Four jazz venues that serve grub - 1300 On Fillmore, Yoshi's, Rasselas and Sheba Lounge - are asking the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency "for additional loans and to restructure debt to survive." These venues, which have already received public financing during the Fillmore's redevelopment, is asking the city of San Francisco for a total of $2.4 million in new loans. Here's a tip, 1300 On Fillmore, Yoshi's, and Rasselas: stop playing jazz. It's a......

We love Gridskipper's edge as of late. Take, for example, today's revealing top 8 San Francisco bars with the "crappiest crowds." Rankings 8, 7, 6, and 5 are Beauty Bar, Medjool, Swig, and R Bar, respectively. In all fairness, you need to visit good ol' Gridie to find out just who made the top four. (Also, regarding the number-one spot, we've never visited the sorta chic spot but have heard mixed reviews. Is it......

Why is it that when people do readings, they get that weird This-American-Life tone in their voice? And what is it about the quality of polite clapping at bookreadings that makes it sound so poignant? Contemplate these thoughts as you hear your favorite local authors starting tomorrow and going all next week in San Francisco's local literary festival, Litquake. ...