Bay Area Restaurant Owner Becomes Award-Winning Author
‘See You At The 7’ Wins National Indie Excellence Award
Wednesday, June 13, 2018 - Brisbane, CA -Owner of the historic 160-year-old 7 Mile House, Vanessa Garcia, and co-author Regina Abuyuan are taking home the 2018 National Indie Excellence Awards in the "Biography Historical" category for their self-published book See You at the 7: Stories From The Bay Area’s Last Original Mile House. The book also received an honorable mention as an Indie Excellence Award finalist in the “New Non-Fiction” category, and was a finalist in the International Book Awards “ History: United States” category.
See You at the 7 is the story of 7 Mile House, the Bay Area's last original mile house. Originally established as a toll gate in 1858, it evolved from a saloon, to an infamous gambling den, to the popular local watering hole it is today. The book captures the struggles and triumphs of a family-run, bootstrapped bar, and includes meaningful insights and anecdotes from longtime patrons.
Garcia has presented at the California Historical Society, SF History Days, the San Francisco Historical Association, local libraries and bookstores; speaking about Bay Area mile house history, and sharing stories from the the book. Her next speaking engagement is at the San Francisco Public Library (recently awarded “Best Library of 2018” by Library Journal) on June 30, 2018.
“The California Historical Society loved working with Vanessa and being a venue for her book. Our audiences learned about the history of mile houses and its rich stories from a powerful and unique perspective,” said Patricia Forte, Public Programs Manager.
The last mile house standing has become a pillar for the community in the quiet town of Brisbane, right on the border of Daly City and San Francisco’s Bayview neighborhood. The shack along Bayshore Boulevard is small, but mighty, with a loyal customer base that helped them win eight categories in SF Weekly’s “Best of SF 2018” list this year: Best Pub Food, Best Dog-Friendly Restaurant (2017 & 2018), Best Sports Bar, Best Live Music Venue, Best Wings, Best Sunday Funday, Best Burger, and Best Happy Hour.
“It’s been a whirlwind of excitement at 7 Mile House this year with the book launch, our 160-year anniversary, and winning eight categories in SF Weekly’s ‘Best of SF 2018.’ We are so thankful to our local community for their loyalty and patronage,” shared Garcia. "Through this book, I urge the community to support their favorite local mom-and-pop establishments, especially those that have been around for many years. With the current economy, we are seeing many businesses close down in record numbers. We must cherish their time while they are still open. I also hope to inspire owners of local historic restaurants and bars to write their stories, so that they may never be forgotten."
The book is available for purchase at 7 Mile House (2800 Bayshore Blvd. Brisbane, CA 94005), the iconic City Lights bookstore in San Francisco, the San Mateo County History Museum, and online at 7milehouse.com or Amazon. All proceeds go towards preserving and maintaining the 160-year-old building. To schedule Garcia for a presentation/author talk, or to see upcoming events, please visit www.7milehouse.com/book for more information.
To schedule Garcia for a presentation/author talk or to see upcoming events, please visit www.7milehouse.com/book for more information.
Brisbane Library Book Talk
When: Saturday, June 24, 10am-11am
Where: Main Library - 250 Visitacion Ave Brisbane, CA, 94005
Cost: FREE
Event Link: http://7milehouse.com/calendar/2018/4/16/brisbane-library-book-talk
San Francisco Library Book Talk
When: Saturday, June 30, 11am-12pm
Where: Main Library - 100 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Cost: FREE
Event Link: http://7milehouse.com/calendar/2018/6/30/san-francisco-public-library-history-center-book-talk
Eastwind Books Presentation at Oakland Asian Cultural Center
When: Saturday, July 28, 7pm-9pm
Where: 388 9th Street Oakland, CA, 94607
Cost: FREE
Event Link: http://7milehouse.com/calendar/2018/7/28/book-talk-with-eastwind-books-oakland-asian-cultural-center
Florey's Book Co. Author Talk
When: Saturday, September 22, 2018, 2p-3p
Where: 2120 Palmetto Ave Pacifica, CA, 94044
Cost: Free
Event Link: http://7milehouse.com/calendar/2018/9/22/floreys-book-store-author-talk
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About 7 Mile House:
Established in 1858, the historic 7 Mile House is a family and dog-friendly restaurant, sports bar, and live music venue, serving up a unique mix of homestyle American and Filipino food. Located in the San Francisco Bay Area for 160 years, 7 Mile House is the only Bay Area mile house left standing in its original location. From its colorful history as a stagecoach stop in the 1800s and an infamous sports gambling joint in the 80s, to becoming an award-winning establishment, 7 Mile House boasts great food, drinks, sports via satellite and live entertainment every single night.
About See You At The 7:
In this first-ever comprehensive narrative on “The 7,” as it came to be called in the 1950s, author Vanessa Garcia traces its roots from 1858 when it began as a toll gate carved along the bayside of San Bruno mountain. Its evolution can be traced from a saloon, hotel, and wheelman’s exchange in the early 1900s, to an illegal gambling den in the years leading up to Prohibition, to a melting pot of carefree workers from Southern Pacific Railroad in the 1940s and S.E. Rykoff in the 1980s, to the largest illegal sports gambling syndicate West of the Mississippi. Today, it is a family and dog-friendly restaurant, sports bar, and live music venue.
Culled from countless hours of interviews and research in the archives of San Mateo, San Francisco, and Sacramento Counties (as well as their photographic collections), the finished product is a richly illustrated, deeply personal book about how an extraordinary place has withstood the fickle tides of history, while remaining true to its essence-- a home to come back to when the days are just too rough, or when hearts are exploding with a joy that must be shared among people you choose to call family.
The book is co-authored by award-winning editor Regina Abuyuan, with a foreword by San Francisco Chronicle columnist Carl Nolte (Native Son).