I’m watching the Nathan Fielder movie at 4:15pm PT today. Please send me your thoughts after 7:30pm PT (long movie).
In addition to You Can See Everything, if you find yourself with some free time in San Francisco, here are three activities to consider.
To Eat: Swan Oyster Depot
On a Monday between jobs, I journeyed to this storied seafood joint. I got in line at 11am and sat down by 12:30pm. Lunch was epic: lox, “Sicilian sashimi,” and crab salad. The team was exceptionally kind, constantly checking in and sharing updates on my order. The 18-person counter has been around for 100+ years for good reason. The line is prohibitive to becoming a regular, but I do believe every San Francisco resident should make the voyage at least once.
To Watch: History of Concrete at Balboa Theater
John Wilson is at it again with History of Concrete. It’s impossible to describe the movie’s premise; just head to Balboa Theatre and prepare to watch in awe. Yesterday the news broke that Wilson will be producing the upcoming Harry Styles concert doc. The classic Concrete to MSG pipeline.
An added bonus of History of Concrete were the “trailers” beforehand, almost all of which were creative ads for local businesses. A video of people eating pastries as an ad for Arizmendi; clips of people (and dogs) reading to promote a bookshop. I’ve written before about the resurgence of independent movie theaters in SF. Balboa theatre is the perfect example.
To Make: Chicken Tortilla Soup
We’re heading into soup season. Consider making Chicken Tortilla Soup and freezing the extra. Last week I ate it 4 nights in a row. Turns out, making your own tortilla chips takes 5 minutes.
Grab Bag:
Theo Baker, college journalist extraordinaire, is joining the SF Standard. Huge get for San Francisco. Baker took the Bay Area by storm earlier this year with the release of How to Rule the World. I continue to be impressed by SF Standard’s coverage, their acquisitions, and their people. SF Standard investor Mike Moritz was featured in Feed Me this week.
In other talent news, Octavio Peña is joining KQED as a Food Reporter. I’ve loved following his food adventures on Instagram (tavos.kitchen) and am excited to become a loyal listener.
In Issue #8 I wrote about how community members were taking matters into their own hands to bring a grocery store to the Fillmore Street Corridor. Safeway closed over 18 months ago, and efforts to find a new retailer have stalled. There’s a neighborhood meeting about next steps at the African American Art & Culture Complex next Saturday 1pm.
There’s a temporary hold on oyster harvesting in Tomales Bay.
I’ve been wondering about the vacant storefront at the corner of Fillmore and Clay, formerly home to Alice & Olivia. Now we know: Bar Oliver, a New York transplant. In some ways San Francisco feels like an unusual next location for Bar Oliver. It’s therefore no surprise that the bar is opening as part of Neil Mehta’s Upper Fillmore Revitalization Project. I last wrote about Mehta and his revival of the Clay Theater (next door to Bar Oliver). Curious and excited for what’s in store.
At $8 each, dahlia bouquets at the Sunday Fort Mason Farmer’s Market are a steal.
“Three friends with a 40-foot city bus and an idea.” Can’t wait.
Talk to you next week.
I have thoughts on the movie Sarah but won’t share here for risk of spoilers