This Week In Noe Valley: More Package Thieves Caught on Camera, Real Reindeer, And Other Holiday Mischief

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• More grinchy package thieves caught on video – have you seen this couple? [KTVU]
• And here's a video of some a**hole destroying a tree on Noe St [SFist]
• A water main broke this week – and flooded the intersection in front of Rin's Thai [@krowney and @netzardfan]
• Noe Valley's Wishing Tree continues to warm hearts around the holiday [NBC Bay Area]
• Another rave for Bom Dia market at the corner of 29th and Sanchez [SF Weekly]
• An arsonist torched 4 cars in 40 minutes in the Mission Dolores on the edge of Noe Valley – just a month after a similar incident [SF Gate]
• Insurance didn't cover this guy's Jeep – here's his sweet and sad story [Fundly]
• Despite news reports, none of the burned vehicles were in Noe Valley [@BungerKCBS and @NoeValleySF]
• Hell's Angels, Noe Valley chapter [esbale]
• In Bayview vs. Noe Valley, Bayview wins (#whatever) [Curbed]
• A clever solution to poop on the sidewalk (seen on Church St) [@cappstreetcrap] 
• 6 picks for where to shop on 24th Street [SF Gate]
• Spin City hits its Kickstarter goal to expand and improve the space [Kickstarter]

[Photo: Reindeer in front of Just for Fun via han_cholo23]

This Week In Noe Valley: #Hellastorm Wreaks Havoc, The Smallest Apartment In SF, And Bom Dia Opens

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• Lots and lots of rain #SFStorm [scrupps and @Mabari_News]
• Also lots of flooding #stormageddon [@F6x]
• #Hellastorm knocks out power in Noe Valley [@thelbane]
• Pretty sure you couldn't flood Umpqua with a fire hose... [@alexdavidhenry]
• People waiting in line in the rain for the new Ambiance store opening [AmbianceSF]
• The rain also eroded developer profits at 90 Jersey St [@NoeValleySF]
• Bom Dia Market on Sanchez at 29th opens to nice reviews [Inside Scoop and Zagat]
• Rents in SF rose 13.5% in 2014 – and Noe Valley is up 29% [SFist]
• The smallest apartment for rent in SF is in Noe Valley: 216 sq/ft for only $1425 a month [Curbed]
• La Nebbia celebrates 1 year today [@LaCicciaSF]
• The owner's of Wise Sons Deli (and Noe Valley residents) talk latkes, kugel and mandelbrot [SFGate]
• Menorah lightings around the Bay Area including one in Noe Valley on Dec. 21 [JWeekly]
• And of course, locals are devoted to saving the native (and vocal) Chorus frogs [Bay Nature]

[Photo: Sunrise over the city, view from Noe Valley via San Francisco News]

This Week In Noe Valley: Glorious Rain, Poinsettia Poaching, And Other Signs The Holidays Are Coming

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• The Just for Fun parklet holiday decorations are all over Instagram [adrienneelzbth]
• Video of brazen Santa-looking thief stealing poinsettias in the hood [@ddudgeon]
• Christmas music on Christmas eve in the newly-renovated NV Ministry [Noe Valley Ministry]
• At last - rain! And the downpour created a small lake in Noe Valley [@DanielAndefors]
• The ceiling (and roof?) in Starbucks took a beating [@dplattsf]
• Epic flooding during the rain on Valley at Dolores St [@cvonhaxthausen]
• Rainbow alert over Noe Valley [Burrito Justice]
• Gorgeous sushi from Saru [kewyn15]
• Mike from Mike’s Shoe Repair in Noe Valley spotted in the Financial District [@ddudgeon]
• Scott Wiener’s December Newsletter [Scott Weiner]
• ICYMI: Plans to develop the Real Foods building are coming soon [NVSF]
• Holiday trees that eventually become street trees available through Dec 19 [@SFPublicLibrary]
• Philz Coffee in Noe Valley is getting a makeover [@rohitjenveja]
• The Wishing Tree in Noe Valley inspires another in Portland [TravelPulse]
• Bom Dia Market opened today [@BomDiaMarket]

[Photo: Muni Polaroid in the rain via Nuugent]

NVV Dec 2014: 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 2014

Front Page: A profile of the Tom and Jerry Holiday House at 3650 21st. St; Plans move forward at the former Real Food space (you can see our take and comments from Scott Wiener here); Renovations - and temporary classrooms - commence at James Lick High School and should take about two years.

Letters: Castro Computers thanks everyone who donated recycled electronics to the recent recycling drive for the NVMPA - it was a huge success; A Clipper St resident beseeches you not to donate to local panhandlers - your taxes contribute to the $167 million spent annually on homeless programs; Gwen Anderson of Video Wave writes that the video store's lease is up in July - she asks fans of the store to watch their website and storefront for meetings about how you can help keep the 20,000 piece video collection in Noe Valley.

Feature: Details about holiday festivities in Noe Valley this month (aka 24 HoliDAYS on 24th); Scott Wiener held a local town hall with District 8 residents to discuss rising crime in Noe Valley and surrounding neighborhoods.

Short Takes: Looking for places to do good for the holidays? Folio Books is having a fundraiser for the Children's Book Project, and SF firefighters are taking food and toy donations for the needy (as are several other local businesses); The dog park at Upper Noe Rec Center will be closed on Thursdays for maintenance and to "give the turf a day off"; The Noe Valley Ministry is raising funds for a new stained glass window; The Garden Tour is looking for nominations for its 2015 event.

Cost of Living in Noe: 18 single family homes changed hands in October, all for over $1 million. The most expensive was a $4.85M home on Jersey.

Store Trek: Mapamundi Kids (1306 Castro St at 24th); Ambiance is combining two small stores into one big one in the former Sway and Streetlight Records space at 3979 24th St; An eco-friendly clothing store called Podolls will be moving into one of the spaces Ambiance is vacating - the other is still for rent.

Rumors: The former Pasta Pomodoro space will become a new restaurant serving an all-day menu of American/Mediteranean food called NōVY and will be run by the owners' daughters who also live in Noe Valley; The UPS store has temporarily moved into the Cardio-Tone space while their current space undergoes ADA and seismic work - they expect to be there until mid January; The towering retail space across the street from Shufat on 24th St is listed for $16,000 per month; L'Atelier Artist Collective is open for business - as is a new hair salon called Mio Mio on Castro above Subs, Inc; Not everyone is happy about the location of the new city carshare parking spots in front of LaBoulange because...parking. Bill Yenne (and his new book Beer: The Ultimate World Tour) was the guest of honor at Folio's one year anniversary; Porcellino is closed for good; There's a gorgeous new mural on 24th St.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

Coming Soon: Plans To Develop Real Foods Building

You know how you walk past that empty storefront across from Whole Foods and wonder what the hell? Or maybe you remember that eleven years ago Real Foods was abruptly shut down and there have been years of drama since. Maybe your remembrance is that Big Corporate America is against unions. Or maybe you don't care what happened. Regardless, many of you have had opinions over the years about what should happen to this prime Noe Valley space.

Andrew Ross writes (albeit in a bit flowery way) on SFGate that plans are finally moving forward to develop the Real Foods location. He references a visit Scott Wiener and others made to Utah in October of 2013 to meet with the current owners - Nutraceutical. And he tells of a promise made ("a solid oath") to rebuild on the site. None of that is news.

What is news: Nutraceutical is ready to present plans to the public - there will be a meeting in January. This type of meeting is standard procedure for developers looking to submit high-profile plans to the Building Department so don't expect final drawings and a committed tenant. Instead expect concept drawings and be prepared to give feedback on the project. Want to make sure it doesn't house a bank, nail salon or title company? Let them know how you feel.

We asked a few local people in the know for some more information. Todd David of Friends of Noe Valley told us the architect is SF-based Jackson Liles Architecture. Brian Liles is the project lead. Principal Julie Jackson is active in the public school system and has children at James Lick.

Carol Yenne, past president of the Noe Valley Merchants and Professionals Association, gave us a bit more information:

I went on the trip in Oct 2013 with Scott to meet with the owners of the property. The plans to develop the property had stalled during the downturn in the economy in 2008 but we discovered when we arrived that the company was already starting to work on plans again. San Francisco is trying to encourage housing and we all are on the same page about wanting to get the property developed into active retail and housing so that it does not continue to be a vacant space. The company asked for ideas for the retail space and we encouraged them to consider active retail or a restaurant which they seemed to take to heart. The space will likely be two businesses and the housing will be a minimum of four units.

Todd and Carol both let us know that neither FoNV nor the NVMPA have an official or active role in directing how this space is used.

So this is your chance to weigh in - mark your calendars for the community meeting and bring your opinions.

What: Community Meeting to present plans for Real Foods building
Where: St Philips Church, 725 Diamond St
When: January 22, 2015, 7:00PM
Bonus: Todd told us there's a rumor of childcare provided.

[Andrew Ross: Noe Valley’s Real Food to be reborn]
[NVSF: Real Foods - I Wish This Was...]

This Week in Noe Valley: The Wishing Tree, 24th St HoliDAYS, And Porcellino Closes

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• The Wishing Tree returns to Noe Valley [SFist]
• Whole Foods calms Thanksgiving shoppers with freezer-mounted Flamenco [@dmf] 
• Whole Foods also speaks Doge [@emichbe]
• Noe Valley Wine Walk returns this Thursday Dec 4 from 4-8pm – rain or shine [Restivo]
• The Wine walk is part of 24 HoliDAYS on 24th Street, which starts this Monday [24on24th]
• The inventor of an aneurysm stent graft lives in Noe Valley [SF Gate]
• ICYMI: Porcellino is closed for good [Inside Scoop]
• A recent Noe Valley break-in chronicled [Reddit]
• Martin Mattox named one of the best vintage stores [KQED]
• Which neighborhood home values have appreciated the most? Noe Valley is at 51% [SFist]
• Average condo price in Noe Valley hits $1.25 million – most selling 19% over asking [Downing & Co]

[Photo: The Wishing Tree via NVSF]

Closed: Porcellino

After a very brief run as a local all-day restaurant/market serving small plates, sandwiches and pasta in the old Incanto space, Porcellino is closed for good.

A sign in the restaurant window and a brief post on the Porcellino site today announced the sad news:

Porcellino is now closed. Please accept our sincere thanks for the 12+ years of support and friendship. For salumi, please visit Boccalone in the Ferry Building or online at bocalone.com. For great Italian food and hospitality, we encourage you to visit our friends down the street at La Ciccia and La Nebbia. Wishing you and your families a holiday season filled with health, joy and laughter.

The closing is a sudden but not entirely unexpected (we’ve never seen a crowd there for lunch). No word on what’s going into the space next but chef and partner Chris Cosentino’s newest restaurant, Cockscomb, will be opening very soon in SOMA – which may have something to do with the timing of Porcellino's demise.

One bright spot: Locals looking for prepared meals will soon have another option nearby. The owners of Bom Dia Market at Sanchez and 29th tell us they hope to open this weekend and will have pre-made Mediterranean dishes for sale as well as organic produce, beer and wine. Eater has uploaded the opening menu here.

New Mural On 24th St By Shawn Bullen

The side of the Radio Shack building on 24th Street is getting a new look this week with the addition of a giant greenish blue, black and gold mural. The project is part of a citywide celebration of small business and a promotion involving the American Express national #ShopSmall promotion plus major San Francisco partners including SF Travel, the Office of Small Business, Invest in Neighborhoods, and the SF Chamber of Commerce. We asked around, and Carol Yenne of Small Frys connected us with Dani Sheehan-Meyer of Cliché Noe who in turn connected us to a representative of Small Business Saturday Coalition based in Washington, DC.

The artist, Shawn Bullen, is an accomplished muralist who has painted hundreds of pieces around the country. The artist claims he’s created murals in most cities in North America and plans to create works on every continent in the next five years. He’s also been teaching mural painting for 8 years. You can see some his work on his personal site -  ShawnBullen.com - or follow him on Instagram: @shawnbullen1.

We asked the organizers a few questions about the mural and here’s what we learned:

How did you choose the artist for this project? The mural was created through a partnership between American Express and the SF Arts Commission. The artist, Shawn Bullen, was selected by the SF Arts Commission.

How was the design was chosen - was it the artist's discretion or did you give him some guidelines? The artist was free and open to create his own design, representative of his work to include the “Shop Small” icon.  The concept and initial sketches were approved by the Commission, building owner etc.

How is the building owner involved in the project if at all? And is it meant to be a permanent mural? The building owner was involved, and the mural is permanent.

We were also able to connect with Shawn today while he was painting. Shouting up to the lift he was working from, we asked if his mural has a name. He thought for a few seconds and replied: “Dream Big.” Love it.

The mural is a work in progress but looks like it will be done in plenty of time for Small Business Saturday – which is this Saturday - November 29.

[Photos: Murals via NVSF; Shawn selfie via shawnbullen1]

This Week In Noe Valley: Fall Color, Another Kickstarter, And David Sedaris Spotted

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• Maricar Lagura launches a Kickstarter to expand and improve Spin City Coffee [Kickstarter]
• San Francisco real estate flippers make an average profit of $344,111 per flip [Curbed]
• Spotted: David Sedaris wandering around Noe Valley – he's the best friend of Rabat's manager [@shaketini and NVV]
• This is what the security guards at BofA talk about [@Kitt_Radley]
• Noe Valley Bakery is doing a window display this month and the theme is "Giving Back" (chastened by some Kickstarter campaign criticism?) [Guide Dogs for the Blind]
• Noe Valley Food Drive is this Sunday across from Whole Foods [ClimbSF]
• Surviving the secret childhood trauma of a parent’s drug addiction – authored by someone raised in Noe Valley [Pacific Standard]
• There but for the grace... That homeless person you see might be your former Noe Valley neighbor [SF Gate]
• In case you've missed it, here's howw Noe Valley got its name [Bold Italic]
• Designer Louisa Parris reminisces about her rent-controlled place in the hood and here's what a Noe Valley scarf looks like [Racked and Louisa Parris]

[Photo: A little taste of Fall in San Francisco via letote]

Crime Beat: Is Violent Crime in Noe Valley On The Rise?

The big crime news this week is the suspected attempted abduction of a 12-year-old boy from outside St. Philip School. Details are still a bit fuzzy, but the story is pretty scary:

Officials at a school in San Francisco’s Noe Valley are warning students and parents to be vigilant after a man chased a seventh-grader outside the campus.

The incident happened outside Saint Philip the Apostle School at 665 Elizabeth St. about 3:40 p.m. Wednesday. A 12-year-old boy was walking on Elizabeth and turning onto Diamond Street when he sensed someone “rushing toward him” from behind, said Principal Remy Everett. He turned around and saw a man coming straight at him, Everett said. The boy ran and screamed and took cover in a cafe half a block away, Everett said. The man fled. Everett said she believes the man wanted to kidnap the boy.

The incident was witnessed by a girl who is in sixth grade at the school, she said. The assailant never touched the boy, and there was no verbal exchange, “but the very fact that he was chased half a block down is a strong indication of a very dangerous situation,” Everett said.

In a note to parents late Wednesday, Everett wrote that “there was an attempted abduction” outside the school. “Our student did everything correctly when he felt he was in a bad situation, running, screaming and going to the nearest business,” she wrote.

The boy and his grandmother returned to school to report the incident, which is under investigation by police. The case is being classified as a “suspicious act toward a child,” and police can’t confirm that the person intended to kidnap the boy, said Officer Grace Gatpandan, a San Francisco police spokeswoman.

Officers are hoping to speak to more witnesses and obtain video surveillance footage, she said. The assailant was described as a Latino man, about 5 feet 9 to 5 feet 10 inches tall, wearing a white or light gray sweatshirt with a hoodie and navy or gray sweatpants.

Scary, and as stated, actual motivation is unknown. But parents are understandably spooked:

It's finally sinking in & hitting hard. The boy that fought off abduction is a kid we know in our small SF school. Could have been my son.
— SF Concierge (@SFConcierge) November 20, 2014

Other crime in the last few weeks or so has us wondering if there is a trend in our little village. Assaults have been reported, as have bank robberies and a recent unexplained cops with shotguns incident.

Reports detailed in the Ingleside Station Newsletter range from bikes stolen, GPS systems left out in the open, etc. But lately there have also been a string of more violent crimes. (We'd love to see reports from the Mission Station, which protects the northern part of Noe Valley, but it hasn't provided quality and timely crime data for years now.) Here are some recent Ingleside entries:

November 8

Aggravated Assault -- 11:30pm, 29th/Church. A woman walking home was assaulted by a stranger. The victim told Ingleside Officers Ferronato and Kikuchi that she was walking westbound on 29th street, near Church, when she walked past a young man traveling in the opposite direction. A short time after she passed him she felt a shove in her back causing her to fall face first onto the sidewalk. Then she said she was kicked several times in the back before the suspect ran away.

Aggravated Assault of a Police Officer -- 11:57pm, 1700 Blk Dolores. Ingleside Officers Busalacchi and Hackard were dispatched to a call of an auto burglary in progress in the area of 30th and Dolores Streets. When they arrived they noticed a man, matching the description of the burglar, walking northbound on Dolores Street near 30th. The officers told the man to stop but instead of stopping, he took off running. The officers chased the suspect in their patrol car and watched as he jumped into a parked Nissan on the 1700 block of Dolores. The officers stopped their patrol car next to the Nissan, exited their patrol car, and ordered the suspect to get out of the car. Instead of complying, the suspect started the vehicle and drove directly at officer Busalacchi just missing her. The suspect continued driving south on Dolores to San Jose Avenue almost striking another marked police car. The suspects then escaped at a high rate of speed down San Jose and onto southbound #280.

November 9

Hot Prowl Burglary -- 7:00pm, 1800 Blk Church. A homeowner called police to report a burglary. The victim told Ingleside Officers Wong and Chang that she woke up earlier that day and found her garage door open and two bicycles missing. She said that she remembers closing the garage door the night before with the bicycles in the garage on a rack. The victim said the garage is shared with an upstairs neighbor.

November 15

Aggravated Assault -- 8:00pm, Valley & Church. A woman walking her dog late at night was attacked by an unknown assailant. The victim told Ingleside Officers Morrow and Siracusa that a man walked up behind her, grabbed her dog leash, and threw it into the street with the dog attached. The victim then turned and grabbed the man’s face while falling to the ground. The suspect then kicked the victim several times in the back while she was on the sidewalk before running away. She got up and went home and called police. She told Morrow and Siracusa that fortunately she and her dog didn’t suffer significant injuries from the attack. She provided a description of the assailant and said she could possibly recognize him.

So what do you think Noe Valley - are we seeing an uptick? Or is it just better reporting thanks to social media? Or, (and more nefarious), are news organizations throwing the Noe Valley label on anything like yesterday's three car arson fire in the Castro to get attention? And if we are seeing an uptick, what should we do about it?

Foodie Bridge To Valencia At The Edge Of Noe Valley

There are three new restaurants opening on the edge of Noe Valley that promise to be welcome additions to the dining options between here and Valencia Street. Valencia St. has become a go-to for some of the most innovative (and fun!) restaurants in the City, and now it looks like local chefs are looking for spaces nearby that promise to expand the number of quality restaurants for a great night out.

22nd and Guerrero isn't downtown Noe Valley, but according to the map we use for our 'hood it's right on the edge. Some sources call it the Mission, but that's not quite right. Let's go ahead and call it Noe Gulch. The new restaurants there ...

The restaurant formerly known as Company (and at one time home to the foodie Mecca Flying Saucer) has become Hoffman's Grill & Rotisserie. Chef/owner Karen Hoffman, who has worked at Spago and the Four Seasons, has created a casual restaurant "serving comfort food at its finest." Everything is made in-house including bread, pasta and sausages and the focus is on "the quality of the ingredients." Early visitors on Yelp give it 4.5 stars.

Across the street in what used to be Beast and the Hare, Brett Cooper (formerly of Outerlands and with help from the Daniel Patterson Group) is working on Aster, which Inside Scoop reports is a 45 seat restaurant that will serve ingredient-driven Californian fare sourced from small but emerging local farms. (Fittingly, the name Aster means small local flower.) Opening date was reportedly this November, although on a recent walk past the space it didn't appear an opening was imminent.

Slightly south, but still close by, former Ubuntu chef Aaron London is planning to open an as yet unnamed restaurant on Valencia at 26th (formerly Toad's and more recently South End Grill n' Bar). Inside Scoop has the lowdown here too: It seats 49 and will cater to more than vegetarians (although "veggie heavy") and will serve fish, meat and seafood too. Look for that to open this Spring.

All told, Noe Valley dining options continue to attract attention. Add the above to La Ciccia, Contigo, Firefly, Saru Sushi and other options, and it's looking good for quality fare expanding on the edge of Noe Valley.

[Photo: Hoffman's Grill & Rotisserie on Yelp]

This Week In Noe Valley: A New Restaurant, Cute Sad Stuff, And Apple Pay

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• Former Ubuntu chef opening a new restaurant at 26th and Valencia Spring 2015 [Inside Scoop]
• Those sirens going off last weekend? Still no good answers on why they went off [KTVU]
• Sad stuff in Noe Valley [@sfstern]
• Local Whole Foods clerk estimates 1 in 15 customers are using Apple Pay [@salwilliam]
• Noe Valley Ministry is moving back into 1201 Sanchez St this weekend [NVM]
• A reminder of what all that fuss in Dolores Park is about [Far Out City]
• New classrooms in James Lick playground for ADA retrofits [thx @mayak46]

[Photo: This little Ewok via joshuarowe]

Kids Selling Magazine Subscriptions - Should We Worry?

Passed along without comment:

Hi Editors,
I was wondering if you had had any reports of a door to door magazine sales scam going around? A young man from an organization called PS Circulation rang our door bell today and the scenario was this: a well dressed young man (with a tie on) rings your bell, he asks you about your hobbies, your interests, tells you he is working on his people skills, he eventually tells you he is selling magazines and he gets "points" for each sale - and that part of this is a fundraiser for the Third St. Children's Center In Mission Bay. Next thing, he asks you for a drink of water (and some people have invited them in!) and eventually convinces you to buy some magazines and give him a check.

Just curious if anyone else had written in about concerns with this organization because it seems like a scam from what I read online.

Thanks!
**** (Noe Valley resident for 36 years)

What say you, Noe Valley?

Open: L’Atelier Artist Collective

Just in time for the holiday shopping season, L’Atelier on 24th St. opened its doors today. L'Atelier (which means workshop in French) is a collective of “upcycling” artists from the Bay Area and Oregon. It sells everything from jewelry, clothing and accessories to refurbished furniture. The shop is in the newly created space between Heroine and the UPS store on 24th at Castro.

Owned by artists Cynthia and Anthony Webb, the store is reminiscent of the once-popular Urban Nest with an eco-friendly local artist twist. And no, it's not on Yelp yet.

L'Atelier
4102 24th St
San Francisco

This Week in Noe Valley: Car Break-ins, Berkeley Comparisons, And Mini Local Celebrity Sightings

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• The local Noe Valley branch library cards are cute [camillertime]
• Brewer’s blackbird spotted in Noe Valley [@AudubonCA]
• Spotted in the window at Drewes Meats [94th Day]
• Nice neighbor PSA: Don’t leave anything visible in your car – the streets have been lined with glass [@sfstern]
• Whole Foods supports Students Rising Above through your bag donations [SRA]
• Food drive coming to Noe Valley on Nov 23 [@SevenSquaredSF]
• A woodcut artist in LA carved an original piece of Phil Jaber of Philz Coffee – and tells his story [Woodcuting Fool]
• In elections, Berkeley is like “one big Noe Valley” [SF Gate]
• …in real estate however, not so much [Berkleyside]
• 13-year old music phenom Henry Plotnik plays the NV Farmer’s Market [KQED]
• Actor Liam Vincent lives in the neighborhood [7x7]
• So does Fat Mike of punk rock band NoFX [SF Weekly]
• There are 70 craft chocolate makers in the US today – and Chocolate Covered carries 25 of them [SF Chronicle]
• What $6,000 a month rents you in Noe Valley [Curbed]

[Photo: Colorful house via maria.bruno.sf]

Local Author Alexis Coe Reads At Folio Books This Sunday

Alright so who is Alexis Coe? She's kind of a big deal, actually:

Alexis Coe has contributed to The Atlantic, Slate, the Paris Review Daily, The Hairpin, the Los Angeles Review of Books, The Millions, Modern Farmer, and many others. She is a columnist at The Awl and The Toast, and holds an MA in American history. Before moving to San Francisco, Alexis was a research curator at the New York Public Library.

And the book? It's her first, and it's garnering great reviews. Here's the description of Alice + Freda Forever from Amazon:

In 1892, America was obsessed with a teenage murderess, but it wasn't her crime that shocked the nation—it was her motivation. Nineteen-year-old Alice Mitchell had planned to pass as a man in order to marry her seventeen-year-old fiancée Freda Ward, but when their love letters were discovered, they were forbidden from ever speaking again.

Freda adjusted to this fate with an ease that stunned a heartbroken Alice. Her desperation grew with each unanswered letter—and her father’s razor soon went missing. On January 25, Alice publicly slashed her ex-fiancée’s throat. Her same-sex love was deemed insane by her father that very night, and medical experts agreed: This was a dangerous and incurable perversion. As the courtroom was expanded to accommodate national interest, Alice spent months in jail—including the night that three of her fellow prisoners were lynched (an event which captured the attention of journalist and civil rights activist Ida B. Wells). After a jury of "the finest men in Memphis" declared Alice insane, she was remanded to an asylum, where she died under mysterious circumstances just a few years later.

Alice + Freda Forever recounts this tragic, real-life love story with over 100 illustrated love letters, maps, artifacts, historical documents, newspaper articles, courtroom proceedings, and intimate, domestic scenes—painting a vivid picture of a sadly familiar world.

Alexis will be at Folio Books on Sunday, November 9th, at 4pm. She promises erotomania and murder:

Appetites will be sated @FolioSF Sun, 4pm. They'll have tea+cookies, I'm bringing erotomania+murder #books #NoeValley pic.twitter.com/qRAjmsmi7R
— Alexis Coe (@Alexis_Coe) November 7, 2014

[Official Site: Alexis Coe]

Open: Mapamundi Kids

Peekaboutique, the used children’s clothing and consignment store has been for sale for some time – and this week a new shop is in place. The new store is called Mapamundi Kids and a sign in the window reads:

Introducing a children’s store with an eye for design; curating a selection of the best toys, books, and gifts from the world over. 

Mapamundi Kids
1306 Castro St (at 24th St)
San Francisco, CA 94114

 And of course it’s already got a 4 star review on Yelp.

NVV Nov 2014: 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 2014

Front Page: Neighborhood jittery after a rash of serious crimes; Local author Ruthanne Lum McCunn self-publishes a new novel, Chinese Yankee; Local journalist Joshua Davis' new book Spare Parts launches Dec 2 - catching a reading at Folio Books.

Letters: Two condolence letters for Bruno, "a dog who loved food."

Feature: In memory of Nancy Roddick, esteemed member of the local community and wife of NVMPA President Bob Roddick, who died in August.

Cost of Living in Noe: $1.4 million to $3.7 million if you want to buy a house right now.

Store Trek: Blue Ova Health (1414 Castro St at Jersey and 24th)

Rumors: Pasta Pomodoro is no more - the owner is doing seismic upgrades and confirms that the building will reopen as a difference restaurant with a new operator early next year; The Hooters ABC License Application posted on the old Bliss Bar was a hoax - the location is being renovated and will become a restaurant that is "family-friendly with food and cocktails" but no word on timing; The rumor of the the fortress-like home at 801 Sanchez which hasn't been occupied for 40 years being sold for $10 million was just that - a rumor (it's not for sale and still owned by Jean K. Tinsley, a famous aviatrix that lives in Atherton and hopes to some day return); Peekaboutique has sold - the owner is not disclosing the buyer until the transfer is complete; Independent Nature has been evicted and is not planning to reopen a retail store - although the owner will continue her landscaping services [Ed.-- No mention of "greedy landlords"]; Tacolicious on Church St added to their sign - "Office" (no tacos are served there); A bomb threat on Sanchez in Oct turned out to be just training grenades; One-Stop Party Shop on Church St reports the most popular costumes this year were any character in Frozen and the Malificent Dragon Hoodie.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

This Week In Noe Valley: Halloween Excess, Pasta Pomodoro Exits, And GO GIANTS!!

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• Noe Valley gets wild after Giants World Series win [eefeefeef]
• S**t going down in Whole Foods during the World Series final [@zamosta]
• A Giant plan to improve Muni (and speed up the 48) [Burrito Justice]
• Halloween, Noe Valley style [gfillonramos]
• Where they stand: Candidates for Supervisor in District 8 [SF Gate]
• A writer's guide to SF cafes names Bernie's best in Noe Valley [7x7]
• Plumpjack, which has been looking for a restaurant spot in the area, is opening a bar in the Luna Park space on Valencia [SFist]
• Folio Books turns one [@FolioSF]
• Pasta Pomodoro is closed on 24th St – but hey, you can still visit one of their 18 other Bay Area locations [NVSF and @PastaPomodoro]
• Massimiliano Conti talks La Nebbia and La Ciccia [Inside Scoop SF]
• A review in pictures of Martin Maddox [Spotted SF]
• Short films about SF's ecological anomalies at the Roxie – Tues Nov 11 [Kyle Garrett]

[Photo: Orange sky for the Giants parade via js42]

Closing: Pasta Pomodoro In Noe Valley

We just received word from a neighbor that Pasta Pomodoro at 4000 24th St will close for good after today's service. We called to confirm, and were told that the owner of the building is planning major renovations. At this point there are no plans to reopen at this location. The staff didn't know any other details, and stated they were given notice three days ago. We'll post more when we have more info.

Update (10/29): No word yet from Pasta Pomodoro corporate, but we did do a quick permit search. At this time there are no permit applications filed for the building. But there is an interesting tidbit on the ABC license - it's set to expire on 10/31/14 and there is no record of a transfer pending.
 
We walked by this afternoon and workers are clearing the space. There's a new sign on the door stating they "lost their lease" and to visit other locations. The parking space permit is listed for 1090-1092 Noe Street and so we looked up that address. Sure enough - a construction permit was filed in May: "PARTIAL VOLUNTARY SEISMIC UPGRADE AT GROUND FLOOR ONLY, NEW SIDING & REPAINT EXTERIOR WALL." Partial, sure, but there are nine special inspections required. This is work is likely to comply with SF's Mandatory Soft Story Program.

[Photo: Google]

This Week In Noe Valley: A Bomb Scare, A Proposed Bunker, And Noe Valley Mapped To NYC

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• What is it with New Yorkers putting the rest of the world into their little box? (Save you a click: we're the Upper West Side) [Urbane]
• Bay Area rents are crushing New York's [Curbed]
• The first 8 figure Noe Valley Estate (with a bunker) is in the works [SocketSite]
• Speculation on the future bunker owners [Valleywag]
• Training grenades found by a contractor set off a bomb scare on Sanchez [SF Gate]
• Let's hope we don't see more annoying videos like this about Noe Valley real estate (1993 called...) [Zephyr]

[Photo: zebfidj]

This Week In Noe Valley: Orange October, Harvest Fest, And Other Signs of Fall

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• It was Harvest this weekend and Scott Wiener was there [@Scott_Wiener]
• So were Carol Kingsley and David Campos [Carol Kingsley and @DavidCamposSF]
• Orange October indeed: Beautiful Noe Valley sunsets [ktmow and andrewgodwin]
• And the hayride not operated by Uber [brianalvey]
• A short video of Trolley Dancers that rode the J-Church line this weekend [swim97]
• And an in-depth piece about said Trolley Dancers [KALW]
• Bom Dia corner market gets closer – and they're hiring [Good Food Jobs]
• Sorry #NoeDads – Hooters is not replacing Bliss Bar [San Francisco]
• A discerning review of Rare Device [SF Girl by Bay]
• After a recent facelift, Noe Valley Bakery launches a Kickstarter to raise $19,000 for...a facelift (because France) [Kickstarter]
• Man rear-ended, then pistol-whipped at 24th and Dolores [SF Examiner]
• KRON goes to the scene of the crime and interviews neighbors who feel less safe now [KRON4]
• Beware of this potentially dangerous Comcast scam [@paulettebleam]
• An in-depth review of Porcellino's pork ragu that survives from Incanto [SFGate]
• Meanwhile, Cosentino hopes to branch out at his new restaurant Cockscomb [SFGate]
• San Francisco and Noe Valley are tops for trick or treating once again [Zillow]
• Are there any grown-ups in SF? Yes, and they're all at Urban Putt [SFGate]

[Photo: NVSF]

90 Jersey St Sets A New High Bar For Hubris

Yeah, it's a bold claim. But we think it's justified. Here's why:

• Until recently, 90 Jersey St was a classic Noe Valley Victorian that probably needed some upgrades but was a nice single family house. Permits approved were for an interior renovation, a third story, and excavation for a garage. No demolition permit was obtained.
• This week it was listed for $4.85M - to live just 50 feet from the J-Church.
• Easy access to public transit, shuttle buses and a high walkability score didn't deter the developer from including a five car garage.

Nicely done, though. At least on the inside.

Update (11/7): 90 Jersey St closed escrow on 10/31 after only 9 days on market for $4.895M. Did they take the first offer and run? Thanks to the anon commenter for the tip.

[90 Jersey St]

Eviction Notice Served To Independent Nature

It’s not just renters in SF that are getting ejected from their buildings – merchants are getting squeezed too (witness Global Exchange closing). This week we got this note from Susan Prentice, owner of Independent Nature on 1504 Church St:

I have just celebrated 5 years at this location. But my landlord, Dona Taylor, owner of When Modern Was, has presented me with a "notice to vacate." It was given to me by her husband, Bill Hoover, co-owner w/ Taylor of Gallery of Jewels. 

No reason was given for the notice...there does not have to be a "cause," unlike residential rentals. The space is perfect for a garden nursery and will be hard to replace. 

But even more upsetting is that when I opened in 2009, Taylor's store "When Modern Was," was struggling ... and by dividing her store and renting to me, she was able to survive. Now that the market is hot again, she is kicking me out to increase her profits. 

Thanks for your time. 

Susan Prentice 

Owner of Independent Nature

Another neighbor also alerted us to the eviction and remarked “Independent Nature is such a fun little place. Shame to see it pushed out.”

This Week In Noe Valley: Blue Angels, Blood Moon, And…Hooters?

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• In response to complaints about the Blue Angels [@linecook]
• SF waterfront land could be soaked by sea-level rise - could Noe Valley someday have waterfront property? [The Examiner]
• (Yes - Noe Valley could be seaside) [Burritojustice]
• Spotted in the Whole Foods parking lot #gogiants [naseisland]
• If you missed the blood moon eclipse this week because of fog, here’s what the rest of the world saw [NPR]
• The sunset and moon sightings were also spectacular [ericaaa_24 and berdim99 and ajvicems]
• Rumor or wishful thinking: Tartine coming to Noe Valley? [@NoeMom]
• Spotted: A permit for Hooters to replace Bliss Bar [@ErosRemini]
• Um, no [Uptown Almanac]
• SF Studios starts this week around the city [SFGate]
• Noeteca plans to open Mission Brasserie [Inside ScoopSF]
• Authors of Thug Kitchen cancel their NorCal (and Omnivore) engagement [SFist]

[Photo: More tolerable weather. Yay! anilla02]

This Week In Noe Valley: Bank Robbed Again, A Woman Attacked, And Wow Is It Hot!

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• Clear hot nights = gorgeous sunrises [egundersen]
• Yep, it’s hot [bennie]
• Too hot for these pups [cms100]
• Africa hot (yes we know... go watch Biloxi Blues) [@NoeValleySF]
• ICYMI: New corner market gets a name: Bom Dia [NVSF]
• Woman attacked in Noe Valley at 26th and Dolores, shots were fired [SF Weekly]
• Bank robbed again at midday on 24th St [Mission Local]
• Even tech workers are getting squeezed by Noe Valley rents jumping from $3800 to $4700 in 2 years [WSJ]
• Contigo’s Brett Emerson is interviewed by Foodie Chap and shares a recipe [The Daily Meal]
• SF Chronicle endorses Scott Wiener for District 8 supervisor [Chron]
• Scott Wiener’s September newsletter [Scott Wiener]
• The Castro Street Fair is today – with wider sidewalks [Bay Area Reporter]

[Photo: Pretty spiders knucklesamwick]

NVV Oct 2014: 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 2014

Front Page: Noe Valley Ministry will reopen in November; A must-read piece about the tech shuttle buses and the new routes that are outraging residents of 26th St and Duncan (other streets could be next); Harvest Fest (coming on Sat Oct. 18) turns 10 this year.

Letters: The mystery Alvarado tree pruner fesses up and defends his pruning of YOUR trees; A plug for Prop F and against Prop I; RIP Bruno, "a dog who loved food."

Cost of Living in Noe: A house on Fountain sells for $5.15 million; condos are moving briskly and average $1.1 million.

Rumors: 24 HoliDAYS celebration starts this year on Dec 1 with events through Christmas; The SFMTA has agreed to postpone bulbouts on 24th St until after the holidays; The former Joshua Simon spot will become Lazeez, a Middle-Eastern food spot that will serve shawarma, falafel, hummus and sandwiches - it will be operated by the owners of Savor and expects to open this spring; Shufat got a health score of 100 for its deli; Real Foods is still stalled; Whole Foods named James Lick Middle School the beneficiary of its Nickels for Non-Profits Program; Valley Tavern's limited entertainment license was approved for live music - and you can also catch buses to the 49ers games there; Elizabeth Street Brewery donated beer to this year's St. Philip Parish Festival; The steam-cleaning of streets on 24th St has some residents worried about water use during the drought (the NV CDA has an exception for water use); The Noe Valley Ministry is re-opening and throwing a party with local chefs; The construction on Mark Zuckerberg's $10 million house at 21st St and Fair Oaks is annoying neighbors - and just outside the Liberty Hill Historic District designation; The fortress-like home at 801 Sanchez which hasn't been occupied for 40 years has reportedly been sold for $10 million.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

New Healthy Corner Market Gets A Name: Bom Dia

The new corner market that's set to replace the former St. Paul's Market on Sanchez has a name and a launch date: It will be called Bom Dia (good morning in Portuguese - here's how to pronounce it) and is slated to open November 2014. The poster in the window promises beer, wine, coffee, grocery, deli, staples, local, international, organic and delicious. What's not to like? Locals are also asked to "Please send product recommendations to community@bomdiamarket.com." Also, they're hiring.

Construction inside is underway and there's been substantial progress in the last few weeks. Here's hoping it's open in time for last minute ingredient runs on Thanksgiving.

Read the full interview with the founder here.

This Week In Noe Valley: Earthquake Anniversary, Property Maps, And Harvest Is Coming

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• Two Birds women’s clothing shop adds a shoe salon in upstairs area [Racked]
• 25th Anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake meeting at St. Philip – Tues 7pm [@SFHistoryBuffs]
• ESB Ale’s full beer selection at St. Philip Festival this weekend [esbale]
• La Nebbia is now on OpenTable [La Nebbia]
• Things getting (strangely) intense in one Noe Valley rental building [@KittRidley]
• Dog bowl bird bath at Whole Foods [dirtybullets]
• BJ Droubi offers a video tour of 530 28th Street – and sights around Noe [Cinematt]
• A map of median home values in SF: Noe Valley is $2M and that’s not the top [Curbed]
• Another map that lets you see how your property tax compares with your neighbor's [Curbed]
• Neighbors who live near Mark Zuckerberg on the edge of Noe Valley are not happy [SFGate]
• Worse than the noise, he's allegedly paying people to hoard parking [CBS Local]
• 10th annual Noe Valley Harvest Festival is coming Oct 18 [Noe Valley Harvest Festival]

[Photo: View of downtown SF from the deck via callanjb]

Five Years Later - Are Shuttle Buses Useful Or A Menace?

Since we first wrote about the controversial "Google bus" in 2009, the commuter lines have become a lightning rod around the Bay Area. The obvious benefit of the buses is fewer cars on the roads everyday. While there are no hard numbers that tells us just how many people would live so far from work if the bus wasn't an option, we're going to say less cars is a good thing. The negatives include disrupting existing public transit, bus traffic on roads not designated for their size, increased numbers of noisy diesel vehicles idling in the neighborhoods, an alarming number of them stuck on our hills... and the list goes on. For many they've also become a symbol of the haves and have nots.

Basically, those who ride them love them and those who don't ... don't.

Case in point: We received the video above from Scott Maddux showing a "typical morning in Noe Valley." It was taken this morning around the intersection of 26th and Noe Streets.

He writes, "I support the idea of the buses and efficient commuting but pick-ups and routing should be limited to major streets. These buses are clearly not designed for our residential neighborhoods and I think it's obvious that the current situation is unsustainable."

What do you think? Have things gotten better or worse since 2009?

[NVSF: Shuttle Buses: Useful or Menace?]
[Scott Maddux on YouTube: Noe Valley Tech Buses]

This Week In Noe Valley: Incomes Are Up, Sales Were Down During Burning Man, And iPhone 6s Have Landed

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• At the current rate it would take 600 years and $3.6B to underground all the utility lines in SF [SocketSite]
• Incomes are up all over the city [SFist]
• Peekaboutique is still for sale [Racked SF]
• A "soulless Noe bunker" lists for $2.1M [Curbed]
• Kelly Crispin, founder of Elizabeth St. Cosmetics, talks her favorite potions and lotions [SF Gate]
• Noe Valley saw an 11.6% sales decline during Burning Man - according to Square data [Fortune]
• The iPhone 6s have landed [@zazazarah]
• Speaking of iPhones… Playwright James Wood scouts the modern coffee shop in Noe Valley – and the results are predictable [Sonoma Valley Sun]

[Photo: Neighborhood Watch via kermac]

This Week In Noe Valley: Fun with Maps, Parking Musings, And A Vocal Local Glasshole

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• Illustrator Jenni Sparks has created a whimsical map of SF – complete with Noe Valley landmarks like Elizabeth St Brewery and The Tavern [SFist]
• Martin Mattox is open at 1104 Sanchez and fashionistas rejoice [Racked]
• Radio Shack is in trouble – will the 24th St branch survive? [SFGate]
• Observed: People prefer waiting 15 min for free parking Whole Foods or Walgreens to paying for an open meter spot nearby [@tonypham]
• Does Angel Pagan live in Noe Valley? [@shaketini] 
• A survey by the City of SF looking for solutions to improve late-night public transit [via @Scott_Wiener]
• A plea for Blue Fog Market to open on 24th St [@tspollaro]
• Glassholes getting dissed by Noe Valley coffee shops – tech hate crime or satire? [@TechHateCrimes]
• Local fog hyperlapse [ericaaa_24]
• A local kitten that’s Internet famous on Reddit [thatcliffguy]

[Photo: Autumn is Coming via Ayesha_Mattu]