San Franciscans tired of foggy summer nights know a trip to the East Bay (or South) can be just the ticket to a balmy evening or an SPF 30 afternoon.

The headline is not meant to be insulting. It's an homage to a new book titled, "My Week Beats Your Year — Encounters with Lou Reed, 1972-2013" (Hat & Beard Press) compiled by Michael Heath and edited by Pat Thomas.

You have to admit that it's more than a little strange to watch the third season of Netflix's "Stranger Things" while the strangest thing of all is living in the White House.

"If I Were You" is up and ready to go. Workshopped in January, double-cast from this year's crop of talented Merolini, and set for a run at Herbst Theatre August 1-6.

The opening-night film for the 39th San Francisco Jewish Film Festival lit up the Castro Theatre screen last Thursday night.

Consider any or all of the following albums by LGBTQ artists to provide the music for your queer ears.

Fresh faces, big voices, and an enthusiastic audience charged the San Francisco Conservatory of Music last week at the 62nd season opener of the Merola Opera Program.

The female duo known as Zhané, whose moniker was a combo of their first names Renée Neufville and Jean Norris, had a hit with their debut disc "Pronounced Jah-Nay" (Motown/UMe), newly reissued in a double-LP vinyl set.

San Francisco music-lovers taking staycations this summer can plan concert events knowing there is no lack of cultural activity in the coming months.

While she was not the greatest singer of the 20th century, Judy Garland was possibly the greatest entertainer of the modern age. June 22 was the 50th anniversary of her untimely death at age 47 from an accidental overdose of barbiturates.

There's an old comic movie about a European charter tour called "If It's Tuesday, It Must Be Belgium." Likewise, you could call the movie of our whirlwind last week "If It's Thursday, It Must Be Frameline."

The third and final entry in San Francisco Opera's summer season opened on Father's Day with stage director Leah Hausman's entertaining revival of David McVicar's Lyric Opera of Chicago production of Dvorak's dark and dreamlike "Rusalka."

"Orlando," the second installment in SFO's highly contrasted summer line-up of three, updates Handel's adventurous score to a 20th-century setting and adds psychological insight for 21st-century listeners.

As would only be fitting, MTT, our own private Merlin of Mahler, is crafting his farewell season as music director of the SF Symphony around two major pillars of the composer's output, the Sixth and Eighth Symphonies.