If you’re an East Coaster missing the blazing colors of fall here in the Bay Area, look instead for the fiery marigolds and Monarch butterflies that are all over the place this time of year, adorning ofrendas and graves for the Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead.

The Latin American holiday observed Nov. 2 fuses ancient indigenous and Catholic spiritual traditions to commemorate the cosmic connection between the living and the dead. The native Mexican marigold, or cempasúchil, acts as a calling card between the two worlds. 

READ MORE: The Mission District Celebrates Día De Los Muertos: Photos of the Festivities

If you’d like to honor a departed loved one or want to learn more about the meaning of this annual tradition, here are a few ways you can take part.  

Día de los Muertos Mission Lotería Tour

Oct. 27 & Nov. 2, 6-8 p.m. 
2751 Mission St. 
$60
eventbrite.com

An artsy take on the Day of the Dead is this shop-local tour of the Mission District that’s themed after the popular Mexican version of Bingo. Start the evening off making a clay calavera skull keepsake at Artillery Ceramics, then pop into artisanal gift shops to pick up marigolds or sugar skulls, (decorative folk art confections that are not meant to be eaten). Along the way, you’ll also have a chance to stop and admire local murals. 

Alan and Montse of Las Tres Brujas, who create and customize artesaías and flower crowns, hold the Mexican flag high during the procession down 24th Street in the Mission during Dia De Los Muertos 2021. | Source: Camille Cohen/The Standard

Muerto City 

Oct. 28, 3-10 p.m.
428 11th St., SoMa
facebook.com 

Outdoor event space Monarch Gardens hosts a free, family-friendly event featuring live performances by Miss Nana, music by DJ Sektor, dancing, food trucks, face painting and activities for kids.

Día de los Muertos at Sunset Mercantile

Nov. 1, 6-9 p.m. 
37th Ave. and Ortega, Outer Sunset
sunsetmercantilesf.com

This Outer Sunset farmers market comes to life at night for a special Día de los Muertos edition. Glittering lights and garlands will adorn the open-air market, which will feature live traditional folklorico dance performances, arts and crafts, face painting, Latin American food vendors, a photo booth, DJ music and a costume competition. Contestants are invited to suit up in the style of La Catrina, or dapperly dressed skeleton now synonymous with Day of the Dead, and compete for prizes at 7 p.m. Members of the public can also build an altar to a their loved one at 5 p.m., prior to the event.

Celebrants join the procession for San Francisco’s 2022 Día de los Muertos parade. | Source: Michaela Vatcheva

Day of the Dead Festival of the Altars 

Nov. 2, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Potrero Del Sol Park 

Potrero Del Sol Park turns into a colorful memorial to departed loved ones with altars scattered throughout the park’s lawns. You can lay flowers, glass prayer candles or mementos at one of five community altars or build a custom one to your ancestors by signing up ahead of time. Altar building begins at 8 a.m. A ritual circle ceremony to honor the dead happens from 5 to 6 p.m. 

42nd Annual Day of the Dead Ritual Procession 

Nov. 2, 6 p.m. 
22nd and Bryant streets, Mission 

Led by Aztec dancers, this procession organized by El Colectivo del Rescate Cultural carries forward the spirit of its late founder Juan Pablo Guitierrez and honors the Mesoamerican roots of Día de los Muertos. Costumed processors dressed in traditional Aztec feathered regalia and skeleton Catrinas wind their way along Bryant, 24th, Mission and 22nd streets before concluding back at 22nd and Bryant streets. 

Mixcoatl dancers perform at the 2022 Festival of Altars in Potrero Del Sol Park. | Source: Michaela Vatcheva for The Standard

NightLife: Día de los Muertos

Nov. 2, 6 p.m. 
California Academy of Sciences
calacademy.com 
$21.75

The California Academy of Sciences dedicates its night at the museum-style event to the Day of the Dead. Living skeletons dressed in the style of Mexican catrines will roam the academy’s halls as Mariachi San Francisco keeps the evening moving with soul-stirring music and ballet folklorico performances swirl through the night. Xiuhcoatl Danza Azteca kicks off the celebration with a traditional Aztec blessing at 5:45 p.m.   

SOMArts’ Día de los Muertos Exhibition: The Hummingbird’s Visit 

Through Nov. 3
934 Brannan St., SoMa 
somarts.org

Nonprofit community space SOMArts’ annual display of Día de los Muertos ofrendas, or altars, designed by local artists returns—this time with a theme dedicated to the symbolism of hummingbirds. In Aztec culture, the sprightly bird represents a bridge between the living and the dead that carries messages from the afterlife. SOMAArts’ closing reception on Nov. 3 is your last chance to see how the theme has taken flight.

David Tafolla’s SOMArts Retrospective is seen on display during the 2022 installation of the annual Día De Los Muertos gallery show. | Source: Camille Cohen/The Standard

Día de los Muertos with SF Symphony 

Nov. 4, 2 p.m. 
Davies Symphony Hall 
k12.sfsymphony.org

The creation myth of the Mayan people comes to life in this immersive concert experience featuring traditional Latin American music, vivid dancing and festive art activities.

Dancers from Casa Círculo Cultural kick the celebration off with a procession illustrating the creation of mankind chronicled in the Maya’s Popol Vuh and musical accompaniment form Canción de Obsidiana, which fuses electronic music with the acoustic sounds of traditional handmade Mexican and indigenous instruments. Conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya, making his San Francisco Symphony debut, leads the orchestra in a selection of songs by Clarice Assad, Arturo Márquez, Alfonso Leng, Silvestre Revueltas and Arturo Rodríguez. 

Guests are invited to arrive early, starting at 12:45 p.m., to listen to marimba, or xylophone, music by Guatemalan music troupe Voz de mi Pueblo or make kites, sugar skulls or screen prints with the help of local artists. 

Oakland Dia de los Muertos

Oct. 29, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
International Boulevard at Fruitvale Ave.

Inducted into the Library of Congress as a local legacy event, this vibrant cultural festival, now in its 28th year, attracts around 100,000 people every year to Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood. Admire stunning altars and artistic installations, watch lowriders bounce and Aztec dancers sway, listen to live music and peruse wares by local Latin American artisans. A youth soccer competition will also take place alongside this year’s festival, which is themed “Blooming Resilience.” 

The post Día de los Muertos San Francisco 2023: 9 Methods To Rejoice appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

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Marine Log Staff

San Francisco Bar Pilots in front of their new pilot vessel, Golden Gate.

The San Francisco Bar Pilots on Thursday formally celebrated the arrival and deployment of their recently delivered Camarc 22 pilot vessel Golden Gate. Built by Snow & Company, Seattle, the Golden Gate replaces a vessel of the same name which was at the end of its lifespan. It is a state-of-the-art pilot vessel that advances the organization’s sustainability goals and whose funding was made possible through last year’s California Assembly Bill 2056 legislation authored by Assemblyman Timothy Grayson (D-Concord).

“Our vessels are a critical piece of the organization, moving the Bar Pilots through the San Francisco Bay and beyond to keep California’s economy going,” said Captain John Carlier, president of the San Francisco Bar Pilots. “The new Golden Gate’s cutting-edge engine and technology will allow us to transfer to and from ships safely and efficiently with added maneuverability and speed, meaning safer trips and faster service for the ships calling into the pilotage ground.”

The Bar Pilots play a critical role in the Bay Area economy and support more than $117 billion in economic activity throughout the region. The recent pandemic accentuated outdated funding processes, and one of the major tenets of AB 2056 was a revision of the pilot boat surcharge. The new surcharge increases flexibility and the time horizon over which pilot vessel construction is funded – a win for both the Bar Pilots and the rate payers. These updates are critical in providing the Bar Pilots with the ability to respond to an accelerated fleet replacement schedule brought about by the new California Air Resources Board (CARB) emission regulation.

“The pandemic and related supply chain issues over the last few years shined a light on the necessity to address outdated funding mechanisms and ensure that the Bar Pilots continue their essential work to push the local, regional, and state economy forward, while also reducing our carbon footprint,” said Capt. Anne McIntyre, business director of the San Francisco Bar Pilots. “We are grateful to the many partners who were instrumental in the process of bringing the new pilot vessel Golden Gate to reality.”

The San Francisco Bar Pilots were joined in their effort to proactively address pilot vessel construction funding mechanisms by the Pacific Maritime Shipping Association, Cruise Lines International Association, and Western States Petroleum Association. Through this partnership, the coalition was able to guarantee funding was available for this critical piece of the Bar Pilots daily objective: navigating ships safely in and out of the San Francisco Bay and beyond while protecting 1,000 miles of shoreline.

“The delivery of the new pilot vessel Golden Gate is an embodiment of the dedication of the maritime industry to reducing emissions at our seaports and our commitment to make new investments to support the future of California’s waterfront,” said Mike Jacob, vice president and general counsel of the Pacific Maritime Shipping Association, representing ocean carriers and ocean-going vessels calling on ports in the San Francisco Bay. “The modernized and upgraded Golden Gate will not only provide pilotage service to the vessels calling on ports, but it will meet and exceed California’s strict new emissions standards for harbor craft, which are some of the strictest in the world. This new vessel delivery was made possible by the San Francisco Bar Pilots and their vessel customers working together and going hand-in-hand together to Sacramento to get the approval of the State Legislature and Governor Newsom for the financing structure necessary to commission this vessel, and improving our environment and our local economy in the process.”

During the celebration, Assemblyman Timothy Grayson presented Capt. Anne McIntyre, business director of the San Francisco Bar Pilots, with a California Assembly Members’ Resolution recognizing her lifetime achievement award from California State University Maritime Academy

The post San Francisco Bar Pilots have a good time arrival of latest pilot vessel appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Dean Short made a career out of transporting Tucsonans out of the desert, by bringing elsewhere to us. Props have been central to the game: a neon gas lamp, larger than life, outside of Ye Olde Lantern steakhouse; a steer statue on the roof of Cow Town in Amado; the Wild West movie set appeal of El Corral. Nowhere, though, were the props more extravagant, or more central, than Kon Tiki.

The windowless bar is dressed from floor to ceiling like a Polynesian outpost that exists more in the American historical imagination than in Tahiti. The tropical kitsch conjures a place totally unlike Tucson: a water fountain homed in a giant clam, lamps like enormous marbles hanging from the ceiling in fishing nets, dining room separators made of stacked coconuts.

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Live animals have been used. What is now used as a patio was once an aviary of parrots. All of the tropical fish in their tank were born in it: the colony has been self-sustaining for decades.

The rum-forward menu was taken from its forbears like Trader Vic’s: almond-tinged mai tais, technicolor blue Hawaiis, potent zombies, fruity pain killers and their specialty, the scorpion bowl.

A “Pain Killer” at Kon Tiki contains Zaya Caribbean rum, Nephew overproof rum, a coconut milk base, and a dash of elderflower.

Grace Trejo, Arizona Daily Star

“A single scorpion is four shots of liquor with elixirs, juices, all secrets. I couldn’t reveal what’s in it. But I know there’s only a handful of people who know (Kon Tiki’s) exact recipe,” Jeffrey Glomski, the current general manager of Kon Tiki, said.

Both Short and the tiki fad were in their fullest powers in the ’60s, when Short opened Kon Tiki, 4625 E. Broadway. Short recruited the acclaimed tiki artist, Milan Guanko, to carve the idol guarding the bar’s entrance and design a signature mug that has, like many in the annals of tiki, become a collector’s item.

Kon Tiki is releasing another collector’s item on Sept. 24. They are celebrating their 60th anniversary with a run of 120 tiki mugs, along with other ephemera like swizzle sticks in the design of the Milan Guanko idol. Flash in the Past Studio is organizing the anniversary party, complete with a DJ set and limited-edition cocktails. Tickets for the event, which starts at 6 p.m., cost $10. Vintage attire is encouraged.

Kon Tiki is one of the oldest operational tiki bars in America. The bar is celebrating its 60th anniversary on Sept. 24 with a party.

Grace Trejo, Arizona Daily Star

“If you ask me what I’d like people to know about the tiki, it’s that there is an oasis, an escape, here in Tucson. It’s just tucked behind trees and buildings. Been here for the last 60 years. And, yeah, you know, it’d be great to see it around for another 60,” Glomski said.

Kon Tiki is the fifth-oldest operational tiki bar in the country. Its peers are all in bigger cities than Tucson: San Francisco, where the tiki trend started; Los Angeles and Chicago.

“It’s a cool place, it’s something different,” Glomski said. “I believe now, we’re only one of two places (in Tucson) that serve that kind of cuisine. Everybody else has closed down. Times are a lot different now than they were 20 years ago. When I started off in this business, it was back in the ’80s, it seemed like people went out more. Now, people are cautious about how they spend their money. Cost of living has gone up, wages, you know, it seems like it’s a whole different place nowadays, you know?”

“It’s been around for 60 years, so people who came there at that time are on their way out, unfortunately. I know that I’ve seen a handful of people who have passed away since I’ve been there who were regulars,” he said.

Bartender Anna Monosmith prepares a drink for a customer at Kon Tiki on Aug. 5, 2022.

Kelly Presnell, Arizona Daily Star

Kon Tiki might not have made it to 60 without its current owner, Paul Christopher. Christopher started at Kon Tiki as a dishwasher over 30 years ago and worked his way through all the service stations up to bartender. He learned the intricate, in-house variations of famously complex tiki cocktails. When a former owner was looking to sell the bar, Christopher purchased the entire property.

“The owner owning the building is a big thing. Would it have made it through COVID if it wasn’t? Probably not,” Glomski said.

Tiki has a devoted community: while some are interested in the props, the mugs and stage work, others seek mastery of the challenging cocktails. Kon Tiki’s status as the longest established tiki bar in the southwest might have attracted particularly dedicated staff.

The island themed bar at Kon Tiki transports Tucsonans to another place.

Kelly Presnell, Arizona Daily Star 2022

“Y’know, that’s a whole culture out there,” Glomski said.

“There’s definitely a couple of die-hards out there,” Glomski said. “I just recently lost one who moved to Hawaii. That was in the last six months. Daniel (Wadsworth) was there from before when I started there (five years ago), so. He lived and bled tiki. He had a friend who lived out there and was a bartender at some resort. I think he’ll always be a bartender. He’s just that personality.”

Kon Tiki has been serving Tucson for 60 years. 

Chris Coduto, for the Arizona Daily Star 2007

Kon Tiki’s greatest asset also presents a great challenge: time. The decor and drinks, like their scorpion bowls, have been preserved by many generations of owners, bartenders and patrons. Glomski, a chef and former restaurateur, was hired to update the menu, but he had to keep corny classics like monkey on a stick (marinated beef skewers) central to their offerings.

“They basically made their little oasis here in the desert. I’m not going to say the recipes have changed throughout the years to what they are now. (These are) basic recipes you know, from way back then,” Glomski said.

“We try to maintain it as best we can, which can be a challenge at times: plumbing and things like that, you know, erode away over time,” Glomski said.

Kon Tiki, which featured South Sea island and American food, is shown here just before opening for customers in January 1962.

Tucson Citizen

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The post Tucson bar Kon Tiki rejoice sixtieth anniversary appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Dean Short made a career out of transporting Tucsonans out of the desert, by bringing elsewhere to us. Props have been central to the game: a neon gas lamp, larger than life, outside of Ye Olde Lantern steakhouse; a steer statue on the roof of Cow Town in Amado; the Wild West movie set appeal of El Corral. Nowhere, though, were the props more extravagant, or more central, than Kon Tiki.

The windowless bar is dressed from floor to ceiling like a Polynesian outpost that exists more in the American historical imagination than in Tahiti. The tropical kitsch conjures a place totally unlike Tucson: a water fountain homed in a giant clam, lamps like enormous marbles hanging from the ceiling in fishing nets, dining room separators made of stacked coconuts.

Live animals have been used. What is now used as a patio was once an aviary of parrots. All of the tropical fish in their tank were born in it: the colony has been self-sustaining for decades.

The rum-forward menu was taken from its forbears like Trader Vic’s: almond-tinged mai tais, technicolor blue Hawaiis, potent zombies, fruity pain killers and their specialty, the scorpion bowl.

A “Pain Killer” at Kon Tiki contains Zaya Caribbean rum, Nephew overproof rum, a coconut milk base, and a dash of elderflower.

Grace Trejo, Arizona Daily Star

“A single scorpion is four shots of liquor with elixirs, juices, all secrets. I couldn’t reveal what’s in it. But I know there’s only a handful of people who know (Kon Tiki’s) exact recipe,” Jeffrey Glomski, the current general manager of Kon Tiki, said.

Both Short and the tiki fad were in their fullest powers in the ’60s, when Short opened Kon Tiki, 4625 E. Broadway. Short recruited the acclaimed tiki artist, Milan Guanko, to carve the idol guarding the bar’s entrance and design a signature mug that has, like many in the annals of tiki, become a collector’s item.

Kon Tiki is releasing another collector’s item on Sept. 24. They are celebrating their 60th anniversary with a run of 120 tiki mugs, along with other ephemera like swizzle sticks in the design of the Milan Guanko idol. Flash in the Past Studio is organizing the anniversary party, complete with a DJ set and limited-edition cocktails. Tickets for the event, which starts at 6 p.m., cost $10. Vintage attire is encouraged.

The main dining room inside of Kon Tiki during dinner time on Sept. 7.

Grace Trejo, Arizona Daily Star

“If you ask me what I’d like people to know about the tiki, it’s that there is an oasis, an escape, here in Tucson. It’s just tucked behind trees and buildings. Been here for the last 60 years. And, yeah, you know, it’d be great to see it around for another 60,” Glomski said.

Kon Tiki is the fifth-oldest operational tiki bar in the country. Its peers are all in bigger cities than Tucson: San Francisco, where the tiki trend started; Los Angeles and Chicago.

“It’s a cool place, it’s something different,” Glomski said. “I believe now, we’re only one of two places (in Tucson) that serve that kind of cuisine. Everybody else has closed down. Times are a lot different now than they were 20 years ago. When I started off in this business, it was back in the ’80s, it seemed like people went out more. Now, people are cautious about how they spend their money. Cost of living has gone up, wages, you know, it seems like it’s a whole different place nowadays, you know?”

“It’s been around for 60 years, so people who came there at that time are on their way out, unfortunately. I know that I’ve seen a handful of people who have passed away since I’ve been there who were regulars,” he said.

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Bartender Anna Monosmith prepares a drink for a customer at Kon Tiki on Aug. 5, 2022.

Kelly Presnell, Arizona Daily Star

Kon Tiki might not have made it to 60 without its current owner, Paul Christopher. Christopher started at Kon Tiki as a dishwasher over 30 years ago and worked his way through all the service stations up to bartender. He learned the intricate, in-house variations of famously complex tiki cocktails. When a former owner was looking to sell the bar, Christopher purchased the entire property.

“The owner owning the building is a big thing. Would it have made it through COVID if it wasn’t? Probably not,” Glomski said.

Tiki has a devoted community: while some are interested in the props, the mugs and stage work, others seek mastery of the challenging cocktails. Kon Tiki’s status as the longest established tiki bar in the southwest might have attracted particularly dedicated staff.

The island themed bar at Kon Tiki transports Tucsonans to another place.

Kelly Presnell, Arizona Daily Star 2022

“Y’know, that’s a whole culture out there,” Glomski said.

“There’s definitely a couple of die-hards out there,” Glomski said. “I just recently lost one who moved to Hawaii. That was in the last six months. Daniel (Wadsworth) was there from before when I started there (five years ago), so. He lived and bled tiki. He had a friend who lived out there and was a bartender at some resort. I think he’ll always be a bartender. He’s just that personality.”

Kon Tiki has been serving Tucson for 60 years. 

Chris Coduto, for the Arizona Daily Star 2007

Kon Tiki’s greatest asset also presents a great challenge: time. The decor and drinks, like their scorpion bowls, have been preserved by many generations of owners, bartenders and patrons. Glomski, a chef and former restaurateur, was hired to update the menu, but he had to keep corny classics like monkey on a stick (marinated beef skewers) central to their offerings.

“They basically made their little oasis here in the desert. I’m not going to say the recipes have changed throughout the years to what they are now. (These are) basic recipes you know, from way back then,” Glomski said.

“We try to maintain it as best we can, which can be a challenge at times: plumbing and things like that, you know, erode away over time,” Glomski said.

Kon Tiki, which featured South Sea island and American food, is shown here just before opening for customers in January 1962.

Tucson Citizen

The post Tucson bar Kon Tiki have fun sixtieth anniversary | eat appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The day after California regulators handed driverless car companies a major victory, allowing them to expand their services without restriction in San Francisco, a herd of robotaxis decided to celebrate by breaking down in the middle of a busy street.

According to several local news reports, 10 Cruise vehicles sat paralyzed in a busy intersection near the Outside Lands Music Festival, causing a traffic jam and drawing exasperation from witnesses. The company told KPIX that the music festival caused “wireless connectivity issues” with its vehicles. In other words, festivalgoers were overwhelming the cellular networks, making it difficult for Cruise’s vehicles to send and receive information.

It was a bizarre end to a week that otherwise represented a significant milestone in the development of autonomous vehicles

It was a bizarre end to a week that otherwise represented a significant milestone in the development of autonomous vehicles. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) overrode the concerns of San Francisco’s transit and fire officials as well as several hundred local residents who testified during the six-and-a-half-hour hearing to approve a dramatic expansion of robotaxi services in the city. The orange cone protest did not achieve its desired outcome.

And it was a sign of more conflict to come, as cities that serve as ground zero for this science experiment face pushback from states that set the rules of the road for driverless cars and seek out conformity in how the technology is regulated.

“Every blocked traffic incident is going to add to degrading public opinion and enthusiasm for the technology, regardless of which company is having the problems,” said Philip Koopman, a Carnegie Mellon University professor who has conducted research on autonomous vehicle safety for decades. “When a large adverse event eventually happens, all that pent up public opinion is going to make it much more difficult for companies to deal with the situation.”

The sight of a robot traffic jam was unfortunately all too familiar in San Francisco. For months, city officials have complained about blocked roads, obstructed emergency response vehicles, and other bizarre behavior by these driverless cars. A Waymo vehicle ran over and killed a small dog — inspiring a street painting memorializing the martyred canine. And as more vehicles are deployed and the companies begin commercializing the service, more obstructions are to be expected.

“Every blocked traffic incident is going to add to degrading public opinion and enthusiasm for the technology”

Other cities will follow. Waymo has its sights set on Los Angeles and New York City, while Cruise is testing its vehicles in Miami and Austin, Texas. The companies are under enormous pressure to turn on the money spigots after their parent companies have invested tens of billions of dollars for more than a decade with very little money flowing back into their coffers.

Those cities will face similar issues as San Francisco: blocked roads, embarrassing media coverage, and populations split over the utility of robot cars versus the need to reduce car use overall.

The robotaxi dilemma is also shining a light on the divided way we regulate cars in the US. The federal government creates vehicle safety rules, leaving the states to license drivers, register vehicles, and enforce the rules of the road. All that’s left for cities to do is make minor infrastructure decisions, help direct traffic — and not much else.

The companies could do themselves a big favor by doing more outreach. Obstructing emergency vehicles, in particular, is unlikely to help win over the hearts and minds of the residents you’re hoping will become new customers, let alone not piss off the populace you’re trying to serve. Driverless car companies are required to report crashes and vehicle miles traveled to the state and federal government, but San Francisco officials say they want more data, including incidents in which robotaxis shut down in the middle of the street or block bike lanes. So far, the companies have been silent on this matter.

The companies could do themselves a big favor by doing more outreach

“More transparency and improvement on issues the public cares about are essential,” Koopman said. “This technology will not succeed without trust, and it is much easier to lose trust with a single bad event than it is to regain it afterwards.”

Cruise and Waymo say they are in constant dialogue with police, fire, and emergency services and have created training programs for first responders to “safely interact” with their vehicles. They also say that every incident is used as training data to be uploaded to the rest of the fleet to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

“This is just the beginning. It’s far from the end,” Aaron Peskin, president of the city’s Board of Supervisors, told The San Francisco Chronicle on Sunday. “We need to get it right and we are trying to partner with Cruise and Waymo, which hasn’t been real smooth. They are very secretive.” Peskin said the city documented 55 incidents involving driverless cars interfering with first responders so far this year.

The next phase is likely to be highly litigious. Peskin wants the city to “slow down or walk back” the expanded rollout of robot cars. That could include requesting another hearing or another vote from the CPUC. Failing that, the city could sue the commission, which is under the authority of Governor Gavin Newsom.

Cities will always be at a disadvantage in these types of fights. California, in particular, has shown a willingness to set aside local concerns about traffic, labor, and safety for the unimpeded progress of Big Tech companies. In 2020, voters approved a ballot measure to allow companies like Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash to continue treating their workers like independent contractors rather than employees.

Cities will always be at a disadvantage in these types of fights

You can tell that many San Franciscans are sick and tired of playing guinea pig to these tech companies. First came Uber and Lyft. Then the electric scooters. Now, it’s the driverless cars. The weariness came through the testimony of dozens of people who waited hours to say their piece during the CPUC commission.

There was plenty of support, too — people who were disabled or distrustful of human drivers or didn’t want to appear to be burying their heads in the sand when new technology becomes available. After all, disruption and inconvenience tend to go hand in hand, said Raj Rajkumar, a robotics professor at Carnegie Mellon University. Think of the advent of indoor plumbing or the installation of natural gas lines or building roads and highways.

“All were major societal changes and caused a lot of inconveniences and discomfort, but we cannot live without them today,” he said. “Negatives get the news headlines and strong passions attract the most attention. But day-to-day convenience and usability for many customers (assuming that this comes to pass) will begin to triumph.”

Opponents are not likely to take these major changes lying down. In the weeks leading up to the CPUC vote, several videos went viral of people placing orange cones on the hoods of the vehicles, effectively disabling them. They called it the “Week of Cone,” and it was meant to demonstrate how easy it was to confuse these supposedly high-tech vehicles.

Their message was simple: if it’s so easy to stop a driverless car dead in its tracks, why should they be trusted to operate freely in a busy city?

The post Robotaxis rejoice main victory in California by blocking visitors — once more appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

When Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite return to the Chicago area for Thursday’s concert at Ravinia, it will be a homecoming of sorts. 

Both musicians lived in Chicago in the early 1960s, an era when they were developing their craft by observing blues titans like Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and Big Joe Williams. 

Bishop, 80, and Musselwhite, 79, are now members of the Blues Foundation’s Blues Hall of Fame. 

Bishop, who sings and plays guitar, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2015 as a member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Musselwhite is recognized as one of the world’s greatest harmonica players, with a style that is distinctive for its emotive subtleties. 

At Ravinia, the duo will be joined by multi-instrumentalist Bob Welsh for a set featuring songs from their 2020 collaborative album “100 Years of Blues.” Released by the Chicago label Alligator Records, the album topped the Billboard blues album chart and received a Grammy nomination. 

The lyrics to the autobiographical title track include references to Pepper’s Lounge and Silvio’s, two long-gone Chicago blues clubs that served as the musicians’ training grounds. Bishop and Musselwhite made the leap from fan to performer, fueled by invitations to sit in with bands that played long past midnight. 

“With all the different bands happening, it was a great scene for a young musician who was ambitious and wanted to develop a little bit,” Bishop said in an interview from his recording studio in Lagunitas, California. 

Elvin Bishop (left) and Charlie Musselwhite.

“You’d go around to all these clubs, and it was to your advantage to know everybody’s tunes that you went to see,” Bishop said.

“I don’t care how famous you were, when it gets to be about 2 or 3 in the morning, you’ll be glad to see any kind of help you can get. So you tried to learn the tunes and make as good a showing as you could because that was like putting in your resume or a job application. So, if a vacancy popped up, they’d think of you.”

Musselwhite had a similar experience. When a friend told Muddy Waters about Musselwhite’s harmonica skills, the blues icon asked the young man to sit in with his band. That led to more gigs and groundbreaking recording sessions for Musselwhite as a sideman and leader.

“I wasn’t hungering to be in the spotlight,” Musselwhite said from his home in Clarksdale, Mississippi. “I loved the music, and I just played it for myself. I wasn’t thinking about a career in music. Having me sit in wasn’t really unusual because [Waters] had people sitting in all the time. [Bands] would play till 4 in the morning, except Saturday nights, when they played till 5. That’s a lot of time to kill. So Muddy was happy to have people sitting in.” 

“!00 Years of Blues” album cover.

The duo’s “front-porch” style of stripped-down blues is a great fit for Ravinia’s outdoor Carousel Stage, where the duo is likely to play material from Musselwhite’s 2022 solo album “Mississippi Son,” which features his original tune “Blues Gave Me a Ride.”

The harmonica wizard has one exceptionally famous fan: former President Barack Obama. Musselwhite said he has had two conversations with Obama — one at a campaign fundraiser in San Francisco, the other during a 2013 White House performance.

Musselwhite said of the Bay Area interaction: “I gave Obama a harmonica, and I said, ‘I’ve heard that you like blues, and, if you’re interested, I could give you a few tips on how to play it.’ And he said, ‘Well, that’s really nice, Charlie. But I’m pretty busy right now.’” 

Bishop’s early years were spent in an Iowa farmhouse that didn’t have electricity or indoor plumbing. His family moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Bishop earned a National Merit Scholarship and enrolled at the University of Chicago. 

Bishop’s family didn’t have much income, and he was the first one in the family to attend college. He still has vivid memories of his family’s struggles.

“My dad stayed unemployed quite a bit,” Bishop said. “I remember I was in Chicago, and I got a letter from my mom, and it was typed on paper towels. My dad had got a job as a janitor, so he’d bring the rolls of paper towels home.”

Musselwhite was raised by a single mother in Memphis, Tennessee. Seeking a good job, as a young adult he moved to Chicago, where he found factory work. He also served as an exterminator’s assistant, spraying for roaches and dispensing rat poison.

Reflecting on his journey from youthful apprentice to elder statesman, Musselwhite said, “I don’t know how I got this old so fast.”

The post Charlie Musselwhite and Elvin Bishop — ‘entrance porch’ bluesmen rejoice Chicago music roots appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

CALIFORNIA — Cinco de Mayo falls this year on a Friday — commemorating Mexico’s May 5 victory over the French Empire in 1862.

For those who like to celebrate like there’s no mañana, we’ve rounded up some hot spots with restaurant specials and entertainment.

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Peruse the guide to find the fiestas near you. Need visual inspiration? Check out the photo show at the top of this post.

And if you know of other neighborhood joints with stand-out deals, share with readers in the comments.

And Happy Cinco de Mayo, from Patch!

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ACAPULCO RESTAURANT Y CANTINA: Kick off Cinco de Mayo at 3 p.m. with build-your-own-taco bar (steak, chicken, carnitas & al pastor) & drink deals. Live entertainment starts 4 p.m. Extra bonus: Cinco de Mayo patrons receive bounce-back card for hangover breakfast — Come back the next day for free breakfast entrée with purchase of breakfast entrée. Details. See locales in Glendale, Costa Mesa, Downey & Long Beach.

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AGUA CALIENTE CASINO: Cinco de Mayo events run over the weekend with food & drink specials, entertainment, concert, comedy show & Lucha Libre Mexicana: Viva La Lucha. Info here. Locales in Cathedral City, Palm Springs & Rancho Mirage.

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BAR LOUIE: Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with $7 Dos Sauza margaritas during happy hour, or try new Rock & Rita. Pair with 50% off such bar bites as trio dips & chips and chicken quesadillas. Website. Locations here in Downey, Northridge, Tustin.

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BARRIO SF: Head to Ghirardelli Square May 5 for Cinco de Mayo party (11 a.m. – 10 p.m.) featuring mariachi band (4 p.m.-8 p.m.), free tequila/mezcal tastings (1 p.m.-5 pm.), raffle & swag giveaways, margarita booth, food & drink specials. Website. At 900 North Point, San Francisco.

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BARRIO STAR: This Banker’s Hill eatery, specializing in “modern Mexican Soul Food,” is prepped for Cinco de Mayo with Happy Hour drink & food specials ( 3 p.m. -5 p.m.), & live music (5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.). Menu highlights: tacos a la carte; Barrio cucumbers; & Tres Leches Cake with strawberries. Website. At 2706 5th Ave., San Diego.

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BJ’S RESTAURANT & BREWHOUSE: BJ’s CureVeza, Mexican-style lager, launches May 4 to raise money for The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, part of 25-year partnership. Offered through June 28, the beer “features hints of lime & salt.” For every pint brewed, the chain donates 25 cents to the nonprofit. Pair on Cinco de Mayo with mahi mahi or shrimp tacos, loaded nachos & Sriracha queso dip. Website. Locales found here statewide.

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BLACK ANGUS STEAKHOUSE: Gear up for all-day, Cinco de Mayo happy hour Friday with such tasty, drink & food specials as Messy Michelada ($8.50), chili-lime chicken bites ($11.99), steakhouse bacon cheeseburger ($15.99), loaded potato skins ($7) or $5 off Wagon Wheel Sampler Platter. See restaurants statewide in Brentwood, San Jose, San Lorenzo, Chula Vista, El Cajon, Escondido, Buena Park, Fountain Valley, Santa Ana, Burbank, Lakewood, Lancaster, Northridge, Torrance, Ventura, Whittier, Montclair, Ontario, San Bernardino, Temecula.

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CAVANA AT LUMA HOTEL SF: Enjoy Cinco de Mayo, May 5, at Latin-American roof-top oasis, with cocktails, street tacos made with housemade masa & tortillas, entertainment & sweeping views of SF skyline. With lively Latin tunes from DJ Jerry Soza. Bring your friends and family! Details/reservations. At 100 Channel St., 17th Floor, San Francisco.

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CHEVYS FRESH MEX: Join May 5th fiesta with build-your-own-taco bar, featuring steak, chicken, carnitas & barbacoa, starting at 3 p.m. Live entertainment begins 4 p.m. Plus drink specials of house margaritas (12 oz. for $9 or 16 oz. for $12) & Cadillac Margaritas (12 oz. for $11.50 & 16 oz. for $15), or imported beer & tequila shots. Info. Find sites statewide in South San Francisco, Vallejo, Emeryville, Santa Rosa & Union City.

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CHIPOTLE: RSVP May 1-5 to ‘Time To Finally Try Chipotle’ event for BOGO deal. How it works: Create event on Partiful & invite Chipotle newbie friends. Include #ChipotlePartyPromo in description & add @Chipotle on Instagram with link to Partiful event. Every day May 1-5, the chain will RSVP to first 20 Partiful events sent & will drop 1 BOGO code per RSVP’d guest (up to 25 BOGO codes per event). Details. Also throughout week, get $0 delivery with promo code CINCO23. Locales statewide.

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CHRONIC TACOS: Cinco de Mayo freebie: Spend $20 & get $5 reward when using code CINCO in the app. Info. Locations throughout Greater L.A.

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CITY TACOS: Toast taco shop’s nine-year anniversary of first location in North Park while marking Cinco de Mayo with “delicious & authentic tacos to our refreshing drinks … everything you need to make this holiday a fiesta to remember!” Jam out with DJs at La Mesa, Encinitas & North Park sites. Menu favorites: Ahuevo Breakfast Taco (sunny-side egg, refried chorizo beans, pico de gallo, avocado & salsa); Mexicali (steak, onions, poblano peppers, asadero cheese, mashed potatoes, crema fresca & cotija cheese). Nearly all tacos are under $5. Details. Locations: Encinitas, La Mesa, Pacific Beach, Sorrento Valley & San Diego.

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COLIBRI MEXICAN BISTRO: On May 5, grab your friends & come on down for Cinco de Mayo Colibri-style. Corn hole Patron Giant Jenga will take over patio while Bacardi runs numerous promos & merch handouts during lunch & dinner. Happy hour-style menu features Colibri Margarita, Mojito, La Paloma & Don Quixote, all with Bacardi infusion, plus Mexican fare. Reservations here, but walk-ins encouraged. At historic Presidio Officers’ Club, 50 Moraga Ave, San Francisco.

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DOG HAUS: Perfectly timed for Cinco de Mayo, the CA-based chain with gourmet hot dogs, burgers & sausages launches limited-time, Mexican-inspired Pork Al Pastor Sausage — with pineapple sweetness & kick from chiles & Mexican oregano. Offered on bun, in King’s Hawaiian rolls, as corn dog & in burritos. $1 donated to No Kid Hungry from each sold. Website. Locations found here statewide.

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EL POLLO LOCO: Limited-time, fan-fave Shredded Beef Birria is back through June 28, in three choices – tacos, burritos & quesadillas. And on Cinco de Mayo, Loco Rewards members can score BOGO deal: A free Crunchy Birria Taco with purchase of any Shredded Beef Birria entrée. Valid Friday, May 5 only. Details. See restaurants statewide in Greater LA, the SF Bay Area, Inland Empire, Orange County, San Diego County.

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EL TORITO: Grab the gang May 5 for chain’s biggest event of the year with margarita, beer, shot & taco specials, plus live music (beginning 4 p.m.). Build-your-own-taco bar (steak, chicken, carnitas & al pastor) starts 3 p.m. Extra perk: Cinco de Mayo guests will score bounce-back card with for hangover breakfast — Come back & visit the next day for free breakfast entrée with purchase of a breakfast entrée. Details. Find locations statewide in Anaheim, Corona, Cypress, Dana Point, Hawthorne, Irvine, La Mesa, Laguna Hills, Lakewood, Long Beach, Marina del Rey, Milpitas, Monterey, Northridge, Ontario, Orange, Palmdale, Pasadena, Redondo Beach, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Leandro, Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, Torrance, Tustin, West Covina, Westminster, Woodland Hills, Yorba Linda.

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FAIRMONT GRAND DEL MAR: Weekend of Cinco de Mayo events include tequila tastings, tequila-pairing dinner & Saturday-Sunday Baja-style brunches. Info. At 5300 Grand Del Mar Court, San Diego.

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FUEGO AT HOTEL MAYA: The Latin-infused waterfront restaurant is planning a Cinco de Mayo fiesta with live entertainment from Grammy-winning Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea & official mariachi band of Disneyland, plus food & drink specials. Info/reservations. At 700 Queensway Drive, Long Beach.

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i|O ROOFTOP AT THE GODFREY HOTEL HOLLYWOOD: Celebrate at one of the largest rooftops in Hollywood with street tacos, specialty cocktails & live DJ. Free Admission. Details. At 1400 Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood/Los Angeles.

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KIMPTON ALMA SAN DIEGO: The hotel’s newly opened, rooftop dining venue, Leave of Absence, will mark May 5 with drink specials, including: Don Fulano Tastes – $10; Specialty Margs – $10; & Modelo beer – $6. Menu offers wood-fired flatbreads, papas bravas, shishito peppers & crudites with tahini verde. Reservations. At 1047 5th Ave., San Diego.

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LAS CAMPANAS AT THE MISSION INN HOTEL & SPA: Book now for Cinco de Mayo & enjoy al fresco dining, a remodeled cantina, authentic Mexican cuisine & more than 100 different tequilas. Reservations. At 3649 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside.

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MARCO’S PIZZA: Build your own “Mexican pizza” for Cinco de Mayo. Select from such toppings as ground beef, green peppers, black olives, onions, tomatoes, jalapenos & cheddar cheese for your custom masterpiece. For extra kick, dip garlic-flavored crust into side of jalapeno ranch. Website/order info. Find shops statewide in Inland Empire, San Diego, Greater LA.

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MIGUEL’S JR.: Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Bean, Rice & Cheese Burrito and Bean & Cheese Burrito — both expertly rolled in hand-stretched flour tortilla — for just $1.99. Available open to close Friday for dine-in, take-out, online ordering & drive-thru. Plus, the chain’s fan-favorite Fiery Habanero Menu is back for limited time. Info. Find locales throughout Orange County & Inland Empire.

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PACIFIC PARK: Taco ’bout fun … Santa Monica Pier’s Ferris wheel will celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a variety of red, white & green colors, patterns and icons, along with a 90-feet-tall Mexican flag on Friday, May 5. Can’t be there in person? View online. Details. At 380 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica.

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PACKING DISTRICT ANAHEIM: Songs, mariachis, tacos & more planned May 5 for Cinco de Mayo. Info. At South Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim.

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PORTSIDE VENTURA HARBOR: “Toned, Tacos & Tequila” is fun-filled evening of fitness, food & fun. Info. At 1196 Portside Drive, Ventura.

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RANDY’S DONUTS: The iconic shop does “Cinco all Mayo” with the Cinco de Mango tajin premium donut (mango-filled, topped with mango & tajin flavored icing, with sprinkle of tajin) Available through May 31. Website. Locations here.

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RED LOBSTER: Say ole with $5 Cinco Rita on May 5 – specialty cocktail made with Sauza Gold Tequila, Triple Sec, sour & margarita mixes. Pair perfectly with the new Lobster & Shrimp Tacos. See restaurants statewide in Inland Empire, San Diego region, SF Bay Area, OC, Greater LA.

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ROUND TABLE PIZZA: Cinco de Mayo deal runs May 5-7: $10 off any two large or extra large pizzas at menu price. Valid at participating locations for dine-in, carry-out & delivery. Location finder here statewide.

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RUBIO’S: Cinco De Mayo deal! Rewards members can take $20 off orders of $100 or more May 5. Coupon info here. Plus, $3 beers that day & no coupon required. Website. At participating locations. Site finder here for CA restaurants.

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SEAWORLD SAN DIEGO: Spiced-up food, drinks & live entertainment kick off May 5 and run Fridays to Sundays through May 21. Different headliners will take the stage. Info here. At 500 SeaWorld Drive, San Diego.

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7-ELEVEN: 7Rewards members can hail Cinco de Mayo with tasty, mini-taco deal —10 mini tacos for $2! The tacos come with spicy filling of shredded beef, green chiles, jalapeño peppers, cilantro & spices in miniature crispy, corn tortillas. Offered through May 5. 7Rewards info here. At participating stores statewide.

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SKYBAR AT MONDRIAN LOS ANGELES: It’s an all-day Cinco de Mayo celebration May 5 ‘Dance Yourself Clean’ pool party, DJ sets, outdoor games & more. Details/reservations. At 8440 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood.