Russian San Francisco

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f r a n c i s c o

ex p lo r i n g ru ssi an ro ots i n t he c i t y by th e bay

contents P R E FAC e R u s s i a n s i n S m ar t S F P o p u l at i o n s h i s t o r y i n ca l i f o r n i a re l i g i o n the richmond & cuisine Ge n t r i f i ca t i o n & i n f l u e n ce a d a y i n t h e l i fe conclusion

Geary and 18th, 1933, 1997 and 2012

P R E FAC E We know our city as a multicultural Mecca, quickly identifying neighborhoods by their racial and cultural make-up. North Beach cannot be mentioned without italian shops and restaurants and ultimately Cioppino, the seafood stew born in San Fancisco. The same way, Chinatown and Japantown are self explanatory, and the Mission is notorious for burritos and tacos and Latino culture.

But never does one think of Russians in San Francisco, let alone the neighborhood associated with it. I’m going to explore why, and most importantly where, this community comes together in past, present and where it is headed in its future.

94118 R u s s i a n P re s e n ce i n a ‘ S m ar t ’ Sa n F ra n c i s c o Any successful smart city of the future does not mean it is void of its rich traditions and history, and the people and cultures that make it so colorful. San Francisco is dense in many cultures, but some are more reognized than others. After gathering data from various individuals, a Russian history isn’t even recognized among 80% of San Franciscan locals, when in fact Russian Roots go back as early as 1800s.

Today, what’s left of it is in form of mostly bakeries, grocery stores of imported goods, and restaurants.

Discovering California, 1805

Fort Ross, 1812

San Francisco, 1923

P o p u l at i o n De n s i t y

1900 1920

There is an estimate of 200,000 Russians currently residing in the San Francisco Bay Area. The three stages of immigration include after the Russian Revolution (1917); after world war II (1950s) and after the soviet collapse in the early 1990’s.

Most of the Russians coming from the last wave of immigration are said to be Russian Jews, making up a total of 40,000.

r u s s i a n s g a t h er d a i ly o n g ear y ’ s n e w w o r l d m ar k e t ( x 2 4 t h )

Religion The only thing in common with the following places of worship is that people who attend are all Russian speakers. Russia is an enormous country with an infinate amount of religions and belief systems in itself. There are churches within San Francisco belonging to Russian Orthodoxy, Russian Jewish Synagogues, and even to the small Molokan community that was present in Potrero Hill since 1905 via Galveston, Texas. Each of these faiths have a long history both in Russia, and many of them found sanctuary in the US and the freedom to practice as they please.

Interestingly, the locations of these existing russian churches do not correlate much with places of inhabiting Russians, especially presently.

• Jewish Places of Worship • Christian Places of Worship • Existing Russian-speaking places of worship

94121 TH E R I C HMOND Russian cuisine is interestingly universal among cultures across the geography of Russia, as the land had provided similar ingredients - simple ingredients that were able to withstand harsh climates of snow and tundra. Staples that became familiar over time such as borscht beet soup and piroshki, are the accumulation of ground beef, root vegetables and bread.

The soil did not allow for exotic things such as spices so food was either pickled, jarred or fermented to increase its longevity.

Although the immigrants that opened Russian shops and restaurants in San Francisco may be from various locations, the foods available in their shops are similar in recipe and the groceries imported and even of the same brands.

95% of the existing shops are in the outer richmond, with some in the inner sunset and along fillmore.

Ge n t r i f i ca t i o n & R u s s i a n I n f l u e n ce i n Sa n F ra n c i s c o As with many cultures, the culture itself is experienced outside of the country of origin is largely in food consumption. To experience authentic cultural experiences, Americans in the United States go to ethnic restaurants - Russian cuisine is no exception; as contemporary platforms like Yelp show us that Russian cuisine, or some dishes, are getting immensely popular and get alot of praise locally as well. However, it is still largely underated.

With America’s obsession with on the go and fast food culture, it’s no surprises that Russian cuisine took that turn as well with ‘portable’ foods like Piroshkis, fried breads with typically savory fillings - Piroshkis have taken a “Hot Pocket” fate. Places like Anda’s Piroshkis opened in Bernal Heights’ Cortland Ave, complete with a cheeky friendly website.

A D A Y IN TH E LI F E

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As a part of my research and overall appreciation for family history and my background, I decided to make a small documentary about my grandparents and their immigrant experience in San Francisco. Here are some screenshots in that day.

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the richmond district R e s t a u ra n t s , b a k er i e s a n d g r o cer y s h o p s

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C ON C LUSION It seems as though Russian culture is present yet hidden in San Francisco: you see it only if you chose to look for it. There barely seems to be much ‘gathering’ or communal vibe from the community, nor is there much external American interest either. But I suppose much like with any cultural community, with transportation and gentrification of the city - a communal gathering isn’t as needed as it once was. The Russians are dispercing, and its grouping isn’t significant as say in Brighton Beach of New York. Perhaps the difference is mainly in numbers, as there are over 65 thousand russian immigrants in there.

In context of a smart city, in order to bring out San Francisco’s “Russian-ness”, the community must embrace itself from both directions - russians as san franciscans and vice versa. With the incomming of new restaurants with a modern twist and hopefully a revival of Russian ballet school in the city, San Francisco will soon benefit from embracing its missing pieces of identity.