Anna Volpicelli

What’s the deal with Dogpatch?  Artists, designers, musicians and creative entrepreneurs flock to this still affordable neighborhood full of repurposed industrial buildings to make their dreams come true and the products of their labors of love can be seen all over the Dogpatch. Just stroll down the main drag, Third Street, and you'll encounter a unique chocolaterie, a boutique to buy custom-made clogs, furniture stores full of wares made by local artisans and bakeries that peddle fresh-from-the-oven bagels. Despite the tech-focused culture that has taken over the rest of the city, the Dogpatch has kept its historic laid-back vibe and strong sense of community. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the 50 coolest neighbourhoods in the world  If you only do one thing... See what’s going on at the Dogpatch Arts Plaza, a new creative hub that turned a once dead-end street into an 8,000-square-foot public outdoor art gallery for large-scale installations and live concerts. Get cultured Minnesota Street Project boasts 35,000 square feet of gallery space and 22,000 square feet of subsidized studio space. It is a haven for local artists, housing some of the best contemporary art in town.  Go shopping Head to Industrious Life, a boutique store specializing in new and vintage furniture, to buy a famous Bucket Stool by Yvonne Mouser, a local artist and designer. The portable chairs can serve as a seat or a side table, and their signature handles make them easy to transport to the park, the beac

Even if most of your furniture hails from the halls of Ikea, you can still add some signature California aesthetic (think reclaimed wood, modern chairs and rainbow accents) to your home with statement pieces from these Bay Area furniture designers. In need of some professional help? These online design companies will turn your tiny apartment into home sweet home with just a few clicks. They'll pair you with an interior designer, send renderings and help you shop for furniture—all without you having to leave your desk.

How did you get into drag? I moved to San Francisco in the early 1990s and became involved with a theatrical group, the Sick & Twisted Players. Gradually, I began doing female roles and experimenting with drag. In 1996, I opened my nightclub, Trannyshack, which, much to my surprise, became a huge hit. Then I became a full-time drag queen.   What made you purchase the Oasis nightclub? I never intended to do it. My business partners [Geoff Benjamin and D’Arcy Drollinger] saw it as an opportunity. I had hit a wall in my career, was tired of doing shows at other venues where I was at the whim of their technicians and rules and was getting too old to tour. It’s great having a home base now, even though it’s a shit-ton of work. It is my own little Birdcage.   What do you have planned for the 2018 Pride parade? I’m riding in the parade with the Grand Ducal Council during the day. In the evening, I’m performing at the Frameline Film Festival closing-night party at Oasis.   Top three favorite spots in SoMa? I love the Stud because of what it has stood for all these years—a bastion of diversity where everyone is welcome. DNA Lounge is another venue that embraces the weird, and the Folsom Street Fair is one of those only-in–San Francisco things where people let their freak flag fly. I love the occasional out-of-towners who have no idea what they’re walking into and look shell-shocked.

Leave your frat bros at the door; the Marina is home to a sophisticated new restaurant from Big Night Restaurant Group. Last week, Cow Marlowe opened its doors across the street from the Balboa Cafe with the goal of bringing some glamour to a neighborhood known for its abundance of fresh-faced college grads and Lululemon leggings.  “It's a rare occurrence when a location this spectacular opens up," said James Nicholas, co-founder of the Big Night Restaurant Group. "The Balboa Cafe is where my grandfather, my father and I used to go all the time, and, I hope, my son will go eventually. The opportunity to put a new restaurant in that area was too good to be missed."   Like the group's other well-established restaurants (Marlowe, Leo’s Oyster Bar and The Cavalier among them) the new eatery was designed by the award-winning Ken Fulk design firm. The interior includes a few custom-made items like the wallpaper, which depicts cows, chickens and sheep in the countryside. Above the bar, a big taxidermy cow dominates the room. “The inspiration for the wallpaper came from the ranch I grow up on,” adds Tiffany Kramer, lead designer on the project. An array of different textures adds to the elegance of the new bar. The bar counters and communal table, for instance, are made from a rare and highly-sought-after Sodalite blue granite in cobalt blue with waves and specks of black and white. In the dining room, wooden tables are paired with leather banquettes and a collection of vintage Thone

Imagine this: “A world traveler goes on a solo tour around Asia and Africa in the 1950s, where he collects art and mementos along the way. After twenty years, in 1970, the same guy buys a house in Palm Springs where he puts all the things he collected and he throws disco parties with great Chinese food and amazing cocktails." That, explains Bon Vivants co-founder Josh Harris, is the theme behind the company's newest bar, Bon Voyage.  Now open on Valencia Street in the Mission, Bon Voyage is full of paintings, wall decor and funky knick knacks that Harris, whose passion for flea markets and estate sales is well known in the industry, collected himself, including a large wooden giraffe discovered at the Alameda Flea Market and a giant elephant's head that covers a wall near the entrance. Of course, true to his 1970s desert vision, there's also a disco ball.  Photograph: Sonya Yu “We created a number of different environments within the bar so people can have different experiences," added Harris. "Whether you gather in a large group of people downstairs, or interact personally with the bartender upstairs where people can also sit on the couch or dine at a table."  Photograph: Sonya Yu The man behind the bar, Morgan Schick, translates Asian and African flavors into the beverage program, which features tons of homemade ingredients and a long list of Singapore Sling-inspired drinks. ("[They were] inspired by the famous drink from the Raffles Hotel in Singapore," adds Harris.) T

Is your ofrenda ready? Institutions across the Bay Area are preparing to celebrate Día de Los Muertos, the Latino tradition that honors the memory of people who have passed by welcoming them back to earth, with feasting, music and dancing. Next week, notable chefs from Oaxaca and award-winning musicians from Veracruz will team up with local cooks and performers for authentic culinary and cultural experiences across the Bay Area.    TechnoTihuacan Photograph: Lola Chase   TechnoTihuacan A series of video art installations animate the Dia de los Muertos celebration at SomArts Center, which touches on contemporary topics like border politics, de-colonialism, Afro Latinx visibility and spirituality. The videos, a mix of original creations and curated works, will be synced with techno, cumbia and salsa music. SomArts Center, 934 Brannan St (somarts.org/events/technotihuacan). Oct 25 at 6pm.  Dia de los Muertos menu at Calavera The Oakland restaurant will serve a special menu in homage to the holiday. In the kitchen, chef Dario Pantoja and guest chef Julio Aguilera will serve a few traditional Oaxacan dishes like aguachile negro with octopus and three different kinds of mole (negro Oaxaca, mole poblano and mole amarillo). Desserts include pan de muerto and calabaza de tacha (candied pumpkin). Special cocktails, including the panteon viejo, named for the old cemetery in Oaxaca, is served with a housemade cranberry skull cube. In addition to the food there will be face painters and

Angler, the highly anticipated new seafood joint by chef Joshua Skenes, owner of Michelin-starred Saison, has  officially opened its doors. The new venture is a big departure from the private, intimate and opulent concept of award-winning Saison (which offers only 18 seats and a single 10-course tasting menu); Angler is casual and friendly with 116 seats spread out over two dining rooms and plenty of room for walk-ins.  Photograph: Bonjwing Lee Known for his passion for fishing and hunting, Skenes will deepen his knowledge of sea-life and his dedication to sustainable eating at Angler working with a small group of reliable and local fishermen, hunters and ranchers to supply the menu. Start your meal with something from the stunning raw bar, which features ice-cold oysters and clams, purple sea urchin and even antelope tartar. Main courses include fresh fish like Monterey abalone and scorpionfish, as well as octopus and meats like whole-roasted pasture-raised chicken, grilled rabbit, and a beautiful 28oz bone-in porterhouse steak—all cooked over a live fire. A selection of farm-to-table vegetables add color to the menu; we like the barbecue cabbage, Epine artichokes and the signature Angler potato. The bar will showcase wines from Burgundy, Napa and Sonoma carefully selected by wine director and co-founder Mark Bright and signature cocktails from bar director Brandyn Tepper, known for his refined cocktail program at Saison. Photograph: Bonjwing Lee Located on The Embarcad

Liven up your boring ol' brunch routine with a stop at the new restaurant from notable drag queen and legendary party host Juanita MORE. The San Francisco native has struck up a long term partnership with the team behind Jones to take over the kitchen and rebrand the restaurant as MORE!Jones. “Having a restaurant has always been one of my dreams and I've been actively looking for the right space for almost three years. When Jones came along I thought it was the perfect match. So now people can say 'that bitch also has a restaurant,'" says MORE. As a passionate foodie and author of the blog Juanita Eats Out, MORE is not new to the hospitality industry; in fact, she worked professionally in kitchens across SF before she became a drag queen full-time. MORE collaborated with long time friend and chef Cory Armenta (Hecho) on the new Latin-influenced menu, which includes some of MORE's family recipes, like the MORE!burger, made with 1/2 pound natural beef steak, poblano chile relleno, jalapeños en escabeche and cilantro.  “This is the kind of food you need when you're hangover,” commented MORE.  Indeed, calories are not meant to be counted at MORE!Jones. Also on the dinner menu are MORE's famous chicken livers served on toast and her French-style carnitas (with homemade ricotta, chicories, and salsa verde). On Wednesday nights, Juanita will host a $35, prix fixe family-style dinner with a changing menu. First up, on September 12, is fried chicken with “honey goo,” followed by poz

FiDi just got a little sweeter. At Candytopia, the immersive, Instagrammable pop-up museum of candy art, you can gorge yourself on Tootsie Pops, Pixy Stix, Lindt chocolate truffles and cotton candy taffy stocked in special boxes inside the interactive exhibit, but please refrain from licking the sugar-filled installations. The 16,000-square-foot museum dedicated to candy is the brainchild of Santa Monica-based artist Jackie Sorkin, the self-described “Candy Queen” and founder of boutique sweets service Hollywood Candy Girls.  “The idea of the museum is to give to people a place to escape from their lives, have a fun and eat a lot of candy,” says Sorkin.  Launched first in Los Angeles (with a subsequent stop in New York), the wonderland was immediately loved by celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Christina Aguilera. But the San Francisco iteration, which is now open across the street from the Museum of Ice Cream, includes some SF-only components and treats. As soon as you enter the sugar-filled space, a candy librarian (who looks like an extra in a Harry Potter movie) guides you to the library, where you'll find books, pendulum clocks and a stoic soldier in a coat of armor as well as a portrait of Sorkin herself—all made out of candy.  Photograph: Anna Volpicelli Photograph: Kelly Sullivan/Getty Images for Candytopia  A flashy escalator gets you to the core of the museum, where your sweet journey continues with a Hansel and Gretel-esque room filled with colorful mar

Award-winning pastry chef Angela Pinkerton has been dreaming of her own pastry shop since 2014. Last month, her dream came true.   With the help of chef David Nayfeld and Matt Brewer of Back Home Hospitality (her co-owners at sibling restaurant Che Fico), Pinkerton opened Theorita in NoPa, a pastry shop and classic diner named after her grandmother. Located below Che Fico, the new bakery and restaurant is already being lauded for its pies—choose from favorites like apple, bourbon chocolate walnut, or raspberry and white nectarine pies at the old-school walk-up pastry counter.   Photograph: Anna Volpicelli “Before starting to work at this project I thought about what brought me into the food industry and where this love that I have for pastries came from. I thought about my grandmother and her pies. I spent all my childhood helping her in the kitchen and watching her making all kind of pies," says Pinkerton. “I love pies and I love making them."  Photograph: Krescent Carasso Pinkerton's family-oriented upbringing in Northern Ohio also informs the savory side of the menu. Theorita also serves breakfast, lunch and dinner featuring classic diner fare like sandwiches, salads and a delicious burger. Fast favorites include the breakfast sandwich on a house-made English muffin with scrambled eggs, ham, cheddar cheese and strawberry jam and the Theorita burger featuring Marin Sun Farms beef, onions two ways, special sauce and house-made dill pickles served on a potato bun. Other h

HBD, Mickey!  Mickey Mouse is celebrating his 90th anniversary this November (yes, it's been 90 years since Steamboat Willie), and to celebrate, Disney collaborated with notable painter and street artist Kenny Scharf to create a trippy, Disney-themed version of his signature artwork, The Cosmic Cavern. For one week only, Gallery 104 at the Minnesota Street Project has become an intense and colorful art work packed with everything from graffiti tags and computer keyboard to fans and organics materials. At the center, is the popular Mickey Mouse watch.  Photograph: Courtesy Getty Images   The multi-sensory installation was designed for the first time in the 1980s in the closet of an NYC apartment that Scarf shared with fellow artist Keith Haring. A fluorescent black light illuminated a surreal world inspired by the Manhattan clubs of the '80s (Scharf and Haring often used the closet to host their own house parties). The psychedelic interactive work became so popular that since then it has been part of solo and collective exhibitions at galleries and museum around the world.   Photograph: Courtesy Getty Images After San Francisco, The Cosmic Tavern will travel to New York City as part of a bigger show, Mickey: The True Original Exhibition, that will also include the gigantic Mickey t-shirt artworks designed by Amanda Ross-Ho and Mickey plush toys formed into an installation by Los Angeles-based sculptor Shinique Smith. The Cosmic Cavern is at Minnesota Street Project, Galle

Salesforce Transit Center just got a little more colorful. Over the weekend, 38 artists from ArtSpan—an organization that supports emerging and established local talents—painted 10,052 square feet of the grand level windows of the soon-to-open complex. Among the artists were local legends such as Paul Madonna as well as Dilcia Giron (a mixed-media artist), Johnny Botts (known for his retro-future robots), and painter Lynn Rubenzer. Artist @shaneizykowski managing and executing the artwork of @paulmadonnastudio at ArtSpan's Transit Center Mural Project! @sennelier1887 @artsavoirfaire A post shared by ArtSpan & SF Open Studios (@artspansf) on Aug 5, 2018 at 1:07pm PDT @michaelkerbow working on his mural at ArtSpan's Transit Center Mural Project! @sennelier1887 @artsavoirfaire A post shared by ArtSpan & SF Open Studios (@artspansf) on Aug 5, 2018 at 1:11pm PDT The collaborative project focused on the theme of “Dynamism,” with the hope of capturing the eclectic spirt of San Francisco and the vibrant energy of the city. The new works will be unveiled during Salesforce Transit Center's Opening Block Party on August 11. The event will also feature live painting performances by Nora Bruhn (known for the Rainbow Room at the Museum of Ice Cream) and Nathan Richard Phelps (notable for his works at 1625 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley and Bloc 15 in Oakland).  Artist @lynnrubenzer painting with @sennelier1887 abstract acrylic paint from @artsavoirfaire at ArtSpan's Transit Ce

Squaw Valley might be the last place you'd expect a brass band to pop up, but this summer, the Lake Tahoe ski resort is trading in its snowboards and hot chocolate for saxophones and beer. The 17th Annual Brews, Jazz and Funk Fest brings some of Nola's most legendary bands to Tahoe for one weekend only. On Saturday night, funk and jam band Dumpstaphunk will take the stage. Groove along to their hit single "Dancin’ To The Truth" or shout all the words to their newest anthem, "Justice." On Sunday, Louisiana's award-winning Rebirth Brass Band will perform. Known for infusing traditional brass band sounds with funk and jazz melodies, you can't help but move along to their infectious groove. In addition to the Southern charm, Bay Area bands like Afrolicious and The John Brother Piano Company will round out the weekend.  If all the dancing has you feeling parched, the beer lineup is just as good as the music. 20 different breweries will be slinging more than 35 different beers on tap, including local legends like FiftyFifty, Lagunitas, Sierra Nevada, Trumer, Bear Republic and WILDCIDE Hard Cider. Best of all, entrance is a $10 donation to the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe. Once inside, beers are just $5 a pop. Well behaved and leashed dogs are welcome to join in on the fun.  Brews, Jazz and Funk Fest takes place at the The Village at Squaw Valley, August 11-12, 2–8pm. 

The newest tree in Hayes Valley's Patricia Green isn't exactly what you would expect. SQUARED, a LED sculpture from notable Bay Area artist Charles Gadeken, will be installed in the parklet on May 5th.  The sculpture has a fun history: it's been shown at Coachella Music Festival and Burning Man. The 50-foot tree is made up of 768 polyurethane apple-cubes that change colors thanks to the built-in adjustable LEDs. “It represents a futuristic interpretation of nature thanks to the use of technology and all the materials we have available now, where all the fruits are replaced with plastic cubes that will light up in an array of colors and patterns. I like to call it a post-nature, post-human sculpture,” says Gadeken. “I wanted to create a sculpture that was beautiful and, at the same time, was able to inspire people to think about the complexity and the unlimited possibilities that the future will hold for us," he added.  Photograph: Courtesy Charles Gadeken   During Saturday's opening, Gadeken will perform with a group of musicians and the sculpture will change colors in tune to the sounds. Check it out at Patricia Green’s on May 5th from 6–9pm.