The beloved Tantrum plans to expand into old Doug's Suds storefront at the corner of Carl and Cole has halted due to building retrofitting.  Tantrum owner, Amanda Weld, reported that the building has to undergo major seismic retrofitting and they will need to evacuate by the end of February. As we have all experienced (i.e. muni tunnel and Cole Hardware construction), retrofitting can take a lot longer than originally anticipated. Tantrum hopes to find a temporary home during this construction and hopes to be back in their new and improved Doug's Suds location later this year. Tantrum has been such a joy to have in our little neighborhood and we hope that they will be back in business soon! 





​Contents for this blog post was used with permission from Hoodline. 

Say Cheese is excited to announce another cheese classes, "I like your style." 

Join them on Thursday, July 9 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at Café Reverie 848 Cole St.

July's class will focus on broad topics related to the classification of different styles of cheese, based on flavor, history, and cheese-making technique.

Their cheese buyer, Steve Wooten, has designed this class to accommodate all levels of cheese knowledge. They will be discussing new technical developments alongside traditional cheeses.

Tickets will include a flight of cheeses and accompaniments, as well as discounted drinks at Reverie. 

Due to space restrictions we require advance purchase with a 48 hour cancellation policy.

Tickets are $25 in advanced and available at Say Cheese during normal business hours.

Starbucks announced earlier this week that it will l close all 23 of its La Boulange bakery-cafes, mostly in San Francisco by September 2015, saying the stores "weren't sustainable for the company's long-term growth" and that it had begun very difficult to operate two different chains at the same time. For many Cole Valley neighbors this is a tearful farewell.

Many still remember, Tassajara Bakery at Cole and Parnassus. The bakery came into Cole Valley in 1976 and sparked a bakery revolution in San Francisco. Interesting fact, Tassajara Bakery was spin off of the delicious breads the Tassajara Zen Center in Carmel made. Neighbors and bread lovers mourned the closing of Tassajara in 1999.

In 2001, a French-born baker, Pascal Rigo, rented the space for his bakery, La Boulange (formerly named Bay Bread). La Boulange, greatly known for their French-inspired decor and menus, and the pink envelopes, was sold to Starbucks in 2012 for $100 million. The deal was seen as a strategic move by Starbucks to gain a bigger presence in the food business, particularly expand their bakery and food products.  

"After more than 40 years, we will be able to say that we are bakers, too," Howard Schultz, CEO at Starbucks, said at the time.

But at what price? Pascal Rigo is now out of a job (is leaving his post as VP at Starbucks) and now Starbucks are bakers. And those tasty treats and French decor will only be a memory.

What do you think of this news? And next question, what will go into the La Boulange storefront come September? We're hoping for another bakery! 



http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/06/17/starbucks-la-boulange/28851063/

http://www.mistersf.com/farewell/index.html?fwtassajara.htm

Writer Jessica Velez of Refinerary29.com took a little stroll (and quick stroll given CV's size) around our quaint neighborhood and spotlighted some of our hidden and not so hidden gems. We love that newcomer Pitch Perfect, the popular Ice Cream Bar, and old timer The Sword and Rose got mentioned! Here are some highlights from the article:

From The Mission’s burgeoning tech scene and storied past to The Haight’s history-making hippie-dippy characters, every San Francisco hood has a distinct reputation. But, there’s one that’s managed to stay under the radar — at least, until now. We’re talking about fog-drenched Cole Valley, an area that, sadly, some locals have yet to explore. 

It's a real shame, since it’s undeniably one of the city’s most charismatic corners. A flock of notable local shops are setting up camp there, adding allure and sought-after creativity to the nabe. Naturally, we’ve been tracking their progress and have pulled together a full-fledged itinerary for your first mosey into the valley. Whether you’re looking for a decadent sundae in an art-deco styled ice-cream parlor or an adorable toy shop to entice the tots, Cole Valley is about to be your next great escape. We bet you won’t even miss the crowds in those other parts of town. 

Past Perfect
If you've got some serious interior motives, this is your spot. While Cole Valley isn’t exactly known as a shopper’s paradise, this recently opened decor store is worth a visit. It's littered with a finely curated selection of mid-century (and older) furnishings, and also happens to be the only spot above The Haight where you’ll find racks of designer-brand vintage gear. You’re bound to snag a one-of-a-kind wonder for your nest. And, if you’re not completely convinced the piece you’re eyeing will vibe with your abode, the shop has a try-it-out policy so you can give it a test run for 24 hours without spending a buck. (854 Stanyan Street)

Ice Cream Bar
Don’t make your way inside Ice Cream Bar just to satisfy your sweet tooth, because it’s more than just a standard scoop stop. It's completely outfitted in art-deco style with vintage touches that transport tasters to the glitzy era. That’s not to say the treats aren’t enough to bring us back for seconds, though. Find flavors like fan-favorite basil and a top-notch Morello cherry. Yeah, good luck turning down a pint. Unlike other cream-churning shops, this one has "jerks" slinging handcrafted (and sometimes spiked) sodas. (815 Cole Street)

The Sword and Rose
If you’re not already under Cole Valley’s spell, you’ll be won over by this mystical outpost. You have to wander through an enchanting courtyard garden to even find this moody nook filled with spiritual treasures. In addition to ornate swords, dazzling stones, religious texts, and incense that the owner makes by hand, you can pick up some insight into your fate with an on-site tarot reading. We may not be psychic, but our intuition tells us you'll love this place. (85 Carl Street)

Zazie
There's no hard-core bruncher in the city that doesn’t already have Zazie on her radar. But, for those less in the know, this picturesque French eatery reigns supreme for its drool-worthy griddle choices. And, we know for a fact its lunch and dinner options are equally gratifying. On Monday evenings, you can bring your dog to dinner on the newly renovated back patio. Tuesdays mean there’s no corkage fee. Whenever you stop by, you’ll wonder why you hadn’t come sooner. (941 Cole Street)

Cole Valley Dog Park
Before your pup chows down on Zazie’s milk bones on doggy night, let him work up an appetite at this dog park right near the eatery. Later in the day, the energetic hounds come out to roughhouse. And, word on the street is owners like to bring a bottle of vino on Wednesdays to make playing fetch just a little more fun. A note on safety: Make sure your pup's well-trained or leashed, because the Muni trains come through right next to the park. (86 Carl Street)

Urban Mercantile
Urban Mercantile is littered with quirky and modern nesting knick-knacks — making this a must-stop during wedding season. For the utmost in unique gifting, check the in-house line of graphic napkins and trays. For old-school letter writers, there's a whole wall dedicated to stationery. Pretty much, after shopping here, get ready to be famous for your present-giving prowess. (85 Carl Street)

See the full list here.

Save the date! This year's annual street fair is set for Sunday, September 28th 2014. Midline Studio is organizing it again this year and hope to get a good list of vendors. The car show is still on, along with fun-filled activities for the little ones. 

Want all the info about the fair? This year you can tweet your questions (and your excitement) to @ColeValleyFair.

We're looking forward to it and hope you are to. More updates to come. 

We had a great turn out and enthusiasm for our very first neighborhood happy hour. 15 minutes before the happy hour kicked off, there was already a group of folks waiting outside hoping to snag a Ice Cream Bar gift card (who had to say the pass code: SUNSET TUNNEL in order to redeem the freebie). Once the happy hour got rolling there was a lot of neighborly love, margarita drinking, taffy chewing, and schmoozing. Neighborhood celebrities, Greg Dewar (@njudah) and Rick from @colehardware, even managed to stop by! It was such a great time!

The happy hour couldn't have been possible without the huge support from Padrecito, Cole Hardware, The Fizzary, The Ice Cream Bar, and of course all those neighbors that came out to have it a great event. Thank you!!

We at ColeValleySF hope to host another happy hour or  neighborhood event sometime soon. If you have ideas about how to bring the neighborhood together, feel free to contact us or comment below.

Tomorrow, Saturday March 8 from 10 AM to noon is your next chance to hear about upcoming proposed service changes to the 6 line.

The meeting will be held by the SFMTA to discuss upcoming citywide changes, including those to our own little hamlet, and will be held at the second floor auditorium at 1 South Van Ness.

The service changes relevant to the Haight (other than changed service frequency) includes re-routing the 6 to bypass majority of Cole Valley and Frederick's Knob as part of the new Transit Effectiveness Project.

Don't want to go to the meeting. Express your comments at tellmuni.com. 

Article originally posted on @uppercasing.