Old Bus Tavern Getting a Neighborhood-Focused Makeover

February 24, 2017 / Todd_Lappin / 14 Comments

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It’s been 2+ years since Old Bus Tavern opened at 3193 Mission (near Valencia) in the heart of La Lengua’s fashionably low-key restaurant and entertainment district. Along the way, Old Bus has garnered a lot of enthusiastic notice and acclaim. Now it’s time to change things up a bit, as Old Bus plans to give itself a more casual makeover, in a way that’ll probably please many hungry and drinky Bernalese.

Old Bus brewmaster and co-owner Ben Buchanan tells Bernalwood:

Wanted to let you know about some upcoming changes at Old Bus Tavern.

As owners, Jimmy, John and I have decided to take our food program in a more casual direction — a decision that reflects our original vision of building a neighborhood brewpub that offers an easygoing vibe and a comfortable menu of craft beer, cocktails, and food that locals can enjoy often.

The primary driver behind the shift is the rapid growth of our beer program. We recently started distributing OBT beer to a solid list of SF beer bars and restaurants, including Old Devil Moon, Alamo Drafthouse/Bear Vs Bull bar, Wesburger, and Liquid Gold. A more casual approach to our food frees up resources for our beer program, which is the heart of the operation and the original reason we created OBT.

In addition to creating more time for beer-related pursuits, we were motivated by neighborhood feedback, which has been a unanimous vote for more accessible brewpub fare. Although we are dialing down the fine dining factor, the new food program won’t compromise integrity.

We are currently working on the new menu with a longtime friend, culinary consultant Blair Warsham (Adriano Paganini’s The Bird, Christopher Kostow’s American Express Centurion Lounge), who is crafting dishes that are comforting, delicious, and beer-friendly. The menu is still in the works, but we’re keeping favorites like the burger, chili, and cornbread, and introducing new craveable items like Frito Pie with housemade Fritos.

This Saturday, February 25th will be the last day we’re serving our current dinner menu. The brewpub will be closed for two weeks to allow us to make interior updates, train, and transition to the new menu. When we reopen on Sunday, March 12th, OBT will operate seven days a week (up from five), serve an all-day menu on weekends starting at 11 a.m., and offer free live music every Sunday.

We’re really excited about these changes, and we hope the neighborhood will be as well. Basically, the goal is more beer, more accessible and delicious food, and more FUN.

Cheers,
Ben

PHOTO: Old Bus Tavern facade, via InsideScoop

Bernal Warehouse Residents Seek to Avoid Eviction

February 23, 2017 / Todd_Lappin / 7 Comments

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The cover story of today’s San Francisco Examiner looks at a group of Bernal Heights neighbors who have been living in an unpermitted warehouse space on the 900 block of Peralta, in the southeast corner of Bernal near the Alemany Farmer’s Market. Michael Barba from the Examiner writes:

The artists, who are in danger of losing their home in the wake of the deadly Ghost Ship fire in Oakland late last year, cut windows and a second door into the mostly metal warehouse on Peralta Avenue ahead of a meeting with fire officials Tuesday.

“We did it ourselves,” said Nathan Cottam, a dancer and choreographer who is one of eight tenants living in the vibrant warehouse called the Sunspot.

Cottam is just one of many people who have lived on the lot behind the Alemany Farmers Market for about a decade, he said. But their occupancy only became an issue after a fire killed three dozen people who were trapped in the Ghost Ship warehouse Dec. 2, 2016.

Since then, building and fire inspectors have visited the Sunspot warehouse, and the owner served the tenants with an eviction notice back in December.

City agencies have been on heightened alert for fire safety hazards in commercial spaces where people are living and the SFFD has experienced a rise in complaints regarding the illegal use of warehouses, according to fire officials.

The Examiner adds that the City has issued an abatement order for current tenants to vacate the property because it is not permitted for residential use. Meanwhile, the property owner has been planning since 2001 to build housing on the site, with a proposal unveiled last July that would create 49 units there.

Painted Rock on Bernal Hill Joins the Resistance

February 22, 2017 / Todd_Lappin / 9 Comments

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The clever elves who decorate the iconic and always-topical painted rock overlooking San Francisco from the north side of Bernal Hill are at it again, as the rock has now been transformed into a pillar of political resistance.

Neighbor Annie Sprinkle shared this photo of the painted rock over the weekend, capturing the glorious moment as a member of the Bernal Heights Canine Cadre stood guard to defend the painted rock against hooligans, reactionaries, subversives, xenophobes, and Milo Yiannopoulos.

PHOTO: Courtesy of @AnnieSprinkle

Epic Rains Trigger Mini-Mudslide on Bernal Hill

February 21, 2017February 21, 2017 / Todd_Lappin / 5 Comments

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Heavy rains over the weekend triggered a mini-mudslide on Bernal Hill, along the south side of Bernal Heights Boulevard, just east of Ellsworth.

Neighbor Fiid shared this photo of the washed out segment of the slope, and from this angle is looks like Bernal Hill is trying to reclaim the roadway. Which, in a geological sense, it most certainly is.

UPDATE: Bernalwood dispatched the Mobile Uplink Miata to the slide scene this morning. Here’s a complete daylight view:

In addition, there are many smaller slides and mud flumes visible all over Bernal Hill, so tread carefully to avoid slipping and/or exacerbating soil erosion.

Get Your Passport for the Bernal Heights Beer Crawl, Happening Now

February 16, 2017February 16, 2017 / Todd_Lappin / 1 Comment

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Beer lovers of Bernal Heights, this is your moment. As previously noted, future historians will look upon our current era as a Golden Age for Bernal Beer, because recently a remarkable profusion of craft beer manufacturers and purveyors have set up shop here in Bernal Heights. Lucky us.

Happily, several of these esteemed beermongers have formed an alliance, and the result is that the first-ever Bernal Beer Crawl is currently underway right here, right now in our neighborhood. Neighbor Steve explains how to partake:

After years of being a great neighborhood — albeit one bereft of great craft beer — times have changed.

Six Bernal beer locations have teamed up to create a way for all Bernalese (and others who visit our corner of the city) to try the beers produced and/ or served and sold here in Bernal. The Bernal Beer Crawl started on Tuesday, February 14, and it runs through Sunday, February 19.

Here’s how it works:

Stop by to pick up your “Bernal Beerlands Passport” at any participating location:
– Holy Water SF
– Old Devil Moon,
– Barebottle Brewing Company
– Old Bus Tavern
– BEL
– Healthy Spirits

Patronize any 4 of the 6 participating locations to get “stamped,” until the end of Beer Week. (purchase of one full-sized beer=one stamp)

At the 4th location you get a Free Bernal Beer Crawl glass + a free pour of the beer of the bars choice, or 35% off any 22oz Beer or 6 pack at Healthy Spirits.

Check out the Facebook event page here for full details.

Cheers,

Neighbor Steve
(of Andover Street and BeerByBART.com)

PHOTO: Nifty custom Bernal Beer Crawl glass and passport, by Neighbor Steve

“Good Morning Bernalwood”

February 15, 2017 / Todd_Lappin / 4 Comments

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“Good Morning Bernalwood.”

That’s the message we got earlier today – along with this image — courtesy of Christopher Baker, Bernal’s photographically inclined fanboy in Noe Valley. Thanks Christopher!

Oh, and it really was a beautiful sunrise. Did anyone else notice how the color of the color of the light matched the hue of the plum blossoms that are popping right about now? Just for one magnificently ephemeral moment? Wonderful.

Separately, your Bernalwood editor has been arguing recently that winter is the finest season to be in San Francisco – and not just because the skiing on Bernal Hill tends to be excellent. Winter here means no fog, green grass, fragrant air, warm days, occasional hygge-inducing rainstorms, Rainbow Alerts, and so many other unique seasonal charms. Would you agree? Please discuss.

PHOTO: Bernal Hill on February 15, 2017, by Christopher Baker

How to Win at Valentine’s Day and Help the Cortland Flower Lady

February 14, 2017February 14, 2017 / Todd_Lappin / 1 Comment

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Alert! Alert! Alert! It’s Valentine’s Day!

That means its time to celebrate the mostest-specialest people in your life and spread love throughout the galaxy. Bernal neighbor and sex-positive celebrity Annie Sprinkle tells Bernalwood how you can do right by your sweetie today AND help the Cortland Flower Lady — all at the same time! Annie says:

Many neighbors around Bernal Hill know and love Danhi, the flower lady, who spreads her love year-round selling (and giving) us all beautiful flowers in front of the liquor store at 439 Cortland, at the corner of Wool.
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Last week Danhi had a car accident and really needs to raise money to pay for car repairs. (Luckily she is OK otherwise.)

On Valentine’s day Danhi will have beautiful, creative, abundant bouquets for excellent prices. Buy them for yourself, or for your Valentine(s).

Denhi will be there today, Feb. 14, from 11 am until 7 pm, or possibly later. Find her in her in full bloom on the corner of Cortland & Wool (catty-corner from Good Life Grocery).

Spread the love!

Happy Valentine’s Day,
Annie

PHOTO: Danhi the Flower Lady (right) with Neighbor Beth, courtesy of Annie Sprinkle

Bernal Neighbor Recovers Stolen Scooter From 101/Chavez Encampment

February 13, 2017February 13, 2017 / Todd_Lappin / 18 Comments

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One Saturday night, someone stole Neighbor Tony’s scooter from outside his home on Precita Avenue.

On Sunday, another neighbor spotted his scooter inside the homeless encampment under the Cesar Chavez/101 interchange. Neighbor Tony tells Bernalwood what happened next:

A neighbor called, and said he saw my scooter under 101 bypass at Ceaser Chavez.

Sure enough it was there, sticking half way out of a tent. We called the police, but to be honest, no police came. So we waved down an officer on a dirt bike. He walked us in, and allowed us to get the bike back.

So let’s just say we stole it back, and they shouldn’t be back for awhile. That tent city probably holds a lot of people’s treasures.

PHOTO: Neighbor Tony walking his recovered scooter back home from the Chavez/101 encampment

Foes and Friends of Planned Parenthood Face-Off During Weekend Demonstrations

February 13, 2017 / Todd_Lappin / 1 Comment

In case you missed it — or didn’t hear it — there was a big anti-abortion protest in La Lengua last Saturday at the Planned Parenthood on Valencia.

The protest inspired an even larger counter-demonstration on the part of pro-choice advocates, who rallied to show support for Planned Parenthood’s services. Things got tense, but remained peaceful, as MissionLocal describes:

San Francisco Police Lieutenant Eric Washington said that some 12 officers oversaw the protest to facilitate both sides’ “first amendment rights” and to ensure that there is “no violence on either side.” By 2:45 p.m., the vocal crowds disbanded, and only a handful of protesters remained.

Gilda Hernandez, interim CEO of Planned Parenthood, said that the organization had originally encouraged protesters standing on both sides of the issue to express themselves “far away from our health center.”

“This is quite intimidating for people who are just seeking healthcare,” said Hernandez said about the clinic’s clients, adding that she was nonetheless appreciative of the strong show of support.

Read the full report, with more video, at MissionLocal.

VIDEO: via MissionLocal

A View of Bernal Hill (with Muni Trolley Bus) in 1942

February 10, 2017February 10, 2017 / Todd_Lappin / 3 Comments

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Ooh! Here’s a cool gem of a photo that comes to us via Bernal Neighbor Emeritus David Gallagher of OpenSF History and the Western Neighborhoods Project.

Behold Bernal Hill, as it looked in 1942.

The location is South Van Ness near Army (Cesar Chavez) Street, and the bus is parked roughly on the spot where our scenic AutoZone store now stands.

A few nifty details to note in the photo…

This is how Bernal Hill looked for much of its history: Barren and bald. The Sutrito Tower microwave antenna was erected in the 1960s, and the trees around it were planted in the 1970s.
In this photo, Army was still a regular San Francisco Street. It had not yet been widened to serve as an artery for traffic headed to the East Bay via the Southern Crossing Bridge.
The bus is one of San Francisco’s very first electric-powered trolley coaches. Close inspection shows it was No. 506, built by the St. Louis Car Company in December 1939, but not delivered until mid-1941. The sign on the bus says it was operating on the R -Line, Muni’s first electric trolley coach route, launched in September 1941. Happily, San Francisco has preserved and restored a vintage bus just like this; here’s a recent full-color photo of Trolley Bus 509.
If we zoom and enhance the right side of the image, we see the Signal Gasoline sign on the northwest corner of the Army/South Van Ness intersection:
That location is still a gas station, of course, so now we know that it’s been serving that role for at least 75 years.
Across Army Street, we see a squat, one-story house and a four-story, multiunit residential building. Both are still there, and both look more or less the same today:
Extra Credit: You Bernalwood Editor can even see a portion of my house in the 1942 photo! This is the earliest image of my house that I’ve yet found.

Notice any other cool details? Tell us about them in the comments.

For whatever reason, history and providence have given us several photos of this area of Bernal in the early 1940s. Check out Bernalwood’s previous stories on the view from Army and Folsom in 1942, and the view from Folsom at Precita Park in 1943.

Also, don’t miss all of the time-travelicious photos of Bernal available in the OpenSFHistory Bernal Heights collection.

PHOTO: Courtesy of OpenSFHistory

Cupid Is Standing By at Secession Art & Design

February 10, 2017 / Todd_Lappin

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That sound you hear? That’s the sound of Cupid triggering an alarm on your cross-platform calendaring app with integrated relationship-enhancement functionality. Valentine’s Day is coming up, and Neighbor Eden from the fabulous Secession Art & Design store at 3235 Mission (near Valencia) is on hand to help you put some romance in your Valentine’s Day. Neighbor Eden tells Bernalwood:

Secession Art & Design’s love collection is in!

Our gallery and boutique is stocked for gifting, with affordable jewelry, ceramics, candles and decanters all made locally, including ceramic cups made by Alexandra Barao, who is part of the Cafe St. Jorge team. Our community is talented!

We have a “thoughtful chair” that you can sit in and write your card. For the month of February you get a free stamp with purchase of a card. This is a sweet time to tell the ones you love, friends and family, what they mean to you.

You also have permission to shop local for yourself! Whether it is a powerful necklace, or clothes that give you confidence. Secession has something for every taste. Stop by this week 12-7 and say hello. Love rocks!

Your Bernal Heights Residential Real Estate Report: Wintercooled 2017 Edition

February 8, 2017 / Todd_Lappin

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Michael Minson and Danielle Lazier are longtime Bernal neighbors who work by day as local realtors. In light of their expertise, Bernalwood invited Neighbor Michael and Neighbor Danielle to update us on the state of residential real estate in Bernal Heights. Here’s their analysis:

Bernal Heights Today
Despite another record-breaking year, the Bernal Heights Real Estate market has officially cooled.

In 2016 we saw a modest 5% increase over the previous year’s median home sale price — from $1.3M in 2015 to $1.36M in 2016. In any other market that would be remnarkable, but this is Bernal, and we’re not like any other market. In fact, this is the third consecutive year we’ve seen slowing growth since 2012, when we experienced a record 23% gain over the previous year.

In context, prices here have nearly doubled since 2011, when the median price to buy a house in Bernal was $699k, believe it or not.

On the high end, Bernal added a new member to the $3M Club in February. 1669 Alabama St sold for $3 million, and it’s the third property in Bernal to sell for $3M or more in the last few years. There were 11 sales in the $2Ms last year, which is slightly more than double 2015, which reported 5 sales.

The Outlook
Barring a major environmental or economic event, our outlook for 2017 is cautiously optimistic.

Demand in Bernal remains strong for all the reasons we love it here: great weather, ample charm, wonderful views, and a convenient location. Meanwhile, compared to many other parts of the city, Bernal is still relatively affordable. Yet we seem to have a hit a plateau in terms of price appreciation for the time being.

The recent sharp rise for interest rates and the surprise election results shocked many buyers in the last half of 2016, even though interest rates remain roughly on par with where they were in 2014.

Overall, the US economy is performing well, and San Francisco’s economy remains especially strong. As employment and wages grow, so do housing prices. Many home buyers use stock market earnings to make their down payments, so as the stock market rallies, buyers’ buying power does as well.

All told, we expect slower growth to continue until we see another jolt to the economy.

PHOTO: Aerial view of Bernal Heights, as seen from the west. Photo by the Bernalwood Air Force

New “Lake Alemany” Entices Local Media and Watersports Enthusiasts

February 8, 2017February 8, 2017 / Todd_Lappin / 10 Comments

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After several days of nonstop rain, Lake Alemany has taken form beneath the 101-280 “Spaghetti Bowl,” in southeast Bernal, and the new reservoir quickly attracted the attention of local television crews.

Neighbor John was also on the scene at Bernal’s own version of the Salton Sea, and he reports that Lake Alemany is 1-2 feet deep in the middle, and about 30′ wide. Here’s a close-up:

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No word yet on whether the Recreation and Parks Department plans to open Lake Alemany for bumper-wakeboarding and alligator hunting, but Bernal residents are advised to keep their air boats, amphibious vehicles, and fishing equipment at the ready, just in case.