The Burlingame Voice

"The Problem With Spending Time in Burlingame is....

....you just don't want to go anywhere else."

So says Nate Pfaff who has created the best video tribute to life in our little burg you are likely to ever see.  Find it here on YouTube.  Exceptional work!

The Man Behind Mollie's is Ringing Out

Austin Walsh at the Daily Journal has delivered an outstanding piece about the impending retirement of one of the most well-liked people in town -  Mark Lucchesi.  Click through here to read it; I'll just grab a couple bits for the historical record.

But with almost two decades of work in the industry beyond his 28 years at Mollie Stone’s, Lucchesi has seen more than his fair share of grocery store wars. As a youngster, he took his first job out of college working for his father who owned two markets – Jim’s Super in Burlingame and Capuchino Market in Millbrae. Following his term in the family business, Lucchesi pivoted to working at Petrini’s before eventually matriculating to Mollie Stone’s.

He worked for a while at the company’s Palo Alto location but jumped at the opportunity to manage the Burlingame store when it opened in 1999, excited to take a job back in his hometown and work close to where he lived.

Mark has been integral to a number of local events and charities-- Taste of the Town and charity auctions for the schools come to mind and I'm sure you can recall others as the Lion's did.  "He won the Burlingame Lions Club Citizen of the Year Award in 2017 for his philanthropic endeavors."

He also brings back the memories of the Safeway rebuild that you can revisit by working backward from here.

Lucchesi said in that role he has encountered a great many skirmishes over the years, first recalling the rivalry formed with the construction of a new downtown Safeway in Burlingame. Reflecting on initial fears that the titan’s competition would topple Mollie Stone’s, Lucchesi is proud of the way his independent outlet sustained itself.  About a decade after the new Safeway arrived in Burlingame, Lucchesi said the potential blood feud has since evolved into something more closely resembling a friendly rivalry.

Speaking from experience, I think Mark and Kathy are going to really enjoy retirement.  With their network of friends in a town they love, they'll never be short of a friendly face to have a chat with.  The next time I see Mark I will snap a photo for this post.  Hopefully he will be in an aloha shirt and looking relaxed.  Congrats, man.

Looking for Silver Linings of 2020

As this annus horribilis winds its way to its midnight conclusion, I have been searching for whatever silver linings come to mind.  There aren't many and perhaps some of you will add a few more, but these are what I have come up with:

With schools going virtual and organized sports on hold, it was a rough year for kids.  On the bright side, it's gratifying to see how many kids rediscovered their bikes.  Bike sales skyrocketed (unfortunately so did bike thefts) and seeing so many B'game kids cruising the streets with or without their parents has been great.  Popping wheelies is also back and modern bikes allow for some impressive wheelie yardage.

Sales of puppies may even be outstripping that of bikes.  On my dog walks, I have seen more puppies in the last two months than I can ever recall.  Even better, new owners seem to have the time on their hands to do puppy training.  I took the puppy obedience classes at the SPCA at Coyote Point years ago and know the basics, but there must be some good YouTube instruction for these new owners to learn virtually since they are doing so well.  I bet there are a lot of dogs as happy as are mine with the extra walks.

Our restaurants have been at the epicenter of the business stress.  Many were temporarily closed even before the latest lockdown and some are not likely to make it.  But in speaking to the owner of one of my favorites on the Avenue, he noted that through all of this he has gotten to know his customers better than he ever has before.  People really wanted to talk when they were out, as we saw with the BAAZ, and owners and staff are happy to comply.

Spring cleaning started right on time and then continued for months and months.  It is still on-going if the "Donations Are Full" signs at Pick of the Litter are any indication.  I once saw the donation line at the Goodwill in San Mateo stretch into the street and bend back almost to El Camino.  20 cars.  People generally have good hearts and 2020 made it more visible.  Home improvements followed suit and local gardens certainly benefited.  Lowes, Home Depot and nurseries made it to "essential business" status.

All things on Zoom and virtual is a double-edged sword.  Hanging out with people is key to many, especially the extroverts, and web conferencing is a thin substitute.  But on the plus side, we can hangout with friends from far away or long ago easier than ever.  Having health care providers adapt to virtual sessions will be another long-term benefit.

The last silver lining I have is a prediction.  As things return to normal, we will all have a greater appreciation for a lot of heretofore less-noticed things.  Meetups for morning coffee, sitting at a ballgame at Bayside or Washington Park, the Lion's Car Show, Art on the Avenue, going to church in church, and family gatherings will all be sweeter than before.  Happy New Year!  Bring on 2021.    

Purple Tears

As we teeter on the brink of going to the dreaded "purple tier" I was struck by how the Vinyl Room - which has been closed for 9+ months -- keeps the lights on in a rotating color scheme.  It was just getting into the groove of having regular live music when the virus struck.  This is the closest bar to my house and thus holds a special position in my thinking.  When I was a grad student in Center City Philly, the closest bar was an ancient Irish bar that was just on the other side of the back wall of my apartment.  I think "pony" Rolling Rocks were a quarter.

So the owner of the Vinyl Room, Juan, is to be thanked for keeping the lights on.  I hope his landlord and he are figuring it out.  BPD is not enamored with the idea of music venues holding events--even outdoors, but as the Chron noted recently

“You need to do a little extra when winter comes,” said Blaine Merker of the San Francisco office of Gehl, an urban design firm with Scandinavian roots. “It’s about extending an invitation, going from functional to celebratory.”  Add music — members of the San Francisco Ballet’s orchestra played on Hayes Street several evenings last month — and makeshift starts to become a scene.

Bay Area cities responded smartly to the onslaught of the pandemic by making it easier for residents and businesses to make use of our streets via regulatory initiatives that took into account the need for social distancing. Another welcome step? Many are now extending the right for parklets to be in place well into 2021, which will help give beleaguered businesses the confidence to invest in their outdoor spaces.

At the same time, cities are tweaking their parklet standards to take winter conditions into account, such as the need for sidewalk gutters to be able to flow freely during rainstorms. Some, including San Francisco, have small grants available for businesses that need a financial boost to build a safe space outdoors.

What’s still needed — and time is running out — is taking the initiative to energize our shared landscape. A plaza or publicly owned parking lot could hold a communal market — perhaps shielded by an eye-catching waterproof tarp above the space. Public art commissions could line up (and pay) performers who would be available for gigs in neighborhood retail areas on days when blocks are closed.

Elsewhere downtown, I have been in contact with the city about the parklets that are shall-we-say "underutilized".  One in particular is getting a look since it takes up a couple spaces and I never see anyone using it.  It was also gratifying to see the support for a performance space in the new "Town Square".  More to follow, but here is my own Purple Tear.

As promised in the comment, Jennifer has provided this really cool photo from our past.  You can see the Senator Coctail Lounge on the left where the Vinyl Room is now.  It was the "Cosiest Spot in Town" and its phone number was DI 4-1466.

Historical Reference: The Corner Smoke Shop

There are days when I really miss certain B'game establishments.  La Pinata.  Route 66.  The record store on Hatch Ln.  Yianni's--but we have a new Greek restaurant moving in where the Nachoria was!!  Of course, the Bit of England.  Towle's.  The Burlingame Drive-in--don't we need that now instead of a big office building that might never get occupied?  Like 220 California--a dead weight on our downtown.

Today I am really missing the Smoke Shop on the Avenew.  I miss Fred telling me what the real name of the place was, but I just have to stick with the Smoke Shop.  I know the remaining partners run the cigar shop, and I thank them for that, but you could walk into the Smoke Shop and buy newspapers from around the world.  You want the three main London papers?  They had 'em.  Safeway has the pink FT somedays, but not the others.  You want the Singapore Straits Times, they had it.  Yesterday I wanted the New York Post, but did not know where to buy it.  If the twits at Twitter and the fakes at Facebook don't want me to read something, well, that just makes me want to read it even more.  Good luck with the censorship.  It hasn't worked since Ben Franklin bought his first printing press and it won't work now.

Cooling center in Burlingame

We live an an unsettling time where nothing is the way we expect. Yesterday and today we've broken temperature records for this time of year. In year's past however those of us who are not blessed with air conditioning or swimming holes could rely on cooling centers like the public library. ( Why our library could not be open as a cooling center even with today's challenges is a sore point with me, but I don't want to rant and rave today, it's simply too hot.) What I would rather do is remind everyone that there is a reliable cooling center in Burlingame that is always open and can easily accommodate social distancing. It's our extensive bay front. I took my lawn chair and a cooler and went there on both days. The cooling effect was not as great as a dip in a cold pool or not akin to being surrounded by cool air from the AC, but it was a respite of sorts and somehow looking at the water in the bay had the intended cooling effect. At some points along the bay front trail there were, like me, those who just wanted to enjoy the breeze and the view, others could be seen in the water and on the beach, yes a beach in Burlingame--not a particularly pretty one,(the scene reminded me of something from behind the iron curtain,) but yeah it was a beach and it was giving pleasure to a number of people. In short, in these strange times, we can rely on something, small as it is. Consider this a positive public service reminder that we who live in Burlingame can enjoy the bay anytime we want and it's right in our own backyards.  

A Tale of Two Parklets

I talked about how I believe parklets (taking over some parking spaces, but leaving the roadway open) are a better solution for saving restaurants than the wholesale street closures here.  Now that some restaurants outside of the Burlingame Avenue Autonomous Zone (BAAZ) are jumping on the parklet idea, we can start to compare approaches.  Chatting about it with a few locals, the idea seems to be popular since it is seven days a week and can be done nicely.  Our Michelin-starred Rasa seems to have done the best local design so far.

But check out the effort by Moody's in Truckee!  All of the restaurants along Commercial Row are using the raised platform approach, but Moody's has upped the game with amazing lighting, curtains, heaters and loudspeakers.

Using the ugly orange hydro-barriers on all three sides instead of just the on-coming traffic side seems like a B'game-only approach--San Mateo doesn't require it.  B'game restaurants will hopefully make continuous improvements since these will likely be with us at least til the rains start.

The Voice Blog at 17

Today is the 17th anniversary of the Burlingame Voice blog.  Our original paper editions were hand-delivered to front porches a few times per year, but the move on-line in 2003 brought more immediacy and added interactivity--attributes we take for granted today.

The list of Categories (found on the right hand frame) has expanded as a means of tracking the conversations on specific topics and, of course, there is always Google or Duck Duck Go if you want to go way back in time.  That degree of referentiality and the back-linking it enables is a clear differentiation from other on-line resources.  When coupled with our laser focus on Burlingame issues, only crossing the border when the local impact might be felt, and the option of anonymity we allow makes for an informative and fun forum.  At least we hope so.  The rising readership numbers (particularly as the pandemic has increased everyone's screen time) would seem to support that view.

So blog on, we'll be here.  Happy 17th Anniversary.

Slang: Blgm, Bilgum, B'game, Blingum...........

It's time again for a little fun of the historical flavor.  I loved this letter to the editor in yesterday's Daily Journal:

Although I now reside in San Mateo (past forty 40 years) I grew up in Burlingame starting in 1950. What a fabulous city to grow up in and enjoy the city in the 50s and 60s while attending Roosevelt Grammar School, Burlingame Intermediate School and Burlingame High School.

I’ve noticed the Daily Journal abbreviates Burlingame as BGAME. I contacted some old chums and they agree the abbreviation has always been BLGM (pronounced Bilgum).  Hopefully your staff can make this correction and refer to this beautiful city as it should be. Thanks.

Paul Stuppi

San Mateo

I would note we just lost our greatest Burlingame historian, Martha May, last week so the absolute best person to ask can no longer be asked.  You can find Martha's self-penned, dry-as-she-liked-it obituary here.  Martha was a stickler for accuracy, an avid archivist and a steady hand at the Historical Society.  She will be missed.  At the next meeting perhaps we can solicit all of the nicknames for our little burg.

I recall Herb Caen referring to us as B'lingame and suggesting it be pronounced Blingum.  I'll bet there is a Caen clipping or two in the archives to correct my memory!  Thanks Paul for a provocative look at our nickname--gotta tell you I still prefer B'game! Just don't call it Boringame.

Covid-19 Tracking and Planning

It's time to start a new thread on our tracking of the coronavirus.  You can see the prior post from March 24th and the path of the virus' growth in the County here.  Today's County report at SMChealth.org shows 16 new cases in the County for a total of 767.  67 cases are currently in hospital and 7,295 total tests have been done with a 10% positive ratio.  Recall there are about 769,000 people in the County so the testing rate is still minuscule.

There was a great human interest story in the Daily Journal yesterday about Officer Steve Vega.  I've chatted with the officer on the street before (the last time was in front of the Apple store during the on-going patrol there) and I'm thrilled to hear he is better.  He may be down at Stanford right now donating

After recovering from COVID-19, Burlingame police Officer Steve Vega is hoping the antibodies in his blood can be used to treat others infected with the disease.  Vega, 55, is among the first participants in a new effort by Stanford Blood Center to treat COVID-19 patients while the world waits for a vaccine to be developed.

The 22-year Burlingame officer is set to donate his plasma, the liquid in blood, at Stanford this Thursday and however many times is needed after that.

Also in the news is some data on how the work-at-home trend for self-isolating plays out across the economy.  Having worked full-time from home for more than a decade one article about the trials the newbies are discovering was gratifying to read.  On the data side, the Wall Street Journal has a piece titled "The Lucky Stay-at-home 37%"

A newly released study called “How Many Jobs Can Be Done at Home?” reckons that 37% of all U.S. jobs can plausibly be done at home, meaning that nearly two-thirds cannot. The study’s authors, from the University of Chicago’s Becker-Friedman Institute, add that their 37% estimate is at the “upper bound of what might be feasible.”  Along with other studies, this one also finds that those in jobs that can be done from home “typically earn more.” By their calculations, for example, 37% of jobs that can be done at home account for 46% of all wages.

Those who have stressed the need to get our economy up and running again are sometimes criticized for favoring profits over people. But the Becker-Friedman paper underscores that those lower down on the socio-economic scale are most in need of a re-opening for their livelihoods.

That's an important point that can be missed during the high-anxiety zeitgeist we are in.  Here is the Avenew showing that zeitgeist.