fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
A Tribute to Finnerty’s
By: David Jacobs
Tags: San Francisco, Comedy Writing, San Francisco Giants, Covid-19, Humor

I moved to New York City from San Francisco in June of 2010. I arrived in the Big Apple wide eyed and bushy tailed, ready to make a mark on my brand new hometown.

And yet, amidst all of that hub bub, there was something precious that I had left behind. A thing I loved more than almost anything else in the world (besides attention, of course). That thing was San Francisco Giants baseball.

I have been a San Francisco Giants baseball fan my entire life. I was swaddled in orange and black fabrics, ate ice cream out of mini orange and black baseball helmets and spent countless hours at Miraloma Park, bat in hand, doing my level best to impersonate the batting stances of every single member of the team during hours long games of strikeout played in the thick 415 fog.

The thick, 415 fog

“Now batting, number Niiiiiiiine, Maaaaaaaaat Williaaaaaaams!” my voice would ring out, echoing off the concrete walls of the playground, sounding just a bit how I imagine the PA System of an old ballpark to have sounded.

And so, in the year 2010 after moving to New York, I was a displaced die hard fan. And, as every fan of the San Francisco Giants knows, the year 2010 was the very same year the San Francisco Giants made a run at a World Series Championship. There were high stakes, tension filled games. Lots of them. And those that bled the Orange and Black needed a place to watch them.

Enter Finnerty’s.

The place of which we speak.

Finnerty’s, for all intents and purposes, seems like most sports bars. There is a stench of stale beer and the slightest hint of vomit upon first walking in the doors. There is a long, wooden bar- stools on one side, taps and bottles on the other. Tables are scattered about and in the main room and there is a long back bench that faces multiple television screens that are mounted above the bar. Pretty standard fare.

What is exceptional about Finnerty’s, however, is that, if you are there, and you “squint hard enough” (like if you just got out of the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary across the street, per se), it is almost possible to forget that you are in the heart of New York City. Rather, you are transformed 2,567.76 miles westward, to that Oh-So-Special City at the End of the World. Yes, if you try hard enough, you can- almost- smell the simmering of garlic fries, hear the rumble of the passing MUNI cars and the sound of a solo saxophone blaring into the night sky after every Giants ballgame.
But What I Really Want pg131
By: Mernie Buchanan
Tags: Spirit Guides, San Francisco, The Incompetent Psychic, Artist Memoir, Books

Colorful companion to my memoir The Incompetent Psychic

Russian Hill Roofs 1982

Las Vegas was where I tried to get satisfaction. San Francisco was where I found it. After many tries I finally landed on both feet in the city I loved. There was an itchy, niggling feeling it was all supposed to be better than this — that there were opportunities for worthy accomplishments just out of reach. But I usually felt like that. When wine didn’t make that feeling go away, something stronger would. I bought an easel table and painted watercolor portraits and rooftop views from my almost-perfect bay window atop Russian Hill. If I stuck my head out far enough I could see a sliver of the Golden Gate Bridge. — End of Chapter 6

During a powerfully real hypnosis session years after this point in the book, I witnessed the final planning meeting for this life. I was in a bright room on the other side with my spirit guides, and I was stubborn, blundering fool.

Growing up I knew I was supposed to be an architect, but it didn’t happen. By experiencing that hypnosis vision, I finally understood why. I discounted wise advice to arrange an easier passage as a young child. Something bad happened, and I ended up too brutalized and traumatized to achieve loftier goals in this incarnation. The original blueprint of my life plan had me joining Gale, Hornberger and Worstell Architects as a young architect. But I ignored sage advice from sages, my life went off the rails and I ended up as their receptionist instead.

A signed copy of Mernie’s memoir is available at www.etsy.com/listing/839838936

Unsigned copies can be ordered wherever books are sold.
10 surprising things I learned after moving to San Francisco
By: Karen Ding
Tags: Moving To San Francisco, San Francisco, SF, Sf Neighborhoods, Bay Area

A foggy morning during the Pandemic in Duboce Dog Park, San Francisco — no dogs or people around due to rain.

With the start of vaccine distribution, many people are wondering if and when life in San Francisco will return back to normal after we tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. Personally, I love living in this city and although we pay a premium price for it, I think it is worth staying once social livelihood returns. I’m guessing that by fall or winter of 2021, people will start moving into SF once again.

As a current SF resident, I want others to know there’s more beyond the typical description of San Francisco as a liberal and expensive city full of tech bros at startups, hipster coffee shops on hilly roads, and scenic spots like the Golden Gate Bridge covered by Karl the Fog.

Moving to SF soon? Here are 10 surprising things I learned after moving to San Francisco

YOU CAN DRINK THE TAP WATER. We have high quality tap water, so you can forget about purchasing a water filter. Most of our water comes from the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite National Park. I was accustomed to using a Brita water filter when I lived in other cities, but I realized the water here is excellent quality and tastes great. NO AC IS THE NORM. Air conditioning is rare in most buildings and residences. We typically don’t need AC because the ocean breeze and fog keeps the city cool, but in the recent years we have had some crazy heat waves in the summer. Make sure you buy a portable fan to be prepared. AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF PARKS. There are more parks than you think; it might take a couple years until you visit all of them. There are over 220 parks and open spaces in San Francisco. In 2017, we became the first city in the nation where all residents have access to a park within a 10-minute walk! Make sure you invest in a big picnic blanket to use for park hangouts. Stay tuned — I will be following up with a post on my favorite parks, including the ones with the best views. PUBLIC TRANSIT IS GENERALLY FASTER THAN DRIVING YOURSELF. Even though SF is 7x7 miles — it takes a long time to travel to other neighborhoods. Just to give you perspective, without traffic it can take 30 minutes to drive across the entire city to another neighborhood, but now imagine that drive with traffic and add time to find a parking spot. I wish we had more routes for public transit because it can be a mess to transfer if your destination isn’t on a direct stop, which is why many people take an Uber or Lyft instead.

…Read more here!
USA…Long Time No See
Tags: San Francisco, ประสบการณ์, Florida, เที่ยว, อเมริกา

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Something Shifting in The ‘Sco
By: T Marie
Tags: Haiku Poetry, San Francisco, Haiku

Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more

Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
Better Watch Out: The History of SantaCon
By: Livian Yeh
Tags: Santa Claus, San Francisco, Culture, History, Santacon

What do secret societies, anarchists, and Christmas have in common? The answer: SantaCon. The global pub crawl during which adults dress up as Santa Claus and wander around the streets first started in San Francisco in 1994 and has since expanded all over the world.

There’s been a SantaCon on every continent, even Antarctica. Though the annual revelry is almost universally reviled, SantaCon’s origins are rooted in counterculture.

In 1974, anarchist members of the Danish art collective Solvognen started the first iteration of SantaCon. During Christmastime, about 30 men and women put on Santa costumes and staged protests throughout Copenhagen, raging against the “greed and capitalism that have corrupted Christmas.”

They gave impassioned speeches about economic inequality and handed out merchandise for free at department stores. Three years later, Bay Area resident Gary Warne saw an article in Mother Jones about Solvognen’s protest theater.

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Warne was a member of the “San Francisco Suicide Club,” a secret society that encouraged adventures and pranks throughout the city. He suggested that the club replicate the rampage of anti-establishment Santas in San Francisco, but the idea didn’t gain momentum.

The first SantaCon was organized in 1994 by Rob Schmitt, a member of the Cacophony Society, a less intense version of the Suicide Club. Schmitt didn’t know about Solvognen or Warne’s proposal, but he was inspired by a postcard to roam the streets of San Francisco in a group of people wearing Santa costumes. He gathered some friends and rented a bus, and the 38 Santas participated in a snowball fight, crashed corporate holiday parties, and stopped by the Lusty Lady, then the nation’s only unionized strip club. Using a body harness, one of the Santas (and Burning Man co-founder) John Law pretended to have hung himself in public. The event caught on, and the Cacophony Society’s Portland chapter organized its own SantaCon in 1996. All over the country, SantaCons started happening, and soon it was all over the world.
El Polin Loop
By: Shoshana Ob
Tags: Pandemic Response, San Francisco, Birding, Presidio, Swans

The El Polin Loop in the Presidio has some of the best birdwatching in the bay. On Sundays there is a meditation group that meets at 10:00am right by there, and so I went and after the meditation I went birdwatching while hiking through the El Polin Loop, down past lovers lane, all the way to the Palace of Fine Arts and Crissy Fields. Along the way I saw a blue jay, two anna’s hummingbirds, a western grebe and a pie-billed grebe, a long billed curlew, a common tern, two large majestic swans, a snowy egret, a black-crowned night heron, and numerous common ducks.

Various birds have symbolisms behind them:

Blue jay symbolizes long-lasting friendships and relationships. They tend to have only one mate for life which symbolizes endurance, loyalty and patience. They also symbolize truthfulness, solidarity and faithfulness. Spiritually speaking, blue jay indicates clarity and vision. There was a movie I loved from my childhood called “The Bluebird of Happiness”, a Shirley Temple film shot in the 1940s, which tells the story of a girl who searches throughout time and space for happiness, only to find it in her own backyard, as personified through the Blue Bird she initially found in the first scene. Blue Jays are most often detected by their noisy calls. Near shorelines they migrate in loose flocks; you can recognize them by their steady flight, rounded wings, long tail, and white underside.
THAT BRIDGE!
By: Laura Pauli
Tags: San Francisco, Bay Bridge, Gratitude

I have the privilege (a loaded word these days) of looking at the Bay Bridge every day and I am so profoundly grateful for it. Not a day goes by that I don’t look out my window and that view snatches my breath away. Every day it’s a different light, a different color, a different shadow, a different ship, a different sunrise, a different wave and most days I am in complete awe. Last month, I met the man who created the light installation on the Bay Bridge in a restaurant near Cabo, a very random chance encounter, though at this point in my life, I have little faith in coincidences. There are no coincidences, there are no mistakes, there is only learning, also something I gleaned on that beach near Cabo. I have thousands of pictures of the bridge but this one of our grand Golden Gate is courtesy of my good friend, Brenda Laribee, who works tirelessly fundraising for critical organizations in the Bay Area and across the country. Thank goodness for people like Brenda, making this world a kinder one.
San Francisco Dream
Tags: Short Story, San Francisco, Life, Fiction, Dreams

We were in the ocean. It was dark out, but the reflection of the stars and the moon were like night lights in the water. All five of us drifted with the waves on our raft, a gentle ebbing up and down. Suddenly you crack a smile and push me in. Everything else followed. We were people who didn’t know the name of oxygen. We spun and splashed in the midnight sea timelessly. I could touch the sandy bottom of the ocean floor with my toes, and I could swim all the way up into another atmosphere. We were laughing at god knows what, but whatever it was, it was the funniest thing any of us could imagine. We talked through locks of wet hair stuck to our cheeks and made faces over the rhythms of the drifting waves. I fell in love with the water, the stars, the smiles that none of us could wipe off. I fell in love with being alive.

And then I was in San Francisco. I saw the morning fog hug the Golden Gate Bridge, and I was telling the stories of the day before to a distant friend. It was a dream within a dream, that night, because even there, in the Golden State, I couldn’t grasp the euphoria of the night before. A dream within a dream. The dirt beneath my feet was too real for my liking, as it stuck to the tips of my converse. There was a longing for the sea in my stomach, the kind the sun felt to just reach through the misty fog. One that made me want to sink deeper into unconsciousness.

My back hurt and my room was gently lit by the morning sun outside. There was still an hour until my alarm should go off, but I was too heavy to sink back into sleep. I was too real to feel alive.
Is Seattle The New Silicon Valley? Tanium Moves HQ To Seattle
By: Grey Journal Staff
Tags: News, Orion Hindwai, San Francisco, Cap Abby Siatkowski, Abby Siatkowski

Is Seattle The New Silicon Valley? Tanium Moves HQ To Seattle

Tanium is a cyber security company that up until recently was located in the Bay Area of California. That is until the CEO of the 9 billion dollar company decided to pack their bags and move from San Francisco to Seattle. Tanium CEO, Orion Hindwai, was growing exhaustive of California restrictions. Over the course of the year, Seattle and the Pacific Northwest became more appealing to him.

The appeal of this surprising move can be accredited to competitive advantages that the city has. Seattle is very pro-investment and has many pro-growth policies. It should be noted that there is no state income tax in the state of Washington. Hindwai spoke on the subject, citing that “Washington State has a more moderate political policy”.

Residents and current business owners of Seattle are skeptics of this notion. They question whether or not Seattle is built to sustain bigger companies like Tanium and Amazon long term. Over the years, there have been different policy attempts that they have not been happy about. There have been attempts to initiate a city income tax, head tax attempts, and payroll tax. In general, these attempts — some of which have been successful — deters companies from placing their teams and operations in Seattle. Many companies already based in Seattle have let their leases expire in the midst of the pandemic.

While Tanium is only moving headquarters to Seattle for now, they have a vast ability to hire engineers that wouldn’t have been in the PNW otherwise. Regardless if the company decides to stay in Seattle long-term, the move is major for the city currently. And as workforces are able to get disturbed more widely, companies are rethinking the concept of headquarters. They are making big structural changes as a result of 2020. Depending on whether or not they even need to have a headquarters, Seattle could be a destination for many tech giants if they follow suit of Tanium and Amazon. That being said, Seattle is looking to compete and establish themselves among leading tech cities moving forward.

What do you think of Seattle’s rise as a tech hub? Let us know down in the comments.

This article originally published on GREY Journal.

This article originally published on GREY Journal: https://greyjournal.net/hustle/work-tech/is-seattle-the-new-silicon-valley-tanium-moves-hq-to-seattle/
UX for a pandemic response
By: Lauren Jong
Tags: Covid Response, UX Design, Civictech, San Francisco

Meanwhile, features that once felt minor at a small scale suddenly were critical. For instance, a “back to top” button on lengthy pages, or automatically collapsing lists of services into accordions on mobile. Our alert banner had seemed like something that might be nice to have, someday, in case of a major earthquake perhaps. We thought it would be used in the rarest of occasions. Unfortunately, we found ourselves needing to use it all the time!

For us, having sensible web templates and components is another aspect of disaster preparedness.

When the pandemic hit, it definitely stress-tested the templates we had built. Going forward, we can use this experience to design more flexible templates, but also to reassess the ones we already have. When you see something you designed being used in a way that you did not intend, it’s a chance to reflect on whether something requires a new solution, or if there is more you can do to better meet the need.

Checking your health before going to work

Aside from getting information to the public, we also worked on tools and services to keep things running during a pandemic.

Our UX designer Nicole worked on a vital tool for City staff to verify their health before reporting to work. Some City services (including the Emergency Operations Center) depend on staff being physically present — a tricky prospect in 2020. We needed a tool for them to answer basic health questions, then generate a screen they could show as a “pass” when entering a City building.

Although it seems relatively easy for employees to have simply answered questions from a paper list, doing it online meant their answers could be collected in a daily report for department heads. Plus, the employee could get a confirmation screen that clearly tells them (and their workplace) whether they are “Cleared for work”.

This was our first form that provided dynamic confirmation screens after submission.

In only a week, the team launched an online form for City staff to answer questions about their health, as well as the back-end tools for editors to create different confirmation screens. Getting forms away from paper and PDFs is a big problem for us to tackle, so this was important progress that paved the way for more forms and services since then.

One thing made this form different from most other government forms: people use it on a daily basis.

After talking to City staff and doing usability testing, we made a few improvements to focus on the use-case of a tool used repeatedly by “expert” daily users. First, we used browser cookies to save people’s data, so they don’t need to retype basic things like their name and workplace address. We also streamlined the flow from 7 pages down to 3 by grouping the questions by topic.
SOMA Synthesis
By: Yun-Yun, Nicole
Tags: Urbanism, Urban Perspectives, Soma, San Francisco, Urban

Collage of observations from the dérive in SOMA district, San Francisco.

Flocks of people swarmed into the streets, some are walking, some are cycling, while others are coming out of the underground stations. It appeared that they dressed similarly, usually a fleece pullover on top of a pair of jeans, and with a fancy backpack on their shoulders. They all seemed indifferent to one another, arriving from different places and heading to different destinations. Out of curiosity, I furtively followed one of them and surprisingly ended up at a warehouse looking building in a desolate alley.

I took a few steps away from it trying to peek into the windows. The interiors were renovated as modern offices, which I assumed weren’t the previous usage of space. I decided to wander around the area since there weren’t as many people as where I was. Empty lots and old derelict factories sit within these deserted blocks, oddly contrasting with the glittering skyscrapers and huge steel and glass structures nearby.

As I continued walking down the alleyway, the buildings around me became smaller and more clustered. Few people were lurking in the shadows, some hiding in the niches of these walls, and meanwhile, there were residents coming in and out of the entrances walking past these people as if they didn’t exist. At the end of the street, it brought me to a busy road with congested traffic and various groups of people. The yelling of people waiting outside the residential hotels, the sound of trash digging and gobbling, and the honking of cars at one another created an intensely chaotic scene.

Fleeing away from the overwhelming zone to a relatively calmer area, I approached the Mint Building seeking to rest on the grand staircase. My mind was suddenly crowded with memories, memories of the past when I visited this building with my grandparents when I was a child. Regardless of feeling drained and dejected, I realized that I can’t stay long, but I immediately had an idea of a place to go.

I recalled the history of Mission Bay my grandparents told me about. They said that it can be considered as the epitome of the history of San Francisco itself. Underneath the land I am standing on, underlies the filled in marshes and sloughs. Mission Bay was once an area abundant with marine life but was destroyed by filling in sand and debris under the impact of development. Oftentimes, I regard myself as the sea snails that once existed in Mission Bay.

As dusk fell, I hauled my luggages to a secluded spot and settled down for the night, like I have been doing for the past decades. Despite being born and raised here, I was evicted from my previous house and forced to be living on the streets. I live in my hometown yet I don’t have a place to call it home.
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
By: Cory Showtime
Tags: San Francisco, Marijuana, Movie Review

Good GAWD! I wasn’t ready for this film. It’s WROUGHT with symbolism and there’s a lot to read between the lines. The biggest star of this film is the city of San Francisco. I got nostalgic looking at the settings I spent so much time in. This film is going to be up for all the Oscars: Picture, lighting, sound, screenplay, you name it.

The plot follows 2 friends with no money surviving in San Francisco. They share a skateboard. They share a tiny room to sleep in. They pretty much wear the same clothes throughout the film. But one of them is holding tight to something: a home that his grandfather built.

Throughout the film the 2 black men deal with gentrification, poverty, and not being “black enough” for the dudes on the corner. Without giving away what happens, this was the part that I identified with the most: what does it mean to be “down?” And most importantly, what does that GET you???

Its shot kinda like a Spike Lee joint: there’s great contrast, perfect score, and crazy camera angles. It’s one of those films that leaves you to make up the ending and the meaning for yourself. So I won’t tell you exactly what it meant to me; go see it for yourself. Bring a tissue.

Rating: 99% Chronic on the Bammer Scale. I honestly don’t know what it needs for that 1% but it’s probably the best film I’ve seen all year (2019). I felt every emotion in this movie. 2 thumbs up!
Voting Is Closed for The Bold Italic’s 2020 Awards!
By: Clara Hogan
Tags: San Francisco, Local Business, Tbi 2020 Awards, Oakland, Bay Area

Illustration: Nicole Album

Voting is now closed for The Bold Italic’s 2020 Awards! We will announce winners on Thursday at 9 a.m. PT. Check back here then to see which local businesses won.

Thank you to all who who cast your vote.
Lows of Haight
By: Siva Raj
Tags: Blue Insights, Haight Street, San Francisco, Lower Haight, Poetry

A poem

Houses climbing up the hills

Idle hands tattooing

Toronado queuing for liquor

Lamp lit with rain glistening.

Street resident battling chaos

Stick houses standing tall

Niche vendors blown away

Blonde rushing street side stall.

Love lives on Haight Street

Mini fingers licking Memphis

Sunshine streams through bright bays

Street resident takes a piss.

Fearsome monsters pervade fog

Two hills frame endless vista

Scandinavians stand juxtaposed

Once feared now safe for your sista’.

Every inch lined with pleasure

Where I walk the lows of Haight

Stretching Steiner to Webster

Deposited by king tides of fate.
That time I accidentally landed inside my own mind…
Tags: San Francisco, Beauty, Colors, Exploration, Self

Romy Verbaan (28) Copy-writer/Creativewriter from the Netherlands. Amazed by the complexity of the human mind and the magical wonders of the world we live in.
Paying Attention to Coincidences
By: M. H. Rubin
Tags: San Francisco, Gay Pride, Photowalk, LGBTQ, Photography

Paying Attention to Coincidences

June 26, 2015 in San Francisco (Rubin, 2015)

I like interesting coincidences, and it was a coincidence that on the Friday before Pride Weekend Festivities in San Francisco in 2015, the US Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. But it felt like that kind of weekend, when things were just happening.

I was in a photo mood on Saturday morning, doing various still life projects at home, when I decided to head out to see what I could see. Pride weekend? Supreme Court? San Francisco? I got my camera and called for an Uber. As I wasn’t in a hurry and already up for adventure, I decided to try UberPool, and see what randomness would provide.

When the Uber pulled up there was a couple already in the car, and the woman in the back seat was exceptionally pregnant. It was unclear how close a car could get to Market Street before roads and crowds turned on-foot, but we all were heading anywhere near City Hall to see what was going on. Being of a comparable mindset, we struck up a conversation.

Emily and Emma, moments after meeting (Rubin, 2015)

They were a young married couple, who had just arrived from Texas, where Emily (in the front seat) was stationed. Emily was a C17 pilot for the Air Force. Her wife, in the back with me, was Emma, adorably 38-weeks round in a white top. They’d never been to San Francisco before — and months ago planned a big adventure to get out of Texas and see San Francisco for Pride Weekend. So they were also surprised by the Supreme Court decision, and felt lucky to be here for the moment. Being a military couple in Texas, I’m not sure they knew a lot of gay couples, and my sense was that they were just getting used to being out in public. It’s nice to feel at home. And of course, they were expecting their first child. I could appreciate this was a big trip for them, on a tremendously special day.

They got me excited about the events downtown, their sweet enthusiasm was contagious. It dawned on me that I didn’t want to show up in the crowds as a photographic spectator, spying on the events from the sidelines. I realized that being with them helped me see it through their eyes. I thought it might seem to them like stepping out of the black-and-white of Kansas and landing in colorful Oz. I wanted not only to see what was up, but I wanted to see their experience of what was up. They invited me to hang out with them and take pictures. And with that, Emily, Emma and I got out of the Uber and began to explore the historic and festive day.
About LWVSF
By: Jennifer Waggoner
Tags: Nonprofit, San Francisco, Women, Volunteer, League Of Women Voters

History, Mission, Membership and the Core Policies of Nonpartisanship & Participation

In 1911 California women earned the right to vote and San Francisco women founded the San Francisco Center to promote voter education and women’s suffrage. In 1920 the San Francisco Center became part of the League of Women Voters of the U.S.

The League of Women Voters of San Francisco is a nonpartisan political nonprofit that defends democracy. We provide education to encourage people to vote in elections and participate in government. We also engage in advocacy to influence public policy that benefits the community. People of all genders are welcome. Join or renew and read “Frequently Asked Questions” about LWVSF.

We do not support or oppose candidates or political parties

The League of Women Voters of San Francisco is an organization fully committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in principle and in practice. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to the organization’s current and future success in engaging all individuals, households, communities, and policy makers in creating a more perfect democracy.

There shall be no barriers to full participation in this organization on the basis of gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, race, native or indigenous origin, age, generation, sexual orientation, culture, religion, belief system, marital status, parental status, socioeconomic status, language, accent, ability status, mental health, educational level or background, geography, nationality, work style, work experience, job role function, housing status, immigration status, thinking style, personality type, physical appearance, political perspective or affiliation and/or any other characteristic that can be identified as recognizing or illustrating diversity.
12 Days of Classic Bay Area Beers
By: Matthew Savener
Tags: Beer, San Francisco, Oakland, Bay Area, Craft Beer

12 Days of Classic Bay Area Beers

The gift of beer. Photo: Russian River Brewing Company

I love craft beer. I love learning about styles, visiting new breweries, and following the local beer news. Really, I’ll try any new beer I can get my hands on, (nearly) regardless of style.

I particularly enjoy hazy (Northeast-style) IPAs, which have dominated craft beer for the past few years. There’s something about this beer style that seems legitimately addictive — each one is different and enticing in its own way. And I’m not the only one who feels that way: hazy IPA moves millions of cans and makes bank for breweries across the country, each one hoping for dozens of customers lining up outside for the latest hype release.

I’m over the craze, but I’m also finally discovering the limits of what IPA can do while rediscovering just how good other styles can be, particularly unassuming ones like pilsners and amber ales.

I’m also lucky enough to live in a craft beer mecca: the San Francisco Bay Area, where beer is not only extremely good and very popular but has a deep history.

To mark the season and a renewed appreciation for the beers that helped build this industry into what it is today, here’s my list of 12 classic Bay Area beers, with a focus on style diversity.

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Note one

I’m being liberal with geography here, reaching to places like Chico and Fort Bragg. For this purpose, “Bay Area” means breweries that have historically attended the SF Beer Week Opening Gala, and whose beers are regularly available in the Bay.

Note two

I’m not including any nonindependent breweries here, with one exception. So you won’t see any Lagunitas, sadly.
5 Grand Holiday Light Attractions to Check Out in the Bay Area
By: Matt Charnock
Tags: San Francisco, Friday Five

5 Grand Holiday Light Attractions to Check Out in the Bay Area

A timely decorated house on Christmas Tree Lane. Photo: @jessicalaughlin via Instagram

A silver lining of the pandemic has been the radical appreciation of the smaller things of life that we all once took for granted. Whether it was a drink at a bar with old friends or hooking up with a quasi-stranger you met on Scruff, 2020’s been an exercise in mourning these once-common situations.

But we’ve also come full circle in appreciating activities that are inherently socially distant — like drive-in movies and long walks through city parks — with holiday lights viewing being one of those.

Thankfully, Covid-19 hasn’t managed to dim the Bay Area’s lively holidaylighting scene. From Alameda’s Christmas Tree Lane to Golden Gate Park’s lit-up giant cypress tree, there’s a merry and glowing installation for you. With everything else basically canceled, hitting up one of these streets is a great option for some holiday cheer.

Here are our five favorite holiday light displays to check out this holiday season across the Bay Area.
Street-Photo Spotlight: Devon Kelley
By: The Frisc
Tags: Street Photography, San Francisco, Art, Culture, Planning

With all the vaccine news, there’s a light at the end of our pandemic tunnel. But now, in December, life seems dark. Literally, because we’re nearly upon the shortest day of the year. And with coronavirus threatening to overwhelm hospitals, San Francisco is once again under a shelter-in-place order. Small semblances of normality, like dining out, are gone again.

The night photos of Devon Kelley resonate powerfully right now. Kelley, whose work at the empty Hunters Point shipyard we highlighted a few years ago, took these pictures before the pandemic. They serve to remind us of a city that loves to be outside, but even in the best of times, embraces the night with reserve. San Francisco is no 24/7 Gotham.

Kelley’s photos get to that reticent heart, more noir than nightclub, yet they also show a city we all long to rediscover — on our own terms.
‘Keep Oakland Alive’ Helps You Shop Local Online This Holiday Season
By: Matt Charnock
Tags: San Francisco, Bay Area, Oakland, Business

‘Keep Oakland Alive’ Helps You Shop Local Online This Holiday Season

Oaktown Spice Shop’s Popcorn Spice Gift Box, a product featured on Keep Oakland Alive. Photo: Courtesy of Instagram via @oaktownspice

Small businesses in the Bay Area have been dealt one devastating blow after another this year amid a carousel of openings and closings. Some have survived; many haven’t. Now that the holiday season is upon us and gift buying is in full swing, remember that your money can make a world of difference to local shops — not so much for Amazon.

During this time of shapeshifting consumerism, online platforms and curbside pickup programs have become saving graces for our Bay Area retail businesses, tea shops, bookstores, dispensaries—you name it. But sometimes knowing where to start in finding a good gift locally online is hard. That’s why Keep Oakland Alive, an online small-business aggregator, has made it easier to shop Oakland without even leaving your front door.

“We’re incredibly busy right now and have seen an outpouring of love from this community,” Brett Rounsaville of Keep Oakland Alive told The Bold Italic in an email. “We’ve been filling holiday orders almost nonstop — Oakland really has shown up in supporting local businesses.”

Looking for a kick-ass matcha powder? Oaktown Spice Shop has you covered. Keen on sipping your morning coffee from a very cute and rustic (and locally made) mug? Oaklandish will be more than happy to ship you said handcrafted cup. All of the above — and much more, including cannabis, face masks, clothing, etc. — are available online to purchase through Keep Oakland Alive.

For some gift-giving inspiration, check out the site’s well-curated gift guides to find the perfect present for a certain someone this holiday season.

Like we hinted at in our Bay Snapshot yesterday: These next few weeks are going to be incredibly taxing on the local businesses that had to shutter overnight this past Sunday.

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Now’s the time to really double down on supporting small businesses. Shop local as often as you can. Side with quality over quantity. We don’t need to let bloated consumerism send us into crushing debt and even more environmental disorder.

You can shop Keep Oakland Alive’s digital collections, which feature products from more than 30 local small businesses, at KeepOaklandAlive.com/collections. The aggregator is also offering free local shipping throughout the pandemic.
This Boarded-Up San Francisco Mural Reminds Us of Our Resiliency
By: Matt Charnock
Tags: The Bay Snapshot, San Francisco, Cities, Business, Bay Area

Suffice to say that this holiday season, a far cry from “the most wonderful time of the year,” will be a turbulent few weeks. And this recent IG upload by Marcia Gagliardi, who’s known around the Bay Area as the muse behind the SF dining-scene blog Table Hopper, encapsulates that feeling — all while reminding San Franciscans that they’re “brave,” “hopeful,” and “resilient.”

“It’s been an exhausting eight months for sure,” she told The Bold Italic in a DM. “But this time has been very hard for frontline workers and those who make their living in restaurants.”

During these next few weeks particularly, make sure to give a signal boost to our local eateries: Order from both your tried-and-true staples and new left-of-center gastro hubs.

Also, don’t forget: Vote for your favorites in The Bold Italic’s 2020 Awards.
Announcing the Nominees for The Bold Italic’s 2020 Awards
By: The Bold Italic Editors
Tags: San Francisco, Bay Area, The Bold Italic

The end of this hellacious — maddening, depressing, completely draining — year is almost here. Though it doesn’t mean the difficulties of the past twelve months will miraculously evaporate into thin air, 2021 does give us a fresh start and a chance to course-correct. And (fingers crossed) a successful vaccine rollout will allow us to deliver a Mariah Carey-inspired “[we] don’t know her” to Covid-19.

But this year, in all its taxing detritus, has shown us just how resilient denizens of the Bay Area are in the face of sheer pandemonium.

We erected parklets in lieu of indoor dining. Sex toys and novels were sold — curbside. Neighborhood organizations and leaders rallied to call for racial equality in the wake of a growing number of police killings; we will never (and should never) stop saying those victims’ names.

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Through all of this, local small businesses and community leaders, as well as service and frontline workers, have emerged as a balm — helping us all get through this “dumpster fire of a year.”

That’s exactly why we decided to launch The Bold Italic’s 2020 awards earlier this month: to acknowledge these local businesses and people who made this year bearable. And you all came through in helping us do just that, sending in hundreds of nominations for everything from your favorite parklet and bookstore to dispensary and virtual event.

Now — drum roll, please — we’ve assembled the most suggested nominees for you to vote for over the next week. From today December 8, until Monday, December 14 at 5 p.m., you can cast your (one!) vote for each of our 30-plus categories.

Please fill out the Google Form below to cast your vote. You will be entered to win a $100 gift card to the winner of our Best New Restaurant category.

Sure, there will ultimately be one winner for each category, but it’s worth mentioning that each of these nominees bettered our years — individually and collectively. It’s hard to imagine the state of the Bay Area we’d be in without them, so we want to thank them, regardless, for all that they’ve done.
From babka to brisket: Where to get Hanukkah meals on the Peninsula
By: Elena Kadvany
Tags: San Francisco, Foodies, Jewish, Bay Area, Silicon Valley

If you haven’t already made your food plans for Hanukkah — which begins at sundown on Thursday, Dec. 10, and ends on Friday, Dec. 18 — we’re here to help. Here are nine local businesses making latkes, babka, brisket and other fare for pickup and delivery.
This New Gym Online Store have moved from Afghanistan to US — With Fast Delivery
By: Hamed Rohani
Tags: Online Shopping, San Francisco, Delivery, Software Engineering, Afghanistan

Products mostly sold out in just 24 hours.

Farsales is arguably one of the best gym online stores when it comes to find niche products for exercise, but one online store startup thinks it has cleared its way to be one of the finest online store in the US.

San Francisco-based Farsales has unveiled a new series of gym equipments which works very well during Covid-19 situation to exercise at home. It has very few essential products which is needed for every house.

Pulley Machine system kit which is a small portable equipment can be hanged every where in the house and it can hold weights to do Tricep/Bicep exercise. This equipment can help a lot during the covid situation where most of the gyms are closed.

The Abs Roller is another series where also comes with Knee mat for abdominal exercise. Mostly people suffer from losing their abs which this can help a lot to have as an essential tool at home.

“With Farsales never be that much worried about closing gyms during covid19,” founder Hamed Rohani said in a statement on the website.

“Our goal is to give people the tools they need at home to stay fit, and also gave some sellers the opportunity to sell their products”

So where does the products come from?

The website is powered by individual sellers who have the product in their area of sales. Tye put their products for sale in the website after completing the process. The company analyze the products and list them in the website.

Farsales efficiently list the products based on the location of the buyers.

The story about Afghanistan

Farsales initially stared working back in 2016 with harshest / hardest country conditions in the world.

It was mostly selling gym equipments and local traditional products.

The delivery usually took 1–2 days for the customers. The delivery drivers were sometimes threatened by some fake customers and asked to turn their mobile or wallet. But Farsales’s drivers never gave up, so they willingly and bravely continued their work. But Farsales team always prioritized safety over work, and analyze the risk of each delivery and the drivers were accompanied by another gaurd to be safe.

Farsales operation stopped in Afghanistan in 2018, and started its operation in San Francisco Bay Area in 2018, due to the founder moving to USA.

Please raise your hands to support the dreamer to achieve their goals.

More stories will come soon.

Farsales.com
The Worn Path of Love
By: Harry Hogg
Tags: Pandemic, San Francisco, Sausalito, Love, Psychology

The Worn Path of Love

With the onset of winter, sea fog no longer hangs about the hills above Sausalito, or clings to the atmosphere above the Golden Gate Bridge. The morning is clear, and having spent the night in San Francisco, it was 9 a.m. as I drove over the Bridge.

The yacht has not been cleaned since summer, but I don’t feel ambitious enough for such an undertaking this late into the pandemic season. I feel exposed, open to everything without the comfort of the fog. Even the Bridge looks ordinary without the atmospheric wool hiding my access to the Robin Williams’ Tunnel and the sunshine through the other side. I have felt weary, idle, and am looking forward to the doctor’s couch above Sausalito.

“A cigar?” He asked.

“Yes,” I answered.

“Whisky?”

“For medicinal purposes, only.” I said.

I lit the cigar, inhaling deeply its fragrance — then exhaling, sighed with contentment; the cigar was excellent.

“You’ll join me in a whisky?” I prompted.

I reclined against the head of the couch, stretched out my feet, conscious of a luxurious sensation — and sent my thoughts across the Bay, where they remained with Jenny.

The doctor was in low spirits. He talked about the state of the country, divided about the way forward, the vaccines, and the health of the nation outside Sausalito. I didn’t care about the rest of the nation; I came wanting him to tell me how it will feel to die.

I felt extremely comfortable on the couch. I felt soothed to hear the doctor tell how death feels. There is always something pleasantly exciting about the prospective — when it is far away from you. It seemed so beautifully distant from the perfume of the cigar smoke, the flavor of whisky, and the restfulness of the couch. My mind wandered to Jenny — as wander it would — despite my studied attention to the doctor’s words.

My favorite pastime is to listen to others speaking. I never seem able to think of any topics worthy of conversation myself, but am inclined to say that my ability to listen amounts to being an art. I can remain silent with an air of absorbing interest, and occasionally offer brief comment, not setting forth an opinion or displaying any knowledge — for I have none to spare — but merely to suggest variety.

After an hour of luxury, I paid him an excessive amount for the whisky and cigar. I was, however, well equipped to deal with the possibility of dying.

Treading the boardwalk, heading to Roma…coffee…still caught up in the drowsiness of the psychiatrist’s couch, and worn-out ideas of a life ever after. I come to wait for Jenny. Sausalito is a cruel place for one waiting for romance, poetry, and the safety of a well-loved face. I once enjoyed being alone, aloof, even mad, better than to be with just anybody.

She will come and penetrate the shadows, like sunlight, and hold me. Holding my coral fears inside her arms.

The worn path of love is an assured safe passage home.
Week 13 Monday Night Football Picks
Tags: NFL, Football, San Francisco, Betting, New York

Picks for the MNF double header. All lines are from Mybookie.ag. (Promo Code HAM1)

Washington Football Team @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Moneyline: WSH (+240) | PIT (-300)

Spread: WSH +7 (-110) | PIT -7 (-110)

Total: 43.5 Over: (-110) | Under: 43.5 (-110)

Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game Info: Monday December 7, 2020 5:00pm ET / 2:00pm PT | FOX

With the Steelers coming off a short week after playing Wednesday as well as having lost star LB Bud Dupree to injury, I like Washington at +7. The Football Team has been playing hard and fast under Head Coach Ron Rivera. They will have added motivation keep up with the now 5–7 Giants after New York upset Seattle at Lumen Field. Pittsburgh and Washington also come into the matchup ranked the third and fourth best defenses in the league, respectively, meaning Washington’s defense can keep them in the game late. Pittsburgh handles The Football Team 23–17. — My pick — WSH +7 (-110).

Buffalo Bills @ San Francisco 49ers.

Spread: BUF PK(-110) | SF PK(-110)

Total: 47.5 Over: (-110) | Under: 47.5 (-110)

Location: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

Game Info: Monday December 7, 2020 8:15 pm ET / 5:15pm PT | ESPN

In another unexpected twist in a crazy 2020 NFL season, the San Francisco 49ers will play their Week 13 home game in Arizona. Mybookie has this game as a pick em. However I have seen lines for BUF +1.5, SF -1.5. The game opened with Buffalo has the favorites but took a swing midweek. The Niners are getting rookie WR Brandon Ayuk back, giving Kyle Shanahan more options on offense. With the current buzz surrounding DC Robert Salah and head coach vacancies, I’m expecting a motivated and forceful showing from the Niner defense. The Bills defense has been susceptible to the run and the Niners love to pound the rock, especially with a healthy Raheem Mostert. With Nick Mullens still starting at QB and a hectic week for the Niners, I am not overly confident but I am taking the Niners (-110). After seeing Seattle and Arizona both lose, the Niners come out with intent and edge out the Bills, 24–21. — My pick SF PK (-110) —