Dirty Martini Society

Well I knew it would happen eventually. The typical bar crawl of the Castro has lost much of its luster after 4 or so years doing the same journey. Trigger, The Cafe, Q Bar, Moby Dick, blah blah blah. Not that I don't enjoy these fine establishments of haziness (especially on 2 for 1 night), it's just that I needed some new and fresh. Enter Blackbird. After hearing whispers and the occasional yelp stalking for the past couple of weeks I finally decided that last Sunday I absolutely had to make it there come hell or high ball glass. Armed with my bff and my favorite pair of jeans we ventured to this new watering hole. First impression: me likey! The environment was quite inviting and I quickly dubbed it "The Bourbon and Branch of Upper Market" or BBUM. We made it there around 8:30 so it wasn't packed but pleasantly full of after dinner patrons looking for something to take the edge off of Sunday Funday. My first drink was The Early Bird, and by far the favorite. I tried a couple of others but nothing held my attention like the EB. Reminiscent of a gimlet this drink was easy to digest and provided a nice coolant for the unusually muggy summer night. 2 hours drifted away as I noticed the place reached critical-I-can't-move-without-brushing-some-well-fitted-7's mass. Occupying a window table near the door I noticed the clientele was a perfect cross-section of the location. You had the bears, the club boys, the super trendy str8 folks, and the avg hipster. Everything for anyone.

Around 11pm the DMS entourage and myself decided to fly the coop and head out to Toad Hall that ended in a totally uneventful evening. However, Blackbird lived up to the hype and I will certainly be back.


Blackbird Bar: 2124 Market St
(between Church St & Sanchez St)

Since becoming a resident of SF I have been in search of seafood. Something that didn't involve a taco and or so expensive that I could have bought the new D&G man clutch instead. Finally, labor day weekend I got my wish. Earlier in the week I'd agreed to make dinner with a couple of friends but due to an apartment emergency we decided to eat out. Their pick: Weird Fish.



Believing strongly in fate I knew I had to try this place after walking past it only 48 hours earlier. With 6:30 reservations we walked into the tiny establishment and were promptly seated. Appetizers consisting of calamari and a yam dish perked my palate up for the main course. First thought: It's hard to screw up calamari, and the yam dish (a.k.a the little b stack) was a nice inventive touch. While the rest of my party opted for the fish and chips I braved the almond encrusted rainbow trout. Presentation is a big deal with me, and I was delighted when my dish was brought out. The flavor that followed was simply amazing. Not too overbearing, but definitive in seasoning. Savoring every bite I knew that I had to come back and sample more of this weird fish menu.

Be sure to check it out at 18th and Mission!

So it's been two months since the "Big Move" to SF. These first eight weeks I enjoyed catching up with various DMS members for drinks, dinners, and wandering about the city. Taxis were the the main choice of transportation besides walking, and soon it began to add up. As with most of the world the past couple of months (or maybe a year now) has been an economic rollercoaster. With that in mind I set out to find other modes of transportation that didn't involve gas or a never-ending meter. Enter the Bike Kitchen. SF is full of bikers, some friendly, some not so friendly. On a sunny day I would secretly wish I was one of those care free souls biking to Dolores Park to lounge the day away. However, being young, broke, and fabulous there was absolutely no money in my budget for a bike...(happy hour is important ok!) That's when I decided to check out the Bike Kitchen. The BK is a co-op shop in the Mission that allows you to work on your bike using donated tools and assistance from volunteer staff members. If you decide to volunteer you can earn a year long membership after completing 6 hours of service. Once you hit 12 hours of service you earn "digging rights." This allows you to build a bike from donated spare parts in the shop for $30! I couldn't pass up this deal, so last week I signed up as a volunteer and in the next week or so will start to work on a bike I've already named Le Femme Nikita. Soon I'll be riding to Happy Hours around the city in style and getting awesome cardio in.

After a particularly busy day at the office I arrived back at my flat in the Mission to a minor heat wave. A gallon of water and a half-read copy of Vogue later I decided to venture out into my neighborhood for some good comfort food. Tacquerias were out of the question as I feel like burritos have become a staple since moving to the new place exactly two months ago today. Chinese food sounded equally ungratifying, and as I rounded the corner of 24th and Bryant I rememberd that my favorite little brunch place was open on weekdays as well. St. Francis Fountain, San Francisco's oldest ice cream parlor (est. 1918), is a great place to get a Guinness Ice Cream float along with a classic burger and fries. Admittedly, until yesterday I was only a brunch regular ordering the My Chef Jess and sipping a Manzanita (apple juice and champagne...yum!). However, it's pretty obvious that I'll be dining there on the regular for both dinner and brunch.

Have you missed the DMS? No where to go on the weekends and need suggestions? Well not to fear cause the DMS has moved....to SAN FRANCISCO. Now we can bring you the hottest spots, openings, and events going down in the city by the Bay each week.

Feels good to be back!

In search of a signature cocktail to start the year off right I decided to begin my adventure at the Sunday Farmer’s Market. Wandering around the vast tents of fruit vendors my mind went over all the possible concoctions I could experiment with. Just then my sights settled on the pomegranate stand. Thinking they would be out of season soon I grabbed a mini armload and transported safely back to my homegrown laboratory. What I came up with was a very interesting version of what many consider to be a pomegranate martini.



• 4 Parts Vodka (preferably Grey Goose, but Stoli works as well)
• 1 Part Simple Syrup
• 1 Part Triple Sec
• 3 Parts fresh pomegranate juice
• Shaken over ice
• Pour into a highball glass (martini glass works as well)
• Garnish with pomegranate seeds

This may be a little strong to the taste (DMS members tends to like’em strong), so feel free to play around the ingredients. I haven’t come up with a name for this cocktail as of yet, but my working name is the Pomegranate Cosmo.

Yeah, I know, no post since the Treasure Island Music Festival. For Shame. Well the good news is that the DMS is back from a lengthy vacation, and ready for the new year. Upcoming we got a long overdue shout out for Dirty Sue, an olive juice product, that spices up any cold martini. Also, we are unveiling a new section entitled "From College to Couture," in which we show you how to take your post college wardrobe from Hoodie to Houndstooth and not break the bank.

It's good to be back.