Head & Tails: Eve Lounge
Up or over, shaken or stirred, we’re looking for the best bets to quench your thirst. This is where we spill it all about the area’s nearest and dearest brewpubs, bars, wine cellars, tasting rooms, package stores, liquor aisles, and well, we ARE thorough.
It’s no wonder there is a lasting interest in San Francisco’s prohibition era speakeasies—this city had a uniquely rebellious relationship with America’s “Noble Experiment.” It’s estimated there were around 6,000 speakeasies in the city toward the end of the era and we continue to celebrate those gathering places with bars either reminiscent of the Jazz Age, or even built on their very foundations as with Bourbon and Branch.
Coming to you from the team behind John Colins, there’s a new addition to the City’s collection of bars romanticizing the days of prohibition, and it’s a beaut. Eve Lounge, just down the street from her big brother bar in SOMA, is a swanky tribute to the bad girls of the Roaring Twenties.
The sultry pin-up style paintings, the feathers and chains hanging from the chandeliers, and the peep-show-like windows along the entry hallway all seem to celebrate the Flappers and the modernism and new-found sexuality they represented back in the day. The handcrafted wooden bar top by local furniture company Tree to Table, along with a long curvaceous banquette, all contribute to the warmth and sensuality of the decor, further encouraging patrons to relax and let loose.
And if beats from some of San Francisco’s finest DJ’s don’t have you rolling down your stockings to cut a rug, the menu of ‘20’s era-inspired cocktails, created by mixologists Scott Baird and Josh Harris of 15 Romolo fame, is sure to.
Everything is $2 off during happy hour, daily 4-7pm. Every Monday night Eve Lounge presents Original Sin, a recurring industry event, sharing “love for the people that serve the City,” with DJ Kash orchestrating a rock hopera. Check Eve’s facebook page for ongoing weekly and special DJ events. And don’t show up looking like a scrub, Eve has a strictly enforced dress code to maintain its air of sexiness.
Eve Lounge is located at 575 Howard at 2nd in San Francisco. Open Monday-Friday, 4pm-2am and Saturday, 8pm-2am. 415.806.0075
—Sara
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Culturshock: a seismic event celebrating the best of Bay Area art & design
On November 5th, Culturcosm will host its first event benefiting its carefully-curated roster of local talent. Held at the acclaimed Space Gallery, the event will feature a bevy of independent artists and vendors showcased over a 2-level 1600 square foot venue, with full bar service.
Participating Artists include:
ReMade USA Handbags
Litter Jewelry
Kurt Manley Photography
Quando Belts by Genaro Vergoglini
Tomgirl Jewelry by Taryn McCabe
Cuong Ta Ceramics
Artwork by Hilary Williams
Artwork by John Wood
Vanessa Gade Jewelry
Spray Can Artworks by FuryOne
My Dutch Bike
Nate1 of New Skool
Shop our recommended best in Bay Area art and fashion, boogie down with DJ ExtraLars and marvel at surprise live entertainment planned throughout the evening.
Join us from 6 o’clock on and support the movers and shakers of the Bay Area!
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Let Them Eat Red Bean Cake
I don’t bake. But to listen to those that do, it seems a relatively manageable endeavor. A dash of flour here, a dab of butter there and, voilà, anyone can be Sara Lee.
To me, baking is still an unachievable art form, and best left to the experts. And none appear to be more expert in their craft than the Japanese. Famous for the refined artistry that guides their creative spirit, they, no doubt, bring the same quiet elegance to their confections.
Wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) are said to have been developed, and refined, during the Edo Period, before any influx of influence from the West. The sweets themselves are made not with the expected butter, milk and cheese standards, but rather with rice flour, sweet bean paste (azuki) and sugar. No need to count calories here; despite their deceptively wicked taste, wagashi are typically lower in fat and healthier than most Western cakes and pastries. Their all-natural ingredient formula adheres to the teachings of ancient literature. Even their names are poetic, echoing the beauty of shape, color and taste of the sweets themselves.
This novel brand of delectable treats is the newest of East-meets-West fads to land in San Francisco. Minamoto Kitchoan’s recently opened Market Street location is poised to win over fans with its unique zen-like interior and seasonal menu selections. Pick up a tray at the counter and let your eye guide you to a visual smorgasbord of flavors. In store now, look for the Hakuto Jelly, made from high quality white peach, or the Tsuya [pictured below], a coupling of mini pancakes with a red bean paste center.
My sweet tooth has a new pleasure and it’s turning Japanese.
Minamoto Kitchoan is located at 648 Market Street in San Francisco. The nearest BART Station is Montgomery Street. Open 9:30am - 7pm daily. 415.989.1645.
—Michael
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Head & Tails: Lake Chalet
Up or over, shaken or stirred, we’re looking for the best bets to quench your thirst. This is where we spill it all about the area’s nearest and dearest brewpubs, bars, wine cellars, tasting rooms, package stores, liquor aisles, and well, we ARE thorough.
Where Labor Day signals the end of summer throughout most of the country, in the Bay area it cues our eagerly-awaited heat wave. September heralds those warm halcyon days that are typically thwarted by June and July’s blankets of fog. So, toss off those North Face jackets and hipster hoodies. It’s time to soak up some sun.
Enter Lake Chalet, the East Bay franchise of San Francisco’s ever-popular Beach Chalet and Park Chalet. The Mission Revival rendezvous breathes new life into Lake Merritt’s historic boathouse and (finally) brings an outdoor oasis to the inland waterway. In addition to the contemporary California fare and fresh seafood served inside, patrons can enjoy a burger or weekend brunch on the expansive dock.
But really, what better way to rejoice in the beautiful rise in temperature than with a refreshing cocktail. High marks go to the Gondola Sour, which pairs aged amber rum with hints of amaretto and lemon. Then, continuing in theme, set out on a panoramic tour of Oakland and the newly refurbished park banks on a Venetian-style cruise, courtesy of Gondola Servizio.
Sail on, Oakland. It looks like your ship has come in.
Lake Chalet is located on the western shore of Lake Merritt at 1520 Lakeside Drive in Oakland. 510.208.LAKE.
—Michael
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Dazed by the Dozen
Cherries are a lovely treat, but if you ask me, life is a big tray of freshly shucked oysters. Especially on a blue-sky day, sitting outside at Sea Salt, sipping Chardonnay and slurping them at just a buck a pop.
Sea Salt has realized the concept of “urban oasis” in every aspect. Situated on a colorful little stretch of San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley, a wide expanse of windows draws you into a cool, watery world of blue-green glass, polished concrete, exposed brick, and unfinished wood. Add a warm welcome from the staff and a table on the tree-shaded brick patio or in the airy sunroom out back, and happy hour is off to a grand start.
Every day from 3-6pm “The Other Menu” features not just raw oysters, but fried ones, and shooters with house-made Bloody Mary mix, too, in addition to more than ten other small plates for $5-$9. Add fresh toasted chickpeas, fried friarello peppers, and endless amazing crusty bread to your dozen on the half, and you have yourself a fabulous finger-food meal. Wash it all down with a $3 draft beer, a $5 glass of wine, or one of Sea Salt’s signature cocktails made with freshly squeezed citrus.
An hour or two spent like this makes for the kind of relaxed and blissful experience that you treasure in your memory for years—summer vacation in an afternoon.
Of course, it could’ve been the oysters—they are an aphrodisiac after all, or so they say. Perhaps it would be prudent to try out a few other half-shell happy hour havens around the Bay, and investigate this oyster bliss further:
Luka’s Taproom & Lounge in Uptown Oakland shells out $1 oysters all day long every Monday.
Hog Island Oyster Bar tops off a visit to the Ferry Building with $1 oysters and $3.50 pints of beer, Mondays & Thursdays, 5-7pm
Grand Café near Union Square gives you 6 for $6 plus $3 Sierra Nevada, and daily special plates, Monday-Friday, 3-7pm.
Zuppa one-ups the rest SOMA-style with 50¢ oysters, $4 beers, and $5 wines, Monday-Friday 5-7pm.
And if you find your raw mollusk adoration cannot be bound by the hands of time or your end-of-recession budget, you better get yourself a spot in line at Swan Oyster Depot. Every oyster lover worth her salt must make a point of bellying up to that old-school bar in Nob Hill at least once before leaving the Bay. They close at 5:30pm and aren’t open Sundays, so get there early and bring the newspaper—it’s worth the wait.
Sea Salt is located at 2512 San Pablo Avenue (at Dwight Way) in Berkeley. Open daily until 10pm. 510.883.1720.
–Sara
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Fancy That: Dry Fly Whiskey
There’s nothing like your first crush. And if you’re anything like us, you crush hard and often. This is where we pay homage to all things worthy of lusting after.
Michael fancies the just-released Washington wheat whiskey courtesy of the master distillers at Dry Fly. This latest of snake poisons peaked my interest for a number of reasons. One, I’m a whiskey fiend. Two, Dry Fly’s is the first whiskey produced in the state of Washington since Prohibition and the only made from all wheat in the country. Three, these guys know a thing or two about producing an award-winning liquor. Their brand vodka was named best in class at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition. What more could you ask for, but a sip!
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Head & Tails: Amsterdam Cafe
Up or over, shaken or stirred, we’re looking for the best bets to quench your thirst. This is where we spill it all about the area’s nearest and dearest brewpubs, bars, wine cellars, tasting rooms, package stores, liquor aisles, and well, we ARE thorough.
Polk Gulch/Tenderloin has a chill new addition to it’s growing bar/art scene in Amsterdam Cafe. Formerly El Patron Tacqueria, the same owners have given the space a face-lift with lustrous wooden floors and seating, a custom concrete bar, and generous glass doors that bring the front patio right inside, giving the whole space an open and inviting, yet masculine feel—perfect for those sunny afternoons when you’re looking for a quality quaff but don’t want to feel like you’re in a hole.
In fact, that feeling was just what the proprietors were aiming for. Kellie, the matriarch of the establishment, describes how the name “Amsterdam” was the inspiration for a bar the exudes a sense freedom and an “open door policy.” “You get to be whoever you are. [We want] everyone to feel they’re welcome.” In one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the City, this seems an appropriate strategy. To that end Amsterdam is working on an event calendar that caters to all tastes and makes good use of both their rear lounge/dance floor, art-friendly wall space, and prime people-watching outdoor area. Stop in to sample something from their impressive selection of import beers and local micro-brews. The kitchen will soon add eats and sangria to the menu, until then, grab a slice from the bar’s sister business across the street, Irving Pizza.
Mondays promise art openings featuring local artists—visit tonight at 8pm to peruse the visual and sculptural art of James Sumner Leese. An Industrial Design student at the Academy of Art, his work will especially appeal to those of a scientific bent, as he uses things called “Strange Attractors” and “Interference Arrays” to create them. If you know what those are, good on ya, I just know I liked the steel wire explosions that he fashions from X-rays of roses. And I liked my Tangerine Wheat beer from Lost Coast Brewery.
Amsterdam Cafe is located at 937 Geary Street, between Polk and Larkin Streets, in San Francisco.
—Sara
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Head & Tails: CYO Signature Cocktail
Up or over, shaken or stirred, we’re looking for the best bets to quench your thirst. This is where we spill it all about the area’s nearest and dearest brewpubs, bars, wine cellars, tasting rooms, package stores, liquor aisles, and well, we ARE thorough.
The Fourth of July is one of our nation’s finest excuses for enjoying a little R&R and BBQ with your BFFs. In fact, it should be a law. But while there is much to be said for tradition, sometimes the thought of yet another year of BYOB can feel rather, well, ZZZ.
For this year’s celebrations, why not put your John Hancock on the party by creating your own signature cocktail? It’s easier than you think. Start with a color (green, red, white), a liquor base (bourbon, gin, vodka), or a cocktail type (frozen, shaken, stirred). Find a recipe that supports your vision and use it as the foundation for drafting your signature libation. Use only the finest ingredients. Christen your new creation with a snappy name and serve.
If you don’t feel like thinking that hard this weekend, please have a theme or two on us. And drink responsibly.
Red, White & Blooter
1/3 oz. blue curaçao
1/3 oz. grenadine
1/3 oz. peach schnapps
Like our inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, this shooter should be layered, one ingredient on top of the next. Pour the grenadine into a shot glass. Float the peach schnapps on top of the grenadine. Float the blue curaçao on top of the grenadine. Pow!
The Culturcollins
1 ½ oz. gin
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
¾ oz. simple syrup
3-4 fresh raspberries
3 oz. club soda
In a Collins glass, mash up the raspberries with simple syrup and lemon juice. Add ice, gin, and stir well. Garnish with lemon and an American flag. Do it for your country.
— Kay
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Head & Tails: Heinold’s First and Last Chance Saloon
Up or over, shaken or stirred, we’re looking for the best bets to quench your thirst. This is where we spill it all about the area’s nearest and dearest brewpubs, bars, wine cellars, tasting rooms, package stores, liquor aisles, and well, we ARE thorough.
If there’s one thing urbanites seek out when the weather turns radiant, it’s making the most of their time al fresco. Summer has held its official kick-off party and given us the all-clear to shed our winter wardrobe, as long as the fog cooperates. Even deprived of the typical heat waves that engulf the rest of the nation, I have no doubt we’ll still manage to find plenty occasion to employ our sandals and shorts.
Oakland’s Jack London Square is one neighborhood that makes ample use of its outdoor space. Situated on a picturesque stretch of inner harbor, Jack London’s waterfront is teeming with new developments planned to revitalize and reinvigorate the historic square. In the works are new restaurant concepts, a bakery and a schedule of nightly live entertainment set to have you kicking up your heels. The crown jewel of in-progress improvements— a seven-day-a-week farmer’s market and artisan food emporium set to rival that of San Francisco’s Ferry Building.
Jack London’s newest outdoor haven however is none other than its oldest surviving hideaway— Heinold’s First and Last Chance Saloon. Originally opened in 1883 as the only watering hole for a then dry Alameda County, today it stands a living testament to Oakland’s formally-vibrant shipping industry and ever-popular drinking culture. The redevelopment effort has graciously added an expansive outdoor deck to its dramatically off-kilter footprint. (Heinold’s famous titling bar floor is a consequence of the catastrophic 1906 earthquake.) Among Heinold’s many-storied customers, Jack London himself is said to have penned The Sea Wolf and Call of the Wild right at their very tables. This summer, I’m heeding the call; Heinold’s is beckoning.
Heinold’s is located at 48 Webster Street in Jack London Square, Oakland. Open daily. 510.839.6761.
—Michael
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Head & Tails: Fly
Up or over, shaken or stirred, we’re looking for the best bets to quench your thirst. This is where we spill it all about the area’s nearest and dearest brewpubs, bars, wine cellars, tasting rooms, package stores, liquor aisles, and well, we ARE thorough.
If you were mourning the loss of Brick Restaurant, don’t. Instead, celebrate its reincarnation as Fly Bar & Restaurant, the second. That’s right, as of May 1st, the ever-popular Divisadero destination has branched out to Nob Hill, and in more ways than just location. The new Fly touts a full bar (no offense to sake cocktails, but sometimes a girl needs a real drink!), a new 35-bottle beer list, and an arcade room—no chance of getting bored when you’re boozing here. The extra bonus? Brick’s executive chef Nate Cooper stuck around, so you know you can count on fresh and very tasty eats to go with your drinks, including the Brick Burger you know and love, finger-lickin’ fish tacos, towering nachos, and more. Try all ten thin-crust pizzas—they’re half off during happy hour, 4-7 daily, featuring $3 drafts and $5 signature cocktails. And check the “professionals” selection of made-for-each-other beer-and-a-shot combos, like El Jimador Reposado with a 16oz. Tecate, they’re all $8 anytime. All in all, the new Fly is, well, super fly.
The newest Fly Bar & Restaurant is located at 1085 Sutter Street, at Larkin, in San Francisco. 415.441.4232.
—Sara
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About
Culturcosm is your online authority on the climate of trend throughout the Bay Area. Your roving reporters are taking to the streets and chasing down the real story. Be it stormy or serene, torrid or just plain tragic, we will break it down before you hit it up. Stay tuned. There's a new trend breaking every minute.
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General Inquiriesinfo@culturcosm.com
Michael, founder / editor-in-chiefmichael@culturcosm.com
Kay, founder / contributing editorkay@culturcosm.com
Sara, trendcaster / managing editorsara@culturcosm.com
Heather, social commentatorheather@culturcosm.com
Taylor, music trendcastertaylor@culturcosm.com
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