Miraloma Park Improvement Club

Miraloma Life: April 2006

• MPIC Spring Event
• Picturing Miraloma Life
• Miraloma Elementary School Spring Festival
• School of the Arts
• The San Francisco Fire Department Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT) Training is Coming to Our Area
• Fifth Chinese Daughter – A News Poem
• Will Sunnyside squeeze into the City Budget surplus?
• The Rain is With Us
• Alexander Calder and the Surrealists
• Tree Ordinance
• Prepaid Parking Meter Cards
• Landscaping your Property
• Miraloma Park Residential Guidelines on Line
• Legal Ease
• Rental Agent Wanted
• Design Matters
• Neighborhood Alert
• www.miralomapark.org
• Medicines to Take On Vacation
• Mother’s Day Garden Tour

MPIC Spring Event

by Jim O’Donnell

Your Miraloma Park Improvement Club is dedicated to welcoming new members of our neighborhood. And there have been quite a few since the last “welcome to the neighborhood” mixer last Fall. The success of that event has impressed upon the board of MPIC the continuing need to make sure that new residents are welcomed to our beautiful community that may not have the look but certainly has the feel of a small town. It is important for everyone to understand that there is an active neighborhood association to represent them in relation to the City as a whole as well as offer activities that benefit our local community.

Of course, a neighborhood mixer is not just about the new residents, but everyone else in the local community who wants to meet new people and enjoy an afternoon at the MPIC Clubhouse. Your Miraloma Park Improvement Club is providing all the snacks and drinks for the event free of charge on Sunday, May 21 between 3 and 5 PM. We will have wine and other drinks as well as cheese and other snacks.

The event is scheduled for Sunday, May 21 from 3 to 5PM. Make time to meet your neighbors, speak with the people who represent and protect you like District 7 Supervisor Sean Elsbernd, Capt. Paul Chignell, SF Ingleside Police Commander, and others. Assemblyman Leland Yee, running for State Senator, appeared at our last event in the Fall and is expected to attend. Cassandra Mettling-Davis and Peter Zepponi, author of “Design Matters”, our local architects, will also be there to answer questions about home improvement.

There will be exhibits set up on gardening and landscaping in our area, on native birds and trees, on public safety and the Neighborhood Emergency Response Team, on the history of Miraloma Park and other fascinating and useful topics.

Put it on your calendar now! Sunday, May 21, 3-5PM, at the MPIC Clubhouse, 350 O’Shaughnessy at Del Vale, the quaint green building near the bus stop. Reach out to your new neighbors and invite them! Let’s let people know that Miraloma Park is vibrant and welcoming, see you there!

  

Picturing Miraloma Life

by Jacquie Proctor

The Mount Davidson Cross was dedicated a month before Easter Sunday in 1934. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Mayor Angleo Rossi addressed the crowd at the Mount Davidson Cross dedication on March 4, 1934, after “charging the San Francisco Boy Scouts with guardianship of the record box.” J. O. Munson, the construction contractor for the cross (and Miraloma Elementary School), presented the sand and cement mixed by members of the Native Sons and Daughters with water from the River Jordan. John McLaren, Superintendent of Parks, placed two rocks from Gethsemane in the vault, and Henry Brunnier, consulting engineer for the building of San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, most of San Francisco’s skyscrapers, and the Mount Davidson Cross, sealed the cornerstone.

Jacquie Proctor – 584-8694 jacquie@mtdavidson.org

  

Miraloma Elementary School Spring Festival

Mark your calendar for an afternoon of food, fun and entertainment, including live music from The Jakes and Playdate. Event features bake sale and food stands; games, activities and prizes for kids; raffle to win a Hawaiian vacation, restaurant gift certificates
and more; silent auction with goods and services from more than 100 San Francisco businesses. For details and directions visit http://www.miralomasf.com/. Saturday, May 6, 11 – 3 Free admission

  

School of the Arts

San Francisco School of the Arts (SOTA), the arts-education treasure in Miraloma Park’s backyard, offers music, theatre and visual arts in April at the campus, 555 Portola at O’Shaughnessy.

Weekday noon chamber music concerts will be presented on Wednesday, April 5, and Friday, April 7, both in Room 224.
On Thursday, April 20, the junior class art show will be held at 5:30 in the school’s Gallery.

The weekend of April 28-30, the Theatre Department presents gender-bent Shakespeare with “Two Gentlewomen of Verona” in the Drama Studio. Performances will be Friday, April 28, and Saturday, April 29, both at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, April 30, at 2:30 p.m. For more information, please go to http://www.sfsota-ptsa.org/, or call the box office, 415/695-5720. SOTA has free parking.

  

The San Francisco Fire Department Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT) Training is Coming to Our Area

The goal of the NERT program is to have the citizens of San Francisco be self sufficient in a major disaster by developing multi-functional teams, cross trained in basic emergency skills. Through this program, individuals learn hands-on disaster skills which will help them as members of an emergency response team and/or as leaders directing untrained volunteers during an emergency, acting independently or as an adjunct to City emergency services. The 20 hour training consists of six class sessions of approximately 3 hours each. It is taught by experts from the San Francisco Fire Department. The NERT training is free to the public and might be one of the most valuable trainings you’ve ever taken.

As we have seen in Katrina, sometimes in an emergency situation there may be no help coming. People have to be prepared to be self-reliant for basic sustenance needs, medical attention and shelter.

The NERT training makes you more able to help yourself, your family and your neighbors.

Please invest the time. The skills you learn may be priceless. The impact on your life and neighborhood profound.

Training begins April 5th and will be held every Wednesday 6pm to 9pm (4/5 through 5/3) at the Glen Park Rec.Center Bosworth & O’Shaughnessy

Register on line at www.sfgov.org/sffdnert or call (415) 970-2024. If you would like to be involved as a member of the Miraloma Park /Mt. Davidson NERT team or if you have any questions contact the area coordinators Jed Lane (jed@jedlane.com) or Gary Isaacson (garyi6n@aol.com).

  

Fifth Chinese Daughter – A News Poem

by Stan Andersen

Born just as snow
Fell once in San Francisco
Ages ago Connie Ong
Arrested life
As a young artist;

She set up shop
In a store window
To make her pots
Openly as she’d learned to
In college,

A woman working
At her craft

She lived to become famous:
The daughter
Of immigrants

Fifth Chinese Daughter
Jade Snow Wong

  

Will Sunnyside squeeze into the City Budget surplus?

by Andrea O’Leary

The Mayor says there isn’t a surplus in the City General Fund, the Board of Supervisors aren’t saying one way or the other, but every other interest category who has a line item for collection on the prospect that there might be one have lined up to collect. Capital renovation projects for the Recreation and Park Dept. are no exception. Sixteen items are listed because they have what is called “significant forecasted shortfalls” which is interesting because some of them were never slated for capital improvements in the first place, others aren’t a “project” at all, such as Midtown Terrace Reservoir Top which went through several years of planning and community meetings which resulted in the PUC saying after the 9/11 disaster that they were no longer allowing activities to be housed on reservoir tops such as tennis and basketball courts. Other projects have not even begun their needs assessments, planning or community input processes much less having formed Master Plans or received approval for renovation designs. Sunnyside Conservatory, a landmark site, is listed after having made every list and been removed from them all.

What is missing is Sunnyside Park who is slated for renovations to begin sometime this fall when many residents think it should have been included so that it can complete the full renovation current City budget surpluses from a couple of years ago does not cover. What’s not funded is the recreational center building and extra ADA (American Disabilities of America) requirements. Park advocates have made the point at two Board of Supervisor’s Budget and Finance Committee hearings that if there is any possibility that some of the other projects can scoot over just a little to allow the Park to slither in at this dinner table, the project could be completed once and for all. Otherwise, the building continues to deteriorate at a rapid rate and will either need to be addressed or condemned. If funding becomes available in coming years, the currently slated improvements will have to be almost completely redone because they will be destroyed in order to access the building which is suspended from a steep hillside, held up by columns and closely surrounded by tennis and basketball courts and the newly planned Plaza. There are no empty spaces around the building or on steep slopes to accommodate machinery and demolition. Although the neighborhood will feel the disappointment of having to wait a few months longer then currently expected to use the new facilities, it is believed that it will be worth it to not have to go through another major construction project in a few years. But, then again, this is all conjecture because the Citizens of San Francisco don’t know if they really have a surplus to wish for or not.

  

The Rain is With Us

The mist has slid down the mountain
And everywhere soft rain falls.
The square of sky my window
captures is gray and only gray.
I have this to view or my books
or the mild pastel-colored room.

For a long moment, between the slow
swishes of cars tracking the wet road,
comes a silence so complete I can
imagine that time has not slipped by
since the tribes sheltered and listened
as the tall trees dripped long ago.

They would have had a cave or
a thatched grass hut or other woven
cover. A fire would have burned,
not constrained to a small brick box
but full and open, sheltered only from
the rain. The silence extends every-

where, like living tissue expanding
to claim any vacant crevice. Enclosed
by this wilderness of moist care, all
sleep curled around their warmth, backs
to the cold air, while the drowsing
dogs keep guard by the door.

The rain falls.
The wind dies.
A lone crow calls.
All else is utterly still.
Nothing enters but the past.
Nothing leaves but the future.

(C) 2002 by Dan Liberthson

 

Alexander Calder and the Surrealists

Everyone loves a mobile and Alexander Calder made that so. He was a man facscinated and in love with wire and pliers. Don’t miss the great new show at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. It features many of the wire mobiles and stabiles that made Calder great. It also demonstrates his relationship to the surrealists of the 1920’s and 30’s in Paris. Paintings by Yves Tanguey, Jean Arp, Rene Magritte, Joan Miro and Pablo Picasso are also shown. For those on a budget, the museum is free on the first Tuesday of every month.

 

Wanted Information on This Furry Faced Creature

To my surprise there was no message from our friend under my garbage can cover this month. Have I offended in some way?

I read the saga of the coyote in New York’s Central Park and hope our friend did not use his frequent flyer miles to make such an inauspicious journey. No, more likely, he has a bad cold and has been lying low. Anyone with information, please let us know so we can report in next month’s issue.

The editor.

 

Tree Ordinance

by Gary Noguera

Recently, additions to the San Francisco Public Works code went into law. The changes will be of great interest to those of us with larger trees, and for all who appreciate the beauty and benefits of our “tall silent friends”. Supervisor Jake McGoldrick was instrumental in creating the legislation, which is intended to further protect both street trees and certain trees on private property.

As property owners, we already have the responsibility to properly maintain the health of our trees. This was painfully highlighted during recent storms, when a number of trees in the area came down from the wind and rain. The amended ordinance basically focuses on four different aspects of protecting trees and the safety of residents of San Francisco. The third and fourth categories below should be carefully read and understood:

1. Street trees (those on street medians or in the sidewalk) are specifically protected, especially during nearby construction work, which could potentially damage them.
2. “Hazard trees” are those that are deemed an imminent danger, e.g. likely to fall or appear dead. Special provisions in the law deal with the impact to public safety from Hazard Trees.
3. SIGNIFICANT TREES may be on your property, and are now afforded special protections. A “Significant Tree” is defined as being any tree within 10 feet of the public right of way, which has a trunk diameter in excess of 12 inches, OR a height in excess of 20 feet, OR a canopy in excess of 15 feet. In checking with the city attorney, I discovered that means any tree in a front yard that meets any ONE of the three the size requirements and is within 10 feet of the edge of the sidewalk nearest to the property line becomes “Significant.” Special protections are now given to such trees. For example, they may not be removed or “topped” without special permission/permits.
4. “Landmark Trees” are trees of special importance, defined by age, species, location, historical value etc. They may be on either private or public property, but must be nominated and accepted as Landmark through a special process. A property owner, or the Board of Supervisors as well as several city agencies may make the nomination. On private property, a Landmark tree receives very special protections. The tree will also be recorded into official city records.

Note that both criminal and civil penalties may apply for those who do not follow the law. The ordinance is very well intended, and serves all of us by maintaining the beauty and benefits that we get from our special trees. For additional information, please contact Mr. Alexis Harte, SF Dept. of the Environment 415-355-3764

 

Prepaid Parking Meter Cards

by Gary Noguera

Tired of hunting for coins when you need to park at a metered space in San Francisco? There is another option that many people are not aware of- a prepaid card that is available in $20.00 or $50.00 increments.

Most parking meters now have this underutilized payment option enabled. There is a slot on the meter that accepts the card, in addition to the traditional spot to insert coins. When using the card, the meter first reads the imbedded computer chip information, and displays the remaining balance of the card. After that, the meter gives the option of how much you want to pay, in increments that show on the meter display window.

For example, if you need 30 minutes of parking time, the display will first show 10 minutes, then 20, then 30. That is when you pull the card out, and the debit stops. (The time increments/cost depend on the rate in effect for where you park.) The meter timer starts when you remove the card.

It took me a few tries to figure out exactly which way to put the card in, but now I have it figured out. I find it very convenient, and all my loose change is now going into my piggy bank.

Cards are available at several locations, including the ticket Kiosk at the Cable Car turnabouts at Powell/Market and the wharf, at the Montgomery Station ticket sales window, the Treasurer’s office at City Hall, MUNI on Presidio, etc.

For more information, visit the site.

 

Landscaping your Property

Among the many obvious benefits of landscaping your property is the beauty, pride and personal enjoyment it brings, and its substantial positive effects on our environment. You may not be aware however, that maintaining a garden also significantly improves the property value of your home and the homes around it.

Real Estate agents and appraisers agree that landscaping enhances the appeal of residential real estate. Many studies have shown that a well-maintained garden, in both the front and back of the home, can increase property value by anywhere from 5 – 15%. The Journal of Environmental Horticulture conducted a study indicating that poor or non-existent landscaping can actually decrease property values by up to 10%.

According to research conducted by Money Magazine, a garden of trees, shrubs and plants is one of the best home improvements you can make, in that it provides a 100% – 200% recovery value. This means if you spend $5,000 to landscape your front and back yards, you’re likely to recoup that $5,000 plus up to an additional $5,000 when you sell your home.

There’s no question that a planted garden will enhance the value of your home, as well as your neighbor’s. Please contact the MPIC at 281-0892, or e mail www.miralomapark.org if you would like further assistance in locating a landscape professional who can recommend low-cost and low-maintenance ways to plant and maintain a garden.

 

Miraloma Park Residential Guidelines on Line

The Miraloma Park Residential Guidelines were adopted in 1999 by the City Planning Commission to promote preservation of neighborhood character by encouraging residential design compatible with neighborhood setting.

Residential Design Guidelines can facilitate the complex and often frustrating process of permit application and design review and can prevent costly and time-consuming Discretionary Review proceedings. The Guidelines are available at www.miralomapark.org.

 

Legal Ease

by Steven Solomon

Did you know? The law provides many rights, obligations & wrongs – but did you know what is NOT a legal claim? There is NO cause of action for alienation of affection, a fraudulent promise to marry or a fraudulent promise to cohabit.

Even where bona fide legal claims for damages DO arise, there are many carved-out exceptions, or IMMUNITIES. Examples include psychotherapists for failure to warn of or protect from a client’s threat of harm, inspectors hired to provide independent quality review of a building permit, professional medical & dental societies, & governmental immunity.

“Check It Out” Dept: March 11 was the premiere of a documentary about the explosion of consumer credit debt, “Maxed Out,” by director James Scurlock. The Star-Telegram called it a breakout hit at the South by Southwest Film Festival. See for yourself, at www.maxedoutmovie.com.

Steve Solomon is an 18 year resident of Miraloma Park. He just relocated his law office to West Portal where he continues to represent consumers and business groups in a variety of legal issues.

 

Rental Agent Wanted

The Miraloma Park Improvement Club seeks a responsible adult to be a rental agent for our clubhouse rental hall facility. The required work is done mostly in the daytime. Much of the work can be done at home. There is no selling involved. Duties include taking applications, showing the facility, ensuring event readiness, and doing some clean-up following the event.

The role is ideal for someone looking for part-time work who is at home most of the day. Must live in or near Miraloma Park (zips 94127, 94131, eastern 94116). Pay is per rental. Reply to WOTP@Pacbell.Net or phone (415)281-0892.

 

Design Matters

Peter A. Zepponi, AIA – Architect

This is a monthly column addressing basic residential design and home improvement topics of interest to Miraloma Park residents. If you have a question or topic you’d like considered for a future article please send an email to: pazdesignmatters@aol.com or call 415.334.2868. www.zepponi-architects.com

Q: What kind of kitchen sink should I choose?
A: A sink that is functional!…and it should also go with your kitchen design.

Your main sink is the work horse fixture in you kitchen. It takes a beating and is used constantly, and therefore should be as functional and durable as possible. Some sinks may look really unique or have a fantastic price tag, but caveat emptor! You just need to understand why you’re getting such a good deal. In addition to function there are several basic considerations you should also take into account. In the end the final selection will likely be based upon personal choice, habit, and kitchen design scheme.

• Self-rimming (top mounted) sink or Under-mounted sink: I personally prefer the under mounted option for functional and sanitary reasons. A top mounted sink has a rim or lip that is sealed to the top of your countertop whereas an under mounted sink is mounted with fasteners below the countertop. The primary benefit of this is that you can wipe water, food, etc straight into the sink without it getting hung up on the lip of the sink. One other option is to have the sink fabricated or formed out of the same material as the countertop. This can be done seamlessly with solid surface countertops such as Corian, or with visible seams using many stone countertop products.
• Single, Double or Triple compartment: This depends on your habits and preferences. Do you like two or more distinct basins? Is your base cabinet wide enough to fit a double sink? Do you like a prep sink? Do you like different depth basins? Do you wash dishes in the sink? Kitchen Aid actually makes a sink that converts into a mini-dishwasher! The ‘Briva’ holds five place settings, the lid is a cutting board when down or it’s a deep sink when empty. www.kitchenaid.com
• Basin Depth: Everyone wants a ‘nice deep sink’ until I remind them that they’ll have to bend over every time they use it. This depends a lot on your height. Most countertops are 36″ high and 1 1/2″ thick so if you pick an under mounted 10 inch deep sink the bottom of the sink will be 24 1/2″ above the floor (36″-11 1/2″=24 1/2″). Take a tape measure and measure 24 1/2″ up from the floor and then stand up next to it with your hands hanging down. The distance between your fingertips and the 24 1/2″ mark is how far you’ll have to bend over every time you pick up a fork out of the sink. This is a good case for shallower sinks or one shallow and one deep. Sinks generally range between 5 and 10 inches deep.
• Material: The sink needs to ‘go’ with the design of the kitchen. There are so many options available you should be able to find a sink that meets your functional and aesthetic needs. These are some of them.
• Stainless Steel: Durable and clean, it works with many designs. Look for a minimum 18 gauge steel (20 ga is thinner; 16 ga is thicker) and some sort of acoustic deadening system so pans don’t clang. Brushed stainless doesn’t show the scratches that mirror polished stainless steel will.
• Cast Iron: glazed cast iron has been used for years. It is strong, durable, glossy, and easy to clean.
• Fireclay: is molded and then glazed and fired at very high temperatures making it very hard, and scratch resistant while having a warm feel.
• Copper: is a soft metal that will patina and change color over time and is reactive to acids. It can come in many different finishes and textures making it a distinctive centerpiece.
• Composites: are formed using different materials including quartz and granite that make them heat and scratch resistant, with a through body color vs. a surface glaze.
• Manufacturers: For more information, these manufacturers all make fine products and would be a good place to start looking: Blanco, Kohler, Porcher, Elkay, Franke, Kindred, Whitehaus, Shaw www.handcraftedmetal.com

* This column and its content are intended to be a source of general information. Applicability to your specific project should be verified.

Peter A. Zepponi, AIA – Architects, is an architectural firm in San Francisco specializing in residential and commercial architecture.

 

Neighborhood Alert

The people who paint street numbers on your curb and then aggressively demand money are back in the neighborhood. They have been operating on Portola and Evelyn in the past weeks.

This activity is illegal. If you encounter them, don’t argue or engage with them in any way. Captain Chignell of the Ingleside Police Station has requested that neighbors inform the Police about this activity. Call 553-6123.

 

www.miralomapark.org

from the editor:
Last month in response to suggestions by users of the website, I devoted the entire front page of Miraloma Life to an explanation of how the website works and a discussion of the information that can be accessed using the site. The idea was to increase use of the discussion forum where topics of interest to all neighbors can be talked about and chewed over . So far this month I have not seen any new entries. Doesn’t anyone care about the new Master Sewer Plan, Mollie Stone’s, cemented in front yards, dogs off leash, bad neighbors, what sort of plants to grow in our neighborhood, where to find a good plumber, carpenter, etc.? These are just a minute sampling of topics that have appeared.

Please go on line and check out the website. We need neighborhood input.

 

Medicines to Take On Vacation

by Joanne Whitney

The weather has been so foul that many of us are starting to think about vacations. It is not too early to plan what medications to toss into your travel bag to prevent unwanted discomforts from ruining the vacation.

Of course if you are taking prescription drugs you should have a good supply with you since your medications may not be available in your vacation spot. Request an increase in your medications two to three weeks in advance so that you are not left with an inadequate supply. If you are going to a foreign country, it is usually wise to have your prescription bottles with you. Some countries will demand to see that information. Carry your medications on your person. Lost suitcases are not uncommon.

Be sure to check with your pharmacist or physician about what vaccinations you will need if you are going to a country where certain diseases such as malaria or typhoid not found in the United States prevail. You can get that information from the website of the Centers for Disease Control, www.cdc.gov or from the consulates of the countries you might be visiting. Some prescription medicines such as those to prevent malaria may also be required.

For most of us, however, the problem resolves around what types of over the counter medicines to pack. Perhaps, the most prevalent disorder we all encounter is diarrhea. A product like Imodium (generic name loperamide) is inexpensive, effective and fits easily into a ditty bag. It works quickly and can restore us back to civilization in a few hours.

It is also sensible to have some sort of pain killer available. Products like aspirin or the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, ibuprofen, naproxen and ketoproxin relieve headaches, toothaches, fevers, swellings from twisted ankles and other minor pains. One should be careful not to overdue on these drugs since they can cause stomach bleeding and in rare cases, kidney problems. Aspirin should not be given to young children with flu symptoms since it has been associated with a serious liver disease called Reyes Syndrome. The alternative acetaminophen reduces pain and fever but is not good for decreasing swelling. It should not be taken if you have liver disease or are a big drinker. No more than 4 grams (eight 500 milligram tablets) should be taken in a day.

Antacids are a reasonable thing to take and you might want to consider Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate). Some pharmacists recommend starting a 14 day course of Prelosec (omeprazole) as a preventative method to avoid heartburn. Women might consider a calcium containing antiacid to make sure they receive their required calcium . Maalox, Mylanta, Tums and antiacid preparations containing anti-gas drugs are popular choices.

Scratches and minor wounds are frequent occurrences on vacation and a triple antibiotic cream can be soothing and can hasten healing. There is even some research that fewer scars occur when a triple antibiotic ointment is applied for a few days after the injury. Don’t forget to bring bandaids with you.

Insect repellent is a must for some areas. Itching from insect bites or minor rashes can be treated with 1 percent hydrocortisone cream or ointment, the highest concentration you can get over the counter.

While creams are less messy, ointments often work faster and more efficiently since they hydrate the skin better. Again one has to be careful and not use too much of either the cream or the ointment since overuse can cause skin thinning and leave stretch-type marks.

Antihistamines such a diphenhydramine do a good job of relieving allergies but can cause drowsiness. Indeed, they often serve a dual
purpose as a sleep aid. You might consider one of the non-drowsiness causing antihistamines such as Claritin that can be obtained without a prescription and really do work as advertised.

Motion sickness medications are a wise idea if you are susceptible. Many a boat trip has been ruined for everyone by that horrible feeling of seasickness. Even an automobile journey can be a torture.

Sunscreen is a good choice to include particularly if you are going to a tropical locations or to an area high in the mountains. Check you prescription medications. Many have interactions with the sun and in this case bring a good suncreen with a high rating.

Chap stick, cough drops, saline nasal spray and a nasal decongestant are other possiblilites. And, don’t forget those essentials such as toothpaste, anti-perspirants, tissues, sewing kit and other sundries. Hopefully you will have room left in your suitcases for clothes. Have a bon voyage and healthy and problem free trip. Don’t let common ailments interrupt a great vacation because you were unprepared.

 

Mother’s Day Garden Tour

by Jeanne Halpern

Of the many gardens featured in the Mother’s Day Native Plant Garden Tour this year, an unusually high number comes from right here in the Miraloma, Mt. Davidson, Glen Park area of San Francisco. The self-guided tour, sponsored by the Yerba Buena Chapter of the California Native Plant Society, highlights the many ways that native plants are being used in landscaping throughout the city.

The self-guided Mother’s Day Tour takes place on May 14, 2006, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. To see the initial list of gardens on the tour, plus photos, go to the California Native Plant Society website www.cnps-yerbabuena.org/gardentour. Gardens will be added through April. To recommend a garden featuring native plants, or if you have questions, contact Jeanne Halpern, manager of this year’s tour, at 415-841-1254 or jeannehalpern@hotmail.com.