🌁 With Paint The City Project, Utility Boxes Become Art

Good morning readers! Welcome to The Fogline, a newsletter created to share our love for the city we live in and to promote community connection. We aim to give you the scoop on neighborhood events, tasty new pop-ups and restaurants, and spots to gather, play, shop, and enjoy this beautiful city we share.

In today’s news:

Paint the City is a project created by Paint the Void, the Civic Joy Fund, and Building 180 to bring art throughout the city of San Francisco and support the many talented local artists who live here. Green utility boxes around the city have gone from meh to marvelous thanks to the creative visions of these artists. At its inception in 2023, 27 local artists were commissioned to paint 100 utility boxes. To date, a total of 322 boxes have been painted by 49 artists.

Civic pride is the aim of the project. The boxes along Geary Boulevard are particularly fun and creative, featuring vibrant colors and some playful creatures. We’ve enjoyed snapping photos whenever we discover a new one on our many walks through the neighborhood. Paint the City promises more murals, community events, and artist collaborations in the works.

Pengoo is a prolific artist who has painted many of the utility boxes throughout the Richmond District.

See a map of every painted utility box, with the artists’ names and upcoming locations, here!

My personal favorite box, located in Cole Valley, was created by liztagram.

The before and after shots on the https://www.paintthecitysf.com/ homepage are truly impressive.

Choosing a favorite pho restaurant is a very personal thing. For me, it’s all about the broth. I want a rich, deep flavor with ginger and onion, toasted spices, and a balanced flavor that leans more savory than sweet. Nothing is more disappointing than a weak, wimpy broth. My current neighborhood go-to is Pho Huynh Sang on Clement Street, which delivers a dependable bowl that always delivers on broth flavor. A bonus: they offer the option of thick noodles.

When in the Sunset I go to Kevin’s Noodle House (Pho Huynh Hiep). Kevin’s pho broth has the flavor I’m after and is never greasy or bland. They serve a generous portion with fresh aromatics, and the quality is consistent. On a cold day, it’s heaven to warm up with a big bowl of pho and a hot tea.

During the holidays, I start craving mochas. I love pretty much all variations: Mexican mochas, coconut mochas, peppermint mochas, white chocolate mochas, and more. The Richmond is home to two locations of Diamond Coffee n’ Pastry, one on Clement Street and another on Geary Boulevard. The best way to describe these cafes is cute. Diamond is impeccably designed, with light-colored furnishings, soft cushions, wicker wall hangings and a beautiful bar showcasing their pastry offerings. I tried the zebra mocha (equal parts milk chocolate and white chocolate with espresso and milk) and the coconut mocha. Both were delicious! Diamond Coffee n’ Pastry has a total of four locations in the city: