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.

So remember when there were all those awful jackhammers and disruption on Carl Street a year or so ago? Well, they are at it again. Luckily, we don't think the jackhammers will be joining them this time. Some of you might have received a leaflet in your mail outlining the upcoming "updates". Here's the deal:

Starting Monday, July 28th through August 22nd, the SFMTA's contractor will begin work on traffic signal infrastructure work for the Carl and Cole intersection. (See clarification from SFMTA rep below) What we do know is that the main work will involve cutting a trench along the sidewalk on the north side of Carl Street (between Cole and Stanyan). Whoops, guess that does mean jackhammers. 

What to expect:

• Work hours will be from 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday
• Work will start at Carl and Cole streets and proceed west 
• The streets will remain open (ultimately walking on Carl will be a disaster, not to mention those of us who will live above these said sidewalks. Lovely).
• Access to local businesses and residence will be maintained (again, no sidewalks)
• Muni service will not be affected (well, guess that's a good thing)
• Street parking will be unavailable where work is taking place (more parking spaces bite the dust)
• There will be some noise during excavation of concrete sidewalk (you mean jackhammers right?)

Other locations that will get the traffic signal "upgrade":

• Irving Street, from 3rd Avenue to 9th Avenue - August 25th to September 19th
• 9th Avenue, from Irving to Judah Street - September 22nd to October 3rd
• Judah Street, from 16th Avenue to 19th Avenue - October 6th to October 31st
• Judah Street, from 35th Avenue to Sunset Blvd - November 3rd to November 28th

This will be fun folks. 

UPDATE: 
We got in touch with SFMTA Project Manager, Tess Kavanagh, who was able to clarify what they mean by "traffic signal upgrades".

"To clarify, we are not installing any new traffic signals as part of the Sunset Tunnel project. We are upgrading the existing traffic signal system in order to improve travel times for the N-Line. The traffic signal upgrades include the installation of new signal wire loops within the roadway that will communicate with the existing signal lights, turning them red or green as needed to give the LRV’s priority through the intersection.For example, the work at Carl & Cole involves the installation of a signal loop that is serving the signal that exists at  Carl & Stanyan, two blocks away."

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. 

After a graceful exit by Captain Corrales back in May, we've been waiting to hear from our new Captain Raj Vaswani. Now, after their community meeting last week, Captain Vaswani has spoken up about his new position as Park Station commander.

He's got over 20 years in the force at Potrero Station, Southern Station and Northern Station, in all kinds of different positions. Notably, he's worked in a street crime undercover unit, which we imagine will come in handy around here. He was also recently the city's Night Captain, which sounds like his superhero identity, but actually just means he "managed in-progress incidents and nightclub-related deployment of officers."

You might have seen him making some rounds in the past few weeks. He stopped in to meet business owners along Haight to "get a feel for the regular locations," and he'll make his way to Cole Valley and Divisadero in the coming weeks. He's already used info gleaned from local merchants to have his officers execute a round of plainclothes drug dealing busts around the Haight and the park. 

If you want to meet him in person, you can head to National Night Out, a community event at Park Station on Tuesday, August 5th. Captain Vaswani will be there to meet with the public, and it sounds like a decidedly kid-friendly affair, too:

"Don't come for me, come for the stickers, the cool police cars, which make a great photo-op for you and your kids. Personally I think cop car photos also make really good Facebook photos to show your friends you are cool with thecoolest police department in America!"

This blog was originally posted on Hoodline and has been re-posted by permission. 

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.