Saucy Joe's Knife Sharpening

If you've been wondering where to go to have your knives sharpened since Cook's Boulevard closed, Saucy Joe is setting up his stone near the Noe Valley Farmer's Market every Saturday this month on a trial basis (demand will dictate if he returns). The prices are reasonable, and Joe will sharpen while you wait.

[Saucy Joe]

SFPD Mission Station to Noe: Quit Bugging Us

We got this note from a member of the NVMPA:

Subject: Stop hassling the police!

I love that Noe Valleyans are so vocal and involved; but sometimes, we are a bit high maintenance as a result. At last week's merchant meeting, our beat officer, Lorraine, asked us to help. She (and Capt. Tacchini) is getting it from both sides on the strawberry vendors. Complaints to remove them and complaints about hassling them. There have been some homicides recently and an increase in crime. The strawberry vendors are a city wide issue and a solution has not been found. The fruit is purportedly out of Salinas, as far as anyone knows it is not stolen. The sellers are usually temporary workers. There are issues with permitting etc; but this is not something our local police can actually solve right now.

I suggest that we all discuss it among ourselves and maybe we'll come upon a solution. As far as I have heard, it hasn't caused any real problems for anyone.

Can you put the word out to lighten up on our busy captain on this issue? Thank you!

You heard her, people! Lighten up on the fruit dudes (so the cops can focus on the clipboard brigade and people turning left out of the Whole Foods parking lot).

To be fair, Captain Tacchini showed up at the NVDC meeting in February and asked about community concerns - at that time the biggest issues seemed to be stopping the Examiner delivery and perpendicular parking for Smart cars. But he also asked community members to report things of concern like break-ins and theft.

So...where does that leave us with the recent rash of break-ins? The above-mentioned homicides? Best we can tell they're outside Lorraine's beat. And if we as a neighborhood agree to stop "bothering" the police with petty requests maybe they'd have time to put out a newsletter more than once a month. The Ingleside station (which deals with an equal bunch of badness) still puts out daily notices to keep the community informed.

[NVSF: Late Night Musings: What's Up With The Fruit Guys?]
[NVSF: Crime Beat: Reader Inquiries]

Fruit Dudes: Twitter Update

holdn2aces @NoeValleySF 24th & Diamond Police called due to fruit vendor by supposed owner of Pasta Gina

Thanks for another great catch, Robbie!

[NVSF: Late Night Musings: What's Up With The Fruit Guys?]

Update: Fruit Dudes

We did some research and answered some of the...uh...questions that came up in the discussion about fruit sellers on Noe Valley corners. Check out the comments on the original post to see what we found.

[NVSF: Late Night Musings: What's Up With The Fruit Guys?]

Late Night Musings: What's Up With The Fruit Guys?

We've been saying for some time that the trend towards high alcohol wines isn't a good thing. Witness this query we received via email:

The Zin was good at dinner- Homemade adobo with Lolonis Zin from Drewes (a butcher selling wine? is that a problem?). I'm just curious. Why all the corner fruit selling and where does it come from? Strawberries at Sanchez and Church? Fruit cart vendors on 24th Street? 2 for a dollar mangoes at Skyline and Westgate in Daly City. What does it all mean?

Laughter aside at a bit of "drunk dialing" ... it's a good question. What's up with the fruit vendors on Noe Valley corners? Are the super-cheap flats of strawberries anywhere near as good as the berries from the farmer's market? Does the price trump freshness? Has anyone bought fruit from these guys – and why or why not?