Neighbor Esther noticed this abandoned chair on Andover Street over the weekend. The chair is not likely to win design awards anytime soon, but it possesses great poise and an exceptional level of enlightenment regarding its own fate:
PHOTOS: Neighbor Esther
A total of 11 people have been transported to the hospital for examination following a possible carbon monoxide poisoning incident Sunday night, according to a San Francisco Fire Department dispatcher.
The incident at 1223 Cortland St. was reported at 7 p.m. after a carbon monoxide detector sounded in the top apartment of a Bernal Heights duplex, the dispatcher said.
Eight adults and three children were evacuated from the building.
The patients had some carbon monoxide in their bloodstream and some residents experienced symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure such as headache and scratchy throat.
No word yet on the cause of the carbon monoxide leak. The Chronicle has the same story, only they report 14 victims were hospitalized.
UPDATE: The Chronicle adds additional information which suggests there may be less to this incident than meets the eye:
Fourteen partygoers were taken to the hospital late Sunday in San Francisco’s Bernal Heights neighborhood after complaining of carbon monoxide poisoning, authorities said.
But only two people tested positive for having low levels of the deadly gas in their blood and no leak was found in the duplex unit at 1223 Cortland Avenue, said Mindy Talmadge, a fire department spokeswoman.
Firefighters arrived on scene at 7 p.m. and found 14 people outside the empty house and a blaring smoke alarm inside, Talmadge said.
The revelers complained of scratchy throats and were tested at the scene for carbon monoxide poisoning, Talmadge said. Only two people, one an elderly smoker, tested positive for the gas.
“There can be other reasons for CO readings in your blood – heavy smoking” Talmadge said. “There was evidence of a lot of cigarette smoking in the unit.”
The remaining 12 people may have suffered from psychosomatic symptoms, but were still taken to the hospital for evaluation, Talmadge said.
“I am not saying this is it, but sometimes when something is mentioned, people start thinking ‘My throat is a little scratchy,'” Talmadge said.
Firefighters, public health officers and Pacific Gas and Electric Co. workers spent four hours combing the house, but were unable to find any sign of carbon monoxide gas, Talmadge said.
The SF Appeal calls the whole thing a “false alarm.”
PHOTO: 1223 Cortland via Google Maps
There was more waterplay near Precita Park this morning. Neigbor Gabe reports from fashionable Alabama Street:
I was playing with my son at the Precita Park playground this morning when we saw a fountain of water spray from some street work they were doing on Alabama St. Turns out they were digging near a water main and hit the supply line. About 10 minutes later they managed to hammer a makeshift plug into the open pipe and stem the flow.
I talked with the foreman, and he mentioned that had they were close to hitting the water main which would have been far worse.
PHOTOS: Neighbor Gabe
One of the greatest charms of Cortland Avenue is the way Bernal’s commercial district feels adrift in time — a 1940s vision of Main Street USA, but with much better food and electric bicycles.
There’s definitely some truth to that impression, but it is a fragile illusion. Cortland feels adrift in time, but it is not immune to larger forces of change. Those forces recently claimed the venerable Four Star Video, and today we learned that they will also take the much-loved Red Hill Books.
Yet much like Four Star, we learn that Red Hill will half-disappear, and half-evolve into something new. Red Hill Books manager Jeremy Hatch explains:
I wanted to share with you all the sign we just put in our window, which I’ve included in full below. But to summarize: unfortunately, we’ve come to the reluctant conclusion that we can no longer sustain a full, general-interest bookstore here in Bernal, but we love the neighborhood too much to leave, so we’re going to try something new. We’re planning to close down Red Hill Books per se at the end of the year, and in January, transform the space into a sort of co-op similar to 331 Cortland. We’ll remain as one of the businesses in the co-op — we’re planning to open a new store, focused on children and young readers, in our part of the space. This (a children’s store) is something we’ve been talking about doing for a long time, so we’re excited to give it a try! We’re planning to call the new store Chickadee.
Right now, we’re just starting the search for interested business people to join us. We’ve gotten a few informal proposals, but we’re looking for more, and I’m hoping you’ll highlight that on the blog. Our minds are open, and we’re willing to enter into short term agreements (of say 3 months) just to test things out.
Here are additional details, as described in the sign that’s now in the window of Red Hill Books:
Dearest neighbors:
First of all: we’re not leaving!
However, we do need to change what we’re doing. We’ve had increasing financial difficulty over the past few years and we can’t continue the way we have been. We love Bernal as much as you do, though, and we want to stick around, so we’re planning to transform ourselves after the New Year in two ways: first, we’re going to become more focused on children’s books and events; second, we want to create a co-op-type space like 331, with several other small businesses. Here are the details on each idea:
A NEW STORE WITH A NEW FOCUS
We’ve noticed that, with the growing numbers of young families here on the Hill, our strongest category of sales, day in and day out, is books for children and young readers. So we’ve decided to take the hint and try something we’ve been contemplating for a long time anyway: create a store with a focus on books and other products for children and parents. We’re thinking of calling it Chickadee.
There are a few things you should know about this transition:
- At this time, we plan to continue to stock a small selection of adult books – we’ll definitely have the latest best sellers, parenting books, and some periodicals, for example — but we’ll be using the same distributor as we do now, and we’ll remain connected to our sister stores, Phoenix Books, Dog Eared Books, and Alley Cat Books, so you will be able to order any title you want from us.
- We’re working on a nice website where you will be able to order books from us online, at your convenience. Beyond new books, we’re talking about bringing our entire catalog of sale books online as well. And we also plan to offer direct home delivery of your orders within Bernal Heights.
- If you have store credit, that credit will continue to be honored here and at our sister stores.
- All Bernal Bucks earned at Red Hill will be honored at Chickadee
- If you’re interested in trading more books here, you should be aware that through the end of 2012 we’re going to be selective about the adult titles we take – recent best-sellers and titles we know the other stores could use. For Chickadee, we’ll mostly be interested in children’s books.
SHARED SPACE – PROPOSALS WANTED
Chickadee won’t require as much space as we have today, so, inspired by the example of 331 Cortland, we’re planning to share our building with other small businesses — we are looking for proposals, and our minds are open. (Of course, your idea would have to work well with a kids-oriented bookstore.) If you have an idea, or know someone who might, please talk to us!
PHOTO: Telstar Logistics
Along with green grass and seasonal flowers, the winter rains have also spawned some unusual topiary in the Dominion of Bernalwood — including this chair, which sprouted overnight atop Bernal Hill.
I’m no arborist, but that appears to be a Wingback Beigeicus, an ancient species that’s native to this region.
Meanwhile, with typically keen insight, La Lengua rebel spokesblogger (and Sutro Tower fetishist) Burrrito Justice was able to ascertain the true reason why Mother Nature brought this chair into our lives:
PHOTOS: Burrito Justice and Mcnangus
Last weekend’s heavy rains were good new for flowers, foliage… and small children. During a lull in the rains on Saturday, Neighbor Kristen led a team of aspiring Bernal Heights scientists on a mission to the Precita Park playground:
Neighbors Max and Kennedy confirm that this morning’s Precita Park puddles meet toddler approval for depth and breadth.
As you can see, these junior researchers conducted their experiments very thoroughly:
PHOTOS: Neighbor Kristen
Neighbor Chuck B went for one of his occasional walks around Bernal Heights recently. (Bernalwood covered his last one, back in March.)
Equipped with a camera and his deep knowledge of our local flora, Neighbor Chuck captured a terrific series of snapshots that shows our neighborhood in its full seasonal glory. The result was another one of his wonderful “Everyday Sights in Bernal Heights” blog posts:
Ugh. I worked all day yesterday. Saturday! Today I went for a walk (and worked some more when I got home). It was summer-like, and got hotter as the day wore on.
There’s lots more where all this came from, so do check it all out over at Chuck B’s blog, My Back 40 (Feet).
PHOTOS: Chuck B.
Four Star Video has gone to the great disc-return slot in the sky, but shop owners Amy and Ken are having a grand opening for their new, expanded Succulence store tomorrow, November 17. Amy brings the details:
We’ve been working hard to prepare our space at 402 Cortland, and we’re excited to share it with our community. Our expanded store will feature a children’s section, bath and kitchen wares, and an exhibition of landscape photographs by local Bernal artist, Jean Pedigo. And of course, an ever-increasing collection of succulents, terrariums, and vertical gardens.
At the Grand Re-Opening Event you will also have the opportunity to contribute your personal wish to our Wishing Tree, which will remain in the shop as a symbolic, collaborative, testament to our continued commitment to our community, and our hope for peace and prosperity for all. The Wishing Tree project is the first in a monthly series of Saturday drop-in family art classes and projects. Please join us!
Darcy Lee from Heartfelt will set up a tea cart, we’ll have wine and snacks throughout the day, and after noon there will be a tasting table from Mama Tong, a purveyor of soups (which, along with other locally-produced edibles, can be purchased through Good Eggs and picked up at Succulence on Wednesdays!)
Starting at 4pm, we are holding an opening reception for Jean Pedigo: Selected Landscape Photographs.
PHOTOS: Sneak peek inside the new Succulence. Photo via Succulence
According to the realtors at Downing & Company, the average home sales price for Bernal Heights approached $1 million last month:
Eleven (11) single-family homes sold in the Bernal Heights neighborhood of San Francisco during October. With ultra low interest rates and more buyers than sellers in the marketplace combined with the limited inventory of homes offered for sale – prices continued to move up.
The average sale price for October came it at $989,409 – a two year high for this neighborhood. The homes that traded hands last month were on the market for an average of 37 days before going under contract. All of these homes sold above their respective list price and all were conventional sales, meaning no short sales or bank-owned foreclosures.
Understandably, these eye-popping statistics will cause much teeth-gnashing among aspiring Bernal home buyers — and quiet euphoria among existing homeowners.
Yet in either case, the usual caveat still applies: Monthly average home sales say more about the available inventory mix for a given month than they do about longer-term price trends. (A little less than a year ago, the average sales price in Bernal was $655,000.)
That said, thanks to a tech-fueled local economy, favorable geography, and Bernal’s glamorous reputation, home prices here are clearly heading upward. To assess the trends, I’ll conspire with some of our local realtors to pull together a year-end real estate summary in the weeks ahead.
IMAGE: Downing & Company
Neighbor Emily was the victim of a recent burglary, and she brings an important word of warning:
Burglary Alert!
On Sunday 11/12/12 at approximately 4:30 pm, someone came to our back door and stole my Apple MacBook Pro laptop off our dining room table. My teenage daughter was home, and so was our dog.
It all happened so fast that there was nothing she could do. She didn’t see anyone, so she doesn’t have a description.
Someone would have had to have jumped a couple of fences to even get to our yard. We live at the end of Holladay Ave; the houses behind us are on Brewster.
Keep you front AND back doors locked, because there are thieves lurking in our yards!
During the past few months there have been many home break ins, car thefts, and car break ins on the southwest side of the hill specifically, Costa St, Faith St, Holladay Ave, and Brewster / Franconia. Mostly occurring during the day in broad daylight. I think mine was the first where residents were in the house when it happened.
There was a community safety meeting on Brewster on Tuesday night, and an Ingelside sheriff was in attendance. This has become a real problem, and all of us victims are only now realizing that it’s not just us.
PHOTO: RickM2007
Neighbor Richard is spreading the word about a benefit this weekend for Bernal’s Paul Revere School:
This Saturday is the big annual fundraiser for Paul Revere School, a pre-K through 8th-grade Spanish Immersion and English public school in Bernal Heights, just up the hill from the Alemany Farmers/Flea Market. Join our school community for the day by cheering on our kids in the Walkathon and bidding to win at our Silent Auction.
WHEN: This Saturday, November 17th (rain or shine!)
Walkathon: 11 a.m.–12 noon
Silent Auction: 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
WHERE: Paul Revere School, 555 Tompkins St. at Banks St. (south of Cortland Ave.)Our list of Silent Auction items is growing every day, and it includes:
- 2 tickets to the Giants’ 2013 Opening Night game (when the World Series Ring Ceremony is anticipated)
- 2 tickets to a pre-season Giants vs. A’s game
- SF Youth Ballet tickets
- Sunset magazine subscription & autographed cookbooks
- Original artwork by legendary Bernal artist Toby Klayman
Gift certificates to:
- American Gymnastics Club
- Sanchez Street Studios (pilates)
- Hair Junction (hair salon)
- Red Hill Books
- Barberella Hair Lounge
- Sports Basement
- Local restaurants, including Vega
- Wine tasting classes at VinoRosso
- Legarza Basketball Camp
- & more!
We’ll be serving food, so stop by for a cheap lunch and some fun while supporting our public school.
Hope you’ll join us on Saturday!
PHOTO: Students at Paul Revere, via Neighbor Richard
The first report about the cat stuck in the tree on Coleridge Street arrived in the Bernalwood newsroom on Monday:
Two days later, the cat was *still* up in the tree, with Neighbor Bahman reporting:
@Bernalwood here’s a pic of the cat stuck in the juniper tree at 147 Coleridge. Anyone have a 30ft ladder?
The dramatic coda came later this morning. Again, Neighbor Bahman reported from the scene:
Fire Department & Animal Control showed up. Once they approached on ladder, cat climbed down & bolted across the street.
Though the rescue attempt ultimately proved unnecessary, it’s still gives you the warm-and-fuzzies to know that the whole “firemen rescuing cats from trees” tradition is alive and well… even in the Big City, and even in 2012.
PHOTOS: Courtesy of @Namhab
This week, the vacation rental service Airbnb launched a rather gorgeous new webpage that highlights the glamour and charm of Bernal Heights for potential visitors who might want to avail themselves of the 140 places to stay here.
The page is half travel brochure and half photo essay, and here’s how it summarizes Bernal Heights:
Outdoor enthusiasts, indoor bookworms, and pet lovers rejoice! Bernal Heights’ accessibility extends far beyond its practical commuter conveniences. Warm and inviting, Bernal Heights’ bright Victorian homes, organic markets, and gay and pet-friendly bars and cafes enhance its welcoming atmosphere. Nestled between the peaks of San Francisco’s rolling hills, this casual and approachable neighborhood is a charming residential respite in the City by the Bay.
The images are lovely and the description sure makes this sound like the kind of place we’d like to visit:
Sidewalk benches, farmers’ market food stalls, and bookstores that invite you to stay awhile define this friendly neighborhood removed from the rush of of the city.
Bernal’s key attributes are said to include:
Charming, Far from Downtown, Lesbian Friendly, Quaint, Cottages, Hilltop, Cafes, Small-Town Feel, Artsy, Views
One noteworthy oversight: They neglected to mention our convenient, slopeside access to Ski Bernalwood, San Francisco’s premier wintersports resort destination. Oops.
Overall, however, the page makes Bernal Heights sound great. We’re sold! Let’s book it! And the best part of all is that we get to vacation here every day.
PHOTOS: Odessa Shekar via Airbnb
Bernalwood 