Outdoors in NOPA: Weekend Events

Panhandle work day with Dale, Jarie, and Doug on the path

Meet the Ice Cream Bike Tour at BIKE NOPA's favorite

OK, maybe not grilled cherries but see what else the chefs prepare

This morning I stopped along the Wiggle bike route and spoke with two biking tourists from Chicago, Tom and Kelly. They wanted to get to the Haight by way of Page or the Wiggle. I asked what they thought of our summer weather. "We love it," Tom said, "It's 100 degrees and humid back home." They decided to take the Wiggle with its recently-drawn colored chalk welcome heralding the Wigg Party. They passed right through the North Panhandle, but those of us in the neighborhood have some special events this weekend right here.

Get Close to the Trees

Saturday morning offers another chance to work with the Panhandle Park Stewards as they care for our favorite neighborhood park. Clear the trails, tend to the eucalyptus trees, shovel mulch around the trees, and there's always weeding for anyone so inclined.

Saturday, 9 am to Noon

Meet at the bulletin board near the playground

(West of Masonic Avenue)

Gloves and Tools provided, wear sturdy shoes

Information: Dale at dale987@gmail.com

SFBC Ice Cream Bike Tour Stops at Chile Pies & Ice Cream

Start in the Mission for some sunshine and then bring it along with you in this ever-sweet ride. Last year's ride was a huge hit. Plan on five stops to return to your favorite ice creameries or try a few new ones. The tour ends at NOPA's own Chile Pies & Ice Cream. If you can't make the ride, stop by Chile Pies and welcome the riders to the neighborhood.

Saturday, 12 noon

Meet at Xanath, 951 Valencia

Bring a lock, cash for ice cream, and appetite.

Ride is free for SFBC members, $5 donation from non-members appreciated

Last stop: Chile Pies & Ice Cream, Baker and Fulton

Farmers' Market Goes Grill Crazy

Chefs at the Divisadero Farmers' Market will be grilling up all kinds of fresh local produce on Sunday. Market manager Dmitrius Spartos welcomes all neighbors and friends to stop by, watch the cooking demos, and sample the fine grilled treats.

Sunday, 10 am to 2 pm

Divisadero at Grove

Appetites required

Three great events for a summer weekend in the neighborhood. See you at all three. And say hello to the tourists-on-bikes passing through NOPA.

Here's the ice cream route:

$100 Award for Winning Logo in Divisadero Farmers' Market Competition

Anyone inspired to get into the logo design trade, take note: the Divisadero Farmers' Market is looking for you. Dmitrius Spartos, manager of the ever-more popular Sunday market at Divisadero and Grove, wants to usher in spring and summer with its own new logo. The design contest runs through May 30th when the winning entry will be selected. Contact Spartos here or by phone: 925-825-9090. Time's running out. Competition will be judged by the end of this week. And an extra jolt to creative juices and the pocketbook: the winning entrant will receive $100.

Murals of NOPA: Making Our Streets More Livable

Have you noticed this detail?

Exotic flora of Grove Street

For a block that has become a NOPA destination

Second in a Series

What makes a block or a neighborhood more livable? Certainly one element is an environment that encourages people to be outside and mix with each other. Sometimes an event makes that happen, like a block party, a neighborhood bike ride, or a farmers' market. But other influences act more as backdrops that more subtly stimulate or calm us, that motivate or refresh our days.

The rich and vibrant mural on the Grove Street exterior of Plant'It Earth does all that for me. I use the Grove Street bike lane nearly every day and look forward to seeing it both on grey, foggy mornings and crisp, sunny afternoons. I like how this block was pleasant enough but not exceptional for so many years, and now it sparkles as one of NOPA's most livable spaces, especially on Sundays with the market but even on the quieter weekdays. A special nod of appreciation to Jet Martinez for this exuberant mural.

Other posts in the Murals of NOPA series.

Quick Action on Divisadero Blight by Clear Channel

From this on March 30th

To this four days later

Four days after BIKE NOPA contacted Clear Channel Outdoor about the poor condition of its billboard on Divisadero at Grove Street, the advertising firm cleaned up the site and applied a new, clean surface. Many North Panhandle residents would have preferred promotion of the Sunday Farmers' Market buzzing on Grove just below the sign and a few suggested commandeering the site to display the work by local artists. But for now it's simply advertising rather than the previous blight.

Springtime at Farmers' Market & Kid's Easter Egg Hunt Too

Sunday, April 4th: it's time for NOPA Kids' Easter Egg Hunt at the Divisadero Farmers' Market.

Parents and the rest of us: there's more than enough to search for with these springtime treats:

• Asian veggies from May's Farm Fresh Produce
• Greens and herbs from Marin Roots Organic
• Euro-style butter from McClelland Dairy
• Asparagus and heirloom potatoes from Zuckerman Farms
• Cut flowers from Sunrise Nursery
• Handmade soaps, lotions, bath salts from Michael's CWD

And there's more if you can get past Stickler's Chocolates rated "uber decadent" by Market Manager, Dmitrius Spartos.

Divisadero and Grove Streets, every Sunday, 10 am to 2pm.

NOPA VELO Climbed Every Mountain for a Perfect Sunday Morning Spin

41 NOPA VELO cyclists before they took to the hills of NOPA

The prospect of pedaling up a few San Francisco hills encouraged even more neighbors and friends to join the 3rd monthly NOPA VELO outing. Forty-one cyclists gathered Sunday morning for a perfect day of bicycling in the city. Manaf, the owner of Apollo Coffee, helped the biggest turnout yet get buzzed with coffee, tea and sweets. Among the cyclists were two dogs (one travelling proudly in a bike basket; the other with a steady gait the full ride), four young pedalers, and ... guest appearances by Maria von Trapp and the Storm Trooper who stepped out of the perenially playing Sound of Music.

Intrepid musicologist and cyclist John Rogers displayed perfect timing with everyone's SOM favorites (but he understandably declined to play "The Lonely Goatherd"). For the tougher climbs up Page and Parnassus Streets, "Climb Every Mountain" lifted everyone's spirits while the choice of John Coltrane's version of SOM was pure inspiration. Riders took on Alamo Square, Buena Vista, Panassus Heights, the de Young Tower, and even the steep Lone Mountain, with only a few huffs and puffs along the way. Treats at the Divisadero Farmers' Market were in springtime abundance when NOPA VELO returned to the flatlands.

Any NOPA residents identify the North Panhandle block that inspired NOPA VELO's March ride poster by designer Rick Helf? It's an imagined block with a bit of Broderick, Fulton, and Golden Gate Avenue all together.

What NOPA-lore will inspire April's ride? Clue: "TR." Last Sunday of the month;
Next up: April 25th with a kick-off breakfast and coffee at Mojo Bicycle Cafe and the
new Divisadero parklet.

Join the NOPA VELO Google Group for the latest ride and bicycling NOPA info here.

Spring Climb (just a bit) with NOPA VELO on Sunday

What's better for a bright San Francisco morning than a spring spin to a few "Peaks of NOPA"? Don't worry that NOPA VELO's third monthly ride will be too much for your biking ability. Last weekend we tried the route and pared it to a very reasonable outing.

Power-up with coffee and sweets at Apollo Coffee at 9:30 Sunday and be ready to roll by 10 a.m. Alamo Square, we like your views. Buena Vista, so good to behold. And Parnassus, we're awe-struck. Glide back down into Golden Gate Park** and take the Panhandle Path to NOPA's own Divisadero Farmers' Market for all sorts of treats to enjoy at a few tables reserved just for us. (Thanks SF-Grill and Dmitrius of Farmers' Market!).

Costumes encouraged, sing-along biking very possible. All neighbors and friends welcome. Kids OK if with own bike and accompanied by adult guardian. Heavy rain cancels...but rain on Maria von Trapp's special day? We don't think so.

Sunday, March 28th

9:30 am -- meet at Apollo Coffee, Turk & Divisadero (say hello to Manaf, the owner)

10:00 am -- mountain climbing gear ready, we're taking off, grab your lederhosen

90 minute ride

11:30 am or so -- drinks and lunch at Farmers' Market, Grove & Divisadero

** We're dropping the stop at the de Young Museum tower; too much of a logistical challenge for us. But for the real "Climb Every Mountain" riders, an optional ride is Lone Mountain Campus just north of the Park. One of us will lead.

How popular is NOPA VELO? More than 75 cyclists have joined our Google Group. Don't be left out, join here. See you Sunday.

Ride with NOPA VELO, SUNDAY March 28th

Haven't taken a NOPA VELO ride yet? You missed out on Patty/Tania Hearst and the Duel-t0-Death Re-enactment that gave Broderick Street it's name. But, hey, how about joining Julie/Maria and the rest of us riding the "peaks of NOPA"? We might be stretching the "Climb Every Mountain" aspect but we do include (as an option for hardy spinners) Lone Mountain just to the west of NOPA.

We meet-up at at 9:30 am at Apollo Coffee at Divisadero and Turk. Get powered up with some fine coffee or drinks and morning carbs. Manaf, the exceedingly friendly owner of Apollo, is looking forward to our group stopping by. Kick-off at 10 a.m. We'll make the ride safe and smooth and mostly easy; a few moderate climbs included.

After Alamo Square Park, the Buena Vista foothills, Parnassus Heights for the best view, and a walk or bike climb up Lone Mountain, we'll roll down to the hugely popular Divisadero Farmer's Market where all sorts of treats wait for us. Say hello to Dmitrius, market manager, and to Seni and Ryan, the great guys at SF-Grill for sandwiches you have to try. (They've also reserved three tables and seating for us). Or try Juicy-Lucy right across from the grill for a good cool-down smoothie. Pastries, fruits, nuts, Mojo coffee on the spot.

Take a stroll down the block a bit and see if you can snag a table at the new, hot parklet in front of Mojo Bicycle Cafe...or at least see what all the buzz is about.

For more information: Lenore @ 415-300-6744; lmcjunker@gmail.com

Join NOPA-VELO Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/nopa-velo

Heavy rain cancels ride. All level riders welcome.

Kids on their own bike OK if with adult guardian.

Challenge to NOPA neighbors: can you name that block of houses in the poster above?

Divisadero -- Makeover Nearly Complete But Gets Omitted From Sunday Streets; New Signal for Grove Street Crossing

Improvements at Grove and Divisadero

Sidewalk treatments along Divisadero

Grove @ Divisadero: currently no traffic or pedestrian lights

Westbound on Grove from Alamo Square park

The Divisadero Corridor is almost ready for its close-up. After several months of streetscape improvements from Waller Street to Geary Boulevard, the revitalization of Divisadero is expected to be completed by March of this year. "The trees are going in, the landscaping will follow, and the street lights are supposed to arrive within a few weeks," according to Ellyn Parker, Manager of the Divisadero Corridor project for the Mayor's Office of Economic Workforce and Development. She added, "Everyone is getting anxious for the work to be completed, but no one wants to get too far out in front with predictions." For one thing, she cautioned, there's the rain. "With the lighting to be installed yet, we have to get some dry weather."

Once the last street tree has been planted and the final street pole capped with its new fixture, NOPA neighbors can tick off the full list of improvements to this long-neglected thoroughfare:

• median greening
• new street tree locations and replacement of dying or damaged trees
• streetlight upgrades (good riddance to the cobra lighting)
• sidewalk bulb outs at bus stops
• pedestrian countdown signals at crosswalks
• bus stop removals to improve service at Ellis and Fulton
• pedestrian refuges at medians

(source: Dept. of Public Works)

And don't forget the curb-to-curb repaving of one of the city's previous candidates for worst road surfaces on a thoroughfare. Thank federal stimulus funds for the repaving of Divisadero. With the smoother and safer asphalt, BIKE NOPA has noticed bicyclists now braving the tight traffic lanes of the corridor.

But, sometimes getting all dressed up for the party doesn't snag an invite. Although the much-touted Sunday Streets celebration will course through the Western Addition and NOPA this year, Divisadero will not be part of the route. According to event planners, the two MUNI lines on Divisadero are the sticking points. The disruption of regular service is difficult enough for the MTA, but the apparent lack of logical re-routes for the two lines is especially troublesome. However, Sunday Streets will interact with Divisadero at two points: the route will extend on Grove to meet up with the Farmer's Market and will cross the spiffy new corridor on Golden Gate Avenue. (The hunch at BIKE NOPA is that a little creative outreach will pull Sunday Streeters along Divisadero and into the great shops and restaurants).

(The following segment revised 11:00 a.m. following further discussion with SFMTA).

The improvements keep coming. The Grove Street intersection at Divisadero has always been an anomaly: the only cross street to not merit a signal light or pedestrian crossing light. That's scheduled to change. Although not part of the Divisadero Revitalization project, the underground wiring for the Grove traffic signal was completed during the current corridor work and new signal lights will be installed in approximately two and a half years.

Michael Sallaberry, Associate Traffic Engineer for SFMTA, explained that the standard time period for planning, preparation, and installing a new traffic signal is usually three years. In the interim, the crosswalks at Divisadero and Grove will be upgraded with temporary tape striping to increase visibility. Sallaberry said a more substantial striping -- ladder or zebra patterns -- would normally be installed at an intersection similar to the "uncontrolled" situation at Grove and Divisadero, but to avoid ripping into the new asphalt when the signal light project moves forward in the near future, the MTA will use temporary markings for now.

Expect a huge celebration -- organized or spontaneous -- once Divis has finally gotten its due.

It's Official: Sunday Streets Coming to NOPA

great graphic from Livablecity.org

photo by Michael Helquist

photo by slowpoke_sf on Flickr

photo by steverhodes on Flickr

The buoyant, smile-inducing, bike spinning, pedestrian-safe celebration known as Sunday Streets will course through NOPA in 2010. Fine-tuning of the new Western Addition route is underway, but the blocks expected to involve NOPA include Central Avenue, Grove Street, Baker Street, and Golden Gate Avenue. Mayor Gavin Newsom announced today the dates and neighborhood locations for nine Sundays from March through October next year. NOPA's chance to host part of the route will come on September 19th, when the city is most assured of sunny, warm weather.

Next year's Western Addition/Alamo Square/NOPA route will be the first foray into mostly residential neighborhoods for Sunday Streets. Cheryl Brinkman, president of the board of Livable City, noted how successful Sunday Streets was this year in the Mission's commercial area. She added, "We hope with NOPA and the Western Addition to have the same success with a primarily residential route. It's a great opportunity to give residents a respite from car traffic on their streets and see what they make of it."

Kevin Rafter, President of the North Panhandle Neighborhood Association, thinks the event is right on target. "NOPNA is always eager to support events that build community and get more neighbors out on the streets. We know that so many of our neighbors bike to school, work, and in-between so this event makes a lot of sense to us. We're eager to make this event a success in NoPa."

At the same time, NOPA's merchants can expect a big boost in business from Sunday Streets.* The Central Avenue and Fulton Street cafes, restaurants and stores, the "Baker Street Beat" sites for foodies, corner grocery stores, and Divisadero outlets of every sort will have the chance to meet, greet, and serve San Franciscans from all over the city. One segment of the route being considered would stop at the Divisadero Farmers' Market, and manager Dmitrius Spartos couldn't be more psyched about it: "This event is all about having fun while honoring San Francisco's path towards a sustainable urban ecology, and farmers' markets are a definite part of that equation. It makes sense to join forces."

NOPA's own BIKE THE BLOCK party this past September was inspired by Sunday Streets, and our one-block focus attracted hundreds of neighbors and friends. Bicyclists will certainly be prominent among Sunday Streeters, but the event reaches out to everyone. Marc Caswell, NOPA neighbor and Program Manager for the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, is eager to have Sunday Streets come to this part of town. He also takes a larger view of the occasion: "Events like this allow people to re-envision public space and help show that streets have more uses than transporting vehicles."

The route through NOPA will permit two-way travel on the selected streets and will be open to festivities from 10 am to 3 pm. Organizers will provide extensive advance notice to residents, businesses, and churches located on the affected blocks to help them prepare for the occasion.

The full list of dates and locations include:

March 14: Embarcadero

April 11: Along the Great Highway

April 18: Bayview

May 23: Bayview

June 20: Mission

July 11: Mission

August 22: Great Highway/Golden Gate Park

September 19: NEW: Western Addition

October 24: NEW Civic Center/Tenderloin

In addition to this ambitious expanded version of Sunday Streets, the mayor and SFMTA will launch a pilot project next year to bring car-free days in one or more neighborhoods, somewhat similar to the Sunday closure of JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park. Presumably, these "block party"-type events will not entail the rather steep application fees to close the block to car traffic.

BIKE NOPA will feature further news on Sunday Streets in the months ahead. Also check for information from these sites: Livable City, the SF Bicycle Coalition, Alamo Square Neighborhood Association, MTA, and NOPNA at www.nopna.org . BIKE NOPA first suggested including NOPA in the 2010 roster in this Oct. 6th post.

* For those new to Sunday Streets, the event is not envisioned as a giant street fair with vendors taking the place of parked vehicles. People enjoying the streets usually frequent nearby stores, restaurants, and cafes or find the curb a good spot to watch the passing scene.

NOPA's Public Spaces, Not our Trees, Mark Our Seasons

Turkey, lamb and chicken burgers: the best at SF Grill

Fresh from Napa and Sonoma and grilled with loving attention

And a lush Grove Street spot for dining

We might not have many trees changing into bright fall colors in NOPA, but we can boast a year-round farmers' market to mark our seasons. Apples and pomegrantes, pumpkins, squashes and gourds complement all the earthy-hued vegetables ready for autumn displays and cold-weather meals.

It's interesting to see how street events can define a block. Before the Farmers' Market settled in here, Grove at Divisadero was just another pleasant NOPA block with the distinction of not having a street signal for crossing Divis. Now it's a Sunday morning destination, a social ritual among neighbors. Lyon Street between Hayes and Grove has become the neighborhood's favorite site for its block party each year. The same with Golden Gate between Lyon and Baker, the best place to start celebrating the Fourth of July. And a NOPA Halloween without the spooky garages and friendly neighbors of Grove between Baker and Lyon -- and this year an additional block west to Central -- just wouldn't be the same. (It's too soon to say whether this year's BIKE THE BLOCK party will join our local traditions).

Where else but these spaces do so many neighbors gather so regularly and keep our sense of community so strong?

Monkey Banana Band Plays NOPA @ Farmers Market

As if fresh, locally grown produce and artisanal foods weren't enough reason for a stroll or bike ride to NOPA's own farmers market, this last Sunday shoppers, browsers, and tasters were treated to the MONKEY BANANA BAND. They're fun and nutritious too.

Monkey Banana often plays at the Ferry Building farmers market on Saturdays, according to Alec Jones-Trujillo who appeared to be eating a banana during the break. (Alec plays the saxophone in the pic). We're sure they enjoyed the NOPA market more.

Alec takes comedy to another level as part of the three-man We Are Nudes comedy troupe. They're appearing at Climate Theater during this year's San Francisco Fringe Festival now underway. Have to move fast to catch them though; the last performance is set for Sept. 19th. See: wearenudescomedy.com.

Thanks to market manager, Dmitrius Spartos, for the live performances and making Grove Street even more livable. Coming Sept. 27 at the Divis Market: A celebration of Johnny Appleseed Day with an honest-and-tasty homemade apple pie contest. And the performer that day will have the neighborhood buzzing! More on BIKE NOPA next week.