May brings spring flowers, and also the annual San Francisco Small Business Week. While National Small Business Week does not begin until June, here in the City where we love our unique neighborhoods and celebrate diversity, we jump the gun with the nation’s largest celebra... Read More
When people at Miami cocktail parties learned that John Englander was writing a book about sea level rise, many people took him aside and quietly asked him a question. “If I sell my oceanfront property in a decade will I be O.K.?” The answer is that nobody knows when ... Read More
Nestled in the northern foothills of San Benito County, Léal Vineyards sounds like a beautiful place to get married. “Our spectacular Barrel Room can be custom catered to create an exquisite atmosphere for your wedding or reception,” the website says. I had never hea... Read More
The London Underground Railway System (lovingly known as The Tube) opened in 1863 and soon carried about 25,000 passengers a day. It now carries more than 1 billion passengers per year. During World War II, Londoners used the underground stations as bomb shelters. Trains and stat... Read More
Willie Sutton was a famous bank robber who is alleged to have said, in response to a question asking why he robbed banks, “Because that’s where the money is.” When asked why he carried a gun, he said “You can’t rob a bank with just charm and personal... Read More
Nearly four years ago, those of us who are fortunate enough to write about innovative programs in San Francisco were treated to the site of carpenters, electricians, and painters renovating the barracks at 104 Montgomery Street in the Presidio. As we toured the half-finished floo... Read More
It’s March, which means the deadline for filing your personal income tax returns is just around the corner. Tax Day, April 15, will be here sooner than you think. It’s best to file as soon as possible, so get started on the process early. Whether you’re filing o... Read More
The $25 million man, as I called him, was the symbol of California’s boom-or-bust economy. In the early 1990s, when California was struggling through one of its cyclical busts and commercial real estate in particular was hit hard, this man was $25 million in debt. The $25 m... Read More
Chutzpah is a Yiddish word that does not have a simple English synonym. It combines the concepts of insolence, gall and audacity. An example is the young man who murdered both his parents and then asked the court for mercy because he was an orphan. A recent example was a lawsuit ... Read More
If you’re like many Americans – 71 percent, according to an AARP survey – you might be under the impression that your 401(k) plan administrator doesn’t charge you anything to maintain your account. You’d be wrong. In fact, these companies typically c... Read More