The Panhandle is a strip of green park, about eight blocks long and one block wide, that goes from Baker Street to Stanyan Street, where it connects with Golden Gate Park. It's called the panhandle because it forms a "panhandle" with Golden Gate Park. Panhandle is also what people do when they ask you for money on the street.
It's great for biking and jogging. The Wiggle connects you here, via bike, from Market Street.
The neighborhood to the north of the park is NoPa.
Panhandle Bandshell
The Black Rock Arts Foundation put together the Panhandle Bandshell, a temporary theater space for performances during the summer of 2007. The bandshell was operated with a $50,000 grant from the city's Department of the Environment and was intended as a temporary installation. In late August the Black Rock Arts Foundation applied for an extension on the operating permit, through November of 2007, but was denied. More from the Examiner.