San Francisco

aka The City by the Bay, City of Love, S.F., Frisco, Golden Gate City

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

After a band hiatus that seemed like it might never end, I am very, very happy to welcome local psychedelic stoner rock gods Mammatus back into the fold, as the first item on a very short list of artists I would drop everything to see live, again and again, for as long as I live. Read More

A Berlin-Style Paddling

Patrick | September 6th, 2011

While I can enjoy playing (and inevitably losing) a round or two of pool amongst friends, I’m usually less inclined to play (and lose by a potentially embarrassing margin) in a crowded bar where I would have an audience to witness my shame. Read More

Clark’s Desert Boots

Patrick | September 5th, 2011

To the degree that I gave any thought at all to fashion as a teenager, my young-adult fashion life could best be described as a never-ending search to find the simplest, most unassuming pair of sneakers in the mall. No bells, no whistles, no logos or wings or mirrors, etc. It took me much, much longer than it should have to realize that I just wanted a pair of boots. Read More

The Internet Is For Animals. We Know This.

Patrick | August 29th, 2011

Just when you think you’ve finally outgrown ‘internet humor’ in all its many forms, they find a way to pull you back in again. I give you what might be the perfect single-serving site: animalsbeingdicks.com. Read More