The Noe Valley Voice July 2026 by The Noe Valley Voice

THE NOE VALLEY VOICE

Local Resident Launches AI Company to Help Small Businesses

Mitali Pattnaik Is on a Mission To Share Tech and Money

By JL Odom

Mosteveryone is familiar with Google, X, and LinkedIn, but only a few can say they’ve worked for all three. One of those people is Noe Valley resident Mitali Pattnaik, who, after two decades in the tech industry, has launched an artificial intelligence company focused on helping small businesses.

Called Keywork, the company combines investment funding with an AI platform designed to help small businesses automate routine tasks, streamline operations, and become more efficient. Pattnaik says the goal is simple: give owners more time to focus on other aspects of their businesses, including their employees, marketing, hiring, and future plans.

“There's a lot of AI being applied everywhere else, but it's really leaving behind the small businesses and local economy,” she says.

Pattnaik’s decision to build a company centered on helping small businesses comes at a time when she feels

Chris Faust Finds Serious Fun in Community Building

Upper Noe’s Problem Solver Is Just Reaching His Stride

By Kit Cameron

Ask Chris Faust why he gets involved in so many community activities, and his response is, “It’s so much fun!”

Is it still fun after attending more than two decades of meetings at Upper Noe Neighbors (UNN)—moving up the ranks from secretary to president— while serving a similarly long stretch on the board of Friends of Upper Noe Recreation Center (FUNRC), the stewardship group for the 2.5-acre park (and dog run) at Sanchez and Day streets?

“It’s still fun.”

At 67, Faust enjoys being Upper Noe’s problem solver.

Growing up in Rochester, N.Y., he skied through the “brutal” winters, worked construction jobs, and as a technician at Xerox created a work group to provide feedback to the company. Then, one dark cold day in 1995, he decided he’d had enough.

“My brother Jeff was attending Boalt Law School. My sister Amy was a renowned silversmith, who had moved to San Francisco in the early 1990s. So I packed up my old truck in 1995, drove out, and found construction work to support myself.”

Wanting to spark the connections with people whom he had taken for granted back east, Faust began playing guitar in a band and organizing dances with a group of friends.

And in 1997, he met the love of his life, Mary Bishop, at a picnic in the Presidio. “It was a sunny day overlooking a beautiful bay. Neither of us owned a car. We walked back toward Golden Gate Park singing all the way.”

In 2000 they were married at St. John of God Catholic Church in the Inner Sunset. Their friends organized a potluck reception. Home was 11th Avenue and Irving Street. Bishop

Pixar Vet and Young Talents to Anchor 11th Girls Film Fest

Noe Valley Organizers Take You Behind the Scenes in 2026

By Emily Hayes

Is there a need for female-focused filmmaking events in 2026?

Absolutely, say the organizers of the 11th annual Noe Valley Girls Film Festival (NVGFF).

All summer, the organizers have been rating the short films the festival is receiving from youths under 16 around the world. They also have been deciding the finalists—the films to screen at the event—which this year is being held on Saturday, Aug. 22, 4 to 6 p.m., at the Noe Valley Ministry, 1021 Sanchez St. Films are being evaluated in two age groups—11 and under and 12 to 16. Three cash prizes ($250, $150, and $50) will be awarded to the winners in each category.

To enter a film in the contest, you need to be a female-identifying or nonbinary youth who acted as the director, scriptwriter, or editor on the film. Also, the film needs to be five minutes or shorter, G-rated, and created between Sept. 7, 2025, and Aug. 1, 2026.

Historically, women have been underrepresented in all aspects of the film industry, including directing, cinematography, and even on-screen performances, says 16-year-old Mollie Weiss, a festival organizer and a 2019 winner for her film Lady Tiffin’s Travel Secrets.

“It’s really powerful to show girls that there is a place for them in the film industry,” Weiss explains. “Having a place to especially spotlight their films and what they’ve created can be really great.”

Including submissions from nonbinary people shows that their filmmaking talent is just as important, Weiss says.

In addition to the screenings, the festival regularly features a Bay Area film

Outside of enjoying all that San Francisco has to offer, Mitali Pattnaik is working to help small businesses use AI to streamline operations and free up time. Photo courtesy Mitali Pattnaik

Dog Park Destiny: Chris Faust and Mary Bishop play catch with dog Elsa, as they did for 17 years with Grover, their first guide to Upper Noe and its many opportunities for fun, friendship, and volunteerism.

Photo by Kit Cameron

Noe Valley Harvest.

Photo by Jack Tipple

We’d love to see your work in the next Noe Valley Voice bi-annual Literary issue this August.

No payment, but your essays, poems and short fiction deserve to be shown to the thousands of Voice readers.

Email your work to editor@noevalleyvoice.com and include a short biography. MS Word format preferred.

The word limit for essays and short fiction is 750. Submit no more than three poems please.

Deadline is July 22, 2026 (but earlier is better).

Thank You for helping us to Raise the Words!

As a senior, I've learned that the best parts of life are the ones you share. I am writing this in the hope of finding a genuine connection built on a foundation of trust, true companionship, and lasting love.

I'm looking for a best friend and a life partner to walk hand in hand with through the years ahead. If you are a woman between 55 and 76 who believes life is better when it's shared, I would love to hear from you.

Please reach out to me at roth67684@gmail.com and tell me a little about yourself.

Thank You, Frank 2

Jan Mundo

THE NOE VALLEY VOICE

P.O. Box 460249 San Francisco, CA 94146

www.noevalleyvoice.com

The Noe Valley Voice is an independent newspaper published in San Francisco. It is distributed free in Noe Valley and vicinity during the first two weeks 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 self-addressed, stamped envelope.

The Noe Valley Voice is a member of the San Francisco Neighborhood Newspaper Association.

Email: Editor@noevalleyvoice.com or Sally@noevalleyvoice.com

Website: www.noevalleyvoice.com

Distribution: Call Jack, 415-385-4569

Display Advertising: Call Pat, 415-608-7634, or email PatRose@noevalleyvoice.com

Advertising Deadline for the August Issue: July 26, 2026

Submission Deadline for the August Issue: July 22, 2026

CO-PUBLISHERS/EDITORS Sally Smith, Jack Tipple

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND EDITORS

Corrie M. Anders, Associate Editor Heidi Anderson, Matthew S. Bajko, Owen Baker-Flynn, Karol Barske, Michael Blake, John Ferrannini, Matt Fisher, Kathryn Guta, Emily Hayes, Jeff Kaliss, JL Odom, Roger Rubin, Maria Verissimo

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Art Bodner, Pamela Gerard, Najib Joe Hakim, Charles Kennard, Beverly Tharp

LETTERS

Another Vatican Scholar

Editor:

Reading the June 2026 issue of the Noe Valley Voice and John Ferrannini’s article on author Bill Yenne, I saw Bill’s drink offer at the Valley Tavern to anyone else in Noe Valley who’s held a Vatican library card. Bill owes my wife a drink. Maybe two.

ancient manuscripts, but I can say that when we pass by the Vatican Gates on our yearly month-plus-long trip to Rome, she tells me about passing daily by the Swiss Guards and being greeted with a hearty, “Buongiorno, Dottoressa!” (“Good morning, Doctor!”) We are retired now and S.A. spends much of her time in her Noe Street studio, painting and doing calligraphy, the latter having been enriched by her time in the ancient library that is a next-door neighbor to the Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo’s masterpiece.

Cutler, Howard Fallon, Chris Faust, Amy Fine, Ann Hedges, Kathleen Maxwell, Reza Memar, Kelsey Peterson, Trey Quinn, Nina Saltman, Sylvia Thornton, and Mike Underhill and S.A. Kushinka.

Lots of love to our featured speakers who shared their plant knowledge with visitors: Steve Cox, founder of The Quane Garden; Santiago Esparza, owner of Urban Scout; and Cesar Moran-Cahusac from With Honey in the Heart.

Our sincere appreciation goes to our generous sponsors and donors, we could not do it without them:

ADVERTISING

Unlikely as it may be, my wife, S.A. Kushinka, once studied calligraphy as a young woman in Rome. She was granted library privileges at the Vatican Library to study some of the most ancient writings still on the planet— Illuminated manuscripts created by monks many centuries ago. It’s a long story better told by her, including the old school “letter of introduction” that got her the coveted access to the

Mike Underhill Noe Valley, SF

Sanchez Murals Safe Editor:

On page 13 of the May 2026 Noe Valley Voice, in a story by Matthew S. Bajko titled “Slow Sanchez Could Get Slower,” it says, “Another topic of interest [at the next block party] is likely to be the planned repaving of Sanchez Street come 2027..."

That sentence raised quite a bit of concern considering the recent paving and painting of Sanchez and the deplorable condition of many of our local streets. At the May 16 Block Party and Garden Tour, I spoke with Friends of Slow Sanchez who said they were surprised to hear this.

So, I contacted DPW and heard from Project Manager Therese Topacio, who said, "To clarify, only the one block segment of Sanchez Street between Jersey Street and 25th Street is a candidate for resurfacing in 2030+. This block was last resurfaced in 2010, and at this time there are no plans that would affect the existing murals or any recent improvements made as part of the Next Generation Slow Sanchez project."

You can reach Therese Topacio at therese.topacio@sfdpw.org or 628-2712457.

Chris Faust

Upper Noe Neighbors

Applause for Garden Tour

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 send an email to 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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Noe Valley Resident Offers Keywork for Small Businesses

grounded, both in where she lives and in the values that guide her work.

She was born in eastern India, where she spent the first four years of her life, before moving with her family to cities across the country, including Mumbai.

At 14, she moved again—this time to Cairo, Egypt, where she attended an international high school.

At 18, Pattnaik left Cairo on her own to attend Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. After graduating, she continued building a life across cities and countries, including Seattle and England, where she earned her MBA from London Business School.

That constant movement shaped her relationship with the idea of home. After she left for college, her parents continued relocating for work, returning to different cities in India—places Pattnaik herself had never lived. As a result, she never had a childhood home to return to—no bedroom with posters on the walls or familiar mementos waiting on the shelves.

“Of course, wherever they were was home in that sense,” she says. “But there was no place that I could call home once I left at age 18.”

“I’ve been in Noe not just longer than any place I’ve lived, but five times longer than anywhere else I’ve lived.”

—Mitali Pattnaik

After years of moving between cities—and even countries—Pattnaik found something in Noe Valley she had never experienced before: permanence.

She moved to San Francisco from London in 2005 and settled in Noe Valley later that year. Aside from a brief stint in Marin, Pattnaik, now in her late 40s, has spent the majority of her life here.

“I’ve been in Noe not just longer than any place I’ve lived, but five times longer than anywhere else that I have lived,” she says.

In fact, Pattnaik says Noe Valley— and San Francisco more broadly—is the only community where she has truly put down roots. “I don’t really have any other place that I would call home.”

Over the years, she’s lived on several different blocks throughout the neighborhood and has become a regular at places like Running Wylder, Noe Valley Books, and Noe Café. She also shares her home with two dogs and two cats.

Pattnaik says San Francisco’s combination of outdoor recreation and vibrant nightlife has been a major draw. She enjoys running, hiking, and taking her dogs to the beach, while also remaining an avid fan of house music and dance culture.

“One of the reasons I’ve stayed in

San Francisco as long as I have is I genuinely feel like the city is this very rare place where you can do so many things on any given day of the year.”

Whether she’s on a hiking trail or a dance floor, Pattnaik says, she appreciates that San Francisco has allowed her to embrace all sides of herself.

Big Tech Career

Another part of San Francisco’s appeal for Pattnaik has been its status as the epicenter of the tech industry.

“There are very few places where it integrated everything that I wanted to do, from a life career, food scene, dance music—all of that, in one small city,” she says. “When I started in tech in San Francisco in 2005, there really was nowhere else. If you wanted to work in tech, it was the Bay Area.”

Over nearly two decades, Pattnaik built products at tech giants like Microsoft, Google, LinkedIn, and Twitter, companies she said were driven by missions that attracted employees who believed technology could improve people’s lives.

“I went into it not for the money, but because I genuinely believed in the power of technology,” she says. “A lot of us did.”

Over time, however, the culture of big tech shifted as wealth and influence became increasingly concentrated among a handful of companies and executives, she says. While she still admired the missions of the companies where she worked, she no longer felt the tech environment aligned with her own values.

“It just wasn’t personally for me anymore.”

The Pivot

As Pattnaik considered what came next, personal events—including her father’s death during the Covid-19 pandemic and her divorce—prompted her to step back and reassess her career.

“I didn’t really know what to do,” she recalls. “My identity was so wrapped up in working in tech and for tech companies.”

Experimenting with AI on her own eventually led to conversations with longtime colleague and venture capitalist Nitin Pachisia. Together, they saw an opportunity to bring AI to a group they believed had largely been overlooked: small businesses.

From there, with business partners Dishen Patel and Naga Samineni, they assessed how they could turn their idea into a reality.

What Keywork Does

Pattnaik describes Keywork as a hybrid model in that it combines investment funding with an AI platform designed for small businesses, such as restaurants, childcare centers, and specialty trades.

Rather than replacing the software businesses already in use, Pattnaik says, the Keywork operating system (OS) connects with existing systems and automates repetitive administrative tasks that often consume owners’ workdays.

“Basically, the end goal is to give business owners time back, because

they're wasting a lot of it on this kind of grunt work and juggling between different software tools that they're using to manage their business,” she says.

She points to restaurant tip distribution as one example. Instead of manually gathering payroll and point-of-sale data, calculating tips and entering the information each pay period, business owners can automate the process through the platform.

“It’s not some very scary, nebulous concept of AI,” Pattnaik says. “It’s really truly tactical things that these owners deal with day in and day out.”

“Our mission is to create a million millionaires instead of one more billionaire.”

—Mitali Pattnaik

Keywork also takes an unconventional approach to funding. Rather than selling its software, the company invests in promising early-stage businesses and provides the AI platform as part of that partnership.

“Our product is truly unique in the sense that we are not selling our software to small businesses—we are giving it to them along with a check,” Pattnaik says. “We’re bringing that same model that we have learned from venture capital into these kinds of small businesses.”

Ultimately, she says, the goal is to give small businesses the support they need to succeed—both through Keywork’s AI platform and via its financial backing.

“Our mission,” she says, “is to create a million millionaires instead of one

more billionaire.”

Now and Later

For now, Pattnaik is focused on learning from small business owners, as Keywork continues developing its AI platform. The company’s long-term vision, she says, is to invest in earlystage businesses while equipping them with the platform to help streamline operations and support future growth.

“We would come in and fund that expansion—that’s sort of our vision— and then along with that provide you with this AI operating system that helps you run your business better with the team that you have and focus on things that are more important to you,” she says.

While Keywork is still in its early stages, Pattnaik says she’s excited to share what she’s building with the Noe Valley community. She’s especially looking forward to seeing the story appear in the neighborhood newspaper.

“Honestly, it sounds very silly, but this to me is a much bigger badge of honor than being written about in some regular newspaper, because I genuinely just love Noe Valley and love the Noe Valley Voice,” she says.

To learn more about Keywork, go to https://keywork.co.

FROM THE EDITOR

DO YOU KNOW a Noe Valley resident with an interesting professional or personal story? Give the Noe Valley Voice a heads-up at editor@noevalleyvoice.com.

I’m grateful for every

Katherine Michiels School

Girl Filmmakers Lead the Way at Noe Film Festival

director, producer, or editor as keynote speaker. This year, the speaker will be Nicole Grindle, a producer at Pixar Animation for more than 30 years. The San Francisco–based Grindle most recently produced the science-fiction animation comedy Hoppers (2026), working with director Daniel Chong. Her producing credits also include The Incredibles 2 (2018), Toy Story 3 (2010), and Monsters University (2013).

The audience will have the opportunity to ask Grindle questions, including how to overcome challenges as a female filmmaker.

“We have a lot of little kids at the festival, and I think it’s really cool for them to see a woman who’s done really well in the film industry—someone they can look up to,” Weiss says.

As of mid-June, when we caught up with three members of the festival leadership team, about 100 films had been submitted among the hundreds more expected by the Aug. 1 deadline.

Sixteen-year-old member Charlotte Furey points out that submissions can range anywhere from live action to documentaries to animation films and can attract filmmakers from countries as far flung as Ukraine, Brazil, and Australia. (Films are submitted through the global platform FilmFreeway—see the festival website at www.nvgff.com.)

One of the past films was an animated film about a child living through war, recalls team member Emmanuelle Seguritan, 16. “They're speaking on topics that are issues that their country is currently facing—things that we might not be aware of in the U.S.”

ist at the 2023 NVGFF, for her film Acorn

India Anne Mitchell, a 15-year-old student at Petaluma High School, says she is submitting two documentary short films this year, one about a street piano player.

She has entered many other international film contests, she says, and usually winds up on a stage composed of mostly guys and just a few girls.

“It’s really special that there’s a film festival where you can see so much work from other girls,” says Mitchell about the NVGFF.

Festival Team Evolves

The festival grew out of the experiences of Noe Valley girls experimenting with their iPads and iMovie editing to make their own films and even create their own production companies. Two sets of sisters launched the event in 2016: Charlotte and Caitlin Kane, with Ella and Maggie Marks. (See Voice, September 2016 issue.)

The kids’ parents had a lot of involvement with the more technical and money management side of organizing the first show. Currently, in addition to the organizers interviewed for this article (Weiss, Furey, and Seguritan), the NVGFF leadership team is composed of Clair Kane (Charlotte and Caitlin’s younger sister), Scarlett Sedwick, and Marissa Higgins. Today, the festival is mostly student-run, says Weiss.

To raise the $3,000-plus it takes to put on the event, the girls hold bake sales and seek donations from sponsors. The biggest backers over the years have been the Noe Valley Association and the Droubi Team real estate company on 24th Street.

The Art of Judging Judging films in the festival is a twostep process. First, a group of youth organizers and volunteers—all teens, including boys—screens the submissions, determines if they meet basic entry criteria, and narrows down the field of entrants to 10 to 15 finalists. Then, six adult judges review the shortlist of films and select the winners.

The Kanes provided training in how to evaluate films, and this know-how is passed on to volunteers. Among other things, they look at the cinematography, sound quality, and plot, Weiss explains.

Céline Alexander, who grew up on Whitney Street and used to babysit the Kane children, has been an adult judge for several years. The judges get a list of qualities to look for in a film and rate the submissions using a point system.

It’s not easy, though, because the films are so different, Alexander tells the Voice. The work could be an intense scripted drama or a simple and sweet animated story with a high impact, she says.

“I look for the basics: How watchable is it? Is the cinematography good? Is the story cohesive?” Alexander says.

She also listens for clear dialogue and effective background music. Judges may score lower if the film looks as if adults gave too much help to the project.

“We just really want to see these kids show their creativity, work hard, and in the spirit of learning, try and experience new things,” Alexander says.

Mitchell says she started out with an old iPhone and a cheap mic she purchased off Amazon, but as she worked her way up through various film festivals, she invested in a Sony FX3 cinema camera, Adobe Premiere editing software, lavalier mics, and a boom mic. She adds that she learned many of her skills from her teachers at middle and high school.

The NVGFF website includes a page of resources for beginners (https://www.nvgff.com/movie-makingresources), including the Vimeo Academy and KidsVid (at 4teachers.org), as well as links to royalty-free music and low-cost animation programs.

The organizers emphasize the low bar to entry and high chance of fun.

Furey says taking part in the festival is an “opportunity to grow,” and Seguritan adds with a smile, “We aren’t super-hard judges.”

Speaking for the judges, Alexander says, “I would love to see as many kids who are interested submit. You don’t need to have fancy equipment, and you don't need to have a bunch of technical know-how. You can learn on the job with this.”

To submit your film—by Aug. 1—go to https://filmfreeway.com/NoeValleyGirls FilmFestival. For tickets and information, visit the website www.nvgff.com/ or email info@nvgff.com. Follow the event on Instagram at @noevalleygirlsfilmfest or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nvgff/.

The festival also gets submissions from film schools and filmmaking camps for kids. This year, a batch of hand-drawn animated films has already arrived via a workshop in Slovakia.

Of course, the event also draws filmmakers close to home. Emilia Diaz Delgado, from Noe Valley, was a final-

A Chance to Learn

The judges don’t know what kind of equipment or technology the entrants may have used. But Weiss says in general the filmmakers use a mix of iPhones and cameras, as well as iMovie or free software for editing.

The leadership team organizing this year’s Noe Valley Girls Film Festival includes (left to right) Charlotte Furey, Emmanuelle Seguritan, and Mollie Weiss. They hope all girls will consider making a film and submitting it to the Aug. 22 event. Photo by Emily Hayes

Céline Alexander, who has been a member of the NVGFF judges panel for many years, says the films come in a variety of styles and subjects. By the time she sees them, the teens running the festival have screened the hundreds of films they’ve received and narrowed them down to 10 to 15 finalists. Photo by Emily Hayes

Be a Volunteer— Chris Faust Says It’s a Lot of Fun

taught fulltime in the San Mateo School District, and Faust began work on a degree in instructional technology at San Francisco State University while substitute-teaching in San Mateo.

His real joy was helping Bishop’s students with sets and costumes for elaborate musicals in her afterschool theater program at Burlingame High School. “I got an old VW out of a junkyard and had the kids convert it to the [souped-up car] Greased Lightnin’ for Grease.”

After Bishop’s retirement, they joined East Bay Children’s Theater (ebctonline.org), which brings professional quality productions of fairy and folk tales to public schools. They still get out the van and drive across the bay to set up and take down performances, including the latest, Jackie and the Beanstalk. “We are the last people out the door,” Faust says.

Following Grover’s Lead

By 2003, both Faust and Bishop were looking to escape the fog in the avenues. Sister Amy owned half of a tenants-in-common Craftsman cottage next to On Lok Senior Center on 30th Street, and when the other owner moved out, they were able to buy the empty half-share.

Almost instantly, Faust got involved in local affairs.

“I started seeing graffiti and noticed no one was doing anything about it, so I began cleaning it up.”

The Department of Public Works eyed the odd assortment of colors he was using and urged him to join their Graffiti Watch program so they could supply him with standard paint colors. He did.

After he and Mary adopted a scruffy terrier mix named Grover, Faust “made the neighborhood my life. Grover went everywhere with me, even standing guard while I painted out graffiti.”

The trio regularly visited the dog park at the rec center, then a small fenced strip along the first-base side of the park’s field.

In 2007, neighbors of Upper Noe Rec Center, concerned about aesthetics and noise, convinced UNN and Supervisor Bevan Dufty to hold a meeting to find consensus on a city plan to improve the dog park. The plan involved expanding the park’s footprint to the east and the addition of a pathway along Day Street for a second entrance to the park.

Faust and friends quickly organized a group to advocate for dog owners. “We found out about the meeting a couple of days before it happened and rallied 75 supporters. The other side also had about 75 people.”

A tie vote left the proposed changes in place. The dog group later merged with the existing Day Park Dogs, run by Joby Shinoff and Neil Mosher, to form Friends of Upper Noe Dog Owners Group (FUNDOG).

The expanded dog park was included in a major renovation of the rec center, completed in 2008. It was named Joby’s Run after Shinoff, who had died of cancer less than a year before.

Faust became the dog park liaison to Friends of the Noe Valley Recreation Center (now Friends of Upper Noe Recreation Center—FUNRC).

To stay better informed of the city's plans for the neighborhood, he joined

Upper Noe Neighbors in 2008 and gradually assumed a more active role.

In 2012, he took over as Upper Noe's representative on the Ingleside Station Community Police Advisory Board.

After the passing of UNN President Vicki Rosen in 2015, Faust joined the Neighbors’ board, serving as secretary and then V.P.

He has served as president since 2022. “Somebody has to do it,” he jokes.

‘The Closer’ During Covid In 2010, Faust landed a job with the census. “I did door to door. I really enjoyed it. I went out of the city up into rural areas in California to find people who hadn’t been counted. The census office called me ‘The Closer’ because I didn’t give up.

“And it helped me understand community. I saw all sides of it. I walked into a garage subdivided into seven units. I worked with special crews to root out hard-to-get cases. Grover was with me. He is a natural diplomat and people would relax.”

He signed up again in 2020 because, he says, “I had so much fun.”

Covid shut down the city in 2020, and the census office sent home all of its workers. True to form, Faust stepped up locally.

“Upper Noe Merchants [launched in 2019] worked with city agencies to distribute cases of masks, shields, and sanitizer to businesses in the Castro, Bernal, and whoever asked for it. We supported On Lok feeding people with pickup meals.

“And we let people know what was going on through the Upper Noe Neighbors newsletter. The newsletter had 300 subscribers when we started. Now it’s about 800.”

When the city began cautiously reopening a year later, Ingleside Police Station revived National Night Out, traditionally held at the station the first Tuesday in August. Faust was in charge of food.

“On July 1, the brass said we had to have National Night Out. There was no time to plan a barbecue, so I got donated pizzas. It was a huge success as a pizza party.”

Raising a Fuss

By 2013, Faust had risen to chairing the FUNRC group.

“I was working with the Friends to try to get more parents interested in the park. We wanted to do things to make the park better for kids and families.”

He soon realized maintenance was key.

“Nobody had been raising a fuss to keep up the park. That became our job, to keep a focus on maintenance, so things didn’t become run down and unusable. We wanted a park that was safe and inviting.”

During the drought in the early 2010s, the city turned off the water fountains at the dog park. “It took me like 12 years to get the water fountain working again. For four or five years, we thought about getting the parts and fixing it ourselves! But we just kept pushing them till they did it.”

To date, FUNRC has raised close to $100,000 for the rec center, for items such as acoustic panels in the auditorium, picnic tables, a sound system, sports equipment, and tot toys.

“You need to be pro-active,” says Faust. “You need to make sure people are aware how tenuous a hold we have on facilities.”

Block Party Booster

At the rec center, Faust has been front and center with organizing the group’s annual block party. He helped organize the first one in 2013. “It was originally conceived as a one-time event to celebrate five years since the renovation of Upper Noe Recreation Center. We called it Cinco de Noe.

“Cinco de Noe was wildly successful, and it started bringing local organizations and people together, which built a sense of community that had been lacking in the neighborhood. So in 2018 we had a 10-year anniversary party, called Ten Together.”

That year, the Friends of Upper Noe Rec got an award from the city’s Neighborhood Empowerment Network “for giving the most extraordinary neighborhood block party,” Faust recalls. “After that, we decided to make it an annual event.”

Last year’s attendance, which he says was counted in cups of La Copa Loca gelato, surpassed 450. This year’s party takes place on Saturday, Sept. 26.

“We’re calling it Upper Noe NeighborFest,” says Faust.

“It’s going to be the biggest party ever. We got a grant from Avenue Greenlight that’s going to allow us to have more activities for kids and a really great band.”

Music a Side Gig

Faust has his own musical talent as a guitarist and singer-songwriter. He and longtime friend Lisa Safran got togeth-

er in 2007 to write a single song. That led to a long partnership of co-writing 65 other songs, Faust says. Their band, Bitter Mystics, played at such venues as Café Flore, Biscuits and Blues, and Del Monte Square in Fisherman’s Wharf. “Original tunes opened doors for us,” explains Faust. Back then, he says, “club owners were afraid of being sued by ASCAP [American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers] for copyright infringement if they allowed performers to sing covers. Our music was all our own.”

Bitter Mystics eventually made an album, Dreams That Matter, which you can listen to for free on jamendo.com.

Upper Noe Lights

Upper Noe Neighbors has provided a forum for the hot-button issues of parking and transit along Church Street.

Inevitably, the advocates for more parking meters face pushback from both the city and local residents. “It’s a challenge for businesses to take a stance on parking,” says Faust. “It’s a third-rail issue. You get burned any way you touch this.”

In the last few years, he says, UNN has negotiated with the SFMTA and scored some successes. Its members supported the drive to get the J-Church line put back underground in the Muni Metro tunnel. “We also got them to compromise on the proposed 80-foot boarding platforms up and down Church Street, which would have eliminated a lot more parking and would have been in the wrong locations considering the rearrangement of J-Church stops on Church Street.”

The Neighbors also fought for the stop sign on Church Street at 28th. “After begging for a dozen years, we launched a petition drive that gathered over 300 signatures, which finally encouraged the SFMTA to do the right thing and put the stop sign in.”

Among their other achievements, he says, are the colorful banners and new lights strung along Church Street.

To Faust, such wins not only make him proud but they spotlight the importance of Upper Noe Neighbors. “We keep watch on what’s going on around us, so that changes happen through us, and not just to us.”

NeighborFest Needs You

Faust has been honored multiple times, most recently as one of 11 Neighborhood Heroes—he was District 8’s—celebrated at the ConnectedSF gala held in November at the San Francisco County Fair Building.

He guesses it was because, “I wear a lot of different hats. When I see something that needs to be done, I just do it.”

But he insists it’s not about him.

“The people before me set a spirit which I aim to follow.”

His current goal is to get more local residents involved. “Volunteerism is lagging lately. People are burned out by bad news. The idea is to continue to work as a community, have hope that things will get better, and get to know each other.”

A good way to do that would be to come to an Upper Noe Neighbors meeting (held on third Wednesdays of alternating months at the rec center, 295 Day St.).

Even better, sign up to volunteer for NeighborFest (Sept. 26). Email hello@uppernoeneighbors.com.

You’re also welcome to join him and Bishop at the dog park, tossing balls for Elsa, their 3-year-old Australian kelpie. Whatever you do, he wants to assure you, “It’s going to be fun!”

Chris Faust stands in Joby’s Run, the dog park that was one of his earliest passions in the neighborhood he’s called home since 2003.

Photo by Kit Cameron

hood ru s, after owell jo g y referred to the outings as a “Noe Valley n club.”

What began as a casual idea among iends has evolved into a weekly fixture, with roughly 35 to 40 people attending most Fridays

12 The Noe Valley Voice • July 2026

“Even if they’re not the biggest runers, they’re joining for the community ement that’s something I really appreciate about Noe Valley,” Gondak id

More Runs, More Runners

For fellow NVRC member and capin Andrew Dupree, 38, the club

fered a way to rebuild social connecons after the pandemic

“I needed more community in my fe—new friends, new acquaintances, ew people to spend time with For me, the run club really played a big part in that It helped me meet people nearby ho were looking for something simiar,” he said Dupree, a Google product manager, ined in fall 2022 after a neighbor mentioned the club while spotting him n a run.

“I had never been a run club guy before I was just kind of a headphones, solo runner,” he said. “So I was like, ’ll try it out.’ I just wandered up there the next Friday and basically haven’t issed one since If I’m in town, I’m there.”

The club has expanded beyond its iginal Friday run. Some members ow meet earlier for a four-mile route through Glen Canyon Park before regrouping for the main run. Afterward, many linger at Noe Cafe for coffee, pastries, and conversation.

NVRC also hosts evening runs on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, meeting in front of Mamahuhu nd the former Todo El Día (soon-to-be Bonita), respectively Following their

three-mile outings, some stick around for food and drinks at one of the 24th Street eateries

“We’re really about making friends, meeting the neighbors It’s our angle, our focus And I think that works for a lot of people,” Dupree said All Levels Welcome

Member and co-captain Brad Taylor has helped design NVRC hats and sweatshirts, which have become staples at runs and social events like potlucks and happy hours

Taylor, a health tech CTO in his 40s, joined NVRC in 2022 after a good friend recommended it. Not a runner at the time, he figured what better way to start than with those in his neighbor-

hood. He’s now a consistent presence on Fridays

“It’s a really great group of folks in all levels of running, from marathoners and ultramarathoners to folks who just want to show up and have a nice little run,” he said

“We’re very supportive of folks who are just beginning their running journey and just want to get a coffee and chat with their friends and neighbors,” he added

Group Photo at the Start

Newcomers to Friday mornings can expect a laid-back scene and welcoming atmosphere. People mingle in small groups before the captains gather

loop back onto Sanchez.

g ay, they y

The runs often include children in strollers, dogs on leashes, and even a parrot named Banana perched calmly on a member ’s finger. People wave from sidewalks and windows as the NVRC runners pass by Lasting Connections

Gondak has since moved to the Inner Richmond but still joins on Fridays when work allows At a recent run, she spoke with a longtime Sanchez Street resident who told her the club had helped him finally get to know his neighbors

“I think that’s really what the run club has brought and continues to bring to the neighborhood—just a lot of those connections,” Gondak said

You can find Noe Valley Run Club on Instagram, Strava, and, of course, running around the neighborhood.

NVRC members Andrew Dupree (left) and Sophia Sanchez, a couple , initially met through the club Dupree is also one of NVRC’s captains Photo by JL Odom

Noe Valley Run Club captain Geneva Gondak (back row, center) joined the club shor tly after it formed in March 2022. Though she now lives in the Inner Richmond, she still attends the Friday morning runs when able Photo by JL Odom

Photo by JL Odom

Summer will end soon..

Photo by Jack Tipple

SHORT TAKES

Five-Story Apartment Building Coming to 24th St.

An infill housing project along Noe Valley’s main commercial corridor that will include a below-market-rate unit onsite is working its way through the city’s approval process. Still, it remains unknown when construction on the new five-story, seven-unit residential building will begin.

Last July, city planners initially approved the proposal for 4148 24th St., between Castro and Diamond streets. It will replace a three-story Mission Revival–style building, which currently has two residential units above a garage, one being used by an acupuncturist.

Because one of the seven twobedroom apartments in the new project is to be affordable to lower-income households, it received a 35 percent density bonus under state law.

The new 52-foot building offers about 9,700 square feet for housing.

Though there is no allowance for parking, there is a storage room for tenants’ bikes. One of the apartments will have access to a private yard.

SF Yimby brought renewed attention to the project this summer after posting on its website that San Francisco–based real estate developer Golden Properties LLC had filed new building permits for the property with the city’s planning department.

“Illustrations show the infill will feature vernacular architectural features, including balconies overlooking 24th Street and the backyard,” noted the prohousing group. “The exterior will be wrapped in smooth fiber cement, stucco finish, and concrete. The sidewalls will be decorated with pixelated stucco panels.”

Construction is estimated to cost $2.5 million.

The city’s planning department has approved plans for a 52-foot tall, seven-unit apartment building at 4148 24th St., between Castro and Diamond streets. However, according to the property owner, the project still needs the i’s dotted and t’s crossed at the Department of Building Inspection before construction can begin.. Illustration courtesy RKD Consulting

Local contractor Brian Harty, a coowner of the property, told the Voice more city approvals were needed before ground could be broken.

“We do not have a timeline for construction at this time. Building plans are still being reviewed by SFDBI,” said Harry, referring to the city’s building inspection department.

—Matthew S. Bajko

Calling All Artists—It’s Festival Time

TheNoe Valley Art Festival will be celebrating its fifth year on Sunday, Sept. 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Noe Valley Town Square, 3861 24th St.

“Mark your calendars and plan to join us for this fun and free community event,” invites Peggy Cling of Friends of Noe Valley, a co-sponsor of the festival with Perez Construction, in partnership with the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department.

Cling says if you are an artist and would like to find out about participating, now is the time to send an email to friendsofnv@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name, address, and phone,

and art medium.

As in past years, the festival will feature art displays and sales, painting demonstrations, activities for kids, and musical entertainment. Two dozen artists took part in 2025, showing everything from paintings, drawings, and photographs to jewelry, ceramics, fabric art, sculpture, and digital art.

The event—one of the neighborhood’s favorite ways to support local artists—attracts up to a thousand visitors throughout the day.

—Sally Smith

Where’s Waldo? Look in Downtown Noe Valley! If you spot a bunch of munchkins flitting in and out of 24th Street businesses in July, don’t get in their way. They are on a mission of high importance.

Their quest? To find Waldo, the iconic world and time traveler who has been hiding inside local stores since July 1.

The scavenger hunt is part of a nationwide summer celebration of reading, with Noe Valley Books partnering with 20 local businesses to encourage residents to explore the neighborhood.

The contest has attracted sleuths of every age, searching for a six-inch cardboard Waldo dressed in the duds first displayed in Where’s Waldo? by British illustrator/author Martin Handford: blue pants, red and white striped shirt, round glasses, and a beanie topped with a red pom-pom.

“We’ve had kids, I'd say 4 to 12, who are really into it, come in, ask for their own [score] card, and then they’re off to the races,” says Kit Fitzgerald of Noe Valley Books, 3957 24th St.

They’re not the only ones.

“Teens have been coming in because it's the summer months and they just think it’s really fun,” Fitzgerald says. “And then, of course, we have some very competitive adults who ask almost sheepishly, ‘Can adults play?’”

The answer is yes. Anyone can participate in the free scavenger hunt and win prizes. Here’s how:

Stop by Noe Valley Books, get a Waldo stamp card, and search the store for the elusive Waldo. Then visit other businesses listed on the card to track down more miniature Waldos. Each discovery earns a stamp or signature. Return the completed card to Noe Valley Books by Friday, July 31.

There are 21 concealed Waldos. Find at least one and you will receive a specially created Waldo bookmark. Find and return eight stamps and you will be rewarded with a Waldo poster and a $5 gift coupon to Noe Books. Fifteen will enter you into a runner-up raffle, while

18 stamps will earn entry into the grand prize raffle featuring gifts donated by participating merchants. The raffle for the grand prizes will be held Aug. 1 at the bookstore.

“So the fun part is that you get prizes, no matter what,” Fitzgerald says.

In addition to Noe Valley Books, the other participating businesses are Easy Breezy Frozen Yogurt, Olive This Olive That, Novy Restaurant, Wink SF, Purplemaroon, Rin Thai, Two Birds, Urban Scout, De Fonte Law, Grand Lake Kitchen, Small Frys, Loved Again, the Animal Company, Chocolate Covered, Bernie's Coffee Shop, Art Haus SF, Trad Bone Broth, Jamaroo Kids, Just for Fun, and Noe Valley Bakery.

For more information and a printable stamp card, go to noevalleybooks.com.

—Corrie M. Anders

Friday Night Music: Classical Squared

As summer gives way to fall, the Noe Valley Town Square is keeping the lights on with a lineup of free evening events in our perfect piazza at 3861 24th St., between Sanchez and Vicksburg.

Besides the Noe Valley Night Market on last Tuesdays—such as July 28, 5 to 8 p.m.—the biggest attraction this season may be Classical Squared, a free concert series performed by the world-class musicians from Noe Music. Says Town Square events coordinator Leslie Crawford, “We are partnering with Noe Music, which usually hosts performances at the Noe Valley Ministry, to host four classical concerts on a brand-new day and time—Fridays, 5 to 6:30 p.m.—to play for commuters, young families, and everyone in between who likes to gather at the square at the end of the workweek.”

Concert dates are set for Sept. 11 and 18 and Oct. 2 and 23.

You can be stirred under the stars beforehand by attending the Salsa in the Square party on Saturday night, Aug. 1, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Come early to take a short dance lesson and find a spot close to the hot Latin band.

After relaxing with Noe Music on Sept. 11, put your boots (or sneakers) on and return the next night for the Noe Valley Town Square Dance Saturday, Sept. 12, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. There you’ll also get tips from the caller and band, on how to do-si-do, allemande left, and swing western-style.

You can confirm the above dates and more at the square’s website: noevalleytownsquare.com.

—Sally Smith

Artist David Meeker stands before a collection of paintings that proved fascinating to visitors to the 2025 Noe Valley Art Festival in the Town Square. This year’s event is on Sunday, Sept. 13. Artists can still apply by emailing friendsofnv@gmail.com. Photo courtesy Peggy Cling

Quick, start your hunt for the 21 Waldos in the Find Waldo Local contest, running till July 31. Go to Noe Valley Books, 3957 24th St., and pick up your scorecard.

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Welcome to Art Everywhere Valley.

Photo by Jack Tipple

The Cost of Living in Noe

Top Sellers on 25th Street

By Corrie M. Anders

Noe Valley residential shoppers purchased 17 single-family detached homes in May—five more than in April and six more than in May a year ago— according to data supplied monthly to the Noe Valley Voice by Corcoran Icon Real Estate.

The last time 17 homes sold in the month of May was 15 years ago, in 2011. (Side note: In May 2011 the average sales price of a Noe Valley house was $1,477,000. Today, it’s almost twice that: $2,827,500.)

The increase in traffic in May reflected the continued strong demand for Noe Valley properties, particularly from affluent workers in tech fields.

“AI is driving the prices right now

and driving the competition,” said Christine Lopatowski, manager of Corcoran Icon’s 24th Street office.

Buyers on average paid a quarter more than the seller’s asking price—93 percent more in one case—and sealed their deals in an average two weeks, frequently without needing a mortgage loan.

“There were a significant number of cash offers,” said Lopatowski.

The month’s priciest home was a renovated Victorian in the 3900 block of 25th Street, between Sanchez and Church streets. It sold for $5.8 million—5.6 percent more than its listed price ($5,495,000).

Originally built in 1900, the fourbedroom, four-bath home “had a lot of that classical charm still in the interior, yet with all of the modern amenities,” Lopatowski said.

Those included a gourmet kitchen with Wolf range, SubZero refrigerator, two Bosch dishwashers, a wine fridge, and a large center island with quartz countertops.

With 2,838 square feet of living space, the house featured an openconcept living and dining area that flowed to a family room with glass doors opening onto a garden with palm

Noe Valley Home Sales*

trees and a built-in grill and fire pit. Extras included wide-plank wood floors, in-ceiling speakers, a front office (or den) with a powder room and walkin closet, a gas fireplace in both the living room and primary bedroom suite, a two-car garage with EV-charging, and an au pair suite with its own entrance.

A ‘Killer’ Condo

Though there were fewer condominium sales than in previous months— only five sales, compared with 11 deals in May of last year—buyers still moved with alacrity, making offers in less than two weeks and rewarding sellers with an average 17 percent premium to win their piece of Noe Valley.

The most expensive condo in May was a two-bedroom, one-bath home with 1,150 square feet of living space in a two-unit 1911 Edwardian “in a killer Noe Valley location just steps from slow Sanchez Street,” in the 4000 block of 25th Street.

Among its features was a light-filled living room and kitchen leading through floor-to-ceiling glass to a “huge deck” and green-filled outdoor space. The unit had a gas fireplace but did not come with space for a car.

Despite the lack of parking, however, the home commanded a top-tier offer of $1.8 million—41.2 percent over its asking price ($1,275,000).

Location, location, location.

Claudia

A buyer paid $1.8

STORE TREK

Store Trek is a regular feature in the Noe Valley Voice, spotlighting new stores and restaurants in “Downtown Noe Valley.” This month, we introduce a wine bar and restaurant a short walk down the hill to Guerrero Street.

FRENCHIE WINE BAR

1007 Guerrero St. at 22nd Street 415-793-5897

https://frenchiewinebar.com/

Open Tuesday through Saturday, 4 to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 2 to 8 p.m. Closed Mondays.

Among the better-known Californian, French, and Italian wines poured for customers at Frenchie Wine Bar are ones from Hungary and the Czech Republic not often seen on menus in San Francisco. They hark to the Eastern European roots of co-owner Natalia Morarasu, who grew up in Moldova.

A 2021 Furmit Sec from Hungarian vintner Királyudvar is $17 per glass and described as “mineral-driven” with “vibrant citrus fruit” notes and having a “volcanic texture.”

A glass of 2024 Běl, meaning white wine in Czech, from Milan Nestarec is $18 per glass. It is a mix of Gruner Veltiner, Weslchriesling, and Muller Tburgau grapes that promises a “wild, juicy, and saltine” wine.

Both bottles can be purchased to take home for $75 each. Customers looking to taste the various wines on the menu can opt for the Somm Flight and pick three wines for $33 among the whites and reds featured on the menu.

Popular with customers have been a 2025 French Sauvignon Blanc white wine from Thirot-Fournier and a 2022 French Merlot from Clos Petit-Corbin. (Both are $20 if ordered by the glass.)

On warmer days a top choice has been the chilled 2022 “Daybreak” red wine from Copain, made with

Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Malvasia Blanca grapes grown along California’s northern coast. It’s $16 a glass.

“Our main focus is on sustainable wines from local producers,” said Morarasu.

Morarasu’s partner, Joel Arias, is a co-owner in the wine bar and a certified sommelier. To become even more advanced, Arias is preparing to take the test next year for the third level of certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers.

“There are not too many Peruvians with that certification. I would like to be one of the first ones,” said Arias, who a decade ago moved from Peru to the Bay Area.

Last Sept. 15, the couple opened their wine bar at 1007 Guerrero St., at 22nd Street. The space formerly was home to Turkish restaurant Tuba.

At Frenchie, wines are changed seasonally, as “the weather plays an important role,” noted Arias. “Right now, we have more whites, roses, and champagne. A lot of our wines are not familiar for people.”

In June, they added two choices of “bubbles,” including a French champagne made with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier grapes by Drappier Carte d’Or. At $25 a glass, “it’s been selling like water,” said Morarasu. They also have a non-alcoholic wine, a Spanish sparkling EdeM N.0 from LA Mancha, for $15 a glass. But their wine bar is not just about vino.

Arias oversees the food menu and kitchen. One of the most popular choices, he says, is the cheese board, an array of cheeses paired with homemade seasonal jams and a basket of fresh sourdough bread ($30). Other favorite appetizers are the Spanish Jamon plate ($19) and the Passion Fruit Cebiche ($22), made with market fish of the

day, Maine scallops, and octopus.

A “Fresh Off The Heat” option that Morarasu recommends is Spanish Octopus, which is char-grilled and served with butter beans, corno di toro, and breadcrumbs ($32). “It is absolutely phenomenal.”

The fried chicken ($25) has been popular too, she noted. It features southern Indian spices and is served with hummus, golden raisins, and radicchio salad. Tsar Nikolai Osetra caviar can be added for $30.

There is also a Peruvian Pork Belly Bao ($21), served with pepper aioli, sweet potatoes, and Criolla red onion salad. The 16-ounce New York Steak ($59) comes with mushrooms, white onions, malbec jus, and French fries.

Frenchie’s desserts ($12) include crème brûlée, a double chocolate mousse, and pistachio ice cream.

Over the summer, the couple plan to offer oysters on the half shell to accompany a glass of champagne. They also are working on collaborations with local farmers to create dishes made with fruits and vegetables to pair with their wines.

In June, Morarasu and Arias launched a monthly wine club where they select three bottles to send to subscribers. It costs $99 per month and provides 15 percent off on purchases from the online wine shop or dining at the wine bar.

The couple first met working at La

Mar, where Arias was the wine director and Morarasu a waitress. Beginning in 2024, they began to look for a space to rent in their price range to open their own wine bar. They found the Guerrero Street space in early 2025, when they happened to eat at the sushi restaurant next door and noticed a for-lease sign on Tuba’s space.

By May of last year they had signed the lease. After spending the next three months sprucing up the interior, they were ready to open.

“It is going great,” said Morarasu. “We have definitely been growing since we opened our doors and now have regulars. More people find us every day, which I am happy with. It is more word of mouth than marketing.”

They named the wine bar after their chocolate-brown French bulldog, Dolcetto. While his silhouette is featured in the wine bar’s logo, Dolcetto is usually left at home in North Beach.

“No, we don’t speak French,” admitted Morarasu when asked about the wine bar’s name.

Arias noted, “Lots of wine bars have the names of dogs.”

However, they do take reservations and also accept walk-ins. The wine bar seats 40 people, and two outdoor tables are dog-friendly. Open Tuesday through Sunday, the space can be rented out for private events accommodating up to 60 people.

—Matthew S. Bajko

Frenchie Wine Bar has two outdoor tables where dogs are welcome, like Dolcetto, the owners’ French bulldog. Photo by Art Bodner

Natalia Morarasu and Joel Arias toast their new venture, Frenchie Wine Bar, a cozy night spot that hopes to spice up the summer with oysters on the half shell and champagne. Photo by Art Bodner

Pat Rose Home Organizing 415-608-7634

Clear the Clutter Reclaim your Space! patrosehomeorganizing.com

HANDYMAN SERVICES

• Custom & Refaced Cabinets

• Replacing Dry Rot Deck Planks

• Carpentry and Painting

• Refinishing Hardwood Flooring

• Finish Decks 6 different stains lasting 6 to 8 years. Call Miguel (510) 333-0732

25 year member of Pet Sitters Intl. Cass Morgan • 415.513.9299 positivelypets1@earthlink.net www.sfpositivelypets.com

July 1-31: Pick up a “Find WALDO Local” stamp card at Noe Valley Books to participate in the game; winners announced Aug. 1. 3957 24th. 590-2961; noevalleybooks.com

July 1-Aug. 26: Tuesday TRIVIA Night at The Dubliner starts at 8 pm. Wed., it’s bingo. 3838 24th. 826-826-2279; dublinersf.com

July 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30; August 6, 13, 20 & 27: Family STORYTIMES are Thursdays, 10:15 am and 11 am. Noe Valley Library, 451 Jersey. 355-5707; sfpl.org

July 2-30 & Aug. 1-29: The BAR on Dolores hosts free BINGO for booze and prizes, on Tuesdays, free comedy on Thursdays, and mahjong on Saturdays, 8 pm. 1600 Dolores. 695-1745.

July 3-31 & Aug. 7-28: The Noe Valley RUN CLUB meets Fridays at Noe Cafe, 1299 Sanchez. 6:45 am for 4 miles, and 7:30 am for 2.5 miles. noevalleyrunclub.square.site

July 3 & 4; Sept. 6 & 7: The SF MIME TROUPE performs Wreckage: A Musical Tragicomedy in Dolores Park. 2 pm. sfmt.org

July 4-25 & Aug. 1-29: The FARMERS MARKET has fresh produce and music Saturdays, 8 am to 1 pm. Noe Valley Town Square, 3861 24th.

July 4-25 & Aug. 1-29: The Noe WALKS group strides on Saturdays, 10 am, at 24th and Sanchez.

uly 5, 12, 19 & 26: Free Sunday morning

YOGA FLOW offers all-level classes; bring water and a mat. 11 am-noon. 3861 24th. noevalleytownsquare.com

July 6, 13, 20 & 27; Aug. 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31: Toddler STORYTIMES are Mondays, 11:15-11:45 am. Tickets 11 am. Noe Valley Library, 451 Jersey. 355-5707; sfpl.org

July 6-27 & Aug. 3-31: Charlie Varon’s MONDAY SALON offers writers and performers a chance to connect and discuss their work. 10 am-2 pm. Noe Valley Ministry, 1021 Sanchez. 282-2317; charlievaron@gmail.com

July 6-Aug. 31: Mamahuhu hosts MAHJONG Mondays from 6 to 9 pm. 3991 24th. 374-7012; eatmamahuhu.com

July 9 & Aug. 13: Valencia Live! NIGHT MARKET offers vendors, live music, , and

Noe VALLEY LOCAL Services

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Mind-Body Coaching

Sensitive emotional support. Find a deep sense of inner connection and wholeness within yourself. Experience greater clarity and well-being through embodied awareness.

Please call for complementary consultation. (415) 290-1269 ksarakane@yahoo.com

Construction Roofing Contractor LIC # 990233 -Residential & Commercial Projects -Repairs, replacements and new roof (415) 877-1293

Pat Rose Home Organizing 415-608-7634

Clear the Clutter Reclaim your Space! patrosehomeorganizing.com

CALENDAR

salsa lessons. 5-10 pm. Valencia between 17th & 20th. visitvalenciastreet.com/live

July 12 & 19; Aug. 23: City Guides offers a WALKING TOUR of Noe Valley, starting at 451 Jersey, at 2 pm. Register with City Guides, 375-0468; sfcityguides.org

July 13 & Aug. 10: TECH HELP at the Noe Valley Library is available from 2 to 3 pm. 451 Jersey. 355-5707; sfpl.org

July 14 & Aug. 11: Free POETRY NIGHT at Noe Valley Books features an open mic; sign up at https://forms.gle/RgiYEvxSeaT6XCQ6A, or at the door. 7 pm. 3957 24th. 590-2961; noevalleybooks.com

July 14 & Aug. 11: It’s LEGO and Board Game Night at the Noe Valley Library. 67:30 pm. 451 Jersey. 355-5707; sfpl.org

July 15: The Upper Noe Neighbors meet at the Upper Noe Rec Center, 295 Day, at 7 pm. 970-8061; uppernoeneighbors.com

July 16-Aug. 2: The Castro Theatre screens films as part of the SF JEWISH FILM Festival 26; actress/writer Rachel Bloom receives the Freedom of Expression Award, on July 18 at 6 pm. 429 Castro. 6216120; thecastro.com

July 17: Martin Philip discusses King Arthur Baking Company’s The Book of Pizza. 6:30 pm. OMNIVORE Books, 3885 Cesar Chavez. 282-4712; omnivorebooks.com

July 17-Aug. 1: Dreams on the Rocks presents the 24th annual TWILIGHT ZONE PARODY Series on Fri. and Sat., 7 pm. Eclectic Box SF, 446 Valencia. electicboxsf.com

July 18: KIDS STORYTIME (for ages 3 to 8) at Noe Valley Books meets on the third Saturday of the month, from 9:15 to 9:45 am. 3957 24th. 590-2961; noevalleybooks.com

July 19: Sunday MUSIC IN THE SQUARE features Cajon and Piano, with percussionist Pierr Padilla and keyboardist Erick Peralta. 1-3 pm. Noe Valley Town Square, 3861 24th. noevalleytownsquare.com

F Plans and Permits Plans Drafted Permits Expedited www.sfplansandpermits.com sfplansandpermits@gmail.com

July 19 & Aug. 16: Volunteers for Noe Valley CLEANUP DAY meet at the Town Square to pick up supplies. 10 am-noon. 3861 24th. Refuse Refuse and SF Public Works; mobilize.us

July 22: ACTION-SF strategizes on Wednesday this month, 6 to 7:30 pm. Noe Valley Library, 451 Jersey; action-sf.com

July 23: Charlie Palmer and Matt Villano discuss WINELAND: Celebrating the Heart of Sonoma. 6:30 pm. Omnivore Books, 3885 Cesar Chavez. omnivorebooks.com

July 23: Noe Valley Books’ BOOK CLUB meets from 7 to 8:30 pm. 3957 24th. 5902961; noevalleybooks.com

July 25 & 26: Summer SIDEWALK SALE features bands Liberty Street and Hiwatters. 11 am to 5 pm. 24th Street and Town Square. noevalleymerchants.com

July 26 & Aug. 30: The Corner Sessions monthly JAZZ concert at Dolores Deluxe runs from 1-3 pm. 2500 22nd. doloresdeluxe.com

July 28: The Noe Valley NIGHT MARKET offers local vendors, food, and live music, 5 to 8 pm. 3861 24th. Noemerchants.com

July 28 & Aug. 25: PAJAMA STORYTIME includes stories and songs for children and their caregivers. 6:30-7 pm. Noe Valley Library, 451 Jersey. 355-5707; sfpl.org

July 30-Sept. 3: SFFD offers NERT Training on Thursdays, 5:30 to 9:30 pm. 2310 Folsom. Register at 970-2024; sf-fire.org

Aug. 1: The DEADLINE for 5-minute film submissions to the Noe Valley Girls Film Fest is today. See nvgff.com

Aug. 1: “SALSA in the Square” starts with a dance lesson at 7 pm, then open dancing from 7:30 to 8:30 pm, in the Noe Valley Town Square, 3861 24th.

Aug. 4: NINA LACOUR launches her new book, Meet Me in the Garden, in conversation with Ilana K. Holloway. 7-8:30 pm. Chandran Gallery, 459 Geary. For info: Noe Valley Books, 590-2961; noevalleybooks.com

ATTORNEYS AT LAW 4091 24th Street NOE VALLEY (415) 641-0700

Rick Collins

Macintosh Help 29 Years Experience

Troubleshooting/Tutoring Tune-Ups/Upgrades

SFMacMan.com (415) 821-1792

VSA Construction General Contractor LIC # 990233

No job too small Old World Craftmanship (415) 877-1293

Aug. 7 & Sept. 4: A LABYRINTH service at Bethany UMC runs from 7 to 8 pm. 1270 Sanchez. 647-8393; bethanysf.org

Aug. 14: FILM La La Land (2016) screens from 2 to 4 pm at the Noe Valley Library. 451 Jersey. 355-5707; sfpl.org

Aug. 19: Sri Bodanapu discusses Kolkata: The People, Kitchens, and Streets of the City of Joy. 6:30 pm. OMNIVORE Books, 3885 Cesar Chavez. omnivorebooks.com

Aug. 20: T The Noe Valley Summer WINE WALK happens 4:30 to 7:30 pm. courtesy of Noe Valley merchants. Get tickets at Eventbrite.com Noe Valley Town Square. Aug. 22: The 11th annual Noe Valley Girls FILM FESTIVAL runs from 4 to 6 pm at the Noe Valley Ministry. 1021 Sanchez. 6066558; nvgff.com

Aug. 23: The Golden Gate Park Band performs a UKRAINIAN SOLIDARITY concert. 1-2:30 pm. 75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive. 596-1741; goldengateparkband.org

Aug. 24: Susan Ottaviano talks about the PLANTS That Heal.. 6:30 pm. Omnivore Books, 3885 Cesar Chavez. 282-4712

Sept. 11 & 18 and Oct. 2 & 23: Noe Music presents CLASSICAL SQUARED, four concerts, 5 to 6:30 pm, in the Noe Valley Town Square, 3861 24th St. noemusic.org

Sept. 12: The Noe Valley Town Square hosts the annual SQUARE DANCE from 7 to 8:30 pm. 3861 24th. noevalleytownsquare.com

Sept. 13: The free Noe Valley ART FESTIVAL features 22 artists, plus live music and activities. 10 am-4 pm. Noe Valley Town Square, 3861 24th.

Sept. 26: Upper Noe Recreation Center hosts the annual block party, NEIGHBORFEST, from 11 am to 3 pm; businesses, groups, and schools can reserve tables at info@noevalleyrecreationcenter.com.

Hold That Thought: Because of the Voice’s August Literary Issue, the next Voice Calendar will be in the September 2026 The deadline for calendar items is Aug. 20. Email calendar@noevalleyvoice.com.

Wind in the Willows Early Learning Center

Preschool & TK programs for children 2 ½ - 5 years

● Small class size 6:1 student to teacher ratio

● Experienced teachers

NOW ENROLLING!

713 Monterey Blvd. in the Sunnyside neighborhood loanne@windinthewillows.org

Replace Your Dry Rot Molding or Siding

We will reproduce to the exact profile and install before painting.

Call Miguel 510-333-0732

● Play-based learning environment

● Tight-knit community

Kids Enjoy Sports Camps All Summer

Girls Play Sports summer day camp in June was a great time with tons of girls enjoying a well-balanced selection of activities, according to Upper Noe facilities coordinator Emmanuel Blackwell. The camp offered girls ages 5 to 12 a mix of basketball, volleyball, tennis, pickleball, softball, floor hockey, dance, yoga, and tumbling.

In July through mid-August, camp transitions to co-ed Upper Noe Sports for ages 9 to 14. Kids get a well-rounded athletic experience, playing two different sports per day. That not only boosts physical development but teaches valuable life skills like teamwork and sports-personship. During camp hours, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, the lobby and gym at Upper Noe are closed to visitors and other activities. Classes in the auditorium are unaffected.

One City Day (July 11) promotes volunteer activities across the entire city. The Upper Noe Gardening Group and Upper Noe Neighbors will participate this year by inviting everyone to help beautify the tree wells outside the park along Day and 30th streets.

What’s in Your Quake Kit?

Sally Smith / Illustrations by Karol Barske

Are you ready for the next earthquake, fire, or health emergency?

Consider the things you might need in order to live for a week without water or electricity Below is a list of items for your home preparedness kit or “Go Bag,” suggested by the San Francisco Fire Department’s Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT)

NERT holds community-based training programs in basic preparedness and disaster response skills To find out more, go to the SF-fire org/NERT website or call 415-970-2024 (the NERT class hotline) Congrats to the new graduates of this year ’s NERT trainings Thanks for joining the team!

Water: One gallon per person to last 3 to 5 days

(Use bleach to purify it, 2 to 4 drops per quar t )

Food for 3 to 5 days, such as canned or dried soups, beans, juice

Cooking Supplies: A grill or camp stove , utensils, matches, can opener, foil plastic wrap garbage bags

Clothing: Light and heavy layers for all stored to stay dr y Include a pair of shoes and gloves

Safety: Flashlight, radio, batteries, rope , knife , scissors, fire extinguisher, wrench to shut off utilities

Supplies such as cash, house or car keys, pencil and paper i d cards

insurance info, maps

Hygiene: Waterless soap, toilet paper, shampoo, toothbrush, sanitar y supplies

Special items for children, the elderly, or people with disabilities

Shelter: Tent, sleeping bags

Medical: First-aid kit

medications, KN95 masks, extra pair of glasses

Pet Supplies, such as food, water, leash, medications, and carrier

Checklist for the ‘Go Bag’

It never hurts to have a “go bag” at home or work or in your car.

□ Sturdy shoes

□ Flashlight, whistle

□ Glasses

□ Crank or battery radio

□ Food and water

□ Cash ($100 in small bills)

□ Basic first-aid, medications

□ Change of clothes

□ Toilet paper, hand sanitizer

□ Big trash bag, mylar blanket

□ Copy of driver’s license

□ Paper, pencil, family or pet photos, important documents

Similar work was accomplished along Sanchez Street in May, and the results were spectacular. Make a difference and show your spirit! Sign up at https://www.mobilize.us/onecityday/event/963587/ or email info@uppernoerecreationcenter.com to pitch in with the Gardening Group. Meanwhile, Summer Session continues through Aug. 29. Sign up for a class today! See below or go to https://uppernoerecreationcenter.com/ for the daily schedule at Upper Noe or registration information for all Rec & Park activities. Friends of Upper Noe Recreation Center is your stewardship group. Get involved. If you see something, please say something. Contact office personnel and/or San Francisco Customer Service (311) to improve conditions and keep our park healthy.

Equipment for pickleball, ping-pong, and other activities is available from the office. Call the office at 295 Day St. (415-970-8061) or visit www.uppernoerecreationcenter.com.

—Chris Faust, Friends of Upper Noe Recreation Center

Upper Noe Rec Center Summer Session (June 2 to Aug. 29, 2026)

Rec Center Hours, 295 Day St.: Monday camp only; Tuesday to Friday, 9 a.m.–9 p.m.; Sat., 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sunday closed (outside activities only) Park Grounds: Daily, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Monday

8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Summer Camp

Tuesday

8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Summer Camp

9 to 10 a.m. Zumba (outside) FREE 10 to 11:30 a.m. A Place to Play FREE 12 to 1 p.m. Pilates (18+)

1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Strength & Flexibility (18+)

4 to 6 p.m. Drop-In Pickleball (all ages)

FREE 4 to 9 p.m. Ping Pong Drop-in (ages 6+)

FREE

6 to 8:45 p.m. Open Basketball (18+) FREE 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Yoga Vinyasa (18+)

Wednesday

8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Summer Camp 10 to 11:30 a.m. A Place to Play FREE 12 to 1 p.m. Feldenkrais (18+)

4 to 5 p.m. Karate Kidz – Little Kickers (ages 6-8)

2 to 5 p.m. Open Basketball (ages 6-17) FREE 4 to 9 p.m. Ping Pong Drop-in (ages 6+) FREE 5 to 6 p.m. Karate Kidz (ages 9-12) 6 to 8:45 p.m. Adult Advanced League Volleyball (18+)

Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Summer Camp 10 to 11:30 a.m. A Place to Play FREE 12 to 1 p.m. Pilates (18+) 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Strength & Flexibility (18+)

4 to 5 p.m. Petite Bakers (ages 3-5)

4 to 6 p.m. Drop-In Pickleball (18+) FREE 4 to 9 p.m. Ping Pong Drop-in (ages 6+) FREE 6 to 8:45 p.m. Open Basketball (18+) FREE 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Yoga Vinyasa

Summertime Fun in the Sun: Children’s birthday bashes are popular meetups for adults at Upper Noe Rec Center.

Photo courtesy Chris Faust

CHILDREN’S FICTION

A joyride and a giant donut spill end

Daniel Bernstrom’s A Bear, a Man, and a Donut Van, illustrated by Brandon James Scott. Ages 4-8.

In The Cabbage Seed’s Colossal Secret, by Karen M. Greenwald, illustrated by Alejandra Ruiz, a girl plants a seed and imagines what might happen. Ages 4-8.

In Amy Sparkes’ The Lighthouse at the World’s End, Nine and her friends hunt for the stargold locket. Ages 8-12.

A boy journeys to the kingdom of Ellia to warn of an imminent invasion in Small Wonder by Ross Montgomery. Ages 9-12.

CHILDREN’S NONFICTION

Annette Bay Pimentel tells the story of A.A. Milne in How a Bear Became a Book: The Collaboration That Created Winnie-The-Pooh (illustrated by Faith Pray). Ages 4-8.

My Bicentennial Summer: True Adventures from the Most Epic Family Road Trip of All Time, by G. Neri, illustrated by Corban Wilkin, is set in 1976. Ages 7-10.

Left-Handed: Getting a Grip on Handedness by Maria Birmingham, illustrated by Catherine Chan, examines myths, scientiﬁc causes, history, and culture. Ages 8-12.

Woodlore: Discover the Seasons and Stories of the Forest is written by Kevin Parr and illustrated by Anja Susanj. Ages 7-10.

CHILDREN’S EBOOKS

I Am Speedy: Confessions of a Turbocharged Sloth is a humorous picture book by Kristen Tracy, illustrated by Erin Kraan. Ages 3-6.

A boy and his friends battle a Jinn to save the world, in Bashir Boutros and the Forgotten Realm by George Jreije. Ages 8-12.

In On the Road to Happy by Goldy Moldavsky, Gigi spends the summer at a Jewish bungalow colony in upstate New York. Ages 8-12.

Sophia’s War: A Tale of the Revolution by Avi is a thriller set in occupied New York City in 1776. Ages 10-12.

TEEN FICTION

Jess uses her artwork to help inspire a revolution, in Caryl Lewis’ The Danger of Small Things, set in a dystopian near future. Ages 12 and up.

Two very different teen boys cope with the pitfalls of growing up, in King of Nothing by Nathanael Lessore. Ages 12 and up.

In Goodbye and Everything After by Mae Coyiuto, a teen girl is visited by her father’s spirit when she ignores a Filipino tradition. Ages 13-18.

Six Must Die, a thriller by Victoria Wlosok, features a group of friends who ﬁght to survive an escape room. Ages 14 and up.

TEEN NONFICTION

Nancy Hudgins writes Books Good Enough for You, a biography of Ursula Nordstrom, “editor of extraordinary children’s books. “ Ages 10-14. Exploring Gaming Industry Careers, by

MORE GROUPS TO JOIN

Fair Oaks Neighbors

Email: hello@fairoaksneighbors.org

Address: 200 Fair Oaks St., SF, CA 94110

The Fair Oaks Street Fair is traditionally held the day before Mother’s Day.

Friends of Dolores Park Playground

Contact: Nancy Gonzalez Madynski, 828-5772

Email: friendsofdolorespark@gmail.com

Website: friendsofdolorespark.org

Friends of Christopher Park

Contact: Brynna McNulty, 818-744-4230

Email: friendsofchristopherpark@gmail.com

Website: FriendsofChristopherPark.org

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: noecourts@gmail.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: friendsofnoevalley.com

Meetings: Two or three annually.

Friends of Slow Sanchez

Contacts: Christopher Keene, Andrew Casteel

Email: info@SlowSanchez.com

Website: SlowSanchez.com

Friends of Upper Noe Recreation

Center

Contact: Chris Faust

Email: info@uppernoerecreationcenter.com

Website: uppernoerecreationcenter.com

Meetings: Email or check website.

Friends of Upper Noe Dog Owners Group (FUNDOG)

Contact: David Emanuel, info@fundogsf.org

Website: www.fundogsf.org

Summer BEAUTIFUL

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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: meetup.com/Juri-Commoners

The group is on hiatus and seeking a new leader. Call Dave. “Tidy up when you can.”

Liberty Hill Neighborhood Association

Contact: Dr. Lisa Fromer, president

Email: efromer3@gmail.com

Meetings: Quarterly. Email for details. Noe Neighborhood Council

Contact: Ozzie Rohm or Matt McCabe

Email: info@noeneighborhoodcouncil.com

Website: noeneighborhoodcouncil.com

Meetings: Quarterly at Sally Brunn Library, 451 Jersey St.

Noe Valley Association–24th Street Community Benefit District

Contact: Debra Niemann, 519-0093

Dispatch: To report spills or debris on 24th Street, call Billy Dinnell, 802-4461.

Email: info@noevalleyassociation.org. Website: noevalleyassociation.org

Board meetings: Quarterly. See website.

Noe Valley Democratic Club

Contact: Sam Maslin, President

E-mail: noevalleydemocrats@gmail.com

Website: www.noevalleydemocrats.org

Meetings: Monthly at Valley Tavern or Tacolicious, dates publicized on website.

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: Kristen McCaffery, President, Kristen@novysf@gmail.com, 829-8383; or Kathryn Gianaras, Vice President,

Kathryn@novysf@gmail.com

Meetings: 9 a.m. Call to confirm location. Website: https.noemerchants.com www.NoeValleyMerchants.com

Noe Valley Parent Network

An e-mail resource network for parents

Contact: Mina Kenvin

Email: minaken@gmail.com noevalleyparentsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

Noe Valley Run Club

Meets Fridays 6:45 a.m. for 4-mile run; 7:30 a.m. for 2.5-mile, 26th and Sanchez. https://www.instagram.com/noevalleyrunclub?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

Noe Walks

Contact: Chris Nanda

Email: christopher.n.nanda@gmail.com

Website: NoeWalks.com

Meetings: Saturdays, 10 a.m. Starts 24th and Sanchez. Ends Noe and Duncan for photo. Progress Noe Valley

Facebook: ProgressNoeValley

Email: progressnoe@gmail.com

Website: progressnoe.com

Meetings: Check Facebook page for current meeting and event schedule.

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: https://SF-ﬁre.org/nert

Visit the website to sign up for trainings.

Upper Noe Merchants

Contact: Info@UpperNoeNeighbors.com; https://uppernoeneighbors.com/merchants/ Upper Noe Neighbors

Contact: Chris Faust

Email: Hello@UpperNoeNeighbors.com

Website: www.uppernoeneighbors.com

Meetings: Bi-monthly on third Wednesdays. Confirm by email or check website.

THE NOE VALLEY VOICE editor@noevalleyvoice.com

All phone numbers are in the 415 area code, unless otherwise noted.

Dr. Sara Zaré, ND

and now for the RUMORS behind the news

Happy Semiquincentennial!

By Mazook

TWO HUNDRED FIFTY YEARS AGO, on June 29, 1776, Spanish colonists raised the flag at the Presidio and officially established San Francisco, then known as Yerba Buena

Then, on July 4, 1776, 13 American colonies declared their independence from Great Britain and adopted the Declaration of Independence at the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia That same tumultuous year, on Oct 9, 1776, the first mass was celebrated at Mission San Francisco de Asis, in a chapel that still exists today as the oldest intact building in our city

Often on my daily Noe Valley walks, I stand at the top of Sanchez Street, looking south toward the Fairmount or nor th toward Dolores Park or east to the Mission thinking about our neighborhood’s histor y over the past 250 years My imagination gets carried away Wow, tens of thousands of years ago, the Ohlone peoples lived in villages near Mission Creek and no doubt roamed what we now call Noe Valley

YES, WE VOTED: The San Francisco Depar tment of Elections has tabulated the votes in the June 2 primar y election and repor ted the Noe Valley results online

Our neighborhood, they said, had a total of 16, 659 registered voters, 10,626 of whom actually cast their ballots That’s a 63 7 percent turnout

Notewor thy is that our Vote by Mail number was 9,521 (57 2 percent), and the rest of us went out to the polls

In the race for Governor, 4,563 Noe Valleons (my sp ) voted for billionaire businessman Tom Steyer (43 5 percent) Citywide , he captured 39 2 percent of the vote

For former California Assemblyman Xavier Becerra, the Noe Valley election day total was 2,897 votes, which was 27 6 percent (hiscitywide vote was 25 3 percent)

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan got 10 9 percent of our votes, former California Congresswoman Katie Por ter got 9 9 percent, Republican Steve Hilton 5 percent (which approximates our neighborhood s total of Republican voters), and former state controller Betty T Yee 0 12 percent

In the vote for U S Representative in Congress, District 11, the Noe vote for Scott Wiener came in at 52 percent (citywide 40 7 percent); Connie Chan, 26 2 percent; Saikat Chakrabar ti 15 6 percent; and Marie Hurabiell, 2 51 percent

Looking to the several city measures: Measure A: Ear thquake Safety and Emergency Response , the Noe vote was 86 6 percent yes and 13 4 percent no

On Measure B: Lifetime Term Limits for Mayor and Members of the Board of Super visors, we voted yes 46 6 percent, no 53 4 percent

Measure C: Decrease in Business Taxes (and Top Executive Pay Tax Increase) yes 30 2 percent no 69 8 percent

Measure D: Increase in Business Tax

Based on Comparison of Top Executive’s Pay to Employee’s Pay 43 6 percent yes

and 56 4 percent no Whew!

The midterm election will be held Tuesday, Nov 3 That should be of great interest to ever yone in Noe Valley, not to mention the world

Based on the Noe Valley votes I have tracked for the last umpteen years, Noe Valley is likely to vote 94 percent Democratic and 6 percent Republican

On Nov 3 we will get to choose our next super visor representing District 8

The major contenders are Gar y McCoy, longtime aide to U S Representative Nancy Pelosi; Michael Nguyen who is a patent attorney and drag performer ; Darshini Patel, a former DoorDash employee who led get-out-the-vote effor ts for Kamala Harris; and Manny Yekutiel, owner of Manny’s Café in the Mission (note that he has his campaign headquar ters in Downtown Noe Valley)

DRIBBLING & SHOOTING: The NB A Finals between the New York Knickerbockers and the San Antonio Spurs was a big draw at three downtown Noe Valley locations, in early June , 2026 The Knicks won 4 games to the Spurs 1

The Valley Tavern was jammed with viewers all five games “We were absolutely packed, said manager Brittney Freed “It was crazy I was surprised to see so many Knicks fans who showed up for the playoffs ever y game night and stayed until the final buzzers She said they went through two large kegs ever y night and ran out by the time of closing

Down at The Dubliner, bar tender Ed Hogan repor ts: “We went through two large beer kegs with each one having 120 ser vings It was a crazy crowd watching shoulder-to-shoulder ever y game He says we were busy until closing time at 2 a m ever y night ”

Over at The Peaks bar on Castro (the oldest bar in Downtown Noe Valley), “it was a big happy crowd that came for the Knicks Spurs games we were packed,” said bar owner Keli Leal “There were our locals, as well as new additions to the neighborhood, she said, “and there were hundreds who came throughout those days ”

Must have been even wilder when World Cup fever took over

WHOLE DISCOUNT: Noe Valley

Whole Foods team leader and bean counter Jack Douglas tells me he was quite surprised to learn that customers who are buying select foods marked at 50 percent off have been failing to get their discounts at checkout

Why? Says Douglas, “Our customers, when checking out in the self-ser vice line are not getting the attending team member to verify and enter the item s half-off code ”

So, find a team member and save money

WHOLE KUDOS go out to Noe Valley

Whole Foods butcher Rober t Cordova, who after two years at the store gave notice to the management this June , saying he was leaving in late August and moving to New York City to go to school

He tells me: “In 2013, I went to work at Whole Foods in Tampa Bay, Florida, to learn meat cutting and live with my father ” Cordova said they taught him well, so he has stayed with Whole Foods as a butcher for the past 13 years

He says he will be sorr y to leave San Francisco and the Bay Area

“Yeah, I was born at SF General Hospital on Dec 31, 1976, and lived in Ingleside Terrace , and then on Cole Street at Haight, and later in St Francis

This photo appeared in the book Irish San Francisco, by John Garvey and Karen Hanning and published by Arcadia in 2008. Hanning noted that her great-grandparents, “the Mitchell family, had a dairy ... on the south side of 29th bordering Noe Street, from 1860 to 1892.” The photo, she said, showed the Mitchell family children standing in front of their home on 29th Street. It wasn’t until the next generation that Larry and Jack Mitchell opened what would become the super popular Mitchell’s Ice Cream, in 1953. 1892 photo touched up by John-Michael Kyono

Wood, and went to Urban High School in the Haight, where I graduated in 1995 ”

Now, Cordova says, “After applying and being accepted, I am going back to school at Columbia University to earn a master’s in international affairs and write my first thesis I also plan to get a Ph D there in psychological anthropolog y ”

He says he will really miss being a volunteer at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in West Marin and at Mount Tamalpais College , which ser ves San Quentin Rehabilitation Center

His prior educational credits include a B A from U C Berkeley, in Political Economy of Industrial Society; a master’s in Public Policy (M P P ) from the University of Michigan; and, in 2013, an M S degree in Financial Mathematics from the University of Chicago

“There , ” Cordova says, “I learned that I did not fit in finance as a career ”

THE LATEST SCOOP: Kudos also go out to Mitchell’s Ice Cream, ever ybody’s favorite store at 688 San Jose Avenue Mitchell’s was named number one in a June 23 Yelp ranking of ice cream stores The top 10 among the “50 most saved ice cream shops in the U S 2026” were: 1 Mitchell’s Ice Cream (San Francisco), 2 Soft Swer ve (New York City), 3 Mashti Malone’s (Los Angeles), 4 Bumsan Organic Milk Bar (Los Angeles) 5 Meadowlark Dair y (Pleasanton, Cal ), 6 Il Laboratorio del Gelato (New York City), 7 Toscanini’s Ice Cream (Cambridge , Mass ), 8 Little Man Ice Cream (Denver) 9 Azucar Ice Cream (Little Havana, Miami, Fla ), and 10 Henr y ’ s Place (Honolulu, Hawaii) Mitchell’s, now listed on the SF Legacy Business Registr y, was established in 1953 The creamer y has been owned and operated by the Mitchell family for more than 70 years, most recently by siblings Brian Mitchell and Linda Mitchell The store’s website , mitchellsicecream com, gives some wonderful histor y, wor th repeating here:

“The Mitchell family moved to San Francisco from New York in 1865 and star ted a small dair y farm in the hills above what is now Noe Valley Edward Mitchell ran the farm until his death in the late 1890s, leaving his wife with eight young children to raise on her own She leased the land to another farmer after her husband’s death, and in 1913 she had a three-stor y apar tment building built on the corner of 29th Street and San Jose Avenue This is the building that now houses Mitchell’s Ice Cream

“In 1947 the City of San Francisco decided to widen San Jose Avenue and wanted to tear down the apar tment

building to make room for the wider street The Mitchells fought to save the building and the City agreed to lift it up and turn it sideways The liquor store that was located on the first floor of the building closed because of this project and the storefront sat empty for several years after the building was turned In 1952, brothers Larr y and Jack Mitchell decided to take advantage of the empty storefront and star t their own business They had always had a passion for ice cream, so they turned the space into an ice cream parlor “Larr y was 24 years old and Jack was 34 when they star ted their venture They designed and built the store , walkin freezer, manufacturing room, etc , themselves in their spare time , along with help from their father and their two brothers-in-law When the store was finished, they received three days of training on ice cream making from Dair y Made Creamer y and then they were on their own! Along with making ice cream and running the shop, Larr y was also a proud San Francisco firefighter for 30 years ” Mitchell manager Mar vin Gonzalez, who has worked at the store the past 25 years, was not surprised about the Yelp rating “I just attended [SFGate’s] Best of the Bay awards ceremony on June 22, which had a great atmosphere and was attended by, I would estimate , a thousand people ” Mitchell’s won “Best Ice Cream Shop ” Gonzalez says the accolades have been just great, and the Mitchell family has been ver y generous to me and all our employees ”

The creamer y opens at 11:30 a m and closes at 11 p m ever y day According to Gonzalez, there are eight people working behind the counter and filling cone and sundae orders as the line of customers goes out the door and up the street, most ever y day of the week “Ever ybody patiently waits for their order to be ser ved it is great to see ever ybody so happy when their number is called ” Gonzalez says the most popular flavors are the mango ice cream and the “Grasshopper,” which is mint fudge ice cream with Oreo cookies

My favorite is a double-scoop chocolate chip cone Yum!

THAT’S ALL, YOU ALL: I look forward to seeing you in September Ciao for now

The Noe Valley Voice July 2026