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A South Bay Culinary Destination
Critics and food bloggers alike consistently choose peninsula restaurant Manresa as one of their favorites, and yet we couldn't help but a notice a relatively recent spate of negative diner reviews on the web. Was Manresa off its game? Were diners simply expecting too much? Was it too avant-garde? We decided to take matters into our own hands and find out.
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Whistle While You Write
Peter, Björn and John have a legitimate summer anthem on their hands. "Young Folks", and its infections whistling hook, is all over the radio, the internet, and even network sitcom commercials. Kanye West thinks it's fly, too. He made a remix of the song and joined PB&J briefly during a gig in Europe. If you haven't heard enough of it yet the Swedish trio will be serving it up live in San Francisco again on September 18th at the Warfield. Peter Morén (vocals/guitar) spoke with SF Station during a phone interview from a recording studio in Stockholm, Sweden.
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SF Station Blows It Up
Popscene does it again with the first ever live appearance by Blaqk Audio. The brainchild of AFI's Davey Havok and Jade Puget rocked 330 Ritch last Thursday night. Kids flew in from all over the US and camped outside of the tiny venue for hours just to be in the front row, being in the front myself they got their money's worth. The boys performed music from their debut album CexCells out now.
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Released on Kill Rock Stars, 8/21/07
Here in San Francisco we like our art rock-y and our rock arty. There is none of this straight shooting standardized expressionism that may come out of a place like, say, Los Angeles. I'm not saying that straight shooting standardized expressionism is bad, boring or brittle. I thrive on routine just like the millions of other people addicted to Bravo TV and popcorn during a movie. What I am saying is I love this fair city for the unique spin it imposes upon just about every and any thing it can get its grimy paws on.
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Released on Virgin Records, 8/28/07
A few years ago I had the good fortune to catch Ben Harper performing live at the Warfield in San Francisco. While I had heard great things about Ben, I had never listened to one of his albums or heard him perform live. His live performance was unquestionably one of the best I have ever experienced and the breadth and depth of his talent was readily apparent. Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminal's latest album, Lifeline is a powerful re-affirmation of Harper and the Innocent Criminal's talents.
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Released on Putumayo Records, 8/28/07
Putumayo has made a fortune introducing world music to the masses, via an alternative distribution network that includes indie bookstores, upscale boutiques and new age hangouts as well as traditional brick and mortar stores. They tend to pack their best selling compilations with tunes that are easy to digest, but their success has probably led their customers to explore other less mainstream world music sounds.
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A Compelling, if Flawed, Western
Despite the sporadic, often misguided efforts by Hollywood to revitalize the Western genre, the Western has all but disappeared from multiplexes over the last fifteen years. From the sixties onwards, fewer and fewer westerns were made and those that fit squarely into the "revisionist" mold, were increasingly violent, skeptical and cynical about the nation's foundational myths.
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Lowbrow Fraternal Follies
The pairing of Will Arnett, star of the devilishly subversive "Arrested Development", and Bob Odenkirk, co-creator of the tragically underappreciated "Mr. Show", has already yielded one underwhelming comedy, last year's Let's Go to Prison. Now comes The Brothers Solomon, a slight upgrade in which Arnett and "Saturday Night Live" alum Will Forte embark on a desperate quest to produce a grandchild for their ailing father.
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Once Again, the Carrot is Cool
We first got a taste of Clive Owen as an action star in the acclaimed Sin City. While not the primary focus of this film, Owen owned the screen with his undeniably gruff, masculine presence. No wonder Owen was rumored to be the next James Bond. While Daniel Craig was great in Casino Royale last year, it's hard not to wonder what Owen could do as Bond after watching him kick (and shoot) a multitude of asses in Shoot Em' Up.
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Love and War
Setting a gay love affair amid the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is just one of several riveting aspects of The Bubble, a heartfelt relationship and political drama from director Eytan Fox. He is no stranger to controversy. In 2002 his film Yossi & Jagger depicted the hazards of love between two male soldiers stationed in an Israeli outpost on the Lebanese border. Now The Bubble widens his scope to explore the dangerous love affair between a Jew and an Arab in Israel.
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The Toughest Job You'll Ever Love (maybe)
The first of day school as a student fresh off of summer vacation is always a bit harrowing. The first day of school for a teacher is much, much worse. Especially for those teachers portrayed in first-time director Mike Akel's mockumentary Chalk. If the kids aren't stealing chalk or getting into fights then the teachers and administration are completely exasperated.
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Luxurious Haircraft
I have long looked forward to haircuts with childish glee and anticipation. However, it wasn't until I converted to Mr. Pinkwhistle that I began to look forward to my cut and color appointments as a lavish, pampering visit in a luxurious, superbly designed space. Named after the storybook character Mr. Pink-whistle of English children's writer Enid Blyton's creation, this Nob Hill salon draws a varied clientele who have at least one thing in common: the desire to keep their style fresh and impeccable, and to enjoy the experience of getting there.
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Musical Theater That Revels in Horror, and Humor
There's no doubt, a growing sub-culture has emerged of musical theater fans who want to see complex orchestration, comedic flair, and macabre songs about the business endeavors of a butcher barber and pie maker working in cahoots. For them, "Sweeney Todd" is the pinnacle of all such productions, turning musical expectations of sweet love stories and comedic song and dance into the reality of a tale centered on the barbaric transgressions of the infamous "Demon Barber of Fleet Street" -- Sweeney Todd.
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