An $18 million fixer-upper?

And that’s not all. The 20-acre Woodside estate needs about $10 million worth of work, according to listing agent Mark Benson of Cashin Co.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

“Only in California,” Benson added wryly.

On Monday afternoon, Benson held a “pre-market” viewing of the historic property for movers and shakers in the world of luxury Bay Area real estate. The party and staging, which included 1930s autos and members of a local Art Deco society dressed in period clothing, seemed more appropriate to a movie set.

The elaborate production was not only an attempt to reflect the home’s heritage — it was completed in 1940 by the architects responsible for the well-known Eichler houses — but also adorn a property that has clearly languished while its owner has grappled with legal and financial difficulties over the last couple of years.

In enclaves such as Woodside and Atherton, where technology luminaries such as Steve Jobs and Larry Ellison live, multimillion-dollar estates are not unheard of. But few properties have had such a potent mix of history, fame, money — and the loss thereof.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

“It’s kind of a rags-to-riches, riches-to-rags story,” Benson said.

Court records and public filings show that the Lakeview Drive home has been owned by End Real Estate, a company controlled by James Paulett “Paul” Charlton, since 1999. Public records did not disclose the sale price.

Around that time, Charlton sold the shares in a technology firm he had founded to Foster City’s Inktomi for $25 million. But a short time later, Charlton faced the technology collapse and the costs related to legal matters surrounding other failed companies. Last year, he filed for bankruptcy, and petitioned to sell some of his assets, including the Chagall painting.

A court-appointed trustee is now charged with selling the home.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

Although the sprawling seven-bedroom home harks back to Frank Lloyd Wright’s naturalist architecture and boasts a valuable fresco by Lucien Labaudt, much of the house itself and the grounds have fallen into disrepair. The stables, greenhouse and guest quarters are decrepit; the paddock fences, pool and footpaths need major renovation.

Inside the main house’s kitchen, under-counter holes and alcoves have been papered over with photos of shiny, high-end appliances, and some doors to the garden have handles on only one side.

It is a far cry from the property’s heyday in the years leading up to World War II.

Then, a young couple by the name of Davies bought the parcel to build a large country home on an open hillside overlooking Redwood City.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

Ralph Davies was a vice president of Standard Oil who served as petroleum administrator for Interior Secretary Harold Ickes during World War II. He made millions by buying oil concessions all over the world, and eventually ran American President Lines and Natomas Co.

He died in 1971. A decade later, his wife, Louise M. Davies, gave $5 million to build the landmark San Francisco Symphony Hall on Van Ness Avenue that was eventually to bear her name.

Louise Davies, who at one time was well-known in Woodside for throwing tea parties in the extensive gardens, died in 1998 at a retirement home in Portola Valley.

Woodside History Committee member Thalia Lubin said the home is significant because of its ties to the Davies family and the fact that it is “exemplary of country life” in Woodside at the time.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

But it is unclear whether the property will remain intact. Several real estate industry insiders speculated that an investor would buy the property to subdivide into several parcels.

And most experts said it may take some time for the property to sell, in part because it is in the less desirable part of Woodside east of Interstate 280.

“Eighteen million sure doesn’t buy you what it used to,” said Peninsula real estate broker Art Michael, who toured the home.

Benson said he set the asking price for the home after two appraisals put its value at $23.5 million and $11.5 million. In addition, two other properties of about the same size are on the market in Woodside — one for $15 million and one for $29.5 million.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

Though overall Bay Area home prices and sales continue to break records, the market for ultra-expensive homes remains somewhat unpredictable, in part because the pool of buyers of multimillion-dollar properties is so shallow.

The heirs to the Hills Bros. Coffee fortune recently sold an 11,000- square-foot Pacific Heights mansion for less than $30 million, after putting it on the market for $45 million two years ago.

The post $18 million, wants work / Davies residence goes on the block as handyman’s particular appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

At 440 p.m. PST, Doppler radar tracked a strong thunderstorm
Andrew Molera State Park or near Big Sur Village, heading east at 25
km/h.

DANGER… Winds in excess of 30 mph and pea-sized hail.

SOURCE… Radar displayed.

IMPACT… Gusty winds could knock down branches and blow them around
unsecured items. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.

Affected locations include…
Big Sur Village, Andrew Molera State Park, Cachagua near Los
Padres Dam and Pico Blanco Campground.

This includes Highway 1 between Mile Markers 47 and 54 and near Mile
Mark 56.
If you are outdoors, consider taking shelter inside a building.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

KION 46 strives to provide a forum for civil and constructive discussions.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can view our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you have a story idea you would like to share, please submit it here.

The post Particular Climate Assertion issued March 5 at 4:41AM PST by NWS San Francisco CA – KION546 appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

A pint-sized Edmonton Oilers fan from Sarnia, Ont. might just have the coolest Halloween costume around.

5-year-old Easton Oetting, who has special needs, is dressed up as an Oilers’ Zamboni. That’s right, the youngster is actually dressed up as an Edmonton Oilers-themed ice-resurfacing machine, thanks to his handyman father, DJ Oetting.

“We were just trying to figure out how we could incorporate the Oilers into his costume and we wanted to still do the stroller, so obviously a vehicle,” explains Oetting. “The only thing we could think of was a Zamboni.”

Easton has a rare genetic disorder which affects his development, including his heart, speech and mobility.

But his dad wasn’t about to let that stop the wee Oilers fanatic from enjoying Halloween.

He put the Zamboni together in a few hours using foam insulation, glue and screws.

“I have it set up so that it goes over the top of his stroller, and it actually sits perfectly on his stroller, and then we just wheel the stroller with him in it,” says Oetting.

Easton and his Zamboni’s ride to fame came quickly after his mom posted a video to social media of him in the Zamboni on Friday.

It caught the attention of Oilers’ Nation, then the NHL and TSN, who reposted adorable video, with the NHL even calling it the “costume of the year.”

“Everybody seems to love it,” says Oetting. “Even people that aren’t Oilers’ fans, I think they just, they see Easton in it and how happy he is, and they love it.”

The post Handyman father builds Oilers Zamboni costume for particular wants son appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

In the lazy hours of a late Sunday afternoon, a steady stream of customers passed under the dark green awning of Polynesian Island Luau. According to its patrons, the takeout-style restaurant and retail shop — where shark tooth necklaces dangle from the ceiling, racks of floral shirts line the walls, and the owner’s granddaughter runs the register on the weekends — is the last of its kind in the Bay Area.

“I come here whenever I can,” said Lori Peneueta, 40, who drove from Sacramento to visit the market, which straddles Geneva Avenue on the border of San Francisco and Daly City. “This is a part of my heritage, and it’s one of the only places I can really feel that.”

To the left of the 22-year-old business, there’s a KFC and a Taco Bell. Across the street, the hulking mass of a Dollar Tree. Sitting beside a four-lane highway, Polynesian Island Luau has witnessed the decline of nearby Visitacion Valley’s once-vibrant Pacific Islander community. But now, it may have a front-row seat for its comeback.

After more than seven years of on-the-ground organizing, the neighborhood stands poised to become part of a new Pacific Islander Cultural District. On Tuesday, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors is expected to adopt legislation creating such a district, making it the 10th cultural district in the city.

Polynesian Island Luau owner Lafi Conway, right, chats with a customer of her takeout-style restaurant and retail shop Friday, Nov. 11, 2022.

Stephen Lam / The Chronicle

“There are a lot of Pacific Islanders across the area, so to have a place of our own would be really cool,” Polynesian Island Luau employee Thana Puni, 18, said from behind a tray of steaming plantains coated in coconut cream. “I would feel great if (the district) happens.”

Since the inception of the program in 2018, San Francisco has recognized cultural districts in Japantown, the Castro and the Mission to both honor and preserve diverse communities. Pacific Islander leaders hope the recognition and resources that come with such a designation will mark a turning point in a community long forgotten by the city.

“My goal is that 100 years from now, our community doesn’t have to suffer anymore,” said Gaynor Siataga, the director of San Francisco’s Pacific Islander Community Hub, a new community-based organization in Bayview. “They can go somewhere they belong, somewhere people understand them, and have some sense of identity and belonging here in this wonderful city.”

But with generations of entrenched disparities — and the risk of losing more community members to rising costs of living — those pushing for the cultural district know that this week’s vote is just the beginning.

Floral shirts and fabrics hang from the walls of Polynesian Island Luau on the northern edge of Daly City, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022.

Stephen Lam / The Chronicle

A small community with a deep history

According to data from the 2020 census, the Pacific Islander community makes up just 0.4% of San Francisco’s population. Despite its size, the population has roots in the city more than a century old.

In the mid-1800s, Native Hawaiians made up 10% of the population in Yerba Buena, the settlement that later became San Francisco, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior. During World Wars I and II, the U.S. military recruited Samoans, Tongans, Fijians and other islanders as it expanded its reach across the Pacific. But once World War II ended, many of the employment opportunities did too — leading to an exodus of Pacific Islanders to San Francisco.

Some came for jobs at the Hunter’s Point Naval Shipyard. Others were recruited to work in farms in and around the city. Still others were sponsored by the Mormon Church, encouraged toward the city for missionary labor after helping build a temple in Hawaii.

By 1985, San Francisco’s Pacific Islander population reached its peak, according to the cultural district’s “resolution document,” which was drafted by community leaders to make a case for the cultural district. But as of the 2020 census, San Francisco’s Pacific Islander community numbered just over 2,150. And in the past decade, the number of Pacific Islanders in Visitacion Valley — the neighborhood where the community first took root — dropped by more than 50%, from 33 people to 15.

In the years since peak migration, the community hasn’t just dissolved in size. It’s also been hit by stark socioeconomic challenges.

Even before the pandemic, 29% of the Pacific Islander community in San Francisco lived below the poverty line with a median per capita income of just $25,930 — the lowest of any ethnic or racial group — according to a 2020 report from the Regional Pacific Islander Taskforce. That data found nearly 15% of the community was unemployed, and nearly 23% lived in overcrowded households. According to the cultural district’s resolution statement, 73% of Pacific Islanders in San Francisco are now in public housing.

“I grew up with, and in, those disparities,” Siataga said. “But when I saw the data, it broke my heart.”

Reliance on public housing, she added, “has been generational. That’s our reality and it’s been our reality, and it’s sad because we know that our ancestors that migrated here came for that American dream. And yet, we’re still stagnant.”

Those disparities exacerbated with the pandemic. Pacific Islanders in California contracted COVID-19 at nearly twice the state’s overall rate. By May 2020, the community had the highest death rate of any racial or ethnic group.

Mareta Eelua, left, and Faye Ia assemble candy lei five days before a Nov. 15 hearing of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to establish a Pacific Islander Cultural District in the city.

Stephen Lam / The Chronicle

Today, city data shows the COVID-19 case rate for Pacific Islanders still outstrips all other communities: it’s more than double the rate of the city’s American Indian, Black and Hispanic populations, and more than four times that of white San Franciscans.

According to those pushing for the Pacific Islander Cultural District, these statistics are, in part, due to a lack of culturally attuned resources. For 20 years, there was just one fully funded community-based organization serving the population — the Samoan Community Development Center. But Siataga said that despite critical efforts, the organization wasn’t meeting the full range of services Pacific Islanders needed.

Because of that, community leaders say Pacific Islanders became “invisible” across the Bay Area, sinking toward the lowest levels of the city’s socioeconomic indicators.

Efforts with, for and by the community

During the initial phases of the pandemic, five of San Francisco’s Pacific Islander-serving organizations formed the SALLT Association, which aimed to strategically fill gaps they saw widening across the community. By coordinating across entities, SALLT began providing COVID-19 response services, counseling, employment assistance, housing support, language and translation services, and other programming, working alongside the Samoan Community Development Center to do so.

During the same year, Siataga — who has both Samoan and Latino roots — suggested creating a cultural district in the area after seeing its success for the Latino population in the Mission. But while the Latino community in San Francisco was growing, the Pacific Islander community was shrinking. With such small numbers, many felt like accomplishing such recognition would be impossible, Siataga said.

“At first, it was really challenging,” said Siataga, speaking of the first time she mentioned setting up a cultural district. “This community has never seen the resources, support or backing that other communities have seen, so when I first started talking about the cultural district, (the community) said things like: ‘That’ll never happen.’”

Still, she and others got to work.

Siataga encouraged elders to write down their stories, which they compiled into the district’s resolution document to demonstrate the community’s impact on San Francisco and their legacy dating back decades. They got in touch with Supervisor Shamman Walton, whose district encompasses the southeast corner of San Francisco home to many Pacific Islanders. And they dug into the data, trying to better understand what the Pacific Islander community was up against — a difficult task when across not just the city, but also the state, Pacific Islanders were consistently being grouped with the larger Asian community.

Palusami, a popular Polynesian delicacy made with beef, coconut milk and taro leaves, sit wrapped behind a counter at Polynesian Island Luau on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. Customers sometimes travel from quite a distance for the traditional Samoan food.

Stephen Lam / The Chronicle

By disaggregating that data, a clearer picture of the community’s challenges began to emerge, allowing leaders like Siataga to better pitch the mission of a cultural district and the things it could accomplish.

According to the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, cultural districts provide a funnel for representative policymaking, helping leaders from minority communities take a seat at the city’s decision-making tables. They allot funding to employ those in charge of the cultural district, who together work on a specifically tailored three-year plan.

The Pacific Islander Cultural District will receive the typical annual funding award for cultural districts: $230,000 of hotel tax funds to support the team coordinating the vision for community-led social programs, services and resources in the new district.

Tino Felise, the neighborhood program coordinator at the Samoan Community Development Center, said the cultural district will focus on affordable housing, entrepreneurship and retail development, particularly for smaller mom-and-pop stores.

“Hopefully, establishing this cultural district will help us re-establish our population and make sure this is a place Pacific Islanders can continue to call home,” said Felise, who worked with Siataga to get the cultural district proposed.

Some of this work will draw on the successes of other cultural districts. In the Mission, the Calle 24 Latino Cultural District has implemented policies to halt displacement and gentrification, according to Calle 24 Council President Eric Arguello.

Polynesian Island Luau has been selling its merchandise from a storefront on the border of San Francisco and Daly City for more than two decades.

Stephen Lam / The Chronicle

By placing “special use protections” on incoming development in the Mission, the district has reduced the number of large renovations in the area — developments that would make it impossible for smaller, community-owned businesses to eventually take over those spaces, Arguello said.

“The legislation helped us maintain a healthier balance to protect smaller businesses, and helped us stabilize rent by maintaining smaller spaces for mom and pop stores,” Arguello said.

Still, Arguello noted, each cultural district is led by the needs of that community — and each has its own challenges and solutions.

“The coolest thing about this is that it’s all going to be done by the community,” said Iose Iulio, a housing specialist at the Bayview YMCA, and part of the team behind the Pacific Islander Cultural District. “When you listen to the community and what they really need and want, it’s more likely that they will use the services you provide.”

In some ways, Polynesan Island Luau is San Francisco’s Pacific Islander community in a nutshell. It’s held on in a rapidly changing city, and it’s been witness to inconceivable challenges. But still, it’s standing — and it’s ready to welcome its community back home.

“We get people coming from as far as Seattle to taste our food,” said Lafi Faletoese, the granddaughter of Lafi Wilson, Polynesian Island Luau’s owner. “But there are so few (Pacific Islander-owned businesses), a lot of people don’t know about us. … (Having the Pacific Islander Cultural District) would bring a lot more needed recognition for each and every Polynesian culture that exists.”

Elissa Miolene is a freelance journalist based in San Francisco. Twitter: @elissamio

The post San Francisco’s Pacific Islander neighborhood has nearly disappeared. Can a particular district deliver it again? appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

AP

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Residents of some of San Francisco’s most popular and troubled neighborhoods are electing a new state assembly member in a special runoff race Tuesday between two Democrats.

The runoff is being held because neither Matt Haney nor David Campos received more than 50% of the vote in February’s special election. Haney, a current San Francisco supervisor, Beat Campos, a former supervisor, by less than a percentage point.

Assembly District 17 covers the eastern half of San Francisco and includes tourist-heavy neighborhoods such as Chinatown, Haight-Ashbury, downtown and the Mission. It also includes the tenderloin, which is a hot spot for homelessness and illicit drug use.

Both candidates are on the progressive end of the Democratic Party.

Since February, Haney has received the endorsement of third-place candidate Bilal Mahmood, and Campos has received the backing of fourth-place candidate Thea Selby. The mayor has endorsed Haney, whose replacement on the board of supervisors she would pick if he wins.

People are also reading…

Tuesday’s winner will have to run again in the statewide June primary and November general elections to keep the seat for another two-year term, meaning residents of the district could vote on the race up to four separate times this year.

The seat became vacant last year after David Chiu resigned to become San Francisco’s city attorney, a job that became available when Mayor London Breed appointed then-city attorney Dennis Herrera to head the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission after Harlan Kelly resigned in 2020.

Kelly left after federal prosecutors charged him with fraud for allegedly accepting bribes from a permit expediter in exchange for insider information. Kelly is fighting the charge and is just one of several city officials and contractors ensnared in a public corruption scandal involving former public works director Mohammed Nuru.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

The post San Francisco to elect new legislator in particular runoff | Govt. & Politics appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

San Francisco 49er signed Ray-Ray McCloud. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

The San Francisco 49ers added their one big-ticket item in free agency early during the process, signing Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Charvarius Ward to a three-year, $40.5 million contract.

This addressed a major area of ​​need for general manager John Lynch and Co. However, some fans have been thrown off by San Francisco’s lack of urgency in free agency despite the team not having a ton of cap room.

With high-priced quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo still on the books, these 49ers used their limited financial assets to upgrade a troubled area — special teams.

That includes bringing in three core special teams players in linebacker Oren Burks, wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud and safety George Odum on team-friendly deals.

For San Francisco, it’s all about upgrading a special teams unit that struggled big time a season ago before coming through in the team’s NFC Divisional Playoff win over the Green Bay Packers. Below, I look at what these three moves mean for the 49ers moving forward.

MORE FROM FORBESBreaking Down San Francisco 49ers’ Decision To Hire Brian Griese As Next Quarterbacks Coachby Vincent Frank

Ray-Ray McCloud Gives San Francisco 49ers Legit Return Threat

San Francisco 49ers added Ray-Ray McCloud to return kicks and play slot. (AP Photo/Don Wright)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Throughout pretty much the duration of Kyle Shanahan’s five-year tenure in San Francisco, this team has not had a reliable return man. In fact, it had to use Brandon Aiyuk on punt returns last season.

McCloud, 25, changes this big time. The former Buffalo Bills’sixth-round pick out of Clemson led the NFL in punt returns (38) and return yards (367) a season ago. He averaged a healthy 9.7 yards per return. Meanwhile, the speedy 5-foot-9 wide receiver added 776 kick return yards for an average of 22.2 per. For comparison’s sake, the 49ers tallied a total of 279 punt return yards a season ago.

In an interesting turn, McCloud also played in 48% of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive snaps in 2021. He recorded 39 receptions for 277 yards whle catching 59% of his targets. The expectation is that he will see time in the slot with the 49ers pretty thin at wide receiver right now. McCloud’s deal is for two years and worth up to $10.4 million.

MORE FROM FORBESSan Francisco 49ers on the Forbes NFL Team Valuations List

San Francisco 49ers add Indianapolis Colts All-Pro Safety George Odum

San Francisco 49ers signed George Odum for special teams and to be backup safety. (AP Photo/Eric … [+] Christian Smith)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

An undrafted free agent of the Colts out of Central Arkanas back in 2018, Odum was highly-respected wthin their locker room. He also took on a much larger role on defense last season, starting seven games at safety.

While the 49ers might rely on Odum to play strong safety at times in 2022, his meal ticket is special teams. That included the 28-year-old earning All-Pro honors back in 2020. According to Pro Football Focus, he recorded the second-highest special teams grade that year. He’ll act as a gunner under new special teams coach Brian Schneider following the firing of Richard Hightower.

In terms of what Odum brings on defense, he’ll be the fourth safety behind Jimmie Ward, Talanoa Hufanga and Tarvarius Moore — likely signaling the end of Jaquiski Tartt’s career in San Francisco. Last season saw Odum record 55 tackles, two passes defended and an interception. He also yielded three passing touchdowns and a substandard 122.9 QB rating when targeted. Odum’s deal comes in at $10.95 million over three years.

Oren Burks Provides San Francisco 49ers With Depth And A Special Teams Ace

San Francisco 49ers brought in Oren Burks for depth. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

A third-round pick of the Green Bay Packers out of Vanderbilt back in 2018, Burks never panned out in Wisconsin. The soon-to-be 27-year-old linebacker recorded a total of 92 tackles on defense while starting seven games in four seasons.

However, this deal is more about what Burks brings to the 49ers’ special teams unit.

“Special teams throughout my career, that’s been something I can hang my hat on. And kind of got some notice around the league for that,” Burks told reporters during his introductory press conference.

Last season saw Burks play in 75% of Green Bay’s special teams snaps. He led the Packers in special teams tackles during his time with the team. Burks will also serve as a reserve linebacker, joining a group headed by the likes of Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw and Azeez Al-Shaair. His deal is said to come in at $5 million over two years.

The post San Francisco 49ers Goal Particular Groups In Sequence Of Value-Efficient Strikes appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

This neighborhood is best known as a tourist magnet with fish and chips shops, pizza joints and seafood restaurants geared to handle big crowds. But that was before the game-changing Abacá arrived. Here’s a look at one of the city’s newest hot spots located in the stylish Kimpton Alton Hotel.

Abacá serves sophisticated Filipino fare at the new Alton Kimpton in San Francisco’s Fisherman’s … [+] Wharf neighborhood.

Abaca via Instagram

Meet chef Francis Ang

Food enthusiasts in San Francisco are well aware of this rising star who trained as a pastry chef and worked in fine dining kitchens (Gary Danko and the first while Fifth Floor) before launching Pinoy Heritage, a wildly successful pop-up in 2016. Abacá opened in August and was recently nominated for a James Beard Foundation award for best new restaurant.

Ang grew up in Manila and while he was influenced by the good cooks in his tight-knit family, it was the eye candy on the Food Network that first whetted his appetite for a career in the culinary arts.

“For somebody who wasn’t good at sports, singing or drawing, cooking was my way of being creative,” Ang said in a recent interview. “I remember watching those shows on the Food Network and thinking, I could do that.”

After graduating from City College of San Francisco’s culinary arts and hospitality studies program, Ang bounced back and forth between pastry and savory and that duel affinity shines brightly at Abacá.

Abacá’s weekend brunch includes a panaderia filled with brilliant Filipino pastry. The restaurant, … [+] located near San Francisco’s famous Fisherman’s Wharf, is owned and operated by chef Francis Ang and his wife, Dian. Joana Bautista is the pastry sous chef.

Leslie Kelly

The restaurant’s panaderia is open on weekends only at this point, but that’s likely to change as more savvy sweets lovers discover the unusual lineup of beautiful pastries and novel espresso drinks. Right now, the Bibingka Rice Cake with salted egg and bruléed triple cream cheese is a best seller, but I can’t stop thinking about the Buko Lychee Puff. Gorgeous to behold and so satisfying, especially if you’re a cream puff fan.

Before launching Abacá — a dream he and the restaurant’s GM Justin Goo have been discussing for a decade — Ang and his wife, Dian, traveled frequently to the Philippines to learn recipes and techniques in various regions of that island nation.

“I grew up there, but didn’t really know much about the traditional cuisine,” he said. “There are more than 7,000 islands in the Philippines, so many dialects. Recipes and ingredients may vary from town to town.”

He returned to the US determined to share those rich traditions while infusing the menu with a generous helping of fresh California flavors. That’s exactly why you’ll find the chef shopping the Ferry Building’s Saturday market, grabbing exceptional greens and root veggies from Heirloom Organic Gardens and crisp apples and sweet pears from K & J Orchards.

Abacá chef/owner Francis Ang is a regular at the Ferry Building’s farmers market on San Francisco’s … [+] waterfront.

Leslie Kelly

Deliciously different

Sit down for a meal at Abacá and the challenge begins as soon as you pick up the menu. Where to start? Everything looks so intriguing, from the BBQ sticks over to the rabbit (rice dishes) and pancit moving down to the small plates and mains. plan? Arrive hungry and order lots. Better yet, come with a group because these creations are meant to be shared.

The gracious service staff are deft at explaining the nuances of each dish without giving guests a hard sell. While everything sounded amazing, the banana heart salad with bay shrimp, pomelo, K & J’s Asian pear dressed in a smoked coconut vinaigrette and the Hodo Soy Organic Yuba Skin with adobo glaze sounded like a fitting place to start while contemplating the rest of the meal .

But first… a palate-blowing amuse: sturgeon skin given the Chicharrón treatment. Wow! What a wonderfully crunchy way to start the feast, the fried skin adorned by a seafood spread and fish roe.

MORE FROM FORBESDiscover These Next-Level Dumplings In San Francisco’s Design Districtby Leslie Kelly

At Abacá in San Francisco, chef Francis Ang’s brilliant amuse bouche is a clever twist on the … [+] Chicharrón, with sturgeon skin standing in for the classic pork rind.

Leslie Kelly

A compelling journey, start to finish

Most Americans familiar with Filipino food know about lumpia, but the veggie version served at Abacá is dramatically different than the traditional pork stuffed spring rolls. Ang explained that the Ngohiong Lumpia was inspired by the Cebu province, where cooks batter those rolls before frying. “Aaron (Escalada, sous chef) brought some brightness to the dish with a fermented pineapple sauce,” Ang said. Beautifully plated, absolutely delicious.

Abacá’s vegetable lumpia was inspired by cooks in the Cebu province of the Philippines, where cooks … [+] batter their rolls before frying. The fermented pineapple sauce adds a welcome bright note to the dish.

Leslie Kelly

The banana heart salad was revelatory to my jaded palace. So many flavors and textures I’ve never experienced. The signature component of this dish is a bit like hearts of palm, though its more aggressive flavor profile is ably tamed by an overnight quick pickling process. That smoked coconut vinaigrette delivered a lot of personality to this flavorful bowl that was impossible not to finish.

Same goes for the pork steamed bun finished with more of that tasty pineapple kimchi. Simple ingredients coming together to deliver those contrasting sweet and savory and a little bit sour qualities that are so crave-able.

Onto the main attraction

As much as I relished every single bite of the crispy octopus with velvety ube, savory grapes and a patis-mansi slaw along with the ultra-rich beef cheek Kulma —that wonder haunting peanut curry accompanied by fried flatbread — I couldn’t helping “ what if?” That second-guessing game where you suppose how it would have been if you’d instead gone for the smoked scallop tamales or the twice-fried whole petrale sole. Definitely going in that direction next time and I cannot wait to return to this very special place.

Still, there was Matamis — desert — to consider before pushing back from the table after an exceptional meal in a pretty dining room that was filled with the kind of festive vibe I haven’t seen since pre-pandemic days. Proof of vaccination required before entering, BTW.

In San Francisco, Abacá’s executive chef and owner, Francis Ang, has a deep background in pastry and … [+] it shows on the restaurant’s exceptional dessert menu. Don’t miss the chocolate mousse bomb.

Leslie Kelly

The big finish

There are just a few options for that final course, each seem designed to diners who appreciate something fruit-focused — the tamarind glazed-Apple Carioca Fritter paired with coconut ice cream — those who love flan — this version embellished with a lemony squash called Kalabasa , Daladan ice, pepitas and a Muscovado crumble and, of course, there’s something chocolate.

The magnificent mousse bombe sits atop a bit of banana cake, the creation wearing a caramelized Pinipig crown. Those were by far the best rice crispies I’ve ever eaten. Bonus treat, the menu didn’t mention the scoop of ice cream that seemed almost like overkill on this decadent desert. But, wait. Oh, you’ve got to try a bite, I urged my sweets skeptical dining partner. It tastes exactly like banana bread. Incredible.

If you’re fortunate enough to be staying at the Alton, the commute home is a breeze, and we spent the rest of the night spinning vinyl on the comfy room’s Victrola, dancing to Jimi Hendrix classics. It was the perfect way to end a memorable evening.

MORE FROM FORBESNew MOFAD Exhibition Shines Beautiful Light On History Of African American Foodby Leslie Kelly

The post There’s One thing Particular Going On Close to San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Here’s a summary of the three contests on the ballot:

SFUSD school board recalls

Three members of San Francisco’s Board of Education — Alison Collins, Gabriela López and Faauuga Moliga — are facing recalls. The recall questions about each member appear separately on the ballot.

Noncitizen parents also are allowed to vote on this issue. Here’s how to vote as a noncitizen parent if you have a child in the district.

How did the traditionally overlooked school board become the focus of intense political debate?

Here’s a timeline of key events that led to the recalls.

Supporters of the recalls gathered tens of thousands of signatures to put the political fate of Collins, López and Moliga on the ballot — arguing that the three displayed incompetence in their management of reopening classrooms, the district’s budget and the renaming of dozens of schools, and that Collins’s derogatory tweets aimed at Asian Americans and subsequent lawsuit against the board are further grounds for her removal. Recall advocates say new board members are needed to face the immediate challenges of picking a new superintendent and ensuring fiscal stability.

Opponents of the recall say the campaign is pulling attention away from the district’s students just months before a regularly scheduled election. Allies of the board members say the recall is trying to deposit three officials who have delivered gains for Black and Latino students, such as diversifying Lowell High School by moving away from a merit-based admissions policy. A successful recall, opponents say, will remove voter control of the school board by giving Mayor London Breed her pick of replacement board members.

Dive deeper into the key issues at stake in the school board recalled by listening to an election preview on The Bay.

State Assembly, District 17

Only voters on San Francisco’s east side, including neighborhoods like the Mission, Castro and Bayview, will vote in this election for state assembly.

The seat opened up when four-term assembly member David Chiu was appointed city attorney. Four Democrats jumped in the race to replace Chiu: former Supervisor David Campos, current Supervisor Matt Haney, entrepreneur Bilal Mahmood and City College trustee Thea Selby.

If no candidate receives a majority of votes, a runoff between the top two finishers will be held on April 19. This seat also will be on the ballot in June, when candidates can run for a full term in a slightly redrawn district.

Campos, who narrowly lost a run for this seat in 2014, most recently served as chief of staff to District Attorney Chesa Boudin. He comes from the progressive flank of San Francisco’s Democratic Party, and has been endorsed by local and state teachers’ unions. Campos said the first bill he would introduce in the Assembly would be legislation to pursue a single-payer health care system in California, an idea that recently stalled in the Assembly.

Haney has served on the Board of Supervisors since 2019, representing neighborhoods including SOMA and the Tenderloin. Before that, he was a member of the San Francisco school board. Unions representing construction trade workers are supporting Haney, who has promised to support laws making it harder for local governments to block new housing from being built. Like Campos, Haney supports only the recall of school board member Alison Collins.

Mahmood founded the analytics start-up ClearBrain and previously worked in the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Obama administration. His plans to ease housing development have earned him the endorsement of San Francisco’s YIMBY group. In a candidate debate focused on public education, Mahmood was the only candidate to unequivocally support mandatory vaccines for California schoolchildren, with no exemption for personal beliefs.

Selby has touted herself as the “public safety” candidate in recent weeks, citing her work in starting the Lower Haight Merchants and Neighbors Association and local art walks to boost foot traffic and improve neighborhood safety. Now, Selby serves on the board of trustees of City College of San Francisco, which oversees the community college. Selby and Mahmood support the recall of all three school board members.

assessor recorder

San Francisco’s current assessor-recorder, Joaquín Torres, was appointed by Breed in January 2021 and now must go before voters in the first city election since he was picked for the job.

The assessor-recorder is in charge of the city’s property tax system — assessing the value of residential and commercial units and also maintaining city records.

Torres, who is running unopposed, wrote in the official Voter Information Pamphlet that he has brought “values ​​of hard work, a focus on people, and expanding opportunity” to the department.

The post San Francisco Voter? A Final-Minute Information for Your Feb. 15 Particular Election appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Green Bay’s disastrous special teams performance in 2021 has resulted in a staff departure.

Special teams coordinator Maurice Drayton will not return to the Packers in 2022, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported.

The Packers announced Drayton’s departure on Saturday.

Green Bay’s special teams struggled throughout 2021, but its worst showing directly contributed to the Packers’ upset loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round.

First, Green Bay had a chance to push its early lead to 10-0 just before the half, but failed to adequately protect on Mason Crosby’s 39-yard field goal attempt. San Francisco safety Jimmie Ward shot through a gap near the edge to get in front of Crosby’s kick, blocking it to keep the game at 7-0.

Later, in the game’s final minutes, special teams problems dealt a crushing blow to the Packers. Clinging to a 10-3 lead late in the fourth quarter of a snow-dusted game at Lambeau Field, Green Bay lined up to punt from deep in its own territory. San Francisco’s Jordan Willis overwhelmed long snapper Steven Wirtel, breaking through to get a piece of Corey Bojorquez’s punt and sent it sailing straight up into the air. Safety Talanoa Hufanga recovered the live ball and returned it for a touchdown, tying the game on Robbie Gould’s extra point.

A few minutes later, Gould kicked the game-winning field goal to send the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game and complete another postseason disappointment for the top-seeded Packers.

The loss was even tougher to bear for Packers coach Matt LaFleur, who watched his field goal block unit send just 10 men out for the game-deciding kick. He was forced to answer for it afterwards, taking responsibility for the lack of a full 11 players out on the field.

Now, LaFleur is making a change within his staff.

The move isn’t shocking when reflecting on Green Bay’s special teams struggles in 2021, but is a bit of a surprise considering LaFleur didn’t pin the blame on Drayton following the loss. LaFleur admitted coaches erred in counting players before the field goal, but wondered whether personnel choices were the problem. The coach said he’d explore using starters on special teams, something the 49ers did in the Divisional Round game, but didn’t commit to it.

“That’s going to be something that I want to do, some studies around the league and see how many teams operate that way,” LaFleur said two days after the loss, via PackersNews.com. “Again, does it have some inherent risks? Absolutely.”

Such risks became evident when running back AJ Dillon was forced out due to a fractured rib suffered while playing on a kickoff return. But special teams ended up being the difference, the crucial but often overlooked third phase of the game that the 49ers earned a victory.

LaFleur will likely continue exploring changes to his squad’s special teams in a process that will now include hiring a new coordinator.

The post Packers shifting on from particular groups coordinator Maurice Drayton appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Police released a video on Wednesday of officers shooting a knife-wielding man who attacked them in a residential hotel.

Ajmal Amani, 41, was shot dead in the narrow hallway of the building on the South of Market Friday morning after threatening several people with a large kitchen knife. He was shot in the stomach and leg and died in the hospital.

Amani was a former Afghan US special forces interpreter who had been shot multiple times in more than five years of service and struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder, his former attorney, case manager and real estate administrator told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Amani was charged with fatal assault in 2019 for allegedly slashing a city park ranger with a cutter who said he appeared to be in an “altered state of mind”.

Amani was ordered to undergo a mental distraction, which he completed this year while living in a city-rented room in the residential hotel.

Police were called to the hotel on Friday morning after a man yelled and screamed and had a knife. Amani’s case manager also called 911 to report a colleague said Amani was having “a really bad episode.”

On Wednesday, police released video and footage from hotel surveillance from officers’ body cameras. They show Amani holding the knife and gesturing with it, confronting two people, including someone who fends off him with a broom, and then walking past other people into a room.

When two police officers arrive, the man with the broom tells them that Amani threatened to kill him.

An officer tells the radio operator that they can hear Amani screaming.

According to the body camera video, the officers stay in the hallway and try to speak to Amani, who is in a room. Amani swears and tells them to leave him alone and an officer says, “Nobody wants to hurt you.”

Less than a minute later, Amani storms down the hall and is shot after an officer yells, “Stay there! Stay here!”

According to police, Amani was holding a knife with a 6-inch blade. He was shot four times with a handgun and three times with beanbag bullets.

When Amani was on the ground and still moving, more officers came. They waited several minutes to carefully approach him, then handcuffed him and used CPR and a tourniquet on him before the paramedics arrived.

At a town hall virtual meeting where the video was released, Police Chief Bill Scott said his department and prosecutors were investigating the shooting. Scott said he personally offered condolences to Amani’s family.

Scott Grant, an assistant public defender who represented Amani, said he was “utterly devastated” by his death.

Grant said Amani suffered “incredible trauma and violence” while serving in the US Forces.

“His tragic death is a failure of our systems of government here to support someone who risked their life to support this country,” Grant told KTVU-TV.

Read complete message

© Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

The post Man Killed by San Francisco Police was Former Afghan Interpreter for US Particular Forces appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.