Stealing & Drinking

I hated Sunday School, but it turns out Sunday is the best time to get yourself an education of a different distillation. For it is then that the high priests of Whiskey Thieves will bestow upon you the psalms of single malts, the gospels of grains, the holiness of its namesake hedonism. In the high holy hours of a recent afternoon, I alighted upon a bar stool beneath the amber glow of yonder altar to alcohol and confessed my grievous sin: my whiskey-knowledge ends at Makers. I was not chastised, nor condemned to fiery flames, unless that's what my esophagus craved from a straight scotch. My seraph of spirits openly inquired as to my tastes and my budget (he guessed correctly on both), and gave me a generous tasting of three very different, phenomenally delightful domestic whiskies. I chose among them, drank, and was saved: saved from ignorance, saved from shame, and saved from the cheap n' cheeky $5 PBR-Bushmills deal the kids swill down here on days of labor and lusty living. But on a day of rest, may I suggest elevating oneself to a higher purpose as disciple at Whiskey Thieves.

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Nightlife • Nob Hill / Tenderloin

2010 Book & iPhone Release Party: 11/11

With the release of the 2010 book and the new iPhone App, NFT hits San Francisco like a helpful Dirty Harry, maps and text spewing from both barrels. Come celebrate the newness of these products in old-school hip hop style at Double Dutch in the Mission (16th and Valencia) on November 11 at 6 pm. There will be great prizes available (think free JetBlue tix, nights at the W Hotel, gift certificates to local restaurants), and, at press time, negotiations for a mime dunking tank are proceeding smoothly for all parties. Fingers crossed! Free 2010 SF NFT (print version) for the first 100 guests; own the foreword that made the Mayor crazy. Note: this party is partially sponsored by Le Tourment Vert absinthe, and if you show the NFT app on your iPhone, you get a free cocktail. Bonus: Free beer from 6-7. Go to the NFT Facebook page to sign up and get more details.

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Nightlife • Hayes Valley / The Mission

Sunday Fun

So normally you wouldn't voluntarily spend an hour or two at the DMV. In fact, you could probably come up with at least 100 less mundane ways to pass your time. But on Sundays, the parking lot of the Claremont location turns into the Temescal Farmers Market, a wonderland for those who enjoy farm fresh produce, baked goods, a and healthy fast food. You probably never imagined that a visit to the DMV could be so wholesome. And instead of going out and standing in line for Sunday brunch, why not head to the market's food stands for an inexpensive and equally delicious meal? Your stomach--as well as the local economy--will appreciate the support.

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Shopping • North Oakland / Emeryville

One, Two, Three...

Finally! A cavernous coffee roastery manned by sexy, tattooed baristas has made it to Valencia! Oh, wait... Okay so maybe Four Barrel isn't exactly reinventing the wheel (see: Ritual) but they do prove that people love wheels--er, espresso. The barn-like roastery and shop features exposed brick, vaulted beams, and animal heads, and though some other review sites whine that it's not drip-coffee-swilling-table-hogging-laptop-canoodler friendly, anyone with half a clue can see that that's not the point. The point, dear friends, is coffee, and Four Barrel is getting there. Though the french press still lacks vivid and precise flavors, frequent Barrelers say it's improved its single-region roasting skills since opening. Meanwhile coffee-snobs and coffee-slurpers alike can appreciate a cholesterol-laden accompaniment of Dynamo Doughnuts: apricot-cardamom, lemon-thyme, take your pick of fresh and unlikely combos. Thanks to Four Barrel, now you don't even have to trek across the Mission to get just-roasted joe.

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Restaurants • Hayes Valley / The Mission

What Recession?

It probably isn't the best idea to encourage NFT readers to splash out on a meal out of their usual price range, especially when everyone's trying to pinch pennies. But if you want to enjoy food so good it makes you want to cry, A Cote is the place to go. The prices are steep for the miniscule small plates, but the food is as fresh as it gets and changes with the seasons. But why complain about the small size of the plates if it gives you reason to order more dishes and fill your belly with more delicious food? And since the menu changes regularly, you'll have plenty of excuses to come back, delight your taste buds, and be brought to tears again. By the food, not the prices.

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Restaurants • North Oakland / Emeryville