People

Eulogy for the Dolores Park Playground

The Fog Bender eulogized the Dolores Park Playground so perfectly that I feel compelled to do the unorthodox thing here and quote him, in full, so you don't lose anything:

they tore down the playground at Dolores park and i’m bummed about it.

this was the place i went to countless birthday parties in my youth.

the place i would take countless dates to drink and chat on the wooden structure under the stars.

the place i would count hundreds of football sized rats running from the bushes to the big wooden boat that sat beached in the sand.

this was the place i would run off to after getting too fucked up to hang out at the bar.

i would swing on the swing set by myself and sometimes meet other people doing the same thing.

one time i was swinging really high and at the highest point in my back swing the swing decided to break and i flew backwards all the way across the sand and landed on my stomach on the concrete part of the playground.  that will never happen again because they’re putting in a new playground made of plastic and rubber.  no more waking up with sand in my pockets.  no more scraped knees.  it’s kinda sad.

Let's just hope they don't do the same to Tallboy Terrace.

[The Fog Bender | Photo by Alison Zick]

RIP Eric Swenson, SF Skating Pioneer

You may have heard about someone comitting suicide in front of the Mission Police Station earlier this week with a self inflicted gunshot to the head. It turns out, that person was Eric Swenson; Potrero Hill resident and co-founder of Thraser Magazine.  Before co-founding Thrasher in 1981, he also co-founded Independent Trucks back in 1978 and helped create Spitfire wheels and Think skateboards.  Needless to say, both Independent and Thrasher were hugely influential to establishing the culture of skateboarding, providing it with a solid foundation to be built upon over the decades.  

Thrasher's official memorial announcement is here.

Broke-Ass Stuart Has a New TV Show and Celebrating By Getting Everybody Drunk

It's been a long journey for our pal Broke-Ass Stuart.  Seven years ago, he started out making zines about being a broke-ass in SF.  From there he graduated to publishing two books (with a third coming out next month), started a popular blog about living cheap in SF and NYC, and continued being an all around rad dude.  All that hard work has paid off and now he's got a new show “Young Broke & Beautiful” debuting on IFC Friday evening at 11 and is celebrating tonight by getting everyone drunk at Public Works.

The party kicks off at 7pm with an hour's worth of free Sam Adams (get the Summer Ale!), a sneak peak of the show, and live performances by Ashkon, Richie Cunning, The Hard French DJs, and DJ Bad DJ.  On top of all that, there's going to be DIY vendors from the Indie Mart on the scene and food trucks to make sure you don't get too sloppy.

You gotta RSVP at rsvp@brokeassstuart.com to get in, so make sure you do that before you bail out of work today.  And if you can't make it, be sure to watch the premiere Friday night or check out the first episode over on Hulu.

[More info at Facebook]

Why is a Portrait of Dean Winters Painted on the Side of Horace Mann Middle School?

I couldn't help but pass by 23rd Street's recently completed “Horace Mann Community Heroes” mural and wonder why Allstate was trying to better protect me from mayhem, like a 46-year-old actor parading around as a MILF out for a jog.  I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation, like Allstate donated a bunch of money to the school or the muralist botched a drawing of Dave Eggers or Mark Feuerstein, but I cannot help but see a grown man pretending to be a raccoon on national tv.

Bike Basket Pies rides off into the sunset

Dear, dear friend of ours Natalie Galatzer has been producing and trafficking pies for 2 years via her one-woman company, Bike Basket Pies. But as all good things must end, June is the last month to have cupcake-sized pies delivered via bicycle to your door, dog kennel, dark frightening alley, moving car, or anywhere else a bicycle can go.

Bye, bye, Miss Bike Basket Pie (photo by Andy Smith)

Grinding 50-80 hour weeks for 2 years to run a business by yourself AND work a day job is exhausting. It also deprives you of experiencing first-hand the community you're serving. Natalie is ready to return to saner hours and reconnect with a world which keeps turning as she bakes into the wee hours of morning.

June 29 is the end day to experience a Bike Basket Pie. Try a shaker lemon pie; you may indulge in Meyer lemons foraged from this blogger's own backyard!

Hyper-local lemons

Pie production and trafficking is a jungle. Welcome back, Natalie, to so-called civilization.

Kelly Malone v. The C Word

Hey, remember a few weeks ago when we mentioned that the lovely Kelly of Indiemart and Workshop had been diagnosed with cancer? Now is your chance to help her kick cancer for good and see five great SF bands for only $15. More details from the Independent:

This past April, Kelly was diagnosed with an advanced stage of cancer that had spread to non-localized areas as a result of previous battles. Originally dropped from her previous insurance because of the cancer diagnosis, Kelly has had no chance of obtaining new health insurance due to this pre-existing condition. Through this all, Kelly keeps a smile on her face and continues to give back to San Francisco, often devoting much of her own income and sweat to continue businesses that enrich the city. As a successful small business owner, designer, artist, event planner, part of the Treasure Island Music Festival & Noise Pop, Kelly has been able to keep up with medical bills through the ongoing treatments, surgeries, and chemotherapy schedules. But this latest diagnosis requires a treatment path that will exceed her financial abilities, and most likely require her to take a hiatus from her businesses. So she is now asking San Francisco for a helping hand.

All the info you need is on the flier up there, and you can buy tickets in advance right here. And if you can't make it to the show next Tuesday, you can still donate through Kelly's paypal too!

Kevin Montgomery: Raptured to Hell?

I'm not sure if I should be worried or not: I haven't heard from Kevin (my roommate + head blog bro) since he started making “preperations” this weekend.

Although I'm sure it's no cause for alarm, when I returned home this morning my nostrils were struck by the scent of cinder and brimstone and his clothes + personal affects lay on the kitchen floor:

Perhaps we have all been raptured to a post-Kevmo world? May his eternally damned soul rest in peace.

Pages