NVV October 2015: 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  2015

Front Page: Realtors love drone photography for marketing (like this one of 147 Day Street) - neighbors just wish the annoying flying machines would go away; The Noe Valley Community Benefit District turns 10 and celebrates transforming Noe Valley's downtown area from a "frumpy shopping strip to an attractive commercial corridor that draws tourists and locals alike;" The guerilla gardeners of 22nd Street have cleaned up their steps; Where to go and what to do in Noe Valley on Halloween.

Letters: The Glen Park History Project thanks the NVV for the article on Glen Canyon trail improvements; Coyotes have reportedly been spotted 3 times at 25th and Hoffman (still no pictures); The flowers at 1566 Guerrero honor the memory of Alicia Titus, a United Airlines flight attendant who died on flight 175 when it was flown into the south tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

Features: Local Democratic Club and Supervisor Scott Wiener say no on Props F and I, yes on D.

Cost of Living in Noe: The average sale price for a home was $2.6 million.

Short Takes: Harvest Fest has been replaced with Fall Fun Day this year on Oct 24 - a day of no street closures but lots of fun on 24th Street [Ed.--can't find any info online]; Holy Innocents Church at 755 Fair Oaks is turning 125; A final community meeting for the Noe Valley Town Square will be on Oct 13 at 7:30PM at St. Philips - it breaks ground in January 2016; Cliche Noe is featuring night photography by a local artist Graham Perry through Nov. 2; Lots of local readings this month at Folio Books; A memorial for Vicki Rosen will be held on Oct. 14 from 7-9 pm at the Upper Noe Rec Center auditorium.

Rumors and Tid Bits: La Bou is back - soon; Cradle of the Sun has moved to West Portal; Common Scents is closing at the end of the December because of dropping sales and high rents - owner Jan van Swearingen will reopen the shop online at CommonScentsSF.com [Ed.-- it's not live yet - can someone help her get at least an email entry form up asap?); Video Wave has moved but the Peace Pole has gone missing; no news on the old Real Foods space and no permits have been filed; The new Noe Valley Town Square will be getting a bathroom after all at a cost of $600,000, thanks to an anonymous donor; Horner's Corner is closed and turning into Hamlet - it will reopen at the end of October (hopefully); The storefront vacated by Ambiance at 3989 24th St is still not rented; the low-flying copters in September were part of a radiation study; Happy Donuts was named a top 7 donut shop by Eater; Al's Place at 26th and Valencia was named the best new restaurant in the US by Bon Appetit; Starbucks should have the permits needed to bring back the sidewalk benches by the end of October says the manager; Larry Lauterborn of Noe Valley Cheese Company lost his house in Middletown (South of Clearlake) in the recent Valley Fire - friends have set up a fund if you want to pitch in.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

This Week In Noe Valley: La Bou Closing Soon, The Root Wants You To Re-Wild And Local Blight From 1945

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

• Driven out by rising rent, Cradle of the Sun finds a new home in West Portal [NVSF]
• Priceless: A 4 year old’s map of Noe Valley [@peteskomoroch]
• La Boulange closures have started – Noe Valley branch set to close Sept. 17 [Hoodline]
• Photo of blight on Sanchez between 25th and Duncan – from 1945! [Eric Fischer]
• ICYMI: Video Wave relocating to inside Buttons Candy Bar [NVSF]
• Olive This Olive That makes best “niche” store list [SFist]
• Photo: Manhole cover or transporter pad in Noe Valley? [suebraids]
• Noe Valley is like an art installation [@Omarmasry]
• Estate sale for former Noe Valley artist Jack Freeman [1608 Legacy]
• Found art: Street corners of Noe Valley [@Dunk_Ra]
• The Root Midwifery – an “opportunity for women to connect, normalize, re-wild and initiate the blueprint of birth” - opens this weekend, and already has a GoFundMe campaign [PR Newswire]

[Photo: Noe Valley summer day via daretoeatapeach]

NVV July/August 2015: 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  2015

Front Page: San Jose Avenue traffic calming isn't working [for cars]; the earthquake shack was ruled a historic resource under the California Environmental Quality Act; Airbnb hosts are successfully colonizing Noe Valley - there are currently 227 rentals in the hood with an average price of $212 per night;  Lhami Sherpa, co-owner of Holy Kitchen on 24th St has family affected by the Nepal quake.

Letters: A hater complains about the benches in front of Martha & Bros; the Garden Tour was a success and well-sponsored by Voice advertisers; a neighbor doesn't like the produce selection and high prices from the new owners of Church Produce.

Features: The bar at 1600 Dolores St has new owners and will be called The Bar on Dolores Street; Horner's Corner is closed and John Dampeer of Caskhouse is buying the bar/restaurant - still no word on planned changes or when it will reopen. Bliss Bar is becoming Tom Rai, a restaurant with live music. RIP local activist Vicki Rosen.

Cost of Living in Noe: Hotter than the surface of the sun. The average house price is up 10 percent year-over-year to $2.4 million according to Zephyr data.

Store Trek: The Podolls (3985 24th St)

Rumors: Short items in the back: Starbucks is killing La Boulange in September - no word on what will move into the corner spot on 24th St but there is still 10 years left on the lease; L'Atelier's brief run of upcycled goods is over and a children's bookstore called Charlie's Corner will move in by September; Work on a new cafe called LaPanotiQ in the old Global Exchange space should begin at the end of the month; VideoWave is losing it's annual lease but hoping to hang tough; The Ark toy store closed it's Presidio Heights store and is having a tough time competing with Amazon (maybe that's why the staff rarely smiles?); Songbird Studios opened and is offering singing lessons; Isso is closed; The Noe Valley Town Square got another grant for $743,543 and construction should start early in 2016; The 24th St. bulbouts, planters, benches and crosswalk improvements are wrapping up and there will be a ribbon-cutting on July 15; Noe Valley Harvest Fest is cancelled this Fall and will return in 2016; The Noe Valley Association will not approve any more parklets for 24th St says Debra Nieman; The new construction on 24th at Church is now expected to be completed in September and the 4 luxury condos and retail space will be available for sale/rent; the Noe Valley Wine Walk returns on August 20.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

This Week In Noe Valley: City Hall's 100th, Another Home Approaches $7M, Valley Tavern Launches Live Music

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

• Video from the 100th Anniversary party at City Hall this week [Mr Eric Sir]
• Untouched since 1969 when it sold for $25,000, this home is now listed for $1.89 million [Curbed]
• Noe Valley’s second most expensive home: $6.7 million [Socket Site]
• Airbnb colonized the entrance to the Farmer’s Market today [NVSF]
• The Valley Tavern celebrated its live music permit with Heather Combs this week [rockarecord]
• Hip Hop artist Phesto Dee’s photos coming to the pop-up Fort Gallery on 24th June 27-28 [SF Weekly]
• Stylish new bike racks in Noe Valley [@kjbrazil]
• Community Forum on Bikes, Cars and Pedestrians at Noe Valley Ministry on June 22 [Streetsblog SF]
• Interview of Noe Valley native Remy Nelson of Mojo Café on Divisadero [Hoodline]
• Dolores Park’s northern half is back – and so are people peeing on buildings (ugh) [SFBay]
• ICYMI: Starbucks is closing all 23 La Boulange cafés in September – including the one in Noe [NVSF]

[Photo: hidayitsnight]

La Boulange Is Closing - Is Anyone Really Surprised?

Here’s a tone-deaf announcement that slipped out last night while you were enjoying the Warriors win: Starbucks is closing all of its 23 La Boulange locations by this September, most of which are in the Bay Area.

Starbucks bought La Boulange in 2012 ostensibly to improve the foods options at $SBUX. While La Boulange’s pastries and breakfast sandwiches have reportedly helped grow it’s food sales (yes, the stock is up), the net result was that the food options at La Boulange also became very La Boring shortly after the Starbucks assimilation.

Still, Noe Valley residents are already mourning la Bou's passing (and Starbucks' questionable timing for the announcement):

Starbucks just announced plans to close all La Boulange locations (mostly in the Bay Area) during the Warriors game? https://t.co/EgrvmXEB6S

— Nick Turner (@SFNick) June 17, 2015

Already mourning the death of the Noe Valley La Boulange http://t.co/tgdvcS7MMM

— Leena K. Rao (@LeenaRao) June 17, 2015

Wait til this hits the Noe Valley Nextdoor. https://t.co/i161IACevI

— Josh Williams (@jw) June 17, 2015

I wasn't going to riot & set things on fire, but then I saw this bullshit: http://t.co/0BCqmLPmuC

— Evan Doll (@edog1203) June 17, 2015

@Starbucks you're closing la boulange??? like my little la boulange in noe valley?!?! why?!!!!!!

— Cory Wilkerson (@corywilkerson) June 17, 2015

So …Noe Valley will be losing a café in September. Here’s hoping an inspired new coffee shop or eatery moves quickly into the prime corner location that used to be a pizza joint.

Related: Speaking of cafés, earlier this year La PanotiQ announced it would be moving into the former Global Fair Exchange at 4108 24th Street in Spring 2015 and the location is still listed as coming soon on its website. But so far there’s been zero activity to revamp the space and no sign of progress. Perhaps they’ll look at the La Boulange space as a quicker fix.

NVV July/August 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.

July/August 2013

Front Page: Photos of Noe Valley families in the '90s.

Letters: Letter from Noe Valley community benefit district founder Carol Yenne thanking the cleaning crew for finding a lost hearing aid; more disapproval for the hygiene and service at La Boulange since Starbucks took over.

Features and Short Takes: R.I.P. breast cancer advocate Barbara Brenner, and Julian Rodigruez of Bernie's; Noe Courts proposals are online for review at sfrecpark.org; Friends of the Urban Forest tree planting coming to Noe on August 24; Upper Douglass Dog Park at 27th and Douglass is looking beautiful - please stay off the grass while the roots take hold. Interview with an accountant turned astrologer on Clipper St. who uses iPad apps in her research to allow more time for "interpreting the charts."

Cost of Living in Noe: Hot, hot, hot.

Store Trek: Kitami Ropa (1478A Church St.)

Rumors: The Noe Valley Town Square clears the final hurdle - if you haven't pledged yet, now's the time; Quitters is filming in San Francisco and around the hood; 2 blocks on Noe Hill are trying to get their street zoned for parking; dog grooming parlor Clipper Corner is closed; June Fisher M.D. celebrated her 80th birthday at Le Zinc; Noe Valley's mini-golf legend Steve Fox is set to open Urban Putt in the Mission this fall; Noe Valley "mayor" Sam Salameh, proprietor of Good News on 24th St., reports the neighborhood's favorite magazine is Vanity Fair, followed by Music Mojo and The New Yorker. Newspapers? "They're dead," says Sam. Meanwhile, Phoenix Books reports the favorite book is Wild by Cheryl Strayed. Video Wave says the favorite movie rentals are Quartet, Silver Linings Playbook, Side Effects and for kids it's Oz the Great and Powerful.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

NVV May 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.

May 2013

Front Page: The Town Square clears a major funding hurdle - the city looks set to buy the lots; Noe Valley wine makers will offer a taste of their wine at the May 11 Garden Tour, AT&T setting locations for the U-Verse broadband boxes - neighbors want them out of sight; local Mother's Day potraits.

Letters: A patron is upset with Walgreens' rewards program; an Elizabeth St. resident is still not happy about the de facto off-leash dog park status of Noe Courts; a Day St resident reports on the declining quality of Starbucks and La Bou since they merged; another Day St resident defends the blue bin recycling bandits: "on this small scale nobody suffers, the fellow makes a bit of change, Recology receives your same monthly payment... the police have more important things to do that deal with this pettiness..." [Ed.-- For the record, lost revenue from stolen recyclables is part of why your Sunset Scavenger rates are going up]. A Dolores St resident credits the NVV for shaming the owner of 1220-22 Church St into repainting.

Features and Short Takes: St. Luke's plans for a new 7-story hospital; Fair Oaks Street Fair (mega garage sale) is May 11 from 9am-5pm on Fair Oaks between 21st and 26th.

Cost of Living in Noe: Good luck finding a condo or single family home for under $1 million right now; the high mark was set by a 1900s cottage on 23rd St. that was updated and sold for $3.6 million.

Rumors: A truck driver gets his rig stuck on the ultra-steep 22nd St on April Fool's Day; look for sidewalk sales on 24th St on Saturday May 18 as part of Small Business Week; NV eagerly awaits the new eatery from the owners of La Ciccia called La Nebbia; the former Noe Valley Deli on 24th St is under construction [Ed.-- Griddle Fresh]; Mazook learns about what's in season at the Farmer's Market and why people like to hang out in Dolores Park; a clothing boutique on Church St. called Kitami Ropa is now officially open.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

This Week In Noe Valley: Justice Served, La Boulange Under Starbucks, And A Spectacular Rainbow

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

• The best sandwich worth hunting down needs your Kickstarter pledge [Kickstarter]
• A profile of Noe Valley designers The Podolls [Refinery29]
• La Ciccia is selling their own olive oil [@LACICCIASF]
• Frederick Dozier, Jr gets 373 years to life [SFgate]
• Starbucks is ruining La Boulange's chocolate croissant [That Brazilian Girl]
• There's a pot of gold somewhere in Noe Valley [@sfdpw, monsterkat]

[Photo: Layers on Layers, @NoeValleySF]

NVV July/Aug 2012: 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 until the middle of the month.

July/August 2012

Front Page: Noe neighbors nix the idea of losing a Muni stop at 30th; First Republic approved for 24th St; merchants are noticing an uptick in petty crime, shoplifters and "unbalanced homeless men" in the neighborhood as beat cops are spread too thin.
 
Letters: A reader opines that 24th and Church needs a traffic light for pedestrians; a plea for Noe Valleyeans to be Town Square heroes; Liberty resident alarmed that Muni wants to nix the Liberty St stop (reason: it's a scary blind corner if Muni doesn't pause there); the 2012 Noe Valley Garden Tour sold 200 tickets this year and the winning garden was Jana and Geoff King on Cesar Chavez; a Valley St resident rails against the white dots requiring sidewalk repair (choice quote: "the blinding white of replacement squares is a physical annoyance..."); a fan of First Republic chimes in; a Duncan neighbor warns of the perils of rat poison to other local pets (use traps instead); more Examiner grumping; SF Girl Scouts (Ed.--and more likely their parents as anyone who works in an office knows) are the top Cookie sellers in Northern California; and farewell Miss Kit, the much-loved "oldest dog in Noe Valley."

Cost of Living in Noe: Buyers are routinely paying 5% to 10% over asking. It's hot out there. Good luck renting.

Store Trek: Philz Coffee (4298 24th St.)

Short Takes: A $1700 sandbox cover was installed at Upper Noe Rec Center to keep out the late-night feline visitors using it as a litter box. (Ed.--It's an old problem not likely to go away.)

Rumors: La Boulange is now owned by Starbucks; Radio Shack will open "sometime toward the end of August" and the 2 upper units will be ready for renters in July; Tuggey's is closing at the end of the summer at which point the new tenant will be revealed ("in negotiations"); rumors that First Republic could have moved into the Real Foods space are wishful thinking so Real Foods remains a black hole; Noe Valley Town Square needs $3.6 million and so far Patxi's has pledged the most at $24,000, matching grants are materializing and residents are organizing house parties "hosted by people who work for for large Silicon Valley companies;" US DHS director to speak July 18 at St. Philip's Church; news from the blogosphere covered here at NVSF and elsewhere; and kudos to the St Philip's baseball team for 1st and 3rd places in the citywide tournament.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

This Week In Noe Valley: La Bou Is Assimilated, Tombstones, Noe Shoals And More

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

• Chicks dig high-worth Noe Valley bachelor with multiple roommates [NYTimes; Also: Response]
• Noe Valley Chamber Music announces 20th Anniversary Season [NVCM]
• Map of San Francisco Archipelago now available as poster [Burrito Justice]
• The "First Gay President's" top fund-raising district is Castro and Noe Valley (94114), which has given him $248,048 this donating cycle [The Snitch]
• More fallout from the Starbucks – La Boulange deal [Inside Scoop]
• Big house, views, low ceilings, cheap finishes, no parking. $3.2M? Someone will buy it anyway. [Curbed SF]
• Please don't leave your junk on the sidewalk [Bernalwood]
• There are old tombstones on Valley St (and all over Ocean Beach). Anyone have pictures? [KTVU]

[Photo: Construction at the future site of Mill, NVSF]

NVV June 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 notable 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 until the middle of the month.

June 2010

Front Page: Memorial service for special police officer Jane Warner; Noe Street Plaza firestorm rages on; NV Garden Tour on June 12; a very useful roundup of Noe Valley guesthouses.

Letters: More about the the proposed Noe Plaza, including the formal "resolution" from Robert Roddick of the NVMPA in support of the plaza that was "leaked" to this blog; a reminder that there have been other recent homicides in Noe including one in 2004 on 26th Street and one 10 years ago in the upper Noe gym; a 6 paragraph love letter praising 24th Street Cheese Co.; and a quizzical letter from Chris Lohman on Duncan near Church wondering what the boop-boop siren bird is (it's a Northern Mockingbird).

Features: Look for a hayride and petting zoo on 24th Street on June 19 between 3 and 6 p.m. Starting point for the hayride is at Walgreen's on Castro at 24th (this does not replace the Harvest Fest--merely cashing in); the twin spires of St. Paul's are finished and in full view again; summer Camp at Upper Noe Rec Center.

Cost of Living in Noe: 10 Noe homes sold in April with an average sale price of $1.2 million; rents are climbing slightly.

Store Trek: La Boulange (3834 24th Street @ Sanchez) gives Noe a certain je ne sais quoi and Frenchy appeal (and then NVV pimps a La Bou online coupon for 20% off tickets to the d'Orsay collection at the de Young--re-pimped here: coupon code MBAKE); Dr. Robert Solley (1701 Church Street @ 29th) specializes in couples counseling, helping couples "cool the tensions and rekindle their love."

Rumors: Plazamania continues, and the plaza plans are still on the table- be sure to show up for the next meeting on June 23 at 6:30 PM at St. Philip's; the NVA has been active on 24th Street, putting in cherry trees at 24th and Diamond and strawberry trees in front of The Ark toy store, as well as wooden benches and planters along 24th Street. Debra Nieman also wants everyone to know that now that federal money has become available, the city is putting in ADA ramps which "will require removal and replacement of of the yellow duratherm crosswalks" at Castro and 24th. So maybe that means that the new crosswalks will align with the sidewalks and be somehow less seizure-inducing.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

NVV: 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 isn't real-time.

December 2009 / January 2010

Front Page: Noe Valley resident Bill McBride is inspired by Three Cups of Tea and raising money for schools in Pakistan; Circle Bank to open on 24th St; Residents upset with all the new pole-top antennas that supply 3G service (picture from last February); Potential for parking meter reform; Vampires are hot, and a local novelist Clare Willis wants a piece of the action; Mission Education Center at 30th & Noe is now a "transitional school for recent immigrants."

Letters: More on dangerous drivers; A grandfather chimes in on the never-ending dog v. child wars at Noe Courts; Some clarification about the location of the NVV business office.

Feature: SFCTA has released the final draft of the Shuttle Bus SAR.

Cost of Living in Noe: "Homebuyers continued to find Noe Valley a desirable place to live" and the local market is "relatively healthy." And yeah...it's a buyer's market because they're paying only 2% over asking. Rent? Down from last year.

Short Takes: Friends of Noe Valley is looking for submissions to the Noe Valley Garden Tour on June 12, 2010; NV resident Paul Linde is promoting his book Danger to Self: On the Front Line with an ER Psychiatrist.

Store Trek: Noeteca Cafe and Wine Bar; Star Magic: The Second Generation (so far committed to stay only through the end of the year but entertaining options because "the response from the community has been overwhelming."

Traveling Voice: Versailles, Greece, London, Madrid.

Rumors: "For a neighborhood that prides itself on community involvement, Noe Valley seems to have little interest in the nuts and bolts of civic duty." Why's that? Low voter turnout in the Nov 3 election, expectations that few people will show to support/pan Bevan's proposal to add more restaurants to Noe Valley, and (most-importantly based on word count) the poorly publicized and hard-to-find Noe Valley Association survey about businesses on 24th St. In better news, La Boulangerie c'est arrivé! Cash-strapped Drewes Bros will send 600 pounds of turkey to St. Anthony's Dining Room as a matching gift based on the 1300 turkeys purchased for NV resident's Thanksgiving. Oh--and nothing has happened to the Real Foods/Nutraceutical space ("Turkey of the Year").

Bonus Rumor: The Voice found the blogosphere! They report that the Chronicle is looking to expand local news on SFGate.com with blogs and that Noe Valley is blessed to have its very own section. It's currently populated with rewritten posts from the (possibly-dormant) Noe Valley Buzz. Apparently they're looking for more bloggers.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

Photo: La Boulange Tarts It Up

[NVSF: Opening: La Boulange--November 16]

Opening: La Boulange--November 16

In case you missed it on Twitter, La Boulange is set to open "in 9 days." And while they won't have sidewalk seating, they'll have parking for at least 2 bicycles.

When we walked by today, the floors were done, the Frenchie patisserie cabinets were in place and it looks like they just might open on November 16th.

Update (11/16): From Twitter: "La Boulange de Noe opens Tuesday, November 17 From 4pm to 6pm... Join us for a taste and a toast to celebrate."

[NVSF: Protested: La Boulange de Noe Valley]

NVV: 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 stories we've covered here on NVSF.

November 2009

Front page: Supervisor candidates faced off early at a forum at the Noe Valley Recreation Center on Oct. 22 – and William Hemenger of Diamond Heights has also just entered the race; Omnivore cookbook signings; Billy Goat Hill gets $50,000 for trail and habitat restoration from the Measure A Parks Bond passed by voters in 2008.

Feature: Tough times for 24th Street and upper Noe merchants continues – although the Whole Foods opening has brought some life and foot traffic back for many. Retailers hurt by Whole Foods are 24th St Cheese Co. and Drewes Meats. Whole Foods employs 100 workers--nearly 4 times as many Bell Market.

Letters: A poem to honor the passing of Noe Valley resident Bruce Sherman; a 7 paragraph tangent from the owner of Chloe's Café about working as a caterer on the set of Dirty Dancing with Patrick Swayze.

Op-Ed: A reader in a moss-green hemp-based hoodie ogles the faux ground beef, imitation sausage and fake chicken nuggets at Whole Foods – and decides the store is an OK addition to Noe after all.

Cost of Living in Noe: Average sales price 1.16 Million. Rents: down a little but still expensive.

Short Takes: Noel Stroll and a hay ride return to 24th Street on Dec. 5 from 4:30 – 7:30PM, and Santa will be at Zephyr from 11-2 for more family fun. [Ed. -- for now the link to Noel Stroll on last year's post redirects to Cooks Boulevard]. Ladybug Gardeners are at the Upper Noe Rec Center on Nov. 14 at 9AM planting and trimming- volunteers welcome.

Store Trek: Curator; Green11.

Rumors: Bevan Dufty proposes "removing conditional use criteria for full-service restaurants and permit small self-service restaurants and self-service specialty food establishments with conditional use" (Ed.--Translation: more restaurants on and around 24th Street assuming it passes through lengthy planning process and endless community meetings); Noe Soup will never open-–the owners abandoned the idea when they heard Whole Foods was coming and oh, because of a "complicated vent system;" the fusion restaurant on Church Street is stalled because of the "downturn in the economy;" Bistro 24 closed and is for sale for only $198K – although it may reopen (again!?) with a different partner if a buyer isn't found; Mi Lindo Yucatan closed and the space is under construction; La Boulange will open this month; Just Awesome Games reopens in West Portal after running from high rents in Noe (old space owned by Carol and Bill Yenne); Phoenix building (owned by Sue Bowie) still for sale for $2.25 million and the Streetlight building is listed for $2.2 million.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

NVV: 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 stories we've covered at NVSF.

September 2009

Front page: Whole Foods opening; Blue Church on outer Church inches closer to demolition (and condos); Senior lunch program extended at NV Ministry; local artist maps her NV memories; librarian Carol Small retires.

Letters: A plea to allow parking in driveways as long as a potted plant is in the car; an open letter to the annoying woman who leans on her horn whenever drivers stop for pedestrians; an appeal to neighbors to shop at local stores once Whole Foods opens to avoid transforming Noe Valley "into a cookie-cutter, third-rate Union Street"; and a reminder that Valencia St stores are open for business during the Streetscape Improvement Project.

Op-Ed: Farewell to Noe Valley Pizza founder Tony Vozaites. Following the La Boulange buyout, Tony and his wife are going on an extended vacation back to their native Greece.

Obits: Remembering longtime Noe Valley resident Mary K. "Micki" Ryan and musician Bruce Sherman.

Cost of Living in Noe: 37 single-family homes sold in June and July – the 2nd highest tally in 10 years according to Zephyr Real Estate. Rent: Still expensive.

Short Takes: The Noe Valley Association is holding a survey to see what businesses residents want to see on 24th St. Take the survey online Sept 7-21 or email suggestions to Debra Niemann at debra@noevalleyassociation.org. (Ed--The survey was not online yet as of this posting but here's your chance to veto any future title companies, banks, nail salons, psychics or pawn shops.)

Store Trek: Bistro 24, Successories in the Button Box.

Traveling Voice: Spotted in Turkey, North Carolina and Edinburgh, Scotland.

Rumors: Camel's milk chocolate at Chocolate Covered; Circle Bank fills the Aveda spot; Green 11 comes to former Ritz space; Deep restaurant opens in place of Deep Sushi; Noeteca soft opening Sept. 9; Noe Tuttimelon finally gets froyo; Accent on Flowers at 24th and Castro is bought by Flowers of the Valley across the street and will soon carry gardening supplies like soil and tools; a plant nursery and garden store called Independent Nature will open behind When Modern Was on Church St on Sept. 21; Glow Day Spa and a psychic are now open on 24th Street; the old Streetlight building and the vacated Phoenix Books building are both for sale ($2.2 million for Streetlight, the other undisclosed).

[The Noe Valley Voice]

Protested: La Boulange de Noe Valley

For those not following us on Twitter, the beer/wine license for La Boulange on 24th St is on hold due to protest. Can't wait to hear what this is all about... Somebody not like thriving businesses on 24th St?

[NVSF: More on La Boulange]
[NVSF: La Boulange To Noe Valley?]

NVV: 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 stories we've covered at NVSF.

July/August 2009

• Front page: Phoenix Books rises again, La Boulange comes to Noe, Just Awesome Games gets a microloan with some help from Good Morning America, world-class Jazz at Bliss Bar, and the senior lunch program saved through July 31.
• Letters: Just two – one nostalgic for Magnolia Thunderpussy Cafe [Ed- we’re not making this up], and another about the economic downturn (it’s not as bad as the 70s - you can tell by the lack of garage sales).
• Op-Ed: Chairman of Citizens United for Safer Streets (CUSS) encourages everyone to keep their dogs (especially big ones) on leashes and “at a safe distance from other beings, except in designated dog parks.”
• Obits: Remembering Carl Smith 1931-2008, founder of the Noe Valley Ministry.
• Cost of Living in Noe: Average price of a single family home in Noe is now $1.2 million, down from $1.4 million in 2008; rent prices are flat.
• Photo: Glamour shot of Mama’s – the corner store at 22nd and Dolores; Pat Mackey of Whitney St. converted his 1992 Mazda Miata to an electric vehicle.
• Short Takes: Upper Noe Recreation Center cleanup on July 11; Cooks Boulevard adds a book club and Community Agriculture program – details at cooksboulevard.com; Google/Apple/Genetech shuttle bus study results due in September - selected comments from this and this thread on NVSF are included.
• Rumors: Bistro 24 open for business; Noeteca delayed to July 15 or early August; Andiamo Deli is still for sale (asking price: $45,000); GNC closed; MadKat shuttered - owner Isa Muhawieh lost his lease and the owner would not renew – he’s looking for a new location in Noe to reopen [Ed- new store in the old Isa’s location opened this week as Shampoo & Bubbles]; Noe Knit dishes on the reason for closing (the Internet); Good News on 24th Street reports a 50% decline in issues of the Chronicle sold (also thanks to the Internet); Ingleside Station Captain Lazar reports an uptick in subscribers to the police action reports [Ed – Note the scary increase in armed robberies and grifters -– be careful out there]; Noe Courts needs a fence; free Wednesday night movies sponsored by Fima Photography and Videowave – see the stores (on Castro @ Jersey) for a schedule.
• Traveling Voice: Hangin' at the Brandenburg Gate.

No mention of the missing snake.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

More on La Boulange

Tablehopper reports that La Boulange will definitely open in the Noe Valley Pizza space, most likely this fall, and that in addition to an interior remodel "they are going to be putting some outdoor seating and benches on the sides of the corner building."

[TH: The Chatterbox: June 23, 2009]
[NVSF: La Boulange To Noe Valley?]

La Boulange To Noe Valley?

Sure looks like it. Eater SF has the scoop: "While the Bay Bread folks are mum on any specific location, saying nothing is confirmed quite yet, we couldn't help but notice this liquor license application for 3898 24th Street, which just happens to be the current home of Noe Valley Pizza Restaurant on the corner of Sanchez."

[ESF: Inevitabilities: La Boulange Goes to Noe Valley]