Sign of the Times: Snickerdoodles for Bitcoins

Spotted on 24th St:

In Noe Valley even the girl scouts take bitcoin: http://t.co/7x18Wpvh6p cc @NoeValleySF
— Colby (@colbyh) December 31, 2013

Via @colbyh

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

This Week In Noe Valley: A Grinch, A Local Candle Company, And A Real Estate Rivalry

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

• Some jerk grinch stole Christmas from the 400 Block of Hoffman [SFE]
• Add candles to the list of locally produced goods [Hello Keltie]
• Noe Valley vs. Rockridge (as if) [SFE]
• November single family home sales [Downing & Co]

[Photo: "Carol singers making their way through Noe Valley. Brilliant." via Esbale]

This Week in Noe Valley: Real Estate Makeovers, Google Bus Rage Escalates, And A Town Square Documentary

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

• Anatomy of a Noe Valley flip: $1.35 million to $2.59 million in 10 months [Curbed]
• Another dramatic Victorian to modern makeover [Dwell]
• The Google Bus protests are getting ugly - and making national news [NY Times]
• R.I.P. The Blog, 1997-2013 [kottke.org]
• Crisis at the Noe Valley Whole Foods [@rachelking]
• Alison Jones is officially in charge of building the Noe Valley Town Square [NVTS]
• Speaking of... Check out the trailer for the documentary "Our Town Square" [Gabriel Golvin-Klein]

Happy Solstice, Noe Valley. 

[Photo: Moon setting over Sutro at sunrise, Tamar Hurwitz]

Closing: Sway

The former home and birthplace of Streetlight Records at 3979 24th St will soon be vacant again. The inexpensive women's clothing store Sway, which moved into the space in 2010, is closing up shop in Noe Valley and consolidating in the Haight. A sale is underway and the shop will be closed by the end of the month.

Fans of the shop can still buy their stuff online, or visit one of their five other stores around the Bay Area.

No word on who might move into the new space which back in 2009 was commanding $12K per month in rent. Here's hoping it becomes something fun and useful.

This Week In Noe Valley: La Nebbia Debuts, Google Bus Reflections, And Let It SNoe Snark

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

• La Nebbia opened [Ed.- It was great, even if it was obvious they were caught off guard by how many people showed up] [Inside Scoop]
• Not everyone was into the Let it SNoe spirit on Friday [@vegaproject]
• All the construction around SF has created a $110M windfall for neighborhood projects [SFGate]
• Fourth generation Noe Valley resident reflects on Fake Google Bus Guy [Danelle Morton]
• Google bus also makes Vanity Fair [Vanity Fair]
• The most expensive house sold in SF in November is in Noe Valley [SFGate]
• Brilliant [esbale]
• SPUR says Twitter doesn't know how to build community [NYT]
• Scott Wiener's Nov/Dec newsletter [Scott Wiener]

[Photo: NVSF]

A History Of One Irish Family In Noe Valley

We've received some great photos and stories in response to the announcement of Horner's Corner Bar, and have put people in touch with Ivor Bradley so he can share their history. We had asked him how he plans to balance the current tech culture with the heritage of "old Noe" being a haven for working class Irish and German families. It's a tricky proposition, and judging by the comments not everyone will be happy.

But hope also springs eternal. Longtime resident Jim Lynch sent a history of his family in San Francisco reminding us that Noe Valley isn't all Google Buses, double-wide strollers and Whole Foods parking lot drama.

Here's Jim's story, posted with his permission: 

Like Mr Bradley, I had 2 grand uncles (Michael & John Lynch) who came to Noe Valley from Gort, County Galway in 1907. Michael Lynch started a general contracting business (M.J. Lynch Construction) and his first jobs were concrete sidewalks. As was the custom, he would place his stamp in his work. Though they are getting scarcer due to ADA curb ramps and re-construction, they can still be found in the Noe Valley, and throughout the city. This is the oldest that I have found (in the Bernal at Aztec & Coso) but I have pictures of newer, more professional ones from the 1930's. Uncles Mike and John lived at 26th & Guerrero for decades. My grand uncles were bachelors well into their sixties. However, MJ married at age 67 to his girlfriend of 17 years, the daughter of a former member of the S.F. Board of Supervisors (1919 - 1930) - Charlie Powers, also a contractor, who lived at 26th and Church. Mike & Dorothy re-located to 20th & Noe.

My father and uncle came to SF in 1949 and also lived at 26th & Guerrero. Like many other Irish immigrants they went to work for M.J. Lynch. My uncle Paul owned an Irish bar (The Skyscraper) at 24th & Mission in the early 1960s. My dad met my mom (from County Leitrim) in S.F. They married in 1955 and raised their family in the Noe Valley until they died. My family currently lives on Duncan Street. So the Lynch family has been in Noe Valley since 1907.

We lived at Vicksburg & Elizabeth in the early 1960's and my Dad and other locals would meet at Noe's, but then it was called Doyle's (named after the owner at the time). My family knew the Forde's well, and like them, my sister (1), and brothers (3) grew up in the Noe, attended St. Paul's or St. Philip's. We worked in the Noe at Mitchell's Ice Cream, the original 24th Street Bell Market, and delivered the local newspapers. I retired from SFPD after 31 years in 2010, and 2 of my brothers are currently officers in the department.

I know a picture of concrete is unusual, but as they say every picture tells a story. This one is about Irish immigration to the Noe Valley in the last century, and a family fond of a great neighborhood. Many Irish Fled to the Sunset in the 50s and 60s, but some like the Fordes and the Lynches, knew a good thing, and stayed!

I wish Mr. Bradley and Dave (who always stops to treat my wheaten terrier - Mulligan) all the best on their new venture.

Slainte,

Jim Lynch

This Week In Noe Valley: Remembering Judy Rodgers, Real Estate Anxiety Hits A Fever Pitch, And Love For Noe Valley

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

• "Why I love living in Noe Valley" [The Bold Italic]
• Guest Chefs at Incanto [Eater SF]
• Soaring rents and the Ellis Act have Art Agnos fighting to keep the middle class in SF [NPR]
• What sold in San Francisco in 2013 [DPaul Brown]
• Judy Rodgers was the heart and soul of San Francisco's restaurant and food movements [NY Times]
• Another reason it's pricey to live here: Bitcoin! [@jason]
• SF Conservatory brass band spreads some cheer on 24th St [@jak]
• Watch this carefully Noe residents: New York City cracking down on Air BnB [Mercury News] 
• A Noe Valley Victorian for less than $1M (at least that's asking) [Curbed SF]
• Sellers pitch the perfect SFH knowing the house will likely be gutted and built bigger [Climb SF]
• The "other" corner bar in Noe wants you to know they're already here - and hosting a toy drive on Dec 15 [Dolores Corner]

[Photo: @LiveDoppler7HD]