NVV April 2018: 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 2018

Front Page: There's new sand in the giant sandbox and new gravel at the dog run at Upper Noe Rec Center, among other improvements; The owner of a local pre-school lost her Sonoma home in the wildfires and the community has rallied to help; Interview with Jennifer Katz, a local child speech therapist; Group drumming and dancing is on deck for the Town Square every second and fourth Sunday from 3-5pm.

Letters: An ActionSF member loved last month's ActionSF profile; Word Week was a success; An odd note from neighbor Sharon who wants another overly solicitous neighbor to leave her alone.

Feature: Two remodels, one at 79 28th Street [Ed.--permit application withdrawn 3/9/18] and another at 505 Grand View face hurdles from the city and planning commission.

Cost of Living in Noe Valley: Four super luxury homes sold in February, all between $4.9 and $5.5 million which pushed the average value of a Noe Valley home close to $3.6 million. Condo sales averaged $1.6 million.

Short takes: The Noe Valley Garden Tour is looking for volunteers [Ed.--website not updated]; Curry Without Worry is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a free party on April 14 in the Town Square from 3-5pm; Candidates for the mayor's race and the District 8 supervisor seat will speak on April 28 from 2-4pm at St. Aidan's Church.

Store Trek: Azil Boutique, 4010 24th St. at Noe

Rumors and Tidbits: Roughly 200 people showed up for the first Noe Valley Town Square movie night (The Princess Bride) - the next movie night will be July 7 at 7:30pm for a showing of Tortoro. Subscription artisan box company Globe In is moving into the former Cliche Noe space and hopes to open their showroom in May. Upscale Vive La Tarte bakery and cafe is moving into the former Bliss Bar space and will serve lunch including a tacro (a taco crossed with a croissant) in a few months. Sultan's Kebab moved into the former Lazeez space and the owner reports 70 percent of their business is pick-up and take away. Douglas Fir is a new market opening soon in the former Bom Dia space soon (possibly by the end of the month). Pete's Laundry and Cleaners is closed after 30 years on 24th St. after being priced out. Rabat on 24th at Noe is closing by this summer after 47 years and retrenching to their Berkeley store. The Podolls at 3985 24th St. is closing soon, perhaps as early as this summer. The Harry Aleo parking lot on 24th near Castro will soon be getting a collection box for recycling shoes, clothes, bedding and textiles.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

NVV March 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.

March 2016

Front Page: Janis Joplin's psychedelic Porsche that she drove while living in Noe Valley sold for $1.76 million in December; A profile of Todd David, president of the Friends of Noe Valley and political director of Scott Wiener's Senate campaign; The proposed Town Square animal sculptures are criticized for being unsafe to climb and for looking like "lumps;" Word Week is back March 20-26.

Letters: A plea for Noe Valleyeons to consider the Affordable Housing Density Bonus Program; A long rambling letter from someone who misses Real Foods and hates what's happening on 24th St; No love for Whole Foods' loud holiday trucks and parking grab; A complaint about Haystack Pizza adding $2.25 to the bill for whole wheat crust; An appreciation for Wilkes Bashford (RIP).

Features: Alex Louh of the old St. Paul's Market died of cancer in January. RIP Father Tom Seagrave a former Noe Valley priest at St. Paul's parish. In memory of writer and teacher Jane Underwood.

Cost of Living in Noe: The most expensive home sold for $4.5 million on Cesar Chavez at Noe. Rents are cooling off slightly (but not much).

Short Takes: The Peaks, Valley Tavern and The Dubliner will all be celebrating St. Patrick's Day in style on March 17; The Noe Valley Easter Egg Hunt is back, on Saturday March 26 (10 to noon) at Douglass Park thanks to sponsorship from the Droubi and Roddick families.

Store Trek: Lazeez Mediterranean Grill, 3915 24th St. (reviews here)

Rumors and Tidbits: A For Lease sign has appeared in the window of 1298 Church St. - the completed but unused restaurant is seeking a new tenant; Mylene's beauty Shop has transformed into Moe's Barber and Beauty Parlor on 24th St.; chef Paul Svensson was at the Noe Valley Farmer's Market with a film crew for a possible documentary about food (maybe); The bathrooms are now open at Noe Courts; BJ Droubi is retiring and moving to Sacramento - the real estate business is going to her daughter Lamisse; SFPD beat officer Lorraine Lombardo has retired; The restored Noe Valley firehouse at 3816 22nd St. is for rent on Airbnb for $1500 per night; Smash and grab car break-ins are on the rise (moral: don't leave anything in your car); Shoe Biz is no longer a small local shop; The Rabbit Hole Children's Theater is moving into the corner of Diamond and 24th (a former laundromat).

[The Noe Valley Voice]

NVV March 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.

March 2014

Front Page: Word Week is March 16-23; Urban Putt, from Noe Valley's Steve Fox and Chris Myers to open in April, and is still looking for investors; Remembering Josh Epple.

Letters: An idea to create illegal housing for local Glen Evans; "If the people who rode the buses actually lived in Noe Valley they wouldn't have to park here to ride the buses;" An Occupy Noe update.

Short Takes: Upper Douglass Dog Park might open eventually with new drainage/turf but no change to operations if all goes according to the new plan; The NVDC is sponsoring a panel discussion on affordable housing in the Bay Area on 19th at St. Philip's; There is $25,000 in sidewalk landscaping grants available to District 8 landowners - contact Andres Power for more information.

Cost of Living in Noe: It's very hot on the surface of the sun.

Store Trek (at least we think it's Store Trek): A website/app from local Pascal Levy-Garboua called SixDoors that offers same-day delivery from small businesses in Noe Valley and across San Francisco (there's even an adult section); Noe Valley merchants are loving Townsquared - "a private online community for businesses" you can't join.

Rumors: Mazook spent Super Bowl Sunday at Elizabeth Street Brewery, loved the beer and learned that Richard Brewer-Hay has scrapped the idea of trying to open a brewery in the Real Foods space - at least for now; Valley Tavern hopes to was approved to reopen the back patio; Diamond Cafe to open opened; Horner's Corner opened and business is brisk with many people ordering pizza for pickup; The Streetlight Records/Sway building has been sold but needs work before listing for a new tenant; The Noe Valley Farmer's Market is matching food stamp purchases with an equal dollar amount of produce to protest the "Republicans' cutting food stamp benefits in Congress."

Bonus: Your pledge dollars at work: an ad for KQED. In Noe Valley.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

This Week In Noe Valley: Condo Sales Insanity, Homegrown Hostess Cupcakes, and Word Week Begins

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

• Field trip envy: check out the view from the cupola atop City Hall [Hayeswire]
• Noe Valley condo sales are on fire - $998,000 is average (if you can find one)  [Downing & Co.]
• The gentrification of San Francisco 2.0 [Marketplace]
• Lusting after Hostess-style cupcakes from scratch from Noe Valley Bakery (with photos) [love from the bay]
• Noe Valley Word Week featuring local authors starts today [FONV]

[Photo: j_gail ]

NVV March 2013: 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 outside sources as the Voice doesn't post stories online until the middle of the month.

March 2013

Front Page: A 3-page profile of the wacky and colorful Sheila Ash, owner of Noe's Nest (a B&B at 1257 Guerrero); Bliss Bar plans to rebuild - but it may take awhile; Word Week starts on March 16; the community garden behind Sally Brunn Library is full of shoots, plants and leaves.

Letters: The Noe Valley Democratic Club asks dems of all stripes to join the dialogue; a supporter of the Noe Valley Town Square urges Noe Valleyans not to sound so entitled by claiming we're under-served as a community; another neighbor urges Scott Weiner not to force seismic upgrades for homeowners and renters - and Scott Wiener replies.

Farewell: "The highest ranking woman in the history of Judo" and Noe Valley dojo owner Keiko Fukuda died last month.  

Cost of Living in Noe: A 1904 Victorian on 22nd St. at Sanchez that sold for $2.89 million in 14 days was one of only 5 single-family homes to close in January. No condos sold (a first in many years).

Store Trek: Caskhouse (caskhousesf.com), Spark Creativity (sparkcreativitysf.com).

Rumors: Scott Weiner celebrates the team championing the Noe Valley Town Square (pledges are nearing $500,000); @CookieTimeTruck is no longer in the Ministry parking lot; Ed Lee pays a visit to the parklet in front of Just for Fun to congratulate our community benefit district; Mark Zuckerberg owns a home close by and has been spotted on 24th St (and at the Saturday Farmer's Market); Elisa's Health Spa is for sale; the 6th annual Easter egg hunt has been cancelled; Umpqua Bank has nearly $10k in grants available; Opes Advisers is expanding into the former Children's Playhouse; and winners of the Tech Search Party announced.

[The Noe Valley Voice]