1) Charity Bartending Event at Elixir
Celebrity bartenders will be shaking things up at Elixir (3200 16th St. @ Guerrero) this Wednesday, April 24 for a charity event benefiting Share Our Strength/No Kid Hungry. The friendly neighborhood saloon in the Mission will be hosting a charismatic crew of amateur mixologists who are donating their time and tips to the cause of eradicating child hunger in America. Guest bartenders include TV personality Liam Mayclem (CBS Eye on the Bay’s Foodie Chap), and chefs Jen Biesty (Scala’s) and Scott Youkilis (Maverick, Hog and Rocks, Hi-Lo). The tip jar will be seeded with more than $2000 already donated by Elixir patrons during the 2012 NFL season, via a hot dog and nacho bar co-sponsored by Newcastle Beer. The fun begins at 9 pm with $6 shots of El Jimador Blanco Tequila. Bring cash for tips, and keep in mind that Elixir does not serve food. Fortunately, it is flanked by numerous restaurants serving everything from Thai food to pizza.
2) Freaky Deaky Friday Costume Box Dance party
Break out the costume bin and put together the craziest outfit you can find for the Freaky Deaky Friday Costume Box Dance Party, every fourth Friday of the month at The Showdown (10 Sixth Street). If you don’t have a costume collection, dig through theirs upon arrival. The booty-shaking begins at 10 pm, with tunes from DJ Sonny Phono. For a $5 cover charge, you get free Ike’s sandwiches while they last. Bring extra dough for Hey Cookie’s cookies. This cash-only, “secret dive bar” in SoMa has earned a reputation as the place to “Show up and get Down.” Look for the big red arrow pointing to the door from the outside.
3) Wine Tasting and SF Fashion Tour at The Old Mint
Spend an afternoon tasting wine and exploring more than a century of San Francisco fashion at The Old Mint (88 Fifth St. @ Mission) on Saturday, April 27, from 2 to 5 pm. The San Francisco Style fashion retrospective spans 120 years, from the 1849 Gold Rush to the days of Gold Lamé. A $30 admission fee includes a tour of The Old Mint followed by antipasti and a wine taste-off reception in the wine cellar of 54 Mint (16 Mint Plaza). In keeping with the Gold Rush theme, the event features eco-friendly wines from the mother lode: Placer and Nevada counties. Purchase tickets in advance to receive a free bottle of certified organic wine.
4) Tequila Tasting Party with PBS’s Joanne Weir at Omnivore Books
What happens when a cookbook author / PBS television legend goes on a tequila binge? She writes a book about it and hosts a Tequila tasting party. Join James Beard Award-winning cookbook author Joanne Weir for a Tequila talk and tasting at 4pm on Saturday, April 27 at Omnivore Books (3885-A Cesar Chavez @ Church). For $5 at the door, you can taste artisanal tequilas under the tutelage of Weir, the author of Tequila: A Guide to Types, Flights, Cocktails and Bites. You’ll also be treated to Mexican small plates and special cocktails mixed by Weir and Omnivore General Manager Brian Basmajian.
5) Blackbird’s New Spring Cocktails & Bar Jars
Blackbird (2124 Market @ Church) is celebrating Spring with a fresh selection of cocktails and a creative line-up of bar snacks. The Spring cocktail menu includes the Sumo Wrestler ($10), made with Evan Williams, Nigori Sake, Yuzu Marmalade and Yuzu Juice; Rosemary’s Baby ($8), made with Brandy, Aquavit, Cherry Heering, Rosemary Tincture and Lemon; and Animal Farm ($10), with Pig’s Nose Scotch, Lucano, Sage, Vanilla. In keeping with their motto of “Drink like a horse for the price of a bird,” Blackbird also hosts an unusually happy Happy Hour every weekday from 5 to 8 pm, featuring $3 draught beers and well drinks, $4 wines and $5 sours. Outside of Happy Hour, well drinks–even those with fresh-squeezed juices–are only $5. While you’re there, try one or more of the Bar Jars ($6-$10), which are tasty spreads made by former 15 Romolo chef, Larry Piaskowy. Choose from Smoked Trout, Deviled Ham, Pimento Cheese, Chicken Liver Mousse, and Fava Bean Hummus.
