The Sunset Night Market is a reminder that SF never left us
The latest edition of the good eats and activities was bigger and better along Irving Street.
For anyone still clutching pearls over the idea that San Francisco’s glory days are behind it, the Sunset Night Market on August 30th was the loud, colorful reminder they needed: this city is still very much here. And it never really went anywhere.
The event doubled in size from its overture last year, drawing an estimated 20,000 attendees to tents, bouncy castles and performances along Irving Street between 19th and 27th avenues — or around there. We spotted everything from belly dancers to artisan jewelry and food, alongside lots of campaign flyers and even a controversial Trump table parked outside.
Read the latest by Courtney Muro and Saul Sugarman
So there was a Trump table outside Sunset Night Market
So there it was amidst the artisan candles and gluten-free pastries: a Trump campaign table brazenly parked outside the Sunset Night Market. In a city where “Republican” is practically a four-letter word and “liberal” is the local religion, this felt like an uninvited guest crashing the most progressive party in town. In San Francisco, it was like bringing a cheeseburger to a vegan potluck, or in Trump’s case, a Big Mac with extra sauce.
Read the latest by Courtney Muro
San Francisco’s Japanese Tea Garden is the oldest public one in the U.S.
San Francisco’s Japanese Tea Garden began its life as the Japanese Village and Tea Garden concession at the 1894 California Midwinter Fair. Other countries had similar villages, but the most popular concession, the Japanese Tea Garden, was the only one to outlast the fair.
The oldest public Japanese garden in the US was designed originally by artist Toshio Aoki, who emigrated from Yokohama to San Francisco as a young man, and landed jobs as an illustrator and cartoonist, as well as a gallery to represent him. The owner of this gallery, George Turner Marsh, was an Australian who spoke fluent Japanese, and ran a famous Asian art store in Monterey.
Read the latest by Alec Scott. This article is part of SF Throwbacks, a feature series that tells historic stories of San Francisco to teach us all more about our city’s past.
Valencia Street sizzles with ‘Salsa in the Streets’
It was a tepid 67 degrees Saturday, but the atmosphere was sweaty, hot, and sexy. It was salsa, and it had taken over the entire block from 19th to Valencia. People in their 20s were dancing with their kids, their elders, and strangers. It was all smiles — community at its finest.
Salsa in the Streets’ tagline is “No cover. Just come.” This reflects not only organizer Sara Deseran’s ethos for the event, but also the fact that it was built on the idea of bringing joy to the Mission. While the Valencia Corridor Merchants Association funds the street soirée, the salsa dancing and music that fuels it is known as Timba, which hails from Cuba. It is infused with a beat that will make even the stiffest hips sway.
Read the latest by Courtney Muro
What we’re doing this week
Wet Paint: The Silent Auction
Queer Arts Featured in the Castro presents a silent auction fundraiser from its “Wet Paint” event series, which allows attendees to paint on unconventional blank canvases. The art up for auction was painted on the old screen from the Castro Theatre, which is currently undergoing renovation. In addition, Queer AF salvaged a number of the original floorboards from the theater. These old growth pine boards, well worn by time, have been renewed and transformed by hand into stunning frames for thirteen of the works up for auction.
WHEN: Sept. 6 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
WHERE: Queer Arts Featured, 575 Castro St.
'Dear San Francisco' at Club Fugazi
Club Fugazi—once the backdrop for the iconic Beach Blanket Babylon—has gotten new seating and modernized lighting. Its new show Dear San Francisco is still very much San Francisco, tapping into well-known themes that resonate with both residents and visitors. Circus acts and live original music await.
WHEN: Running now through January 2025 — show begins at 7:30 p.m., typically running Wednesday through Sunday
WHERE: 678 Green Street, San Francisco, CA
What’s on our mind
We keep content mostly fun and light at The Bold Italic, but the future of the Bay Area interests us, too. Here’s what we are thinking about in local news. Brought to you by GrowSF.
SF Democrats endorse closing Great Highway to cars
Is it time to trade traffic for tranquility on the Great Highway? The SF Democratic County Central Committee seems to think so, but not without a fierce debate that went down Wednesday at the Milton Marks Conference Center. After a heated meeting full of cheers, boos, and plenty of arguing, they’ve thrown their support behind a plan to turn part of the Great Highway into a new park.
“The Great Highway is our next opportunity to create an iconic public space, just as San Franciscans did before when they created Embarcadero, Crissy Field, and Patricia’s Green,” Audrey Liu, an Inner Richmond resident, said at the meeting. “Every time it’s been a difficult decision, but every time San Franciscans have agreed to do what’s hard.”
Not everyone’s thrilled—especially folks on the west side who worry about how this will mess with their daily commutes. For what it’s worth, though, SFMTA estimates an average impact to commute times of just 1 to 3 minutes. We support the plan, and with big names like Nancy Pelosi backing the idea, it’s more of a “when” than an “if”!
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The Bold Italic is brought to you by GrowSF and edited by Saul Sugarman. Send us a pitch, a question, comment, or advertise with us: info@thebolditalic.com