INTERN-SPECTIVE: WE'VE GOT OUR FLAIR. WHERE’S YOURS?

I intended to commit the cliché of posting an update on Friday the 13th. Well, we all know what happens when the clock strikes five on a Friday afternoon. And thus this post comes to you nearly a week later.



We had an official orientation to welcome the Summit staff, after sending them off to the East Bay for a week of Blue Bottle boot camp and later immersing them in a day of Red Blossom tea training. You read that right; we’re featuring Red Blossom tea on our menu. I'll spill more details on our specialty drinks during the next few weeks.

Front of the House manager, Marco Jastillana, got serious summarizing the communal goals of the café and the standards our staff are expected to meet. He also unveiled the signature blue scarves Summit crew members will sport while on-site.

[caption id="attachment_533" align="aligncenter" width="470" caption="(L) Marco gets down to business (R) say Hello. the selection process was tough, but two rounds of interviews later, we’ve got a complete team of Summiteers"][/caption]

I witnessed some surprised expressions. We even got questions from the skeptics. I’m going to assume that the folks who remained quiet were stifling their enthusiasm to avoid any ostracism that resulted from their proclamations of love for the versatile piece of flair. It’s a handkerchief. What can't you do with it?

[caption id="attachment_535" align="aligncenter" width="231" caption="keeping it simple with grey and blue. i hate to toot our own horns, but you'll soon welcome some of the best-looking cafe staff in the City"][/caption]

I’m probably the only person who gets this involved discussing the possibilities that come with coordinating grey tops and blue handkerchiefs.

Most everyone else has turned their focus to our café front. The interior has undergone a major face-lift, clad in a few fresh coats of paint and an almost finished coffee bar.

[caption id="attachment_536" align="aligncenter" width="470" caption="evolution of the Summit cafe front"][/caption]

Our window front recently got dressed up with smartly designed posters displaying our brand identity.

[caption id="attachment_537" align="aligncenter" width="470" caption="window shopping in the mission? stop by to check out the new eye candy, designed by Freddy Anzures "][/caption]

Beyond our store front, it looks like our posters are making their way to the streets. Don’t be surprised if while grabbing your daily dose of the Guardian, that you also catch a glimpse of those four familiar peaks.

---Miss U

INTERN-SPECTIVE: I CAN SMELL A GRAND OPENING...

We’re less than three weeks away from the Summit's projected Grand Opening. That means I have less than two weeks to find a pair of black, non-slip chef shoes if I want clearance into Eddie's kitchen. It’s hard to choose comfort over fashion when I just want to rock a pair of these.

Alas, my fashion woes aren't the focus of this post but the transformation of the Summit over the course of a week. Folks might be interested in knowing that we’re no longer just at the corner of 19^th and Valencia. Our main entrance has been tramp stamped with SEVEN EIGHTY. As in 780 Valencia St.

[caption id="attachment_424" align="aligncenter" width="240" caption="claim your third space at 780 Valencia St."][/caption]

After a few rounds of inspections, it looks like we’re making headway. The naked beams in the kitchen and bar areas have been stuffed with insulation and are starting to sport drywall.

[caption id="attachment_437" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="i just want to hop onto this portable lift and finish the job myself. that way when friends come by i can point to the ceiling and brag, “hell yea, i did that”"][/caption]

We recently submitted our application for an outdoor-seating permit. I hyperventilate at the thought of having to buy Adobe Illustrator; instead, I used Microsoft Paint to create the site plan. While fiddling with the graphics, my status as an outlier grew exponentially, as I pumped out JPEGs on my Toshiba notebook in a cafe full of Mac users. Perhaps Microsoft Paint isn’t an outdated tool after all; as long as the City of San Francisco accepts this submission (and it did), MS Paint and I are best friends.

[caption id="attachment_426" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="future of the summit's front space"][/caption]

There are days when the toughest decisions we make might involve determining the type of glasses beers will be served in or the bowls soup will be slurped from. We were scratching our heads at one point deciding between espresso cups in sky-blue porcelain or stainless steel. Wondering which was the victor? Come to our opening in a few weeks to find out.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="a hybrid of these two would be pretty awesome"][/caption]

Mid-week, we took a small break from decisions for barbecuing and beer-sipping on the rooftop of the Summit space.  The ice breaker served to introduce newly hired members of the Summit staff to the fellows who regularly come to the incubation space for mentorship from the I/O Ventures team.

[caption id="attachment_428" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="rooftop mingling + burger broiling = summer lovin’"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_429" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="grill us some knackwurst, and we will follow"][/caption]

Now that our address is official and the incubation space is quickly evolving into the envisioned Third Space, I’d suggest that curious readers drop by to check out the spot. But if in a few weeks there's not a single thing you recall from this post, at least remember that if you're looking for a place to find knock-out grub tastefully-paired with a glass of wine or a cold beer, look no further than our space at the corner of 19^th St and Valencia.

---Miss U