This Saturday, Star of the Sea School (360 9th Avenue) will hold their second annual Kids and Adults Clothing, Toys, and Equipment Fundraiser Sale. Stop in to shop for gently used goods that will help fund the school’s new Centennial Science Laboratory.

The sale will take place on Saturday from 12:30pm – 3:30pm in the school’s auditorium. Admission is $1 for adults, free for kids. For more information (or to donate or volunteer), contact Doris at dorismccarthy@yahoo.com.

Sarah B.

A drawing of the Star of the Sea Centennial Science Lab, housed adjacent to the gymnasium

I finally got zazzling and put together a small store of RichmondSFBlog blog merchandise. We’ve got t-shirts for her, him and the kids, plus sweatshirts (plain and hooded), and a few other novelty items like mugs, an apron and a pet shirt. Yes, you read that right. Don’t they get cold in the fog too?

Most of the items have the full site logo on it (with URL), but a few have just a straight up “Richmond District” logo. Each item is available in lots of sizes, styles and colors. And when you’re shopping for an item, click the “Customize It” button for even more options (like if you want to add a pithy tagline to the back of your shirt).

Happy shopping!

Sarah B.

A rendering of the new Safeway entrance at Fulton and La Playa

At tonight’s Planning Association for the Richmond (PAR) quarterly meeting, a representative from Safeway shared the latest plans for the expansion of their outer Richmond store on Fulton between La Playa and 48th Avenue.

About two years ago, Safeway purchased the entire plot of land on which it currently sits. Since then, they have been working on plans to expand the current store, including a residential component.

Natalie Mattei, a Real Estate Manager for Safeway, handed out copies of the latest drawings of the proposed development and took questions and comments from the audience.

The new Safeway store would be roughly double the square footage of the current one, with walls extending all the way to the sidewalk on all sides. Currently, the store is set back by its ground level parking. The new store will feature a single level of underground parking. View the architectural plan

The back quarter of the lot that borders on Cabrillo would not be developed initially. Once the project is complete and as Mattei put it, “we recover from the recession”, Safeway will sell the land to a residential housing developer.

Mattei says they were challenged to design a Safeway that better blends in with its surroundings like Ocean Beach and Golden Gate Park, both of which sit just across from the market. Safeway architects looked to the Cliff House and Beach Chalet restaurants for inspiration, as well as to Sea Ranch in Mendocino for attractive yet durable materials that would better weather its seaside location.

The main focal point of the building is a 66 foot high entrance topped with a half barrel roof that slopes into the building. The front part would be mostly glass with aluminum accents. Above the entrance is a protected, outdoor seating area with umbrella tables that enjoys views of the beach and the GGP windmill.

To offer more commercial options for the outer Richmond, Safeway is also considering alotting some of the Fulton Street storefont to smaller, local retailers. Note “Sunshine” and “Surf Shop” in the drawing below.

View from Fulton Street (click to enlarge)

Several residents that live next to or very near the Safeway attended the meeting, and raised concerns about the project. One neighbor worried that the new, taller structure would block her view of Ocean Beach from her 48th Avenue home. Other neighbors that live on 48th expressed concern over the larger scale of the new building and its potential for blocking light and views along the street.

As was the case with the Safeway renovation on Cabrillo and 7th Avenue, 48th Avenue neighbors raised concerns about the location of the loading dock in the new plans. It currently sits on 48th Avenue, but the large ground level parking lot allows overflow trucks to park rather than idle in the street when the dock bays are full.

In the new design, the loading dock is still on 48th Avenue and neighbors worry that trucks would be backed up on the street, idling, during peak delivery times. Mattei assured neighbors that the amount of traffic would not increase, saying “they’ll just put more pallets on each Safeway truck; there would still only be 4 Safeway trucks per day”.

She further explained that the new loading dock would be enclosed and could also include a retractable screen wall which would close off the dock and its idling inhabitants. There is also additional room inside the loading dock for Safeway.com trucks to park, along with smaller delivery trucks. “Our goal is to not have trucks on 48th Avenue,” Mattei said.

Missing from the plans was a view from the 48th Avenue side of the store, which concerned many of the neighbors. Mattei said it was so early in the process that they had not drawn them yet, and that they were hoping for more input from neighbors on what they’d like to see. It could be designed like the La Playa side in the plans, with break ups in the sight lines and varied architecture (see picture below). Or it could be a simpler design with a large scale mural, perhaps commemorating Playland as one neighbor suggested.

The side view from La Playa Street (click to enlarge)

Mattei said that Safeway will file a pre-applicaton with the Planning Department soon, and they will continue to meet with neighbors to gather feedback on the design.

What do you think? Do you like the design? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Sarah B.

Sorry, I missed the memo on this one. Today and tomorrow is the “Bazaar Bizarre”, a large arts and crafts show at the San Francisco County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park.

The show includes over 120 vendors selling handmade crafts and gifts. You can also attend workshops, enter to win prizes in various raffles, plus enjoy some good food and music.

If you have some people on your list that are tough to shop for, this is a great chance to load up on creative trinkets and masterpieces.

Admission is just $2 per adult and free for kids 12 and under. The show is open 12noon to 6pm on both Saturday and Sunday.

Sarah B.

This Sunday, December 6, the Sharon Art Studio in Golden Gate Park will host their Winter Pottery and Craft Sale from 11am – 5pm.

The handmade pottery and jewelry sale is a fundraiser for the studio; most pieces will range in price from $5 – $25. A great way to kick off (or finish) your holiday shopping!

The Sharon Art Studio is San Francisco’s largest public community art center. They offer affordable classes in ceramics, glass, jewelry, drawing and watercolor for youth (ages 5 and older), adults and seniors. For more information on their upcoming programs and classes, visit their website.

The studio (and Sunday’s sale) is located in the historic Sharon building at the East end of Golden Gate Park, adjacent to Sharon Meadow and the Children’s Playground and Carousel (map).

Sarah B.

Last week, The Chronicle profiled Dawn Miller, one of our more fashionable residents an entrepeneurs. This past June, she launched AliceandIsa.com, an online fashion boutique that specializes in local designers.

Miller says “I knew there were some boutiques in the city that focused on local designers, but a lot of times they carry avant-garde stuff. There was really no one place you could go to buy clothing and accessories you could wear every day and that were made in San Francisco.”

The website is named after two fictional women, Alice and Isa, “who encapsulate the range of San Francisco style”. On the site you can shop for apparel, accessories, handbags, jewelry, and more, all from about 25 designers that live or work in San Francisco.

Miller operates the website out of a studio in her Outer Richmond District home where she’s watched site traffic increase from 30 visitors per day to nearly 600. Future plans for the site include adding interior design items and detailed biographies about the designers.

Miller is a mother of three young boys, and gets them involved in the family business too. She also runs a fashion blog, Mom Wore This, where she posts photos of herself in her non-soccer-mom outfits. Taken by her kids, she call the pictures “fun but silly!”. A post from last week features shots of her jumping over a backyard hole in her skirt and heels.

Aside from making money off her venture, Miller also wants her site to make a difference to her local community. “The point of Alice and Isa is to be that place you can go to find something special that’s locally made, so that the money stays within our community and you’re supporting designers who live here.”

Miller also donates 10 percent of sales toward the San Francisco-based environmental organization For the Bayou.

Read the complete profile on SFGate.com and visit her online store at AliceandIsa.com.

Sarah B.

fleur*t will host a solo trunk show tonight for jewelry designer Colleen Mauer. She’ll show her entire collection of hand-crafted necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings.

The show will run from 5pm – 9pm tonight. Stop in to check out her designs and enjoy a drink and hors d’oeuvres.

Mauer calls fleur*t “one of the most elegantly lovely stores that I have found in San Francisco…surely a hidden treasure”. I agree!

fleur*t is located at 15 Clement Street near Arguello.

Sarah B.

The Richmond District YMCA is doing their part to boost our sagging economy this season by offering childcare on what many consider the most important shopping day of the season: the day after Thanksgiving.

From 6am to 2pm on November 27th, the YMCA will offer “Black Friday Childcare”, freeing up parents to hit all the big sales early for the best bargains (check out the BF ads here).

While you’re battling the crowds for that last bargain basement item, your kids can enjoy movies, arts & crafts, and a field trip to Argonne Park.

The cost is $50 per child or $75 for two siblings. That includes up to 8 hours of babysitting! The event is also a fundraiser with proceeds going to support the YMCA’s afterschool programs.

And best of all, they’ll be as tired as you are when you pick them up.

Children must be between the ages of 5-11 years old to attend. Parents must provide lunch; the YMCA will provide a morning snack.

To reserve a spot for your kid(s), RSVP to Raquel Espana at 666-9605 or respana@ymcasf.org by Monday, November 23rd.

Sarah B.