Dolores Park Movie Night will set up under the trees today, just off Cumberland and Dolores for what looks like the last move night of this year. The winter rains should soon be here, but tonight will be fine, especially if we can get some tasty warm cart grub before the show. Can someone give Tamale Lady a shout and tweet Curry Cart.
The_Goonies
My neighbor, John Duinn reports on major drama Saturday night.
Approx 7:00-7:30 last night, a tree fell down in the center divide in
Liberty street, blocking the street. It had been standing in the
center divide in Liberty street, outside the front door of the
apartment block at 380 Liberty, near the corner with Sanchez.By the time I got home, someone had
called and DPW were already on scene. It was quite a mess, with bits
of wood everywhere, including my doorstep a couple of doors downhill.
I chatted with them for a while, and they showed me just how rotted
the tree was; it was totally decayed right through the center, soft
spongy wood that you could squeeze with your fingertips, and just
needed the windy night to bring it down. Luckily, no-one was injured,
and no cars were parked at the red-kerb at the time.While standing in the midst of it all, DPW looked quickly at the
other trees nearby, and thought they were much younger healthier
trees, swaying in the wind like healthy trees should, and hence not
similarly diseased.I found them super efficient, and really friendly, while working in
challenging circumstances. That particular team were not supposed to
be working last night, but got called in by SFcity because they had
so many trees down across the city, the usual crew couldnt keep up.
“got the phone call just as I was about to have dinner with the wife”
was one quote.DPW finished the last of the chopping/shredding/chipping work approx
1:30am, and left the place spotless.
In its fifth year, the local latin LGBT community is pulling together to produce a day in the park with food, music, dance and entertainment. Ramon aka, Mama Dora, says he has been a volunteer organizer with , since the beginning. “This is an all community event,” Ramon, told us, ” we have no big outside corporate sponsors.” 
Ramon said this is an important event for the local community and that Rec and Park had doubled it’s fee since last year, but the participating non-profits and food booths had been able to pay. He is expecting a crowd of 300 to 500.
The show began today at 11 am and goes to 5.
Hate turned to love last night at the Dolores Park Community meeting, held to organize, strategize and find solutions to the many problems consuming the park. The early organizers of the meeting’s coalition, SafeCleanGreen Mission Dolores, Dolores Heights Improvement Club, Liberty Hill Neighborhood Association, Mission Dolores Neighborhood Association, Dolores Park Dogs and Friends of Dolores Park Playground were joined by a fresh contingent of young citywide users of the park. Comprising about a third of the 50 attendees, this younger contingent came expressing their “love for Dolores Park.” One young women, Heidi, told us how she spends quiet afternoons at Dolores, and has slowly been moving closer to the park as her budget improves. As the group continued to introduce themselves, I was reminded that Dolores is not just a neighborhood park but a city wide civic resource.
Kevin Montgomery, of the blog MissionMission had urged all “lovers of the park” , ”if you care about the city making community events more rare, your right to picnic, grilling pork, trash, noise, dogs off-leash, dogs on-leash, pedophile hipsters smoking cigarettes near the swings, or whatever your issue is, show up.” Many in the young group did plead eloquently and passionately for the status quo and the ability to organize impromptu events and consume alcohol. But, Kevin urged the meeting to embrace what everyone could agree on, the need to reduce trash, and to go from there.
So, a working meeting has been organized for this Sunday, September 20, 2-4 pm at the Liberty Bell plaza, 19th and Dolores. Gideon Kramer, meeting organizer and SafeCleanGreen steering committee member told us, ”What we aim to do is not just spruce things up around the park (litter pickup, graffiti cleanup), but raise consciousness so that less cleaning up has to be done in the future because park users are picking up after themselves and disposing of their trash responsibly.”
Gideon said he also was anxious to keep last night’s meeting focused on positive results. “ We purposely avoided areas of contention (like dogs off leash, alcohol, drugs, noise, rowdy behavior) in favor of focussing initially on those things we can all agree on, and over which we have power to effect a change.” he told us. Though all these points were brought up, the commitment from all sides of the “Turf War” to sit down and have a civil conversation on the parks problems and the neighbors concerns was abundantly clear.
The young “Dolores Park Lovers” had come to play ball. Their ability to organize and communicate was well demonstrated by their numbers, called to the meeting by posts on blogs, , and Twitter. The Lovers are also politically savvy. Kevin told us that he had already spoken with Dana Ketcham, Rec and Park’s lead for event permits at Dolores. And last week, there was a sit down in Dolores with Beven Dufty , with, we we were told, a frank exchange of views. These skills are most welcome if we are to form a strong representational support and oversight group for Dolores. This is what a great park deserves.
Dolores Park Advocates (Do you like the name?) is well on the way to becoming a true representation of all Parks users. Let the love fete commence.
Charlotte Petersen, SafeCleanGreen and Kevin Montgomery, MissionMission having a warm and fuzzy moment.
Beven on the lawn. photo by JohnnyO
Patriots and San Franciscans prepare to commemorate Miguel Hidalgo's "cry of independence"
Each year, here in Dolores Park and throughout Mexico, Miguel Hidalgo’s declaration of independence, ”the Grito de Dolores”, is remembered. On the night of September 15, 1810 Hidalgo rang the church bells in the town of Dolores and gathered his people. His address ended with the cry, Viva Mexico.
Since the late 19th century, Hidalgo y Costilla’s “cry of independence” has become emblematic of Mexican independence. Each year on the night of September 15, the President of Mexico re-enacts the event by ringing the bells of the National Palace in Mexico City. He repeats a cry of patriotism based upon the “Grito de Dolores” from the balcony of the palace to the assembled crowd in the Plaza de la Constitución, or Zócalo, one of the largest public plazas in the world. This event draws up to half a million spectators. On the dawn of September 16, or Independence Day, the national military parade starts in the Zócalo, passes the Hidalgo Memorial and ends on the Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City’s main boulevard.
A similar celebration, albeit on a smaller scale, occurs in cities and towns all over Mexico. The mayor (or governor, in the case of state capitals), rings a bell and gives the traditional words.
In the 20th century, it became common practice for Mexican presidents in their final year in office to re-enact the Grito in Dolores Hidalgo, rather than in the National Palace. President Calderón is expected to officiate the Grito in Dolores Hidalgo as part of the bicentennial celebrations in 2010.
The following day, September 16 is Independence Day in Mexico and is considered a patrio
tic holiday, or fiesta patria (literally, holiday of the fatherland)
At a meeting of the Mission Dolores Neighborhood Association (MDNA) last night at the Dolores Park Church, Carey & Company architects and Matt Weintraub (city planner) each presented reports of their ongoing historical surveys of the historic Mission Dolores neighborhood. Both parties spoke to the significance of the 1906 Dolores Street Fire Line in the development of the neighborhood we see now. The fire was racing south and west through the neighborhood was finally halted at Dolores.
The Planning Department’s Inner Mission North Historic Survey, Weintraub reported, will include a proposed Mission Reconstruction Historic District. This potentially eligible Historic District is an excellent example of immediate post earthquake period buildings reconstructed in the period 1906-1913 .
Carey & Company announced they will propose a Mission Dolores Fire line Historic District. This potential Historic District has been identified as eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places as frontline survivors of the 1906 earthquake and fire. And as embodying the distinctive characteristics of balloon frame housing erected in San Francisco before 1906.
1853 Map of Mission Dolores and the new anglo town of San Francisco
Since Mission Dolores is the birthplace of San Francisco, a thorough survey of the neighborhood’s history and historical assets is of incredible value for present and future planning efforts. The SF Planning Dept has been working on a survey of the Inner Mission for several years. To augment their efforts, the Mission Dolores neighbors with leadership from Peter Lewis from the MDNA, obtained several grants to fund the survey.
The Mission Dolores survey is focused on Spanish Mediterranean architecture and the history of Dolores Park itself, from an early Jewish cemetery, to refugee camp after the 1906 earthquake and fire, and its modern use, after much public lobbying, as a public park.
The findings of both groups are preliminary and will be presented again for public feedback before being finalized.
Carey & Company is the distinguished firm that oversaw the renovation of the city halls in San Francisco and Oakland, the Palace of Fine Arts, as well as our state capital.
note: This post has corrected an error in the original posting stating the 1906 fire was halted at Guerrero. The 1906 fire line is at Dolores.
Reporting by guest contributor-
Naomi Lempert Lopez. REALTOR®. www.naomilopez.com
I am posting a copy of the SafeCleanGreen Mission Dolores progress report that was published by MissionMission almost as soon as Gideon Kramer, sent it out to the group on August 28. Within a week, the on-line shouting this little list caused has engendered two news reports, missionlocal and the examiner.
The tone of the report and maybe the realization that the neighborhood is capable of organizing itself and getting some city action, got the pot boiling. Let’s be clear, we don’t want to end the scene, stop all major events and ban off-leash dog access in Dolores. We just believe that the popularity of Dolores has exceeded the attention she needs from the City and her neighbors. We intend to change that.
Early next year, Rec and Park will host a series of public meetings asking for input into how the 14 million dollars of park revitilization money will be spent. And by Spring, the playground will close for it’s rebuild. We need a Dolores Park advocacy group in place now.
On September 16, 7 pm at the Dolores Park Church, 455 Dolores Street, the coalition of park supporters that meet in Bevan Dufty’s office, August 7th will meet again to form goals and to strategize. I am calling for a sustainable and focused park stewardship group that will fight for preserving Dolores Park for everyone’s use.
Please let me know if you can to be a part of this effort or if you would like to be added to our e-mail list.
DOLORES PARK PROGRESS REPORT
Many of you attended our Friday, August 7th meeting in Sup. Bevan Dufty’s office. I’ve already sent a synopsis of the meeting, but want to give you an update on a number of developments and commitments that Rec&Park and others have made since then:
1. Police presence in the park. You may have noticed a substantial increase in police presence in the park. Last weekend, SFPD had a van parked in the middle of the park and 3 bicycle officers riding around the park. There had also been press coverage talking of a “crackdown” at DP. While this is overstated (it’s more presence than enforcement of park codes, but it’s a great start), the combined effect has been to dampen the spirits of those who are inclined to come to DP for unfettered drinking and carousing. We have a long way to go, but I hope this is the beginning of setting a new climate. Thank you, Captain Tacchini.
2. Amplified sound events with a permit. Rec&Park has promised that once the current permits issued last year are fulfilled, it is greatly reducing the number of permits issued for future large events in DP. Thank you, Bob Palacio!
3. Amplified sound events WITHOUT a permit. We have agreement from Capt. Tacchini of Mission Police Station that all officers working in or around DP will have a list of all permitted events in the park. Rec&Park has agreed to provide this info on a regular basis to SFPD. The idea ultimately, is for officers to take a proactive approach: if they hear amped sound, they simply consult their list, and if not on the list, they can take action, thus eliminating the need for residents to always complain before a loud unpermitted event is shut down. We’re far from having this new policy solidly in place, but it’s a start, and in the meantime, I encourage you to always call the non-emerg. number 553-0123 whenever you hear amplified sound that is going on without a permit. Contact Bob Palacio, DP manager, at and he can supply you with a current list of permitted events (i.e., if it’s on the list, it ain’t legal!). It’s really important that we keep SFPD informed of what’s going on in the park, and don’t allow things to return to the way they were before. Let’s keep the momentum going.
4. New and improved signage (see example att’d): Rec&Park will soon install large park rules signs at each corner of the park (similar to ones in Duboce Park), reminding people that there are in fact regulations regarding permits, amplified sound, alcohol, drugs, trash and litter, etc. It is also working on other signs as well, (hopefully ones like “LEAVE NO TRACE” , ‘PACK IT IN, PACK IT OUT!”) Rec&Park recognizes the need to set a new tone in the park. Signage is a basic component of the public education and consciousness-raising campaign we are advocating.
5. Trash receptacles: Clearly, there are not enough trash bins in the park, and nobody really likes the ugly graffiti-laden black and blue toters. In the near future, RPD will install 4 new 4×8′ concrete foundation pads on the side strip of Dolores from 18th to 20th, each holding 4 concrete trash receptacles (total 16 bins). The black and blue toters now chained to the regular receptacles will be removed. In addition, each concrete pad on which the bins will sit will be accompanied by an 8′ red no parking strip on the adjoining curb to enable Sunset Scavenger to easily access the bins, something that has heretofore been a real problem. RPD is still mulling over how to deal with recyclables. We are lobbying for theft (bear)-proof bins, but due to cost that may have to wait for the renovation. Theft of recyclables and the mess created by dumpster divers is a serious problem begging for a solution.
6 Broken irrigation: Everyone agrees: the grass throughout the park looks really bad. By October, all the irrigation in the park will be fixed so that the turf throughout the park can start turning green again. Let’s hope this comes to fruition.
7. 18th and Dolores gateway: This abused corner where the grass has been worn bare, will very soon be landscaped with drought-tolerant ornamentals, bordered by a low (not for sitting) retaining wall of pressure-treated timber. The area around the sidewalk corner will be decomposed granite, anticipating that people will still want to round out the corner by taking a shortcut.
8. Gardeners/laborers in the park: During the next 6 weeks, Rec&Park will deploy work crews in the park M-F from 9-11 am fixing the irrigation system, weeding the planter beds and dealing with other issues that need attention.
9. Embracing park volunteers: At our August 7 meeting, we made it clear that we wanted RPD to take a new attitude about volunteers and embrace their role in keeping the park clean. We are planning a meeting on Wed., Sept. 16, 7pm at Dolores Park Church Community Building, 65 Dorland, to talk about the formation of a new group (working tltle “Dolores Park Stewards.”) Forming this group is in recognition of the fact that RPD simply cannot do the job alone, and if we as citizens want real and sustainable improvement, we’re going to have to get personally involved.
10. The BIG DP renovation: Of course, the most important change we anticipate is the bond measure renovation of Dolores Park—over $15 million including the renovation of the children’s playground. Fundamental issues like the disgusting bathrooms, the turf, recycle bins, the soccer field, designated off-leash areas for dogs, etc. will have to wait until then, but we will all want to give our feedback in neighborhood meetings when they start.
11. Our next meeting with Bevan et al. Supervisor Dufty rightly commented at our last meeting that we don’t meet with him and other city officials often enough, and tend to wait until we’re in “crisis mode”. Fair enough. So, we are having another meeting with him in October (not yet scheduled) and will continue to do so on some regular basis. This future meeting will follow up on some of the promised improvements in the park and will report on our own Sept. 16 meeting to discuss formation of the volunteer group. That about sums in up for now. Any comments you might have are most welcome. And anyone who wishes to be part of our new group, Dolores Park Stewards, and is willing to come to meetings and or volunteer toward this effort, please let me know and you’re invited to our Sept. 16 meeting.
Gideon Kramer, SafeCleanGreen Mission Dolores
San Francisco Mime Troop will play its last scheduled SF shows this weekend in Dolores Park. We are very honored that the Troop has decided to open and close it’s 50th anniversary SF shows here in Dolores. They will round out the season by playing several gigs in the East Bay and beyond.
This year, the tony Award-winning Mime Troupe offers a song and dance satire of monumental proportions, TOO BIG TO FAIL. Told in the tradition of the West African Griots, this modern day epic follows Filije, a man in love with his family, his village, and most of all, his beloved goat, Bamusa, on an odyssey through the twists and turns of banking bureaucracy and international finance to find out how all the greed got started, and more importantly, how the hell we turn it off.
poster by Spain Rodriguez
photo by Liza M Frolkis
Founded in 1959, the San Francisco Mime Troupe creates and produces socially relevant theater; their work is political satire and anything but silent. Winner of three OBIE awards and a Tony Award for Excellence in Regional Theatre, the San Francisco Mime Troupe, about which The New York Times stated, “Anyone concerned about the state of global politics — and about the state of political humor — should listen to the Mime Troupe’s message,” creates plays that make sense out of the headlines, close-up stories that make audiences feel the impact of political events on their personal lives. The New York Post called the Mime Troupe “America’s oldest and finest street theater,” with the The Boston Globe concurring, “You’re never only watching a political theater piece, but rather a double barreled re-invention of politics and theater at once. To make this work accessible to the broadest audience possible, the Mime Troupe performs as a regional touring company, presenting their work at a price everyone can afford: free.
photo by Liza M Frolkis
9/5 – 9/7 Labor Day in Dolores Park- Saturday, Sunday and Monday- music at 1:30, show at 2pm. Stage is near the 18th street and Church MUNI stop.
Friends of Dolores Park Playground will be offering a free and fun Music Together class at Dolores Park Playground on Saturday, September 12th, from 11 to noon.
Music Together is a music and movement approach to early childhood music development for both children as well as parents and primary caregivers. Sing, dance, play instruments, make fun rhymes and rhythms with teachers Andrew Gomez and Bevin Fernandez.
This event is part of an ongoing commitment by the Friends of Dolores Park Playground to bring free family friendly social events to Dolores Playground. Music Together are great supporters of the Playground and have performed there in the past. They promise that this will be another exciting and fun experience for all.
Tip of the week. Not that we want all you fun loving “hipsters” to go away, just some. Check this out.
, its on the cool side of the Mission, convenent to MUNI and easy to bike to. There is more sun then Dolores and it has this cool skate park. Don’t forget to get a Pal’s sandwich to take with (inside Tony’s Market @24th and Hampshire).
courtesy MissionMission
If anyone doubted Allan’s recommendation of the park, you need to check Potrero del Sol out. It is like Dolores Park, only it’s not full of trash, dead grass, cops, it doesn’t smell like urine, and there is actually interesting shit going on. It even has its own miniature hipster hill, affectionately known as “lurker hill” by the announcers, where one can flaunt their keen sense of retro bicycle-parts aesthetic and complete apathy towards skateboarding while unfettering, drinking and carousing.
Update- August 28, 2009 at 5:54 pm
I just spoke with captain Stephen Tacchini at Mission Station by phone. He says he was misquoted by the officers who started writing citations for public drinking in the park a few weeks back. “They were not told by me to start issuing citations for drinking in the park.” He says the policy is to “advise people about the City park alcohol policy.” Some of the motor bike patrols were misinformed, he said.
Yes, they are patrolling the park more often lately, but his main concern is curbing drug sales. And yes, his officers are enforcing the 10 pm curfew.
He said nothing about dampening spirits.
At 5 pm this evening I spotted two patrol officers issuing citations for public drinking to two men sitting on the lawn just above Gay Beach off 20th street. These guys were neither obviously drunk, rowdy or committing any other nuisance.
The officers told me that Mission Station Chief, Steve Tacchini had issued new orders this morning ordering the drinking in Dolores Park to be brought under control. “Park neighbors had come to him complaining” the officer said.
Setting up at 19th street for a sunny weekend in Dolores Park
Up till today, officers patrolling the park have told me they would not issue citations unless the offender was noticeably drunk, belligerent or violent. Public urination was another quick ticket to court. Captain Tacchini told a group of Mission Dolores Neighbors at a August 7 meeting in Supervisor Bevan Dufty’s office that I attende, that while violence would not be tolerated, citing people for drinking and smoking in Dolores was not a priority. Something must have happened in the two weeks to have changed his mind.
pic from Broke-ass Stewart's Goddamn web-site
The final post is in of the epic, three part guide for the uninitiated and generally clueless to “Dolores Park Etiquette”. Stewart seems to cover it all, from taking charge of your own trash to learning to share. I do quibble with a few points. Like the tip to pee behind the bushes up near the Muni tracks. No No No! Suck it up and wait in line people.
Thank God Summer is Almost over. I normally would not say something like this, but I would rather return to Fall and Winter then suffer through seeing this summer’s hottest “fashion” trend blind my fashionista sensibilities.
As long as you are fabulous, you can get away with anything.
Whoever decided that cheap, plastic, usually brilliantly colored, retro (for me but not the tween-aged twinks wearing them) large-lens sunglasses were OK to bring back from the depths of the 80’s should be shot. If a Sunday walk in Dolores Park were a game of “Where’s Waldo?”, it would be a very confusing scene.
Women’s Will, the all women Shakespeare company is in Dolores today and tomorrow, 1pm with “the Taming of the Shrew”. It looks fun with the all girl cast belting it out (no mikes) right on the lawn behind the playground. Scoot up close to be sure to hear all the great lines.
Finally it’s fog free and beautiful for Dolores Park’s smaller and more intimate film night, Dolores Park Movie Night (every second Thursday of the month). I took a turn through the park at 9 pm and the scene was very quiet. Anni Hall was on the screen and she had just sparked up a fatty and was trying to smoke out Woody. This was a cue that many in the crowd could not ignore.
Behind the stage, in the childrens playground, a very carfully organized and monitored Bike Valet held about a hundred of the Missions finest bikes. Further up the path I ran into four foot patrol cops from Mission Station, walking and chatting. “How it going? A quiet night?” , I ask. They told me that they had run into some suspicious characters . I guess it was not all quiet and mellow. The cops said that lately they come through every night. Usually on foot. Sometimes driving the cruiser, and enforce the 10pm curfew. The drinking has to end sometime.
The Cops also explained to me that they regarded the film nights as mixed blessings. Yes, events did bring a mostly good crowd , which helped to make the park enviornment feel safe. But , these events had also brought in dweebs who got a little too drunk and disordelly. And, maybe more serious, petty criminals have also drifted in with the crowds. Muggings and robberies are not unknown.
So, maybe I was felling a little less safe. But these beat cops were doing a good job and we, as we walk and sit in the park, needed to be vigilant and help each other out. Keep 911 on speed dial and pay attention. Let’s take care of each other.
Shortly after 11:30 this morning a Corrib moving van rolled over the chuck blocks under its wheels and began an uncontrolled decent down Hill Street towards Church, crashing into the garage doors of 947 Church Street. No one was hurt. The driver and two helper jumped from the truck before impact, and no one from the home was injured. There may have been no one at home.
A supervisor from Corrib Moving and Storage told us that they were working on a job near the corner of Sanchez Street and Hill when his driver lost control of the vehicle , it rolled back, hit a wall and began its decent down Hill Street head first toward busy Church Street. 
Pam Hemphill, a resident of Hill street and president of the Dolores Heights Improvement Club said this is not the first time trucks have run into trouble on the hill. She has also heard of a debris box and a back hoe getting lose on the steep slope. ” Trucks need special instructions when working on the hill” , Pam told us.
Monica, over at Broke-ass Stewart’s hilarious yet some how helpful web-site, has done her bit to update us on what is the latest in proper behavior when visiting Dolores Park.
Yes, this year has brought us a big upsurge in the crowds on Hipster Hill. First charmed, (ain’t they cute) then perplexed, now frightened and worried, those of us that live near Dolores and have depended on this little isle of green for our sanity,are now in danger of going a little mad. We remember tales of when Haight Street made it to the cover of Time magazine. And a song hit number 1 with lines about sticking flowers in your hair a hitchhiking out to “the coast”. Are we in for another Summer of Love followed by several years of hell. Or do we just have a little up tick in Bridge and Tunnel fun seekers and summer school lay-abouts. Time will tell. In the mean time, take a ganger at Monica’s excellent undercover reporting and prepare for the future.
photo from AndWeLove.wordpress.com by way of Broke-ass Stewart
Note: to my more serious readers, if I have readers, Monica’s piece is satire.
After an unscheduled break in July, Dolores Park Movie Night returns this Thursday with Annie Hall. Last month, our heroic neighbors Sean, Cameron and Eric, voluntarily went dark to concentrate their efforts on helping out a friend. We ‘re glad to see them back. Come on out Thursday night, August 13 and cheer as the crew clicks on the projector and fires up the popcorn machine.
Dolores Park Movie Night is one of two producers who show films in Dolores. (I know, it’s tough to keep this straight.) We are also grateful for Film Night in the Park, San Francisco’s city wide outdoor film series. Film Night in the Park is not related to Dolores Park Movie Night other then they both show films in Dolores Park. Clear? Film Night in the Park has excellent corporate sponsorship, (Its main sponsor this year is Xbox360) and is produced by the San Francisco Neighborhood Theater Foundation. Film Night will return September 19 with The Dark Night.
Broke Ass Stewart lays down the law. Some simple guide lines to keep what has to be the worlds most crowded park peaceful and chill.
- If only they where little cupcakes.
Clean Up After Your Dog: If I was the devil I’d reserve a special place in Hell for those who don’t pick up their dog’s shit. It’s enough that we have to dodge people poop in the streets of San Francisco; Dolores Park should be a place where we don’t have to worry about stepping in dog doo too.
And my favorite:
Learn to Share: If you have a gang of extra beer and someone asks for one, give it to them, but make them trade you something for it. Instead of money, have them smoke you out, tell you a story, sing a song, do a little dance or do something else interesting. Use the barter system. Or fuck it, just take that dollar they offered you.
Yes, this is the event to wear that Volcanic ensemble you have been saving. Saturday night, August 1, Film Night in the Park will continue its popular tradition of screening John Hughes films in Dolores Park. This Summer, the movie is Pretty in Pink.
Guaranteed to be blanket to blanket, get there early for the best spots. Also, don’t forget the Dolores Chiller and a hoodie.
The combination of perfect San Francisco weather, Sunday Street closures and the promise of free fun brought out the masses. And James Gaffigan, symphony conductor and crew were up to the challenge.
Gaffigan’s enthusiasm and joy during the last movement of Beethoven’s Fifth could not be missed and it translated into a rousing end to a stirring concert.
we sat behind the horns
on break
behind the stage, a little too much timphony and brass
Someone has gone and organized an effort to clean-up Dolores. Though much has been said, blogged and otherwise opined upon on the condition of our park. Finally, someone is calling for us to come out and show some action.
The first clean-up effort is is this Sunday at 5 pm. The Symphony will be just finishing up and the crowds could still be thick. We know the trash will be. I hope to see you there.
It’s the small stuff. The cigarette butts, bottle caps and pistachio shells that are degrading the quality of the turf. The Rec and Parks guys don’t have the time to rake the park every week. We can do better guys. This is a lawn people, not a vacant lot.
As the City is about to approve a harsh lean times budget and the Park Rangers have discovered the joys of harassing Dolores Park, this bit of news is reported by the Examiner’s Will Reisman. In admittedly a revenue generating move, Rec and Park is planning on asking the Parks Commission for the OK to license more food carts, at a one grand a month fee. There are already some carts and concessions in Golden Gate Park and the Civic Center. Local fav, Crème Brûlée Guy, is liberally quoted.
The Crème Brûlée Guy, a local food vendor who operates outside city regulations and declined to give his name, said it’s admirable that the department is trying to encourage more street vending, but the $1,000 monthly cost is “pretty steep.”
“It would be hard for an independent vendor to make that monthly payment,” said the Crème Brûlée Guy, who has operated in Dolores Park in the Mission district, adding that he intends to investigate purchasing a permit.
Sunday Streets in the Mission will have a second go at freeing up our neighborhood’s streets for civic space and outdoor play this Sunday. And immediately following, at 2pm just as the streets reopen, the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra will perform for free in Dolores Park. Quite a day.
“We are talking with them (the Symphony) and Sunday Streets has no programming planned for Dolores Park anyway”, Susan King, coordinator of Sunday Streets told us. Susan will cede Dolores Street in front of the park to the Symphony and center most of Sunday Streets activities out on the streets or at Garfield Square (26th and Harrison). Susan told us she will have people out on Dolores helping the symphony if necessary. “We have a pretty good spirit of cooperation between us.” Susan said. The activity guide for Mission Sunday Streets will encourage people to check out the Symphony after the event (look for it in the weekend Examiner, out on the street or check here). Susan expects Dolores Park to be crowded and so do we.
fair warning this time. don't forget to move the car.
The Symphony’s return to Dolores is great news. The Opera after all has decided to skip the Mission this year. And the park is looking good, as good as can be expected after the Dyke March and a rather hot Fourth. Problems with an aging irrigation system are coming to a head this year and are being exacerbated by a failing water supply system. But, our rec and park guys are rallying and, as I said, the park is looking good. Which is good news indeed, because this is an important weekend.
photo by paul furman
The fear that Sunday Streets would be just another event that would overwhelm the Mission neighborhoods now seems to be gone as well. To be replaced by an acceptance that this event is the neighborhood. This is also very good news. The first Sunday Streets in the Mission was a great success. This is our event now. Let’s have some fun and welcome back two of best events Dolores Park hosts.
Sunday Streets, the Mission is on Sunday, July 19, 10 am till 2pm.
Please note that cars will be towed from the route starting at midnight Saturday Night.
San Francisco Symphony will play Dolores Park Sunday, July 19 starting at 2pm.
James Gaffigan conducts Sousa’s, Stars and Stripes, excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet and Swan Lake followed by Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.
Pride weekend has come and almost gone. I think there is one more parade. And we, the Castro, the Mission and Dolores Park have survived to fight another day. Here is some great coverage from Stefania Rousselle and Lola Chavez of Mission Loc@l of the Dyke March on Saturday. And Liz Highleyman of Indybay has great photos of Friday’s Trans March.
The Trans March left Dolores Park and went through the Mission this year. They wanted to take the trans gendered community out of the gay ghetto of the Castro and into a more working class neighborhood, march organizers stated.
Trans March
The Dyke March rally drew tremendous crowds (the weather was great), yet they didn’t seem to be quit as loud as in years past. The march terminated in the Castro at the Pink Saturday party.
It looked like a very mellow scene at the “non-permitted” Bicycle Music Festival in Dolores yesterday, as pics from Kevin Montgomery of MissionMission show. Correction: tell the whole story. They are greeted by SF Park Rangers in Golden Gate Park at 10:30 am and told to leave and chased out of Dolores in the afternoon. Finally getting to play at 6:30 pm in Dolores for a couple of hours. But as Kevin reported, It seemed OK to play Music while in the streets.
SF Rangers and Cops Negotiate Deal for Run Festival Out
The Bicycle Music Festival announced via there web page and posters they were coming to Dolores Park, yet no permits were pulled. SF Park Rangers and Mission Station Police were there to great them. Kevin reported they were allowed to use the Movie Night in the Park permit. Nice work! And the show went on. At least for a couple of hours.
Maybe we can have more then one event happening in the park at once.
Mission Loc@l’s, Stephania Rousselle has some beautiful views of the twilight settling in over Dolores and an excellent interview with Alfonso G Felder, board member of the San Francisco Neighborhood Theater Foundation. SFNTF is the producer of Film Night in the Park. Felder is also a Noe Valley resident, senior vice president of facilities for the SF Giants and a board member of SPUR, SF Planning on Urban Research.
In Mission Loc@l’s video, Felder says he shows movies in the parks because people get to “use the parks in a way, that for many years, they have not been used; at night.” He also likes producing events in Dolores because it is a nexus of such different communities, the Mission, Noe Valley, the Castro. “Its a great place to come together because of the incredible mix of people who enjoy this park.”
Film Night in the Park 2009 opens this Saturday in Dolores Park with a screening of the 1964 James Bond classic, Goldfinger.
Film Night in the Park is San Francisco’s city wide outdoor film series. It has excellent corporate sponsorship, (its main sponsor this year is Xbox360) and is produced by the San Francisco Neighborhood Theater Foundation. A group dedicated to keeping film and the city’s historic theaters alive. Last year’s Dolores Park showing of the John Hughes 80’s teen fav, Sixteen Candles drew a massive crowd. This year in Dolores, Hughes’ Pretty in Pink will screen August 1 and The Dark Knight September 19.
Judd Nelson and the San Francisco Skyline
Other parks that will host Film Night this year are Union Square and Washington Square. July 11 it’s Union Square with Manhattan (1979) and on August 22, On the Waterfront (1952). Washington Square Park will have Slumdog Millionaire on October 3.
The third annual Bicycle Music Festival will take to the the road this Saturday, June 20. This is a traveling, bike powered, all day affair. They are due at Golden Gate Park’s, Sharon Meadows at 10 am., and are scheduled to be at Dolores Park by 3 pm. Check the
Bicycle Festival’s site for complete schedule.
A tip of the hat, to Allen of MissionMission for the info.
On the Road Again
Note that the Bicycle Festival does not have any park permits. but how loud are they going to get with bike powered amps?
Just got back into town and missed our first Sunday Streets but hear it was great fun. Lots of folks did get caught off guard by the squadrons of tow-trucks that descended on us shortly after midnight, but hopefully all of you guys saw the map and were prepared. The next Sunday Streets, the Mission will be July 19. Towing will begin again shortly after midnight, so get the word out. This is not a car friendly event. If you have a car, duck and cover.
Shot from Jesse Friedman of Beer & Nosh
All of the Mission’s ace reporters came out for this, so we have some great coverage. Take a look at johnnyO, Burrito Justice, Lola Chavez for Mission Loc@l and Jesse’s, Beer & Nosh
San Francisco is a town bursting with young talent. We have been known almost from our inception as a place where geniuses in the visual, performing and musical arts could setup camp on a street corner and go at it. This universal impulse to to find an audience and pay the rent is of course not lacking in young chefs. Now, along with the jingling of the Mexican Ice guys and the Tamale Lady, we have a swarm of New Mission Street Food vendors roving the Mission and Dolores Park
The idea of premium quality and original street food was launched last year by the first Mission Street Food. They have since move the operation indoors to 2234 Mission Street. ( Open Thursday and Saturday only, at 6 pm, no reservations), and are just as popular as ever.
Mission Street Food’s success has inspired a squadron of imitators. Not that we a complaining. This was an idea in search of its genius. This Summer you should be on the look out for Magic Curry Cart, Sexy Soup Cart, Cream Brulee Man, Amuse Bouche and, as of last count, the Ice Cream Cookie Wag and Pie Bicycle. Promo for this reinvention of the ancient street cart has gone viral, with tweets quicly replacing blogs for up to the second news on when and where you can find a street treat. And news of the new nibbles is being reported in the Chronicle and dissed in Eater SF.
I for one think this is all great. I am going to try as many of the new vendors as time and gut will allow and report back. It is up to us to keep them honest. We will demand great quality food, safely prepared and at a fair price. Let a thousand street carts bloom.
Do you have a favorite cart? Should the park’s venders have permits?
An idea that is designed to connect neighborhoods, help local businesses, encourage physical exercise and promote a less car crazed city is ready to take over The Mission. Though we a calling the Sunday Streets idea an experiment, it is not new. It’s in its second year in the City and was first tried in Bogata, Colombia in 1976 where it is now an institution. They call it and it takes over 70 miles of street every Sunday.
The Ciclovia idea started to take off in the states last year with major closings in NYC, Chicago, Portland and Miami. Next Sunday’s closings in The Mission will however, take the Ciclovia idea into a dense urban San Francisco neighborhood for the first time.
At a lightly attended neighborhoodmeeting last month at the Brava Theatre on 24th, organizers from the Mayors Office and reps from Sunday Streets and Livable City said they were going to make this “very much a local, native San Francisco event.” As is the case with previous Sunday Streets they are expecting runners, bicyclists, skateboarders to take over the street (Recreational Asphalt they called it), but they are also counting on the Mission to come out in force. Shop owners are encouraged to set up tables on the sidewalk and local performing arts groups have been offered space. Organizers say they are looking for an outpouring of “all of what Mission District culture has to offer. ” Look out!!
Susan King, coordinator of Sunday Streets, says she is planning for 20,00o0 to come out and will provide an appropriate number of Porto Potties and trash cans. “People are exhausted by all the big events rolling through”, she told us. She promised this will not be a Street Fair or an “outside” event, but will be by and for us.
Sunday Streets, The Mission is June 7, 10 am to 2 pm. No parking along the route starting at dawn. Streets will re-open promptly at 2 pm. The full map is here.
At the community meeting last night, Steve Koch, principle architect of the Portland firm KLA, dazzled attendees with his plan for revamping the Dolores Park Playground. It features a 35 foot Super Slide surrounded by natural boulders, a grand climbing structure accessible by a bridge, shooting off the southern hill and is surrounded by several play zones designed for different age groups.
Top of the Super Slide.
Drawing of climbing hill with Super Slide and 20th street in background.
The entire playground will be interwoven with walls that double as benches giving the adults a place to relax and keep an eye an the kids at play.
Nancy Gonzalez-Madynski, a founding member of Friends of Dolores Heights Playground recalled how she had dreamed of a word class playground and now believes it will soon be a reality. Koch told us he was trying to design for everyone, from the very young to teens. His liberal use of wood and rock will allow “for Natural Play”, a feature that many community participants in the planning process had requested and had feared would be imposable. Koch also hopes to further enhance the playground by incorporating wind and solar sculptures.The plan goes to the Rec and Park commission on June 4 at 4pm. If approved, Koch will prepare detailed construction plans and work will begin next spring. Our new playground should be ready for play by late Fall 2010.
Steve Koch, principle archictcht of the project
Adding the final touches to the plan
The route for street closures planned for Sundays, June 7 and July 19 is out. Sunday Streets is a great gift for the people of San Francisco but, it will require a good deal of accommodation by the drivers of the Mission. The route will close promptly at 10 am and reopen within minutes of Sunday Streets end at 2pm. Much of the route will be closed to cross traffic as well with only limited crossing at a few key intersections. Parking is prohibited along the route. Towing will begin early in the morning, so that the police can clear the streets of all illegally parked cars.
The following streets will be closed to traffic during Sunday Streets, 10 am to 2pm. and early morning to 2 pm to parking.
The following streets will remain open for cross trafic.
The schedule of Mission Dolores Parks major events is now available on-line. Parks personnel Dana Ketcham, permits and reservation department and Bob Palachio, Mission district manager have collaborated to make available that tracks all major bookings for Dolores Park (and some not so major).
This resource will enable us to better prepare ourselves for upcoming events that will impact our neighborhoods, help in planning park outings, and maybe most importantly, quickly identify major events that do not have proper permits. Previously only Rec and Park’s Park Rangers and the reservation department had an updated list of park events.
Dolores Park View will continue to track up-coming events for the park both with our own on-line calendar (see menu at the top of the page) and through postings.
Complaints about out-of-control, improptu parties in Dolores can be made to the Mission Police Station (553-0123) or the Park Rangers (242-6390).
Mayor Newsom’s fun project to close major boulevards in the City to traffic on selected Sundays will now include streets in the Mission. On June 7 and again, on June 19 parts of 24th street, Valencia and 19th will be closed. This will create a serpentine path connecting Dolores Park with Garfield and Rolph. This project is sure to be a major hit here in the Mission where the Sunday stroll and biking is such a bib part of who we are
A Community Meeting on Sunday Streets for the Mission will be held tonight 6:30 at the Brava Theatre, 2789 24th street.
....and into the street.
Here is the compleat invitation from Alex Randolph, Liaison to district 8, Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services.
We are reaching out to neighborhood, community and merchant groups with an
update about plans for Sunday Streets 2009. We will have our first
community meeting on Monday, May 11, 2009 at 6:30 pm at the Brava Theater (
2789 24th St between Hampshire St & York St).The inaugural Sunday Streets events in SF were held August and September of
2008. More than 10,000 people per day came out to run, walk, jog and cycle
along the 4.5 mile car-free route.Based on this success, we are pleased to announce the return of Sunday
Streets in 2009. Sunday Streets events this year will be presented by the
Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) with the non-profit Livable City
continuing to serve as the fiscal sponsor. Six events are planned for 2009
in all. Together, we are working with a broad coalition of community
groups to ensure the continued success of this family-oriented health and
fitness inspired event.On June 7 and July 19, Sunday Streets comes to the Mission District, with a
route that connects Rolph Park (via 24th Street) to Garfield Park and on to
Dolores Park (via Valencia and 19th streets).The event hours are from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.
We welcome the opportunity to discuss these plans with your organization
further, and are interested in building strong community support throughout
all of the neighborhoods that the Sunday Streets routes pass through.If you have further questions, comments please feel free to contact Susan
King at:
or x 2Our website, www.SundayStreetsSF.com will also be updated shortly with
further details on the events.
A forecast of rain and concern of the H1N1 flu quarantine in Mexico spreading north, could reduce turnout tomorrow in Dolores Park for the City’s annual family celebration of Cinco de Mayo The fun will start Saturday at 10 a.m. and will feature live music, Ballet Folklorico, Azterc Dancers, all day health screening, kid’s Activities, art and crafts, Lucha Libre wrestlers, soccer skills camp and a Mission Dolores tour.
The event benefits the Mission Neighborhood Centers Inc.( MNC), this year celebrating 50 years of community service. MNC has provided a wide variety of social services through Head Start, Youth Development and Senior Services Programs.
This is an alcholol free event, as are all permited Dolores events.
Gidion Kramer, Mision Dolores activist has posted a message from Erica Terry Derryck, Deputy Public Information Officer in the SF District attorney’s office, reporting a guilty conviction on graffiti vandalism for Mark Cross in a jury trial. Kramer is delighted calling it, “Great news that will hopefully resonate among the “tagger community” that thinks it’s cool to vandalize public property.”
The Clubhouse
Cross was sentenced to two years probation and 200 hours of community service. Below is the full press release with DA Kamala Harris’s equally jubilant statement and and testimony from the arresting officer.
District Attorney Kamala Harris announced today that Mark Cross, age 26, and CTN 2408033, was convicted of one count of graffiti vandalism by a jury.
“This conviction is an important victory for the people of San Francisco who deserve to have clean and safe recreational facilities at their disposal,” said San Francisco District Attorney Kamala D. Harris. “Stopping graffiti through abatement, enforcement and prosecution isn’t just about aesthetics. Graffiti blights the communities that are hit by these vandals and its clean-up is a huge, burdensome expense to our City.”
On April 13 after deliberating for two days, the jury found defendant Cross guilty of spray painting the Dolores Park clubhouse door. The guilty verdict followed a one day jury trial before the Honorable Bruce Chan in Department 514 of San Francisco Superior Court.
According to Court documents, on February 27, 2009 San Francisco Police Officer Michael Shavers was responding to a call near Dolores Park when he came upon the defendant at the Dolores Park clubhouse door. The Officer smelled paint in the air and saw the defendant spraying paint on the door. In the process of investigation, the Officer confirmed that the paint was wet and identified the moniker that had been spray painted on the door as that of the defendant.
Six other individuals were standing at the bottom of a nearby staircase. None of them were charged. Two of the individuals were known to the defendant and testified on his behalf at trial. Defendant Cross, of San Francisco, was arrested and charged with one misdemeanor count of committing vandalism with damage less than $400 in violation of Penal Code section 594(b)(2)(A) .
The maximum statutory penalty for each count in violation of Penal Code section 594 is one year of jail and a fine of $1,000 plus restitution. Judge Chan sentenced defendant Cross to two years of court probation, 200 hours of Public Work Alternative Program (graffiti cleanup) and barred the defendant from possessing any graffiti tools during the course of his probation as dictated by statute. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution and court fees.
The conviction is the result of an investigation by Officer Michael Shavers of the San Francisco Police Department with the assistance of Joe Padilla of the Parks and Recreation Department. Maria Shih is the Assistant District Attorney who prosecuted the case.
North Lawn at 8am, Monday
The seasons first mega event in Dolores Park was last Sunday, and the Park was hit hard.
Mission Mission published a snap of some of the dozens of trash piles that dotted Hipster Hill on Monday and the comments section went off. What Pigs! Something has to be done! Are we in for another summer of back to back Mega events? One park neighbor wrote
“…the sheer number of people at DP is out of hand. It is a NEIGHBORHOOD park people, not SHORELINE amphitheater, or the Polo fields at GGP. At some point the CITY needs to get some cojones and either manage the events at the park OR disallow events.”
Well Rec and Park, at the urging of the City, is quietly putting in place a plan to get the most over loved park in town under control. Permits for events at Dolores now are infinitely harder to obtain. All requests to hold an event at Dolores now have there own on-line reservation form, separate from other Rec and Park reservations. Even if you want to reserve a picnic table you must now go through the new Dolores channel.
The Dolores Park reservation stress that alcohol and BBQ’s are not allowed. A separate sound permit is required.
Last month, the Parks Department brought in a new manager to oversee the booking of major events, Dana Ketcham. Ketcham is in the process of bringing major reservations into the 21st Century. Her office is in Pioneer Cabin in the middle of Golden Gate Park, a rustic and quaint relic, tucked in the trees on the way to Stow Lake. It is the home to what was fast becoming and even more quaint reservation system.
We are half way through the process”, Ketcham explained. When it is complete she hopes to be able to have a real time record of all applications and a list of approved and denied permits. An up to date calendar of Dolores Parks events will then be posted. (Dolores Park View has recently attempted our own version of a calendar)
Applications are being reviewed twice a month by Ketcham, and Park area supervisors, Bob Palacio and Adrian Field.
Redbull trash....least we forget.
With this new order, the department hopes to be able to limit the number of major event in Dolores to no more then, “two a month, ideally. ” Ketcham explained. Right now there are many events that have already been booked and some that have a long standing tradition in Dolores Park, so this goal may not be reached this year. “We are trying to deflect some of the big events out of Dolores Park and into other venues. We are trying for a balance between a neighborhood park and a special event park.” Ketcham told Dolores Park View, ” People have heard you guys.” But it is up to the community to decide where this balance should be she cautioned. I agree.
The Chron is reporting this morning a deal between the Parks dept. and neighborhood activist group, Friends of Dolores Park Playground. This breaks a 6 month logjam in the design process that has had many of us worried. After the exciting announcement that the Friends had secured a $1.5 million grant to help fund the rebuild and two productive community meetings, all fell silent. The late summer ‘08 date for presenting the final plans passed without an update from the friends and a final third community meeting was canceled. Had the playground renovation stumbled into one of the many pits that has trapped Dolores Park supporters in the past?
All now seems well. The Friends web-site has posted a sketch of the new playground that includes many fun and whimsical elements such as a mini Bay Bridge and two new boats. And the third community meeting will now go forward on May 14, 6:30 pm at the Mission High cafeteria.
Jared Blumenfeld, who took over as interim general manager of the department last year, seems to be taking much of the credit for the deal. He is quoted in today’s Chron as saying when he first met with the Friends and donors, “it was pretty clear there were a lot of obstacles put in their way. They felt, rightly so, that simple questions took months to answer – everything seemed to be an issue,” he said. “All the issues seemed fairly easy to resolve.” The department is quoted as calling the deal, “a new model they hope will help usher in more community-supported park projects across the city”.
Jared does seem to to be determined to bring some much needed changes to the way the Parks dept. does things and it looks like he has the skills to bring it off. However, the Friends of Dolores Park Playground should get the major share of the praise. They have been tenacious, good willed and open as this tight-knit group of young organizers has steered this pioneering project along.
Let’s all come out to to the next community meeting and cheer them on.
BTW- Friends of Dolores Park Playground have planned an event for kids and their families this Saturday, Chalk up the Playground. Its at Dolores Park Playground, 11 am to noon.
editor’s update - Saturday, June 20, Film Night in the Park 2009 opened in Dolores Park with a screening of the 1964 James Bond classic, Goldfinger and will return August 1, with Pretty in Pink And September 19 , come out for the Dark Night.
Film Night in the Park is San Francisco’s city wide outdoor film series and is not related to Dolores Park Movie Night other then they both show films in Dolores Park. Clear? Film Night in the Park has excellent corporate sponsorship, (its main sponsor this year is Xbox360) and is produced by the San Francisco Neighborhood Theater Foundation. See the full announcement here.
Dolores Park Movie Night will happen this Thursday, August 13, with the classic, Annie Hall. Please check their site for updates.
Sean, Cameron and Eric, the crew that has been bringing Dolores Park Movie Night are getting geared up to do it again. Come help celebrate DPMN’s 5th season, help pick this years movies and mingle with the movie night crew. DPMN is frequently touted as the neighborhood fav, because of their fun movie selection, inclusion of live music and efforts to keep the noise and litter in check. They are also totaly community funded. So, community, come on out and give them a hand.
The Party will be April 1 at Elixir Bar, on the corner of 16th and Guerrero. Starts at 9.
This season’s first Movie in Dolores Park will be April 16 at 8pm with Madagascar (2005)
Tunes at 7:00 with “Varona’s tribal rhythms, melodic grooves, and angsty-yet strikingly-beautiful lyrics are an energetic mash up of styles and cultures.”
May’s feature is Amelie, Thursday the 14th at 8:15.
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