The Lush

Over the weekend, I was happy to see chef Dominique Crenn announce her upcoming project, BAR CRENN, over social media. It’s going to be opening next door to Atelier Crenn, in the space that Cellar Door wine bar is in. The Chron reports further that it will feature biodynamic…

Hello, my fellow bubbles lovers. On Thursday December 15th, ~ARLEQUIN WINE MERCHANT~ is hosting their annual Champagne Celebration, one of my favorite events each and every year. They will be pouring more than 40 Champagnes from primarily grower-producers, including Courtin, Bouchard, Tarlant, Agrapart, Chartogne-Taillet, Laherte, Savart, Lassaigne, and more. It’…

Coming up December 12th-16th is a citywide homage to Jerry Thomas, known as the father of American bartenders, someone we owe a great many cheers to. He wrote How to Mix Drinks or The Bon-Vivant’s Companion, a collection of recipes back in 1862—many of our current cocktails can…

Cheers to this: opening this December in Hayes Valley is THE RIDDLER, an all women-funded Champagne bar (with 30 investors!). It’s led by Jen Pelka, currently principal and founder of Magnum PR, and her background includes five years at Daniel Boulud’s Daniel in New York, as a kitchen…

Newly open at the Market, Taylor, and Golden Gate intersection—just next door to Popsons, Equator Coffee, and the Warfield—is WAYSTONE, a new wine bar and lunch spot from Tom Patella and his wife, Alison. (He is Alvin Garcia’s partner at Causwells, and Garcia tipped him off when…

Wine lovers, you have two events that should get your attention, starting with ~ARLEQUIN WINE MERCHANT~’s annual Beaujolais Bash on Thursday November 17th. Instead of pouring Beaujolais Nouveau, which is traditionally celebrated on the third Thursday of every November, this event is about showcasing Beaujolais’s potential. Look for…

If you’re a fan of umbrella drinks, rainstorms, and Polynesian music, then you’ll want to sidle up to the new cocktail menu at the TONGA ROOM, the first update in three years. You’ll now find two sections: Classic Tiki (including the 1934 Zombie, the exact recipe that…

Michael and Lindsay Tusk have brought sommelier Jeff Kellogg over from Union Square Hospitality Group’s Maialino in New York City, and he will now be the director of wine and beverages for ~QUINCE~ and ~COTOGNA~. Kellogg was recently voted one of the Sommeliers of the Year by Food &…

Some quick wine tasting notes for you. First up, TIBURON WINE is continuing their chef pop-up dinner series on 
Monday November 7th, with chef Ron Siegel (currently The Western Room at Rancho Nicasio, formerly Dining Room at SF Ritz-Carlton and Michael Mina). There will be  five savory courses plus dessert,…

I was sorry to read in the New Fillmore that the owner of the LION PUB, Kelly Ellis, has died after a long illness. And so, after 48 years of business, the formerly gay fern bar has closed (bless that spot, they served me and my friends with our jenky…