Over the past two weeks, State Senator Scott Wiener and Supervisor Connie Chan faced off in a series of congressional debates. We attended two of these debates in person, and have some thoughts on each.

The first debate was held at the St. John Armenian Apostolic Church on October 5, with roughly a hundred people in attendance. This was a neighborhood debate sponsored by several community organizations, including SHARP and StopCrimeSF. Public safety and transportation were major themes in this debate, with questions centered around topics like policing, Muni funding, and safer streets.

We put together a longer writeup of the debate, focusing on a few exchanges about pedestrian safety and public transit that were closer to home. Coincidentally, I also learned a bit more about these issues while riding the #44 bus to and from the debate.

We also attended the final debate at the Sydney Goldstein Theater last night. This debate, co-presented by Mission Local and The New York Times, had at least a thousand people in attendance and a much bigger spotlight. When we arrived, campaign volunteers and staff from both sides were out in full force, waving signs and chanting through megaphones in support of their candidates.

In contrast to the neighborhood debate, this one had an emphasis on national issues like AI regulation, foreign policy, and the state of the Democratic party. Since the debate was just last night and we're sending this newsletter out today, I'll stick to a few initial impressions rather than a full recap.

Overall, I thought Wiener had the stronger performance in both of the debates. His answers were generally more precise, and he often connected questions to specific legislation he had worked on or policy decisions he had made. Chan also had some specific examples, but I found that she often dodged the questions or fell back on the same talking points. She repeatedly brought up her experience as a first-generation immigrant and the need for billionaires to pay their fair share, sometimes in response to questions that weren't really about either topic. Those are important points and often get a crowd reaction, but I'm a bit of a stickler when it comes to answering the question that was actually asked.

This weekend, I stopped by the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park to see the newly renovated Long Bridge and to try to grab a spot at the Tea House. I started the visit by taking a few photos of the impressive Drum Bridge, a favorite among visitors for its intriguing curve and its drum shape reflected in the water below.

Next, I made my way to the Long Bridge to see its makeover. The walkway underneath the bridge is stunning, framed by vibrant colors of fall foliage. The bridge was first built in 1988 and recently received a renovation alongside the completion of the Pagoda restoration project. The bridge terminates at the eastern end with a 3,000-pound bronze Buddha statue.

I finished the visit by fulfilling an item on my “be a tourist in your own town” checklist. I had wanted to visit the Tea House many times, but whenever I stopped by the garden, it always seemed to be completely at capacity. This time, I lucked out. I grabbed an iced green tea and a matcha Swiss roll and enjoyed the peaceful little cafe.

As part of the Fleet Week Neighborhood Concert Series, the park hosted a performance by the U.S. Marine Corps 1st Marine Division Band, followed by a Bay Area high school band competition. Awards help support school music programs. I managed to snap a couple of photos of the high-energy event.