Homes Saved as SFFD Halts Hillside Brush Fire in South Bernal

May 14, 2013May 14, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 4 Comments

Chalk this up as one of those things that could have been really really really really bad, but instead turned out to be just dramatic and messy.

Yesterday afternoon, a fire broke out on the grassy hillside behind the Ellsworth Street projects, just east of the Alemany Farm, facing I-280. The San Francisco Fire Department responded to the blaze with an impressive display of manpower and specialized equipment, such that no homes were lost in the fire, and (according to the SFFD scanner) only two houses were slightly damaged.

Neighbors Evan and Anne, who took the photos you see here, bring the summary:

There was a fire today on the hillside south of Bache & Andover Streets. Thanks to quick action of many neighbors and the SFFD, serious property damage was averted.

Nice work, people. Also: Whew!

PHOTOS: Neighbors Evan and Anne

Kickstarter Drive Underway for New Parklet at 903 Cortland

May 13, 2013May 13, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 61 Comments

Miss Mutsumi from 903 (and Sandbox Bakery) has launched a Kickstarter campaign to install a cute little parklet in front of 903 Cortland, just east of Gates:

There are currently no parklets in Bernal Heights. We at 903 are taking steps to be the first to provide this amenity, and with the help of the residents and friends of the neighborhood we can make it happen. Not only would 903’s parklet be the first in Bernal, it would continue to inspire and facilitate the on-going revitalization of the community happening along Cortland while providing a convenient and central gathering place for friends and family. Imagine meeting up at 903 to enjoy a delicious outdoor lunch on the sunniest street in San Francisco!

The parklet will replace two parking spots on Cortland Avenue directly in front of 903, a restaurant and offshoot of Sandbox Bakery that has quickly become a go-to lunch spot for many residents of Bernal Heights. At 40 feet long, the parklet will boast seating for up to 25 people, a canopy for shade, greenery consisting of native plants, and it will, of course, be wheelchair accessible. The structure itself will be constructed out of reclaimed wood and steel scraps.

The City of San Francisco has approved our permit and all the fees have already been paid. Now, we are trying to raise funds in order to begin building this much-anticipated addition to Cortland Avenue. Our current goal is to start construction as early as June. After that, the parklet will be completed in only a few weeks!

If the number of emails I’ve received and tweets I’ve seen about the project are any indication, the Citizens of Bernalwood are very enthusiastic about the idea. You can contribute to toward the parklet’s $12,505 goal here.

Here’s the video:

Saturday: 2013 Community Congress at the Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center

May 10, 2013 / Todd_Lappin

Ailed Paningbatan from the Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center extends this invitation to all ye Citizens of Bernalwood:

Hello Community,

Im sure you all have been seeing flyers around, have heard the buzz around the neighborhood and have seen it on BHNC’s face book page etc. It’s that time of the year again – time for BHNC’s Annual Community Congress! This year, we’ll be focusing on Health and Public Safety.

It will be on Saturday, May 11, 2013 from 9:00am-1:00pm at 515 Cortland. BHNC’s Community Congress has been put together in our neighborhood since the 80’s. It is a space for us to discuss, strategize and create platforms for proactive progress and change in our neighborhoods!

We’re very excited that this year’s Congress is focused on health and public safety, an issue that we all care about and is truly appropriate as we have seen the past year with the sudden uptick of crime in our neighborhoods.

There will be four break-out sessions that will be facilitated by our own community leaders, to help guide some of the work that we will continue to do surrounding health and public safety. One workshop is neighborhood safety organizing led by our very own neighbors and block captains Sarah Rogers, Edie Williams, Martha Stein and Ed Whitmore. This workshop will be focused on some of the projects that have stemmed from our latest hot spot walk such as the lighting campaign, as well as other projects and concerns that the community would like to take on!

Our Public Housing Working Group leaders will be facilitating another workshop on how we can all work together towards a safer unified community, another workshop is by our Youth Department in regards to community policing and police/youth relationships that we have been working on through our annual Youth Summits. Another important workshop is on Senior Health and Public Safety. Did you know that due to the city’s recent budget cut, home bound seniors will no longer be able to receive food deliveries? These are some of the recent issues that are going on that we may not know about, BUT definitely can have a serious effect in our neighborhood, in our families, in our future. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

We will also get a chance to have a discussion with both Supervisor Campos and Supervisor Avalos during our report back session so they can hear our concerns, ideas, and priorities that we have discussed during our break out session and what type of support we would need from them.

In addition Captain Falvey from Ingleside Station along with his officers will also be there ingrained in our workshop sessions and during the report back as we have been working closely with them in our public safety work.

We will have tabling info sessions from NERT, SF SAFE, BHNC senior and youth services and plan to have Department of Public Works (DPW) and 311 as well. This is also an opportunity for you to engage with your neighbors. The more we know each other, the more we will look out for each other. This is what neighborhoods and communities are all about!

Community Congress is BHNC’s premier event geared towards sharing the progressive work that is going on, and getting community input to guide all of our work in the coming years. I am calling all community members to spend this time with the neighborhood! It is critical that all neighbors are present and that every community is represented. This is our chance to come together and make sure no voice goes unheard. Community Congress is a vehicle that brings the true spirit of collaboration and community to our neighborhood, and we need everyone to get behind the wheel! I am looking forward to seeing you all there!

Breakfast and Lunch is provided!

Should you have any questions please call or email me separately. Happy Tuesday Bernal and Excelsior!

In Solidarity,

Ailed Quijano Paningbatan-Swan
Director of Community Engagement
Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center
Excelsior Community Center
apaningbatan@bhnc.org
(415) 206-2140 x 130

Community Congress 2013 Agenda

9:00 Doors open/ registration/ breakfast
9:30 Opening / Welcome (Ailed and Rachel)
9:40 Community Report (Rachel)
9:50 Youth Video
9:55 Meet the BHNC Board (Rachel / Johanna)
10:10 Introductions to the 4 Break Out/ Action groups
10:25–11:45 Break Out/ Action Groups (at BHNC)
12:00 Break Out Action Groups presentations
Panel Responses to the Break Out/ Action Group presentations
12:30 Open Q&A
12:40 Thank You

Lunch and Community Engagement [Tabling: BHNC, NERT, DPW, SF SAFE, 311]

Cortland Candy Shop Converts Tasty Sugar Into Wholesome Community

May 9, 2013May 9, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 5 Comments

There’s a cute interview with Miss Heather from Cortland’s Rock Candy Snack Shop posted on the San Francisco Small Business Week website, in which Miss Heather explains how she’s trying to build community, one jellybean at a time:

Tell us about the impact you believe your small business has had on your community.

I know I took a dark storefront and painted it pink, wrapped it in Christmas lights, sparkled it with glitter, and filled it with temptation. Parents come up to me and thank me for choosing their neighborhood. Kids relish the day they can grow up and work here. I am working with the SF Mayor’s Employment an Education Program to hire youth this Summer. I sweep the street every day. I attend The Merchants Alliance Meetings to help make the corridor safe and inviting. My store is at its humble beginnings and I know we have a lot more that we want to do to make Bernal Heights stand out as one of the coolest communities in San Francisco.

PHOTO: Rock Candy Snack Shop

Cozy Bernal Heights Vacation Rental Gets Good Gas Mileage

May 9, 2013May 9, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 6 Comments

Here’s an easy way to get away from it all — without having to get away at all!

Check out this suh-weet Airbnb vacation rental in Bernal Heights. It’s comfortably furnished, with a queen-size bed, plush seating, big windows, and it even comes with a car you can use. Plus, at just $520 a month (or $92 a night), it’s a fine deal. But there’s just one catch… IT’S A VAN!

I have a 1990 Chevy Conversion van with only 45,000 miles. She runs great and has a cozy queen size van bed in the back and three captain’s chairs, including the driver’s. It has a clean record and gets pretty good gas mileage for a van. You must have a clean driving record and a valid driver’s licence plus you’re own non-owner’s driver insurance.

The listing shows a street address on Precita Avenue, which is very glamorous. Sadly, however, the listing also informs us that this rental property does not include a kitchen, pool, fireplace, wireless Internet, heating, intercom, washer/dryer, hot tub… or free parking.

UPDATE: It looks like the listing has been removed — Airbnbrushed from history!

HAT TIP: Uptown Almanac

Bernal Neighbors Donate Crime-Fighting iPads to SFPD

May 8, 2013May 7, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 7 Comments

You may recall that the perps who are allegedly responsible for the recent armed-robbery unpleasantness in Bernal Heights were captured because a quick-thinking cop used his personal iPad to track a stolen iPhone… and the baddies who took it.

You may also recall that shortly after the thugs were arrested, Neighbor Regina organized a donation fund for grateful Bernal residents to contribute to the purchase of a few iPads for use by officers from the SFPD’s Ingleside Station.

The fund was a big success, and three new iPads were recently procured and delivered to Ingleside. Neighbor Regina tells it:

Not only did we exceed the fundraising goal for one iPad, but Neighbor Cynthia (an Apple employee) offered us her discount, so we were able to purchase three iPads for the Ingleside department.

The iPads have now been delivered to Captain Timothy Falvey who is thrilled to receive them. We met an officer who rides his police bike on Cortland — he will be using one. We met a SWAT member who says he will use one (Google Maps has done wonders for his team). Captain Falvey even asked to keep the Apple shopping bag the devices came in for use during decoy operations.

Thanks to some die-cut stickers contributed by Ellaprints on Precita, all three iPads will also sport the glamorous Bernalwood logo while in action.

Way to go, neighbors!

Indeed. Nice work, people.

PHOTOS: Bernal neighbors drop off community-purchased iPads at Ingleside Station, by Neighbor Regina

New Wafflemonger Will Bring Carmel-Glazed Waffliciousness to 331 Cortland

May 7, 2013May 6, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 14 Comments

As you may have heard, Bernal Cutlery is moving on from it’s cozy space in the 331 Cortland marketplace. Now Bernalwood has learned that its replacement will be Suite Foods, a Belgian-style waffle kiosk.

Yes, you read that correctly: Belgian-style waffle kiosk.

Sivan from Suite Foods tells Bernalwood:

My name is Sivan Wilensky and am the owner of Suite Foods. I want to let you know that we will be replacing Bernal Cutlery at 331 Cortland. We have been in business since 2010, specializing in Liege waffles. Until now we have only been selling wholesale but are very excited to have this as our first retail location.

To the uninitiated, a Liege waffle s a type of sweet, snack waffle. It’s made from a yeast-risen dough that has bits of pear sugar mixed in, which provides a unique sweetness and crunch. We then hand-shape the dough before griddling them in our cast iron waffle makers. During the griddling, some of the pearl sugar melts, coating the waffles in a light caramel glaze. And of course, all waffles will be made-to-order.

We will be offering both sweet and savory waffles. Flavors that we will offer on a rotating basis will include espresso, brownie, mapbe bacon, and matcha. We will offer sweet and savory options as well, which will include poached eggs with smoked sea salt, frozen custard (from our friends at Frozen Kuhsterd), and fresh, seasonal fruit.

We are still working out the drink offerings, but so far we know we’ll offer fresh juice, pressed-to-order as well as hot chocolate, chocolate milk, and rich, thick European-style hot chocolate, all using TCHO chocolate. As a San Francisco native (I grew up in Ingleside) I spent a good deal of time in Bernal Heights. I always admired the sense of community and am excited to now become a part of it.

We will be opening the “Suite Foods Waffle Shop” on Saturday, June 1st. Our hours will be from 8am to 5pm and will be open all days except Thursday.

PHOTOS: Top, Liege waffles, via Suite Foods. Below, 2011 photo of Sivan Wilensky, by DevourBlog

Why You Should Drive Your Fun Car with Your Sporty Kids During the 2013 Bernal GT on Saturday

May 7, 2013May 7, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 5 Comments

There is a popular stereotype which says that Bernal Heights is home to a thriving community of Prius-driving treehuggers who treat personal transportation as an expression of their personal virtue.

And to some extent, that’s true.

Yet as even a casual stroll up and down the avenues of Bernal Heights reveals, our eco-conscious neighborhood is also home to a ragtag fleet of very interesting old cars — and the unreconstructed gearheads who love them.

These cars — and the valiant moms and dads who cling to them despite the vagaries of street-parking and the demands of parenthood — deserve celebration too, which is why your neighbors from the Bernal Dads Racing Team have extend an open invitation for one and all to join the 2013 Bernal GT, this Saturday, for a fast-paced half-day of family-friendly motoring.

Neighbor Ben from the Bernal Dads explains:

Announcing the Fourth Annual Bernal GT on Saturday May 11th
(the day before Mothers’ Day!)

Join us for the fourth running of the Bernal GT 100. As in past years, this is a kid friendly (but not kid necessary) run beginning and ending in the vicinity of San Francisco’s Bernal Heights. The Bernal GT is simply a drive, not a race or competition for awards, trophies, or bragging rights.

Bring an old car *or* a newer car with a kid *or* better still– an old car and a kid. If you have something new and interesting that can work too, but no minivans or SUVs unless you’ve stuffed a blown SBC into it or something. This is a free event, and does not cost anything to participate.

There will probably be donuts and coffee when we convene for the start, but no promises.

Details:
When: Saturday, May 11, 2013
Time: 9:30am to mid-afternoon
Where: A to-be-announced starting point in San Francisco, and later returning to Bernal Heights.
Length: Somewhere between 80 and 120 Miles
Cost: Free!
We are looking for the following:
– Cars from 1980 model year or older preferred. Any condition. – If you have kids 17 years or younger and/or kids in car seats, the 1980 rule can be waived. In which case, you still should try to bring a fun or interesting car.
– Rare and/or exotic cars from 1981 model year and newer welcome.

Wanna go? Send the following info to: BernalGT100@gmail.com

1) Drivers Name, Co Driver & other passengers
2) Phone Number
3) Kids Along: Yes or No
4) Your Vehicle’s Name:
5) Vehicle Info: Year, Make, & Model

Armando, Ben & Fiid

PHOTOS: Scenes from 2012 and 2011 Bernal GT, by Telstar Logistics

Bernal Hill at Night Is an Island in a Sea of San Francisco

May 6, 2013May 6, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 12 Comments

Last night was one of those nights — clear and warm with no wind — that proved perfect for a quick jaunt to the top of Bernal Hill for a little nighttime photography.

Those kinds of nights are magical, with Bernal Hill cloaked in darkness while all the bright lights of the City shimmer and flow in every direction as far as the eye can see. It feels like being alone on an a tropical island in the middle of an illuminated sea, and the experience is even more magical when the weather cooperates to make the illusion complete.

So last night was one of those nights, and these are a few of the photos I took while enjoying a perfect evening adrift on our faux-tropical urban island.

PHOTOS: Telstar Logistics

Palace Steak House Will Rise From the Dead… Again!

May 3, 2013May 3, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 17 Comments

Let’s not be ashamed to say it: Despite our great hopes, the first attempt to revive the legendary Palace Steak House on the corner of Mission and Cesar Chavez turned out to be a big disappointment. But on the bright side, it was also relatively short-lived, as the reborn Palace Steak House returned to the realm of the dead about a year after it reopened. Now Bernalwood has learned that the Palace Steak House will be reborn — again!

The Inside Scoop blog reports that acclaimed chef Manny Torres Gimenez from Roxie’s Cafe plans to reanimate the Palace Steak House in the guise of a steak house he wants to call… The Palace!

Confused yet? Inside Scoop explains:

Gimenez signed papers to take over the old school joint on the corner of Cesar Chavez and Mission. Along with his wife Katerina (who doubles as the GM), he will reopen the restaurant as a new steakhouse named The Palace.

“We’re gonna try to do like a take on a steakhouse, but more refined,” he says. “My goal is to create tributes to whole animals with affordable prices.”

The plan is to open the doors on June 1 after a little bit of renovation. He’ll be able to do animal butchery there — whole pigs, beef quarters — and will also bring over many of the favorite dishes from Roxy’s Cafe. Do note that he’ll continue to operate Roxy’s, and he’s hired chef de cuisine there to help out: Shawn Naputi, who worked for five years as a line cook at Incanto, among other places.

At The Palace, Gimenez will make his own sausages, cure his own meat and so on. He’ll offer both an a la carte menu and a tasting menu ($50 for five courses).

Barring the demonic effects of an undead restaurant curse that haunts the Palace Steak House space, there is reason to believe that this revival will be more palatable and more successful then the last. The crankypants critics on Yelp give the Roxie Cafe four stars, while SF Chronicle food critic Michael “The Bauer” Bauer recently praised chef Manny Torres Gimenez while awarding Roxie’s Cafe two stars:

Manny Torres Gimenez is one of the new breed of chefs who cook from the heart and aren’t deterred by inadequate kitchens and inferior dining amenities. He earned a cult following creating arepas and a $20 four-course tasting menu at Mr. Pollo in the Mission, but in January he “upgraded” to a space in the same block that’s three times as large – Roxy’s Cafe.

At Roxy’s he offers a $25 chef’s choice menu; a $75 10-course tasting menu that includes Asian, Italian and South American flavors from his native Venezuela; and a short a la carte menu.

Before going out on his own, Gimenez worked at SPQR, Coi and Quince, and those influences are evident in what he ladles into his chipped soup bowls and arranges on his oversize white plates.

All this sounds promising… zombies notwithstanding.

PHOTO: Shuttered new Palace Steak House, October 2012, by Telstar Logistics. Hat tip: Neighbor Greg

Saturday: Bernal Author Hosting Cookbook Launch Party at Badger Books

May 3, 2013May 3, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 2 Comments

Neighbor Kim Laidlaw lives on Folsom near the Alemany Farmer’s Market, and she just published a new cookbook for parents with kids who lead active lifestyles called Baby and Toddler On the Go: Fresh, Homemade Foods to Take Out and About. Neighbor Kim is having a book-launch party at Badger Book (500 Cortland) this Saturday from 3 to 5, and you’re invited:

I am having a launch party for my new cookbook, Baby & Toddler On the Go at Badger Books on Cortland this Saturday May 4th, from 3-5pm. It’s open and welcome to everyone, and I’d really love folks in the neighborhood to come by! I live in Bernal, and the photographer of the book, Thayer Allyson Gowdy, also lives here in Bernal.

Bonus: Here’s a video of Neighbor Kim’s daughter commuting to work at a Bernal playground. Cuuuuuuuuuuute:

PHOTO: Neighbor Kim with her daughter

Tomorrow: Dunk a Teacher at the Junipero Serra Elementary School International Carnival

May 3, 2013May 3, 2013 / Todd_Lappin

Neighbor Kristen invites Bernalese of all ages to the Junipero Serra Elementary School International Carnival Celebration, happening tomorrow, Saturday, May 4, from 11 am to 3 pm at the school, on the southwest side of Holly Park:

This rockin’ event will feature a jumpy house, homemade food from our diverse parent population, a dunk tank so we can dunk our principal and various teachers, dancing, a beauty salon, games and an impressive raffle (drawing will be at 2 p.m., need not be present to win!). Come on down and support your local elementary school. 625 Holly Park Circle, Bernal Heights, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

It takes a village to raise our amazing students!

Average Bernal Heights Home Sale Prices Going Up, Up, Up

May 2, 2013April 30, 2013 / Todd_Lappin / 18 Comments

Residential real estate is booming throughout the Bay Area. Even more locally, San Francisco real estate is white hot, with a year-over-year price gain of 19 percent in February. Naturally, then, as one of the most glamorous neighborhoods in one of the nation’s hottest real estate markets, home sale prices in Bernal Heights are up, up, up too. That’s exciting news for current Bernal homeowners, but it is also also troubling to others (and Bernalwood will represent the latter point of view in a separate post to follow soon).

Still, until someone figures out how to repeal the ironclad laws of supply and demand, the market is what it is, and so we bring you this summary of March 2013 Bernal Heights home sales, prepared by Downing & Company:

As the seller’s market continues, it’s getting more expensive to buy a home in Bernal Heights. During March prices were up for the third month in a row. The rate of home price appreciation in Bernal Heights is starting to mirror the recent gains achieved in the nearby (very hot) neighborhoods of Noe Valley and the Mission District.

Eleven (11) single-family homes sold in Bernal Heights last month. The average sale price came in at an impressive $938,091. This figure compares to the average in February of $829,429 and the average in January of $820,125.

The homes that sold during March were on the market for an average of 31 days before going under contract.

A few notes: 719 Anderson Street and 3 Bennington Street were sold as fixer uppers. The home at 21 Bessie Street was a short sale. The home at 347 Mullen Avenue totals 3,000 square feet and was built in 2011. The lot this home sits on was purchased for $399K in June of 2008.

For whatever its worth, if you knock out that outlying $2mm house at 347 Mullen — the most expensive home sale in recent Bernal Heights history — the March average recalculates to $832,000, which is still uncheap.

There’s more specific sales detail on each of the Bernal homes shown above at Downing & Company.