Former Owner of Peet’s Coffee Shops Admits to Money Laundering Scheme

A former California state Assembly member says he’s guilty in a Peet’s Coffee money laundering scheme

Terrence Patrick Goggin, who used to rep CA’s 66th District, also owned and operated four Peet’s Coffee shops placed in BART station across the Bay Area, the East Bay Times reports. He admitted in San Francisco federal court Wednesday that he’d solicited investor money to build two more Peet’s locations at the Civic Center and Balboa Park stations, but put the money — $685,000 in total — into other investments including a now-shuttered restaurant in New York. The BART coffee shops, prosecutors say, never got a dime, and now Goggin, who is 78 years old, faces up to ten years in prison, restitution of the full amount, and $250,000 in fines.

A new restaurant called Solstice opened in the Marina

Solstice, which (per its site) “pure food indulgence” by way of “internationally and seasonally inspired small plates” recently opened in the 1980 Union Street location last occupied by Marengo, Hoodline reports. The spot says its owned by “two foodies from California,” but doesn’t provide any names, and serves dinner Tuesday-Sunday as well as weekend brunch.

Jimtown Store closes on December 30

For 28 years, Jimtown — a combination deli, general store, and gift shop — has served Alexander Valley visitors and locals from its Highway 128 storefront. All that ends on December 30, Jimtown owner Carrie Brown writes on its website, as the combination of income lost in the last few years of fires as well as “the lack of local transportation and affordable housing nearby” make it impossible to remain in business. “I know I’m disappointing a lot of people who are wonderful friends and customers,” Brown tells the Press-Democrat, “but I hope that they’ll understand that it’s time for me to do something different.”

This week, Soleil Ho reviews Aziza

The SF Chronicle’s restaurant critic headed to the recently reopened Aziza this weekend, and says that though she never visited its earlier incarnation, “the Aziza that exists here and now is a restaurant that’s well worth taking seriously on its own merits.” She also compares nostalgia for the old Aziza to a Kanye West song, which certainly could be read as a bit of a bird flip to some of Ho’s more problematic critics.

Those controversial Chase Center tamales will get less salad-y

As previously noted, users of well-known positivity engine Twitter were perturbed by the multitude of vegetables that adorned a tamale purchased at Chase Center. Those vegetable foes will be heartened to learn that Alicia’s Tamales Los Mayas, which prepared the controversial meal, has gained a crucial USDA approval that will allow the spot to move from an all-vegetarian menu to one serving meat, NBC Bay Area reports.

SantaCon turns 25 this weekend

Heavy rain is expected in San Francisco on Saturday, conditions that might put a damper on the 25th annual SantaCon, which is planned for December 7. Stay cozy indoors or stagger from pub to pub in a soaked Santa suit? Tough choice.