Some might of Chariot's presence in Cole Valley because it came and went in a month. For those out of the know, Chariot is a new solution to get downtown during morning and evening rush hour. They debuted a line with stops in Cole Valley and Upper Haight last month and offered various free rides and discounts to new riders. Currently they have three different routes: Chestnut Bullet (Marina-Embaradero), SOMA Express (Marina-Civic Center/SOMA), and the Cole Valley Cruiser (Cole Valley/NoPa to FiDi). 

After some quick crowdsourcing, Chariot announced that starting February 24th, Chariot would not serving Cole Valley and focus more on NoPa and Haight. According to an interview with Hoodline and Chariot founder, Ali Vahabzadeh, they found, "that despite the overcrowding, intermittent delays under the tunnels and gaps in service, if all went well with the N Judah, it was marginally faster to downtown than Chariot." 

It seems a bit strange to us that Chariot only did a month trial period in Cole Valley. One would think it would require more data, i.e. rides and time, to really see how Chariot stacks up against Muni and other commuter options such as Lyft and Uber. 

Even with this short debut in Cole Valley, Chariot had some lackluster reviews from folks in the hood. Cole Valley is definitely at a huge advantage over other neighborhoods in terms of transportation options. We have the N Judah and the 6 to get downtown, not to mention the 71 on Haight. 

Here is what some Cole Valley residents have to say about their thoughts and experiences with Chariot:

"Love it. Usually only a few people on board, you always get a seat....more predictable and reliable than N" - TP

"People living in the CV want Chariot most when the N is not working right...For the past few weeks, the N has been relatively trouble-free, so Chariot has experienced light ridership." - JD

"While the N can often operate smoothly, try it during commute hours for a week. It is a cattle car. That's the attraction of Chariot." - MP

"The one aspect I could see being frustrating about Chariot is the passenger van. If it were more of an actual bus [small shuttle], it would be a lot nicer." - SS

"Nice to have options!" - RD

"Between traffic for Chariot, and random "why isn't the train moving" for the N, the times seem pretty even...If I can avoid [a crowded train], I'm happy sitting in traffic in a climate controlled van." - RJ

"Used it this morning to avoid the massive Muni delay and the resulting 2.6x surge priced Uber...It was actually a huge help to save me from being late to an early meeting. Worth the $5 if you need it." - KS

"I tried it and it was easy, fast and comfortable." - GA

"My ride in the 'Cole Valley Cruiser" Chariot was quite pleasant! Disco jams on the radio and the driver offered everyone water." - KS

"Chariot rocks. 21 minutes from Cole and Carl to California and Sansome. Comfortable, fast, efficient and friendly. Awesome" - MS

"I tried it once. It's my third choice after the N or the 6 and before Lyft." - MC

Content for this article was used with permission from Hoodline. 

As most in the hood are already aware, the SFMTA has been working for upgrading the tunnel between Duboce Park and Cole Valley, known as the Sunset Tunnel. Typically, construction has been on weekends, Friday PM to Monday AM., 24 hours, around the clock. Residents in Duboce Triangle complained about the constant construction noise, from beeping trucks, to pouring of gravel, and even jackhammers. Since the residents' complaints, there has been no tunnel construction. Happy for the Duboce Triangle residents, but not so much for the completion of this long drawn out process. This improvement project has been going on for years and we're hoping the Sunset Tunnel is the last project. 

According to  Hoodline, the SF Board of Appeals met and signed off on a new proposal that will allow construction to resume starting March 21st.

Here is the new changes in light of resident complaints:

• Install mufflers on its equipment
• Use lower-frequency broadband beepers that emit "white noise" sounds rather than beeps
• Take continuous noise readings while it's performing night work, and make sound logs available upon request
• Not use impact tools at night, such as jackhammers

Content for this article was used with permission from Hoodline. 

Have you ever taken a stroll around the hood and walked by this large Art Deco building and its twin at 639 Frederick and wondered, "What the hell did this used to be?" Also what about the housing complex that stretches the entire block on Frederick? The answer may surprise you. All these buildings were a part of Polytechnic High School. Poly was in operation from 1884 to 1973 and moved around a bunch before finding its place at 701 Frederick. 

Over those years, the school created a reputation for a ​"​cosmopolitan, diverse and talented student body, inspirational teachers and administrators, and exceptional football teams.​"

What about Kezar Stadium across the street? Well, it served as Poly's athletic facilities. One high school football game in particular, Poly vs. Lowell in 1928, was attended by over 50,000 people. This was the largest attendance for any high school football game in Northern California. 

If you want to learn more about Poly, visit The Polytechnic Memorial website here. 

Also side note, that housing complex on Frederick is actually an affordable housing complex and those qualified can apply to live there. Great way to use the old high school space and give back to the city. 

I'm sure you have seen all the food trucks that have popped up around the Bay Area in the past several years. But have you seen a music truck? After years of working in event and music production, Cole Valley local Robert Culos dreamed of running his own music venue. Rob and his wife, Liz Coglianese, had the innovative idea of making a food truck but for music, a mobile music venue retrofitted out of a vintage trailer. With Rob managing event production and Liz handling marketing and publicity, their new business was born! BandWagon officially launched last August [2014] at Noise Pop's 20th Street Block Party with major success. Rob was excited that BandWagon launched in San Francisco and at a hyper local street fair. He stated, "The people here love music, they love to be outdoors and they're truly supportive of new ideas." Since BandWagon's launch they have been seen at major festivals, such as Hardly Strictly and Treasure Island Music Festival. BandWagon seems to be transforming the local Bay Area music scene in a new and innovative way and telling folks to get outdoors and listen to some good tunes! 

 Can I rent it out for private events?

Rob informs us that BandWagon is available to rent for private parties, community gatherings, large festivals, corporate events, and beyond. Depending on the event, Rob, Liz, and team are happy to work with you to bring the entertainment or just have the stage, lights and sound. Got questions about rentals, you can contact them directly at thecrew@bandwagonsf.com or 415-742-5154. 

So Rob, what do you guys like most about Cole Valley?

We hope you aren't forgetting that Rob and Liz, and their son Jack, are Cole Valley residents . They love everything about Cole Valley. Although they settled into Cole Valley almost by accident five years ago, they definitely plan to stick around. Rob said, "I think if I had to put it into simple words, it's the sense of a real village community here" that makes it the greatest place to live. 

Hopefully we'll see BandWagon around the neighborhood, maybe even the Cole Valley Street Fair (pretty please!!). 

There seems to be a strange bermuda triangle at the intersection of Frederick and Stanyan. Several businesses cannot seem to survive. Remember Sun Tanning Salon and Cole Valley Cardio [now Past Perfect]? That particular storefront has seen more turnover than most in the neighborhood. Well another bites the dust at this mysterious intersection. Pitch Salon (514 Frederick), moved to the Mission late last fall and the former space has remained empty. Lack of foot traffic could have been due to the salon's decline, and with the other businesses around this intersection. Maybe new business owners in this strange bermuda triangle should take some advice from American Cyclery who have been a staple at the Frederick and Stanyan corner for decades! 

According to Hoodline, an online head shop, Billowby, will be moving into the former Pitch Salon space. Billowby is San Francisco based and has been in business for five months. From a quick jaunt through the Haight, it's obvious we do not need any more headshops. Since they are predominately an online store, it will be interesting to see how they use the space. 

Also the CEO David Matthews is a Cole Valley/Upper Haight resident himself so it's nice to see local business owners being able to set up shop close to home. Major neighborhood points there!

Cole Valley gem, Zazie, recently received national recognition for their employee benefits. With only a $1.25 per person surcharge added to all checks, all 32 employees receive full health and dental insurance, including sick leave and 401(k) retirement plan. If you missed the live news broadcast, catch the segment below. Congrats Zazie for advocating for employee rights and making it a priority! More restaurants should follow suit. 

Does your kid want to be a cheese whiz?! A long time Cole Valley gem, Say Cheese will begin offering children classes this summer. Here's more details.

The new program, called Mini Mongers SF,  will be 2 times a month, and an hour and a half long with different age groups:
-Petits Palettes (5-8 ages)
-Mini Mongers(9-13 ages)
-Connoisseur Cadets(14-17 ages)
The classes will be $30

There are talks of bringing in local foodies and chefs to be guest instructors so more details to come!

Got any questions or want to pre-register your child? Contact minimongersf@gmail.com. You can also pop by the shop and ask your questions there.