The Lush

Here’s a little hodgepodge o’ cocktail news for you: let’s start with this update from Grub Street on the shituation at the ~GOLD DUST LOUNGE~ as they try to secure status as a historical landmark (and Willie Brown is now involved in trying to help save it). 247 Powell St. at Geary, 415-397-1695.

Bartender David Curiel of the Hideout (who always manages to make some of my very favorite drinks) is now offering cocktails on Thursdays at ~BROKEN RECORD~. His menu (Heart Attack and Vine) includes $8 drinks like the Desarmador with Oro Pisco, lime, grapefruit, agave, Angostura, and Prosecco; a Bourbon Mule; Blood and Sand; and a couple drinks by his cohorts, The Black Manhattan by Todd Smith (rye, Averna, coffee tincture) and The Black Daiquiri by Josh Harris (Pampero, Averna, lime, simple syrup, coffee tincture, orange bitters). He’s going to rotate some drinks each week, but one constant will be a shot of Irish whiskey and a spicy pickle back for $4 (the pickle juice will hopefully be ready by next week).

Over at ~DR. TEETH AND THE ELECTRIC MAYHEM~, Thursdays are now Thaco Thursdays, with $2 tacos (chicken, beef, mahi mahi, or vegetarian, with roasted beets, goat cheese, sweet potato fries) and two-for-one margaritas all night (depending on the liquor you choose, the price will vary, starting at $7 for house margaritas). And don’t forget: you can score a free ride to and from Bullitt, Tonic, Dr. Teeth (Mayhem) or Rebel—just “Hit up the man in the burgundy Suburban.” Call 415-830-7679. Pickups start at 8pm, and don’t forget to tip your driver. 2323 Mission St. at 19th St., 415-285-2380.

This Wednesday February 22nd, swing by ~BAR DOGWOOD~ in Oakland starting at 8pm, and you’ll be able to get soused on some classic tiki drinks from “Trader” Chris Lane and Dion (“the Beachcomber”) Jardine (it’s also a birthday celebration). Hawaiian shirts welcome.

On Monday March 5th, ~WO HING GENERAL STORE~ is hosting a tiki night, starting at 6pm. Guest bartender Steven Liles from Smuggler’s Cove will be in the house, and chef Michelle Mah will be cooking modern updates of classic pu-pu platter bites.

Now’s your chance to attend one of Scott Beattie’s monthly Seasonal Cocktails class: thanks to a sponsorship by St. George Spirits, the class is now $30 off (tickets are $65). And if you use code tablehopper, you get another $10 off, how you like them apples? Beattie’s next class is Friday February 24th (future classes are on the last Friday of each month). (Pssssst, you can also use the tablehopper code for $10 off the Mixology 101 class by H. Joseph Ehrmann on March 7th.) It all goes down at ~THE BOOTHBY CENTER FOR THE BEVERAGE ARTS~.

The owner of the Kiuchi Brewery (and Hitachino) in Japan, Mikio Kiuchi, will be at ~NOMBE~ March 1st-3rd for a beer and sake tasting each evening. Chef Noriyuki Sugie will be offering a dinner of five courses (small plates): Pacific saury and foie gras terrine, sun-dried sweet potato; mackerel brandade, pickled shishito pepper; rice-crusted swordfish, caramelized pork belly; spicy octopus and tripe, long beans; and ramen made with hand-crafted miso, awazuke beef cheek. Seating is limited. Menu will be $35 or $40. Call for more details and to reserve your space: 415-681-7150.

I know, your week is awash in sudsy parties and events for SF Beer Week (have you checked out the schedule? Holy hops, there is so much going on each day it’s insane!), but here’s one that’s sure to catch your eye: In the Can, a craft beer tasting. On Wednesday February 15th, come meet craft brewers from all over that make great beer and sell it in cans. Each brewery will be pouring samples of their canned beer and offering beer snacks.

The event entry fee is only $10, but the fine folks at ~THE BOOTHBY CENTER FOR THE BEVERAGE ARTS~ are offering tablehopper readers an exclusive deal of $10 off with code “tablehopper.” (You still have to pay a paltry Eventbrite fee.) Tickets for beer samples (4 oz.) are $1 each, sold as 5 for $5 or 12 for $10 as your initial purchase. ($1 per ticket after.) All tickets enter you in a raffle for fun prizes. 6pm-9pm. Enjoy! Get your ticket here.

Good news via Mission Loc@l: the Planning Commission approved the plans for ~CERVECERÍA DE MATEVEZA~, the Argentine restaurant and (small) brewery that wants to open in the former Lilah Belle’s space at the corner of Church and 18th Street. To recap, the plan is to offer empanadas from El Porteño, and use the space as a test kitchen, brewing on a small 20-gallon copper system. Matt Coelho would be the “beer-tender,” with growlers and bottles available for purchase to go. Stand by for news on the opening date, etc. 3801 18th St. at Church.

For those of you who like winemaker dinners, here are a few for your consideration. ~SALT HOUSE~ is launching “In The House,” a dinner series with California winemakers. Each dinner will be three courses with four wines for a very affordable $49 (tax and tip are extra). The first dinner is with Josh Jensen of Calera Wine Co. on Monday February 27th, here’s the menu: late winter vegetable and citrus salad with hazelnut vinaigrette with Calera, Aligoté, Mt. Harlan 2010; Eden Farms pork cheeks with green garlic spaetzle and braised radishes with Calera, Pinot Noir, Mt. Harlan, Reed 2002 and Calera, Pinot Noir, Mt. Harlan, DeVilliers 2009; and Valsetz (St. Maure-style goat’s milk cheese from Oregon) with pear chutney and candied walnuts with Calera, Dessert Viognier Doux, Central Coast 2010. 6:30pm.

Upcoming dinners: Monday March 19th with Frog’s Leap Winery owner John Williams, and Monday April 2nd with Pine Ridge Vineyards winemaker Michael Beaulac. Reservations can be made by email or by calling 415-543-8900.

Also in SoMa, ~AQ~ is hosting Jared Brant of Donkey & Goat Winery on Tuesday February 21st. The five-course dinner with pairings starts at 6pm. Click here for the menu. $80, inclusive of beverages, tax, and gratuity. Advance payment will be taken with a credit card at the time of reservation; call 415-341-9000.

The first CUESA cocktail event of 2012 is coming up on Wednesday February 29th—get your tix while they last! Brought to you by CUESA and the Northern California chapter of the United States Bartenders Guild, this Leap Day event has a special theme: ~LADY LEAP YEAR COCKTAILS OF THE FARMERS MARKET~, featuring lady bartenders mixing up drinks and vying for your votes. Guests get 2 full-sized signature cocktails and 10 sample-sized drinks, plus bite-sized snacks from the farmers’ market. Participating bartenders include Keli Rivers and Jessica Maria (Hotsy Totsy Club), Melissa Boyd (Beretta), Christina Cabrera (Michael Mina), Kristin Almy (Miss Pearl’s Jam House), Kate Bolton (Maven), Jen Ackerill (Rye), Yael Amyra (Acme Bar and Company, The Boothby), Allison Webber (Jasper’s Corner Tap), Jennifer Seidman and girls (Acme Bar), Kimberly Rosselle (Flora), Lucia Creed Gonzalez (Prizefighter), and Marguerite Regan and Summer-Jane Bell (The New Easy).

What’s up with ladies and leap year? They say an early 20th-century folk tradition suggested women propose marriage during leap years. Even if you’re not ready for that kind of leap, you might wanna take this one: for a limited time, you can buy a season pass to all four 2012 Cocktails of the Farmers Market events for $135. Get all the details online. Otherwise, tickets to this event are $40. 21+ only. 5:30pm-8pm. The CUESA Kitchen at the Ferry Building.

Over at ~HOG & ROCKS~, the cocktail program has advanced nicely under the direction of Scott Beattie (he was brought on board back in October) and Michael Lazar, who joined the team as bar manager in December after things didn’t work out at Plum Bar in Oakland.

The spirits list features local distillers keeping company with American whiskies, while the cocktails feature Beattie’s trademark fresh and foraged seasonal ingredients. Top of my list is Michael’s Calabria (Old Grandad 114, bergamot, Averna, honey, ginger beer), while Scott’s John Chapman (St. George whiskey, Weller bourbon, pear eau de vie, apple, ginger, lemon, thai coconut-apple foam) is a fantastic drink of his I tried at Spoonbar. There’s also a Jerry Thomas Manhattan (Rittenhouse rye, Carpano Antica, Jerry Thomas and Angostura bitters) which comes damn close to how I make my Manhattan. Check out the list here and get thirsty.

I checked in with Kevin Cline of the Front Porch on his latest project with Josey White, ~THE ROCK BAR~, and sure enough, they are going to meet their intended opening date of Saturday February 11th that he told me about a month ago (well, if health inspections go well—in fact, they might even open sooner). The project was already mentioned on tablehopper, but to recap, as Cline puts it, “It’s going to be a fun neighborhood bar for people who like great classic cocktails, cool wines, cold beers, and geology!” Not only does the exterior have a lot of rocks adhered to it (a holdover from its days as the International Club), but both Cline’s and White’s families come from mining backgrounds, so they’re having some fun with that theme with the interior as well.

Cocktails include classics like the Sazerac, Vieux Carré, and Corpse Reviver #2, plus drinks like the Dirty Metamorphic (Tito’s, olive, Fresno chile), Real Thunderberg (Maker’s, Bunderberg, Underberg, lime), and the clever Inheritance International (“pick your spirit from our inheritance; we will make you something nice”). Follow The Rock Bar on Facebook for up-to-the-day updates on the opening. Open Mon-Wed 5pm-1am, Thu-Sat 5pm-2a, and Sun 11am-1am. 80 29th St. at Tiffany, 415-550-6664.

Some bartender updates: Alcademics reports Joel Baker (Bourbon & Branch, nopa, and Burritt Room) is now the bar manager at ~TRES~ in SoMa. More details: “Baker told me he’d look into expanding the tequila program into other agave spirits including adding more mezcal and sotol. They’ll begin serving tequila shots with a choice of sangrita chasers in red or green as well.” Look for some new cocktails on the menu as well.

Meanwhile, over in the East Bay, the talented Aurora Siegel (Rose Pistola) is now working at ~BAR DOGWOOD~ in Oakland. She just started last night.

And on the wine side, ~CAVALLO POINT LODGE~ has hired Gillian Ballance as wine director. She was most recently a wine consultant for the Pacific-Union Club in San Francisco and Bottega Restaurant in Napa Valley, and was formerly the PlumpJack Group’s wine director between 2004 and 2009.

Lots of opportunities coming up to get your beer on—at brunch, in a beer-making class, and even on Valentine’s Day. Beerunch is back at ~PUBLIC HOUSE~ on Sunday February 12th, 11:30am-2:30pm, with a brunch-focused food and beer pairing menu. Some of the featured pairings are MateVeza and Mill Valley Beerworks Morpho Herbal Ale (aged with lactobacillus) with El Porteño pollo empanadas, Moonlight Toast (Slightly Burnt) with chicken waffles with salsa verde, and Marin Three Flowers IPA (cask) with potato chip-crusted fried mac and cheese bites with mimolette, Jack, smoked Gouda, and Gruyère. Tix required and do sell out. Get ‘em online here.

Get your beer on again the next day at a beer-making and cooking class in the Hands On Gourmet loft kitchen—it’s the SF stop of the ~BROOKLYN BREW SHOP BEER MAKING BOOK TOUR~. Students cook with the Hands On Gourmet chefs while the Brooklyn Brew Shop demos their Spring Lager and explains the beer-making process from grains to glass. The beer and food pairings include Bourbon Dubbel with barbeque duck and green papaya salad, Jalapeño Saison with grilled lamb kebabs and mango chutney, and Gingerbread Ale with vanilla bean ricotta cannoli, citrus, and pistachios. Monday February 13th, 7pm-9pm. $50, includes book, beer tasting, and food pairing. Tickets online. 2325 3rd St. #409 at 20th St.

Also at Public House, they’re putting tongue in cheek for a Valentine’s Day party on Tuesday the 14th they’re calling “Bitter, Sour, Single”, otherwise known as a singles event with specials on bitter and sour beers all night, including Tartar and Cuvee de Bubba (both sour), as well as Jack London Bitter. You get a free sample flight of bitter and sour beers with purchase. How’s that for an anti-Valentine’s Day party?

And don’t forget, it’s SF Beer Week February 10th-19th! So many great events, check it out!

This month is all about an abundance of Italian wines: just last week was The Golden Glass, and on Wednesday February 15th, the ~TRE BICCHIERI~ world tour makes its stop in San Francisco. For 2012, 375 labels attained the “tre bicchieri” status out of over 20,000 wines that were tasted by Gambero Rosso panels; only “tre bicchieri” winners will be poured at this top-notch tasting event at Fort Mason Center. Trade 2pm-6pm; public 3pm-6pm. And please note a newly designed Italian Wines 2012, the English-language version of Vini d’Italia, will make its first appearance in its trimmer format.

Burgundy lovers already have February 22nd-25th marked off on their calendars, when renowned sommelier Daniel Johnnes hosts his 12th annual ~LA PAULÉE~ in San Francisco and Napa Valley. There will be a variety of wine tastings and dinners highlighting more than 30 of the most sought-­after Domaines of Burgundy. Look for both newer releases and older vintages being poured by visiting winemakers and over 50 of the top sommeliers in the U.S.

Some events are already sold out, but there are still tickets to dinners, tastings, and seminars. At the grand tasting on Saturday February 25th (shockingly there are still tickets available, $300), there will be wines and winemakers from all 33 Domaines, over 100 wines in all, along with food prepared by top restaurants.

And the famed gala dinner ($1,400)—
prepared by chefs Daniel Boulud, Romain Chapel, Thomas Keller, Christopher Kostow, and Michael Mina—will feature wines from all of the attending growers. In the tradition of La Paulée de Meursault, guests are invited to bring treasures from their cellars to share, knowing that their generosity will be reciprocated tenfold. There’s also a charity auction during the gala dinner, with 100% of the proceeds going to The Bocuse d’Or USA Foundation and Meals On Wheels of San Francisco.

This year also marks the inaugural La Paulée de San Francisco Burgundy Week, from February 13th-24th. San Francisco restaurant partners (like Frances, Boulevard, A16, Benu, and more) will be featuring a special selection of Burgundies on their wine lists and menus. So even if you don’t have $1,400 to blow on the dinner of the decade, you can still enjoy some gorgeous Burgundies out on the town. Salud!

Happy Birfday to ~DISTRICT~ in SoMa, which is turning five (yup, that’s five years of getting countless young professionals hooked up). As a thanks to patrons, during the month of February, all guests can order a glass of Nicolas Feuillatte Blue Label Champagne for just $5 (normally $20 a glass); limit of one glass per person per visit. 216 Townsend St. at 3rd St., 415-896-2120.

Every Tuesday evening at ~CAFÉ DES AMIS~, the entire list of wines by the bottle is available for half price. Um, yeah. With over 300 French selections, and some from California, you have your work cut out for you. Tuesday nights, 5pm-11pm.

And on Saturday February 11th, you can stock up your Valentine’s Day stash at ~THE BUBBLE LOUNGE~, which is hosting a second Love POP-UP Tasting & Sale party featuring grower Champagne from Thierry Thiese Selections (including Rene Geoffroy Rosé, Pierre Peters Blanc de Blancs, Gaston Chicquet, and Vilmart), 12 selections from Return to Terroir, and The Bubble Lounge’s Bubbly Imports Champagne exclusives Fleury Carte de l’Europe and Couche Zero Dosage. There will also be a chocolate truffle-making atelier whereby guests can learn the art of making chocolate truffles, and buy them to take home, plus master saberer Marisa Ceballos, West Coast Director of The Bubble Lounge, will teach the skill and art of sabering.

Print out the coupon (click here) and bring it in for an additional 10% off (you can also use the discount all month long in the e-boutique). Large orders placed on Saturday can be delivered on Monday the 13th, and discounts will be offered on half and full cases along with free membership for the new Bubble Lounge Bubbly Club. 2pm-7pm. $10 (to be redeemed upon purchase). Also, submit your love story of 500 words or less by February 9th to enter to win a $200 certificate to the Love Pop-Up store online or at the event on the 11th. 714 Montgomery St. at Columbus, 415-434-4204.

This Friday January 27th, owners Chris Lawrence and Anthony LaVia are kicking off ~SOUTHERN PACIFIC BREWING~’s grand opening weekend. House-brewed beers by Andy French include pale ale, IPA, porter, golden ale, and wit; coming soon are extra IPA and black lager (all beers $3-$5).

The affordable menu of what I’d call California pub fare from chef Tyler Moorish includes a variety of bar bites (pickles, charcuterie, crab fritters), appetizers (barbecue wings with fresh horseradish, salads, “chicken noodle soup” stuffed agnolotti), pizzas (smoked tasso ham with red onion and chile oil, pale ale pork sausage with pepperoni, black olives), sandwiches (smoked pastrami on rye, confit chicken salad), burgers (black and blue with chile rub and bleu cheese), and entrées (lasagne with wild mushroom, sweet onion ricotta, spicy tomato, or steak frites). You can check out the entire menu here.

Hours this weekend are Fri 7pm-2am, Sat 7pm-2am, and Sun 7pm-12am. After the grand opening, SPB will be open for lunch and dinner daily, 11am-12am, and open later Thu-Sat. We already covered a lot of the architectural details in the hardhat by Seth Boor of Boor Bridges Architecture, so click if you need a recap.

10 straight days of beer-filled festivities: that’s what you have to look forward to for ~SAN FRANCISCO BEER WEEK 2012~, February 10th-19th. As always, the schedule is filled to the brim with beer tastings, beer release parties, and food pairing dinners all over town—and outside of town—so check out the full schedule online. We’ll just mention a couple highlights to get ya started.

The beer starts flowing on Friday February 10th with the SF Beer Week Opening Celebration at the Concourse Exhibition Center in SoMa, hosted by the San Francisco Brewers Guild. From 6pm-10pm, 50 NorCal breweries, from new nanobrewers to craft brew legends, will be pouring unlimited samples of new, rare, and classic beers into your commemorative glass. You can also purchase from a range artisan choices and food options, and there’ll be live music. Tickets are online for $65. 635 8th St. at Brannan.

The ~MONK’S KETTLE~ is hosting events throughout SF Beer Week, notably the second annual Dinner of the Trappists, an extensive seven-course dinner paired with beers from the monks of the seven Trappist breweries. Starting at 6:30pm on February 13th, you’ll have a rare chance to try beers like the Westvleteren 12 (not available in the U.S.) alongside a course like duck fat-roasted beets with lamb’s lettuce and fromage blanc croquette. Other courses include seared spot prawn with roasted chanterelles and bison two ways; see the full menu here. $195 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Reserve by email.

For Valentine’s Day, Tuesday February 14th, visit Monk’s Kettle for a “Sweet and Sour Valentine,” featuring a sour beer known as Cantillon Rosé de Gambrinus. Rosé like the wine, yes, but it’s a beer. They’ll also have sweeter offerings, like Dieu du Ciel! Aphrodite, to represent the other end of the spectrum.

In honor of SF Beer Week, ~ANCHOR & HOPE~ is holding a Shrimp Boil on Thursday February 16th, 4:30pm-7pm. It’s an all-you-can-eat, all-you-can-draft kinda thing with three brewers (Anchor Brewing, 21st Amendment, and Pacific Brewing Laboratory) and 16 of their drafts. $30. Give ‘em a call to RSVP: 415-501-9100.

A few quick updates: first, swing by the bar at ~JARDINIÈRE~ this Thursday January 26th for a cocktail from guest bartenders David Lytle and Stephen Bassman from Frommer’s Travel Guides. They are serving dueling Manhattans ($9 each), and there is going to be a special pastrami slider, also $9. Proceeds go to Family Builders. 6pm-8pm.

Over at ~HARRY DENTON’S STARLIGHT ROOM~, bar manager Joel Teitelbaum has put a carbonated, pre-bottled Negroni on the menu (it’s the first of what will likely grow to become a separate carbonated section of the menu). The Negronis are carbonated and sealed in a 375mL bottle, and opened and poured tableside over a glass of ice with an orange garnish. Fizzy Negroni, sign me up. Sir Francis Drake Hotel, 21st floor, 450 Powell St. at Sutter, 415-395-8595.

Alcademics has all the details on the latest incarnation of the sherry-centric cocktail program over at ~GITANE~ by lead barman Ramon Garcia (“with some aid from Neyah White [formerly of NOPA]”). Of the many new drinks, there’s a Sherry Shrub, and a Smoked Palomino with crema de mezcal, amontillado sherry, grapefruit, lime, and soda water.

And over at ~QUINCE~ and ~COTOGNA~, wine director David Lynch’s replacement has been named: Chris Baggetta of New York’s Eleven Madison Park. She begins February 6th as Lynch’s St. Vincent project in the Mission gets underway. Note: the press release states Cotogna’s $40 by-the-bottle and $10 by-the-glass selections will continue.

After reading this blog post that Ceri Smith of ~BIONDIVINO~ was opening a second business in Russian Hill, I heard a rumor that Boulette’s Larder was involved, so of course I had to give her a call. It ends up she is not planning to open a wine bar as reported, but more of a true enoteca, serving espresso in the morning, along with some choice items to eat throughout the day and evening, and of course fantastic wines to enjoy as well. She is currently waiting for approval on a conditional use permit to convert a boutique (Eco Citizen) at 2255 Polk Street into her new (and presently unnamed) concept.

Ceri said it’s going to have a very Euro-centric and sophisticated style that is upscale without being uptight, and will be geared more toward the 30-and-over crowd (i.e. not a boisterous wine bar). Of course the wine list will be fab—she said imagine being able to swing by a casual but beautiful place with a deep list à la Quince or Acquerello, without having to sit for a five-course meal. She is meeting with Boulette’s Larder this week about ideas and plans for the menu, so the food component is TBD, but you know it’ll be spot-on.

The enoteca will be open in the mornings for really good Italian espresso service and a breakfast item or two, before transitioning into afternoon and evening offerings. While her focus is Italian wines, she also said there will be esoteric wines, smaller producers, some old California vintages due to a source she has, in addition to European selections like some Austrian rieslings, and even wine cocktails by Duggan McDonnell of Cantina.

Ceri said it’s going to have a very clean look, very modern and European. There will be 24-26 seats (at tables and chairs), and hopefully 4 outside. She stressed that service will be of the utmost importance, and guests will note thoughtful details like purse hooks and throws. She’s charmingly calling it “the smallest restaurant in San Francisco.”

While she has over 300 signatures from neighbors in support of the project, her hearing is on February 2nd, so even more positive letters would be appreciated! Feel free to send a letter in support to Kevin Guy via email or to the Planning Department, Attn: Kevin Guy, 1650 Mission St. Suite 400, San Francisco, CA, 94103. The case number is 2011.1233C, re: address 2255 Polk St.

Last week I reported on the departure of Mauro Cirilli from Perbacco and barbacco, but I just learned that Becky Pezzullo (Bar Bambino, Reform Club) has been hired as the general manager and wine director for ~BARBACCO~. Current general manager Maria Eugenia Armando will be working side by side with Becky for the next three weeks until she leaves on February 7th for Argentina (when Maria comes back she will work on opening her own business). Becky said she’s “very excited to be in an Italian space again, really really Italian, with a rocking wine list that matches my philosophy and ethos 100%.” Cheers to that!

~TWENTY FIVE LUSK~ is launching a new wine offer on Mondays, offering 50% off all bottles of wine that are $100 or less. This offer will be available to diners in the upstairs dining room as well as the downstairs bar and lounge from 5pm to close.

I was laughing hysterically over some posts and pictures on Facebook announcing that ~WO HING GENERAL STORE~ finally got some bar stools. Yep, it’s true, not many people want to stand around when they drink. Now if they could just get cushions for that damned metal bench. Olle Lundberg, please stop with the metal benches—they look cool but that’s also what they’re doing to our butts. I know I’m not the only one who wants a pillow every time I dine out at Out the Door on Bush, and now Wo Hing.

Looking for something fun to do on Sundays? ~COMSTOCK SALOON~ has decided to open on Sundays, and is hosting Honky-Tonk Sundays, starting at 4pm. There will be some serious vinyl getting played, like Hank Snow, Charlie Daniels, and Waylon Jennings (starting at 7pm). Sous chef Abe Sanchez will offer a weekly Blue Plate Special of southern-inspired comfort food dishes like his famous chili, fried chicken, and barbecue. Executive chef Carlo Espinas will also offer the full dinner menu of turn-of-the-century saloon fare, so you can still get your beef shank and bone marrow pot pie. And don’t forget, there’s happy hour from 4pm-7pm daily, featuring 2-for-1 snacks, $6 Derby cocktails, and $6 shot and beer combos: Boot to the Head (bourbon and Anchor Steam), Cabezazo (tequila and Tecate), and Headbutt (Bols Genever and pilsner).

When it comes to wine, there’s always more to learn. Pick up some more wine knowledge with these fun ‘n’ educational wine events. ~CELLAR360~ at Ghirardelli Square and Courtney Cochran—author and certified sommelier—are hosting HIP TASTES: Blind Tasting Bootcamp on Thursday January 19th from 6pm-8pm. You’ll be guided through the essentials of blind tasting with six different wines, then wrapping up the class with a taste-off between teams. $50. 900 North Point St. #F301 at Polk.

On Sunday January 29th, ~HEIRLOOM CAFÉ~ is holding not one but three back-to-back tasting events. Start at 10am with a gnocchi demonstration, then enjoy brunch with truffles at 11am (gnocchi with sunny-side eggs, chive butter, Périgord truffles), with a glass of bubbles (Montagnieu Brut), of course. $40 (limited to twelve). At 1pm, join the Wine Fundamentals Tasting Seminar: they promise two hours, six wines, and a start to a lifetime of wine appreciation. $30. Then stay for the 4pm-6pm Heirloom Groovinet: a casual tasting event with one-ounce pours for $1, $2, or $3 so you can taste lots of different wines, including a special bottle or two. They’re also supplying munchies. $10. Tickets online.

For those with a professional interest in wine, ~GRAPE EXPERIENCE~ offers Wine & Spirit Education Trust Certification classes geared to different levels. Their new Foundation/Sommelier Course is a two-day workshop Sat-Sun February 4th-5th, 10am-4:30pm, at Premium Port Wines (280 Utah St. at 16th St.). Active sommeliers teach how to apply wine knowledge and skills in a restaurant workplace—good for anyone who needs basic skills in wine service (i.e. get your feet wet), and/or wants to start a career as a sommelier. $395, includes all books/materials, wines, and exam. They also offer WSET Intermediate and Advanced Certificate Courses. More info online.

Good news for ~TWO SISTERS BAR AND BOOKS~ (and their customers!): starting this Friday January 13th, the Hayes Valley boîte is launching a full cocktail program designed by bartender Michael Cecconi. The list will include four takes on the classic Manhattan, sign me up! Please note they are cash only. Open Tue-Thu 4pm-11pm, Fri 4pm-12am, Sat 1pm-12am, Sun 11am-10pm. The kitchen is open Tue-Sat 4pm-10pm, and brunch is served Sun 11am-4pm. 579 Hayes St. at Laguna, 415-863-3655.

Over in the Mission, the ever-cheerful ~LOLÓ~ is in the process of transferring the liquor license from Charanga. The partners have been trying to secure a liquor license for a long time, and are excited to launch their updated gastro-cantina concept this spring or summer. Partner Jorge Martinez tells me the cocktail list is going to be agave-centric, with tequilas, mezcals, and raicilla figuring prominently. In fact, Jorge told me the mezcal they will use is from a distillery that was going to close in Durango, and he offered to buy the production of it to save it. Even more interesting: it’s made from a wild pink agave; sadly the distillery can only provide it in small batches in order to evade confiscation by cartels on delivery runs. Intense. There is also a house raicilla Loló will carry, made on the coast of Jalisco. Both of these spirits are in their two restaurants in Mexico (i latina and Anita li).

One last bit of news: there is a new partner, Juan Carlos Ruelas (opening partner Merdol Erkal sold his share, is now focused on another exciting venture to help fix our country’s school lunch programs). Look for a new menu to be launched in a couple weeks, with even more of a focus on Mexican dishes. It all looks like the start of a very feliz año nuevo for this sweet neighborhood business!

I was very sorry to hear the ~GOLD DUST LOUNGE~ in Union Square is facing eviction. Scoop reports the owner, Tasios Bovis, has been told his lease is cancelled and he is supposed to vacate in the next three months so a Chicago-based clothing company can move in.

Um, hello, this bar has been open since 1906! Wait, someone else says 1905. Anyway, that’s a long-ass time it’s been open. Bovis is appealing to City Hall—stand by for more about what can be done to protest the eviction. I personally love this kooky and historic bar, and all the bleary-eyed times I’ve had there. I really hope we can save it. You can follow @GoldDustLounge on Twitter and Facebook for updates on how to help. 247 Powell St. at Geary, 415-397-1695.

I received word that ~MURIO’S TROPHY ROOM~ reopened with its brand-new look and partnership (owner Roger Howell has brought on a new business partner, Edward Sargent). As mentioned in an earlier piece, the new look from Haleh Cunningham and Bernadette Holmes of Thornbird Styling features tufted caramel-colored banquettes, sexy 70s wallpaper, vintage and mid-century chairs, and newly recovered barstools. It’s very far from its original dive bar look—even the entrance (now with windows!) looks very different. You can peek at a slideshow on Grub Street here. Hours are 11am-2am. 1811 Haight St. at Shrader.

Oakland is bizzzeee with the bar openings (and in this case, refreshers)! I just got word about another one to add to the list, ~THE NEW EASY~, which used to be Easy Lounge in the Grand Lake district. The owners decided to change things up after five years, and have launched a new cocktail program featuring fresh and local ingredients, handmade soda syrups, bitters, infusions, seasonal fresh juices, and herbs, along with a new food offering (sausages with housemade sauerkrauts and chutneys, grilled cheese, a fondue made with local spirits, and a root beer float using chocolate stout). On the cocktail menu, there’s the Apple Hill Bubbly, with bonded apple brandy, rosemary-infused honey, and lemon topped with hard apple cider, and the Gator Tooth, with moonshine, absinthe, pear nectar, and tarragon. New hires include Summer-Jane Bell (who has been brought in as a partner). 3255 Lakeshore Ave. at Lake Park, Oakland, 510-338-4911.

~COI~ has hired a new sommelier to replace Andrew Mosblech, who left last year. His name is Roland Micu, and he is currently the wine director for La Toque in Napa. He is going to start on January 31st, after COI’s January break the week of January 23rd, when Daniel Patterson is going to Paris for Paris Des Chefs (his duo presentation is with Blixa Bargeld!) and he is then presenting at Madrid Fusion. Globetrotter. COI also has a new GM, Michael Cima, who was AGM at The Village Pub in Woodside.

I heard through the grapevine (har!) that ~PERBACCO~ and ~BARBACCO~ wine director Mauro Cirilli was leaving his position. Inside Scoop shares that “He’s opted to move in a new direction, leading seminars and events for the North American Sommelier Association. He also plans to do more restaurant wine consulting and is working on a new website ‘dedicated to job sourcing specifically for the San Francisco Bay Area food and beverage industry.’”

The ~ZINFANDEL ADVOCATES & PRODUCERS FESTIVAL~, aka ZAP, is back for the 21st time with a new venue for two events, The Concourse at 8th and Brannan Streets. Thursday January 26th is Epicuria at The Concourse (food and zinfandel pairing), Friday January 27th is the Winemakers’ Dinner at The Westin St. Francis, and Saturday January 28th is the Grand Tasting, also at The Concourse.

On January 26th from 6pm-9pm at The Concourse, 50 zinfandel vintners and 50 Bay Area chefs and restaurateurs will collaborate on food-wine pairings at Epicuria: Food & Zinfandel Pairings. Teams include Klinker Brick Winery with Fifth Floor, Peachy Canyon Winery with Swan Oyster Depot, Mazzocco Winery with Radio Africa Kitchen, and Carol Shelton Wines with Picán, and many more. Plus there’s the ZinKitchen, where chefs demo their dishes and explain why they pair well with zin. Expect to see chef Mark Dommen and sommelier Tonya Pitts from One Market, chef David Taylor and sommelier Shelley Lindgren from A16, and chef Michael Thiemann and sommelier Ken Wagstaff from Wayfare Tavern. $95 ZAP members, $125 non-members. 635 8th St. at Brannan.

Friday January 27th, experience a Vegas-style Winemakers’ Dinner hosted by the winemakers from 5pm-10pm at The Westin St. Francis. Dress to impress, and for good luck at the live and silent auctions, featuring rare and one-of-a-kind lifestyle lots, with proceeds benefiting ZAP programming, education, and Heritage Projects. Participating wineries include Alderbrook Winery, Ancient Peaks Winery, Artezin Wines, Robert Biale Vineyards, Charter Oak Winery, D-Cubed Cellars, Dogwood Cellars, Four Vines Winery, Grey Wolf Vineyards & Cellars, Hendry Wines, JR Wines, Lange Twins Winery & Vineyards, Mauritson Family Winery, McCay Cellars, Peachy Canyon Winery, Ravenswood, Ridge Vineyards, Rock Wall Wine Company, Rosenblum Cellars, Saddleback Cellars, Scott Harvey Wines, Seghesio Family Vineyards, Carol Shelton Wines, St. Francis Winery & Vineyard, Starry Night Winery, Terra d’Oro, Three Wine Company, Trentadue Winery and Wilson Winery & Vineyards. Get your tickets soon, it’s almost sold out; $225, including an annual advocate membership for two. 335 Powell St. at Geary.

Finally, put it all together on Saturday January 28th for the Grand Tasting: From A To Zin, 2pm-5pm at The Concourse. Taste hundreds of barrel samples and new releases, and meet winemakers from different zinfandel regions—it’s the most comprehensive showing of zinfandel wineries in the world. Members enter at 1pm, and enjoy a complimentary members-only lounge with seminars throughout the day. $49 ZAP members, $59 non-members, $69 at the door.