NOPA VELO Rides Russian: Stoked with Pastries August 29

Image: Rick Helf www.helf.com

NOPA VELO pedals for pastries Sunday, August 29th with stops at two stunning Russian Orthodox churches along the way. Start out with a hot Peet's brew at Falletti Plaza, then ride through the neighborhood to the Richmond with its Russian community, churches, stores and your soon-to-be-favorite sweet confections. The route includes carb-burning stretches to keep appetites primed. Riders return through the Panhandle for a difficult decision: get lunch at NOPA's super-popular Green Chile Kitchen or go for more delectables at Chile Pies & Ice Cream.

NOPA VELO rides always feature a Nopa-lore connection. Here's a local note on an early bakery in the Western Addition on Grove Street in the heart of today's North Panhandle. In 1889 San Franciscans enjoyed more than 320 bakeries in the city; today there are half as many privately-owned operations. Stoller Bakery at 314 Divisadero was one of the neighborhood's popular sweet spots. John Zoller first worked at Engleberg Bakery on Kearny street for twelve years and at an O'Farrell street outlet for another five years. In 1892 he and his brother Karl opened their own bakery on Divisadero and continued with it for four years. During this time, John and his wife, Catherine, purchased property on Grove Street between Baker and Lyon. By April 15th their two-story home at 1548-1550 Grove was completed.

By 1899 John Stoller grew restless with the bakery business. He decided to try his hand at retail liquor sales instead. He established his new store a half-block from his home on the northeast corner of Baker and Grove. This venture was apparently unsuccessful, and John returned to his original trade as a baker and confectioner until 1907 when records of his business and residency come to an end. As the NOPA VELO troupe heads west with visions of perfect puffs, iders will give a nod to the Stoller brothers on Grove Street.

NOPA neighbors and friends are most welcome to join the North Panhandle's only family- and pet-friendly bike group.

NOPA VELO To Russia With Love, of Pastries Ride

Sunday, August 29

Meet: 9 am at Peet's Coffee

Start: 10:00 am sharp

(If you're running late, join the group on Grove Street)

End: About 12 noon

Lunch options: Green Chile Kitchen, 1801 McAllister @ Baker or Chile Pies & Ice Cream, 601 Baker @ Fulton

Flour-and-sugar dusted confectionary attire encouraged

More info: Lenore 415.300.6744, lmcjunker@gmail.com

Join the NOPA VELO Google group here.

Note: A history of the Stoller Bakery and 1548-1550 Grove first appeared in a longer version in the North Panhandle News, the NOPNA newsletter. Check other "house histories" in the neighborhood at www.nopna.org .

Take a look at previous rides and amazing posters by Rick Helf in the NOPA VELO series here.

Chile Pies (& ice cream): The Buzz Begins

Breaking Story: Chile Pies (& ice cream) makes NOPA more cool than it thought it could be.

Today at 3pm the neighborhood's newest business sparkled and smiled and welcomed its first two customers, both longtime NOPA residents who couldn't wait for a sampling of the treats spread before them. Trevor Logan, Chile Pies' owner, nodded to his staff and suggested, "Let's make this a learning experience," since they weren't absolutely ready for us. But opening day jitters settled amid a palpable eagerness to share the namesake pies and ice creams.

There we were gazing over calorie and carb abandonment. Ice cream will wait for the second visit; all our attention centered on the pie selection. How to choose among Mexican Chocolate Pecan, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Lemon Buttermilk, and the house specialty, Green Chile Apple? Two out of four seemed wise: yes to the Mexican Chocolate Pecan and, definitely, the Green Chile Apple. Why not ala mode with Straus Family Creamery vanilla and a drizzle of red chile honey?

We happily offered the first dollar bill for posting by its mate from this location's previous occupant: Green Chile Kitchen, the more-than-popular New Mexican restaurant also owned by Logan that relocated to a larger space at Baker and McAllister. With this addition to the neighborhood, BIKE NOPA's earlier notice of the new "Baker Street Beat" seems right on target.

How were the pies? Dale Danley, customer #1, favored the Green Chile Apple for being "tart, savory, and sweet," and gave a thumbs-up to the Mexican Chocolate Pecan: "nice and fresh and not too sweet like pecan pies often are."

Neighbors started streaming in. JoshRichardson ordered the Classic New Mexican Frito Pie (Niman Ranch ground beef, organic pinto beans, red chile, lettuce, tomatos, onions, cheese -- all inside a split-open bag of Fritos). (Vegan version offered as well). "It's so good," Josh beamed after the first bite.

We don't think Chile Pies needs to advertise much: word-of-mouth will do just fine. It's already begun.

Chile Pies (& Ice Cream)

601 Baker (at Fulton)

Tuesday - Sunday, noon to 9:30 pm; closed on Mondays

(but open this afternoon and tonight for celebrating)

For more info on Chile Pies check this fine review from SFWeekly's blog of March 18th.

NOPA Blocks Rock Halloween

Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi is in this pic somewhere; organizer Leela Gill on right.

Party begins on Grove.

100s of kids & parents party in NOPA.

From fairy tales & comic books to NOPA.

BIKE NOPA's pick for Best Costumes.

Twilight in NOPA on Halloween. The blocks were full of ghosts and vampires, Harry Potters and winged princesses, and one hairy scary Supervisor. For more than four hours trick-or-treaters partied in a spooky restaurant, paraded down McAllister with the gorilla-Supervisor, and braved dark garages, squeaky stairs, and dim streets to get a stash of treats.

Grove Street from Baker to Central and Lyon Street from Fulton to Hayes were closed to traffic for the Halloween haunts, and everyone took it for granted that car-free streets were the best way to celebrate a holiday, be with neighbors, and make new friends. For a few hours a constant stream of folks filled the sidewalk between the "old" Green Chile Kitchen at Baker and Fulton and the new "GCK" at Baker and McAllister. Owner Trevor Logan opened his new location for a kids' party and kept the current restaurant powering up Halloweeners with New Mexican specialties. Afterwards, he looked around his dining room strewn with party favors, and with a weary, happy smile, and concluded, "This is the perfect way to open this space to the neighborhood. I loved it." (Trevor expects to open this week at the new location).

Thanks to NOPNA for sponsoring the Halloween blowout. Hundreds of kids and adults enjoyed all the activities. Kudos to so many neighbors who made it happen and to those who opened their homes and spooky gardens and garages to visitors. Special thanks to Leela Gill who led the organizing for Halloween while putting together NOPA's Rock the Rumble party in mid-October.

Ghoulish (& car-free) Grove Set to Spook NOPA

Forget more livable streets this Saturday unless you're thinking streets of the "living dead." NOPA opens its blocks to ghouls, spooks, and ghosts in the late afternoon and into Halloween night for the annual scary NOPNA block party.

Spooky times begin at 4 pm for the Kid's Halloween Party at Green Chile Kitchen, McAllister and Baker Streets. Dancing, games, snacks, and surprise guests await costumed kids. And little ones especially decked out definitely want to enter the costume contest at 5:15. Afterwards, everyone gets to join the neighborhood parade led by D5 Supe Ross Mirkarimi with a take-off from the restaurant to head up Baker to McAllister and then proceed west to Lyon before returning.

And there's more scary fun. After the parade, two blocks of Grove Street (from Central to Baker) and two blocks of Lyon Street (Fulton to Hayes) will be car-free and open for the Ghoulish Grove Street Block Party for trick or treating and swapping ghost stories.*

Last year 75 kids joined the devilish fun, and BIKE NOPA has learned that the Haunted Garden at 1635 Grove will be bigger and scarier this year. Kids, you've got to bring a parent with you.

Chief event organizer Leela Gill invites everyone to join the fun, including single adults without kids of their own. "Providing a safe, car-free place for children to trick or treat for a few hours -- all within walking distance of their homes -- is just one more way we can come together as a community. Parents don't have to get into their cars and drive to another neighborhood. Kids enjoy seeing their neighborhood friends. And adults of all ages can't help but smile when they see the little ones walking down the street in their costumes. Simply put, it's fun for everyone!"

NOPNA's annual Halloween Party (and block party)

Saturday, Oct. 31, starts 4pm, extends into the night

4pm: meet at Green Chile Kitchen, 18o1 McAllister @ Baker (formerly Cafe Proust)

5:15: costume contest at restaurant

5:30: parade from McAllister to Lyon and back

Post-parade party into the night on Grove (Baker to Central) and Lyon (Fulton to Hayes)

Trevor Logan and his staff at Green Chile Kitchen will be ready to serve great burritos (for purchase) for all hungry ghosts and goblins and even their uncostumed friends. Jennifer Rosdail will provide treats for kids after the party.

* Several years ago when I interviewed NOPA residents for a series of "Historic House Profiles" many confided that they shared their homes, willingly or not, with spirits.

Baker Street Beat Claims NOPA Niche

Move over Divisadero Corridor, Baker Street Beat is claiming its own niche in NOPA. While Divisadero's makeover begins next week with hopes for a revitalized public space, a quieter transformation promises to re-define the neighborhood just two blocks west.

Baker Street, from Fulton to McAllister, will soon become even more of a nexus for great neighborhood dining and community gatherings. We regret that Cafe Neon has closed its doors even as we welcome a bigger, better Green Chile Kitchen in its space. GCK will leave its original location at Fulton and Baker to move up the block to McAllister. Owner Trevor Logan has wanted to offer sopapillas at his New Mexican hotspot ever since he opened GCK. With the new space and its full kitchen and fryer, sopapillas will be a featured item.

The buzz in NOPA suggests a new coffee outlet will replace the just-closed One World Cafe at Baker and McAllister. With that addition and GCK set to re-open across the street, the four corners will be solidly anchored as a destination crossroads, the geographical center of NOPA and, some say, the center of San Francisco as well.

For those not so familiar with our NOPA streets, the pics here show the four corners. Northwest: the venerable McBaker Market, Southwest: the site for the new Green Chile Kitchen, Southeast: the rumored new fine coffee outlet, and Northeast: the just-established Workshop and Nooworks for urban apparel and accessories.

What's a lively neighborhood without an ice creamery, one that brings customers waiting in line? Although Trevor Logan's hands are a bit full right now with GCK II, he's thinking the former restaurant site might be just right for good, attention-getting ice cream.

San Franciscans love great food and interesting shops, especially if they're within walking distance. Getting to the destination can be as interesting as arriving when the time is shared with friends and neighbors along the way.

Escape to the Mission

There's always the Mission when fog plays its gray tones all over NOPA and parts west. And isn't this what the Wiggle bike route is for on the weekends? Get us to the Mission!

Today was all Mission-all afternoon. First stop: the Mission Bicycle Company on Valencia near 18th in the old New College of California Building (and before that, the career-making Valencia Rose performance space and club). Fellow SF Bicycle Coalition member, Jefferson with the ready smile, greeted us at this new fixie bike shop. He joined an awesome Group of Eight staff led by co-founders Zack Rosen, Zach Klein, and Matt Cheney. Eyeing our lavendar SFBC T-shirt, Jefferson pointed to their exclusive offering of Bike Coalition hoodies and Ts. "We're the only bike shop in the city to carry the line."

Suitable for framing and hanging -- but you really, really want to ride then -- their custom-made bikes are stunners. "Itzaboy" in powder blue, "Spring Awakening" with wake-up green, canary yellow and blue accents, "Dark Violet" sets the pace for Halloween with"sinister matte black" and "violet Australian rims." "Design orange," I want it. Really, if only for the colors, check out their site and then visit the shop. On fixies like these, you'll also want locally designed, casual but fine bike wear: check their special line.

The Street Food Festival on Folsom beckoned. Sponsored by the exceptional La Cocina, a gem of a resource "cultivating food entrepreneurs," the food feast is enormously popular. The closer we got, the more we wished we had come earlier. All the parking meters and traffic sign posts were slung with bikes five blocks away. (Good thing SFBC's bike parking crew was in full operation on site). Admission to the festival was free, but the huge lines to get the tasty fare discouraged us. NOPA's Poleng Lounge was offering its best, but 20-30 minutes to wait when Poleng is just a few blocks away? Or tacos and mole when Green Chile Kitchen is down the block from home?

We ditched the food lines on Folsom (wishing them all well) and backtracked to Mission Pie. Vegan pot pie with okra, tomatoes, onions, and wheat bulgar. Quiche with bacon and radish greens. Taylor-made coffee with walnut pie. Very happy in the Mission today, and ready for the ride back to the fog, dreaming of a Mission Bicycle.