Friday, April 24th, 2009 marked the beginning of the Upper Haight Monthly Salon. Over 20 merchants participated by hosting a special event in their shops between the hours of 5pm -9pm. There were a lot of pedestrians strolling the street enjoying the various offerings along the way. Aqua Surf Shop had art in action. While visitors sipped Mai Tai's and nibbled cheese, they could watch a large canvas being transformed into an abstract painting. A live DJ completed the scene. DJ's were also spinning at other venues including Buffalo Exhange and CoCoLuxe. There were live performances at Soul Patch Tattoo, Mendel's Far Out Fabric and Art, and the Red Vic Peace Center. After playing in the cool wind for a while, the Jugtown Pirates were offered a space at the Peoples Cafe. If you stopped into the PureBeauty shop, you could walk away with a goodie bag of samples. Dollhouse Betty not only gave out wonderful tealights made with coconut essential oils (after the oiled wax melts, you use it to massage someone special,) but they also had a window tableau complete with a beautiful live model. Outside the window, an adorable young lady played accordian (which is the official instrument of San Francisco.) There were many exhibits of artwork by local artists, and OffBeat on Haight had some trunk shows set up. Paul Madonna met the public at the Booksmith politely talking about his style of capturing the city and signing his book "All Over Coffee." A small sampling of his work was on exhibit in the window. Coffee to the People also had some great art and the "photo booth" was a hoot - a fun idea. Other shops offered special discounts for the evening. I am sure that I am leaving a lot out...you just have to attend the next salon on the last Friday of the month to explore for yourself. There was a pleasant party atmosphere on the street and I personally enjoyed running into friends and neighbors as we explored the varied shops that make the Upper Haight corridor so special.
Acknowledgment must go to the good folks at Buffalo Exchange - in particular, Kate Morrow. They had the idea, energy, and organization to pull this event together. Congratulations on a successful endeavor. Let the good times roll.
