According to Streetsblog, the traffic lights along Valencia will remain timed for 13 MPH travel for years to come:

Valencia Street’s nearly two-year-old Green Wave signal re-timing aimed at prioritizing bicycle traffic speeds continues to please street users, city leaders, and advocates alike. What started as a temporary pilot will become a permanent institution this week with the installation of four new Green Wave signs along the corridor. […]

Following examples in cities like Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and Portland, the signal optimization keeps vehicles traveling at a steady cycle-friendly 13 mph from 16th to 25th streets while garnering benefits for all users.

“The Green Wave signals and the safer, calmer speeds are another step in the right direction for Valencia Street, which is already a thriving commercial corridor thanks to its wide sidewalks and bike lanes and plentiful on-street bike parking,” said Renee Rivera, acting executive director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.

The article goes on to say that the program has not only made biking down Valencia better, but has actually decreased travel times for cars and reduced the amount of air pollution emitted along the street.  Unfortunately, the city does not plan to expand the program (why not?), but is considering doing another “Green Wave” pilot program on the already bike-friendly 14th Street.

Read on.

Jay B. over at Grub Street noticed this specifics-free ad on Craigslist:

This Is Approximately 1500 Sq. Ft. Restaurant Located On Valencia St. (Between 16th & 17th Streets) In San Francisco. Same Owner Has Been In Business For 9+ Years. The Restaurant Has Full Kitchen With Hood And Can Seat About 50 People. A Beer And Wine License Is Included In Sale. There Is A Lot Of Potential To Grow.

Very Motivated Seller!

Jay went on to rule out that it couldn't be Puerto Alegre (currently expanding, full liquor license) or Limon (more than 50 seats), but speculated that it could possibly be Maharaja, Sunflower, or Frjtz.  I'm putting my money on Maharaja, the killer north Indian restaurant whose website is still a MySpace.  Unlike Frjtz and Sunflower, which are just too popular to have “potential to grow,” Maharaja is frequently empty.  After all, it's hard to compete with the BYOB Pakwan just up the street.  Plus, it barely looks like a restaurant from the street.

That said, I hope I'm wrong.  Maharaja is not nearly as bad as the yelptards make it out to be and it'd be a damn shame to lose it.

(link | photo by Steve Rhodes)

Ever wanted to know what was behind the garage door adjacent to to the grisly condos 18th and Valencia?  If you had assumed it was just another abandoned building, you'd be wrong.  According to Lynda over at Mission Local, taker of the above pic, the garage has actually been the of the “showroom” of 724, a hybrid gallery and space for table-makers and metal sculptors for the last 5 years.

“We just never opened the door,” said Anthony Marschak, the managing director of 724.

This raises the question, why a space such as this one have never opened the doors to their showroom before?  Trying to be exclusive?  Stay underground?  Hate dealing with people? Couldn't figure out how doors work?

Regardless of their motive, they've finally figured out how to unlatch their garage door and they'll be showing off Amanda Lopez's photography starting tomorrow night.

(link)

A few months ago, a rather sizeable drawing was wheatpasted over a fairly trashed Clarion Alley mural. Now, I'm sure we can all agree that a mural being vandalized is a time for mourning, but this is the most wonderfully progressive, stereotypically liberal, professorial response to 'vandalism' I've had the pleasure of setting my intoxicated eyes on in quite some time.  This isn't the standard “for shame, you farking hipsters, for shame” that we typically see.  No, this is your thesis advisor telling you that “your work is good, but I feel you could strive for more.”

Plus, those frownie faces are a gift from the gods themselves.