PHOTOS AND WORDS BY ANDY SAMWICK Soft openings for restaurants, bars, and clubs have always been exciting, the moment before a business’ grand entrance. They’re usually full of friends and family members of a new venture coming together to celebrate and look at the accomplishment in finally opening up the

BY MARY KATE TANKARD “It all started when I was getting tacos in the Mission,” artist and designer Ace tells me in reference to her joining the art collective Family Style. The collective is composed of 10 AAPI artists, artists and friends who collaborate to celebrate Asian American identity through

Step into a world of adventure with the San Francisco Beer Passport. There’s no better way to explore San Francisco than to literally drink it in. This passport is amazing! Each one contains 27 coupons to buy one beer, get a second beer FREE at 27 of the finest locally

Historically, the art industry has valued the work of women artists less than that of male artists, despite being the subject matter of most work. Today, women artists are working to lift each other up. In an effort to inspire younger aspiring artists during Women’s History Month, I wanted to

A message from The Center in the Lower Haight, SF Via – The Center SF Family: Dearest Community Members, I hope this message finds you well and safe in this very strange time. First of all, from the bottom of our hearts — Thank you for being part of our

On Thursday news broke that Lower Haight stalwart Mad Dog in the Fog will be closing. They shared the news via their Facebook page explaining that they would ultimately be opening up in a new location, but didn’t give any specification as to where or when. Here’s the post: For

The place that makes the best sausages in SF has closed their Lower Haight location today.  They’ve been selling delicious sausages there for some 21 years.  Many an afternoon I grabbed a preservative-free, garlic and paprika stuffed pork sausage there, in between drinking pints and smelling farts at Toronado, sometimes

This originally appeared in The Weeknighter column I did for the SF Bay Guardian for a little while before it’s unfortunate demise. I used to hang out at the Noc Noc for too many hours in a row just so I could make out with the bartender after she got

There is a wave of tea houses in San Francisco with popularity surging. They aren’t exactly new—what with places like Samovar being household names for years—but they are growing in scope, scale and (metaphorical) buzz.