Photo: Transit Of Venus From Noe Valley

A Noe Valley neighbor sent us this great photo of the Transit of Venus. Have one of your own? Send it our way and we'll add it to the post. Also check out this awesome video from NASA.

[Photo: trophygeek]

NVV June 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.

June 2012

Front Page: Noe Valley author Sonia Faleria has a book about life in Mumbai; electric cars get a charge out of Walgreens [Ed note: no mention that even non EVs can park there]; SummerFEST is coming; white dots around Noe = sidewalk replacement.
 
Letters: A reader wants to know why not more police downtown; more hate/love for the Examiner; another plea for a Town Square angel; realtors: get a parking clue.

Cost of Living in Noe: A mini mansion sells for $3.4 million; buyer crowds resemble the "dot-com boom of the late 1990s-early 2000s" (and we know what that got us).

Store Trek: Noe Valley Wine Merchants (3821 24th St.)

Rumors: Real Foods may - or may not - have new plans to make the building safe for retail without adding development; NV Town Square has raised over $100,000 - and needs more money asap; some restaurants for sale [Joe's on 24th St, and another: "owner retiring"] ; Chris Cosentino of Incanto has a cookbook; Chloe's turns 25; First Republic not so popular; Sirena Botanica closes; more Facebook zillionaire puffery. 

[The Noe Valley Voice]

Closed: La Sirena Botanica

"They're going to renovate the building" stated owner Maria when we spoke to her by telephone. We called after hearing from neighbor merchants that the whole building needs an upgrade - the foundation is crumbling.

Currently working in Redwood City, Maria plans to reopen when construction is complete. But while the space is empty now, there are no permits for 1509 Church St on file with the DBI. Given the projected timeline, it's unclear if La Sirena Botanica will reopen on Church St.


[NVSF: Not Closing: La Sirena Botanica]

Forget A Cup Of Sugar From This Guy

You think you hate your neighbors? A notorious 24th Street resident made the news again today in a Chronicle story about copper thieves getting away with it. But this bit of info caught our attention:

His fortunes changed in 2010 when a friend died, leaving a home on a fashionable block of 24th Street in Noe Valley. McGuire produced a will showing he had inherited 60 percent of the house.

Less than two years later, McGuire owes more than $138,000 in property taxes that date to 2005, records show, and another friend of the original homeowner is contesting the will in court, saying he was deeded the house.

"The house is full of drug addicts," said the would-be homeowner, 51-year-old Al Heinicke of San Mateo, and McGuire is "charging all of them rent. The next thing that's going to happen is that the house is going to catch on fire."

For now, the home is the subject of a campaign by neighbors to persuade the city to file a nuisance lawsuit. In a recent letter, they asked Supervisor Scott Wiener to intervene.

His neighbors really don't like the many-times-over convicted felon with all the drug users en suite and the bizarre behavior (never mind a lack of flushable toilets).

FWIW, multiple sources place McGuire at 4267 24th St.

[SFGate: SF man provides window into lucrative copper thefts]

Breaking: Starbucks Buying La Boulange

There was a collective shudder from foodies local business boosters around the Bay Area this afternoon as this news hit the wire:

Next World Group Sells La Boulange Café & Bakery To Starbucks Coffee Company for $100 Million

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – (June 4, 2012) – Next World Group (NWG), a privately-held global investment firm, today announced that it has reached a definitive agreement to sell La Boulange Café & Bakery to Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ: SBUX) for $100 million in cash.

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2012 (Starbucks’ FY 12 fourth quarter). Next World Group is the majority investor of La Boulange, a rapidly growing San Francisco-based, fast-casual restaurant chain that embodies the authenticity of the French bakery experience.

Founded by Pascal Rigo, La Boulange has grown to 19 Bay Area locations and has more than quadrupled revenue since NWG’s investment. NWG is a long-term, growth investment firm headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Brussels and Paris. 

“We have worked closely with Pascal over the past six years to build an artisanal bakery brand with a track record of profitable growth – exactly the kind of enterprise we look for in our investments,” said Sébastien Lépinard, founder of Next World Group. “La Boulange and Starbucks share similar values and a common vision for creating premium products in a socially responsible way. 

We have confidence that Starbucks will stay true to the ‘La Boulange’ brand while bringing the romance of an authentic French bakery to consumers across the United States.” “Our long-term partnership with NWG and Sébastien brought solid financial management and strategic vision to help La Boulange through its growth and success over the last few years,” said Rigo, founder and CEO of La Boulange. “Their involvement and commitment attracted the caliber of management and financial partners we needed to achieve our potential.”

Next World Group invested in La Boulange in 2006, beginning the implementation of a focused strategy to sell distinctive, high-quality products and develop a local cafe-bakery-retail concept under the ‘La Boulange’ brand. Since then, the business has grown geometrically as the strategy to bring enjoyable products to an ever-growing customer base has remained intact.

InsideScoopSF talked to owner/seller Pascal Rigo and broke it down this way:

• Within 12-14 months, there will be La Bou-branded goods in every Starbucks’ pastry case 

• La Bou will expand to 200 to 400 units nationwide within the next four to five years

KQED's News Fix rounds up the Twitter reaction (lots of: Ugh, Nooooooo! AYEEE) here.

What do you think Noe Valley? Good thing for Starbucks or will you be taking your business elsewhere?

Crime Beat: A Close Call On Fair Oaks Street

From the Fair Oaks Street Group email list, this description of an incident early Saturday morning on 6/2/12:

I thought it was important to let the Fair Oaks Community know what happened to me last night.

Sometime between 12:15-12:45 a cab dropped me off outside my apartment on Fair Oaks Street. My cell phone was stolen this same night so I'm not 100% sure of the time. The cab left me off in the middle of the street and as soon as it drove away I noticed a man hiding behind a tree next door to the entrance of my apartment. All I could see was his head peeping out behind the tree. I decided to wait because I did not want this man to follow me in. As soon as he realized I had seen him, he made a run for me. I screamed as loud as I could down the middle of Fair Oaks Street between 23rd and 24th running towards an oncoming car. The car stopped and four complete young strangers saw how distraught I was and let me inside their car. The man from behind the tree ran to his volvo station wagon and took off within seconds. The police came about 5 minutes later after my next door neighbor heard my scream and came outside to check on me. The police said a similar incident happened on 22nd and Bartlett. I really would like all of the women in the Fair Oaks Community to know what happened. My next door neighbor where the man was hiding has absolutely no lighting and his trees have been marked to be cut down. I think it's time we start to take action and have people install more lighting on the street. I have no idea what this man looks like because it was so dark. All I could see was the outline of his body.

In addition to all the usual advice for how to stay safe, one Fair Oaks resident had this great reminder:

Supervisor Scott Wiener has called a hearing on street lighting with PGE and various City departments in attendance on Monday morning (TOMORROW!) June 4, at 10 AM at City Hall – either Room 263 or in the Board of Supes chambers. Scott invites all Fair Oaks folks to attend, to make our needs known to the authorities, and to press for improvements. The more neighbors who show up, the sooner we’ll get action on our street. Please try to attend – and spread the word, too.

Scott's official announcement:

What: Hearing on streetlight reliability in San Francisco, including problems and delays fixing burned out lights and plans by PG&E and PUC to improve the system.

When: Monday June 4, 2012, at 10 a.m. (Note that the hearing was originally scheduled for two weeks ago but was delayed.)

Where: Board of Supervisors City Operations and Neighborhood Services Committee, City Hall

Details: Supervisor Scott Wiener called for a hearing on streetlight reliability in San Francisco, so that the public can better understand how the system works, how streetlights are maintained and by whom, how requests for maintenance are processed, and why there are frequent delays in getting streetlights fixed. Persistent burned-out streetlights are a significant source of frustration for the public. The PUC, PG&E, and other City departments will be present to address the issue.

Contact: Supervisor Scott Wiener, (415) 554-6968, scott.wiener@sfgov.org

[Photo: sfist]

This Week in Noe Valley

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

• Instawalk SF leaves from Philz at 24th @ Diamond on Sat June 2 at 10:30 AM [Postagramapp]
• Your Burning Man sofa is free and in Noe: "Yes it's trashed. Perfect for La Playa..." [Craigslist]
• No surprise here: Noe condo prices are red hot and climbing [Downing & Co.]
• Noe Valley Bakery is now selling strawberry rhubarb pies – through Labor Day [Twitter]
• S**t cabbies say about Noe Valley (ouch) [All Out on Muni]
• There are always 2 all-veggie dishes on the main course menu at Firefly [SF News]
• Spanish and Portuguese wine lovers: Intimate wine dinner with Miguel Merino at Contigo [Uncorked]
• A lady on 24th St. [Flickr]

[Photo: A love letter to downtown Noe signs via LivsPlusGibs]

311: Did You Know?

The photo above shows excrement and toilet paper flowing from a street-side sewer vent. Seriously gross, and a health hazard. What to do? A simple call to 311 to report the address and DPW will respond with a cleanup kit. 3 minutes of your time.

Getting the owners to fix their sewer line may take longer, but at least you won't have to worry about risks to you.

More info at http://www.sf311.org/.