Super Bowl week is here, and hopefully your commute to work hasn't been too awful. Before the big game, let's take a look back at what went on around the neighborhood this week.
Over the weekend, the GLBT History Museum celebrated five years in the Castro, as well as a new lease that will allow it to stay for another five. If you haven't had the chance to step inside the museum and check out its great exhibits, we can't encourage you enough to do so.
My friends trying out the new pissoir at Dolores Park pic.twitter.com/Mj3M5nEO9o
— Roy (@RoyMcKenzie) January 31, 2016
Now that Dolores Park has been open for a week, many wondered whether or not the park's new pissoir is actually finished, or still under construction. According to SFist, Parks & Rec considers it complete in the state pictured above, which may not be to everyone's taste, privacy-wise. (Former Hoodline Castro editor Roy McKenzie and his friends found a different, shall we say San Francisco, use for it.)
After delaying a decision to give AHF more time to explain how they would activate their space, the Planning Commission denied the pharmacy's request for conditional use authorization.
Longtime Castro resident and AIDS survivor Cleve Jones' comments in a Guardian article on the topic of the Castro becoming less gay garnered a variety of different opinions from readers. Jones himself responded to the post on Facebook with dismay: "After an hourlong interview about the many forces that are transforming LGBT life, the author chose to focus on an off-hand side comment that I regret making. The issue is far more complex and important than straight people in gay bars. I would hope most folks reading the piece would get that."
Girl Scouts from around San Francisco have begun descending on the Castro this week to sell their addictive and delicious cookies. One group, which was set up at 18th & Castro, told us they're starting a week early to take advantage of more people in town for the Super Bowl. Smart cookies.
If you're opposed to the Westboro Baptist Church (and who isn't?), you may want to get up early Saturday morning and head over to Books Inc. The notoriously hateful group has threatened to picket an LGBT-friendly children's book reading, so the book's author is organizing a counter-protest.
Image: Brewcade SF/Facebook
While some locals can't wait for the Super Bowl to pack up and leave town, many are still excited for Sunday's game. Many Castro bars are hosting viewing parties with food and drink specials, from standbys like Hi Tops and Lookout to more unusual venues like Midnight Sun and Brewcade. Be sure to arrive early to snag a seat.
The Super Bowl is very much the theme of the weekend, with many events riffing on its presence in town. But for those of you looking to avoid it altogether, there's still some fun stuff to see.
