guide to alamo square/north panhandle for poor taste

Home to the famous Painted Ladies Victorian houses, the breezy and bulbous hill of a park facing them, and an assortment of emerging independent businesses, Alamo Square is both classic San Francisco and a neighborhood in flux [...]

tofu dearest for poor taste mag

The Locavorism vs. Veganism Problem
Many vegans, myself definitely included, find the concept of including locavorism to their already specific diet extremely daunting. Sure, we gladly avoid meat and animal byproducts by crafting delicious meals from scratch or checking out every new vegan-friendly restaurant within a 20-mile radius. But many of our products, the ones we use on a daily basis, weren’t made or grown locally [...]

shannon and the clams for sf weekly

How to 'Ruin Xmas': Shannon & the Clams issue a punky take on the holiday classics
Shannon and the Clams are the gaudy red tinsel of Christmas spirit. The members of this Oakland garage-pop trio are discussing kitschy holiday music in their van on the long drive between New Orleans and Austin — a timely topic, given the recent release of their own Christmas seven-inch [...]

hungry for yiddish? a mitzvah project for j. weekly

Walking through San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood a few years back, classically trained singer Heather Klein was struck by something [...]

tofu dearest for poor taste magazine

Potato Pancakes and Israeli Donuts: A Vegan Does Chanukah
Oil popping off shredded potatoes, fragrant with freshly chopped onion and spices. Yes, Chanukah has always been a special time in my family. Besides the tradition, the candles, the gifts — there was always the food [...]

10 things for sf weekly

Stuffed, satiated and sleepy: Now that the first of many major holidays meals is over, it's time to whip yourself back into shape with some active moshing or thunderous booty shaking. Here's our list of 10 things to do this weekend that won't break the bank, but just might help fracture the fatigue[...]

hazon for j. the jewish news weekly

Former longtime Camp Tawonga director Deborah Newbrun has signed on as the new Bay Area director of Jewish environmental nonprofit Hazon.

She said the national, New York–based agency — which, among other things, organizes bike rides, Torah hikes and food conferences — represents the best of both worlds.

“It takes Jews who love their Judaism and exposes them to nature and the outdoors,” Newbrun said, “and it takes nature enthusiasts and connects them to their Judaism [...]

tofu dearest for poor taste magazine

De La Soul Food: Vegan Collards, Okra, Barbecue, and Fried “Chicken”
Okra, mustard collard greens, creamy mashed potatoes with savory gravy, and two pieces of crispy Southern fried tofu “chicken.” I ate it all, in one grand sitting, a few weeks back and was incredibly full, a tad over-salted, and deeply satisfied [...]

10 things to do this weekend for sf weekly

Hard French Season Finale, Indie Mart, Kitsch & Fuzzz, Bookfest 2010, and More
Still covered in orange and black tickertape from the Giants parade? Got a hangover from all the revelry [...]

tofu dearest for poor taste magazine

Love and Sambal: A Vegan Goes Indonesian


I’ll be the first to admit it; I knew little of Indonesia before I met the live-in boyfriend. Now that I’ve tasted the region’s style of food many times over, I’ve become completely fascinated with it [...]

jaron lanier for j. weekly

Renaissance man: Berkeley resident is a musician, a Web guru and the father of virtual reality
In his home studio, surrounded by hundreds of exotic woodwind instruments, Jaron Lanier could be any other eccentric Berkeley musician. With fuzzy blond dreadlocks hanging down to the small of his back, the 50-year-old picks up a Middle Eastern oud and carefully plucks [...]

the vaselines for sf weekly

The Vaselines sex up the ex factor with their new record
When most exes reconvene, they try to skirt the big naked elephant in the room. This was not the case for Scottish lo-fi pop duo the Vaselines [...]

tofu dearest for poor taste magazine

Vegan Halloween: My Bloody Punchbowl (and Other Ghoulish Treats)
Growing up, Halloween was always my favorite holiday — and it remains at the top today. Oh those evenings I spent dressed as a pink-cheeked cheerleader, glittery mermaid, French painter, and “weirdo” (I went through phases, okay?), hoarding treats earned through rigorous doorbell ringing and appreciative smiles [...]

david rakoff for j. the jewish news weekly

Anxiety-ridden and seeing the glass as ‘Half Empty’
David Rakoff has dealt with paralyzing anxiety, two bouts of cancer and a childhood spent as a “freakishly small” gay boy in Toronto [...]

rock photography exhibit for j. the jewish news weekly

Icons of rock: Show at Marin JCC displays three Jewish photographers’ shots of music legends
What is it with Jewish Deadheads? Jewish rock photographer Bob Minkin, who used to work with the band, isn’t quite sure [...]

tofu dearest for poor taste magazine

Dreaming In Swirls of Cinnamon
Are you aware that if you live anywhere in the U.S., you can now have a box of four gooey vegan cinnamon rolls delivered to your door? Not only that, but the cinnamon rolls come with a variety of delicious flavor options. It’s a mind-blowing concept, I know. I’ll let you sit and salivate with that knowledge for a moment [...]

10 things for sf weekly

10 Things to Do For Under $10
There are so many awesome events this warm weekend in September, the problem won't be what to do, but how to pack it all in. Make the best use of your time, map out a proper schedule and get to it. Here's this week's list of ten things to do for a 10-spot or less [...]

tofu dearest for poor taste magazine

The Art of the Vegan Lunch
The after-summer dregs can get anyone down. Classes have begun; vacations from the office are just a memory. There is one thing, however, that can pump a vegan’s mood once he or she is back to a day-to-day routine — a tasty lunch to look forward to [...]

marina & the diamonds for sf weekly

Marina and the Diamonds plan for megastardom
Marina Lambrini Diamandis plans to be a pop superstar. She's just not quite there yet. The frontwoman of British pop outfit Marina and the Diamonds is unequivocally beautiful — half-Welsh and half-Greek, with dark brown locks and deep-set eyes. Her voice is modern and mesmerizing; it wavers between low-octave brooding and high-pop yelps, carrying hints of Florence and the Machine and Kate Nash [...]

orphaned land for j. the jewish news weekly

Land of metal: Israeli hard rockers coming to S.F. club
When Kobi Farhi wore an Iron Maiden shirt to an Israeli synagogue in 1993, he suddenly realized what he needed to do.

At age 18, he was already two years into his journey as lead singer of metal band Orphaned Land. “Living in Israel, being Jewish, we should use Middle Eastern sounds in our music,” Farhi remembers thinking at that time. “If we were making American heavy metal we wouldn’t have done that.

“That’s how we became pioneers of Middle Eastern heavy metal.”

gimme shelter: the sonic sukkah for j. the jewish news weekly

JCCSF turns its sukkah into an art experience
Who could have predicted way back in 1969 that a Rolling Stones song title would one day be put to use to reinterpret a Jewish holiday?[...]

tofu dearest for poor taste magazine

Nothin’ Fishy About Vegan Sushi
Perhaps it’s sacrilegious to promote the art of sushi without fish, but isn’t being vegan all about creative ways to make food? And what could be more creative than a meal centered on an ingredient that will not be included?

I used to think of sushi in black-and-white terms, too. Sushi equals fish which equals avoidance, simple as that. Slowly but surely, it dawned on me that sushi could be made vegan by simply replacing fish for veggie for a healthy and tasty Japanese meal [...]

Bar Shacterman for j. the jewish news weekly

Art in motion: Sculptor to make piece of art as audience watches
In front of a swarming crowd, Bar Shacterman will create an original clay sculpture in record time next week, using just clay and an oversize hammer [...]

last night: slayer for sf weekly

Most long-running thrash metal acts either pepper their set with goofy, ghoulish shtick or stick to the hard-pounding basics. Megadeth and Slayer, both members of the elite "Big Four" of thrash metal (along with Metallica and Anthrax), represent opposites sides of the shtick spectrum: Megadeth is slightly more about look than substance, while Slayer lacks in visuals but carries a fearsome punch [...]

pickle column for j. weekly

Make our own pickles, save the (old) world
Most days, all I really want in life is a crunchy snack. Sure, I want happiness for my friends and family, inner peace and a healthy life, but in the meantime I’ll just settle for something crisp and tasty.

If you’ve been following my brief path of columns, you may have come to realize that I’m a music lover. What you may not yet know is I’m also food obsessed.

But thanks to a lifelong vegetarian and vegan diet, my Jewish deli choices often are limited to my own homemade versions of meatless sammies and potato salad — or, if I’m stopping by a deli counter, the traditional dill pickle [...]

Food and Wine at Outside Lands for sf weekly

Food and Wine at Outside Lands: You Should Probably Be Excited
Just imagine: Al Green could chow down on a mint It's-It ice cream sandwich this weekend in Golden Gate Park. Those brothers from Kings of Leon might try a Maverick's pulled-pork sandwich or a gourmet cupcake from Mission Minis [...]

tofu dearest column for poor taste magazine

I recently devoured a flaky, savory mini-pie filled with spicy potatoes, leeks, and Daiya cheddar. No bigger than a cupcake, the tiny faux-buttery meal filled me up and pleased my most important sense — taste [...]

10 thing for under $10 for sf weekly

10 Things For Under $10
Bicycle Music Fest, Renegade Craft Fair, Meeting in the Ladies Room, and 400 Blows [...]

tofu dearest column for poor taste magazine

The Taco Chronicles
Name any kind of meatless, non-dairy ingredient and I’ll find a way to taco it up [...]

column for j. the jewish news weekly

Ooh, baby, baby: Jewish inspiration via a newborn sabra
There must be some sort of Jewish baby boom happening right now. Or at least it feels like there is in my insular world. There’s been an upswing of birth announcements in our Lifecycles section, and while I personally will not be having children for quite some time (I’ve yet to successfully raise a houseplant), I’m in awe of all my friends who’ve recently welcomed children into their lives [...]

tofu dearest column for poor taste magazine

Meatless grilling on a summer’s day
Lately, all I can think about are three syllables: bar-be-cue. Maybe it’s the hazy, pleasant vibe of the summer months in general [...]

dum dum girls for SF Weekly

Riot Grrrls Return
Dum Dum Girls and the new wave of feminist punk.

The Dum Dum Girls sound like the Ronettes — that is, if the classic '60s girl group time-traveled to the '90s to make music with scuzzy beach-punks [...]

tofu dearest column for poor taste magazine

I’ve missed you most of all, pizza
I stared intently at the greasy delivery pizza slice forming grayish pools of oil on my paper plate, fully aware of the impending stomach trauma [...]

Danzig at the Regency Ballroom for sf weekly

Danzig, All Shall Perish and Toxic Holocaust at the Regency Ballroom
The photo you see above, of Glenn Danzig brooding with his eponymous band during a live performance, is not from the Regency Ballroom last night. The reason there's no actual image of his San Francisco show? [...]

Wines That Go Well With Bay Area Bands for sf weekly

Wines That Go Well With Bay Area Bands
You can go to a restaurant and ask the server to offer wine pairings to accompany your fancy-pants menu choice. But imagine you're home and have just reached for the latest album from that hip new San Francisco band. You're all ready to crank up those sweet tunes, but what to drink to compliment the sonic snack? [...]

Last night: The Good Life for sf weekly

Last Night: How The Good Life's Rock Resembles Messy Relationships
The anatomy of a messy relationship: Step 1. The first meeting. The Patron Saint of Messy Relationships, Mr. Tim Kasher, the driving force and lifeblood of Saddle Creek indie rock group the Good Life, climbed onto the miniscule Bottom of the Hill stage last night [...]

Local Frequency: Q&A w/ Myles Cooper for sf weekly

Local Frequency: Q&A w/ Myles Cooper
You might recognize Myles Cooper from his yearlong stint with hugely popular San Francisco indie popsters Girls (you can catch a glimpse of his cherubic mug in their NSFW video romp "Lust for Life"). Or you may have seen the new tripped out, candy-colored music video for his song "Gonna Find Boyfriends Today" on other local blogs [...]

Last Night: Casiotone for the Painfully Alone for sf weekly

Last Night: Casiotone for the Painfully Alone at Bottom of the Hill
There's a ghost in the machine. "Wizards did it!" one helpful audience member offered. Yes, Casiotone for the Painfully Alone (A.K.A Owen Ashworth) was suffering from a few minor technical difficulties during his Popfest appearance at Bottom of the Hill last night [...]

10 things for under $10 for sf weekly

10 Things To Do For Under $10: Roller Disco, the '90s, John Waters
Finals are over (if you're the schoolin' type), your office is starting to seem half-full (if you've got the 9-to-5 life), and the park is suddenly bursting with grass dwellers (if you unemployment-collectors are used to barren weekdays). Yes folks, it's summertime. And we San Franciscans can feel the change in our midst. Free concerts, cheap dance dates, and outdoor parades - this Memorial Day weekend has it all [...]

street food vendors for j. the jewish news weekly

Takin’ it to the streets: Jewish vendors add deli favorites to S.F. mobile food scene
San Francisco’s Madame Bubbles was on her way to teach Hebrew school a few weeks ago when a small crowd of curious bystanders gathered around her [...]

emily jane white for sf weekly

Emily Jane White evokes melancholy nostalgia
Emily Jane White has a sorrowful singing voice that evokes feelings of long-forgotten, foggy memories [...]

dawn 2010 for j. the jewish news weekly

Shooting for the hip: All-night culture festival shines light on Shavuot
Young, hip Jews looking for something to do in San Francisco might not put an all-night Shavuot study session at the top of the list [...]

10 things under $10 for sf weekly

10 Things To Do This Weekend For Under $10: Gastronomic Adventures, Free Comics, Electro-disco Noiseniks
There's plenty to see this weekend for the San Francisco explorer on a budget; here's our list of events under a 10-spot [...]

rykarda parasol for j. the jewish news weekly

Family’s past leads sultry songstress into some dark places
Singer-songwriter Rykarda Parasol has a habit of writing songs that channel her family’s macabre history [...]

mother daughter seder for j. the jewish news weekly

Mothers, daughters put special spin on Passover
Every woman at the Mother-Daughter Seder at Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco last week brought along a memento, a keepsake.

Some brought weathered black-and-white photos of their ancestors, others shared beloved Shabbat candle holders or their grandmother’s hand-scrawled recipe for the perfect matzah ball [...]

10 things under $10 for sf weekly

10 Things To Do This Weekend For Under $10
While most of the music world is far away drinking excessively and waiting in line for sweaty, packed shows at SXSW, we San Franciscans still have plenty of homegrown activities to keep our culture palette satisfied [...]

music voyager for j. the jewish news weekly

Former S.F. man spans the globe for rhythmic adventures
During a journey to India last year, Jacob Edgar ate goat brain, learned how to play cricket and listened to a lot of local music [...]

yoko ono plastic band for sf weekly

Yoko Ono Plastic Band at The Fox Theater
When I told friends and Facebook contacts that I'd be seeing Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band during Noise Pop, the reactions were split down the middle. Half the responses were incredulous. You'd pay money to see her? The other half was excited, and dare I say it - a little jealous? But this is to be expected with Ono, whose artistic efforts have always had a galvanizing affect [...]

musings on 90210 for sf weekly

Ten Bands That Have Rocked 90210 - Then and Now
With the return of The CW's humdrum spin-off soap 90210 this week (March 9), we guilty-pleasure seekers are likely to be treated to a season of catfights, trysts, and--most importantly--new music cameos [...]

bat mitzvah story for interfaithfamily.com

It Should Have Been Grandma's First Bat Mitzvah
Every time my endlessly sharp 90-something, Polish-Catholic Grandma Florence walks by one specific framed series of three photographs on her wall, she curses the memory. She grumbles and shakes her head at the disappointment--she should have been in this particular set of pictures [...]

wounded lion for sf weekly

Wounded Lion
Led by fine-art painter Brad Eberhard, Wounded Lion titters and shakes at live performances, throwing appendages in the air at will [...]

noise pop for sf weekly

Noise Pop matches orchestras with pop acts and art with sound
Sitting shoulder to shoulder with her 28-piece Magik*Magik Orchestra last month, composer, vocalist, and musician Minna Choi performed a set of 10 grandiose songs with indie-rock darlings the Dodos inside the expansive SFMOMA [...]

our struggle exhibit for j. the jewish news weekly

Rage on the page: ‘Mein Kampf’ deconstructed in ambitious project
When her daughter brought home a copy of Adolf Hitler’s manifesto “Mein Kampf,” Jewish artist Linda Ellia was shaken to the core [...]