My Changing Neighborhood(s): June 2014

Monday, June 30, 2014

CONTENTIOUS NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING AT HOTEL CARLTON

Earlier in the week, a number of flyers announcing the re-location and opening of Hyde Street Behavioral Health Services at 815 Hyde Street were posted around the neighborhood (unfortunately, I did not take any pictures of them).

They were later replaced by the ones below announcing opposition to the proposed re-location.

The meeting, held in a back room at the Hotel Carlton, was extremely crowded

with people from the local community, as well as the directors of Hyde and Tenderloin Clinic and directors from the San Francisco Dept. of Public Health. (Full disclosure: I work part-time as a contractor for SF DPH.)

The questions and comments ranged from the pertinent – “How many times have the police been called to your clinic [Tenderloin MH] in the last year?”

to the ridiculous (“Get [Mayor] Ed Lee to break the lease!” [that’s causing the clinic to re-locate]. For a look at how contentious this subject is, read the comments section to this article: http://www.sfbg.com/politics/2014/06/25/nob-hill-neighbors-seek-block-mental-health-clinic-relocation

A group of people left around 7:45 and I took advantage to leave with them. By this time, it seemed to me order was breaking down as more people were ignoring the moderator – even those who agreed with him. I don’t know what happened after that, except that the meeting was due to end at 8:00 p.m.

This issue will be further taken up on July 15 at 2:00 p.m. by the Finance Committee and Health Commission at 101 Grove Street.

Friday, June 27, 2014

NEIGHBORHOOD CLOSINGS 2014 (#3 in a series)

After over ten years at 1517 Pine Street, Spirit-in-the-Flesh Tattooing closed

and re-located to 901 Larkin Street.They can be reached via the following link:

http://www.spiritsinthefleshtattoo.com/avelino-deavila-tattoos.htm

Also closing is Murasaki Home Furnishings at 1467 Pine Street.

Their Oakland location, however, remains open. They also have a link: http://www.murasaki-oakland.com/

And finally, Solrun Computer Sales and Service is closing after many years at 1804 Polk Street and moving to 5616 Geary Street, Suie 204,

but not before leaving a thank-you to their customers and the neighborhood.

Monday, June 23, 2014

LOST PET POSTING, SACRAMENTO AND POLK

A bit of humor to take the sting out of yesterday's World Cup match.

Friday, June 20, 2014

CONTEMPORARY SIGNS OF DISCONTENT (#5 in a series)

Sign outside the just-opened Belcampo Meat Co. at 1998 Polk on Pacific.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

CRY OF THE HOMELESS

Graffiti on wall outside Buzzell Electric Works, 130 Eighth Street

Sunday, June 15, 2014

NEIGHBORHOOD FATHER’S DAY

San Francisco is said to be a city with more dogs than children.

I beg to differ.

In my neighborhood, many of the new residents are couples with children. So, since last month I published photos of neighborhood moms, here are photographs of some of the neighborhood dads (my changing neighborhood -- blogspot of gender equality). Some were taken with permission; others weren’t, but all were taken with sincerity.

May you all raise non-fubar adults.

Friday, June 13, 2014

BLOG UPDATE: NEIGHBORHOOD WORLD CUP

Quetzal Cafe, 1234 Polk Street

Scene inside El Super Burrito, 1200 Polk Street

More places to view the World Cup in the neighborhood.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

POP-UP MURAL AT LARKIN AND ELLIS

Something good came from the MUNI sick-out last week.

I was walking up Larkin from Market, cursing at MUNI, not in a good mood, when I saw the following mural on a construction wall.

A new restaurant (presumably to be called The Chairman, moving up from food truck to restaurant)

is being built at the southeast corner of Larkin and Ellis in the Tenderloin.

The mural is the work of an artist named Push.

The mural is divided into two halves: a red background and a white background, each with their own visuals and text.

The artwork will not be up long – as soon as the new restaurant is ready to go, the wooden walls will come down, and so will this mural. Check it out should you be on foot in this part of town.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

CONTEMPORARY T-SHIRT OF DISCONTENT

T-shirt at DSF Clothing Company booth from

last week's lower Polk/Urban Fair in Fern Alley

More about DSF Clothing Company can be found by clicking here: shopdsf.com

Monday, June 9, 2014

LOWER POLK ART WALK & FERN ALLEY URBAN FAIR

Last Thursday evening Fern Alley between Polk and Larkin was closed off for an art walk and urban fair.

Normally a place where homeless people crash, Fern Alley that evening was filled with stands selling art, clothing and food.

There was even a band playing music.

It was scheduled to last from 6 - 10 pm, but the weather wasn't co-operating. As you can tell from the sky in the photos, the cold, gloomy summer fog of San Francisco was already coming in strong before 7 p.m.

I don't know how long the fair lasted. My only suggestion would be to wait until late September or early October before scheduling another Fern Alley event. The weather is usually a lot better.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

NEIGHBORHOOD OPENINGS 2014 -- RELOVE, PHATHEADS GALLERY, HARPER & RYE (#6 in a series)

First is ReLove at 1815 Polk, a modern and vintage resale clothing store located between between Clay & Jackson.

Photo from ShopReLove.com

For more photos of the ReLove store, click: http://shoprelove.com/

Next is PhatHeads Gallery, selling folk and found art.

at 1519 Polk between California and Sacramento.

And finally, Harper and Rye,

a new bar where the old Red Devil Lounge used to be.

Welcome all!

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

YESTERDAY’S NEWS TODAY!

I was tickled to see the front page of the SF Examiner on Monday:

Their boundaries of lower Polk run from Geary to California Street. I disagree. I'd say lower Polk runs from Geary to Bush, where it levels off after a slight rise. But who am I against the SF Examiner?

Copyright © by Chris Enquist 6/2/14

Monday, June 2, 2014

WORLD CUP 2014 FLAGS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

World Cup Flags, Playland Bar, 1351 Polk at Pine