The tree in 2008. Photo by Ingrid Taylar, About.com

This Thursday night from 5pm until 7:30pm, Rec & Park is hosting a special holiday celebration featuring small rides for children, live entertainment, a cookie factory, arts and crafts, and a visit from Santa.

During the event, they’ll officially light up the giant Monterey Cypress in front of McLaren Lodge. The lighting will take place just after dusk (sunset is at 4:28pm). McLaren Lodge is located at 501 Stanyan Street at Fell, just inside the park.

The tree lighting tradition began in 1929 when John McLaren, the grandfather of Golden Gate Park and San Francisco’s first park superintendent, began a holiday tradition of lighting trees along a mile-long stretch of Fell Street that ended in front of McLaren Lodge, his home at the time.

Happy Holidays!

Sarah B.

This Thursday night from 6pm to 8pm, merchants on Clement Street will be part of a special “ClemenTime” celebration. Bold Italic is organizing the event, which will take place on Clement Street between 3rd and 7th Avenues.

The evening will feature deep discounts on apparel, complimentary ice cream, free beer and wine, delicious Mexican hot chocolate, events highlighting books, music, original artwork, and home decor, and more than a few surprises.

Participating merchants include:

Green Apple Books – Complimentary beer and get a free tote bag when you spend more than $25.
Seedstore – Complimentary libations and free gift-wrapping.
Park Life – Free drinks, and a raffle to win a piece of original artwork or one of two limited edition prints (free raffle ticket with every purchase).
Blue Danube Cafe – Mexican Hot Chocolate will be $3, as will all beers and their house-made Sangria.
Fecal Face’s FFDG Gallery (New! 248 Clement)
Foggy Notion Gallery (New! 275 6th Avenue) – A special sneak peek of recycled leather and vinyl goods, Mittenmaker collection, and works from other great local designers. Plus free drinks.
Toy Boat Dessert Cafe – Free kiddie size cone of their Chocolate Salted Caramel Brownie Ice Cream.
Kumquat Art – Free treats and free gift-wrapping.
Abracadabra Lingerie – 30% off their unique lingerie from Japanese and European designers and locally made sleepwear.
Dirty Trix
Rockit Room – Draft beers will be $3 and they’ll also be slinging a number of festive $3 shot specials, plus tasty bites.
Cumaica Coffee – 50% off all coffee and espresso drinks

Come out on Thursday night to support your local businesses, get some holiday shopping done, and meet your neighbors!

Sarah B.

KALW Radio ran a nice profile of the energetic, lively and fun gathering known as Lindy in the Park, a dance party that takes place every Sunday on JFK Drive in the park, just behind the de Young Museum.

Have a listen:

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Lindy in the Park was one of the first things we wrote about on the blog, resulting in this video showing what the experience is like (fun!):

If you feel like joining in or just watching, you can catch Lindy in the Park every Sunday from 11am until 2pm.

A free beginner lesson is taught each time from 12 to 12:30. To find the group, just walk into JFK Drive from 9th or 10th Avenue – you can’t miss the music and the dancing mob.

Sarah B.

Starting today, the Balboa Theater is showing a new documentary, Eames: The Architect and the Painter, about innovative designers and artists – and husband and wife team – Charles and Ray Eames.

The husband-and-wife team of Charles and Ray Eames are widely regarded as America’s most important designers. Perhaps best remembered for their mid-century plywood and fiberglass furniture, the Eames Office also created a mind-bending variety of other products, from splints for wounded military during World War II, to photography, interiors, multi-media exhibits, graphics, games, films and toys. But their personal lives and influence on significant events in American life – from the development of modernism, to the rise of the computer age – has been less widely understood. Narrated by James Franco, Eames: The Architect and the Painter is the first film since their death dedicated to these creative geniuses and their work.

This weekend only, the Balboa will also have the filmmakers on hand at select screenings for a Q&A with the audience:

Friday, December 2: Jason Cohn & Bill Jersey Q&A post 7:20, Intro prior to 9:10 show
Saturday, December 3: Jason Cohn Q&A post 1:50 show, Intro prior to 3:40 show

Eames: The Architect and the Painter shows daily at (1:50), 3:40, 5:30, 7:20, and 9:20.

“It all began with a chair…”

Sarah B.

[Reprinted from The Richmond Police Station Newsletter of December 2, 2011. To be added to the station's mailing list, email sfpd.richmond.station@sfgov.org.]

CAPTAIN KEITH SANFORD’S MESSAGE
On the morning of November 24th, an altercation occurred at the Jack in the Box at 11th Ave and Geary Bl. The victim, 29 year old Albert Bartal, left the restaurant after the fight and was walking on Geary at 9th Ave. As he stopped at the gas station the suspect from the fight drove a black SUV into the station and intentionally struck Mr. Bartal, critically injuring him. Officers were able to immediately obtain video of the Jack in the Box incident and a photo of the suspect and his vehicle was sent out the patrol officers and the public.

An officer from Central Police Station saw the photo and was able to identify the suspect. Officers from San Francisco’s Criminal Investigation Unit went to the suspect’s home in South San Francisco were he was detained late Tuesday night. He is identified as 24 year old Eduardo Shaparo Esquivel. We are currently looking for the black SUV which is described as a Mazda CX-7 with a California plate of 6SYV525 and may have front end damage.

Mr. Bartal is a former Marine and a fire fighter with Cal Fire. He is also the father of a young daughter. A fund has been set up with the San Francisco Police Credit Union, 2550 Irving St, San Francisco, CA 94122. The account name is “Albert Bartal Relief Fund” with an account number of 1379608.

I want to thank all of the individuals, law enforcement personnel and most importantly the citizens who provided information that lead to the arrest of the suspect in a timely manner.

Due to the Christmas holiday, I will not have a monthly PCRF meeting in December. Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 7:00pm.

NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
Between 11/21, 6pm and 11/27, 8am on the 2900 block of California St, a suspect gained entry into an apartment garage by prying open a door off of the main lobby. The suspect then pried open the door to a storage unit and took 2 calculators.

Between 11/22, 6am and 11/26, 2pm on the 100 block of Seal Rock Dr, a suspect gained entry into a garage and took a bike. There were no signs of forced entry.

On 11/24, between 4:40am and 9:10am on the 4700 block of Geary, a suspect smashed the front door glass of a business. The suspect took a laptop and cash.

On 11/24 at 8:10pm, the victim was walking on Geary near 15th Ave. The suspect ran up from behind and snatched the victim’s cell phone from her hand and ran south on 14th Ave towards Anza. The suspect was described as a male, 20-30 years of age, wearing a blue jacket and black pants.

Between 11/25, 5:15pm and 11/26, 10:30am on the 1700 block of Divisadero, a suspect entered business by prying off a metal security screen from a rear window. The suspect took cash.

Between 11/26, 7pm and 11/17, 8:30am on the 1900 block of Broderick St, a suspect entered an apartment building by removing the deadbolt lock from the front door. The suspect took a box from the lobby that had contained clothing.

On 11/27, between 11am and 11:30am in front of the Academy of Sciences building, the suspect took a bike that had been locked to a bike rack by cutting the lock.

Between 11/27, 11am and 11/30, 6:30pm on the 2900 block of California St, a suspect gained entry into a garage by unknown means and broke into a storage unit. It appears there is no loss.

ON 11/28 between 8:30pm and 10:45pm on the 700 block of Arguello Blvd a suspect gained entry into a residence and took an Ipad2 and an Ipod. There were no signs of forced entry.

On 11/29 at 3:30pm, 3 suspects entered a store at 32nd Ave and Clement St. The store manager observed the suspect placing items into large bags they had brought into the store. The manager attempted to stop the suspects as they exited without paying and was able to grab 2 of the 3 bags. The suspects then fled to a gray Dodge sedan and fled the scene. The male suspect was described as being 25-35 years of age, 6’2”, and 170 lbs with a red and black knit hat, brown leather jacket and white pants. The two females were 25-35 years of age, one in a tan sweater, green pants, and the other in a black jacket.

Between 11/29, 7pm and 11/30, 2:15pm on the 3500 block of California St, a suspect cut two padlocks off of an exterior storage container. The suspect removed 22 five gallon propane tanks. It is unknown how many of the tanks were actually full.