This Week in Noe Valley: Holiday Lights, Darth Spotted and Merry Christmas

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

• The best holiday lights of 2015 – several in Noe Valley [Hoodline]
• Creative holiday lights [lizatblackrose]
• Noe Valley is like Greenwich Village ($1385 per square foot) [Curbed]
• Darth Vader spotted in Noe Valley [@_LaPier]
• ShoeBiz is no longer a local chain [Hoodline]
• A love letter review of Chloe’s Café from a Bostonian [PopBopShop]
• A local therapist weighs in on the national gun debate [HuffPo]
• Good Samaritan in the rain [@Novysf4000]
• Adorable pet photos with Santa [Noe Valley Pets]

[Photo: The holiday train tradition via Noe Valley Bakery]

This Week In Noe Valley: Blue Angels, Million Dollar Homes On Fire - And 5 Years of Ed Lee

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

• Short video of the Blue Angels buzzing the city from a Noe Valley rooftop [@DeepRipley]
• Another video of the musical Fleet Week celebration on 24th Street [@MelissaRunner]
• 5 years of Ed Lee: How SF has changed [SF Chronicle]
• A heat map of SF’s million dollar homes – SF has more than any other metro area [Curbed]
• The number of homes valued above the $1 million mark has more than doubled since 2010 [SF Examiner]
• What Noe Valley wine shop owner is mentioned in the this profiling story? [SF Examiner]
• Weirder than fiction: Shoebiz is selling gentrification-themed Converse high-tops [SF Magazine]

[Photo: 24th Street in Noe Valley at sunset via merrij]

SFBG: Congrats 2011 Noe Valley Best Of Bay Winners

It's that time of year again -- the 37th Annual SF Bay Guardian Best of the Bay hit the newsstands today. Here are two Noe Valley businesses that made the Editors Picks:

BEST REFILL, NOT LANDFILL
What does it take to win a gazillion green business awards? It certainly starts with a great concept, a seriously vetted supply chain, and a commitment to spreading the eco-word. It also helps to have a pleasing storefront in Noe Valley, cute and eager staff, luscious products, and bulk-store prices without the forklifts and doublewide shopping carts. Green 11, launched by married couple Marco Pietschmann and Bettina Limaco and inspired by a Rachel Carson observation ("For the first time in history, every human being is being subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, from the moment of conception to death."), offers soaps, cleaning supplies, pet food, shampoo, conditioners, and lotions, all ready for your refillable, affordable use. Bring your own containers or put for up a starter container at the store. 3980 24th St., SF. (415) 425-5195. www.shopgreen11.com

BEST LEATHER-SCENTED TIME WARP
Stepping into cobbler Suzanne George's shop is like entering a hide-covered time warp. George crafts her clodhoppers in much the same way that shoes were made several hundred years ago. She works the leather by hand, stitching the pieces with thread and hammering it all together with actual nails. Not only are the shoes custom-made to fit every tootsie they encase, they are also unique pieces of art, nearly too lovely to take tramping on the dirty pavement. George shares her high-quality, low-technology workshop with Peter, a shoemaker originally from Italy who used to make sandals for Mother Teresa. Together they make some damn fine throwback sling-backs. 1787 Church, SF. (415) 775-1775. www.suzannegeorgeshoes.com

And of course the readers got to vote:

BEST BREAKFAST: Chloe's Café, 1399 Church, SF. (415) 648-4116
BEST WINE BAR: Noeteca, 1551 Dolores, SF. (415) 824-5524, www.noeteca.com
BEST BUTCHER SHOP: Drewes Bros. 1706 Church, SF. (415) 821-0515, www.drewesbros.com
BEST CLOTHING STORE (WOMEN): Ambiance, Various locations, SF. www.ambiancesf.com
BEST SHOE STORE: Shoe Biz, Various locations, SF. www.shoebizsf.com
BEST TOY STORE: The Ark, Various locations. www.thearktoys.com

All other winners are on SFBG's site. Congrats to all!

Japan Disaster Hits Home In Noe Valley

The Japan tsunami/earthquake/nuclear disaster is still unfolding but plenty of local merchants are finding ways to help:

Hamano Sushi (1334 Castro @ 24th) is matching donations to relief funds - and will put your name on the wall with one of these cards pictured.

Patxi's Pizza is holding a fundraiser on April 5: "Ten percent of all proceeds will be donated to the Northern Japan Earthquake Relief Fund established by the JCCCNC, Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California, based in San Francisco. Purchases from dining, delivery, pick up, or gift cards at lunch and dinner are all included. Patxi’s is hosting these fundraisers as a part of our ongoing “52 Weeks of Giving” campaign for 2011."

Know other local groups pitching in? Please post them in the comments.

Update (3/23): Shoe Biz is hosting a benefit on March 26th - buy TOMS  Shoes and Shoe Biz will match (x2) with a donation to tsunami victims.