Axios San Francisco

September 15, 2022
Welcome to Thursday!
β οΈ Today's weather: Mostly sunny. High of 68.
Situational awareness: β Dust off your umbrellas β rain is in the forecast this Sunday.
Today's newsletter is 938 words β a 3.5-minute read.
1 big thing: SF native's new book explores the changing city
Emil DeAndreis, author of "Tell us when to go." Photo: Megan Rose Dickey/Axios
San Francisco native Emil DeAndreis' semi-autobiographical novel, "Tell us when to go," explores the ever-changing city and various lived experiences of SF residents.
Details: The novel, which hits bookshelves next week, revolves around three characters: Cole Gallegos, a college dropout whose aspirations to become a professional baseball player fail to pan out; his roommate Isaac Moss, who landed a job in the tech industry; and Dizzy Benson, a young girl in foster care who lives on Treasure Island.
- The novel takes place between 2010 and 2011, toward the end of the Bay Area's hyphy movement.
Be smart: Megan here ππΎ. The title itself is a nod to that movement, which had its moment in 2006 when rapper E-40 released his album "The ghetto report card" with the hit "Tell me when to go."
- The cultural and lifestyle movement centered around rap and hip-hop music.
- Hyphy is about "gettin' hype, takin' it there," Golden State Warriors power forward Draymond Green said at the time.
The big picture: The book explores SF during a time of change driven by the arrival of Web 2.0 companies through the character of Gallegos, who works in public education, and Moss, the tech worker.
- Throughout, their paths diverge while Gallegos' friendship with Benson blossoms.
What he's saying: "It's meant as a symbolic representation of the increasing gap in San Francisco that started to take place around that time [2010 and 2011]," DeAndreis tells Axios of his characters' relationship.
Yes, but: DeAndreis said it was important for his story not to be "too preachy" or force readers to pick sides.
- "I just wanted to present the dichotomy as I saw it," he says. "[I]t was important to me to give voice to the many experiences, the many lives in San Francisco."
What's next: DeAndreis will participate in a discussion at Black Bird Bookstore & Cafe in the Outer Sunset on Oct. 1.
Disclosure: Megan and DeAndreis attended the same elementary, middle and high schools. They only knew each other tangentially.
2. California's top craft breweries see mixed results

California's largest craft breweries saw mixed results in 2021, a year after the pandemic shut down bars and taprooms and crippled the industry.
The state of beer: For breweries that produced at least 5,000 barrels in 2021, Farmers Brewing Co. in Princeton (30 miles south of Chico) was the state's fastest growing with a 140% increase in sales, according to an exclusive Axios analysis of data from the Brewers Association.
- San Jose's Gordon Biersch β the fourth largest craft brewer in California β also saw notable growth, increasing production 52% in 2021.
- 21st Amendment Brewery, which produces its beer in San Leandro and has a brewpub on 2nd street in the city, saw a 21% decline in sales.
- In 2021, California saw 26 breweries close and 48 open, the data shows.
The big picture: The craft beer industry grew by 8% in 2021, while the overall market moved up 1%. California had seven breweries among the nation's top 50 largest.
Between the lines: The annual data β published for its members in the New Brewer journal and analyzed by Axios Denver reporter John Frank β is the most comprehensive breakdown of the state's craft beer industry.
Yes, but: Not all craft brewers are represented in the rankings because some do not submit sales and production data to the Colorado-based Brewers Association, the industry's trade group.
3. The Wiggle: Navigating the news
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
π₯ Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center is hoping to apply for recertification before the Nov. 13 deadline, its CEO Roland Pickens says.
- Without recertification, it will shutter on Nov. 13. The hospital isn't quite ready to reapply, but Pickens says it's "on the right track." (SF Chronicle)
π SF Mayor London Breed said police will not allow people to "continue to disrupt the [Castro]" if they refuse "multiple offers" of shelter or mental health services.
- The Castro Merchants Association last month threatened to withhold taxes if the city didn't respond to homelessness and addiction in the neighborhood. (SF Chronicle)
β HIV diagnoses increased 16% from 2020 to 2021, going from 138 to 160 new cases in SF. Driven by the pandemic-driven shortage of testing and treatments, unhoused residents were hit hardest. (SF Examiner)
π¬ In The Black, a Black-owned marketplace, will eventually house 10 Black-owned businesses in the Fillmore District.
- The market will host its grand opening the day after Thanksgiving. (SF Standard)
4. Automat's smash (hit) burger
Automat's "Cheezy Buddy" smash burger and fries. Photo: courtesy of Marlon Molinare
π Nick here.
My friends and I went to the recently opened Automat restaurant this week with one mission β to try the burger.
Details: The Automat burger ($25) is a smash burger with two crispy-edged patties layered with garlicky cheddar and pickled onions, served on a milk bun.
- Dubbed the "Cheezy Buddy," it comes with dill-pickle-spiced fries and a side of "automac" sauce β the restaurant's version of Thousand Island dressing.
- Ketchup was available upon request.
The verdict: Really good.
- Crunchy sides might sound strange, but don't be fooled β it's incredibly tasty. And, while initially underwhelmed with just cheese and onion as toppings, the flavors worked wonders together.
The feedback: One of my friends wished sliced pickles were included, which I agree would have been interesting.
- Also, Automat's founder/chef Matt Kirk told me over email that the two 4-oz Cream Co. beef patties are "intended to be well done [because] it's a smash burger and [you] want those crispy edges."
The rest: Automat has a bunch of other dinner options (including a $65 per person prix fixe, or "automatic," menu), and a daytime lineup that features their baked goods and sandwiches.
- The burger is available at lunch as well.
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π§£Megan is not quite emotionally ready to dive into the new season of "The Handmaid's Tale."
π Nick is looking forward to seeing some of these new, air-conditioned Muni buses in action.
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