WORK • Help Wanted
We’re looking for contributors to FOUND SF. Candidates don’t have to be professional writers, but they must have impeccable taste and should be experts in their respective fields, most especially:
Restaurants and bars
Shopping and retail
Beauty, spas, and fitness
Travel
Art, film, and other culture
Interested parties should hit reply or email found@itsfoundsf.com.
BARS • The Nines
Listening bars, with vinyl
The Nines are FOUND's distilled lists of the best in the Bay Area and surrounds. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or found@itsfoundsf.com. For the full archives, click here.
Bar Crenn (Fillmore), Dominique Crenn’s most casual spot, enviable record collection, reserve
Side A (Mission), big-flavors menu w/side of live vinyl, reserve
Harlan Records (Union Square), sultry bar hidden in downtown alley, reserve
Superprime (SoMa), wagyu variations, top-notch sound system, reserve
Envelop (Dogpatch), ‘listening experience’ w/ cash bar inside large-format club, reserve
Bar Shiru (Oakland), Japanese-style, takes speakers + cocktails seriously, reserve
Banter (El Cerrito), buzzing wine bar w/quality record selection, reserve
Still O.G (San Jose), stylish decor, comprehensive cocktail menu, reserve
Vinyl Room (Burlingame, above), funky and retro, good cocktails, themed nights, reserve
CULTURE & LEISURE LINKS: Sundown Cinema series returns 09/25 • First segment of Cityside Park opens on Treasure Island • New species on display at Cal Academy • Oakland’s Thee Stork Club bans AI promos.
GOODS & SERVICES • Friday Routine
Kid stuff
BARBARA MIGHDOLL • owner/creator • MNTSTUDIO/New Modern Mom
Neighborhood you work in: Marina
It’s Friday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
I’m up at 615a. I get in 20 minutes of movement, then get dressed, pack a bag with a change of clothes for pilates, and wrangle my kids out the door. Two school drop-offs later, I arrive at the studio and head upstairs to our co-working space and settle in.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
We try to keep a rhythm of weekly Wednesday date nights — this week it’s Firefly Restaurant in Noe Valley. On Thursday, we’re heading to Dalida. Over the weekend, we’ll be at The Junction in Mill Valley with the kids. It’s casual, easy, and has a playground.
How about a little leisure or culture?
We often end up at the Outpost Playground at Tunnel Tops, which might be one of the most magical spots in the city for little ones.
When it’s adults-only, we slip away to wine country. In Sonoma, we love starting with a tasting at MacRostie Winery in Healdsburg, then a long lunch at Bravas, followed by a little shopping at Bon Ton Studio + Baby in the square. For Napa days, it’s usually two tastings — Raymond Vineyards and Prisoner Wine Co. — before settling in for a late lunch at Bottega in Yountville.
Any weekend getaways?
Truckee, CA. I know it might be a bold take, but I’ll say it — Tahoe summers beat Tahoe winters. Some of our favorite rituals include a morning coffee and croissants at Coffeebar (always worth the line), Pizza on the Hill on Saturdays, where the kids dance to live music while we split a bottle of wine, and trivia night at GoodWolf Brewing on Wednesdays.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
Jamie Haller penny loafers. Supple, soft leather with zero break-in time, and just the right amount of polish.I also added another color of the Clare V. Grande Belt Bag to my rotation. It’s hands-down the best on-the-go mom bag.
What store or service do you always recommend?
Redmint Spa for their holistic treatments, Dermaplus for glowing skin, Wrecking Ball Coffee for that perfect morning pick-me-up, Look at Me SF for Russian manicures that somehow last for weeks, ShapedAF for lymphatic drainage massages, Palmetto Superfoods for açaí bowls, and Sunless Studio for the most natural-looking glow.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Whip It
Cheap Trick • The Guild (Menlo Park) • Fri @ 8p • GA, $217 per
Natalia Lafourcade • Cancionera Tour • San Jose Civic (San Jose) • Sat @ 8p • 205E, $159 per
Calypso's Feast • pre-Folsom BDSM brunch • Curio (Mission) • Sun @ 3p • VIP+dom, $83 per
REAL ESTATE • First Mover
Lake life
According to legend, when the first European settlers crossed the Sierra, a Paiute chief rode toward them calling “tro-kay,” which loosely translated means “everything is OK, you’re safe here.” Though the area hit some bumps since then — yes, its Donner Pass refers to those Donners — residents in today’s Truckee live with that same, early attitude; the biggest tension you’ll see is the line for the EV chargers at the Crossroads. Over the past year, 398 residential sales are on record, at a median price of $1.205M. Here, three listings for those seeking the mountain-to-lake lifestyle:
→ 14924 Northwoods Blvd (Truckee, above) • 3BR/2BA, 1919 SF • Ask: $925K (down from $949K on 8/29) • 1986 build classic on early-plow street • Days on market: 21 • Agent: Ethan Pontz, Coldwell Banker.
→ 13345 Skiview Loop (Truckee) • 4BR/3BA, 2703 SF • Ask: $1.949M • new construction with high ceilings, loft • Days on market: 9 • Agent: Nina Clifton, Sierra Sotheby’s.
→ 750 John McKinney (Truckee) • 4BR/3.1BA, 3875 SF • Ask: $5.295M • custom Clare Walton design on quiet cul-de-sac • Days on market: 30 • Agent: Katie Tyler, Tahoe Mountain Realty.
REAL ESTATE LINKS: Rare Presidio Terrace home hits market for $12.5M • 20-floor residential tower proposed for SoMa • SF office leasing jumps 63% • $85M Green Gables sale is Bay Area’s biggest estate move since 2012.
GETAWAYS • Palm Springs
Down time
The best places in Palm Springs mix the area’s retro chic with forward thinking, like boutique hotel Azure Sky. The 14-room lodgings opened in 2022, kitty corner from the Ace Hotel. It’s much more laid back than its neighbor, with spacious rooms arranged around a minimalist courtyard. The pool is tucked away, big enough to lounge by when the sun is going strong, but far from a “party hotel" anchor position. Decor is earth and sand tones, mid-century modern furniture, and some abstract art that lets the brain go soft.
The lobby bar features elixirs from local brand Mertails, but there’s no restaurant on-site. Instead, make the 10-minute stroll to Bar Cecil, where bar seats can be secured even on a sold-out night. In the morning, complimentary breakfast arrives in a basket hung outside the room, waiting for you when you rise. –Flora Tsapovsky
→ Azure Sky (Palm Springs) •1661 S Calle Palo Fierro • Rooms from $359/night/Sept weekend.
GETAWAYS LINKS: The appeal of Big Bear • Wealthy residents moving to CA desert communities • Landmark bowling alley and diner in Bakersfield for sale • Reno casino Grand Sierra Resort spending $1B on record-setting expansion • Hawaii airfare battle heats up • Amex launches new Travel app with Centurion Lounge wait times • Fall travel comes into its own.
LOST & FOUND • Behind the paywall
→ A handful of favorite Bay restaurants from new subscribers: Dalida (Presidio) • Golden Boy (North Beach, Parkside) • Viva Goa (Marina) • Harborview (Embarcadero) • Cinderella Bakery & Cafe (Inner Richmond).