Author Archives: Roy McKenzie

About Roy McKenzie

Roy has been a Castro resident since 2010. He is a front-end web developer by trade and is passionate about #DragQueens #Bicycling #Food.

Pesce on Polk moving to the Castro

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Pesce (2227 Polk Street)

Pesce (2227 Polk Street); Photo: Yelp

Jake's on Market

Jake’s on Market (2223 Market Street)

Grubstreet reports that the popular Russian Hill Italian seafood restaurant Pesce (Italian for “fish”) will be coming to the Castro in the former Jake’s on Market location (2223 Market Street). The restaurant is moving because they’d like to find a larger space; many reviews on Yelp mention how tiny the current space is.

Pesce was listed in the San Francisco Chronicle’s Top 100 Restaurants of 2012 and is 4-star rated on Yelp with pretty good reviews. They’ll be joining three other seafood focused restaurants in the Castro including Catch, Anchor Oyster, and Woodhouse Fish Company. Anchor Oyster and Woodhouse are both pretty small and usually pretty busy, so a seafood restaurant that’s already earned its stripes and has a larger dining area will be a welcome addition to the neighborhood.

So far, they’re looking at an August opening date for the Castro location. We pulled down some photos of their dishes from Yelp that look pretty tasty. Check out the food porn in the gallery below.

Crab Tower with avacado
Coppa Gelato
Scallops
Oyster Vodka Shots
Lobster Spaghetti
Linguine Alla Vongole
Deep Sea Perch

Celebrations for Harvey Milk Day set for around the Castro

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Harvey Milk Day May 22ndIt’s been 5 years since Arnold Schwarzenegger established Harvey Milk Day. On May 22nd, we celebrate the life of this first-ever openly gay politician, gay rights activist, lover, brother, and to a lucky some, old friend. If you’re looking for a way to celebrate, check out some of the events happening around the Castro this week (if we are missing any, let us know and we will get them up!):

May 19th
At 1PM at Jane Warner Plaza, speeches, music and a reenactment of Milk’s stirring 1977 “You’ve Got To Have Hope” speech. The speech will be performed by five local artists: Courtney Walsh and Aaron Wimmer, two actors from “Dear Harvey”, the recent New Conservatory play about Milk’s life; Randall Mann, local poet and winner of the 2003 Kenyon Review Prize in Poetry; Sister Roma, drag artist and 20-year member of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and; Andrea Shorter, political activist. Organized by the Castro Community Benefit District.

May 22nd
All day at the GLBT History Museum they will be giving free admission to all visitors and providing special Milk-related displays and tours. In addition, the museum is extending a welcome to Bay Area schools, many of which plan GLBT history activities in conjunction with Harvey Milk Day.

At 2:00, 4:30, 7:00, 9:30 at the Castro Theatre, the non-profit group, Friends of Harvey Milk, will be showing the film MILK which charts the last eight years of Milk’s life and his political platform, revealing a legacy that resonates in the here and now.

At 7PM at Books, Inc., in comemmoration of Harvey Milk’s birthday the SF GLBT History Museum and Books Inc. present An Archive of Hope: Harvey Milk’s Speeches and Writings, with editors Jason Edward Black and Charles E. Morris III, photographer & former employee at Harvey Milk’s camera shop Daniel Nicoletta, and Harvey’s speechwriter, Frank Robinson. Check out our review of the book.

Planning Department reveals final Castro Street designs

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A neighbor asks questions about the new design

A neighbor asks questions about the new design

Yesterday, the San Francisco Planning Department held their final public meeting to show off the finished designs for the $4 million dollar overhaul of Castro Street. The “Open House” was held over at the Market & Noe Center (the vacant space next to RadioShack) and the turnout was great.

In the front of the room, easels with details of the process and the final design were formed in a semi-circle. Representatives from various city departments were at each station and were available to ask questions. Attendees were invited to grab a sticky-note pad and write down their questions or concerns and stick them to the boards.

In the final design:

  • sidewalks widened from 12′ to 22′
  • sidewalk bulbous at crosswalks
  • Jane Warner Plaza repaving
  • possible nixing of north-bound left-turn onto 18th from Castro (depending on survey feedback)
  • a more direct crossing path across Market Street near Jane Warner Plaza
  • accent trees near intersections will be King Palms
  • trees along the mid-block will be Columnar Ginkos
  • rainbow sidewalks, glittery pavement, led lighting and/or Castro history facts on sidewalks if bids come in low enough
via SF Planning Department
22′ sidewalks via SF Planning Department
Sidewalk rendering via SF Planning Department
Sidewalk Pavement Details via SF Planning Department
via SF Planning Department
via SF Planning Department
via SF Planning Department
More direct route to cross Market planned via SF Planning Department
Life Study – How people live and play in the Castro
Possible enhancements
Survey for possible nixing of North-bound turn-lane from Castro Street onto 18th

Construction is set for January 2014 and is expected to be completed around October.

The Planning Department has not yet made the design available on the project’s website, but as soon as they do, we’ll link to them.

Land Use Committee vote on landmarking Duboce Park Historic District today

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Duboce Park Landmark District

Duboce Park Landmark District Boundaries

Duboce Park Landmark District Boundaries (credit: SF Planning Dept.)

The Planning Department will be holding a public meeting this afternoon to consider adoption of the proposed Duboce Park Landmark District. Two years ago the department floated the idea of landmarking the area bound by Scott, Waller, Stiener and Duboce streets (excluding Duboce Park) as the Duboce Park Historic District. The area is known for its many historic Victorian-style homes that were built around 1899-1905. The Planning Department and other residents felt it was necessary to landmark the area in order to protect the neighborhood’s unique character and historic architecture. The department held a town-hall meeting in August of 2011 to discuss preservation incentives (including tax credits), alterations, and the permit review process for landmark buildings.

A few homeowners raised concerns about alterations to their properties and felt the permit review process for said renovations may prove to be too lengthy and too restrictive. Working with residents and Supervisor Scott Wiener, the Planning Department was able to address some of these concerns. According to a Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association newsletter,

“This exemplary public process has yielded review standards that allow unparalleled flexibility for owners looking to expand or renovate their historic homes. Bathroom and kitchen remodels may proceed without historic review of any kind. No additional review is required for garage doors, window replacement, seismic work, solar panels, roof replacement, rear yard fences, and most alterations to non-visible facades. Those projects that are subject to review, such as front step replacement and non-visible additions, can be signed off by Planning Department staff after a 20-day wait period. Based on input from residents and Supervisor Wiener, the Planning Department made over two dozen changes in order to streamline approval and exempt entire classes of projects from historic review altogether – only major additions necessitate review by the Historic Preservation Commission”

The modifications to the agreement for landmarking the area’s properties also include a Federal rehab tax credit and legislation that makes it easier to access potential 50 percent reductions in property taxes through the Mill’s Act. According to Curbed SF, a member of the Historic Preservation Commission described the designation ”as the most permissive and flexible landmark designation” she has ever seen.

If you’d like to attend the public hearing, the meeting will be held today at 1:30PM at City Hall room 263.

(via haighteration)

J’adorable: Tim asks Bennie if he can put a ring on it at SF Flashmob in the Castro

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Back in March, the SF Flashmob group got together at the entrance to the Castro Muni station for a very special performance. The group was tapped by a gentleman named Tim to perform his boyfriend Bennie’s favorite song, “Single Ladies” by Beyoncé. Tim wanted a special way to ask Bennie to marry him and despite the cloudy skies and the rain, Tim got his wish. And they got it on video (with nice production value I might add).

The video shows the couple walking up Castro Street towards the dancers. Tim and the unsuspecting Bennie stop to watch while Bennie is clearly getting into it. The dancers are strutting their stuff when all of the sudden one of the dancers pulls Bennie into it. He dances with the mob until the end of the song where he finds himself alone in the middle of the sidewalk with all the dancers surrounding him. Tim walks up beside Bennie, takes his hand, gets on one knee and asks Bennie to marry him. AWWWEEEE!!!!

Bennie obviously says yes and, according to the YouTube description, a double rainbow appeared after. It doesn’t get much more fabulous than that, amirite?

UPDATE: SF Pride to reconsider Manning as Grand Marshal

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UPDATE (7:50pm): Public relations specialist Lisa Geduldig distributed a press release on behalf of supporters for Manning’s selection as Pride Grand Marshal announcing the public comment meeting and that, “It is not known if they will bring up and vote on the issue of whether or not to reinstate openly gay whistleblower, Manning, as a Grand Marshal, but supporters of Manning are being encouraged to show up and make a public comment.”

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Joey Cain: Former SF Pride Committee Board member; was Board president for 4 years; former Grand Marshal; part of electoral college of grand marshals who nominated Bradley Manning

Joey Cain: Former SF Pride Committee Board member; was Board president for 4 years; former Grand Marshal; part of electoral college of grand marshals who nominated Bradley Manning

It looks like after protests and being flamed repeatedly by local activists and other members of the media for flip flopping on the selection of Bradley Manning as SF Pride Grand Marshall, Pride is having another change of heart. In a note received by one of our tipsters from Joey Cain, former SF Pride Grand Marshal, the Pride board will be holding a public meeting to consider reinstating Manning as SF Pride Grand Marshall,

Pride’s board of director’s meeting is this Tuesday, May 7th at 7pm, 1841 Market Street, 4th floor, the entrance is at 30 Pearl Street. The board will be deciding if they should reverse their decision on the Bradly Manning Grand Marshal revocation. This is an open to the public meeting. Please attend and show your support for reinstating Manning as Grand Marshal. I am sorry I can’t be there, I am in Buffalo dealing with family issues.

Joey Cain

We’ll find out how the board votes and update you on their decision as soon as we know.

(via Biscuit tipster Bruce B.)

Chipotle offers chips and guacamole bribes at old Home location

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Free Chips and Guac from Chipotle for your soul.Yesterday, while I was walking past the old Home location at Market and Church (2100 Market Street), a guy named Joe asked me if I wanted some free chips and guacamole in exchange for my signature on a petition to bring Chipotle to the Castro. I declined. I was kind of disgusted at the desperation, but thought it would make an interesting story for the Biscuit, so I came back and chatted with Joe a little bit more.

Turns out that Joe works for Berg Davis Public Affairs. The company was tapped by Chipotle to try and muster up some good will by offering food to Castro residents in exchange for their signature on a petition to bring the restaurant to the Castro. Joe was armed with a friendly smile, a clipboard, and a two-sided leaflet describing how the future Chipotle was going to “give back” to the community. Chipotle Rendering 3On the leaflet one of the “benefits” of bringing the chain to the Castro was their proposed installation of a public mural on the Market Street side of the building near the parking lot. Will this public mural be a true public mural that local artists can paint on at will with images that defy corporate bullshit? Or is it the brain-child of corporate ass-hats who’d love nothing more than to meld business with culture? That is up for debate.

When I mentioned the contention that has been expressed on our blog in the comments section about bringing this “formula retail” establishment to the Castro, Joe said that it was “very interesting” and deflected by bringing up the proposed 4th Starbucks location (haters that think that there is only one Starbucks in the Castro can go read another blog). On behalf of the company, Joe said that his firm had been working with local neighborhood associations to get approval for the Chipotle and while the firm understands how contentious the issue is, they thought it was silly for Starbucks to want another location in the Castro. Mind you, I did not mention anything about Starbucks. Joe offered this opinion of his own volition. No doubt it’s a talking point that allows Chipotle to align itself with other folks who are concerned with bringing retail establishments into the Castro that have no ownership ties with our community.

All I know is that I would love to see the restaurant space filled by a business, but not via a bribe of chips and guacamole (a guilty pleasure of mine for sure).