Vol. XLIII, No. 6
June 2019
THE NOE VALLEY VOICE Vaccine Medical Exemption Law Examined
Noe Lawyer Engineers Ban On Gun Shows
Local Chiropractor Disputes CDC Advice
Persistence Pays Off for Longtime Activist
By Matthew S. Bajko
By Matthew S. Bajko
V
accines are once again dominating the news as the country witnesses the largest measles outbreak since 1994 and lawmakers in Sacramento move to make it harder for parents to opt out of vaccinating their children. Measles had been declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000. Yet federal health officials this year, as of May 17, had confirmed 880 individual cases of measles in 24 states. In California, health officials had confirmed 47 measles cases as of May 22. The issue has been a particular flashpoint in the Golden State since 2014, when at least 131 measles cases were traced back to guests of the Disneyland resort in Anaheim. The incident spurred state lawmakers to strengthen vaccine requirements for children in California. Under a state law that took effect in 2016, students attending any public or private school in the state must be vaccinated unless they qualify for a valid medical exemption approved by a physician, such as having an allergy to vaccine components or because they’re undergoing chemotherapy. The legislation, known as Senate Bill 277, also restricted parents from citing religious or personal beliefs for why they wouldn’t immunize their children. The result has been a spike in medical exemptions, according to state officials, and lawmakers are now moving to limit their issuance. In May, the state Senate passed SB 276 by state Senator Richard Pan (D-Sacramento), which would require doctors to examine patients in person prior to granting a medical exemption and to submit it to state health officials for review. Both state and county health officials,
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Remembering the Flurry: The Kwanzan cherry trees that decorate 24th Street have lost their blossoms now, but in May the pink profusion was so great that the occasional wind brought about showers of pink. Photo by Jack Tipple
under the proposed law, would have the authority to override the medical exemption if it was found to be fraudulent or inconsistent with national vaccination guidelines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children get two doses of the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella: the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age. Assembly members will now take up the legislation this summer, and if passed,
it will go to Governor Gavin Newsom for his signature to become law. “Medical exemptions for required vaccines have more than tripled since the passage of SB 277, putting kids and communities at risk,” said Pan, a pediatrician. “SB 276 assures students who truly need medical exemptions will receive them and that the schools they attend maintain community immunity to keep them safe.” The bill has infuriated parents who CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
Dolores Huerta Tells Students Yes They Can Civil Rights Leader Speaks at School Renamed in Her Honor By Tom Ruiz
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he clouds parted and the day turned sunny Friday afternoon, May 17, as the playground at Fairmount Elementary School filled with students, staff, parents, and community members eagerly anticipating the appearance of labor leader and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta. Last August, the San Francisco Unified School District voted to change the name of Fairmount Elementary to Dolores Huerta Elementary. Now, after a school CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
Assembled on May 17: Students, staff, and parents gathered to meet a hero and usher in the new name of their facility: Dolores Huerta Elementary School. Photo by Tom Ruiz
he deadly 2018 Valentine’s Day school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, was an emotional blow for semiretired attorney Ruth Borenstein. But seeing the resilience displayed by the students who survived the massacre was also motivating for the gun-control activist. The teenagers’ speaking out in support of commonsense gun-control measures inspired Borenstein to also take action. She turned her attention toward the longcriticized gun shows allowed to take place at San Francisco’s Cow Palace, as an internet search showed they were the closest such events to her home in Noe Valley. “I had some vague recollection it was a publicly owned entity,” recalled Borenstein, who has lived in the neighborhood since 1992 with her wife, Karen Strauss. “I confirmed that and thought, How on earth, particularly in a state that has strong gun laws, why is the state hosting gun shows? That sends a terrible message and supports guns being on the street.” So she set out to renew the public’s and lawmakers’ attention to the issue. Past CONTINUED ON PAGE 11
Girl Filmmakers Now Presenting Fourth Festival Send in Your Mini-Movie By Aug. 1 By Katie Burke
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our years ago, four Noe Valley residents ages 9 to 12 set forth to change the world for women. Now a six-person operation, the Noe Valley Girls Film Festival continues its powerful mission and entertaining event, happening this year on Sept. 7. The genesis of the festival was the founders’ own filmmaking. In 2015, founders Caitlin Kane, Maggie Marks, Charlotte Kane, and Ella Marks created a series of five-minute films called Annoying Apple. “There was a green Granny Smith apple,” 13-year-old Caitlin explains. “We drew a little face on it, and we tied it to dental floss, and we got an iPad and started filming.” She says the apple went on adventures, becoming a movie star and meeting “a bunch of crazy characters.” This led the foursome to think about how they could share filmmaking with others. According to Maggie, now 13, “We saw that there are not a lot of female directors in the world, and considering how much fun we had making our CONTINUED ON PAGE 13
2 The Noe Valley Voice • June 2019
O PEN SFH ISTORY
Noe Valley Rails: This is a view southwest toward Holly Park from the elevated Southern Pacific Railroad tracks crossing 30th Street near Dolores. The 9-Richland streetcar is ready to pass underneath. The tracks were removed soon after the last train rolled by in 1941. The route is traceable in Noe Valley today by looking to 1950s era homes between 27th and 30th streets. Photo and information courtesy OpenSFHistory.org / Western Neighborhoods Project / David Gallagher
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7
L E T T E R S 5 5 ¢
A beloved Diamond Street home.
Leaving Noe Valley Editor: We arrived in Noe Valley in March of 1972 with our 3-month-old baby, Nicole. An ex-girlfriend of Tom’s turned us on to a Victorian for rent on Jersey Street. We were very lucky to rent from the Tandy family, who still own that home. We met great people on Jersey who made us feel right at home: Lorraine, Francis, Rosie, and Honey. Not to be forgotten is Len’s corner store. Len’s son is still around and working on cars and his property. It was a working-class neighborhood, and we fit right in, me as a nurse and Tom as a gardener with the city. Four years later we bought our home on Diamond Street. The minute we walked in, we knew it was for us. Luke was born in the next two years and life took off. Again, blessed with great neighbors: the L. Lydon family. My kids called Lillian Grandma. She never forgot their birthdays, even though she had seven kids of her own. Chuck and Tim across the street. Not to forget Katie and David,
THE NOE VALLEY VOICE
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P.O. Box 460249 San Francisco, CA 94146 www.noevalleyvoice.com
he Noe Valley Voice is an independent newspaper published monthly except in January and August. It is distributed free in Noe Valley and vicinity during the first week of the month. Subscriptions are available at $40 per year ($35 for seniors) by writing to the above address. The Voice welcomes your letters, photos, and stories, particularly on topics relating to Noe Valley. All items should include your name and contact information, and may be edited for brevity or clarity. (Unsigned letters will not be considered for publication.) Unsolicited contributions will be returned only if accompanied by a selfaddressed, stamped envelope. The Noe Valley Voice is a member of the San Francisco Neighborhood Newspaper Association. Email: editor@noevalleyvoice.com Website: www.noevalleyvoice.com Distribution: Call Jack, 415-385-4569 Display Advertising: Call Pat, 415-608-7634, or email PatRose@noevalleyvoice.com Display Advertising Deadline for the July/August 2019 Issue: June 20, 2019 Editorial/Class Ad Deadline: June 15, 2019 CO-PUBLISHERS/EDITORS
Sally Smith, Jack Tipple
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND EDITORS
Corrie M. Anders, Associate Editor Olivia Boler, Other Voices Editor Heidi Anderson, Matthew S. Bajko, Owen Baker-Flynn, Karol Barske, Katie Burke, Helen Colgan, Jan Goben, Liz Highleyman, Laura McHale Holland, Jeff Kaliss, Doug Konecky, Richard May, Christopher Pollock, Roger Rubin, Tom Ruiz, Tim Simmers, Karen Topakian CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Art Bodner, Pamela Gerard, Najib Joe Hakim, Beverly Tharp ACCOUNTING
Jennifer O. Viereck PRODUCTION
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Pat Rose, Jack Tipple
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Contents 2019 The Noe Valley Voice
who moved five years ago. Our kids were able to play outside, climb Alvarado hill before it was built up. Not to leave out Barbara and Lynne, friends on 23rd Street, and best friend Judy, on Douglass Street. It was a wonderful 39 years. But the stairs are too hard and the hill some days a challenge. After all the school decisions we had to make, we all survived, if not without some drama! When I asked our 6-year-old granddaughter what she’d miss the most, she said the stairs and sleeping upstairs on the pull-out couch! We leave with a bittersweet heart that is filled with many wonderful memories. We’re off to San Jose to a one-level home that is 10 minutes from the grandchildren. Time for the next family to love the grand old lady. She’s 101 this year. Until we see you again, Maddy, Tom, Nicole, Lucas, Judy, Sonya, and Sarah Mrakava, and Samantha Chu The New Face of Noe Editor: The new business opening on 24th Street, SkinSpirit, is less than what I would call a good fit for Noe Valley. I wish a good food retailer, such as Trader Joe’s would have opened instead, which undoubtedly would be a welcome antidote to the miserable retailer Whole Foods. I guess ephemeral, expensive cosmetic beauty in the Trump era is what drives our community. Barry Venditti Appreciation for Amin Editor: Thank you for the lovely article about Amin Muwafi in the May issue (“Home Away From Home,� by Najib Joe Hakim). I open the elevator for Amin every day at 30th Street Senior Center, where I work. Our staff spent some time in the morning admiring the beautiful photography as well. We shared with some of the seniors as well. I appreciate how in the article Najib brought in history and made it bigger than just a simple profile. Amin is a wonderful human whose strength and struggle brings me joy every day at 30th Street. Almost every morning he asks, “Where is everybody? Where are all the people?� He is always one of the very first here. The writer captured the light that he emits. I also want to encourage you to keep publishing articles by and about the Arab communities in the Bay Area. Especially at this time, with so much sensitivity around Ilhan Omar and the activism in support of the oppressed Palestinian people. I think the more voices from oppressed communities we can have in all of our print media, the more educated and compassionate our communities will become. We need that more than ever. Deia de Brito Again, a Lovely Portrait Editor: Thank you for publishing Najib Joe Hakim’s lovely article on Amin Muwafi’s life story. It’s important to learn about our neighbors who are the Palestinian diaspora community in the Bay Area. Howard Fallon Bouquets de Garden Tour Editor: Where to start! The 2019 Noe Valley Garden Tour was the best ever! Yes, the sun was shining, the gardens were popping with color and life, and there was art, there was music. Three hundred attendees strolled from garden to garden to admire
what the neighborhood had on display. First, a great big special thanks goes to the 10 generous garden hosts who willingly opened their gardens for us to enjoy on the tour. We know how hard they worked to make sure everything was in tip-top shape: Alison Lustbader, Barbara Brueckner & Michael Shpizner, Dale & Patty Fehringer, Dana & Michael Immerman, Frank & Kathleen Schlier, Grame & Irene Merry, Lawrence Kulig, Richard Anderson, Lisa Erdos & Barbara Howald (Noe Valley Library), and Lisa Erdos & Green Mann (30th Street Senior Center). And thank you to the 11 artists who were on display in the gardens: David Auld, Debra Reabock, Jessica Levant, John Milestone, Julie Cohn, Kristine Mays, Lawrence Kulig, Michelle Echenique, Randy Lee Odell, Richard Anderson, and Talavera-Ballón. Their work enhanced the experience for visitors and made everything much more festive! A successful new addition to the Garden Tour this year was music. Thank you, Hans Kolbe and friends, and Dave Johnson of the Liberty Street Band. We can’t thank our sponsors enough for their big-hearted support of the Noe Valley community. Many are Garden Tour sponsors year after year. They are wonderful! We would not be able to do the tour without them: Rachel Swann (The Agency; Lead Sponsor), David Pennebaker (Compass), Dennis Otto (Compass), Dirty Hoe Landscaping, Droubi Team, Duncan Wheeler (Compass), Flora Grubb, Flowercraft, Noe Valley Merchants and Professionals Association, Reid Rankin Real Estate, Sloat Garden Centers, Stephanie Johnson (Pacific Union–Compass; Raffle Donor), Terese Taylor, CMT, Umpqua Bank, Urban Farmer, and Zephyr Real Estate. Lastly, there would be no Garden Tour without the dedicated and fun Garden Tour Committee: Adrian Bonifacio, Arete Nicholas, Jana King, Karin Levenberg, Linda Lockyer, Lisa Erdos, Mary Donovan, and Michelle Echenique. The Friends of Noe Valley would like to thank them publicly for their attention to detail, hard work, and for all the little and big ways they pitched in to get the job done. Looking forward, if you would like to nominate your garden or the garden of a friend or neighbor, OR if your would like to join the very fun Garden Tour Committee, OR if you would like to be a volunteer garden greeter in 2020, OR if you want to sponsor, OR if you are an artist or musician, do not pass GO! Email Linda Lockyer immediately at lindalockyer3@gmail.com. Peggy Cling Friends of Noe Valley
Memphis and Lloyda Murphy.
Ode to Memphis Lloyda says, “I sure miss that little guy.� In heaven, he hears and understands her words, Her sweet memories of our dog, Memphis. Memphis, how did you master English? You always understood but never spoke. Did you study grammar while we slept? From a book hidden under your pillow bed? I know you listened to our endless talks Of San Francisco and Noe Valley, Of Katie, Maggie, Danny and Georgia, Of our many dogs, Agatha and Belle, Lulu, and the wise old Huckleberry. You listened, but you never said a word. You never learned to write either. But you left a memory stronger than a diary. Daniel C Murphy Editor’s Note: Readers may recall Dan Murphy’s past stories in the Voice as well as a poem in the May 2016 issue, “Escape from Noe Courts,� in which he chronicled the amazing sprint of his (leash-wearing) dachshund Memphis from Noe Courts to their home on Church Street. Memphis died of old age, Dan reports, and the family, including wife Lloyda and children Katie, Maggie, Danny, and Georgia, sure miss having him around.
L E T T E R S TO T H E E D I TO R The Noe Valley Voice welcomes your letters. Email editor@noevalleyvoice.com. Please include your name and contact information. (Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication.) Be aware that letters may be edited for brevity or clarity. We look forward to hearing from you.
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8 The Noe Valley Voice • June 2019
Measles Outbreak Renews Debate Over Vaccines
with the Voice. “They’re taking away the doctor, which is so scary to me. And it should scare a lot of people to just completely remove the doctor and then a public health agent gets to say, ‘No, you have to be vaccinated.’”
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Outspoken Opponent
question the efficacy of vaccines and argue they should have the right to not immunize their children. Kristine Hicks, Ph.D., a pediatric chiropractor at More Mojo Studios on Church Street in Noe Valley, is among those who oppose the pending law. “If parents choose to vaccinate on an alternative schedule, or if they choose to not vaccinate at all, they have to get a medical exemption from their medical doctor. But now there’s a bill under way right now that wants to take away the medical exemption, which is really scary,” said Hicks, 51, in an interview
Hicks, who has practiced in Noe Valley for 12 years now, has a sports medicine degree from San Diego State University and a doctor of chiropractic degree from Life West Chiropractic College in Hayward. More than a decade ago, she and a fellow chiropractor, Colin Phipps, began offering lectures about vaccines to parents and others interested in learning more about them. “I’m not anti-vaccine, I’m pro-information,” insisted Hicks, who sees herself as a consumer advocate. “And I want my families to hear both sides.” Phipps has since moved out of the Bay
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Area, so Hicks now presents the threehour vaccine lecture herself every other month. The next one, which costs participants $25, will be held sometime in July. “I want people to know what they’re getting into, and not just injecting their kids with something that they don’t know what’s in the shot, right? They don’t know what’s in the needle,” said Hicks. “So I educate people on exactly what can happen, what does happen, and just kind of like the risks-benefit assessment that most pediatricians aren’t giving.” In her vaccine talks, Hicks said she doesn’t tell people what action they should take in terms of vaccinating their children. Her aim is to educate parents based on what she has learned looking into the issue. “I don’t tell anybody to do anything, I just share information that I’ve been researching for the last 25 years really,” she said. “And I say, ‘I’m giving you guys information, but you need to do with this what you want. And I trust you, as parents, that you’ll make educated, informed decisions.’ And that’s all I want. It is just for you to make an informed decision.” Hicks didn’t vaccinate her daughter when she was a child and doesn’t believe in getting an annual flu shot. She believes vaccines cause autism, despite medical groups’ insistence there is no scientific evidence to prove that any vaccine causes the developmental disability. Safety Questioned Another issue on which Hicks differs from the mainstream medical view is the safety of the ingredients used in vaccines. For example, the CDC maintains that the use of aluminum as an adjuvant—an ingredient added to vaccines to boost the body’s immune response—has been proved safe for seven decades. Yet Hicks says she disagrees, pointing
to a 2017 article by British professor Chris Exley that contends aluminum use in vaccines could lead to autism in children. Other scientists, however, have called Exley’s research flawed and his conclusions baseless. “He’s finding that the youngest children have the most aluminum in their brain. And, you know, how does a child get that much aluminum in the brain?” said Hicks, noting that in the U.S. children receive at least 72 vaccines by the time they turn 18. “That’s a lot of vaccines, that’s a lot of injected aluminum. And so that’s one of the problems.” Hicks also questions the CDC’s recommended timetable for giving vaccines to children, who typically receive 25 vaccination shots by age 6 to help them fend off 14 diseases. The medical establishment argues the schedule health officials devised is safe and there is no need to diverge from it. “Vaccinating our patients is one of the most important tools pediatricians have to prevent illness and death,” said Kris Calvin of the American Academy of Pediatrics, California. “It is the rare physician who does not take this responsibility to heart, but they put all of us, our children and our communities, at risk.” Her Advice: Space Out Shots Yet Hicks advises parents to wait to vaccinate their children until they turn 2 years old in order for their immune system to develop. And she believes they should space out the injections so their child receives one shot at a time. “I don’t think you should ever get more than one vaccine in a day,” she said. “This is a tremendous assault on the immune system, the nervous system, and the baby. And so what I say is, if you’re going to CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
T H E C R O S S WO R D B Y M I C H A E L B L A K E
Assembly Line ACROSS
Rhona O'Leary & Eric Gard Matthew w Brennan Brenna Gavia & Matthew Liza & Byron Byronn Hing
1. “I’ve got ___ in Kalamazoo” 5. Half-___: rhyming latte order 8. Cajun, for one 15. A Deadly Sin 16. Israeli machine gun 17. Dannon yogurt brand 18. With (German) + Civil War soldier + bovine worker 20. Jerry Garcia’s band, for short 21. Lever in a lock 22. Cousin of the game Othello 24. ___ Angeles 25. Like Mt. Diablo in winter, sometimes 27. Band-Aid competitor 30. “Don’t ___ me, bro!” 31. Hog thigh + years (Spanish) + show to one’s seat + firstperson pronoun 37. Icelandic singer 39. “Ta-ta!” 40. Comedian Margaret + Pepsi, e.g. + “__ amo” + place to moor + Commie 46. Multilevel marketing giant 47. Adored 48. Not yes + “cancel” key + indefinite article + comedian Fey 52. “Americans spent almost $40 billion while drunk, which could explain the popularity of ___”: J. Kimmel 56. Inventor Nikola 57. TV’s Winfrey 58. Antonio’s Evita role 61. Like a sprained
ankle 65. Baja bear 66. The Satanic Verses author 69. __ Better Blues + sleep-lab abbr. + eye (Spanish) 71. Inspire admiration 72. Will Smith biopic 73. “___ a man with seven wives” 74. Charity event 75. Street parallel to Fell 76. Fast planes DOWN
1. What counts in Horseshoes? 2. French ___: Brazil neighbor 3. Houston nine 4. Not lgl, on a copier 5. Rubik’s ___ 6. Sea of ___, outlet of the Don 7. Prix ___ 8. Nissan, once
9. Suzuki on a diamond 10. Had a bite 11. Tupperware burper 12. First name in daredeviltry 13. “Ta-ta!” 14. Tiny ones 19. Trick ending? 23. His Master’s Voice label 26. Online-only airing 28. “What ___!” (Soccer broadcaster interjection) 29. Dressed to kill 31. Christmas, e.g.: Abbr. 32. Coach Parseghian 33. Grocery: Abbr. 34. Knight’s honorific 35. Tee-___! 36. Alternative to The Pill 38. Ulysses author 40. Is able 41. Kaiser plan, notably 42. Be in debt
43.Yalie 44. Alcatraz resident, once 45. Cato’s caviar 49. SF’s patron saint’s home 50. SF Giants’ division 51. The Way of Lao Tsu 53. Spruces up 54. Bunsen burner, e.g. 55. Photographers’ gigs 57. Single 58. Place for baby 59. Newsman Brit 60. SportsCenter shower 62. “U so funny” 63. ___ of San Francisco: Sanchez Street designer 64. Estrada of CHiPs 67. Charlemagne’s domain: Abbr. 68. “Mos’ ___” (“For sure”) 70. Lead or led lead-in Solution on Page 26 Find more Crosswords at www.noevalleyvoice.com
The Noe Valley Voice • June 2019
Chiropractor in Noe Disputes CDC Recommendations
who have serious medical conditions that prevent them from getting vaccinated,” Herrera said. “The scary thing is those are the kids most at risk when somebody engages in medical exemption deception. If someone uses a medical exemption they don’t qualify for and introduces unvaccinated children into that environment, the kids who legitimately can’t get a vaccine—and ultimately the general public—are the ones in real danger.”
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
Science Says Risk Is Real Others vehemently disagree that such communicable diseases shouldn’t be taken seriously. They point out that the elderly, people with suppressed immune systems, and children with proper medical reasons for not being vaccinated are especially vulnerable. According to the CDC, for every 1,000 children who get
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Parents Will Do What’s Best At the end of the day, Hicks trusts that parents armed with the proper information about vaccines will make the best decision for their child. “So you know your kid better than anyone, better than your pediatrician, better than your chiropractor, better than anyone, you know your child,” said Hicks. “So I really try and encourage parents to listen to that maternal and paternal instinct, because usually it’s right on. And so I’m just really giving the other side and letting the parents make their own decisions.”
The lectures that chiropracor Kristine Hicks has offered for years at More Mojo Family Chiropractic are again stirring controversy. She advises parents to delay vaccination. Photo by Jack Tipple
measles, one or two will die from it, though the last measles death in the U.S. occurred in 2015. “Serious complications can result from measles, and vaccination is key to prevention,” said Dr. Julie Stoltey, Communicable Disease Controller for San Francisco. City Attorney Dennis Herrera announced last month that his office is investigating a local doctor suspected of improperly exempting children from being vaccinated at the urging of their parents. The doctor’s doing so puts the children’s classmates and others at risk, argued Herrera. “As a community, we have a responsibility to each other. There are children
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do it, get one in a day, wait months before you get another one, and the longer you spread them out, the safer it is.” Her concern, she said, is that vaccines are disrupting the natural development of a child’s immune system and overstimulating the brain in a way that in her view is unhealthy. “So when we are taught as Americans, you take a Tylenol to lower the fever, you take an antihistamine to get rid of the runny nose, you take a decongestant to stop the cough, what you’re doing is you’re completely working against your body,” she said. “Your body’s trying to get rid of all of this stuff, but we’re suppressing inside of our body. So when you live a lifetime of suppressing your symptoms, you are going to get a chronic disease. That’s not healthy, right?” Vaccines offer “fake protection” for diseases that the public should not be so fearful of, contended Hicks. “We’ve been kind of brainwashed into thinking that measles and mumps and rubella and chickenpox are deadly diseases. They’re not,” she said. “They’re not deadly diseases in healthy individuals.”
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10 The Noe Valley Voice • June 2019
Guest of Honor Dolores Huerta CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
year filled with school-community planning and the painting of new murals, the renaming day had arrived. And it was time to honor the most special of guests. Huerta, 89 years young, is a legendary human rights champion and community organizer, who has dedicated her life to fighting for the disenfranchised. Along with Cesar Chavez and Larry Itliong, she co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) and helped organize the 1965 Delano Grape Strike and Boycott. Half a century later, she continues the struggle to empower people across a gamut of economic, civil rights, and environmental causes. She is credited with coining the UFW slogan â€œÂĄSĂ, se puede!â€? in 1972, which 35 years later was adopted as the “Yes We Canâ€? theme of Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. School Principal Luis Rodriguez opened the renaming ceremony summarizing the reason for the name change. “Our school is where we want to teach students the power of voice, the power of presence, the power of standing up for dignity and fighting for equity, embodying the life lessons of someone like Dolores Huerta. By adopting the name of a strong Latina leader, we also send a message of empowerment to all our female students, particularly our female students of color.â€? After a number of student performances, including an original operetta performed by the first-grade classes working with the San Francisco Opera’s “Year of the Heroâ€? program, Huerta took the stage. In remarks aimed at the 400 students in attendance, she encouraged the crowd to stand up for justice and to realize “that it
May 17 was a special day for students. They could meet Dolores Huerta, the courageous woman whose story was on the mural at the entrance to their school. Photo courtesy Rick Girling
doesn’t happen easily and takes everyone working together. “When we see someone who needs help, we don’t have to wait to be asked, but need to step up and commit to meet the challenge,� she said.
Huerta lamented the currents of hatred in society and urged the students to “treat everyone with respect, realizing we are all related as part of the human race.� She ended her remarks by calling on students to make the world a better place
for everyone, never forgetting their collective power. Then she led the more than 500 people assembled in a chant—â€?Who has the power? We have the power! What kind of power? People power!â€?—followed by the classic UFW staccato handclapping. The event ended with a celebration on the yard featuring Mission community Aztec dancers. Fairmount, now Dolores Huerta Elementary, is known for its successful dual immersion program, where students graduate fluent and literate in English and Spanish with an appreciation for living in a multicultural society. Seventy-one percent of the school’s students are Latino, while 13 percent are white and 5 percent African American. Librarian Maureen Sullivan is currently working with the teaching staff to develop new curricula that will integrate lessons inspired by Huerta’s commitment to organizing for social change. According to Glen Park Neighborhoods History Project founder Evelyn Rose, who spoke at the ceremony, the school at 65 Chenery St. has a significant historic legacy. The Fairmount Tract, which later became known as Fairmount Heights, platted during the Civil War, is one of the oldest neighborhoods in San Francisco. For over 150 years, Fairmount the school has educated generations of San Francisco children on land once owned by JosĂŠ de JesĂşs NoĂŠ, the last Mexican alcalde of Yerba Buena (San Francisco). One of the school’s more interesting alumni was Irene Noblitt (later Irene Ryan), class of 1907, who after a successful San Francisco singing career went on to Hollywood fame as “Grannyâ€? in the TV sitcom Beverly Hillbillies. The History Project will place a commemorative plaque at Dolores Huerta Elementary, noting its previous role in the community as Fairmount School. 䥲
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The Noe Valley Voice • June 2019
11
Activist Pushes Cow Palace to End Gun Shows CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
attempts to pass legislation banning the shows by former state lawmaker Mark Leno, who also lives in Noe Valley, were vetoed by both former governors Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, and Jerry Brown, a Democrat. In 2014, Brown wrote in his veto message that he would prefer to see the board of directors of the Cow Palace, all gubernatorial appointees, working with the community to come up with a new policy. Reading that, Borenstein said, “I thought the board of directors should listen to your local communities.” In April last year, she penned an opinion piece about the issue that was published in the San Francisco Chronicle, and shortly thereafter she addressed the Cow Palace board directly during public comment at one of its meetings. She asked that the directors place the matter on the agenda for an upcoming meeting. Bombarding the Board All year long, Borenstein dutifully attended the board’s meetings to beseech it to take up banning the gun shows. To her disappointment, her requests each time fell on deaf ears. She also enlisted the help of her friend and state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), whose district includes the Cow Palace. After Borenstein showed up at a town hall Wiener held in May 2018, he took up her request and introduced legislation that would ban the gun shows. Yet Brown vetoed the bill in the fall. With Brown barred by term limits from
Noe Valley resident Ruth Borenstein is smiling these days after pulling off a feat. She successfully lobbied the board of the Cow Palace to discontinue gun shows at its event arena on Dec. 31, 2019. Photo by Beverly Tharp
running again, and former San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom elected governor last November, Wiener teamed up with Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) to reintroduce legislation this January aimed at ending the gun shows at the Cow Palace. The bill also sought the creation of a panel comprised of local officials, which would be tasked with devising a plan for how best to utilize the property, potentially for housing. “When that came out, I thought at first they [the Cow Palace board] might just
say, ‘Well, let’s see how this plays out.’ Like they did last year,” Borenstein said. A Tipping Point Yet, to her surprise, she received a call from Cow Palace CEO Lori Marshall suggesting she attend the April 16 board meeting. When Borenstein checked the agenda, she was shocked to see listed under the action items to be voted on that day, “Approval of Statement of Policy to discontinue all future gun shows at the Cow Palace beginning January 1, 2020.”
The current three-year contract with the gun show presenter, Crossroads of the West, expires Dec. 31 of this year. “When I saw that and the way it was worded, I thought this is unbelievable,” said Borenstein. “This is a great find and makes me very optimistic that they looked at it and were going to take this action.” Borenstein, who last summer became a leader of the SF Brady United Against Gun Violence group, alerted other gunCONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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12 The Noe Valley Voice • June 2019
Borenstein Uses Verbal Ammunition To Change Policy CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
control advocates about the meeting. Nine people spoke in support of ending the gun shows. No one in support of keeping them addressed the board. The board then unanimously adopted the policy to end the gun shows. It also agreed to pursue development opportunities for the 62-acre site, which straddles the border between San Francisco and Daly City and is in the middle of a residential area. “When they voted and it passed, people who were there applauded. Several of the board members were applauding as well,” said Borenstein. “It was a really touching moment.” Venue Eyed for Development Due to the board’s decision, Wiener and Ting shelved their bill in the legisla-
ture until the 2020 session. In the meantime, they plan to work with community leaders and the governor’s office on whether they need to revive the bill next year. “I’m thankful that the Cow Palace Board of Directors has ended the gun shows and announced that it will explore development of its land,” Wiener stated in a news release issued in early May. “To be clear, the Cow Palace should have taken this step years ago.” Ting added that he believes “the current site could be better utilized to meet local needs,” but agrees it is appropriate to give the parties involved in the future of the site time “to work out their differences and ensure all voices are heard.” Borenstein told the Voice she “wholeheartedly” agreed with the lawmakers’ decision to wait on moving forward their Senate Bill 281. As for what should happen to the Cow Palace property, she said she had not given the issue much thought, since it had not been her main concern. “The grassroots activists who asked the Cow Palace board to end the gun shows have focused solely on that issue and have
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not taken a position on the portion of SB 281 that would transfer control of the Cow Palace to a new local authority for possible redevelopment of the site,” wrote Borenstein in an email. “But to the extent that the board’s responsiveness to the local community in ending the gun shows has contributed to increased dialogue among the community, state, and local officials and the Cow Palace Board regarding the best use for that site, that seems like a very positive development.” Refusal to Let It Go As for the board’s decision to end the gun shows, Borenstein credited her doggedness on the issue. “I played the long game by going every month and speaking to them in a onesided dialogue,” she said. “I was reinforcing to them why a state agency should not profit from putting guns on the street.” Over the last year, Borenstein had sensed her message was sinking in with the board. “I had a feeling at least a couple of the people on the board were hearing me and were with me, based on their reactions and positive vibes. People were nodding sometimes and thanking me for speaking. I thought we were making inroads,” she said. “No one from the other side was doing the same thing and coming to meetings to say why we think you should continue them.” This isn’t the first time Borenstein has been the public face of a controversial issue. She and her wife, who retired from her job as chief of San Francisco’s main library, were the lead plaintiff couple in Strauss v. Horton, one of three lawsuits filed against the voter-approved ballot measure known as Proposition 8 that was adopted in 2008 and banned same-sex marriage in California.
While the state’s Supreme Court upheld Prop 8’s validity in 2009, it also allowed those marriages that took place prior to its adoption to remain legal. In June 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court tossed out Prop. 8 on a technicality. Following President Trump’s election in 2016, the couple became active with Indivisible SF. Borenstein started attending meetings in the spring of 2017 and credits the political group with opening her eyes to the power of public advocacy. “Through there I learned about, for the first time, the concept that these are public officials who answer to us. I have a voice and I can use it,” said Borenstein, who lobbied various local politicians through Indivisible SF. “I really feel like that empowered me to think in a different way. If I see something I want changed, I can and I could step up and ask for what I think can happen.” State Ban in Her Sights She continues to advocate for lawmakers to adopt a policy that would ban gun shows at all state-owned venues across California. “I think the odds are very strong that Governor Newsom will sign any bill to ban gun shows on state property,” Borenstein predicted, noting that as lieutenant governor he wrote a letter advocating gun shows be banned at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego. (Legislation to do just that is pending in Sacramento this year.) She feels passionately that the state should be focused on promoting public safety and not profiting from the sale of guns at shows renting public facilities. “There are millions more guns in our country than there are people, and anything we can do to reduce the number of guns on the street is a positive, I think,” said Borenstein.
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13
Call for Submissions To the 4th Annual Noe Girls Film Fest CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
movies, we wanted other girls to be able to experience that. It’s something that we care a lot about.” The four showed Annoying Apple at the inaugural festival, which invited girls from around the world to submit short films, to be judged by a panel of women in the film industry. Another debut filmmaker in the festival’s first year was 11-year-old Hannah Tawadrous, now 15 and a student at Urban School in the Haight. Hannah had made a perfume commercial parody, Pinky Spinky Perfume, when she met Caitlin at Viking Soccer Camp. Caitlin encouraged her to submit, and Pinky Spinky Perfume earned Hannah a finalist award and an invitation to join the festival’s leadership. Hannah’s mom is the building manager for the festival venue, the Noe Valley Ministry at 1021 Sanchez St. So Hannah says that when she became a festival leader, “I was connected in many ways.” Eleanor Mullen, now 13, also joined the festival organizers in the event’s second year. Eleanor attends the same church as Caitlin and Charlotte, whose dad invited Eleanor to join the festival. Eleanor will be a student at Sacred Heart in the Western Addition next year. This year, the festival has attracted nine volunteers from Hamlin, Caitlin and Maggie’s Pacific Heights school: Alexa Prosnitz, Juliette Cuthbert, Whitney Kanter, Blair Rodzewicz, Meher Bhandari, Athena Goulet-Hofsass, Yujia Tang, Corinne Wan, and Alice Peterson. They’re helping with fundraising and publicity. “We realized it was a lot of work, and it ended up just kind of piling up,” Caitlin says, “and we decided we wanted more people to distribute the workload.” Certain aspects have become easier over the years, the team agrees. “The first year for me was definitely the hardest,” Maggie says, “because that’s when you have to do all the major work, like creating the website, getting people to know about it, getting a place to rent, getting all the equipment. “Each year, it’s gotten better because we have a foundation to start, and we just have to make it better.” Rules of the Game The website is www.nvgff.com. There, filmmakers can submit their films that fit the following criteria: the films are Grated, as determined by the NVGFF judges; they are five minutes or shorter in length; and the principal filmmaker must be a female 15 years or younger as of Sept. 7, 2019. All genres are welcome, and this year’s submission deadline is Aug. 1. Filmmakers can make a film by any method, says Hannah, who made Pinky Spinky Perfume using “this random app called Splice.” She adds, “You can use professional video cameras, or you can use what we used for Annoying Apple, which is just an app called iMovie. I think one of the main reasons people probably don’t get into filmmaking is because they think it’s so difficult to make an entire film. But you can see how easy it is and how fun and creative you get to be. And it really opens up your imagination.” Film submissions are divided into two categories, by the filmmaker’s age: 11 to 15 and 10 and under. The festival receives about 900 entries every year, only about 250 of which conform to the submission
This year’s festival team members are, left to right, Caitlin Kane, Ella Marks, Hannah Tawadrous, Charlotte Kane, Maggie Marks, and Eleanor Mullen. Look for them on 24th Street this summer, holding bake sales to raise money for the popular event, arriving Sept. 7. Photo by Katie Burke
guidelines. Submissions have come from as far away as China, India, Canada, France, and Iran. The first year, a Canadian filmmaker was among the winners. Caitlin, Maggie, Ella, Charlotte, Hannah, and Eleanor watch all the qualifying films, then choose five finalists and a couple of honorable mentions for each of the two age categories. They send their 10 finalist picks to the judges, who narrow them down to first-, second-, and third-place winners for each age category. Winners receive $350 for first place, $200 for second, and $100 for third. Local Celebrities To encourage submissions, donations, and festival attendance, NVGFF is creating a promotional video that schools can show at assemblies. They are also on Instagram (@noevalleygirlsfilmfest), Facebook (@nvgff), and Twitter (@NVGFFteam). Their YouTube page (search “Noe Valley Girls Film Festival”) features films submitted in prior years. People can also donate to the festival and reserve their free tickets on the website. In past years, the event has been standing-room only. Leading up to the festival, the group holds bake sales and other fundraisers to raise prize money. One year, the festival team was holding a bake sale when a
Pixar employee approached them and offered to help. The group appointed her to the panel of judges. At the festival, the team holds a raffle, to help defray the cost of putting on the event. They also rely on sponsorships. “The first year, almost all of our sponsors we just found on 24th Street. We’ve gone into the stores and asked if they wanted to sponsor us or donate a raffle item,” said 16-year-old Ella, who is at University High School in Pacific Heights. “And a lot of them have been sponsors year after year.” Raffle prizes from Noe Valley stores have included items and gift certificates from Just for Fun, Small Frys, the Animal Company, Cotton Basics, Charlie’s Corner, Wink SF, NOVY, Toast, and Folio Books. In addition to the local gifts, the festival team lines up concert tickets, from places like Another Planet Entertainment. So far this year, the biggest sponsors have been Sterling Bank—Ella says the bank has donated about $1,000—and Droubi Team real estate. Production Values NVGFF makes their money on festival day with the raffle and T-shirt, popcorn, and candy sales. Their annual net profits are about $1,000, which they pour into the following year’s festival. Eleanor’s favorite aspect of the festival is the speaker. Each year, the team finds
a professional female filmmaker to address the audience. Last year, the speaker was Atsuko Hirayanagi, director of the 2017 film Oh Lucy! “I thought it was kind of really cool that you were hearing advice directly from someone that was in that field,” Eleanor says. Festival audience members cast paper ballots for their favorite film. About a week after the festival, the team announces and screens the audience favorite at movie night in the Noe Valley Town Square. Passing the Torch (or Oscar) Caitlin says the team is planning an alumni event, where Hamlin graduates can screen and rate festival submissions. “A lot of them have gone off and worked in film. And they work with companies like Pixar, and some work at Disney and YouTube.” Charlotte, a 15-year-old student at Lick Wilmerding in the Outer Mission, is thinking about the film festival’s future. “We’d like to keep it going, so as we get older, we try to reach more and more to the younger kids so they can take more of the leadership roles, because now they’re the same age as we were when we started it.” Her younger sister Caitlin agrees. “As I’ve gotten older, it’s been harder to make time to do it because I’ve been really busy with a lot of sports and stuff. But my little sister has really enjoyed making [films] with her friends whenever they come over. So if I’m home and I see her making a film, I’m like, ‘Oh hey, Claire, do you need any help?’ “I’ll probably just add one thing,” Caitlin says of the festival. “If you’re a female filmmaker and you really want to submit, just do it. Follow Nike and just do it.” 䡲
Noe Valley Girls Film Festival What: Film festival celebrating films from girls ages 15 and younger When: Sept. 7, 2019, 4 to 6:30 p.m. Where: Noe Valley Ministry, 1021 Sanchez St., San Francisco Why: Because it’s fun. Film Submissions: www.nvgff.com Film Submission Deadline: Aug. 1, 2019
14 The Noe Valley Voice • June 2019
Support the ‘More Homes Act’ and Be a Part of the Solution By Phillip Kobernick and Laura Fingal-Surma
S
Senate Bill 50
O
Will It Help or Hurt?
ver the past few months, one of the hottest topics in the news and on social media has been SB 50, a bill proposed by California Senator Scott Wiener to spur development of higher-density housing near transit hubs in San Francisco and elsewhere around the state. The legislation, introduced last December (and amended in March), would increase heights and allow multi-unit buildings in areas now zoned for singlefamily homes. Proponents say it would ease the housing crunch by generating more apartment buildings. Detractors worry it would crowd neighborhoods and reward developers more than would-be residents. In mid-May, the chair of the state’s Senate Appropriations Committee took action to delay SB 50 until January 2020. However, Wiener and his supporters vowed to keep moving the bill forward. At the peak of the debate, the Noe Valley Voice invited two neighborhood groups who were on opposite sides to offer their views. On this page you’ll find their arguments for and against Senate Bill 50.
an Francisco isn’t building a future for our children and grandchildren. In a typical year, more than 9,000 babies are born in our city, but fewer than 2,700 new homes are built. At this rate, countless new San Franciscans start their lives without a future in their hometown. Many ultimately leave with little hope of returning. This is unsustainable, immoral, and damaging the soul of our city. Cities across the state are similarly failing to build. Living up to our progressive values means being part of the solution. For a more inclusive Noe Valley and California, we need to enable new transitadjacent housing to be built. We support the More HOMES Act (SB 50) to tackle this pervasive problem at the scale it demands. In Noe Valley and beyond, exclusionary zoning largely bans the construction of new multi-family buildings like the ones we used to build right here. Decades of extreme restriction have culminated in the staggering shortage and high prices we confront today. Young adults who want to live near their family or start one of their own are faced with an impossible choice: Pay sky-high rents or leave due to the limited availability of apartments. Because the rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Noe Valley is well over $4,000 a month, many are forced to leave.
In a typical year, more than 9,000 babies are born in our city, but fewer than 2,700 new homes are built. At this rate, countless new San Franciscans start their lives without a future in their hometown. There is a lot of misinformation about More HOMES, so let’s start with what this bill does not do. While opponents claim that it would result in evictions and towering edifices, the reality is that the bill’s provisions would not apply to any tenant-occupied properties and would generally keep existing height limits in place within Noe Valley. Today, under existing rules, you can build a four-story mansion almost anywhere in San Francisco (and many developers are doing exactly that). More HOMES would create an attractive second option: a four- or five-story building with modest-sized flats, providing homes for many more families of much more ordinary means without displacement. Another important component is that More HOMES does not change how homes get built. It simply provides that cities can no longer mandate a “one size fits all” approach where only single-family houses are allowed in certain areas. Projects still go through the same approval processes, existing affordability percentages still apply, and the city’s transportation fees remain unchanged. Neighbors retain all of their local control over which buildings are declared historic and barred from demolition, which parcels are set aside as green space, and over design requirements. Additionally, single-family homes can still be approved if that is what the owner wants. All that would change is that it would no longer be required that all new construction be single-family houses. More HOMES allows new homes near transit by legalizing low- and mid-rise multi-unit buildings. New housing that is within a short, five-minute, quarter-mile walk of rail or ferry stations could be up to five stories. A new building that is a 10minute, half-mile walk from these transit stations could be built up to four stories. Many other cities, such as those in Silicon Valley, are also not building their fair share of housing. More HOMES addresses this by allowing apartment buildings in “job-rich” areas, in addition to transit hubs, and applies throughout the Peninsula, ensuring equity across the Bay Area. More HOMES also ensures more affordable housing in California. If passed, the bill would create the first-ever statewide affordability requirement for new housing (for projects of 11 units or more). Cities that don’t have any affordability requirements would be required to include those in new housing. Cities like San Francisco that have higher affordability requirements would keep their higher levels. UC Berkeley’s Urban Displacement Project concluded the bill would increase the “potential [for new housing] in the Bay Area by sixfold, while increasing the potential for affordable inclusionary sevenfold.” This would be a game-changer across the Bay Area and the state. Finally, More HOMES is a serious step toward addressing the climate crisis. Transportation emissions are the Bay Area’s largest source of greenhouse gases. Allowing more people to live in walkable neighborhoods with transportation connectivity to job centers is crucial in getting more people onto public transit, walking, and biking instead of driving. Supporting More HOMES is the right thing to do for our community’s future, both in the narrow and broad sense. It will help us keep our families in our communities, reduce displacement, and curb emissions, which aligns with our professed progressive values. We encourage Noe Valley residents to join us in support. Phillip Kobernick and Laura Fingal-Surma are cofounders of Progress Noe Valley, an organization that promotes “housing, transit, and a vibrant urban neighborhood.” For more information, go to progressnoe.com.
SB 50 Does Nothing For Our Housing Affordability Crisis By Ozzie Rohm
S
tate Senator Scott Wiener’s new legislation, SB 50, dubbed the More HOMES Act, is about anything but building more homes or, particularly, more affordable homes. SB 50 will up-zone 96 percent of San Francisco to allow an unlimited number of units with increased heights depending on proximity to rail (including Muni Metro), ferry, or frequently served bus stops. In exchange for these gifts, SB 50 doesn’t require developers to contribute one cent to the transit system that is the basis for this up-zoning. Noe Valley is a target of this bill’s impacts because of its proximity to the J-Church Muni train. If SB 50 passes, allowable building heights on most lots between Guerrero and Noe streets will be increased to 55 feet from 40 feet; for most other lots from Noe to Diamond streets, heights will increase to 45 feet from 40 feet. Developers also can build up to two additional stories using the State Density Bonus Law. But there’s even more. Houses receiving increased heights can also be built to larger depth. Buildings will be allowed to grow anywhere from 2.5 to 3.25 times their lot sizes, depending on their proximity to the J-Church line. An average Noe Valley lot is 2,900 square feet, so most of our buildings will be allowed to expand up to 9,425 square feet. And SB 50 has no requirement for this increased space to be used for multi-family projects. Enter, monster single-family homes. The question is, will this up-zoning lead to building more homes? Of course not. Developers are currently sitting on some 45,000 permitted units, but they are not being built. The bill will raise land prices to new heights to benefit speculators, while worsening our affordability and displacement crises. A recent study in Urban Affairs Review about up-zoning proves just that. The author, from MIT, finds that after five years of up-zoning in parts of Chicago, property values rose without significant additional home construction. The bill also spells trouble for tenants. In the name of adding to our housing stock, unscrupulous landlords will be displacing tenants to split their apartments into smaller market-rate units for new tenants. Although SB 50 claims to exempt tenantoccupied units, without a database to indicate which properties are or were tenantoccupied, such protection is toothless. Giving more bonuses to developers to build market-rate homes that are affordable to only 20 percent of workers in San Francisco is not the answer. Currently, there’s no shortage of multimillion-dollar homes, which is not an option for the vast majority of our workers (61 percent) who make less than $75,000 a year. We need more affordable housing, but the puny inclusionary percentages in SB 50 will not trickle down from market-rate projects.
Will this up-zoning lead to building more homes? Of course not. Developers are currently sitting on some 45,000 permitted units, but they are not being built. The bill will raise land prices to new heights to benefit speculators… SB 50 does not address the type of housing we need nor does it hold suburban counties accountable. In the past decade, while San Francisco was building marketrate homes, affluent suburbs in Silicon Valley were busy building offices without providing housing for the workers in those offices. Cupertino and Mountain View approved office complexes for the richest corporations in history, but refused to make the zoning changes needed to house these employees. Cupertino even now is fighting a project to build housing at a dead shopping mall. SB 50 claims that it addresses the jobs-housing imbalance in such suburbs by increasing density but without increased height or volume if the city is deemed “jobrich.” However, no one knows what cities qualify as “job-rich,” because the definition itself is too vague and not enforceable. Now, new amendments developed in a back-room deal have created a two-tiered process exempting counties with fewer than 600,000 people from the worst provisions of this bill. Cities like Sausalito and Tiburon are spared even though they have ferry stops (which qualify for the bill’s impacts in San Francisco). If the goal is to increase our housing supply, why should Sausalito and Tiburon, both within a stone’s throw of San Francisco and in proximity to transit, be treated differently? If SB 50 is about building more homes, it should target those cities that have dragged their feet in housing production. The jobs-housing imbalance should force cities that authorize office space but not homes to catch up with the rest of us. For places like San Francisco that have surpassed their market-rate housing goals, the incentives should apply only to projects that include at least 50 percent affordable housing. SB 50 isn’t about equitable housing production. It’s about showering speculators in hot urban markets with more giveaways while letting the affluent suburbs off the hook. And to that I’d say it’s not San Francisco’s job to atone for the sins of Silicon Valley suburbs. Ozzie Rohm is a co-founder of the Noe Neighborhood Council, a neighborhood organization “committed to promoting equitable growth and protecting the wellbeing of all residents of Noe Valley, homeowners or tenants.” For more information about the group, go to noeneighborhoodcouncil.com.
15
The Noe Valley Voice • June 2019
The Cost of Living in Noe
Noe Valley Home Sales* Total Sales
No.
Low Price ($)
High Price ($)
Average Price ($)
Avg. Days Sale Price as on Market % of List Price
Single-family homes
Spring Flowers, Cool Showers
April 2019
17
$1,300,000
$3,600,000
$2,264,647
17
108%
March 2019
12
$1,410,000
$4,988,000
$2,329,917
22
109%
April 2018
11
$1,650,000
$4,900,000
$2,541,818
27
105%
Condominiums/TICs
By Corrie M. Anders
N
oe Valley’s residential real estate market blossomed in April as buyers purchased 17 single-family detached homes. That was six more houses than shoppers bought in the same month a year ago, according to sales data supplied to the Noe Valley Voice by Zephyr Real Estate. (There were 12 such sales in March of this year.) Ten condominiums also changed hands in April, the same number as a year earlier. (Seven condos sold in March 2019.) Zephyr president Randall Kostick noted that inclement weather was a factor in holding down activity in February and early March. “We finally got some good weather,” he said. The sunny skies boosted sales in April (and would likely do so again in May, he said). But other signs pointed to a cooling of the real estate climate in San Francisco. “We are transitioning to a more even market,” he said, one that puts buyers closer to parity with sellers, who have long had the upper hand. Kostick said the data showed the average value of single-family homes in Noe Valley declining year over year. The average price for the 17 homes sold this April, $2,264,647, was 10.9 percent lower than the average in April 2018 ($2,541,818). It was the first time since 2016 that values for April did not top the previous year’s. There were also fewer homes to tour in April, he said—only 41 residential prop-
April 2019
10
$495,000
$ 2,390,000
$1,281,650
17
118%
March 2019
7
$670,000
$1,760,000
$1,177,857
24
110%
April 2018
10
$1,350,000
$3,729,000
$1,894,200
14
119%
104%
2- to 4-unit buildings
This house on Noe Street sold in April for $3.6 million. Originally built in 1905, the remodeled home featured four bedrooms, a backyard garden, Noe Valley views, and twocar parking. Photo by Corrie M. Anders
erties for sale, contrasted with 47 in April of last year. Kostick said the recent IPOs of companies like Lyft, Uber, and Pinterest might have led Noe Valley homeowners to delay selling in anticipation of higher bids from soon-to-be-wealthy shareholders. A smaller inventory usually means sellers can command higher prices. But this year buyers are being choosier. “Buyers are not willing to spend the money that sellers would like them to spend,” Kostick said. The condominium market had similar ups and downs. Buyers in April paid an average 18 percent more than the seller’s asking price, showing about the same enthusiasm as last year. However, condominium values underwent a steep yearover-year decline. For the 10 condos sold, the average price this April ($1,281,650) was 32 percent lower than last year’s ($1,894,200). The most expensive single-family home sold in April was a four-bedroom, 3.5-bath property in the 900 block of Noe Street, between 22nd and Alvarado streets. Buyers paid $3.6 million for the
April 2019
3
$1,900,000
$2,798,000
$2,482,667
21
March 2019
0
—
—
—
—
—
April 2018
0
—
—
—
—
—
April 2019
1
$2,200,000
$2,200,000
$2,200,000
97
88%
March 2019
0
—
—
—
—
—
April 2018
2
$2,200,000
$4,995,000
$3,597,500
46
98%
5+unit buildings
* Survey includes all Noe Valley home sales completed during the month. Noe Valley for purposes of this survey is loosely defined as the area bordered by Grand View, 22nd, Guerrero, and 30th streets. The Voice thanks Zephyr Real Estate (zephyrre.com) for providing sales data. NVV6/2019
home—4.3 percent more than the seller’s asking price ($3,450,000). The 1905 Spanish-style home featured 2,750 square feet of living space harboring a remodeled kitchen and bathrooms, a deck with Noe Valley views, and a twocar garage. The top-selling condominium was a penthouse in the Luxe complex at the corner of 28th and Church streets. Buyers paid $2,390,000, 1.7 percent over the asking price ($2,349,000). Built in 2012, the three-bedroom, 2.5bath residence contained 2,114 square feet of living space. Amenities included a deluxe kitchen, a private roof deck, views, and one-car parking.
LETTERS to the EDITOR THE VOICE welcomes your letters to the editor. Write the Noe Valley Voice, P.O. Box 460249, San Francisco, CA 94146. Or email editor@noevalleyvoice.com. Please include your name, address, and phone number. (Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication.) Be aware that letters may be edited for brevity or clarity. We look forward to hearing from you.
Noe Valley Rents** Unit
No. in Sample
Range May 2019
Average May 2019
Average April 2019
Average May 2018
Studio
8
$1,500 - $2,995
$2,423 / mo.
$2,407 / mo.
$2,261 / mo.
1-bdrm
23
$2,000 - $4,395
$2,980 / mo.
$3,078 / mo.
$3,296 / mo.
2-bdrm
31
$3,100 - $5,950
$4,476 / mo.
$4,727 / mo.
$4,341 / mo.
3-bdrm
19
$4,500 - $13,000
$6,412 / mo.
$6,675 / mo.
$7,622 / mo.
4+-bdrm
5
$7,300 - $30,000
$15,960 / mo.
$12,643 / mo.
$11,824 / mo.
** This survey is based on a sample of 86 Noe Valley apartment listings appearing on Craigslist.org from May 5-11, 2019. NVV6/2019
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16 The Noe Valley Voice • June 2019
NOE KIDS Anousheh Khaghani-Lutz: Doggie Groomer and Persian Dancer By Katie Burke
A
nousheh Khaghani-Lutz has invisible friends. “There’s one Emily, there’s one Lina, there’s one Nina, there’s one Jessica, there’s one ‌ many,â€? she says. “I have a really good imagination.â€? Anousheh will be 6 this July, and she’ll start kindergarten this fall. This year, she’s at the Mountain School in Marin. Next year, she will join her brothers, 10-year-old Shahin and 8year-old Jahan, at Synergy School on Valencia Street. The three live on Castro Street with their mom and dad, Leah Khaghani and Brian Lutz. Mom is a clinical psychologist finishing her doctoral internship at Kaiser Oakland, and Dad is a partner at the law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. The family has a 1-year-old Australian Labradoodle named Olive, or Zaytoun, her Persian name. What will Anousheh’s future career be? “Well, when I want to grow up, I have many different ideas,â€? she says. “I want to be a police. I want to be a plumber. I want to be—well, many things.â€? Police work would be fun because Anousheh could take care of people, by putting people in jail who are “meanâ€? and “breaking the law.â€? Anousheh adds, “I’ve never been to Alcatraz, but my
brothers have, and my cousins.� Plumbing appeals to Anousheh “because I like water, and it’s fun in the bathtub.� On further reflection, Anousheh says, “Oh, I’m actually probably gonna do this, and I want to work at Scrub Club because I love dogs.� VIP Scrub Club, on Church Street, is “a doggie area where you give haircuts to doggies,� Anousheh explains. Anousheh ponders the difference between dogs and people. “One difference is that doggies don’t get wiggly tooths. They lose tooths when people don’t, because when they’re a baby, they lose tooths.� It takes people longer to hit this milestone, she explains. “Doggies don’t paint, and people do,� she adds. “I know a chimpanzee that can paint. Because I was in Palm Springs, and I visited a chimpanzee named Cheetah, and it was really cute! The man didn’t want us to touch his cage, so we just looked. And he gave him a banana. He ate the skin.� Anousheh’s favorite kind of bird? “Now, that is a hard question,� she says. “I do like blue jays. I think I heard about one in a book, but I’ve never seen one in person.� Anousheh’s favorite sports are soccer and basketball, and her favorite position in both is “outfield.� “I mean like not a goalie or anything. I mean like playing where you have to try to get stuff, like you’re on a team.� Anousheh takes Persian dance lessons in Oakland. “We move our arms, and we play games there. We learn a lot,� Anousheh says. They also perform in recitals. Anousheh has her ears pierced. Asked which are her favorite earrings, she answers, “I only have three: pearls
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Anousheh Khaghani-Lutz
and watermelons and butterflies. I have a jewelry box.� Her favorite stuffed animal is an unnamed, 2-year-old owl, whom Anousheh received a year ago. What makes her the favorite? “Because she’s pink, and I like pink. And she’s easy to catch, and I like catching,� Anousheh says. Anousheh’s favorite dinner is the butter pasta her dad makes—“the small kind, not the twisty or the long,� she says. “My cook is my mom, and my cook of pies is my dad. And me and Shahini and Jahani, we help with pies.� Her favorite thing to bake? “Cookies. And pie! And cake,� she says. Anousheh’s favorite cake is chocolate with chocolate frosting, with chocolate and rainbow sprinkles. “Oh, and I also like fruit cakes,� she adds. The best snack at school is popcorn, Anousheh says. They get to make it on site. “We have a whole kitchen. We eat muffins, we eat rice, we eat oatmeal, we eat soup, we eat fruit salad, we eat many things,� she says.
Photo by Beverly Tharp
Her favorite place in Noe Valley is the Little Chihuahua, where she orders bean burritos with cheese. “I don’t know completely where it is,� she says of the 24th Street restaurant, “but I know it’s by here.� She also likes Upper Noe Rec Center on Day Street, but does not like that “there’s no doggies allowed, and I love doggies! That’s my favorite animal— and deers, and tigers, and wolves, and all that. And chimpanzees.�
K
atie Burke is a writer and family law attorney, who lives where Noe Valley meets the Mission. Her Noe Kids column features interviews with Noe Valley kids ages 4 to 12. In April 2020, Burke will publish a collection of profiles of San Francisco kids, titled Urban Playground (SparkPress). Know a great Noe Valley kid? Email katie@noevalleyvoice.com.
The Noe Valley Voice • June 2019
17
A Reed Organ Romance
Top Musicians to Play a Trio of Instruments from the mid-1800s By Bruce Pettit Member, Bethany United Methodist Church
T
hree antique reed organs that are vintage 19th century. Trios performed on them by leading church musicians of the Bay Area. Romantic music from the Gilded Age. That’s in store for Noe Valley residents and others on Sunday, July 14, at 3 p.m. Two of the instruments are the property of Bethany United Methodist Church, at 1270 Sanchez St., where the concert will be held. It will be free to the public. The concert is the idea of Michael Hendron, president of the Reed Organ Society, an international non-profit group devoted to the study and preservation of reed organs. Hendron has been searching for repertoire composed for reeds since he was a teenager, he says. He has played concerts at San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral and Mission Dolores. Joining him in July will be musicians Jerome Link, organist and music director at Mission Dolores Basilica, and Mark Bruce, former organist and music director at Trinity Episcopal Church in San Jose. Reed organs, Hendron explains, were built in Europe and North America roughly from the 1840s to the 1940s. In contrast to a pipe organ, a reed organ make its sound by pushing air past small brass reeds. One of the reed organs at Bethany is a melodeon, which the Noe Valley Voice reported on in 2014 after it had been sitting at Bethany for years in disrepair—a leftover of the merging of two Methodist
This lovingly restored melodeon, built in 1855, will be among three reed organs played at a concert at Bethany Methodist Church on July 14, at 3 p.m. The melodeon’s pedals are notable for their carved wood ornamentation. Photos by Beverly Tharp
churches in San Francisco. It had been brought to San Francisco from Buffalo, N.Y., in 1866 just after the city was incorporated, so the church could have any organ. That organ was restored by George Lipp and Jim Tyler. The other Bethany antique organ is called a harmonium, and was built probably in Paris around 1860. But how it also wound up at Bethany, across the Atlantic no less, is today a mystery. It, too, had been sitting lonesome in the old Bethany basement prior to the church’s reconstruction in 2012. A harmonium has pressure bellows that are pumped by both feet, whereas a melodeon has section bellows, pumped by only one foot, Hendron points out. And then, for the July concert, there is a third organ—a second harmonium— that the three church organists will bring
along. It has four ranks of reeds, is larger, and has bigger sound. It originated in Liverpool and was found in a barn in the 1980s by an Englishman who brought it to California. Tyler restored it. It is one of only two such organs that the Reed Organ Society knows of, and may date from the 1850s. Hendron will play all three reed organs. There will be duets on the harmoniums. Bethany’s main piano that is played each week—a Steinway, also 19th-century vintage—will get in the act at some point. The program will be of Romantic music (1860s to 1920s) by American, French, English, German, and Belgian composers. To hear and see some reed organs being played before July, go to YouTube (Mustel 1887). For more information, go to www.bethanysf.org.
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18 The Noe Valley Voice • June 2019
Action SF, the National Movement in Your Neighborhood www.facebook.com/actionsfsolidarity Email: actionsfsolidarity@gmail.com http://www.resistrypac.org Meetings: Second Sunday, 3-4:30* p.m., at the Noe Valley Library, 451 Jersey St. All are welcome. *June 9 time change: 12:30-2 p.m. Al-Anon Noe Valley Contact: 834-9940 Website: www.al-anonsf.org Meetings: Wednesdays, 7:30-9 p.m. St. Philip Church, 725 Diamond St. (park on Elizabeth Street side; enter on 24th Street through parking lot) Castro/Eureka Valley Neighborhood Association Website: www.evna.org Address: P.O. Box 14137, SF, CA 94114 Meetings: See website calendar. Castro Meeting Room, 501 Castro St., 7 p.m. Diamond Heights Community Association Contact: Betsy Eddy, 867-5774 Address: P.O. Box 31529, SF, CA 94131 Website: www.dhcasf.org Meetings: Second Thursday, 7 p.m. Call for location. Dolores Heights Improvement Club Email: info@doloresheights.org Website: www.doloresheights.org Meetings: Third Thursday of every second month. Bank of America, 18th and Castro. Duncan Newburg Association (DNA) Contacts: Deanna Mooney, 821-4045; Diane McCarney, 824-0303; or Sally Chew, 821-6235 Address: 560 Duncan St., SF, CA 94131 Meetings: Call for details. Fair Oaks Neighbors Email: hello@fairoaksneighbors.org Address: 200 Fair Oaks St., SF, CA 94110 Street fair is the day before Mother’s Day. Fairmount Heights Association Contact: Kathy Keller, 912-9365 Email: Kathy.Keller44@gmail.com http://fairmount-heights.org Meetings: Monthly social mixer and discussion, 350 Amber Drive Friends of Billy Goat Hill Contact: Lisa and Mo Ghotbi, 821-0122 Website: www.billygoathill.net
MORE G ROUPS TO JO IN Friends of Dolores Park Playground Contact: Nancy Gonzalez Madynski, 828-5772 Email: friendsofdolorespark@gmail.com Website: www.friendsofdolorespark.org Meetings: See website. Friends of Glen Canyon Park Contact: Jean Conner, 584-8576 Address: 140 Turquoise Way, SF, CA 94131 Plant restoration work parties, Wednesday mornings and third Saturday of the month. Friends of Noe Courts Playground Contact: Laura Norman Email: lauranor@yahoo.com Address: P.O. Box 460953, SF, CA 94146 Meetings: Email for dates and times. Friends of Noe Valley (FNV) Contact: Todd David, 401-0625 Email: info@friendsofnoevalley.com Website: www.friendsofnoevalley.com Meetings: Two or three annually; held at St. Philip’s Church or James Lick School Friends of the Noe Valley Recreation Center (Upper Noe Rec Center) Contact: Chris Faust Email: info@noevalleyreccenter.com Website: www.noevalleyreccenter.com Meetings: Email or check website. Friends of 30th Street Senior Center Contact: Marianne Hampton, 601-7845 Address: 225 30th St., SF, CA 94131 Meetings: Occasional. Call for details. Friends of Upper Noe Dog Owners Group (FUNDOG) Contacts: Chris Faust, David Emanuel Email: info@fundogsf.org Website: www.fundogsf.org Glen Park Association Contact: info@glenparkassociation.org Website: glenparkassociation.org Address: P.O. Box 31292, SF, CA 94131 Juri Commoners Contact: Dave Schweisguth, MI7-6290 Email: dave@schweisguth.org Website: www.meetup.com/JuriCommoners Meetings: Most last Saturdays, 9-noon.
Liberty Hill Neighborhood Association Contact: Dr. Lisa Fromer, president Email: efromer3@gmail.com Meetings: Quarterly. Email for details. Merchants of Upper Market and Castro Contact: 835-8720 Email: info@castromerchants.com Address: 584 Castro St. #333, SF, CA 94114 Meetings: Call for details. Noe Neighborhood Council Contact: Ozzie Rohm or Matt McCabe, Co-founders Email: info@noeneighborhoodcouncil.com Website:www.noeneighborhoodcouncil.com Meetings: Quarterly at Sally Brunn Library, 451 Jersey St., with date publicized on website and Nextdoor.com. Noe Valley Association–24th Street Community Benefit District Contact: Debra Niemann, 519-0093 Dispatch: To report spills, debris, or garbage on 24th Street, call Ron Vanini, 596-7089. Email: info@noevalleyassociation.org. Website: www.noevalleyassociation.org Board meetings: Quarterly. See website. Noe Valley Democratic Club Contact: Hunter Stern, 282-9042; hls5@ibew1245.com Website: noevalleydems.com Meetings: Fourth Tuesdays, Noe Valley Ministry, 1021 Sanchez St., 6:30 p.m. Noe Valley Farmers Market Open Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., 3861 24th St. between Vicksburg and Sanchez. Contact: Leslie Crawford, 248-1332 Email: info@noevalleyfarmersmarket.com Noe Valley Merchants and Professionals Association (NVMPA) Contact: Rachel Swann, 225-7743 Meetings: Last Thursdays, Old Republic, 4045A 24th St., 9 a.m. Call to confirm. Website: www.NoeValleyMerchants.com Noe Valley Parent Network An e-mail resource network for parents Contact: Mina Kenvin Email: minaken@gmail.com
Noe Valley Parents, San Francisco Listserv contact: noevalleyparentowner@yahoogroups.com. Subscribe: noevalleyparentsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Outer Noe Valley Merchants Contact: Jim Appenrodt, 641-1500 Address: 294 29th St., SF, CA 94131 Meetings: Call for details. Progress Noe Valley Facebook: facebook.com/ProgressNoeValley Email: progressnoe@gmail.com Website: progressnoe.com Meetings: Check Facebook page for current meeting and event schedule. Resilient Noe Valley Initiative Co-sponsor: Neighborhood Empowerment Network (NEN). Host: David Brown, Pastor, Noe Valley Ministry, sfrevdab@gmail.com Two launch workshops May 1, 2019: 9:30 to 11 a.m., and 6 to 8 p.m., at Noe Valley Ministry, 1021 Sanchez St. Details: 282-2317. San Francisco NERT (Neighborhood Emergency Response Team) Contact: Noe Valley NERT Neighborhood Team co-coordinators Maxine Fasulis, mfasulis@yahoo.com; Carole Roberts, carole_roberts@faludi.com Website: http://www.sffire.org/index.aspx?page=879 Meetings: See website for trainings scheduled throughout the year. San Jose/Guerrero Coalition to Save Our Streets Contact: Don Oshiro, 285-8188 Email: contact@sanjoseguerrero.com Website: www.sanjoseguerrero.com Meetings: See website. Stand Up San Francisco Contacts: Laura Shapiro, Phyllis Ball, Paul Silverman Email: info@standupsf.net Website: www.standupsf.net Meetings: At offices of members of Congress, weekly. April 21, 2-4 p.m., at Noe Valley Library, 451 Jersey St. Upper Noe Neighbors Contact: Olga Milan-Howells, 756-4455 Email: President@UpperNoeNeighbors.com Meetings: Bi-monthly on third Wednesday. Upper Noe Recreation Center, 295 Day St. Call to confirm. All phone numbers are in the 415 area code.
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The Noe Valley Voice • June 2019 19
SHORT TAKES
Festival, runs Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Meanwhile, the three main events at Dolores Park are the 2019 Trans March (June 28, 11 a.m.), the SF Dyke Rally (June 29, 11 a.m.), and the Dyke March to the Castro and back (June 29, 5 p.m.).
Celebrating LGBTQ Pride
J
une is full of LGBTQ Pride activities in Noe Valley and across the city. It’s easy to join the celebration. Pride Week at Bethany United Methodist Church, on Sanchez near Clipper Street, starts with a 10:45 Pride worship service, followed by a barbecue lunch, on June 23 and ends with a Young Adults Group attending closing night at the Frameline LGBTQ Film Festival June 30. In between, there will be a book club discussion, a talk on transgender asylum seekers, and the Mx. Bethany Pageant 2019—a free drag-themed dinner and show (June 26). A Bethany contingent will march in the Pride Parade downtown on Sunday, June 30. Check out the events at bethanysf.org. At Folio Books, 3957 24th St., the LGBTQ-themed activities begin Sunday, June 2, at 2 p.m., with a visit from Sarah and Ian Hoffman, authors of two picture books on gender expression, Jacob’s New Dress and their latest, Jacob’s Room to Choose, illustrated by Chris Case. On Sunday, June 9, Michael Genhart stops by to read from his picture book Rainbow: A First Book of Pride, also at 2 p.m. The Odd Mondays reading series will celebrate Pride on Monday, June 17, at 7 p.m. Four LGBTQ authors will read from their poetry and fiction, and rainbow cake will be served! All three events are free. For information, go to foliosf.com. The Bay Area Rainbow Symphony will hold its Pride concert Saturday, June 8, at 8 p.m., at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. The program features gay composer Shawn Kirchner’s Brokeback Mountain Suite and pieces by Elfrida Andree and Victor Berlioz. Buy tickets at bars-sf.org. Prices range from $10 to $35. June 20-30 is the 43rd Frameline International LGBTQ Film Festival, with movies running at the Castro, Roxie, and Victoria theaters in San Francisco and at other venues in the East Bay. The schedule includes over 100 films, from blockbusters to independent documentaries, short films, and features. Buy tickets and get more information at frameline.org. And then there’s the Pride parade, a PG+ extravaganza second only to the Chinese New Year Parade in size. With the theme “Generations of Resistance,” it begins at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, June 30, at the Embarcadero and continues down Market Street to Eighth Street until noon. The after-party, also known as the Pride
This year’s Pride celebration in and near Noe Valley will focus on LGBTQ authors, rainbow cake, and rallies in Dolores Park.
SummerFest Est Arrivé! Noe Valley celebrates midsummer on Sunday, June 23, with its annual SummerFest from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Noe Valley Town Square and along 24th Street. Sterling Bank and Trust is the major sponsor. Neighborhood merchants will offer summer specials. Much of the fun is at the square, and includes a petting zoo with sheep, goats, alpaca, guanaco, and a pig and a donkey. Will there be a bounce house? Mais oui, mes amies! Also face-painting from noon to 3 p.m., a balloon artist, and a 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. chalk-drawing contest—with prizes. Live music will be provided by the Skillet Licorice band and Blind Lemon Pledge. Have a few licks of Mitchell’s Ice Cream, courtesy of The Agency, and taste the spanakopita from NOVY Restaurant. Work those calories off by playing Popa-Shot basketball and/or Connect-4. The annual Merchants’ Hayride is again sponsored by Zephyr Real Estate. Between 1 and 4 p.m., folks big and small can ride on a horse-drawn wagon on 24th between Castro and Sanchez streets. All aboard at the town square. All trips are free. To find out the latest on the fest, visit www.noevalleyassociation.org.
ing Fork Quintet for Wind Instruments by Eric Ewazen. A $10 donation at the door is suggested. Friends of the Noe Valley Recreation Center and the Noe Valley Town Square each offer two musical interludes in June. FNVRC continues its Concerts in the Park series with concerts on two June Saturdays. The San Francisco–based Amalgamation band plays alternative rock Saturday, June 1. Singer-songwriter Ken Newman headlines Saturday, June 15. Both concerts are free and run 10 a.m. to noon, in the park at Day and Sanchez streets. Bring your own food and non-alcoholic beverages. Concerts in the Park is organized by Suzanne Kramer, a singer-songwriter who, with instrumentalist Mark Jeffery, forms the duo Hither. The Noe Valley Town Square, at 3861 24th St., is hosting a record hop on Friday, June 7, from 5 to 8 p.m. Bring your records (45s only, please) for DJ Rich Hildreth to spin, then sit back and listen or get up and dance. Bring your own food, beverages, and blankets or lawn chairs. The second Town Square musical event will be live acoustic music by Mygg from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 30. The group is composed of three Norwegians: father Gisle Meling on bass and guitar and teenage daughters Bertine on drums and Elida on keyboard and vocals. Bassist Alexander Mossin joins them for this performance. The group’s press agent, mother Anniken Meling, identifies their music as “Farmers Market friendly.” (Elida has performed several Saturdays at the Noe Valley Farmers Market.) Anniken also reports you just might hear the group sing a song or two in Norwegian. The family has been living in San Francisco during Gisle’s tour as pastor of the Norwegian Seaman’s Church and are about to go back to Norway. And speaking of the Farmers Market,
Guitarist Ivo Mijac and vocalist Robin Lovejoy of the alt-rock band Amalgamation will perform Saturday, June 1, 10 a.m. to noon, at a free outdoor concert at Upper Noe Rec Center, 295 Day St.
you can always listen to live music there Saturday mornings as you select your fresh fruit and vegetables.
Aging, Everybody’s Doing It The 30th Street Senior Center is hosting a four-part series on aging in June, “How We Age Matters.” Each Wednesday session runs 4:30 to 6 p.m. The first lecture, on June 5, is “The Many Faces of Dementia,” presented by Dr. Louise Aronson of the University of California, San Francisco. The following week, on June 12, Dr. Serggio Lanata, also of UCSF, will present research and lifestyle suggestions to maintain “Active Minds, Healthy Brains.” At “Get on Your Feet…And Stay There,” on June 19, participants can learn and practice exercises with University of San Francisco assistant professor Dr. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
You can learn a lot from a chicken.
Don’t Stop the Music Musical pickings within walking distance begin to thin in June, but listeners still have choices in Noe Valley, from classical to alternative rock and maybe even a song or two in Norwegian. The classical event is Saturday, June 29, 3 p.m., at the Noe Valley Ministry, 1021 Sanchez St. The Civic Symphony is playing Quartet No. 1 in C Minor by Johannes Brahms, Sonatine for Flute and Bassoon by Eugene Bozza, and the Roar-
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20 The Noe Valley Voice • June 2019
SHORT TAKES CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
Christian J. Thompson. The final lecture, on July 26, is “Facing Aging.” Dr. Patrick Arbore of the Institute on Aging will cover the emotional process of dealing with growing older. All four lectures are free and open to the public. An RSVP is required. Call 415-550-2223. Light refreshments will be served. The senior center is located at 225 30th St., near Chenery St. Lectures will be held on the third floor. And yes, there is an elevator.
Cameo Wood, Emmy Nominee Local filmmaker Cameo Wood has been nominated for a 2019 Northern California Emmy for producing the film Real Artists, which aired on KOFY-TV. The ceremony is set for June 8 at the San Francisco Jazz Center. She also directed the film and wrote the screenplay for it. Real Artists is a science fiction thriller about a young woman hired for her dream job at an animation studio, with unexpected and frightening results. The film dramatically explores what it means to be a real artist in the age of artificial intelligence. It was created with a majority female and minority cast and crew. Ana DuVernay called the 13-minute short “fantastic.” It has been shown at over 100 film festivals since being released in 2016. Previously, it won Wood the 2018 AT&T Award for Best Short Film by an Emerging Filmmaker. She also is the founder of the COVEN Film Festival, which spotlights short
Filmmaker Cameo Wood has been nominated for a Northern California Emmy for her short film Real Artists.
films by emerging women filmmakers. The festival had its first run this past February. For information on the festival and how to submit your film, go to covenfilmfest.com.
To the Moon, Alice! Local resident and author Brandon R. Brown is launching a new book this month, The Apollo Chronicles: Engineering America’s First Moon Missions. It will be published by the prestigious Oxford University Press June 7. Oxford also published Brown’s first book, Planck: Driven by Vision, Broken by War, in 2015. That book was a biography of Max Planck, the father of Quantum Theory and of a son involved in the plot to kill Hitler. The new book, as the name implies, is the story of the Earth-based engineers who created the Apollo spacecraft and its trajectory to the Moon and back, not the astronauts who flew it. Brown’s interest isn’t just professional—he’s a professor
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of physics and astronomy at the University of San Francisco—but also personal. His father was an Apollo engineer. “As a kid growing up near Houston, N.A.S.A. was just where my father took his briefcase every day. When my parents aged into their eighties, I realized I had asked them almost nothing about their lives in the Apollo era. I wanted to know more.” The book launch is set for Thursday, June 13, from 7 to 8 p.m. at Folio Books, 3957 24th St. Brown will read from The Apollo Chronicles at the event and sign copies afterward. He promises, “I’m not going to drone on… I want this to be more of a party!” He lives on Noe Street with his wife, Dana Smith, a biochemistry and biophysics instructor at the University of California, San Francisco. In his spare time, Brown is a member of the Word Week committee, which produces Noe Valley’s annual literary festival. Find out more about the book at global.oup.com.
Loewenberg Leaves Noe Valley Chamber Music After nine years, Tiffany Loewenberg is stepping down as executive director of Noe Valley Chamber Music, the Sunday afternoon classical music series held at the Noe Valley Ministry. She saw NVCM through its transition last year from the auspices of founding artistic director Karen Heather to new co-directors Owen Dalby and Meena Bhasin, and helped them celebrate the series’ 25th season. Loewenberg came to NVCM with experience as a grant writer, fundraiser, event planner, and project manager. During her time with the group, she focused on growing the NVCM brand, community building, and sustainability for the organization behind the concerts. She was also the voice of Noe Valley Chamber Music at the concerts, welcoming the audience and introducing the performers with warmth and good humor. Tiffany says she is proudest that, during her tenure, attendance nearly tripled and NVCM grew from a project “sustained by dedicated volunteers to a professionally managed organization.” As she wrote in her goodbye message, “Together we realized a shared vision—that NVCM would become a vibrant center, not only offering outstanding music but also creating a warm community of listeners.” Next for her, she says, is family time over the summer and then possibly a new venture. “I’m ready to pursue new opportunities to create community,” she says. (Loewenberg lives with her husband and three children on Eureka Street.) She also might include NVCM’s 201920 season, which will feature classical stars like the Westerlies, the Horszowski Trio, and the Aizuri Quartet. The Sundays
Tiffany Loewenberg (left) and Karen Heather can both now relax and enjoy the music, having passed the baton at Noe Valley Chamber Music.
at Four concerts start in October, along with three accompanying series: Up Close and Personal (concert salons), the Noe Music Listening Club, and the children’s series Noe Music Kids. To see the entire program, go to nvcm.org.
Covert Reading Operations Folio Books and the Noe Valley Library are plotting to keep you busy this summer. Each has their own summer reading program—but there are prizes! Folio’s is called “Summer Reading Bingo 2019.” Kids, tweens, and teens can pick up a special bingo card at the bookstore, 3957 24th St. They then have until the end of August to fill in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line of five boxes by reading what each box instructs. For example, “Read a book by an author with at least one initial the same as yours” or “Read a book published the year you were born.” Bingo wins a prize! If you’re an overachiever, fill in the whole board (25 squares) and win a super-duper prize. Kids only. This isn’t St. Paul’s, folks. The library reading program is artfully disguised as “Summer Stride 2019.” Everyone can participate. You don’t even have to read! Events, activities, and hanging out at the library count too, when it comes to earning the prize. Start striding by picking up your “tracker”—the paper sheet you’ll keep track of your reading, etc., on—at the library. Ours is at 451 Jersey St. You can also get the Summer Stride Guide, which lists all the activities—of which there are many, many. Then, start tracking! Everyone who racks up at least 20 hours of reading and listening by Aug. 18 earns a very chic tote bag designed by Zachariah OHora, who wrote and illustrated No Fits, Nilson!, My Cousin Momo, and The Not So Quiet Library, and was the illustrator of the New York Times bestseller Wolfie the Bunny. For more info on Folio Books’ Summer Reading Bingo, go to foliosf.com. For more about Summer Stride at the library, see sfpl.org. Short Takes are compiled and written by Richard May.
The Noe Valley Voice • June 2019
STORE T R E K Store Trek is a regular Voice feature spotlighting new stores and restaurants in Noe Valley. This month, we introduce a pizzeria that is making heads spin just like the pizza.
BERNAL HEIGHTS PIZZERIA 1361 Church St. www.bernalheightspizzeria.com 415-400-5644
T
raveling down Church Street, passersby may do a double take when they see the signage for the neighborhood’s latest pizza joint. In bold letters the marquee says Bernal Heights Pizzeria. No, the city hasn’t rejiggered the boundaries of Bernal Heights in order to annex a portion of Noe Valley. Co-owners Marcos Carneiro Rocha and Marco Junqueira relocated their business from its original address at 59 30th St. into the former location of Fattoush Middle Eastern Cuisine, at 1361 Church St. near Clipper Street. That restaurant opened in 1998 but vacated its space in late 2016, after being closed for a year due to damage from a fire. (As it happens, a Turkish kebab eatery called Shish Ke Baba opened in early May where Bernal Heights Pizzeria had been located on 30th.) Having a mismatched geographical name for their eatery isn’t new for Rocha and Junqueira. They also are part owners of Twin Peaks Pizza, which they acquired in 2015, down the street at 1681 Church St. They took over the longtime Noe Valley pizzeria, which first opened in 1986, from Bruno Matos, a Brazilian immigrant. He had bought it in 2006 but then
Bernal Heights Pizzeria immigrated to Noe Valley this spring to fill the Church Street space once occupied by Fattoush. The new eatery has seats for 32. Photo by Jack Tipple
went on to launch with his brother Ian another local chain, Baiano Pizzeria. One of the Baiano locations was in Bernal Heights at the corner of 30th Street and San Jose Avenue. Last year, the Twin Peaks Pizza owners took over the spot and rebranded it as Bernal Heights Pizzeria with the promise to “continue the legacy of always having the highest quality ingredients.” The pizzaiolos’ relocation of the business into Noe Valley brings the number of pizzerias in the neighborhood to five. With Ardiana, three are now located within walking distance of each other along Church Street. The other two— Haystack and Patxi’s Pizza—are two blocks away from each other on 24th Street. In building out their second Church Street location, which received a major
overhaul from its Fattoush days in order to install pizza ovens, Rocha and Junqueira largely mirrored the décor of their Bernal Heights location. The interior walls are white, with the wood tables and chairs mostly arranged to seat parties of four. The indoor seating area is rather small and can accommodate up to 32 people. The restaurant is working on adding outdoor seating in a backyard patio. Patrons will see a large counter when they enter, where they can either place their order to dine in or pick up takeout orders. (Delivery for a $2 charge is also available for orders totaling at least $15.) Above the counter is a large menu board featuring the various pizza pies available as well as calzones, dinner entrees, pasta dishes, and hot sandwiches. The restaurant has a beer and wine li-
21
cense, and for customers dining in, offers a free glass of wine with each entree order. When the Voice stopped by in late May, the staff said three pizzas seem to be particularly popular in their new neighborhood. Two feature Italian meats while the third is vegetarian. The pizzas can be ordered in four sizes, ranging from six slices to 12. The SF Supreme features pepperoni, mushrooms, bell pepper, onions, black olives, sausage, and garlic ($20.74-$33.39). A Dolores Special comes with extra thin crust, tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, red onions, and arugula ($23.21-$35.31). The Veggie Lovers pie is made with mushrooms, sliced tomatoes, black olives, bell peppers, onions, and garlic ($20.74-$32.29). Dinner plates include a grilled New York steak or fresh salmon ($18.95) and chicken parmigiana or picatta ($16.95), served with fresh vegetables and a choice of either mashed potatoes or spaghetti marinara. Light fare includes minestrone soup ($5.50), Caesar salad ($8.95 or $10.25 with grilled chicken), and a Popeye’s spinach salad ($9.95). Pasta dishes run the gamut from chicken fettuccine alfredo ($14.80), prawns fettuccine in either marinara or cream sauce ($15.95), and meat or cheese ravioli ($14.58) to spaghetti made with marinara sauce ($11.94), Bolognese ($13.48), or eggplant ($13.04). The dessert menu includes cheesecake, tiramisu, and a passion fruit mousse (each $4.50). A variety of red and white wines are available by the bottle ($22-$36), and several domestic and foreign bottled beers can be purchased ($4.50). The restaurant opens daily at 11 a.m. and closes at 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays. It remains open until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. —Matthew S. Bajko
22 The Noe Valley Voice • June 2019
June 1-13: The 18th SF Documentary FILM FESTIVAL screens at the Roxie Theater, 3117 16th, and the Brava Theater, 2781 24th. sfindfie.com. June 1-29: Noe Valley OVEREATERS Anonymous meets Monday through Saturday, 7 am, at St. Aidan’s Church, 101 Gold Mine. oasf.org. June 1-29: Each Saturday, the Noe Valley FARMERS MARKET brings you fresh produce and live music from 8 am to 1 pm. 3861 24th. 248-1332; noevalleyfarmersmarket.com. JJune 1-29:: The de Young Museum and the Legion of Honor have FREE ADMISSION for San Francisco residents, every Saturday of the month. 750-3600; deyoungmuseum.org. June 1-29: Upper Noe Rec Center offers free Vinyasa YOGA CLASSES Saturdays 9:15-10:15 am. Day & Sanchez. 970-8061; noevalleyreccenter.com. June 1-29: The 30th Street SENIOR CENTER’s Mission Nutrition program serves lunches for people over 60, weekdays and Saturdays, including holidays. Noon & 1 pm. 225 30th. 550-2226. June 1-29: The Randall Museum’s close-up of California wildlife, “Meet the ANIMAL KEEPER,” happens Saturdays at 2 pm. 199 Museum Way. 554-9605. JJune 1-29: Artists from Creativity Explored, Creative Growth, and Nurturing Independence Through Artistic Development exhibit their work. Opening reception June 1, 5-8 pm. Minnesota Street Project, Gallery 107, 1275 Minnesota. 863-2108; creativityexplored.org. June 1-30: Charlie’s Corner offers children’s STORY TIMES every day. Mon.-Fri., 10 am, noon, 3 & 5 pm; Sat. & Sun., 10:30 am, 12:30 & 3:30 pm. 3813 24th; 641-1104. June 1-30: Meet under the rainbow flag at Harvey Milk Plaza (Castro and Market) for a City Guides walking tour of the CASTRO. Sat., Sun. & Tues., 11 am. 557-4266; sfcityguides.org.
June 5-26: Anthony Holdsworth teaches OIL PAINTING for beginner and advanced students on Wednesdays in the gallery of Alley Cat Books. 6:30-10 pm. 3036 24th. 824-1761; anthonyholdsworth.com.
• JUNE 2019 • June 1-30:The fourth annual Noe Valley GIRLS FILM FESTIVAL is accepting submissions of short films (under 5 minutes) from girls ages 5 to 15; entry deadline is Aug. 1, and the festival is scheduled for Sept. 7. nvgff.com. June 1-July 11: CREATIVITY EXPLORED holds a dog art exhibit, “Bitchin.’” Mon.-Fri., 10 am-5 pm (Thurs. until 7 pm), Sat., noon-5 pm. 3245 16th. 863-2108; creativityexplored.org. June 1-Aug. 18: The Noe Valley Library hosts its SUMMER STRIDE reading program for kids of all ages and abilities. 451 Jersey. 355-5707; sfpl.org. June 1-August 31: Pick up a game board for Folio Books Summer READING BINGO for kids. 3957 24th. foliosf.com. June 2: The Noe Valley Town Square hosts the second annual HEROES DAY, with sports and games and a fire truck, police car, and ambulance on site. 1-4 pm. 3861 24th. noevalleytownsquare.com. June 2: Sarah and Ian Hoffman introduce their picture book Jacob’s Room to Choose at a 2 pm STORYTIME. Folio Books, 3957 24th. foliosf.com. June 2 & 16: SF City Guides offers a free WALKING TOUR of Noe Valley on first and third Sundays at 1:303:30 pm. Meet at the Noe Valley Library, 451 Jersey. 557-4266; sfcityguides.org.
tour of the area around MISSION DOLORES. 557-4266; sfcityguides.org.
Tuesday of the month. 750-3600; deyoungmuseum.org.
June 2 & July 7: The Asian Art Museum offers FREE ADMISSION on the first Sunday of the month, courtesy of Target. 200 Larkin. 5813500; asianart.org.
June 4-July 6: SF WOMEN ARTISTS exhibit “Opposites,” a juried all-media show. Reception June 6, 5:30-8 pm; Tues.-Sat., 10 am-6 pm, Sun., noon-4 pm. 647 Irving. 566-8550; sfwomenartists.org.
June 3: ODD MONDAYS hosts “Women at the Edges,” featuring Kristin Kaye, Bridget Quinn, and Beth Winegarner. 7 pm. Folio Books, 3957 24th. No-host supper, 5:30 pm, Haystack Pizza, 3881 24th. oddmondays.com.
June 5: On Lok’s 30th Street Senior Center hosts a free discussion series, “How We Age Matters,” beginning with “The Many Faces of DEMENTIA,” presented by Dr. Louise Aronson. 4:30-6 pm. 225 30th. RSVP at 550-2223; onlok.org.
June 3, 10, 17 & 24: The ACC Conversation Club meets on Mondays from 4:30 to 5:30 pm at the Noe Valley Library. 451 Jersey. For details, email krismoser@aol.com.
June 5: Make a terrarium at adult CRAFT NIGHT at the Noe Valley Library. 7-8:30 pm. 451 Jersey. 3555707; sfpl.org.
June 3-28: BootCampSF conducts FITNESS training Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 8:30 am. SF Rec Center Basketball Court, 30th and Whitney. 567-9009; bootcampsf.com. June 4 & 18: Bethany United Methodist Church offers free KNITTING lessons with Ray Capiral on first and third Tuesdays; free yarn, needles, and instruction. 7-8:30 pm. 1270 Sanchez. 647-8393; bethanysf.org. June 4-25: The Eureka Valley Library tells TODDLER TALES on Tuesdays, 10:30 am. 1 Jose Sarria Court (16th & Market). 355-5616; sfpl.org.
June 2-30: A free T’AI CHI class at the Noe Valley Town Square is set for Sundays, from 9 to 9:45 am. 3861 24th. noevalleytownsquare.com.
June 4-25: Volunteer on Tuesdays to make meals for the hungry at Civic Center Plaza at “Curry Without Worry.” 1:30-5 pm. Bethany UMC, 1270 Sanchez. 647-8393; bethanysf.org.
JJune 2-30: Bring your own mat to a free YOGA CLASS at the Noe Valley Town Square. Sundays, 10-11 am. 3861 24th. noevalleytownsquare.com.
June 4-25: John McClean Wolf leads SACRED YOGA Tuesdays at Holy Innocents. 7-8 pm. 455 Fair Oaks. 824-5142; holyinsf.org.
June 2-30: Meet at the gold fire hydrant at 20th and Church at 11 am Sundays for a City Guides walking
June 4 & July 2: The de Young Museum and the Legion of Honor have FREE ADMISSION on the first
June 5 & 19: Children 4 and up can read to a dog named Herbee at PUPPY DOG TALES. 4:15-5:15 pm. Eureka Valley Library, 1 Jose Sarria Court (16th & Market). 355-5616; sfpl.org. June 5-26: The Castro FARMERS MARKET is open every Wednesday, 4 to 7 pm, through Nov. 20. Noe at Market. pcfma.com. June 5-26: Folio Books offers STORYTIME for toddlers Wednesdays at 10 am. 3957 24th. 821-3477; foliosf.com. June 5-26: Chris Sequeira leads free senior QIGONG classes Wednesdays 1 to 3 pm, at Upper Noe Rec Center, Day & Sanchez. 773-8185; livingtaichi@yahoo.com June 5-26:The Eureka Valley Library hosts BABY RHYME and play time on Wednesdays, 1:30 to 2:15. 1 Jose Sarria Court (16th & Market). 3555616; sfpl.org. June 5-26: Holy Innocents Episcopal Church holds Candlesong, a TAIZEstyle service followed by a potluck on Wednesdays from 6 to 8 pm. 455 Fair Oaks. 824-5142.
June 5-26: History group Shaping San Francisco offers free PUBLIC TALKS on Wednesdays from 7:30 to 9:30 pm. Eric Quezada Center, 518 Valencia. shapingsf.org. June 5-26: AL-ANON meets Wednesdays 8 to 9:30 pm at St. Philip Church. 725 Diamond. 834-9940; alanonsf.org. June 5 & July 3: The GLBT HISTORY Museum is free on first Wednesdays. 11 am-7 pm. 4127 18th. 621-1107; June 6: The monthly self-guided Castro ART WALK features exhibits by local artists in various neighborhood businesses. 6-9 pm. For a map and list of artists: castroartwalk.com. June 6, 13, 20 & 27: Miss Catherine tells TODDLER TALES with books, rhymes, music, and movement on Thursdays. 10:15 & 11 am. Noe Valley Library, 451 Jersey. 355-5707; sfpl.org. June 6-27: The Noe Valley Town Square offers group MEDITATION Thursdays, from 8 to 9 am. 3861 24th. noevalleytownsquare.com. June 6-27: Charlie’s Corner Bookstore has a FRENCH STORY TIME Thursdays at 3 and 5 pm. 3813 24th. 641-1104; charliescorner.com. June 6-27: Newcomers welcome at the AL-ANON Literature Discussion, meeting Thursdays at Bethany UMC, from 7:15 to 8:30 pm. 1270 Sanchez. June 6-27: Bring your storehouse of knowledge to TRIVIA NIGHT on Thursdays at the Dubliner, 3838 24th. 8 pm. 285-0674; brainstormer.com. June 7-28: Chris Sequeira leads a free Friday KARAOKE for Adults gathering at Upper Noe Rec Center. 6:30-8:30 pm. 295 Day. 970-8061. June 7-28: The Friday night JAZZ series continues at Bird & Beckett bookstore, from 5:30 to 8 pm; Saturday night JAZZ is 7:30 to 10 pm. 653 Chenery. 586-3733; birdbeckett.com.
3957 24th St.| 415-821-3477
San Francisco itself is art, above all literary art. Every block is a short story, every hill a novel. — William Saroyan
Happy reading from your friends at Folio Books.
foliosf.com @foliosf
For a full description of all our upcoming events visit: foliosf.com/events
The Noe Valley Voice • June 2019
June 7-28: The Friday night JAZZ series continues at Bird & Beckett bookstore, from 5:30 to 8 pm; Saturday night JAZZ is 7:30 to 10 pm. 653 Chenery. 586-3733; birdbeckett.com. June 7-28: (Sub)Mission Cocktails & Comedy features local and national comedians performing Fridays at 7 pm and 8:30 pm. SF Armory Club basement, 1799 Mission. submissioncomedy.com. June 7 & July 5: Come to the Noe Valley Town Square for a RECORD HOP, from 5 to 8 pm. 3861 24th. noevalleytownsquare.com. June 8: LADYBUG GARDENERS work on the Upper Noe Rec Center park grounds on second Saturdays. 9 am-noon. Day & Sanchez. info@noevalleyreccenter.com. June 8: Sheryl Ness discusses Love in a TUSCAN KITCHEN: Savoring Life Through the Romance, Recipes, and Traditions of Italy. 3-4 pm. Omnivore Books, 3885A Cesar Chavez. 2824712; omnivorebooks.com. June 8: SF NEON hosts a walking tour of Chinatown, from 7:30 to 9 pm. sfneon.org. June 8: Charming Hostess and Trio Pizzicato perform a concert. 8 pm. SF LIVE ARTS (formerly Noe Valley Music Series) at St. Cyprian’s, 2097 Turk. 454-5238; noevalleymusicseries.com. June 9: Political group ACTION SF meets from 12:30 to 2 pm on the second Sunday of the month. Noe Valley Library, 451 Jersey. actionsfsolidarity@gmail.com; resistry.net. June 9:: Michael Genhart brings his picture book A First Book of Pride to a PRIDE STORYTIME. 2 pm. Folio Books, 3957 24th. foliosf.com. June 9: Caleb Zigas, Leticia Landa, and the women of La Cocina introduce We Are LA COCINA: Recipes in Pursuit of the American Dream. 3-4 pm. Omnivore Books, 3885A Cesar Chavez. 282-4712; omnivorebooks.com. June 10: The Noe Valley Library offers SPANISH COMPUTER classes, with two students per half-hour session. 2-3 pm. 451 Jersey. Reserve a
June 11: The Noe Valley Library hosts an eReader and ONLINE RESOURCE “Drop-In” from 10:30 to 11:30 am. 451 Jersey. 355-5707; sfpl.org. June 11: The INSECT Discovery Lab brings bugs to the Noe Valley Library, for ages 5 and up. 1-2 pm. 451 Jersey. 355-5707; sfpl.org. June 11:: Artists’ Television Access screens Les Blanc’s DOCUMENTARY about Mardi Gras, Always for Pleasure, from the library’s 16mm film archive. 6:30-8 pm. Noe Valley Library, 451 Jersey. Limited to 12 participants; call to register: 355-5707; sfpl.org. June 12: On Lok’s 30th Street Senior Center’s free discussion series, “How We Age Matters,” continues with “ACTIVE MINDS, Healthy Brains,” presented by Dr. Serggio Lanata. 4:30-6 pm. 225 30th. RSVP at 550-2223; onlok.org. June 12: The GREAT BOOKS discussion group meets from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the Noe Valley Library. 451 Jersey. 355-5707; sfpl.org. June 13: Folio Books hosts a launch party and reading by Brandon R. Brown, the son of an Apollo engineer, for his book The Apollo Chronicles: Engineering America’s First MOON MISSIONS. 7 pm. 3957 24th. foliosf.com. June 14: Charlie’s Corner Bookstore hosts its 2nd annual FUN RUN to benefit local LGBTQ organizations. 10 am. 3813 24th. Register at 641-1104; charliescorner.com. June 14:The Noe Valley Library screens the 2018 FILM Solo: A Star Wars Story. 2-4 pm. 451 Jersey. 3555707; sfpl.org. June 14: Sarah Copeland discusses Every Day is Saturday: RECIPES and Strategies for Easy Cooking. Every Day of the Week. 6:30-7:30 pm. Omnivore Books, 3885A Cesar Chavez. 2824712; omnivorebooks.com.
June 15: Singer/songwriter Ken Newman plays at the CONCERTS IN THE PARK music series at Upper Noe Rec Center happening on first and third Saturdays, 10 am-noon. 295 Day. 970-8061; noevalleyreccenter.com. une 15: Mac Barnett reads from The Important Thing about MARGARET WISE BROWN at Charlie’s Corner Bookstore. 10:30 am. 3813 24th. 6411104; charliescorner.com. June 15: Michael Volpatt signs The Big Bottom Biscuit at a benefit for Muttville Senior Dog Rescue and the Russian River Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. 1-4 pm. Doggy Style, Inc., 3927 24th. doggystylesf.com. June 17: ODD MONDAYS hosts a LGBTQ Pride Reading with writers Chris Delyani, Chuck Forester, Julian Mithra, and Cass Sellars; rainbow cake will be served. 7 pm. Folio Books, 3957 24th. No-host supper, 5:30 pm, Haystack Pizza, 3881 24th. oddmondays.com. June 18: The Noe Valley Library hosts a FLORAL JEWELRY making class, led by Shinta Arifin. 7-8:30 pm. 451 Jersey. Sign up at 355-5707; sfpl.org. June 18: Ingleside POLICE STATION holds a community meeting on third Tuesdays. 7 pm. Community Room, 1 Sgt. John V.Young Lane. Confirm meeting location at 404-4000; inglesidepolicestation.com. June 19: On Lok’s 30th Street Senior Center's free discussion series continues with a talk on EXERCISE by Dr. Christian J. Thompson. 4:30-6 pm. 225 30th. RSVP at 550-2223; onlok.org. June 19:The Noe Valley Ministry offers a LABYRINTH WALK, on third Wednesdays, at 6 pm. 1021 Sanchez. 282-2317. June 19:The Noe Valley BOOK DISCUSSION group reads Sing, Unburied, Sing, by Jesmyn Ward. 7-8:30 pm. Noe Valley Library, 451 Jersey. 355-5707; sfpl.org.
june
events at omnivore books sat jun 1
Jamie Purviance Weber's Ultimate Grilling: A Step-by-Step Guide to Barbecue Genius 3:00-4:00 p.m. FREE This is your new go-to companion from the most trusted name in grilling.
sat jun 8
Sheryl Ness Eating My Way Through Italy: Heading Off the Main Roads to Discover the Hidden Treasures of the Italian Table 3:00-4:00 p.m. FREE An enchanting memoir of living in a picturesque village in Chianti.
sun jun 9
Caleb Zigas, Leticia Landa, and the women of La Cocina We Are La Cocina: Recipes in Pursuit of the American Dream 3:00-4:00 p.m. FREE 50 La Cocina entrepreneurs share their inspiring narratives and their global recipes!
fri jun 14
Sarah Copeland Every Day is Saturday: Recipes + Strategies for Easy Cooking, Every Day of the Week 6:30-7:30 p.m. FREE Recipes that provide a joyous Saturday mentality of taking pleasure in food, whatever the day of the week.
thurs jun 20
Stacy Adimando Piatti: Plates and platters for sharing, inspired by Italy 6:30-7:30 p.m. FREE The Executive Editor of SAVEUR magazine draws from her love of Italy's traditional abundant antipasti spreads.
fri jun 21
Maggie Hoffman Batch Cocktails: Make-Ahead Pitcher Drinks for Every Occasion 6:30-7:30 p.m. FREE This fun collection offers 65 delicious and creative cocktails designed to stay fresh when made ahead and served out of a pitcher.
sat jun 22
June 25: MISSION POLICE STATION holds its community meeting the last Tuesday of the month. 6 pm. 630 Valencia. 558-5400; missionpolicestation.org.
• CALENDAR • space at 355-5707; sfpl.org.
Gillian Ewing & Clare Gupta Nourish: The Revitalization of Foodways in Hawai'i 3:00-4:00 p.m. FREE A probe into how Hawaii’s unique history shapes its food traditions.
June 20: The BUBBLE LADY performs for all ages at the Noe Valley Library. 3:30-4:30 pm. 451 Jersey. 355-5707; sfpl.org.
June 26: On Lok’s 30th Street Senior Center’s free discussion series, “How We Age Matters,” concludes with “Facing AGING,” presented by Dr. Patrick Arbore. 4:30-6 pm. 225 30th. RSVP at 5502223; onlok.org.
June 20: Stacy Adimando introduces PIATTI: Plates and Platters for Sharing, Inspired by Italy. 6:30-7:30 pm. Omnivore Books, 3885A Cesar Chavez. 282-4712; omnivorebooks.com.
June 27: The Bay Area Discovery Museum hosts a SHADOW PUPPET show at the Noe Valley Library, for ages 6 to 8 and their caregivers. 4-5 pm. 451 Jersey. 355-5707; sfpl.org.
June 20: Oakland crime novelist Lisa Towles introduces The Unseen. 7 pm. Folio Books, 3957 24th. foliosf.com. June 21: Craft Night at the BOOKWORMS Club (and pizza party) features book cover redesigning. 6-7 pm. Folio Books, 3957 24th. RSVP required: 821-3477, tiny.cc/followorms.
June 29: Coffee and pastry are provided for volunteers at JURI COMMONS, 9 to 11 am, on the last Saturday of the month. The park is between Guerrero, San Jose Avenue, 25th, and 26th. RSVP to meetup.com/juri-commoners.
June 21: El Rio hosts the 10th Annual Obligatory June GAY COMEDY Show, featuring Bob McIntyer, Dom Gelin, David Hawkins, Angie Krass, and Lisa Geduldig. 7 pm. 3158 Mission, elriosf.com.
June 29: Charlie’s Corner Bookstore hosts a RAINBOW STORYTIME with Michael Genhart, author of Rainbow: A First Book of Pride. 12:30 pm. 3813 24th. 641-1104; charliescorner.com.
June 22: Gillian Ewing and Clare Gupta discuss Nourish:The Revitalization of Foodways in HAWAII. 3-4 pm. Omnivore Books, 3885A Cesar Chavez. 282-4712; omnivorebooks.com.
June 29: The Civic Symphony Association performs a CONCERT from 3 to 4:30 pm. Noe Valley Ministry, 1021 Sanchez. 282-2317; sfcivicmusic.org. June 30: Mÿgg plays live ACOUSTIC MUSIC in the Town Square, from 1 to 3 pm. BYOB. 3861 24th. noevalleytownsquare.com.
June 23: The 10th annual SUMMERFEST at the Noe Valley Town Square features a hayride, a petting zoo, face-painting, balloon animals, ice cream, and live music by Skillet Licorice and Blind Lemon Pledge. 11 am-4 pm. 3861 24th. noevalleytownsquare.com.
June 30: LIEDER Alive performs an all Richard Strauss concert. 5-7 pm. Noe Valley Ministry, 1021 Sanchez.
July to the Sky
June 23: Picture book authors Danielle Dufayet and Merriam Sarcia Saunders discuss their writing in “Strong and Wonderful,” promoting POSITIVITY SUNDAY. 2 pm. Folio Books, 3957 24th. foliosf.com.
The next Noe Valley Voice Calendar will appear in the July/August 2019 issue, distributed the first week of July. The deadline for items is June 15. Please email calendar@noevalleyvoice.com. Events in Noe Valley receive priority. Thank you.
June 23: Mareya Ibrahim discusses Eat Like You Give a Fork:The Real Dish on EATING TO THRIVE. 3-4 pm. Omnivore Books, 3885A Cesar Chavez. 282-4712; omnivorebooks.com.
30th Street reet Senior Center Lecture Series
HOW W YOU AGE A
MATTERS MA ATTER TTERS RS
People ar aree living longer and for most seniors the futur future re seems like uncharted territory. territory. Being prepared prepared is the best way forward. forward. Join n us to hear from from the experts who will shar sharee practical praactical strategies to face aging. g.
JUNE 5 - 4:30-6:00 0 PM The Many Faces of Dementia ementia Presented Pre esented by Dr Dr.r.. Louise Ar Aronson o onson
JUNE 19 9 - 4:30-6:00 PM Get on Your Yourr Feet aand nd Stay There: Exercise for Preventing Preventing Falls Exercise Presented Pre esented by Dr Dr.. Christian J. Thompson
sun jun 23
Mareya Ibrahim Eat Like You Give a Fork: The Real Dish on Eating to Thrive 3:00-4:00 p.m. FREE These forking delicious recipes make healthy eating simple and quick to table.
JUNE 12 - 4:30-6:00 0 PM Active Minds, Healthyy Brains
JUNE 26 6 - 4:30-6:00 PM Facing Faacing Aging
mon jun 24
Aleksandra Crapanzano Eat Cook L.A.: Recipes from the City of Angels 6:30-7:30 p.m. FREE Los Angeles is now one of the most exciting food cities in the world.
Presented Pre esented by Dr. Drr.. Serggio Serggio g Lanata
Presented Pr esented by Dr Dr.. Patrick Arbor Arboree
wed jun 26
Todd Richards SOUL: A Chef's Culinary Evolution in 150 Recipes 6:30-7:30 p.m. FREE Todd shares his creativity and passion to highlight what soul food can be for a new generation of cooks.
thurs jun 27
Nick Makrides Sugar Rebels: Pipe For Your Life More than 60 Recipes from Instagram's Kween of Baking 6:30-7:30 p.m. FREE Nick's signature delicious and sometimes outrageous desserts—some favorites, some new recipes.
Free Fr ee and open open to the public. RSVP REQUIRED. QUIRED. For more more information info ormation on each session and nd to RSVP:
www.onlok.org/events www .onlok.org/events .org/events or call 415.550.2223 .550.2223 A sessions will be held at: All
30th 30 0th Street Senior Center
225 30th 3 Street, Str eet, 3rd 3rd Floor, Floor, San Francisco sco
omnivore books on food 3885a
cesar chavez street (at church st.) · san francisco, ca phone: 415.282.4712 · omnivorebooks.com
23
www.onlok.org www .onlok.org
24 The Noe Valley Voice • June 2019
Neighborhood Services
Schwed
Christopher Campbell
Tree Design
construction
CERTIFIED ARBORIST OFFICE: 415 239 6100 # WE 6488A MOBILE: 415 902 8826 QUALIFIED TREE EMAIL RISK ASSESSOR #1177 info@cctreedesign.com High quality tree care for residential and commercial sites.
SERVING SAN FRANCISCO FOR OVER 25 YEARS HISTORIC RESTORATION CUSTOM REMODELING MAJOR RECONSTRUCTION FOUNDATIONS – ADDITIONS KITCHENS – BATHS
KOFMAN PAINTING CO.
GENERAL CONTRACTOR
(415) 203-5412
STATE LIC. NO. 579875 WWW.SCHWED.NET
Interior / Exterior Wood & Drywall Repairs, Crown Moldings
415 - 285 - 8207 MEMBER:
ATTORNEYS AT LAW 4091 24th Street N O E VA L L E Y
(415) 641-0700
HANDYMAN
VSA Construction
SERVICES
General Contractor LIC # 990233 No job too small Old World Craftmanship
Custom & Refaced Cabinets, Replacing Dry Rot Deck Planks
Carpentry, Painting,
Lic 707984 Fully Insured
Complete Demolition Service
Established in San Francisco 1991
Call Miguel (510) 333-0732
(415) 877-1293
Quit Smoking in One Session
Owner
DR. JONATHON D. GRAY • HYPNOSIS SAN FRANCISCO • 415-563-2333
CUSTOM HOME CONSTRUCTION, ADDITIONS AND REMODELS NEW CONSTRUCTION REMODELS • RESTORATION 650.219.8822 lcrconstruction03@gmail.com
Lic. #944258 • (415) 738-9412 mcgowanbuilders@gmail.com • www.mcgowanbuilt.com
Rick Collins
ROGER R. RUBIN (415) 441-1112
21 Years Experience
Troubleshooting/Tutoring
Law Chambers
Tune-Ups/Upgrades SFMacMan.com
(415) 821-1792
1155 Pine Street San Francisco, CA 94109
Quit Smoking in One Session DR. JONATHON D. GRAY • HYPNOSIS • SAN FRANCISCO • 415-563-2333 Addictions • Stress Reduction • Pain Control • Weight Control Phobias • Optimum Performance http://drjonathongray.com
C L A S S A D S Free Concert with 3 Reed Organs: Sunday, July 14 at 3:00 p.m. Bethany United Methodist Church, at the corner of Sanchez and Clipper streets. Cat and Dog Lover - Responsible: Services offered: In home visits, fresh food and water, medication, companionship and waste cleanup. Overnights are available. Daily text, photo and home security. References available by request. Mary 415-994-4853. Driver Available: Doctor appointments, shopping, errands. Dependable and punctual. 10+ years experience. Great references. $25 hour (2 hour minimum). Bill 415-826-3613.
Handyman Services: Custom and refaced cabinets. Replacing dry rot deck planks. All carpentry, painting and demolition services. Miguel 510-3330732. Submissions: The Noe Valley Voice welcomes submissions of short fiction, essays, or poetry, particularly those relating to Noe Valley. Email editor@noevalleyvoice.com or write Noe Valley Voice, P.O. Box 460249, San Francisco, CA 94146. Please include a phone number.
Over 16 Years Pet-Sit Experience: Cats and small animals. 13 years shelter background assisting with medical and behavior support. Dependable, responsible and caring. Noe Valley resident. Kathleen Marie 415-374-0813.
YOU’RE INVITED!
JOIN US ON JUNE 11, 2019 AT DBI’s EARTHQUAKE SAFETY FAIR! At this event, you will have the opportunity to meet with various City agencies, contractors,
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sfdbi.org/earthquakefair #ESF2019
Attorney and Counselor at Law
Macintosh Help
EVENT DETAILS DATE: June 11, 2019 TIME: 10am- 4pm LOCATION: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium - 99 Grove Street
Addictions • Stress Reduction Pain Control • Weight Control Phobias • Optimum Performance
ATTEND ONE OR ALL OF THE INFORMATIVE WORKSHOPS: 7 ) (( 1&(!&*$ #"05 0. 0"$5 01!5 % 0 +1 ""! 0+ *+3 • 12pm Changes with the Updated Vacant Commercial Storefront Ordinance 7 ,) +),(5&*$ 3&0% 0%" "//& (" 1/&*"// *0. * " .+$. ) 7 ,) +)" ")+!"(&*$ .+ "// !" 0."// ."" ""0 0%" 4,".0/ 7 ,) '&*$ 0%" "/0 /" +# 0%" "//+.5 3"((&*$ *&0 *&0 "$ (&6 0&+* .+$. )/
Space is limited. Register at www.sfdbi.org/earthquakefair.
✤✤✤
How to Place A Class AD Type or print the text of your ad, multiply the number of words by 40¢ per word, and send us a check for the total. (A phone number, including area code, counts as one word.) Then mail your ad text and payment, made out to the Noe Valley Voice, so that we receive it by the 15th of the month before the month in which you’d like to advertise. The address is Noe Valley Voice Class Ads, P.O. Box 460249, San Francisco, CA 94146. (Sorry, we don’t accept Class Ads by phone or email.) 10 for 10 discount: The Noe Valley Voice publishes Class Ads 10 months a year. (We’re on vacation in January and August.) If you place the same class ad in 10 issues, you get a 10 percent discount. To figure your cost, deduct 10 percent from the total due for 10 issues. The next Voice Class Ads will appear in the July/August 2019 issue, distributed in Noe Valley the first week of July. The deadline for Class Ads is June 15. The Class Ads are also displayed at www.noevalleyvoice.com. Only the first few words of the ad will be set in bold. Also, receipts and tear sheets are provided only if your order is accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Refunds are not granted unless we have made an error. .
25
The Noe Valley Voice • June 2019
UPPER NOE REC CENTER
S A N
F R A N C I S C O
Food you eat.
Safety First: Instructors guide young skateboarders through gnarly moves during recent Shred ’n’ Photo by Chris Faust Butter classes at Upper Noe Rec Center.
S
Summer in the Park
ummer Session at Upper Noe Rec Center on Day Street offers an array of classes, day camps, and activities. Indoor activities begin a week later than at other locations, since the building is closed June 2 through 9 for scheduled maintenance on the floors. Outdoor activities are not affected. Of special note this year: Tennis classes for 9- to 11-year-olds will continue through the summer. Indoor activities at the park begin on June 10 with expanded summer hours that include Mondays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Upper Noe is hosting week-long basketball day camps (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) from June 17 to Aug. 15. It will be very busy, says center staff, so visitors are asked not to congregate inside the building during day-camp hours. The Concerts in the Park free live music series continues this summer with appearances by Amalgamation (June 1), Ken Newman (June 15), and Lauren Firestein (July 6). Concerts are every first and third Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon in the playground. To register for summer classes and activities, go to sfrecpark.org. To find out about Upper Noe’s stewardship committee, visit www.noevalleyreccenter.com, drop by the rec center office at 295 Day St., or call 415-970-8061.
4288 24th Street ★ San Francisco 415.821.7652 ★ fireflysf.com
UPPER NOE REC CENTER SUMMER SESSION JUNE 10 – AUG. 15, 2019 To register, visit sfrecpark.org. Check www.noevalleyreccenter.com for updates. MONDAY (Center open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
Open Gym Auditorium Free Play Basketball Camp (ages 8-12)
1:30-4 p.m. * 10 a.m.-4 p.m.* 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
TUESDAY (Center open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.)
Open Gym Auditorium Free Play Basketball Camp (ages 8-12) Petite Bakers (ages 3-7, drop-in okay) Feldenkrais (18+, drop-in okay) Pickleball (all ages) Tennis intermediate/advanced (18+) Yoga-Vinyasa all levels (18+) Adult Boot Camp
5-8:30 p.m. * 10 a.m.-12 p.m.; 2:30-5:30 p.m.* 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 10-11 a.m.* 1-2 p.m. 1:30-4:30 p.m. FREE 6-7 p.m. 6:30-7:30 p.m. 7:45-8:45 p.m.
WEDNESDAY (Center open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.)
2-5:30 p.m.* 3-4 p.m.* 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 9:30-10:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 1-2 p.m. FREE 4:30-5:30 p.m. 5:30-6:30 p.m. 6-7 p.m. 6:30-8:30 p.m. FREE
photo: Amanda Brauning
Open Gym Auditorium Free Play Basketball Camp (ages 8-12) Pilates intermediate (18+) Pilates beginning (18+) Qi Gong for Seniors (55+) Little Kickers (ages 4-8) Karate Kids (ages 6-13) Tennis beginning (18+) Volleyball advanced drop-in (18+) THURSDAY (Center open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.)
Open Gym Auditorium Free Play Basketball Camp (ages 8-12) Petite Bakers (ages 3-6, drop-in okay) Argentine Tango advanced (55+, drop-in okay) Pickleball (all ages) Zumba (all ages, drop-in only) Yoga-Gentle Hatha (18+)
5-8:30 p.m.* 10 a.m.-12 p.m.* 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 10-11 a.m. 1-4 p.m. FREE 1:30-4:30 p.m. FREE 5:30-6:30 p.m. FREE 6:45-7:45 p.m.
FRIDAY (Center open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.)
Open Gym Auditorium Free Play Basketball Camp (ages 8-12) Pilates intermediate (18+) Pilates all levels (18+) Karaoke (18+, drop-in okay) Volleyball advanced drop-in (18+)
NNoe oe VValley alley PPet et C ompany: ttempting empting the t he Company: nneighborhood eighborhood for for 20 18 years years
2.-5:30 p.m.* 1-5:30 p.m.* 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 9:30-10:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. 6:30-8:30 p.m. FREE 6:30-8:30 p.m. FREE
SATURDAY (Center open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
Open Gym Auditorium Free Play Yoga-Vinyasa all levels (18+) Zumba (family) Drop-in only
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26 The Noe Valley Voice • June 2019
A D U LT / T E E N E V E N T S
Noe Valley Knitting Circle: Knitters and crocheters of all levels get together to learn techniques or work on projects. Saturday, June 1; 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. AAC Conversation Club: Practice the use of Alternative and Augmentative Communication devices, including Dynavox, QuickTalker, Talk Bar, and apps for tablets and smartphones. For more information, contact Kris Moser at krismoser@aol.com. Mondays, June 3, 10, 17, and 24; 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Adult Craft Night: All materials will be provided to make a terrarium. Sign up by calling 355-5707 or asking at the information desk. Wednesday, June 5; 7 to 8:30 p.m. ¡Clases de computación en español! Venga a aprender aplicaciones básicas de la computadora en español. Espacio es limitado a dos personas, media hora para cada persona. Inscribirse por telefono: 3555707. Spanish computer classes: Come learn basic computing skills in Spanish. Space is limited to two people per half-hour session. Reserve a spot by calling 355-5707. Monday, June 10; 2 to 3 p.m. eReader and Online Resource “Drop-In”: Bring your mobile device or laptop, your library card and PIN (and your passwords) to a workshop on the SFPL’s digital resources, including the library databases, Kanopy for streaming films, Flipster and RBDigital for magazines, and OverDrive and Axis360 for eBooks. Tuesday, June 11; 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Artists Television Access partners with SFPL to show director Les Blank’s 16mm film Always for Pleasure, a 1978 documentary about New Orleans during Mardi Gras. Tuesday, June 11; 6:30 to 8 p.m. The Great Books Discussion Group meets to talk about outstanding works of writing. For more information, contact Elena at eschmid@sonic.net. Wednesday, June 12; 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday Matinee: Young Han Solo teams up with Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian for his first smuggling mission in the 2018 film Solo: A Star Wars Story. Friday, June 14; 2 to 4 p.m. Floral Jewelry-Making: Shinta Arifin leads a workshop in making “living” floral bracelets or hair pieces adaptable for every season. Sign up by calling 355-5707 or by asking at the info desk. Tuesday, June 18; 7 to 8:30 p.m.
MORE BOOKS TO READ Summer Strides In
S
ummer Stride is the library’s annual summer learning, reading, and exploration program for all ages and abilities. It runs from June 1 through Aug. 18, with more than 1,000 free events to deepen reading enjoyment, spark interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), and provide active experiences in nature. Sign up at the Noe Valley/Sally Brunn Library or at any San Francisco Public Library branch. When you complete the program—by logging 20 hours of reading, listening, or library time—you’ll receive a canvas book bag designed by Zachariah OHora, illustrator of the book Bikes for Sale. In addition, you can enter weekly raffles and win free passes to local museums and sporting events. Follow the program at #SummerStride or go to sfpl.org and look for Summer Stride under Books and Materials. If you need more books to read, check out the titles listed below. This month’s selection, provided by Noe Valley Branch Manager Denise Sanderson and Children’s Librarian Catherine Starr, includes a book of animal poems for two or more readers, essays about the art and life of Ruth Asawa, and a guide to understanding social media, for kids 8 to 10 (and possibly their parents too). To check on the availability of books, DVDs, and other library materials, call 415355-5707 or drop by the Noe Valley Branch at 451 Jersey St. While you’re there, ask about Kanopy, the library’s streaming service. To visit the San Francisco Public Library at any time, night or day, go to www.sfpl.org.
Children’s Fiction ❖ In Have I Ever Told You? illustrated by
Anna Horvath, author Shani King tells us the important things every child longs and needs to hear. Ages 4 to 8.
❖ Just Read! written by Lori Degman,
illustrated by Victoria Tentler-Krylov, is an ode to reading, alone or with friends. Ages 4 and up. ❖ Children will enjoy imitating various
creatures in Boom! Bellow! Bleat! Animal Poems for Two or More Voices, by Georgia Heard, with illustrations by Aaron DeWitt. Ages 5 to 9.
❖ Sarai Saves the Music is the third book in a series by the young actor and social activist Sarai Gonzalez; co-authored by Monica Brown. Ages 7 to 10. ❖ Alastair the African grey parrot dreams
of escaping the pet store, in The Simple Art of Flying by Cory Leonardo. Ages 8 to 12.
❖ A girl looks for the story of her great-
aunt, who disappeared during the Holocaust, in Searching for Lottie by Susan Ross. Ages 8 to 12. ❖ In A Circle of Elephants by Eric
Pamela Dell is a basic guide to recognizing how to tell real from fake. Ages 8 to 10. ❖ Stories of inventors who have changed
the world are compiled in How to Become an Accidental Genius, by Elizabeth MacLeod and Frieda Wishinsky, with illustrations by Jenn Playford. Ages 8 to 12. Adult Fiction
❖ Tensions grow between neighbors
when a huge home is constructed, in White Elephant, a novel by Julie Landsdorf.
❖ In Miranda in Milan, Katharine Duckett imagines an alternate ending to Shakespeare’s The Tempest. ❖ A man in a coma brings family
members together at his bedside, in The Book of Dreams by Nina George.
❖ Elizabeth Fremantle’s thriller The Poison Bed is set in the Jacobean Court of England in 1615.
Adult Nonfiction ❖ Enemies Within: Communists, the
Dinerstein, a boy in 1970s Nepal protects the animals at the Royal Elephant Breeding Center. Ages 9 to 13.
Cambridge Spies, and the Making of Modern Britain, by Richard DavenportHines, covers many tales of espionage and corruption.
Children’s Nonfiction
❖ Mary Norris describes her travels in
❖ Author Marion Dane Bauer and
illustrator Ekua Holmes take on the creation of the universe in The Stuff of Stars. Ages 4 to 8.
Noe Valley Book Discussion Group: This month’s selection is Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward. Copies of the book are held at the Circulation Desk for checkout. Wednesday, June 19; 7 to 8:30 p.m.
❖ In the large-format Wonders of Nature:
All events take place at the Noe Valley/Sally Brunn Library, 451 Jersey St. between Castro and Diamond streets. For information, call 415-355-5707 or visit sfpl.org.
❖ Understanding Social Media
Explorations in the World of Birds, Insects, and Fish, Florence Guiraud describes and illustrates myriad creatures. Ages 5 to 10. (Cracking the Media Literacy Code) by
Greece and the Greek language’s influence on English, in Greek to Me: Adventures of the Comma Queen.
❖ Simon Garfield investigates the appeal
of tiny artifacts in In Miniature: How Small Things Illuminate the World.
CHILDREN’S EVENTS
Touch and explore the lives of millipedes, walking sticks, and whip scorpions at an Insect Discovery Lab, for ages 5 and up. Call 415-3555707 to pre-register. Tuesday, June 11; 1 to 2 p.m. Bubble-Bursting Bonanza: The Bubble Lady will bring bubbles of all sizes for the amusement of all ages. Thursday, June 20; 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Shadow Puppets: The Bay Area Discovery Museum invites children to learn about light and how it moves through different materials, and to design their own shadow puppets. For ages 6 to 8 with parent or caregiver. Thursday, June 27; 4 to 5 p.m. Toddler Tales: Join Miss Catherine for stories, music, and small movement. For children 16 to 36 months with parent or caregiver. Thursdays, June 6, 13, 20, and 27; 10:15 to 10:45 a.m. or 11 to 11:30 a.m. All events take place at the Noe Valley/Sally Brunn Library, 451 Jersey St. between Castro and Diamond streets. For information, call 415-355-5707 or visit www.sfpl.org.
Adult eBooks ❖ A California town is beset by a
mysterious illness that causes perpetual sleep, in The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker.
❖ In Henry, Himself, by Stewart O’Nan, a man looks back on his life in the 20th century. ❖ Love and Resistance: Out of the
Closet Into the Stonewall Era includes photographs from the 1960s and ’70s from the New York Public Library’s archives.
❖ Jamie James recounts the colorful
history of the Italian island of Capri in Pagan Light: Dreams of Freedom and Beauty in Capri. Adult DVDs
❖ The 2018 documentary Andre the
Giant looks at the life and career of professional wrestler André Roussimoff.
❖ In Serenity (2019), starring Matthew
McConaughey and Anne Hathaway, a fishing boat captain becomes ensnared in a net of intrigue when he tries to help his ex-wife get rid of her abusive husband.
❖ The story of Hal Ashby, director of
Harold and Maude, Shampoo, and Being There, is recounted in the 2018 documentary Hal.
❖ PBS’ 2019 Nova documentary Kilauea: Hawai’i on Fire follows the volcano’s recent activity.
❖ The prolific career of one of our
Annotations by Voice bookworm Karol Barske
neighborhood’s best-known artists is the focus of Ruth Asawa: Life’s Work, a collection of essays edited by Tamara Schenkenberg.
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The Noe Valley Voice • June 2019
and now for the
RUMORS behind the news Found in the Fog By Mazook and the livin’ is easy, your neighbor’s rich, and our village is good-lookin’. As we oldsters know, “summer” here starts at the end of spring, but by the summer solstice (June 21), the chill of the wind and fog will invade our valley until the summer finally returns on or about the autumnal equinox, Sept. 23. Then we’ll have summer until shortly before Halloween. By summer’s end, I mean early November, Downtown Noe Valley will settle down into planning the “24 HoliDAYS,” and hopefully the empty stores will fill up, and once again the fish will be jumpin’ and retail revenue will be high. Oh, and the seismic retrofitting of so many buildings will be done, so hush, Noe Valleons, don’t you cry.
S
UMMERTIME IN NOE VALLEY
A PIECE OF QUAKE: Seismic upgrades along Noe’s commercial corridor have taken their toll the past decade. They’ve brought noise, dust, traffic congestion, and empty stores. Several buildings at the corner of 24th and Church have completed the bolstering required for their “soft-story” retrofit. Work at the building housing Happy Donuts, Shufat Market, and now temporarily Charlie’s Corner (in the spot that used to be occupied by CardioTone) took almost three years. Across the street, Navarrete’s Black Belt Academy has been back in business several months, after relocating for several months for its own retrofit. The small retail shop near Navarrete’s at 3789 24th St. is still for rent and the owner is looking for a retail tenant for the 550-square-foot space. The monthly rent being asked is $2,750 ($5 per square foot), and the interior has been remodeled and is ADA-compliant. It appears that part of the seismic work on the building on the northwest corner of 24th and Castro streets has been completed, and Peasant Pies will reopen sometime in early June, with the addition of “AP’s Café” to the store name. There is still major work being done at the original Charlie’s Corner location, and when the kid lit shop will return to that block is unknown. There was a seismic shock for Starbucks and Toast, both situated in the El Vira Building on the corner of 24th and Noe. The city recently posted a notice at the front entrance (3993 24th), saying “Earthquake Warning! This building is in violation of the requirements of the San Francisco Building Code regarding earthquake safety.” Further, it read: “The owners of this building have not complied with the Mandatory Soft Story Retrofit Program,” as required by law. It appears that neither Starbucks nor Toast knew there was a problem. Toast spokesman Eddie Naser said in May, “We have heard nothing about this from the landlord.” A Starbucks manager, Vannessa, was quite surprised when she saw the warning and took a cell phone photo of the sign and sent it off to her company’s regional manager. It looks as if those two businesses will have to close for a while à la Charlie’s Corner, and the building owners will incur major costs to retrofit the building, built in 1911.
WHAT’S IN STORE:
A few more stores
have “For Rent” signs posted. The most recent notice is in the front window of the space vacated by Rare Device, at 4071 24th. According to the owner’s real estate representative, John Fedele at Real Property Management (which also has had to relocate, to the space formerly occupied by Noe Valley Cyclery, while its building on Castro above 24th is being retro’ed), the store is 800 square feet and the rent is $4,200 a month. Fedele says the owner wants to keep the storefront retail, “but all the inquiries I have had are for non-retail uses like, for example, nail salons.” Up the street at 4175 24th near Diamond, where GlobeIn once lived (and before that, Cliché Noe), real estate agent Paul Neal says the owners were close to renting it to an interior designer, but a lease had not been signed. The monthly rent of $3,500 for the approximately 800square-foot space has been reduced to $3,000 per month. Neal says he has received inquiries from several people who wanted to open a “children’s day center, and others who were well qualified and wanted to create an after-school program, another offering child care, and a group who wanted to open a pre-school.” He notes that, for a variety of reasons, none were willing to go through with what might be a long permit process, including required ADA upgrades. There is a mystery shrouding the For Rent signs posted on the window of the small store next to Just for Fun at 3980 24th St. In the last month, the 200-squarefoot space had a sign with a phone number to call, and then that sign came down and a For Rent sign was posted by Real Property Management. Now that sign has come down. The rumored monthly rent was under $2,000. SPINNING THE BEANS: Sorry to report you can’t take your laundry bag to Spin City Coffee (and Launderette) at Sanchez and 26th anymore. A sign posted on the window informs us, “Spin City will no longer offer laundry services, only coffee.” The new spin is the little coffee counter is becoming a big-time coffee café, and will be roasting its own beans. This reminds me of Caffe Trieste in North Beach, which drew crowds during the 1950s to the mid-’70s, before it moved its roasting operations to a space near Dogpatch. Spin City’s founder and owner in her ninth year, Maricar “Mary” Lagura, says she has teamed up with her coffee provider, Noe Valleon Christian Ritter and his Noe Valley Coffee Company (which he started in his garage on Dolores Street about five years ago). Lagura plans to turn the space into a coffeehouse that will boast freshly roasted coffee from an on-site coffee roaster. She also will expand the selection of pastry offerings now being sup-
plied by bakers Dynamo Donuts, Karen’s Cookies, and Blackjack Bakery. “We have completed phase one and have all our permits from the Bay Area Air Quality Board, and are now moving to phase two with our architects to get all the permits from the city [that] we need to start the renovations,” she says, “and then phase three, doing the remodel.” Spin City Coffee opened in July 2010 as a small kiosk inside the laundry, then offering Blue Bottle coffee. This was an item in the September 2010 Voice Rumors column. Said Lagura, “We opened on July 10 without any advertisement and with very little startup money at this location because we couldn’t afford the 24th Street rents, [and] the response we got was beyond all my expectations. We were able to cover our rent and cost of goods sold for the first month in the first four days we were open.” “Yes, I remember your item,” she says now, “and actually we got the business going with a total investment of $25.” MORE FOOD TO EAT: It’s big news that food star Azalina Eusope will have taken down the Contigo sign above her new eatery at 1320 Castro and replaced it with a new sign bearing the name Mahila, which she says means “becoming a woman” in Hindi. While she has a small space in the food court in the Twitter building on Market Street, over the last nine years her fame has come as a caterer of Malaysian cuisine, made in what she describes as “the commissary,” her large kitchen in the Bayview neighborhood. You may have seen her name on a card above a trough at the Noe Valley Whole Foods hot bar. She still caters to some of their markets. However, her larger accounts are with Twitter and other tech giants in Silicon Valley, namely Apple, Facebook, and Google (headquarters), where she says there is actually an “Azalina Conference Room.” Mahila’s doors should be open to the public by mid-June, “but we hope to start by June 1 and for the first 10 days celebrate our customers, who will be invited to dinner. That will also help us work out the glitches in our menu and food service,” she says, “especially because we will be serving food dishes very different from our catering service.” The menu will have Mamak-style cuisine, Eusope says, “which is a mix of the ethnicity from my community on an island called Penang [in Malaysia], where I was born…and the dishes remind me of the best things in my childhood, and those great memories give me the motivation to open up this restaurant.” Think a mix of Malay, Indian, and Chinese flavors. Well, what’s on the menu? “That is what we are working on right now,” she says, pointing to the first draft of the menu, “which we are planning.” I
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27
Noe Valley native Sam Faustine is playing a top role in San Jose Stage Company’s production of the musical Mamma Mia! running through July 7. Find out more at www.thestage.org.
did see the starters, like “sardine puff with grated tomato pickle and sweet potato dumplings, and white carrot pudding with taucho-sambal-pea shoot.” One of the entrees is salted fish curry, and there’s a dessert called “banana fritter with tapioca porridge.” The restaurant hours will be from 5 to 10:30 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday for dinner, plus Saturday and Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. PUTTIN’ ON THE DOG: The latest from Doggy Style, Inc. at 3927 24th (Artisana’s former spot) is that the “social club for dogs and their owners” is inviting prospective members to a “Book Signing Extravaganza” on June 15, where Michael Volpatt will read from his recipe book The Big Bottom Biscuit. The first 100 guests will receive “an exclusive gift bag, an in-person signed copy of [Volpatt’s book], a bag of dog biscuits, drinks & appetizers, a raffle ticket, and a chance to experience the Noe Valley location of Doggy Style, Inc. Don’t forget to bring your pooch!” More in a future issue on the store’s application for a city permit to open a “no bark park” in the back yard. That’s set for a hearing at the Planning Commission on July 7. In a related item, the lawyers on the second floor above Doggy Style have vacated their offices with a simple message on the marquee: “Bye.” Meanwhile, the May 14 grand opening of nearby SkinSpirit (3939 24th) appears to have been a howling success. According to the clinic manager, Jane Yeh, the event was attended by 375 people, and “we booked almost 200 appointments that night.”
CONGRATS to Noe Valley native Sam Faustine, who is playing the role of Sky in San Jose Stage Company’s production of the ABBA hit musical Mamma Mia! The show runs through July 7. Faustine says his favorite song in the musical is the one he sings: “Lay All Your Love on Me.” Also most interesting to him, he says, is “that all the lead characters are women.” Besides acting, Faustine works with the San Francisco Symphony and is part of the Lamplighters Music Theater, which performs throughout the Bay Area. He says the best part he’s played in the past was that of Seymour Krelborn in The Little Shop of Horrors at the Victoria Theater in the Mission. Kudos also go out to him because of his morning activities. He goes to Stanford and UCSF medical schools, where he acts for med students who are practicing the art of communication. He plays the role of a person with serious mental problems. “I really enjoy doing that,” he says. Faustine recalls his first encounter with the Noe Valley Voice. It was “when I was 10 years old and bringing a copy of the Voice to the top of Notre Dame in Paris with my mom. We took a picture with it which later appeared in the newspaper.”
THAT’S ALL THE NEWS THAT FITS.
you next month. Ciao.
See
28 The Noe Valley Voice • June 2019
Be part of making Noe Valley a thriving, vibrant neighborhood for merchants & residents alike.
Join us at our Mixer! June 11th, 6 – 9 PM
NoeÂ’s Cantina
1199 Church St. @ 24th St.
Noe Valley Merchants & Professionals Association operations@noevalleymerchants.com
Sumeerfest is sponsored by the Noe Valley Merchants & Professionals Association
Noe Valley
Summerfest Petting Zoo. Music. Family fun.
at the Noe Valley Town Square
June 23, 2019 11-4 PM
petting zoo
visit www.nvmpa.com for details
bounce house live music • chalk drawing contest horse-drawn carriage rides The Agency will serve Mitchell’s ice cream NOVY will serve their popular Spanakopita
Noe Valley Association A Community Benefit District noevalleyassociation.org
Many thanks to our Summerfest sponsors!
Monthly Music in the Square, Record Hop! Movie Nights, Classes, & other community events at the Noe Valley Town Square visit noevalleytownsquare.com for details