RichmondSFBlog reader Andy sent me a note last week and said:

I live here in the outer Richmond and I was upset over our lack of neighborhood swag, so I went ahead and made a T-Shirt.

Not only did he make a shirt, but it’s a nice one too! Pictured at right, the shirt says:

The Richmond District
Annexed 1848 – Founded 1866
In Fog We Trust
San Francisco

You can buy Andy’s t-shirt on zazzle.com, which lets you choose from dozens of t-shirt styles and colors (sweatshirts too). Prices begin around $23.

Thanks Andy for making sure Richmond residents can look their best when they’re out and about.

Sarah B.

A couple of people told me about Gangs of San Francisco recently. And nope, it’s not the sequel that Scorcese is working on. It’s a t-shirt company that makes great designs that help keep Bay Area history alive.

The site has some great Richmond District t-shirts in its collection. The aqua color Sutro Baths tee is great looking, and you can even get a tee to commemorate the Sutro Speedsters, which were the speedskaters that practiced in Sutro’s ice rink.

Other designs commemorate Beer Town that ran along Fulton Street, Playland at the Beach, and the Fleishhacker Dive Club. What, haven’t heard of the Fleishhacker ocean-water pool? It’s one of my favorite “We had what in San Francisco??” stories.

All shirts are $30 each, printed on all-cotton American Apparel tees using water based inks (that means the artwork isn’t all scratchy and stiff). Check them out at gangsofsanfrancisco.com.

Sarah B.

This weekend, Table Asia Gallery at 12th and Lake will hold a special Fourth Anniversary Celebration. All the beautiful items in the gallery will be 20% off, plus 10% of the proceeds will benefit The Claire Lilienthal PTA.

Table Asia is a lovely space just across from Mt. Lake Park. The gallery gives new life to antique and vintage Japanese artifacts by repurposing antique and vintage objects from old Japan as modern sculptural art. And don’t be fooled by the name – there’s a lot more than just tables.

In 2008, Table Asia received a Green Business Award from the City and County of San Francisco. If you’ve driven by the gallery and always wondered what’s inside, make a point to stop by and check it out.

Gallery owner Vince Meyer and his wife Rachel have two kids in the Clare Lilienthal School that will benefit from the sale. Known as a “parent participation” school, CL parents volunteer in the classroom, library, lunchroom, playground, and office, serve as chaperones on field trips, coach sports teams and help out at special events. Many parents help fundraise to help support valuable programs, like this event that the Meyers are hosting.

The gallery will be open Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 6pm. And if you stop by, you’ll get a tour of Rachel’s “secret studio”. Hmm, sounds intriguing… Is it hidden behind a secret Japanese panel in the wall? Is a secret password required? Report back to me!

Better yet, why not make Table Asia part of your Open Studios tour of the Richmond this weekend? In case you missed the article earlier this week, dozens of fine artists right here in the Richmond will open up their studios to visitors this weekend.

Good luck to Table Asia with the fundraiser!

Sarah B.

Shoppers and diners on Clement Street today were treated to a boisterous Chinese tradition designed to summon luck and fortune, the Lion Dance.

The troupe walked down the street, stopping perodically to bring their blessings to businesses along the way.

Their efforts are part of a fundraiser for Self-Help for the Elderly, a local non-profit whose mission is to promote the independence, dignity, and self-worth of seniors. Merchants who wanted to receive the lion dance in front of their business were asked to make a donation.

The troupe performed for businesses in the Sunset, Richmond and Chinatown Districts.

During the performance, the drummers and cymbal players keep the beat while the Lion rears its head and stomps its feet. Another man sets up firecrackers in the entrance to the business and sets them off towards the end of the performance.

Towards the end of the video you’ll notice a woman who is surprised to meet up with the Lion in the May Wah Market doorway as she tries to leave. The Lion won that one – she turned around and headed the other way.

Sarah B.

Great savings this Independence weekend at everyone’s favorite independent bookstore…

This weekend only, Green Apple will be offering 25% off on all their bin books. Plus their sale on new DVDs continues: all new DVDs are at least 10%, and many are 25% or 50% off, even box sets.

On top of those great savings, Green Apple is offering another 10% off to help support their Creepshow Camp program.

Summer sessions at the creepy, crawly kids’ camp is starting soon and Green Apple wants to sponsor as many kids as possible to attend. So this weekend, print out the coupon below and use it towards any purchase from July 3 – 5. You’ll get 10% off your purchase, and they’ll also donate 10% towards scholarships for Creepshow Campers.

Want to get Green Apple news and discounts right in your inbox? Sign up for their newsletter.

Sarah B.

The New York Times Sunday edition featured an article about how to enjoy San Francisco on $250 a day. Thank god I live here, I don’t think I’d be able to afford to visit!

For shopping fun, they mention Park Life, an artistic gift shop located at 220 Clement Street (where Busvan furniture used to be):

“For quirky objects with an artistic bent, check out Park Life, a shop that carries a well-curated cache of art books, clever housewares and limited-edition objects — like salt and pepper shakers inscribed with the words “cocaine” and “heroin” ($125). If that’s not creative enough, pop into the adjacent gallery, which features monthly exhibitions of emerging artists from San Francisco and beyond (priced from $20 to $2,000). Silk-screened T-shirt by the Bay Area artist Tucker Nichols: $28.

This month’s gallery exhibition is entitled “Mundane Shift Shape Placement” – check it out here. To find out more about Park Life, the store and their gallery, visit http://parklifestore.com.

The de Young and Academy of Sciences are also mentioned for their stunning architecture. Thanks to sf.curbed for the tip.

Sarah B.