The Lush

Sunday March 8th is International Women’s Day, and ~A16~ is celebrating with their annual Festa Della Donna dinner. The special dinner is all about celebrating women in wine and food, two industries that remain male-dominated. Chef Rosetta Costantino and her mother will be running the kitchen, and Italian winemaker…

Wednesday March 4th is National Absinthe Day, which is apparently a thing. We’re not complaining. BLACKBIRD is toasting the holiday by offering traditional service with different brands including St. George, Kübler, Vieux Pontarlier, and Duplais Verte. They’re priced between $7 and $12, plus they’ll be mixing up…

I was reading some Facebook news this weekend and was so sorry to learn that Isaac Shumway is no longer the lead bartender at ~TOSCA CAFE~. Taking over his position is Joe Cleveland (formerly head barman at Coqueta and for Michael Chiarello’s restaurant group). Previously, he worked with José…

Sound the trumpets: TUPPER & REED is opening this week, a new bar from the Future Bars team (Bourbon & Branch, Swig, Local Edition, Devil’s Acre, Wilson and Wilson, Tradition, Rickhouse, Cask) in the former Beckett’s in Berkeley. Brian Sheehy and Doug Dalton are taking the space back…

Tonight, Tuesday February 24th, catch the Agricole Rum Extravaganza on the patio at K&L Wines in SoMa. As the name would suggest, the party is all about rhum agricole, with legendary rum fiend Ed Hamilton. They’ll be shaking up drinks and opening rare rum bottles all night,…

Just in case you’d like to be tasting and learning about wine before getting ready for your Oscars party on Sunday February 22nd, here’s a class you can take at ~HEIRLOOM CAFE~ with owner Matt Straus (it’s a two-hour curriculum covering the building blocks of wine understanding…

So while cocktail meisters Brian Felley and Mo Hodges (previously at Big) have been busy working with the R&B Lab group—who own and operate all the restaurants inside the Hotel G, including the recently opened Klyde Café & Wine Bar and 398 Restaurant & Bar—it ends…

THE BARREL ROOM is moving their San Francisco location in the Tenderloin to the Financial District in mid-April. Owners Sarah Trubnick and Carolyn Johnson have partnered with Stephen Deyton (Park Tavern) and Jay Marx (Georges) on the project, which will function as a retail shop and tasting room during the…

I was watching the news on Friday night and was sorry to see Martin Cate of ~SMUGGLER’S COVE~ talking to a reporter on ABC about how someone (er, a drunken douche) stole a Fijian war club off the bar’s wall, one that was especially made for the bar.…

On Saturday evening, I swung by the brand-new STOOKEY’S CLUB MODERNE, which has opened its doors in the former Yong San Lounge (and short-lived The Royal Tug Yacht Club) in Lower Nob Hill. It was an especially swanky time to come by since owners Tim Stookey (formerly at Presidio…