emergency prep training: you should do this

If you want to take NERT training - either for the first time or as a refresher course, check NERT's current class schedule at:
http://www.sfgov.org/site/sfnert_index.asp
Register by phone at 970-2024
or register on-line at:
http://www.sfgov.org/site/sfnert_form.asp?id=18563


Western Addition/Hayes Valley/Civic Center Beginning April 4, Tuesdays 5:00pm-8:00pm April 4, 11, 18, 25, May 2, and 9 Ella Hill Hutch Community Center 1050 McAllister /Webster
Or the daytime classes in Golden Gate Park:
Rec & Park Department Hosts in GG Park
Inner Sunset/Haight/Golden Gate Heights
Beginning April 6, Thursdays 9:00am-4:00pm April 6, 13, and 20 San Francisco County Fair Building, 9th Ave/Lincoln

District 5 Tenants Score Big Win at Board of Appeals

From today's BeyondChron,

A District 5 building full of long-term tenants defeated their landlord’s attempt to displace them Wednesday. Facing the Board of Appeals, these tenants sought revocation of a permit filed for by their owner that would have caused multiple evictions and the destruction of every unit’s back porch. In a surprise decision, the Board ruled unanimously for the tenants, with one of the Board’s more conservative members calling the application one of the worst cases of abuse of the permit process he’d ever seen. The revocation hopefully represents the end of an attempt by the building’s owner – Prana 8 Investments – to turn a profit on a property at the expense of the city’s affordable rental housing stock and tenants.

Prana 8 bought 1980-1998 Golden Gate and 800-808 Lyon, a 13-unit building, in 2002. In an attempt to free up units to be rented out at market rate, Prana 8 filled out an over-the-counter permit application at the Planning Department that claimed certain units were illegal and needed to be brought up to code. Making the necessary renovations would have required the eviction of tenants.

This is a follow-up to a previous post on the NOPNA blog as well.

What's up with Gabin?

Actually went out of my way last night to head over to Gabin (around midnight) to see what was happening. In 8 years in the 'hood, I never went in Daebul, but figured it was time to pay the new place a visit.

The interior is a couple of shades of orange, and seems newly painted. They do have a bar and they did serve us one drink, but their liquor selection was very sparse (and antiquated) and the bartender didn't know how to make very basic drinks. Doesn't seem like anyone is actually there to drink, as nobody else had a drink in front of them and nobody ordered one while we were there. One vodka/soda and one bourbon were $17. A bit steep, but not completely out of line.

The area to the left of the bar (as you look from the street) is divided up into smaller rooms with opaque glass sliding doors. While we were there for 30 minutes, numerous young women (all asian) flitted between the rooms, solidly closing the doors behind them. There was one door that was partly visible from where I was sitting, so I was able to ask the bartender what was going on in the rooms. Her answer, of course, was Karaoke. Funny thing was, I didn't hear any music coming from the rooms when the doors opened, but did see a few people in the room.

I asked her if we could join in one of the karaoke rooms, and she said no. All of the rooms were occupied.

The clientele (that weren't in the rooms) were all younger asian men playing pool on the pool table at the back of the bar, and one white guy who was working very hard to get the bartender's phone number. It seemed like this was his first time in there, too.

It really seems to me like a GREAT place to have our next NOPNA meeting... The large, open room is plenty large enough... And if they're not doing anything wrong in those rooms, they should welcome us!

Alternately, it seems more than fair for someone to really find out what they do there... If they really are doing Karaoke, then I have no problem with it. It just seemed as strange as everyone has been assuming that it was, and nobody last night wanted to help clear their name.

Just a thought...

Restaurant news - Papalote & NOPA

Word on the street is that the new Papalote just opened in the old Tango 20 location on Fulton Street. Open 11a-10p, serving up multi-mustache slabs.

My neighbors got a sneak peak of the NOPA interior and found a mural artist working on a big piece about the neighborhood on one wall. Sounds like the owners want to show off the history of their new 'hood.

Know any good cooks? They're hiring...

Recent Eviction Battles Reveal Need for Change at Planning Department

From today's BeyondChron...

There appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel for three long-term tenants at Lyon and Golden Gate. In 2002, Prana 8 Investments purchased their building, a massive Victorian with 13 units of rental housing. In an attempt to free up units to be rented out at market rate, Prana 8 filled out an over-the-counter permit application at the Planning Department that claimed certain units were illegal and needed to be brought up to code. Because the application for the permit does not require landlords to reveal whether tenants occupy units claimed to be illegal, Planning did not review the application, thus nearly allowing Prana 8 to evict tenants so changes to the ‘illegal’ units could be made. The problem - the units weren’t illegal, and the permit simply represented a back-door attempt to circumvent Planning Commission restrictions on the elimination of rental housing. The permit would have also allowed Prana 8 to seal up the back doors and remove the porches and decks of many of their tenants, clearing the way for destruction of an adjoining building where condos could then be built. Sadly, the building at Golden Gate and Lyon is not the only case revealing this glaring loophole in the city’s planning process. [more]

Temporary Closures & Fulton Street update

Like many in the 'hood, I have gotten very used to my 'best in the city' cappuccino at Cafe Organica (Grove @ Central). Just went by this morning to find out that they are closed indefinitely for remodeling. There is a notice posted in the window and on their web site promising bigger and better things very soon. Congrats to Eton for his 3rd place finish in some huge barista competition, too!


Also, Poleng Lounge (formerly 1751 Social Club) is closed for remodeling until May 2006 (as I found out from a sign posted in the window).


On a brighter note, when eating at Papalote in the Mission last week, the girl at the counter opined that the Fulton Street location would be open this week (the week of March 13th).


I also spoke to the owner of the Fulton Street Bar side of the block, who tells me that Gabin is just a new name, same owners. In regards to the Fulton St. Bar, it looks like they are about 7 months away from having a shell to offer a potential renter.

So, that's good news, no?


By May we should have LOTS of great spots to patronize...

Coalition of District 5 neighborhood groups meeting coming up

The next meeting will be on April 5 starting at 7pm
at Northern Police Station, Turk and Fillmore

The program is on Parks and we will have a panel including Yomi Agunbiade, General Manager of Rec. and Parks, Commissioner Gloria Bonilla, President of the Rec.and Park Commission, Isabel Wade, Executive Director of Neighbor Parks Council and Jay Benfield, Executive Director of Park Trust.

We will also elect officers for the coming year. If you would like to nominated or are willing to serve as an officer please contact Tys via email tys AT ideamountain.com

No more Daebul???

The sign is gone, the awning is gone, and the dumpster out front has been filled up over the past week...

Are they actually closed?

Did they bow to neighborhood pressure?

Maybe they lost their clientele...

Does anyone have further info?

On the downside, we don't really need another vacant building on that block that will soon be covered with graffiti like the former Fulton Street.

Liquor stores ordinance

From today's Chron...

Supervisors pass ordinance to fine lax liquor stores
San Francisco would have the power to fine liquor stores that attract criminal or nuisance activity, under legislation given final approval Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors.
The ordinance, sponsored by Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, provides for penalties up to $1,000 against owners whose stores attract drug dealing, prostitution or other neighborhood problems. Maxwell said the legislation is not intended to force the closure of any of the estimated 900 liquor stores in the city but rather to reinforce regulations already required of liquor store owners by the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
"This is not about closing stores, colleagues," Maxwell said. "It's about neighborhoods and the people in them having more of a say in what goes on."
As was the case when the legislation was brought up for its first vote last week, Maxwell was forced again Tuesday to beat back an amendment reintroduced by Supervisor Fiona Ma. It would have weakened the legislation to say that store owners could be held responsible only for serious criminal activity or nuisances occurring inside their businesses.
As it is now, state law holds owners accountable for activity occurring within 20 feet of their storefronts, a provision now included as part of Maxwell's legislation. Ultimately, the board voted 8-1 to pass the ordinance, with Supervisors Sean Elsbernd dissenting and Gerardo Sandoval absent.

I assume you can call your local precinct to report unsavory activity - for Park Precinct the number is 553-0123.

The latest news on NOPA (the restaurant)

Just read on TableHopper that we should expect the restaurant called NOPA to open on the corner of Divis and Hayes in April.

Another eagerly awaited project is ~NOPA~, opening in early April in the North of the Panhandle (get it?) neighborhood. The former laundromat is being massively transformed into a hip dining destination that will seat 110, with high ceilings (try 19 feet), exposed rafters, a dark-stain concrete floor, warm colors on the walls, an open kitchen, a massive poured concrete bar that seats 17-18, a mezzanine that overlooks the bar and the kitchen, and a communal table that will seat 12-14. Whew. Quirky fact: it ends up the space was a bank in the ‘20s, and the vault is now going to be used as the wine room. Maybe it can double as a drunk tank.

NOPA's partners are Laurence Jossel (chef/hails from Chez Nous and all three Chow locations), Jeff Hanak (wine/former partner of Chow and Park Chow), and Allyson Woodman (service/managed Chow). The sous chef is the talented Marcella Lew, formerly of Andalu. The Southern-Mediterranean and organic ingredient-centric menu will be shaped as much by the seasons as by three pieces of my favorite kitchen equipment: a wood-fired grill, a wood-fired rotisserie, and a wood-fired pizza oven. (The neighborhood will be wafting.) Apps will hover around $10, entrées around $20, and $7 or so for desserts. They have a full liquor license (score) and plan on staying open late, like 1am. I will be beyond thrilled to have a non-Thai, non-diner, non-pizza late-night dining option in this side of town. 560 Divisadero St. at Hayes.

They also have their own site www.nopasf.com up and running, but it only has a couple of construction photos at this point.

Hooray for any and all new restaurants in our wonderful 'hood! I'm really looking forward to this one, too!

SF Sewer System Master Plan Workshops

Each day more than 80 million gallons of wastewater is collected through our sewer system and transported to treatment plants. Much of our infrastructire is rapidly aging and in need of attention. SF is in the process of developing a long-range master plan to continue to protect public health, safety and the environment. You are invited to participate in one of 3 upcoming workshops on the SF PUC's new SF Sewer System Master Plan.

March 23, 6-8pm Sunset Recreation Center, 28th Ave at Lawton
March 25, 10am to 12:30pm, 1800 Oakdale Ave. Alex Pitcher Conf. Rm
March 28, 6-8pm Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, 99 Grove Street

go to www.sfsewers.org for more information

What to do about street trash

Most NOPNA members know that we sponsor a streetscape committee which organizes folks who want to keep our neighborhood beautiful. If you don't already have a trash grabber or other vital grime fighting accessory, I encourage you to contact the committee about aquiring the gear.

But what about when your just walking through the 'hood and come across a pile of junk on the curb - do you know that a quick call (or email) to 28-CLEAN will prompt a crew from the SF Department of Public Works to address the mess?

If you don't already, I encourage you to program the number into your cell phone now, and use it next time you come across a mess. The folks at DPW are very friendly and quick, and it will make the neighborhood a better place for all of us.

A complete list of useful phone numbers is available at http://www.nopna.org/directory/directory.html.