Tucked away in the basement of the historic (and very stuffy) Fairmont Hotel, perched at the very top of Nob Hill, lies one of the silliest places in the city of San Francisco – the Tonga Room. Read More
San Francisco
aka The City by the Bay, City of Love, S.F., Frisco, Golden Gate City
Mission Bowling Club Resurrects the Long-Lost Mission Burger
Patrick | February 13th, 2012
Most of the new businesses and restaurants opening in the Mission District nowadays are hardly worth the effort it takes to shrug and mutter “Well, that’s gentrification for you” under your breath. Mission Bowling Club‘s impending opening is an occasion worthy of some genuine enthusiasm though. Read More
Roku’s TV-Streaming USB Stick
Patrick | February 3rd, 2012
Most people I know tend to watch TV on their computers at this point, but plenty of them still have a television taking up space in their living room, it just isn’t hooked up to cable. Read More
A Sherlock for the 21st Century
Patrick | January 31st, 2012
While everyone seems to be hemming and hawing (quite justifiably) over the US premiere of the 2nd season of Downton Abbey, I’ve been surprised by the lack of interest in another fine British television import – Sherlock – the 2nd season of which just finished airing in the UK. Read More
21st Amendment Brewery
Patrick | January 28th, 2012
I don’t really have the stomach for beer-snobbery, and as a result I don’t pay much attention to the local micro-brew scene, but 21st Amendment’s beers are everywhere in San Francisco now, and their eye-catching can/box design can be hard to ignore. Read More
Dusted Magazine’s Year in Music
Patrick | January 1st, 2012
Dusted Magazine has been one of the web’s best sources for music reviews for years now, and their end-of-year lists are always one of the highlights of my holiday season. With two new lists (one from each of the site’s reviewers) published every day, the cumulative effect of sifting through each individual’s favorite albums allows the reader to catch many of the releases that might have otherwise slipped through the cracks over the course of the last year. Read More
Mosto’s Never-Ending Tequila Collection
Patrick | January 1st, 2012
Riding in on what one might call the ’2nd wave’ of Mission District gentrification (i.e. fancy, fancy restaurants), Mosto is a brand new tequila bar which, I must begrudgingly admit, is kind of fun. Read More
A Royal Headache To End All Headaches
Patrick | December 31st, 2011
It’s been a while since my headphones have been dominated by one band for weeks on end, a single album playing over and over again all day until I can barely stand it anymore, only to come back to it fresh again every morning. Royal Headache’s self-titled debut album has managed to do just that though, and it’s easily the most fun I’ve had listening to music over the past year. Read More
Three Cheers for Movies and Beer
Patrick | December 31st, 2011
The Mission district in San Francisco needs a movie theater that can sell beer like, well, every neighborhood needs a movie theater that sells beer. Read More
Joey Barton: Soccer Hooligan, Philosopher
Patrick | October 11th, 2011
Joey Barton is quickly becoming one of the most interesting characters in English soccer, and, if that isn’t saying much, perhaps one of the more entertaining athletes in any professional sport. Read More
My Pet Jellyfish – Man’s most ambivalent friend
Patrick | October 10th, 2011
I am prepared to spend a fair amount of money I don’t have on this desktop jellyfish tank when it’s finally made available to the public. Read More
NYRB Classics
Patrick | October 7th, 2011
The NYRB Classics series has always felt like an imposing challenge. Read More
Shut Up Little Man!
Patrick | October 6th, 2011
I’ve never been one for home-city pride, but if there’s one thing that San Francisco has over NY/LA/etc, it’s our never-ending supply of truly, deeply crazy people.
Like iTunes, with friends, and if the software designers didn’t secretly hate music
Patrick | September 30th, 2011
Joining Spotify felt similar to walking into a record store for the first time – when faced with what feels like an unlimited selection, it can be hard to pick anything at all, and I found myself quickly retreating to the comfort of my own iPod. Read More
Local Rock Gods Return, Are Probably Still Stoners
Patrick | September 8th, 2011
