Monday, December 7, 2009

Final Impressions

This is my last blog! It's been a very long semester, but I honestly did enjoy spending time and learning more about the Sunset District.

The most difficult part about keeping a blog is having to decide how to post updates! This is my very first blog, and I don't think I'm very good at posting blogs from a personal standpoint, so the blogs ended up being like short news stories; for some reason, I don't like writing from a personal standpoint unless I feel strongly about something or if it's for personal use, like a journal. So it was weird for me to post blogs without using the "I" perspective.

Another difficult part of creating a blog was getting sources. It was difficult approaching strangers and ask random questions without feeling like a nuisance or type of solicitor, especially when I had to walk in stores or businesses and not buy anything but ask the employees questions, which probably came off as really intrusive in most cases. There were also times when I felt like I could have gotten more sources if I was working for a newspaper and not just as a student.

The lasting impression I have of my neighborhood is that there is more to the district than its reputation of being a peaceful, relatively inactive neighborhood. Even though the district is a lot less busy than other San Francisco neighborhoods, there are a lot of fun activities and cool shops--like Tutti Frutti and Amazing Fantasy Comic Store--that do not seem to get as much attention from outsiders as its reputation of being a residential area. However, the district's reputation of having a lot of restaurants and good definitely proved to be true in my mind; there are lot of seriously awesome and inexpensive places to eat in the area!

There were also a lot of really nice people who helped me with my stories and were great in terms of giving me information, recommending other sources and pointing me in the right direction. I owe a lot to people like Su Lan Lee at the Oriental Art Gallery on 9th Avenue, Ann Bergin at the La Paz store on 9th Avenue and Alex Gutierrez at Amazing Fantasy Comics on Irving Street; they were very welcoming, warm and knowledgeable when I asked questions and continued to go back to their workplaces on different occasions. So conclusively, I am glad I got to learn more about a district that I hadn't even heard of before and speak with some really nice and open-minded people.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

West Sunset Rec Connect Free Classes

Children in the West Sunset area will be able to enjoy free afterschool programs for the spring and summer seasons of next year.

The West Sunset Rec Connect Program is offering free afterschool, evening and Saturday programs. The evening and Saturday classes will run from Jan. 11 to May 29, while the afterschool programs will run from May 4 to June 4. Registration for the programs began on Nov. 23.

The West Sunset Rec Connect Program is part of the Rec Connect Initiative, a program that "promotes youth and family centers in our public schools," according to the RCI website. The West Sunset Rec Connect Program began in 2007 and has been offering free classes since its establishment.

"We really believe in youth development, and a big part of that is youth participation," said West Sunset Rec Connect Program Director Ryan McCarthy.

McCarthy said that the program's top three values are "environmental sustainability, principles of youth development and technological integration." He also said the center practices environmentally-conscious habits like using alternatives to paper towels, paper cups and paper plates.

Among the free classes, the program offers courses focusing on exercise, web design and healthy meals. For instance, the program offers Dancing By the Beach, a class that allows children from 6 to 12 years old to learn hip-hop, jazz and modern dance; Mini-Meals, a class that teaches kids how to prepare simple and nutritious meals; Robotics Club, a course that teaches teens math and science skills to help design a fully-functional robot that could ultimately be entered in a state-wide competition; and Kids' Web Design, a class that teaches kids how to design web pages in a safe and responsible manner.

McCarthy commented on the fact that the selection of students for each class is based on a lottery system. "Our demand is a lot bigger than our supply," said McCarthy, adding that each class can fit about 15-25 kids. "It's the opposite of first come, first serve [because] we are trying to be fair."

More information about the classes can be found at www.snbc.org/news-press/west-sunset-rec-connect-free-programs. Individuals who are interested in enrolling for Rec Connect classes can register at www.snbc.org/recconnect. The free classes will be held at 3223 Ortega St. in the West Sunset Rec Center.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Hard to Ignore


Credit: Sunset Youth Services on YouTube


The first music release of a youth-run record label showcases the musicianship of some of the youth from Sunset Youth Services.

Upstar Records created its first CD, entitled Hard to Ignore. The album was released on July and will be available online soon.

Upstar Records is part of the Artistic Expression Program at Sunset Youth Services. The label is youth-run with the objective of "turning today's hip hop enthusiasts into tomorrow's digital technology leaders," according to the Sunset Youth Services website. Moreover, the Artistic Expression Program is a program that allows youth to interact with digital filmmaking, digital audio recording with the use of modern digital media and technology.

"The Artistic Expression Program helps kids have a positive creative outlet, which a lot of times doesn't exist in their [environment]," said Artistic Expression Program Director Joel Tarman.

Hard to Ignore is an album that showcases 15 different vocalists, ranging in age from 14 to 21 years old. Hard to Ignore also lists young musicians under the names of their personal rap personas, including Kazz, Gullie, RE$$Ez and eXile.

Tarman explained one of the objectives of the record label. "One of the goals is [for the kids] to have a positive place to express their emotions and to kind of vent," continued Tarman, who acknowledged that some of the youth have dealt with situations like losing loved ones to violence. "[The record label is] helping kids learn how to record and get music from a creative standpoint [which is] something we're proud of."

Tarman also commented on the diversified subjects of the songs on the album. "[The songs on the album] are a reflection of what some of the youth in San Francisco experience in their daily lives, which can be everything from things that are really negative, like crime and violence, to positive things like friendship and resilience," said Tarman.

Tarman said the album will be available online on sites like iTunes and Amazon in January.

Sunset Youth Services is an organization in the Sunset District dedicated to youth support by providing services like violence prevention, case management and afterschool programs. For more information about Sunset Youth Services or the Artistic Expression Program, visit www.sunsetyouthservices.org/p-youth-development.htm.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Sunset Playground Public Art Proposals

As part of an overall renovation of the playground at the Sunset Recreation Center, the Sunset Playground on Lawton Street will be re-constructed to include new artwork that will be selected by the end of the year.

The three project finalists for the artwork of the playground are artists Jefferson Mack, Bryan Tedrick and Amy Blackstone, who were selected on Sept. 14 by a panel composed by the San Francisco Arts Commission. Each of the three artists worked on their art proposals for six weeks, according to the SF Arts Commission website.

One of the artists, Bryan Tendrick, is proposing to place a sculpture near the entry of the playground, along with new artwork on the main and side gates of the playground.

"In designing this entryway sculpture for the Sunset Recreation Center, I wanted to symbolically capture the prominent natural beauty of the area," wrote Tendrick in his Sunset Playground art proposal. "The presence of the ocean, its movement of water and wind, and the dramatic western sunsets all coalesce in my sculpture made of steel."





Artist Amy Blackstone is proposing artwork for the main entry gate that "celebrates 'all the people under the sun' gathering, coming together to play and socialize and be revitalized by nature at the Sunset Playground."

"I was inspired by the soft, round shape of the sand dunes that the Sunset neighborhood is built upon as a starting point," wrote Blackstone in her art proposal for the Sunset Playground.




Lastly, artist Jefferson Mack is proposing artwork with a theme that revolves around the African proverb, "It takes a village to raise a child."

"My intention is to create a portal through which the community enters that place elegantly and organically - and perhaps even subliminally, it suggests to each who enters both possibility and playfulness," wrote Mack in his art proposal for the Sunset Playground.





In addition to the new artwork, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department plans to renovate the Sunset Playground's recreation center, children's play area, fields, courts, pathways, irrigation, lighting and overall landscape, according to the SF Arts Commission website.

The final art selection meeting will be held in December on a date that is yet to be determined. At the meeting, the panelists will interview the three finalists, discuss their artwork proposals and then select which proposal they will recommend to the SF Arts Commission for final approval.

The artwork proposals will be available for viewing at the Sunset Playground Recreation Facility Lobby at 2201 Lawton St. until Dec. 4. To read more information about the artwork, visit www.sfartscommission.org/pubartcollection.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Golden Gate Park Lawn Bowling Lessons

While the Sunset District attracts visitors who want to stroll in the nearby Golden Gate Park, the events at the park range from music concerts to sports that are supervised by expertise instructors or athletic clubs.

Every Wednesday, free lawn bowling lessons are held at noon in Golden Gate Park. The lessons are hosted by the San Francisco Lawn Bowling Club.

"We've been doing [this] for the last 10 or 15 years, depending on weather conditions, of course," said Bill Ryan, a member of the Lawn Bowling Club. "We want to get people interested in lawn bowling."

The game of lawn bowling has also been referred to as bowls, lawn bowls or bowling-on-the-green and can be played competitively with up to four people on each team. The objective of the game is to roll the balls closest to a smaller bowl, which is usually white and called the "jack" or "kitty".

Ryan explained the importance of teaching people the proper form of the sport. "It's a one, two, three rhythmical thing," said Ryan. "[Lawn bowling involves] a very simple stroke... It's not like tennis or golf where you have different strokes."

The San Francisco Lawn Bowling Club is an organization that is dedicated to teaching the "easy-to-learn, yet highly competitive sport that can be played and enjoyed by people of all ages and levels of physical fitness," according to the San Francisco Park and Recreation Department website.

For more information about the lessons, The San Francisco Lawn Bowling Club or the game of lawn bowling--including the history of lawn bowling and lawn bowling game variations--visit www.parks.sfgov.org/site/recpark_index.asp?id=18817. To schedule a free lawn bowling lesson, call (415) 826-1437.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Bingo Saturdays at the Riptide


The nightlife and bars in the Sunset can be easily overlooked because of its reputation as a peaceful environment.

Each week, bar and music venue The Riptide hosts Bingo Saturdays, featuring mojitos, margaritas and mint juleps. The 21+ game costs $5 for customers to play for three rounds. Moreover, in terms of prizes, the winner of the first round wins a drink, the winner of the second round wins a random prize--such as a bottle of a drink or a t-shirt--and the winner of the third round wins a monetary prize.

"We thought it would be a fun idea and something fun for people who are hanging out at our bar," said Jefferson, one of the bartenders at the Riptide, who mentioned that the bar has been hosting the event for approximately one year.

Another bartender, Lisa Marie, commented on the popularity of Bingo Saturdays, in comparison to other weekly events that are held at the Riptide. "We get really good attendance, [but] it seems like [the popularity of] bingo is seasonal," said Marie.

The Riptide is a dive bar that has deemed itself the "best little honky-tonk" in the Bay Area. Its reputation of being a casual atmosphere resonated in the bar's dim red lighting, fireplace and dogs that roamed freely around the bar while customers waited for drinks and engaged in conversations. Along with Bingo Saturdays, The Riptide hosts other weekly events that include Open Mic Night Mondays, Trivia Tuesdays and Wet Wednesdays.

Bingo Saturdays at the Riptide take place at 3639 Taraval St. from 5:30-7pm. For more information, visit www.riptidesf.com or call (415) 681-TIDE.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Restaurants of the Sunset

Though the Sunset District does not have regularly crowded streets with sky-high buildings and large businesses for the masses, the area still has more than enough restaurants for its residents and visitors. As a second map of the Sunset District, the following map shows some of the many restaurants in the Sunset. The yellow pins represent restaurants with American food, the pink pins indicate restaurants with Asian food and the blue pins represent restaurants with any other type of international cuisine.

View Sit-down Restaurants in Sunset in a larger map

Monday, October 19, 2009

Sweet Spots in the Sunset

The Sunset District is known as one of the more calm, laid-back parts of San Francisco. While the area holds more than 200 eateries, consumers can soak in the soothing environment in many ways, including enjoying a warm cup of coffee or eating dessert after late hours. The following map shows a number of sweet spots in the Sunset District. The coffee-cup symbols represent coffee shops, and the blue markers represent bakeries or places that are strictly for desserts.


View Map for Sunset District in a larger map

Monday, September 28, 2009

Farmers' Market draws in customers

Every Sunday, the small space in the Sunset District between 8th and 9th avenues that is ordinarily filled with motionless cars in tight parking stalls becomes alive with bustling vendors in covered booths and packs of anxious customers who long to get bargain deals on fresh food.

The Farmers’ Market opened in the Inner Sunset district on June 9. Nearly three months after its opening, the area is still buzzing with activity, as if it were the opening week, since more than a dozen tent-like stands are flooded with customers who are buying food that ranges from organic fruits and vegetables to fish and cheese.

Merchant Joey Hisatake works at shoe store On the Run, one of the businesses that is adjacent to the Farmers’ Market. Histake believes the market has been consistently packed since its opening because local customers are excited to have these sales at such convenience.

“We’ve never had anything like that in the neighborhood,” said Hisatake, who mentioned that his favorite part about the market is its bargain on nuts and almonds. “It’s something new.”

On the other hand, Hisatake explained that the location of the market may cause problems for those who are looking to find parking spaces on the weekend. “It’s good for the vendors in the market, but it’s bad for [others because] there’s hardly any parking [in the area] on Sundays,” said Hisatake.

Resident Pacita Castillo, who has lived in the Sunset District since 1966, visits various Farmers’ Markets within San Francisco almost every week during the summer and visited the Inner Sunset Farmers’ Market one time so far. Castillo said that while she loves the freshness of food that the new market brings, she is not especially fond of its size.

“It’s very small [and] is in a parking lot,” said Castillo, who explained that she went to the market to buy grapes and plums. “I like to go to big Farmers’ Markets because I buy a lot.”

Regardless of its size and location, the local response to the market is evident in the large crowds of people that continue to shop at the Farmers’ Market every week.

The Inner Sunset Farmers’ Market is located in the parking space between businesses On the Run and Milano Pizza. The market’s hours are from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.pcfma.com/markethome.php?market_id=67.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Sunset residents classify district as calm environment

Within the western part of San Francisco lies a district with quaint stores and restaurants toppled together, along with pedestrians who peacefully stroll along the open spaces of the sidewalks of a setting that can be easily overlooked as a mundane area.

The Sunset District is known to many people in San Francisco as a calm residential area that is unlike the busy streets of shoppers and crowds that are bustling in other parts of the city. However, while the people who live in the district do not view the setting as an uneventful place, residents in the district seem to enjoy the tranquil pace of the neighborhood.

“It’s quiet when you need it to be,” said Zach, 21, an employee at Animal Connection on 31st and Judah Street. “It’s not as popularized [as other parts of the city]. It’s not full of tourists and is mostly just filled with people of San Francisco.”

As oppose to other places in San Francisco that are known for their towering buildings, roaming taxicabs and large shops, the Sunset District appears to be a place where residents can enjoy a peaceful atmosphere without leaving the city. According to Alexis Gutierrez, who works at a comic book store called Amazing Fantasy on Irving Street but does not live in the district, this is one of the reasons why he would like to become a resident of the area.

“It’s less of the [crowded] feeling,” said Gutierrez, 36, who mentioned that his favorite places in the district were a nearby Indian restaurant and a magic shop on 9th and Lincoln Street. “It feels like a smaller community.”

Su Lan Lee, who has lived in the Sunset District for nearly 32 years as the owner of the Oriental Art Gallery on 9th Avenue, made various descriptions about the food in the area. Among her recommendations for nearby cuisine, Lee mentioned a sushi restaurant on 9th Avenue, Chinese and Japanese eateries on 23rd Street, an Indian restaurant on the same block with different types of curry and the Farmer’s Market on Sunday that sells “vegetables, fish, cheese, cake, you name it.”

Lee, 73, also described how the area attracts young generations, as she said that UC students go to the district to eat good dim-sum at a fairly cheap price, while others enjoy going to the coffee shops to drink beverages and sit on the sidewalks in the morning. Lee stressed the fact that she rarely goes to Chinatown because the food she wants is all in the Sunset District.

“People here say, ‘You don’t need a cook!’” said Lee, who excitedly spoke with a Chinese accent while leaning against the gallery’s delicate pins encased in glass displays. “A lot of people don’t cook at their houses. The neighborhood [replaces the need] to cook.”

The Sunset District is located in the western part of San Francisco near Golden Gate Park and is considered to be the largest district in San Francisco.