I was still trying to figure out what I would do with my brain when Dan Pulcrano of the Silicon Valley Metro invited me out for really strong martinis at Blondie's Bar in the Mission District and offered me a job writing about tech workers in Silicon Valley.

Published by San Francisco Bay Guardian on July 22, 2008.

More than 200 volunteers were expected to revamp a 33-year-old playground in less than six hours at McKinley Elementary School Saturday morning.

Published by NBC News (Channel 11) on July 19, 2008.

It’s a tipster that notes that rather than renting for 12,000 a month, it appears as though 378 Cumberland has sold off the market for $3,100,000. And yes, that’s slightly above the pre-sale “Zestimate” of a little less than two million.

Published by SocketSite on July 18, 2008.

140 St. Germain Avenue (3/2.5) - $1,795,000... Are you kidding me? That stove is awesome! I'd replace the burners with turntables - DJ booth in my kitchen.

Published by SocketSite on July 18, 2008.

San Francisco scored an 86 out of 100, besting New York's 83 and Boston's 79. Seventeen of San Francisco's neighborhoods ranked 90 or above - considered a "walker's paradise" - including Chinatown, the Mission, Nob Hill and Haight-Ashbury.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on July 17, 2008.

Thursday, July 24: Please join Friends and the SFPL for a celebration of Latino poetry, history, music, and much more during Flor y Canto en el Barrio: A Celebration of Latino Poetry. This unique event will take place July 24-26, 2008 in various locations throughout San Francisco's Mission District, kicking off with a poetry crawl on Thursday, July 24. The festival is free and open to all members of the public. For more information, visit friendsandfoundation.org

Published by Mission Dispatch on July 15, 2008.

Wednesday, July 30: Acclaimed local filmmaker and Mission District resident Mitch Braff will feature his newest film, Every Day the Impossible: Jewish Women in the Partisans, in the upcoming 28th annual San Francisco Jewish Film Festival July 30th at 2 pm. at the Castro Theater in San Francisco.

Published by Mission Dispatch on July 15, 2008.

The branch renovations are happening all over San Francisco, but in the past year two branch openings and three branch closings are the most likely to impact people in the Mission. The openings include a new branch at 2825 Diamond Street for Glen Park (about half-block from the Glen Park BART station) and the seismically upgraded, totally spiffed up, but historically preserved Noe Valley Branch at 451 Castro Street.

Published by Mission Dispatch on July 15, 2008.

That 2003 draft apparently created an outline encompassing South of Market, Mission District, and Show Place Square/Potrero, with a large portion of the City’s future land for PDR use located in the Bayview Hunter’s Point area. For the Mission District alone the amount of acres considered in the draft are less than 400.

Published by Mission Dispatch on July 15, 2008.

As featured in the June issue, the Mission Dispatch noted that Mission merchants question the feasibility and direction of the plan. Phil Lesser of Lesser Enterprises and others fear the plan will drive away existing businesses and will not be able to meet the 21st Century needs of future potential business seeking SF as a home.

Published by Mission Dispatch on July 15, 2008.

The 28th annual San Francisco Jewish Film Festival will open on July 24 at the Castro Theater with the new film Strangers, and continue with the largest SFJFF ever – 70 films from 19 countries over 114 screenings. This year’s festival will present the Freedom of Expression award to filmmaker Peter Forgacs, and will feature a large number of documentaries. Special programs will be presented on “Italian Jews Under Fascism” and “Diversity in Israel.”

Published by Mission Dispatch on July 15, 2008.

8 p.m. // Femina Potens (2199 Market) // $10-$25 sliding scale

Published by SFist on July 15, 2008.

Bad Muni stop in Castro: For at least six months, there was no officially designated bus stop at the southwest corner of Castro and Market streets, which mystified Wolf Israel.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on July 14, 2008.

Bad Muni stop in Castro: For at least six months, there was no officially designated bus stop at the southwest corner of Castro and Market streets, which mystified Wolf Israel.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on July 14, 2008.

A man who was shot and killed on a Mission District street corner was identified Saturday as Armando Estrada, 30, of Rodeo, a San Francisco deputy medical examiner said.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on July 13, 2008.

Bad Muni stop in Castro: For at least six months, there was no officially designated bus stop at the southwest corner of Castro and Market streets, which mystified Wolf Israel.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on July 13, 2008.

For at least six months, there was no officially designated bus stop at the southwest corner of Castro and Market streets, which mystified Wolf Israel.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on July 13, 2008.

A man who was shot and killed on a Mission District street corner was identified today as Armando Estrada, 30, of Rodeo, a San Francisco deputy medical examiner said. Anyone with relevant information may call the police department's anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on July 12, 2008.

The boy apparently got into an altercation with two suspects who fled on foot after the stabbing that occurred at about 8:05 a.m. at 450 Church St., Gittens said.

Published by NBC News (Channel 11) on July 11, 2008.

The boy apparently got into an altercation with two suspects who fled on foot after the stabbing that occurred at about 8:05 a.m. at 450 Church St., Gittens said.

Published by KTVU News (Channel 2) on July 11, 2008.

The boy apparently got into an altercation with two suspects who fled on foot after the stabbing that occurred at about 8:05 a.m. at 450 Church St., Gittens said.

Published by CBS News (Channel 5) on July 11, 2008.

The boy apparently got into an altercation with two suspects who fled on foot after the stabbing that occurred at about 8:05 a.m. at 450 Church St., Gittens said.

Published by CBS News (Channel 5) on July 11, 2008.

Idris Leppla of San Francisco pushes Tyler MacNiven down Market Street on Wednesday. Starting at his Mission District home at 9 a.m., MacNiven asked strangers to help him obtain his goal of reaching the Golden Gate Bridge by 5 p.m. by pushing him in his chair. He made it, according to his blog.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on July 10, 2008.

Idris Leppla of San Francisco pushes Tyler MacNiven down Market Street on Wednesday. Starting at his Mission District home at 9 a.m., MacNiven asked strangers to help him obtain his goal of reaching the Golden Gate Bridge by 5 p.m. by pushing him in his chair. He made it, according to his blog.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on July 10, 2008.

8 p.m. // Femina Potens Gallery (2199 Market Street) // $15

Published by SFist on July 10, 2008.

People from outside Chinatown are attracted to lower prices and fresh fruits and vegetables. Tomatoes can go for as little as 59 cents a pound, while strawberries are sold for 99 cents a pound. A similar trend is also found in markets in San Francisco's Mission District.

Published by CBS News (Channel 5) on July 10, 2008.

The headline question last month with respect to 1081 Church Street which sold in late March for $1,400,000 and then quickly returned to the market for $1,450,000: “Will A Winner's Curse (And Subsequent Relocation) Be Your Reward?”

Published by SocketSite on July 9, 2008.

The temporary disruption of streetcar service will allow city crews to prune the palm trees along the western stretch of the F-line route on Market Street between Octavia Boulevard and Castro Street.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on July 8, 2008.

∙ Listing: 1282 Church Street (3/2) - $1,365,000 [MLS]

Published by SocketSite on July 7, 2008.

Newish Construction In Noe: Three TICs At 1278-1282 Church Street

Published by SocketSite on July 7, 2008.

∙ Listing: 1280 Church Street (3/3) - $1,245,000 [MLS]

Published by SocketSite on July 7, 2008.

"This is breathtaking art and why shouldn't kids from Bayview Hunters Point and the Mission, why shouldn't seniors from the Western Addition and Viz Valley get opportunities to have access to such a wonderful cultural institution?" said Alex Tourk, Fisher spokesperson.

Published by ABC News (Channel 7) on July 5, 2008.

A fire on a power pole in San Francisco's Mission District Friday morning left 235 Pacific Gas and Electric Co. customers without electricity, a company spokesman said. The outage was reported at 5:55 a.m. after the pole caught fire, PG&E spokesman J.D. Guidi said.

Published by CBS News (Channel 5) on July 4, 2008.

That was more than the maximum capacity of 150 at the new Youth Guidance Center near Twin Peaks, and city officials promised during the facility's construction that the beds would never be filled. Siffermann was hired by Newsom in 2005 in large part because he had cut the size of the juvenile hall population in Chicago.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on July 4, 2008.

The San Francisco bomb squad has closed down part of Carl Street in the Cole Valley area.

Published by ABC News (Channel 7) on July 4, 2008.

That was more than the maximum capacity of 150 at the new Youth Guidance Center near Twin Peaks, and city officials vowed during the facility's construction that the beds would never be filled. Siffermann was hired by Newsom in 2005 in large part because he successfully cut the size of the juvenile population in Chicago.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on July 4, 2008.

After pining for local tomatoes and stone fruit all year, summer produce is finally here - in a big way. Field-grown heirloom tomatoes in shades of yellow, green and red brimmed over bins at Capay Fruits & Vegetables and Happy Boy Farms for $3 per pound.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on July 2, 2008.

Cal students in the 1970s fondly remember Arinell as the place to get a cheap slice of pie. Owner Ron Demirdjian expanded to the Mission District in 1992.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on July 2, 2008.

There are people who think it's cool to go shoot a pig or a turkey or a duck and take it home for supper: since I think it's one of the world's great experiences to catch a bass or a trout and do the same thing, it's hard to be critical. But the United State Supreme Court decision last week wasn't about my nephew's .22 or my friend Rich's hunting rifle. It was about whether cities can do anything remotely at all meaningful to keep 14-year-olds from shooting each other on the streets.

Published by San Francisco Bay Guardian on July 2, 2008.

After pining for local tomatoes and stone fruit all year, summer produce is finally here - in a big way. Field-grown heirloom tomatoes in shades of yellow, green and red brimmed over bins at Capay Fruits & Vegetables and Happy Boy Farms for $3 per pound.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on July 1, 2008.

Toast Eatery. The second location opened Thursday in the former location of Herb's in Noe Valley. 3991 24th St. (at Noe), San Francisco; (415) 642-6328. Open daily.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on July 1, 2008.

San Francisco police say they have been arresting young illegal immigrants from Honduras for several years after catching them selling crack cocaine and other drugs in the Mission and Tenderloin. Until May, the city was quietly sending the offenders back home to Honduras rather than turning them over to federal authorities for possible deportation.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on July 1, 2008.

"We have a new Italian restaurant in the Castro called Poesia Osteria Italiana and Poetry Lounge. It has definitely become a local destination."

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on July 1, 2008.

7:30 p.m. // Cafe Du Nord (2170 Market) // $12-20

Published by SFist on June 30, 2008.

3758 16th St

Published by San Francisco Schtuff on June 30, 2008.

4035 24th St

Published by San Francisco Schtuff on June 30, 2008.

Every year since 1995, gay activists have held a ceremony atop Twin Peaks recalling a horrific time in history when gays were persecuted, and perished by the thousands in Nazi death camps.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on June 29, 2008.

Thousands of lesbians and their supporters streamed through the Mission District Saturday night in a parade that stretched for 10 blocks. Onlookers tossed down Mardi Gras beads from apartment windows. Street bands blared on sidewalks. Music blasted from open cafes. From windows hung banners that read, "We Lykes Dykes," "Dykes Forever" and "Dykes Welcome But It's Time for Bush to Go."

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on June 29, 2008.

Rainbow flags fluttered and motorcycles squealed as thousands of lesbians thronged to Dolores Park today to hug, march, celebrate, holler and pump each other up at the annual Dyke Festival and March.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on June 29, 2008.

Rainbow flags fluttered and motorcycles squealed as thousands of lesbians thronged to Dolores Park today to hug, march, celebrate, holler and pump each other up at the annual Dyke Festival and March.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on June 29, 2008.