyn last month. It's like a straight pie-eating contest, except the pie enjoys it."

KQED was actually first to report on the contest, and you can see the flier for it below from the bar's Instagram. There's a $5 entry fee and a $100 grand prize, and this will be a contest of eating one's pie without hands or utensils, just face-first in the pie. And while cream pies might have the speed advantage here — less chewing! — there doesn't seem to be a rule about what kind of pies are eligible. And contestants are free to bring their own 9-inch pie.

The organizer of Sunday's event is Curve magazine founder Franco Stevens, and as Stevens tells KQED, it's an event to promote and raise money for Lesbian Visibility Week, which will be happening April 21 to 26, 2026.

"No forks. No hands. No shame. Just get your face in there, and whoever can finish the pie fastest is going to get the $100," Stevens tells KQED, adding, "We could have a couple of pie lickers out there that are just in it for the performance art. We’re totally fine with that."

See the flier below and get your pie-eating pants on, ladies! The first 20 "pie athletes" to enter will be eligible for the big prize.

We now have the most in-depth peek to date inside the still under-construction Castro Theatre, as crews complete what's been a nearly two-year-long, $41 million renovation project.

You've likely heard by now about the careful restoration of the Castro Theatre's ornate ceiling, which was one of the first tasks undertaken in this renovation that began in early 2024. The ceiling work was done by Evergreene Architectural Arts, and the finished work can be seen below.

As Another Planet Entertainment Senior VP Mary Conde explains in the video below from Engineering News-Record, "From the '20s to the '80s you could smoke inside [the theater], so a lot of the original plaster work was just preserved in nicotine, which was really goopy and sticky and disgusting and stinky."

Conde says that Evergreene found "the right solution" for removing the nicotine and preserving the paint underneath it, which was also touched up. She adds, "At the very center of our cupola is original paint from 1922 that didn't need to be touched up [because] it had been preserved in nicotine for all these years."

The video also discusses the ornate gold proscenium that had been covered over by a larger movie screen for at least 40 or 50 years, and had not even been seen by most of the Nasser family who own the building. The team has also undertaken a restoration of that proscenium, which was caked with nicotine, soot, and plenty of dust. That has involved several stages of cleaning, touching up of plaster and paint, and regilding with gold leaf.

Conde explains how the "trundle bed system" of mechanical tiers will work in order to create 36-inch rows of seats for screenings and seated events, and how they will retract to become just five tiers to accomodate standing room for concerts.

We also get a look at the structural reinforcement that took place on the roof of the 103-year-old building in order to accommodate a new HVAC system, as well as the steel on the roof that is anchoring the new lighting and speaker systems hanging in the auditorium.

See it all below. The Castro reopens on February 10, 2026 with a monthlong series of concerts by Sam Smith.

Previously: Castro Theatre 2026 Film Events to Include 'Hedwig' Screening, Silent Film Fest

Leave it to Bay Area denizens on Facebook, but some serious finger-wagging and multi-exclamation-point indignation is happening in at least one corner of social media about the amount of smoking seen Sam Smith's new music video, shot in SF's Castro.

Whether it's the comments section of SFist or a post on Instagram or Facebook, someone somewhere is always going to have something to say! And when singer Sam Smith dropped his music video Tuesday promoting his February Castro Theatre residency, there was some immediate blowback about the amount of cigarette smoking being done by people participating in the video — though not by Smith — as first noted by the Chronicle.

"The amount of smoking in this video is shocking & disturbing," says Napa-based DJ Rob Doughty, aka DJ Rotten Robbie. He adds, wagging a finger at the youth, "Don’t they know that the LGBTQ+ community has been a marketing target of cigarette companies for years. Google it. Sad that Another Planet Entertainment allowed this toxic imagery. I saw at least 10 instances of smoking. Blech!"

The video in question is below. It's a cover of Bill Withers's "Ain't No Sunshine," it's a less-than-two-minute clip with a retro Castro vibe, depicting a diverse group of queer people hangning out on a stoop in the neighborhood and reveling in front of the theater, and a few people are seen with cigarettes. It was posted to Smith's own YouTube account, and Another Planet likely didn't have any say in the content.

As the Chronicle notes, while Smith is not seen with a cigarette, the singer has admitted to "battling" a tobacco addiction in the past, saying in a 2018 interview, "When I have my time off in between shows I find it really difficult [not to smoke]," though saying it is a bad habit.

The post has garnered a couple dozen comments, most of them in agreement with Doughty. But comments on the YouTube video are far more positive and focused on the beauty of Smith's rendition of the song — though one commenter asks, "Is everyone smoking because it looks good in slow motion?"

Smith was announced this week as the opening act inaugurating the newly renovated Castro Theatre, which reopens in February after a two-year renovation that has included new electrical, lighting, HVAC, and sound systems, a restored ceiling and chandelier, and tiered platforms on the main level of the theater, with removable seats for seated concerts and film screenings.

"I LOVE San Francisco and The Castro especially has been so central to the Queer community here over the years," Smith said in text accompanying the video. "These shows will also mark the official reopening, so it's truly an honour to become part of this iconic venue's history."

Smith added, "I wanted to record my own version of ‪[Bill Withers's] beautiful track 'Ain't No Sunshine' to celebrate the announcement, [and] the Castro felt like the perfect place to create a visual to go alongside it too."

The video also includes shots inside the theater, showing scaffolding still up around the proscenium, and the newly refurbished ceiling.

Tickets for Sam Smith's residency — which will be across eight nights, February 10, 11, 13, 14, 17, 18, 20, and 21 — go on sale next week, October 7 at 10 am, but you can sign up here before 10 pm tonight, October 2, to gain access to a presale.

Grammy-winning singer Sam Smith is the opening act for the reopening of the newly renovated Castro Theatre, with an eight-night residency now scheduled for February — as teased via TikTok Monday night.

Yes, it's all happening. The Castro Theatre is reopening in just four months, and Another Planet Entertainment confirmed early Tuesday that the opening act in the newly renovated venue will be none other than Sam Smith. As the Chronicle was first to report, Smith will be performing on eight nights from February 10 to February 21, and the show is dubbed "To Be Free: San Francisco," after Smith's latest single, "To Be Free."

"Our goal is to activate and re-energize the building with equity, inclusion, and community at the forefront,” says Another Planet CEO Gregg Perloff, in a statement. “We look forward to contributing to the vibrancy and economic health of the Castro while honoring its legacy as an LGBTQ+ landmark and cultural anchor.”

Smith posted a TikTok video Monday showing themself walking in front of the historic Castro Theatre and looking up at the "Coming Soon" message on the marquis, teasing that they had an announcement coming Tuesday.

Smith was in San Francisco earlier this month shooting a music video, which was noted by a number of locals who spotted Smith and their entourage at places like Twin Peaks Tavern, and Smith was spotted by the SFMTA riding a Muni bus.

And as the Chronicle noted, Smith has a special place in their heart for the Castro neighborhood, saying during a 2023 Chase Center appearance, "I first came here to San Francisco when I was 20 years old. I was a very confused queer kid."

Smith added, "This city made me feel so at home when I was younger."

Tickets for the Castro performances go on sale via Ticketmaster on October 7 at 10 am.

Smith is doing a similar, lengthier residency in Brooklyn starting in two weeks, called "To Be Free: New York City."

We learned last week that the historic Castro Theatre movie palace will be reborn as The Castro, dropping the "Theatre" part, when it reopens in February 2026.

Formerly a full-time movie theater that occasionally hosted drag and other stage performances, the 103-year-old Castro will re-emerge as both a concert and movie venue, with tiered platforms on the orchestra level in addition to removable seats, and a new bar in the upstairs mezzanine lobby.

Management company and concert promoter Another Planet Entertainment has overseen the $41 million renovation of the historic theater, which includes new electrical and sound systems.

This post has been updated throughout.

A previous version of this post suggested that 'Victor/Victoria' will be screened again for the reopening, but this is not the case.