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Just in Time for Chinese New Year: Tofu Chic

Sara — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:00:00 -0800

I was having dinner the other night with one of the former cooks from Greens restaurant—Greens from back in the day, right after Deborah Madison left to go to Santa Fe. We were talking about its slightly scandalous, Zen Center, hippie past and what has grown out of it. I've often thought about how the free-loving movement (which really encompassed Chez Panisse too) has made "California cuisine" what it is today to a large extent. The farm-centric menus. The tofu.

Of course, most hippie values are old-fashioned values you see in back-to-the-land movements. Farmers are not the hot new thing, for the record. Nor are fresh chicken eggs or composting.

While I think we might have to give the alfalfa sprout–credit to the hippies, tofu has an ancient history in Asia, particularly Japan and China. One that Adam Sachs recently covered in the last issue of Bon Appetit with his enoyable sense of humor as he did the deep-soy bean dive on a trip to Kyoto. He interviews a guy named Chris Rowthorn: "Hippie, crunchy, pinko-leaning. In America, we have all these associations for tofu," says Chris Rowthorn, an expat writer who lives in Kyoto and runs personalized tours around Japan. "But in Japan, you'll see the hardest construction workers or truck drivers walk into a restaurant and order a block of cold tofu."

Here in the Bay Area, tofu also has a (relatively) long past—long enough to jump the commune, but maybe not long enough for towtruck drivers to make it a staple. (Apparently Quong Hop, based here, was the first tofu maker in the United States; they launched in the Bay Area in 1906 and are now based in South San Francisco.)

But in regards to tofu of the newest generation, it looks like the best tofu is coming out of a meeting of both the American and the Asian minds. Two companies—Hodo Soy Beanery and Berkeley-based Tofu Yu—are both owned and run by someone who grew up in Asia and an American. Hodo Soy, which has a following at the Ferry Plaza, has launched its new factory in Oakland which even offers tours; it's now sold in shops such as Thom's Fresh Organics in the Richmond. The Atlantic Monthly recently covered Hodo in "Making Tofu Hip."

It's no coincidence that hip is a derivative of the word hippie.

So, here's to tofu chic. To celebrate it, try making Hodo Soy's popular chocolate mousse to woo your non-crunchy, Birkenstock-hating, tofu-loving love this Sunday. But as a nod to tofu's roots, you might want to wish him or her a Happy Chinese New Year too. This February 14th, the Year of the Tiger and Valentine's Day coincide.

Chocolate Tofu Mousse from Hodo Soy Beanery
Posted on Sunday on Hodo's blog

Active prep time: 1 hour

Passive prep time: 4 hours

Ingredients:

1 Hodo silken tofu, 16 oz

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1 T maple syrup

1/4 t salt

1. Heat all ingredients over double boiler, stirring occasionally, just until the chocolate melts. Be careful not to overcook.

2. Pour into a large bowl. Whip with immersion blender until evenly mixed and completely smooth. Continue stirring along the surface to incorporate air for approximately 10 minutes.

3. Pour into single serving dishes and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Garnish with whipped cream or a cookie.

Two Brit Bands To Watch For: Editors And Wild Beasts

kimberlychun — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:27:48 -0800

Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf -- or synthesizers? Two UK bands playing this week in San Francisco -- Editors (Monday, Feb. 8, at the Warfield) and Wild Beasts (Thursday, Feb. 11, at the Independent) -- find swathes of fresh intrigue in those patches and plug-ins, all while baring their breasts and revealing busily percolating emotional lives.

The fine art of paring away for maximum drama appears to be a guiding principle of Birmingham, England, combo Editors. Few likely anticipated their recently released third album, In This Light and on This Evening (Fader), a widely acclaimed recording that manages to be both epic and arch, musically stripped and fulsomely emotional. These days Editors seem to cribbing moves and taking notes on the Manchester masters of stark, angst-ridden post-punk Joy Division and such descendants as Interpol. Still, tracks like “Eat Raw Meat - Blood Drool,” with its over-the-top, decadence-drenched title and sentiments, also evoke the less-canonical Nine Inch Nails, showing an ensemble that’s thinking for itself rather than relying on received wisdom. It sounds as if Editors are becoming more interesting with the passage of time.

Listen to the Leeds-based Wild Beasts -- and hear Antony and the Johnsons and spinoff disco project Hercules and Love Affair taken to more dulcet, beat-driven lengths, complete with beautifully evocative, narrative-laced lyrics. Falsetto vocalist and guitarist Hayden Thorpe has a way with brain-teasing phrase and an impressively vivid image. “The spirit kicks, / But the moonshine plays cheap tricks. / Us kids are cold and cagey rattling around the town / scaring the oldies into their dressing gowns, / as the dribbling dogs howl,” he warbles on “We Still Got the Taste Dancin’ on Our Tongues” off the recent Two Dancers (Domino), before ascending on a flight of “ah”s, lifted by Edge-like guitar textures. From the two-part title track to downright poppy numbers like “Hooting & Howling,” Two Dancers shows Wild Beasts as eager to ruminate as they are to get out on the dance floor.

Editors perform Monday, Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m., at the Warfield, 982 Market St., SF. $23-$25. Antlers and the Dig open. www.goldenvoice.com. Wild Beasts play Thursday, Feb. 11, 8 p.m., at the Independent, 628 Divisadero St., SF. $12-$14. Still Life Still and Magic Bullets open. (415) 771-1422, www.theindependentsf.com

The Economics of Art

johnkim — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:51:24 -0800

We know that finance is struggling, but how do creative industries survive in this economy? Glamwatch's own Lorraine Sanders will be moderating a forum discussing the Economics of Art. As the epicenter of independent and local talent, is San Francisco suffering compared to the rest of the nation? Talk it out with designers, bloggers, retailers and other entrepreneurs in the local fashion scene, who will share their relationship and thoughts on the topic. The proceeds from this event will benefit the San Francisco Fashion and Merchant's Alliance's efforts to revive San Francisco Fashion Week.

Drop by The Barber Lounge (854 Folsom St.) with open ears on February 11, 2010 from 6-10 p.m..

Valentine's Day Flash Mob: SF Love at 8 p.m.

johnkim — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:46:36 -0800

We all had so much fun at our last Friday Flash Mob that not doing a Valentine's Day camera opp would be heartless of us. Show us (and the rest of San Francisco) what you're doing on Valentine's/Single's Awareness Day. Whether you're cuddling over a fire, on an awkward date or burning old love letters, we want a visual! So go ahead and shoot.

Date: February 14, 2010
Time: 8 p.m., sharp
Location: Anywhere in San Francisco

Directions: On Sunday, February 14 at 8 p.m. on the dot, snap a shot of your V-Day festivities. Then email your photo to our Flickr group at flashmob@7x7.com. Be sure to include a title in the subject line and a short description with your email address in the body (so we can let you know when your photo's up!)

Let's show off some San Francisco love!

Here's Your Chance: Scriptapalooza

johnkim — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:08:36 -0800

It's probably every writer's dream to go to Hollywood, produce a single genius screenwrite and live off those livings for a century. Scriptapalooza is the chance for those handful of amateurs to pursue their dreams in getting picked up by the bigshots. Disney, Miramax, Big Light and Bender-Spinks, names that bring fear and admiration to the hearts of screenwriters, will be in attendance to review the works of hopefuls. The grand prize? Aside from the chance to be read and critiqued by industry leaders, the first place winner will receive $10,000 and a year-long promotion as Scriptapalooza staff.

Deadlines for entering Scriptapalooza is March 5, 2010 with a $50 application fee and $55 for April 15, 2010. Don't miss your chance!

Twice as Nice: 4505 Meats and Namu now at the Saturday Ferry Plaza Farmers Market

Jessica — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:34:26 -0800

A few weeks back there was a bit of scuffle regarding the ousting of Aidell's from the Saturday Ferry Plaza Farmers Market (hey—it's San Francisco—we take our drama where we can get it). Now that the dust has more or less settled, we have good news about two vendors that will be joining the weekend roster: 4505 Meats and Namu. Yes, the beloved fixtures of the Thursday market will now also be around on the weekends, so if you've been reading about Farr's epic burger or the Korean tacos from Namu but haven't been able to make the weekday appearance, you're now in luck. Regarding that Namu burger—Farr tells me he's now getting in whole steer, which he dry ages and butchers in house. Which means that your chances of getting a burger crafted from 21-day aged ground beef—a combination of brisket, chuck and neck—are pretty good. Especially now that you have two opportunities a week to try one.

And Namu will be expanding their offerings on Saturday. In addition to the tacos, fried rice and okonomiyaki that have become Thursday staples, Dennis Lee tells me they'll be making some breakfasty items, including a Korean-style egg sandwich, scrambled eggs topped with julienned vegetables and dusted with powdered sugar. They'll also be serving up omu rice—garlic-chicken rice balls surrounded by an omelet, served with a cup of chicken broth for dunking. Lastly, the Thursday loco moco special will become a regular fixture on Saturdays, where you can choose to have your gravy-topped rice with either a burger patty or tonkatsu. Can you say hangover obliterator?

Spruce Your Boots for Less: Local Company's Collab with Target

LorraineSanders — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:20:51 -0800

Joining the ranks of designer labels such as Rodarte and Sonia Rykiel, East Bay-based company The 2 Bandits is releasing a limited edition collaboration with Target today. Called Riders, the leather and chain boot harnesses fit over footwear and offer instant motorcycle-chic appeal.

“Riders wrap around any type of tall boots, ankle boots or booties and are a great way to dress up any boot--old or new, plain or embellished,” says Erica Chan, who founded the company with Tamar Wider in 2008.

The 2 Bandits Riders for Target marks the first collaboration with a major retailer for the small company, best known for its line of boot bands and accessories that offer wearers easy ways to temporarily change the look of plain boots.

Available in the Target Red Hot shop, the Riders come in black leather with black or gold chains and retail for $49.99 a pair, less than the $70 versions in the label’s online shop. We hear from Chan that the Riders will be available through Target for a limited time.

Craigslist Deal of the Week: $1595 Castro Jr 1 Bdrm

LilyGahagan — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:00:00 -0800

Nothing like a rowdy night in the Castro to remind you how fun the lively neighborhood can be. Yes, there's no denying it's great destination for an evening of debauchery, but with a central location and some of the best weather you'll find in the city, it's also an incredible place to spend your days.

Problem is that the livability of the area is of course no secret, so inexpensive digs are usually hard to find. We've got the answer to that, though: this week's Craigslist deal, a junior one bedroom for just under $1600. The spot is located at Collingwood and 18th, just a block of Castro's main drag and not much further to the Castro MUNI stop (serving the M, L, and K lines) and F line, as well as countless restaurants, bars, and entertainment.

It's hard to get a feel for the size of the place based on the pics, but the hardwood floors and marble countertops in the kitchen are looking good to us, and the fact that they accept dogs and cats could make it a true score. Why not cruise by to find out for sure? Beautifully Renovated Jr 1 Bedroom

Think Flora Grubb's Cutting Garden for Valentine's Day

LilyGahagan — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 15:52:29 -0800

Chocolates last about a day; roses, a week. So what's the best way to commemorate everlasting love? We'll take a nod from our tiny, oft-neglected garden where the only plants to survive–let alone flourish–are our lovely succulents. These things are hearty, and a good way to convey to a loved one that you're in it for the long haul.

That's why we're loving Flora Grubb's selection of Valentine's bouquets from their new floral design venture, the Cutting Garden. Not only are their arrangements gorgeous, they're all made from a mix of seasonal and locally grown flowers and drought-friendly plants (yup, no giant carbon footprint for these buds). Plus, when you're done with the bouquet you can replant the succulents, so the gift can keep giving.

Valentine's arrangements can be found on the Flora Grubb site, and are available for delivery in SF or by in-store pickup through this week. But while you're online, make sure to check out the new web store which offers a selection of the beautiful products you've come to expect from the Bayview-based shop, including gift-worthy items like our personal favorite, the DiY vertical garden kits. Happily, everything from the 'gift' section of the store will ship nationwide and make it for the big day if purchased by February 10th. Lovely!

Mystery Date: Mastermind Treasure Hunt Goes In Search Of Beer

kimberlychun — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 10:28:35 -0800

Fresh outta drinking games? Prepared to drink in a new adventure? Ready to discover your next favorite watering hole?

Mastermind Pub Treasure Hunt to the rescue. The Bay Area organization serves up another of its Pub Treasure Hunts -- an urban outing chock-full of clues, riddled with oft-neglected spots, and rife with challenge. The organizers describe their events as a “cross between The Davinci Code and The Amazing Race,” and say this is a great warm-up for their Chinese New Year Treasure Hunt. So be prepared to race to the finish when you and your kindred agents gather on Tuesday, Feb. 9, at the plaza next to St. Patrick’s Church, across the street from Yerba Buena Gardens. Each team gets four clues, which send you hurtling toward a different locale, namely local pub where you can celebrate the completion of your mission over a tasty pint. And the first team to their pub, clues solved, scores a mystery prize.

Mastermind Pub Treasure Hunt happens Tuesday, Feb. 9, 6 p.m., at St. Patrick's Church plaza, 756 Mission St., SF. $10. Flashlights are “strongly recommended.” www.mastermindhunts.com

Michael Fassbender Talks ‘Fish Tank’

RossiterDrake — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:00:00 -0800

Don’t hate him because he’s beautiful.

So much has been made of Fish Tank star Michael Fassbender’s rugged good looks, which have earned him comparisons to a young Daniel Day-Lewis, that it might be tempting to dismiss him as just another pretty face. Yet to witness his harrowing depiction of late Irish Republican Army militant Bobby Sands in last year’s Hunger is to appreciate his dedication to craft.

For that role, Fassbender, 32, shed roughly 40 pounds off his already slender frame to play Sands, an imprisoned agitator who died in 1981 while participating in a well-publicized hunger strike. (That’s not all Fassbender lost. The actor, born in Germany and raised in Killarney, Ireland, says the rapid weight loss also robbed him of his libido – temporarily.)

American audiences might best remember Fassbender as Lieutenant Hicox, the suave British spy who meets a bloody end in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds. Currently, he’s starring opposite newcomer Katie Jarvis in Fish Tank, Andrea Arnold’s eagerly anticipated follow-up to Red Road (2006). The subject is Mia, a rebellious 15-year-old girl mired in a dead-end life.

Fassbender plays Connor, the casually seductive older man who gets past her defenses with the promise of a better life. In a moment of drunken recklessness, they sleep together. Is Connor a pedophile, or simply a man of extraordinarily poor judgment?

“People throw around the word ‘evil,’ but that’s such an abstract concept,” he says. “I’m not even sure what it means. I don’t think he’s a predator, and I don’t think he’s premeditating. He definitely abuses a position of trust, but I didn’t want to portray him simply as a bad guy.

“He brings a lot of positivity into Mia’s life. He gives her confidence and encourages her to follow her dream to become a dancer. She’s not getting that at home. But he crosses a line. I wanted to make him seem like a normal guy, not a monster. He makes a terrible decision, and we’re all capable of that – it’s in all of us. If people are shocked or repulsed, maybe it’s because they’re afraid they could do something like that themselves.”

On accepting his role in Fish Tank, script unseen:
“It comes down to the director. I’d seen what Andrea was capable of in Red Road, and what I really like about that film is that she doesn’t judge her characters at all. She doesn’t put them into safe boxes, making obvious heroes and villains. Her characters are more ambiguous than that, and her stories leave you with something to think about. I knew I had to work with her, regardless of whether I’d read the script.”

On working with Jarvis, who had no prior acting experience:
“We didn’t do any rehearsals. Andrea prefers to film her rehearsals because she likes working in some sort of chaotic and unstable atmosphere. And in that environment, Katie was incredible. She has naturally what a lot of actors work very long and hard to find, which is the ability to grasp the truth in a scene. She works without vanity or pretense. She has a very intuitive approach that serves her well.”

On mentoring inexperienced actors:
"I think it's a very dangerous thing to do. The most important relationship is between an actor and a director, and if any coaching is to be done, that's the director's job. It's not my place to offer advice, and Katie certainly didn't need any."

On the similarities between Arnold and Tarantino:
“Besides being very passionate about their work, they both create a very liberating environment for their actors. They’re very clear about what they want, but they afford you the opportunity to try new things and see what works.”

On the movies that inspired his passion for cinema:
“It was the American cinema of the 1970s that made me want to become an actor – The Godfather, Dog Day Afternoon, Raging Bull, The Conversation. You can’t go wrong with any of those. I’ve always been a huge [Martin] Scorsese fan, and I’d love to work with him. Or, more recently, Paul Thomas Anderson, or the Coen brothers – The Big Lebowski is one of my all-time favorites. There are so many directors I’d like to work with. Can you put in a good word?”

Fish Tank is playing now at the Lumiere Theatre in San Francisco and the Shattuck Cinemas in Berkeley. It is also available via Video On Demand.

Let’s Get Visual: This Month in Art

allisonmccarthy — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:53:11 -0800

There’s a lot of art happening in this city but often it’s hard to find. SF’s First Thursdays and Oakland’s Art Murmur are great ways to see a lot in a short span of time, but if you’re looking for one-offs, you may find yourself lost. Here’s our guide to the hot shows in February.

Luc Tuymans Retrospective
A comprehensive look at the famous Belgian painter’s oeuvre, this exhibit is dark, deep and richly layered. Expect such topics as Nazi Germany, Belgium’s violent occupation of the Congo and a struggling, post-9/11 America. The murky palette of Tuymans’ work matches the heavy subject matter and the pieces will haunt you long after leaving the museum. Extremely important show but not for the fainthearted.
SFMOMA, February 6 – May 2, 415-357-4000, $17.50

	Wonderland Curated by Chillin Productions’ founder Irene Hernandez-Feiks, this exhibit has been a long time coming. Irene’s worked hard over the past 11 years to promote emerging local talent and it’s always been her dream to put together her own show. She’s rounded up an impressive list of artists—Brian Barneclo, Spencer Hansen, Ferris Plock, to name a few. And as many of us know, with Irene, it’s always a party. 111 Minna, February 4 – 27, 415-974-1719, Free
	Transpose A showcase of work by Aaron Koblin and Robert Hodgin, you’ll be transported to the space where art and technology converge. Using code and algorithms to shift data into different compositions, these artists create the visual from the technical. It’s a spectacle of sheer genius. You’ll need your brain for this one. Gray Area Foundation for the Arts, February 20 – April 2, 415-843-1423, Free

Bodies Are Back Famous British artist and fem pioneer Margaret Harrison revisits her early work. New pieces created for this show will be juxtaposed with works on paper from the late '60s and early '70s that look at the body as an object of consumption, sexuality and gaze. This very special exhibit will continue a dialogue Harrison started four decades ago and was forced to abandon after the London police shut down her show in 1971 (for fear that its content was too risqué). Intersection for the Arts, February 10 – March 27, 415-626-2787, Free
	Our Struggle: Responding to Mein Kampf French painter and photographer Linda Ellia orchestrated a mass public response after her encounter with a copy of Mein Kampf in 2005. The result is a book titled Notre Combat (Our Struggle, in Engish), a compilation of paintings, drawings and collages over the pages of Mein Kampf by hundreds of invited participants in response to the book’s blasphemous content. Contemporary Jewish Museum, February 11 – June 8, 415-655-7800, $8
	Article X The real gets surreal when David Trautrimas and Kristina Lewis take ordinary, functional objects out of their usual contexts. The result? A confusing mix of ambiguity, absurdity and anxiety. Imagine dismantled waffle irons digitally recast as top-secret outposts and wire-exposed light switches turned into indescribable relics. Johansson Projects, February 5 – March 20, 510-444-9140, Free
	Endless Dreams and Time-Based Streams Internationally renowned artist Renée Green has been assessing the intersection of ideas, processes and creativities for more than 20 years. In this exhibition, she brings together two projects—a survey that features videos, objects, events and lectures produced over a 15-year span and her most recent multi-media project that includes short films, drawings, banners, audio projects, a window installation and more. Topics explored are cultural history, transnational travel, feminism and biography. YBCA, February 20 – June 20, 415-978-2787, $7

*Bonus: If you haven’t already seen the King Tut exhibit at the de Young, February is the perfect time. Target is hosting a weekend of free admission from 2/20-2/21.

Editors Take On The Warfield

JulieDyer — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:04:00 -0800

Showing off their brand new album In This Light And On This Evening, Editors have made a stealthy comeback with a whole new sound to match. What they're calling "dystopian, apocalyptic, mechanical ambience," translates to heavy synths, way more soaring guitars and lyrics dedicated to London, their "adopted home town." What's not to love? Like we said in Hot Tickets, try to be ahead of the bell curve, and see these guys at The Warfield on 2/8. We predict heavy US domination for Editors in the next few years. Interested in sampling the new album? Editors, partnered with Fader Label and Sony's intuitive creative agency, have "hacked" Google Street View to bring you normally unavailable moody London night shots of the band highlighting locations that inspired a track from the new album (paired with subsequent track). To access, click here. For more creative genius, go see them on Monday.

What’s the Deal: Deals on Denim, Spa Treatments and Valentine’s Day Goodies

LorraineSanders — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:01:13 -0800

Shops are gearing up for Valentine's Day and American Heart Month with deals on date-worthy clothes, spa treatments and giftables.

The Blues Jean Bar: Time to grab a member of the opposite sex and get into some denim at this Cow Hollow store. If you both buy a pair, you’ll save 20 percent on the total purchase price through the end of the month.

Goodwill and Levi’s: Drop off donations of clothing or household goods at San Francisco’s flagship Goodwill or the Fillmore donation center before February 7, and you’ll walk away with a coupon for 30 percent off your next purchase at any Levi’s store.

Robindira Unsworth: Save 25 percent off your jewelry purchase from this Bay Area-based designer when you shop online and use the code LOVE at checkout. Good through Valentine’s Day.

The Warehouse Sale: If there’s a serious deficit in your denim supply, you’re in luck. Head to Fort Mason today and tomorrow for up to 80 percent off retail prices on men’s and women’s denim brands such as AG Jeans, Paige and Rock & Republic.

Cinta Aveda Institute: They say good things come in threes. The latest example: book a facial and any two waxing services and receive 75 percent off the total when you mention discount code FACE75. The deal is good throughout February. Call 415-989-4400 to book.

Oxenrose: Who needs flowers and chocolate when you can score a basket full of goodies from Hayes Valley businesses on Feb. 14? To get in on the action, pop into this Hayes Valley salon before Valentine’s Day to enter. Among the prizes included are $100 gift certificate to Azalea, a t-shirt from Lemon Twist, $75 gift certificate at Oxenrose, a private pilates session at Informed Body and a full line of facial products from Earthbody.

Ooma: In honor of National Wear Red Day (today), this North Beach boutique is marking down all pink and red items by 15 percent through Valentine’s Day. An added bonus? Items with hearts are 10 percent off.

Spa Radiance: Buy a $100 gift card, and you’ll also receive an organic pink grapefruit vitality mask by Eminence (reg. $58) free with your purchase.

Macy’s: To celebrate American Heart Month and National Wear Red Day, the department store will gift any customer wearing red (even if it’s just your lipstick) with 20 percent off a selection of in-store merchandise now through February 7.

Cocoon Urban Day Spa: The specials from this local spa and yoga retreat are quite enticing this month. Along with $200 gift cards for $175, offers include three 90-minute yoga classes for $20 (first-time students only) and a free spa manicure with any massage appointment.

Filippa K: As of yesterday, the Kearny Street store had marked items from its fall/winter collection down by as much as 70 percent.

Indie Theater Roundup: 7 Movies to See This Week

RossiterDrake — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 08:00:00 -0800

With the 12th annual San Francisco Independent Film Festival taking over the Roxie for the next two weeks and The Last Station making its regional debut at the Embarcadero, it's an exciting time for Bay Area cinephiles. Here's a list of some of the finest films currently in rotation at an indie theater near you.

1. The Last Station
Where: Embarcadero Center Cinema, 1 Embarcadero Ctr., 415-352-0835
When: All Week
Why: Michael Hoffman's bittersweet story of Leo and Sofya Tolstoy, whose tempestuous marriage of nearly 50 years unraveled shortly before the author's death, is worth it for the performances alone. Christopher Plummer plays Leo as a troubled patriarch, bemused by his celebrity and wary of his wife's mercurial ravings; Helen Mirren, as Sofya, is his greatest love and most strident critic. Both earned Oscar nominations, and deservedly so, in Hoffman's exhilirating adaptation of Jay Parini's historically based novel.

2. Sita Sings the Blues
Where: Red Vic Movie House, 1727 Haight St., 415-668-3994
When: Feb. 9-11
Why: Alternative cartoonist and onetime San Francisco resident Nina Paley is officially on a roll. Following the abrupt dissolution of her marriage – her ex ended it via e-mail – she began exorcizing her frustrations through a series of animated shorts inspired by the Indian tale of Ramayana and set to the vocals of 1920s jazz legend Annette Hanshaw. Now comes the feature-length fruit of her labors – Sita Sings the Blues, a profoundly personal work of visual brilliance that returns this week to the Red Vic.

3. 44 Inch Chest
Where: Lumiere Theatre, 1572 California St., 415-885-3201
When: All Week
Why: Ray Winstone, Tom Wilkinson and Ian McShane (HBO's Deadwood) star in a brooding, dialogue-heavy meditation on the male ego, written by Louis Mellis and David Scinto, authors of the bruising 2000 gangster drama Sexy Beast. Need I say more?

4. Fish Tank
Where: Lumiere Theatre, 1572 California St., 415-885-3201
When: All Week
Why: Winner of the Cannes Jury Prize and bolstered by the stunning arrival of newcomer Katie Jarvis, writer-director Andrea Arnold’s follow-up to her acclaimed Red Road (2006) follows the misadventures of 15-year-old Mia, who feels flattered by the attentions of her mother’s new boyfriend. Could Connor, played by Michael Fassbender of Inglourious Basterds, rescue her from an unfulfilling home life or prove to be the latest in an escalating series of disappointments?

5. Me and Orson Welles
Where: Opera Plaza Cinema, 601 Van Ness Ave., 415-771-0183
When: All Week
Why: Christian McKay, who previously starred in a one-man stage show as the Citizen Kane director both in his prime and his declining years, is a revelation in Richard Linklater's new comedy, with a performance both fearless and mesmerizing. This is a man who has done his homework. He captures Welles’ mannerisms, including his incomparable rumbling baritone, with uncanny precision. But to describe McKay as a master impersonator would be an injustice. He is channeling a prodigious spirit here, and his work should have put him in the first rank of Oscar contenders.

6. Creation
Where: Embarcadero Center Cinema, 1 Embarcadero Ctr., 415-352-0835
When: All Week
Why: Real-life married couple Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly don't have a catchy nickname – Jennany? Bettifer? P. B. & J.? – but they have a new movie: Creation, in which Bettany (Wimbledon) plays Charles Darwin as a man obsessed with the origin of the species and constantly butting heads with his religious wife (Connelly). Director Jon Amiel, who describes the film as "part ghost story, part psychological thriller, part heart-wrenching love story," seems strangely dispassionate in his approach to Darwin's journey, but Bettany's performance is a winner.

7. The White Ribbon
Where: Embarcadero Center Cinema, 1 Embarcadero Ctr., 415-352-0835
When: All Week
Why: Michael Haneke's latest assault, nominated this week for Best Foreign Film, comes billed as a children’s story, in the same way that Children of the Corn was a movie for farmers. Set in Germany on the eve of the First World War, his story takes place within the suffocating confines of the director’s own village of the damned, where a series of suspicious accidents threatens the harmony of a seemingly tight-knit Protestant community. As always, he bombards us with images ranging from the vaguely unsettling to the downright appalling, and our discomfort is his reward.

Luc Besson Returns to ‘District 13,’ But Why?

RossiterDrake — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:45:00 -0800

Don’t let the title fool you. District 13: Ultimatum bears no relation to last year’s District 9, though it is a sequel – to the frenzied, Luc Besson-produced District B13 (2004), an artfully choreographed celebration of the French fighting style known as parkour.

For the uninitiated: Parkour, which roughly translates to “the art of moving,” is a discipline that requires practitioners to adapt their movements to any environment. Returning stars Cyril Raffaelli and David Belle, who play incorruptible super-cops, do so with fluid precision, leaping gracefully from deadly heights, scampering from rooftop to rooftop, and dropkicking the enemy into submission – often in various states of undress.

So what’s new, you ask? Not much. Three years after their first adventure, set in 2010, the Parisian ghetto is still walled off from civilized society, ruled by a small cluster of rival gangs. The government, in cahoots with the cleverly named Harrisburton corporation, wants to eradicate the poor to make way for the construction of luxury condos. Our righteous lawmen take exception.

Taking refuge in the notorious District 13, they unite the gangs, and the battle of the haves and have-nots erupts, with more of a whimper than the bang of B13.

That’s not to say Besson, who wrote and produced, denies us the cathartic kicks and manic mayhem that made his leaner, meaner previous effort such an adrenaline rush. Yet Ultimatum seems less a bona fide sequel than a bloated remake, stuffed with dialogue where harder-hitting action once was. It’s not boring, but at no time does it feel necessary.

As for Raffaelli and Belle, they are simply given too little to do. They remain exquisite physical specimens whose acrobatic, gravity-defying stunt work is a marvel to behold, but Ultimatum burdens them with too much talk. They are men of action; words do not become them.

Five Minutes with Town Hall Chef Vernon Morales

Jessica — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:00:00 -0800

Last week I spent a couple of nights revisiting some old restaurants—I hit A16 on Monday, which is now under the able tutelage of Liza Shaw, and then the following night I went to Town Hall, where I had not been in an embarrasing several years. I have been wanting to return ever since I heard that Vernon Morales had come on board as chef. Morales was the chef at the now shuttered Winterland, where he made waves with cuisine that nodded at his previous training, which includes a five-month stint at El Bulli and time at Restaurant Daniel in New York. Without going into great detail about the the menu of a restaurant that closed in 2008, let's just say that Morales made bacon ice cream well before bacon ice cream swept San Francisco. Following the closure of Winterland, the Nicaragua-born Morales then moved to Dallas, where he was executive chef for Lombardi Family Concepts.

But he's had his eye on returning to San Francisco for quite some time, particularly in order to be closer to his two children, ages 4 and 6. An offer from the Town Hall boys had him packing his bags and relocating. I caught up with the chef, who has behind the stoves at Town Hall since November.

Do you think the Winterland concept was ahead of its time?

Well, I'm not sure it would work now, either, to be honest. The percentage of the population that that type of food attracts is just not represented here. I thought I did job balancing the more innovative stuff with the rest, but I think San Franciscans like things a bit more casual. Although, this city has come a long way in the three years since I left.

How so?

I've just noticed more little places opening where the food is really great. You didn't see that as much before. I love Flour + Water, I love Bar Bambino. That's my neighborhood, so it's nice to see it developing. I think chefs here look to one another for inspiration, and that makes it a great food town.

I think a lot of people were surprised that you ended up at Town Hall. What drew you to that restaurant in particular?

Mitch, Steve and Dough are obsessed with quality and they have pay incredible attention to detail and product. The food is simple but it's delicious.

There are things on the Town Hall menu that can never be taken off—the ham-and-cheese toast, the BBQ shrimp, the fried chicken. In light of that, how do you make it your own?

I like those dishes too! You know the saying, if it's not broken, don't fix it. People love those dishes, so I wouldn't want to take them off the menu just for the sake of doing something new. We're all just getting to know one another, and the team has been hugely supportive of me. I couldn't do another Winterland here, nor would I want to. The food here is good—and I can't touch those dishes because I'd be killed if I tried!

What has been the hardest thing about this position so far?

It is such a busy restaurant. We do 180 covers every night. Every night is like a Friday. It's crazy. But it's all been a process, and an education. I left San Francisco because I had to, but I returned because I wanted to.

February's Classical Music Offerings

AmberAdrian — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:08:19 -0800

Quarteto Vivace Brasil: Young hipsters of the male persuasion tend to refer to Brazil as "that place with the hot girls" - with an occasional reference to tango (where there are also hot girls). But in addition to the women and the rainforests, Brazil also has some stunning classical music, namely, Quarteto Vivace Brasil. The quartet features some of Brazil's best musicians - two guitarists, a percussionist, and a flautist - who play with an energy that makes Brazilian sambas and Argentinian tangos pop. Their premiere U.S. tour will also feature selections by Handel, Bizet, and American ragtime. No word on how hot the musicians are, but once they start to play, you'll probably stop caring.

February 5 at 8 p.m. Old First Church, 1751 Sacramento St. Tickets are $14-17 at (415) 474-1608.

Zodiac Trio: Blending a somewhat unusual trio of instruments - clarinet, violin, and piano - the Zodiac Trio is an up-and-coming young ensemble remarkable for both its light touch and "rare intensity" (via France's La Tribune). Featuring pieces by contemporary composers like Philip Glass, Paul Schoenfield, and Peter Schickele, this concert will focus on American chamber music and its roots in jazz, blues, and klezmer. Musical melting pot, ahoy.

February 7 at 4 p.m. Old First Church, 1751 Sacramento St. Tickets are $14-17 at (415) 474-1608

Beethoven's Eroica: According to the Telegraph, Beethoven fans are the cleverest. (Beyonce fans - not so much.) So check out the San Francisco Symphony's performance of Eroica to claim your allegiance with the clever. Conducted by San Francisco Symphony Conductor Laureate Herbert Blomstedt, Eroica is a landmark in musical history. For the record, it's entirely possible to be a Beethoven fan and a Beyonce fan. Just sayin'.

February 18-20 at 2 & 8 p.m. Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness. Tickets are $15-145 at (415) 864-6000.

Kronos Quartet: If you're fresh from a viewing of the sartorial disasters and big wins at the Grammys, this would be a good month to hear the Grammy Award-winning Kronos Quartet at Theater Artaud. Continuing their 30-year odyssey to recreate the standard repertoire for a classical quartet, the show features Jon Rose's Music from 4 Fences which premiered at the Sydney Opera House last year. Playing on four specially-constructed fences, the quartet's new stage setup helps create an eclectic and unique sound. Paired with visual design by Willie Williams, of U2 tour designer fame, it's a unique evening of classical music. Unless you happen to find a violinist sitting on a fence somewhere, but it won't be the same.

Febraury 24-27 at 8 p.m. Theatre Artaud, 450 Florida St. Tickets are $20-25 at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/96706.

Cypress Quartet: Walk into any symphony hall and you can expect to be greeted by a sea of gray heads. Classical music lost its grip on the younger generation somewhere, so hooking the ears of the current crop of whippersnappers has become the musical holy grail. Cypress Quartet, an innovative local group that does the whole record-CDs-tour-nationally thing, aims to help chamber music stay relevant for today's media-saturated audience. This performance - a piece commissioned from Boston composer Elena Reuhr - bridges that gap by investigating how literature (specifically, Ann Patchett's Bel Canto) can influence music. Literature as music seems to be the latest trendy hybrid.

February 26 at 8 p.m. Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Ave. Tickets are $20-40 at www.cityboxoffice.com or (415) 392-4400.

Lowering the Bar: Beer Week Edition

AlliePape — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:58:47 -0800

Each week, we bring you our top picks for the best places to drink on the cheap in San Francisco. With SF Beer Week starting Friday, we thought we'd feature some of the great deals being offered on craft brews around town this week.

1. Alembic’s Beer Week Happy Hour: Beer Week gets some people in the mood to celebrate. Alembic is making a bid to be the last destination of the night for attendees of the festival: every night of Beer Week, from 11 pm on, they’ll have $4 draft beers and half-price bar snacks. It’s a pretty cheap way to enjoy a pretty nice bar—especially once the weekend rolls around. (Friday, February 5 – Sunday, February 14 at Alembic, 1725 Haight St., Upper Haight.)

2. Can-A-Palooza: Who says quality craft beer can’t come in a can? Not the folks at 21^st Amendment, who’ve long sold their beers at retail encased in aluminum, not glass. To celebrate their iconoclasm, the brewery/restaurant will offer $2 cans of their beers and those of other breweries (including Oskar Blues, the fabulous can-only Colorado brewery). After this event, you’ll find it hard to kick the can. (Monday, February 8, 5-10 pm, at 21^st Amendment, 563 2^nd St., SOMA.)

3. Happy Hour in Coney Island: Schmaltz Brewing Company, the makers of He’brew, now produce a line of sideshow-themed lagers. To promote their new Human Blockhead brew, they’ll be offering $3 pints of it at Bender’s, with the kitchen serving up Coney-style hot dogs. Go ahead, freak out. (Wednesday, February 10, 6-9 pm, at Bender’s, 806 South Van Ness Ave., Mission.)

4. Beer-In: Making a very correct assumption that the 70’s sketch show “Laugh-In” would have been improved by getting its audience drunk, Cobb’s Comedy Club is hosting a beer-centric variety show, featuring music, comedy, and of course, craft brews. Your $10 admission buys access to the show, plus 3 tokens redeemable for full-size beers. If buying the world a Coke teaches it to sing, imagine what might happen when you buy it a Lagunitas IPA. (Wednesday, February 10, 7-11 pm, at Cobb’s Comedy Club, 915 Columbus Ave., North Beach.)

5. Sudwerk Beer Tasting: Sudwerk’s head brewer, Ryan Fry, sure seems like a mensch: he’s offering free tastings of his full line at the Republic, with pints of Sudwerk’s pilsner half-price all night long. He’ll be in person at the event, so go ahead and thank him while you’re there. (Thursday, February 11, tasting 5-9 pm, half-price pints all night, at The Republic, 3213 Scott St., Marina.)

Tahoe Weekend Game Plan

jennifer — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:41:04 -0800

Escaping to Tahoe this weekend for a little Super Bowl and ski action? Here's your game plan.

The Drive Up
Sneak out of the office early on Friday. A moderate storm system is forecasted to hit late tonight, so add an extra hour to 90 minutes of travel time if you can't leave before 3 to account for drivers freaked out by the snow (Worry not, you can count on CHP and Cal Trans to keep the roads relatively un-dicey). If you're riding highway 80, bypass the usual In-n-Out action and hit up Smokey's Kitchen in Truckee for tasty local BBQ. And then there's the staple Ikeda's stop. Obviously, get a pie or two (we recommend the wild black cherry), but also try their Beef Minetstrone soup, which is new to the diner, or their Chicken Pot Pies, made from scratch daily. If you want to woo your Tahoe hosts into a repeat invite, pick up a mango or marion berry salsa. They won't disappoint.

The Snow
Resorts are expecting a foot to eighteen inches of new snow. Win. And... at least 90% of chairs and runs will be open with smaller than normal lift lines (snow scares away pansies). Expect to slide and stack on a hard pack base at the bottom with softer snow towards the top. It's gonna be chilly, so make sure you bring a solid pair of goggles and potentially a face warmer if you're planning on heading up high. (Don't worry, face warmers aren't for pansies).

The Scene
Now listen up, The Superbowl is proof that America loves you. Game time is 3:25 (that's West Coast time) so even if you're cabin bound, get out there and celebrate your country. For your staple sports bar, hit up the Blue Coyote in either Squaw Village or Truckee. We're talking flat screens viewable from every table, and an impressive beer, burger and wing selection. If you're looking to get rowdy with the locals, head to Pete N Peters in Tahoe City. And if you can't tear yourself away from the tables, perch yourself at the Crystal Bay Casino for the action.

The Drive Home

There's a 40% chance Sunday will be snowy, so shake off that hangover you didn't think you were going to have from drinking three beers (it's called Alchitude. Alcohol + Altitude = tipsy on the quicksy) and hit the hill, take some turns then get on the road. Head back anytime before 4pm and you'll be asleep in your snuggie by bedtime.