Allison McCarthy

Sure, green beer is kinda gross and Irish car bombs are a bit fratastic, but what other day can you go out, down a Guinness and say, “Kiss me, I’m Irish” without getting slapped? The sophisticated amongst us may choose to stay couch-bound Wednesday, but for those who want to revel, there’s no shortage of solid pubs. Here’s where you might find us quaffing a few.

1. The Irish Bank

Defy gravity, literally. Rock climbing meets acrobatics meets dance in AscenDance Project's Beyond Gravity. Founded in 2006 by German-born performance artist and mountaineer Isabel von Rittberg, the AscenDance Project explores the aesthetics of rock climbing with dancers performing on a vertical stage. Their 2008 world premiere in SF's very own Union Square set the stage for many future performances to come. Using a 24-foot-long and 12-foot-high climbing wall, AscenDance artists move through three dimensions, using time and space as variables.

Stop what you're doing and take a minute to think about all of your favorite San Francisco landmarks. Sure, City Hall and the Golden Gate Bridge may top the list but don't leave out the wacky building on the corner of Sixth and sketchy known as Defenstration. Love it or hate it, we all know the blighted Hugo Hotel turned public art installation on the corner of Sixth and Howard and our city just wouldn't feel the same without it.

JT Paradox

Eclectic, thrifty, funky, vintage: Sprung from a city that revels in the idea of independence, the fashion scene here is proudly anti-fashion. Meet nine up-and-coming bloggers and two Web entrepreneurs who epitomize this sentiment every time they get dressed.

Photo by Kevin Berne

Hope, humanity and justice come to town in the retelling of Bertolt Brecht's Caucasian Chalk Circle. Director John Doyle's modern interpretation of the classic finds a cast of disheveled characters creating their own play from the rubble of a war-torn society. Doyle's signature theatricality is complemented by original music from acclaimed San Francisco composer Nathaniel Stookey in a production ripe with romance, plot twists, humor and even a little audience participation.

Images by Spencer Crooks

Last night The Dodos and Magik*Magik took to the stage in a pysch folk, orchestral sandwich. The allegedly sold-out show began with a series of experimental Magik*Magik musicians tweaking the cello, manipulating percussion, mastering the marimba and closing with a melancholy ditty including special guest John Vanderslice. After a short break, The Dodos appeased an eager (and vocal) crowd with a long set of flawlessly performed hits. The always earnest Meric looked out to the audience early on and said, "Wow.

Oh, how sweet it is—the dreaded V-Day is back and once again it falls on a weekend. We're giving you fair warning: stay indoors or risk running headfirst into couples galore running into each other's arms, holding hands and canoodling on the streets. If you're anything like us, Valentine's Day is a holiday you love to hate, no matter your relationship status and there are plenty of cityslickers who feel the same way.

There’s a lot of art happening in this city but often it’s hard to find. SF’s First Thursdays and Oakland’s Art Murmur are great ways to see a lot in a short span of time, but if you’re looking for one-offs, you may find yourself lost. Here’s our guide to the hot shows in February.

Luc Tuymans Retrospective

Silverman Gallery in the Tendernob

There's a mystery around town in the form of corduroy-wrapped mannequins. My first sighting didn't phase me, but then I spotted another in a different part of town and it seemed a very unlikely coincidence. That's when I decided to make a little project out of it—a photo diary of these strange occurrences. Check out these pictures of the four I've spotted and post a comment if you've seen any others that I've missed. Chances are we might have a prize for anyone who can crack this case.

Secretary of State, Gaskamer, Ignatius Von Loyolla

Luc Tuymans may not be a household name but don’t mistake that as reason to bypass this very important exhibit. The Belgian artist’s first US retrospective is the most comprehensive presentation of his work to date, featuring nearly 75 key paintings from 1978 to the present. Considered by many as one of the most significant painters today, Tuymans’ has already made a lasting impression on today’s generation of artists.