Noe Valley 2010: Year in Review

2010 was a busy year in our quiet village. Lots of community meetings, retail change-ups, civic improvements and local activism. Here's a look at some highlights and themes from 2010.

More Restaurants

In January the planning commission lifted the restaurant ban in 24th St commercial district. Although we didn’t see that ruling turn into new permits in 2010, it did send a message that Noe is restaurant-friendly again. New additions food-wise this year included Patxi's and Little Chihuahua. Tataki South also opened for sushi on outer Church. Not a restaurant but happy news for foodies, Blue Bottle Coffee also debuted at Spin City.

More Green

Pocket Parks, Parklets and Plazas were big items this year. Not everyone liked the plaza idea, but the tea party fillibuster and ensuing kerfuffle did pave the way for 2 parklets and discussion of a possible town square.

Quieter Trains

The J-Church rail at 30th got an upgrade and neighbors rejoiced: “Just as I was thinking it, a neighbor nearby noted with happiness, 'Hey, it doesn’t make noise anymore.'”

Orange Wins

Noe resident Matt Cain helped take the Giants to a World Series victory. And Scott Weiner – whose campaign color was orange – replaced Bevan Dufty as disctrict 8 Supervisor. Noe Valley was also voted # 1 for Halloween trick-or-treating, and the orange-themed Harvest Fest was a hit.

Crime Files

Sadly, it was also a busy year for crime in Noe including vehicle thefts, stolen iPhones, a homicide, identity scavengers, and a Wells Fargo bank robbery (which may explain the armed guard in front of BofA these days).

Storefront Changes

We lost some retail stores this year on and near 24th St. including Cooks Boulevard, Lisa Violetto, Urban Cellars, and Apple Blossom (and the genie went back into the bottle). We also lost useful retail space to Circle Bank, Alain Pinel and the soon-to-open Noe Valley Smiles. New shops in the area include: When Modern Was (via Church), Sway in the old Streetlight Records space, Heliotrope, Design Quarter, Re:Construction Salon, and Joseph Andrade Floral in the old Artsake space.

Lively Debates

Finally, it was a year of lively debates. We all got exercised about lots of things besides plazas. Favorite topics were passive aggressive parking, shuttle buses, dogs, pedestrians, strollers, a new mayor, and local color.

Here's to more fun in 2011. Happy New Year, Noe Valley!

PSA: Noe Valley Tree Collection Schedule 2010

If you bought a live Christmas Tree or Hanukkah Bush for the holidays, don't just toss it on a random corner when no one's looking (we've already seen a few sad castoffs this season). Do the right thing and recycle it. Sunset Scavenger will haul it away for free starting next week.

Via the Sunset Scavenger RecologySF.com newsletter:

Christmas tree collection will take place January 3-8 and January 10-15. Please place clean, unflocked trees next to your carts when you take them to the curb for your regularly scheduled pickup. Be sure to remove all tinsel, decorations, plastic bags, stands, and lights. If your tree is over 6 feet, please cut it in half.

If you're wondering what happens to your tree once Sunset Scavenger picks it up: it's fed to a wood chipper. The wood chips are then trucked to Tracy, burned to power turbines and create electricity – and then sold back to PG&E to power that iPad you got as a gift this year. In 2009 San Francisco recycled nearly 500 tons (!) of holiday trees, enough to power 20,000 houses for a month.

What Noe Wants: Next Mayor of SF

With Gavin Newsom on his way to Sacramento, San Francisco Supervisors will select an interim Mayor in January and voters will get to weigh in for a full-term mayor in 2011. Who should run the City? Should the interim Mayor stick around after the election? So far the only serious candidate to announce is former D8 supervisor Bevan Dufty, but many names have been floated for the interim including Tom Ammiano and current Board President David Chiu.

Enter NextMayorSF.com, to "keep you informed on the process for selecting our next mayor and to give you a forum to express your thoughts on who the next mayor should be and the direction they should take the City." So far the site features a handful of videos of people you may recognize from the hood, and the shorts are filmed (mostly) in the park on 24th St across from Martha & Bros.

Hmm.... Bufty for Mayor. We've seen him in action this year... is that what we want?

Merry Christmas, Noe Valley!

Stay warm, stay dry and stay safe.

Parking, Parklets and Other Backroom Deals in Noe Valley

Yesterday we learned from the Twittersphere that "new angled spots have arrived on Castro Street" between 24th and Jersey Streets. A fly-by and quick check on Mapjack confirms there is a gain of four parking spots on this block of Castro (there were six, now ten). Four spots were lost to trial of the parklets on 24th St. Coincidence?

Interestingly, earlier diagonal parking on Castro took years. But when Isa Muhawieh moved his salon to Jersey and Castro in 2005, he pushed through a "trial" that easily became permanent. With the parklets taking away 4 spots on 24th Street, the Noe Valley Merchants Association is rumored to have brokered a back-room deal to add this new parking to Castro St at 24th. The parklets are a six month trial with no guarantee of permanency, but it's unclear if the parking spaces on Castro are a trial or a done deal.

In other words plazas and parklets are controversial, but apparently adding parking places is just fine. For previous opponents of the plaza who objected to the NVMPA making decisions by fiat, where's the outrage? And for fans of the parklets, are you OK with this horse trade?

12 Days of Christmas Pop-Up Store: LOLA

In addition to the 24 HoliDAYS on 24th Street, a local artist/ entrepreneur is seizing the moment and opening a 12-day pop-up store for the holidays in the former Apple Blossom space.

Lola Herrera writes:

I am "Popping Up" a Boutique for the 12 days before Christmas. I am a self-taught Artist and designer and will be showcasing my work in the Boutique. I have been designing for the past 7 years, working in my Studio in the Mission, by appointment only. This is my first Retail Store and Noe Valley is "my neighborhood." ... Hope you can make it by for a toast!

Grand Opening Toasting Party

Sat. Dec. 11th 5-7 P.M.

LOLA San Francisco Pop-up Boutique

1303-C Castro (Corner of 24th Street )

415-642-4875

[Lola San Francisco]

Noe Foodie News

Looking for gifts for the foodies on your list for the holidays? Noe Valley got two mentions in the NY Times' A Very Foodie Christmas story today:

On a recent ham crawl through Spain with Jose Andres, Chris Cosentino was appalled to learn that back fat of Iberico de Bellota pigs is used as sausage filler. He decided to rescue the misused treasure, import it and render it the best lardo possible. At Incanto, he wraps the velvety tissue around Asian pears and adds red clover, a sprinkle of sea salt and good olive oil. His wife, Tatiana Graf, suggests you simply apply a cool sliver to a grilled slice of crusty bread. $49 per pound.

When cookbook collectors or obsessive readers of food literature want to find obscure gems or culinary heirlooms, they hit up Noe Valley’s Omnivore Books. After much nagging on the part of her devotees, the owner Celia Stack [sic] has finally conceded to running a cookbook-of-the-month program, with a welcome twist: each pick is signed by its author. $120 annually.

[NY Times: A Very Foodie Christmas]

NVV December 2010: 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 highlights from the latest issue. Links are to items we've covered here on NVSF or outside sources as the Voice doesn't post stories online until mid-month.

December 2010

Front Page: "This is the last edition you'll see until the first week of February 2011." And a pretty picture of fog.

Letters: Dismay over smoking in the parklet at Martha & Bros. (Ed.--illegal to smoke in SF parks since 2005 [pdf]); some poor soul can't figure out how to find a print copy of the Voice.

Features: Interview with Bevan Dufty on his eight years as District 8 Supervisor; City Guides has been offering Noe Valley tours since 2008 (with fun sketches of Victorian era "bric-a-brac" like sewer vent grates); Giants fans celebrated on 24th St; brief blurb on page 15 about 24 HoliDAYS on 24th St.

Cost of Living in Noe: 16 Single Family Homes sold in October, 11 of those over asking.

Short Takes: A few events in Glen Park, Scottish dancers at the Noe Valley Ministry, fun at the Randall Museum in Corona Heights, a workshop for public artists at the SF Arts Commission on Van Ness, a show at the Marsh Theater on Valencia, and Paxton Gate in the Mission turns 18. Also a bit about upcoming changes to Cesar Chavez.

Crime Beat: Turns out there were two bank robberies last month.

Store Trek: Design Quarter; Re:Construction Salon.

Traveling Voice: Not.

Rumors: Election results; Wiener sets priorities (like the Town Square and Real Foods); Town Square moves ahead (for more info the Voice suggests "googling 'Noe Valley Town Square'"); the Tech Search Party raised "just over $17,000" for Alvarado Elementary School; Delano's is closing its "Eureka Valley" location; Parklets hit 24th St; and this excellent tidbit about the Noe Valley Association:

The NVA, and the 10 members serving on its board of directors, has an annual budget of $230,000, funded by a parcel tax on each of the 179 property owners in the 24th Street/Castro Street shopping area. The board has been quite active this year improving Main Street. They steered the Pavement to Parks process that brought us the parklets. Seven new benches were installed on 24th Street. Few people realize the NVA spends $10,000 a month keeping 24th Street trash-free, maintaining the miniparks in the public parking lot and the Ministry parking lot, tending the many planters and flower baskets and trees, as well as regularly cleaning the Downtown Noe Valley sidewalks. The NVA sponsors, or co-sponsors - in addition to 24 HoliDAYS - the Harvest Festival, the Noe Courts Easter Egg Hunt, and the Summer Solstice.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

A Month of Fun on 24th Street in December

There's lots going on in the neighborhood December 1-24 -- also called 24 HoliDAYS on 24th Street. For instance, did you know there's a hayride today on 24th Street and Santa is here too? Plenty of merchants are offering food, champagne shopping, discounts and other surprises throughout the next few weeks. We know this because of a few flyers sitting in the parklets (in the rain) on 24th Street, and a teeny tiny link [and hard to read PDF] on the NVMPA site.

Or if you want the full lowdown on the fun, you can also see the list of events for the next 20 days by clicking on the image above. Happy Holidays, Noe Valley.

Rumor: Urban Cellars Vanishes?

A reader tipped us to this item about Urban Cellars (a.k.a. the wine store with the usually corny signs):

Did you see that the wine shop on 24th (between Chuch and Vicksburg) has a notice of uncollected rent from the landlord. Looks like they moved out in the middle of the night?

Urban Cellars has had a rocky year including getting its liquor license suspended in February 2010 and in Sept 2009 for selling alcohol to minors. And we saw a firesale happening there last weekend (50% off most merchandise) that didn't look like it could be good for business.

Anyone have any more details?

[NVSF: Urban Cellars: Closed By ABC]
[NVSF: Urban Cellars: Busted Again]

Congratulations Noe Valley Pedestrians: You Suck On Yelp

One star, FWIW:

Most pedestrians on 24th Street (Noe Valley) orbit in their own galaxy. These ipod listenin, blue tooth talkin, crackberry squeezin, stroller pushin aliens like to truck right into the crosswalk in front of autos already making a turn. Or they blast off the curb clueless to the autos that have been waiting (...and waiting) to get going to where they're going.

OK, pedestrians have the right of way. But this is not a right without expiration. 24th Street pedestrians will be better off applying the normal rules of humanmobility...like generally keeping to the right (unless you're a Brit, Irish, Australian et al) and yielding to whomever arrives first. This universal law of motion applies to all moving objects like autos, people, aliens, strollers, bikers, boarders, skaters...

"But why would I ever yield to an auto?" the 24th Street pedestrian ponders. Because if the autos can't get going to where they're going, the "solution" is a traffic light. Hello? Can we agree the universe doesn't need more traffic lights?

Next time I'm crossing the road, I'm letting the waiting auto take its turn through the intersection. Not because it's about equality, but because we agreed (at least I did) that we don't want more traffic signals with their lighted Walk (white) and Don't Walk (orange) figurines from outer space. Some signals are outfitted with unnatural high-pitched sounds that warn aliens the sign is about to change.

Don't Walk? Yes We Can!

[Yelp: Pedestrians / 24th Street]

The Mission Streetscape Plan: What It Means To Noe Valley

The Mission District Streetscape Plan advanced out of committee to the full SFMTA board for a vote on Friday after years of community meetings and a full Environmental Impact Report. That's the good news. The bad news is that assuming it passes the Board, it will be 10 years before fully implemented at a cost of $96M.

The entire 62MB PDF is available here: Of note to Noe Valley residents:

• Making permanent the much-maligned traffic-calming plaza at 28th and Guerrero (pages 50-51). A priority project: "The City will continue to look for funds to create a permanent plaza at this location per the designs shown in this plan."
• 24th St BART station improvements (pages 42-43). A priority project: "The City has received approximately $2.2 million in grant funds through the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s TLC program to build improvements to the 24th and Mission BART station, including plaza improvements, new bus bulbs on Mission Street, and raised crosswalks at alleys crossing 24th Street."
• Reducing Cesar Chavez to 2 traffic lanes in each direction from Hampshire to Guerrero with dedicated turn lanes, bike lanes, pedestrian bulb-outs, a 12-foot-wide median and a new plaza at Capp/Mission. All that will sacrifice 30 parking places. (pages 54-55, 66-67) Ironically, there is a lot of hate for the project from the bikes-only crowd commenting on StreetsBlogSF - the project doesn't go far enough to protect cyclists.
• Pedestrian safety improvements to Dolores St and the Dolores St park/plaza at San Jose we reported on last year (pages 42-47, 70-71).

When? A projected time line is on page 96. Work on Ceasar Chavez will begin next summer after completion of a sewer replacement project set to start in the next month or so.

[SF Planning: The Mission District Sreetscape Plan]
[SF Planning: Final draft of Better Streets (PDF)]
[NVSF: Proposed: Gateway Park At South End Of Dolores Street]

Closing: Delano's IGA Market

A reader sent this over the weekend:

It's not exactly Noe Valley but close to [enough to] warrant. Was just at [Delano's] in the Castro and noticed a lot of special 'sales'... Talked to the cashier and she said they are closing up in like 1-2 weeks. They announced this news on Wednesday (just before Thanksgiving). Bummer - she said she did not know why nor what will come into its place.

Then last night the RichmondSF blog posted that the Delano's on Geary is closing, which makes it likely that the South Van Ness location will also close. And with SocketSite reporting that the planned Market St Trader Joe's and Whole Foods are unlikely to pan out we could see more people coming over the hill to the Noe Valley Whole Foods.

[RSF: CLOSING: Delano’s Market at 27th & Geary; possible bankruptcy]
[SocketSite: Trader Joe’s Reportedly "Outed" From The Castro Over Traffic]
[SocketSite: Whole Foods Concerned About Market (Street), Delaying On Haight]
[Flickr: delanosiga]

Dear Santa: San Francisco Parents PAC Needs Donations For Toy Drive

From Todd David:

Alvarado parent September Rose-Owens is hosting a toy drive for a community based school located in the Bay View district. Each child ranging from ages 2 months to 5 years has created "Dear Santa" letters with three wishes, but out of 70 children there are 18 left without sponsors. If you are interested in sponsoring a child, please contact September Rose-Owens ASAP. All donations are tax deductible. Thank you!

Announced: The Lux Condos On Outer Church

We noticed the above rendering of the development planned for 1596 Church St this morning, now to be called The Lux. The only information posted on the billboard is for Vangaurd real estate agent Keely Ferguson - nothing about financing, contractors or a time line. It's been more than a year since the Blue Church was converted to a vacant lot, but nothing has happened on the permit side of the equation other than a few complaints.

Seems that the original demolition permit was for "INTERIOR NON STRUCTURAL DEMOLITION WORK ONLY. MEZZANINE AND ALL STAIRWAYS TO REMAIN." And while there have been a few complaints, all have been abated with no action. The only new building permit application has been for a "street space" (read: less parking around job site).

The original and approved construction permit reads: "HORIZONTAL & VERTIAL ADDITION: SELECTIVE DEMO OF (E) CHURCH STRUCTURE W/ NEW VERTICAL ADDITION TO CREATE 4 STORY MIXED USE BUILDING HOUSING 6 RESIDENTIAL UNITS, RES. PARKING GARAGE & STREET FRONT COMMERCIAL SPACE."

All that jives with what we found searching for more info. An early rendering (with an equally silly name) from Kotas/Pantaleoni Architects shows the same design with less color:


Here's what they say about it:

Located on outer Church Street in San Francisco, the Del Mar Residences re-imagines a controversial blue church building for new uses in this quiet neighborhood. Our remodeling creates three flats and three townhouses over a new neighborhood commercial space. The building's base is reconstructed to create transparency and lightness, with a deeply recessed pathway on the south and a tall set of windows wrapping the corner. Large bays mark the intersection for drama and to collect light. The building is shaped to distinguish its parts and to balance the mass of a noteworthy large older building across the street.

So... Pretty pictures, but no new permits, no mention of financing and no time line. Will this development happen or are developers just gauging interest? Stay tuned.

Update (11/29): We received the following from Keely Ferguson:

Hello,

The project is fully entitled. The project will have 6 residential units over commercial space:

• 3 x 2 bd/2 ba flats, approx 1050s.f. each.
• 3 x 3 bd/2.5ba townhomes, approx 1750-2150 s.f. (they differ)

High end modern homes. All units have 1 parking space. Shared interior courtyard – some units have decks. Hope to deliver Spring 2012.

Thanks, Keely

In case you're wondering, here's what fully entitled means. Still no change on the building department's permits status page.

[NVSF: Blue church: Slated For Demo]

Open: Patxi's

A few days ahead of schedule - and before the grand opening on Dec. 1 - Patxi's opened for business today. It will be open 7 days a week, 11am-10pm (closed Thanksgiving).

And of course it's already been reviewed on Yelp.

Patxi’s Noe Valley
4042 24th Street
Phone: 415-285-2000

Update: As of Nov. 24 Patxi's Noe does have a beer and wine license.

Parklets: Construction Begins

The long-debated and awaited parklets on 24th St began construction today. The pavers are concrete and rest on steel beams; the planters are also steel. More details from StreetsBlogSF:

The new spaces were designed by Riyad Ghannam, who designed and built the first parklet in the city in front of the Mojo Bicycle Cafe on Divisadero street. The parklets will replace a total of four parking spaces and cost $37,000, the entirety of which came from Mayor Gavin Newsom’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development as part of their commercial revitalization budget. The Noe Valley Association, which represents merchants in the area, is the permit holder and will oversee the maintenance of the facilities.

Expect the parklets to be completed in front of Martha & Bros and Just For Fun in time for the weekend -- just in time for the rain.

Update from Carol Yenne:

The Permit Holder is the Noe Valley Association CBD which is the property owners of the commercial district, not the merchant association.

It would also be nice to mention this is a "trial" to see how folks like them. These are not not permanent parklet being set up.

Thanks,
Carol Yenne
Member of NVA CBD as well as NVMPA board.

[StreetsBlogSF: Noe Valley Parklet Installation Begins]

Open: Tango Advanced Nutrition

Tango Advanced Nutrition has opened in the small Church St nook in which Mabel Chong said she'd remain. What is Tango? "Tango Advanced Nutrition is an exclusive distributor of several groundbreaking herbal formulas designed by leading anti-aging scientists and herbal researchers in China." So...you now have a place to get your herbal prostate formula right here in Noe Valley.

Tango
1311 Church St

Drewes Meats: Now With Turducken

Drewes Meats has been almost-not-quite-going-out-of-business-and-still-hanging-in-there for over 100 years on the outer corridor of Church Street. This year it is reinventing itself with... Turducken.

Via 7x7 magazine:

"Just for the holidays, they've got free range, all natural Willie Bird Turkeys at $3.09/lb, while the organic ones start at $4.29/lb, and go up to 32 lbs! Petite Diestel turkeys start at $3.09/lb, while organic ones go for $4.29/lb. Drewes Brothers also do smoked turkeys, chickens and cornish game hens, as well as house made Turducken for the first time! They've been getting more orders for Turducken than expected so call ahead and reserve one by the 22nd. They're stuffed with andouille sausage, cranberries and pinenuts, and range from $135-150. They'll also brine your birds for you, for $4.99/lb. They'll take your bird orders until the day before Thanksgiving."

Drewes Bros. Meats 1706 Church Street, (415) 821-0515

[7x7: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Getting Your Turkey SF]
[Image: Drewes]

Saucy Joe's Knife Sharpening

If you've been wondering where to go to have your knives sharpened since Cook's Boulevard closed, Saucy Joe is setting up his stone near the Noe Valley Farmer's Market every Saturday this month on a trial basis (demand will dictate if he returns). The prices are reasonable, and Joe will sharpen while you wait.

[Saucy Joe]

Supes Race: Mandelman Concedes, Wiener Victorious

The final tally won't be official until the end of November, but the race for District 8 Supervisor is over. From SFGate:

...The other conceded race goes to Scott Wiener in District Eight. The second-place finisher in that showdown, Rafael Mandelman, issued his statement to ''Dear Friends'' on Wednesday.

''I cannot express just how incredibly grateful I am to all of you who have been part of my campaign for supervisor,'' Mandelman wrote. ''Unfortunately, after two years of dialing for dollars, knocking on doors, chasing after endorsements and harassing the bejeezus out of every registered voter we could track down in the district, we are firmly in second place. ... Scott Wiener will be the next supervisor for District Eight (and a very capable and excellent supervisor he will surely be), but I am so glad and grateful for the opportunity to represent you and your values in this campaign.''

Like Kim, Wiener also made use of the exclamation mark in a mass e-mail, stating: ''Victory!''

In the latest results, Wiener had 42.75 percent of the first-choice votes Thursday to Mandelman's 35.27 percent. But again, when voters' second- and third-choice votes were run in a preliminary count, Wiener surpassed the crucial 50 percent mark.

[SFGate: Kim, Wiener declare victory]

Patxi's Noe Valley Aims To Open December 1

Via Inside Scoop we learn Patxi's hopes to open on December 1, will have 65 seats, a beer/wine license and will be open 11am-11pm 10pm with delivery available.

Patxi’s Noe Valley
4042 24th Street
patxispizza.com

Update: The grand opening is slated for 5-7:00pm on Dec 1st with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Bevan Dufty, and Myth Busters cast member Tory Bellici (also a Patxi's investor) - and there will be "complimentary tastes of Patxi's pizzas" and a raffle. Look for online ordering via www.patxispizza.com in December.

[ISSF: Patxi’s Noe Valley looks to open in December]
[Patxi's blog: Patxi's Pizza Noe Valley Opens Dec 1st!]

Rainbow Over Noe Valley

Taken this afternoon while waiting for a cup of coffee from Blue Bottle at 26th and Sanchez. Also check out a very nice rainbow at SF Citizen.

Town Square: Update On Rec & Park Site Visit

Via Todd David:

On Wednesday, November 3, the Park and Rec Open Space Advisory Committee (PROSAC) met and discussed The Noe Valley Town Square Project.

Four members of Residents for Noe Valley Town Square attended the meeting--myself, Chris Keene (from Noe Valley Ministries), Erica Sweetman (from Noe Valley Farmers' Market), and Michael Powell (from Noe Valley Farmers' Market).

We made a 3 minute presentation to PROSAC and we submitted a letter strongly supporting the project from Supervisor Bevan Dufty.

PROSAC voted 11-1 to advise the Rec and Park Commission to utilize the Open Space Fund to purchase the property. However, the full PROSAC committee is 23 members and 12 affirmative votes are needed to officially endorse a project. All that being said, Residents for Noe Valley Town Square can still move forward and make a presentation to the Rec and Parks Commission explaining that only 12 PROSAC members were present at the November meeting and the vote to support the project was 11-1. And that is what we are planning on doing.

I want to thank District 8 PROSAC members Frank Triska and Jeanne McKinney for their unwavering support of the project. They have been strong advocates for the neighborhood. It is clear why Bevan Dufty appointed them to represent us.

NEXT STEPS

I don't know when we will be presenting to the Rec and Parks Commission. I will follow up with that important information ASAP.

This Thursday, November 11, I am meeting with Meredith Thomas (Executive Director of Neighborhood Parks Council) and Carlos Rivera (Manager of Circle Bank's 24th Street Location) to open an Escrow Account at Circle Bank for the Town Square. Once the details are worked out, I will send out an email explaining how you can contribute.

Thanks,
Todd David
Residents for Noe Valley Town Square

[NVSF: All Town Square Posts]

NVV Nov. 2010: 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 highlights from the latest issue. Links are to items we've covered here on NVSF or outside sources as the Voice doesn't post stories online until mid-month.

November 2010

Front Page: Two parklets approved for 24th Street - one in front of Martha & Brothers, the other near Just for Fun; fairy doors on 24th Street; cell phone antennas on utility poles will get a hearing with the supes.

Features: Holiday recipes from local food purveyors and restaurateurs; an announcement of the "24 HoliDays on 24th Street" which will run Dec. 1-24 and include this year's Noel Stroll, Yule Rides, a menorah lighting, and Santa (you'll find a sort-of schedule here); Noe Valley music series leaves the Noe Valley Ministry and relocates to NOPA in February.

Cost of Living in Noe: Trophy homes are cold, condos are hot.

Traveling Voice: See pictures of the Voice schlepped to Turkey, Mumbai and Greece.

Rumors: Halloween on 24th Street - Noe Valley was ranked as the #1 destination in SF for trick-or-treating in 2010; the top costumes from the One Stop Party Shop on Church @ 28th were Lady Gaga, vampires...and beards (Go Giants!); the J-Church rail repairs = quieter trains on Church @ 30th - check out this cool time-lapse video of the whole thing; a recap of the color project on Duncan Street.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

Preliminary Ranked Choice Results: Supes Race District 8

The short version: Scott Weiner leads with 12,985 total votes or 55.65% of the vote in Round 2 (Mandelman has 44.35%).

In case you were confused by the ranked choice voting, here's how it works:

The Ranked-Choice Voting Report for Round 1 combines the accumulated totals of first-choice rankings as well as the second- or third-choice selections transferred to the first-choice ranking selections when the first-choice ranking was skipped as required under San Francisco Charter Sec. 13.102: "If a voter casts a ranked-choice ballot but skips a rank, the voter's vote shall be transferred to that voter's next ranked choice."

The numbers are not final, and Mandelman has not conceded. The department will release final results on November 30, 2010.

[SF Department of Elections: Preliminary Ranked-Choice Results Report, Board of Supervisors, District 8]

Closing: Apple Blossom

Another bit of mini-blight in Noe's center: The women's clothing boutique tucked between Cotton Basics and a nail salon on Castro at 24th St (1303 Castro St) is closing its doors. Everything is ~50 percent off while supplies last.

Meanwhile, the former Cooks Boulevard spot a few doors down is also still empty. And around the corner, the postage-stamp-sized Mop Salon (4081 24th St) closed and the space is for rent as of late September.

Early Returns: District 8 Supes Race

Via SF Appeal:

San Francisco's elections for four new members of the 11-member Board of Supervisors remained undecided.

With no candidates achieving a 50-percent majority of votes in races in District 2, 6, 8 and 10, San Francisco's ranked-choice voting system will determine the winners in the coming days.

District 8 in the Castro District and Noe Valley will be led by either Deputy City Attorney Scott Weiner, who got nearly 42 percent of the vote, or public law and affordable housing attorney Rafael Mandelman, who received 36 percent.

[SF Appeal: 2010 Election: Newsom Probably Headed To Sacramento, Other SF Candidate Results]
[Images: Twitter]

Noe Valley Wells Fargo Robbed

Via Twitter:

CatherineBerg Catherine Bergstrom

@

.@murphstahoe I just walked by. Undercover cops galore & nervous Wells employee is telling pple that the branch is temp closed. Nobody hurt.

37 minutes ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply

CatherineBerg Catherine Bergstrom

Yes, the #NoeValley Branch of Wells Fargo was robbed earlier this afternoon. Cops are still on the scene. #SF

42 minutes ago

CatherineBerg Catherine Bergstrom

What's with all of the undercover cops and nervous guy outside of the Wells Fargo on 24th Street in Noe Valley? @SFGate

Rollover Accident: 30th & Dolores

The above was sent with out any details. Speculation: the usual high rate of speed on Dolores combined with texting/phone/food/whatever. Just had to get to the freeway...

Anyone see the accident?

Photos: Halloween 2010 on 24th Street

Halloween Carnival 2010: Upper Noe Valley Rec Center

Wondering what to do with kids in costumes on Halloween before the trick-or-treating starts?

The Friends of Noe Valley Rec Center is throwing a free Halloween Carnival from 11AM - 3PM at the Rec Center this Sunday Oct. 31 (295 Day at Sanchez/30th Streets). The fair includes games, a pet parade, a children's costume parade, pumpkin carving and traveling musicians.

[NVRC: Halloween Carnival 2010]

Coming Soon: Noe Valley Smiles & Braces

If you were looking forward to a Jewish deli, Crunch Fitness or a Michelin-starred restaurant you're outta luck. The combined spaces at 3930-3934 24th St (formerly housing GNC Nutrition and Noe Valley Video) will be a dentist. For children, of course.

Approved: Parklets For 24th Street

22nd St at Bartlett

From murphstahoe:

The 24th Street Parklets were approved by ISCOTT (the Interdepartmental Staff Committee on Traffic and Transportation) today! They are permitted for a 6 month trial beginning in November. At the meeting the Parklets were supported by Debra Neimann from NVA, myself, Martha's Coffee Founder Martha Monroy, Supervisor Dufty's Legislative Aide Todd David, Louis Bryan, and Supervisor Candidate Scott Wiener in the form of his proxy, Gillian Gillett.

As I mentioned before, they will be going in front of Martha's Coffee and Just for Fun. See you out there!

Just in time for winter.

[Pavement To Parks]