Tales from the Bernal Heights Projects, Class of 1971

November 7, 2011November 8, 2011 / Todd_Lappin / 11 Comments

Eric Fermon doesn’t live in Bernal Heights anymore.

But when he did, Eric was a young kid from the Bernal Heights Projects on the south side of Bernal, alongside I-280. Richard Nixon was president, and life wasn’t always easy, but Eric remembers it fondly. He wrote to Bernalwood recently to share some of his memories of what it was like here back in 1971:

I remember so many things about Bernal Heights while we lived there between 1967 and 1971, but the sunny days and the vantage point from living near the top of Ellsworth St. on the south side overlooking the 280 as it snakes through the Portola Valley are encompassing memories. We arrived there one sunny afternoon in a rented moving van driven by my cousin Big Mike who couldn’t have been older than 16 or 17 at the time. Pulling up over the crest of Ellsworth St and parking on the right side of the street just a few feet from the apartment entry way is a stark memory. We had a bunch of oranges contained in a red plastic mesh bag and my sister Gladys had been eating oranges all morning and when we got there she was itching like crazy and her skin had broken out with hives.

We moved into 832 Ellsworth that day and as far as I could tell, leaving the Potrero Hill projects and moving to the Bernal Heights projects was a step up.

Here’s some of the things I remember most about living in Bernal Heights:

Climbing Bernal Heights hill on a sunny day or flying kites up there or at Holly Park on a windy day.

Going to the Library and nearby play ground on Cortland Ave.

Throwing dirt bombs on the Muni bus that drove up Ellsworth St.

Walking home with my two sisters and at times with my older brother from the Potrero Hill child care center to Bernal Heights on afternoons when we either didn’t have a ride home or money to take the bus. We would walk down Connecticut St. and cross Army (now Ceasar Chavez Ave) onto Evans Ave., then pick up Toland St. and walk through the host of industrial and construction companies until we got to Industrial St. We’d then make a right on Industrial St. and cross under the 101 overpass then march through Farmers Market and past Sun Valley Dairy before heading up the hill on Crescent Ave. until we got to Ellsworth St.

Attending Paul Revere in the 5th Grade and taking class in the Bungalow that was located in the school yard.

Having races in the school yard at Paul Revere to see who was the fastest in the class and me being second to a girl named Sharon, who incidentally came to Aptos Jr High in my eighth or ninth grade year. I had a brief crush on her at Aptos and didn’t even realize it was the same girl from Paul Revere until she reminded me one day some years later as young adults while helping a family member move.

Fond memories of Claire my very first grade school crush. She was hispanic, had long black hair, a pretty face, beautiful smile, athletic body and happened to be a pretty good kick-ball player.

Making friends with Keith Lewis a basketball prodigy who saved me from Danny the bully and who eventually attended Lowell HS where I had the privilege to play against him in a few varsity basketball games while I attended Lincoln HS.

Watching my older brother Carl run down the hill and return triumphantly riding his 3 speed Schwinn StingRay bike back up Ellsworth St. after telling him a teenager from down the hill took the bike from me while I was riding it out in front of the apt.

Seeing local teenagers sniffing glue out of a paper bag in the bushes right across from our apt. and later while walking back home from the corner store seeing one of those teenagers on the roof of a house crying and whacked-out threatening to jump off the roof, while a group of people tried to talk him down.

Meeting the new next door neighbor Sheldon and eating Mushroom Pizza for the first time with him & listening to him talk about his parents having sex.

Learning how to bowl at Mission Bowl while participating in a Saturday morning youth bowling league and looking forward to eating the best french fries on the planet there, and knowing that with just the right amount of ketchup they were extra-extra special.

I’ve lived in a number of places since then but the time we lived in Bernal Heights was an awakening period of sorts for me because I lived there between the ages of 6 and 10 years old. The few notable memories listed above characterize my stay in the Bernal Heights projects and make me a proud member of it’s Class of ’71.

The Coda? Eric is an Air Force veteran who lives in Seattle. He does information systems work for AT&T, and is currently writing a book.

PHOTO: 832 Ellsworth in 2011, by Telstar Logistics

Emperor Norton is Alive and Well and Living in Bernal Heights

November 3, 2011November 3, 2011 / Todd_Lappin / 13 Comments

His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Norton I was a nineteenth century San Francisco eccentric who fancied himself Emperor of the United States. Joseph Amster is a twenty-first century Bernal Heights resident who resurrects the spirit and dress of Emperor Norton to lead tourists on downtown historic tours. From his media kit:

Amster, a displaced journalist with an acting background decided he wanted to create a walking tour with a twist, offering his patrons a unique experience. “I decided early on that I wanted to do my tour in character and researched the historical figures from San Francisco’s past,” says Amster. “At first I thought about doing the tour as Mark Twain, but the more I read about Emperor Norton, the more fascinated I became with him.” After completing his research, Amster took on the character of Emperor Norton, complete with uniform, beard and plumed top hat. He now offers his tour to anyone with an interest in history.

A businessman originally from England and South Africa, Joshua Abraham Norton arrived in San Francisco in 1849 with $40,000, which after some shrewd investing, increased to $250,000 (which would be $3 million today). After losing his fortune to a bad rice investment, Norton disappeared, returning to San Francisco in 1859, declaring himself Norton I, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico. In any other city, he would have been dismissed as a madman, but the people of San Francisco embraced his reign. During his lifetime, Norton printed his own currency (which was accepted by San Francisco merchants), was served gratis in the city’s restaurants and always had the best seats at the theater. He also issued numerous proclamations, including calling for a bridge to be built between San Francisco and Oakland, and the founding of a league of nations. Today the Bay Bridge and United Nations stand as testaments to Emperor Norton’s vision.

As part of preserving Emperor Norton’s legacy, Amster is seeking to pay proper tribute to this visionary. “San Francisco has no memorial to Emperor Norton,” says Amster. “No streets are named after him, no statue has been erected, and there is no historical marker. The only plaque dedicated to his memory was on the old Transbay Terminal.” That plaque now rests with the Transbay Joint Powers Authority, and will be part of an interpretive exhibit when the new Transbay Terminal opens. The tributes Amster proposes include naming Commercial Street’s Empire Park (Emperor Norton’s address when the 1870 census listed his occupation as “Emperor”) Emperor Norton Park, and naming the Bay Bridge in Emperor Norton’s honor.

Fine proposals, all. And kudos to Joseph Amster to reviving the spirit of Emperor Norton in high fidelity and grand style. Oh, and if you happen to see him in full Norton I regalia waiting for the bus to take him to work downtown, do not be alarmed. To the contrary, approach him with Bernal pride and admiration, because he is clearly one of our own.

PHOTO: Top, Joseph Amster as Emperor Norton, by Chris Ellen Montgomery. Below, Emperor Norton I, circa 1880, via Wikimedia Commons

Got Chickens? Got Goats? Bernal Veterinarians Are Here to Help

November 2, 2011November 1, 2011 / Todd_Lappin / 2 Comments

Cats are cute, but cliche. Dogs are delightful, but a dime a dozen. If you keep chickens or goats on your property in Bernal Heights (it happens!), you may be glad to know that Jena Valdez is part of a small team of veterinarians who stand ready to help with all your livestock health-care needs. In a note to Bernalwood, she writes:

As a veterinarian here in Bernal, I was very excited to hear about the chicken/goat venture over on Folsom. Two other fellow veterinarians and I are in the early stages of forming a non-profit group which would serve the needs of backyard farmers here (by providing advice on husbandry, basic medicine, etc). Although we all currently see small animals at our “real jobs,” we all have livestock backgrounds, and are looking for a way to provide a service and get our hands on some barnyard critters! We realize there are a growing number of backyard farmers who might need a hand, and we want to put our skills to good use. We plan to start with Bernal, but eventually we’d like to work with livestock city-wide.

If your chickens or goats need some attention, contact Veterinarian Jena & Co. via email at <byvets AT gmail DOT com> — that’s short for “Backyard Vets” until they figure out a snazzier name.

PHOTO: Veterinarian Jena, with friend

The Modern Bernal Post-Nuclear (Apocalypse) Family

November 1, 2011November 1, 2011 / Todd_Lappin

Oh, you know what they say about Bernal Heights: “It’s such a good neighborhood to raise a family.” And the thing is, that’s true — even if you happen to be an alarming family of cyclops mutants out for a leisurely Halloween stroll on Cortland.

… or if you have a daddy like this:

PHOTOS: Top, davitydave. Below, Adrian Mendoza

A New Novel by Superstar Bernal Heights Author Peter Orner

October 28, 2011October 28, 2011 / Todd_Lappin / 6 Comments

In the Bay Area section of today’s New York Times, astute readers will find an article about author Peter Orner, a member of the Bernalwood literati glitterati:

Among writers, Mr. Orner is a boldface name. Since his debut collection, “Esther Stories,” was published in 2001 to rave reviews, he has continued to rack up plaudits: a Guggenheim fellowship, two Pushcart Prizes, and space in esteemed publications like Granta, The Atlantic and Ploughshares. He has also done two oral histories for McSweeney’s Voice of Witness series; Harper’s called “Hope Deferred,” his 2010 book about life in Zimbabwe, one of the most important books about that country in 30 years.

Compared with other Bay Area literary stars, “Peter’s name is overlooked by the general reading public,” said Oscar Villalon, managing editor of Zyzzyva, a literary journal that will be publishing one of Mr. Orner’s stories this spring. “If he lived in Brooklyn, he’d be the type of guy who’d be feted by The Paris Review, The New Yorker. His work is that good.”

Since we don’t want Peter Orner to leave Bernal and move to Brooklyn, perhaps he could get a similar career boost by simply *pretending* he lives in Brooklyn; say, by wearing trucker’s caps and riding a fixie. But his best hope probably lies in the new book he has coming out:

Things could change with his latest novel, “Love and Shame and Love,” which is scheduled to arrive in stores next week. Publishers Weekly called the book “vibrant and captivating.” In a nod to current publishing realities, Mr. Orner is working with a social media consultant, has put out a video trailer that stars Ed Asner and has garnered blurbs from literary stars like Daniel Handler to promote his book.

“It was a book that I had to write, knew I would always write, in some ways resisted writing, “ Mr. Orner said, clutching a ceramic cup at a local coffee shop near his home in the Bernal Heights section of San Francisco. “I definitely put everything I had into it.”

PHOTO: Peter Orner in Precita Park. Photo by the Adithya Sambamurthy/The Bay Citizen

Bernal Dads Racing Survives Another 24 Hours of LeMons

October 27, 2011October 27, 2011 / Todd_Lappin / 7 Comments

Sorry for the delay in reporting on this, but I’ve been catching up on the rest of life after going racing last weekend with the Bernal Dads Racing Team for the 24 Hours of LeMons event at Sears Point.

All in all — and especially by the low standards of LeMons — the race was a big success. The Bernal Dads began the weekend with an unannounced micro-parade down Cortland:

From there it was a glorious cruise across the Golden Gate Bridge…

… before arriving at Sears Point to set up camp. Once base camp was established, the two battered Bernal Dads cars — The Molvo and The Whale — were wheeled in for tech inspection, which they passed with flying colors.

During the races on Saturday and Sunday, the cars performed more or less flawlessly. With 160 cars competing, chaos often reigned on the track. But the Bernal Dads soldiered on, suffering only a broken fan belt and an unfortunate incident during which Sharpie-wielding vandals marred the logo of a certain celebrity-obsessed blog about Bernal Heights:

Very funny, fellas. Veeeeeery funny.

Luckily, a visiting member of Bernal Dads fan club, Bernalwood’s own Cub Reporter, doesn’t yet know how to read:

But out on the race course, the action was pretty intense. And if you happened to be sitting behind the wheel, it was even more so:

Indeed, the biggest problem the Bernal Dads encountered was… me. As the rookie driver on the team, my enthusiasm often overwhelmed both common sense and the laws of physics. Or, to paraphrase Top Gun, my accelerator foot had a bad habit of writing checks that the Molvo and the Whale couldn’t cash. As a result, I managed to accrue an astonishingly large amount of penalties in an impressively short amount of time. For this I will forever be contrite.

But on the bright side, even though I spun the Molvo once and put The Whale in the dirt twice (Doh!), I did not wreck either car, and returned both to the paddock more or less in the same condition as when I strapped in behind the wheel. Which I think counts as a victory, of a sort.

Oh, and along the way, I had a fantastic amount of fun.

When the checkered flag waved at the end of the weekend, these were the final results:

The Whale: 52nd place overall after completing 212 laps

The Molvo: 82nd place overall, after completing 176 laps

So we did not return home with glistening trophies or big piles of cash money. Yet the Bernal Dads managed always to look sexxxy and glamorous, and as we all know, in Bernal Heights, that’s really all that matters:

PHOTOS: Brandon Powell and Telstar Logistics

The Bernal Dads Racing Team Is Off to the Races (With a New Sponsor) This Weekend

October 20, 2011October 20, 2011 / Todd_Lappin / 8 Comments

Well, they got it done. It wasn’t easy, or pretty, but those handy fellas from Bernal Dads Racing managed to successfully transplant a new engine inside the old hulk of “The Whale,” their battle-scarred Volvo 240 race car. Here’s what the re-insertion looked like:

For a while it was touch and go. Just one week ago, the new engine was bolted in place, with all the wiring and hoses reconnected. But when the key was turned to start the motor, the Dads heard… nothing. The car wouldn’t start. And since a running motor is an essential prerequisite for a successful race car, this posed a big problem.

Luckily, the Dads have some mad mechanical skillz. After sleeping on the problem for a few days, one of them wandered into the garage to tinker around a little bit. Here’s what happened a few hours later:

Awesome sauce, indeed.

Tomorrow morning, the Bernal Dads Racing Team will haul their two race cars — the now-repowered Whale, and their mutant Miata-Volvo crossbreed “Molvo” — from their Bernal Heights workshop to Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma to take part in the Skankaway Anti-Toe Fungal 500, a two day race that’s part of the infamous 24 Hours of LeMons (as in “lemons”) racing series.

But the engine in The Whale isn’t the only thing that’s new. The Dads also have a new sponsor for this race…

Woo-hoo! What you’re seeing here isn’t another one of Bernalwood’s goofy Photoshop tricks; it’s the real deal. Plus, Bernalwood will be there to provide up-close coverage of this weekend’s race, because I’ve actually joined the Bernal Dads Racing Team as their newest driver. (GULP!)

So wish us luck. And if you happen to see the Bernal Dads as they leave Bernal Heights on Friday morning, give a wave. Or, even better, dress your innocent young children in flowing white robes, then send them out to line Cortland and shower the Dads and their janky racing machines with garlands and flower petals, in the manner of gladiatorial heroes departing for combat.

That would be nice.

PHOTOS: Telstar Logistics and Ben Buja

Much Fun Was Had at Festival on the Hill 2011

October 17, 2011October 17, 2011 / Todd_Lappin / 10 Comments

Wow. What a great small-town-in-the-big-city scene the 2011 Fiesta on the Hill turned out to be. Cortland was jammed with a happy mix of locals, visitors, adults, kids, humans, and barnyard animals.

There were mistrels on hand to serenade the wee ones:

And balloons aplenty:

And some freaky-weird dude who looked like a Buddha at Burning Man after an intense psychedelic experience:

And friendly witches to paint pictures on children:

Also, PONIES!

Congrats to all the organizers who helped make Fiesta on the Hill 2011 so much fun. See you next year!

UPDATE:

New neighbor Adrian Mendoza took some great photos during the Festival as well:

Lots more of Adrian’s photos, right here.

PHOTOS: Telstar Logistics and Adrian Mendoza

Man Creates Bernal Heights Haven for Lost Stuffed Animals

October 3, 2011October 3, 2011 / Todd_Lappin / 8 Comments

There was a wonderful little piece on the SFGate website this weekend about Jose Marquez, a man who has turned his Cortland garage into a foster home for cast-away stuffed animals:

Basically, we give these stuffed animals a second chance,” said Marco Marquez. His grandfather, Jose Marquez, stood by his side and his year-old son Anthony sat in his arms. The collection of stuffed animals started 16 years ago shortly after Grandpa Jose purchased a Bernal Heights apartment building. Back then, Jose was a construction worker and would rescue the toys that had been thrown into gutters, bringing them to the garage for a second life. Now Jose is retired, and the garage has become a haven for him.

Amazing, amazing, amazing multimedia storytelling, and the video above is a gorgeous must-see (be patient while the video player loads, please). Don’t miss it.

PHOTO AND VIDEO: SFGate

Ichi Sushi Hosts Benefit Dinner for Stafone Jackson

September 19, 2011September 19, 2011 / Todd_Lappin

Neighbor Erin from Ichi Sushi on Mission Street writes:

Please join us at ICHI Sushi for dinner on Tuesday September 20th as we host a benefit for the family of Stafone Jackson, a Mission High graduate who recently passed away in a tragic drowning accident. Stafone was also a former student of Erin’s.

From 5:30pm until close next Tuesday, we’ll donate 20% of all sales to Stafone’s family. In addition to ICHI’s regular dinner menu, we’ll offer a special dessert in Stafone’s honor, and 100% of dessert sales will go to the family.

Stafone was an incoming sophomore at UC Riverside, and a 2010 graduate of Mission High School. A sports star and scholar, Stafone was a generous and kind student leader who embraced the spirit of volunteerism and was doing great work in the community. We hope the San Francisco community will come together with us to support his family.

Sad tale, but a worthy cause. There’s lots more detail about Stefone’s accomplishments on the Ichi Sushi blog.

PHOTO: Stafone Jackson, via his friends on Facebook

He Liked the View from Bernal Hill So Much, He Moved Here

September 9, 2011September 8, 2011 / Todd_Lappin / 11 Comments

Remember that old TV commercial about the guy who liked his electric shaver so much, he bought the company? Well, in a similar way, photographer Adrian Mendoza visited Bernal Heights for the first time recently, and he liked it so much he decided to move here:

Hello, I am a Vernal Birgin – oops, I mean, Bernal Virgin…

Attached is a panoramic photo taken on July 23rd – the first time I EVER set foot on the hill. It is comprised of five separate photos.

Loved it so much, I just moved in on Labor Day (just off Cortland Avenue).

I spent a total of 23 years as a photojournalist in the Central Valley. Most of the photos at this link are mine, including the aerial photos of the California Delta and the portrait of jazz legend Dave Brubeck.

I’m ecstatic to be living here now with my partner, a newly hired editor in the S.F. office of the Huffington Post.

Cheers!

Here’s his panorama (click to embiggen):

Welcome to Bernalwood, New Neighbor Adrian, and thanks for sharing your photos. Keep ’em coming, please.

PHOTOS: Adrian Mendoza

You Have Another Month to Taste the Bernal Supper Club

August 26, 2011August 26, 2011 / Todd_Lappin / 12 Comments

Last week, I finally made it to the Bernal Supper Club, that Monday night pop-up restaurant created by a close-knit group of Bernal Heights foodies.

It was delicious. I started with the roasted beet salad, served with ricotta stuffed blossoms, basil puree, and pine nuts:

For my main, I chose the duck leg with wild rice, pickled cherries, and fennel salad. Also great:

No less great were the big smiles on the faces of chefs Tony Ferrari, Jonathan Sutton, and Miles Carnahan. “I spend all week looking forward to Monday!” Ferrari said when I grabbed him for a moment to say hello. The restaurant had a healthy crowd, and the gents were clearly having a blast in the kitchen. Their enthusiasm was palpable.

Indeed, they’re having so much fun, they’ve decided to extend the Bernal Supper Club for another month. So every Monday evening from now through the end of September, you can dine BSC-style in their pop-up home in The Corner, on Mission Street at 18th.

And after that? With a little luck, they could end up in a restaurant spot back home in Bernal Heights. They’ve already started looking…

PHOTOS: Courtesy of Bernal Supper Club (because my pics really sucked)

Neighbor Aretha Needs an Affordable Room to Rent

August 17, 2011August 16, 2011 / Todd_Lappin / 11 Comments

I came home last night to find a handwritten envelope waiting for me on my front doorstep.

Inside was a note from Neighbor Aretha, who says she’s lived here for 20+ years. She has to move, but she wants to stay in Bernal Heights, so she’s on the hunt for an affordable room to rent. And like a true Bernal native, she chose a resourceful-but-polite way to solicit help from her neighbors.

I don’t have a room, but I do have a megaphone. So here are the details (click to embiggen)…

Some modest digging also revealed a Craigslist posting, which adds that she’s a 21 year-old recent SF State grad. Then there’s the clincher: “I love SF and plan to stay here for a long time, and there is no place more special to me than our neighborhood around Bernal Hill.”

If you know of a room available with “modest rent” for a “hard-working girl in [the] home-searching business,” kindly dial your Neighbor Aretha via the email address on your screen.