The green light was on, but a sad and lonely GE EntryScan machine waited for no passengers at San Francisco International on Monday night. We peeked ahead trying to see if we would be shunted through the machine, but to no avail!

While SFO wasn't on the list of airports getting body scanners, apparently the hulking machine that could destroy our privacy but allow us to keep on our clothes arrived early for its date with the TSA. Its presence suggests that despite security concerns raised by the ACLU, among others, body scans or required pat downs are in the future for air travelers.]]> egw 2008-06-17T13:30:49-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/2/13/8235/73959
Love stinks! If you're already cringing inside thinking about this Wednesday, you're not alone. Single people everywhere are declaring their right not to wear red and buy chocolate for Valentine's Day -- and marketers are listening, according to the AP. Here's how you can celebrate with like-minded people if you aren't already partied-out from that party Kevin Federline event in Boston:

Washington, D.C.: Turn your vitriol into cold hard cash at the Mothertongue Anti-Valentine's Day Poetry Slam, A $200 cash prize is in the offing for the person who can best command the mike with his or her rendition of, "It's Always The Ex-Girlfriend's Fault: An Epic Poem." The Black Cat, 1411 14th Street NW. 8:30PM, $10.

San Francisco: The monthly Be Nice Party was created by a couple of Burners (attendees of the Burning Man festival) who didn't understand why we all can't get along. For V-Day they're combining their usual low-key meet-and greet with a dance party that starts at 11PM. Pick the event you like best, or stay all night. Catalyst Cocktails, 312 Harriet Street. 6PM, 21+

Austin: Your last boyfriend couldn't be dragged to anything involving the words "performance art," so thank goodness he's not around to see the art-rock band Tuna Helpers perform at Room 710. It's the three vixens' final show, and they've pulled out all the stops (including getting a Joy Division cover band to open while the $2 Pabst Blue Ribbon special still holds). 710 Red River Street. 8PM, $6.

[Photo: bandanamomaz]]]> egw 2007-02-13T09:10:10-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/1/26/175951/844
By now all gossip addicts (and the rest of us who have to be online all day) have heard about Marilyn Manson's breakup with his burlesque superstar wife, Dita Von Teese. Sad, because that one was really meant to last. Manson reportedly left his cute 'n' classy wife for mini-Dita Evan Rachel Wood, 19, who we can only assume thinks it's totally gonna last this time. To each their own, we guess. Whether Dita's composure during tumultuous times has inspired you to tap into the magic of burlesque yourself, or you simple want to see her in action, we've got a few suggestions.

In Seattle, Miss Indigo Blue's Academy of Burlesque accepts both male and female students, and promises to teach you "how to twirl your tasseled pasties in at least 5 different ways!" In San Francisco, Bombshell Betty offers Burlesquercise workshops that turn burlesque basics into a workout. And in Montreal, Mademoiselle Oui Oui Encore offers classes, available to women only, near the Mont-Royal metro stop.

If you just want to cheer Dita on, she'll be performing on February 9 and 10 at the Triple Door in downtown Seattle.

[Photo: Lucky Lou]

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· Burlesque Classes at the Museum of Sex [Jaunted] ]]> djk 2007-01-26T17:59:51-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/11/13/151246/96
We know, we've been a little coffee-obsessed lately, but we can't help ourselves now that it's getting colder out.

On a brief jaunt to San Fran last week, a local introduced us to Coffee to the People, the Haight's ultimate progressive coffee hang out. Serving up only fair-trade coffee (that's actually really good), they also have all sorts of quirky stuff inside like an activist bumper sticker wall and posters plucked from free-spirits titled with themes like "How to Build a Community" and "I Pledge Allegiance to the Earth." They also hold open mics, and the website even has an infrequently updated blog.

Stop in sometime and let your inner hippie out to sing and snack on awesome ginger cookies, while absorbing the idealist quotes hung all over the wall. There's nothing a little dose of cafe americano and Harriet Tubman can't fix.

[Photo: kev/null] ]]> sedona 2006-11-15T09:17:42-05:00 37.770055 -122.44498 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/10/10/122214/00 If you're itching for a trip to the West Coast but don't think Grandma would enjoy the AL Playoff madness in Oakland or wouldn't like the winos in Napa who think that "Sideways" was the best movie ever, take her over the river, through the woods and into the mountains to tiny Boonville, CA for a respite.

Enjoy the lush forests, sample the products of the Anderson Valley wine district and see if you can master Boontling, the area's own 19th century folk language.

Cat lovers should check out the quaint Boonville Hotel for its charming, airy rooms and simple but tasty breakfasts, which you can enjoy outside in the garden with the hotel cat. Just make sure Grammy isn't allergic.

[Photo: Catherine George/Flickr]

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· A Paws that Refreshes [Jaunted]
]]> Zulkey 2006-10-10T17:05:10-05:00 43.479661 -75.314336 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/10/10/132443/51

Before Bloomingdale's opened nearly two weeks ago in San Francisco, there was only one--count it--one Bloomingdale's in the entire Northern California region and that was out in Palo Alto. If you are a transplant from let's say oh New Jersey, this was a full-blown shopping mall travesty.

Luckily, Bloomingdale's righted this terrible wrong with their new West Coast headquarters and second largest Bloomie's after the NYC one. It has five floors of wonderful merchandise. Men, there's an entire floor for you! When has that ever happened? Usually you get the one corner near the really crappy mall entrance. But here you have your pick of designers.

Women of course, should find at least one or two things here to buy for yourself from the other four floors.

More on Bloomie's and the Insider Tip post-click.]]> juliana 2006-10-10T13:24:43-05:00 37.784026 -122.40805 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/9/26/225654/509
Our favorite use for the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) is a quick 'n' cheap ride over to Mod Lang Records in El Cerrito after a less than comfortable transcontinental flight into Oakland. After this tip from Metroblogging San Francisco, we now know that our pedestrian desires are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to wringing the BART for all it's worth.

According to Metroblogger violet blue, used BART cards are of the perfect "amount of firmness, thickness, slip and strength" for picking a garden variety combination lock. You know, the kind your ex keeps on his/her bike that you might or might not want to steal and sell at the flea market, or the kind you keep on the gym locker you last saw 2 months ago, etc. It only takes a little determination to turn a day's worth of transportation into the legal or illegal activity of your choice.

Would this work with a New York Metrocard? A Boston T card? Or do those babies have pre-destined naughty alter-egos of their own?

[Image via pbo31/Flickr]

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·   HOWTO: Pick a Common Master Lock With Your BART Card [Metroblogging San Francisco]]]> djk 2006-09-27T09:40:01-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/