The revue "Shopping! The Musical" is about to celebrate a year running in the cozy Shelton Theater off Union Square, and it’s not a surprise. Billed as the "the show for everyone who has ever shopped," the fun, minimalist production is the perfect salve for a tourist tired after a busy day on his or her feet, or even for an office worker easing into the weekend. Read More

Here’s a winning formula: Take one stunning, petite, blonde woman, add substantial grace and charm, blend with warmth and sophistication, and you have Sandra Farris.Gentility, kindness, softness, she is also "very real" as her friend, Delia Ehrlich puts it, and effervescent, with an easy, lilting laugh and a warm, inclusive personality. An only child, daughter of Harold and Lee, Sandra was born in La Jolla, moved north to the Bay Area to attend the College of Notre Dame in Belmont, and never looked south again. Read More

Near the end of the enormous, jam-packed exhibit of her fashion designs at the de Young Museum, there is a puzzling, meaningful quote from Vivienne Westwood: "You have a much better life if you wear impressive clothes."Skipping the debatable point whether clothes make the man — or, rather, the woman in this case — why "impressive," rather than "beautiful"? If you read on and, more importantly, if you go to see the exhibit, you will have some tentative answers. Read More

About this series: In a saloon town such as San Francisco, the bartender plays a crucial role. Confessor, friend, sounding board — the man or woman behind the plank sees to it that our needs are met with elegance, grace and often wit. They see humanity at its best and most convivial, but also offer a nod and a welcome to the lonely. But what do they see when they look at us? What are the tricks of their trade? And what lessons have they learned along the way? In this new Examiner weekly feature, we talk to some of our local bartenders to find out. Read More