Seasons eatings What to do The Tablehopper says hello to The Greenwich and Solstice, Check out our November and good-bye to Castagna. p. 8 calendar, from the San Francisco Susan Dyer Reynolds serves winter squash. p. 10 Opera to Union Square’s tree Thalia Farshchian reviews the holiday spices. p. 16 lighting and more. p. 14 MARINATIMES.COM CELEBRATING OUR 35TH YEAR VOLUME 35 ISSUE 11 NOVEMBER 2019 R R Cirque du Soleil With rambling diatribes on cultural appropriation, the San Francisco Chronicle’s Soleil Ho makes a mockery of food criticism BY SUSAN DYER REYNOLDS S F C - ed to replace food critic Michael Bauer, I wasn’t alone in thinking “It’s about time.” WAfter all, the New York Times had six food critics during Bauer’s 32-year reign. It was no secret that most restau- rateurs knew what Bauer looked like, that he had become chummy with chefs like Thomas Keller, and that his Detail of Barbara Jones-Hogu’s Unite, 1971. PHOTO: COURTESY OF LUSENHOP FINE ART; THE FINE ARTS MUSEUMS OF SAN FRANCISCO boyfriend of three decades, Michael Murphy, used their relationship to cozy up to gastronomic luminaries for financial gain. ‘Soul of a Nation’ comes to the de Young As the culinary world entered the #MeToo era, with prominent local chefs and restauranteurs accused of sex- BY SHARON ANDERSON and cultural movements within the ton and the height of the Civil ual harassment, it also became clear that Bauer was ill- black community are brought to Rights Movement, artists fighting equipped to deal with the new normal. He took heat from “S a life through a diverse grouping of for equality and justice created websites like Eater for even considering establishments Nation: Art in the Age of painting, sculpture, photography, imagery promoting that solidarity of the accused for his famous Top 100 list (“Michael Black Power” opens at the de and political publications. and resistance to oppression. Imag- Bauer still not sure if he should review restaurants run by TYoung on Nov. 9, 2019 and contin- es of political figures as beacons bad men”). Bauer also struggled to explain his position ues through March 15, 2020. Fea- A FIGHT FOR EQUALITY of leadership come to life in John in the April 2018 Chronicle essay “Faded Luster,” which turing more than 150 works by Using 1963 as a starting point, Outterbridge’s About Martin (1975) felt like a set-up for the newspaper’s politically correct over 60 artists, key historical events marking the March on Washing- ART WORLD, continued on 12 REYNOLDS RAP, continued on 4 H N N N Street; Flores on Union Street, and True-ish facts about several others. A PERSONAL PASSION Thanksgiving Now, Paganini and his team have transformed Belga, his well-liked The holiday is about more than Belgian beer and sausage restau- rant on Union Street, into a 100 footballs, turkeys, and pie percent plant-based destination called Wildseed. After opening in BY JOHN ZIPPERER mid-September, Wildseed has been jammed every night. ’ Say what? From Belgian sausages right away: If, for any reason, you have a tur- to mushroom burgers? Paganini is key emergency this Thanksgiving, Butterball has nothing if not prescient, identify- Lmore than 50 experts on call to help you through your ing and taking advantage of food Some of the dishes available at Wildseed. PHOTO: AUBRIE PICK cooking crisis. The Butterball Turkey Talk Line is avail- trends. And the current move- able at — I’ll wait while you get a pen and paper — 800- ment toward eating a more plant- 877-3456. From burgers to kale: Plant-based based diet is a particular passion of Now on to less dramatic but more interesting Paganini’s. holiday news. Wildseed takes over Belga space “Most restaurants in San Fran- This year, San Franciscans will gather for Thanks- cisco serve meat, and that’s not a giving meals everywhere from the Fairmont hotel to problem for me,” says Paganini. the Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center. Houses and on Union Street “But I personally have been trying condos and apartments and those weird shared micro to eat more vegetables. I grew up in apartments will be filled with the smell of roasting fowl BY JULIE MITCHELL ited shelf life. Paganini’s restaurant Italy, so I basically follow a Medi- or the Impossible version thereof. group, Back of the House, is the terranean diet that focuses more on Three different NFL games will be played throughout A P- force behind several of San Francis- greens and grains than on meat or the day, though none of them will feature a California anini definitely has the Midas co’s favorite neighborhood eateries: fish. I’m not advocating that every- team. Therefore everyone at your holiday gathering touch when it comes to suc- A Mano in Hayes Valley, Barvale one try it. But in creating Wildseed, will be looking for something else to amuse them until Rcessfully opening and maintaining on Divisadero Street; Lolinda in which I have been working on for they’re ready for pie, so why not entertain them with an expanding line of diverse, popu- the Mission; Super Duper Burg- years, I wanted to offer people a interesting facts about Thanksgiving? lar restaurants in a city where even er in several locations; The Bird place where they can come and eat HOLIDAY NOTES, continued on 6 hot new spots seem to have a lim- in SOMA; Delarosa on Chestnut NEWLY NOTABLE, continued on 9 C I T I 12 08 17 News Calendar San Francisco updates November events Our news roundup includes a look at the As the weather gets cooler and the rains start under-construction Francisco Park, plans to fall, the jam-packed holiday season also for a new Tunnel Tops park connecting approaches. From ice rinks to galas to Union the Presidio with Crissy Field, the removal Square’s 30th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, of historic trees near Fort Mason, a crime there is a lot to take in so you can enjoy the update, and the city puts $16.3 million into season. And if all of that isn’t enough, there’s improving three blocks of Jefferson Street; always the immortal Cher at Chase Center. 14 plus a collection of facts and figures. 3 Wellness Northside Healthy holidays A sense of place Thalia Farshchian provides tips for getting According to the Police Blotter, there are the most — healthwise — from your holi- a lot of people trying to get into cars day foods. 16 and homes where they don’t belong; plus District 2 Supervisor Catherine Stefani Family says it’s a constant struggle to keep public MomSense safety as a city priority. 5 With Veterans Day arriving on Nov. 11, Liz Farrell examines some ways you and your Food & Wine family can honor those who served. 17 Fall food The Tablehopper reports on the “Hamptons- Real Estate in-the-Marina” vibe of the new The Battles over rents Greenwich, Apizza is a good place to pick up John Zipperer reports on the passage of the a pizza, Wayfare Tavern now serves brunch, statewide rent-cap law AB 1482, along with and Aziza is back in business after a mere a roundup of other real estate news and three-year break; plus Susan Dyer Reynolds comment, including the should-be-con- serves up her recipes for winter squash. 8 troversial plan to close Market Street to automobile traffic. 18 Arts & Entertainment Words on pictures ONLINE SPECIALS Film critic Michael Snyder highlights Coastal Commuter Michael Snyder explains Parasite, Loro, and Pain and Glory, three why he likes a Friends-less Friendsgiving films that are good enough to appeal even holiday; plus our expanded calendar list- to people who don’t like subtitles; plus see ings, and more. what’s on the Marina’s best-seller list. 12 marinatimes.com Like us on Facebook.com/MarinaTimes Follow us on Twitter.com/TheMarinaTimes Sign up for our newsletters at MarinaTimes.com marinatimes.com | 3053 Fillmore Street #104, San Francisco, CA 94123 Contact: [email protected] | Letters to the Editor: [email protected] Advertising: (415) 815-8081 • [email protected] Calendar submissions due by the 15th of the month to [email protected] Publisher Earl Adkins [email protected] Editor in Chief Susan Dyer Reynolds [email protected] Executive Editor John Zipperer [email protected] Managing Editor Lynette Majer [email protected] Design Director Sara Brownell [email protected] MARINA TIMES IS A TRADE MARK OF JASMINE BLUE MEDIA LLC. 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PHOTO: NAOMI ROSE New Northside parks underway 䈀伀䠀伀 䠀䄀倀倀夀 䠀伀唀刀 FRANCISCO PARK UPDATE declining health also pose a risk to the Construction on Francisco Park 1 million visitors to the area each year; TUESDAY – SUNDAY, began in July and visitors to the site the trees are directly adjacent to the Bay 5:30PM – 6:30PM can already see major changes to the Trail.