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
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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
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
We witnessed the worst mass shooting in United States history on Sunday morning, a bloodbath that took the lives of forty-nine victims at Pulse, Orlando’s most popular gay nightclub. A horrific crime, this tragic event has once again cast a
We live in a deeply mysterious world. To be sure, one hears a lot about how much we know as a species; we are told that human knowledge is now doubling every thirteen months, and will soon double every twelve
In June of 1964, San Francisco was a play between acts. The Summer of Love had yet to descend upon our fair city; Kerouac, Ginsberg and the beats had already departed. Something was in the air, an unease deepened by
As the preeminent culinary destination in America’s #1 food city, San Francisco’s Ferry Plaza sits at the center of the food universe. Essentially an upscale food mall, it has gone from an abandoned relic to some of the most expensive
As any seasoned traveler will tell you, San Francisco’s North Beach is one of America’s quintessential drinking neighborhoods. Sure, there’s some steep competition out there: The French Quarter of New Orleans, Key West, Williamsburg….the list goes tipsily on. But North
Located at the bustling nexus of Chinatown, the Financial District and Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood has long been a food destination. As our city’s designated Little Italy, North Beach is a magnet for sightseers, and that foot
Microfinance gets a lot of press these days, for good reason. It is a powerful tool that puts financial resources in the hands of the poorest, and the impact of microfinance has been shown to transform impoverished communities. It is