Wow, so much happened this year! I began looking back on all the stories that the blog posted in 2010 and soon realized I’d need to break this into two different posts. This one will cover a variety of categories; tomorrow we’ll look back on what happened in Golden Gate Park, Real Estate & Development, Crime, Giants Fever and History.

And while I’ve included some photos in each wrapup, I encourage you to just browse through the Photos category here on the site so you can enjoy all the great pics that our residents have taken this year.

Sarah B.

THE RICHMOND DISTRICT 2010 IN REVIEW – PART 1

BUSINESS
The new lady owners of Paul’s Hat Works on Geary had a stellar first year, getting lots of local media attention with clever promotions like their Mad Men themed windows, and re-tooling their store to begin offering men’s accessories as well as hats. Someone even stole the head off their sidewalk sign but they still persevered.

The sisters of Clement Street’s Satin Moon Fabrics were profiled in March and further down the street in June, new clothing boutique Seedstore opened their doors to men and women shoppers. Also new to Clement Street – Kookle Toys which opened just in time for Christmas.

Dog and cat favorite Cal’s Pet Supply bid adieu to their elder feline statesman, Odie, in May and a few months later, started a campaign to prevent Petco from moving in nearby on Geary. Not to be deterred, a new pet store opened in December called Pet’s Corner which sits, aptly, on the corner of Arguello and Geary.

In December, we began learning about a series of closures. First was DeLano’s market on Geary which closed its doors after the grocery chain hit financial problems. Then news began to spread about businesses in the Richmond that were being throated with American Disability Act lawsuits. The “Big Heart” Video Cafe on Geary at 21st was forced to close its doors after 25 years, and Thidwick Books on Clement closed on Christmas Eve due to similar ADA issues. Over a dozen more businesses are being sued by the same plaintiff, so this is not the last we’ve heard of this issue that is threatening the small businesses and restaurants in our neighborhood.

CELEBRITY
The Richmond District is notoriously low-key but we had a couple of notables pass through this year. In May, film director John Waters stopped by Green Apple Books, and in November, the blogosphere was buzzing over Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum partying at a couple of Richmond District watering holes.

We even got the infamous, sign-carrying Frank Chu out to the neighborhood not once, but twice. First it was to join a sit/lie protest on Clement Street in March, and then he showed up and refused to sit down at the Slash Oil protest on Ocean Beach in June. Make up your mind, Frank!

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD
We do love our food here in the Richmond District, be it dim sum, Russian bakery treats, excellent Thai, pizza or homemade ice cream. One pair of residents love it so much that they organized a social group around it.

Eats at the corner of Clement and 2nd closed and then re-opened in February under new ownership by the Burma Superstar family of restaurants. Over on Geary in March, . In April, Family run Lou’s Cafe opened on Geary near Park Presidio, providing tasty sandwiches and quality coffee to neighbors.

We had a bit of a scare with landmark eatery Louis’ Diner out near the Cliff House. Early in the year, they announced that the restaurant space was being subjected to an open bidding process as required by federal law (the diner sits on federal land). They held a neighborhood rally, Supervisor Mar passed a resolution at City Hall in their honor, and we waited. We got the good news in October when it was announced that Louis’ would get a renewed lease contingent on making some improvements to the restaurant.

Another Richmond tradition began anew when Joe’s Ice Cream moved 1/2 block down Geary to a brand new, upgraded location. Lines have been out the door ever since. And Richmond favorite Giorgio’s Pizzeria finally began their delivery service over the summer.

Two new Asian restaurants received high praise from critics this year as well – Hakka and Quan Bac. And with the help of readers, we spilled the beans on a “secret” sushi spot on Balboa.

A group of neighbors organized this year to help bring the first Farmer’s Market to the Richmond District. Kudos to them for the progress they made, identifying a location in the inner Richmond and researching vendors and offerings. We can’t wait for it to open in 2011!

PARKS & PLAYGROUNDS
In April, Lincoln Park Playground re-opened with a ceremony filled with city officials, schoolkids and sunshine. Just down the path, the Lincoln Park steps completed the first phase of their renovation in November.

In June, we saw the final plans for the Fulton Playground renovation which include a cool kinetic sculpture.

Beach Chalet was the topic of much discussion this year as the City Fields Foundation, in cooperation with the city, proposed renovations and new artificial turf fields to help expand the usability of the much-needed fields. In April they got the green light from the Rec & Park Commission but it was short-lived. The light changed to yellow when in May, the project was told they needed to provide an Environmental Impact Report.

In July, we also learned of plans for a new visitors center at Lands End.

OCEAN BEACH
I posted more beautiful photos that I can count of Ocean Beach this year – the sunsets and lighting never disappoint. We welcomed two new websites devoted to the area this year – ob-kc.com in January and the Ocean Beach Bulletin in late summer. Nice to have them on the scene to cover future OB stories like the surfer we rescued off the cliffs in January.

In February I was on the scene for the overhyped tsunami watch and took a tour of the Cliff House’s camera obscura in May. Later on in August, people and dancing penguins were on the scene for our final Sunday Streets along the Great Highway. October brought us the always entertaining LEAP Sandcastle contest and in November, nature had its way when thousands of jellyfish took over the beach for a few days, providing great photo ops.

Coming tomorrow – what happened in 2010 with Golden Gate Park, Real Estate & Development, Crime, Giants Fever and History…

What would you do if a disaster like the Haiti earthquake hit San Francisco? It’s horrible to even think about, but wouldn’t you want to be prepared, and be able to help out your family and neighbors?

After the 6.9 quake of ’89, the San Francisco Fire Department, prompted by the residents in the city, formed the Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT) Training Program, which provides training in disaster and emergency response.

Since 1990, NERT has trained more than 17,000 San Francisco residents to be self reliant in a major disaster. Their goal is to teach as many San Franciscans as possible that, with basic training, they can make a difference in the lives of their families and others when affected by a disaster, large or small. It’s often the first 72 hours after a disaster that are the most important.

NERT is looking for more volunteers for every neighborhood in San Francisco, and their next training takes place right here in the Richmond District.

Inner Richmond NERT Training:
Wednesdays 6:30pm-9:30pm
Class session 1: January 5
Class session 2: January 12
Class session 3: January 19
Class session 4: January 26
Class session 5: February 2
Class session 6: February 9

Location: Zion Church and School, 495 9th Avenue

NERT training is free. To register, sign up online, call 970-2024 or email sffdnert@sfgov.org for more information.

You can also check the NERT website for more training dates and locations around San Francisco.

Sarah B.

Tomorrow, the Richmond District Neighborhood Center will be presented with a $20,000 check from AT&T in support of the Center’s employment training program.

The donation from AT&T will allow the RDNC to retain a staff member at their Richmond Village Beacon facility who will provide job-readiness workshops, manage a job bank, and incorporate lessons in the classroom to today’s job market.

The center’s employment program helps high school students attain job readiness skills to prepare for successful employment, and provides post-employment services to help youth with job retention. The program also provides access to employment opportunities through job fairs and other employment events.

“In today’s highly competitive job market, it is critical that our teens and young adults understand the fundamentals of finding and retaining a job”, said RDNC Executive Director Patricia Kaussen. “Working teens are vital to a healthy community – without this generous contribution from AT&T we could not continue this popular and valuable program.”

The donation from AT&T will be presented in a small ceremony tomorrow at the RDNC, 741 30th Avenue, at 6pm. The public is invited to attend.

Sarah B.

More from the press release:

For the past 16 years, RDNC has prepared youth for jobs and also provided hundreds of paid part-time positions. Today, and as in most economic downturns, young workers are disproportionately impacted. The longer young people remain out of touch with the labor market, the more difficult – and expensive – it is to return to productivity. In addition to the direct economic benefit to a household, youth employment is known to decrease anti-social behaviors and juvenile delinquency.

“At AT&T, we’re committed to making a real difference in the communities where we live and work, especially by supporting education and training programs that prepare young people for today’s workplace,” said Tedi Vriheas, AT&T External Affairs Manager. “That’s why we’re proud to salute the RDNC and the great work they are doing to provide educational and support programs that enrich the community as a whole.”

Contact:
Patricia Kaussen, RDNC
(415) 751-6600
patricia@rdnc.com

Every Tuesday night from 7pm until 9pm, knitters from around the neighborhood meet up at the Blarney Stone Pub on Geary between 20th and 21st Avenues.

The group stays connected via the Fog City Knitting Group on Yahoo!. Join the Yahoo! Group (it’s free) to stay up to date on the calendar and to connect with other knitters in the group.

Now for a little knitting humor:

A woman is knitting as she drives. Pretty soon, her speed has crept all the way up to 95 mph–and she passes a parked police car. The car gives chase. Officer Bob turns on his siren, but the woman, oblivious, doesn’t notice him. Finally, he pulls up alongside her car and yells, “Pull over! PULL OVER!”

“NO! It’s a CARDIGAN!”

Sarah B.

Assemblywoman Fiona Ma and RDNC Executive Director Patricia Kaussen

On October 29, the Richmond District Neighborhood Center hosted a dinner and silent auction at the Jewish Community Center, honoring their long partnership with the SF Unified School District and the public schools within the Richmond District.

School principals from Alamo, Argonne, George Peabody, Lafayette Elementary, Presidio and Roosevelt middle schools, as well as George Washington High School were on hand for the celebration.

State Assemblywoman Fiona Mar and Richmond District Supervisor Eric Mar were also in attendance. The event was emceed by KPIX reporter Sharon Chin.

Proceeds from the event benefitted the many youth, seniors, and adults and families served by the Richmond District Neighborhood Center each month.

The Richmond District Neighborhood Center provides a variety of free and low-cost services for middle and high school students on their 30th Avenue campus as well as at the public schools.

Services include after school programs, art programs, employment training for teens, and even a youth-led Food Pantry program serving over 200 senior citizen and low-income residents of the Richmond District. Visit their website for more information.

Sarah B.

Left to right: Steven Leder, RDNC Board President, from PG&E; Ruby Brown, principal of Lafayette Elementary School; Willem Vroegh, principal of George Peabody Elementary School; Pam Klisham, principal of Presidio Middle School; Michael Reimer, principal of Roosevelt Middle School; Ericka Lovrin, principal of George Washington High School; Margaret Chui, Associate Superintendent from San Francisco Unified School District; Richmond District Supervisor Eric Mar; RDNC Executive Director Patricia Kaussen

Sharon Chin, reporter for KPIX (CBS)

Richmond District resident Val Chow (right) was the lucky winner of the raffle grand prize (an Apple iPAD)

On November 15, Safeway will host a public meeting about the upcoming remodel of the La Playa/Ocean Beach location.

As we mentioned earlier this week, Safeway recently launched a website dedicated to the project which also includes an “Existing Safeway Store” area of the site where neighbors can monitor the current store’s updates and report issues like graffiti and loitering.

The site reports that new security cameras were recently installed at the back of the store and guard coverage increased, which has led to a decrease in the amount of loitering and littering.

The November 15 meeting will be held at the Great Hall at the San Francisco Zoo from 7pm until 9pm (free parking nearby).

At the meeting, Safeway will share the latest plans for the store’s redesign. Safeway Project Manager Natalie Mattei told me in an email earlier this week that the original design had to be scrapped because it was incompatible with the surrounding residences.

Neighbors adjacent to the store were very concerned about the increased height and footprint of the initial design. The neighbors on 48th Avenue, which borders the east side of the store, worried they would lose light and views with the new design.

In the announcement email for the November 15 meeting, Mattei described a new 3-D model they’re using to present the latest designs to neighbors:

Our architect is now using a three-dimensional (3-D) design model that allows us to evaluate alternatives from a “neighbor’s eye” point of view. The model makes it easier to understand building height rather than the two-dimensional drawings we used in the past.

If you plan to attend the November 15 meeting, please RSVP to natalie.mattei@safeway.com.

Sarah B.

The top of the Lincoln Park stairs at the end of California Street now has a beautiful new tiled bench area thanks to the efforts of the Friends of Lincoln Park.

This is the first phase in a 2 year restoration project for the steps, which included re-pouring the wall bench and tiling it. The tiles for the Lincoln steps are inspired by historic photographs of Sutro Baths and buildings of the 1890 World’s Fair in San Francisco, and from the artistic vision of Aileen Barr.

Barr is a renowned tile artist who has worked on many public projects in San Francisco, including the award-winning 16th Avenue Stairs in Golden Gate Heights and tiled benches at Alta Plaza playground.

The restoration is spearheaded by lifetime Richmond District resident and Friends of Lincoln Park member Anna Yartroussis, whose goal is to raise $300,000 for the project. They were awarded a $51,000 Community Challenge Grant award from the city last year and received a $10,000 donation from adjacent Katherine Delmar Burke School where Yartroussis’ daugters are enrolled.

They are also receiving assistance from the San Francisco Parks Trust and the SF Recreation and Parks Department. The project is also receiving private donations from residents (make a donation).

On Friday November 12 at 4pm, there will be an official ribbon cutting celebration for the completion of this first phase. Congratulations to the Friends of Lincoln Park on completing the upper area – it looks great!

Sarah B.

An artist’s rendering of the restored Lincoln Steps.

I would be remiss as a neighborhood blogger, before our beloved Giants take the field today, to not interview our own “Baseball Mary” who is by far the biggest Giants fan in our neighborhood, and possibly the city.

Mary came to San Francisco back in 1979 from Portland, Maine as a Red Sox fan (she still is). She saw her first very first MLB game at Candlestick Park in 1980, and she was hooked. She’s been a season ticket holder for years and is on a first name basis with most of the Giants roster. She even has her own baseball cards.

While Mary is a Giants fan, she’s really a super baseball fan, rooting for both the Red Sox and the orange and black; suffice to say this decade has been good to her. She just turned 50 (and has a snazzy #50 Giants jersey to commemorate it) and she’s visited every ballpark in the country.

When Mary’s not cheering on the Giants, you’ll find her waiting tables at the Clement St. Bar & Grill where she’s worked for 15 years.

In the video, Mary tells us why she loves AT&T Park but misses Candlestick, what she does before games, how she’s handling ticket seekers, and she’s got some advice for fans on how to survive the series. Let’s hope Mary and all of us go ALL – THE – WAY this season.

Go Giants!!

Sarah B.