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DISPATCH: Ocean Beach

Northern Enlightenment

Room and Board (Sidebar I)

Crash Pads

Due to an influx of dot.com arrivistes in the 1990s, housing and rents have shot up dramatically but are still some of the lowest in The City. Tip: cultivate your San Fran friendships for couch-surfing privileges.

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Local’s Grinds

San Francisco has long been famed as a foodie’s Mecca, and the outer Sunset fires on all culinary cylinders. Block for block there are more small family-owned ethnic eateries than anywhere outside of New York. The Sunset fare is primarily Asian, but there are plenty of great Italian, Greek, and Mexican restaurants within walking distance as well. For that pre-session jolt, it’s hard to find a bad cup of coffee anywhere within SF City limits. Here’s a sampler of surfer favorites.

Java Beach

1396 La Playa St. Located at the end of the streetcar line on Judah St. just before the Great Highway. Surfer-friendly coffee shop, “Last gasp for coffee before Japan.”

Simple Pleasures Café

3434 Balboa St Washburn’s personal favorite. Custom roasted beans with wireless access. The open-face bagel combos are the go for a manwich-sized post-surf appetite.

Beach Chalet And Brewery

1000 Great Hwy 180-degree view of The Beach, good food, beer garden out back. Check out the fully restored historical WPA murals by Lucien Labaudt. Washburn’s tip: “Monday is dollar beer night, Tuesday is fish tacos.”

Tommy’s Mexican Cafe

5929 Geary Blvd Washburn’s favorite after-session munch-out palace. Tequila bar (275 brands), handcrafted margaritas, savory Yucatan specialties, lots of cute tattooed women…what’s not to like? Try the puerco pibil, a house favorite.

Roadside Attractions (Sidebar II) Sights

Golden Gate Park: Forming the northern boundary of Ocean Beach, this botanical wonderland was ground zero of the Summer of Love, 1967. Rick Griffin, Surfer’s premier cartoonist and later psychedelic rock artist, created the poster for the watershed “Gathering of the Tribes” while living in Haight Ashbury in the mid to late 60s.

Sutro Bath’s ruins: The former Sutro Estate is a great place to let grommets run wild with pirate fantasies.

Steinhardt Aquarium: Great resource for understanding the Bay, the Beach, and the Bar.

Nightlife

C’mon, it’s San Francisco!

Links (Sidebar III)

Surfpulse.com

Stormsurf.com

Accuweather.com

Hardly a sideshow attraction, Fort Point possesses its own unique draw

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Reader Comments

Posted Mon Mar10, 2008, 11:02 AM — By Tailenderloin

Doc a Legend? Maybe for exploiting SF to the max.PeeWee,he is legend,a great surfer,soft spoken,and would probably not want to mentioned in your article.

Posted Mon Mar10, 2008, 8:23 PM — By Chris Wilson

This article is pretty weak. most of the "LOCAL" surf community is super bummed about the article. They way the photographers went about to get the images was pretty scandalous too. Thumbs down Surfer Mag!

Posted Mon Mar10, 2008, 8:26 PM — By SurfAid International

Good read, Barlo! For all you Norcal cold-water chargers, your annual chance to give back to the warm-water destinations you hit every summer is coming up. Be a part of the global surf community's efforts to support SurfAid International's life-saving programs in the Mentawai Islands and Nias, Indonesia. Sign up for Swim 4 life happening in the city on April 12. For registration, fundraising tools, and more information go to www.surfaidinternational.org/swim4life

Posted Tue Mar11, 2008, 1:10 AM — By joey buttafuco

Here's a couple "actual" legends of Ocean beach, biatch: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ePvCMrrWMjE

Posted Tue Mar11, 2008, 2:22 AM — By OSO

Hey, Barlo! Your taste in Outer Sunset food sucks. C'mon, buddy, next time you're in town, we'll take you out proper like. Good thing you didn't mention any of the really good places. Shhhhh. And are you sure you shoudn't have gone with "The Badlands"? Cheers, buddy, Os

Posted Tue Mar11, 2008, 11:34 AM — By Black Butch

What a sellout article,complete with dining guide.How Gay.

Posted Tue Mar11, 2008, 5:53 PM — By sellybuster

What a bunch of garbage. Wasburn was born in the east coast. he is not even a true native of the city just a frickin' doc wannabe which is even sadder. The saddest thing is that the fotog is a boogie boarder from engalnd who moved to the beach to sell it out. double donkey sellout. the Writer needs to get his facts straight KOOOOOK!!!!

Posted Wed Mar12, 2008, 1:44 AM — By gretel eisensauer

I loved the article, I am ready to move to O.B. and start surfing Potato Patch on the big days. I've surfed big waves all over Florida and the rest of the east coast. I have a quiver of brewers. Now I know that an east coaster can run the spot, I know I'm gonna be one of the boys in no time.

Posted Wed Mar12, 2008, 2:34 PM — By Hate Slashberry

I remember when SF was one of the best kept secrets,then came Doc,then the PSSA,then Jeff Clark and Matt Warshaw,now Grant Wahburn wants his cut.

Posted Fri May30, 2008, 6:39 PM — By Middleman

I've been around the beach for over 20 years. 90% of the surfers I have met and come to know, came from somewhere else. Who care where you are from or who you hang with, the reality is when the waves are pumping there are plenty to go around. OB seporates the men from the boys. Yea Doc, Jeff, Matt & Grant are just a few who have brought attention to the beach but they are not the only ones. Don't blame them. We are all part of the same community. Instead of complaining or blaming, do something positive. OB can be a very polluted beach because of our city but I see very few surfers who call OB their home clean her up. Most just walk right past garbage on the beach after a session on their way home. Yea and if you want to get local then anyone who lives east of say 46th should go find a wave pool somewhere in land...HA HA HA Peace, Love and Respect to all. Take care of Mother Earth and she will reward all of us.

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