What
a Kick:This summer, 6-year-old Makenna Kramer (left), a
student at Navarrete’s Academy on Church Street, was
awarded a black belt in taekwondo, making her the
youngest black belt at the school at the time. Here she
is shown demonstrating her form with sister Riley, who
at 10 already holds a second-degree black belt. “I was
so proud when I earned my black belt,” said Makenna.
“Taekwondo makes me strong and teaches me to take care
of myself.”We’re sure her big sister would
agree. Photo by Pamela
Gerard
HOLIDAY
PILE-UP: Halloween just flew by on
its proverbial broomstick, so get ready to roll out the
turkeys for Thanksgiving, with Hanukkah and Christmas hot on
its heels. Then there’s New Year’s a week after that. But
wait, we’ve forgotten something—the 93rd anniversary of
Armistice Day, on 11-11-11.
Yes, at the 11th hour of the
11th day of the 11th month of 1918, in a railroad car sitting
in the forest of Compi¸gne, France, an armistice was signed to
end the war they said would end all wars, World War I. It was
a seminal point in American history, and it’s been celebrated
since 11-11-19. After WWII and the Korean conflict, Congress
in 1954 renamed Nov. 11 Veterans Day, to honor all those who
have served in the U.S. military in any war.
This year’s Armistice Day is
very special because on New Year’s Eve, President Obama will
end the war in Iraq, fulfilling a promise made by his
predecessor, George Bush. Obama has pledged to withdraw our
occupying military forces. That leaves “only” one war the
military is still fighting, in Afghanistan. Hopefully, by
11-11-12 we will be war-free.
Probably Noe Valley’s most
distinguished WWI soldier was Joseph “Frenchy” LeCours
(1900-1984). He was at the wheel of history when, as a
bilingual master sergeant in the 335th Motor Transport Corps
of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), he drove French
field marshals Henri Pétain and Ferdinand Foch, and American
general John J. “Blackjack” Pershing, to Compi¸gne to sign the
aforementioned armistice with the Axis powers.
You may want to check out the
Rumors in the November 1985 issue of the Voice
(archived at the Main Branch of the library). It tells
Frenchy’s story.
(That issue, to digress, has a
fantastic feature by Steve Steinberg about the Chenery Street
mansion built by ad man Robert Pritikin, where many
neighborhood and school events have been held over the past 25
years. On the front page is a story by Denise Minor [“Flopped
Fair Raises Ire”] about a Noe Valley street fair that didn’t
happen.)
This Armistice Day, the Noe
Valley Department of Veterans Affairs is asking that Noe
Valley merchants and residents put a red rose in their front
windows for all those veterans of foreign wars who, like
Frenchy, were lucky enough to become old soldiers.
= = =
DATELINE
OCT. 31, 2011: On Halloween, 24th Street
became occupied by thousands of people dressed in outrageous
garb, going from store to store and house to house in search
of treats. The Noe Valley Bureau of Investigation (NVBI)
estimates that over a ton of candy was given out by Downtown
Noe Valley merchants, with four times that hauled in by kids
roaming our neighborhood’s suburbs.
There was a vast cast of
costumed characters this year. According to Mardie Vandervort,
owner of Church Street’s One Stop Party Shop, the most wanted
kid costumes were “for the boys a pirate and for the girls a
flight attendant, as well as Mickey and Minnie Mouse. For all
the years the Star Wars characters have been
here, they are still in demand. And the prisoner outfits are
the newest popular ones.”
She says the store had many
adults coming in to create their own costumes, buying top
hats, canes, goggles, and beards. “Our Steampunk fashion items
and accessories have been very popular,” says Vandervort.
“Steampunk” is defined on her website as “remixing styles from
the Victorian era, classic Goth, gypsy, and industrial
fetish.”
“We just sold a crown, wig,
beard, and red cape to a teenager who has been coming here
since he was five and this Halloween was dressing up as the
Burger King,” she laughs.
= = =
WALGREEN
PARTY: Over at the Walgreen’s
Halloween department, “a lot of girls were angels, and the
pirate costumes were in great demand by the boys,” says
manager Jackie Cheung. He wouldn’t comment on how many pounds
of candy went out the door. He just smiled.
The bigger news is that
Walgreen’s is applying for an ABC license, and sometime after
Jan. 1 will be inaugurating its “Fresh Program” in Noe
Valley (it already exists in about 17 other Walgreen’s in San
Francisco). Cheung says the store will put in new
refrigerators, which will have fresh fruits, sandwiches, and
fruit bowls. Ah, lunch at Walgreen’s.
By the way, I want to remind
Rumors readers that the Walgreen’s parking lot is free for one
hour to all Downtown Noe Valley shoppers, thanks to promises
the store made last century when it took over the space. The
signs posted in the lot tell you that the one-hour limit is
“to ensure parking for our customers,” and that the limit is
enforced by an attendant. As you may have found out the hard
way, there is a steep fee for staying longer than an hour.
There still remains one sign posted (by the handicapped blue
zone), saying “Walgreen’s customers only,” but according to
Cheung, it is intended for their handicapped customers.
= = =
WHERE
THE ELITE MEET: All those chauffeured town
cars on Church Street pulling up in front of Incanto
Restaurant the first Wednesday in October were carrying some
Fleet Week honchos for dinner, including former Secretary of
State George Schultz and his wife, Charlotte Mailliard
Schultz, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, and former S.F.
Mayor Willie Brown. Brown mentioned the dinner in his S.F.
Chron column but didn’t tell us what he ate. He
also would not reply to an email from the Voice asking
for comment. Oh well.
According to Incanto’s Mark
Pastore, the dinner was held in the private Dante Dining Room.
As for what Willie Brown, or anybody else, ate, Pastore’s
reply was simple and discreet: “I don’t know.”
Two weeks later, Carolyn
Alburger reported at sf.eater.com that on
another occasion“a who’s who of the San Francisco
chef world gathered at Incanto in Noe Valley to discuss an
issue very close to their hearts, the impending foie gras ban
slated for July of next year.” As you may know,
Incanto’s world-class chef Chris Cosentino opposes the
California ban, saying it infringes on our freedom to choose.
According to Alburger, the chefs were either commiserating or
planning efforts to protect other restaurants and chefs around
the country beset by anti-foie-gras protesters.
Another local chef, Abed Amas,
doesn’t have to worry. Amas has put his restaurant Fattoush,
located at 1361 Church St., up for sale. A Craigslist post
informs potential buyers that there are almost five years left
on his lease, with rent just over $5,200 a month and two
five-year options through 2026. The asking price, reportedly,
is $250,000.
As many of you know, the
1,500-square-foot restaurant, which serves Middle Eastern and
American food, is packed with brunchers on weekends, so you
might want to hurry to be served everybody’s favorite, the
Corn Flake Crusted French Toast.
= = =
’IGH
’OPES: A mortgage company is
opening in the space recently vacated by Joseph Andrade Floral
(3961 24th) across from Whole Foods. Namely, Opes Advisors,
which has eight offices in California and Oregon. The San
Francisco branch is owned and operated by Noe Valleyan John
Ebner.
“I have lived on Vicksburg
Street since 1997, and I’m really excited about having offices
right around the corner from where I live,” says Ebner, who
has worked 25 years in the real estate industry. He says Opes
(Latin for “wealth”) specializes in residential mortgages with
a focus on new buyers or refinances. “We originate our own
loans, and are not brokers,” says Ebner, “which makes us very
competitive with the local banks—and an option for real estate
brokers—in the neighborhood.”
He goes on to say, “I moved to
San Francisco in 1993 and lived in Eureka Valley, but always
came over to shop on 24th Street. Luckily I found a place on
Vicksburg and moved over the hill as soon as possible.”
Next door at 3961A 24th Street,
Vivon women’s clothing store is moving to Pinole. “We close on
December 1, after 11 years here in Noe Valley,” says Vivon
Chan, “five years on the corner of 24th and Castro, and then
six years down here.” She says that all her inventory is on
sale, with prices up to 75 percent off.
Chan says her lease ran out and
the owner wanted more rent, “which was more than [we would
pay]. So we are moving, but we don’t have a store [in Pinole]
yet.” Meanwhile, you can shop Vivon online at www.etsy.com/shop/vivondesign.
But 3961A will not be vacant for
long. Moving in will be the “Children’s Playhouse at Noe
Valley.” Says Teresa Blea, “Our service will include
enrichment classes and activities, with drop-in times for
children birth through 4 years.”
Blea currently operates the Mio
Preschool in the Excelsior and says she has been involved in
early childhood education in the Bay Area for 35 years.
“The activities will provide
children with a learning experience,” she says, “and also give
the parents or caregivers a way to bring forth from themselves
a child’s perspective of creative and imaginative ways to
live.” She emphasizes that the youngsters must be supervised
by the parent/caregiver, who is interactive in the play. “We
are not a drop-off.”
A big plus is there looks to be
ample space in front for free stroller parking.
= = =
I WALK
THE WINE: The day after Thanksgiving
is the official start of “HoliDAYS” in Downtown Noe Valley.
The Noe Valley Merchants and Professionals Association will
turn on the lights in over 50 trees along 24th Street.
According to NVMPA president Bob Roddick, the group has
underwritten $4,500 of the cost (which is $170 per tree), so
that members pay only $70 per tree. “It really is a good
benefit of being [an association] member,” says Roddick.
Roddick says that all the poles
on 24th Street will be candy-striped with ribbons, “and we
will be ready to celebrate our ‘24 HoliDAYS on 24th Street’”
series of events. On the first Saturday (Dec. 3), be ready for
hayrides and music, he says.
“One thing that people might
want to plan ahead for is the Noe Valley Holiday Wine Walk,”
says Roddick. It has been scheduled for Dec. 7, from 4 to 8
p.m. “If you buy the tickets before the event online, the
price is $15, but the price is $30 on the day of the event.”
He says to Google Steve Restivo Event Services at www.sresproductions.com, click
on “Events,” and you’ll find the scoop.
As with the first Noe Valley
Wine Walk held last September, Roddick wants to remind
everyone that there will be a motorized cable car available to
wine walkers, and what’s more, you can board the shuttle for a
ride without being on the walk. Cool!
Roddick was also very pleased to
report that dues-paying membership in the NVMPA has increased
from 83 to 97 in the past six months, “and hopefully we will
reach 100 by the end of the year.”
= = =
YENNE
FOR YOUR THOUGHTS: The San Francisco History
Association is sponsoring a great neighborhood event on Nov.
29, 7 p.m., at St. Philip’s Church ($5 at the door): a
discussion about Noe Valley history led by local historian and
author Bill Yenne.
I’ll see you there, and I’ll
bring my copy of the November 1985 issue of the Noe
Valley Voice for you to see.
