Leading B.A.R.: A ban on Castro chain stores?

What I'm reading today in our little weekly: CHAIN, CHAIN, CHAIN. Merchants debated a plan to ban chain stores along Castro Street between Market and 19th streets and along 18th Street between Hartford and Collingwood streets; chain stores already in business could stay. BAD VIBES. Strapped for cash, famous sex retailer Good Vibrations is seeking investors. OUT THERE. Fag Fridays, the 11-year-old party at the EndUp, is kaput after Oct. 19. MISTER MARCUS is already hyping that most stirring of annual events, the Leather Walk, leading up to Folsom Street Fair.

Tonight: Bears like pecs, too!

Bear Week wouldn't be the same if I didn't mention that a celebration of man bosoms leads tonight's fun:

• Powerhouse: Pecs night! That means cheap booze for guys who don't wear shirts. When: 10 p.m. Where: 1347 Folsom St., between 9th and 10th.


• SF Badlands: What's not to love about happy hour? When: 3-8 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Where: 4121 18th St., near Castro.


• The Endup: Fag Friday. Contemporary house music for young hipsters. Guest DJ Angel Moraes; Midnight Madness Shows: Candi Gurl. Resident DJs: Rolo, David Harness, Pete Avila and Neon Leon. When: 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Where: 401 6th St., at Harrison.


• The Cafe: Boy Bar's all about high testosterone, low attitude and tight jock straps. When: 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. $3 cover. Where: 2369 Market St.

Tonight: Bear Week's finger-licking fun

And it's all leading to Sunday's Hairrison Street Fair. Next up: tonight's Krispy Kreme Party. From the Hairrison website: "A party Homer Simpson would love! Donuts and bears, dooh! Krispy Kreme is sponsoring this match made in heaven, so expect donut-flavored drink specials, Krispy Kreme shwag and hot men passing around trays of glazed. The 'Hot Now' sign is on." When: 9 to midnight, at the Lone Star, 1354 Harrison St. Cost: $8 beer bust, $4 with Charity Bear Tag.

San Francisco's weather this Labor Day weekend is expected to be fabulous, starting with today's, the warmest. It'll be sunny, with highs into the lower 80s. Saturday through Monday, it's supposed to be sunny too, though temperatures aren't supposed to rise higher than the lower 70s. All this is great news for folks planning to attend Sunday's big Hairrison bear street fair.

Tonight: Gays attempt second Cuba invasion

Up Your Alley's big featured party, of course, is the ever-so-appropriately titled Bay of Pigs, this year at the Cat Club. The featured come-on -- harr! -- is the Dungeon Lounge, with strippers and some sort of "unspeakable action." What: Bay of Pigs. When: 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Where: Cat Club, 1190 Folsom St. How much: $30 (advance) at Rock Hard and Mr. S Leather; $40 (door).

More Yogi, less 'bears gone wild'

Recovering conservative Andrew Sullivan's meditation on bears is still a nice read -- especially now, as the hairy things lumber about Provincetown, where Sullivan often summers. "They're cheerful,'' he wrote in Salon back in 2003. "They don't give a shit what others think of them; they're more overtly social than sexual; they drink rather than do drugs; they seem, on the whole, older and far more grown-up than their party-boy cousins. They eat and drink and joke and cuddle and stroke and generally have a great time."

My big fat gay pride parade

Thump! That's the sound of the San Francisco Chronicle's super-duper gay issue hitting your porch this morning -- a run-up to our fabulous High Holidays next weekend. The daily's down low:

• Pomp and circumstance: It's been 37 years since San Francisco hosted its first gay pride parade.
• Dancer from the dance: The City's gay club scene is legendary. Here are three dee-jays keeping that reputation alive.
• Tasty morsels: Dining in and out at the Castro's better eateries.

$12,400, 545 miles, and one terrific sister

I was thrilled to learn just now that Sean Ray, who works at The Gym SF, had a terrific time on the recent AIDS/Lifecycle 6 ride. (You may remember Sean from the post I wrote here.) Sean raised $12,400, well above his $10,000 goal. Most excellent! Sean says: "The ride was amazing. From the weather to the people to the food to the spirit to the money raised. Just everything. I rode every one of the 545 miles, and had a truly amazing time. The best thing about ALC6 was having my sister Sue with me. She worked her butt off, and made some great friends. She really clicked with the event, and I know she had an amazing experience." Go, Sue!

Tonight: 12 hunky men, one hot calendar

POWERHOUSE serves up the chesty men of the new 2008 South of Market Bare Chest Calendar. When: 9 p.m. to midnight. Where: 1347 Folsom, between 9th and 10th streets. How much: $5 suggested donation; proceeds to the calendar's beneficiaries: the AIDS Emergency Fund and the Positive Resource Center.

[Photo: Mr. August, Jon Garrison, from the 2008 calendar]

Dog tags alert: Gay military exhibit opens

Out Ranks traces the history of gays and lesbians in the military -- from World War II to the war in Iraq. Opening Friday, it's billed as the first of its kind in the nation, the Chronicle says this morning. The show features photos and memorabilia, including:

• The footlocker Leonard Matlovich took to Vietnam. Matlovich, awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, waged a public battle to stay in the Air Force after coming out. He appeared on a September 1975 cover of Time magazine with the headlines, "I am a Homosexual: The Gay Drive for Acceptance."



• Photos of slain San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk in the Navy during the Korean War.



• A blue certificate given to soldiers discharged during World War II for being gay.

When: Public reception Thursday night before the Friday opening. Where: Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Historical Society, 657 Mission St., third floor.

Tonight: Golden Gate Men's Chorus perform

The San Francisco choral group is celebrating 25 years of belting them out with a gala performance at the lovely Regency Center. They'll sing classic favorites plus give a hint of some of their newly commissioned pieces in the works. What: 25th anniversary gala. When: 7 p.m., tonight. Where: The Regency Center, 1290 Sutter St. How much: $125 VIP; $50 for preferred seating; $25 general admission.

Golden Gate Men's Chorus anniversary salute

What's not to look forward to when 50 men (hi, Bruce!) pleasure us with their mouths? San Francisco's Golden Gate Men's Chorus celebrates its 25th anniversary with a special performance next Saturday at the lovely Regency Center. They'll sing classic favorites plus give a hint of some of their newly commissioned pieces in the works. What: 25th anniversary gala. When: 7 p.m., June 9. Where: The Regency Center, 1290 Sutter St. How much: $125 VIP; $50 for preferred seating; $25 general admission.

Naval engagements

Ah, Fleet Week in New York City! Fresh-faced sailors in pressed Navy whites. So dewy-young and wide-eyed over the wonders of St. Patrick's Cathedral, the Empire State Building -- and getting nailed in a dark Times Square nightclub. Gawker recounts one hospitable New Yorker's encounter with one of our boys in white this past week:

New Yorker: I'm all 'come hither' and he hither comes and we start talking. And I'm all like, 'Are you gay?' and he's all like, 'Don't ask, don't tell,' to which I'm all, 'Don't ask, it's obvious.' So then we went into one of the booths and started messing around."

Gawker: "Messing around? At the club?"

New Yorker: "Yes and yes. He's never going to forget it. It was all like, 'your condom or mine?' and then I was banging him mercilessly, whisper-chanting in his ear, 'U.S.A., U.S.A.' The repressed make such great lays with all their pent-up energy. You gotta love Fleet Week."

Who doesn't! But can San Francisco's Fleet Week really be four long, lonely months away?

Night's dilemma: Papis, papas or pirates?

We can only go to one party, and the big choices boil down to:

• CLUB PAPI. Pro: Plenty of cute Latin guys, a personal favorite of mine. Con: The crowd may be way too young. When: 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Where: 550 Barneveld Ave. How much: $15 ($10 before 11 p.m.).
• SANCTUARY. Pro: Real guys just like us. Con: Real guys just like us. When: 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Where: 525 Harrison St. How much: $30 at the door; $20 in advance.
• BOOTIESF. Pro: an unconventional choice with a young, mixed crowd, recommended by Ggreg Taylor (who knows a thing or two about having fun). Con: Where the heck are we going to get pirate outfits on Sunday? When: 9 p.m. "until late." Where: DNA Lounge, 375 11th St. How much: $12; two-for-one before 10:30 p.m.

Then again, Sparky and I might bag it all and head straight for El Rio, for Salsa Sundays with Los Rumberos!

Who knew Ggreg Taylor liked chicken?

He bares all in greasy detail (item No. 4) on his blog today, where he recommends fun stuff to do this weekend. Despite what I wrote just moments ago, I might follow his advice by luring Sparky to Bootie on Sunday. Another pirate event! First, there were the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, chasing bootie and other treasure last weekend. Then I saw all sorts of pirate-themed undies in a Castro Street store. Is this really all about Johnny Depp's fey interpretation of Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean series, now getting way-mixed reviews? Whatever! I totally, absolutely love the high-tech dee-jee, DJ Wiij, who used a hacked Nintendo Wii to play mashups at the last Bootie. Watch him demo how it works:

Ballpark area now on Halloween venue list

San Francisco city officials are now considering a site near AT&T ballpark as the new venue for the sometimes-violent Halloween night celebrations they're trying to move from their traditional home in the Castro. Last year, a gunman wounded nine people, despite the presence of hundreds of police officers. “We’re just looking to reduce the stress and anxiety in the Castro; that’s our primary focus -- to make sure we don’t continue with the same problems we’ve seen in the last few years,” Mayor Gavin Newsom said.

Under appreciated

It's undies night at 440 Castro! Check your clothes in the back room and party with a bar full of hunks in little more than trunks -- or boxers or briefs. What: 440 Castro undies party. When: 9 p.m. to close. Where: 440 Castro St., of course. [Photo: Undergear]

A Google recruiting booth at Folsom?

We'd all like one of those plum jobs at Google, even if the stock options aren't as lucrative as they once were. After all, the company is led by a founder who doesn't mind tarting himself up in drag now and then. Well, maybe the online search giant will be bringing its job recruiting efforts to your favorite leather fest (and mine!). Silicon Valley gossip blog Valleywag gripes today about a Google recruiter who appeared in yesterday's Bay to Breakers race, then adds: "The inevitable conclusion of the search engine's tireless campaign to co-opt Bay Area culture? Google representatives, in leather chaps, at the Folsom Street Fair." [Photo: Folsom Street Events]

I dare you to kiss him

Fans of Travis Creston (above) -- the current Mr. San Francisco Leather -- give him a big wet kiss today in advance of his trip to Chicago for next weekend's International Mr. Leather beauty pageant -- err, competition. What: Travis Creston send-off. Where: Powerhouse. When: 6 p.m. [Photo: Joe Oppedisano]

3:10 p.m.: Castro and 18th streets

Rocket Dog Rescue held its every-third-Sunday adoption event starting at noon today.