Cool beans
Smash, Tonic, The Lucky Spot, trending coffee, Bombera, MORE
ABOUT FOUND • Help Wanted
New FOUND locales are coming. We’re seeking contributors based in Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, New Orleans, Hawaii, Barcelona, Rome, Sydney, and Melbourne. A professional writing background isn’t required — mostly, we’re looking for passion about one or more FOUND categories (real estate, restaurants, shopping, culture & leisure, getaway travel & the modern workplace) along with impeccable taste. Is that you, or a friend? Interested candidates, drop us a line at found@itsfound.com and tell us a little about yourself.
More FOUND Objects are on the way. We’re looking for contributors to write about goods & services that bring them (and their friends) joy — from sunglasses to swimsuits, watches to high-end appliances, and more. Send us your one-sentence pitches at found@itsfound.com.
We’re seeking a freelance social media manager to give life to FOUND’s accounts on Instagram and potentially other platforms. The ideal candidate has experience managing social for a media brand or creator, is fluent in Canva and/or Illustrator, can adapt newsletter content into sharp, on-brand social posts (feed, stories, reels), and understands and enjoys neighborhood-based storytelling. If you’re interested, please send your portfolio, relevant social handles, and a short note about your availability to found@itsfound.com.
BARS • First Round
Play ball
The Skinny: Under new ownership since last year (but only recently out of soft-opening mode) The Lucky Spot is North Beach’s newest — and thanks to the World Cup, busiest — neighborhood watering hole and sports bar.
WORK • Friday Routine
Three ways
TAIRA KATER • culinary director • Foxtail Catering and Events
Neighborhood you work in: Dogpatch
It’s Friday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
Our kitchen starts humming around 5a for our workplace clients, 20-40 cooks at any given time will start filing in to work for our three brands, Tonic (beverage), Radish (workplace dining), and Foxtail (event catering). The warehouse team will be pulling design, packing trucks, and generally kicking ass. Our office folks; planners, sales and all the others that keep this place moving start coming in around 10a. We span over six warehouses that cover 30 square feet in a great building in Dogpatch that has been a haven for small businesses over the last 50 years.
What’s on the agenda for today?
I touch a lot of things for all three brands, and I’d have a hard time listing just one. Today, I did a tasting for an upcoming wedding with some very specific design requests, including some branded ice cubes. I’m plugging away at orders for next week and thinking about design for December parties, including how to incorporate ice sculptures that don’t melt for our Apres Ski themed events. I also have the very difficult job of tasting some new boozy slushies that Tonic is working on for our new slushie machine!
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Between two teenagers and a job that is 24/7, my favorite place is the kitchen table, but I do love a good burger (and some great slushies) and I can always find them at Lovely’s Burgers in Oakland. For this weekend, the plan is to take advantage of the great weather at Bombera — their patio is perfect as are their margaritas, plus the best carrots you’ll ever eat. I’ve been a fan of Dominica Rice-Cisneros since she had her place over at Swan’s Market and will use any excuse to visit her beautiful restaurant.
How about a little leisure or culture?
Leisure for me is a book and a sunny porch. If you can throw in some laughs about nothing with the people I love I have hit the trifecta! If I had more time I’d love to be the creator of my own culture and host a monthly salon where we drink, argue about politics, and eat some great food. Admission fee would be a bag of ice, because it’s the one thing I never seem to be able to supply myself. For pampering, I like to get my hair styled by Muffy at Edo Salon — she’s the best! And I might go browse books at Walden Pond Books, my go-to for the past 25 years.
Any weekend getaways?
In California, you can drive anywhere for an hour or so and be on vacation. My favorite spot is up north around Point Reyes and Tomales Bay. It’s basically in our backyard. Hog Island Oyster Co. is a perfect place to watch the water and enjoy some oysters and wine. LA is also great when a bigger city with a little more chaos is needed; Chainsaw and Holbox are two places on my bucket list.
What was your last great vacation?
I had the opportunity to tag along with my husband last summer to a 16th-century French chateau outside Paris, while he worked a wedding at Chateau des Joncherets. I was cutting branches from old fruit trees for centerpieces, using hand signals to communicate with French caterers and listening to the resident peacock (strangest sound ever) while working remotely. Work and play at the same time, it’s my dream.
Where are you donating your time or money?
I’ve been involved with Foodwise for the last 20 years. It’s a great organization and their yearly event, Sunday Supper, is always something I look forward to contributing my time to.
GETAWAYS LINKS: Boutique airline JSX adding OAK-SMO (Santa Monica) route starting in September • Cathay Pacific‘s luxe, game-changing Aria Suite lands at SFO • Gundlach Bundschu-adjacent winery and tasting room Abbot’s Passage shutters in Glen Ellen• Inside Napa Valley’s newly opened Casa Mani Resort.
REAL ESTATE • On the Market
Three Edwardian-era homes that came to market in San Francisco in the last 30 days.
→ 1180 Florida St (Mission) • 1BR/1BA • 622 SF • Ask: $549K • potential-packed fixer in area zoned for full redevelopment • Days on market: 8 • Agent: Patrick Lam, Century 21.
→ 548 Laidley St (Glen Park) • 3BR/2BA • 1598 SF • Ask: $1.95M • two-level 1908 build w/ Zen garden • Days on market: 8 • Agent: Terry Wright, Compass.
→ 771 Elizabeth St (Noe Valley, above) • 4BR/3.1BA • 2559 SF • Ask: $4.795M • updated 1905 build w/ wall-anchored Windy Chien installation • Days on market: 13 • Agent: Ryan Lenox, Compass.
REAL ESTATE LINKS: The Sunset’s YIMBY roots • Where Bay Area residents would move (if they could) • Amy’s Kitchen owners list Stinson Beach compound for $16M.
GOODS & SERVICES•The Nines
Coffee, trending
The Nines are FOUND’s distilled lists of the best in the Bay Area and surrounds. Paid subscribers have access to the complete Nines archive.
HI NRG (Richmond), signature drinks from Mexico and Hong Kong, black coffee w/ light roasts from around the world, wine planned for this fall