Volume XXXVIII, No. 5
June 2014
THE NOE VALLEY VOICE Animals Visit 24th Street, for Petting And Promenading
Inspections Cause Indigestion at Whole Foods and Safeway
SummerFest Celebrates Community with Free Events
Stores Work to Remedy Food Safety Problems
By Oliva Boler
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week before the solstice, the fifth annual Noe Valley SummerFest returns to the central 24th Street commercial corridor, on Saturday, June 14. Sponsored by the Noe Valley Association along with members of the Noe Valley Merchants and Professionals Association, this family-friendly event is free and open to the public from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. “SummerFest is very much a community event,” says organizer Sylvia Vientulis. “It’s about getting people out to spend time in the neighborhood, just for fun, with free activities.” Most of those activities will take place at the corner of Noe and 24th streets. Part of Noe Street will be closed to traffic, about 50 feet north of the intersection. Cars won’t be able to drive south through 24th Street on Noe that day, but no residences will be blocked. This is where you’ll find a jumpy house sponsored by Alain Pinel Real Estate, and a petting zoo with sheep, goats, and miniature pigs, among other critters. You can pet the animals all day (but remember to ask their permission). Back by popular demand is a photo booth sponsored by Edward Jones that comes with props like funny hats for silly instant memories. The photo booth will be available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the jumpy house will be open the entire festival. Recology, which has donated its cleanup services for the event, will have a table with fun and green activities. From 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Funnybone the Clown entertains the troops with a magic show and balloon art. Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., head over to Cliché Noe Gifts on 24th near Diamond Street for facepainting, popcorn, and lemonade for kids, and mimosas for adults. A seasonal favorite also returns—the Zephyr Real Estate–sponsored horse-
By Corrie M. Anders
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anytime to sign up earlier. There are two contest categories, one for participants ages 1 to 12 years old, and another for those 12 and older (also known as adults). First, second, and third prizes will be awarded. June 14 also happens to be the shop’s second anniversary, and it will be celebrating from noon to 5 p.m. with a raffle, live music, food, beverages, motorized lego games, and even an olivespitting contest. After all that exertion,
wo well-known supermarkets that cater to Noe Valley residents suffered major heartburn last month after the San Francisco Department of Public Health investigated them for serious health violations. Health officials conducted at least three inspections at Whole Foods Market on 24th Street after receiving complaints that maggots had been discovered in the meat case at the store. The Safeway store in Diamond Heights Shopping Center also came under intense scrutiny after a routine audit revealed a number of “high-risk” behaviors and earned the company a subpar health score of 66 (out of a possible 100). Management at both stores reacted by announcing numerous corrective steps to ensure food safety, including retraining employees in personal hygiene and food sanitation procedures, and instituting more thorough cleaning methods to prevent contamination. Still, many customers felt queasy when they heard the health violations, initially reported by KRON 4 News in a series of TV broadcasts in April and May. “I am definitely not shopping at Safeway in Diamond Heights,” said Patience Yi, who had patronized the grocery since moving to Noe Street three years ago. She even asked Instacart, an online grocery delivery service, to exclude Safeway from her list of retailers. As for Whole Foods, Yi called the report of maggots “pretty appalling,” but gave the store a pass because she considered the incident an isolated one. The maggots—fly larvae—were spotted at the store, at 3950 24th St., on April
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Down the Garden Path. The Friends of Noe Valley’s garden tour on June 7 will help raise funds for the spiffing-up of the “Jungle Stairs” on 22nd Street between Castro and Diamond. For more on the 10-garden tour, see Short Takes on page 13. Photo by Najib Joe Hakim
drawn hayride. The start and stop points will be in front of Walgreens on Castro Street at Jersey, and at Noe and 24th streets. Hop on at either end or take the wagon roundtrip, from 2 to 5 p.m. One SummerFest feature that requires an advance signup is the Sidewalk Chalk Drawing Contest, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Each contestant gets one square of sidewalk, and the number of squares is limited. You can register at Olive This Olive That on Vicksburg Street, at 10 a.m. the day of the festival, or stop by the store
UPPER NOE’S DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH
The End of Sandlot By Robert Andersen
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played my last game of hardball in the Dominican Republic. The year was 1965, I was new to 20, and I spoke not a word of Spanish. But then you didn’t have to, since the body language was crystal clear. Fear and loathing. They, meaning the indigenous team dragooned by carbine-toting militia into playing us uniformed Yankees, plainly hated our guts. We had, after all, just invaded their country and killed upwards of a thousand of their compatriots, perhaps even their fathers and brothers. It was difficult coming around on a fastball with a .45 strapped to your waist, and since the pitcher was throwing heat, more often than not aimed at your head, it was doubly difficult just to stand in the batter’s box without flinching. The ragtag team from the D.R. was possessed that scorching August day, hence the baleful stares and demonic pitching. We lost by a laughable margin. Indeed, following the drubbing, we retreated to our ship—a U.S. Navy CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
Infraction Action. After maggots were found in a meat case at Whole Foods Market on 24th Street, the store launched a deep-cleaning campaign that passed three city inspections. The grocery also offered full refunds to customers. Photo by JackTipple