2009 Pacific Orchid Exposition Coming to Fort Mason

A sea of 150,000 orchid flowers, more than 50 commercial growers, 20,000 people attending the 57th annual fundraiser and its Gala Benefit Preview, and 24 featured wineries, including four winners from the 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, that’s one of the top three orchid shows, Pacific Orchid Exposition. This year the San Francisco Orchid Society continues to focus on environmental preservation and educating flower enthusiasts on how to “grow green.” The show will emphasize the importance of conserving the varied natural habitats and of respecting the environment. As in years past, POE showcases multiple species and hybrids in extreme diversity of colors, shapes and sizes. The orchids are garnered from all over the world, and will be presented by local, national and international professional and amateur growers. Docent tours and cultivation tips will be given to thousands of visitors, pairing aesthetics and education. The show will be judged by Society experts and judges certified by the American Orchid Society (AOS). The San Francisco Orchid Society (SFOS) presents the 57th Annual Pacific Orchid Exposition, “Green…With Envy” at Fort Mason Center’s Festival Pavillon on March 5-8.
• Gala Benefit Preview, Thursday, March 5, 2009, 6:30-10:00 p.m.
• Friday, March 6, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
• Saturday, March 7, 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
• Sunday, March 8, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Preview Night: $35 in advance / $40 at the door, General Admission: $12 in advance/ $14 at the door, Seniors: $8 in advance / $10 at the door, Kids 12 & Under Free when accompanied by an adult (except at preview night). Call 415.665.2468 or visit www.orchidsanfrancisco.org. Photography by Yuri Krasov. Orchids from the last year POE.

The 3rd Annual San Francisco International Chocolate Salon

March 21, 10 am - 6 pm, Saturday
San Francisco, Fort Mason Center
Herbst Pavilion, 30,000 square feet of Chocolate, Wine and Confections
Chocolate lovers, get ready for the CHOCOLATE STIMULUS PLAN!
The premier chocolate show on the West Coast takes place this Spring at the 3rd Annual San Francisco International CHOCOLATE SALON, Saturday March 21, at the Fort Mason Center's Herbst Pavilion in San Francisco. Chocolate aficionados, fanatics, buyers and journalists can experience the finest in artisan, gourmet & premium chocolate in one of the world's great culinary metropolitan areas.
The Third Annual San Francisco International CHOCOLATE SALON participants include over 50 chocolatiers, confectioners, wineries and other culinary artisans, such as: Amano Artisan Chocolate, Jade Chocolates, Coco-luxe Confections, Sacred Chocolate, Guittard Chocolate Company, Saratoga Chocolates, Marti Chocolatt, The Tea Room chocolate, Ghirardelli Chocolate Company, Poco Dolce, Coco Delice Fine Chocolates, Chocoholics Divine Desserts, The San Francisco Chocolate Factory, Schoggi, Rushburn Toffee Company, Choclatique, TCHO, The Xocolate Bar, Neo Cocoa, Kikas Treats, CJ's Bitz, Edible Love Chocolates, Sterling Confections, Happy Chocolates, Jeanne's Fudge, Socola Chocolatier, Dolce Bella Chocolates, William Dean Chocolates, Dove Chocolate Discoveries, D' Sweets, Tifa Chocolate, Serendipity! Brownie Truffles, Xocai Healthy Chocolate, Vermeer Dutch Chocolate Cream Liqueur, Quady Winery, Sol Rouge Winery, VIE Winery, Akaroa Winery, Gus Soda, Loft Organic Liqueurs, Rigolo Cafe, Omnivore Books, Sweet Beauty Organic Chocolate Spa, Farm Fresh to You, PlayFirst's Chocolatier Games (Decadence by Design), Van Gogh Chocolate Vodka, Thrillist, The Bread Project, The Makeup Gourmet, ARTworkSF, Le Creuset, Swissmar, Putumayo World Music, Chocolate Television, The New York Times and TasteTV, and many more. All this in over 30,000 square feet of Chocolate, Wine and Confections. Last minute additions: TCHO, Tifa Chocolate, Yelp!, Omnivore Books, The Sweet Beauty Organic Chocolate Spa, ARTworkSF, and PlayFirst's "Chocolatier" video games (Decadence by Design. Photography by Yuri Krasov. Last year's presenters.

Applewood Inn brings Italy To the Russian River April 9 - 19

Guerneville’s renowned Applewood Inn is pleased to present an exciting series of culinary events. During the month of April acclaimed Chef Francesco Paldera of the Villa Romanazzi Carducci Hotel in Bari, Italy ( he’s cooked for the Belgian Royal Family, Michael Gorbachev, Luciano Pavarotti and a discreetly un-named American Vice-President) will be creating lunches, dinners, cooking classes and one winery event featuring La Cucina Povera (the traditional peasant cuisine) of Puglia – heel of Italy’s boot. April 9 Dinner to Welcome Chef Francesco $60
April 12 Easter Lunch with a “Puglian Blessing” $90
April 14 Olive Oil & Wine Tastings, Wood Oven Cooking
Demo & Lunch at Harvest Moon Winery $100
April 15 Dinner $75
April 16 Evening Cooking Class $75
April 17 Morning & Evening Cooking Classes $50/$75
April 18 Morning Cooking Class $50
April 19 Lunch paired with Puglian Wines $75
For Event Descriptions: www.applewoodinn.com
For Info & Reservations: 707-869-9093 or 800-555-8509
Applewood Inn & Restaurant
13555 Highway 116
Guerneville, CA 95446.
Photo by Yuri Krasov. Statue on premises.

Work of Art Caters for Art Events at SFMOMA

It’s a long overdue word of praise for the Work of Art Catering, which collaborates with an impressive number of distinguished institutions in SF, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. For the latest press opening, the Work of Art founder and director of aesthetics, Jacqueline Burns, and the executive chef Andy Pyle introduced their newest creation, baklava-inspired “cinnamon buns” where instead of cinnamon a mix of cardamom, sage, and pistachio nuts was used to create an unbelievably delightful combination of flavors and textures. The company’s staples, like light and flavorful mushroom quiches are legendary, and their regular fruit plate looks like a mosaic piece with multi-colored cubes and rounds of papaya, melon, pineapple, blood orange, blueberries, and various grapes. I still remember how a couple of years back at the SFMOMA staff party I had a momentous plunge into sweet childhood memories when I’ve tried Work of the Art mini potato pancakes, topped with sour cream and smoked salmon. M-mm! Delicious, and very fitting for the name of the company. Call Work of Art Event Planning and Catering at 415-552-1000, or visit www.woacatering.com. Photo by Emma Krasov. Jacqueline Burns, director, and Andy Pyle, chef, cater to SFMOMA press opening.

Kerry James Marshall at SFMOMA

The shortest and surest way to get your historical point across is to influence the young. To get the attention of the young is to win their hearts and minds... Kerry James Marshall, whose murals are now installed at the SFMOMA public space, the Haas Atrium, uses “the vernacular of coloring books” as John Zarobell, assistant curator, said at the opening last Wednesday. In his art, Marshall invariably explores the place of African slaves and their African-American descendants in American history. His two grandiose paintings for the Art in the Atrium project follow the style of activity albums, where following a maze and connecting the dots lead youthful minds to the preexisting discoveries and revelations. Addressing slavery, the artist sees his goal as “to represent things that were not represented, and uncover things that were obscured,” as he put it in his opening speech. Hence, in his depictions of Mount Vernon and Monticello, the respective homes of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, Marshall indicates the omnipresence of the invisible slave corps who works the estates, by elusive means of unfinished silhouettes, shades, and dots. He pushes the figures of the founding fathers to the sides, in a distorted elongated view of half-turned cardboard cutouts freeing space for the “Visible Means of Support” of their power. In the course of the artwork’s message and appeal, the Museum’s Education Department participates in an Oakland-based youth project, in which teenagers will design and produce their own thematical mural in response to Marshall’s. Kerry James Marshall’s murals are on view until 2010. 151 Third St., SF. 415-357-4000 or visit www.sfmoma.org Photo by Emma Krasov. Kerry James Marshall at the opening.

The Sacred Arts of Bhutan Exhibition Opens at Asian Art Museum

Peaceful Buddhas and bodhisattvas, and ferocious warriors-protectors of Buddhism populate The Dragon’s Gift exhibition of Bhutanese sacred objects, used in rituals and ceremonies, many never before seen in the West. Silver and gilded bronze and copper statuettes, adorned with turquoise and red corals, and elaborate thangkas (colored ink paintings on cotton) range from 1300s to 1900s, with the most ancient artifact found in the Himalayas, Seated Goddess Kongtsedemo (photo by Shuzo Uemoto) dated 600-800. At the opening on Wednesday, curator Terese Tse Bartholomew, and Honolulu Academy of Arts Director, Dr. Stephen Little (exhibition organizers) as well as distinguished guests from Bhutan, stressed out time and again the country’s unique history. A relatively small Asian nation, surrounded by two most populous countries—China and India, Bhutan has never been colonized or invaded. A sovereign state, ruled by the democratic king, Bhutan preserved its culture and traditions in their purest form, reflected in religious artifacts, created not as artwork, but as everyday use objects. In fact, several Buddhist monks will stay in residence in the museum throughout the run of the show to pay their daily respect to the sacred objects. The Dragon’s Gift is on view through May 10. To find out about the exhibition and related special programs, performances, film screenings, and seminars, call 415-581-3500 or visit www.asianart.org. Asian Art Museum is located at 200 Larkin St., San Francisco.

Ask Emma: Introducing Guest Advisers

Hans from Greenbrae: Emma, I just read your advice to the woman who met a guy while both were drunk. I don’t agree that she should tell him bluntly that she remembers nothing about him. I think she should ask him to tell her about himself and, at a later date, ask for a picture. Obviously she is looking for a partner, but should be a little careful. If the correspondence pleases her, she could then start out with a cup of coffee at Starbucks. She should avoid meeting him for a drink, since she apparently can’t hold her liquor. You probably don’t care what I think about this anyway!
Answer: Hans, I do care what my readers think, and I thank you for your feedback. My advice to the woman who seeks partners in bars was rather ironic. Apparently, you couldn’t appreciate the irony, being overwhelmed with compassion (not that there is anything wrong with it). I just thought that since she was loaded and ready to leave the bar with him having no clue who the guy was, such pleasantries as prolonged correspondence and picture exchange were rather beyond her scope of interest. Don’t forget, she asked me how to play hard to get, not how to stay safe in dangerous situations. So, while both of us were still trying to warn her about possible danger (each in our different ways) she remains the one who takes risks and can’t care less about being careful.
Sheila from San Francisco: Emma, I read your advice to the woman with the 3 year old whom she is losing patience with. I would say that she should put the child part-time in childcare, that way they both get a rest from each other, the child gets to interact with her peers and make friends and the mom gets some alone time. They will come back together again refreshed and see each other in a whole new light. If she really can’t afford some daycare part-time then she should consider sharing with another mom and each of them can take both kids for a few hours a couple of times a week. She can join mom groups like Mothers & More for friendship and ideas.
Answer: Thank you, Sheila, let’s hope this woman will follow your great advice.
Ask Emma appears regularly on “Art and Entertain me” blog. Questions are answered in the order received. Send you questions and comments to: editor.Krasov@gmail.com

Valentine’s Day Comic Treat Closes Sunday at Opera San José

Così fan tutte, or The School for Lovers, a life-affirming comic opera by Mozart and librettist Lorenzo da Ponte, is now playing to full houses at Opera San Jose through February 22. What looks today like the beginning of the original swingers’ club in regards to the story line, is in reality a timeless message of tolerance and acceptance of human nature—perhaps, more important in our day and age than ever before. A highly energetic youthful cast, gifted with dramatic skills in addition to vocal talents, makes this performance a holiday treat for lovers of all ages. Conducted by Anthony Quartuccio and directed by Brad Dalton, the last Sunday superb presentation featured Rebecca Davis as Fiordiligi, Betany Coffland as Dorabella, Khori Dastoor as Despina, Michael Dailey as Ferrando, Daniel Cilli as Guglielmo and Joseph Rawley as Don Alfonso. Their light, joyful, and mischievous performance appeared rich in nuances and well attuned to the spirit of Mozart’s music. California Theatre is located at 345 South First Street, San José. Tickets: $69, $81, and $91 (includes city facility usage fee) from Opera San José Box Office, 2149 Paragon Dr., San José, CA 95131; 408-437-4450; 408-437-4455 fax; www.operasj.org Photo by Pat Kirk. Daniel Cilli as Guglielmo, Betany Coffland as Dorabella, Rebecca Davis as Fiordiligi, and Michael Dailey as Ferrando.

Nightlife at the Academy of Sciences Begins with Darwin’s Selection, Naturally

The tall, airy, “green” building of the California Academy of Sciences was abuzz last Thursday with a double celebration: Charles Darwin’s 200th anniversary and the launch of weekly “Nightlife” events. These extended Thursday nights at the Academy are designed to provide additional access to museum exhibits in a convivial atmosphere of “provocative science, music, mingling, and cocktails,” and what an enlightened way to mingle this is! On the night of February 12, the first day of the citywide celebration of Darwin and his revolutionary discoveries, youthful crowds were forming lines to the Islands of Evolution exhibit and to the makeshift presentation of sculls, fossils, butterflies and finches by the scientific staff in the African Hall. While studying the distribution and evolution of life on Earth, visitors were encouraged to participate in the orchid pollinator game, finding impromptu matches and starting fascinating discussions about natural selection. Evolve 2009, a series of programs dedicated to Darwin, includes special lectures and tours at the Academy throughout the spring, while Nightlife events will be presented every Thursday from 6 to 10 p.m., introducing visitors to modern science and cutting edge research in an informal, social environment. California Academy of Sciences is located at 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. More info at: www.calacademy.org/nightlife. Photography by Yuri Krasov.

Warhol Live Comes in Cans, Boxes, and Record Sleeves

Opened last Thrusday at the de Young Museum Warhol Live is a full immersion exercise of sorts, which includes paintings and films by Andy Warhol, props from his Silver Studio, and a rendering of bathroom wall cave drawings in the said Studio. Branded an exploration of “the fundamental and continuous role of music in the work and life” of the artist, the exhibition also includes musical pieces loved or used by him, album covers he created, portraits of musicians, and some strobe light. Yet another exploration is in order. Warhol’s knack for marketing, especially apparent in the realm of the current all-encompassing show, should definitely be studied and researched in more depth. While anyone can open his studio door (granted he has a studio and a door) and let trust fund babies or freshmen hipsters enjoy drugs, sex and rock-n-roll for his and their own amusement, not everyone can market his party life up to the level of international significance. Campbell’s cans and Brillo boxes are now tattooed onto the body of the art history, but do we enjoy these images because they are pure art, or because we’ve seen them so many times before, they became a part of our comfort zone? An acquaintance whom we meet on the street, and a genius artist who we admire both get our recognition, although not of the same kind. The show starts with the artist’s childhood fascination with Hollywood movies and movie stars… In normies, it usually passes by the time of a first date. In artists, it can last forever and develop into something productive… Then come musicians, divas, rock stars… Five, six-hour films of the Empire State Building, or of a sleeping lover… This nomadic folklore approach, “ I sing what I see” worked for Warhol. Then “all these people are so interesting…” everybody’s famous, everybody’s a star! No, a Superstar… How about the artist? Was he interesting? A notorious voyeur, an observer, a non-participant, always hospitable, yet never drunk, never stoned. Was he a chick/guy magnet because of his shining personality, or because of his ability to mirror every passing body in the most complimentary light, just like silver foil on the walls of his house? (“Come to my house”)… A cool Slav, making it in the West, was he interesting because of his human depth, everything he endured, his wit (and it was there, if you read his diaries)… Or, mainly because he relentlessly showed interest in countless others, who would digest and disseminate his secondary ideas to create his prime publicity (followed by prosperity) just like birds planting seeds of digested plants far and wide. FAMSF Board of Trustees President, Diane Wilsey, remarked at the opening that Warhol, constantly surrounded by adoring fans and tripping over themselves hostesses of our little burg, hasn’t said one single word during his week stay in San Francisco back in the 1970s… Leaving everyone to wonder, what a conversation with the most important artist of the 20th century would sound like? A king of pop, a god of marketing… “Warhol Live” runs through May 17 at the de Young Museum, Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, SF. 415-750-3600, www.famsf.org.

Biennial SECA Art Award Exhibition Opens at SFMOMA

Four young Bay Area artists of exceptional talent were recognized at the 2008 SECA Art Awards presentation last Wednesday at The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The exhibition in the fourth floor galleries features several works by Tauba Auerbach, Desirée Holman, Jordan Kantor, and Trevor Paglen, all of whom were present at the opening. Auerbach’s subject matter ranges from static on TV screen and computer programming codes to crumpled paper and shattered glass, all rendered in photography, painting, and drawing. Holman populates her gallery with a disturbing cast of characters mocking the TV sitcoms of her childhood—Roseanne and The Cosby Show. In her drawings and videos, actors in masks that smack of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, play their silent yet telling parts in the bizzaro world, produced by daytime television and accepted by the wider culture. Kantor’s oil paintings explore lens flares, overexposed photographs, and a fascinating X-ray of Edouard Manet’s “Bar aux Folies-Bergere.” Paglen’s body of work in photography and mixed media concentrates primarily on some kind of a conspiracy theory, US government/military/hidden-from-the-public spymania. For the last 40 years, SECA (Society for the Encouragement of Contemporary Art), an SFMOMA art interest group, has awarded more than 50 Bay Area artists in its biennial program. During the award presentation on February 11, SFMOMA Director Neal Benezra joked that it reminded him of the Academy awards ceremony (although the key element of the latter, that coveted golden statuette, was missing). 2008 SECA Art Award exhibition runs through May 10 at 151 Third Street, San Francisco.

Epic Roasthouse Affords Spectacular Views, Intriguing Design

Epic Roasthouse and Water Bar sister restaurants celebrated their first anniversary just weeks ago, but their presence on the Embarcadero waterfront cannot be missed. A legendary restaurateur Pat Kuleto (designer and co-owner) used giant water tank and pump features in the interior of Epic. “Pat’s design reflects the rescue efforts of the city during the historical 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire,” said Pete Sittnick, managing partner, who greeted visitors at the front on the day we lunched. Floor to ceiling windows with dramatic views of the Bay Bridge and its vicinity, an outside terrace, a private dining room and a luxurious upstairs bar with even better views create a unique character of the place, grandiose and cozy at the same time. Jan Birnbaum, executive chef and co-owner, who started his 30-year career in New Orleans, served as head chef at San Francisco’s Campton Place Hotel among other distinguished venues. His chili squid salad with white beans, olives and tomato confit was a great starter, followed by an heirloom apple salad with California cheddar, cranberries, and curry roasted cashews, fresh and flavorful, if a bit overdressed. Beef tartare with parsley aioli, capers, and red onions, crowned with a raw quail egg, was brought to the table in an elegant boat dish, mixed, and served with toasts. A glass of Cooralook pinot noir (pairing by moi) served as a counterbalance for all the salt and spice, especially pronounced in an Epic cassoulet, called on the menu “beans that make you crazy.” An avid salter, I regretted not being able to use a display of three salts on the table—fleur de sel, pink, and black from Hawaii. The latter was also used in caramel ice cream dessert, and that was a perfect dessert indeed. Epic Roasthouse is open seven days a week, and serves lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch on both days. Located at 369 The Embarcadero. Call for reservations 415-369-9955 or online reservations@epicroasthouse.com. Visit www.epicroasthousesf.com for more information.

Artistic Luxury: Faberge, Tiffany, Lalique at the Legion of Honor

This overwhelmingly grandiose exhibit of nearly 250 objects replicates the singular event in history when three prominent jewelers of la Belle Époque converged at L’Exposition de Paris 1900. The luxury bestsellers from New York, Paris, and St. Petersburg fascinated the public then, and surely will repeat the effect now. World-famous enameled and bejeweled Easter eggs, created by the House of Faberge for the Russian royal family; Tiffany’s iridescent lamps and windows, and Lalique’s horn and glass wearable art, ever so slightly accented with diamonds and sapphires were collected from more than 40 international lenders for the show, organized by the Cleveland Museum of Art. “Several important works of art from our collection are showcased in the exhibition, highlighting our own strong holdings in European and American decorative arts,” said John Buchanan, Director of Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. The Kelch Rocaille mauve green and pink egg, on display among other Faberge masterpieces, came from the Board of Trustees President Diane Wilsey’s collection. At the exhibit opening, Mrs. Wilsey said that her father used to collect Faberge, and shared an anecdotal story of acquiring this particular piece in her favorite colors, which she briefly tried using as a cocktail purse. The MUST SEE show is on display through May 31 at Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, SF. Call 415-750-3600 or visit www.famsf.org. Photography by Yuri Krasov: Diane Wilsey by the Kelch Rocaille Faberge egg; artifacts from the show.

The San Francisco Arts of Pacific Asia Show

The 13th Annual San Francisco Arts of Pacific Asia Show at Fort Mason on February 6-8 presented 85 international dealers and 10 000 objects from Mainland and Pacific Asia for viewing and purchasing. Among Chinese porcelain, Korean ceramics, Tibetan and Southeast Asian textiles, ceremonial clothing, masks, jewelry, and antiques dealers there were a couple of dozens of Northern California art galleries. David Peck with Imari Gallery in Sausalito presented Japanese screens, salon furniture pieces, and wooden netsuke in a paper-walled room-like display, which attracted collectors from previous shows. Margrit Schurman, CEO of Scriptum, Inc., based in Berkeley, offered detailed information on contemporary Japanese prints and the living artists her gallery is collaborating with, like Iwao Akiyama, Tanaka Ryohei and many others. Zena Kruzick of Richmond displayed a rich collection of tribal textiles and jewelry, and Patricia Mulrooney from Harmonique in Berkeley introduced home décor pieces from China, and baby hats, elaborately made by the meticulous grandmothers in remote rural areas. Buddhist art, textiles, and oriental rugs occupied a great portion of the exhibition hall, surrounded by household items, statuettes, paintings, and adornments of all kinds. For additional information, visit www.caskeylees.com. Photography by Yuri Krasov.

The Vibrator Play Sends Waves Through Berkeley Rep

Once you get past the title, which is actually “In the Next Room (or the vibrator play)” you realize that it’s a very funny and poignant period piece, as innocent as it is subversive in its reflection of societal attitudes and misconceptions. Written by Sarah Ruhl and directed by Les Waters, the play is based on a well documented yet not all that well-known medical fact that a century ago doctors treated women diagnosed with “hysteria” by inducing orgasms (hysterical paroxysms) right in their offices. Lately, this fact is being widely researched in plentiful monographies and on the History channel, but is far from becoming a common knowledge as it remains in the realm of topics not to be discussed by the office water cooler. It is not surprising that the Berkeley Rep, with its motto, Break out of the ordinary, chose the MacArthur fellow’s comedy for its 50th world premiere. Some early specimens of the electrical devise, which made well-meaning doctors’ lives so much easier, are presented in the foyer of the Roda Theatre for public observation. The show, with all its subtleties and slips of tongue, silent gazes an awkward pauses is beautifully delivered by a very talented cast, led by Hannah Cabell (Catherine Givings) and Paul Niebanck (Dr. Givings). In the Next Room runs through March 15. At select performances, free tastings from local culinary artisans are offered one hour before curtain: Forth Vineyards on Feb. 15; Fra’ Mani Handcrafted Salumi on Feb. 8 and March 6; Peterson Winery on Feb. 13; the Spanish Table on Feb. 15; Amanda’s on Feb. 21; Teance on Feb. 27; Peet’s Coffee & Tea on Feb. 28; Charles Chocolates on March 1, and Domaine Carneros on March 7. Berkeley Rep Roda Theatre is locates at 2015 Addison Street, Berkeley. Call 510-647-2949 or visit www.berkeleyrep.org Stacy Ross, Maria Dizzia and Paul Niebanck star in a new comedy about marriage, intimacy…and electricity. The world premiere of In the Next Room (or the vibrator play) reunites MacArthur genius Sarah Ruhl and Obie Award-winning director Les Waters.
Photo courtesy of kevinberne.com

Fish & Farm Spells Fine & Fresh

Both fish and farm are represented in the artwork on the walls, but otherwise the place looks fitting for Mark Twain Hotel, where it is located. A cozy darkened dining room that sits 40, brown leather booths and sleek furniture hint at a 1800s elegant clubby atmosphere and after dinner drinks, of which the menu has no shortage. But let’s start with the First Things—that’s how appetizers are called here. On the night we dined, the oxtail soup with red beets, sour cream, and grated horseradish was light yet briny, and burgundy colored—a great take on the famous Ukrainian borsch, rather familiar to some of us since childhood. In a conversation, chef Jacob Des Voignes admitted that he likes to visit Russian specialty stores on Geary, sometimes coming out with ten loaves of dark rye bread. Bravo, chef, your adventurous spirit, open mind, and good taste serve your diners just right! An oft-changing menu reflects these important qualities in the 28-year-old master: every dish comes with imaginative sides, like grilled Monterey Bay sardines with almonds, golden raisins, watercress, and blood orange. Red beans, kale, Cara-Cara oranges and tender baby turnips accompany an entrée of slow roasted salmon—medium-rare, flavorful, with the jewel-like translucent flesh. (A side note for those who insist on sending it back for well doneness: it’s a delicacy, honey. Just open your mind and try it. You won’t ever get back to that cardboard grilled opaque mess again). From the fish to the farm: roast leg of lamb, young and fresh, comes over a wonderfully crispy square of polenta, surrounded by black trumpet mushrooms, rapini, and olive tapenade—a memorable combination of tastes and textures. The establishment, owned by John Duggan, Elena Duggan, and Frank Klein, supports local farmers and fishermen, and most organic sustainable ingredients for chef Jacob’s knock out dinners come from within a 100-mile radius. A roof garden, tended by the chef, supplements tomatoes, herbs, and other plant foods. An enticing selection of creative desserts, cheeses, and libations (ever heard of dessert beer?) rounds up the feast. Fish & Farm is located at 339 Taylor St., San Francisco. Call for reservations 415-474-3474 or visit www.fishandfarmsf.com. Photography by Yuri Krasov

Ask Emma

Question: How many days do you think I should wait before answering an email from a man I met in a bar? We hit it off easily, but then again, both of us were a little drunk at the time. It’s been three days since we met, and he emailed me saying he would like to meet again. I know I liked him a lot, but now I can hardly remember how he looks. I don’t quite remember what he is doing for a living, and what we were talking about; I just know I thought he was pretty smart when we talked. To tell you the truth, I was ready to leave the bar with him that night, but I was there for my friend’s bachelorette’s party, so I couldn’t. Do you think I should email him back right now, or should I wait and play hard to get?
Answer: Why don’t you write to the guy as soon as possible and let him know you can’t remember his face or his occupation, or anything he told you the night you met, while you were just a little drunk. Those are sure signs you could have taken a frog for a prince and wouldn’t even know whom you were kissing. You might also try to engage in correspondence with him in hopes to figure out how smart he really is, and if he has a job, a home, a wife, a criminal record or other things important for successful dating. Or, you might scrap your wonderful drunk experience and thank your bachelorette friend for preventing you from going with him that night. That would be as hard to get as it gets.

Pascal Rioult Athletic Dancers Express Ideas Through Motion

Like a fleeting comet, Pascal Rioult Dance Theatre sizzled at Cal Performances for two nights with two different programs last weekend. Sunday program opened with Les Noces set to Stravinskly music. Following the historically successful (and scandalous at the time) interpretation of the composer’s torn rhythms and relentless melodies by the great Diaghilev a century ago, Rioult’s take is daring, boldly sexed up, emotionally charged, and highly athletic. Dressed in scarce costumes, or just the outlines of ones, his dancers look like korperkultur models, which makes even more sense in the second piece of the program, Ravel’s Wien (Vienna). Rioult turns the waltz into a transparently political pantomime, unfolding the psychological lining of Anschluss. The dancers’ moves vary from marching over their peers’ fallen bodies to swastika-like gestures; from futile attempts to go on waltzing as if nothing happened to depictions of a dehumanized crowd. No matter how many years Rioult lives and works in America, and how famous he becomes, it surely takes a European to revive a tragic episode of European history in this strikingly laconic and precise manner. The show closed with another Ravel’s piece—the best known if just balancing on being annoyingly persistent in its repetitions Bolero. Here those perfect bodies shine in slick silver costumes and sharpened robotic moves, never stopping their energetic advance, never tiring or catching a breath. Cool and composed, Mr. Rioult briefly arrived on stage for the final bows with his disciplined troupes, met with a standing ovation. To learn about future performances and to order tickets, call 510-642-9988, or visit www.calperformances.org