Events

Join the Gang Biking From Bernal to Hardly Strictly Bluegrass on Saturday

/ Todd_Lappin / 2 Comments

bikingbernalhill

Live in Bernal? Love to bike? Hate traffic? Heading to Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in Golden Gate Park on Saturday?

If you nodded vigorously to all the above, then you’re in luck, because there’s a convoy of bikes departing from Precita Park on Saturday morning, October 1, and you’re invited to join the pedal posse.

Neighbor Lauren says:

Greetings from Precitaville!

I wanted to alert you to a fun, free bike ride to Hardly Strictly that I’m leading this Saturday morning. This is an easy, kid- and family-friendly, slow rolling bike ride meeting at 9am in Precita Park and departing at 9:30 sharp, All are welcome, so please feel free to shout it from the hilltops!

We’ll make stops in the Mission and Duboce Triangle to pick up additional riders on our mostly flat, 6-mile ride. We should get to Hellman Hollow around 10:40, giving folks time to valet check or lock up their bikes before the music starts at 11am.

I ask that participants wear helmets and can arrange for free loaners if needed – interested parties should e-mail blazinglauren@gmail.com no later than Friday morning to coordinate.p.s. Here’s the approximate itinerary including “train stations” and route details:

  • 9am, gather in “Bernal Flats” (as I like to call it), on the west side of Precita Park, at Folsom and Precita
  • Precita Park is our first station.
  • 9:30am sharp, depart Precita Park, heading west to Valencia Street
  • Approx 9:45am, arrive at the Deeplet parklet, on Valencia between 20th and 21st Streets
  • Deeplet Parklet is our second station.
  • No earlier than 9:50am (i.e., arrive by 9:50 to join us here), depart the Deeplet, cycling north and west to the Wiggle
  • Approx 10:05am, arrive to the east side of Duboce Park, at Steiner and Hermann
  • Duboce Park is our third station.
  • No earlier than 10:10am, depart Duboce Park, wiggling along to the panhandle
  • Approx 10:40am, arrive at Hellman Hollow 11am, bluegrass commences

PHOTO: Courtesy of Neighbor Lauren

Wednesday: D9 Supervisor Candidates Debate at Brava Theater

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The D9 Candidates: Clockwise from top left: Joshua Arce, Iswari Espana, Hillary Ronen, and Melissa San Miguel

The D9 Candidates: Clockwise from top left: Joshua Arce, Iswari Espana, Hillary Ronen, and Melissa San Miguel

The face-off between Hillary and Donald isn’t the only debate people are talking about this week; Here in San Francisco’s glamorous District 9, the four candidates hoping to replace David Campos on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors will be onstage together for a debate at the Brava Theater on Wednesday evening, September 28.

All D9 voters are welcome, and admission is free:

The Board of Supervisor representative for District 9 ~ Supervisor David Campos term expires at the end of 2016.

Four candidates are running for election to replace Supervsior Campos: Joshue Arce, Melissa San Miguel, Hillary Ronen and Iswari Espana.

The debate will focus on key issues that affect District 9: Youth, Seniors, Housing, Business, Immirgration.

Sponsored by: Mission Merchants Association, Calle 24 Latino Cultural District, Our Mission No Eviction, Mission Peace Collaborate, San Francisco Lowrider Council, Cultural Action Network.

Wed, September 28, 2016
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Brava! for Women In the Arts
2781 24th Street
San Francisco, CA

Get your free tickets here

 

Go See Bernal Artist Deb Caperton’s Work at Paxton Gate

/ Todd_Lappin

dc_departure-wish-box-5

Bernal artist Deb Caperton has some of her work on display at the stylishly strange Paxton Gate store at 766 Valencia (near 19th) in The Mission.  Neighbor Deb tells Bernalwood:

My name is Deb Caperton (Bernal resident since 1994).  I wanted to invite you to check out my art show at Paxton Gate in the Mission. The show will be up until Nov. 1st.

My recent work, Loss & Found is at once playful and funny as well as melancholic and ironic. My vocabulary are metaphors made of bits and pieces, things found and made. The signage provides the observer with some riddles, instructive hints and directions making the viewer a collaborator. The work comes alive with interaction. For example: one can blow, whistle or slide a door to create a reaction that helps tell the story. The narratives are sensory, requiring participation and discovery. My hope is that this active participation beckons the viewer to be affected by what they see and feel, making these stories their own.

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PHOTO: Departure (wish box #5) by Deb Caperton, courtesy of Deb Caperton

Wednesday: Phonographic Memory with Bernal Rockstar Matt Nathanson

/ Todd_Lappin / 2 Comments

nathansonmemory

Oh, how time flies when you’re enjoying the memories…

On Wednesday evening the fabulous Phonographic Memory project celebrates its second anniversary. First launched in 2014, Phonographic Memory was created by Bernal Neighbor Corey Bloom. It’s an exchange of recollections through vinyl records, during which guests are given a few minutes to share a personal story or memory about a song or the record, and then play a song from that album. Since then, Phonographic Memory has also spawned a podcast, so you can listen some of the stories presented in the series as they were shared at our very Bernal Heights library.

Wednesday’s second anniversary edition of Phonographic Memory will be pretty special,  with a memory presentation by Bernal’s own celebrity rockstar-in-residence, Neighbor Matt Nathanson.

Bernal library’s celebrity branch manager Valerie Reichert tells Bernalwood:

Bernal Branch Library is psyched to announce a very special guest participating in Wednesday’s anniversary celebration of Phonographic Memory: Bernal neighbor, platinum artist, Matt Nathanson will be on board!

The program format will be as always — a story in mind and a record in hand. It’s an evening about vinyl records, personal attachments and storytelling. Special guests also include David Bustamante, Dug Infinite, and Jon Bernson, The event will be held upstairs in the main area of the branch.

Phonographic Memory: 2nd Anniversary Celebration!
with Special Guest presenters:

  • Matt Nathanson – Singer/ Songwriter
  • David Bustamante – 70s Rock Band Dakila
  • Dug Infinite – Hip-Hop Producer/ DJ
  • Jon Bernson – Vocalist, ExRays

Wed. Sept 21
7 -9 pm – FREE
SFPL Bernal Heights Branch Library
500 Cortland Ave., SF, CA 94110

phonographicmemory_poster-sept2016-1-1-1

PHOTO: Top, Bernal neighbor Matt Nathanson, courtesy of Phonographic Memories

Tuesday: Community Meeting About Prospect Community Garden Water Pipeline Plan

/ Todd_Lappin / 1 Comment

prospectcommgarden

Planned repair work to a pipeline that carries water from the College Hill Reservoir near Holly Park will bring change to the Good Prospect Community Garden that runs between Santa Maria St. and Cortland Ave.

Roberto A Lopez from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission invites Bernal residents to learn more about the project on Tuesday evening:

Notice that has been mailed out to residents who live near the Good Prospect Community Garden on Cortland Ave. regarding a community meeting being held at the Bernal Heights Branch Library (Bernal Heights Room) on Tuesday, September 20 at 6:00 p.m.

This is the 2nd meeting to discuss a project that will impact the Good Prospect Community Garden.  We (SFPUC) have met already a couple of times with the members of the community garden as well as residents that live nearby.

The project will replace two existing pipelines that supply water to SF General Hospital and City Hall.  The existing pipelines run from the College Hill Reservoir and underneath the community garden.  The project is tentatively scheduled to begin construction in late 2017/early 2018.

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PHOTO: Good Prospect Community Garden, as seen from Cortland via Google Maps

Action! The 2016 Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema Starts on Cortland TONIGHT

/ Todd_Lappin

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It’s that red carpet time of year, Citizens of Bernalwood. The 2016 Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema festival gets underway TONIGHT!

Yes, it’s the time of year when the streets of Bernal Heights are paved with red carpets, as celebrities jet in to see and be seen during the world-famous Bernal Heights Outdoor Film Festival.

Check out the complete 2016 BHOC schedule for details, but here’s an overview of the events:

Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema announces its 2016 schedule of short films and videos for four nights of free screenings in a wide array of indoor and outdoor settings. The line-up features a broad selection of mini-docs, narratives, animation and comedy produced by established, emerging and young filmmakers. Live music kicks off most evenings with performances by local musicians. Here’s the 2016 Schedule:

Friday, 9/9, 7:00 pm., Film Crawl on Cortland Avenue
from Bennington to Ellsworth Street:

  • Progressive Grounds, 400 Cortland, films at 7:00, 8:00, and 9:00 pm
  • Bernal Star 410 Cortland, films at 8:00 and 9:00 pm
  • Kingman Young Photography, 416 Cortland, films at 7:00, 8:00, and 9:00 pm
  • Bernal Public Library, 500 Cortland, films at 7:00 and 8:00pm
  • Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center, 515 Cortland, films at 7:00, 8:00 and 9:00 pm
  • Inclusions Gallery, 627 Cortland, films at 7:00, 8:00 and 9:00 pm

Check the schedule for details on the films in Friday’s lineup

Saturday, 9/10, 6:30 pm: Under the Stars. Precita Park
Folsom Street and Precita Avenue. Music by Latin HEAT. Here’s the Saturday film lineup

Thursday, 9/29, 7:00 pm: Best of Bernal. Bernal Branch Library
500 Cortland Avenue. Music TBA, with encore screening of the three award-winning films: Best of Bernal, Spirit of Bernal, and Good Life Audience awards

For more information, visit bhoutdoorcine.org.

All venues are FREE. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Audience members are encouraged to bring blankets, low-back lawn chairs and warm clothing for outdoor venues.

Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema gratefully acknowledges its sponsors: Zephyr Real Estate-Noe Valley, San Francisco Arts Commission, Architect Mason Kirby, Good Life Grocery, Keller Williams Realty, Paragon Real Estate Group, Vanguard Properties, Fit Local Fit, PSAV Presentation Services.

PHOTO: Top, BHOC in Precita Park, 2013, by Telstar Logistics

Saturday: Rock the Guac at the 5th Annual Guacamole Competition!

/ Todd_Lappin / 2 Comments
2015 Guac-Off Champion Elle "Monster Guac" Garcia clutches her victory trophy

2015 Champion Elle “Monster Guac” Garcia clutches the coveted Guacamole Glory Trophy

It’s that very special time of year for guacamole fans in Bernal Heights.

Once again, the annual Guac-Off guacamole competition is coming this weekend. It’s free, and it’s happening on Saturday, September 10 beginning a 1 pm at the glamorous Farmhouse Mansion, at 3340 Folsom near the top of the hill at Ripley.  That means if you you want to compete, there are a few days remaining for you to beg your abuela for her secret recipe.

Here are all the guactastic details, courtesy of guacMC Luke:

Look, 2016 is a complicated time, but in a complicated world eating guacamole with your friends and neighbors is the best of all simple pleasures. As the saying goes, San Francisco is 49 square miles surrounded by reality, so for one delightfully warm Indian Summer afternoon we invite you to forget all the complications of 2016 and bask in the fact that you are not surrounded by reality, you are surrounded by avocados. Lots of avocados.

So join us on Saturday, September 10th, 2016 at 1pm at The Farmhouse Mansion for the 5th Annual Indian Summer Guac-off!

  1. Your guacamole must use at least 7 avocados.
  2. If you don’t bring a guacamole, you’re encouraged to bring beer.
  3. No matter what you decide to bring, bring your friends!
  4. We’ll provide the chips, the Guacamole Glory Trophy, and the mystery prizes.

If you’re thinking about coming we’d love for you to check out guacamole.expert (our new site!) and take 15 seconds (seriously, that’s all it takes) to fill out our totally non-committal sign-up form so we can know how many pounds of chips we need to buy.

If you’re reading this it means you understand the sacred power and magic of spending a warm afternoon with friends, neighbors, cute babies, cuter dogs and maybe even the mailman. It means that you know the delight of being shaded by lush trees in the garden of a large mansion while being surrounded by whimsical interpretations of the holy avocado.

So use this information carefully — and by use it carefully we mean tell anyone you’d like.

Guacamolingly,
Chris, Luke & Josh

guacparty

Reminder: Focus Group on Shotwell Housing Proposal Tonight

/ Todd_Lappin / 1 Comment

1296oldnew2

Quick reminder: Now that the new design for the proposed nine-story housing development at 1296 Shotwell has been revealed, the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) development team will hold a “focus group” tonight, Monday, August 29, to give Bernal residents the opportunity to comment on the plan.

Here are the details:

WHAT: 1296 Shotwell Design Focus Group
WHEN: Monday, August 29, 6pm to 7:30pm
WHERE: Precita Eyes Mural Studio, 348 Precita Avenue

IMAGE: Comparison of renderings showing old and new designs for 1296 Shotwell. Source: MEDA

Tonight: Celebrate the Gorgeous New Mural on Mission Street

/ Todd_Lappin / 2 Comments

lynnmural

As you may have noticed, there’s a fantastic new mural on Mission Street in La Lengua. It was painted on a wall facing the fashionable Bank of America parking lot between Valencia and 29th Streets, and it was created by artist Amanda Lynn.

Neighbor Eden from Secession Art & Design is also president of the Mission-Bernal Merchants Association, and she invites one and all to an event happening tonight to celebrate the new mural:

Please join us this Tuesday, August 23rd, 6-8pm, in the Bank of America parking lot between Valencia and 29th St to meet mural artist Amanda Lynn, who created our beautiful new mural inspired by her childhood. The theme was “Pursue Growth and Happiness.”

3300 Club will be selling their t-shirts to help them reopen, and Bliss Pops will be giving away popsicles to the first 100 supporters. Thank you to Zappos and Beautify Earth for choosing our neighborhood as one of eight US cities to donate a mural.

You may have noticed the billboard on this wall is hyper-local. Mission Bernal Merchants Association has taken it over for the next year. Our first billboard by artist Jonathan Koshi was a fundraiser for the merchants impacted in the 3300 Block fire in June. The MBMA, with a lot of community support, raised $16,000 for these merchants. We’re so pleased to have our neighborhood come together and celebrate each other.

Stop by and say hello!

PHOTO: Telstar Logistics

Tuesday: Community Meeting About 9-Story, 96-Unit Housing Development on Shotwell

/ Todd_Lappin / 16 Comments

Rendering of 1296 Shotwell, as seen from Cesar Chavez. Source: MEDA, April 2016

On Tuesday,  August 23 at 6 pm, the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) will hold a community meeting at the Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center to reveal their latest designs for 96 units of subsidized-affordable senior citizen housing at 1296 Shotwell, just north of Cesar Chavez. There’s also a focus group scheduled for Monday, August 29.  Here are the two upcoming events:

  • Community Meeting: Tuesday, August 23, 6pm to 7:30 at BHNC, 515 Cortland
  • Focus Group: Monday, August 29, 6pm to 7:30pm, Precita Eyes Mural Center, 348 Precita Avenue

Right now, 1296 Shotwell is a one story warehouse-style space used for automotive repair. As proposed, the site would become a 9-story building to provide 100% subsidized-affordable housing for senior citizens.

1296floorplans

1296 Shotwell, typical floorplans. Source: MEDA, April 2016

The proposed building would not include any parking, and it would rise 85′ from street level, or 20 feet higher than permitted under current zoning.

Source: San Francisco Planning Department

Source: San Francisco Planning Department

1296 Shotwell sits right next door to 1515 South Van Ness, the proposed six-story development approved in a unanimous 6-0 vote by the San Francisco Planning Commission earlier this month. As approved, 1515 South Van Ness will provide 157 units of mixed-income housing, with 25% set aside as subsidized-affordable.

During a contentious community meeting about 1296 Shotwell held last April, some Bernal neighbors objected to the proposed height of the building, which would rise five or six stories above most other nearby buildings. Others objected to the proposed design, which included an 85′ perforated concrete slab on the building’s south side, facing Bernal Hill.

Rendering of 1296 Shotwell, as seen from Coso/Stoneman in North Bernal. Source: MEDA

Rendering of 1296 Shotwell, seen from Coso/Stoneman in North Bernal. Source: MEDA, April 2016

MEDA has suggested the Bernal-facing slab could be covered by a mural, but in the bilingual workshop sessions held during March’s community meeting, neighbors were unenthusiastic about the mural concept, pointing out that south-facing murals tend to disintegrate  quickly because of the harsh sun. One neighbor said the mural proposal was “basically the definition of putting lipstick on a pig.”

MEDA tells Bernalwood a revised design for the project will be on display at the meeting on Tuesday. However, despite repeated requests, MEDA declined to provide renderings of the updated proposal in advance of Tuesday’s meeting.

Personally, I would like to see 1296 Shotwell built at the proposed height, with the proposed number of housing units. I live a block from 1296 Shotwell, about 400 feet away, and the building will be in the direct line of sight from my house.  The new building will definitely obscure part of my glamorous skyline view, but I don’t care that much about losing some of my glamorous skyline view, because San Francisco desperately needs more, higher-density housing of all kinds to make housing more affordable to more San Franciscans. But that’s just me, and I’m on record as a YIMFY — Yes In My Front Yard.

That said, 1296 Shotwell would likely benefit from an improved design for the south facade, so that the 9000+ neighbors who live on Bernal’s north slope will feel better about gazing upon it for decades to come. We’ll find out what MEDA has in mind at the Big Reveal, 6 pm on Tuesday night at BHNC.

Front Porch Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary With Street Party

/ Todd_Lappin

frontporchparty

Yesterday, the Front Porch restaurant on 29th Street in the La Lengua Autonomous Zone celebrated its 10th Anniversary. Blessedly, even after a decade, neither the primal forces of time nor fire have been able to stop the southern-fried deliciousness that is the Front Porch.

Rebel propagandist Burrito Justice was on the scene for the festivities, and he reported:

The back yards of La Lengua [are] echoing with the sounds of horns and drums and cheering from the Front Porch… Whatever you want to call it, this neighborhood does not suck.

So true. Check out this little video to get a taste of the scene:

Big congrats to Team Front Porch on the anniversary, and thanks for all the good food and warm community you’ve brought to 29th Street.

PHOTOS AND VIDEO: Courtesy of @BurritoJustice

Saturday: Here Is Your Official 2016 Hillwide Garage Sale Treasure Map

/ Todd_Lappin

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This is your moment, Bernal Heights craphounds treasure-hunters!

That magical time of year is here. On Saturday, August 13, you should stuff your pockets with wads of petty cash and load that bootlegged copy of Amazon Prime’s route-optimization software onto your smartphone. The 2016 Bernal Hillwide Garage Sale starts at 9 am on Saturday , so it’s time to map out your plan of attack!

Here’s the latest update from the magical elves in the Hillwide Garage Sale Command Center:

Total Garages Registered = 122
Total Funds Raised = $2790

Thanks to everyone for rallying to the cause, we’ve raised almost $1000 in additional donations for BHNC in the last 5 days. That is something to be proud of 🙂

It’s definitely not too late to join the party that will descend on the [Saturday] tomorrow morning at 9am.

CLICK HERE to register for the Hillwide and The Elves will be working their magic to get you on The Map in plenty of time.

You can register as late as midnight tonight (Friday August 12th).

AND, if we can raise just $275 more we will break our record-breaking-year from last year. Just by a few dollars, but it would feel SO good!

Emperor Norton Wants YOU in the Bernal Heights Hillwide Garage Sale

/ Todd_Lappin / 1 Comment

emperornorton331x

It’s just a week away! The shabbily-chic Bernal Heights Hillwide Garage Sale happens on Saturday, August 13.

That means now is the time to register your home if you want to appear on the fashionable Hillwide Garage Sale Treasure Map, Bernal’s own who’s-who of post-consumer purging.

And remember, Emperor Norton will be watching. The Hillwide elves tell Bernalwood:

This year, the World Famous, Bernal’s own Emperor Norton, will be judging the “Best of Bernal” Hillwide Award!.

The Emperor will be looking for the garage that exemplifies the spirit of the Hillwide: Somewhat irreverent, curiously clever, a darn good time and open to everyone.

Since he’s a very busy Emperor, he’ll be rendering judgement via his mobile device from an undisclosed location. To enter, take as many photos as you like and post them on Instagram and/or Facebook. Don’t forget to tag your pics #Hillwide2016 so we can find them. The more creative the images, the better!

And be sure to include the address of your sale as well – this is an EXCELLENT marketing tool to attract even more buyers to your neck of the woods! Because everyone wants to shop at the best garage sale!

The winner will receive the “Best of Bernal” trophy designed and crafted by the youth program of the BHNC. You will also receive immediate gratification and social media fame knowing that your garage typifies the very Best of Bernal. Just imagine how much more your kids/spouse/dog/goldfish will love you know that you have achieved a certain level of notoriety!

As always, 100% of donations received for the Hillwide registration go to the Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center. Sign your garage up at Hillwide.com/Register.

PHOTO: Emperor Norton spotted on Cortland Avenue, by Telstar Logistics