Aspiring painters of urban village scenes would do well to get themselves to Bernal Heights at once. From the armada of sandwich boards and the pony-tailed guy enjoying a pensive cup of coffee at Progressive Grounds, to the verdant street trees and the pair of rowdy sidewalk philosophers holding court near the eastern end of the block, it’s quite the bustling display along Cortland Ave. Private lives seem a low priority here, as even the back yards of local bars, cafés, and restaurants are open for business. Sidewalk rest stops are a big calling card on Cortland between Andover and Bennington, the heart of Bernal Heights’ vibrant commercial district. There are benches in front of restaurants (Valentina Ristorante), benches in front of salons (Bernal Heights Nail Care), benches in front of markets (The Good Life Grocery), benches in front of saloons (Wild Side West). The result: A remarkable feeling of community, evinced by how it appears as if everyone might actually know everyone else’s name. It’s like a West Coast version of Andy Griffith’s Mayberry...only on Cortland, there’s no Barney Fife. Auditions may or may not be held regularly at Skip’s Tavern and Wild Side West for the role of Otis the Harmless Town Drunk. more ›

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We're starting to think that the Haight's Red Vic Movie House, a worker-owned theater with comfy couches and yummy popcorn, is hitting that age (you know that age) when they think about sex like, all the time. Sure, the Red Vic is 25 now and all grown up, and we feel really bad we didn't buy the Vic a beer four years ago, but we remember reaching 25 and suddenly getting all sex crazy again. Or maybe it never went away. Regardless, a look at this month's coming (ahem) attractions at one of our favorite movie houses is very revealing, indeed. As in hardcore, 100-year-old porn and two weekends of unintentionally hilarious 3D porn classics. more ›

We've said it before and we'll say it again: You are all a bunch of weirdos. There was probably no greater message than that to be gleaned from Saturday night's CineKink screenings; that all humans are strange and kinky creatures, and the ones who don't admit it are the weirdoiest of them all. The NYC-based fest flogs itself as a celebration of "alternative sexuality," a term almost as ambiguous and vague as "progressive" and "straight-acting;" Saturday's screenings included a clip show, highlighting the bizarre fashion in which Hollywood misunderstands S/M culture, and a collection of award-winning kink-positive shorts. more ›

Okay, indie filmmakers. Today's lesson: ECONOMY. In these difficult, troubled times, you absolutely must not allow a single frame of your piece to go to waste. Economize, consolidate, and slash your movie until you're eliminated every single extraneous moment. And if that leaves you with a movie that's only two minutes long, fine -- they'll be two minutes the world will love, instead of thirty that we'll all hate. And in case you need a lesson in What Not To Do, look no further than most of the offerings in Frameline's , a misleadingly-titled collection of gay sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. more ›

Our concert picks for the week of 4/21-4/27. more ›