December 18, 2016

This Week in Noe Valley: Hamano Gets a Lift, Chez Marius Is Open and the Holidays are Here


The latest news from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:
[Photoanne_lcrx]

December 10, 2016

This Week In Noe Valley: Great Food News, Beware Of Santa, And Noe Valley’s Painted Ladies


The latest news from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:
[Photosusannemsm]

December 3, 2016

NVV December/January 2016: We Read It So You Don't Have To


The Noe Valley Voice is published ten times a year and has been a neighborhood fixture since 1977. Here are notable highlights from the latest issue. Links are to stories we've covered here on NVSF or other resources. Follow the NVV link at the bottom for full articles and all the ads.

December / January 2016

Front Page: A roundup of meal delivery services like Caviar, Sprig and Franny's Kitchen; a profile of retired local Kaiser doc Dr. Don Barole, co-medical director of Homeless Connect; the controversial Noe Courts makeover should be done in Jan/Feb.

Letters: Fan mail from a church St. resident who has been reading the Noe Valley Voice since it's first issue (May 1977); a call for tutors for James Lick Middle School; a Noe St resident who urges neighbors to consider giving disaster preparedness gifts (flashlights, emergency kits, NERT training) for the holidays.

Cost of Living in Noe: Three luxury home sales in Oct bumped the average price for a Noe home back up to $2.7 million - the most expensive of which sold for $4.3 million.

Features: A local teen disappointed by this year's election results is selling art to benefit Planned Parenthood.

Rumors and Tidbits: In Noe Valley this year, 89.1 percent of registered voters turned out and 90 percent voted for Clinton, 4.2 percent for Trump and 2.2 percent for Jill Stein. There's a rumor of a candlelight vigil planned for inauguration day, Jan 20, 2017. Laurent Legendre will open Chez Marius, a french bistro, in the former Le Zinc space this December. On Church St. chef Telmo Faria says he will open his new Portuguese restaurant, Uma Casa, in the old Incanto space on December 20.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

November 5, 2016

This Week in Noe Valley: Beautiful Fall, Serious Halloween, Election Drinking



The latest news from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:
[Photo: Morning via _bildl_ich]

NVV Nov 2016: We Read It So You Don't Have To


The Noe Valley Voice is published ten times a year and has been a neighborhood fixture since 1977. Here are notable highlights from the latest issue. Links are to stories we've covered here on NVSF or other resources. Follow the NVV link at the bottom for full articles and all the ads.

November 2016

Front Page: Noe Valley businesses that give to the local community (including Just for Fun, Firefly, La Ciccia, Cliche Noe and Zephyr); the Town Square debuts; we may be at peak rents for Noe Valley (for now).

Letters: A letter from Modern Times bookstore in the Mission - they're closing for good on Nov. 15; a lament about the demise of Drewes Brothers Meats (which may return as a new meat market soon).

Features: Noe Valley parking meters will likely increase rates as demand-based pricing spreads citywide.

Cost of Living in Noe: The luxury home market is cooling slightly and the average cost of a home dropped to $2 million.

Short Takes: Cliche Noe is sponsoring a Christmas tree lighting this year; Upper Noe Neighbors and PlumpJack will offer free drinks post election day with the launch of the Upper Noe Wine Club from 5-8pm at the VIP Scrub Club. You'll find SF Firefighters Program holiday toy barrels accepting donations for needy children at Cliche Noe and Just for Fun starting Nov 21.

Store Trek: Damia Salon, 1504 Church Street

Rumors and Tidbits: Small Business Saturday happens on Nov. 26 and 24Holidays begins Dec. 1 in downtown Noe Valley, with hayrides, shopping, caroling, reindeer, Santa and more. The Town Square is open, the Farmer's Market has a new home there, and the first big event is a Square Dance on Nov 5. Other events planned for the Square are movie nights and meditation - and the location is available for rent if you're interested. Also coming soon: eight benches that will line the square which have been stuck in customs in L.A. French bistro Le Zinc has closed following the death of the owner's wife and another French restaurateur, Laurent Legendre, is buying the restaurant and the new menu will be "totally French." (Legendre also owns Le P'tit Laurent on Chenery in Glen Park.) Noe Valley Bakery is expanding to West Portal and would like you to help pay for it. The former Cradle of the Sun space has been rented to Olive This Olive That, which will relocate from it's current spot on Vicksburg, and The Swann Group, a retail furniture and interior design business run by realtor Rachel Swann. The goal for both is to open this month. Video Wave is staying in the current spaces for at least another year. One Stop Party Shop on outer Church reports that the most popular costumes this year were Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton; for kids it was Star Wars characters. Chocolate Covered was named SF Magazine's 2016 Best Chocolate Shop; other Noe Valley spots that made the Best of list were La Ciccia and Lovejoy's. Dani Sheehan-Meyer made the Merchant of the Year 2016 list for Cliche Noe, and NV filmmakers Linda and Tim Schaller won the Best Documentary Award at the LA World International Film Festival for A Spark of Nerve, a film about the doctors who helped their daughter regain the use of her arm after a deranged SF man attacked her.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

October 8, 2016

This Week in Noe Valley: Orange October and Blue Angels


The latest news from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:
[Photo: Orange Oct via gregor701]

NVV Oct 2016: We Read It So You Don't Have To


The Noe Valley Voice is published ten times a year and has been a neighborhood fixture since 1977. Here are notable highlights from the latest issue. Links are to stories we've covered here on NVSF or other resources. Follow the NVV link at the bottom for full articles and all the ads.

October 2016

Front Page: The Noe Valley Library is 100 years old; Some Noe Valley restaurants are thriving (Fresca, Contigo, La Ciccia, Firefly, Hamano, NoVY) - others not so much (Savor's owner says he can no longer offers table service and is just waiting for the lease to expire to move to the peninsula); Noe Valley Town Square plans to open Oct 29 and the Farmer's Market will move in Nov. 5.

Letters: A neighbor writes in to urge you to vote for Prop I.

Features: Real Foods is still empty, 13 years on; volunteers are planning a second Grand View green space cleanup on Nov. 5.

Cost of Living in Noe: The home market is still cooling but only 8 single family homes traded hands in August. The average cost of a home is $2.6 million.

Store Trek: La PanotiQ Bakery Cafe, 4018 24th Street

Rumors and Tidbits: See Jane Run is closed and the building is for sale for $3.3 million; Walkershaw Man closed and has turned over as Azil Boutique jewelry; the old Bliss Bar space is still for rent; Video Wave is taking over the entire Buttons Bar space and running a GoFundMe campaign. The old Common Scents space is now Monroe, a woman's clothing boutique. The former In-House space across the street is becoming an art gallery and will open Nov 6. The Cradle of the Sun space has been rented to a real estate firm (ugh). Drewes Brothers Meats closed in August and the landlord/owner reports he is close to signing a tenant that plans a meat market in the space; no other details were offered. The Noe Courts space is still under construction. The Noe Valley Girls Film Festival was a success. The Noe Valley Ministry is hosting a gala on Oct 27.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

September 5, 2016

This Week in Noe Valley: Labor Day = Real Foods Day, Town Square Update and Noe Valley’s Google Bus Activist


The latest news from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:
[Photo: Cotton candy skies via mayapburne]

NVV Sept 2016: We Read It So You Don't Have To


The Noe Valley Voice is published ten times a year and has been a neighborhood fixture since 1977. Here are notable highlights from the latest issue. Links are to stories we've covered here on NVSF or other resources. Follow the NVV link at the bottom for full articles and all the ads.

September 2016

Front Page: Noe Valley Girls Film Fest is coming Sept 10; Lovejoy's owners sold their tea shop to three new proprietors who will keep the tradition alive; James Lick Middle School is renting its parking lot to the Noe Valley Farmer's Market starting Sept. 10 to attract more shoppers to local businesses.

Letters: Former NV resident Vivian Murray reminisces about living in the same building as Janis Joplin at 892 Noe St. and says she'll be back for the Summer of Love 50th Anniversary Concert next October.

Features: James Lick renovations should be done by the end of September.

Cost of Living in Noe: The home market is cooling slightly - most home sales are only 3 percent over asking, not 22 percent. The average cost of a home: $2.3 million.

Store Trek: BistroSF Grill, 1305 Castro St. near 24th

Rumors and Tidbits: The Noe Valley Town Square is on track to open by Halloween; there will be no Harvest Fest this year; this Labor Day marks the 13th year since Real Foods closed; construction at the old Bliss Bar space is underway, but don't expect a noodle bar to fill it after all - the space is actively for rent for $9500 a month; the old Cradle of the Sun space is still vacant and the rent is now $7000 per month; just 3 years in, Buttons Candy Bar will close after Halloween - and Video Wave which shares the space is hoping to work out a deal to stay; Spring Pilates has relocated (no agreement on rent) to the EHS Pilates space on Valencia; See Jane Run is closing; GoHealth Urgent Care hopes to open in the new space on 24th St near Shoe Biz; La PanotiQ is open; Hamlet has rebooted; Drewe's Meats has been evicted; Tacolicious had to move out of it's office space on Church St. (Ed note: and Little Artistas has moved in); Uma Casa is slated to open at the end of October in the former Incanto space. The movie The Royal Road (available at Video Wave) features lots of shots of the hood. The 30th St Senior has received a $50,000 grant and Cliche Noe Gifts has been selected for the 2016 Best Businesses of San Francisco Award.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

September 1, 2016

Store Closing: See Jane Run

Back in March of this year, See Jane Run at 3910 24th Street posted signs that it was closing its Noe Valley store - the owners of the building had decided not to renew the lease. SJR eventually signed a 6 month extension - but the time is up and See Jane Run is out. A sign in the window announces the sad news:

Store Closing
Everything must go
We are sorry that are landlords will not let us stay at this location as they sell the building. We are forced to leave on September 3oth. We will continue to look for a new space.
Please get on our mailing list for updates.
Thank you Noe Valley for 16 great years. 
We will miss you.

All products are on sale. Please stop in and say good bye.

Sad to see yet another storefront on 24th Street go vacant.

August 20, 2016

This Week In Noe Valley: Hamlet Reboots, RIP Drewe’s Meats, And Don’t Call It "The Noe"


The latest news from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:
[Photo: the415guy]

July 2, 2016

NVV July/August 2016: We Read It So You Don't Have To


The Noe Valley Voice is published ten times a year and has been a neighborhood fixture since 1977. Here are notable highlights from the latest issue. Links are to stories we've covered here on NVSF or other resources. Follow the NVV link at the bottom for full articles and all the ads.

July/August 2016

Front Page: A special issue featuring lots of photos from the 70s to the present (including a stroller mom on the cover).

Letters: A letter from a neighbor who dislikes the idea that Audrey Cooper of the Chronicle thinks that not having any straight men on the masthead makes the paper diverse; the owner of VOILA says thank you for the profile last issue; a Noe Valleyeon writes from Molyvos; and an open letter from The SF Homeless Project about how to curb homelessness in San Francisco.

Features: A heartwarming tale of Charlie the Therapy Cat from the ASPCA.

Cost of Living in Noe: Home sales are cooling (slightly) with the average home selling for $2.1 million (vs. $2.4 million last year).

Store Trek: VIP Scrub Club, 1734 Church Street at Day

Rumors and Tidbits: No rumors this month and The Noe Valley Voice will be on hiatus until September.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

June 20, 2016

Strawberry Moon Solstice Sunset Over Noe Valley


Neighbor Darius tells us: "[I] got a shot tonight that I figured captures some of the best beauty and views of living in Noe. And pretty fitting such a nice collection of pink/gold hues would come on both the 'strawberry moon' and solstice evening." Agreed!! Thanks, Darius!

June 4, 2016

Interview: Anna Calonje of Little Artistas


Sleepy outer Church Street is getting some new life this summer with the opening of Little Artistas, an arts, crafts and language studio for kids. For reference, Little Artistas was the group that painted the murals at Alvarado Elementary and Glen Park School with over a hundred munchkins. They are also a partner of DrawBridge, a nonprofit organization that provides expressive arts programs for homeless and underserved youth.

We caught up with the founder, Anna Calonje, via email for a brief interview about her vision for the space and what she has planned.

Welcome to Noe Valley. What made you decide to open a studio here? Thank you! We love it here already! We decided to open a studio in Noe Valley while searching for a second location to expand to. We knew we wanted to be in Noe Valley, if possible, and we found the absolutely perfect location.



Tell us a little about yourself and the team… Our team is first and foremost FUN. We like to play, we believe in creativity and freedom of expression. Children crack us up! We love hanging out with them and encouraging them to explore through art. Our team is composed of myself, Anna, and two amazing studio managers, Sofia and Becky. We also have a fabulous assistant, Steph, and the best party planner, Sarah.

What’s you or your staff’s personal connection to Noe Valley? I've lived on the border of Noe and the Mission for the past 7 years, so this is my turf! Our original Little Artistas studio is located in Glen Park, so I've been Noe-adjacent my entire San Francisco career.


On a related note, what’s your connection to Tacolicious – the previous renter that just moved into that the space? And to Little Folkies next door? My connection to Tacolicious is that I really enjoy their delicious tacos and cocktails! I need to be a better neighbor and introduce myself to their fine staff. On the Little Folkies side, I really enjoy the live concerts we hear on a daily basis. Irena, their founder, and I are planning some fun music and art collaborations!


You opened Little Artistas in Noe Valley for the summer – will you also offer classes year round? We will offer classes year-round, six days a week! We also offer fun events, such as date nights and birthday parties, and Summer camps!

What are your favorite local places to visit in the neighborhood? I absolutely love La Ciccia and La Nebbia! I would eat Italian food three times per day if I could. I think I was Italian in a past life. I also love Noeteca for a leisurely lunch!

Bernie’s, Martha & Brothers or Philz? :) Well, I'm ashamed to say this because it's practically blasphemy since I'm Colombian: I don't drink coffee.... EEK! I'll order up a chai at any of those places anytime, though.

Little Artistas
1513 Church St
San Francisco, CA 94131
(415) 493-8603
littleartistas.com

This Week in Noe Valley: Tiny Houses, Election Season and a Victorian Time Capsule


The latest news from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:
[Photo: Noe Valley sunset via tobzahs]

June 3, 2016

NVV June 2016: We Read It So You Don't Have To


The Noe Valley Voice is published ten times a year and has been a neighborhood fixture since 1977. Here are notable highlights from the latest issue. Links are to stories we've covered here on NVSF or other resources. Follow the NVV link at the bottom for full articles and all the ads.

June 2016

Front Page: A profile of Audrey Cooper, Noe Valley resident and editor -in-chief of the San Francisco Chronicle; Some 24th Street retailers are feeling the squeeze from online shopping; The 35 Eureka bus runs more often; A profile of Kim Nguyen-Ehrenreich, the founder of the Noe Valley branch of Bricks 4 Kidz; A peek inside three Noe Valley Victorians.

Letters: Thanks to the team that put on the Noe Valley Garden Tour; A plea to vote no on Prop B.

Features: The proposed Town Square owl sculptures may finally be approved - with a more literal than abstract design; Local businesses are split on whether the Farmer's Market on 24th St helps or hurts business on Saturdays; SummerFEST is coming on Saturday June 18.

Cost of Living in Noe: Home sales are hot with 15 single family homes selling in April for an average of $2.4 million.

Store Trek: Songbird Studios, 3823 24th St. and VOILA, 1431 Castro St.

Rumors and Tidbits: Still no movement in the former Real Foods space. The former site of The Ark toy store is now a pop-up called The Curious Object which sells luxury items that Noe Valley resident and realtor Stephen Moore procured on a trip to London (including a penny-farthing, a stuffed swan and other curios). Once the pop-up pops down, Moore will turn the space into a more permanent shop called The Mercantile which will sell new and vintage gift items, housewares and antiques (basically, the same stuff). When Modern Was is offering Chalk Paint classes to "give new life to tired furniture"  and owner Donna Taylor is selling her other shop Buttons Bar, which is potentially very bad news for the recently relocated Video Wave. Walkershaw Man sublet its shop to Azil jewelry boutique for the month of May, and Azil is now looking for a new place to pop-up in Noe again. Heroine is leaving Noe Valley and moving to L.A. - Charlie's Corner bookstore will now expand into that space for more room for kids storytime, parties and theater classes (Ed.--Very Noe Valley for a prime corner location to become a child's reading space). Bom Dia is still closed and the owner is not responding to requests for information. The deal that would have put Golden Gate Urgent Care in the space vacated by In-House fell apart (Ed.-- Good) so the storefront is once again for lease. Instead, GoHealth Urgent Care is opening in the brand new commercial space on 24th at Church (Ed.-- Boo). Hahn's Hibachi has closed and is being replaced by Bistro SF Grill.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

June 2, 2016

A Sad Farewell from Hahn's Hibachi


Hahn's Hibachi has closed the doors at 1305 Castro St after years of rumors of their leaving. This note is taped to the window:
Thank You!

Since 1978 we have served San Francisco, our wonderful food. It is with a heavy heart, that we must now say.. Farewell.

You have made this a great businss, but, the rising cost of everything, in the city, has made a great business, obsolete.

You all have been wonderful customers. See you, enjoy our food, over the years, has given us so much happiness. Again, we say, Thank You for your patronage. We will miss you greatly.

You can still get Hahn's food, from out good friends a the Ivering Street, and Polk Street restaurants..

All the best to you and yours..

The Hahn's Family
Best of luck to you, Hahn's Family.

Set to move into the space is Bistro SF Grill, which lost their lease in Lower Pacific Heights. We don't know if they will attempt a live music permit, but you can count on their award winning burger. Nearby Bernal resident Matt Nathanson is sure to be pleased, so expect to see him around the neighborhood.

May 4, 2016

NVV May 2016: We Read It So You Don't Have To


The Noe Valley Voice is published ten times a year and has been a neighborhood fixture since 1977. Here are notable highlights from the latest issue. Links are to stories we've covered here on NVSF or other resources. Follow the NVV link at the bottom for full articles and all the ads.

May 2016

Front Page: Bingo night at St. Paul's is a six decade tradition; The Noe Valley Town Square is on track (and maybe even under budget) - plus the new choices for the owl sculptures are open for comment; The Folio Books book club is a hit.

Letters: A neighbor asks Noe Valley residents to do their part to keep the neighborhood clean and litter free; A resident since 1985 suggests the new Town Square should be an eco-playground (while past the planning stage); A poem about Noe Courts.

Features: Noe Valley Garden Tour is back on May 21st; neighbors are lobbying force neighbor notification when "major changes are made to a project midway through the design process.".

Cost of Living in Noe: Only six single-family homes sold this March - half the number that sold in the same time last year - because of low inventory. Meanwhile, a 1904 Edwardian on Fair Oaks sold for $5 million.

Store Trek: TMI Colonics, 1478A Church St.

Rumors and Tidbits: The  NVV canvassed people on 24th St on April 21/22 and discovered that among 50 Noe Valleyeons that 56% were for Hilary, 34% were for Bernie, 6% were undecided between the two and 2% (aka one person) was voting for Trump; Again, the Noe Valley Town Square is on track; The Luxe on 24th Street condos now have sales pending. VIP Scrub Club opened in the former K9 Scrub Club spot on Church (no remodel necessary); Robin Shered of Blue Ova Health was rated a top acupuncturist by Bay Area A-List; Noe Valley comedian Mike Capozzola is selling hand-painted drawings of kid's names for gifts; Congrats to NV resident Felicia Lowe for the success of her film Chinese Couplets.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

April 20, 2016

Visual Stroll: The Hidden Doorways of Comerford Alley


Here’s a fun visual tour of a hidden corner of Noe Valley. Comerford Alley is a rustic quasi-paved alley that runs from Sanchez to Church, between 27th and Duncan streets. It’s named after Joseph Comerford, a developer who built a bunch of single-family homes in 1870s, ‘80s and ‘90s in Noe Valley. Comerford built so many houses in this corner of Noe Valley that at the time it was known as Comerfordville.



Most of the houses Comerford designed were simple one-story flat front Italianates with central entrances flanked by windows. Some Comerford houses are still around, including the ones built in 1879 at 225 and 227 27th Street.

Today, the alley is a favorite passage for dog owners to walk their pets and a garden backdoor for many of the residents on that street. Photographer Ted Weinstein recently snapped some great shots of the doorways of Comerford.




It’s a charming collection of secret entryways and a fun stroll down the alley. You can see the full collection in a slideshow on Ted Weinstein's site - thanks to the reader who sent us the link!

[Top photos Google Maps, bottom photos Ted Weinstein]



April 9, 2016

This Week in Noe Valley: Eviction Shaming, Not-So-Humble Bragging, and It Really Is Sunnier Here


The latest news from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:
[Photo: Deck with a view via gloriazhu_]

NVV April 2016: We Read It So You Don't Have To


The Noe Valley Voice is published ten times a year and has been a neighborhood fixture since 1977. Here are notable highlights from the latest issue. Links are to stories we've covered here on NVSF or other resources. Follow the NVV link at the bottom for full articles and all the ads.

April 2016

Front Page: A profile of Jesse Walkershaw, owner of WalkershawMan clothting store on 24th; six bike share locations are coming to Noe Valley; a profile of Noe Valley hand surgeon and artist-entrepreneur Robert Markison; the proposed Town Square owl art is considered too "skull-like" and is back on the drawing board.

Letters: A vote for a Janis Joplin historic marker to commemorate her stay in Noe Valley at 22nd and Noe (ed note - she lived in a lot of places in the city); a complaint that the San Jose Ave road diet has increase congestion and carbon emissions; a rebuttal to a letter last month about the languishing Real Foods spot asserting that downtown Noe Valley is "alive, well and thriving." Bob Roddick wants you to know that Elle magazine and Trulia have named Noe Valley as the neighborhood with the best family amenities (ed note - we weren't able to find a link or confirm) thanks to the efforts of the NVMPA to create things like the hayride, Easter Egg Hunt, Garden Tour and more. The board of the Noe Valley Farmers Market encourages you to support local businesses near the Farmer's Market on Saturday. And one neighbor decries the use of commercial sidewalk scrubbing in a drought.

Cost of Living in Noe: Home sales average $2.9 million - the most expensive house that  sold was a $4 million home on Valley St.

Store Trek: Yoga Mayu, 4159B 24th St. at Diamond; Hamlet, 1199 Church St. at 24th

Rumors and Tidbits: Patxi's is riling up it's neighbors again by using the public parking lot as the pit stop for pizza delivery vehicles; the space vacated by In-House will soon become a Golden Gate Urgent Care outlet; Go Health Urgent Care is also looking to rent in down town Noe Valley but no space has been confirmed (ed note - ugh, Union St. here we come). The Lotus Method (yoga for expecting moms) is taking over the old Ambiance space; and the surely a hoax butler listing for $175,000 gets a mention. See Jane Run is sticking around for at least another 6 months; next door to SJR, the pop-up art store has had a good run - and Jan Van Swearingen, formerly of Common Scents is looking to pop-up in the additonal space next door at 3904 24th St. The former Video Wave space on Castro is becoming a women's clothing store called Aline's Closet which is relocating from Lower Haight. Zephyr is rennovating it's offices and expects to reopen on 24th St in 3-4 months. Hahn's Hibachi on Castro will soon become Bistro SF Grill which will serve lunch, dinner and lots, and lots of burgers. Noe Valleyeon Ben Fong-Torres (a founding father of Rolling Stone) launched a radio show in late 2015.

[The Noe Valley Voice]