UPDATED: Drink a Marmotini at the Rock Bar to Benefit the Bernal Marmot

August 10, 2013August 11, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 3 Comments

Well, the Bernal Marmot had a pretty good run here in the Big City: Tasty food. Fashionable neighborhoods. A massive fan club.

Now that the Bernal Marmot has been captured, his ~~pursuers~~ rescuers from Wildlife Emergency Services are holding a benefit today from 4 pm to 9 pm at the Rock Bar (on 29th at Tiffany) to raise funds for the Bernal Marmot’s transport back to the higher elevations of his native Sierra Nevada biome.

Extra Bonus: The Rock Bar will be serving a special cocktail this evening. It’s called the Marmotini, and it’s a special blend of spirits designed to look like antifreeze — the marmot’s favorite illicit beverage:

Regarding tonights’s festivities, WES writes:

Thanks to the media coverage back in June, we received a few good leads on where the marmot may have come from. One, in particular, seemed most likely. Everything fit – the dates, time, location. We believe the marmot hitched a ride from the Tuolumne Meadows area of Yosemite National Park.

We contacted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for authorization to return the animal to the wild. We then connected with Park authorities and received their blessing for the animal’s return.

Thanks to one of our wonderful responders, Akira, who volunteered to make the near-seven-hour roundtrip, the little whistle-pig will be returning home tomorrow.

In the meantime, make your plans to have a specially crafted Marmotini at the Rock Bar in San Francisco to celebrate the repatriation of the marmot to her home, and help raise funds to offset her travel expenses. A percentage of each sale of the specially crafted cocktail (made to resemble antifreeze) sold from 4:00 to 9:00 PM Saturday, August 10th will be donated to Wildlife Emergency Services.

UPDATE: 11 Aug, 9:04 am
The Marmot-inspiried drinks at the Rock Bar were truly delicious; so much so that I woke up this morning with a slight Marmotini hangover. I endure this hangover proudly, because it signifies that I care very deeply.

Here’s a scene from last night:

Happy also to report that there were some fine Bernal neighbors sitting at the bar with us, who also cared very deeply for the Bernal Marmot. Neighbor Anita snapped this one:

PHOTO: The Bernal Marmot (safely in custody), by Traci Tsukida, Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley

New Video Profiles Cortland’s “Optimistic Bike Shop”

August 9, 2013August 9, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 3 Comments

Following up on his wonderful profile of Bernal artists Joseph Branchcomb and Toby Klayman, Neighbor Steve Sisler has released his next piece in his “Bernal Heights Conversations” video series: A video about Brett Thurber and Karen Wiener, the glamorous couple that created the newfangled New Wheel electric bicycle shop on Cortland.

Neighbor Steve writes:

Can you believe two of the nicest kids that I have ever met are selling and servicing quality electric bikes right here in Bernal? I wish I could say The New Wheel is a mom & pop shop, but Karen and Brett need a few years before we can expect children from them. Until then Bernal is lucky to have another fine family business.

Frankly, we’re also rather lucky to have Neighbor Steve cranking out these terrific videos. Go fullscreen, your feet up on the desk for a few minutes, and get to know Brett and Karen:

Saturday: Use This High-Tech Treasure Map to Plunder the 2013 Bernal Heights Hillwide Garage Sale

August 9, 2013August 9, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 5 Comments

Okay, Bernal Heights ~~craphounds~~ treasure-seekers!

It’s time to stuff your wallet with small bills, fire up your UPS-surplus route optimization software package, and bookmark the map you see right here, because the 2013 Bernal Heights Hillwide Garage sale happens tomorrow (“… tomorrow!… tomorrow!”), Saturday (“… Saturday!… Saturday!”) August 10, 2013, all over this sexxxy little neighborhood of ours.

There are 82 (!!!) houses shown on the map you see, which means there are 82 sites for you to find superior bargains while picking through the materialist leftovers of your neighbors’ glamorous lifestyles. Find furniture. Find housewares. Find clothes. Find collectibles. Find your future baby-mamma. It’s all here, at the city’s biggest, sexiest neighborhood garage sale.

The Bernal Heights Hillwide Garage Sale happens from 9 am to 3 pm on Saturday.

Study the map.

Use the high-tech rollovers on each flag to see what’s for sale where. Plot your attack strategy. Shop early, and shop often to get the best bargains.

See you there.

Tonight: See Neighbor Rich Radford’s Intense Floral Photos at Succulence

August 9, 2013August 8, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 2 Comments

Bernal Neighbor Rich Radford is having an opening party tonight, Aug. 9, from 5 pm to 8 pm at Succulence on Cortland to celebrate “Botanica,” a new show of his (rather intense) nature photographs:

Rich Radford, born and raised in South Africa has called Bernal Heights home for the past fifteen years. His early years exploring both the diverse fauna and flora of his native country, combined with his later professional training as a Landscape Architect, have allowed him to capture elements through the lens of his camera with a unique eye for texture, pattern, and structure. For Rich, the process of capturing an image is built upon time spent moving patiently through diverse landscapes. His photographs portray brief moments in nature that are held within the greater mystery of our planet. Through his work, Rich hopes to connect people more intimately with the intricacies of the natural world.

PHOTOS: Rich Radford

How To iPlayDate: Bernal Neighbor Creates App to Connect Local Families with Kids

August 8, 2013August 8, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 10 Comments

The Citizens of Bernalwood should be proud of our locavore technologists. They build many amazing things, many of which are inspired by local conditions. The newest piece of amazing locavore software is an iPhone/iPad app called KangaDo, which is a kind of hyperlocal personal organizer/social network for parents. It was created by Neighbor Sara, who says:

I am a NW Bernal resident (Winfield Street since 1999), tech professional, and mom of 2 active boys (8 & 11). Now I’m also the co-founder of a mobile startup. Over the years I’ve tried pretty much all the different variations of working from home, part time, taking time off for the baby, working full time at the office, etc.… and I’ve concluded that the saying “It takes a village to raise a child” rings true. We love our Bernal village on the hill.

I’m excited to share our free, newly released iOS app: KangaDo. It’s designed to help busy parents connect with their “village” of friends and family in local communities. KangaDo makes it easy for busy parents and trusted friends to instantly organize kids’ activities – without the endless email trails and text messages.

Here’s how it works:

Find and connect with local parents/friends you trust.

Instantly set up playdates, childcare, carpools, or whatever you need. Offer your help if you can (eg. “Anybody need milk? I’m at the Good Life store..”)

Friends are notified via the app when friends send them messages or requests, and they are reminded of events or requests they have accepted. KangaDo with your iPhone’s calendar.

Share requests by email with friends outside the app.

Free texting, photo & location sharing.

Download it from the App Store.

Clever! Impressive! Very cool! Plus, it’s fun to imagine how we’d describe KangaDo at a pitch meeting for Bernal Heights venture capitalists:

“See, it’s kind of like Twitter goes to a yoga class with TripIt then bumps into Uber and the BernalHeightsParents mailing in the playground behind the Bernal library.”

There you go. Done deal.

BUSTED! Bernal Marmot Captured After Savoring Sweet Taste of Freedom

August 8, 2013August 8, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 9 Comments

Remember the Bernal Marmot? And remember the intensive effort to apprehend him/her in late June?

Well, you may also recall that Bernalwood never reported news of the marmot’s capture… because as far as we know the marmot was never caught.

Now, courtesy of Neighbor Leanne, we have these EXCLUSIVE photographs (shown above) of the Bernal marmot enjoying the sweet taste of freedom yesterday afternoon near Alvarado Elementary School.

Meanwhile, as if to taunt his pursuers, the Bernal Marmot suddenly became active again on Twitter:

However, there is a late-breaking wrinkle to the story: At 6 am this morning, a comment left on an earlier article about the Bernal Marmot indicated that the creature’s day’s of carefree urban living may have come to an end. Jane told Bernalwood:

He is safely in the custody of animal care and control now. He was captured last night at Alvarado school in Noe Valley.

UPDATE, 9:12 am, Aug 8: The @BernalMarmot has released this statement via Twitter:

PHOTOS: The Bernal Marmot, as seen by Neighbor Leanne on Aug. 7, 2013

Join Bernal Superstar Author Peter Orner as He Launches a New Set of Stories

August 6, 2013August 8, 2013 / Todd_Lappin

Feeling literary? Join in as Bernal Heights superstar author Peter Orner launches his new collection of stories, “Last Car Over the Sagamore Bridge,” tonight (Aug 6) at 7 pm at the Hotel Rex.

Litquake is hosting:

Litquake is proud to host the San Francisco launch of Peter Orner’s Last Car Over the Sagamore Bridge at our Epicenter this August. This book is the long-awaited second short-story collection from a writer whose first was hailed as “one of the best of the last decade” (Kevin Brockmeier). Orner will be in conversation with Isaac Fitzgerald from McSweeney’s.

In this new collection, Orner zeroes in on the strange ways our memories define us: A woman’s husband dies before their divorce is finalized; a man runs for governor of Illinois and loses much more than an election; two brothers play beneath the infamous bridge at Chappaquiddick. Employing the masterful compression for which he’s become known, Orner presents a kaleidoscope of individual lives viewed in startling, intimate close-up. Whether writing of Geraldo Rivera’s attempt to reveal the contents of Al Capone’s vault or of a father and daughter trying to outrun a hurricane, he illuminates universal themes. In stories that span considerable geographic ground—from Chicago to Wyoming, from Massachusetts to the Czech Republic—he writes of the past we can’t seem to shake, the losses we can’t make up for, and how our stories help us reclaim what we thought was gone forever.

Details and reservation link right here.

IMAGE: via Litquake

Neighbor David Praises New Cafe St. Jorge on Mission Street

August 6, 2013August 6, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 9 Comments

Neighbor David has been spending a lot of time lately at the the new Cafe St. Jorge on Mission Street near Cortland. Cafe St. Jorge has been open for just a month, but Neighbor David writes to tell us why he thinks it’s a new neighborhood treasure:

SF has a pretty unique coffee culture: there are at least four major artisanal coffee-roasters in the city, and several more in the bay area overall. Except for Bernal Heights, many SF ‘hoods have almost as many coffee shops as they do traditional restaurants. Happily, Bernal can now bump up the count by one, with the addition of Cafe St. Jorge at Mission & Kingston Streets (in the space previously occupied by “The Nervous Dog”).

I’m an indie software developer, and like many indies, coffee shops are my de-facto office(s). I’ve been coming to Cafe St. Jorge since just after its opening on July 8th, and it has quickly become my go-to hangout.

Cafe St. Jorge is kind of non-traditional for an SF coffee bar. Unlike the industrial loft space of SightGlass in SOMA or the tightly packed, hipster-occupied Ritual on Valencia, Cafe St. Jorge is open, light, and airy, with a nice mix of music that isn’t blaring or jarring. Owner Andrea de Francisco has decked Cafe St. Jorge out in white and blues that evoke the seaside esthetic of the Azores.

The coffee is from Stumptown roasters, so it’s got a different profile that most SF roasts (lighter and sweeter) but the real kicker here is the food: Andrea has put together a unique menu of pastries, salads, charcuterie, and sandwiches, all with a Portuguese inflection geared toward bringing you a little slice of the Azores here in SF.

The pastries range from various Portuguese inspired cookies and other sweets, to coffee-cakes/muffins/cookies (many of which are vegan and/or gluten-free). They’re all great and a little too easy to eat a lot of. The cheese/charcuterie board is really delicious, and it’s more than enough for 2 people.

My favorite however is a sandwich she calls the “Tosta Mista,” which is a panini-pressed grilled cheese with ham that is irresistibly good. There’s even more on the menu, including a wide range of smoothies, fruit juices, and other goodies. They’ve put in for the beer/wine license too, so soon it’ll be a great evening hang-out spot as well.

In its short life, Cafe St. Jorge has already caught on with indie devs like me, as well as moms with kids, and more. The bottom line: it’s nice space, really friendly staff/vibe, awesome food, and best of all it’s right here in Bernal.

PHOTOS: Neighbor David Spector

UPDATED: Prosecution Update and New Hearing Date for Bernal Mugging Suspects

August 6, 2013August 7, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 8 Comments

UPDATE, August 7: The hearings that had been scheduled for Friday and next Monday have been rescheduled. Bernalwood will provide details on new hearing dates when they are available.

Neighbor Sarah is Bernalwood’s official unofficial liaison with local law-enforcement agencies, and she brings this update on the criminal proceedings now underway for the suspects arrested in connection with last winter’s violent mugging spree in Bernal Heights:

I emailed the assistant DA on the Bernal robbery suspects’ cases, and she had a few updates.

– No plea deal was reached at the meeting last Weds. The DA is open to a plea bargain but with serious prison time (10+ years) attached.

POSTPONED: – ~~The evidentiary~~ hearing IS scheduled to go forward this Friday (8/9) and Monday (8/12), but the defense has filed another motion to continue (ie, reschedule). The DA’s office plans to oppose this. The judge will decide whether to move forward or not, and we will not know this before.

So, as was the case before, we want to show community support for our neighbors who were victims or witnesses to these crimes and who must appear if the hearing does go forward.

The suspects have consistently had many supporters in the courtroom, and testifying in any hearing or trial can be an unnerving proposition. So if you have time or can make time to attend on Friday, even if it’s only for an hour or two, I know our neighbors would appreciate it.

Right now, only two people have signed up.

~~Use this form to sign up (ignore the hearing for 7/31, which has already occurred). And many thanks for the community support as this schedule has dragged out (which is, unfortunately, common).~~

Sutro Tower Blast-Off, As Seen from Bernal Heights

August 2, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 1 Comment

Last night, two separate photographers taking pictures from separate locations atop Bernal Hill noticed the very same thing: The sun had set behind Twin Peaks, creating the illusion that Sutro Tower was poised to blast-off into space (which, as we all know, it really wants to do anyway.)

Daniel Cohen took the photo above and posted it on the Instagram after noting that “Sutro Tower [is] ready for liftoff tonight.” A few moments earlier, @MrRoodog snapped the shot below, asking: “Is that the Sutro rocket launch?”

PHOTOS:@Cohen and @MrRoodog

Trendspotting City Blog Discovers That Bernal Is For Lovers

August 2, 2013August 2, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 1 Comment

As Citizens of Bernalwood, we all know that Bernal Heights is for lovers. It’s been our little romantic secret.

Well, now every starry-eyed Millennial from The Marina to Capp Street knows it too, thanks to a recent listicle on the SFist blog that documents “10 Best Unique Dates in SF.”

Bernal Hill was second on the list (right behind that vista at Land’s End):

Bernal Hill
The top of the hill in Bernal Heights is an unsung gem of the city. And given that it takes some travel to get there, and is decidedly more off the beaten path than, say, Twin Peaks, makes it an ideal makeout spot, especially on a clear and non-windy night. We’d suggest bringing along some mulled wine, or port, or a nice Chianti.

Mulled wine? Nice Chianti? Is that what the kids are calling it these days??

On the bright side, Bernal locals know those recommended “clear and non-windy nights” are actually rather unusual, and that gusty exposure and oceanic chill are hardly conducive to amorous enthusiasm the rest of the time.

So the Citizens of Bernalwood probably need not fear this SFist item will trigger the arrival of Chianti-swilling youth hordes seeking a chic, secluded place to consummate their Bang With Friends hookups.

At least not yet.

PHOTO: by Dyche

Saturday: Lost Tribe of College Hill Organizes Bernal Cut Cleanup

August 2, 2013August 2, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 2 Comments

The Lost Tribe of College Hill is an ancient and proud part of the Dominion of Bernalwood, but it is also a world unto itself. Squeezed between Mission Street and the speedway portion of San Jose Boulevard, College Hill’s odd geography has nurtured its independent identity, and a recent (if honorably intentioned) redistricting saw College Hill removed from the David Campos’s District 9 supervisorial district to Scott Weiner’s District 8.

As a frontier district of Bernalwood, the people of the Lost Tribe of College Hill have had little choice but to learn self-reliance. They even have developed their own media delivery system, in the form of the “College Hills News,” an occasional email newsletter produced by the College Hill Neighborhood Association.

The latest edition brings news of a clean-up event in the Bernal Cut that’s happening tomorrow morning, Saturday, August 3:

Tomorrow (Saturday, 8/3): Richland to St. Mary’s path clean-up and green-up with SF Parks Alliance

When: 9:15 a.m. to 2 p.m., and you can join in for any amount of time

Meet at: Bernal Cut Path at Richland Bridge (if arriving at 9:15), or wander down toward St. Mary’s to find a place to pitch in

Bring: gloves and gardening tools if you have them (we should have some to share)

Expect to: help clean and green along the Bernal Cut Path and the College Triangle Garden, including weeding, trimming, and spreading mulch (Thanks in advance for the mulch delivery, Joey!)

More info on the path clean-up, from Julia Brashares at the SF Parks Alliance:
The Clean & Green Crew is scheduled to work along the Bernal Cut Path on Saturday, August 3rd. We’ll meet at the Richland Avenue Bridge at 9:15 a.m. and then work south from the Richland Bridge, heading down toward St. Mary’s Avenue.
Neighbors are encouraged to participate! The Parks Alliance crew will arrive around 9:15 a.m. and work through to 2:00 p.m. (with a 45-minute lunch break somewhere within that time frame).

Also, in other ridiculously charming superhyperlocal news, the newsletter tells us:

Save the date: 8/25 is our next CHNA meeting—and we’re planning a block party!
As you may recall from last year, we try to make our end-of-summer meeting a social one. Last August, Lia and Patrick on College kindly hosted a potluck barbecue in their backyard. This year, we’ve applied for a permit to hold a block party on the “unit block” of Park Street, the cul-de-sac between Mission and the Bernal Cut Path (where the Precita Eyes/kid artists’ mural was recently installed). We’ll find out on 8/8 as to whether the team of city agencies has granted the permit; our backup plan is a neighbor’s backyard. So please mark your calendar for 8/25 and join us in getting to know our neighbors!

PHOTO: Bernal Cut, via College Hill Neighborhood Assocation on Facebook

D9 Supervisor David Campos Will Run for State Assembly

August 1, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 25 Comments

District 9 Supervisor David Campos will seek a seat in the California Assembly. The news comes via the SF Appeal:

San Francisco Supervisor David Campos is announcing today that he will run for state Assembly.

Campos, who represents San Francisco’s District 9, which includes the Mission, is seeking to replace Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, who is being termed out of office next year.

If Campos wins the seat, it would be the second time he followed in the footsteps of Ammiano, who served as District 9 supervisor before being elected to the state Assembly in 2008.

Let the editorializing begin!

PHOTO: SF LGBT Community Center