NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS HOME & GARDEN BOOKS Hilltop remodel A jazzy new My mother sparks opposition pad in the sky the showgirl

PAGE 3 PAGE 13 PAGE 15 New FILLMORE SAN FRANCISCO ■ AUGUST 2007

ALONE TOGETHER

C      

B M C-D

 B, 57, a minister, takes the bus from his home Din the Castro to , e Grove on Fillmore every Friday. He says his concentration mysteriously improves when he leaves his offi ce. “I have no idea why it works,” Brown says. “But whatever distractions there are here — the people, the noise — they don’t need my attention. I can enjoy the commotion and then get back to work.” ■ Up and down Fillmore Street, coff ee shops are doubling as offi ces for people looking for both the alone time they need to work productively and the camaraderie of being with other

Photographs by MINA PAHLEVAN / 12studios.com Photographs by MINA PAHLEVAN people.

A corner offi ce with beverages at Royal Ground, above. Top: Alone, yet not alone, at The Grove. TO PAGE 8 A POET’S RETORT

Irregular Heartbeats Can Be Treated Over 3 million Americans suffer from heart arrhythmia, decreasing their quality of life with a lack of energy and

shortness of breath. FRANCES TAUBER The Electrophysiology Program at California Pacific Poets reading at Minnie’s Can-Do Club on Fillmore, circa 1972. Medical Center helps detect and treat the problem, using such methods as: ■ Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy, which  e Can-Do Lives On synchronizes and restores the heart’s mechanical sequence, helping the heart to work more efficiently Our July feature on a beloved Fillmore joint ■ Catheter Ablation, which removes the abnormal circuits or tissues that start and maintain abnormal, stirred memories — including a poet’s who was there fast heart rhythms ■ Cardiac Defibrillator Implantation, which monitors B P H gifted and the unknown. Some may the heart rhythm, stops dangerous, fast heart remember Sylvester, a fl ashy performer ’ C-D C of disco, fi rst black and openly, quite rhythms and can also function as pacemakers needs women!” deliriously happily gay. After his debut ■ Atrial Fibrillation Ablation, which isolates and “M , e voice of John at Minnie’s he went on to a fame too destroys abnormal areas in the left atrium, Ross, a pied piper of poetry in the early brief, dying of AIDS among that fi rst pulmonary veins and superior vena cava 1970s, rang in the small room at 17 tragic wave of that sad plague. For more information, or to schedule a procedure, Columbus Avenue, where our raffi sh About that story of John Lennon poetry group met. and Yoko Ono visiting Minnie’s: please call 415-441-6012 My fi rst thought was of that cheapo , ere’s a little controversy there. We www.cpmc.org sci-fi movie, “Mars Needs Women.” all heard how Yoko had banished John Beyond Medicine. , en I gulped. “I’m one of those. to California in the company of May Where is it?” Pang, who looked mysteriously glum I took Muni, which let me off one in all the photos. If Yoko did show up block away from California & Fillmore. at Minnie’s, it was under the radar of I knew this neighborhood. At that common gossip. time the Goodwill was right across the On occasion Minnie would put on Experience Senior Living at its Finest street. a feast, with scrumptious food from a As I entered, it was dim. A row of nearby West Indian cafe — big pots working men at the bar all turned their of steaming spicy island food. Goat? heads and watched me politely, but Maybe. with curiosity. I wore a long fl owery As Minnie said, it was all about dress, boots, and had really long hair. the dancing. We read to jazz groups Maybe I am on Mars, I thought. dancing, some on stage. After the Sunshein, the organizer, greeted me readings, I remember boogying with pleasantly and had me sign up on the men, women, short, tall, gay and list of poets. I looked around and saw straight, a rainbow of dancers, our the only other woman there was our bodies another kind of poetry. benefactor, Minnie Baker. Minnie let me do a solo reading I wish I could remember which once. It was probably my best ever. poems I read. Total blank there. Nice What an audience! I still see their faces, sound of applause from other poets and hear them calling out for this or that even the men at the bar. poem. We all had such a good time. Looking at my old calendar, I see Years later, 1998 or so, riding to I did not go every Wednesday at fi rst. my swing shift job at a hotel, I heard But soon it was necessary. Almost a voice I thought at fi rst to be a man instantly it became a rip-roaring, shouting to himself. Please join us to learn more about one of San Francisco’s premier nonstop wonder, everything from “, ese women dance, oh these condominium retirement communities for independent seniors – Beat to the at fi rst timid, then more women dance …” recently updated with a brand new look. The facade has just powerful, voices of women, gays, It sounded familiar. I turned and received a stunning face-lift and there is much more in store for people of all colors — from sonnets saw one of the poets from Minnie’s, to the kind of rap people did then, Jerry Ferraz the troubadour, with his The Carlisle. Tour our lovely condominiums, featuring premier extemporaneous, sometimes angry, ever-present guitar. He was reciting one amenities and breathtaking views of the city and the Bay. wildly inventive, sometimes sweet, jazzy of my poems from Minnie’s. and all about love. I almost wept. Minnie’s never dies. The new Carlisle will feature a wine room, grille, cafe, After a while ruth weiss took over cinema and a wellness/ fitness center. Take advantage of our as emcee. We formed a friendship that Phyllis Holliday was possibly the fi rst pre-renovation rates while our condo prices are as low as has lasted to this day. woman poet to read at Minnie’s Can-Do Minnie off ered opportunities to the Club. they ever will be. Now is the best time to buy!

THE NEW FILLMORE 2130 Fillmore Street #202 ■ San Francisco, CA 94115 415 / 441-6070 RCFE #385600359 editors@newfi llmore.com CCRC# 216 NOW MANAGED BY SUNRISE SENIOR LIVING Editors Barbara Kate Repa & Thomas R. Reynolds The Carlisle 415-929-0200 1450 Post Street, San Francisco, CA 94109 Art Director Ginny Lindsay Independent Living • Continuing Care Retirement Community News Editor Don Langley A Sunrise Senior Living Condominium Proofreader Donna Gillespie For more information and a FREE online newsletter, Advertising inquiries ads@newfi llmore.com or 441-6070 Published on the fi rst weekend of each month. Deadline: 20th of prior month visit www.sunriseseniorliving.com Member of the San Francisco Neighborhood Newspaper Association

2 NEW FILLMORE August 2007 NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS Local Groups 14,000 sq. ft. Come 2gether Renovation to Create a Draws Fire New Coalition

Neighbors object to   organization encom- 8-story glass walls passing all of the neighborhood Aand merchant groups in District 2 above Vallejo Street is being formed. Although the district sprawls from Sea- cliff to the crooked part of Lombard Street,  of the home at 60 Nor- the local associations share mutual con- mandie Terrace have hired an at- cerns. , eir leaders believe a united front Ntorney to oppose the owner’s plans will give them more clout at City Hall. for a massive remodel. , e fl edgling operation has been named Although the address is on a cul-de-sac 2gether. It is modeled on SF5Together, off Broadway between Scott and Divis- which similarly ties together the neighbor- adero, its north side towers over Vallejo hoods groups in District 5. Street atop a high retaining wall, a location Unlike SF5Together, which has discus- that makes it highly visible. sions but doesn’t take positions, the consen- , e owner’s $2 million remodeling sus at a July 12 organizational meeting was plan calls for cutting through the retaining that 2gether should take positions on vari- wall to build a new multi-level garage, as ous issues. Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier, well as a complete interior remodel add- who attended, said taking a stand would ing height on its west and south sides. , e require compromise, but would show the result would rise nearly eight stories above group’s strength. Vallejo Street. , e group will model its bylaws after According to Stephen Williams, the Neighborhood Association for Presidio attorney representing the objecting neigh- Planning, another umbrella group drawing bors, the Vallejo side of the renovated representatives from multiple associations. property “will take on the appearance of a A poll of attendees elicited an array of downtown glass high-rise.” Williams said topics to address. the proposed changes would allow the Greg Scott, president of the Pacifi c owner “to strip every exterior element from Heights Residents Association, pointed to the existing building and to clad the build- the need to improve the city’s infrastruc- ing in glass.” ture — sewers, water and streets, as well as In a letter to the Planning Department, Muni — before increasing housing density Williams argued that the proposed reno- through zoning changes. A transformation is proposed at 60 Normandie Terrace, which rises above Vallejo Street. vation “essentially amounts to a complete Lynne Newhouse Segal, a director of dismantling and reconstruction of the ex- the residents association who chaired the isting home . . . and an addition of approxi- context in its scope, scale, massing and de- , e front of the building, facing Nor- meeting, listed California Pacifi c Medi- mately 6,500 square feet to the building.” sign with all of the surrounding buildings.” mandie Terrace, already exceeds the al- cal Center’s massive building plans as a , e present building encompasses 7,800 , e project would require a variance lowed height because of earlier remodeling topic of primary concern to the group. square feet. because the multi-story garage opening done without permits, according to Wil- Paul Wermer, also a director of the Williams says the project violates nu- onto Vallejo Street would be closer to the liams. Neighbors objected too late to stop residents association, said the Planning merous provisions of the city’s residential property line than allowed by the building the project and the permit was issued ret- Department is reviewing policies for neigh- design guidelines and is “hopelessly out of code. roactively. borhood commercial districts, but seeking no input from the neighborhoods. Bob David, founder of the Golden Gate Japantown Fair Returns  is Month for 34th Year Valley neighborhood group and a board member of Neighborhood Association for  2007 Nihonmachi Street Fair the fair is an important annual fund raiser. will be San Francisco Taiko Dojo, the re- Presidio Planning, asked for better coordi- will take over Post and Webster Another major attraction is handmade nowned drum group, which will be on stage nation of big events. He was seconded by Tstreets in Japantown on the week- crafts, all with an Asian fl air, created by ar- from 3:30 to 4:15 Saturday afternoon. Pete Marina residents, who complained that too end of August 11 and 12. tisans from all over the Bay Area and from Escovedo closes out the Saturday schedule, many noisy events are being scheduled on For many visitors, the prime attraction as far away as Hawaii. performing from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Marina Green. of the fair, now in its 34th year, is the array Musical entertainment will run contin- , e children’s world section of the fair From the three dozen people attending, of Asian food prepared and sold by social uously from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., opening on teaches Asian culture through games and Lynne Segal assembled a steering commit- service agencies serving the Asian-Pacifi c Saturday with the West Coast Lion Dance arts and crafts. tee of Bertie Campbell Ward and Melinda American communities of the Bay Area. and ending Sunday with Jorge Santana & Information tables for community or- LaValle from Cathedral Hill, Mark Sher- Delicacies include , ai noodles, teriyaki Friends. ganizations and public service groups will man from Cow Hollow, Bob David from corn and teri burgers. For the agencies, Among the most popular performers line Post Street. Golden Gate Valley and herself. Fillmore Loses a Jazz Legend  , a much-loved jazzman was the fi rst drummer at Jimbo’s Bop City, the from the glory days of the Fillmore jazz legendary after-hours club in the Fillmore. Escene — and a major supporter of eff orts Even as the jazz scene cooled, Watkins was to revitalize the Fillmore jazz district — will be able to keep a full calendar, playing the Claremont remembered August 19 at a musical celebration of Hotel in Oakland for seven years and, more his life. He died July 1. recently, every Sunday until last September at Watkins was born in 1920 and grew up in the Scott’s Seafood restaurant in Oakland. Fillmore. He learned to play the drums while “His vivid memories of the vital jazz scene he was in his teens and became a professional in the Fillmore were the essence of love and musician. During World War II, he worked in the understanding of what made the Fillmore jazz shipyards during the day and in the clubs at night. scene great,” said Peter Fitzsimmons, executive One memorable evening, he played an impromptu director of the new Fillmore Jazz Heritage Center, jam session with Billie Holiday and musicians where Watkins was a founding board member. from the Jimmy Lunceford Band. His life will be celebrated on Sunday, August After the war he worked at the Story Club, the 19, from noon to 4 p.m. at Scott’s at Jack London Blackhawk, the Say When and the Cotton Club, Square in Oakland. Call 575-0777 for more Drummer Earl Watkins and his quartet in 1953. now the Great American Music Hall. In 1950 he information.

August 2007 NEW FILLMORE 3 ■ CRIME WATCH Western Addition Burglary offi cers arrested could be seen rummaging when a vehicle drove up behind their patrol Franklin and Turk Streets through the store. , e suspect was booked car and stopped, blocking the intersection. Patrols Blamed June 7, 2:27 p.m. at Northern Station. An offi cer signaled the driver to move on. A homeowner called the police to report , e driver told the offi cer she was wait- for Other Crimes that an intruder had kicked in the back Weapon and Drug Arrest ing to park her car in the spot where the door of his residence and was taking his Van Ness Avenue and Pine Street patrol car was stopped. , e offi cer pointed   combat crime on the property. One offi cer met with the home- June 22, 11:53 p.m. out that the curb was painted red and that southern end of Fillmore Street owner while the other pursued the intruder. Offi cers observed a man riding his bi- the parking space was not legal. , e driver Ein the Western Addition are being , e offi cer took a position in the back yard cycle on the sidewalk, which is a traffi c responded, “I live in the neighborhood. I blamed for a spike in crime at the northern and, after a short wait, the suspect emerged violation. When they detained him to is- park here all the time. You can’t tell me not end of the street in Cow Hollow and the from the door with a fresh load of property. sue a citation, they saw he was holding an to park here.” Marina. When questioned, the man told the offi cer, open container of alcohol. A pat-search for , e offi cer then observed that the driver Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier fi led a “I thought this place was abandoned.” , e weapons uncovered a dagger concealed in was exhibiting signs of intoxication. He formal letter of inquiry with the San Fran- suspect was booked at Northern Station. his back pocket, which is a felony. Offi cers initiated an investigation, asking the driver cisco Police Department July 24 asking the arrested the man, and during the inven- for her license, registration and proof of in- police to study whether legislation requir- Assault With a Weapon tory search that followed, they found crack surance. As she handed him her license, she ing more foot patrols in the Western Ad- Franklin and Larch Streets cocaine, drug paraphernalia and stolen stated, “, is is all I have to give you. I’m a dition and elsewhere is responsible for a June 13, 7:20 a.m. identifi cation. , e bicyclist was booked at lawyer. You have no right to stop me. I don’t surge in violent crime in her district. A man had just found an empty parking County Jail. care if you are cops. You don’t know the law , at same night the supervisor orga- place. But as he drove toward it, another like I do. I spent three years in law school. nized a public meeting to hear from Ma- car raced in and attempted to park there. Burglary What did you do?” , e offi cer then asked rina and Cow Hollow residents alarmed by Both men emerged from their cars and be- Gough and Elm Streets her to take a sobriety test. When she re- a spate of armed robberies and muggings gan a shouting match peppered with pro- June 26, 3:55 a.m. peatedly refused to do so, she was arrested, by masked assailants. About 70 residents fanity. , e suspect drove off , but returned Offi cers received a report that someone given a blood test, and booked at County packed the room, along with four represen- a few minutes later, brandishing a gun and was trespassing at a construction site. When Jail. tatives of the Police Department, including shouting, “, is is because you said, ‘Fuck they arrived, they found a man walking Capt. Kevin Dillon, commander of North- you!’ ” , e suspect then fl ed. within the fenced-off site who was carrying Burglary ern Station, whose transfer was announced a burlap sack. When questioned, the man Pine and Buchanan Streets the next day. Dillon exchanged positions Burglary said he was the security guard’s friend. But July 2, 11:38 p.m. with Croce (Al) Casciato, the night super- Van Ness Avenue and Sutter Street when offi cers located the security guard, Offi cers responded to a report of a bur- visory captain, eff ective July 30. June 17, 6:30 a.m. the suspect changed his story, telling them glary in progress. On arrival, offi cers found , e supervisor’s letter of inquiry spe- Offi cers received a report of a burglary he had missed the last BART train to Oak- abandoned property that had been discard- cifi cally asked whether the foot patrol leg- in progress. Upon arrival, they discovered land and was intending to sleep on the site ed in the yard. , ey then located a possible islation, passed in January, “has taken patrol a man emerging from the shattered glass — despite posted no trespassing signs. , e suspect riding his bike a block away. After offi cers out of the Marina and Cow Hol- door of a store. , e man saw the offi cers security guard asked the offi cers to arrest meeting with the witnesses and property low neighborhoods and/or has diverted po- and dropped some coins he had been carry- the man for trespassing. A search revealed owners, offi cers determined that the man lice attention from the area.” She asked for ing. One offi cer arrested the man and con- the man was carrying burglary tools. He had burglarized three residences, several a comparison of response times within the tacted the owner of the business. A review was booked at Northern Station. garages and a car. , e property dropped in relevant period, as well as the rate of crime. of the store’s video showed that the suspect the yard matched the victims’ descriptions Northern Station covers large portions they caught was the second burglar to en- Driving Under the Infl uence of the items that had been stolen. Several of both District 2 and District 5. While ter the premises; 30 minutes earlier, anoth- Bush and Octavia Streets witnesses positively identifi ed the suspect, crime statistics for the area are actually er man had smashed the glass and stolen June 27, 2:23 a.m. who was arrested and booked at Northern down, the violence of the rash of attacks is some cash. When he left, the suspect the Offi cers had parked near an intersection Station. “unprecedented,” the supervisor said. St. Dominic’s Catholic Church

t. Dominic’s Parish warmly invites you to worship August in our beautiful Gothic church. (and a little bit of July)

Weekday Masses: 6:30 & 8:00 am & 5:30 pm is St. Dominic’s Month! Morning Prayer: 7:15 am (weekdays); 8:00 am (Saturday) Sunday, July 29 Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: Mondays & Wednesdays: 8:30 am & 6:00 pm • First Fridays: 9:00 pm (Sign-up required) DEDICATION OF ST. DOMINIC’S CHURCH (Anniversary) Sunday Masses: Saturday evening: 5:30 pm (Vigil), 7:30 am (Quiet), 9:30 am (Family Mass), 11:30 am (Solemn Mass), Archbishop Niederauer presides 1:30 pm (St. Jude Pilgrim Mass in Spanish), 5:30 pm (Contemporary music), at 11:30 a.m. Solemn Mass 9:00 pm (Taizé music by candlelight) Sunday, August 5 FEAST OF ST. DOMINIC Special celebrations in honor of our holy founder

Wednesday, August 8 ANNUAL ST. DOMINIC LECTURE, 7:30 p.m. Fr. Robert Christian, O.P. “Limbo: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow?”

Wednesday, August 15 FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION Masses at 6:30, 8:00 a.m., 5:30 p.m.; & Tues. Aug. 14, 5:30 p.m. Mass & Concert, 7:30 p.m. St. Dominic’s Solemn Mass Choir

Saturday, August 25 MEDIEVAL MEAL, 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, August 29 PRAYER CONCERT, 7:30 p.m. (dessert reception to follow) St. Dominic’s Contemporary Mass Choir

2390 Bush St. (at Steiner) • (415) 567-7824 • Free Parking • www.stdominics.org

4 NEW FILLMORE August 2007 ■ PETS Foxtail Hunt Set in Lafayette Park

   by the large number of dogs hurt and maimed by foxtails growing in Lafayette SPark, a neighborhood group has organized a work day this month to root out the pesky grass. Foxtails are thistle-like weeds that cling to dogs — es- The sad story of pecially those with long fur. , ey get in paws and ears, up noses and sometimes in mouths or eyes, usually caus- Dudley and the foxtail ing considerable irritation, sometimes infection and oc- Although foxtails can usually be pulled or casionally death. , ey proliferate in Lafayette Park and cut from a dog’s fur, sometimes they can elsewhere in the city. cause extreme problems. One Lafayette Park Friends of Lafayette Park and others interested in neighbor, Ming Chapin, said foxtails ravaged helping will search out and destroy foxtails from 9 a.m. her beloved dog, Dudley (above). to noon on Saturday, August 4. Volunteers are urged to “Dudley got a foxtail in his paw,” she gather at the picnic tables near Washington and Laguna. said, “but along with it he got the gangrene bacteria. The foxtail was removed, but in Tully’s will supply coff ee and pastries. Friends will pro- less than 72 hours, the bacteria had eaten vide gloves and tools. Hill and Company Realtors will of- most of his paw. It felt like an ice cube and fer bottled water. was black as night, while his arm was hot , e group will commence its foxtail sweep near the and swollen.” dog play area on the southeast corner of the park. , e When Dudley’s temperature shot to 107 degrees, his caretakers wrapped him in a weeding eff ort will also cover other parts of the park. cold towel to bring it down. He was also Deborah Guardian, a regular visitor to the park with given massive doses of multiple antibiotics her dog, said the worst area for foxtails is the walkway for 10 days to clear the aggressive infection. along Washington Street and the path above that. “We even went to Carson City, Nevada, “I’d say those are the most treacherous, but lately I see to have him treated in a hypobaric oxygen these buggers everywhere,” Guardian said. Pesky foxtails grow along the Lafayette Park pathways above chamber,” said Chapin. “But after a week, Washington Street — but not for long. A cleanup is planned. the doctor advised that he would have to Most frequently, dogs are injured when they ingest a take the leg to save Dudley’s life.” foxtail or get one in their nose or ear. Some dogs get fox- Dudley was fi ve and a half years old tails in their paws, with the plant’s burr getting under the skin, in various parts of its body, the last time at the elbow. , e vet when his leg was amputated, and he lived eventually becoming surrounded by scar tissue. took an aggressive approach, opening up the dog’s leg to fi nd happily for another seven years. Tom Mason, director of veterinary services at Pets Un- the problem was a foxtail that had worked its way up from “He did everything he’d always done,” limited on Fillmore Street, said the hospital gets two or three the paw. said Chapin. “But in January ’06, he developed hemangiosarcoma on his liver cases a week during foxtail season, which lasts from spring A fl yer about Friends of Lafayette Park’s clean-up eff ort and heart, so I had to give him wings and let into fall. inspired Ashley Hayden, an employee of Pets Unlimited, to him go. My heart is still broken, but on the Mason said the hospital treated one dog with an infection round up a crew of other employees and volunteers to assist at mend.” in the chest cavity that stemmed from a foxtail. Another dog Lafayette Park — and to extend the eff ort soon to Alta Plaza had an abscess that showed up three times in three months Park.

Fillmore Hardware

Gas & Charcoal Grills $15 - $499

More than a hardware store 1930 Fillmore Street (between Pine & Bush) • 346-5240 Serving the neighborhood since 1961

August 2007 NEW FILLMORE 5 RETAIL REPORT Some of the Best of the City Is Located Nearby

   published July 25, the gets special mention for providing luxury ter, will likely take cues and share accolades here. , e store is hailed for its “impressive weekly Bay Guardian off ered up its with a low price tag. “A full day of relaxing with its established sibling in Oakland. selection of pretty sterling silver earrings in Iown and its readers’ picks for the in the baths can be had for as little as $20,” Readers rated its Manhattans top drawer, a variety of classic styles, all priced around Best of San Francisco. , is year’s notables the Guardian notes, along with the some- its sushi fresh and its jazz red hot, adding: $25.” included several present — and past and what puzzling assertion that “single-sex “, e sound is always excellent, there’s not a future — neighborhood attractions. bathing does wonders for the skin.” bad seat in the house and the musicians are Best Spot to Feather Your You-Know- class acts all the way.” What: Nest, 2300 Fillmore Best Peruvian Restaurant Best New Restaurant ■ If presentation is everything, the Guard- Fresca, 2114 Fillmore NOPA, 560 Divisadero In addition to its picks for Best of the ian has found everything in Nest, report- In a mix of fear and love, Fresca’s menu As its name makes clearish, this blazing Bay in categories ranging from Best Vegan ing: “, e whole store is set up to encourage was dubbed intimidating and its exten- hot dining establishment is located North Restaurant to Best After-Hours Club, a browsing, so every time you look at a shelf, sive ceviche selection labeled “particularly of the Panhandle, and is owned and oper- Guardian staff er also reviewed the Pacifi c you spot something you didn’t see before, daunting.” But there was an acknowledge- ated by Laurence Jossel, the original chef at Heights neighborhood, seeming to come like a sheaf of paper masks tucked behind a ment that “if it swims or slithers in the sea, former Fillmore favorite Chez Nous. Bay away more fl ummoxed than wowed. Not- stack of blank journals.” it’s served fresh at this tiny chain.” Guardian readers applaud its “consistently ing fi rst the well coiff ed and well clad dogs friendly service, innovative cocktails and walking along upper Fillmore, and taken Best Four-Legged Window Shopping Best Veterinarian lofty jaw-dropping decor” while acknowl- aback by the cost of a frock in a Fillmore Pets Unlimited, 2343 Fillmore Pets Unlimited, 2343 Fillmore edging that the food — and its prices — boutique, the reviewer concludes: “Such , is place for pets was a double win- Care and convenience combine to make are “comfort all the way.” are the beguiling charms of this shopper’s ner in the Guardian’s eyes — acclaimed this newly rehabbed and expanded pet care paradise, whose main drag boasts an eye- by readers and the reviewer alike, who was facility a top pick in the city. Gushes the Best Cheese Shop popping array of joints where disposable taken in by the windows that “off er the op- Guardian: “Preventive and emergency care Cowgirl Creamery, formerly at income can be disposed of, including bou- portunity to peruse the adoptable cat and is available around the clock from a staff of 2413 California, now at Ferry Building tiques devoted to single brands of make- dog populations, whose photos and allur- 14 full-time veterinarians who’ll help with We had it here fi rst: the award-winning up.” ingly cute names are featured alongside everything from treating splinters to set- cheese selections churned, shaped and aged Several spots are singled out for special tempting copy.” ting broken bones.” by Cowgirl Creamery before it uprooted mentions. and moved its city retail space to the Ferry Best Fun in Functional Best Doctor Building. Staking the claim that those who Best Cocoa Overload Zinc Details, 1905 Fillmore Michael Schrader, 2300 Sutter #301 work at the cheese shop “can make a from- Bittersweet, 2123 Fillmore , is store is exhorted for its array of , is neighborhood doc, who has been age enthusiast out of anyone,” the Guard- Particularly appreciated is the fact that budget gifts: “Check the table by the regis- practicing for more than a decade, is her- ian also lauds the free samples, gift baskets Bittersweet staff ers are able and willing ter for address books, cocktail goldfi sh and alded for making his patients “feel the most and goody bags — and the cheese: “from to steer shoppers through the thickets of 3-D cat playing cards — plus double-sided secure” and for “putting the tired and sick stinky to sweet, fl aky to creamy.” chocolate vagaries, with personal advice naughty ’n nice wrapping paper.” at ease while they mend.” and annotations on the shop’s treats. Best Jazz Club Best Zabaglione Seduction Best Day Spa Yoshi’s, opening soon at 1300 Fillmore Best Gold Mine of Sterling Silver Tango Gelato, 2015 Fillmore Kabuki Springs & Spa, 1750 Geary , is jazz club and restaurant, slated to Aumakua, 2238 Fillmore , is spot is singled out to “seduce you , is standout among the spate of spas open this fall in the Fillmore Heritage Cen- Sense and sensibility are the high notes into a dessert coma,” a good thing.

Irving This gentle wallfl ower would really blossom in an adults only home with a guardian who will respect his boundaries and love him for the sensitive soul that he is. Smart as a whip, he would truly shine in a fun training class.

2343 Fillmore Street Adoption Center: (415) 568-3058 Visit us at: www.petsunlimited.org A Non-Profi t Veterinary Hospital & Shelter

6 NEW FILLMORE August 2007 ■ NEW NEIGHBOR Ralph Lauren Replacing Smith & Hawken

  ’ store and rolling sidewalk garden at 2040 Fillmore SStreet closed July 29, deemed too small to fi t into the company’s plans for larger retail spaces that showcase its furni- ture and garden accessories. , e space will be taken over in late Sep- tember by Rugby, the newest Ralph Lauren line, launched in 2004. According to a Ralph Lauren spokes- man, Rugby, designed for both men and women, “skews younger, but is rooted in the Ralph Lauren aesthetic.” , e fall line includes polo shirts, outer- wear, sport coats, dresses and accessories, some in distressed fabrics and all bearing a monogram crest or small embroidered rug- by player. Described as “rebel preppy,” the Smith & Hawken’s Nearly overnight, a sidewalk display line is reminiscent of English prep school new boutique arrives brought plants and clothing — so much so, in fact, that several fl owers to the street. Calvin Tran, a women’s clothing British private schools complained recently The store renewed boutique, has transformed and that it was copied from their uniforms and its lease just last fall, streamlined the space formerly jerseys. but now will become occupied by Starlet. It opened its an outpost of Ralph , e Fillmore retail store space that Rug- Lauren’s new Rugby doors in late July at 1942 Fillmore. by will soon take over is about 2,700 square Tran’s boutique features “clothes label. feet — too small to accommodate Smith & that are multi-functional pieces,” according to Richard Lee (above), Hawken’s changing business model. When who opened the designer’s third the gardening store opened its fourth retail shop here. A simple wrap skirt can store occupying 10,000 square feet or more also be worn as a dress, a top or a in the last year, that became the company neighborhood for us over the years. How- company signed a new lease last fall. poncho, depending how it’s draped standard. ever, with our expansion plans and focus Talk on the street suggests that Ralph and tied. Tran has had a fl agship store in “Our customers are making an invest- on the garden, unfortunately the space just Lauren will take over both the Smith & New York for seven years, and a ment in their outdoor rooms and gardens, isn’t large enough.” Hawken space and the long-vacant shop second store in Chicago’s Lincoln so it’s important for them to sit in the teak , e decision may have been helped by next door. But an agent handling the emp- Park for about six years. Lee says he or all-weather wicker furniture collections, Ralph Lauren’s determination to come to ty space, formerly a vintage shop, said it was beckoned to the Fillmore locale get a good feel for our tool lines and see Fillmore Street. wasn’t so. — “a street with verve to it” — by fi rst-hand how our garden structure works,” “, ey paid an exorbitant amount of “No way — we’d want variety, not the faithful clientele at the two other stores who urged a San Francisco said Smith & Hawken CEO Gordon money,” said one real estate insider. same company,” she said, adding that the location. Erickson. Smith & Hawken had undertaken a family dispute that has kept the space emp- “Fillmore Street has been a wonderful six-fi gure renovation of the space when the ty for four years may be near a resolution.

August 2007 NEW FILLMORE 7 In , ese C One local’s guide

to working the street FROM PAGE 1

David Brown says he encounters a dif- BY JAMES DEKOVEN ferent group of people every Friday at , e Grove. HERE are certain people you always see wandering around On one recent Friday it is quiet, with Tthe neighborhood. You wonder, some patrons studying the fi nancial mar- “Does that guy ever work?” I’m kets while others read academic textbooks. probably one of those guys. Now, , ese could-be offi ce workers blend with it may appear I’m a slacker, but I groups having lunch and friends confi ding actually am working. As a freelance writer (www.thecomposer.com), in each other over lattes. I can work where I choose, and I On another Friday afternoon, the party often choose one of Fillmore’s many has already started for a group of young coffee shops. Here are my favorite professionals launching an early happy hour spots — and why. outside in the sunshine. Inside, some of the patrons have set up makeshift workspaces PEET’S, 2197 Fillmore: As a self- employed writer with no real — complete with laptops, phones, paper- friends, Peet’s is my ideal satellite work — and some with beer or wine, not offi ce. The locals and friendly staff a combination that usually works at the of- create the warm offi ce environment fi ce. , ere are people sprinkled throughout we freelancers lack: They know your the large lodgelike space who seem lost in name, say hello, and ask about your weekend — all without politics or their laptops, completely focused on work. hidden agendas. Really, just drop Brown says , e Grove is his coff ee shop by a few times and you’ll have an of choice because of the mix of people, and instant community of surrogate also because the waitstaff never gives him cube mates. Relax on the bench the feeling he’s not wanted, even though in front when you’re beginning he perches there for hours at a time. And a project and need inspiration (if you don’t get it from the almost- he likes the location of the power outlets, illegal coffee). BONUS: Find research which are convenient for his laptop. materials next door at Browser Brown prefers the table in the middle Books. of , e Grove, which he hails as best for people watching. When it comes open, he ROYAL GROUND, 2060 Fillmore: jumps up from his corner spot and stakes Thanks to feng shui and ergonomic consultants, we’re all aware of how his claim by plugging his laptop into the your workspace affects productivity. center post. If you need a no-nonsense setting He has some advice for others who for buzzing through a large by choice or necessity make coff ee shops workload, Royal Ground is the “I can work where I choose, and I often choose their offi ces: “Don’t be afraid to engage in place to be. Enjoy an open space fi lled with solid tables, all amongst one of Fillmore’s many coff ee shops.” conversation with the people around you. a mostly student clientele. BONUS: Conversation is part of the general expec- Do your laundry next door at Royal JAMES DEKOVEN, at Peet’s tation when working in a coff ee shop.” He Wash. also says it’s good form for those who make coff ee shops their offi ces for an afternoon STARBUCKS, 2222 Fillmore: Just sturdy wood tables for spreading mundane aspects of a project. Take to order food as well as drink — which is because you’re self-employed out your papers, plenty of electric a sip, review your notes, repeat more likely to keep the welcome mat from doesn’t mean you don’t deserve outlets, super clean bathrooms, lots as needed. BONUS: For even more a comfortable seat. And why of natural light, tons of breakfast incentive, there’s champagne across wearing thin. plunk down a few grand for an and lunch options. BONUS: The the street at D&M. Brown doesn’t worry much about leav- Aeron when you can head over to Grove attracts a large professional ing his laptop unattended if he needs to Starbucks? They have comfy chairs contingent. Combine that with its TULLY’S, 2455 Fillmore: Friends step away, although sometimes he’ll ask perfect for hunkering down with ski lodge intimacy and you have of the self-employed have an odd someone nearby to watch it. “I guess I’m your laptop. Use the semi-enclosed a natural breeding ground for belief: Since you make your own area by the front door for casual networking and meeting potential hours, you can always play hooky living on the edge,” he jokes. meetings. Good CD selection, too. clients. when they take the day off. Avoid ■ BONUS: Have lunch next door at La these people and head up to Tully’s. Just down the street, Royal Ground Mediterranee. COFFEE BEAN, 2201 Fillmore: The Being at the top of Fillmore, you’re Coff ee is much quieter than , e Grove, hardest thing about working solo is less likely to run across them. Small with a less fashionable crowd and slow THE GROVE, 2016 Fillmore: Some doing actual work. There’s always but never crowded, Tully’s offers a rock music piped into the room. It’s not people need quiet to work. Me, an excuse to procrastinate. So tranquil space to form and refi ne I need activity. The Grove has a while you’re rationalizing your lazy your thoughts. BONUS: Alta Plaza the type of place you can strike up a con- constant stream of diverse clientele, work ethic, try one of the Coffee Park is a block away. Work on your versation with a neighbor; the atmosphere chatter and great tunes (supplied Bean’s tasty blended drinks. They’re tan and make your friends even is more concentrated and still. One man by Ken Zankel, the owner and a especially helpful for injecting some more jealous of your lifestyle. You looks sad as he reads piles of letters. , esi- fellow music junkie). Also nice: The much-needed fl avor into the more know they are. lence is interrupted when someone answers a cell phone, but no one gives the talker , e Look.

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8 NEW FILLMORE August 2007 Corner Offi ces, the Coff ee’s Always On Photographs by MINA PAHLEVAN

“Whatever distractions there are here — the people, the noise — they don’t need my attention. I can work.”

DAVID BROWN (right) at The Grove

Indeed, the rules of etiquette are chang- Grove but fi nds the wireless connection of which happens much at the hospital. to catch a wireless connection while sitting ing to adapt to the ubiquitous cell phone. there spotty. A resident of the Richmond Looking over her organizer, cell phone outside, but no one has set up a mobile Now, talking on a cell in a coff ee shop District, Goldstein chooses coff ee shops in and residency paperwork, London, who workstation. is not automatically considered rude — various neighborhoods based on her mood. lives in Chinatown, laughs that the Coff ee ■ especially for those setting up mobile of- She says she likes the professional feeling Bean has become her offi ce away from the Further up the street at Tully’s, people fi ces. Some patrons still go outside to talk, of Fillmore’s cafes. offi ce. stop in just for the wireless access. An old- while others don’t interrupt their conversa- “I like the hustle and bustle of 30-some- She’s got company at other tables. A er, more sophisticated looking group there tion even as they order coff ee. things out and about,” she says. “It helps man in a business suit examines his notes. was having a loud discussion one recent ■ me not feel isolated when I’m unemployed. A woman writes in a composition book. morning about the medical problems of a Starbucks opens to the street, with wide I see a lot of professionals my age in en- , ey form part of a more serious-looking mutual friend. doors and big windows that make it a little gineering, marketing, sales — and they’re crowd than those gathered at most of the But the surrounding hubbub didn’t seem more like a local fi xture than just another also all working. I almost feel like I’m back other shops. to bother Janet Hur, 25, who set up shop at Starbucks. at the offi ce with my team.” ■ a table with her computer. She’s working at Alice Goldstein, 38, is camped out there ■ For many, a wireless connection deter- Tully’s because she’s “homeless” — newly on a recent afternoon and is multitasking: Vanessa London, 28, a dermatol- mines whether a coff ee shop can be used graduated from medical school and looking searching for a job, selling concert tickets ogy resident at California Pacifi c Medical as an offi ce. Peet’s doesn’t provide wire- for an apartment in Pacifi c Heights, which online and researching bikes. Goldstein Center up the hill, comes to the Coff ee less access. , e crowd that gathers there is would be convenient for her residency. works in sales and says she needs to be Bean and Tea Leaf to get a break from more typical of the traditional coff ee shop: One Tully’s customer checks both his around people and feeds off the energy of the hospital. She says she studied in cof- a young man engrossed in a novel, an older Blackberry and his computer. He explains the street. , is afternoon she’s come to the fee shops in college and now comes to the man in a button-down shirt fi nishing his he lost Internet access at home and came to Starbucks on Fillmore for the reliable wire- Coff ee Bean whenever she gets a chance. coff ee and the newspaper, an artsy looking the coff ee shop to send a quick email mes- less access, which is available for a fee. London says coff ee shops allow her to man and woman discussing the mechan- sage. But he says he doesn’t usually work at Goldstein says she often goes to the relax and also to see the sun — neither ics of the Bay Bridge. One patron manages coff ee shops. , ey’re too noisy.

August 2007 NEW FILLMORE 9 FOOD & WINE Rubbing Shoulders — and Being Ethnic — in San Francisco

B C M fresh herbs to use with that live crab yet to be cooked; the 30 or 40 types of   San Francisco to get away bread made by dedicated bakers, one from being “ethnic” and guess what — slightly better than the other; the fruits Iit did the opposite. It allowed me to from small orchards in the East Bay; know who I am and realize I am rubbing greens from Peninsula farmers; wine in shoulders with others who are equally such abundance and diversity as to be ethnic. We defi nitely are cross-pollinating embarrassing. Imagine that. each other with all that friction, most of ■ it good. I fi nd inspiration from the foods of Where else on a whim can you decide other cuisines, but I am not a tinkerer. I what type of cuisine you want to cook and am the slavish monogamous spouse to within minutes fi nd every component. I food I grew to know as sound, historically am essentially a European cook, but I love important, authentic, utterly delicious thinking about making other kinds of and completely suitable for today’s taste. dishes, just because I can. Having traveled How nice to be able to cook in the style a good deal, I fi nd the scale of the Bay “4 e Italians in North Beach drew me back into of a hundred years ago and still please Area perfect for fi nding all the riches you the crowds. Sure, I may put vegetables on need tucked away here and there. Even things I thought I wanted to move away from.” the same plate as the meat now, but each in large metropolitan areas — maybe element that goes on is a stand-alone Manhattan is an exception — it is hard to in the truest sense of the word, they North Beach and the Chinese in the next dish entirely correct in itself. , is is my fi nd the depth of goods and the diversity were both highly accomplished cooks, blocks drew me back into all the things I contribution to novelty. we relish here. my father distinguished by his classic thought I wanted to move away from at My ethnic identity is reinforced almost I especially love the exchange of European apprenticeship training to be home with the family. daily. With the ingredients I know and greetings, food talk and friendliness of a chef. And so he was. I learned to cook , e live crabs on the wharf, the bread love come other treats from the land of the vendors. When buying meat, fi sh or as his apprentice. I had no choice; that in the ovens on Grant Avenue, the my progenitors: citrus-kissed olive oil, fowl, I love to go to the young butchers decision was made for me early on. My incredible array of fresh fi sh in dozens powerful tomato extract, Veneto cheese and ask them, “How do you cook yours?” mother was the daughter of the owner of of varieties bought from the scowling coated in hay and fl owers, pistacchio- , ey don’t have the panache of the older a trattoria in Términi Imerese. My nonna, Chinese who did not understand one studded mortadella — and of course butchers, or the opinions, but it is fun Serafi na LaPaglia, cooked, served tables word of my fairly fl uent Italian. But chestnut honey to drizzle over perfect — and every once in a while enlightening. and crocheted tablecloths that today waving hands and exchanging paltry Gorgonzola dolcelatte. ■ would make her an artist. dollars made it all happen. I bought, for I can get all these here, and I am not I am the 13th child born to Sicilian When I came to San Francisco in the very little, all the things I loved to eat and only glad, but also proud. immigrants. My father came from Italy to middle 1950s, I was enchanted by the loved to cook. America in 1915 as an adult schooled in views, the hills, of course the cable cars, San Francisco still has a preponderance Carlo Middione is the chef and owner the conventions of peasant village life in and the formality of folks on the street, of fresh and diverse food compared to of Vivande Porta Via at 2125 Fillmore. Campobello di Licata. My mother came usually sporting hats — real ones. But the much of this country. Imagine having 4 is article is adapted from his new blog here fi ve years later. Even as peasants sight, smell and taste of the Italians in a hard time selecting which of a dozen at www.vivande.com.

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10 NEW FILLMORE August 2007 ■ SCOTCH 101 Barrels Give Whisky Color, Flavor

B M J. M I believe some corrupt congressman were involved — barrels that are used to age bourbon whiskey in  , when you could still carry liquids the U.S. may be used only once. , at’s the law. In on airplanes, John Grant came to visit us at these times of international conglomerates, many YD&M Liquors on Fillmore Street. Grant is Scotch whisky distilleries are owned by the same a member of the family that owns the Glenfarclas parent companies that own bourbon distilleries distillery alongside the Spey River in the Scottish here. So bourbon barrels are now being disassem- Highlands. bled, shipped to Scotland and used to age whisky. After looking over our whisky selection and Scotch whisky seems to like the blander bourbon making some complimentary noises, he pulled a wood as well, but it doesn’t get as interesting. small glass bottle from inside his coat. In his rich A fashion has come along in the whisky trade: Scottish burr he informed us that the clear liquid to age whiskey in bourbon barrels for 10 or 12 years inside had just come off the stills yesterday, and and then to “fi nish” it in a more exotic wood. I have we should try it, because it was very high proof recently tasted Scotches that ended their aging in naked whisky — and, “When it’s illegal, it’s always barrels that held Demerrara Rum, Madeira wine, sweeter.” Tokay from Hungary and Calvados from Norman- So taste it we did, and it was like drinking fi re. dy. Each of these woods adds a diff erent dimension ■ to the fl avor profi le of a whisky. Not all work as All whisky is clear when it comes off the still. It well as you might think. A very smoky whisky with looks like rubbing alcohol, and tastes a bit like it as a sweet Port fi nish is just plain odd, for example. well. , e color comes from the wood in which the Still, this has led to a lot of variation in the world of whisky is aged. Like most alcoholic liquids, whisky Scotch whisky, and variation is a good thing. is aged in oak, because oak breathes well. , ere are , e pioneers of odd cooperage were the 10 men various kinds of oak, both new and used. of Tain, who make Glenmorangie whiskies in the , e Macallan distillery, for example, is famous Northern Highlands. You can fi nd variations of this for aging its whisky in casks that once held sherry. whisky that have been inside Burgundy casks, Port , ey are so devoted to this practice that they have pipes, Sauternes barrels — and even a spectacular purchased a solera in Spain to assure a steady sup- version that fi nished its aging in a cask from the ply of barrels. , is goes back to a historical accident. legendary Bordeaux producer, Chateau Margaux. If MINA PAHLEVAN Once upon a time, sherry was shipped to Bristol, you are looking to explore the eff ects of diff erent Gentlemen prefer peaches England, in casks. Once there it was bottled, and barrels, Glenmorangie is a good place to start. it made no economic sense to ship the empty bar- ■ It’s high season at the Fillmore Farmers Market, with heirloom rels back to Spain. A canny Scottish distiller off ered Don’t be afraid to experiment. But be warned: tomatoes and other summertime fruits and vegetables hitting their pennies on the pound for the empty casks and dis- What was once done because it was a bargain has peak this month. “Blueberries are really good this year,” says market covered that whisky liked this particular kind of oak now become pricey. , e Glenmorangie Margaux manager Tom Nichols, and should continue through the end of August. “The ones on the market now are mountain-grown at Rainbow Garden, quite a bit. Cask Finish, for example, sells for $550 a bottle. just above Placerville,” Nichols says. The market — complete with Now, most sherry is bottled in Spain, and the live jazz and fresh fl owers — is held every Saturday morning on the barrels have become expensive. However, another Mark J. Mitchell is the manager of D&M Fine Wines Fillmore Center plaza at Fillmore and O’Farrell. happy accident has come along. For some reason — and Liquors at Fillmore and Sacramento.

2197 FILLMORE STREET

I am leaving Peet’s after a near nine year run, nearly eight of those on Fillmore. While my run is nothing compared to Phil at Fillmore Hardware, or Fred at Browser Books, it’s been a great ride for me. I leave with cherished memories and few regrets. There are many great cafes in the neighborhood. I take great pride that many people fi nd their way to Peet’s for quality and a place special to the neighborhood. Peetniks and our customers have been part of a successful partnership to break down barriers and be a part of a community. We wanted to honor being part of this vibrant neighborhood by creating exhanges and events that were done as a quirky surprise, whether it was the appearance of the holiday bear, Halloween decorations or — at our best — recognizing people as individuals. I have confi dence the new manager, Jonathan Gray, will continue to build on this partnership. Peet’s is a great Bay Area company that always has found its way to delivering an excellent product while celebrating its employees. At the Fillmore store, Josef Nelson will be reaching his 10 year mark in December. Congratulations to Jo and to our customers and friends in the community. Thank you and farewell. I’ll miss seeing you.

BRIAN IP CHEW store manager

August 2007 NEW FILLMORE 11 NEIGHBORHOOD HOME SALES

SINGLE FAMILY HOMES BR BA PK Sq ft Date Asking $ Sale $

339 Walnut St 3 2.5 1 13-Jun 2,450,000 2,550,000 2467 Vallejo St 4 3 1 3729 20-Jun 3,950,000 3,610,000 101 Maple St 3 3.5 2 3229 18-Jun 3,995,000 3,820,000 2502 Broadway 5 5.5 2 21-Jun 6,300,000 NA 3512 Clay St 9 4.5 03-Jul 6,750,000 6,750,000 3130 Pacifi c Ave 5 5.75 3 8249 12-Jul 12,495,000 14,000,000 3800 Washington St 8 7 7 17,895 10-Jul 19,500,000 NA

CONDO / COOP / TIC / LOFTS

1895 Pacifi c Ave #104 0 1 1 512 27-Jun 399,000 419,000 3720 Sacramento St #4 1 1 1 08-Jun 449,000 475,000 1624-1626 Vallejo St #2 1 1 1 805 15-Jun 549,000 578,360 2921 Washingon St #1 1 1 1070 20-Jun 699,000 725,000 2040 Franklin St #508 1 1.5 1 1040 15-Jun 729,000 729,000 2230 Pacifi c Ave #202 1 1 1 730 27-Jun 725,000 731,000 2194 Pacifi c Ave 1 1 1 20-Jun 875,000 910,000 1701 Jackson St #603 2 2 1 1109 07-Jun 918,000 915,000 3140 Clay St #5 2 1 1 1062 27-Jun 929,000 960,000 1865 Clay St #2 3 2 1 1633 29-Jun 1,075,000 1,075,000 3110 California St #3A 3 2 1 06-Jul 1,072,000 1,075,000 2421 Buchanan St #B 2 2 1 1738 03-Jul 1,095,000 1,150,000 2145 Franklin St #5 2 2 1 1810 27-Jun 1,225,000 1,275,000 1998 Broadway #905 3 2.5 1 06-Jul 1,195,000 1,310,000 3316 California St #3 4 3 1 1779 22-Jun 1,425,000 1,425,000 3178 Washington St 3 2 1 21-Jun 1,375,000 1,475,000 2243-A Green St 3 2 1 1546 19-Jun 1,395,000 1,560,000 2200 Pacifi c Ave #10A 2 2 1 1856 29-Jun 1,495,000 1,605,000 2837 Washington St 3 3 2350 12-Jul 1,765,000 2,200,000 2861 Washington St 3 3.5 1 2796 11-Jun 2,195,000 2,400,000 2190 Broadway St #3E 3 3.5 1 3200 15-Jun 3,195,000 3,295,000 1800 Gough St Penthouse 4 4.5 2 29-Jun 4,495,000 4,000,000

— Data provided by JOHN FITZGERALD, co-owner of Byzantium Brokerage and an agent at Pacifi c Union. Contact him at jfi [email protected] or 345-3034.

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12 NEW FILLMORE August 2007 New Owners Settling Into Jazz Heritage Center Condos A few weeks ago, Chuck and Lorna Smith became the fi rst residents to move into the building

 Chuck and Lorna Smith a quarter of the 80 units in the building moved to San Francisco in are now occupied. , e developer says W1998, they landed a great two-thirds of the condos are already sold, apartment with a terrifi c view on the 10th at prices ranging from $500,000 to over fl oor of the high-rise apartment building $1 million. Of the 80 units, 12 were priced on Van Ness Avenue. below market rate. After they discovered Fillmore Street, “To see all the diversity — this building they found they always gravitated here. is going to be a real melting pot,” says “We adopted it as our favorite street,” Chuck. He sees the inclusion of a number says Chuck. of units sold below market rate as a way to As the dot-com boom reached its build a new and diverse community. peak, the couple was told their rent would “I want to be a champion of it,” he double. So they decided to buy a condo says. — and looked for one near Fillmore. , ey profess no concern about safety, “We sacrifi ced the view to be in the despite the recent surge of crime nearby in neighborhood,” Chuck says of the one- the Western Addition. bedroom unit they bought on Sutter “We were down here all the time Street less than a block from Fillmore anyway,” says Lorna. “We work out at Street. Club One, and we shop at Safeway. We ■ were so accustomed to coming to the gym As they got to know their neighbors, that we felt safe coming down here.” they met a couple down the hall who “It’s not a concern for us,” says Chuck, were jazz fans. , ey hung out together “although we’re aware, of course.” when the Fillmore Jazz Festival rolled ■ around, and went together to concerts , ey remember fi rst coming to this — including some at Yoshi’s, the heralded block when the Fillmore Farmers Market Oakland jazz club. started a few years ago — on the empty “, en we started hearing that Yoshi’s “To have the view and brand new construction lot that now holds their building. was coming to Fillmore,” Lorna says, and — and jazz at Yoshi’s. We love it.” “I think the cachet from Yoshi’s is that the building would include a dozen going to rub off on everything else,” says fl oors of condominiums. “We thought, Chuck. “It’s actually already exceeded my ‘, is is a way we can have a view again fan neighbors went to the open house, into their one-bedroom unit on the top expectations.” Two new restaurants are and still stay on Fillmore.’ ” donning hard hats to climb the stairs all fl oor, looking south — on their wedding soon to open on the ground fl oor, new art , ey signed up on the developer’s the way up to the top fl oor. anniversary. and furniture is still being added in the website for updates on the Fillmore “To have the view and brand new “, e fi rst week we had the whole public areas and a 10,000 square foot roof Heritage Center, the long-awaited project construction — and jazz at Yoshi’s building to ourselves,” says Chuck. “We garden is just beginning to grow. And then now nearing completion at Fillmore downstairs,” Chuck says. “We loved it.” never had to wait for the elevator.” there’s the jazz club, opening this fall. and Eddy. When the fi rst off ering A few weeks ago they became the fi rst Gradually the neighbors began to “It’s a story that’s still unfolding,” he was announced, they and their jazz tenants of the building when they moved arrive, and the Smiths estimate that about says.

Action Jackson.

It’s the smell of Tully’s coffee at the corner of Heights, and in all of San Francisco—for nearly Fillmore. The secret delights of that tucked- 50 years. And we’ve helped them sell their away B&B around the block on Pacific. The homes too, when they’ve been ready to move jumble of kids near Lyon when University on to new dreams. It’s a half-century of trust High lets out. between our agents and clients that only the values of a family-owned business can It’s Jackson Street, where the homes have a inspire. solid beauty, reflecting the upscale but friendly nature of their owners. It’s no wonder you’ll If you’d like more information about Jackson find the residences of more than a few foreign Street—from The Embarcadero to the consulates in this neighborhood. Arguello Gate—or about Pacific Heights, Presidio Heights, or any other neighborhood in the City, give us a call at 415-921-6000. Or At Hill & Co., we’ve been helping people find visit our website at www.hill-co.com. the homes that help them realize their aspirations—in Pacific Heights, Presidio We’ll show you where the action is.

Lombard Street Office Union Street Office Noe Valley Office 1880 Lombard Street 2107 Union Street 3899 24th Street San Francisco, CA 94123 San Francisco, CA 94123 San Francisco, CA 94114 T: (415) 921-6000 T: (415) 921-6000 T: (415) 824-1100 F: (415) 931-0984 F: (415) 931-9148 F: (415) 321-4350

Property Management / Rental Office T: (415) 292-1777 F: (415) 292-1775

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August 2007 NEW FILLMORE 13 Victorian Will Neighbors Say Triple Its Size, Art Gallery in But Keep Facade

Historic Home   long struggle, controversy over the remodeling of the Victo- Violates Law Arian cottage at 2564 Sutter Street has fi nally been resolved with a written settlement agreement between owner-de- Complaint sparked veloper Peter McCluskey and attorney Ste- phen Williams, who represented objecting by commercial use neighbors. McClusky has agreed not to add a ga- in a residential area rage to the building, which would have required the front garden be removed. He  ’ Planning Department will not add a fourth fl oor to the building, has issued a Notice of Alleged Vio- and he agreed to maintain the facade and Tlation to the Anthony Meier Fine to complete the project according to the Arts gallery, operating in Meier’s home at Secretary of the Interior’s Guidelines for 1969 California Street. Preservation of Historic Resources. , e notice followed a complaint by the Williams has notifi ed the San Francisco Pacifi c Heights Residents Association that Planning Department that he has with- the commercial use should not be allowed drawn his objections. He is now satisfi ed because the area is zoned residential. that the building will retain its historic sig- Meier’s attorney, Brett Gladstone, was nifi cance, even though the remodeling will to meet last week with the Planning De- triple the size of the building. partment. He said he would fi le for a for- , e house is listed in Here Today, the mal permit for commercial use to ensure 1968 book adopted by the city as an offi cial that the gallery complies with the city’s survey of historically signifi cant buildings. requirements. Part of its signifi cance is that it was de- Gladstone said, however, that he did not signed by a well-known architect and has believe the current operation was illegal. been inhabited by a number of historically Up to 25 percent of a home can be used important people. However, it has now for some businesses in some circumstances been vacant for six years and is in need of under city ordinances, Gladstone said, and considerable restoration, including a new in the case of Meier’s 1914 Willis Polk foundation and new plumbing and wiring. mansion, the art occupies two living rooms, Williams said the settlement was or less than 20 percent of the total space. reached after several months of meetings Some professionals, such as antique between him and the developer, whom he dealers, can use antiques in their homes characterized as “reasonable.” Previously, and also have them for sale, Gladstone said. disagreement over the cottage had reached He believes the same applies to Meier’s all the way to the Board of Supervisors. art, some of which Meier owns, some of which is on consignment. About 90 per- cent of Meier’s art, Gladstone said, is in The half portal at 1969 California warehouses in Switzerland, New York and Boston and is sold over the Internet from a Just up California Street on the south side there’s the strange case of basement offi ce occupied part-time by two 1969 California, an English Tudor Gothic house whose grand portal ends people. surrealistically with its second half — seemingly for a companion house Without some commercial usage, Glad- that was torn down or never built — missing. The fact is, the other house was never built. The extant 1969 California was put up in 1914 by Willis stone said, it is diffi cult to maintain large Polk for Constance Tobin, one of the heiresses of the de Young clan, owners and expensive homes, and he said that is of the Chronicle. A mirror image was planned for her sister Helen Cameron, why many have been converted to bed and but George and Helen Cameron decided to settle on the Peninsula. breakfast operations or other businesses. , e gallery, Gladstone said, has four — ARTHUR BLOOMFIELD in Gables & Fables: receptions each year, with valet parking A Portrait of San Francisco’s Pacifi c Heights provided. , ere are perhaps a dozen other parties at the gallery each year, Gladstone said, that are fundraisers for a variety of He said there are only two or three visi- ply for a conditional use permit to continue interests of Meier and his wife, including tors to the gallery each week — some art to operate. Greg Scott, president of the a fi lm group, a hospice, the San Francisco students and some potential buyers. association, said his group will oppose the Museum of Modern Art and a day school , e residents association’s complaint application for a conditional use permit. attended by his children. But Gladstone says the operation of an art gallery “is “Neighbors are entitled to quiet enjoy- The Victorian cottage at 2564 Sutter Street said none of those events is associated with clearly not a residential use” and urged that ment of their homes without the illegal in- will be remodeled in accordance with the gallery. the owners be notifi ed that they must ap- trusion of commercial activity,” Scott said. historic preservation guidelines.

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14 NEW FILLMORE August 2007 BOOKS My Mother, the Vaudeville Dancer

B D L

How I Learned From the Neighborhood the Story of Her to the Broadway Stage

Showgirl Past    of the country was celebrating the Roaring Twenties, my mother seemed  ’ entry into show Wdestined for a quiet life in San Francisco. But it business, and the way it didn’t turn out that way. Instead, she danced her way into happened, was part of our show business, toured the country with a vaudeville dance M troupe and witnessed some of the great celebrities and family lore. But she rarely talked about that period of her early life, and my events of the era. siblings and I knew few details of her life A new book, Vaudeville Days, tells her story. as a dancer. She had graduated from Girls High School at Scott It turns out, however, that show and Geary Streets in 1925, shortly before her 18th birthday business life, the people and the sights she — suffi ciently involved in school to be class historian, but saw, were all documented in long letters not enough to want to go to college. she wrote often to her mother and father Instead, along with her sister Carol, she attended classes and many others. Her mother kept them at the Peters Wright School of Creative Dance, located for all, including the letters to other family many years in the distinctive building that still stands at the members. Years after her death I got the southeast corner of Sacramento and Pierce Streets. letters from my aunt Carol, to whom they She took a job selling handkerchiefs at O’Connor had fallen. I was amazed at the fi rst- Moff at, the big department store at Stockton and O’Farrell person look at the period they off ered. that later became Macy’s. All the while she lived with the I thought the wealth of information family in a fl at at 233 Presidio Avenue. and the insights they provided about the , en, in March 1927, the touring half of the Peters period deserved a wider audience. Aside Wright operation, a vaudeville dance troupe, came to from the portrait of an era, the letters Oakland. , ey needed replacements, and my mother, presented a coming-of-age story. For years Kathryn Beals, fi lled in. She would learn a dance in the I struggled with the question of how to wings, go out on stage and perform, then learn another. present it. After two weeks the troupe was ready to go back on the Eventually I decided to piece together road and they asked Kathryn to come along. Her father was away working at a mine in Arizona; her mother let her the information as if it were a novel, in the ■ EXCERPT fi rst person. Taking it out of letter form make the decision. Off she went. lost some of the fun, such as the various ‘I threw myself into the dance’ She adapted quickly to the pressures of two-a-day, three- ways she signed off , but the fi rst-person a-day and four-a-day performances, hotel life and backstage approach allowed the rest of the changing The news came as a bombshell: I was going to have the crises. In St. Louis, the troupe performed at a benefi t moods and attitudes to come through. solo in the Oriental scene. I began working every day. I alongside Al Jolson. In New York, they played the Palace had to do crab crawls in a circle and oh boy that meant , at was essential to the coming-of-age , eater on Broadway, then the top showplace of the nation. work. We worked on it for three and a half hours steadily During the summer — business was slow for vaudeville story. I titled the book Vaudeville Days to one morning. Finally, my arms refused to hold me up in a in non-air-conditioned theaters — she watched Babe Ruth capture the driving force of the story and back bend. the spirit of the times. On Saturday morning I worked with Mrs. Wright on and Lou Gehrig in Yankee Stadium. She cheered Charles , e richness of the source material, the Oriental and decided it was going to be all right. She Lindbergh’s triumphant parade up Broadway. She went to was changing the dance somewhat because she said she countless plays and musicals, including the opening night however, still wasn’t enough. People today could do more with me in the way of expression. I wanted probably know Babe Ruth and Lou of “Funny Face,” starring Fred Astaire. it to be perfect before the girls arrived because they were “, e world was my oyster,” she said, “and I had an Gehrig, perhaps Ethel Barrymore, the going to be jealous anyway. I had no idea how I was going opener in each hand.” matriarch of the family of actors. Others, to make the costume changes. I was praying I wouldn’t equally signifi cant in their day, are now have to sacrifi ce my hair. And when it was all over a year and a half later, she came forgotten. I spent hours researching sports Tuesday night Mrs. Wright told me to throw myself home in August 1928, a few days before her 21st birthday, into the dance. I did. I threw myself backward so hard for and within a few months met and married my father in the stars, transatlantic pilots, actors, musicians the circle crab crawls that I slipped on the apron and sank and entertainers of all sorts. Swedenborgian Church, a block from home. down onto my elbows. Wouldn’t you know there had to Ironically, her younger sister Carol remained involved , e book is a very personal perspective, be several people in the audience I knew? One night my but it presents a window into an historic pants in the Oriental, those little tight old trunks, split to with dance much longer. Carol progressed to become a era — and highlights the miracle that my the crotch and I had to run off. teacher at the Peters Wright School and eventually opened own mother experienced it all. the Carol Beals School of Dance. In the 1940s she moved — from Vaudeville Days by Katherine Beals (pictured to Washington and Broderick Streets and taught in the above in 1928 in her featured role dancing the Oriental) ORDER ONLINE: Vaudeville Days is dining room until classes outgrew the space and she rented available at www.lulu/DonLangley. a studio in the Richmond District.

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