In a bit of year-end bar news this week, we learn that Peter Osborne, the man behind such crowded Giants pre-game drinking spots as MoMo's, Pete's Tavern and Pedro's Cantina, has plans to expand his King Street empire in to something like a local version of a Dave & Buster's in the coming year. more ›

The Border's Books at 200 King Street in South Beach, sadly, will close its doors for good in October. (On a personal note, we will miss the staff, the stuffed cream cheese pretzels, and regularly thumbing through European fashion rags at the retail chain.) Last night, we noticed “Store Closing” signs posted throughout the place, so you might want to head over for good deals while they last. more ›

While we wait to hear back from the fuzz on this violent mugging, here is a recent alert sent out from the South Beach/Rincon Hill/Mission Bay Neighbor's Association: more ›

Now that few can afford to buy, well, anything, what will happened to the promised Mission Bay/South Beach lifestyle? Much like Rincon Hill, We hear vacancies abound over there. more ›

-- Total lunar eclipse starts tonight. [NASA] more ›

more ›

more ›

If we ever host a World Series of San Francisco Pop Culture contest, we're totally asking the question "Who's Laurie Beijen?" Ms. Beijen is, of course, the well-connected bride who made Gavin Newsom move last year's Cow Hollow ski jump event because she had a wedding planned at Flood Mansion the day it was originally set (August 27, 2005). more ›

All our lives we've been beset by allergies of one type or another, usually severe. In the fifth grade someone asked us why we breathed through our mouth, not our nose. Startled, and a little skeptical, we replied, "You can ?" Yes, that's how bad it was. Now combine our seeming lack of resistance to all things with dust, dairy, dander and . . . mold (sorry, there's just no way to alliterate "mold" into that sentence) with our wife's inability to handle flour, sugar, soy and -- no kidding -- potatoes and, well, you have the perfect storm of histamines. Every few months we're required to go on a bit of a detox diet, eating nothing but vegetables and meat. No complex carbs, starches or dairy, essentially. Yes, it's the South Beach, or Atkins gone crazy, but it does help and we do feel better. Because of this, though, we're especially focused on vegetables right now. Fortunately, we're not the only ones, as Tea digs into her choice of fresh veggies. One good thing this diet has done for us over the years is really make us explore different vegetables that most people have no idea what to do with today--Who out there knows what to actually do with a turnip? What are we saying? You're all food bloggers, of course you know what to do with them--but even if most people knew what to do with beets they still wouldn't like them. Which is unfortunate, because we can't wait to make this salad ourselves -- or this one. more ›

It is customary to start any post about the World Cup by stating that you should care. We won't do that. Y'all know what a big deal it is and how pretty much every part of the world that isn't Canada or the U.S. is effectively shutting itself down for a month to watch. Besides, we have a feeling part of the reason soccer has never really taken off here is because too many people tell you that you have to care. So getting into soccer becomes something like eating broccoli or the metric system or any other things you are told to do because it's good for you. As a result, people here start getting all huffy and get all "nuh-uh, we're 'merican's damnit. We like our sports with non-stop action, lots of beer commercials, and scoreboards telling us when to cheer and when not to cheer, you Euro Weenie One World-ist!" Instead, we're going to try and get you into it by showing you just how much fun the World Cup can be. Picture it not as something you have to do because you have to be like everyone else, but as, well, kind of a way to travel around the world in a month without ever having to leave the city. more ›

more ›

A weekly review of high class wine tastings with appetizers of cured meats and various cheeses. Just replace the wine with dive bar-Pabst Blue Ribbon and the meats and cheese with one of those 'jerky cheddar' combo packs from the corner store. Brought to you each week by barrespondent Drew. more ›

The tale of former Raider's center Barrett Robbins just got a lot sadder yesterday, as he is currently in crtical condition after being shot in an apparent robbery attempt inside a Miami nightclub. more ›