Starting Tonight: Beer Week Events at Precita Park Cafe and Rock Bar

February 10, 2014February 10, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 7 Comments

What? You never got around to booking your tickets to Sochi? Which means you missed the opportunity to party with Olympians while having your smartphone hacked by Russian cybterthieves? Lucky for you it’s Beer Week in San Francisco, and two of Bernal’s finest establishments are hosting special beer-themed events.

We start at the Precita Park Cafe at the east end of Precita Park, where Miss Dana invites you to a special beer + food event happening TONIGHT, February 10:

Adam from Deschutes will be onsite giving away free swag to customers and talking about the beers. For those that need Uber rides we have teamed up with Uber and Beer Fest. Customers first ride is free up to $20 if customers use the password PPCBEER. We will be serving beer-battered fish n’chips, pork terrine, grass fed burgers, chili cheese fries. All the fun foods that go with great beer!

Meanwhile, on glamorous 29th Street, Brion from the drinktastic Rock Bar has an entire series of Beer Week events on tap:

Monday Feb 10th6pm – 2am
PABST RODEO SHOW
$4 Beer Flight PBR, Schlitz, Olympia
$6 PBR & Old Crow ALL NIGHT
Country Music will be played
Rodeo Films shown. Yeehaw!

Tuesday Feb 11th 8pm-2am
Uncommon Brewers
An evening of cocktails developed around the Uncommon Brewer’s portfolio
In addition to tasting their line up enjoy a Baltic Wood Buck – Rye, ginger, Absinthe, and Uncommon’s Baltic Poter
Other cocktails will debut – GET IN HERE & GET UNCOMMON

Wednesday Feb 12th 4pm-2am
Speakeasy Tap-TAKEOVER
At Rock Bar we have 4 handles, and we pride ourselves in our curated & rotating selection. For the evening we have given our friends at Speakeasy control! We can’t tell you what will be on TAP – only can assure a few things you have never tried before. PLUS after some time away, we re-introduce our Speakeasy CASK handle!

Thursday Feb 13th 7pm-2am
Oskar Blues & 21st Amendment
Cocktail Night & Tap-TAKEOVER
Another evening of BEER & COCKTAILS here at Rock Bar
From a simple YELLA Collins to a full throttled Spirituous BEAST with 21st Amendment’s Sneak Attack. You would not expect a Saison in the winter, but you can expect Genever and Rye to meld well with the Cardamom Pods used to brew this seasonal brew. An evening of Vintage SURF films and mellow vibes with accompany your beer forward cocktail.

UPDATE: In the comments, Neighbor Steve of the Beer by BART blog, brings news of one more Beer Week happening in Bernal Heights:

There is one other bar, Holy Water, on Cortland that is also playing. They are dedicating all their taps to Avery Brewing all week. Avery is one of the best breweries in the U. S., out of Boulder, CO. I stopped by last night and the beers are great. Several have never been poured in CA.

PHOTO: Top, courtesy of Precita Park Cafe

UPDATED: Falling Granite Kills Two Workers at Cortland Industrial Workshop

February 7, 2014February 7, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 11 Comments

Lots of questions from Bernalwood readers about all the helicopters over the neighborhood right now. KCBS reports there’s been a fatal accident at the Cortland workshop of CGI Granite:

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – One person was killed and another was injured in an industrial accident in San Francisco’s Bernal Heights neighborhood Friday morning, a fire dispatcher said.

The accident was reported at 10:16 a.m. at 1525 Cortland Ave., where granite slabs fell on top of two employees, according to the fire department.

One of the two victims was pronounced dead at the scene while the other was transported to San Francisco General Hospital with traumatic injuries, fire officials said.

This post will be updated as additional information becomes available.

UPDATE 1 pm, 7 February: The second worker involved in the accident has died as well. KTVU has a photo of the accident site, and additional details:

Two workers were fatally injured by granite slabs that fell on them as they worked in a shipping container in San Francisco’s Bernal Heights neighborhood Friday morning, a fire department spokeswoman said.

The accident was reported at 10:16 a.m. at 1525 Cortland Ave., fire spokeswoman Mindy Talmadge said.

After the slabs fell on them, they were both extricated from the shipping container. One of the workers was pronounced dead at the scene while the other was taken to San Francisco General Hospital and was pronounced dead there, Talmadge said.

KTVU also has a video report from the scene.

Lost Dog Makes Neighbor Julie Grateful to Be in Bernal

February 7, 2014February 7, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 10 Comments

Neighbor Julie had a tough day on Thursday, but her story has a sweet ending:

I was walking with my little dog, Sherman F. Peabody, around 5:30 yesterday afternoon on Bernal Hill. Sherman usually sticks right with me, but he was playing with another dog, and when I looked back to find him he was gone. It turned out, he ran all the way to Martha & Bros. Coffee Roasters on Cortland. I was beside myself looking for him, when the nice folks at Martha’s called to let me know he was there. When I got to the coffee shop, he was cozied up under a table with some lovely people – they had seen him wandering and brought him inside. I was pretty agitated by the thought of him crossing all of those streets unattended and what might have been, and I’m not sure I thanked everyone properly when I got him. I am so grateful, and so is Sherman. This is the kind of neighborhood where people not only rescue your dog but give him lots of love.

PHOTO: Sherman F. Peabody, by Neighbor Julie

Style Blog Declares Bernal Heights Increasingly Stylish

February 6, 2014February 5, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 17 Comments

Watch out all you Mission cool kids; Bernal Heights is on the scene. We may be aging up here on the hill, but hey, we’ve still got it!

Yesterday Refinery 29 made it so official:

For those who think the Mission is where it’s at these days, we’re here to put you in check. We’d be lying if we said Bernal Heights is an on-the-rise ‘hood, because the truth is, it’s already at the top. To prove that it’s the happening place to be, we’ve created this definitive short list of must-visit spots.

You might want to clear out that iCal, because we’re unloading a whopping 22 spots to set your sights on, pronto! Whether you’re in the mood for a brand-spankin’-new pizzeria or a jaw-dropping view of the city, it’s time to show Bernal some much-deserved love. Put on your exploring gear and make your way over.

I know, right? Refinery 29 has a photo guide for their Bernal to-do list, for your clicky clicky.

IMAGES: Refinery 29

Clever Infographic Shows Where Runners Run in Bernal Heights

February 6, 2014February 5, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 9 Comments

The FlowingData website just posted a set of spiffy infographics that visualize where people go running in a variety of fabulous cities:

A lot of people make their workouts public on a variety of services, so there’s definitely accessible data. I use RunKeeper for cycling. I sampled from there.

The maps below are what I got, mostly for American cities, but there are a few European cities in there too (alphabetical order). If there’s one quick (and expected) takeaway, it’s that people like to run by the water and in parks, probably to get away from cars and the scenery.

So, this is New York City:

And this is Paris:

Bernalwood is vain and narcissistic, so we just had to zoom and enhance to create a map that’s all about us. So where do people who like to run like to run in Bernal Heights?

Mostly, around Bernal Hill, via Folsom from Cesar Chavez. Some enjoy the Esmeralda stairs. Precita carries a lot of east-west traffic. The hardcores loop around both Holly Park and Bernal Hill.

MAPS: via FlowingData

Fallen Branches on Eugenia Seem Courteous to Bernal Cars

February 6, 2014 / Todd_Lappin

Last night’s storm brought down some tree branches in Bernal Heights, and Neighbor Jonathan is all over it:

Eugenia between elsie and Winfield. I’m providing these in case there is damage to the nearby vehicles and they need images for insurance purposes. I also called 311 to file a report and get it cleared. I forgot to jot down the reference number, but perhaps the owners can find the report if they need it.

Hopefully nothing was damaged too much. From what I can tell the branch seemed to tumble directly into the middle of the street. And rested against the car. I remember a report of yours about another courteous fallen tree on this block. Hopefully this one was just as kind.

PHOTOS: Neighbor Jonathan

Campos to Propose Increased Compensation for Ellis Act Evictions

February 4, 2014February 4, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 159 Comments

D9 Supervisor David Campos sent this press release to Bernalwood yesterday:

Saying that we cannot rely solely on Sacramento to solve our affordability crisis, Supervisor David Campos (D9) will introduce a local solution at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisor’s meeting to help Ellis Act-evicted tenants afford to stay in San Francisco.

The ordinance will require landlords who evict using the Ellis Act to pay the difference between the tenant’s rental rate prior to eviction and what would have been the market rate for that unit for two years. This ensures that relocation payments adequately represent true market costs and allow displaced tenants who would face dramatically higher rent costs the opportunity to stay in San Francisco.

Currently, landlords are required to pay relocation assistance amounts of approximately $5,261 per tenant capped at $15,783 per unit. Landlords must also pay an additional amount of approximately $3,508 for each displaced elderly or disabled tenant. The Campos law would keep the current law as a minimum, but in most cases, would make relocation reflect market increases.

“Almost every renter in San Francisco is just one eviction notice away from being displaced from our city,” said Supervisor Campos. “It is time that we recognize that tenants must receive assistance that is commensurate with market increases in rent if we are to truly address our affordability crisis and check the rampant growth of Ellis Act evictions.”

San Francisco housing prices have become increasingly unaffordable. The median home price has recently topped $1 million and according to a Budget & Legislative Analyst report on the displacement crisis in San Francisco, the median rental rate for all apartments in 2013 was $3,414. The City’s rent controlled housing stock, the largest stock of price controlled housing in the City, is under attack by speculators that use the Ellis Act to evict long term tenants and sell the units off at enormous profit margins. The current relocation assistance rates would barely allow a tenant to afford three months of rent in San Francisco and so most evicted tenants are leaving the City they have called home for decades.

“I will continue to work with Assemblymember Ammiano to pass State legislation placing an outright moratorium on Ellis Act evictions in San Francisco. In the meantime, we need local solutions now to assist San Franciscans who are being displaced today,” said Supervisor Campos.

The Chronicle has a story about the Campos proposal, along with a discussion of some of its potential pros and cons.

Also, a piece of paper we found taped to a pole told us D9 Supervisor David Campos will speak at a housing forum tonight, 6:30 pm at BHNC on Cortland.

PHOTO: Telstar Logistics

New Mural Takes Shape on Helipad House

February 3, 2014February 4, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 27 Comments

Bernal Hill is swell place to go for a nature walk, but it’s also becoming a great place to view large-scale art. The mural on the old grain silos on the eastern waterfront is now complete, just as a new installation takes shape on the northern-facing facade of the “Helipad,” the contemporary home at the top of Folsom near Ripley.

Neighbor Regina previews what’s coming:

Life’s too short to live in a plain white house. Plus, the hottest neighborhood in America should have a hot pink element. The artist is Casey O’Connell and we just let her do her thing, which currently involves sharks with gold grills of the San Francisco skyline.

PHOTOS: Top, Monique Soltani. Below, Joe Thomas

Mockups Show Proposed Mosaic for Back of Bernal Library

January 31, 2014January 31, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 16 Comments

Neighbor Brandon has an update on the new artwork that’s in development for the southern, playground-facing side of the fashionable Bernal Heights Library:

The second phase of the library mural is moving ahead. We have a design (viewable on our site, Tumblr, etc.) and also in hard copy form at the library and Heartfelt. We welcome comments on cards available at the library. Those comments will be shared with the library and art commission meetings which are coming up soon. Funding is at about 90 percent, and we’re looking for a few headline donors to put us over the top. If all goes well with the commission meetings, Johanna Poethig will begin work in early autumn.

Over on the Library Project Tumblr, there’s more information about the proposal, which mixes mosaic tile with neighborhood photography:

The “Story Cloud” is a cloud form created by the overlapping of wires to evoke connectivity. The cloud hovers at the top of the Bernal Library wall overlooking the playground and can be seen from the ground and from a distance. It is a place to tell the story of the neighborhood, conceptually and visually integrating with the site, architecture, playground and functions of the library. This form also references the digital “Cloud” holding information and linking together old and new ways of storing and accessing information. The cloud, fabricated out of glass mosaic, digitally designed and produced to have a pixelated look. Ceramic tile inlaid into this composition holds the pictures collected by the community. Binoculars will enable viewers to explore the cloud in a fun interactive element. This evokes the position of Bernal Heights, the views of the hill and then out over the landscape that surrounds it.

“Story Cloud” meets the criteria of the participating Bernal community to combine compelling and dynamic visuals, preserve the aesthetics of the building, express the values of the community, enhance the experience of the programs and resources offered by the library, identify with Bernal history, present and future. The “Story Cloud” integrates with the other artwork on the Library by adding a third natural element. The wave form unfolds on the front of the building, the tree is rooted and branches out on the side and the cloud hovers over the playground bringing our attention up to the sky. Children in the playground can enjoy the cloud form, elements of discovery and story telling.

PHOTOS: Bernal Library Art Project

Your Bernal Heights Crime Report for January 2014: Yearly Crime Trends, Traffic Tickets, and It’s Still Robbery Season

January 30, 2014January 30, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 4 Comments

Neighbor Sarah, your invaluable volunteer Bernal Heights crime reporter, attended the SFPD Ingleside Community meeting on January 21, and she filed these summary notes on the latest Bernal Heights crime trends. (Many many many thanks, Sarah!!) Read on, read carefully, and stay safe:

Notes from Ingleside Community Meeting, 1/21/14

Captain Falvey presided.

He handed out the December and 2013 (Whole Year) Compstat page – attached. The district has averaged 11 homicides a year – there were 8 in 2013.

Robberies ended up being up only 2% for the year, which is remarkable because earlier in the year, when robberies were rampant, we were at one point up 72% vs. the prior year. There was a big drop in Q4 vs. 2012, but in January, robberies seem to be taking off again. Multiple crews appear to be involved. They are focusing their plainclothes officers in areas where the robberies have been occurring and have been getting tips from community members. They are also seeking help from the Violence Reduction Team from downtown.

Captain Falvey looked at past robbery statistics. Before 2013, the average was 441/year. In 2013, we had 393. Robberies are getting more violent, however. The chief wants to lower all felonies in 2014 (I didn’t catch by what %).

Property crimes are up 33% since the pre-2011 average. 2011 is when “realignment” began – ie, releasing certain people from state prison. SF has received 650 people released from state prison since then.

Violent crimes were up 1% (citywide, they were up 11%), and property crimes were up 7% (citywide, 12%). The station made 752 felony arrests, up 26% vs. 2012.

Burglaries – average 42/month. On page for mid-20s this month.

Ingleside wrote 8941 traffic citations in 2013, second-highest in city. This correlates with SFPD staffing (ie, goes down when there are fewer cops). The focus in 2014 is pedestrian safety. “Focus on the Five” means police focus on five most dangerous intersections and five most often-implicated violations in collisions (e.g., running red light). Using word “collision” vs. “accident” in vehicle/pedestrian cases. 32% of Ingleside citations in 2013 were in Focus on the Five areas. District has 20% of all intersections in city. Goal is to increase tickets by 10% in 2014.

Also conducting education campaigns for pedestrians, motorists, cyclists. SFSAFE has developed flyers with details on violations and fine amounts. Our district had a fatal ped/vehicle collision on 12/31 – an elderly man struck by pickup. Driver arrested.

Capt. Falvey underwent “active shooter” training led by the SFPD SWAT team in Jan. at 3rd and Evans. Whole department is going through it.

Still focused on preventing robberies, auto theft, and auto boosts.

Bike thefts – look for people wearing headlamps – suspicious unless they are out biking.

Look for cars slowing down when they see pedestrians (ie, scouting for robbery victims)

Scam going around that you need to get a prepaid card and provide PIN because your relative didn’t show up for jury duty – don’t fall for it.

You can look up Compstat for whole city at sfpolice.org.

ALERT – Auxiliary Law Enforcement Response Team – looking for new volunteers to get certified, must be NERT-certified first

UPCOMING EVENTS

Ingleside District Gun Buyback – April 5 – Budget of $50K+, location will be in Vis Valley/Sunnydale area

National Night Out – August 5 – at Police Academy in Diamond Heights (should be a great & fun venue)

Crime stats (Click to enlarge):

PHOTO: Top, Telstar Logistics

REVEALED: The Titillating Messages Hidden Within Bernal Heights Street Names

January 29, 2014January 29, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 11 Comments

Neighbor Michael Nolan has made a startling discovery: There are secret messages encoded within the street signs that hide in plain sight on every corner of Bernal Heights.

We do not know who created these secret messages, or who they were intended for. Yet thanks to Neighbor Michael’s astute decryption skills, we can now read the [vaguely smutty] messages revealed by rearranging the letters contained within prominent Bernal Heights street names.

Neighbor Michael provides this handy decoding guide:

Moultrie = I Lure Tom

Esmeralda = Males Dare

Precita = At Price

Peralta = Lap Rate

Powhattan = Tap on What

Massasoit = Sam Is a Sot

Prospect = Pet Corps

Norwich = Chin Row

Mirabel = I Ramble

Lundys Lane = Sullen Andy

PHOTO: via Ben Rosengart

Bikini Jogger Spotted, Briefly, by Puzzled Bernal Neighbor

January 29, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 20 Comments

This morning brings a fleeting glimpse of Bernal’s fast-moving Bikini Jogger. Neighbor Jonathan logged it:

Bernal bikini jogger sighting – 1/28, morning.

While starting my car I noticed a yellow blur in the rear view. Puzzlement soon turned to excitement, realizing I was witnessing a mythical Bernal celeb – the bikini jogger. By the time I came to my senses to record the event, she slipped back into the Bernal foliage and quickly out of sight.

Neighbor Noah Invites You on a Trip to Stylish North Korea

January 29, 2014January 29, 2014 / Todd_Lappin / 10 Comments

Neighbor Noah Lang lives in Precitaville, and he runs the wonderful Electric Works fine art press in SoMa. He’s a terrific fellow with superb taste, and I suspect he’d be a great travel companion. That’s important, because Neighbor Noah would like you to join him on a tour of North Korea.

Yes, just imagine the surreal sensation you will feel as you compare notes with Neighbor Noah about your favorite Cortland Avenue boutiques while taking in the art and architecture of exotic Pyongyang!

There’s an informational meeting about the trip happening at Electric Works (1360 Mission St., first floor) on Thursday, January 30 at 6:30 pm. Until then, Neighbor Noah writes:

I took my first trip to North Korea, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in 2008 as a side trip from Beijing while attending the Olympics. It was an amazing, eye-opening trip.

The DPRK is perhaps the least-well understood country of our times. And while relations between the US and the DPRK are strained, travel there is relatively quite safe.

While traveling in the DPRK, we will be under auspices of Koryo Tours. They are by far the most experienced, most trusted company that offers travel to the DPRK. Their connections go back over 20 years and they offer access to this secretive country that no one else can or does. During this art and architecture tour, we will gain access to buildings and sites that have previously remained closed to all other Western travelers.

The people behind Koryo Tours are responsible for, among other things, several interesting films on the DPRK. Several of these films, including “A State of Mind,” “Crossing the Line,” and “The Game of Their Lives” offer a look into this mysterious country. I highly suggest watching what you can before the tour. All are available through Netflix.

But I’m inviting you to travel with me on a once-in-a-lifetime tour to a country like no other.

The sights in the DPRK are unlike those in any part of the world. Many people who have traveled there have compared it to stepping into a time machine. Pyongyang is an amazingly clean, modern showcase city: the jewel of the DPRK. During the tour you’ll find a sparkling city, lined with trees, fountains and parks. The architecture is what caused me to take a second look while traveling there. These were not your typical Stalinist-era concrete monstrosities. That’s when I first thought of a trip devised to have a focused look at its idiosyncratic design and often surprisingly playful nature. The public art, while all supporting the vision of the DPRK’s founders, is quite powerful; the mosaics, statues and painting all impressive.

Dates are April 12—19, 2014. Travel is from Beijing to Pyongyang and back. Please visit the itinerary page for a detailed description of the tour. We need to be in Beijing on the 10, and flights can be scheduled home as early as the the evening of the 19th.

PHOTO: via Noah Lang