Quality of Life Issues District Two Supervisor Mark Farrell on Growing Pains, Parking Plans, and the Future of His Native City
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10 Community 20 Travel 18 Calendar Supervisor: Mark Dog Friendly: Farrell answers your June Events: It’s time for A trip to Nick’s Cove 20 festivals on Union Street and questions 7 Real Estate North Beach, plus visits from Food & Wine Todd Rundgren, Judy Blume, Dreamhouse: and Molly Ringwald, and wine Tablehopper: Cow Hollow showcase and cheese events like only Restaurants galore 10 home tour 27 Northern California can do. 18 MARINATIMES.COM CELEBratinG OUR 31ST YEAR VOLUME 31 ISSUE 06 JUNE 2015 Quality of life issues District Two Supervisor Mark Farrell on growing pains, parking plans, and the future of his native city BY SUSAN DYER REYNOLDS n a sunny San Francisco morning, District Two Supervisor Mark Farrell sits in his City Hall office surrounded by San Francisco Giants Omemorabilia and framed America’s Cup posters leaning The North Beach Festival is considered the country’s oldest street fair. PHOTO: LEXIE LEE against bookshelves on the floor. “Our other office was cramped,” he says, “and my staff really wanted to move to a bigger office. We’re still not completely settled in.” Street festival season in the city Dressed in dark denim jeans and a baby blue checked shirt, Farrell rests his elbows on the big round wooden BY LYNETTE MAJER Streets. Following the format that any of the several beverage gardens table, his hands wrapped around a hot cup of green debuted last year, there will be sev- (outside alcohol is not allowed). tea. He admits that his first four years in office were a ummer in San Francisco eral “worlds,” one to a block, with The ever-popular fashion show at learning experience. “I came into politics as a native brings not only chilly weather a unique theme: Fashion, Tech, Gough Street promises to be kicked up San Franciscan who loved this city and wanted to cre- but also our favorite neighbor- Local, Craft, Culinary, and Health a notch this year. Clothing and jewelry ate positive change,” he says. “But politically speaking, Shood street festivals. You’ll find arts, and Fitness. from Union Street’s finest and trendi- I was a bit naïve.” That nonpolitician image along with crafts, food, music, and more as well We can also look to the return est boutiques will be featured in two sensible positions as a moderate voice on the Board of as some neighborhood personality. of the wine and craft beer tasting shows each day, with — wait for it — a Supervisors helped Farrell easily win a second term. The 39th annual Union Street pavilions — and at a reduced price: pet fashion show between each set. While left-leaning lawmakers still dream of a past Festival kicks off the street festi- $20 advance and $25 on site for a Traditional festival offerings when they controlled the board, San Francisco is march- val season on Saturday and Sunday, ticket of 10 tastings in a compostable include over 100 boutique artists ing resolutely toward a more temperate future driven by June 7–8, from Gough to Steiner sampling cup. For a larger pour, visit FESTIVALS, continued on 16 FARRELL, continued on 4 Prop 13 targeted again Profile The initiative draws new attention, but defenders dig in BY JOHN ZIPPERER art to first graders because dysfunction in the way the there was no art teacher. state works. California vot- ver dinner at a Whether it’s academic ers have used the referen- local restaurant, scores or funding levels, dum process repeatedly to Shana, a married California public schools underscore deep distrust of Omother of two elementary- rank near the bottom their elected representatives school children, coaxed nationally at a time when in Sacramento; the result one of them to eat his education is being focused has been handcuffs placed food and then paused to upon as the key to the state’s on the legislators’ spending implore her dinner com- and the nation’s economic powers, with very large por- panions to attend a tions of the state bud- car show. The auto get already allocated by event was a fundraiser Voters have used voter initiatives before for the parent-teacher the legislators even get organization (PTA) referenda to show a say in the matter. for which she volun- And it could get The Bobby Laine Trio, circa 1950 (Bobby Laine, tenor; Dominic Jaconetti, drums; Howie Becker, piano), performing at the 504 Club, at 504 W. 63rd St. in Chicago. teered, and it was only distrust of their worse. The number PHOTO: COURTESY HOWARD BECKER one of the fundraising of signatures needed activities in which the legislators. to get something on group was involved. the ballot is set at 5 Miles, Mingus, Mozart and murder: “The PTA used to be future success. Defenders of or 8 percent of the num- about organizing social the system point to increas- ber of people who voted A conversation with Howie Becker events,” Shana said. “Now es in spending on education for governor in the most it’s all fundraising.” Her over the past few years, but recent election. In the BY ERNEST BEYL The New Yorker, a few renowned sociologist, children’s school has no those came after years of most recent gubernato- things stopped me cold. wrote a book called What full-time music teacher, underfunding. rial election, incumbent hen I read the Writer Adam Gopnik About Mozart? What and Shana — who has a The poor state of Jerry Brown had a cake- lengthy profile said Becker played jazz About Murder? and lives graduate degree in science California’s schools is just walk reelection, and a on Dr. Howard piano (boogie woogie as in North Beach. — was brought in to teach one of the signs of systemic PROP 13, continued on 23 WBecker in a recent issue of a kid), became a world- BECKER, continued on 16 MARINATIMES.COM MARINA TIMES JUNE 2015 1 Contents In This Issue 12 27 8 News Calendar Around the Northside June events News briefs on the rush hour remediation, June rings in the start of San Francisco’s busy Judy’s Cafe closes, Doyle Drive closure festival season, including two of the classics postponed, Lombardi Sports’ fate still up in on Union Street and in North Beach; plus the air, private shuttle regulation, and PPIE there are Father’s Day doings, the beginning celebrations continue. 3 of Stern Grove’s season, the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon, and much more. 18 Features Behind the Father’s Day holiday Travel John Zipperer explores the history of Dog-friendly weekend traveler Father’s Day and why it doesn’t get the Susan Dyer Reynolds goes to Nick’s Cove respect that Mother’s Day receives. 4 with three friends — two of them of the four-legged variety. 20 Community City at large At Home Supervisor Mark Farrell kicks off a new Picking a paint color occasional feature, answering your ques- Julia Strzesieski makes the choice clearer. 22 tions; plus the Police Blotter. 6 Real Estate Street Beat Dreamhouse showcase Northside news Carole Isaacs explains how three differ- Christine Roher shows you where to get ent buyers are handling relocation to the your summer on; and Ernest Beyl is hop- San Francisco housing market; real estate ing for his own trumpeter. 8 news briefs on tightening short-term rental laws and a supervisor-level dispute over a Food & Wine building moratorium; and the debut of our Dreamhouse Showcase column. 23 Summer eats The Tablehopper has the inside scoop Wellness and Family on new openings in the Marina, Russian Hill, and neighboring areas; Susan Dyer Cleaning up Reynolds on Belgian food and Belga; Julie Thalia Farshchian offers tips for detoxing Mitchell gets healthy at Spinnerie; Ernest your kitchen; and Liz Farrell gives a vet- 28 Beyl asks if there’s a doctor in the house eran’s view of potty training. — or restaurant; plus find out how to cut out the middleman in the wine biz. 10 Pet Pages Beware the mer-pit Arts & Entertainment Skylar Grey takes to hyrdrotherapy; and Susan It’s a matter of bandwidth Dyer Reynolds on how you can help end the hor- 30 Michael Snyder explores the ways the rific annual dog and cat meat festival in China. ground is shifting beneath the feet of filmmakers and TV producers; plus the ONLINE SPECIALS best sellers. 16 marinatimes.com marinatimes.com | 3053 Fillmore Street #104, San Francisco, CA 94123 Editorial: (415) 931-0515 | Fax: (415) 931-0987 | L etters to the Editor: [email protected] Advertising: (415) 815-8081 [email protected] Calendar submissions due by the 15th of the month to [email protected] Publisher Managing Editor Social Media Earl Adkins John Zipperer Shelia Fox [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Editor in Chief Senior Editor Designer Steven Fromtling Susan Dyer Reynolds L ynette Majer Web Designer Joe Bachman [email protected] [email protected] MARINA TIMES IS A TRADE MARK OF JASMINE BLUE MEDIA LLC. 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