It's Happening: Home Prices Drop in "Surprising" Neighborhoods

OK, so it's not quite a return to affordable rent or Beatnik-era SF livability, but...it's a start, right?

SFGate is reporting that Redfin is reporting that while home prices are skyrocketing in neighborhoods that were formerly known as affordable, prices in "surprising" neighborhoods -- aka, traditionally tony Pacific Heights, Russian Hill and the Marina -- are sharply down.

UPDATE: The Orbit Room Reopens, and SF Heaves a Sigh of Relief

Great news for lovers of craft cocktails and uncomfortable seating: The Orbit Room, which abruptly closed in April, has reopened!

EaterSF has the whole story. Cow Holla will give our take as soon as we get across town to try it out.

First Look: Glassybaby on Union

New life has finally come to the old Uko location on Union. And its contents are beautiful. 

Update: La Boulangerie de San Francisco Is Open on Union

It's open!

Update: Former Republic to Open as Spaghetti Bros. Later this Month

From the Cow Holla-adjacent file: Eater SF has a nice write-up about what's to become of the former Republic space on Lombard & Scott. Apparently, it's going to be a spaghetti joint that straddles the line between high and low...kinda like how Republic was supposed to be a sports bar that elevated the concept with high-quality food and low(ish)-priced game-day suds.

Here's hoping the new team has long-term success -- and gluten-free pasta options.

1 Reopening and a Funeral: Vive La Boulange(?), Au Revoir Betelnut

While food blogs are abuzz this morning about the possible redemption/reopening of La Boulange cafes not just on Union Street but throughout our fair city, a longtime dining staple right across the street is throwing in the chopsticks.

Betelnut is closing. In 2 days.

Update: American Cupcake -- > Italian Marketplace

Well, we were partially right in our previous post about the new occupants of the former, long-empty American Cupcake location on Union Street. The place is Italian, all right. But it's got much mote than ice cream on offer.