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Natural wine producer Jolie-Laide is a cult favorite amongst wine drinkers, and the winery dropped a juicy nugget of news into its newsletter this week: Jolie-Laide is set to open its own winery in Sonoma. “After many years of working in shared and collaborative wineries, we are taking a big leap of faith, and going it alone,” the newsletter reads. The company shares that the new winery is under construction at the moment, and they’re hoping to open in time for harvest. Wine club members will be among the first to visit the new winery for their bottle pick-up this summer, should they choose, as Jolie-Laide says it will host an open house at their brand-new place on Saturday, August 5.
Restaurants hate extended parking meters hours just as much as you
The recent news that the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency wants to extend parking meter hours to 10 p.m. as well as add parking enforcement from noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays, has understandably rankled residents, but restaurants are also peeved at the news. The San Francisco Chronicle reports the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, San Francisco’s restaurant lobbying organization, and Supervisor Aaron Peskin, are urging the SFMTA to delay the meter plan until the impact on businesses can be studied. Currently, the Board of Supervisors is set to vote on the resolution on May 23.
Looks like José Andrés is getting his gas-powered restaurant after all
Last week, it seemed like a natural gas ban enacted on January 1 in Palo Alto could thwart plans for celebrity chef José Andrés to open his first Bay Area restaurant, Zatinya. Now, it seems the restaurant has found a way, Palo Alto Online reports. Namely, Palo Alto administrators have backed off their assertion that the restaurant will need to be all-electric, and will allow natural gas to be used in the building set to house the new restaurant at Stanford Shopping Center.
A smoother permit process in Oakland? We’ll believe it when we see it
The permitting process can be a frustrating part of kickstarting a business, but the city of Oakland is finally doing something to ease that pain (at least somewhat). As the San Francisco Business Times reports, Oakland recently hired a “permits ombudsman” who will “increase efficient transmission of permits across all bureaus and departments,” Mayor Sheng Thao told the publication. The new ombudsman is currently onboarding with the city and will be announced at the end of the month, Thao says. By shortening the permitting process, Thao hopes to attract businesses to Oakland.
New Red Bay Coffee cafe to open
Red Bay Coffee is set to open its newest cafe in Berkeley on Sunday, June 4, the company announced via Instagram. Located at 1741 Alcatraz Avenue, at the former Alchemy Collective Cafe space, the new shop will feature coffee and pastries, of course, but also a wealth of plants from the Planterday shop (which will also be available for purchase). The coffee company will host an opening day event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 4, with a ribbon cutting, a speech from Red Bay founder Keba Konte, and music performances.
