Found Things

Cool Old Sign on Cortland Is Actually New, But Still Way Cool

/ Todd_Lappin / 17 Comments

paylittle

On a recent evening, your Bernalwood editor was strolling in downtown Cortlandia, near the glamorous northeast corner of Cortland and Ellsworth. I looked up as I passed the corner store, and noticed a rather beautiful, retrolicious neon sign that  declared “Pay Little.”

“Words to live by!” I thought. “A credo for the Bernal tribe!”

It was right there — in gorgeous glowing neon. Yet why hadn’t I noticed this gem before?

From the style and the typeface, the sign looked midcentury, circa 1940s. But it was also pristine, and as I looked more closely, I realized that it wasn’t old at all. It was a new sign, extremely well executed. Bravo!

A quick chat with the gentleman behind the counter at the Pay Little confirmed my hypothesis: The sign is new, although it does look old.  And it’s classically cool, regardless.

PHOTO: Telstar Logistics

Good Samaritans Seek Owner of Doggie Found in Precita Park

/ Todd_Lappin / 5 Comments

founddoggie

Neighbor Rebekah is searching for the owner of this wayward doggie:

On the full-moon evening of Friday the 13th, a dog was found roaming Precita Park. She looks like a Manchester Terrier or Min-Pin and appears to be about 9-18 months old, approx 25 lbs. Sweet and very scared with no microchip or collar. For now she is being fostered by Precita Park’s dogwalker-whisperer, Luke. If anyone recognizes this cutie, could they call Animal Care and Control or (415) 518-3984?

If the owner is not located, the dog will likely become available for adoption.

Godzilla Invades Bernal Heights (Again)

/ Todd_Lappin / 4 Comments

Bernal Hill from Billy Goat Hill Park

Over the weekend, Burrito Justice, chief spokesblogger for the La Lenguan separatists, noted the recent arrival of a billboard for the new Godzilla film on Mission Street just north of Precita.

“OMG Godzilla attacking!” he declared:

godzillabillboard

This is not the first time Godzilla has invaded Bernal Heights, of course. The kaiju image at the top of this post was created by your Bernalwood editor (with help from neighbor Laura Brunow Miner) waaaaaay back in 2011.

Yet in a response that neatly encapsulates the spirit of our age, journalist Roberto Baldwin needed just 20 minutes to adapt Burrito Justice’s photo into an animated GIF that takes the idea of a Godzilla incursion in Bernal Heights to an entertaining new level. Behold, Godzilla Invades Bernal Heights: The Sequel…

godzillahey

 

Inspiring Sidewalk Graffiti Asserts Bernal Heights Hegemony

/ Todd_Lappin / 3 Comments

sidewalkquote

Though at first blush it looks like the kind of thing that might have been created by the Bernal Heights Chapter of the Young Nietzscheans, this sidewalk aphorism photographed in Bernal by varsovienne is actually a quote from Marianne Williamson’s 1992 book A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles.

Here is the complete passage:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Citizens of Bernalwood… go forth and liberate!

PHOTO: varsovienne via the Bernalwood Flickr Group

Easter Bunny Leaves Chalk Art Outside Bernal Homes

/ Todd_Lappin / 2 Comments

bunnycar1

The Easter Bunny left us a cool present on Sunday morning, sometime between the time when I grabbed the newspaper after waking up and when I walked outside a short while later to run an errand.

The gift arrived in the form of a fun chalk drawing on the street in front of the driveway I share with my next door neighbors. The image showed a secret agent driving a custom Easter Bunny Egg car, and the details were rather wonderful.

bunnucar2

Thank you Easter Bunny!! Very much appreciated.

PHOTOS: Telstar Logistics

Elsie Street Library Opens Mysterious Main Branch

/ Todd_Lappin / 9 Comments

STEUER-mainbranch1 Neighbor Sharon found a secret public library tucked away along a leafy portion of Elsie Street north of Cortland. She has no idea how or when it got there:

I’ve always thought of Bernal as “Brigadoon” — a small town atop a hill in a city where even San Francisco residents ask “where is that?” when we mention it.

So whether, like Brigadoon, the Elsie Street Library Main Branch has always been there, or just appeared on certain days, to certain people, I can’t say for sure.

I walk the street all the time. I’m always looking at the houses and the flowers, seeing the paint colors and street plantings. I can’t tell you for sure when the elves set up this library, but we’ve never seen it before. I love it!

PHOTO: Neighbor Sharon

Fresh Donuts Come to Bernal Heights (But Taste Kind of Rubbery)

/ Todd_Lappin / 19 Comments

freshdonut

Several readers have written to us recently about new tire-mark “donuts” that have appeared at intersections around Bernal Heights.

Last week, your Bernalwood editor was awakened in the middle of the night by the squealing sound of automobile tires — over, and over, and over again. I could hear someone hooning around the ‘hood, and it sounded as if they were following a specific route, several times in a row.

Neighbor Cara heard it too:

I emailed you earlier about the guy who dangerously picks intersections in Bernal to burn some late night rubber. He came back! This is his THIRD time to the intersection at Nevada and Powhattan. It was about 11pm on Friday night and we heard the tires screeching. This time we ran outside to look from our porch. White, 80s looking convertible with a black soft top. He had a friend filming the ordeal from the sidewalk. After a few minutes of donuts, his friend got in the car and they sped away. Particularly made my blood boil because he came within about 2 feet from slamming into my parked car.

PHOTO: Nevada at Powhattan by Neighbor Cara

Bikini Jogger Spotted, Briefly, by Puzzled Bernal Neighbor

/ Todd_Lappin / 20 Comments

bernalbikini This morning brings a fleeting glimpse of Bernal’s fast-moving Bikini Jogger. Neighbor Jonathan logged it:

Bernal bikini jogger sighting – 1/28, morning.

While starting my car I noticed a yellow blur in the rear view. Puzzlement soon turned to excitement, realizing I was witnessing a mythical Bernal celeb – the bikini jogger. By the time I came to my senses to record the event, she slipped back into the Bernal foliage and quickly out of sight.