The beloved Poleng Lounge officially shut it’s doors back in January, and co-owner Desi Danganan has been busy trying to get a new venture up and running. SF Weekly’s John Birdsall previously reported that he was considering an opportunity in the Mission. We now know that the new venture will be an art bar and cafe in the Mission, called The Summit. A new blog launched by Desi chronicles his journey.

The Summit will be located at 19th and Valencia and “was originally slated to be the 2nd poleng lounge–with a twist. It was gonna be a variation of poleng called Casa Poleng.” The blog doesn’t divulge much info, other than it will be a casual art bar and cafe. He enlisted the help of the same designer that helped design Poleng Lounge, Namu, and Som, so you know this new place will have some style! Picture large communal tables and a lounge area, perfect for facilitating interaction and discussion, rather than privacy and seclusion that often comes with restaurant dining.

Naturally, I was very excited with the news, so I caught up with Desi and he was gracious enough to tell me more about his upcoming plans!

He says The Summit is “a complete departure from Poleng and is designed to serve the needs of the neighborhood and our building mates–i/o ventures and their cadre of start-ups and digital entrepreneurs.” i/o ventures is a startup incubator program that helps small startups launch with the guidance of mentors and advisors from companies like Yelp, Digg, Mint, MochiMedia, and OpenDNS. You apply to their Startup Accelerator program, and you are incubated for four months with mentors guiding you from idea to launch.

I asked him why he decided to open a cafe instead of another restaurant, he says “the mish doesn’t need another high-end restaurant and the techies we share the space with need a casual environment to share ideas. The summit is about bringing like minds and free thinkers together. 3 star asian food @ 3 star prices and bang’in hiphop will alienate some people.” I love the idea of having a “3rd space” to meet with like-minded thinkers to share ideas and brainstorm. A “3rd space” is a concept popularized by Ray Oldenburg that states that society needs a place away from home (1st space) and work (2nd space). Looks like I found my new office!

Note: These images from The Summit’s Blog are merely inspiration pieces, not the actual pieces that will be used.

To bring everyone together, the “main style of seating will be large communal tables to encourage group interaction.” Pictured on his blog are photos of picnic tables and large coffee tables surrounded by couches, inspired by hotel lounges. There will also be art on display, and Desi believes that “art also has the power to open minds & facilitate dialogue.”

When asked about a timeframe for launch, Desi was less specific, saying “launch dates are moving targets. there are so many variables involved (ie the city) that you can’t have a definite day. also, in this biz–you don’t want a huge launch. hospitality is organized chaos and the actors on stage (staff) are still learning their lines. i learned that early on when we held a soft-launch party and we totally bomb’d it. in an ideal world, the summit would open on what would’ve been poleng’s 4th anniversary (sigh).”

I have to say I am very excited about Poleng 2.0. Whether or not The Summit will have a nightlife agenda is yet to be seen, but part of me is hoping it will still be a venue to listen to some good hip-hop from local DJs like the boys from Distortion2Static, who were a staple at Poleng nightlife, to industry heavy-hitters such as Jay-Z’s tour DJ, Neil Armstrong.

With a lot of talented minds crafting business plans and devising the next Web 2.0 hit everyday at The Summit, perennial startup meeting spot Ritual Coffee Roasters may be challenged for their title. I’ll definitely find myself at The Summit once their doors open, figuring out how to grow Hoodscope into a global brand. Maybe the guys at i/o ventures can help me figure that one out?

Huge thanks to Desi Danganan for taking time to speak with me about The Summit. I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say we’re all very excited!

For up to the minute updates, Follow Desi on Twitter: @thesummitsf
More info: The Summit’s Blog

-Gene

You can follow me on Twitter: @genejo

Also check out these other popular articles:
Hoodscope’s Guide to Enjoying Sangria In San Francisco
The Mc10:35, San Francisco’s Latest Cult-Status Secret Menu Item from McDonald’s
Papalote Mexican Grill takes on Iron Chef Bobby Flay in Food Network’s Burrito Throwdown
Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations in San Francisco Episode Recap
Painted Bird: A thrift and vintage clothing shop in the Mission
7×7 Magazine’s Big Eat SF: 2010 vs 2009
Shin Toe Bul Yi – Home-style Korean Food in Parkside
The Legend of the Bacon Hot Dog Cart
Street Food Redefined – The Creme Brulee Cart
New School Food Peddler – The Magic Curry Kart
Cha Cha Cha Tapas Restaurant and Bar in the Haight and Mission
Brenda’s French Soul Food Review; Best Southern Brunch in San Francisco
The Official Hoodscope List of Free San Francisco Museum Days
The Definitive Guide to Enjoying Oysters on the Cheap in San Francisco
The Ultimate SoMa Happy Hour Gameplan
How do you know you’re a San Francisco Hipster?

This photo is too beautiful not to share. Photographer Scott Meinzer shot this stunning HDR (high dynamic range) photo of a rainbow over San Franciso following yesterday’s hailstorm.

Scott Meinzer:

It’s been raining on and off all day here in San Francisco, randomly it started haling and then this rainbow showed up…. By the time I grabbed my camera it was starting to fade away but I still managed to snap this HDR before it disappeared

via Laughing Squid

Thanks to consumer shoppers’ best friend The Consumerist, the cat has been let out of the bag regarding the Mc10:35, a secret menu item from McDonald’s that has been receiving a sort of cult following in San Francisco. A reader sent in a tip to The Consumerist, saying he heard about it from a cashier at one of the local McDonald’s. So, what exactly is a Mc10:35 and how to do you order one? The tipster writes:

1. Go to McD’s right when they are transitioning from breakfast to lunch.

2. Order one of the remaining Egg McMuffins from the breakfast menu and also order a McDouble since the lunch menu is now open.

3. Take the egg and Canadian bacon from the Egg McMuffin and put it on the McDouble.

The guy at the register said people call it a Mc10:35 because that’s pretty much the only time you can pull this off.

After reading this article I had to try it. Everyone already knows what a McGangBang is (a McChicken inside a McDouble, for those who don’t), but the allure of trying a new McSecret really drew me in. Or out of the house, I should say. Follow me as I chronicle my McMission from morning hunger to morning inebriation and satisfaction:

10:15am – I walked down the street to my neighborhood McDonald’s. I hate/love that there is one a couple blocks from my apartment in Ingleside.

10:25am – The menu rolls over (literally) from breakfast to lunch, I’m worried I may have been too late. I walk up to the counter and ask the guy if he knows what a Mc10:35 is. He doesn’t. I ask him if I could order an Egg McMuffin and a McDouble, and explain to him what I am going to do. He looks confused and tells me they are not serving breakfast anymore. I tell him it’s only 10:25 and the guy before me just ordered breakfast. He obliges and rings up the Egg McMuffin and McDouble. I smile.

10:35am – I send a Tweet saying I’m ordering a Mc10:35 at 10:35am. I had to lie, ordering a Mc10:35 at 10:25am just doesn’t sound as sexy, so I hope you will forgive me.

10:47am – I unwrap the Egg McMuffin and McDouble and slightly gag at the sight. I tell myself, “You have to do this, and it will be good!” I put together my Mc10:35 with more amusement than anyone who is building a secret McDonald’s burger should ever have, and take a deep breath.

10:48am – The first bite. Whoa. You’ve got greasy low-grade beef, melted American cheese, Canadian bacon, egg, ketchup, onions, and pickles, and it works. The best part about the whole Frankenstein burger is the egg, it adds a nice texture and neutral flavor to the beef, ham, and cheese, bringing them together in one harmonious artery-clogging bite. The pickles, often understated and underappreciated, add a nice bit of tartness to round it out. My first thought was, “This would be so good if I was drunk. Too bad I can’t order it at 2:30am after a night of drinking!” As if often the case when I start letting my imagination run, I came up with a trademark GENEius idea- get drunk right now.

10:54am – I went straight to the freezer where I knew I would find an almost-finished 1.75L bottle of  Bombay Sapphire gin, with 5 shots left, to be exact. I poured 5 shots out and went to work.

10:59am – Not drunk yet. I turned on some music and did a little fist-pumping to get the blood flowing.

11:14am – After 15 minutes of raucous fist-pumping I started to feel drunk.

11:25am – Dee-runk ci-tay. I took the rest of my Mc10:35 that I have been staring at for way too long, and absolutely demolished it in seconds. I wanted to run back to McDonald’s and demand another!

The fact that you only have a very tiny window of opportunity to order it makes it that much more exclusive and enjoyable. I would say the Mc10:35 is better than the McGangBang, which is rather bland and dry. The egg really does add another level to what would be a run-of-the-mill fast food burger, and it just looks more appealing than the McGangBang.

The next time I am drunk and hungry around 10:25am, I know where I’m going- Tartine Bakery for a morning bun and coffee.

-Gene

Check out these other popular articles:
Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations in San Francisco Episode Recap
Painted Bird: A thrift and vintage clothing shop in the Mission
7×7 Magazine’s Big Eat SF: 2010 vs 2009
Shin Toe Bul Yi – Home-style Korean Food in Parkside
The Legend of the Bacon Hot Dog Cart
Street Food Redefined – The Creme Brulee Cart
New School Food Peddler – The Magic Curry Kart
Cha Cha Cha Tapas Restaurant and Bar in the Haight and Mission
Brenda’s French Soul Food Review; Best Southern Brunch in San Francisco
The Official Hoodscope List of Free San Francisco Museum Days
The Definitive Guide to Enjoying Oysters on the Cheap in San Francisco
The Ultimate SoMa Happy Hour Gameplan
How do you know you’re a San Francisco Hipster?

DaVinci is a young MC from The Fillmore district of San Francisco, and today marks the release of his debut album “The Day the Turf Stood Still.” Growing up in the Fillmore district of San Francisco was no easy task for DaVinci (as well as for local Bay Area rap legends San Quinn and JT the Bigga Figga), and he aims to tell his universal story through rap. Homeless at the age of 13, he learned how to survive a neighborhood rife with drugs, turf wars, and gentrification. “The Day the Turf Stood Still” is a direct reflection of what his friends and family have been through, and what many still continue to suffer from.

The album is released by local independent record label SWTBRDS, with production from Drums and Ammo. The album consists of 17 tracks with a raw, hard, vintage hip-hop feel. DaVinci draws much of his inspiration from artists like Scarface, Jay-Z and 2Pac, whose classic, emotional and visually-descriptive style influence the sound of the album.

In the album’s lead single, “What You Finna Do” produced by my boy Al Jieh, DaVinci speaks on a topic that is hotly debated here in San Francisco- gentrification. Lower-class families in San Francisco are being pushed out of their own neighborhoods for what politicians dub “urban renewal projects.” Gentrification is a very serious issue, and it’s one that DaVinci feels strongly about:

Speaking on his inspirations for penning the song, DaVinci explains, “I was inspired to write this song to address an open ended question to the neglected inner-city communities world wide.” The video’s chilling depiction follows DaVinci through his home city, or at least the city that used to feel like home.

As the video plays through, it’s clear the city that has raised DaVinci is rapidly changing – not only do the corners that provided DaVinci’s livelihood now house trendy coffee shops, but the District’s illustrious history is being whitewashed as families are being pushed out and neglected with urban renewal. “If you don’t have the money to live here in the Western Addition, you have to go,” says the vocal sample setting the song’s tone as the single begins.

Michelle Elaine is a blogger from Fvncy (read: fancy), a personal lifestyle blog covering fashion and art. She enjoys thrifting and vintage hunting, and will be sharing the best of her San Francisco experiences with Hoodscope. You can check out Fvncy at fvncy.com and follow her on Twitter @meesow00.

It was by chance that we came across Collective, a vintage shop that’s just down the street from The Painted Bird. The sign out front that read “$40 Trench Coats” lured us in. It’s a delightful shop with racks full of vibrant clothes. They had some great finds such as a few Dior men’s sweaters, vintage Chanel purses, and Lacoste sweaters in every color imaginable. Lining the cement floors are rows of boots of every size, shape, style, and color, for both men and women.

After quickly browsing the whole store over, I was drawn to a small rack of key chains. On the rack were various sized animal tails in different colors with feathers and soft leather. I was addicted to petting them and holding them. Gene can attest to my fixation with having to touch them and model them (That’s what she said. -Gene). They’re by The Feathered Leopard, a local brand of “hand made feather, leather, & fur jewelry & accessories,” and are just one of the many brands available at Collective.

They also feature apparel by Taxi CDC, a brand from LA that repurposes, redesigns, and reconstructs vintage materials, transforming them into fashion forward, eco-friendly and fun to wear pieces. They also have plans in the future to have custom redesign days, where customers can bring in their own vintage clothing and have the designers reconstruct them into new pieces. The service isn’t available yet, but will be available once the owner completes her move from LA to San Francisco. Hopefully that will be sooner than later! We’ll update this post once the service is available.

Aside from clothing and accessories, Collective also features artwork from a local artist Maria Puopolo on their walls. They are simple and have a cheery attitude about them that adds to the décor.

On our first visit, we left with two pairs of vintage boots and a desire to return. I’ll be back one day for one of those tails, and hopefully after I’ve collected enough vintage of my own, I’ll be back with some stuff for them to redesign.

Keep It Fvncy,
Michelle Elaine

Collective
1435 Valencia St.
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 285-6400
http://taxicdc.blogspot.com

See the list after the jump:

Everyone’s Default: Cha Cha Cha

No one dines here without buying themselves a pitcher or two of Cha Cha Cha’s famous sangria. It pairs well with their delicious tapas as Gene describes in his extensive review of the restaurant. Their sangria is infused with a variety of sliced fruit and the buzz will easily creep after just a few glasses. For a group of 4 people, you can get a nice buzz off one pitcher alone, but don’t let that stop you. Be sure to nibble on the slices of apples and oranges for a bigger punch. Although everyone seems to give Cha Cha Cha their seal of approval for best sangria in SF, I beg to differ. It can be inconsistent at times ranging from too sweet to sometimes a bit bitter.  One of the best values around, a glass runs at $4, half pitcher $12 and a full pitcher for $21.

Perfectly Average: Esperpento

Strikingly similar to Cha Cha Cha’s version, Esperpento’s sangria compliments their traditional Spanish tapas. Their sangria is infused with large dices of apples and oranges as opposed to slices. With less fruit, the sangria isn’t as sweet and the body of the wine is much fuller. A carafe is $17 and yields about 8 full glasses. You can also order a single glass for $4.50.

Sangria Al Fresco: B Restaurant and Bar

When sunny skies are in the forecast, there’s no better place to drink up other than at B Restaurant and Bar in SoMa. This is a great place to unwind with coworkers and friends downtown after a long workday and bask in the sun with their dangerous fruity cocktails and tasty apps. If you’re not into overly sweet and fruity sangria, B Restaurant and Bar’s version is meant for you. Like traditional sangria, they add a good amount of brandy and rum to give it a some spice, with hints of cinnamon and anise. It’s served over ice with a straw so if it’s too strong for your taste, let the ice sit so it’ll water down. For $10 a carafe during happy hour (4:30-7:30pm M-F), it’ll go great with the truffle fries and $1 oysters that Gene raves about.  The carafe is fairly small, yielding about 2.5 glasses total, so it’s easy for one person to finish their own, and at only $10 why wouldn’t you!

Best Bang for Your Buck: Picaro

One of our favorite sangria destinations in the Mission, you can drink more for less during Picaro’s happy hour. It’s light on fruit dices yet is light bodied and very sweet, making it easy to drink more than necessary (is there any other way?).  It’s served ice-cold, which is nice since many places will serve sangria at room temperature or over a glass of ice.  Monday through Friday from 5-7pm, a pitcher of their sangria only costs you $10 or $2.50 a glass. Otherwise, it’s $18 or $5.50, respectively.

Most Unique: Burma Superstar & B Star Bar

Stepping away from Latin American and Spanish cuisine, Burma Superstar and their sister restaurant B Star Bar in the Inner Richmond created their own version of sangia with an Asian twist that pairs well with their food. Instead of the typical oranges and apples that are traditionally used in sangria, the popular restaurant instead infuses lychee, asian pears and fuji apples. We ordered a pitcher on our last visit and found our first 2 glasses had barely any fruit finish. However, getting toward the bottom of the pitcher, the lychee flavor kicked in a bit more. Served over ice by the glass ($6.50), 32 oz. pitcher ($15) or a 48 oz. pitcher ($19), it’s worth a try if you want to step out of the ordinary.

Bottomless is Better: Andalu

A nice place for (expensive) tapas, but an even better place to drink. For groups of 6 or more, order their shared group menu for $20, and for an additional $15, take advantage of their all-you-can drink sangria special. For 2 hours, the sangria will flow like water and inebriation is inevitable. Servers come by with both their white and red sangria in carafes and keep it coming when a refill is needed (which is often). Both are infused with lots of sliced fruit. Their white sangria is light in body and sweeter, tasting like grape juice or a wine cooler while their red version is heavier in body, but still goes down smoother than some of the other sangrias we’ve covered.  If you can’t do a group meal, your best bet is to go on Thursday evenings when their carafes are 1/2 off. Otherwise, you can sip away for $18 a carafe.

Hoodscope Favorite: Limon Rotisserie

Limon Rotisserie, well known for making 7×7’s 100 Things to Try Before You Die list for the 2nd year in a row with their rotisserie chicken, not only serves great food in a relaxed and casual atmosphere, but makes some mean sangria as well. Well balanced, it captures the right amount of sweetness, tart and spice and has a flavorful fruity finish. It does lack punch, so it may take you a few glasses to feel a nice buzz, which doesn’t thrill us since a pitcher runs at a steep $25, or $5 for a glass.  With plenty of chopped fruit dices, it’s often you’ll get a piece of fruit with every sip and sometimes an ice chip here and there.

The list doesn’t stop here. There’s a plethora of other locations all over San Francisco that serve this refreshing concoction. Sound off on some of your favorites if we left them out. Regardless of where you end up, so long as you’re surrounded by good company, it’ll be a guaranteed good time with a lot of empty pitchers left behind. ¡Salud!

-Aly

Also check out:
B Restaurant & Bar in SOMA
Cha Cha Cha Tapas Restaurant and Bar in the Haight and Mission
Limón’s Re-Opening Party Offers a Glimpse of Nuevo Latino Deliciousness to Come
Java Restaurant in the Inner Richmond; Serving Indonesian Comfort Food for Over 30 Years
The Ultimate SoMa Happy Hour Gameplan
The Definitive Guide to Enjoying Oysters on the Cheap in San Francisco

Hog Island Oyster Company on the Embarcadero

I’d like you to meet Aly, the newest Hoodscoper to join the team. When she’s not recording in the studio as a voiceover actress, she spends her time exploring the city for hidden gems and good eats. You’ll be just as likely to find Aly in a video game you’re playing as you will in your favorite divey restaurant in the Tenderloin. I’m proud to say that I have poached one of Yelp’s finest Elites in Aly, and she’ll bring a fresh new perspective on San Francisco eats, mainly because she is nicer than I am.  A few words from Aly:

I’m Aly and San Francisco is my home away from home. You’ll find me roaming in between SOMA and the FiDi during work and in every other neighborhood after hours discovering greatness in this beautiful city.

You can email her at aly@hoodscopeSF.com or follow her on Twitter at @alykate.

Cookies and Cream or Cookies and Crack?

If you haven’t already noticed, Hoodscope is a fan of 7×7’s Big Eat SF (although we may not always agree with them).  This year Anthony’s Cookies and Cream cookie is new on the list, so you know I had to try it.  Actually, Gene thought he would be the first Hoodscoper to try the cookie, but he was rejected twice when Anthony’s was temporarily closed.   A couple days later, we were pleasantly surprised when Anthony announced via Twitter that they would be giving out free cookies that Saturday from 1-3pm.  The third time’s a charm right? Gene decided he would give Anthony’s Cookies another shot.

Sure enough we arrived early that Saturday expecting a line, but only a handful of people were in the shop.   The clock struck 1 o’clock and an employee announced the free cookie giveaway.  He pointed to the framed list of flavors on the counter, and told us each customer would get not one, but 2 free cookies!  That was a generous offer I could not pass up.  I decided on one Cookies and Cream, one Toffee Chip, and an assortment to go.  Collectively we also tried Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chip, German Chocolate, Ghirardelli White Chocolate Chip, and Cinnamon Sugar—that’s about half the menu! They rotate flavors on a daily basis, which gives us plenty of tasty reasons to keep visiting.

Opening day line

Minimum design, maximum flavor

At first glance, the storefront doesn’t appear to be anything out of the ordinary.  The space itself is very minimalist, featuring one long table and a window seat, a row of glass milk bottles on display, and an open kitchen. But the cookies are the real stars, and taste definitely outweighs presentation in this case (unlike some other dessert shops *coughcupcakescough*).  The cookies are thin and perfectly crisp on the outside, chewy and melty on the inside.  And you really can’t go wrong using all-natural ingredients from right here in San Francisco.

Toffee Chip

Cinnamon Sugar

The White Chocolate Chip and the Toffee Chip were definitely the sweetest of the bunch. The White Chocolate Chip has big chunks of chocolate and the Cinnamon Sugar definitely has more cinnamon than sugar, slightly reminiscent of a mild ginger snap.  Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip has a nice texture to it, chewy, but not dense like most oatmeal cookies I’ve tried.  Cookies and Cream is our favorite, hands down.  A cross between a Chocolate Chip and an Oreo cookie, it’s quite an innovative combo.  It goes especially well with a glass of Straus Creamery milk, which is some damn good milk, chunks of cream and all. Even better, paired with a cup of Ritual Coffee from down the street!

Anthony has certainly made a quick name for himself as a local favorite. And to think, 13 years ago, he was a starving SF State student peddling cookies out of the trunk of his car!  He is currently perfecting more flavors, including a vegan variety.  Stop by the shop on Valencia, or find select flavors at The Real Food Co. and Rainbow Grocery.

-Anne

Anthony’s Cookies
1417 Valencia Street (between 25th & 26th Streets)
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 655-9834
http://www.anthonyscookies.com

Images: Flickr/AndersP and ChefTinaLuu, Yelp/Wilhelm Y.

Also check out:
Mitchell’s Ice Cream: A San Francisco favorite since 1953
Gelateria Naia in the Castro; All Natural Gelato
Hot Cookie in the Castro; Cookies and Penises Under One Roof
Sweet Beat: Italian Gelato (in Some Very Un-Italian Flavors) at Marco Polo
Golden Island Cafe: Hong Kong-Style Sago Sweets in the Outer Sunset

Image: Yelp

When I first heard that Iron Chef Bobby Flay was doing a burrito throwdown on his Food Network show “Throwdown with Bobby Flay,” I immediately felt bad for whoever he was going up against. His Southwest style of cooking is heavily influenced by Mexican and Latin American cuisine, so I expected him to be comfortable in his own element. When I heard he was going up against San Francisco’s own Papalote Mexican Grill, I was even more worried.

The Mission district of San Francisco has really become the capital of burritos, pretty much, of the whole world.

- Miguel  Escobedo aka DJ Mr. E, Papalote Mexican Grill

I can’t argue with that, but that’s what made me worry initially. There are so many amazing taquerias in the Mission that I questioned whether or not Papalote should be the one to take down Bobby Flay. To be fair, while many of their burritos are good (hello adobo burrito!), the ones that seem to draw a huge following are their health conscious vegetarian and vegan options, which aren’t exactly what I expect from a burrito and stay far away from. Thankfully, Papalote eschewed the vegan “soyrizo” burrito in favor of their famed Triple Threat Burrito, named after legendary Bay Area DJ crew, Triple Threat DJs.

Papalote Mexican Grill is owned by two brothers, Victor and Miguel Escobedo. When they are not running their two Papalote locations, Victor moonlights as a stand-up comic and Miguel is a highly respected DJ that goes by the name Mr. E. Check out the demo tape that they sent to The Food Network:

While filming for The Food Network, they thought they were a part of a show called “Brotherly Grub,” and were surprised and excited when Bobby Flay walked onto the scene to challenge their Triple Threat Burrito.

The Triple Threat Burrito contains a three-pronged attack of grilled prawns, grilled chicken, and grilled steak topped with all the fixings, including their homemade guacamole and secret Papalote roasted salsa. Bobby Flay brought an all-green burrito to the table, which featured green rice, white beans with a green vinaigrette, avocado, cilantro, and green chile stewed pork. Fitting of him to create a “green” burrito in the San Francisco throwdown. I wonder if that was intentional? One of my favorite moments of the episode was when Victor got the crowd to chant “green-go! green-go! green-go!” Even Bobby thought it was a good joke.

There’s no upscaling a burrito.

-Bobby Flay’s assistant, in response to him suggesting they top the burrito with a sauce

I agree wholeheartedly, and Bobby Flay should have listened because some of the tasters in the audience were saying they needed a knife and fork to eat it, and another taster docked him a point for the burrito falling apart. However, the only opinions that really mattered were those of the two judges. They liked Bobby Flay’s burrito because it had some distinct flavors and was “light,” for a burrito. The Thriple Threat, however, is the Green Burrito’s exact opposite. It’s big, loud, and packed with robust flavors from three types of grilled marinated meat. Ultimately, the local judges sided with the hometown heroes and awarded the throwdown win to Victor and Miguel.

Miguel aka DJ Mr. E with Bobby Flay. Image/@papalote415

Congratulations to Victor and Miguel of Papalote for laying waste to Iron Chef Bobby Flay and showing him that nothing rivals the burritos that come out of San Francisco’s Misison district!

A few celebratory words from Miguel to Bobby:

Fuck no, we don’t!

Papalote Mexican Grill
3409 24th Street @ Valencia (415) 970 8815
1777 Fulton Street @ Masonic (415) 776 0106
http://www.papalote-sf.com
Twitter: @papalote415

Check out these other popular articles:
Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations in San Francisco Episode Recap
Painted Bird: A thrift and vintage clothing shop in the Mission
7×7 Magazine’s Big Eat SF: 2010 vs 2009
Shin Toe Bul Yi – Home-style Korean Food in Parkside
The Legend of the Bacon Hot Dog Cart
Street Food Redefined – The Creme Brulee Cart
New School Food Peddler – The Magic Curry Kart
Cha Cha Cha Tapas Restaurant and Bar in the Haight and Mission
Brenda’s French Soul Food Review; Best Southern Brunch in San Francisco
The Official Hoodscope List of Free San Francisco Museum Days
The Definitive Guide to Enjoying Oysters on the Cheap in San Francisco
The Ultimate SoMa Happy Hour Gameplan
How do you know you’re a San Francisco Hipster?

Michelle Elaine is a blogger from Fvncy (read: fancy), a personal lifestyle blog covering fashion and art. She enjoys thrifting and vintage hunting, and will be sharing the best of her San Francisco experiences with Hoodscope. You can check out Fvncy at fvncy.com and follow her on Twitter @meesow00.

I trekked from the South Bay to the Mission to visit Painted Bird as a suggestion from fellow blogger Liz from Late Afternoon. The place is small, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in details. I highly doubt you’d be able to find the pieces they sell at just any thrift store. The prices are higher than Thrift Town & Goodwill, but like I said you won’t find these pieces just anywhere.

Painted Bird goes out of it’s way to select and show only the good stuff, leaving you with a great selection to peruse, as opposed to having to dig through racks of undesirable items (and possibly leaving empty handed). I really recommend this place if you’re looking for a vintage fur coat or funky leather jacket. I spotted a pair of white RVCA jeans with grey leopard print, several pairs of great boots, a few animal printed over-sized sweaters, some alluring lingerie bustier tops, and heaps of men’s wear (that could easily be worn by women). In addition to selling thrift and vintage they also carry labels by various independent designers and deadstock jewelry and sunglasses.

I came out of there with a black scarf by De Nada. I did have a hard time deciding if I should get it in creamy off white or black, and then gave myself a hard time about whether or not to make the purchase. However, I couldn’t put it down and I couldn’t ignore that I felt that it needed to be in my life, so it was decided for me that I had to have it. It’s possible that I’ll be back again to purchase the creamy off white scarf as well and a beautiful vintage fur coat, though.

Painted Bird has been around since 2005, but they recently relocated from their original location on Guerrero to their new location one street over on Valencia. You can sell and trade your own clothing, at 35% for cash or 55% for trade.

Keep It Fvncy,
Michelle Elaine

Painted Bird
1360 Valencia Street (between 24th & 25th)
San Francisco, CA 94110
7 days a week 11-8
(415) 401-7027
http://www.paintedbird.org

Music is an art form that I feel is best enjoyed live on a stage.  That said, San Francisco is home to some of the finest live music and concert venues, and The Fillmore is one of them.

Walk in and you’re immersed in music history. The walls are covered with photographs and posters from legendary performers from The Fillmore’s past.  They’ve got all genres covered: The Grateful Dead, Miles Davis, BB King, The Smashing Pumpkins, Cypress Hill, The Killers, and the list goes on.

The classic décor, mood lighting, and excellent acoustics are what really make The Fillmore outstanding.  What I love most is the intimate, standing-room-only concert space.   Spectators in the front row are literally an arms-length away from the stage — close enough to feel the bass reverberate through your entire body and maybe even get some beads of sweat thrown your way.

But if you’re not like me and prefer to keep your distance, the floor is spacious enough for a good view from any angle.  You can also watch from the balcony upstairs, but seats up there are hard to come by, unless you show up early and eat at the restaurant before the show.  Besides, who goes to a concert to sit down? I sure don’t!

There’s a full bar on each floor, although the main bar is next to the stage so it’s often crowded.  The drinks are not cheap, but unfortunately that’s typical of most concert venues.  There are more bars in the surrounding area if you’re looking to get your drink on before the show.

I’ve seen my share of concerts at The Fillmore – including John Legend, Common, De La Soul, Lily Allen, India Arie, and N.E.R.D. – each one just as amazing as the next.  The awesome thing about it is that I have a collection of free souvenir posters to remember them by for years to come. For an updated list of upcoming concerts at The Fillmore, check out their official website.

Don’t forget to grab a free apple on your way out!

-Anne

The Fillmore
1805 Geary Boulevard
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 346-6000
http://www.thefillmore.com

Photos courtesy of Yelp

Image: 7x7/Ed Anderson

Item: #52 Coconut Buns, $0.50 each

Where: King’s Bakery on Mission St. between 24th and 25th

King’s Bakery is a divey Chinese-owned bakery hidden among the throngs of Mexican-owned and operated shops surrounding it. Though it’s Chinese owned, most of its baked goods are traditional Mexican pastries, obviously catering to the local demographic. However, the the coconut buns stand out as one of the few Chinese pastries available.

The little oblong sweet rolls are topped with sesame seeds and stuffed with a yellow filling of coconut, sugar, and butter. The rolls are soft and the filling is really sweet, buttery, and grainy. The King’s Bakery coconut buns are very good and it can be very hard to keep from eating more than one, but they are just as good as every other coconut bun I’ve had. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I just may be spoiled from having them countless times since I was a kid from every Asian bakery in San Jose. Even when the coconut buns aren’t fresh out of the oven, which is most of the time, they are still pretty good. They’re just not as soft. A quick nuke in the microwave for a couple seconds solves that issue, somewhat successfully.

The funnest part of shopping for pastries at King’s Bakery is taking a dinged up aluminum tray and tongs and stacking up all the pieces you want on your tray to take to the counter.

Does it belong on the list? When they are fresh out of the oven, they are some of the best coconut buns I’ve had. I wouldn’t place it on the list though, not because they aren’t good, but because good coconut buns are fairly easy to come by. We’re in a city FULL OF CHINESE PEOPLE!

The full 7×7 2010 list: The Big Eat SF 2010: 100 Things to Try Before You Die

Also check out:
7×7 Magazine’s Big Eat SF: 2010 vs 2009
7×7 2009 List: #36 Dry-fried Chicken Wings at San Tung
7×7 2009 List: #48 Angels On Horseback from Anchor & Hope
7×7 2009 List: #80 Apple Fritter At Bob’s Donuts
7×7 2009 List: #46 Chips and Salsa at Papalote

2010 Update: This year’s Great San Francisco Pillow Fight is on Sunday, February 14th at precisely 6pm in front of the Ferry Building at Justin Herman Plaza on Market and Embarcadero. See you there! The article below is reposted from February 2009.

-Gene

It wouldn't be a San Francisco event...

...without the protestors!

Now, I learned a few things after getting caught in some good melees:

1. Always hold your pillow up by your head, for protection and rapid retaliation. Carrying down at your waist leaves you vulnerable to stray swings and you won’t be fast enough to strike back before you get hit again.
2. Keep your mouth covered. Not closed, otherwise you won’t be able to scream “Attack!” at your unsuspecting target. But use a mask, scarf, bandana, anything, to keep from inhaling feathers.
3. Don’t wear a hat, glasses, headband, or anything else on your face. They will get whacked right off, and if you’re wearing glasses, it will be painful. I stepped on at least a couple pairs of lost glasses, those poor people. They didn’t see that one coming, and they definitely weren’t able to see anything, period, after that.
4. Stick and move. Stick. And. Move. A stationary stance almost guarantees a gangbang. If you see a good melee going on, whack your way inside, get off some good shots, and jump right out.
5. If you find yourself being gangbanged, all you have to do is look for the nearest person with some sort of identifiable feature and turn the attention to them. For example, if one of the gangbangers is wearing pj’s, just yell “Get the guy in the pj’s!!!!” Watch as everyone magically turns their attention and gives that guy a beatdown. Bonus tip: You can just yell to attack anyone, anytime. Just walk around and yell “Get the guy with the big pillow!” or “Get the Power Ranger!” and watch as that unsuspecting person gets demolished in seconds. Just don’t get mad when someone calls you out, all’s fair in love and war.

Hopefully with these helpful tips, you’ll be looking like a seasoned vet next year, and walk away with less bruises and definitely less feathers in your mouth.

I’m sure the reasons people came are just as diverse as the actual people. Some came to let out a little frustration and relieve some stress, I definitely saw a ton of drunk college kids stumbling around, actual kids were there perched on top of their parent’s shoulders doing a ton of damage and taking none in return, and the rest were just there simply to have a good time doing something fun and unique. One thing’s for certain though, for those few hours in the cold February night, everyone forgot about the global economic crisis and the fact that they may be laid off any day. During these hard times, we Americans need any reason to remember that life can actually be pretty fun.

She's just a girl with a pillow and a dream.

See you all next year!

Great San Francisco Pillow Fight
Justin Herman Plaza
Market St. & Embarcadero St.
San Francisco, CA 94105
http://www.pillowfight.info/

Also check out:
St. Patrick’s Day 2009 at the Irish Bank – Recap

Grasshopper Pie, Pistachio, Avocado, Ube. Diana I./Yelp

I’d like to introduce the newest addition to Hoodscope, Anne, a very close friend of mine. She’s a media maven, music aficionado,  fashion enthusiast, and self-professed dessert queen. Seriously, she would eat dessert every meal of the day if it weren’t socially frowned upon or if it didn’t lead to an early grave. Now, a few words from Anne:

I’m Anne and I want to share my love for San Francisco with you.  You can catch me on the K Ingleside, uncovering the sights and sounds of San Francisco and noshing on the best desserts the city has to offer.

Expect a lot of cool stuff from Anne! You can email her at anne@hoodscopeSF.com and follow her on Twitter at @annearcelo. Say hello!