The Lush

Looks like the fine folks at 222 HYDE will be closing the bar for the rest of December for some renovations. They hope to reopen before the end of the year. 222 Hyde St. at Turk, 415-345-8222. According to this post on Uptown Almanac, THE RITE SPOT CAFE has been…

How appropriate, ~AQ~ kicked off their new cocktail program yesterday on Repeal Day. Bartenders Tim Zohn, Brandon Josie, and Ethan Terry will be focusing on classic cocktails with the added element of AQ’s seasonal interpretations. Look for 9-12 cocktails using proprietary infusions, flavored liqueurs and bitters, with a heavy…

You may finally find a cure for your hangovers at the Exploratorium’s annual SCIENCE OF COCKTAILS event. On Thursday January 26th, watch San Francisco bartenders make cocktails while you take part in scientific experiments about alcohol, inebriation (hic!), and cocktail creation. Learn the chemical difference between stirred and shaken,…

Wow, big (and bummer) news: just two weeks after opening PLUM BAR, consultant Scott Beattie and bar manager Michael Lazar are no longer involved with the project. I had a chance to catch up with Beattie, who said their last day was Friday. He couldn’t comment on the reason(…

A while back, a tablehopper reader sent me an email asking what was going on at MURIO’S TROPHY ROOM, the grotty dive bar in the Upper Haight with quite the pack of regulars, and some of them were not very nice (I speak from experience, meow). Well, persistence pays…

Ah yes, it’s that time of the year again: the ~ARLEQUIN WINE MERCHANT~ Annual Champagne Tasting is coming up on Thursday December 8th. You’ll be able to taste over 30 Champagnes from small grower-producers, including Jacquesson, Lassaigne, Benoît Lahaye, Laherte Frères, Larmandier-Bernier, Paul Bara, Vilmart, and Agrapart et…

On Saturday December 10th, SKREWCAP will hold their second annual Top 40 holiday tasting at Blanc et Rouge wine bar. Yours truly will be there from 2pm-3pm to share my latest thoughts on the best places to eat in San Francisco, answering questions, and signing and selling my book at…

On Saturday December 3rd, ROCK WALL WINE COMPANY will host a Wine Wonderland Open House at their 40,000-square-foot hangar in Alameda. There will be more than 65 wines to try, including new releases from Rock Wall and wines from their co-operative partners. In addition to tasting the wines, a…

With reporting from intern Rebecca Kinney. A while ago, I mentioned ETCETERA WINE BAR was opening on Valencia Street, and it has happened as of last week. The warm (er, very red) interior includes a blonde wood bar with inlaid design, and soft lighting. The global wine list is actually…

Starting tomorrow, Wednesday November 23rd, MONARCH officially opens its doors, and DJ Spun (of the original Gathering and Wicked parties) is flipping on the party switch opening night; RSVP for no cover before 10pm, then it’s $5 before 11pm, and $10 after. Joining Spun tomorrow night are DJs M3,…