This Week in Noe Valley: Scary Openings, Tricks and Treats - and Other Halloween Mayhem

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

• A "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to buy a firehouse in Noe Valley - for the third time in five years [SocketSite]
• The NY Times does 36 hours in San Francisco, and visits Dolores Park (but skips Noe Valley) (NY Times)
• Sign of the times on 26th and Sanchez [@Zircean]
• If I still lived here... graffiti turning up all over Noe [@NoeValleySF]
• Hidden grocery corner store sign revealed at “Army” and Noe streets [@localcalifornia]
• Rainbows in Noe Valley [anilla02]
• Found art [@findjkuo]
• Spotted at a garage sale: Google Glass [@NoeValleySF]
• Somi and Tejido lingerie opens in the former Martin Mattox space [@trussandore]
• Lazeez opens next to savor and the first review of the food - and font - is in [@RyanGoodman]
• The primary author of Prop I lives in Noe Valley [Bay Area Reporter]
• Noe resident is claiming a deadly carcinogen sprayed at a Bay Area park killed her dog [ABC7]
• Shocker: Noe Valley is the 15th most liberal SF neighborhood (out of 54) [SF Magazine]
• Is someone who steals bikes in Noe Valley a criminal? Um, yes [SFGate]
• Noe Valley makes the top trick-or-treating hood list again [Zillow]
• The one man bandit on 24th St for Halloween [instabishnu]
• Mayor Ed Lee, Scott Wiener and David Chiu campaign in NV for Yes on A [@Scott-Wiener]
• Yet another nail salon takes over the the Noe Valley Music space [@NoeValleySF]
• ShoeBiz has it’s own line of Sutro shoes [Hoodline]
• Another downer “California is over” piece via New York [NY Times]
• Noe Valley goes all out for Halloween [@pbberro]
• Happy Halloween, Noe Valley [stephng26]

[Photo: Halloweendays via iaranzadi ]

This Week In Noe Valley: Mansion & Shacks, Murals & Alleys, Rants & Rumors

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

• The children’s area of the Farmer’s Market gets political [@F6x]
• A story of a landlord buying out a renter: NPR reporter and former Noe Valleyeon Stephanie Martin Taylor [KQED]
• “A favorite coat for cold Noe Valley mornings” from local preppy princess blogger Caroline Curran [SFGate]
• Need a wax? Stript wax salon opens on Church St. [Racked]
• Mansion or shack? Either way, $1 million in Noe Valley won’t buy you much [MarinIJ and CTPost]
• Yep, Noe Valley homes cross the $1,000 per square foot mark [The Front Steps]
• You're not imagining things: Average Noe Valley home exceeds $2M for the 5th month in a row [Downing & Co]
• $1.7M in Noe Valley = $899,000 in Hunter’s Point [CBS Local]
• An interview with Rare Device shop owner Giselle Gyalzen [SFGate]
• Rumor: Pasta Pomodoro closing? [@shaketini]
• Cardio-tone’s 24th St. location is for rent [Storefront]
• Day 8 of the new mural at Day and Church [Amos Goldbaum]
• Fun photos from the Ames & Quane Green Alleys Project [Greenalleys.org]

[Photo: IKnowWhereYourCatLives]

Open: La Tira Wax Studio Moves To Its Own Space

Started as a pop-up at the back of Episode Salon in February of this year, La Tira has grown into its own space at 1301 Church. Owner Christine Fong tells us: "I am very excited to expand and grow my business in this neighborhood I love!" Besides being the only dedicated waxing studio in Noe Valley, what sets La Tira apart? From the website:

The studio uses only the highest quality wax and products on clients, and always adheres to the most sanitary practices possible. The studio supports local vendors, carrying beauty products and housing custom-made furniture created by local artists in San Francisco and the Bay Area. Many of the beauty products sold in our boutique are hand-crafted using sustainable, organic + vegan ingredients.

The space became available when Dermalounge abruptly closed in October We weren't able to contact the owners at the time, but apparently there's been hint of a bankruptcy. Seems likely - all assets are up for auction.

Meanwhile, Episode thinks the space La Tira vacated would also make "a GREAT spot for waxing" (archived here).

La Tira Wax Studio
1301 Church St
415.812.5147
Latirawaxstudio.com

NVV Oct 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.

October 2013

Front Page: Noe's bar is hosting an Animal Care and Control fundraiser on Oct. 19; Harvest Fest is coming on Oct. 26; Real Foods is still closed (this is year 10).

Letters: Shannon on Duncan Street is not a fan of the many pigeons (aka flying rats) in the neighborhood; RIP Kathleen Dwyer, the "Bird Lady of Noe Valley."

Features and Short Takes: The Noe Valley Association is meeting for input on how to make 24th St safer for pedestrians on Oct 30 at 7pm in the Sally Brunn Library community room; several blocks in Noe will be under road construction to upgrade the water main - get details at sfwater.org/construction.

Cost of Living in Noe: Thirteen homes sold in Noe Valley this August and all for more than $1.35 million. The most expensive home that sold cost $5 million - and the average price of a home here is now $2.5 million. The average rent for a 1 bedroom? $2,761.

Store Trek: Griddle Fresh (4007 24th St)

Rumors: Todd David reports that The Noe Valley Town Square improvements should happen after the first of the year - in the meantime, the Square still needs to raise $300,000 more to reach the final improvement goal; Google and Genentech workers have pledged the most to the Square so far, but other companies have also kicked in with matching programs including Survey Monkey, Chevron, Apple, Disney, Salesforce, the Gap, Tibco, VMWare and nVidia; over 500 residents have pitched in. Millionaire NIMBYs are protesting their neighbors plans to improve or expand their houses. Noe Valley's red-hot real estate market makes news after the Twitter IPO was announced. A CardioTone pop-up opens in the old Bay Cleaners spot; the former Lola spot on Castro at 24th St. will soon be occupied by Nail Chic which is moving in from next door - the old Nail Chic space will become Tone of Music Audio, a high-end home entertainment components store that currently operates out of a living room on Jersey St.; Elisa's Health Spa has been taken over by the Huynh family which operates Crystal Island Massage in Oakland's Chinatown; When Modern Was owners Dona Taylor and Alison Porter are converting When Modern Was II into Buttons, an old-fashioned candy store. Douglass St resident Janet Kessler has created a YouTube video to raise awareness about coyotes in the city.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

This Week In Noe Valley: Free Beer, Get Your Wax On, And The Google Bus Presages Dystopia

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

• What? There's a Game this weekend? [Caterina]
• La Tira now open for your waxing needs [La Tira]
• Free beer: local brewers open their homes during Beer Week [Barrel Walk]
• Essay: the significance of the Google Bus [Rebecca Solnit]
• Turn your Victorian into a sanitarium [Remodelista]
• Four bedrooms, $3.6M, and a possible new comp [Socketsite]
• Buy this house and you can name-drop Coppola [Curbed SF]

[Photo: kslatz312]

Open: Olive This Olive That

The coming soon sign is gone, and Olive This Olive That opened for business today. From the company website, er Facebook page:

Purveyors of the freshest and most flavorful extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Sourcing over 50 single and blend varietals and infused extra virgin olive oils, dark and white traditional method balsamics from Modena, Italy. All available for tasting and pairing. We also offer Papperdelle's hand-crafted pasta with over 50 flavors and types to choose from. Many are gluten-free. Exquisite sea salts from the Philippines enhance flavors of fresh produce, meats, and fish, used by many well-known chefs around the world. Beautiful reuseable gift bags also from the Philippines and also supporting cottage industries and families make a perfect gift for a hostess, a friend, a family member, or yourself.

Inside, the former nail salon space has been completely remodeled into a charming olive oil and balsamic tasting bar. Owners Janelle and Mary say they'll be open Thurs-Sun through June, and then 7 days a week starting in July.

It's nice to see a new food retailer find a foothold near 24th St.

Olive This Olive That
304 Vicksburg at 24th St.
415-251-7520