Reason 927 why my missus is awesome

From my wife’s blog, Dancing Hula in the Sunset:

OK, so 927th place out of 1086 is pretty close to coming in last but I still did it. I climbed 1197 steps in 27 minutes, 10 seconds.
I was super sweaty and stank a little but I did something I was only “pretty sure” I could do.

Read more here.

Broken window theory vs. urban art

Good rant today by  Greg Dewar over at The N-Judah Chronicles about how the apparent sloppy execution of city anti-graffiti laws led to the elimination of a mural on a produce market in San Francisco’s inner Sunset District.

I’m no fan of vandalism or gang graffiti, but sometimes rules intended to address gang issues or pure vandalism can go too far and suppress or eliminate something new and creative.

Read more at The N-Judah Chronicles.

S.F. Fire Department truck scores triple block

On Friday I saw a San Francisco Fire Department pickup truck simultaneously block a crosswalk, a wheelchair ramp and a fire hydrant. I’ve seen many city vehicles block one of these, but to see one score all three at once is pretty remarkable. The truck also had boxed in a silver pickup truck parked behind it.

There was a funeral for a police officer or firefighter at the church half a block away, and I’m sure that if there had been a fire requiring the hydrant, someone would have moved the truck without delay. But the truck was in the intersection of 40th Avenue and Ulloa Street, and the surrounding neighborhood has some of the most abundant parking in the whole city of San Francisco. Even when the church’s school is in session and there is an event at the church, it’s usually easy to find parking within two blocks.

There were no license plates on the truck, but I did get the VIN.

SFFD pickup blocking crosswalk, wheelchair ramp and hydrant

SF Fire pickup blocking crosswalk

The election’s over — now what?

Obama will be the next president of the United States. California Proposition 8 looks to be headed for a win (as of this writing, by about 6 percentage points). San Francisco will have a couple of new supervisors, and a bunch of new laws and policies.

But what does this all mean? Can new officeholders actually do the things they promised in their campaigns? Starting Wednesday, Nov. 5 I’ll analyze selected election results and their potential impacts. Stay tuned.

Ed Jew pleads guilty to extortion charges

Ed Jew, the former San Francisco supervisor who fled his post representing the southwest corner of the city after

Ed Jew

coming under fire for allegedly accepting bribes and living outside the district he represented, has pleaded guilty to federal charges.

Jew pleaded guilty on Friday, Oct. 10 to federal charges of extortion, bribery and mail fraud related to accusations that he accepted tens of thousands of dollars from the owners of several tapioca-drink shops inexchange for helping them obtain City permits. The plea means that a trial on the charges that had been scheduled for November will not go forward.

Jew is scheduled to be sentenced in February. His attorney, Stuart Hanlon, told the San Francisco Chronicle that he expected Jew would go to prison but that he hoped it would be for only two years.

Jew still faces nine felony charges under California state law, alleging that he lied about living in San Francisco’s Sunset District while actually residing in the nearby suburb of Burlingame.

Ed Jew is alleged to have lied about living in this Sunset District house to qualify to represent District 4 on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

Jew’s sudden departure from office resulted in Mayor Gavin Newsom appointing current officeholder Supervisor Carmen Chu, who faces several challengers for the seat this November, including Ron Dudum.

Java Beach Cafe second location opens

Hey, cool! That fixture of San Francisco’s Outer Sunset District, Java Beach, just opened its new location on Sloat Boulevard and 45th Avenue.

Java Beach Cafe at the Zoo, San Francisco. By Tom Prete.

I’m really happy to see this open, as it’s in my neck of the dunes and there’s no decent place to get a good cup of coffee within walking distance of my house. It’s right next door to the Irish Cultural Center and across 45th Avenue from Sloat Garden Center, under the watchful eye of the Doggie Diner head. If you aren’t familiar with the Doggie Diner head, it’s a giant fiberglass dachsund head wearing a chef’s toque and blue bow tie. No, I’m not kidding. The city moved it to the center median of Sloat Boulevard a few years back after the head pitched over in a wind storm and broke its face. I’m not kidding about that, either.

Five beers on tap, including Guiness. Free WiFi. Open until 11 p.m.

Java Beach is throwing a block party Saturday to celebrate the opening of the Sloat location. From their web site:

On Saturday, Oct.11th we are having a BLOCK PARTY to celebrate our opening. The cafe, as you may know, is at the corner of Sloat and 45th Ave. We will have the whole block of 45th Avenue between Sloat and Wawona closed off and we’d love to have you join us. There will be bands, jumpy castle and lots of neighborhood fun from 10am to 5pm. The ribbon cutting ceremony at 10am will kick off the whole event.

Java Beach web site.

Fun at the Eye on Blogs party

So I went to the party thrown by Eye on Blogs last night not knowing what to expect, but I ended up having a good time and meeting some good people with interesting blogs.

First mention, of course (and many thanks for the party), goes to Brittney Gilbert herself, author of the Eye on Blogs blog at KPIX-TV/CBS5. I didn’t get to talk with Brittney for long, though, because the effusive and charming Beth Spotswood of (among other things) I’ll Flip You. Flip You for Real showed up and stole the show.

I know I’m going to forget someone, so apologies in advance, but I also had a great time talking with Kathryn Hill of Kosmonaut, Johnny and Shannon from funcheapSF, Janice from Sunset Style (nice to meet another blogger from the Sandy Quarter of San Francisco), Chris of Spot-ON and Becca of Bullpen Baker. Links to their blogs are below.

Some hastily-snapped pics from my phone:

P.S.: Only one sort-of complaint. As an old-time journo by temperament, I’ve always thought that three of the ugliest words in the English language are “no host bar,” so I was pleased to see Eye on Blogs spring for the beer and wine. But I still was a bit disappointed not to be able to get a gin and tonic, which is the perfect business-party drink because you can easily swap it for just carbonated water while everybody else’s tongues are getting looser and looser. Ah, well, free Anchor Steam and food — I think I can take the punishment.

Resources:

Eye on Blogs

funcheapSF

Sunset Style

Kosmonaut

Spot–ON

Bullpen Baker

Last chance to comment on GGNRA management plan

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area is revising its policies for managing the lands and facilities under its jurisdiction, but the period for public comment is drawing to a close.

This revision is important to anyone who uses the GGNRA in any way, as it is intended to guide the management of the park for many years. Friday, August 1 is the last day the GGNRA and the National Park Service will accept comments on the plan from the public.

Read the four alternative proposed management concepts, and make your comments before 11:59 p.m. Pacific time.

My understanding is that after the GGNRA selects a general set of guiding principles (the management concepts), it will undertake further study and gather additional public input to turn those principles into actual working regulations, policies and practices.

Black death on the beach

Oil spilled from a cargo ship that crashed into the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Wednesday morning continues to have a devastating impact on wildlife and beaches.

This morning, Nov. 9, two days after the spill, I went down to Ocean Beach near my home in San Francisco to see the effects for myself. It was awful.

It wasn’t as bad as the images you might have seen of the aftermath of the Exxon Valdez spill, with waves that seemed composed of more oil than water basting the shore with a sickly sheen. And other nearby beaches are probably in much worse condition than Ocean Beach. But it was bad enough. Small clumps of thick, congealed oil were everywhere, and the smell of petroleum permeated the air.

Taraval Street Fair 2007

Just got back from the first Taraval Street Fair, so deep in the Sandy Quarter of San Francisco you could almost hear the surf on Ocean Beach. Not a bad start for a new event, but not particularly exciting. Along with a decent coffeehouse, the establishment of a genuine common cultural event is one of my dearest hopes for the southwest corner of the Sunset District, so I look forward to next year’s fair. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom was there for a bit, but he took off before I got a chance to talk with him. Supervisor Carmen Chu, pictured below presenting a commendation to the Taraval-Parkside Merchants Association, was there as well. Best booth at the fair, though, was Young Punks, an outfit that makes sarcastic onesies. How could you not love that?