Tonight: Urban-Active Fashion Trunk Show at Secession

May 9, 2014May 10, 2014 / Todd_Lappin

Miss Eden from the consistently fabulous Secession Art & Design shop on Mission (across from the Taoist Safeway) sends word that she’s having a fashion event this evening for the active-lady-about-town set:

Meet two San Francisco clothing designers who will dress you from active to stylish.

Glen Park activewear designer Diana Mitchell always has her eye on what you can wear out and about in your busy lifestyle. Her locally produced line, DDCC, has made so many of our customers thrilled with the perfect hoodie. Shop her new active collection Friday, and get fitted for your custom yoga pants.

Miranda Caroligne is famous at our store and around town for her reconstructed sweater dresses. She will bring her sewing machine and do a live construction. Bring an old sweater on Friday for a custom arm warmer or shrug (cost not included).

Both designers will bring samples that you can buy that are not currently in the store for the event. Say hello and find out what it is like to live, work, and produce in San Francisco. Thank you for shopping local! Friday May 9, 4-8pm, 3361 Mission St, SF.

Also also, Secession also did a tasty little blog post recently on some of their favorite daytime eats along Mission Street, so even if you can’t make it tonight, you can take Miss Eden’s suggestions next time you get hungry for lunch.

If Bernal Hill Was a Person, Would She Be Like This?

May 8, 2014May 7, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 12 Comments

The smarties over at the Bold Italic published a little article this week which seeks to describe various San Francisco parks in terms of the kind of people they would be if they were people. Which is an odd conceit, because they are not people; theyre parks. But still… let’s just go with it.

Anyway, here’s the kind of person they say Bernal Hill would be if it was a person (which, as we have already established, it actually isn’t):

BERNAL HILL
42, female, 5’6″, 150 lbs

Bernal Hill has always been somewhat removed from traditional social circles. She’s the type to stand off to the side at dinner parties, never one to reach out to others to make plans, and is most comfortable when she’s alone. However, despite this reclusive behavior, she’s not a negative person – far from it. With a smile and a sharp eye, she pays attention to what others are doing, just like a lone eagle might attentively survey the land.

In other words, Bernal Hill is basically… Alanis Morissette? Hmm.

ILLUSTRATION: The Bold Italic

Coleridge Neighbors Planning Informal Community Concert

May 8, 2014May 8, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 10 Comments

Neighbor Ania was recently seen posting handbills about an ad hoc concert planned for next Sunday afternoon, May 18, at the glamorous Coleridge Minipark. It sounded like a charming idea, so Bernalwood asked her to share the details for those who might like to participate. Neighbor Ania writes:

After the mugging on our street some neighbors started talking about making something good happen, for a change.

I spoke about a musical event with Sasha, who often plays the accordion on his doorstep, across the street from us. Two neighbors stopped by and were enthusiastic, so I posted on Nextdoor.com and heard from Dave Klaus who plays the guitar. The three of us met a few weeks ago over a beer, set the date for May 18th 12-3 at the Coleridge Minipark and decided that it should be informal, acoustic and in a talent show format.

There is also going to be singalong. We are printing out lyrics – Imagine was mentioned – and I can lead something operatic. It is my mission in life to prove anyone can sing opera, even Wagner! (and it will probably be Wagner)

The lineup so far includes:

Sasha Goldshtrakh, Dave and their bands, some friends of Dave’s from Lundys with guitars, Ellen Hobbs from our building on ukelele and myself with opera (backing tracks on boombox).

There were suggestions of barbecue and mimosas. My husband Clay might coordinate that part of things, with some help of our nearest neighbors.

That’s the story so far. We are getting some fliers out and hope for not too much wind on the day. A few people expressed interest as performers; I am waiting to hear back and we are open for more!

IMAGE: Coleridge Minipark photo by Neighbor Ania

Reminder: Keep Your Dog Safe In Seasonal Tall Grasses

May 8, 2014May 7, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 4 Comments

Earlier this week, Miss Esther shared a photo of her dog Gertie whooping it up on the seasonally tall grass on Bernal Hill. “Gertie loves being in the tall grass!” she said.

At this, you Bernalwood editor experienced a sudden pang of anxiety, even though I don’t own a dog. Looking back through the archives, we recalled that this time last year Neighbor Nicolette had warned Bernal dog-owners about the danger of foxtail grasses:

Foxtails are small plant awns or seed-bearing structures, usually of the genus Hordeum. Starting in the Spring and continuing through the Summer, plants shed them indiscriminately. We started to see a steady flow of foxtail cases in our veterinary practice mid-April, right after several days of heavy winds which helped yank the awns from their plants and spread them far and wide.

Foxtails are shaped like a badminton birdie, but with a pointy instead of a round end. They also have tiny barbs along their shafts. All this adds up to a unidirectional migration pattern; they go in but they don’t come out. The most common problems we see with foxtails are wounds in the paws. Often the owner will just notice a swelling between the toes and think it is a growth or a tumor. After piercing the skin and entering the body, foxtails can actually migrate up the leg, if left untreated. We also see foxtails in noses, ears, and eyes very often.

The most dangerous exposure occurs when dogs inhale them. This typically happens if a dog is porpoising through a field of foxtail plants and inhales one, mouth wide open.

Read the whole thing for further guidance, and consider this a reminder that ’tis the season to be careful.

PHOTO: Gertie in the grass, by Esther

Then and Now: Folsom at Precita, 1943

May 7, 2014May 7, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 11 Comments

When they are not giving you expensive parking tickets or botching your commute, our friends at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) also maintain a historical photo archive that’s accessible via a spiffy photo website for ~~blissful procrastination~~ focused browsing by members of the general public.

That’s where Bernalwood found this retrolicious photo of Folsom Street at Precita in 1943, looking north from the western end of Precita Park.

Here’s how it looks now, 71 years later, on May 3, 2014:

So many details to appreciate in that older view! Behold, the annotated version:

As you can see, the Palermo Bakery is now home to Precita Clean laundromat, while the Yosemite Meat Market on the corner is the location of today’s Charlie’s Cafe.

Providentially, Bernalwood previously shared a view of the same building from the opposite direction, as captured from the intersection of Folsom and Army (Cesar Chavez) looking south just one year earlier, in 1942:

And when we zoom and enhance that photo, we get a terrific view of the Yosemite Meat Market sign that was hiding just around the corner in the 1943 perspective:

Fun!

If you’ve enjoyed this ~~trip down the rabbit hole~~ historical interlude, you’ll also enjoy this recent post from La Lengua rebel leader Burrito Justice, who explored the intersection of Mission Street at 29th using photos from the same SFMTA archive.

Here’s a teaser, showing the site of today’s Pizzahacker:

And of course, there’s no substitute for going to the original source. So if you don’t mind kissing your productivity goodbye, you can also explore the SFMTA photo archive yourself. It’s fun, it’s mega-informative, and it may even help you feel good about paying off your next parking ticket, since you’ll know that at least some part of that money will be put to good use.

PHOTOS: 1943 photos by SFMTA. 2014 photo by Telstar Logistic. 1942 photo via San Francisco Public Library

Did You Lose These Keys Your Neighbor Found on Bernal Hill?

May 7, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 1 Comment

Neighbor Lynn found a set of keys on Bernal Hill:

I found these keys up on Bernal hill on May 1st – located sort of near the saddle area on the south-ish side of the hill. Looks like there is a key for a bike lock but no other automobile keys.

Are they yours? Can you identify what it says on the keychain thingy obscured in the photo? Contact us at bernalwood *at* gmail to reclaim.

Bernal Artist Joe Branchcomb Displays Work at Little Bee Bakery

May 7, 2014May 7, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 5 Comments

Bernal artist Toby Klayman proudly shares the news that her husband, artist Joe Branchcomb, is displaying some of his new work inside the very sweet Little Bee Bakery at 521 Cortland:

Joseph Mack Branchcomb is a painter and documentary photographer. These works of art are made by using the finger or a stylus on an iPhone or an iPad, using various Art-Making Apps such as White Board or Sketch Time or others too numerous to mention. A hard copy Work of Art is then printed by the Artist, Joe Branchcomb, in two sizes: 8 1/2 x 11 ” or 13″ x 19″ and offered for sale. Inquiries and purchases are invited. To visit his San Francisco Studio, call 415 285 7987! Hope you like these new Works. They are not on his website but are on exhibit on Facebook at his Fan Page.

PHOTO: Artist Joe Branchcomb (right) with Little Bee’s Stacie Pierce

Godzilla Invades Bernal Heights (Again)

May 6, 2014May 6, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 4 Comments

Over the weekend, Burrito Justice, chief spokesblogger for the La Lenguan separatists, noted the recent arrival of a billboard for the new Godzilla film on Mission Street just north of Precita.

“OMG Godzilla attacking!” he declared:

This is not the first time Godzilla has invaded Bernal Heights, of course. The kaiju image at the top of this post was created by your Bernalwood editor (with help from neighbor Laura Brunow Miner) waaaaaay back in 2011.

Yet in a response that neatly encapsulates the spirit of our age, journalist Roberto Baldwin needed just 20 minutes to adapt Burrito Justice’s photo into an animated GIF that takes the idea of a Godzilla incursion in Bernal Heights to an entertaining new level. Behold, Godzilla Invades Bernal Heights: The Sequel…

New Wheel Offers Free eBike Loaners During Bike to Work Week

May 6, 2014May 5, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 4 Comments

Miss Karen from The New Wheel, our newfangled electric bike shop on Cortland, writes to share a cool opportunity to borrow one of their impressive ebikes — for free! — during Bike to Work Week:

We have partnered with a bicycle company called Felt to do two group rides (which double as fundraisers for the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition) and two days of free ebike rentals during Bike To Work Week. It’s going to be a super-fun way for the fine people of Bernal to participate in Bike To Work Month (even if they don’t have a bike) or to spend a day with an ebike if they are just curious. Here are the details:

E-Bike to Work Day* – May 7, 2014 8am

Get your legs loosened up the day before the annual Bike to Work Day on an electric bike! The New Wheel is leading the ultimate group ride – to work! We’ll guide you on a scenic ride downtown over Twin Peaks to the Ferry Building astride a pedal assist electric bicycle from Felt. From there you can take the bike for the day to work, or leave it with us. Come in work attire: no need to worry about sweat, traffic bottlenecks, hills or distance!

Meet at The New Wheel (across the street from the Bank of America)
Ages +18
Free to SF Bicycle Coalition Members, $10 suggested donation for non-members

RSVP (Space is limited)

May 8 and 9, 2014 8am – Bike to Work Day (on a loaner Felt ebike)*

Commute by ebike for a day for free! The New Wheel and Felt are partnering to offer 20 lucky riders the opportunity to experience the best ride to work ever on a Bosch powered pedal assist bicycle from Felt.*

May 8 RSVP | May 9 RSVP

May 10, 2014 8am – Breakers to Bay*

On this group ride we’ll guide you on a trip across San Francisco like never before. Trade pain in for fun! You’ll see how fun San Francisco is to cycle on a pedal assist ebike– defying all of your expectations and concurring even the scariest hills. We’ll start in Bernal Heights, head over Twin Peaks and then down to Trouble Coffee at Ocean Beach. From Trouble, we’ll head back across town to the Ferry Building.

Meet at The New Wheel (across the street from the Bank of America)

5-10 miles, gloriously hilly and super fun!
Ages +18
Free to SF Bicycle Coalition Members, $10 suggested donation for non-members

RSVP (Spaces limited)

*Electric bicycles from Felt will be supplied based on RSVP. To borrow a bicycle, we must make an imprint of your credit card and authorize your card for the value of the bike.

UPDATED: One Dead After Hit and Run Collision on Cesar Chavez

May 5, 2014May 8, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 9 Comments

There was a horrific hit and run accident on Cesar Chavez at Folsom in the early hours of Saturday morning that resulted in the death of one crash victim. Marisa Lagos from the Chronicle has the story:

The crash happened about 2:20 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of Cesar Chavez and Folsom streets, police said. A car headed east on Cesar Chavez was broadsided when a car driving south on Folsom ran a red light, said Officer Gordon Shyy, a police spokesman.

The man driving the car that was broadsided was taken to San Francisco General Hospital, where he later died, police said. His name has not been released.

A third car was hit after the first collision, Shyy said, causing minor injuries to that driver.

The driver and several passengers of the car that caused the collisions ran away, according to police. One occupant of the vehicle stayed at the scene and was interviewed by investigators.

UPDATE, 8 May, 2014: The SFPD has made an arrest related to this fatal hit and run:

There was a deadly traffic collision on May 3, at 2:20 a.m. It appears that the suspect’s vehicle entered the intersection of Cesar Chaves and Folsom Streets at a high rate of speed and failed to stop at a red light. The victim’s vehicle was broadsided, and the victim suffered fatal injuries. The victim was transported to San Francisco General Hospital where he died later. The suspect fled the scene on foot.

SFPD’s Traffic Collision Investigation Unit conducted the investigation. This investigation led to the identification of the suspected driver. A $1,000,000.00 warrant for felony hit and run and felony manslaughter was issued for Jamie Linares, 25 years old and a resident of San Francisco.

SFPD’s Traffic Collision Investigation Unit, Violence Reduction Team, plainclothes units from Bayview, Ingleside, and Mission Stations, went on an all out search for the suspect. The suspect turned himself in on May 7, 2014. He has been booked at the county jail on the above warrant, and he is currently on felony probation for robbery. There is no booking photo available, because there are identification matters pending

PHOTO: Broadsided vehicle, 6:30 am Saturday. By Telstar Logistics

Fun Fact: Bernal Buys Ridiculous Amounts of Sunscreen

May 2, 2014May 2, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 3 Comments

Bernal Heights is famous throughout the galaxy as being home to many dog-owners, families with kids, and lesbians. So one would think that means we buy lots and lots of dog food, diapers, and Subarus. Yet according to the data-crunchers at Google’s same-day shopping delivery service, the Citizens of Bernalwood actually buy exceptional amounts of… sunscreen:

Some of the most popular items that Bay Area shoppers get with same-day delivery are everyday essentials like toothpaste and toilet paper, as well as heavy or bulky items like canned soup and potting soil. In fact, in a single day, people around the Bay Area buy enough cat food through Google Shopping Express to feed about 1,500 cats! While a lot of people are buying everyday essentials, they’re also using the service to buy some rather unexpected items like Sriracha hot sauce and tennis balls, which are among some of the most popular products ordered.

But not all neighborhoods around the Bay Area are filling their carts with the same items. For instance, in San Francisco, people in Potrero Hill buy more cereal than any other neighborhood, while shoppers in Bernal Heights buy the most sunscreen. People in The Marina love getting protein powder delivered on the double, while Mountain View shoppers buy the most rock climbing gear. And when it comes to same-day spreads, people in San Jose buy more mayonnaise than any other city, while Palo Alto tops the list of Nutella purchases.

Saturday: Eat Chocolate and Help a School At The Same Time

May 2, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 5 Comments

Neighbor Natasha writes:

We are hosting a chocolate tasting at Hillside Supper Club on Folsom at Precita this Saturday from 4-6pm to benefit La Scuola, an Italian immersion pre-8 school in Dogpatch that several Bernal kids attend

Our good friend, Sunita de Torreil, founder of The Chocolate Garage, will be conducting the tasting. She is fiercely passionate about her work and can answer all questions related to chocolate – from the science of cacao to fair trade policy. She started The Chocolate Garage about 5 years ago and sources the best chocolate from around the world. The presentation is incredibly informative and lots of fun. Of course, tasting the chocolate is the really fun part and there will be plenty of that!

It’s $50/person and that includes lots of chocolate to taste, assorted beverages, and one chocolate bar of your choice to go.

We encourage people to stay for dinner (separate from the event), because if you haven’t been, Hillside Supper Club is delicious – our hidden gem in Bernal! Make a reservation if you plan to stay for dinner; they’ll be opening at 6pm just as our event ends.

IMAGE: via The Chocolate Garage

This Afternoon: Listen In as Uptown Almanac Interviews D9 Supe David Campos

May 1, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 6 Comments

Well, this should be… different. And perhaps maybe possibly even in a good way!

This afternoon at 4:30, our bloggy drinky younger friends at Uptown Almanac will interview our D9 Supervisor David Campos, and you can eavesdrop on the whole thing:

We’ve written about the race to fill Tom Ammiano’s seat in the California State Assembly in the past, in which San Francisco Supervisors David Campos and David Chiu are facing off the the Democratic nomination on June 3rd. Now we’re bringing the candidates to our weekly radio show on BFF.fm.

This week we’ll be talking to David Campos, a two-term member of the Board of Supervisors representing the Mission, Bernal Heights, and Portola in District 9. We’ll be discussing city and district issues, his initiatives addressing housing and poverty, the race against Supervisor Chiu for the State Assembly, and what he hopes to accomplish as a member of the Assembly.

The show starts this afternoon at 4:30. You can stream the interview live directly on BFF.fm, or on Soundtap.

PHOTO: via Uptown Almanac