SPRINGTIME FUN
Kudos to District 2 Supervisor Mark Farrell, who partnered with the Presidio Trust to bring us Family Movie Nights (presidio.gov), which debuted last October. After showing the first two films outdoors, when the weather cooled, the event moved indoors to the Presidio YMCA gymnasium. Kids brought their sleeping bags and cozied up for one big pajama party to watch Home Alone in December, followed by McFarland USA in January.
Beginning Saturday, April 15, Movie Nights move back outdoors to the Main Post Civil War Parade Ground lawn with The Sandlot, about a group of baseball-playing kids — especially fitting given the Giants play their season opener this month. To celebrate further, the Giant’s mascot, Lou Seal, will make a special appearance, and San Francisco Baseball Academy will conduct a pitching-and-hitting clinic. Come early to enjoy the fun! Food trucks arrive at 5:30 p.m., cartoons begin at 7:30 p.m., and the film at 8 p.m. Best of all, Movie Night is free, including popcorn, snacks, It’s-Its, water, and juice.
Each month’s film is listed in the Child’s Play section of the Marina Times’s calendar; additionally, subscribe to Supervisor Farrell’s newsletter (sfbos.gov), and you’ll receive an e-mail announcing the film several days before the show. Upcoming films are The Good Dinosaur (May 6) and The Incredibles (June 10).
More Presidio family fun starts this month with the return of the Presidio Picnic (presidio.gov) on Sundays beginning April 3, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., in its fourth year, and also on the Parade Ground lawn. The popular event features 30 Off the Grid food trucks, music, games, and more, including yoga classes, nature-based arts and crafts activities, and a photo booth for selfies (which we know you won’t want to miss).
Off-the-Grid (offthegridsf.com) food trucks also return to Fort Mason for a sixth season. Look for 11 new vendors (including A16, Izzy’s Cheesesteak, Bacon Mania, and Flambé) for a total of 31, including three cocktail bars. Check it out every Friday 5–10 p.m.
SO LONG, FAREWELL
The charming The Chestnut Bakery (2359 Chestnut Street) sadly closed its doors Feb. 16. For the last 14 years, mother-daughter team Catherlina and Kelly Tang successfully owned and operated their family business, turning out delicately delicious scones, beautifully decorated cakes, and other scrumptious bakery items. In a posted “special letter to our customers,” Kelly wrote that while costs of business rose over the years, she strove to keep them down, and that the landlord had “absolutely no intention” of allowing them to continue after their lease. Adieu, my pear-ginger scone.
Espresso Roma Café (3130 Fillmore Street), has also lost their lease as of May. Staff tell us the landlord is seeking to raise the rent thousands of dollars beyond what the cafe is currently paying. We’ll miss their laid-back attitude, free Wi-Fi, and of course, their coffee and snacks.
Neighborhood stalwart, the cozy pub Liverpool Lil’s (2942 Lyon Street) has shuttered for good. Several months after a fire in their kitchen last April, the landlord reportedly stopped direct conversation about reopening — after over 40 years in the building. We’ve been crying in our beer at co-owner Eddie Savino’s other Cow Hollow outpost, The Brazen Head (3166 Buchanan Street, brazenheadsf.com), certainly no less cozy and pub like.
DUE CONGRATULATIONS
After a little more than a year, life has been good for West Coast Wine–Cheese (2165 Union Street, westcoastsf.com). Owners Lindsey and Chris Wanner, long-term Cow Hollow residents, successfully filled the need for a quality neighborhood wine establishment. Their regularly scheduled Winery Nights showcase tastings from select vintners (Hall Wines is featured April 29, 4–10 p.m.). The couple recently revamped the kitchen to “provide our customers with an even better culinary experience,” said Chris. They are especially excited about their new executive chef, Michael Ocampo (Boxing Room, Zero Zero, Bourbon Steak, and Bar Crudo), who began serving his new menu last month. Stop in for some fine food and wine, delivered with friendly service in an unpretentious environment.
Taylor Jenkins of her eponymous Taylor Fit Studio (2159 Filbert Street, taylorfitstudio.com) was the recent recipient of San Francisco’s ClassPass “Most Moving Instructor” award. Jenkins, who opened Taylor Fit in 2013 after years in the fitness industry, renovated the former S Factor dance studio with natural light, ballet barres, and mirrors, to create a fun cardio-barre all-body “kickass workout” that has a loyal following.
A group of merchants (Blue Barn, Catnip and Bones, Causwells, Dress San Francisco, Kara’s Cupcakes, Kobani Mediterranean Grill, Mamacita, Marina Deli, Reed & Greenough, Scotland Yard, Spaghetti Bros., TeedHaze Lifestyle Real Estate Store, and The Tipsy Pig) recently organized a coat drive and collected 70 coats in one day, which were then delivered to Episcopal Community Services f3or distribution to the homeless. Supervisor Mark Farrell and the Marina Community Association sponsored the coat drive and Paul Owens of Reed & Greenough hosted.
Correction March 31, 2016: Movie Night times as reflected above.
