Facebook will unleash its historic initial public offering at $38 a share. Billed as the largest internet IPO in history, the deal should garner the social networking mammoth around "$16 billion in proceeds," and place the company at more than $100 billion value-wise. CNBC reports: "Including the overallotment (a 30-day option underwriters have to include an additional batch of shares in the deal), Facebook could raise up to $18.4 billion, which would make it the second largest IPO in U.S. history, behind only Visa, which raised $19.7 billion when it went public in 2008." more ›

Darian Shirazi — a former front-end software developer for Facebook who now runs Radius, a small-to-medium business sales intelligence company located here in San Francisco — talked to Bloomberg West recently. During the interview, the young CEO called Facebook (that social media doohickey with which you may be familiar) "the most important company of our lifetime." And you know what? He's probably right. How so? Well, Shirazi goes on to point out that it's "integrated into every almost application," adding that Facebook might even be "more important than Google." more ›

The Mega Millions lottery now stands at a whopping $363 million. And your SFist editor feels certain, without a doubt to win the entire jackpot, now the third-largest ever, come Tuesday night's drawing. How will we spend it, you ask? Well, first, we will keep our job. We like it here. However, instead of writing to you from a SoMa Victorian that rattles whenever the building washing machine goes into spin cycle, we will instead hold court from inside Anne Fougeron-designed Tehama Grasshopper Residence. (What, did you think we planned on moving to Nob Hill or buying a renovated Victorian in the Mission like every other tech gazillionaire? Perish the thought. We're staying South of Market.) more ›

Here's a big news flash that ought to blow some minds: According to a study conducted by researchers at UC Berkeley, people who drive expensive cars in the Bay Area are four times more likely to drive like complete jerks when compared to other, less flashy local motorists. As a car's sticker price increases from say, a Honda Civic to something like this fine German automobile, so does the likelihood that its driver will cut you off at a four-way stop or refuse to wait for a pedestrian in the crosswalk. more ›

In fancypants news, a gaggle of tech ilk, public relations birds, and assorted media-ish types attended Fortune Magazine's 2011 "40 Under 40" fete at the Zynga headquarters in SOMA. (Think Out Magazine's OUT 100 list, only gayer and just as relevant.) Mayor Ed Lee, the dirty bottom to the tech industry's aggressive dom top, made a required appearance at the festivities. So did Google VP Marissa Mayer and Gawker's Ryan Tate. more ›

Occupy stories too much for your sensitive soul? Well, listen up, you money-to-burn thug: Using a version of his acclaimed truffle hamburger, Umami Burger founder Adam Fleischman created the Money Is No Object burger. What does it feature? Well, it starts wil a hand ground and formed patty made from one single cow and dry aged. ("The beef is extremely rare grass-fed Wagyū," we're told. The burger is then topped with Grade-A Hudson Valley foie gras, an onion marmalade and reduced 1977 Croft Vintage Port. gilding the entire thing off, Fleischman adds a 1/4 inch of freshly shaved Italian white truffles, which are now in season now. more ›

Proving that the Occupy SF movement isn't limited to the average and benign San Francisco protester, Bay Area's religious leaders joined the movement today. With denominations as varied as Muslim and Buddhist to Jewish and Christian, an estimated 25 congregations marched today in solidarity with Occupy SF, decrying the disparity in wealth between the rich and the poor. more ›

Too poor or too interesting to attend this year's Burning Man festivities in the Black Rock Desert? Have no worries. Here's some live streaming to whet your appetite. Arid-looking, yes? Unlike the days of yore, however, this year's Burning Man has plenty of luxe style and artisanal comforts for "[p]eople [who] have less and less time to be radically self-reliant." more ›

Skullcap-shatteringly brilliant blogger Diane Dorrans Saeks just posted what could possibly be the most important lifestyle piece you will ever read. Why? Because it's about Denise Hale, that's why. And yet? It's also about so much more. Or not. more ›

Kate Middleton and Prince William got hitched today. Did you watch? Did you cry? Did you even care? Anyway, the most important part of this wedding (nay, any wedding) is the gown. The Duchess of Cambridge wore a dress by Sarah Burton, artistic director of Alexander McQueen, with a v-neck and lace long sleeves. (Hopefully, this will put a dent in the overplayed strapless gown market.) SFist asked StyleBistro Managing Editor Chloe Harris for her thoughts on Middleton's frock. Harris tells us: "Alexander McQueen was the rare genius who could make a gown both majestic and cutting-edge, so I was secretly hoping for a McQueen design. For me, Kate Middeton's gown lacked a bit of that raw but intricate drama that I love so much from McQueen, but I think Sarah Burton did a wonderful job of toeing the line between Kate's brand of simple chic and the majesty required of a royal wedding. It was a gown fit for a modern Grace Kelly." more ›

Yeah, we're totally going to this. Whatever. Shut up. When Prince Williams marries Kate Middleton next week, Gilt City and 7x7 will host a party honoring elite British matrimony at the Palace Hotel. (Yeah, we watched the Lifetime movie, too. And what?) Come on, the entire world will be wondering -- the important parts of the world, anyway -- if Middleton's dress will outshine Princess Diana's 25-foot train wedding gown. Don't you want to be in a state of glamour and/or glitz upon the big reveal? Of course you do. more ›

Who was celebrating what: San Francisco society, investors, politicians and other notables came out to AT&T Park to celebrate the season home opener in exclusivity and style. For many said notables, this was the first and last game they will attend for the entire season. more ›

Yearning to leave the city this weekend, but not stray too far from San Francisco? Want to get buzzed on some top-drawer champagne and grub? Have a rich aunt or uncle in town? Well, we've got just the thing for you: the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay, along with Moet & Chandon champagne, will celebrate the resort's 10-year anniversary with a celebratory brunch (named Best Weekend Brunch buy San Francisco Magazine) on Sunday. more ›

Who was celebrating what: Dede Wilsey's sanity-shattering Gone With the Wind-cum-Goth dress. Oh, and Saturday night at the de Young Museum for the opening-night gala of the Balenciaga and Spain exhibition, curated by Vogue European Editor-at-Large Hamish Bowles and Fine Arts Museums' curator Jill D'Alessandro. more ›

Let's see how the numbers stack up in the most recent installment of Social City by the Numbers, a tally of Catherine Bigelow's recurring SFGate column, "Social City," about people in S.F. who have so much more money than you, that it would be almost funny if it weren't so depressing. Enjoy. more ›

Rumors are swirling - swirling! - about Google and Facebook conducting clandestine meetings about about buying Twitter. According to the Wall Street Journal, "Executives at both Facebook Inc. and Google Inc., among other companies, have held low-level talks with those at Twitter Inc. in recent months to explore the prospect of an acquisition of the messaging service, according to people familiar with the matter." more ›

Although Google CEO Eric Schmidt is on his way out of the prized gig - company co-founder Larry Page, 37 (!), will replace Schmidt in April - he will be awarded $100 million worth of shares once he steps down. Which is nice. That's the dollar amount at which we start buying lottery tickets. So, you know, kudos all around, we guess. more ›

Hey, rich people with nary a care in the world! Listen up: Although they have yet to go public, Facebook and Twitter (as well as San Francisco-based Zynga) have shares to sell. According to SF Biz Times, "wealthy investors can get a piece of the action long before these companies make their public debuts." How so? Like this: "San Francisco-based SharesPost Inc. and SecondMarket in New York run markets where qualified investors can buy into private companies from insiders who have stock to sell." The perfect stocking stuffer for that special some who already has it all. Trust us, they'll be the envy of the Valencia Corridor! [SF Biz] more ›

While Haight residents rejected Measure L -- election 2010's divisive sit/lie law that, after passing, will now keep city sidewalks sparkling clean, or whatever -- loads of cash and plenty of votes from San Francisco's richest neighborhoods helped edge the anti-street urchin law into victory. SF Appeal's Chris Roberts looked at precinct results, basically showing sit-lie snatched vote in rich person places -- i.e., Pacific Heights, Seacliff, and West of Twin Peaks. more ›

Last night, the San Francisco Symphony kicked off another season via--you guessed it--a posh gala. Who was there? People with loads of money, that's who. Let's see: Marissa Mayer sported a gorgeous red Carolina Herrera gown, Newsom's head looked oddly rectangular, some ladies flashed peace signs and side boob, Jennifer Siebel-Newsom donned a visibly short-ish dress, this lady wore Lacroix, George and Charlotte Shultz stopped by, this lady wore fancy white gloves, this lady sure looked pretty, Paula Carano wore this bit of nuttery, Deepa Pakianathan slipped into this fun Marc Jacobs piece, and.... dear God, that's a lot of sparkling wine. more ›

Following the release of SF Bay Guardian's Best of San Francisco guide, The Nob Hill Gazette ("An Attitude, not an Address") launched their own Best of the Bay Area guide as decided by their tony readership. A few of the winners: more ›

Robert Downey Jr., star of such blockbusters as Chances Are and Only You stopped by Ann and Gordon Getty's fortress last night. Along with gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown, the ruling Getty duo hosted a party for Downey Jr. to benefit Oakland School for the Arts. (If the mood should strike, you can donate here.) more ›

Number of people pictured in Saturday's "Miss Bigelow's Social City": 72 more ›

Number of people pictured in today's Miss Bigelow's Social City: 51 more ›

Number of people pictured in this week's Miss Bigelow's Social City: 28 more ›

Number of people pictured in this week's Miss Bigelow's Social City: 50 more ›

Following in the footsteps of Rita Hao's groundbreaking Swells By The Numbers -- where she carefully deconstructed Catherine Bigelow's "Swells" society column --SFist returns to San Francisco's upper echelon registry with, you guessed it, Social City By The Numbers. And, yep, we'll tally Bigelow's new and marvelously entertaining Social City column for SFGate. Got it? Good. more ›

The fine folks over at Curbed reported yesterday that Twitter co-founder Evan Williams (heretofore known as @ev) sold his SOMA penthouse (going for a scant $1,498,000) on Fourth Street. You know, that large megaplex across the street from K&L Wine Merchants? That one. Anyway, Williams bought a fancy new Victorian in Noe Valley. Charming! This comes on the heels of his partner, @biz, selling his own pad for fancier grounds. What's this mean? It means Twitter is doing well. Very well. (Can you give us some money, Evan? Oh, just kidding. Sort of.) more ›

DISCLAIMER: The following post is aimed at statistics wonks and math nerds and those who want to mock certain newspapers only. more ›