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TweetI believe Bagdad By The Bay has the latest on our Bacon Bacon saga at Ashbury Market near the corner of Frederick in not-so-scenic Ashbury Heights. Well this wacky story just went national today on Saturday Night Live – here’s Weekend Update co-host Amy Poehler, via Brock Keeling of SFist: Perhaps not that funny but at least now more people are mocking attorney Ryan Patterson and his unknown client(s). At least now there’s an upside to this flagrant NIMBYism. So feel free to add this incident… …to the time this Kramer-esque sign hung off the back of nearby 1965 Page… …and, for that matter, Kramer himself: Cosmo Kramer vs. Kenny Rogers Roasters, Inc. Bacon Bacon ?@BaconBaconSF: ”Apparently bacon bacon on SNL tonight!! Weekend update. Here we go folks. Here we go.” #baconbaconsf#snl On It Goes…

Something about the poet and author Dr. Maya Angelou escaped most people’s attention, until now. She was once employed by our namesake, Market Street Railway Company, Muni’s old competitor, as a streetcar conductor. The first black female conductor in San Francisco history, in fact. She said this decades ago in “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” when she describes in some detail standing on the back platform of a 7-Haight streetcar collecting nickels from boarding passengers. But now it has become national news, because she talked about it with Oprah. Here’s a clip from that interview, courtesy Harpo Productions. How Dr. Maya Angelou Became San Francisco’s First Black Streetcar ConductorDr. Maya Angelou says the love of her mother, Vivian Baxter, encouraged her to live a life full of pizzazz. It was also that love that helped Dr. Angelou to become the first black streetcar conductor in San Francisco at age 16. “I loved the uniforms,” Dr. Angelou says. “So I said, ‘That’s a job I want.’” When she went to get an application, Dr. Angelou says, the staff refused to give her one. Find out how her mother encouraged her to persevere. Then, see how Vivian made sure her daughter was safe at work during her early-morning shifts. We provided some photos of Market Street Railway streetcars on the 7-line to the program. They added photos of female transit workers from other systems, not San Francisco’s. The program promotes “How Dr. Angelou Became San Francisco’s First Black Streetcar Conductor.” Hiring records no longer exist, but anecdotal evidence we’ve gathered over the years indicate several African-American found employment on the streetcars a little earlier than Dr. Angelou. That, however, in no way diminishes her incredible story of perseverance and determination in overcoming both racism and sexism to land the job she wanted — when she was just 16 years old. The video clip is well worth watching. Comments on this post »

Bay to Breakers 2013 logo via screenshot. Sunday brings San Francisco’s 102nd Bay to Breakers, with wild costumes, traffic disruptions, a giant party — and a footrace. Here’s the information you need to survive Bay to Breakers in the neighborhoods near Ocean Beach. Changes for Bay to Breakers 2013 Security is the keyword for this year’s Bay to Breakers, reflecting concerns raised by the recent bombing of the Boston Marathon. Security measures will be in place from start to finish, including security cameras, increased personnel including federal agents, and a number of new rules. One of those new rules is that participants who aren’t registered are not allowed on the course, at least not officially, and could be kicked off. Another is that backpacks and large bags are out, with the maximum size of any allowable container set at 8.5 inches by 11 inches by 4 inches. That backpack ban follows and adds to bans on other activity that have been imposed in previous years. Once a ubiquitous sight in the Bay to Breakers, floats and any kind of wheeled cart won’t be allowed. And although there’s an official beer of Bay to Breakers, it and any other kind of alcohol are not allowed in the race. Bay to Breakers 2013 course map. Source: baytobreakers.com The 2013 Bay to Breakers also brings some changes to parking and traffic arrangements. The end of the course still winds through Golden Gate Park, but this year it exits the park via Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive instead of John F. Kennedy Drive, so runners will make a right turn at the western edge of the park to head north on the Great Highway to the finish line, instead of south as in earlier years. B2B 2013 finish line map. Source: BaytoBreakers.com The Great Highway between Lincoln Way and Fulton Street, as well as the main Ocean Beach parking lot west of Golden Gate Park, will host the Bay to Breakers’ end-of-race activities, whereas previous years’ parties have been on MLK Drive or in the Polo Fields. Organizers have planned music, food trucks, a beer garden and product giveaways. Transit disruptions for Bay to Breakers 2013 Sunday’s race starts at 7 a.m., but many Muni transit lines will be affected by Bay to Breakers long before and after that. The night before the race, lines including the 5-Fulton and 38-Geary will be rerouted. On Sunday, lines including the N-Judah, 2-Clement, 5-Fulton, 18-46th Avenue, 28-19th Avenue, 29-Sunset, 31-Balboa and 38-Geary will be affected. Muni will offer special express service for the Bay to Breakers. Most express service will require a Muni special event fare. See details of Muni’s race-day service below. Traffic changes for Bay to Breakers 2013 The main Ocean Beach parking lot opposite Golden Gate Park has been closed since Thursday, with tents and rows of portable toilets set up on the pavement and temporary security cameras strapped to light poles. The lot will be closed until 5 p.m. Monday. A number of streets near Ocean Beach and the west end of Golden Gate Park, as well as streets within the park will be closed Sunday, with a few closures starting Saturday night. All the closed roads are also no-parking tow-away zones. Check out this list of street closures for Bay to Breakers 2013: Bay to Breakers Street Closures 2013 More information on Muni’s Bay to Breakers express service: Muni express service for Bay to Breakers 2013 Tweet This Post

Giant Cardboard Robot Today I went to Maker Faire Bay Area 2013 with my mom, my daughter and some friends and really had a blast. The festival also runs on Sunday May 19th, so if you’re in the area, you still have time to head down to the San Mateo County Event Center for the fun. Tickets are now on sale. Here’s some photos from our day: Wookie babee by Fat Rabbit Farm DeLorean Hovercraft Snail Mail plush by Claire Sanders of Fluff Engine Jack SparX Sashimi Tabernacle Choir Crocheted baby cap that looks like a boob by Ruth Tillman of The Enchanted Square Motorized cupcake My daughter SJ making an LED pinnie at Google+ Maker Camp Our friend Claire made a wallet out of duct tape, photo by Terry Ewing Ran into my friend Devon McGuire of Maker Media, photo by Terry Ewing My entire set of photos from Maker Faire Bay Area 2013: photos by Rusty Blazenhoff unless otherwise noted

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News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs: Board of Supes Budget and Finance committee to take up the Noe Valley Town Square on Wednesday; 5% of all sales at Whole Foods will go towards the Town Square on same day [NVTS] Game of Thrones feast at Contigo (more mead, wench!) [Eater SF] Noe Valley has a plant fairy godfather [The Shingled House] Scott Wiener's May Newsletter [Scott Wiener] Church St home purchased from bank after foreclosure on a 40-year mortgage returns to market for $2.55M [Socketsite] [Photo: Matthew Shuey]

I had a Brass Monkey (malt liquor + OJ) the other night at DJ Jamie Jams’ Beastie Boys-themed party in the Lower Haight, and it was pretty good. Poor man’s mimosa. But right now, Stella and Shannon are drinking them in the yard outside my office, and they look REAL good. And the story holds up: Shannon says she picked up the habit last summer in Oakland (poor man’s SF). Anyway, these two both proclaim this summer BRASS MONKEY SUMMER and who are we to argue? #brassmonkeysummer [Photos by JustStella] Drink of the week is brought to you by Poachedjobs.com. One comment | Permalink | Share on Facebook | Tweet this

Baby jokes aside, all signs point to Kanye West having another special delivery coming sometime in the next few months. He's been getting ever-weirder with his tweets and he'll be on SNL tonight, most likely to promote a follow-up to Watch the Throne. Last night West premiered a new single "New Slaves" in impeccably Kanye-esque fashion: by projecting a giant image of his head singing it on the side of high-profile buildings across town. [ more › ]