The Blog

Photo by dbaron

There's been a lot of talk lately about renaming the Bay Bridge after former San Francisco mayor Willie Brown. 

According to the Huffington Post, a resolution to rename the bridge was introduced last week by Assemblyman Isadore Hall at the request of the California NAACP.

Hall told the San Francisco Chronicle, "He is an iconic figure not just for African Americans, but for all people across the state of California."

Brown is largely responsible for the design and location of the modern bridge – a battle with lawmakers that led to years of delays – but, I just don't think the "Brown Bridge" has quite the same ring to it as the Bay Bridge does. 

Technically the resolution wouldn't rename the whole bridge after Brown – just the western span connecting San Francisco and Yerba Buena Island – thankfully leaving the possibility for someone from the East Bay to have the honor of having the east span named after them. (I'm rooting for Angela Davis). 

I have nothing against "Da Mayor" but I'm just saying that there are a lot cooler and more iconic people that the bridge could be named after. 

1. Emperor Joshua Norton

There was actually a proposition to rename the western span of the bridge after the city's first and foremost eccentric in 2004. Unfortunately, the town didn't feel quite the same love for the self-proclaimed Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico as the city, and the proposal didn't pass. 

2. Arnold Schwarzenegger 

Okay, hear me out here. I know it could be considered treason to name a bridge in the world's most liberal city after a Republican Governor of California, but I have good reason. The bridge is made of metal, Schwarzenegger is practically made of metal. You get where I'm going with this ... Also, the former "Governator" did play a huge part in finally finishing the bridge. Even if it did come with Chinese parts and a Chinese receipt. 

3. Gavin Newson 

The poor Bay Bridge has always lived under the shadow of the flashy Golden Gate Bridge and often been misrepresented as her ugly ducking sister bridge. So why not rename the western span with someone that instantly brings to mind a handsome face? 

4. Angela Davis

Hell, why not name the whole damn bridge after the most bad-ass woman the Bay area has ever produced. 

5. Google 

I was really hoping for a Google Field when the Niners moved down to Santa Clara, but I guess I'll just have to settle for a bridge. Just kidding. If this ever happens, I'm leaving the bay. Seriously. 

In the world of San Francisco tech something innovative and scandalous is usually going down every week. And there's usually someone on the outside working themselves into a tizzy about it. Here's all the juicy gossip you need to know before the weekend starts.

Photo by mrjoro

California realtors are predicting Livermore will be one of California's top 10 hottest neighborhoods this year. Other Bay Area cities on the list include a mix of less shocking places like the Mission and Willow Glen in Silicon Valley. Neighborhood hotness is based on how much realtors expect the prices in those 'hoods to rise in 2013 and are mostly places I've never heard of. 

Some explain the decrease in available listings and the increase in pricing in areas like Livermore to be based on up-and-coming schools, better commutes, and "hip local vibes." It's getting pretty damn hard to afford to live in cities as expensive as SF, but I think there must be more reasons why people are moving to Livermore and not somewhere else when fleeing crushing finances. Here are five uneducated guesses why you would move to Livermore:

1. You really like liver

And you want it more. With some fava beans and a nice chianti.

2. You like living on the edge

... of what's considered the Bay Area. By map makers, but not all San Franciscans.

3. You don't want your friends to visit you ever again

You could probably never clean your house again. That's worth considering.

4. You won a free house

Those free houses you see in weird local magazines gotta be somewhere, right? Maybe those houses happen to be in the same place where they discovered the chemical element livermorium.

5. You killed someone and you need to lay low for a while

I'm not entirely sure what writing this thought says about me.

SWOON and The Bold Italic have found your SWOON local guys of the day. SWOON is available on both Android and Apple, so it has thousands of faces to browse.

Name: Alex Chrisman

Neighborhood: Inner Richmond

Gig: Owner / Creative Director, HoffmanChrisman

What's your favorite place to pick up women? You can't really plan these things (at least I can't). I meet a lot of people through my job, going to openings / events … otherwise I pretty much live at Planet Granite or a crag someplace.

Where's your go-to date place? Coffee and Ocean Beach with my dog Charlie. He's a big flirt.

What are you up to these days? Running and growing my business! Entrepreneurship is a wild ride. We work in wine, fashion, and lifestyle industries in general – the long hours are easier in a vineyard. I also have a large following on Pinterest and Tumblr, which has created some cool opportunities recently!

Where would you have your last meal on earth? Buster's BBQ in Calistoga. Tri-tip is practically a religion, and it's worth a pilgrimage.

Who's your favorite quintessential local character? Zachariah the Zen saxophonist at the Velo Rouge, my corner coffee shop. He's got the warmest, most positive vibe of anyone I've ever met. If you haven't met him, you should … buy him a cup of coffee and learn something.

What would you change about SF? Longer Indian summers. 

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