San Francisco, CA

San Francisco’s Largest, Most Collaborative Queer Party Returns for a Second Year

Published

2 years ago

May 16, 2024

San Francisco’s Largest, Most Collaborative Queer Party Returns for a Second Year

Velvet, which showcases nearly a dozen queer-centric organizations that proliferate SF’s nightlife scene, will take over The Midway this upcoming Saturday.

A point we can’t harp on enough is that San Francisco remains the queer mecca of the world. For a litany of reasons, San Francisco stays a bastion for LGBTQIA+ legislation, queer escapism (both before and after the sun goes down), burgeoning creativity, etc.; as the saying goes, “as California goes, so goes the nation”; one could line-edit that to read “as [San Francisco] goes, so goes California… [and then the nation.]”

And among those goings, if you will, is the queer renaissance San Francisco is presently in the midst of — representing a nexus of the larger trend of large metros across the nation seeing a surge of new LBGTQIA+ residents and, by proxy, an increase in hosted queer events.

Electroluxx‘s hosted Velvet party is, ostensibly, the zenith of that nexus, bringing together eleven Bay Area-based queer nightlife organizations this year inorder to throw one hell of a party. Some might sing it’s revolutionary, even; they wouldn’t be wrong in that tune.

“This is revolutionary,” says Comfort and Joy organizer Josh Smith in an email to Underscore, highlighting the intrinsic comradery between the event’s collaborators in crafting Velvet. “Velvet is not just bringing together a couple of promoters, this is 11 organizations coming together in an industry that is often known for being very competitive. Seeing these groups unite and set aside the individual for the collective is quite powerful. It also speaks to the ability of electronic dance music to bring people together.”

The first-of-its-kind partnership, which is now in its second iteration, will feature the following esteemed groups and nightlight entertainers, each helping fill the five-stage venue: Comfort & Joy, Electroluxx, Polyglamorous, Recess, GlamCocks!, BAAAHS, Bad Asstronauts, Mystopia, Something Queer, Gender Blender, Camp Beaverton, Provocateur, and iconic San Francisco Drag Queen Juanita MORE!

Electroluxx co-founder Brett Mendenhall notes that Velvet is a “core expression of the queer community in San Francisco,” adding that it’s an opportunity for folks from a variety of groups to come together and celebrate under one roof — “it’s a place where we can dance together, create together, and connect together.”

Much like last year, attendees can expect to be bathed in breathtaking laser and light shows. Though organizers of the event have been clear about saying that said beams of light won’t be directed at crowds. “I always tell event organizers and lighting crew that they should never point beams down toward a crowd, because that’s how you cause eyesight damage and temporary partial blindness, it’s so dangerous,” co-creator of Velvet Elliott C. Nathan tells us in conversation.

Other onsight niceties include a silent disco, cuddle puddle, face painting, bracelet making, a 360-action photo booth, and some other unique surprises; Madam Zola’s Fortune Cafe will be open throughout the party’s duration, serving up tacos, pizza, and other hand-food-friendly fares.

Velvet organizers say that the artist Chickpea, in tandem with the Comfort & Joy team, is crafting a “visual art spectacle that is guaranteed to amaze.” Multi-discipline artist Scott Levkoff of Mondo events will install “surreal and trippy decorations throughout the main hallway,” all of which will be lit by 3D Mapped Projections by famed projection artist Stefan who became known for his craft doing projections for The Fun Gallery in the 1980s where he projected at events featuring the work of Keith Haring and Basquiat as well as projection installations for famed Studio 54.

In the main room, High Beam Lasers is set to debut their newest light show technologies and types of equipment, helping create a euphoric dance experience (that, again, includes safe crowd scanning lasers).

“I can’t wait to walk through the venue that night and see the huge amalgamation of art, music, and experience,” tells Mark O’brien of Polyglamorous — the esteemed Burning Man camp and among Velvet’s collaborators for 2024 — about the party’s expected grandeur. “It’s a huge stew of hard work and talent that each of the groups contributes, to make this over-the-top, multifaceted kaleidoscope of a party.”

Velvet, too, is much more than merely a creative showcase where warm bodies can mingle underneath the piercing glow of lasers — it’s as much a place to build and foster community. And

“I love it when the creators of VELVET reach out to me about DJing their party,” says iconoclastic and infamous finger-wagging San Francisco drag queen Juanita MORE!, adding tangentially that receiving nudes is a “great way to get my attention and start a good conversation” before waxing about her upcoming Pride party. “This event will allow me to see many friends I probably won’t see again until my annual party on Pride Sunday ––which is celebrating its 20th year, by the way! I hope to see you shaking your groove thing on the dancefloor.”

Similarly, this “amazing night” is vying to become a staple in San Francisco’s queer community, made more symbolic and important by the collective of bipeds responsible for putting it on.

“I love getting to build together with so many energetic, creative, and fun people. This is our second round of this collaboration and I hope it becomes a famous tradition and celebration in the city. ” artist and Electroluxx co-founder Elliott C Nathan tells in an email. “It’s going to be an amazing night and I hope it sparks the beginning of even grander collaborations.”

// For more information on Velvet, including its organizers and performers, visit the Instagram page dedicated to the party; tickets, which are selling fast, can be purchased here; those who find themselves struggling to meet the admission ticket price are encouraged to reach out to collaborators via an Instagram direct message; a portion of the proceeds collected from Velvet will go towards two local LGBTQIA+ focused charities and will be announced on our social media channels following the event.

Source link

San Francisco, CA

Unionized teachers in San Francisco approve strike by a vote of 97.6%

Published

8 hours ago

February 1, 2026

Press Room

Unionized teachers in San Francisco approve strike by a vote of 97.6%

The union representing more than 6,000 San Francisco public school employees voted Saturday to authorize a strike to win improvements in compensation and working conditions.

The United Educators of San Francisco voted 97.6% to give its negotiators the power to call the first strike by the city’s teachers in 47 years, the union said. The 1979 strike lasted seven weeks.

The San Francisco Unified School District has been negotiating for almost a year with the UESF, which includes teachers, substitutes, paraeducators, counselors, social workers and nurses.

The two sides are still apart on union demands for higher pay and fully funded family health care benefits, the district said.

The union is also asking to include the district’s existing policies on immigrant rights and homeless families in the contract, the school district said.

The two sides jointly declared an impasse and requested arbitration Jan. 23. A neutral fact-finding committee is expected to recommend an offer on Wednesday If the union rejects the deal, that is when a strike could be declared.

The district’s latest offer included a 6% raise over three years, spread out at 2% a year and fully paid family health benefits.

The schools argue that there is no surplus of funds to pay for raises beyond this without making cuts elsewhere.

“SFUSD continues to experience a structural deficit, meaning the district repeatedly plans to spend more money than it brings in,” the district said.

The California Department of Education can overrule any financial decision that could put the district at risk, including salary increases, SFUSD said.

Source link

San Francisco, CA

One of California’s most famous chefs is coming home to San Francisco

Published

20 hours ago

January 31, 2026

Press Room

One of California’s most famous chefs is coming home to San Francisco

“Why on earth would you want to open in San Francisco?”

This was my first question to Christopher Kostow, the Napa Valley-based chef, as we sat outside at a cafe table on the corner of Pacific and Montgomery in Jackson Square. Along with his wife and business partner, Martina, Kostow announced plans last week to open a third location of Loveski, the couple’s modern Jewish deli. By the beginning of March, they will take over the Postscript space. (In good news, the popular, bougie cafe (opens in new tab), which has been roasting coffee there since 2023, will continue to provide beans to Loveski and a small list of retail partners.)

My question was obviously loaded: San Francisco is expensive, full of red tape, and — for restaurateurs — famously unforgiving. It’s the kind of place chefs expand to once they’ve earned their stripes, luxuriating in the more forgiving burbs, at properties that have amenities like parking lots. What is not as common is the country-to-city trajectory. But in this and other ways, Kostow is different.

“Well, to start, in 2002, when I was 25, I had the good fortune of working around the corner from here as a line cook. Remember Elisabeth Daniel?” he asked. The restaurant, located where Ver Jus is now, was owned by the divisive chef Daniel Patterson, who went on to earn two Michelin stars at Coi.

“It was a fine dining restaurant with beautiful food. But I was a whipping boy,” Kostow laughed, recalling that cooks weren’t allowed to smoke cigarettes or drink coffee because it would ruin their palette. “You had to run down the alley and hide behind garbage cans to smoke or take a shot of espresso. It was crazy. I didn’t enjoy that work experience, but I loved this gorgeous neighborhood.”

Loveski makes its own sourdough bagels. | Courtesy Kelly Puleio

Kostow’s rise to fame began in earnest after he left Elisabeth Daniel — and San Francisco — to take over The Restaurant at Meadowood in St. Helena in 2008. Meadowood earned a rare three Michelin stars before being destroyed in 2020’s Glass fire.

In 2022, the Kostows opened Loveski in an 800-square-foot space in Napa’s Oxbow Public Market. A year later, they opened a second location in the Marin Country Mart in Larkspur.

As the couple inched closer to San Francisco, they began circling the idea of returning to the city proper. Their daughters are older now, allowing the couple to travel from their St. Helena home more easily. “Another chapter of life unfolding, and I think it’s compelled us to start pursuing projects outside of Napa Valley,” he said.

And then, a few months ago, the Postscript deal dropped into their laps.

The timing and Jackson Square location were pure kismet. “With Jony Ive right here, it’s at the intersection of design, tech, and capital, and VC stuff,” Kostow says. “I don’t think we could have found a more dynamic place.”

Jackson Square is indeed enjoying a culinary renaissance. Michael and Lindsay Tusk, the owners of Quince, Cotogna, and Ver Jus, arguably made it what it is. But in the past few years, they’ve been joined by chef Brad Kilgore’s Ama, Cafe Sebastian, and MadLab in the Transamerica Pyramid. Peter Hemsley, who earned a star at his seafood-centric fine-dining restaurant Aphotic, is planning an opening on Jackson Street, in the space that used to house Kells Irish Restaurant and Pub.

Loveski Deli, which is in tribute to Kostow’s pre-Ellis Island family name, might not be catering to his younger self — the minimum-wage line cooks of the neighborhood. It will serve the hood’s well-heeled denizens fare the website calls “Jew-ish.”

Yes, there will be the signature sourdough bagels made with honey in the boil and matzo ball soup. But there will also be croissants, as well as smoothies, juices, and salmon bowls — things that famed Jewish delis like Canter’s in L.A. wouldn’t be caught dead serving. Kostow is also prepping items to sell in the larder, including miso made from day-old bagels, goji rice, water and salt; tamari made from that miso; and chile crisp made with everything-bagel seasoning.

A bowl of clear broth soup with three large matzo balls, diced carrots, herbs, and a spoon, served on white plates with blue rims. — Matzo ball soup will be on the menu. | Source: Courtesy Kelly Puleio

The mini bagel-and-lox empire has kept Kostow busy, but, with Meadowood’s reopening date undetermined, it hasn’t quite filled the fine-dining hole in his heart. “I do want to work in that kind of focused environment again,” he says. “I was almost embarrassed by the fanciness of it, but it was built to create beauty every day — that was pretty cool. But the expectations out of the gate are going to be three stars, or it’s a failure. That’s going to be super challenging — but I enjoy that kind of challenge.” (At this, Martina, the CEO of their empire, piped up: “Yeah, that’s when I go on hiatus.”)

Loveski, meanwhile, is a personal, focused concept in its own way. Kostow’s not looking to make the deli into a “museum piece — a faux shtetl,” he said. He wants to keep it real. “We’re trying to do something that we feel enlarges the concept. We’re not trying to pin our hopes and dreams on a massive pastrami sandwich.”

Source link

San Francisco, CA

Super Bowl Experience coming to San Francisco

Published

1 day ago

January 31, 2026

Press Room

Super Bowl Experience coming to San Francisco

The countdown is on for the big game. While it’s over 40 miles south of San Francisco, the city will still be bustling when it comes to all things Super Bowl 60. In fact, much of the work is well underway or completed, likely making streets difficult to navigate.

SAN FRANCISCO – Super Bowl LX Is still more than a week away, but work is underway to prepare for the big game and the crowds it will draw to San Francisco.

Football fan frenzy

Inside San Francisco’s Moscone Center, an army of workers is transforming the convention center into a fan center. Just about everywhere you look, crews are hard at work creating the venue for the Super Bowl Experience, a fan-focused experience.

“Not everybody is lucky enough to go to Levi’s Stadium on February 8th, but this is your opportunity to get into the game,” said Nicki Ewell, who is the VP of Events for NFL.

Plenty to do

Among the activities, crews are building an indoor football field that will host international competition from 14 countries, a girls’ high school flag football showcase and the Pro-Bowl game bringing together some of the biggest names in the NFL for a flag football showdown.

“It’s about 500,000 square feet of activities,” Ewell said. “Fans come down, they stay for 4 hours. Kids 12 and under are free every day, no ticket required. It’s really an opportunity to get in the game, see our players with their helmets off, which is an awesome opportunity for autographs and photos and meet and greets.”

Fans will also get a chance to see how they stack up against virtual NFL players in a 40-yard-dash, try kicking an extra point, and see what if they’ve got the rushing skills to catch a punt and weave through defenders to the end zone.

Organizers say they’re working to make sure the experience for fans is unforgettable. “You can stay three to four hours, there’s amazing content, amazing games, amazing shopping,” Ewell said. “So, we’re excited, something for everybody.”

Sports memorabilia

Fans will also have a chance to check out Super Bowl rings and the Vince Lombardi Trophy, which will be on display as well.

All the fun for the Super Bowl experience gets underway here starting Tuesday. Organizers say tickets are available online for $40 for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, prices go up as the week progresses. Kids 12 and under get in for free.

San FranciscoSuper BowlNews

Source link