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.
Monday, December 7, 2009
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.
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
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.
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.
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)