San Francisco News

SF’s Pier 39 Marina Joins Emeryville & Alameda Marinas’ Fight Against Pollution with Ocean Vacuums!

Seabin Project Celebrates a New Seabin Installation!

Seabin Project, the Aussie innovation that’s tackling marine plastic pollution and educating the next generation of ocean savers, installed a new Seabin in the Pier 39 Marina  Thursday, July 11th.  This is the area where families gather to watch the sea lions. Why is this so important?

The Seabin is a device created to reduce, and ultimately eliminate pollution in our oceans. Seabins act as a trash can for our waters and have the ability to remove microplastics, microfibers, plastic bags, bottles, cigarette butts and more. You should see what people throw into our waterways. Many people are not familiar with the direct link between climate change and marine plastic pollution. But, out of the 320 million metric tons of new plastic mass-produced each year – almost all from oil – 8 million tons leak into the world’s oceans and waterways. Youv’e seen the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? At last sampling there were 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic in the patch that weigh an estimated 80,000 tons. Since Seabin Project was co-founded by Andrew Turton and Pete Ceglinski, two avid ocean lovers, there have been Seabins installed in over 40 countries. What does this mean? Each day, a total of 1.95 tons of waste is extracted from our oceans. (Learn more about their innovative technology here.)

But Seabin Project doesn’t just stop with cleaning up our oceans. Their mission is to live in a world where the Seabin technology is not necessary, so they have dedicated their time to educate communities across the world about how to fight the plastic pandemic through concepts of reactive + preventative solutions and implementing Ocean Plastic STEM learning programs. (Learn more about Seabin’s education programs here.)

Seabins were installed in the Emeryville Marina and Alameda’s Ballena Isle Marina in  December of 2017, as their marina management company, Safe Harbor, participated in the Seabin Project’s global pilot study, and continues to install Seabins in all the marinas they manage. Pier 39 Marina’s Seabin is expected to remove 3 tons of marine pollution from San Francisco waters by end of 2019

Some Numbers:

Pete Ceglenski at the Ocean Summit. Photo/ Pedro Martinez/Volvo Ocean Race. 18 October, 2017.

  • Total number of Seabins installed worldwide: 719
  • Number of plastic bags that one Seabin can collect each year: 90,000
  • Number of plastic bottles that one Seabin can collect each year: 11,900
  • Total amount of marine litter captured to date: 114,916 kg  (over the last 2.5 years)
  • Total amount of marine litter captured each day: 1,952.33 kg

Co-founder Pete Ceglinski hosted a presentation at the  installation in San Francisco’s PIER 39 Marina Thursday, July 11th, 2019. He and his family are

 

Seabin Project co-founders Pete Ceglinski & Andrew Turton

Here’s how it all started. Two life-long surfer friends from Australia, appalled by the plastic and debris pollution in our waters, set out to clean up the ocean. They wanted to create a garbage bin that would collect the floating plastic. This got them started cleaning up the marine environment, one marina at a time. How? With the V5 Seabin, a floating vacuum filter device they invented that works like an ocean vacuum 24/7 continuously collecting floating debris – plastic bottles, paper, oil, fuel, detergent and more. Over two years Seabin Project co-founders Pete Ceglinski and Andrew Turton secured partners for a pilot study into the effectiveness of the seabin and now the Seabin Project has  evolved into a comprehensive research, educational and technology initiative with worldwide reach, including educational tools for students to get on board. The Seabin Project team believes that each child that learns to dispose of litter properly will grow to be one less source person for pollution of our oceans and waterways. Currently, according to Jambeck Research, 8.1M tons of mismanaged waste enters our oceans every year.

Here’s how it works:

  • The seabin is installed in a specific problem debris area, attached to a dock.
  • Water is filtered from the surface and passed through a catch bag inside the Seabin, powered by a submersible water pump.
  • Water is then pumped back into the water leaving the litter and debris trapped in the catch bag. Larger pieces of plastic may attach themselves to the bin.
  • Marina operators need to empty the catch bag at least twice a day, as it holds up to two pounds.

What are you doing to reduce your own plastic consumption? Make a climate action promise today!

 

 

 

SF Bay Area Climate Action Promise. ARE YOU IN?

Sketchers at the intersection of art + science at the Inaugural 2018 Global Climate Action Summit, captured individuals’ stories to share. The Sketching Climate Change Stories Popup Exhibit held at the Jewish Museum of Contemporary Art in San Francisco was one of the 325 Affiliate Climate Action Events happening around the Greater San Francisco Bay Area Sept. 8 -15, the week of the summit.

Sketched by Vivian Aldridge

According to artist and SF Sketcher Vivian Aldridge, the sketchers explored how Climate Change was affecting people’s lives and through words and images conveyed their message for others. “Being part of a team that interviewed and sketched climate change activists was extremely rewarding because I knew  viewers could learn from the sketches, discuss issues, and feel motivated to make changes in their own lives.”

Bay Area urban sketching groups joined together to document the Global Climate Change Summit and the people who came to it. Their portraits tell the stories of how individuals and their communities have been affected by climate change and how they’re working on solutions.

Check out all the sketchers’ stories of people who are concerned and engaged in Climate Change.

Read highlights of the summit.

More about urban sketching

Urban sketchers’ work is similar to that of court artists or reportage illustration around the world. They bring an extra dimension, a different, more personal voice—instead of taking a photo, the sketcher’s work develops out of the interaction between artist and subject. Sketchers can also be less visible and less intrusive than cameras, sitting quietly in a corner observing and synthesizing rather than pushing in to snap the moment. Sketches can illuminate the convergence of art and journalism and make an impression in the public’s mind in ways that a narrative or even a photo may not do. (websiste)

The main groups involved are the SF Bay Area Urban Sketchers, a chapter of the international Urban Sketchers organization, with 220 chapters around the world, and SF Sketchers, a San Francisco-based meetup group with nearly 3,000 members. They have sketched individuals and communities gathering at different forums, locally and globally. Some of their work has recently been displayed at a UC Berkeley’s Department of Anthropology show ‘This is What Democracy Looks Like’.

Sketched by Vivian Aldridge

By |2018-09-28T14:20:32-07:00September 28th, 2018|0 Comments

You Be the Judge! Best Chowder at SF’s Wharf Fest Chowder Competition?

What are you doing Saturday for lunch? Grab your friends and get down to the Bay for a delicious chowder tasting, Pier 43 to be exact. The 2017 Wharf Fest Chowder Competition & Street Fair happens Saturday, October 21, from 11am to 5pm at Fisherman’s Wharf and is going to be a stiff competition this year among the many acclaimed chefs. Hard Rock Cafe San Francisco, will be participating in the contest serving up a unique Salmon-Bacon Chowder recipe. “Chowder Fest is a wonderful event for all the restaurants in Fisherman’s Wharf to really feature what makes San Francisco unique,” says Avery Burgert, Hard Rock Cafe SF Sales & Marketing Manager. “All of us at Hard Rock Cafe San Francisco are so excited to participate.”

Hard Rock’s Salmon-Bacon Chowder served up in fresh local French bread loaves. Yum!

When asked why they were entering a Salmon Chowder,  Avery replied, “Hard Rock’s Salmon-Bacon Chowder is an old Hard Rock Cafe recipe that we recreated specifically for this event. We decided to go with a fresh local salmon and a local bread, because we wanted to highlight what is unique and fresh to the San Francisco Bay Area.”

Ten different restaurants have entered the competition. Besides street vendors and art vendors, they will have a rock climbing wall! The whole community comes out for this event which is celebrating its fourth year. “We really enjoy being a part of San Francisco community events,” continues Avery. ‘Chowder Fest is an obvious choice for us because it is in our own back yard. We wouldn’t miss it.”

It should be a beautiful day on the Bay with family, friends and chowder!

About Wharf Fest Chowder Competition & Street Fair:

For the fourth year in a row, Fisherman’s Wharf invites Bay Area locals to come enjoy the neighborhood after the crowds of visitors have subsided but before the fabulous fall weather fades away. Festival goers will enjoy a street fair, art vendors and a variety of free activities including a Segway obstacle course and rock climbing walls. At the most delicious part of the day, the Chowder Competition, 10 different Wharf restaurants will battle it out for the title of the Best Chowder at Fisherman’s Wharf.

About Hard Rock Cafe, San Francisco

Located on world-renowned Pier 39 in Fisherman’s Wharf, Hard Rock Cafe San Francisco was completely renovated in April 2017 and includes modernized décor, a refreshed outdoor patio, expanded Rock Shop® Retail Store, a new function room equipped for private events and new memorabilia collection additions. Plus, new San Francisco-inspired dishes have been introduced to the restaurant menu. Come for a visit after the Chowder Fest.

Photos courtesy of Fisherman’s Wharf and Hard Rock Cafe.

By |2017-10-20T19:13:15-07:00October 19th, 2017|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

New Collaboration Craft Beers Released as SF Beer Week Kicks off at Pier 48

The San Francisco Brewers Guild announced  on Feb. 9 the collaboration craft beer list to be debuted at the SF Beer Week Opening Gala on Fri., Feb. 10. This year’s Opening Gala unveils 19 unique collaboration beers, and 11 more collaborations will be released at select events throughout SF Beer Week. With over 100 breweries in the SF Bay Area and almost 900 events taking place during SF Beer Week, instead of being divisive, this craft beer community is joining forces. You will see that the names of these collaborative beers are as creative as their collaborative styles.

Photo/G. Williams

Photo/G. Williams

Here are the 19 beers being tapped at  the Opening Gala:

(ABV (Alcohol By Volume) measures the alcohol content and the IBU ( International Bitterness Units) measures the bitterness from hops in a beer on a scale of 0 to 100)

  1. ALE INDUSTRIES + MISSION TRAIL CIDER CO
    Protect Ya Nectarine
    Sour (4.75% ABV)
  2. ALTAMONT + REVISION BREWING CO.
    Hella Revised
    IPA (6.5% ABV | hoppy IBUs)
  3. ALVARADO STREET + CELLARMAKER
    When Doves Cryo
    West Coast IPA (7% ABV | 50 IBUs)
  4. ALVARADO STREET + AMPLIFIED ALE WORKS
    Trois Cabrones
    Double IPA (8.5% ABV | 50 IBUs)
  5. CAMINO + E.J. PHAIR (pouring at both stations)
    Barista Imperial Brown Ale
    Southern English Imperial Brown Ale (7.4% ABV | 31 IBUs)
  6. E.J. PHAIR + HALF MOON BAY
    Used and IBU’sed
    IPA (7% ABV | 64 IBUs
  7. E.J. PHAIR + HIGH WATER
    Blueberry Pancakes
    Blonde Ale (7.7% ABV | 21 IBUs)
  8. FERMENT.DRINK.REPEAT + HOMEBREWERS
    You’re Such a Tea(se)
    Hibiscus Saison (6.7% ABV | 28 IBUs)
  9. GHOST TOWN + MOYLAN’S
    El Cucuy
    Saison (6% ABV)
  10. HALF MOON BAY + HOP DOGMA
    Lost in the Fog IPA
    New England-style IPA (7.2% ABV)
  11. HARMONIC + OLD BUS TAVERN
    Cross-eyed
    Triple IPA (11.4% ABV | 85 IBUs)
  12. MAGNOLIA + EX NOVO
    Strawberry Garcia
    English Milk Stout with Strawberries
  13. MOYLAN’S + HALF MOON BAY
    Haze Craze IPA
    IPA (6.8% ABV | 60 IBUs)
  14. NEW BOHEMIA + HEADLANDS
    Light my Fire
    Smoked Helles (4.5% ABV | 23 IBUs)
  15. NORTH COAST + ROUGE + DESCHUTES
    Class of ’88
    American Barleywine (10% ABV | 25 IBUs)
  16. SAN FRANCISCO BREWERS GUILD
    New Frontier
    Post-Modern Kolsch-style Ale with Satsuma Mandarin Juice & Evergreen (5.3% ABV)
  17. THIRSTYBEAR + SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAIN
    Smoked California Common
    California Common (5.2% ABV | 38 IBUs)
  18. UNCOMMON BREWERS + HIGH WATER
    Whiskey Thief
    Smoked Strong Scotch Ale (9.2% ABV | 20 IBUs)
  19. FORT POINT BEER + FREIGEIST
    Manzanita
    Smoked Altbier with Charred Manzanita (6.5% ABV | 16 IBUs)

The party kicks off with the Opening Gala at Pier 48 on 3rd St. in San Francisco Fri., Feb. 10 from 6-10pm and will prove once again to be the largest gathering of the Northern California craft beer community, followed by a nine-day marathon of beer tastings, beer dinners and tap takeovers all over the San Francisco Bay Area. Craft Beer will be pouring all over the Bay Area Fri., Feb. 10- Sun., Feb. 18 during SF Beer Week, celebrating all the pioneers, innovators and disrupters who are driving the craft beer industry. Not to mention an orgy of tastings of their many unique, intensely flavorful and occasionally outrageous beers. More than 100 breweries operate in one of the world’s most creative regions – the San Francisco Bay Area.

Photo/J. Marino

Photo/J. Marino

The creativity and energy that makes the craft beer community so cool will be obvious with every single brew you taste. Tickets to the Opening Gala are now on sale. Find your schedule of Bay Area events here.

Look who’s pouring on Opening Night  at Pier 48 – 125 breweries!

San Francisco
21st Amendment Brewery, Almanac Beer Co., Anchor Brewing Co., Barebottle Brew Co., Barrel Head Brewhouse, Bartlett Hall Brewing, Beach Chalet Brewing & Restaurant, Black Hammer Brewing Co., Black Sands Brewery, Cellarmaker Brewing Co., Ferment. Drink. Repeat, Fort Point Beer Co., Harmonic Brewing, Headlands Brewing Co., Holy Craft Brewery, Laughing Monk Brewing Co., Local Brewing Co., Magnolia Brewing Co., Old Bus Tavern, Pine Street Brewery, San Francisco Brewing Co., Seven Stills Brewery & Distillery, Social Kitchen & Brewery, Southern Pacific Brewing Co., Southpaw BBQ, Speakeasy Ales & Lagers, Standard Deviant Brewing LLC, Sufferfest Beer Co., Sunset Reservoir Brewing Co., ThirstyBear Organic Brewery, Triple Voodoo Brewery & Tap Room and Woods Beer Co.

East Bay
Alameda Island Brewing Co., Ale Industries, Altamont Beer Works, Auburn Alehouse, Benoit-Casper Brewing Co., Berryessa Brewing Co., Bison Brewing Co., Black Diamond Brewery, Calicraft Brewing Co., Cleophus Quealy Beer Co., Diving Dog Brewhouse, Drake’s Brewing Co., E.J. Phair Brewing Co., East Brother Brewing Co., Eight Bridges Brewing, Elevation 66 Brewing Co., Epidemic Ales, Farm Creek 5bdc26_e8c05ecaa002420285f203df253e1dcd-jpg_srb_p_937_625_75_22_0-50_1-20_0-00_jpg_srb-300x199Brewing Company, Federation Brewing, Ghost Town Brewing, Heretic Brewing Co., High Water Brewing, Hoppy Brewing Co., Knee Deep Brewing Co., Lucky Devil Brewing, Mare Island Brewing Co., New Helvetia Brewing Co., Novel Brewing Co., Ol’ Republic Brewery, Pacific Coast Brewing Co., Rubicon Brewing Co., Ruhstaller Brewing & Taproom, Schubros Brewery, Sudwerk Brewing, Tahoe Mountain Brewing Co., Temescal Brewing Co., The Rare Barrel, Track 7 Brewing Co., Triple Rock Brewing Co., Trumer Brauerei and Working Man Brewing Co.

North Bay
img_2447101 North Brewing Co., Anderson Valley Brewing Co., Bear Republic Brewing Co., Cooperage Brewing Co., Eel River Brewing Co., Fogbelt Brewing Co., HenHouse Brewing Co., Iron Springs Pub & Brewery, Lagunitas Brewing Co., Lost Coast Brewery, Mad Fritz Beer, Mad River Brewing Co., Moonlight Brewing Co., Moylan’s Brewing Co., Napa Smith Brewery, North Coast Brewing Co., Old Redwood Brewing Co., Petaluma Hills Brewing Co., Plow Brewing Co., Russian River Brewing Co., Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Sonoma Springs Brewing Co., St. Florian’s Brewery, Stumptown Brewery, Third Street Aleworks and Woodfour Brewing Co.

South Bay
Alpha Acid Brewing Co., Alvarado Street Brewing & Grill, Armstrong Brewing Co., Blue Oak Brewing Company, LLC, Camino Brewing Co., Campbell Brewing Co., DasBrew, Inc., Devil’s Canyon Brewing Co., Discretion Brewing, El Toro Brewing Co., Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Freewheel Brewing Co., Golden State Brewery, Half Moon Bay Brewing Co., Hermitage Brewing Co., Hop Dogma Brewing Co., Loma Brewing Co., New Bohemia Brewing Co., Palo Alto Brewing Co., Santa Clara Valley Brewing, Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing, Strike Brewing Co., Tied House Brewery & Cafe and Uncommon Brewers.

SF Beer Week brings brewers from around the world together to learn from one another and keep the innovations rolling.

Thirst quenching beer events and dinner/beer pairings will continue throughout  the next week. You can plan your own curated beer week around these events. Unfortunately the  2017 Bridge to Bridge Run with Fort Point Beer Co. & Mikkeller Run Club (4.6 mi) is sold out – but there are plenty of viewers’ vantage points. Starting at Fort Point’s Presidio brewery — which sits in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge — the run is down the waterfront to a post-run rally at Fort Point’s Ferry Building Kiosk, near the foot of the Bay Bridge.

liberty_ale_bio_canBay Area home to America’s first craft beer

Beer style innovation goes back to the production of America’s first craft beer, Anchor Steam, in San Francisco at Anchor Brewing Co., whose Liberty Ale in the mid 70s laid the groundwork for America’s first IPA. Chico’s Sierra Nevada got the momentum going using the same hops varietal (Cascade) in their Pale Ale. By the 1990s more breweries were making more hoppy beers. And then the Russian River Brewing Co. made their famous, very strong, Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger double and triple IPAs. Bay Area stores receive small allotments of these desirable IPAs only once a week, with a limit of two per customer.

And now there are over 100 breweries in the San Francisco Bay Area. We all have our local favorites who will be hosting events during SF Beer Week.

For example, East Brother Beer Co. will be moving around:

Fri., Feb. 10: Opening Gala, Pier 48, San Francisco
Sun., Feb. 12: Special beer & food surprises at their taproom in Richmond
Mon. Feb. 13: Baby Brewery Night, Pacific Standard Taproom, Berkeley
Thur., Feb. 16: East Brother Beer Co, Tap Takeover at Boo Koo in Mill Valley
Sat., Feb 18: East Bay Brewers Festival at Drake’s Dealership in Oakland

And for Valentine’s Day, Tue., Feb. 14, Cleophus Quealy will be pairing their beer with Chocolate!

Find more collaborative beer tastings here

 

By |2017-04-28T15:53:29-07:00February 10th, 2017|Tags: , |0 Comments

Fashion Designer Turns Liquor Store Owner: Embrace Cordial Bottle Shop

IMG_1213The classic neon LIQUOR sign stays put. But the interior of the store is evolving. In a great way! Though the neighbors and new owners cherish this neon sign that lights up the corner as the evening progresses, they also welcome the interior shop changes.

How did this young couple come to buy this business at 1111 MacArthur Blvd in Feb. of 2016?

“I wanted to leave the apparel business, “ claims fashion designer and now liquor store owner, Stacey Tingstrom. “I have always wanted to run my own business. Something I could call my own.” Stacey has been working at North Face in design and production (which she loves) and is still there part time, though most of her heart is at her new store. How did she pick this business?

“Well, this store is close to my home and seemed like something I could manage. I looked at franchises – like LEGO’S® and SUBWAY®. But it still was not my own business. I had to follow their branding rules. I had to use their signage and verbiage to perpetuate their brand.”

Being a passionate designer with her own creative spirit, Stacey kept looking. And what spurred her on was the change happening in her San Leandro neighborhood – houses were selling for over $800,000– very close to this possible business opportunity on MacArthur that she had stumbled upon in her research.IMG_0335 2

”This business stood out. It was close to home. When I learned more, I knew exactly what business it was. And we just wanted to run our own business.” When she asked her husband, “How about we buy the liquor store? And he said to me, how about no!” Simon finally came around. He had been in the restaurant business in the past and is a craft cocktail mixologist in the present, so he brought that customer knowledge and expertise to the table.

Stacey made an offer in July and it was accepted in August of 2015.

IMG_1215Escrow closed Feb. 16, 2016, and that month they went in and dismantled one set of shelving and moved  their new freestanding display shelves they had created. The next month they took out another layer and Voila! – it was a changed place. Now, it is the Cordial Bottle Shop, exuding nuances of conviviality, and friendliness – a warm, beautiful and jovial place to spend time and find what you were looking for or something close to it.

It’s all about community. You will find neighbor Traci Ramos there working the shop or helping pull the visual displays together, as Traci is an interior design specialist. Cordial Bottle Shop’s strategy is to transform the store into a boutique shopping experience, yet maintain the corner store spirit with conversation and the lottery tickets! Stacey also aspires to becoming a boutique IMG_0338BevMo!, offering cheeses, deli meats and  crackers.  “I am trying to represent the neighborhood the way it is – we have craft beer and IPAs as well as Bud Light in the 24 oz cans. Our neighbors have a wide range of tastes and we hope to have something for everyone. I want to embody the neighborhood.”

Stacey and Simon live in San Leandro.

IMG_0331 2

 

Cordial Bottle Shop

Address:  1111 MacArthur Blvd in San Leandro

Store hours: 1-8pm

Phone:  (510) 686-1585

 

 

 

 

 

By |2016-07-11T14:24:19-07:00July 11th, 2016|0 Comments

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