🌁 Farewell for now!

Plus: River circus arrives

The SF Minute

Jul 9

Hey there, San Francisco.

An early mock-up of our logo.

Happy Friday, and queue “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life).” It’s The SF Minute’s final edition!

But, as you’ve heard me say plenty of times now, this is not goodbye!

Axios SF, which will be a newsletter very similar to The SF Minute, will launch in early August. And I’ll write it alongside the wonderful and talented Megan Rose Dickey.

As a reminder, if you’re signed up here, you’ll start receiving the Axios SF when we kick things off.

Still, the nostalgia is setting in!

I sent the first SF Minute newsletter out on December 16, 2020 to a list of around 20 close friends and family. Though it was somewhat of a pipe dream to make this thing a success, the mission was pretty clear from the start!

“My goal with this project is to bring you the most important news about San Francisco each weekday in a quick and easy-to-read format,” I wrote in my introductory post. “For years, I’ve wrestled with the idea of how to make local news more relevant. And with The SF Minute, I hope we can.”

“We,” of course, was only me then. But you gotta think big!

To celebrate this final day, I thought I’d put together a list of the most popular stories (by clicks) that I’ve posted over the past year and a half.

The methodology isn’t perfect. (The math gets complicated since I sent earlier newsletters to so few people.) But, directionally, these were definitely some of the most popular stories of their time.

Also, I didn’t include food lists, since those always get a lot of clicks, or links to Twitter posts, though there were some memorable ones.

Anyways, here it is!

ICYMI: The most popular stories of all time

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, fnnch’s honey bears had a lot of people talking last year / Getty Images

A note from San Francisco (Substack, Mat Honan)
Is this the moment San Francisco turns against fnnch’s honey bears? (Chronicle)
Seven-Bedroom Pac Heights Mansion Sets New Record for Most Expensive Home Sold In SF at $43.5M (SFist)
San Francisco authorities seek 'egregious coyote feeder' (SFGATE)
Is San Francisco losing its fog? Scientists fear the worst (Examiner)
'Totally blown away': This couple's beachside Pacifica Taco Bell wedding reception is what dreams are made of (SFGATE)
Inside Ivy Getty’s Fantasy Wedding Weekend in San Francisco (Vogue)
This S.F. restaurant looks like Lisa Frank’s fever dream. It’s also committed to rescuing food waste (Chronicle)
How San Francisco Became a Failed City (Atlantic)
Anchovies are reportedly raining from the sky across San Francisco (SFGATE)

What else I’m reading today: Links to browse

Captain EO penguin — Captain EO, a Magellanic penguin, dies at the age of 40 / Photo via SF Zoo

An interview with San Francisco's new district attorney (NYT via SF Examiner)

Inside Good Good Culture Club’s efforts to fix a broken business model in the Bay Area (Chronicle)

S.F. school district used $525,000 aimed at facility improvements to pay for legal fight over controversial mural (Chronicle)

Inner Sunset Free Fix-It Fair Rehabilitates Products, Builds Community (Sunset Beacon)

Oldest Magellanic penguin at San Francisco Zoo dies at 40 (AP)

Weekend guide: Events, ideas, and more

🧡 Head to Valencia. “Sunday Streets” will take place on Valencia Street (between Duboce and 26th) this Sunday from 11am-4pm. Free bike rentals (to ride along the mile-plus car-free stretch) and a free climbing wall will be available. You can find a complete list of vendors, artists, and exhibitors here.

🤹 Go see a river circus. Apparently, a river circus, which goes by the name “Flotsam,” has floated from Sacramento to the Bay on a homemade raft and is set to arrive in San Francisco this weekend. The group, made up of musicians, circus artists, and puppeteers, will put on free shows Saturday and Sunday evenings at 7pm (at Aquatic Park near the concrete steps).

🌳 Other events to consider: