The Poleng Lounge
The Poleng Lounge is open.
It looks cool, but a little pricey for my budget. Maybe they'd consider giving neighborhood residents a slight discount on cover charges or someting ;). Anyway, I'd love to hear people's thoughts on the place.
See www.polenglounge.com for more information.
posted by Todd @ 5:40 PM
24 Comments:
"Nopna" residents? Shouldn't it be "NoPa" residents? I don't live in the neighborhood association.
:)
I'm sorry. What are you talking about? ;)
On a related note.....what is going on with cafe organica? It hasn't been open for several months. Maybe it's due to the people that practically live outside on the corner. After the recent crime lately, I thought that the police were going to take a more active role in keeping our streets free from drug dealers. Does anyone have a status on that? To be honest, I don't really see much progress or effort.
Dear Anonymous,
The "people that practically live outside on the corner" have nothing to do with the closure of Cafe Organica. My guess is that the neighbors you refer to have been hanging out on that corner for a long time. Why do you think that they're drug dealers anyway?
As for Cafe Organica reopening, we can only hope.
todd....as someone who gets an opportunity to watch the corner, i have seen all sorts of things. there is a constant flow of cars pulling up, transactions going down, and then cars leaving. not to mention that a felony arrest happened on the block recently (as reported in the nopna newsletter). and i do believe that one reason that cafe organica had problems is because people are hesitant to go to a place with people that are either high or drunk hanging around outside. just 2 weeks ago, i saw a woman who lives on the street get harassed driving into her own driveway. any other comments from others?
Anonymous said:
"i do believe that one reason that cafe organica had problems is because people are hesitant to go to a place with people that are either high or drunk hanging around outside."
This is just plain wrong. I know Eton and Sue and neither said anything about this. They tried to work with this group to make everyone's lives easier.
As for the corner in general, I certainly hope they aren't harrassing anyone. I used to hang out at Organica every day and I never saw harrassment of any kind.
If they are just doing and dealing drugs, what's the big deal? They don't really have a bar to go to and probably not a house that allows that either. So where should they go? I'm sorry, but unless the corner is truly dangerous, my opining is live and let live.
What's the big deal about dealing drugs?
1) It's illegal.
2) It's in my neighborhood.
3) It's out in the open.
4) It's may not be the dealers that are the problem, but I worry more about the buyers.
I personally have no problem with casual drug use. But when I'm walking with my kid down the street, I have to say that it gives me an uneasy feeling seeing the guy in the red shirt handing out the drugs.
2Dog--
Yes, drug use is illegal, but that means little to me. Sodomy was illegal in many states until recently.
I think their is a question about whose neighborhood it is. My guess is that the people on the corner have lived in this neighborhood for decades. I would say it's their neighborhood before any of the new comers. Or are we going to say that home owners have a superior right to the neighborhood?
While some of us can drink Jim Beam and smoke Pall Malls in the comfort of our happy home others don't have that luxury. The people on the corner probably have no home to hang out in.
But maybe we're talking about different people. The people on the corner of Orgnica are all over 30, probably 40 and are a threat to no one.
When Organica was open, I sat at that corner everyday. The people in question always made sure that I was able to sit at the table outside. Whatever might be their drug issues, I think cars are far more of threat to your baby than these people could ever be.
Seriously, if you're worried about danger to children, work for bike lanes. That would be more productive than targeting nice, old people in the neighborhood for their vices.
Todd
This is not an issue of homeowners having superior rights because the people in the pink house own it. And since it's not clear who on this blog owns vs. rents, I think it's a false assumption. People have the right to feel safe and the right to try to improve the place that they live. Personally, I don't care what people do at home. I do have an issue when drugs are being sold openly on the street. The age of the people is irrelevant as well. I don't care if they are 18 or 50, watching cars pull up and get drugs and drive off is not what I want to see. And I agree with anonymous, the people hanging out on the street have been agressive. I just saw a situation yesterday where a guy driving a small RV got harassed by a group of 8-9 men after he parked. I'm sure that there are others that have incidents they can share. Finally, why isn't Organica open?
Morning Coffee,
The people outside Organica do not harrass others and don't sell drugs openly.
These 8-10 men you refer to are not the same as those outside Organica.
So if we have some older people outside Organica who like a to drink whiskey and wine and maybe have a smoke, given that they're not harrassing anyone, what's the big deal?
Todd
What is the deal with Cafe Organica?
I also gave them a lot of business and am wondering what the future holds? Is it over? Are they really re-opening as a traning facility? Moving downtown?
I think that at least one of the guys involved in Poleng is a recent USF grad. I recognized him working behind the bar before the renovation. Haven't had opportunity to stop in since then.
Now we just need someone to buy the old Fulton Street building. More on the history of that place to come...
IMHO, the Fulton Street Bar building won't be for sale anytime soon. The owner (who is also a real estate agent) is attempting to lease it yet again, but it also needs significant work. I wouldn't count on seeing anything in there in the next 12-18 months, unfortunately (even if they signed a lease today).
Todd-
You obviously don't have children and are oblivious to reality. I really hope you are driven from the neighborhood along with the drug dealers.
Your opinions about the situation at Central and Grove is obviously in the minority.
NOPNA Resident
Anonymous said:
"You obviously don't have children and are oblivious to reality."
You've made a strong case for your position and I've changed my mind. Although the people on the corner of Organica have bothered no one, they should be banished from the city. We should do it for the children!!
Please forgive me for my stupidity.
You are absolutely clueless Todd. Read through this thread of posts and you'll see that there are 4 different incidents reported by several people - and that's just what these few people have seen! Yet you continue to think that "the people on the corner of Organica have bothered no one" purely because you are ignorant of the true situation.
Its a shame that you have such a strong voice in our community organization when you are so out of touch with the needs of the community.
Dear Bitchy Anonymous Person,
First, I don't have a voice in this community unless you know something I don't. Please let me know.
Second,I've said several times that I don't think the people I'm talking about who are in their late 30's to 50's are the ones who are harrassing people. So, like I've said already, we're probably talking about different people. And as I've already said, if they harrass or sell drugs openly, they should be stopped.
Question: How am I clueless about the corner when, as I've said several times, I sat there virtual everyday Cafe Organica was open? As far as I know, these people have no NOPNA Board Members on their side. As a NOPNA Board Member, I will represent these residents. But you're right: I'm not in touch with you.
In one breathe you say...
"If they are just doing and dealing drugs, what's the big deal? .... live and let live."
yet in the next you say ...
"If they harrass or sell drugs openly, they should be stopped"
What gives? Are drugs good for our community or not?
Anonymous,
You can't read, huh.
Drugs are a problem, and they're a bigger problem when they're not tolerated. Tolerance and understanding is better than punishment in my opinion. The point is that these people on the corner are part of the community, not a problem that needs to be eliminated.
You are such an ass, Todd.
Say it to my face, bitch.
No seriously, I realize that your frustrated and thus have resorted to calling names. Still, I hope you can learn to live in the community with those different from you.
Peace.
Todd
Todd,
I think you've adaquately stated that you don't agree about the situation at Grove/Central and your experience having coffee there indicates otherwise. As the residents who live on the block have seen (keep in mind that some of us can observe clearly from our windows), the situation may be different than what you experienced back when Organica was open, which has been over 6 months now. As a board member, I would hope that you try to support the residents from all sides and show respect for differing opinions from your own. Calling names is not appropriate as a representative of the NOPNA board. As a member, it's disappointing to see this behavior.
The mission of NOPNA is "to establish neighborhood unity, maintain multi-ethnic, multi-cultural diversity, foster a sense of neighborhood pride, promote a safe and clean community, and improve the quality of life for all residents of the neighborhood." Please don't lose sight of that.
Morning Coffee,
As you read, I've been assuming the people on the corner are the old guys who hang/hung out there drinking etc. in the morning to about 6pm.
1.Are these the same people doing the harrassing or is it others?
2. Can you describe the people and what they did? If we agree, I'll talke to the police about it.
3. At what times do you see this type of activity? I'll check it out. I run by there quite a bit.
4. Do you have any other thing you'd like me to do?
Yeah, well, I have a live and let live attitude as well.
But when I get two cars broken into in the same week practically outside my house and see others broken into as well on the same block quite often, it gets a bit much.
The dealers themselves don't tend to be too much of an issue as they don't tend to "make a mess" on thier own doorsteps. But the same can't be said of the people they attract.
The "what harm can they do" attitude is clearly not from someone who has spent a great deal of time around crackheads.
Your pastimes are your business, but when they indirectly or directly become a problem to someone else then it's an issue.
I personally think anyone should be allowed to do whatever the hell they like as long as it doesn't affect others. But it's naieve to thinks that there isn't a knock on effect.
These people aren't getting high a couple of times a week, dealing weed and needing a house to get baked in. It's quite a different kettle of fish, and not that great and pretty destructive for most of the people involved.
As for the police. They aren't interested as far as I can tell. Too much paperwork for too little return.
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