Neighbors Vow to Fight City College

STREET TALK WHERE ARE THEY NOW FOOD & WINE Sundance Fillamento’s Vivande buys Kabuki founder turns 25

Page 3 Page 7 Page 9 New FILLMORE SAN FRANCISCO ■ JUNE 2006

Neighbors Vow to Fight City College Some concessions as traffi c study proceeds Neighborhood opposition to City Col- lege’s move into Newcomer High School has won three concessions from the college. Offi cials have agreed there will be no evening or weekend classes at Newcomer, that the college will continue to seek al- ternatives for weekday classes, and that no vote on the move into Newcomer will be taken until a traffi c study is completed. Th e traffi c study is due in mid-June. Skeptical neighbors who testifi ed during a May 25 meeting of the City College trustees cited traffi c and parking problems that could be made worse by the college’s presence. Th ey said the potential disruption is multiplied because college students, un- like high school students, arrive and depart all day. Chancellor Philip Day said at a May 1 meeting that the classes moving to New- comer were those with students who most- ly use public transportation, and that many students stay for several classes, reducing turnover. Only 30 percent drive, he said. Neighbors complained there is insuffi - cient parking even if only 30 percent drive, and that there is inadequate public transportation to handle the other 70 percent. Day agreed to the traffi c study to seek ways to mitigate the problems. Th e Pacifi c Heights Residents Asso- ciation, which is leading the opposition to City College, is raising funds to seek an in- junction to prevent the move. Th e School District voted to close New- comer School and transfer its students and teachers to Mission High School.

NEW LOOK ON THE STREET New street banners are sprouting on people onto the street and helps keep Th e musical lineup for this year’s festival Fillmore Street announcing the approach Fillmore’s jazz heritage alive. includes vocal favorites Kim Nalley, Jacqui REUNITED of the Fillmore Jazz Festival, which will be Proﬁ le of Th e new banners were Naylor and Sony Holland. Marcus Shelby’s held on July 1 and 2. the artist. created by Michael Schwab, 16-piece stand-up brass band is among the This Webster Street Victorian with a Th is is the 22nd annual festival. It takes Page 10 one of the nation’s top two dozen groups on the bill. storied past is again a single family place every year on the weekend closest graphic artists. Schwab also Fillmore Street will be closed to traﬃ c home – and a catalyst for change. to the Fourth of July. Th e largest free jazz created the award-winning posters for the from Jackson to Eddy from midnight Page 3 event on the west coast, it brings 100,000 Golden Gate National Parks. Friday, June 30, to midnight Sunday, July 2. Th is

MonthIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

FILLMORE FARMERS MARKET Every Saturday morning from 9 to 1, Fillmore at O’Farrell

It’s a happening: Our local market draws farmers from small farms around the Bay Area, offering the season’s bounty at prices far lower than the Ferry Building market. Plus fresh ﬂ owers and free jazz.

UNION STREET ART FAIR MUSICAL NOTES June 4 & 5 Union from Steiner to Gough Actor Steven Seagal sings the blues Tues, June 6, 9 p.m. SF BLACK FILM FESTIVAL The Fillmore, 1805 Geary June 6 to 11, various venues sfbff.org Community Music Center Orchestra JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL Mahler, Symphony No. 5 June 17 & 18 Sat, June 10, 8 p.m. Fillmore from Fulton to Geary Jewish Community Center sfjuneteenth.org 3200 California jccsf.org FENG SHUI WORKSHOP “Godspell” Sat, June 24, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thurs, June 22, 7 p.m. Institute for Health & Healing Calvary Presbyterian Church 2020 Webster calvarypresbyterian.org cpmc.org/services/ihh

EXTENDED

“Harlem of the West,” the exhibition of photos from Fillmore’s jazz era, was to close June 10, but has been extended through the summer. It’s a club-by-club tour, and now a book, too.

SF Performing Arts Library & Museum 401 Van Ness sfpalm.org

THE NEW FILLMORE 2130 Fillmore Street #202 ■ San Francisco, CA 94115 415.441.6070

Editors Barbara Kate Repa & Thomas R. Reynolds editors@newﬁ llmore.com Art Director Ginny Lindsay News Editor Don Langley

Advertising inquiries ads@newﬁ llmore.com or 415.441.6070 Published on the 1st of each month. Deadline: 15th of prior month Member of the San Francisco Neighborhood Newspaper Association

2 NEW FILLMORE June 2006 NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

Japantown Is Special, Planning Commission Says BY DON LANGLEY malls to 3D Investments of Los Angeles, use permit would also be required to merge Th e manager of the Kinokunya book- which says it respects Japantown’s unique one or more existing uses into more than store said he recognized the need for pro- Japantown is a step closer to becom- character and has signed guarantees to pre- 2,500 feet or to open a formula retail, or tection against chains and big box stores ing a special use district, which will give serve it. It has hired Joie de Vivre Hospi- chain, store. moving into Japantown. But he objected the community a measure of control over tality to manage the hotels. Th e Sundance Th e size limitations are designed to pro- to the restraints on mergers of units be- its future, after a May 25 decision by the Group has bought the theaters. (See sepa- tect small “mom and pop” businesses, most cause the bookstore, which owns one of the Planning Commission. rate stories below.) of which occupy less than 1,000 square buildings, wants to expand. Th e move was sparked by the sale of a Th ese developments have been viewed feet. Th e 4,000-foot threshold had origi- Boundaries of the district will be Bush wide swath of the neighborhood — two positively by many Japantown residents. nally been set at 2,000 square feet. to Geary and Laguna to Fillmore, a total hotels and two malls in the Japan Center Th e special use district was created to Th e Japantown Task Force and the of nine blocks. But the immediate eﬀ ect — earlier this year. Th at happened as AMC preserve and develop Japantown’s cultural Japanese Community Cultural Center will be only on Japan Center since the was ordered to sell the nearby Kabuki 8 identity and to enhance its distinctive im- of Northern California favored creation Post-Bush sector of the neighborhood will Th eater as part of a settlement of an anti- age as one of only three remaining Japan- of the special use district. Th e Japantown remain under the authority of the Redevel- trust action. towns in the country. Merchants Association, according to Presi- opment Agency until 2009. Th e Japanese-American community Within the district, a conditional use dent Richard Hashimoto, worked hard to One speaker noted that, before redevel- feared the changes would erode the cultural permit would be required to establish a come up with a compromise and ﬁ nally opment, Japantown spread over 32 blocks. and historic aspects of Japantown. new use or change the use of any space reached a consensus simply not to oppose Th e plan now goes to the Board of Su- Kintetsu Enterprises sold the hotels and exceeding 4,000 square feet. A conditional the district. pervisors.

■ STREET TALK

Robert Redford buys Kabuki 8, plans center for independent ﬁ lm

Robert Redford’s Sundance Group has bought the AMC Kabuki 8 Theater in Japantown and will turn it into a center for independent and documentary ﬁ lms called the Sundance Kabuki.

“San Francisco holds a special place in my heart and is one of the nation’s great centers of independent ﬁ lm,” Redford said. “I am particu- larly excited to have found such a perfect home for Sundance in this city.”

Sundance assumed ownership of the theater at the conclusion of the San Francisco Interna- tional Film Festival in May and will extensively renovate the Kabuki complex, maintaining a Japanese theme. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the Sundance Kabuki will have sta- dium seating in most theaters, larger screens, a retail store selling Sundance merchandise and two new bars. Programming by Sundance is expected to begin in September.

Joie de Vivre to operate hotels installed on a safe, soft surface, and new trees have Ready, set, play been planted to replace the aging cypresses that were Japantown’s two hotels, the Miyako Hotel and removed. Now Friends of Alta Plaza is moving into the Miyako Inn, will now be managed by Joie An all-new children’s playground atop Alta Plaza phase three of its master plan, which will focus on de Vivre Hospitality, operator of a number of Park opened May 27, completing phase two of a $2 horticulture. During phase one, completed at the end boutique hotels in the city and elsewhere. The million renovation of the park funded by friends and of 2004, the tennis courts were resurfaced and a group already operates the Kabuki Springs & neighbors. The new equipment in the playground is multi-sport court was created. Spa in Japantown and the El Drisco Hotel and Laurel Inn in Pacifi c Heights. Joie de Vivre plans to remodel the Japantown hotels to “rejuvenate their Japanese cultural nature,” a spokesperson said. Once design concepts have been approved Two Condos Now One Home, and a Catalyst Following yet another Planning Commission hearing application with no opposition and little discussion. by the new owners, the next step will be to seek input from the Japanese community. on the issue, the city is writing new guidelines for dwelling To avoid the need for similar hearings in the future, the unit mergers. commission directed that new guidelines be drafted to al- New Cathedral Hill group active Th e move was spurred in part by the owners of condo- low the staff to handle most merger applications, and at a miniums at 1735-1737 Webster Street, who requested per- considerably lower fee. Traffi c planning for the Geary-Van Ness cor- mission to merge two condos into a single family home. Most requests to merge dwelling units are approved. ridor will be the topic at the next neighborhood Th e owners bought one condo and had a right of fi rst Th e Planning Commission and the Board of Appeals forum of the Cathedral Hill Neighbors Associa- refusal to buy the other if it came on the market, as it even- combined have approved 91 percent of the applications to tion. The meeting will take place on Thursday, tually did. Th ey noted that neither condo had ever been on merge two units into one larger unit. June 8, at 7 p.m. in the St. Mary’s Cathedral the rental market, and that therefore no rental unit was Many of the applications come from Pacifi c Heights, meeting room, accessible via the lower level Gough Street entrance. The new association being eliminated. where homeowners want to make space for growing fami- has been extremely active since it was formed Th ey also pointed to the history of the house, which lies or live in grander style. Often this means returning earlier this year in response to California Pacifi c originally stood at 773 Turk Street as a single family home. two fl ats to their original confi guration as a single family Medical Center’s plans to build a new hospital It was one of about a dozen Victorians moved to the Victorian. at Van Ness and Geary. More information is neighborhood in the 1970s by the Redevelopment Agency Advocates of aff ordable housing decry the loss of any available on the organization’s website is at to clear space for Opera Plaza. separate residence, especially in Victorian houses, which cathedralhillneighbors.googlepages.com. Th e Planning Commission on May 25 approved the are covered by rent control. Lafayette Park going herbal Friends of Lafayette Park are now planning to Walk Like an Egyptian,Egyptian, PParkark Like a SSanan FFranciscanranciscan spice up the park’s horticultural mix with rose- Parking in the neighborhood has once again become a requests from the many consulates in Pacifi c Heights. mary and lavender. Kim Barnes, leader of the matter of international relations, with the Egyptian con- When the Egyptians made their request in 2003, they Friends, said the park should look much better sulate requesting a 44-foot red zone in front of its building were told to get a letter of support from the State Depart- this summer because a full-time gardener, Ron on Pacifi c at Baker. ment. Th e letter arrived last month. Harwell, has been named. The Friends gather for a workday at the park on the fi rst Saturday Th e consulate said its request was made for security In an earlier request, made in 2001, the Egyptian con- of each month from 9 a.m. to noon. reasons, but neighbors say the real issue is parking. Staff , sulate had asked for a 130-foot red zone on Baker Street. with consular license plates, would be immune to tickets A hearing offi cer for the Department of Parking and GOT AN IDEA? We welcome story ideas and for parking in the red zone. Traffi c continued the matter until September because of suggestions. E-mail ideas@newfi llmore.com. A similar request several years ago by the German con- late and inadequate notice to neighbors, but he allowed sulate on Jackson Street was turned down. Neighborhood those present at a May 26 hearing to speak. activists fear any approvals will result in an avalanche of All were opposed. June 2006 NEW FILLMORE 3 ■ CRIME WATCH

Methamphetamine Off ense After he performed poorly on all fi eld Fillmore and Eddy Streets sobriety tests, the man was arrested for May 5, 5:28 p.m. driving under the infl uence of alcohol. Offi cers responded to a report that a man was following a woman and harass- Battery of a Police Offi cer ing her. Upon arrival at the scene, they ob- 1920 Pine Street served that the man was speaking extreme- May 9, 5:19 p.m. ly rapidly and not making any sense. He A man at the above address was using was sweating and could not stand still. crack while making delusional statements When asked if he had smoked crack, the and behaving in an erratic and violent man said he hadn’t; he had smoked “shabu” manner. — the street term for the smokable form of Headquarters advised offi cers that the methamphetamine. A search of his person man had locked himself inside the bath- revealed a plastic baggie containing grayish room of an apartment building. He was white crystals. punching out windows, and convulsing and He was booked, and the shabu was vomiting. Upon arrival, offi cers were met transported to the night narcotics drop. by a woman who was visibly shaken and in tears. Th e man in the bathroom was her PHOTOGRAPH BY Driving Under the Infl uence brother; she had been helping him move DON LANGLEY Westbound on Post Street out because he’d been evicted. Th e bath- May 8, 2:03 a.m. room door had a glass window on its upper Ours was fi rst A patrol car was stopped at a red light panel, which had been smashed out. while facing north on Fillmore Street at Police shouted to the man to open the Signs noting the boundaries of the Webster Street McAllister. In his rear view mirror, an of- door; he refused. Th rough the broken win- Historic District and the Cottage Row Historic District fi cer saw a silver convertible approaching dow they observed him sitting on the bath- were posted in May. The signs went up in historic at a high speed; it jammed to a stop just a room fl oor clutching a glass pipe; he was districts throughout the city two years after Supervisor foot or two from the patrol car’s bumper. sweating and his arms shook uncontrolla- Aaron Peskin pushed the funding through the Board of As both cars moved on again at the green bly. Each time an offi cer reached through Supervisors. The Webster Street District was the city’s light, the silver convertible drifted to the the window to unlock the door, the man fi rst, created in 1981 after seven years of research, meetings and hearings. The project was led by right, almost colliding with a parked ve- lunged at him. neighborhood architectural historian Anne Bloomfi eld, hicle. Th en the convertible shot forward Two more offi cers were called to the who also played a leading role in creating many of the while weaving into the lane of oncoming scene. One kicked the door in. As the offi - city’s other historic districts. traffi c. A taxi driver swerved to avoid a col- cers entered, the suspect jumped to his feet lision and sounded his horn. and lunged at them. Two offi cers managed Th e offi cer began pursuit, accelerat- to get bent wristholds on each of the man’s ing to 50 mph, and made an enforcement arms; they walked him out of the bath- stop. When asked why he was driving in room. He continued to struggle violently. the middle of the road, the driver replied, Six offi cers were required to get the man To Stem Rise in Auto Burglary, “It’s my wife’s car and it’s the fi rst time I’ve into handcuff s; one of them suff ered a hy- driven it.” He slurred his words; his eyes perextended elbow in the process. were bloodshot and watery. A computer check revealed the suspect Police Encourage Awareness Th e offi cer asked the man if he had had numerous charges against him for bat- Most important: Leave nothing visible in your car consumed alcoholic beverages. He replied tery against police offi cers while under the that he’d had “two beers and a kamikaze.” infl uence of controlled substances. Public assistance is needed to reverse choose their targets accordingly. ■ the growing number of auto burglaries in Be careful of valet parking. If you use the neighborhood, according to Kevin Dil- a valet, hand over only the ignition key, lock lon, captain of Northern Police Station on the trunk release and fi nd out where the car Fillmore Street. will be parked. If the valet plans to park on Th e most important thing, Dillon said, the street, or in an unattended lot, you may is to be sure you leave nothing in your car as well just park it yourself. to entice a potential thief. Also, make sure you know what is inside A recent survey of 27 cars parked at your trunk before you use valet parking, Chestnut and Pierce streets in the Marina and make sure that everything you put in- showed that 15 had iPods, briefcases or side the trunk is still there when you leave. purses in view. Look inside, and if you suspect a valet has Even valueless items such as papers and taken something from your car, call for po- water bottles give a burglar reason to think lice assistance. Tell the dispatcher you think the owner is careless and may have left the suspect is still at the scene. ■ something of value behind, but out of sight. Don’t store valuables. Do not keep Even if there’s nothing to steal, Dillon said, valuables in your car overnight. Neither those objects may give a thief a reason to should you store valuables in your car if you Tower Market Grand Central Market break a window or a door lock. park in an apartment building garage. Th e 635 Portola Drive 2435 California Street Th e only things you might keep in a ve- common areas of an apartment building (415) 6641600 (415) 567-4902 hicle without too much risk of provoking a are an easy target. Burglars and unscrupu- break-in are the vehicle insurance and reg- lous co-tenants alike have time to case your Your Local Grocer for Fresh Meat, Seafood, Poultry, Produce, Deli & Catering. istration, Dillon said. Even so, do not leave vehicle, break into it and squirrel away the the originals. Make photocopies, which are objects inside without the inconvenience of perfectly valid. being observed. ■ Here are other recommendations from Secure your garage. If you own a the police: home with a private garage, remember ■ Don’t use hide-a-keys. Th ey won’t that garage burglaries are quite common. stay hidden for long. A practiced auto bur- Th e security devices used on many garag- glar, or auto thief, knows where to look, and es are easily defeated. Should you wish to makes a point of looking when breaking take added measures to secure your garage, into a car. If you have trouble hanging on think about installing a padlock on the in- to your keys, think about purchasing a key terior of the door. ■ chain that can be affi xed to your pocket or Install an alarm. Although most new purse. cars are equipped with alarms, older mod- ■ Lock your trunk. Never open a trunk, els often are not. When purchasing an fi ll it full of valuables, close it and just walk alarm, make certain it comes with an acti- away. Opportunists look for such missteps vation light that tells everyone passing by, and break into the car the minute the driver from burglars to casual observers, that the is out of sight. Plan your excursions so that vehicle is equipped with one. you load your trunk and lock it up before If the alarm comes with a pilfering sen- you drive to your next destination. sor, make sure the device is not too sensi- ■ Watch where you park. Park in well tive. Vehicles with overactive alarms often lighted, well traveled areas, ideally in park- end up being towed for disturbing the ing lots or garages with an attendant. neighbors’ peace. If you park on the street, do not park in Being neighborly is, after all, one of the lightly traveled areas like alleys or side most important urban obligations. Your streets. Auto burglars prefer breaking into neighbor may be the one who calls the po- cars where they will not be observed, and lice if someone breaks into your car. 4 NEW FILLMORE June 2006 A Neighbor Departs Helen Cooke Jones (1928-2006) touched many lives

Th ings just won’t be the same without to Manhattan after graduating from high Helen Jones keeping an eye on the neigh- school to pursue a career in the theatre. She borhood while taking her dogs for a walk. landed roles in several off -Broadway shows Or having morning coff ee at Benkyo- and was active in the Black Friars Th eater do’s coff ee shop in Japantown with Ben, Group, alongside Sidney Poitier and Ossie Glory, Hatsy, and Bobby. Davis. But after a few years she tired of Or holding up James’ express line at being a struggling actress and returned to Mollie Stone’s to tell a story. Ithaca. Or getting treated by Dino to a glass of By the time she was 35, Helen was a wine while she waits for a hot slice. single mother with three daughters, yearn- Or discussing the meaning of life with ing for a new life and locale. She found Tan at the Royal Ground. it fi rst in Philadelphia, where she became Or talking about the old Fillmore days involved with the Quakers and the civil with Barbara at the Wash Palace. rights movement. In 1969, she and her girls Or getting tips on home improvements loaded their few possessions into a rental from Phil at Fillmore Hardware. truck and headed west — beckoned by the Or discussing black history with Karen Rice-a-Roni commericials that painted at Marcus Books. San Francisco as the place to be. Or hanging out with friends and sniff - Once she arrived, she found fertile ing out the best roses at the farmers market ground for her activist inclinations and put on Saturday morning. her theatrical training to use. She wrote Helen Cooke Jones died May 4 after and directed plays documenting the history losing her battle with breast cancer. She of blacks in California and served as a his- had lived most of her adult life in and torian at the African American Historical around the Fillmore neighborhood. Helen Jones was on Fillmore Street every day walking her dogs. and Cultural Society. “You know what I miss the most? I miss Her work documented the truth about her smile,” said Donnie Okry, her neighbor neighborhood dances, clad in a kimono, Redevelopment Agency’s offi ces. Mary Ellen Pleasant, a 19th century busi- for 28 years. “And the way she always had fl uent in Japanese. She fought alongside “We were in there eight hours, singing nesswoman and abolitionist now touted as something nice to say.” them as they battled the Redevelopment songs — and the police were getting mad- the Mother of Civil Rights in California, Okry was one of dozens who gathered Agency as a founding member of Citizens der and madder until they fi nally knocked but then widely disparaged as “Mammy on May 23 at Rasselas jazz club to remem- Against Nihonmachi Evictions (CANE) the door down,” he said. “But it was Helen. Pleasant” and called a madam and a mur- ber their neighbor and celebrate her event- — and was arrested several times resisting She was the one who was there fi rst.” deress. ful life as an activist, an actress, a drama attempts to change the neighborhood. She also participated in reclaiming Al- “Helen was just this grandmother who teacher, a playwright, a director, a radio “Helen had a real fi ghting spirit,” re- catraz as Native American land, living on was my friend, my philosopher,” said Adri- and television show producer, a journalist, called Saichi Kawahara, fi rst president of the island with her daughters for several an Rojo, a gardener at Alta Plaza Park, who a historian, a single mother and a proud CANE. He remembered especially a pro- weeks during its occupation in 1970. met her during her frequent walks with her grandmother. test in the late 1960s during which seven She was born Helen Cooke in 1928 in dogs, Latte and Simon. “To me, she was Her former Japantown neighbors re- CANE members chained themselves to- Ithaca, N.Y., of black and Mohawk Indian humble. I never knew all she did. Th at’s the member her as the only non-Asian at gether and locked themselves inside the parents. Lured early by the stage, she moved real meaning of being a human being.”

First & Second Fiddle Ruth Dewson, owner of Mrs. Dewson’s Hats, lost her husband of more than 40 years on May 4. Ernest H. Dewson Jr. (1926-2006) was a native San Franciscan and a frequent mart Banking presence on Fillmore Street. Former Supervisor Rev. Amos Brown delivered the eulogy at St. Dominic’s Church, saying of Dewson: “He played second ﬁ ddle well.” Sfor You and Your Family St. Dominic’s Catholic Church If you live or work in San Francisco...Bank with us! San Francisco Federal Credit Union is a full-service financial institution. Contact us today!

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June 2006 NEW FILLMORE 5 RETAIL REPORT ■ BODY & SOUL

3 pampering pleasures: A nirvana for nails Zinc Le Creme, a newish girlie oasis just off Fillmore Street, offers a dramatic shift from the ubiquitous Doubles assembly line typical of most nail salons. Clients are offered hot tea — jasmine, mint or chamomile — AAgaingain in oversize china cups — then nestled into upholstered chairs BY GARY CARR and settees adorned with fl uffy pillows while their nails are At a time when many retail shops trimmed and polished. Magazines — especially furniture stores — have been are au courant. Depending on the retreating and retiring, Fillmore’s Zinc scrubs, soaks and massages you Details has once again doubled in size. choose, manicures range from Zinc Details, for more than a decade $15 to $30; pedicures from $28 to a Fillmore destination for contemporary $55. furniture and home accessories, in April Le Creme, 1971 Sutter opened a second store in the neighborhood 415.359.9530; lecremespa.com at 2410 California Street, formerly home of Castro Video. Buck naked bliss The new Marc Jacobs store proclaims its presence and its politics. Th e new store is two blocks from the original Zinc Details at 1905 Fillmore. Th e The neighborhood is home to Fillmore store had already doubled in size traditional Japanese communal in 2003 when Zinc expanded into the space baths at the Kabuki Springs & Marc Jacobs Goes Funky on Fillmore next door after Big Pagoda Co. moved to Spa. The recommended ritual is Union Square. to begin with a shower, followed by a stint in the dry sauna or Th e city’s fi rst Marc by Marc Jacobs You can also get a 2142 Fillmore T-shirt Owner Vasilios Kiniris attributes Zinc’s boutique opened its doors at Fillmore and that celebrates the prime location. steam room. Then take a dip success in part to 12 years of active involve- in the cold pool, which is kept Sacramento last month. Th e store wears its politics in its win- ment in the neighborhood, which has won It’s wildly diff erent from the designer’s dows, which now sport 7-foot letters pro- at 55 degrees to stimulate the the store a loyal following. circulation — and the desire upscale outpost on Maiden Lane, where all claiming “Worst President Ever.” And it “We feel at home on Fillmore, so when to scream. But screams are is austere and spring sweaters run upwards fl aunts its French connection — a similar we had the opportunity to open an addi- verboten, as is talking or any of $1,800. boutique opened in Paris in January. tional showroom, we thought there’s no loud noise, in keeping with the On Fillmore, the salespeople are peppy “Th e Union Square store is higher end. better place to do it than right here,” Ki- contemplative atmosphere. Those and quick to explain the store’s off erings, We’re fun and funky,” said a sales associ- niris says. “Strolling from shop to shop is a who violate that rule are gently silenced by the sounding of a which include men’s and women’s cloth- ate. “And it’s a lovely neighborhood. I love major activity in the neighborhood, so having and a few items for children and dogs coming to work here. Th is reminds me of gong. A fi nal soak in a hot pool ing two Zinc Details within two blocks is completes the experience. Towels, — and also fl ipfl ops and fi ngerless gloves my old neighborhood in Portland.” perfectly geared to the local lifestyle.” tumbling from wire mesh bins and scores She was also enthusiastic about the bathrobes, sea salts, cold water Zinc’s new California Street location and tea are provided; $20 on of Marc Jacob-emblazoned tchotchkes, upcoming fall collection, slated to arrive displays its lines of designer furniture, rugs weekdays, $25 on weekends. pig-shaped erasers, red heart compacts and around July 1: “It’s got great coats. Really and lamps. Th e original Fillmore store now orange and purple condoms. great coats.” has more space for home accessories. Kabuki Springs & Spa, 1750 Geary 415.922.6000; kabukisprings.com In recent years, Zinc has expanded its Men only: Mon, Thurs, Sat mix of brands and products. It still off ers Women only: Wed, Fri, Sun work by local designers and artists, but also Co-ed: Tues stocks major international brands such as Kartell and Alessi. In 2004, Zinc Details Softer, a little tighter �� became the major Northern California dis- tributor of Knoll home furnishings. And Here’s an at-home beauty treat- when de la Espada departed from Fillmore ment that will scare the pants off Street last year, Zinc became the outlet for all within eyeshot. In-the-know its popular Atlantico furniture. beautistas recommend Apivita’s “We’re a design store fi rst,” Kiniris says, deep cleaning face mask with “and although we sell modern classic fur- green argile as their most pampering treatment. It’s a largely niture, we also stock a lot of other high- undiscovered potion from Greece. design items, from tableware to handbags Slather it on and wait 10 minutes to children’s toys.” as the mint green goo does its Wendy and Vasilios Kiniris, a husband thing. It leaves you feeling softer and wife team, founded Zinc Details in and slightly tighter. Kind of like 1990. Th ey opened their fi rst store on Post a facelift, without all the bother. Street, with only 200 square feet of retail It’s a bargain, too, at $4 for two space, and stocked it with a small collection treatments. of one-of-a-kind furnishings by Bay Area Pure Beauty, 2124 Fillmore designers. Th ey moved to Fillmore Street 415.346.2511; purebeauty.com in 1994. Zinc Details also has a store on Fourth Street in Berkeley.

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6 NEW FILLMORE June 2006 WHERE ARE THEY NOW

Fillamento’s Founder Not the Iris Fuller today: Rabble- rousing with the Downtown Retiring Type Petaluma Association. BY BARBARA KATE REPA

Th ey’ve tried a beach town in Southern that everyone was 40 or 80,” said Iris. “I got California. A chicken ranch in Petaluma. A creatively constipated.” suburban pad with grass to mow. But Iris and Gil Said Gil, “She was like a racehorse not Fuller have not quite found their next venue and allowed to run.” venture. And still they yearn for Fillmore Street California property values worked their magic, — and for the store. and within a few years the house they bought “Th e store was so much of my identity. It was had nearly doubled in value. So they sold it and my coat of many colors,” Iris said recently. “Th e truth is, I headed back to Northern California. Th ey considered set out to create a good store. It turned out to be a great “I set out to create a good store. Healdsburg, but found it too manicured. store.” “You have to dress up to go downtown,” Iris said. Th e store was Fillamento — three fl oors at Fillmore It turned out to be a great store.” Th ey settled on Petaluma and moved onto a 60-acre and Sacramento fi lled to overfl owing with furniture, chicken ranch with 40 cows and a quaint Victorian farm- glassware, linens, bath items and eclectic gifts from the Th ey cleaned and burnished and painted inside and house with a spacious porch off ering a sweeping view of whimsical to the practical. It was a retail museum where out, and fashioned a mezzanine that later showcased bed the surrounding hills. everything was for sale — and could be gift-wrapped, free and bath products. “It was like a storybook,” recalled Iris. “Th en winter of charge, with a raffi a bow and sprig of eucalyptus. For 20 years, the store fl ourished. Th ere were plans to came. Th e whole house got mildew and was freezing.” Shoppers near and far still fondly recall the sumptu- grow into other locations, to go global. Th ey had a big moving sale and transplanted them- ous displays, the sidewalk sales, the Santa who played his Th en, fairly suddenly, it all ended. selves into a new home closer to downtown with their selfsame role for nearly two decades. And they still miss A farewell sign posted in the window during the impeccably groomed poodle, Rosie. the store that graced the street, now gone for fi ve years. store’s fi nal days in August 2001 recalled the bitter and “We sold the swing right off the tree,” said Gil. Th ey’re the sweet. still downsizing their collections — including an assort- ment of 3,200 wall vases and countless miniature cars and In an unlikely site, a magical place To our dear customers: vintage posters. It is with great sadness that we announce the closing Th ey like the old-town feel of Petaluma, but fi nd some Fillamento opened in April 1981 and led the neigh- of Fillamento. We expect our last business day to be limitations. borhood’s renaissance as a successful commercial district. sometime in September. “I’m the kind of gal who needs to walk through “From the day we opened, there was something magical After 20 glorious years of business, we fi nd that we Neiman-Marcus every once in a while,” said Iris. about the place,” said Iris. “I had $300 when I started the can simply no longer survive in the current economic store — and the fi rst month, I took in $14,000.” climate. Over time, the store became a launching pad for new Fillamento has been my labor of love, and I have Pondering the possibilities ahead companies and designers on the rise. “I bought Jonathan treasured every day of it. Please accept my heartfelt Adler’s fi rst vases,” Iris recalled. Adler opened his interior thanks and know that you will all be missed. Now Iris works part time in a local antiques shop, design and home furnishing store — his sixth — on Th anks for the wonderful memories, does some business consulting and rabble-rouses with Fillmore Street last year, next door to Fillamento’s old Iris Fuller and the Fillamento staff the Petaluma Downtown Association. Gil gardens and home. indulges his passion for motorcycles. Th ey ponder their Finding Fillamento’s location was a mix of happen- “I should have closed a year before I did,” Iris says next move, which might include a stay in Europe. stance and serendipity. A friend was scoping out the pos- now. “Th e reality of the dot-com bust was that people just And they still harbor fond memories of Fillamento. sibility of opening a restaurant in what is now the Elite weren’t spending money. By then, days that had been an “It was such a neighborhood place, but it was known Cafe, then the China Grill. Iris and Gil went along to easy $5,000 were only $1,800.” all over the world,” said Gil. “People still praise Iris and check out the street. Th ey happened upon 2135 Fillmore, Fillamento’s doors closed on September 3, 2001 — Gil’s the Fillamento she created. Th ey say things like, ‘Now I the former site of Florence’s 5 & 10. 60th birthday, and eight days before the terrorist attacks. have my own business, but you got me started.’ And in “I peeked in the door and that was it,” said Iris. “Rent “Th at put everything in perspective,” Iris said. “It was a that way, the store lives on.” was 32 cents a foot for 3,200 square feet.” huge reality check. How was I to mourn?” “I planned to come back and do it again, but smaller,” Th e place needed work — lots of it. “When we fi rst Iris said. “I thought I’d open up a little store in Petaluma saw the store, there was garbage from fl oor to ceiling and A racehorse not allowed to run because I’m truly not the retiree type. I’m just not sure peel ’n stick mirrors on the walls,” said Gil. “But we knew I could get married to a store again. But I need to do what it could be, what we would make it.” Southern California still seemed vibrant, and the mi- something.” Th ey speculate that the site might have housed a gration of friends lured the Fullers downstate to Ocean- Iris picks up a copy of the most recent Fillmore map, bookie joint at one point. In the basement were wires and side, 35 miles north of San Diego, where they bought a checking out the stores and restaurants on the street. buzzers everywhere — and sliding metal doors connect- spacious house with a swimming pool near the ocean. “Fabulous! Th is is so fabulous!” she says with her old ing to nearby buildings. “We went there for a major life change, but we found enthusiasm. “I may have to open up a little store there.”

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June 2006 NEW FILLMORE 7 V��

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On a sunny day with its windows open, Crepevine is perfect for people watching. �� Room With a View Crepevine brings new look, menu – all under $10 Mother’s Day, May 14, was Crepevine’s town in Jordan, and family friendships go fi rst Sunday morning on Fillmore Street, back to their grandparents. and the line was snaking out the door and Counter service keeps things moving onto the sidewalk. quickly and leads to more frequent table “God loves mothers,” chuckled Ibrahim turnover, which is one reason the prices are Dababneh, managing partner of Fillmore’s surprisingly reasonable. It also means there newest restaurant, as he marveled at the is no obligation to tip, which saves another crowd teeming in on an unusually warm 10 to 20 percent. �� and sunny day. Th e full menu is served all day from 8 It seemed that everybody in the neigh- a.m. to 10 p.m. It’s casual and kid-friendly. �� borhood had wandered over to try his new Th ose who remember the Alta Plaza, place. And most went away satisfi ed with which occupied this corner at Fillmore and the menu of hearty basics, served up in large Clay for many years, will fi nd little to re- �� portions, everything priced under $10. mind them of its sleek sophistication and �� “We saw an opening in this neighbor- three-star cuisine. hood for our concept,” Dababneh says. And there is little evidence of Leticia’s “Th e energy of the neighborhood and the margaritas and Mexican dishes served dur- positive comments from the customers al- ing its most recent incarnation as a cantina ready have been just wonderful.” that never caught on. A big blackboard over Crepevine’s bar One thing is for sure: Hardly anyone sets forth the fare: sandwiches, salads, om- minds the new paint job that covered Le- elettes and crepes. Th ere’s also beer and ticia’s bright orange wash with a subdued wine and a full bar. green and gray two-tone. Service is quick and friendly — espe- “I think every single person in the cially from the manager himself. neighborhood has come in and thanked us “Hi guys,” he says with an infectious for painting the building,” says Dababneh. smile to nearly everybody who walks in the “If I had a dollar for everybody who has door, directing them to the counter to place said they’re glad we painted, I could retire an order, take a number and fi nd a table. right now.” “I love people,” Dababneh says. “I can- Leticia Luna, who owned Leticia’s and not work in an offi ce. I have to be with previously owned La Posada across the people.” street, still owns the building and has been Dababneh comes from a background in encouraging to the new owners. She was the hotel and restaurant business. To launch one of the fi rst customers for brunch on this venture, he teamed up with the owners Mother’s Day. of four other Crepevines in San Francisco, Her reaction, as she surveyed the the East Bay and down the Peninsula. He crowd? and his partners all come from the same “Why couldn’t I do this?”

Here Comes Slanted Door Work has begun to turn the Café & RRestaurantestaurant former dried fl ower factory at 2226 Bush Street into a new cafe and food emporium run by the owner of the wildly popular Slant- ed Door restaurant. Initially denied permission to open a restaurant at that location, chef-owner Charles Phan Slanted Door will open an outpost at 2226 Bush. in April successfully appealed the zoning administrator’s adverse decision. prepared food that can be completed at While plans are still in development, home. Phan says he hopes to create a neighbor- Home will be nearby for Phan. He and hood spot that will off er his inventive his family will live upstairs. Completion is Asian cuisine on location, for takeout and expected by the end of the year. for delivery. Th e space will be designed by Olle Delivery will be concentrated in the Lundberg of Lundberg Design, the archi- 2210 Fillmore Street • 921-2956 • Call us for catering neighborhood and may be by bicycle. tect who created Slanted Door’s minimal- Phan says he will also off er partially ist space at the Ferry Building. 8 NEW FILLMORE June 2006 FOOD & WINE

■ ONE GREAT THING Vivande at 25: Fillmore Th en and Now ‘The best chocolate BY CARLO MIDDIONE commence. We kept fi nding more brick as we went along, and fi nally we started tearing pudding I ever had’ Some thoughts fl y through my mind out the plaster to see what we had. It turned There isn’t much about food I about 25 years of doing business as Vivande out the entire north wall was brick — old, don’t like. I like the taste, the smell on Fillmore Street. irregular brick, with a trough chipped out and the texture. And now there is In the early days, Fillmore felt very where a gas line or water line once ran. We something else: I like the way it much like a neighborhood, a little dowdy, still love our brick wall, and no designer or makes me feel. certainly dusty, with some old-timey busi- craftsman could have made such a look on nesses soon to close. Next door to us, even purpose. For the past year, I thought I had found my mood-altering for- before our much-missed Fillamento was In 1981 we opened the doors, and busi- mula when I discovered a certain born, was a hardware and variety store ness grew like a mushroom on a warm damp chocolate chip cookie. Whenever called Florence’s. She had some screwdriv- day. Hordes of eager customers fl ocked in I felt bad, or sad, I cured myself ers that had not sold in 20 years. I bought a the doors, making for long lines at lunch. by indulging in a cookie. It didn’t beauty for 30 cents. No amount of money We did not open for dinner for another 14 have to be the whole cookie could produce such a tool now. years, until 1995, because we thought we — even a piece or a tiny morsel, Th en, out with the old and in with the were not ready. Good food and good ser- just something to get me through rush of a new business — and upper Fill- vice take time to develop. a hard day or night. more was in full resuscitation. Once again, Many Pacifi c Heights residents came to Carlo Middione: at home on Fillmore. A few weeks ago, while wander- as decades before, it was a desirable and fi nd Vivande and said they had not both- ing Fillmore Street wondering thriving street. ered to come for so long because nothing how best to reward myself after When my wife Lisa and I decided to the widest place. But it spoke to us. on Fillmore Street seemed for them. We having dental surgery, I hap- open Vivande as a European takeaway We grappled with the terms the land- were glad to make our presence felt in tune pened upon Bittersweet Cafe at with food, pantry items and a small cafe, lord pushed on us. We bargained back and with the rest of the merchants who have 2123 Fillmore. Gazing into the we scoured neighborhoods to fi nd the right forth, each trying to do the right thing for come to make up this diverse street of many display cabinet, I discovered the feel. the other, but warily watching our butts. goods and services. new object of my affection: dulce de leche pudding. It is the best Laurel Village was great, rents reason- Finally, we struck a deal and agreed on our Fillmore is still the neighborhood. It is chocolate pudding I have ever had able, lots of free parking – but no storage almighty rent: $1 a square foot. the place for strolling, looking and shop- — soft, cold and squishy. Only space. In all, not bad. But what we wanted We knew the look and feel we want- ping. Th e folks who walk up and down $5. And it has untold medicinal to do simply did not fi t. West Portal was a ed and set about constructing the place. Fillmore and its charming side streets are properties. maybe. Chestnut Street: uh, uh. Union: not We had architects who were wonderful, essentially a happy lot. People saunter, and for us. And so forth. thoughtful folks, and who agreed that less they look, and they seem to have time — The cafe has been open since last One day while driving around we spot- was more. And that’s just what we did: such a valuable thing — to enjoy the sights. November, but somehow this happy place escaped my atten- ted a long, narrow building on Fillmore less. And it is defi nitely a street of children and tion. Now I make it a point to stop that had been most recently used as a cam- One unfortunate incident led to a great dogs. by as often as I can. paign offi ce – who knows for whom; in the addition to our project. A workman rammed Th at is a good combination. It looks real end aren’t all campaigns the same? – and a wheelbarrow into the plaster wall, knock- and it is real, and it truly maintains the soul – MO SANDBERG, neighbor and before that, a rug cleaning store. We found ing out a piece bigger than a pie plate. At this street has always had. fi lmmaker the landlord and looked at the space, which fi rst I was angry. Th en I calmed down and was so dark we had to use fl ashlights. It was we decided to fi x the damage, which meant Carlo Middione is the chef and proprietor of a quirky layout, deep, only 19 feet wide at making the hole bigger before repairs could Vivande Porte Via on Fillmore Street. Th e Rosés of Summer Drink pink bubbles – they’re so misunderstood BY MARK J. MITCHELL see. Th e hard part is that all of this costs a pretty penny: at close to $300 a bottle, it is Few wines are more misunderstood than defi nitely a treat. rosé champagne. Th e gold standard — the rosé by which Americans tend to associate pink wines other rosés are judged — is BILLECART with the sweet, soda-pop style of white zin- SALMON brut rosé. Th is is light, fl oral and fandel. But rosé champagnes are anything intricate. It is another victim of the price but sweet. Th ey are fermented in the brut wars, however. As the euro has strength- style — literally “raw” — with a very small ened against the dollar, its cost has topped dosage of sugar to induce the secondary $70 a bottle. fermentation in the bottle that produces But there are brut rosés available in the those magical bubbles. under $40 range. JEAN MOUTARDIER brut Rosé champagnes are made in one of rosé is a wonderful example of the sophis- two ways. A few houses use the soignée ticated style, showing off mandarin orange method, which allows a limited amount fl avors, a nutty nose and a lovely tawny col- of skin contact with the or. It is available for about red pinot noir grapes to $36. CATTIER, from the provide color. Th e other Rosé champagne village of Chigny les Rosés, method is simply to blend can take you all the is lean and racy, with tart some still red pinot noir citrus fruit, and comes in wine into the white char- way through a meal. at $26. Th e small, family- donnay and pinot meunier owned champagne house wines that make up the rest of SERGE MATHIEU makes of the cuvee. Th e great champagne writer a deeply sexy brut rosé from its holdings in Tom Stevenson has a standing off er to the Aube. Here it’s the texture, the weight blind taste rosé champagnes made by both of the wine against the play of the bub- methods and see if anyone can tell the dif- bles that fascinates, as it dances through a ference. He has had no takers. mouthful of wild strawberry fruit — and Rosé champagne is a great match for all it’s only $30. sorts of foods, and can take you all the way Finally, if you want a bargain of a pink through a meal — from a paté appetizer, sparkling wine, not champagne, there’s through pork tenderloin and onto the tarte GRUET brut rosé out of New Mexico, of all tatin fi nale. places. Th is is rich but snappy and clean on Th e platinum standard for brut rosé is the very dry fi nish. Th is surprisingly elegant KRUG rosé. Th is is an amazing wine, off er- domestic sparkler retails for only $15. ing an unfolding peacock’s tail of fl avors If you haven’t experimented with brut and aromas: quince, spice, strawberry and rosé, you owe it to your gastronomical edu- elusive white pepper. People compete to cation — and your pleasure principle. fi nd words to describe the beauty and intri- cacy of this champagne, and that’s without Mark J. Mitchell, a neighborhood poet, is the mentioning the luxurious mousse provided manager of D&M WWineine and Liquor on FFill-ill- by some of the smallest bubbles you’ll ever more Street. June 2006 NEW FILLMORE 9 ■ ART NOTES ART

Danielle Steel calling it quits Michael Schwab’s bold graphics Neighbor-novelist Danielle Steel is closing her gallery on outer Sac- ramento Street at the end of the jazz up new Fillmore street banners month. BY JOHN RHODES MILLER me an excuse to do a portrait of a bass play- Her publicist says the gallery was do- er,” he says. “Now I hope to become one.” ing okay, but that “low price points Michael Schwab is one of the leading Poster art as we know it became wide- made it less interesting as a busi- graphic artists of our time, in part because spread in late 19th century France. Jules ness.” He says she will fi nd other of his award-winning logos and posters for Cheret improved lithography, which had ways to remain involved with art. Apple, Robert Mondavi, the Golden Gate been invented a century before, transform- Steel opened the gallery in 2003 after National Parks and many others. ing it from a slow and diffi cult process with she began collecting contemporary Now his work is coming to the neigh- minimal color and design to one that al- art. She said at the time the gallery borhood: He created the poster and street lowed vivid color and striking drawings to was a diversion from her career as a banners for this year’s Fillmore Jazz Festi- be easily mass produced. Th eir ability to romance novelist. “This gallery has Back on view after 50 years val. combine text and pictures made for eye- gotten me out of my house and my “It’s all about preserving something catching advertising. nightgown for the fi rst time in six In 1957, the Oakland Museum great,” he says. “I want people to know how Posters also made imagery available to years,” she said. “Fame is so isolat- presented an exhibition of Bay Area ing.” important the Fillmore Jazz Festival is, its everyone, not only those who visited art fi gurative paintings that remains a romantic history and its integrity as a cul- galleries and museums. Even if she stays home, Steel will be landmark in art history. One of the tural event.” Th e rest of Europe and America quickly artists in that exhibition – which also surrounded by one of the most spec- Schwab was so pleased to be involved embraced posters. Th ey were recognized tacular pieces of art in town, since included Richard Diebenkorn and David Park – was a young painter with the project that he as fi ne art by 1891 when she lives in the Spreckels Mansion worked for a fraction of To u l o u s e - L a u t r e c ’s on Lafayette Park. named Henry Villierme. the fee corporate clients Moulin Rouge poster hit Villierme disappeared from the art pay. the streets. Exhibitions So is Kay Kimpton scene for much of his working life. “I love San Francisco, and dealers sprang up to But in retirement, he resumed his I love jazz and I love complement the public’s A second neighborhood art venue painting career, and is represented will also close this month as Kay by the Thomas Reynolds Gallery at posters,” Schwab says. “It interest and thousands of Kimpton shutters her private gal- Fillmore and Pine. His new show of all came together.” posters became available. lery on Jackson Street. Kimpton is “Figurative Landscapes” continues His work is distinc- Today, digital pro- winding down a 26-year career as an through June 24. tive and dramatically cesses are changing the art dealer, the last 12 ensconced in simple. It is character- commercial printing in- a carriage house just off Alta Plaza Among the work included is one of ized by large, fl at areas of dustry, and digital imag- Park designed by noted architect Villierme’s large-scale paintings from unusual color combined ing has modifi ed how Willis Polk. “We’ll have to have more the 1957 Oakland exhibition (above), dances in there,” she says. “It’s a misidentifi ed for many years as with bold, graphic im- Michael Schwab works. wonderful place to dance.” Diebenkorn’s work. ages, often in silhouette. On the Fillmore poster, He also designed his he started by drawing a own typeface — another full-length silhouette of element that makes his a bass player using pencil, posters and logos imme- Michael Schwab designed pen and ink and tracing diately recognizable. a series of posters for the paper. To intensify the FILLMORE Music helps fuel Golden Gate National Parks. image, he kept cropping Schwab’s passion and his until only the head of the art. He especially likes player and the top of the jazz greats Miles Davis, Bill Evans and instrument remained. When the shapes Chet Baker. As he stands in his studio in were right, he scanned the image into a San Anselmo talking about his work, Louis computer and colored it digitally. Armstrong is in the background singing “In the old days I used gouache and “Stars Fell on Alabama.” acrylic paint,” he says. “Th is way is quicker Th e Fillmore poster depicts a bass player and a much cleaner process – although MARKET in profi le. Partly that is because the bass sometimes I miss the activity of painting.” lays the foundation for many jazz bands. Schwab’s work is archived at Michael- In fact, there is also a more personal Schwab.com. It is also in the permanent element to his Fillmore image. Schwab is collections of the Library of Congress, himself a musician – “a garage band gui- SFMOMA and the Achenbach Founda- Cherries tarist,” as he says, since his youth. He has tion at the Legion of Honor. are here! long been interested in playing bass, and His Fillmore image will be available his wife gave him a stand-up bass as a 25th on posters, T-shirts and sweatshirts at the wedding anniversary gift shortly before he Fillmore Jazz Festival, which takes place agreed to do the Fillmore job. this year on July 1 and 2. But you already It stands in the corner of his studio, and knew that from the poster. it became the model for the Fillmore Jazz Festival poster. John Rhodes Miller is an artist and a neigh- “I took on this project because it gave bor.

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June 2006 NEW FILLMORE 11 REAL ESTATE

A Good Place to Live Is a Good Place to Invest BY KEN BOERI the 30 percent tax bracket, with an identical before-tax return would have netted You probably need little convincing that only $144,900 after taxes. Th at’s an after- our neighborhood is one of the best places tax gain of less than 19 percent over fi ve to live on the planet. Th e weather is great, years. Fillmore Street is the best shopping street When you add the value of your annual around, the people are friendly, the neigh- tax deductions for loan interest and prop- borhood is safe and the architecture rivals erty taxes, the return on your investment in just about any other place. a condo in the neighborhood (or anywhere Consider also how homeowners in the else, for that matter) is even greater. neighborhood are handsomely rewarded A single person is allowed a nontaxable for living here. Not only gain of up to $250,000, do homes hold their val- or $500,000 for a mar- ue better, but they also ried couple, every two increase in value at a years when you live in �� rate unrivaled elsewhere your home during that in San Francisco. Condo values in the period. Anything above As an example, con- that amount is taxed as dominium values, based neighborhood are up a long term capital gain �� on their cost per square by 34 percent. at a far lower tax rate. �� foot, have increased dur- Th e best investment �� ing the past fi ve years by for most people is their �� more than 34 percent. home. Th e federal and �� And there is little fl uc- state governments have �� tuation in property values in the neighbor- created tremendous fi nancial incentives for �� hood. homeowners. Add to these tax advantages �� Th ink about what this means. the incredible appreciation rate and relative Say you purchased a 1,000 square foot safety of the investment for homes in our �� condo in 2001. Five years ago, your home neighborhood, and you have an investment �� would have cost approximately $610,000. that can rarely be matched elsewhere. Con- �� Your cash investment of a 20 percent sider how home ownership lowers the cost �� down payment would have amounted to of borrowing money and you have a still �� $122,000. Th at same condo would be worth better investment. approximately $817,000 in today’s market. Th en add the tangible benefi t of living Th at’s a gain of $207,000. Th e return on in one of the most beautiful neighbor- your original $122,000 investment, before hoods in one of the most beautiful cities in taxes, would be about 65 percent. the world, and you have an opportunity it It gets even better when you factor in would be shortsighted to ignore. taxes. If you lived in your home for two continuous years, you would owe no taxes. Ken Boeri is a neighbor and a real estate A taxable investment, assuming you are in agent with Pacifi c Union. �� Neighborhood Real Estate Sales ��

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12 NEW FILLMORE June 2006 ■ PART ONE

A VICTORIAN RENOVATION These Victorians on Scott Street were built as twins. The one on Putting back the gingerbread the left was “improved” along the way with a stucco exterior. BY DAVID LANDIS The current owners are now restoring its original details. We will follow their progress during Owning a Victorian in Pacifi c Heights is not for the the next few months. faint of heart. Th e need for new roofs, new plumbing, new furnaces and new water heaters sometimes make you won- der why you didn’t buy that new McMansion in Danville. But then you remember all those details that make stark — and ugly — stucco exterior. Our neighbor’s twin just like so many others in the neighborhood. And then Victorian living special: 12-foot ceilings, ornate moldings, home fortunately was spared, and to this day retains its our expert crew began to rip off the stucco from around curving stairways, rich hardwood fl oors, marble fi replaces original gingerbread. We had always wanted to replace the the garage door, but the entire front façade still has a way — all living reminders of a time when craftsmanship was missing exterior detail to mirror our twin. to go. Th e daily hammering and the knocking sets off the a priority. But there was that nagging issue of cost. dogs, but luckily it isn’t nearly as loud as we thought — and Seduced 11 years ago by a Victorian at 2032 Scott Nearly 10 years after we moved in, the house was be- thankfully, our neighbors have been extremely tolerant and Street, my partner, Sean Dowdall, and I took the bait. Th e ginning to show signs of needing a new exterior paint job. encouraging. house, built by architect Th omas Holt in 1881, was one of After receiving the estimate just for painting and then Still, despite an architect and a contractor and crew who two side-by-side twin homes — and, apparently, one of the downing a martini, we reasoned, “If we’re going to spend can make miracles happen, we have already: ■ fi rst houses on the block. Th e legend is that Holt built the that much money, let’s do the exterior the way we’ve always lost our normal entrance to our house, ■ twin houses for his two daughters — and after they moved wanted.” moved all our furniture away from the windows so in, they didn’t speak. We contacted our architect and contractor — and the that we’re living in only two rooms, ■ Since then, the house has had many incarnations. At new estimate for the entire renovation was 10 times that had budget overruns, ■ one point, the building is said to have housed an illegal of the original paint job. But by then, we knew this was gone without mail for days, and ■ abortion clinic downstairs. It became a rooming house something we had to do — not just for ourselves, but for found one morning that the hedge on our property during the Depression. In the 1980s, it was equipped with our glorious old house, too. line had fallen into the driveway. a recording studio for fi nancial magnate Warren Buff ett’s So we began the renovation on April 24. And we are — And that’s during just the fi rst few weeks. Our contrac- son, Peter Buff ett. perhaps foolishly — living in the house during the process. tor promises the project will be completed by the begin- Over the past decade, as we slowly renovated every Our contractor fi rst tore the steps away from our front ning of August. Once it’s done, it’ll be worth it. room on the inside, the most important renovation still door. We now enter our house through the side entrance, Or so they say. lay ahead. not an easy maneuver with two dogs and a morning cup of Somewhere along the way, probably in the 1930s or coff ee. Next, he dismantled the planter boxes in front and David Landis lives and works in the neighborhood. He owns 1940s, the Victorian detail had been denuded from the ex- jackhammered the driveway, which is now a 5-foot high Landis Communications Inc., a San Francisco-based consumer terior in the name of modernism and replaced with a very sand dune. We now search for parking for hours on end, public relations agency.

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June 2006 NEW FILLMORE 13

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PRO. BLACK 169657 VBP 1 169657_A 05/22/06 HW ■ ON THE PLUS SIDE

Th e Art of Not Doing It BY HANK BASAYNE So why do I deny myself such an agree- able experience? Maybe I believe that the Said Nike: “Just Do It!” But more often job must be perfectly executed, and I’m not than not, I manage not to. At least not now, sure I can be perfect. Maybe doing nothing not right away. feels safer than risking failure. Maybe I’m Like you, I do make plans. I do write just not a very good person and people will my to-do lists. I know the outcomes I want. fi nd that out when they see my imperfect I even know that valuable Swiss Cheese work. thing — the way a little mouse gets to eat It’s clear to me that this kind of de- the big piece of cheese — by breaking up lay, this self-sabotage, is based on fear — a big task into a series of smaller tasks. I dreading failure or maybe being afraid of know how to start. success. If I do this well, will everyone then But the dishes want washing, I only have expect me to always do well? Who needs two more chapters to fi nish the book I’m that pressure? reading, I haven’t talked to Aunt Lucy in a But no matter how I conspire with my- long time, maybe I should call her now. self to push away this chore, there is the Having ambled through almost eight small, persistent, nagging voice saying, “Id- decades, I fi nd that my iot, you’re going to have patience with myself is to do it sooner or later,” wearing thin. I’m in- or, “You know this isn’t creasingly annoyed with the best use of your time myself for continuing to right now.” Th at unkind repeat old patterns that Too late in the day, inner voice is a sure sign make me feel anxious I’m slogging through and frustrated. You’d or the week, or my the Slough of Procras- think that by now I life, to start? tination. would have developed Too late in the day, the self-discipline to or the week, or my life, just do what needs to to start? Need a coff ee be done without fuss: break fi rst? Not enough updating the will, getting the taxes out on time to fi nish this project, so why begin? time, getting the car serviced before it’s Now, when I hear those kinds of questions too late. in my head, an alarm sounds. It signals the You’d think so, but you’d be wrong. fork in the road: this way to putting it off Th ere are so many other things I could one more time; that way, the high road. possibly enjoy in this next hour. I could lis- Moment of Decision. Instant of Choice. ten to some music — really listen, not just And I’ve found that taking the high have it on in the background. I could go for road doesn’t necessarily mean climbing the a walk — exercise is good for me, it’s too whole mountain. It can mean just getting nice a day to spend indoors and the weather started. Sitting down at the desk. Turning Thinking about replacing your current may not be as good tomorrow. I could just on the computer. Writing the date, maybe take a brief nap — I’d have more oomph to the title. Th ere! I’ve begun. Now I give my- floor covering with beautiful hardwood confront the must-do task afterward, and self permission to take three seconds for or refinishing your floors? I’d do a better job after a little rest. Maybe self-congratulation, then get on with it. just a small snack before I begin — to boost Maybe it’s a concession to my accumu- my energy and make me more effi cient. lated years, but in a continuing campaign DESIGNER FLOORS, INC. I can think of hundreds of ways to de- to be kinder to myself — reducing stress 700 TOLAND STREET lay doing certain things, and I bet you’ve and crisis and tension wherever possible used one or two of them, too. Staring at — I seek to put down the burden of frus- SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124 TV, emailing friends, adding to my blog or tration my own behavior causes. Included 415-641-1779 reading the blogs of others, window shop- in that bundle is my age-old habit of delay �� e-mail:[email protected] ping — just the tip of the top of the list. and avoidance. Th e word “procrastinate” comes�� from As the sand trickles through my per- www.designerfloorsinc.com the Latin root for “tomorrow,” meaning to sonal hourglass, I’m increasingly opposed put off from day to day, to postpone,�� to�� de- to cluttering up tomorrow with today’s un- Come and visit our flooring showroom fer. Yes, they dawdled in those ancient days, done stuff . As an ancient sage queried: “If Open 11 – 5 Monday – Friday or by appointment too; nothing new here. But why? After all, not now, when?” I know the delight of checking something off the list. Doing the task itself can be sat- Hank Basayne is an active senior in the isfying, even if it’s not exactly my idea of neighborhood and a minister with the Hu- fun at the time. manist Society of Friends.

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14 NEW FILLMORE June 2006 NEIGHBORHOOD HISTORY

Exactly 100 years ago: June 1906 Fillmore & Sutter, looking north

The earthquake of April 18, 1906, and the resulting fi re devastated most of downtown San Francisco and forced businesses to fi nd temporary locations elsewhere. Fillmore Street, largely unaffected by the earthquake and untouched by the fi re, quickly became “the new Market Street.” Businesses crowded into existing buildings, sharing whatever quarters they could fi nd, in an attempt to restore a semblance of normality to the city.This photo, taken two months after the earthquake in June 1906, shows Fillmore Street, looking north from Sutter. The San Francisco Chronicle opened its temporary offi ce in a stationery store at 1804 Sutter on April 22, as the last embers of the fi re were still smoldering. Real estate agents, jewelers, banks, insurance agents, “typewriters” (typists) and other businesses soon followed, their temporary signs dominating the street. The Relay tobacco and liquor store on the corner undoubtedly experienced increased business, while Dr. Cafferata, the dentist upstairs, apparently believed he could profi t by renting out his now valuable location. – ROBERT OAKS, author of San Francisco’s Fillmore District (Arcadia, 2005)

■ WALKING TOUR HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS Th e Cows of Cow Hollow of PACIFIC HEIGHTS Dairy ranch houses still stand in Pacifi c Heights For a new book and exhibition, we are seeking historic family photographs from Pacifi c Heights. If you have photographs you are willing to share, or BY CHARLES A. FRACCHIA a lake with a waterfall and an island. suggestions about photographs that may exist elsewhere, please let us know. Th is estate was dominated by the stately, Elegant Pacifi c Heights — and its three-story Italianate home with its rus- THOMAS REYNOLDS GALLERY northern slope, known as Cow Hollow ticated exterior, once fl ecked with black — are not thought of as bucolic pastures. paint to give the eff ect of stone — yet [email protected] or 441-4093 And yet, during the 19th century, Pacifi c another example of the dominance of the Heights and Cow Hollow (whence the classical style in San Francisco in the 1850s name) contained numerous farming and and 1860s. dairy establishments. It is said that many of the construction Th eir history is marked today by 19th materials were obtained from abandoned century homes that once served as farm- ships. Massive ship timbers support its four houses. Some are modest classical cot- corners and mast-like uprights run from tages; another is the substantial home of the ground through the attic, reinforced by a “gentleman farmer” — two ends of the heavy beams placed diagonally. spectrum of early-day agrarian ventures in 4Proceed north on Pierce Street, San Francisco. which was once the country road leading to 4Start at 2457 PACIFIC, near Steiner, Washerwoman’s Lagoon, where the clothes where the Leale House sits on a high rise of San Franciscans were washed during the of land that was nev- Gold Rush. er graded. It takes its 4Turn left on Union name from John Leale, Want a guide? Street. Halfway up the a ferryboat captain who San Francisco Architec- block at 2460 UNION is purchased the house in tural Heritage conducts a a house built in 1872, 1883. two-hour guided walk- probably for a prosper- �� It was probably built ing tour of Cow Hollow ous farmer. in the 1850s as a farm- on the third Saturday of Th e house formerly �� house for a 25-acre each month beginning at stood on a knoll in the dairy ranch. While it 1:30 p.m. Cost is $8, or middle of the block, but �� appears small, it has $5 for seniors and chil- was moved to face Union dren 12 and under. Call four bedrooms, a library, Street. In the back is a 415.441.3000 x24 or con- �� living room and dining tact natasha@sfheritage. cottage that served at room. org. one time as a kitchen �� Th e false-front, Itali- and servants’ quarters. anate house has the clas- Meals were brought to sical elements typical of the main house through San Francisco architecture in the 1850s a covered passageway. �� and 1860s, which dominate the remaining 4Turn and walk east to 2036-38 farmhouses in the city. UNION, which was yet another dairy ranch 4Walk a block west to Pierce Street, house. Built in 1874, and possibly incor- �� turn right, then two blocks north on Pierce. porating parts of an even earlier house, it Stop at 2727 PIERCE. Behind two towering now contains shops and offi ces. So does the �� palm trees, in the midst of a well-cultivated barn in the rear. garden, stands the Casebolt House. Th is house was built by James W. Cud- Henry Casebolt, a Virginia blacksmith, worth, a prominent dairy rancher and �� came to San Francisco during the Gold member of the Board of Supervisors. �� Rush. He prospered as an entrepreneur. 4Another Cudworth house is on the Among his ventures was the “balloon car,” next block, at 1980 UNION. Actually these a round omnibus pulled by horses. are three houses, unifi ed into one about a Building his house in Cow Hollow in half century ago. Two were identical wed- 1865-66 was considered an adventurous ding presents for his two daughters. move to an area far removed from developed San Francisco. It stood alone in slop- Charles A. Fracchia, a neighbor, author and �� ing fi elds, vegetable gardens and cow pas- professor, is the founder and president emeri- �� tures — but not entirely alone, for Casebolt tus of the San Francisco Museum and Histori- also built a barn and a windmill and created cal Society. June 2006 NEW FILLMORE 15 ANTIQUES & DOLLS PHOTOGRAPHY Narumi Japanese Antiques Covelli Productions 1902-B Fillmore 346-8629 1767 Union 860-9503

ACCOUNTING REAL ESTATE California Accounting Keynote Properties Center CPAs 1801 Fillmore 563-5900 Union & Buchanan 474-1111 McCauley, Wilson & Butterfield 2190 Bush 346-6300 BANKS Union Bank of California McGuire Real Estate 1675 Post 202-0350 2001 Lombard St. 296-0123 Wells Fargo Bank Robert L. Speer 2100 Fillmore 396-4453 & Associates 864-3663

BOOKS SERVICE STATION Browser Books Pacific Heights Chevron 2195 Fillmore 567-8027 California & Steiner 567-1136

CATS & DOGS RESTAURANTS Pets Unlimited Curbside Cafe 2343 Fillmore 563-6700 2417 California 929-9030 Curbside Too CHURCH 2769 Lombard 921-4442 Unity Church & Bookstore 2222 Bush 474-0440 La Cave 1345 Bush 923-1375 CLEANERS & LAUNDRY India Palace Pacific Heights Cleaners 1740 Fillmore 567-7789 2437 Fillmore 567-5999 La Méditerranée CLOTHING 2210 Fillmore 921-2956 Mio Inc. Mozzarella DiBufala 2035 Fillmore 931-5620 1529 Fillmore 346-9888 COSMETICS Osaka Neja 1923 Fillmore 346-6788 1850 Fillmore 345-8301 Pizza Inferno 1800 Fillmore 775-1800 EYEWEAR Invision Optometry Vivande Porta Via 1907 Fillmore 563-9003 2125 Fillmore 346-4430 Wong, Totsubo, & Hom TAX SERVICES 1826 Buchanan 931-1903 Complete Business Services 1734 Divisadero 202-8555 HARDWARE Fillmore Hardware THRIFT STORE 1930 Fillmore 346-5240 Goodwill 1700 Fillmore 441-2159 HEALTH & HEALING The Healing Store 2300 California 600-1311 Vitamin Express 2047 Fillmore 922-3811

HOTEL Queen Anne Hotel 1590 Sutter 441-2828

HOME FURNISHINGS Pacific Heights Interiors 1942 Divisadero 409-2277

LINGERIE Toujours 2484 Sacramento 346-3988

MUSIC The Piano Care Company 2011 Divisadero 567-1800

PACKING & SHIPPING Jet Mail 2130 Fillmore 922-9402 The UPS Store 2443 Fillmore 922-6245