Tap This: Symphonies, Sichuan, Saloons, and Sandwiches

Untapped San Francisco writer Ali Miller discovers  new favorites and revisits old ones in her travels around the greater Bay Area in this week’s Tap This.

What I’m playing: I’m a violinist in the Oakland East Bay Symphony, and spent last week rehearsing and performing in downtown Oakland’s beautiful art deco Paramount Theatre. The symphony has a very “Untapped” personality: our programs are always a dynamic mix of old and new, and the audience is much more diverse than you’d typically imagine at a classical music concert. Last week’s concert began with two modern pieces and ended with Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony–a serious workout to play, but incredibly beautiful!

What I’m reading: I found a used copy of Fuschia Dunlop’s Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper  while browsing the shelves at SF’s wonderful independent bookstore Green Apple Books. The book, which came out a few years ago, chronicles the writer’s adventures as she immerses herself in Chinese food and culture. Her experience as the only non-Chinese student in a cooking class in Sichuan Province is particularly entertaining.

My favorite new spot:  I visited  Comstock Saloon in North Beach this week and enjoyed some classy cocktails in an Old West atmosphere. Comstock also has excellent food, and my friends and I ordered the tasty fried chicken and tater tots on the “Honky Tonk Sunday” menu.

My favorite old spot: I grew up in Aptos (near Santa Cruz), and always enjoy going back there to visit my family. I usually also end up visiting the famous Gayle’s Bakery near Capitola Beach. Gayle’s offers everything from delicious pastries and sandwiches to fully-prepared meals. On sunny weekends, it’s packed with hungry beach visitors. They also happen to make gorgeous wedding cakes, which was the happy reason behind this particular visit!

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