Jolene Garcia of Penny and Maude

Name :
Jolene Mary Garcia

Introduce yourself in one sentence :
Rhythmless silly mama.

Age and Occupation :
28 yrs. / stay at home mom and part time designer/small business owner.

Home Town :
Novato, CA

How long have you lived in the Bay Area?
My whole life. I was born in Greenbrae and grew up in Novato. At the age of 23 I moved to Oakland and lived in the Rockridge Neighborhood. When I got married I moved to the Temescal Neighborhood and I am still here. I love it the Bay Area, there is so much going on and a lot of cultural diversity.

Favorite place to spend time online :
I love to check out Anthropologie, Design Sponge and I read Yahoo News everyday - I know, pretty borring.

Favorite local business :
La Farine - the best pastries, breads, and tarts in town.

What I'm currently Reading :
Lipstick Jihad by Azadeh Moaveni

Best Deal in San Francisco :
Bridge toll (just kidding, basically this place is pretty darn expensive)! Yesterday I went from Oakland to Marin to SF - $9 in bridge toll... it's pure craziness!

Favorite mode of transportation :
Unfortunately, I drive most places. However, I drive a Hybrid - so don't hate me too much. In a perfect world, I would live in a area that I could walk everywhere. I love the little European villages where cars are not allowed in the center of town.

Best Band or Musician to come out of the Bay Area :
Wonderbread Five - the're really the only band I can think of besides Train and Green Day, oh there's also Huey Lewis and the News, Metallica, and Journey. To be quite honest I am not into any of them. The band I am really into right now is The Cat Empire - if you haven't heard of them, check them out! They are fantastic!

Favorite Bay Area Stereotype, and whether or not you buy into it :
When I lived in Marin it was that we were all rich - which is not true. Living in Oakland, people think that I live in a dangerous place. I think it's just as bad as any other urban area. There are places I wont go but that's true in most places.

Favorite local hangout :
when I get the chance to hang out without my kids, I enjoy going to Becketts for a beer. With my kids - Play Cafe is the place to be.

SF has the BEST :
bread, and city skyline - Take the ferry from SF to Marin at night during the Christmas season... it is just beautiful. That is of course if you are lucky enough to get a seat on the ferry facing the right direction and there is no fog (yeah like that ever happens).

You've never lived in SF until :
you've seen a homeless man pleasuring himself in a parking garage.

Favorite Bay area politician of past or present :
Willie Brown - he ranks high with me for his oh so cool super style!

Now that Mayor Gavin is single, who are you going to set him up with? :
Paris Hilton - we would definitely hear about some delicious scandals from that dynamic duo!

You can tell someone is a local here IF :
If they're dressed appropriately for the weather. It's freezing out and tourists always have shorts on and some ugly sweater with Alcatraz across the front in huge letters. Just because we're in "sunny California" doesn't mean it's sunny and warm all the time.

SF would be soooo much better if only :
If all the parking garages were free.

Best Burrito :
I am not too into burritos, but I really like the crispy tacos at Cactus and Tacubaya.

Best Restaurant :
A Cote (in Oakland)- they have a great ambiance and a fabulous bar. Boulevard (in SF) has the most delicious food ever!

Best movie scene filmed in or about SF :
There was a movie (I don't remember the name) that had Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prince Jr. and they shot this one scene where they were driving from Berkeley to the SF airport and they went across the Golden Gate bridge - I mean come on people let's be some what realistic.

Favorite artist to come out of the bay area :
Maria of Maria Passaris Cakes - Her cakes are beautiful - if you can dream it she can create it with frosting and fondant.

Place you always tell visitors to check out :
The Marin Headlands - on a sunny day the view of the city and the bay is spectacular.

Favorite Bridge in the area :
The Golden Gate

You have two hours and $15 bucks to kill in SF, what are you going to do? :
I think I would grab a magazine (some trash magazine like US or Intouch) and a cup of coffee and hang out in Union Square or down by the Ferry Building. I get so little down time that just reading a magazine undisturbed is pure bliss for me.

I have found/sold/bought the following on craigslist :
I sold... a 1995 Mazda, a MacLaren double stroller. I found... an apartment

I want all the SFists out there to know :
That penny & maude products are the best!

Tell us a San Francisco Story :
I caught a Barry Bonds Home run ball in Pac Bell park on June 27th 2003. Actually I was hit in the hand with it.