If you wander up to the Folsom Gate on Bernal Hill this morning, you will be greeted by this awful pile of trash dumped there by a thoughtless douchebag. Our vigilant reporter on the hill says:
It’s now time for torches and pickaxes.
That’s a good idea, but an infrared video surveillance system might do some good as well.
UPDATE: Neighbor K tells us there was a dumping incident on Crescent last night as well:
There is a siege underway on Eugenia Avenue, as clever, four-legged creatures with fiendishly nimble thumbs have declared war on a family of Bernal bipeds. Neighbors Limor and Lisha report from the front lines:
We thought we’d share this with the Bernalistas… Two very daring raccoons have been having a night war with us, which lately stretched into the early mornings.
Pentagon sources tell Bernalwood that SEAL Team Six is standing by to assist if necessary.
PHOTO: Neighbor Limor
While we’re on the subject of the area around Folsom and Precita streets, I am reminded of a fascinating video that was forwarded to me recently by Bernalwood contributor David Gallagher.
As some of you may recall, Bernal was a hotbed of of leftist radicalism during the 1970s, and for a time the home at 288 Precita was used as a safehouse by the Symbianese Liberation Army, at the time of the Patty Hearst kidnapping.
Moreover, the sequence of events that lead to Patty Hearst’s rescue began here, in 1975, when FBI agents raided the house on Precita and arrested some of the SLA leadership.
David calls our attention to this video, which was taken from “The Ordeal of Patty Hearst,” a made-for-TV movie from 1979. Most interesting of all, however, is the fact the the movie was filmed on location, here in Bernal Heights, in the very homes and businesses where the events unfolded. Talk about verisimilitude…
So it’s a twofer: A video history lesson about the capture of the SLA leadership in Bernal Heights, and a window on what the neighborhood looked like in the late 1970s. Bonus: My house used to be… turquoise?!
Here’s the video:
PHOTO: Top, 288 Precita Ave. in 2010, by Telstar Logistics
Bernalwood is a micro-local blog, but the same cannot be said for the global Interwebs which function as our distribution platform. And as a result, the story of Stephen Stymiest, the homeless resident of Precita Park who died on January 20, has now reached members of his far-flung family.
This morning I received a very moving note from Stephen’s former wife:
Stephen is my ex-husband, we were married for 19 years, and divorced since 1997. We have three children, all now young adults. As you may understand, it was the alcoholism which took over him and he abandoned all of us for a bottle. Although we expected that he was homeless and would die to the disease, this was heartbreaking. It has helped for us to read the beautiful things that were written about him. He was a caring man, loved life, loved animals, loved people. Thank you for sharing the story. And, if there are any memories you have of him talking about his children, or any other stories in general, I’d like to be able to share those words with the children.
I’d like to help her. Dear neighbors, if you have stories about Stephen or recollections of your conversations with him, please use the comments to share them here, to preserve his memory so that his family might learn more about the gentleman we all remember.
Bernal Heights architect Mason Kirby was playing with Zillow this morning, and after doing a manual tally of the listed properties, he had a surprising epiphany:
A VERY SCIENTIFIC observation– on Zillow, in Bernal Heights, there are 55 foreclosures and 42 homes for sale. This is like, Wow! — Wow that the number of foreclosures is greater than the number of homes offered for sale, but also wow, because it seems like the average price of homes that are for sale has been uninfluenced by the quantity of neighboring foreclosures.
On the map above, for example, the properties without price tags next to them are foreclosures.
Obviously, Bernal Heights is not like, say, Modesto. Still, this does seem like a paradox: Bernal home sale values are not being dragged down by the large number of foreclosed properties in the same area. But every one of those foreclosures is traumatic. (CUE: Occupy Bernal).
The arrival of the Precita Park Cafe on the eastern end of Precita Park has altered the geo-economic configuration of north Bernal. New businesses are attracting new customers. Old businesses are hurrying to adapt. Somewhere, Joseph Schumpeter is probably chuckling smugly to himself.
One immediate consequence of all this is that the on the western end of the park, the Park Bench Cafe has been shuttered and sold to Charlie, of the eponymous Charlie’s Cafe a few doors down. In addition, Charlie’s Cafe has expanded its hours, and launched a music and prose series called “Saturdays at Charlie’s.”
So what’s Charlie’s plan for the former Park Bench Cafe space? He has a few ideas, but he’s also soliciting input from the Citizens of Bernalwood. Neighbor Regina brings us this report:
The Park Bench Cafe closed without any warning last week (the owners have decided to move back home… not sure where that is) and the space has already been purchased by Charlie of Charlie’s Cafe. Charlie says he wants to know if the space would be best suited for a) a pet supply shop or b) a family oriented bar.
He’s holding a community meeting to hear what the neighborwood ™ has to say about the space. He has a sign-up sheet for the meeting in the cafe.
Charlie admits it’s been tough since Precita Park Cafe opened. He knows people who are trying to support both places, but he needs this new space to stay afloat. A competitor in that space could shut him down. He’s doing what he can to keep his cafe open. Finally, he’s open on Sundays. That should help!
So what’s going to keep Charlie in business? A pet supply shop or a bar? He says many neighbors cringe at the idea of an alcohol license in their backyard, but, IMHO, this isn’t the kind of neighborwood that should worry about hooligans taking over. The moms and dads and dog owners you see in Precita could use a place to go and grab a (hopefully local) beer or glass of wine. Charlie also points to several musician friends who would love to have a venue to play live music.
Perhaps we could get a pet supply shop with a bar?! Sell dog food by day, brewskies by night. Now that’s the ticket.
The question of what kind of business would most benefit the north Bernal ecosystem is an interesting one. Any other ideas? What should become of the former Park Bench Cafe?
PHOTO: via Bing
Riding Caltrain to work each morning, I engage in a sad little ritual which involves gazing at our pretty little hill out the window of a commuter train that’s carrying me away from home.
It’s a moment that always feels somewhat wistful and more than a little cheesy — kind of like the emotion one gets from that old video of “Faithfully” by Journey. The photo above shows how one such morning looked a few weeks ago.
On the bright side, I come back again each night, and now that the days are getting longer again, I sometimes return before Bernal Heights is hidden in darkness. And that feels great: Home again.
Here’s how that homecoming moment looked last night, as Bernal Hill played peekaboo with some brooding clouds and a fiery orange sunset:
PHOTOS: Telstar Logistics
Neighbor Edward writes:
I offer this view of the hill and plum blossoms for your consideration to do with as you will.
Upon due consideration, the Bernalwood Curatorial Working Group has decided to publish your photo, sir, with gratitude and compliments. Lovely.
UPDATE: Robogeoff also added a nice snap of some blossoms to the Bernalwood Flickr group:
PHOTOS: Neighbor Edward and Robogeoff
Carlos Santana once lived in Bernal. But James Brown? Alas, no. Ray Charles? Sorry. Aretha Franklin? Err, not so much.
Regardless, there’s a terrific program about “The Golden Age of Soul” on the calendar tomorrow night at the Bernal Heights Branch Library:
When: Wed, 2/08/2012, 6:30 – 8:30
Richie Unterberger will present “The Golden Age of Soul Vol. 3” in honor of African-American history month. This is a presentation of rare soul music film clips from the 1960s and early 1970s. This is *not* the same program as the two soul music programs he has previously done at the Bernal Heights branch. This features entirely different clips, including footage of performers such as Mary Wells, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Wilson Pickett, Ray Charles, the Four Tops, Jackie Wilson, Les McCann & Eddie Harris, and Aretha Franklin.
Sounds fantastic. As a preview bonus, we are proud to present this exclusive footage of James Brown’s 1965 performance at the Ski Bernalwood Summit Lodge, for your viewing enjoyment:
You heard about it here first (natch), but Bernal Heights author and Bernalwood contributor Elizabeth Weil’s new book, “No Cheating, No Dying,” is now available for sale at a bookstore near you.
In between, Liz has been engaged in an open relationship with the traditional media to help spread the word about the book. Let’s review some highlights.
Of course all couples are different, but what would you say are the most essential ingredients for a good marriage?
You have to like each other … and keep liking each other every day. And you have to remember that your spouse isn’t nearly as predictable as you think he or she is.
The San Francisco Chronicle said:
In “No Cheating, No Dying,” her astonishingly intimate, hilariously self-deprecating, vibrant and thoroughly modern memoir, San Francisco author Elizabeth Weil goes where no man and few women have gone before – deep, deep, deep into the quotidian agonies and ecstasies of a highly volatile yet solidly committed marriage.
In Slate, Liz said:
Slate: What was the most useful thing you learned from the marriage improvement project?
Weil: Our marriage is our marriage, and we need to have the best marriage for us. With a wedding, you sort of start down this road, from this more collective fantasy. But then ultimately there you are with the person you love in your little house, and you need to build the life that’s right for you.
Our very own “weird little borderline utopia” here in Bernal Heights makes an appearance on the front page of today’s Los Angeles Times, in an article about the unique (and fabulous) Bernal Bucks local currency program.
The LAT article begins thus:
Coiled around a wind-swept hill near this city’s lively Mission District, Bernal Heights takes an almost cult-like pride in being insular.
With a butcher, grocer, bookstore and bakery, the neighborhood provides the basics. When you add to that some unique establishments — like an organic baby food outlet and a knife-sharpening venture offering classes in Japanese whetstone techniques — many residents say they rarely feel the urge to leave.
“It’s this weird little borderline utopia,” said Ken Shelf, 42, who runs a combination movie-rental and succulent store here. His home, business, favorite shops and kids’ school are all within a five-block radius.
Now, Bernal Heights is taking its experiment in localism one step further, adopting what is believed to be the country’s first “complementary currency” in the form of a debit card.
Designed by two neighborhood loyalists versed in technology and banking, the Bernal Bucks card allows residents to pay for their purchases while earning credits every time they swipe it at any of the two dozen area businesses that have signed on since June.
Accrued as frequent-flier miles are, the bucks can be printed as coupons and used toward future purchases. Cardholders also can donate their accrued “wealth” to neighborhood nonprofits.
Here’s a close-up of that front-page image. So glam!
Read the whole article here. Bonus LA Times photo gallery from their visit to the ‘wood, here.
Want to get your very own Bernal Bucks card? What are you waiting for???
Never mind all that artificial Urban Outfitters fashion silliness; if you want an authentic glimpse of everyday Bernalwood style, check out this sporty gentleman I photographed during a walk on Bernal Hill on Saturday afternoon.
For the record, I’d estimate the cost of his ensemble as follows:
We do not suffer, here in Bernal Heights. We have fine food, deep glamour, and countless luxuries. Yet there is one thing that we do not have: Bi-Rite Market.
Oh sure, we get by with very solid approximations. Nevertheless, Bi-Rite is truly one of a kind, and those flatlanders on 18th Street are very lucky to have it. So if we can’t have Bi-Rite in Bernalwood, then at least we can have Bi-Rite founder Sam Mogganam come up the hill for a visit.
Miss Darcy from Heartfelt on Cortland says Sam will be at her store tomorrow night. And (bonus!) Bi-Rite will provide the nibbles. Darcy says:
I am having Sam Mogganam author of “Eat Good Food” in for a talk and book signing at Heartfelt on Tuesday, February 7th at 6pm.
Bi-Rite is making snacks and I am serving hot tea.
Bernalwood 