Undercover Report Unmasks Corrupt Hong Kong Ivory Trade

WildAid CEO Peter Knights presents findings of the WildAid investigation at a Hong Kong press conference, October 23 (Alex Hofford)

HONG KONG (23 October 2015) — Hong Kong’s “legal” ivory market is willfully obstructing newly announced efforts by China and the United States to end ivory sales, at a time when thousands of African elephants are dying at the hands of poachers, according to a new report released by WildAid and African Wildlife Foundation with accompanying undercover footage provided to the organizations. 

While China and the US have recently pledged landmark commitments to halt the ivory trade, the Hong Kong government has resisted such a move. Officials from Hong Kong's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) continue to insist “the Hong Kong government has strict control mechanism in place over sale of ivory” and is comparable to other nations. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.
Over several months, investigators uncovered overwhelming evidence of ivory traders flouting licensing regulations with impunity, coaching tourists on how to smuggle purchased ivory, and routinely replenishing legally held ivory stocks with illegal ivory laundered into Hong Kong from recently poached African elephants.
WildAid and African Wildlife Foundation call on the Hong Kong government to ban ivory sales, and to conduct an independent inquiry to address longstanding regulatory loopholes and illegal smuggling.
“The corruption and obfuscation as detailed in this report is a clear indictment of Hong Kong’s failure to stop international criminal syndicates who see this region as a safe haven for smuggling,” said WildAid CEO Peter Knights. “History has shown that legal ivory sales only serve to provide a cover for illegal trade, which fuels the rampant poaching we see across Africa. If elephants are to stand any chance at surviving, Hong Kong must join China and the US in shuttering its market.”

Patrick Bergin, CEO of African Wildlife Foundation, said the new report “exposes the impossibility of ‘controlling’ the trade in ivory.”
“The profits are too high and the system is too easy to game to think we have any hope of controlling this trade through a bit of paperwork and lax regulations,” Bergin said. “By stopping all ivory trade, Hong Kong’s ivory trafficking industry will lose its disguise and ivory traffickers in Hong Kong will no longer be able to operate with impunity. They, and not our elephants, will become the targets.”
As recent seizures of wildlife product shipments have shown, Hong Kong remains a hub not only for ivory, but also for other illegal wildlife products, with enforcement agencies ill-equipped to inspect the sheer volume of cargo entering the region.
For example, in early October Indonesian authorities seized 3,000 whitetip shark fins destined for Hong Kong, which does not inspect shark fin shipments. Swim bladders from the totoaba, a critically endangered fish found only in Mexico’s Gulf of California, have long been smuggled and openly sold in Hong Kong, a fact only recently acknowledged by the AFCD.
“Time and again, the illegal ivory trade and ivory laundry in Hong Kong have been exposed by international NGOs through undercover operations,” said Elizabeth Quat, an active wildlife conservationist and Hong Kong legislative councilor. “I have related these problems to the Hong Kong Government many times and have been pushing for the loopholes to be closed. Their response has been slow, with no effective measures implemented to crack down on illicit sales and exports. Hong Kong’s illegal trade continues, and elephants are dying as a result.”


WildAid CEO Peter Knights (left) with actress and WildAid ambassador Li Bingbing and Hong Kong legislator Elizabeth Quat (Alex Hofford)
Undercover video provided to WildAid, African Wildlife Foundation and WWF-Hong Kong from independent investigators show definitive proof of traders engaging in illegal activity. One vendor, for instance, admits to the investigator that he acquires smuggled ivory to replenish his “legal” inventory.

Trader: “When [the international commercial ivory trade] was outlawed in 1989, we registered our stocks with the Hong Kong government ... all materials were registered, but the record was not in detail,” the retailer said to an investigator posing as an ivory buyer. “They only record the weight of my raw materials and finished products. So I can simply exchange with anything. After I sell an [ivory] item, I can use illegal ivory to make another item to top up my stock again. The government officials have no idea on how to govern.”*

From October 2014 to August 2015, investigators visited 94 confirmed ivory retail outlets in Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of China. Of these, only one retailer displayed an unadulterated possession license visible to customers. If they were visible at all, possession licenses at other locations were partially obscured, damaged, expired or tampered with by redacting key information on the maximum quantity of a trader’s licensed ivory stocks.
Traders also boasted of the ease in which they can acquire new ivory from Africa and gave undercover investigators posing as customers ample advice on how best illegally export ivory out of Hong Kong.
“In light of the glaring corruption among Hong Kong’s ivory traders, we recommend that Hong Kong immediately ban the sale of ivory, establish a dedicated wildlife crime unit and provide adequate funding to enforce a ban and better detect illegal shipments coming into the region,” Knights said.

* The original conversation was conducted in Mandarin and translated approximately into English.

Hong Kong ivory protest, March 2015 (Alex Hofford)

Article and images sourced from http://www.wildaid.org/news/illusion-control-hong-kongs-legal-ivory-trade
 

The 2016 San Francisco Michelin Guide's Big Winner Is David Kinch's Manresa

The vegetable-centric Manresa in Los Gatos was elevated to three stars in Le Guide Rouge.

The 2016 San Francisco Michelin Guide stars are out, and it begs the question: Is the Bay Area overtaking New York as the country's premier destination for high-end gastronomy? Case in point: David Kinch's vegetable-focused Manresa has become the region's latest restaurant to earn Michelin's highest honor of three stars. This accolade comes just a year after the guide's famously anonymous inspectors elevated the Chinese-inflected Benu and the Japanese-influenced Saison to that same rarefied club. By contrast, not a single New York restaurant has received a promotion to the three star category since 2011.

New York currently has six restaurants with three stars. The Bay Area has five. Inspectors award worthy venues with either one star ("a very good restaurant in its category"), two stars ("excellent cuisine, worth a detour"), or three stars ("exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey").
Among the other big winners were Oakland's Commis and the Cal-Indian Campton Place – both were elevated to two stars – as well as Aster and Lazy Bear, both the recipients of a single star. Here are some further observations about this year's selections, followed by the full list.

• The Importance of Manresa: David Kinch's Los Gatos venue, founded in 2002, reopened late last year after a devastating fire shuttered the restaurant for six months. Kinch espoused a vegetable-heavy style of cuisine, with meat and fished used more as seasonings rather than the star of the plate, long before all the cool kids picked up on that style and started charging top dollar for tweezer-plated salads. Think of Manresa as a West Coast analogue to Blue Hill at Stone Barns, or an American answer to L'Arpege, with much of the restaurant's bounty a product of its exclusive relationship with Love Apple Farms.
• The Bay Area Boom: "Right now the Bay Area is the most exciting place in America to go wild on fine dining," Eater's Bill Addison wrote in a recent roundup of the region's most expensive haunts. "If there is any spot on earth for a food obsessive to go on a bender — blow the bonus check, deplete the trust fund, ruin the credit score — this is it."
• The East Bay Outlier: Commis, which charges $119 for a tasting menu, is the only Oakland restaurant with two Michelin stars.
• The Atelier Crenn Problem: There are currently zero three Michelin-starred restaurants in the U.S. run by a female head chef. Dominique Crenn's eponymous venue, widely considered to be a viable candidate for the three star club, was kept at two-stars for yet another year. Crenn was upgraded to 3.5 stars by the San Francisco Chronicle in a review last year.
• On Gratuities: Manresa is the Bar Area's only three Michelin-starred establishment that strictly abides by a traditional tipping system. Benu and Saison employ a service charge, while The French Laundry and Meadowood's $500 chef's table employ service-included policies. California does not have a tip credit, which means waiters make the full minimum before tips, a reality that has prompted an increasing number of West Coast restaurants to do away with gratuities so they can pay their entire staffs, cooks included, more equitable salaries.
• On Pricing: The Bay Area does not have a single three Michelin-starred restaurant serving a set menu under $200. Manresa is $210. Benu is $248. The French Laundry is $295 (service-included). Saison is $398. And Meadowood is $225-$500. New York, by contrast has two venues in this rarefied category serving dinner under $200: Jean-Georges, where a four-course meal is $138, and Le Bernardin, which charges $140 for a set menu, or $170 for a short tasting menu.
• The Petit Crenn Snub? Dominique Crenn's two-month old service-include venue was left off the starred selections. The Hayes Valley restaurant, which serves a 5-course menu for $72, received 3.5 stars from the Chronicle earlier this week.
• The Magreb Underdog: Chef Mourad Lahlou's namesake restaurant becomes the city's second Moroccan institution to hold a Michelin star; the other is Lahlou's Aziza. Mourad features a la carte selections as well as a $120 tasting. Is it the country's most expensive North African restaurant?
• The Rare Mexican Star: Californios' Val M. Cantu now ranks with Topolobampo's Rick Bayless and Casa Enrique's Cosme Aguilar as one of the country's handful of chefs to run a Michelin-starred Mexican restaurant. The venue charges $97 for a tasting of twelve or so courses.
• Michelin's Thai Craze: Kin Khao in Union Square, removed from the cheaper Bib Gourmand selections, was upgraded to the starred list. Michelin has been on a Thai kick lately, awarding stars to Uncle Boons, Pok Pok, and Somtum Der in New York as well.
• Japanese Additions: Michelin is notoriously stingy when it comes to awarding sushi venues with its coveted stars, but this year, there are three entrants to that category: Wako, Omakase, and Sushi Yoshozumi. The last of the three, Yoshozumi, is known for emphasizing local, sustainable fish for a very price: the tasting is just $85.
• Other New One-Starred Selections: All Spice, Al's Place, Commonwealth, Lord Stanley, the Southern Indian themed-Rasa, and Nico.

Three Stars:

• Benu
• French Laundry
• Manresa
• Restaurant at Meadowood
• Saison

Two Stars

• Acquerello
• Atelier Crenn
• Baumé
• Campton Place
• Coi
• Commis
• Quince

One Star

• All Spice
• Al's Place
• Ame
• Aster
• Auberge du Soleil
• Aziza
• Bouchon
• Californios
• Chez TJ
• Commonwealth
• Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant
• Gary Danko
• Keiko à Nob Hill
• Kin Khao
• Kusakabe
• La Toque
• Lazy Bear
• Lord Stanley
• Luce
• Madrona Manor
• Michael Mina
• Mourad
• Nico
• Octavia
• Omakase
• Plumed Horse
• Rasa
• Solbar
• Sons & Daughters
• SPQR
• Spruce
• State Bird Provisions
• Sushi Yoshizumi
• Terra
• Terrapin Creek
• The Village Pub
• Wako
• Wakuriya

Five Star Spirituality: Tenaya Lodge, Yosemite

What Tenaya Lodge, located at Yosemite's south gate, lacks in geographical convenience (it's 35 minutes by car from the Valley), it makes up for with its luxurious trappings, which far exceed those offered at the famous Ahwahnee Hotel.

Now that the crush of summer tourists has passed, it’s a great time to make the yearly pilgrimage to Yosemite National Park, practically a requirement of residency in California, much like eating fish tacos, drinking Diet Coke, and casting your vote for the Democratic party. Even though our mercury-topping Indian summer has confused the flora and this downer of a drought forced the waterfall spigots to shut off much earlier than usual, Yosemite is still worthy of road trip. Last time we checked, it would take much more than a dry spell to adversely affect the park's sheer granite headliners, Half Dome and El Capitan. 

 

Of course, a luxury home base always puts a shine on the dullness inflicted by global warming. Tenaya Lodge, located at the park’s south entrance, is sufficiently rustic—think double-height stone hearth in the lobby, plenty of Native American-inspired textiles, and antlers galore—but thoroughly modern after its recent double silver LEED certification and renovation: The new Contemporary suites have a strict grownups-only policy and skew Scandinavian in terms of design—think reclaimed wood floors, gallery-white walls with mountain murals, and sleek soaking tubs. It’s the type of decor that summons serenity, a concept the lodge apparently believes to be incomprehensible to anyone under the age of 18. They're probably right.

 

Once you step into the new 10,000-square-foot Ascent Spa—where pampering starts in the lounge with an herbal foot bath in a copper vessel—parched hiking trails and low lake levels turn into bygones: As a concerned environmental citizen, you’ve explored the nearby tracks (we recommend the Chilnualna Falls Trail, a moderately strenuous 8.5-miler with big-time views as you approach some would-be raging cascades), made the appropriate distressed observations about the state of the landscape, wearied your muscles in the process, and you now require some gentle kneading to reduce next-day soreness. Look no further.

 

Since adventuring is a largely a calorie-depleting endeavor (yes, even if you opted to stay on the Tenaya property for an archery class or to conquer their bunny slope of a rock wall), it’s important to replenish the burn. Tenaya’s fine-dining restaurant, Embers, serves a velvety lobster bisque topped with a dome of black truffle puff pastry, a luscious precursor to the Filet Oscar, a richer version of the classic surf-and-turf: filet mignon topped with dungeness crab—’tis the season!—and béarnaise sauce. Skip the table side preparation of the Caesar salad—it’s a lotta pomp for a truly anticlimactic dish. On the other hand, the Bananas Diablo, flambéed table side and served in a tuile cup with vanilla ice cream, is worth the theatrics. All that’s left to do is retreat to your adults-only suite for a hot soak and an onslaught of Frasier reruns. Next thing you know, you’re dreaming of those tossed salads and scrambled eggs.

 

Article and images sourced from http://www.7x7.com/play/five-star-spirituality-tenaya-lodge-yosemite

Real Estate Roundup: What a Tech Bubble Could Mean for Bay Area Housing

Here’s a look at recent news of interest to homebuyers, home sellers, and the home-curious.

(Photo: Flickr/Anthony Quintano)

BAY AREA HOUSING MARKET COULD LIKELY WEATHER ANOTHER TECH BUST
Should history repeat itself and the Bay Area’s mighty tech empire again come crumbling down, homes may lose some of their value, but long-term demand seems almost certain to persist.
A Realtor.com blog post examines the likelihood of a tech bubble and what effects its bursting might have on the housing market. While stopping short of saying that current economic conditions indicate a looming bubble, the article notes one unsettling similarity to the dot-com era: the proliferation of so-called “unicorns,” companies valued at at least $1 billion without the financial results to warrant it.
During the late 90s tech-industry meltdown, employment in Silicon Valley in the sector declined by 17 percent, and home prices dropped by 25 percent. Realtor.com Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke said that while a tech downturn would certainly impact Bay Area real estate prices, the silver lining could be relaxed demand and fewer bidding wars. But even if a tech bubble were to temporarily cause frenzied demand to ease, the Bay Area’s lack of housing inventory will always be a moderating factor.

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SAN FRANCISCO RENTS KEEP GETTING MORE OUTLANDISH
Rental costs in San Francisco aren’t going anywhere but up, while prices in Oakland and San Jose have soared since last autumn.
In its latest monthly rental report, Zumper says that the median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco is currently $3,620 per month, the highest in the country and up 2.5 percent from September. The company notes that rent prices in the City by the Bay are outpacing those of No. 2 New York City, where prices grew by 2.2 percent month over month and a one-bedroom unit fetches $3,230.
San Jose ranks as the country’s fourth priciest rental market — $2,270 for a one bedroom — while Oakland places sixth, at $2,080. Displaced San Franciscans have helped push up rent in Oakland by whopping 26.1 percent since October 2014, the most of any of the 25 U.S. metro areas in Zumper’s report. San Jose had the nation’s second-highest annual rental hikes, at 19.5 percent, followed by Sacramento (18.3 percent) and San Francisco (13.1 percent).

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NEW REGULATIONS PROMPT SPIKE IN MORTGAGE ACTIVITY
Mortgage applications jumped in advance of the Oct. 3 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau regulations, as buyers rushed to avoid any potential delays the changes might bring.
According to a Mortgage Bankers Association index for the week ended Oct. 2, mortgage applications rose 25.5 percent from the previous week, while refinancing activity increased by 24 percent. CNBC says that mortgage applications are up 49 percent on an annual basis and are at their highest level in five years.
The new regulations are intended to further protect homebuyers by requiring lenders to disclose all details at least three days before closing. As Pacific Union CEO Mark A. McLaughlin pointed out in a blog post this summer, the new regulations give lenders zero tolerance for errors or changes and may impact how quickly real estate transactions close.

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CHANCES OF A STRONG EL NIÑO STILL APPEAR LIKELY
Winter-sports fans who are hoping that the brewing El Niño will blanket the Lake Tahoe region in snow this season will probably like the latest weather forecast, as the system appears strong and poised to wallop the West Coast.
The latest forecast from U.S. Climate Prediction Center puts the chances of a powerful El Niño lasting until spring at 95 percent, unchanged from last month. SFGate reports that the system appears to be as powerful as the one that drenched San Francisco with 47 inches of rain during the winter and spring of 1997-1998.
And while a wet winter would be just what the doctor ordered for California, it would need to rain more than twice as much as normal to put a dent in the drought.

Article and images sourced from http://blog.pacificunion.com/real-estate-roundup-what-a-tech-bubble-could-mean-for-bay-area-housing/

Spaghetti Bros. Going For Playful, Yet Upscale Vibe in the Marina

3213 Scott St.

October 27 is the opening day goal.

As the name itself suggests, Spaghetti Bros. isn’t taking itself too seriously. Owners Erik Lowe and Aaron Toensing (Bix, Fog City) are busy reading for their late October opening (they’re aiming for Tuesday, October 27) of what Toensing called a "Bix-ripoff" in terms of straddling that high-low line. "It’s going to be like an elegant saloon. It will have that high and low factor where you can be casual and get a cocktail or a beer, or you can also have a really great time and buy a nice bottle of wine or champange," he explained. The menu takes regional favorites and filters them through a playful Northern California lens on dishes like housemade spaghetti with three-year-aged Parmesan and — here’s that Nor-Cal twist — uni butter. It’s not exactly a "bro" dish if there ever was one. "The menu is really fun," Toensing said. Other dishes in the works include green chile mac and cheese, a large-format steak with creamed spinach and fries and a hatch green chile apple pie with a cheddar cheese crust.

The main dining room will seat 50 and it’s been dressed up with faux-wood tiles and white tablecloths to further that high-low feel. The bar and lounge will fit another 40, and drinks are focused on negronis, with four variations to be on offer, plus a wine list with both value and baller options. Need we say it again? High low.

Spaghetti Bros.' bar will be open daily from 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. and the restaurant from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Stay tuned for more details during opening week.

U.S. Sees Big Spike in All-Cash Chinese-Speaking Buyers

Almost half of Chinese homebuyers across the country are paying for their purchase entirely in cash, a substantial increase over the past decade.
A RealtyTrac blog post says that for the 17 months ended May 2015, 46 percent of transactions by Mandarin-speaking buyers were all-cash deals, up from 14 percent in May 2005. Nationwide, all-cash transactions rose from 20 percent in 2005 to 33 percent in 2015.

“Cash buyers across the board are playing a much bigger role in the housing market now than they were 10 years ago, and that is particularly true for Chinese Mandarin-speaking cash buyers, who are more likely to be foreign nationals,” RealtyTrac Vice President Daren Blomquist said in a statement accompanying the report. “Foreign cash buyers have helped to accelerate U.S. home price appreciation over the past few years given that these buyers are often not as constrained by income as local, traditionally financed buyers.”

Over the past decade, Mandarin-speaking homebuyers have increased by 9 percent, more than any other foreign-language group. Earlier in the summer, a survey by the National Association of Realtors found that buyers from China were responsible for 16 percent of U.S. international property sales, also the most of any nationality. For the 12 months ended March 2015, China invested almost $29 billion in the U.S. housing market.

The Bay Area is a top destination for Chinese homebuyers, who are attracted to the region for its relative value compared with property costs in other international cities, high-caliber educational opportunities, and healthy lifestyle. In an April interview, Pacific Union CEO Mark. A McLaughlin told SFGate that 25 percent of homebuyers in Palo Alto had a connection to China.
McLaughlin, who developed and implemented Pacific Union’s unique China Concierge program in 2013, will travel to Beijing in November to present at Hurun Report’s 2015 Top Entrepreneurs Forum.

(Photo: Flickr/401(K) 2012)


Article and images sourced from http://blog.pacificunion.com/u-s-sees-big-spike-in-all-cash-chinese-speaking-buyers/

Success! California Passes Anti-Ivory Bill

WildAid

On Sunday, California Gov. Jerry Brown made history by signing into law AB 96, crucial legislation that if successfully enforced will shutter the ivory and rhino horn trade in the Golden State!

Though California has long restricted the ivory trade, carvings and other ivory products imported before 1977 have been legal to sell. As a result, the state’s ivory market has provided a cover for the laundering of ivory from recently poached elephants, as legal markets do in Hong Kong and other ivory trading hubs around the world.  
"With the passage of AB 96, California is leading by example in making the ivory and rhino horn trade a thing of the past," WildAid CEO Peter Knights said of Gov. Brown's signing of the bill, co-authored by Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins and Senator Ricardo Lara. "The new law will make enforcement a far easier matter and sends a clear signal to the rest of the world that ivory and rhino horn have no value here. We thank Governor Brown for his support and call on all US states to join California, New York and New Jersey in banning this destructive trade."
The effect of ambiguous laws on poaching is well documented. In 1989, when the ivory trade was partially legal, elephants were poached at the rate of 70,000 a year by some estimates. In response to a global outcry, the international ivory trade was banned, and many consumers bowed out. Ivory prices plummeted and poaching went down, not because of intensified anti-poaching activity, but due to diminished demand.

But the effort wasn't universal, and it wasn't sustained. In 2008, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) allowed a one-off sale of ivory to China, a move that reignited the market there, fueled by the country's growing affluence.
The US is widely considered to be the second-largest ivory market after China. A January report from the National Resources Defense Council found 1,250 ivory items for sale in California, primarily in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Investigators concluded that a vast majority of items for sale were likely illegal under outdated state law.
AB 96 will also bring penalties up to date with the greatly inflated profits from ivory sales, creating a significant deterrent that's more than just a cost of doing business.
Gov. Brown’s signing of AB 96 comes less than two weeks after President Barack Obama and President Xi Jinping committed to halting the US and Chinese domestic ivory markets. This announcement marked the first public commitment by President Xi to end ivory sales in China, and follows a pledge made by Chinese officials in May to phase out the domestic trade.
 

Article and images originally sourced from http://www.wildaid.org/news/california-passes-anti-ivory-bill

Drink Here Now: Fall Beers and Hip-Hop Cocktails

Magnolia's Dave McLean is serving up four fall beers at Magnolia Pub and Smokestack, while supplies last. (photo via sfgirlbybay)

Reality is an illusion created by lack of alcohol. ~N.F. Simpson

Hip Hop Cocktail Menu Comes with a Punchcard
Blackbird bar is offering a punchcard with their newly-released B-Sides cocktail menu, and it's worth keeping in your wallet. Drop in for a cocktail named after songs by some of the greatest rap and hip-hop artists of the 80's and 90's, including Tupac, Beastie Boys, and A Tribe Called Quest. Get your card punched for each beverage purchased, and when you've tried all 12, they'll give you a CD mix tape with all of the featured songs on the cocktail menu. // 2124 Market Street, blackbirdbar.com

Four Fall Beers at Magnolia
Magnolia Brewing Company is easing into the season with four fall beers on tap at Magnolia Pub on Haight Street and at Smokestack in Dogpatch. Barking Pumpkin Ale is their annual expression of the seasonally-appropriate spice, while Rosebud is a style-defying ale that was first brewed for owner Dave McLean's wedding, marrying an English grain bill with a Belgian fermentation program. Two wet hop beers are also available: High Time Harvest with Citra Hops and High Time Harvest with Mosaic Hops are both made with fresh hops from HopUnion in Yakima, Washington. All four beers are $8 per 14 oz. glass and available while supplies last, which will likely be only a week or two. // 1398 Haight Street, magnoliapub.com; 2505 3rd Street, magnoliasmokestack.com

Girl Fight Cocktails Fight Breast Cancer
It's October, which means we're all seeing pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You can walk, run, bike, and swim for the cure, or you can join us at MKT Bar this month to drink for the cause. Just order a Girl Fight cocktail, made with Cocchi Rosa, gin and vodka, and MKT Bar will donate $5 to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer San Francisco. // 757 Market Street, Fifth Floor, mktrestaurantandbar.com

Drink for the Cure at Dirty Water
You can also drink for the cure at Dirty Water's Women Wednesdays tonight (October 7), starting at 5pm. The theme is Whiskey & Women, and they'll be offering a special whiskey cocktail for the evening with $1 from the sale of each drink going to support the Breast Cancer Emergency Fund of San Francisco. Purchase a $2 raffle ticket to provide additional support, and you might just win a ticket to Whiskies of the World, a $130 value. // 1355 Market Street, dirtywatersf.com

Nico Hosts Vintner Duo for Wine Pairing Dinner
Two vintners are better than one. At least, that seems to be the thinking behind Thursday night's wine pairing dinner at Nico's featuring Steve Matthiasson and Matt Licklider. Matthiason, SF Chronicle's 2014 Winemaker of the Year, will be pouring his highly acclaimed Matthiasson wines from cool climate sites in Sonoma and Napa Valley. Meanwhile, Matt Licklider, co-owner of LIOCO, will be pouring wines with an emphasis on older vines, sites with tougher soil, and select clones. The seasonal, five-course dinner includes eight paired wines for $150 per person; tickets are available online. // 3228 Sacramento Street, nicosf.com


Article and images sourced from http://www.7x7.com/eat-drink/drink-here-now-fall-beers-and-hip-hop-cocktails

Gold Rush California Was Much More Expensive Than Today’s Tech-Boom California

Back in 1849, a dozen eggs would cost you the equivalent of $90

Chinese immigrants and gold miners mingle on a main street in San Francisco in 1849. (© GraphicaArtis/Corbis)

If you have ever wondered how California’s modern-day rush for riches in Silicon Valley compares with the Gold Rush of 1849, look no further than the cost of buying a home.

Glenn Kelman, CEO of real estate startup Redfin, recently warned of an exodus of tech-specialists from Silicon Valley as the average price of property there topped $1 million – more than double the averages in Seattle, Boston or Portland.
It would be fair to say that property prices rose during the Gold Rush too, but that is where the comparison would have to end. Because back in 1849, they climbed to levels that would make modern Californians weep.

GOLD FEVER: One Man’s Adventures on the Trail of the Gold Rush

In 2013, Steve Boggan flew to San Francisco and joined the 21st century’s gold rush in a quest to understand the allure of the metal. Written with Boggan’s characteristic wit and self-effacing charm, "GOLD FEVER" offers unique insight into the history and future of the world’s most seductive metal.

San Francisco Fleet Week 2015

San Francisco Fleet Week is an annual public event that honors the contributions of the men and women of the United States Armed Forces while advancing cooperation and knowledge among civilian- and military-based Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response personnel.

Events

Fleet Week 2015

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Ship Tours

10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

SF Pier 30-32:
USS SOMERSET, LPD 25

SF Pier 80:
USS STOCKDALE, DDG 106
USS CAPE ST. GEORGE
USS CORONADO, LCS 4
USCGC BOUTWELL, WHEC 10

SF Pier 15/17:
HMCS CALGARY, FFH 35

Blue Angel Practice 

12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

 

Friday, October 9, 2015

Marina Green Festival & Humanitarian Village

10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Parade of Ships

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM

11:00 AM – First Ship under the Golden Gate Bridge

1. SFFD Fireboat Guardian2. USS Cape St. George
3. USS Stockdale
4. USCGC Boutwell
5. USS Coronado
6. HMCS Calgary
7. ACRE MV John Dillard

USS Coronado

No Public Visitation

Air Show

12:30 PM – 4:00 PM

12:30 PM  U.S. Navy Leap Frogs Parachute Team

12:45 PM  U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Demo

1:00 PM  Ace Maker T-33

1:15 PM  Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Extra-330 flown by Matt ChaPMan

1:30 PM Red Star Pilots Formation Team

1:45 PM Michael Wiskus and the Lucas Oil Air Show

2:00 PM Patriots Jet Team Formation Demo

2:30 PM  United Airlines 747 Demo

2:45 PM Sean Tucker’s Team Oracle Pitts Special

3:00 PM United States Navy Blue Angels

Saturday, October 10, 2015

Ship Tours

9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

SF Pier 30-32:
USS SOMERSET, LPD 25

SF Pier 80:
USS STOCKDALE, DDG 106
USS CAPE ST. GEORGE
USS CORONADO, LCS 4
USCGC BOUTWELL, WHEC 10

SF Pier 15/17:
HMCS CALGARY, FFH 35

10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

SF Pier 50:
MV CAPE HUDSON, AKR 5066

Bark at the Park – K9 Heroes: Duboce Park

10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

More information

Fleet Fest

10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Marina Green Festival & Humanitarian Village

10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Air Show

12:30 PM – 4:00 PM

12:30 PM  U.S. Navy Leap Frogs Parachute Team

12:45 PM U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Demo

1:00 PM Ace Maker T-33

1:15 PM Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Extra-330 flown by Matt ChaPMan

1:30 PM Red Star Pilots Formation Team

1:45 PM Michael Wiskus and the Lucas Oil Air Show

2:00 PM Patriots Jet Team Formation Demo

2:30 PM United Airlines 747 Demo

2:45 PM Sean Tucker’s Team Oracle Pitts Special

3:00 PM United States Navy Blue Angels

Sunday, October 11, 2015

Ship Tours

9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

SF Pier 30-32:
USS SOMERSET, LPD 25

SF Pier 80:
USS STOCKDALE, DDG 106
USS CAPE ST. GEORGE
USS CORONADO, LCS 4
USCGC BOUTWELL, WHEC 10

SF Pier 15/17:
HMCS CALGARY, FFH 35
NO TOURS

Fleet Fest

10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Marina Green Festival & Humanitarian Village

10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Air Show

12:30 PM – 4:00 PM

12:30 PM U.S. Navy Leap Frogs Parachute Team

12:45 PM U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Demo

1:00 PM Ace Maker T-33

1:15 PM Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Extra-330 flown by Matt ChaPMan

1:30 PM Red Star Pilots Formation Team

1:45 PM Michael Wiskus and the Lucas Oil Air Show

2:00 PM Patriots Jet Team Formation Demo

2:30 PM United Airlines 747 Demo

2:45 PM Sean Tucker’s Team Oracle Pitts Special

3:00 PM United States Navy Blue Angels

Monday, October 12, 2015

Ship Tours

9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

SF Pier 30-32:
USS SOMERSET, LPD 25

SF Pier 80:
USS STOCKDALE, DDG 106
USS CAPE ST. GEORGE
USS CORONADO, LCS 4
USCGC BOUTWELL, WHEC 10

SF Pier 15/17:
HMCS CALGARY, FFH 35

High School Band Challenge: Golden Gate Park Band shell

10:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Schedule Subject to Change

The 10 Hottest New Restaurants in San Francisco

From a soaring representation of Paris to new beer-focused restaurants, San Francisco just gained some favorite spots and very good excuses to imbibe local brews. Here are the 10 San Francisco restaurants you need to know now.

• 
  Oro

  • SoMa

  From the Commonwealth chef comes this chic bistro to Mint Plaza, where midpriced Cal-Mediterranean share plates, small bites and a chef’s choice blind tasting menu are offered in addition to beer, wine and cocktails. Spacious and designed around industrial bones, the bustling, bi-level Financial District quarters are kitted out in reclaimed wood, custom lighting, slate draperies and colorful artwork.

  Must-Order: Impossibly fluffy potato gnocchi with corn and chanterelles and aromatic, mustardy grilled pork sausage on a shelling bean salad.
  Insider Tip: There’s also a "blind" tasting menu, tailored to individual preferences, that features off-menu family-style dishes for $75 per person, with an additional $50 wine pairing.
• 
  Sessions at the Presidio

  • The Presidio

  A sleek beer-centric destination in the Presidio's Letterman Digital Arts complex, this craft beer bar and New American gastropub focuses on low-octane brews, with other pours and wines available (by the bottle and on tap). A wood-decked, modern interior with a bustling vibe offers a bar, two-top and communal tables and plenty of windows for views of the surrounding greenery – and there's a huge outdoor seating area.

  Must-Order: Mediterranean clams and Magnolia Brewing's Aliciella beer, fried quail.
  Insider Tip: The best seats are at the rectangular bar in the middle of the room or on the lush patio.
   
• 
  Old Bus Tavern

  • Bernal Heights

  The roadtrip-loving team behind this casual Bernal Heights neighborhood spot offers up midpriced Californian comfort food, craft beers (some housemade) and a thoughtful cocktail menu focused on whiskey, tequila and mezcal concoctions. Inside, polished concrete floors and vintage Americana accents set the backdrop for banquette and bar seats (some with brewhouse views). P.S. An actual bus will be available to cater outdoor events.

  Must-Order: Pickled quail eggs and the house-brewed OBT Lemon Basil Saison.
  Insider Tip: Get a peek at the small brewing operation in the lofted space by the kitchen where the house beers are barrel-aged.
   
• 
  Bon Marche Brasserie & Bar

  • SoMa

  Market Square (aka the Twitter building) houses this splurge-worthy dining destination from the AQ and TBD crew, where lavish food options include an expansive oyster bar, coffee shop, cocktail and beer bar and European-inspired brasserie serving small bites and entrees. With brass and copper fixtures, leather seating and art deco accents, the stylish setting brings classic Parisian flair to Mid-Market.

  Must-Order: The dry sparkling wine with truffle salt rim and the chef-favorite veal sweetbreads with parsley Girardet and Madeira jus.
  Insider Tip: The restaurants specializes in corporate events and private parties; inquire here for your next French-inspired soiree.
• 
  Scotland Yard

  • Marina District

  The Marina gets this Noir Lounge spin-off, a Victorian-inspired bistro and bar with an old-school vibe for midpriced Californian fare, plus local and small-production beer and wine. Casual and classy, the space is decked out in hanging chandeliers, heavy beams, dark wood, vintage wallpaper and metal accents along with bar, banquette and table seating.

  Must-Order: The ceviche taco and the Yard burger with bone-marrow aïoli.
  Insider Tip: Head outside to take advantage of the spacious patio with tufted leather couches. 
• Wes Row
  Petit Crenn

  • Hayes Valley

  A casual spin-off of Dominique Crenn's Atelier Crenn, this buzzy bistro brings the flavors of Brittany, France to Hayes Valley via all-day menus, with dinner options ranging from a la carte to two nightly seatings for prix-fixe, multi-course meals served family-style. A cozy space with an open kitchen puts a modern spin on classic French style, with white walls, contemporary art, vintage serving ware and blue and white accents.

  Must-Order: Though the menu is a fixed family-style meal that changes daily, guests are treated to the best spoils from daily pilgrimages to local fish and farmer's markets. Definitely pair the meal with a cider — served chilled and in a mug — to complete the Brittany experience.
  
  Insider Tip: Reservations go quickly, but we have some tips on how to score one of the coveted tables! For extra-special occasions, the Chef's Table Experience reserves the best table for the whole night and includes special, off-menu items, such as lobster, caviar and abalone. 
• 
  Dirty Water

  • SoMa

  Mid-Market’s Twitter building houses this atmospheric restaurant, bar and lounge where an upscale menu features greens, charcuterie, cheese and a splurge-worthy selection of mains along with a thick book of spirits, more than 50 draft brews and over 100 wines by the glass. The atmospheric, dimly lit interior skews masculine-chic with whiskey-hued leather, butcher-block tabletops, high ceilings and a glass wall open to the brewing area.

  Must-Order: For lunch, the roasted tri-tip sandwich; for dinner, the Axis deer tartare or the pig-ear fritto misto.
  Insider Tip: Given its well-educated drink staff, this is the spot to imbibe while learning the intricacies of rare wines and spirits. "Bartial Artist" Zachary Taylor whips up mind-bending concoctions, such as the Long Strange Trip, which is a naturally sweet libation thanks to the maple-flavored candy cap mushrooms infused with 1776 rye, lemon, black pepper and Zucca Amaro.
• 
  Omakase

  • Potrero Hill

  The traditional Edomae-style sushi experience at this SoMa spot features a spendy set chef’s-choice menu (with $100, $150 and $200 options) made with fish flown in several times a week from Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market. The tiny, polished dinner spot has counter seats facing the chef, and the space is all about attention to detail – think boutique-sourced dinnerware, sake pitchers made from Japanese pine and cedar and a yellow cedar sushi counter.

  Must-Order: It's all omakase; choose your price level of $100, $150 or $200.
  Insider Tip: You've surrendered your taste buds to the chef, which allows for more time to peruse the extensive sake menu. From the mellow and clean $18 carafe of Karakuchi to the $345 bottle of Tedorigawa Mangekyo, lauded for its silky texture and deep flavor, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to exercise choice.
• 
  ICHI Kakiya

  • Bernal Heights

  Oysters and other raw-bar fare are the focus of this buzzy Bernal Heights spin-off to the popular ICHI Sushi + NI Bar, which offers midpriced Japanese and California seafood in addition to a thoughtful selection of beer, wine and sake. There's no reservations for seating at a few tables and a narrow counter in the tiny cafe quarters done up with a chic, ocean-inspired blue-and-gold design.

  Must-Order: Oysters and half lobster, Hokkaido scallop crudo and daily changing seafood specials.
  Insider Tip: Watch for "secret menu" treats like mini, Japanese-style lobster rolls that are vivid with tobiko (flying fish roe), kani (crab) miso and bonito Tabasco.

Pacific Union Ranked as Bay Area’s Third Largest Residential Brokerage

The San Francisco Business Times recently ranked Pacific Union as the third-largest residential real estate brokerage in the Bay Area, the latest industry accolade our company has received thus far in 2015.

Pacific Union’s 2014 sales volume of $6.79 billion places our company No. 3 on the publication’s list of the 25 largest Bay Area residential real estate brokerages. Our firm currently has about 660 real estate professionals, 27-percent fewer than the No. 2 brokerage and 90 percent fewer than the No. 1 brokerage. Pacific Union professionals sold a total of 5,382 Bay Area properties in 2014, the third most of any firm named to the list.

Earlier this year, REAL Trends ranked our company as the ninth largest brokerage in the United States based on 2014 sales volume. REAL Trends also named 25 of our real estate professionals among the country’s top 250 for sales. Most recently, Pacific Union was named to the prestigious Inc. 5000 list for the third consecutive year, having moved up the rankings more than 1,000 spots since 2013.

Article and images sourced from http://blog.pacificunion.com/pacific-union-ranked-as-bay-areas-third-largest-brokerage/