Astronomy Lesson

Let Penelope Popsicle take you on a Muni ride through the cosmos.

Dolores Park Happenings Today

Late start today? Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone you’re still on the internet, as long as you don’t blow my cover.

There’s some cool stuff happening in the park today, so cancel that trip to San Jose. First of all, the Really Really Free Market:

The San Francisco Really Really Free Market (RRFM) meets the Last Saturday of Every Month in Dolores Park near 19th St and Dolores St. (except in the rainy season (Dec, Jan, Feb) we meet at an inside venue) Bring usable items, food, skills and talents to give for the sake of giving.

And Doctor Popular filled us in on his friend, P. Nosa, who will be in the park doing custom embroidery with his solar-powered sewing machine. He’s from Tuscon and only comes out here once a year, so be sure to check him out and bring some article of clothing to modify:

Inside the Dolores Park Castle

601 Dolores, aka the “Castle on the Park,” is the luxurious single family home that you’ll probably be sitting in front of at some point this weekend. Curious about what it looks like inside? I suppose you could call John L. Woodfruff III and convince him that you’re some kind of South American cocaine baron with 7.5 million burning a hole in your pocket. Or like the rest of us, check out the new pics that went up on the property’s website: 601dolores.com.

One notable upgrade can be the popcorn ceiling removal, which can be replaced outdated textures with sleek, modern finishes. This change can not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of the home but also improves the overall ambiance by providing a smoother and more sophisticated surface. Whether you’re admiring the home from the street or browsing the photos online, these updates can contribute to the property’s timeless charm and enduring elegance.

One thing that is immediately clear from the 70+ photos of this place is that all your stuff would probably fit in a 15′ x 15′ corner of it’s vast interior, leaving the rest of it for an indoor soccer court, an art gallery, a music venue, and a parking lot simultaneously… and don’t get me started the walk score on this baby.

Oddly, the decorator in this case chose to fill it with eastern Buddhist iconography, as if to give a big F.U. to the fact that this was once a place of God. Good thing we’re all a bunch of sodomites so we don’t really care.

Guys, if I hit it big, I promise I’ll buy this castle and convert the first floor into luxury public bathrooms.

[via curbed sf]

Previously:

Single-Family Cathedral Across From Dolores Park Just Got Affordable!

For Sale: Big Former Church Across From Dolores Park

The Tastiest Little Breakfast in Town Now Confined to Weekends

Good thing it’s Saturday! Reader Jason fills us in on some bittersweet news about what some have called the tastiest little breakfast town:

Just an update – They gave up on their amazingly tasty breakfast. They now open at 11:30 Mon-Fri, and 9AM on Sat & Sun.

Here’s the text of a note posted to their door:

To our breakfast customers:

We are no longer be open for breakfast Monday through Friday.

Come visit us on the weekend for brunch. We have a full breakfast menu including your favorite breakfast sandwich and four barrel coffee.

Brunch served Saturday and Sunday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Read on.

Thanks, Jason!

Photo by Sexiest P.

Drunk Girls and Chicharrones

Ryan Farr of 4505 Meats finally picked a winner in our meat-related-story contest! It’s Melanie K! Here’s her story:

Easy. I’ve been a vegetarian for fourteen years, but every time my friend Alli and I get drunk at Elixir (which is less and less now, thank you douchebags) she tries to shove chicharrones down my throat. She has actually held them to my lips, gently applying pressure, while simultaneously carrying on a conversation with a group of new friends, because, as far as her logic goes, I will have to open my mouth sometimes.

Yes, we turn into eight-year-olds when we drink.

Anyway, I recently decided to give in and eat the meat, although slowly so I don’t puke and poop at the same time. I have had a few bites of prosciutto here and there, and the other night I stepped into Elixir (filled with d-bags, to the brim), and Alli was there. She looked H-A-P-P-Y-D-R-U-N-K and exclaimed, “Close your eyes and open your mouth!”

Read on!

Photo by pyrogenic.

Extra-Large Size Lovin'

Happy Friday, people of this neighborhood! It is time to adopt a cute animal!

Kitty Girl — 9 year old female

Kitty Girl goes the extra mile to greet you, jumping off her ledge with welcoming meows. If you’re looking for an expressive but easygoing cat who purrs often, Kitty Girl may be for you. Mellow and curious, she might have a shy moment or two, but overall, she’s very good-natured.

Ms. Bliss — 6 year old Labrador Mix

I am a mellow gal who loves tummy rubs! I have lived with kids before and like them and I have lived with similar size dogs too. I’m an easy going gal looking for someone who will appreciate my extra-large size lovin’!

All pets adopted from SFSPCA have received a pre-adoption veterinary exam and behavior assessment, vaccinations, spay/neuter surgery and a microchip.

Where: The San Francisco SPCA’s Maddie’s Adoption Center
Address: 250 Florida Street (at 16th – Street)
Hours: Open Tues – Friday 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday/Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Closed Mondays and major holidays.
Contact: 415-522-3500, www.sfspca.org
Follow SFSPCA at facebook.com/sfspca and twitter.com/sfspca.

Who's to Blame When a Local Business Closes?

The Tens heard Adobe Books here might be under the gun. The Tens is upset:

Occasionally when a local business closes, I have no one to blame but myself (sorry Palace Steak House, I kept meaning to go). This one however, I blame on you. You as in the royal you, is that a thing? Like y’all. But not any of you in particular, just you generally. ¡Ustedes! Fuck, English sucks.

Read on.

Photo by douglemoine.

P.S. Who thinks more book stores should organize their books by color?

La Oaxaqueña Really Is The Best Late Night Option

Have you found yourself munching on stale chips and too-hot green salsa at Taqueria Cancun 3 times in a week due to lack of a better late night Mission food option?

Next time, check out La Oaxaqueña, the easy-to-miss small bakery on Clarion and Mission. They are open until 2 am (!), it’s rarely crowded, and the food is amazing. The selection is a lot more exotic than what you’ll find at Cancun or Farolito, with papusas, tamales, mole, and even grasshopper.

The banana leaf mole tamale is less than 4 bucks and it’s probably the best tamale I’ve ever had. It’s not just the awesome mole and the well seasoned chicken that does it. The masa (that corn stuff that makes up 70% of a tamale) is so tasty that I find myself scraping all the little bits of it off the folds of the leaf so I don’t waste any.

This is old news to a lot of you, but since eating there at 12:30am Tuesday, I really can’t stop thinking about how thankful I am that they are there.

[photo by angefasu]

The State Of Benedict

Eggs Benedict - Andalu

When I walk by Andalu, it doesn’t invite me in. It’s one of those places in the neighborhood that just feels too new and too upscale. When I walk in I feel a little out of place. But wait, apparently it did invite me in, because here I am, on last Sunday, ordering brunch. The thing is, I really like eggs benedict. Sometimes when I’m hungry I’ll browse the Flickr pool. But it’s not easy to make at home and it’s not especially cheap. Especially at Pork Store, which is the nearest eggsbenedicteria to my home.

At Pork Store I have to shell out something like $13 for the dish and, sure, it comes with coffee and juice, but I don’t always want all that liquid. (their online menu says that the benedict is $8.95, but maybe that’s only at the Haight Street location, or I’m just plain wrong) Plus, there’re the lines and the scene (which is maybe a plus and a minus?) and the quality, which is just so-so, but what they don’t have in quality is definitely made up for in bigness.

Boogaloos also has the lines and the scene, their benedict is great, but also 5¢ more expensive than Andalu, and comes with fruit or hashbrowns, not both.

Valencia Pizza & Pasta has a pretty good and very filling benedict, and there usually isn’t much of a wait or a scene there. Plus you get a whole orange.

I had the eggs florentine at Weird Fish once, it was good, but smothered in sauce.

At Andalu the benedict is $9.95 (pictured above) and is delicious. The eggs were cooked into little orbs that squirted their warm yellow yolk all over the place when popped. Which is a good thing, I think. And the polenta fries (not pictured, we got those with the french toast, which was also very good, but I’m not talking about that) were great dipped into the hollandaise. The only downside to the food was that I was still a little hungry afterwards.

So, what do you think? Eggs benedict – overhyped? Is there a better spot in the neighborhood (under $10) that I left out? Or should I just eat at home more?

Turn Signals for the Conscientious Pedestrian

Our pals over at Haverhill Fever are calling this the future. I’m not sure if that’s accurate exactly, but I like this informative video. Read all about it.