Bernal Heights’ Yoga Studio Moving

Grab your mat and head down to Bernal Yoga’s new space at 908 Cortland ! After 10 years at 461 Cortland Avenue, across the street from The Good Life grocery store, Bernal Yoga is moving, expanding, flooding their studio with more natural light and letting all yogis stretch themselves toward sky high ceilings.  Or, as they describe their new studio :

“It’s with great excitement to announce we are moving to a brand new space in Bernal Heights. It’s just five blocks down the street at 908 Cortland Avenue. The new space is more spacious, with plenty of natural light, 2 bathrooms and high ceilings.”

I, for one, am happy that an oft forgotten and not as commercially-populated section of Cortland is getting some love.  Take a stroll to check out their new digs and while you’re down there maybe pick up some take-out from Little Nepal or Pizza Express or get a new Springtime hairdo at Cutting Edge Salon.

Oh, and take it from Mr. Mouse, our resident senior Pomeranian, frequent downward dog poses is the secret to staying energized, healthy and young!

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Frozen Yogurt in Noe Valley, San Francisco

I will try to keep this short & sweet – FROZEN YOGURT IS COMING TO NOE VALLEY!

I’ve been taunted by this smiling Fro-Yo cup each morning when I walk into our Zephyr Real Estate office. That’s right – Eazy Breezy Frozen Yogurt is moving in right next door. I’m not sure if this is going to help or hurt our office of top-producing Noe Valley Realtors (shameless plug for my associate, Danielle Lazier, who is the #1 producing agent of 2011). Is it safe to sell real estate on a sugar high?

I agree with the interviewees in the April ‘Short Takes’ of the Noe Valley Voice: “The only thing that is missing in this area is a dessert place.”

Now our beloved Noe Valley really has it all!

• lunch, dinner and weekend brunch will still be served in the Cafe.
• Mutsumi Takehara will be handling things at the bakery. Inside Scoop writes: “[Vega] says it was a natural fit: they had a bread oven, and Takehara was looking for a proper one to make more bread.”
• In the evening, the bakery/back patio space will be serving thin-crust pizzas.  Expect heat lamps and movies on the patio, too!

Whoa ! Heat lamps, movies and pizza under the San Francisco sky ?!  Our own Foreign Cinema up here on the Hill ?!  I know where I’ll be spending my summer nights !

Before heading over to Progressive Grounds to watch the show live and on the big screen, stop by the Red Carpet Photo Op at Four Star Video.  We don’t want all of your painstaking preparation for the big night to be for naught, do we ?  During the live broadcast, enjoy snacks, drinks and the company of your Bernal neighbors.  Don’t forget to fill out a ballot with your choice for best film, best actor/actress, and all the rest of the categories — deliver your completed ballot(s) to Four Star Video by  5:00 pm on Feb. 26th to be eligible for prizes ( a $5 donation per ballot is suggested.  Donations will be accepted at the door at Progressive, too.).

Glam it up and ham it up, people!  On Oscar Night, we’re all famous!

That is the answer Gillian Hanson, owner and operator of Honeycomb Salon, gave me when I asked her why she decided to expand Noe Valley’s hottest hair salon.  And Honeycomb isn’t just hot, it’s hip, creative, vibrant, and chock full of talent. A Noe Valley fixture since 2007, Honeycomb keeps getting busier and busier. It’s not difficult to understand why Ms. Hanson jumped on the opportunity to expand and redesign the salon when the space next door (formerly Big Discount Cleaners) became available. Cronin Construction of San Francisco has been hired to plan and design the new space and will also be swinging the hammers, so to speak.  Unlike “new” Coke, I think a Honeycomb Salon with more staff, more stylists, more chairs and more space is a fantastic idea!  As for the Grand Opening party later this Spring, I will be watching the mailbox for my invitation.

Honeycomb Salon is located at 3915 24th Street in Noe Valley, San Francisco. To find it, turn into the cute little courtyard — the one you never knew was there or never knew where it led to — tucked in between Savor and Casa Mexicana.

Recently, I had the chance to sit down and talk with Ms. Hanson about Honeycomb’s upcoming expansion, her adorable Yorkie, Madigan, and her favorite Noe Valley spots.

SFHL: The name of your salon is Honeycomb Salon.  I want to make sure I am using the right lingo.  Do you call yourselves a salon or is it something else ? Are you stylists or hair stylists ?

GH: We are a hair & makeup salon and call ourselves “hairstylists.” In our industry, a “stylist” is actually someone who does wardrobe. There are other terms that are a little outdated: like hairdresser & beauty operator. Technically, we are “cosmetologists” but that word feels really clinical, and doesn’t capture the fun part of what we do.

SFHL: Does your salon do more than cut hair ?

GH: We do! We have a great team of professionals who all excel in both hair coloring & cutting. We also do makeup and hair for special events & photo shoots.

SFHL:  How many stylists do you have in your salon ?

GH: Currently four hairstylists and one junior hairstylist.

SFHL:  Are you also a stylist in addition to being the owner ?

GH: Absolutely! I am as much a part of the team as I am the owner. I love the creative aspect of doing hair, building relationships with my clients, and making them look and feel great.

SFHL:  When I come in to get styled up, I see that the salon is always so busy.  Was that the impetus behind expanding ?

GH: Go big or go home, baby!

SFHL:  What is the expansion going to do for the salon ? more chairs ?  more stylists?  a blow-out bar ? Is it going to be one big Honeycomb or are you keeping the two areas separate as they are now ?  Most importantly, will Madigan get his own chair ?

GH: Definitely more chairs and stylists. The two areas will be joined to create one large salon. We plan on conceptualizing the salon by creating a dedicated “Color Space” and [a dedicated] “Styling Space”.  More talent makes for a wider array of skill sets. We also exchange creative energy and ideas with each other, which is great for us and ultimately great for our clients. Everyone benefits! If you know any amazing hairstylists, please send them our way!

Madigan prefers to be fluid and not tied to one chair. I guess you could say he’s an equal opportunity lap dog. [Editor's note: he sounds like a Pomeranian I know.]

SFHL:  How long do we have to wait before we can see the new Honeycomb ?

GH: The sooner the better! We’ll have our soft opening in March, and a grand opening party once we pull the new crew together.

SFHL:  Now, off the subject of hair, what is your favorite place to grab lunch or dinner on 24th Street ?

GH:  Savor has the best salads and the nicest staff in the world. Bernie’s makes the best cup of coffee, hands down. Noe Valley Bakery or La Boulange for sweet treats!

St. Francis of Assisi has looked fondly on our fair city by the Bay and has bestowed upon us an inordinate number of amazing and dedicated animal lovers in the rescue movement.  As I see it, Muttville Senior Dog Rescue is at the top of the list.  Go see for yourself at the Muttville Holiday Adoption Pop Up Shop!   This pop up, affectionately referred to as a “pup up”, is an adoption center, retail space and resource space all in one.

Hop on your sleigh, or spin your way on your dreidel, and get down to 1259 Polk St (the corner of Polk and Bush) every weekend in the month of December — you have 3  more chances — to see Muttville’s adorable pooches who are up for adoption.  The Pup-Up is open from 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Saturday and Sunday. There are so many things to do once you’re there!  You can grab treats from Paw Patch Pastries, get your dog’s picture taken with Santa Paws by Nuena Photography or Chung Nguyen Photography,  or buy matching Muttville t-shirts for you and your canine best friend.  Don’t forget to check out Small Club: San Francisco small dog walking , a dog walking, daycare, and boarding service for small-sized dogs of all ages.  Personally, I like just hanging out and providing a warm lap for one of the Muttville mutts.

If you can’t make it to the Pup-Up Adoption Shop, maybe a Christmas Day walk at Fort Funston is more your speed. Meet at the parking lot at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday December 25th and join us for a leisurely stroll with the sweetest, most irresistible,  zaniest pack of mutts !

There is no doubt that Team SFHotlist is a full-service Real Estate team.  They help you sell, help you buy and help you with any other of your Real Estate needs.  They’ll go the extra mile, or, the extra pour, as the case may be at the  1st Annual Noe Valley Holiday Wine Walk.  Come visit us at Zephyr’s 24th Street office on Wednesday evening, Dec 7th, 4-6pm and we’ll show you our mad wine pouring skills which are only rivaled by our mad real estate skills.

Enjoy the festive holiday atmosphere with us in the heart of Noe Valley on the evening of December 7th.  Get your $30 “Tasting Wristband”, meander along 24th Street and drop in at the 20+ participating merchants and businesses for a wine tasting, a quick bite and other special treats.

If you see Danielle, ask for the “Bruce pour”.

Salute !

Holidays a la Bernal Heights Village

Wow! We are just shy of saying goodbye to 2011. I looked up from my plate of leftover cornbread stuffing and mashed potatoes last week and realized it’s that time of year again — that time when visions of hot cider, champagne, latkes, family/community, candy-cane shaped cookies covered with multicolored sprinkles, office Holiday parties and, of course, gifts, dance in my head. I can really feel the Holiday Spirit on my daily walk through the streets of Bernal with all of the sparkly lights, the window displays and the mad rush for “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” (the original cartoon version) at Four Star (okay, maybe I am the only one searching high and low for that DVD but my obsession dedication has the power of many people).

Do you want to get into the Holiday Spirit, too ? Then kick off the Holiday Season with the Bernal Heights Holiday Evening Stroll on December 8th. It was such a success last year that they brought it back and it’s going to be bigger and brighter this time around! Join us up here on Cortland Avenue in Bernal Heights for a night of revelry, singing, dancing, wine tasting and strolling from 6:00 – 9:00 pm. Over 30 Bernal businesses will have their doors open that evening and they invite you to drop in, say hello and enjoy what our little village has to offer…and maybe you’ll buy something and for once you won’t be the last minute gift buyer you have proven yourself to be.

Truth be told, I’m a bah humbug sort of person, but there is no way I can channel Scrooge when the dogs and I are walking down Cortland Avenue on the night of the Bernal Heights Holiday Evening Stroll.

See you there !

CdV

Of all the tours offered by San Francisco City Guides, there is one that is not to be missed. It’s only offered once a year, on a very special, very scary night … Halloween !! The “Ghost Walk at City Hall” tour sounds terrifyingly good ! You will take a walk through the haunted hallowed corridors of our beloved City Hall and hear all kinds of ghostly facts about the building and the spooky streets surrounding it. For example, did you know that the ground beneath Civic Center Plaza was once home to the city’s largest cemetery (it was moved to Colma during construction of City Hall)? Leave your fear at the front door. If you want to find out more, join the tour and ask the tour’s very knowledgeable guide, Rob Spoor.

If the possibility of a Poltergeist-esque experience is too much for you, come toward the light, Carol Ann, bring me the tennis ball marked … oh, uh sorry about that, I meant to say — then take a stroll down Fair Oaks between 25th and 24th in Noe Valley where the residents have their own version of Fright Night (aka All Hallow’s Eve) planned for passers-by.

SF City Guides is a non-profit organization with trained volunteers who lead *free* history and architectural walking tours in San Francisco. They are sponsored by the San Francisco Public Library– could they be any cooler ? I don’t think so.

Mark your calendars for Thursday night’s festivities and put on your dancin’ boots because the Patsy Chords are going to be rocking the Block Party on Tiffany Avenue from 6:30-7:30.  There is not a Patsy Cline tribute band around who can get you tappin’ your toes,  slappin’ your knees and reachin’ for your hanky like the Patsy Chords.  Stick around after the fine crooning for the films and you’ll have yourself a perfect night !

See ya there, partner !