The Sydney Ducks: California’s First Street Gang September 15, 2016 Our charming quadrant of San Francisco has borne more than one name since the first European settlers decided to build on these strange and beautiful hills. Today’s strip clubs on Broadway owe their lusty lineage to the Barbary Coast, … Read the rest
Menu Fatigue: SF Chefs Push Back Against Extreme Prices August 31, 2016 Here in the San Francisco of 2016, we are fortunate to live in the abundant center of the food universe. This has been an important dining town for decades, but things have been taken to a new level in recent … Read the rest
Who Are These People? The Crowd Behind Trump August 27, 2016 As we watch the election season unfold, there is a lot of confusion surrounding Donald Trump’s bid for the presidency. While his campaign has left us with a great deal to wonder about, the central question remains a simple one: … Read the rest
10 Things To Eat In North Beach Right Now, Part 2 August 19, 2016 North Beach has long been San Francisco’s mainstay for Italian dining, but over the last decade our little neighborhood has become much more. In addition to half a dozen distinct regional Italian cuisines, our restaurant scene now boasts Mexican, Ethiopian, … Read the rest
Brick And Mortar History – The Bars Of North Beach, Part 2 July 26, 2016 North Beach has long been a neighborhood of barflies and night owls, of bon vivants and inveterate imbibers, and that isn’t about to change. The Beach loves its bars, and there may be no more unique assemblage of watering holes … Read the rest
Fear and Loathing On the Force: The Problem With Our Police July 19, 2016 The recent police shootings in Dallas and Baton Rouge have raised the stakes in the national debate over police violence. I’ve been reluctant to write about this topic, because it seems like the moment you say anything remotely critical of … Read the rest
Venture Philanthropy: Harnessing Capital For Good July 18, 2016 The rise of social responsibility and its core principles has been transformative at every level of the business world, and lately it has been making noise in the world of venture capital. Case in point: Draper Richards Kaplan (DRK), … Read the rest
Losing Faith: The NBA, The DNC And Why It Matters July 7, 2016 Confidence. Faith. Trust. Whatever term you prefer, it is a prerequisite of all healthy economic and political systems: a belief in the integrity of the institutions that figure so largely in our modern lives. This sense of confidence is part … Read the rest
Vagabonds, Lunatics And Scoundrels in San Francisco History, Part 2 July 3, 2016 San Francisco loves all of its children – especially the eccentrics. To speak of our city without mention of the confidence men, embezzlers, reconstructed losers and spit-shined derelicts that populate its history is to somehow miss the point of why … Read the rest
A Conversation With Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe June 27, 2016 Situated on the busy corner of Union Street and Columbus Avenue in North Beach, Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe has been at the center of this historic San Francisco neighborhood since the early Seventies. Originally founded by Mario and Liliana … Read the rest