SF Chronicle

J. Hemerly

The SF Chronicle has a collection of photos relating to the Bay Bridge Closure online and they are really interesting. Particularly worth checking out are the ones showing the highways leading to and from the bridge, the bridge tolls, and the bridge itself eerily devoid of traffic. It looks like somebody Photoshopped all the cars from the pictures. A few of favorites are this one, this one, and this one. The gallery includes a couple very cool daytime overhead shots from AP photographers too.

Michael Bauer caught on film.

A couple of weeks ago, the Chicago-based Menu Pages blog posted an article entitled “Why Does Everyone Hate John Mariani?” It all started when Esquire critic—and author of the influential “Best New Restaurants” list—was in Chicago doing his rounds, which provoked some irate tweets from the likes of the chef de cuisine of Alinea about Mariani’s unethical ways—predominately about his decided lack of anonymity.

Acme gets their stars chopped in half and then some.

Laughing Squid on Flickr

Michael Bauer pretty much took Acme Chophouse to the killing floor today. The last time he reviewed Acme was in 2002, seven years ago. And in one fell swoop he's lowered it's star rating from 2 1/2 to one (giving the food half a star) with a blunt headline for those readers that do nothing more than skim boldface: "Acme Chophouse Strikes Out at the Ballpark."

The Top 100: How Does It Feel?

Now that we have a blog, I'm supposed to be writing about things the minute they happen—or at least within 24 hours. Which brings me to Michael Bauer’s annual “Top 100” that came out yesterday in the Chronicle. But I’m having a hard time stoking the fire within me to care who made the cut and who did not. (i.e. The Matterhorn is in it again! The horror! Sebo is not. The horror!) Certainly I have my opinion—much of which doesn't jive with Bauer's.