Spare $35,800? Or need a date? Because there are few things we love more than this scene from Waiting to Exhale. And this SFist editor would like to personally thank Angela Bassett for bringing it into our world, into our simple life. See, Bassett will join President Barack Obama and actress turned celebrity chef Gwyneth Paltrow on May 9 for a special presidential fundraiser at an undisclosed San Francisco home. Which house? No idea. But it's sure to be an opulent one, we can only assume. And tickets will run at $35,800 per person. (Hey, it beats a BBQ with Toby Keith, Patricia Heaton, and Mitt Romney.) more ›

Christopher Evans, as known as DJ Toph One, sits in the Intensive Care Unit at San Francisco General Hospital with a broken pelvis. The well-known DJ fell victim to a hit-run while riding his bike after midnight Sunday at the corner of Ocean and Geneva near City College. The driver took off. And now a noteworthy DJ, one who's been on the scene for years and pleasing your drunk ass on the dance floor, needs your help. It's time to give back. more ›

President Barack Obama will make a pitstop in the Bay Area tomorrow to attend an afternoon campaign fundraiser in San Francisco at...the W Hotel? (That's like hosting a dinner for Prince Charles at Blowfish Sushi, yes? Not that Blowfish or the W are terrible. It's just, you know, the St. Regis is but a few steps down the block. Anyway.) According to SF Appeal, "Ticket prices for the event--which will feature a performance by Jack Johnson--start at $5,000 and roughly 200 people are set to attend." more ›

Jeff Adachi, John Avalos, David Chiu, Bevan Dufty, Dennis Herrera, Joanna Rees, Phil Ting, and Leland Yee will all sport their finest bikinis (or not) during this Saturday's fundraiser car wash for McKinley Elementary School. No word yet if frontrunner Ed Lee will show up for some sudsy fun in the sun, but a boy can dream. Anyway, here are the rules: more ›

Much to the horror (and, sadly, delight) of the San Francisco food scene and beyond, Gaspar ‘Tio’ Puch-tzek, a line cook at Hogs and Rocks, was shot and killed outside the Mission restaurant last month. This Saturday, September 17, the noted restaurant will hold a memorial/fundraiser for the slain chef. The day will include food, a silent auction, and find memories. more ›

This Friday night at 111 Minna, artist Kelly Tunstall is hosting a stunning line-up of local artists for a special sketch party and fundraiser, "Will Draw for Drugs" to benefit Indie Mart and Workshop founder Kelly Malone's ongoing cancer treatment. Malone, who has been in remission from previous bouts of cancer, was diagnosed this past April with an advanced stage of cancer that had spread to non-localized areas. more ›

In an effort to help raise funds for Barack Obama reelection campaign -- which: let's face it, he's a shoo-in for four more years -- First Lady Michelle Obama and delicate-masher-of-garlic-so-as-not-to-bruise-the-clove's-oil maven, Alice Waters, will help host at least two breakfast fundraisers on June 14. Berkeleyside notes: "Tickets to see the First Lady range from $1,000 for general seating at the Claremont to $5,000 for the photo reception to $25,000 to be a 'co-host.' " more ›

CABARET: Tony Award nominee Justin Vivian Bond, who has been described by the New Yorker as "the greatest cabaret artist of his generation.....an artful truth telling illusionist," celebrates the release of his first full-length solo album, Dendrophile. Bond will perform a selection of songs from Dendrophile (accompanied by a live band), which ranges from early '70s folk-pop variety records to protest songs to jazz standards to original compositions, while spinning "a magical web of spellbinding stories." more ›

When President Barack Obama comes to San Francisco later this month, you can meet the most powerful man in the world for a hefty price -- $35,000 to be exact. "Obama supporters acknowledge that the $35,800 per person San Francisco Obama Victory Fund dinner may represent a new pricetag high for political fundraising," reports the Chronicle's Carla Marinucci. "After all, loyal Dems thought the ceiling was reached last Oct. 21, when tickets to that Obama dinner in the Palo Alto home of Google executive Marissa Mayer hit an astonishing $30,800 per person." more ›

The folks at Café Cocomo can't seem catch a break: according to the Examiner, the club on the edge of Potrero Hill and the Dogpatch was hosting a fundraising event yesterday evening when an all-out bar fight broke out, leaving five injured. What started as an argument between two lady patrons of the club, quickly escalated when an unidentified group of "vicious females" attacked peacekeepers who attempted to put a stop to the heated exchange of words. more ›

Here's a fantastic opportunity to buy super affordable art by local artists while benefiting disaster relief in Japan. The kind folks at SIR, Gallery Heist, and Kokoru Studio have organized Rise Japan, a huge fundraiser to take place on Saturday night, featuring a big line-up of artists, including Jeremy Fish, Sarah Applebaum, Hugh Leeman, SFist contributor Micke Tong, and many, many more. All art will be priced at or below $100, and 100% of the proceeds will go to Give2Asia. There will also be live music performances, books, food, and drinks. more ›

Sorry this is so late folks! There are quite a few things going on this weekend that SFist already gave you a heads-up about, including the Disposable Film Festival, Shop for Japan, and the Artisan Cheese Festival in Petaluma. Yum! Here are some more things happening -- if you feel like leaving your cozy abode on this rainy weekend. more ›

Maybe you've been needing the right excuse to splurge a little, or you've been saving lots of errands for the weekend. Well, on Saturday, your retail therapy could benefit a good cause. A few enterprising folks at San Francisco's Seeing Labs and Mission Motors have come together to form Shop for Japan, a global fundraiser that benefits disaster relief charities in Japan, which takes place on Saturday. more ›

Have you ever wanted to have an intimate dinner with Supervisor Jane Kim? Ride your bike alongside Supervisor David Chiu? Sup with Supervisor David Campos at Moki's? Well then, head over to to Som on Wednesday (tomorrow!) for the S.F. Board of Supervisors Fundraiser for Japan. In addition to wonks galore, there will be a presentation from the Consulate General of Japan, DJ tunes by local resident B-Haul (Tasty), lots of booze, and a silent auction. Said auction, featuring goodies offered by your Supervisors, will include the following items: more ›

TALK: Head to Berkeley for a refreshing take on life in the 21st century and beyond in An Optimist’s Tour of the Future, in which writer, deep-thinker, and stand-up comedian Mark Stevenson talks about his travels around the globe in pursuit of answers on what the future holds, resulting in surprisingly reassuring discoveries. more ›

Please, please, please join us at The Lookout on Tuesday, February 15, for a fundraiser to benefit the displaced residents of the Castro arson fires. As many of you know, four fires in the Castro sent waves of paranoia throughout the community. One fire in particular, at 16th and Market Streets, displaced 17 people. In an effort to help these now homeless residents, writer and SFGate personality Beth Spotswood and local politico Kate Ryken have planned a most delightful fund raising party in the heart of the Castro. more ›

As first reported by community activist Michael Petrelis and SF Appeal, the Lyon-Martin Health Clinic is set to close this week due to crushing debt. Just before the clinic confirmed its closure, they announced a fundraiser this Sunday, January 30 at the El Rio (3158 Mission), where it will try to raise a some of the $250,000 it needs to stay open. more ›

Beloved San Francisco sound engineer Kim Greiss, who has worked for over a decade as an independent contractor for local nightclubs including Bottom of the Hill, Slims, and Great American Music Hall, was recently diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. Greiss has begun rigorous treatment, which will keep her out of work for a significant amount of time. (Being a freelancer ourselves, this is our worst nightmare.) more ›

ART: Iconic photographer Glen E. Friedman brings his touring collection of work, Fuck You All, to San Francisco for the first time. The exhibition features one of the most significant photographic contributions to the punk and hip hop subcultures, as well as documentation of the genesis of skate culture, which helped shape it for generations to come. The show also includes Friedman's collaborations with Shepard Fairey. more ›

Update: The event is next Wednesday, September 22. We apologize for the error. Union Square's Johnny Bueno Color Studio (166 Geary St., Suite 1005) have kindly organized a fundraiser to benefit San Bruno fire victims all day on next Wednesday. more ›

MUSIC: WomenROCK, a women’s music collective and movement, founded in San Francisco that's now a national network of women, celebrates its four year anniversary with a huge line-up, including Bernadette, Stripmall Architecture, Conspiracy Of Venus, ZIVA, and a burlesque performance by the Cheesepuffs. more ›

Bay City News reports via SF Appeal that San Francisco Giants players Aaron Rowand, Jeremy Affeldt, team president Larry Baer, and Major League Baseball Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda will be bagging groceries at the Safeway at 16th St and Potrero Avenue at Noon today. more ›

FUNDRAISER: SF Camerawork presents Looking Forward, Giving Back, a festive evening of music, photography, and a silent auction benefiting SF Camerawork's First Exposures, which provides free weekly photography classes to underserved youth. more ›

Soul Food Farm of Vacaville, who provide the Bay Area with delicious eggs and chickens via various locations and through their brand-spanking new CSA, encountered a devastating fire last month. One thousand baby chicks perished, 30+ acres were scorched, and an 1880s barn burned to the ground. more ›

To help pay for the left-leaning voter guides, the League of Pissed Off Voters -- which is billed as "an all-volunteer chapter of a national organization that works in key cities and states to make politics relevant, fun, and meaningful to young people; especially those traditionally shut out of the political process" -- is have a drunken fundraiser tonight, a fundraiser involving local celebrities. The local people of note, who will be serving you drinks all night long, are as follows: more ›

ART: Tyson Ayers, a Bay Area music composer, instrument builder, and multimedia installation and performance artist, presents the Sound Cave, a small room built out of piano parts. When someone crawls inside, the strings on the walls capture any sounds the person creates and echoes them back for long periods of time. "Each sound board is tuned according to various scientific and sound healing principles with the intention of positively affecting a participant's mind, body, and spirit." more ›

Sexpigeon reports that Truck, which does more than play host to man-on-man erotica, is hosting a Mission neighborhood cleanup fundraiser this Saturday. It goes from 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.. But here's the best part: you pay a paltry $8 for all-you-can-drink-beer. more ›

Artists' Television Access will be celebrating their 25th year of independent and experimental media art on Sunday with their annual fundraiser extravaganza "Banquette Sauvage." The event will feature performances by Conspiracy of Beards, Ash Reiter, Manicato, Los Fulanos, Eats Tapes, Moe! Staiano, The Downer Party, and Grimace and the Fakers, along with various surprise performances throughout the day/night. There will also be a raffle of cool gifts. more ›

Republican presidential nominee John McCain is in town today. It seems the former P.O.W. will be dinning over at the Fairmont (for a $10,000/plate fundraiser). But wait, there's more: Members of No Soldier Left Behind, a "campaign promoting a comprehensive plan to end the war in Iraq and improve the security and well being of Iraqis and Americans," will protest outside the hotel tonight. If you want to be a part of the melee, the angry kids will convergence in front of the Fairmont Hotel at 6:30 p.m. In other news, their bar is simply wonderful for a well-made cocktail. We strongly recommend ordering a vespa or four. (CBS 5, via BCN) more ›