Did you hear about the North Beach strip club worker and how a bomb he set off on Broadway led San Francisco investigators and federal agents to two much bigger fish with a huge cache of weapons and explosives? If you did it’s because you saw it on Bay Area FOX and ABC television stations, or you read it in the San Jose Mercury or the San Diego Tribune. When those outlets ran the story last month, the San Francisco Examiner’s headline touted the near completion of Coit Tower’s mural renovation. The San Francisco Chronicle has been similarly silent. This could be because we have two of the weakest daily newspapers of any large metropolis in America when it comes to local issues, or, perhaps — like a lot of people — they prefer not to tick off the Telegraph Hill Dwellers (THD). W... Read More
City Hall is buzzing with proposed legislation to address public worries over housing affordability in San Francisco in this current economic boom (see page 26). One group that isn... Read More
When I find myself in trouble — those occasions are more frequent than I would like to admit — I take a long walk along the water. That’s the Marina Green to Fort Point and b... Read More
Diego Rivera, the internationally renowned and controversial Mexican artist, had warm associations with San Francisco. He found it to be a fascinating bohemian city and a source fo... Read More
OK, so what do Ernest Hemingway, Marlon Brando, and Pablo Picasso have in common? Yes, all were highly creative, outsized personalities and internationally famous, but that’s not... Read More
During summers spent in Rhode Island, I remember awakening to the slightly rancid smell of tripe (cow stomach) boiling on the back burner. My Sicilian grandfather was a huge believ... Read More
I think it is safe to say we have all had those moments when we have thought of an idea for a business or new product that would make life better or easier, but taking an idea and... Read More
North Beach has always had an abundance of fine restaurants, at least as far back as I can remember, and I have a memory that goes back to the time when Fior d’Italia was on Broa... Read More
I’m on the record as detesting award competitions in the arts, though I do like the idea of merit rewarded. It’s just the concept of narrowing down a field to a handful of ost... Read More
While many don’t need or want to pay for a monthly gym membership, even the most devout runners, bikers, and other fitness buffs sometimes like company during a workout, and the ... Read More
Hold on, to me as we go As we roll down this unfamiliar road And although this wave is stringing us along Just know you’re not alone Cause I’m going to make this place your hom... Read More
A visit to Paso Robles, just over three hours from San Francisco, reaps huge rewards: gorgeous vistas, verdant hillsides, delicious wines, farm-fresh ingredients, and terrific peop... Read More
How long have you been involved with animal rescue? 20 years. How did you get involved with rescue? I started volunteering at the SF/SPCA in the 1990s as a dog behavior volunteer, ... Read More
As Mayor of San Francisco, I am very proud that our city diverts 80 percent of its waste from the landfill, one of the highest diversion rates in North America. This is good for ou... Read More
Knowing the trends in local crimes can help you be alert to possible problems and, one hopes, avoid becoming a victim. In addition to the modern plague of iPhone robberies, of part... Read More
’Twas the night before Easter, And as was his habit, In the deep hours of morning There sat an Old Rabbit On the floor by the firelight, Cloaked in old myst’ry. Again he had co... Read More
This past winter, the sale of San Francisco single-family homes and condos remained extremely strong with not even a hint of a seasonal slow down. Inventory was painfully low, but ... Read More
Somewhere deep in Skylar’s DNA there must be a champion Labrador retriever, because she can’t get enough of the water. Most of her collars — some leather, some with crystals,... Read More
IT’S TIME FOR AN EASTER PARADE ON UNION It’s been 23 years since the businesses on Union Street began holding an Easter parade, and in that nearly quarter century of time, the ... Read More
In 1967, a couple of guys named Holmes and Rahe listed life’s most traumatic events, and four of the top ten happened to me when I moved here. Even though some were my choice, it... Read More
I’ve been spending a big chunk of the spring in Los Angeles for a variety of reasons, after being in the area for much of what people still call winter in Southern California... Read More
Spring weather is here along with longer days, and how perfect — every Friday at Fort Mason from 5–11 p.m. (rain or shine), once again you’ll find more than 30 Off the Grid f... Read More
Ashley Miller would make an expert florist. As bar manager for Alta Restaurant (1420 Market St. near Fell, 415-590-2585, altaca.co), everything she creates is bright, seasonal, and... Read More
It’s that time of year when spring fashion hits the stores and the weather warms up just enough to inspire us to buy something new. This season, shopping will be especially satis... Read More
ELLIS ACT ACTIONS San Francisco Supervisor David Campos is pushing legislation that would increase the amount of money landlords must pay tenants under the Ellis Act. Currently, la... Read More
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Well, never say never, as politicians frequently utter self-servingly. In my case, last April I released my first, and as I wrote then, “probably my last,” Ernestos: Best of N... Read More
The de Young museum has extended its exhibition of Georgia O’Keeffe’s landscapes and botanical studies, created at Lake George in upstate New York between 1918 and the ear... Read More
Books Inc. hardcover best-seller list 1. Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, by Daniel Brown 2. Frozen (a Little Golden Bo... Read More
At this point, most of us have either used, or certainly are aware of, the various ride-sharing services that exist in San Francisco, such as Uber, Lyft and SideCar. These ride-sha... Read More
When the days are short, the air is crisp, and nightfall comes fast, I reach for warming, comforting red wines. But come longer days and warmer weather, it’s time for something c... Read More
In Peter Schneider’s 2000 novel Eduard’s Homecoming, a German scientist living in the United States returns to Germany when he learns that he has inherited an apartment buildin... Read More
Small, shared plates are the darlings of the city’s newest restaurants, and Nico on Sacramento Street is no exception. Whether you call this charming spot that seats 44 a bistro ... Read More
This year started with a record dry spell, unfortunately, so watering wisely will be crucial this spring and summer. If we’re lucky, we’ll have a few April showers to give the ... Read More
