Kathy Wall

“Thriving” Neighborhoods – How do they Happen?
February 28, 2011 · · 4 Comments

This is the first of a series of articles that will highlight various neighborhoods in San Francisco and on the Peninsula.     In this article, I will talk about a couple of San Francisco neighborhoods….West Portal and Bernal Heights.     Both are thriving areas and that has caused me to wonder:  

Why are some neighborhoods so popular?   

West Portal, as an example, is busy every day and every night.   It has tons of restaurants….everything from Mediterranean (Bursa Kabob) to Peruvian (Fresca) and even a Polish restaurant (Old Krakow).    They have a lovely, old fashioned neighborhood movie theater that seems to do quite well and the most popular “boutique” Goodwill store around, as well as other more high end shops.   And, of course, there’s your requisite “Starbucks”.     People come to the neighborhood from all over for it’s charm and warmth.    Read more

Terry Birt

Say Goodbye to an Old Friend
January 13, 2009 · · 9 Comments

Since I have lived in Millbrae, my Saturday ritual consisted of a walk downtown to the farmers market, a trip to Starbucks and end up at Mervyn’s.  When it was announced that Mervyn’s was closing, my initial response was “how sad” then my second thought was how long the building was going to remain empty.  Read more