Category Archives: Volume 11/Issue 01

Winter Hayes Valley Farm Update

by Booka Alon

December and January brought much anticipated rains, and several new milestones at the Hayes Valley Farm. Our Youth Education Program hosted Winter Wonderfarm, an urban day-camp for kids. February brought us our one year anniversary and we are enjoying sharing and eating some of our winter crops.

Winter Wonderfarm was a success. The young campers enjoyed learning about growing food, learning mapping skills, participating in worm races and turning the mulch pile, which helped provide a little warmth on a chilly day, because of the heat coming off the pile generated by decomposition of organic matter. They also got to bake and eat homemade farm pizza topped with freshly picked broccoli and feast on warm cinnamon apple sauce. They learned how to make root beer from scratch. The campers meet some furry kids, also known as goats, and were amazed by their voracious appetites. The staff led arts and crafts activities focusing on nature, such as collages made of leaves and seeds, and mini terrariums with beans to take home and steward. Parents and guardians stay tuned, the Farm will host a Spring Sprout Camp during the last week of March and a second session for one week in mid-April. Check the website hayesvalleyfarm.com for details or email kids@hayesvalleyfarm.com

Recently we have been harvesting vegetables from the brassica family from our beds which includes bok choy, kohlrabi, kale, radishes, broccoli, mustard greens and collards. In the coming weeks we expect to see more kale, red cabbage and lots of fava beans. For anyone who would like to take some home, the produce is available to the community at no cost. Please stop by the farm to pick up freshly grown veggies any Thursdays or Sunday between 3:00pm and 5:00pm.

We celebrated our one-year anniversary on February 13th with a potluck, screen-printing and acoustic music. The Hayes Valley Farm is grateful for being granted temporary use of these two parcels. We look forward to the coming seasons.

Angela Goebel writes about the celebration: “Smiles, songs, and tasty dishes marked the one year anniversary celebration of Hayes Valley Farm. Volunteers gathered on February 13th to observe the metamorphosis of an abandoned freeway into a flourishing farm and community. Everyone circled round to recognize a year of hard work and clap happy hands in gratitude of a common vision bearing fruit.

Artists Jack and Aaron Cox painted a mural composed of urban agriculture within the body of a red-tailed hawk, a symbol of ecosystemic renewal on the farm. Musicians Even Taylor and the Jugtown Pirates encouraged all to dance. Meanwhile, volunteers ate welcomly warm pizza fresh from the cobb oven and screen printed t-shirts designed by Caroline Acquistapace.”

Guest House Provides Meditative Final Days

by Roy Remer

This past September, the beautiful Zen Hospice Project Guest House reopened after extensive renovations.   The striking Victorian at 273 Page Street, circa 1877,  provides loving care to people at the end of their lives who choose to spend their remaining time in a caring hospice environment.  The San Francisco Zen Center pioneered the hospice movement when it opening in this location in 1990. The Zen Hospice Project has taken over the facility.

The ZHP Guest House is a six bed facility and is recognized around the world for its unique approach to serving persons at the end of life.  Zen Hospice’s approach, based on 2,500 year old Buddhist teachings,  focuses on compassionate and mindful engagement with residents. In addition to a full professional staff, we train a corps of dedicated volunteers who serve in a wide variety of ways.  There are three Volunteer Caregiver shifts throughout the day, seven days a week and Special Skills Volunteers support our kitchen and other functional elements of running the house.

The Hayes Valley neighborhood is integral to the service offered to residents. Family and friends of residents find respite in local restaurants and shops. Guest House residents often visit the Page and Laguna mini park.    If there is anything we have learned in this work, it is that everything is changing all the time.  We enjoy being part of the positive change that is happening here in Hayes Valley.

We look forward to discovering new ways we can participate in this vibrant community. In addition to the Hospice, there are support groups ready to help people dealing with loss of a loved one.  We invite our neighbors to call upon us when they are in need. To learn more about volunteering with Zen Hospice Project or participating in programs, please visit www.zenhospice.org.

A Discussion with Our Supervisors

by Murrey Nelson

I had the opportunity to sit down individually with each of the three supervisors whose districts include parts of Hayes Valley: Jane Kim of District Six, Scott Wiener of District Eight, and Ross Mirkarimi of District Five. Our discussions covered many topics that are of high importance to Hayes Valley residents and business owners, as well as to these elected officials: crime in the neighborhood, building and re-development, public education, public transportation – specifically Muni, and the Market/Octavia Plan.

Photograph of Supervisor Scott Wiener

Photograph of Supervisor Jane Kim

Photograph of Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi

While all three supervisors agree that public safety is a major issue, they each have their own take on how to eliminate crime in Hayes Valley. Supervisor Mirkarimi is a strong advocate for more cops on the street. Himself a graduate of the San Francisco Police Academy, he has high expectations of the police department and feels they need to be committed to the community and vice versa. Supervisor Wiener, a former Deputy City Attorney, feels that the problems are largely internal, and that without vigilance on the part of the community to ensure that we recommence graduating classes from the Academy and return to the number of sworn officers we had in the past, the situation on the streets cannot improve. He also calls for “smart civilianizing” of certain administrative positions, to ensure that we can put more cops on the street. Supervisor Kim sees a definite connection between economic development and job creation and the reduction of crime. She plans to schedule regular meetings with the police captains in her district, in an effort to empower neighborhood watch groups to support residents. She pointed to the creation of “safe passages” in the Tenderloin, and noted that crime goes down when the residents really care about their neighborhoods.

The subject of the development of 55 Laguna and the parcels lining Octavia Boulevard is of particular interest to the three, as an opportu- nity to set examples for other neighborhoods. All three are pro temporary use, and cited Hayes Valley Farm as an example of a creative idea that has made great contributions to the community. Wiener was planning a meeting with the project sponsors of 55 Laguna to get an update, when we met. Kim strongly supports community-grown ideas and envisions her office helping with permitting for innovative projects. Mirkarimi noted that we need to be creative in our use of vacant parcels and in our efforts to ensure that vacant buildings not become graffiti magnets. He feels that Hayes Valley Farm is the poster child for success because it has empowered a number of different constituencies.

Jane Kim is passionate about public education, as evidenced by her track record as past President of the San Francisco Board of Education. She had the opportunity to hire the current Superintendent and she is committed to closing the achievement gap. She feels strongly that the city needs to help schools improve, not just tell them what to do. She envisions a future when the city can pay for summer school, when the school year and school days are longer, and there is more learning time in general. Mirkarimi feels we need to attack the problem on two fronts: continue to fa- cilitate the connection of activities with John Muir and other organizations, while also making sure we are acting as the advocacy body that monitors the school district, by making public noise when individual schools are threatened. He sees an opportunity for neighborhood associations to unite in their understanding of the holistic connection between education and a thriving community. Wiener wants to be very involved in the lives of the schools in his district, by engaging and empowering parents, students and the community at large. He mentioned a new organization, edMatch, that is just starting up, whose vision is to raise money that would be distributed to schools on a per capita basis, reducing the pressure on the poorest PTA’s to compete with their wealthier neighbors.

All three Supervisors were united in their observation that money is only part of the problem with Muni. Reform on the MTA board, a general agency overhaul, and individual performance improvement all need to happen. Mirkarimi feels that the absence of good leadership usurps the confidence of the system; Wiener noted that the mayor’s office needs to get leaner and meaner on transportation and enforce laws and fines; and Kim pointed out that Muni’s procurement costs are increasing faster than the city’s.

Our final topic was the Market/Octavia Plan, and the key message from the Supervisors was about keeping developers accountable. They all support the plan and want to empower their constituents to help guide the Planning Commission, and work together on land use and the use of community benefit dollars.

Many of you have met Ross Mirkarimi, who was elected in 2004, and Jane Kim and Scott Wiener who attended our candidates’ forum prior to the 2010 election. We invite you to continue the conversation at our March 24th meeting, which the Supervisors will attend.

Tea with Tekin

by Mari Hunter

I sat down with Bawer Tekin the other evening to discuss one of the newest additions to Hayes Valley, Hayes & Kebab. Tekin, a Kurd from Turkey came to the States fourteen years ago. He started in Florida but relocated to San Francisco in 1999 after visiting a friend. His brother Emin followed him to San Francisco shortly after. Within a few years of working at an Italian restaurant in Burlingame, opportunity knocked when the Brazilian restaurant at Hayes and Laguna (now Café Altano) went up for sale. Not a stranger to the restaurant business, Bawer seized the opportunity but after a few years and a downturn in the economy, he decided to sell the restaurant, travel abroad and do a little research.

Upon returning to the States, Bawer returned to Hayes Valley when space became available in 2006 at Hayes and Gough and Hayes & Kebab was born. Business was great but unfortunately, the lease was not—either he had to turn over half the business or lose the lease. With several families invested in the restaurant, turning over half of the business was not an option. Fortunately, by the summer of 2009, a new space became available and the Tekin brothers moved Hayes & Kebab to Hayes and Laguna. Over the next year, permits, zoning, and changes in business concepts kept the Tekin brothers busy with various City departments, but with help of many family members and the original Hayes & Kebab team, the new Hayes & Kebab opened in December 2010 and has been booming. Bawer’s mission statement, “give and then you receive. It’s the attitude, food, love and care, and everything” that brings people to Hayes & Kebab. Case in point, Bawer has, quite successfully, made the most of the parking lot to create a welcoming seating area to enjoy the delicious lamb and beef gyros. For the eco and health conscious crowd, you’ll be pleased to know that the countertops and tables are of recycled wood from the reconstruction and the healthy home recipes are fresh every day. Afiyet olsun!

Hayes & Kebab, 582 Hayes Street @ Laguna

Bread from the Heart

Susan and François met three years ago and have since opened Terra Bakery. Susan is a second generation baker and trained at Le Cordon Bleu. François trained at Les Moulins de Paris, one of the oldest and revered baking schools in France. Combined they have thirty years of baking experience.

Terre means “earth” in French, and with Susan and François’s unwavering commitment to natural ingredients, it was the perfect inspiration for naming their bakery. Terra Bakery opened its doors to the neighborhood in April of 2010, offering croissants, breads, and other baked goods prepared with precise French technique, creative muffins, traditional New York water bagels, and an eclectic French-inspired menu. Their staple food items include a Vietnamese chicken sandwich, a meatloaf sandwich and a fried chicken sandwich. Brunch is a popular experience for many and Terra’s made to order cakes are frequently requested.

Susan and François love being in Hayes Valley and owning their own business, but it is definitely a labor of love. They bake everything fresh from scratch each day, often starting at 4 in the morning and running well past 9 at night. François’s specialty and favorite thing to bake are the baguettes, a challenging item to have come out just right. Susan enjoys baking the muffins the most because their flavors can be reinvented in many ways.

They say that one of the things they love most about baking is that you never know how things might turn out and everyday brings something new. They stay light on their toes, always offering new items. In celebration of Valentine’s Day, Susan and Francois introduced truffles and a new white chocolate and berry muffin. They will begin serving cold sandwiches within the next few weeks.

Terra Bakery is located on the northwest corner of Gough and Hayes. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you stop by Terra Bakery early in the morning things are hot out of the oven. Speaking from experience, this can leave even the grumpiest commuter with a smile on her face.

Laying Out a New Path

By Paul Olsen (past president and editor emeritus)

Two years, or 12 issues ago, layout of The Hayes Valley Voice was turned over to William Ulrich, and things haven’t been the same since! As past president and long time editor, I had been privileged to work with several people over the years, and seen our newsletter grow to be a standard for other neighborhood organizations in the City. So, I worried about what this change would mean to us.

I needn’t have worried. From the very first issue, William’s graphic artistry further enhanced The Voice, and even more positive comments started coming in. There weren’t huge changes – more subtle ones – but they started immediately. That first issue, in January 2009, had too many entries for the calendar, and William and I were worried that the back cover of the newsletter wouldn’t be inviting as a result. William had the idea of breaking up the text by using small photos of the plants at Patricia’s Green as headers for each month. Nothing momentous, but a great change that still helps break up the page.

That William is an artist with an eye to detail quickly became clear in his layout, use of fonts, and other tools. He has frequently run out and taken photos to accompany articles, added graphics of his own design, and generally ensured that the look of The Voice would be appealing and lead to more people reading more about the neighborhood.

William’s artistry does not stop at The Voice. He paints, sketches, creates pieces from different media and even works on enhancing architectural details in private homes. William has participated in Open Studios, drawing people to the ‘hood and supporting other artists in doing the same.

As we move further into 2011, William is turning over his layout duties to Paulo Asuncion and following a new path. Literally, as William has moved further down the street to the edge of the neighborhood, and figuratively, as he has several other projects in which he is involved, and of which we are likely to hear more about as time goes on.

Please join me, the Communications Committee, and all of us who have benefited from William’s efforts, in wishing him good luck!

The Carnival Comes to Hayes Valley

by Jessie Allen-Young

At 203 Octavia, a neighborhood restaurant space under new ownership has a remod- eled look with new festive food. Naomi Beck (executive chef), Ari Feingold (restaurant consultant) and Greg Kaye (marketing guru) co-own Straw, a restaurant that serves up fancy California-style sandwiches and salads with carnival flair. Each month they feature a special menu with food themed on famous carnivals. Through February, you’ll find fare inspired by the New Orleans Jazz Heritage festival.

The partnership and sweat equity of Naomi, Ari and Greg pulled together a restaurant with a creative physical space and menu. They recruited friends and family to sculpt the restaurant’s look and feel. Their help ranged from Karl Langer, the contractor and Naomi’s husband, to a friend who took haunting photographs of Coney Island which are displayed on one wall. They’ve used classic book covers to house their menus and their collection of yard-sale-type finds were transformed into light fixtures and bar decor. The owners even hunted down and trucked across country a salvaged Tilt-a-Whirl booth which a few lucky diners get to sit in. They commissioned local artist Hugh Leeman to hand-paint their exterior sign.

For the community, Straw is donating ten percent of their food sales from Mondays to local non-profits. For the first four Mondays they will be supporting Hayes Valley Farm, with the second non-profit being Spark. The owners also partnered with the Gethsemane Church on Page Street. They donated cooking equipment that they wouldn’t need for Straw to the Church’s kitchen, and Naomi and the kitchen staff cooked up a Thanksgiving turkey dinner that fed over one hundred people at the Church.

Straw serves dinner every night, with weekend brunch and lunch. If you can’t get a table inside the carnival themed restaurant right away, they encourage patrons to stop next door at Mercury Cafe. Straw provides take-out, delivery and catering. Visit them at Octavia and Page or on the web at strawSF.com.

Apollo Market & Deli Reborn as Mazzat

by Laura Surma

501 Fell Street, formerly Apollo Market & Deli, has been reborn as Mazzat, a restaurant that sheds its dual convenience store/restaurant identity for contemporary foodie appeal at affordable prices. The cafe retains its unassuming charm but invites visitors to “sit, stay” as owner/operators Adam and Suzi Chamsine will tell you. In the short time since opening in December, Mazzat has achieved an impressive Yelp score of 4.5 stars out of 5 based on more than 20 reviews. Visitors speak fondly not only of the delectable Lebanese fare but also of the husband and wife team behind the restaurant. “Both of the owners are so warm,” one reviewer says. “Their mom makes the Lebanese food from scratch every morning, and you truly get the sense that this is a family enterprise. They’re attentive and conversational, good people.”

The name Mazzat is derived from the plural for “mazza” a selection of small dishes served in the Mediterranean and Middle East as dinner or lunch, with or without drinks. The menu encourages sampling–six mazza for $25 will serve two guests–and adding a beer or inexpensive glass of wine can complete the meal. Highlights include the chicken artichoke pita or sandwich, baba ghanoush, fried halloumi cheese, dolma, and kibbe. The Chamsines say that they plan to continue to grow the menu based upon response.

Although it welcomes lingerers with laptop power, Mazzat makes take out easy. It serves lunch every day as well as brunch on Sundays, and stays open relatively late for a casual dinner–until 10 pm on weekdays and 11 pm on Saturdays. The new restaurant’s evening glow contributes to the familiar Laguna Street vibrancy of Il Borgo, Momi Toby’s, Domo and Suppenküche. Stop in and say hello.

February/March ’11 President’s Column

By Karen Mauney-Brodek

Over the next year, our neighborhood will continue to see proposals for new development. We will see pop-up retail and temporary uses of land and buildings that otherwise would stand empty. We will also see some long-term projects. Over the past few months we have welcomed new businesses in the neighborhood, as well as housing and community partners. We in Hayes Valley have experienced much in the last ten years: from a freeway removed, to a boulevard built; new parks, a temporary farm and community gardens, new business, new traffic patterns and new neighbors. We must work vigilantly to ensure that support for our neighborhood’s new and existing residents is there. This includes supporting and improving our public transit, John Muir Elementary School, community services and our parks.

The Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association (HVNA) has distinguished itself as a passionate and active group of citizens. We have a proven track record for working with organizations, developers and city agencies to meet shared goals and improve projects along the way. Last year we reviewed and improved the final proposals for 555 Fulton, which will bring a new grocery store and housing in a new attractive building; the future Whole Foods at Market Street and Dolores; the new SFJAZZ Center; and numerous other projects. Recently, HVNA and other non-profits worked together to ensure that the new clubhouse building at Hayes Valley Playground will open with the services of a local non-profit, Opportunity Impact, in place.

As 2011 opens and the new HVNA board gets to work, creative partnerships and models for community services will be developed to meet the needs of our neighborhood. HVNA will continue to set the bar for participation and collaboration.

Join in the dialogue – come to our next General Membership meeting on February 24th at 7pm at 745 Buchanan St. We will elect our new board, get an update on Living Linden Alley and hear a presentation by Recology. I look forward to seeing you!

Seed-to-Mouth Cooking Class Update

By Nora Brereton

In October 2010 CommunityGrows began a year-long Seed-to-Mouth cooking program at Margaret Hayward Recreation Center at Golden Gate and Laguna on Monday afternoons. The students who come for the after-school programs have been making great food every week while learning about nutrition, healthy eating and how to make fresh vegetarian meals. Some of the recipes that the students have learned how to make include vegetable soup, biscuits and greens, vegetarian sushi, homemade pasta and wild mushroom pizza.

We are fortunate to have hired a talented cooking instructor, Adrian Gaino, who teaches the Seed-to-Mouth classes. We also hired our after-school garden educator, Clidell Jackson III. We also have two dedicated volunteers Ashante Smith and Abby Winship who are crucial to the success of the classes.

If you are interested in volunteering with the Seed-to-Mouth Cooking Class, or any of our other classes in the garden, please contact Nora Brereton, Programs Manager at 415-424-5770, or at nora@communitygrows.org.