Photographed just a few moments ago, from Bernalwood’s Northern Bureau.

Image: Telstar Logistics

Thank you!

Image: Telstar Logistics

So we strolled.

Last night the Bernalwood Glam Squad did a promenade up and down Cortland Avenue for the first evar Holiday Stroll. Cortland’s merchants and proprietors opened their doors, poured grog, offered yummy treats, and chatted readily. Neighbors showed up, and they strolled too, giving Bernalwood’s main drag a bustling Main Street buzz. Lovely.

Hope this happens again next year.

Images: Telstar Logistics

The designers at Axis Maps just released a very nifty Typographic Map of San Francisco, and since Bernalwood is part of San Francisco, we’re included too. (“They like us! They really like us!”)

One of Axis’s preview images even shows a detail of the southeast corner of Bernal Heights, around the site of Holly Park and the Alemany Farmer’s Market:

Nifty! Copies of the map are available in various sizes from Zazzle.

Hat tip: Laughing Squid

Let’s be careful out there, people!

From the SF Examiner’s Law and Disorder blog this morning:

A Bernal Heights resident who made the unfortunate mistake of answering his door Monday was robbed by two suspects at gunpoint.

At about 9:30 p.m., the victim heard some knocks on the door of his apartment in the 100 block of Highland Avenue, according to the San Francisco Police Department.

At the door was a black male, who spoke with the victim and distracted him while a second man, an Asian male, entered through the unit’s rear door. While the victim was talking to the man on the doorstep, the second suspect approached him from behind, pointed a gun at him and demanded cash, police said.

UPDATE: Here’s some additional detail from the SFPD’s Ingelside Station crime blotter:

09:21 pm       100 blk Highland                Robbery w/ Gun
Officer Lim and Shugars with Officers Archilla and Kneuker responded to a robbery call.  The victim, a pizza delivery man, was held up at gunpoint by an African American male and Filipino male accomplice.  The victim delivered the ordered food to the door and the Filipino suspect answered, took the food and retreated into the home to get some change.  The African American suspect approached the victim and forced him into the house where both suspects then robbed him of his money.  The suspects then fled together out of the back of the building.  Officers searched the area for the suspects to no avail.  CSI responded to process the scene.  Report number 101126062

Image: Telstar Logistics

When you scan the horizon from atop Bernal Hill, San Francisco’s most prominent landmarks look staid, majestic… and extremely quiet. But don’t be fooled. In fact, over on Twitter, the city’s landmarks are talking among themselves — and sometimes they crack themselves up.

Here’s one such exchange that took place last weekend between Sutro Tower, the Bay Bridge, the TransAmerica Building, and One Rincon:

Danielle Lazier recently started following Bernalwood over on the Twitter.

Danielle is a realtor with Zephyr Real Estate, and the author of SFHotlist, so I sent her a note to get the inside skinny on residential sales trends in our sexy and glamorous neighborhood. Here’s what she said:

Quick stats from Bernal Heights housing market over past 90 days:

Quick stats from Bernal Heights housing market over past 90 days:
•    40 homes listings currently for sale
•    26 homes in escrow or pending sale
•    30 homes have sold (past 3 months)
•    Most expensive home sold = $1,370,000
•    Least expensive home sold = $375,000 (Um, that’s a $995,000 spread!)
•    Median home price = $807,000
•    Average days on market (how long it takes to sell a home) = 50 days
•    Average sales price / list price = 100.87%

The Bernal Heights real estate market is all over the map, quite literally! As you know, it’s a pretty big MLS district, ranging from Cesar Chavez to Alemany Ave on the North/South sides to San Jose Ave & 101 on the East/West. As such, the real estate (and the real estate market) is quite varied. Basically, it all comes down to pricing….if a listing is “priced to sell” it will, in fact, sell! For example, right now, there are 40 single family homes for sale and over the past 3 months, 30 listings have sold. Some houses sold super-fast, as in 7 days, but the average time it took to sell a house in Bernal was 50 days. Some listings went for as much as 8% over the asking price, and some for 14% under the list price (Note to sellers: don’t overprice!) but on average homes sold for right around list price.

What matters most? Location, location, location. Homes in the most coveted parts of Bernal, i.e. just off Cortland Ave or north slope, command the most money AND sell the quickest. Of course, the property’s condition matters too. Price and prep the house correctly and it will sell… in San Francisco, and definitely in Bernal Heights, selling for top dollar entails staging the home and pricing it just under perceived market value to draw a crowd.

Given national trends, this is pretty encouraging stuff for homeowners, and wannabe Bernal buyers alike. Bernalwood. So hot right now. Bernalwood.

SPECIAL NOTE TO PRICKLY LA LENGUANS: Danielle Lazier’s views on the Bernal Heights MLS are strictly her own, and do not reflect the opinions of the Overlords of Bernalwood, nor do they represent a change in Bernalwood’s munificent support for the La Lengua Autonomous Zone. Carry on.

IMAGE: Bernalwood West, as seen from the roof of St. Luke’s Hospital. By Don Franco.

It’s Christmas on Cortland, and the merchants of the Bernal Business Alliance (Yay!) are organizing a Holiday Evening Stroll on Thursday, December 9 from 6 to 9 pm.

Some enticements:

• Hot mulled cider at Spice Hound
• Lardo and some other tasty tastys from Avedano’s
• Grog and cookies at Heartfelt
• Wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres (in the back) at Liberty Cafe
• Drink specials and cookies at Stray Bar
• (Noticing a theme here?)
• Live music and Happy Cowboy BBQ at the Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center
• A Holiday-themed costume contest for dogs at Bernal Beast
• and more…

Here’s a map of the participating businesses.

See you there? A few Bernalwood folk will be merrily roaming the streets. I’ll be the one walking with a young child.  (Bwaaaaaaahahah!)

Image: Top, Steve Rhodes

As seen on Alemany Boulevard during the evening commute home.

It was a perfect winter sunset tonight, with lots of confused flip-flopping between clouds and sun, and wet and dry. Bernal Hill was quiet but verdant, and so clearly alive.

Images: Sunset on December 4, 2010 by Telstar Logistics

It’s been a very big week for Bernal Heights appreciation.

First, we launched Bernalwood. Then, San Francisco artist Jhameel unveiled a new album, and — wouldn’t you know it — the lead track is called “Bernal Heights.”

To be sure, “Bernal Heights” is no Sesame Street-style sing-along. In fact, as as near as I can tell, Jhameel never actually says the words “Bernal Heights.” (CORRECTION: In the comments, BernalDweller points out “The Heights of Bernal” get a shout-out at around 1:10.) Like Bernal Hill itself, the song is energetic and atmospheric, and I really like it. Give it a listen:

Jhameel’s brand-new album, “The Human Condition,” is available for free download here.

IMAGE: Bernal Heights (left) by Telstar Logistics vs. Jhameel (right).