As my mentor, Herb Caen, used to say, “gawd, I love this town.”… For example, here comes the Belli Belles and the great gals that they are. They had a party the ... Read More
As i was writing this new year’s Sketches column, I realized I had written more than 50 of these columns since 2012. Who knew? I intend to write at least 50 more. Then I̵... Read More
On the 22 fillmore bus the other day, a very nice lady sat next to me. Her name was Helen. Yes, just like Helen of Troy. Yes, she launched a thousand ships. What is that famous lin... Read More
A little over 9 percent of San Franciscans voted for Donald Trump. I wasn’t one of them, but I understand why people did. It was their way of sending a message to Washington,... Read More
Christmas is about music. it’s also about generosity of spirit, whether you can play an instrument or sing. But anybody can sing — as long as you want to sing. The only require... Read More
As a north beach flaneur, I come across a lot of neighborhood characters who lighten my load. This is especially important during the year-end holidays. Let me tell you about a few... Read More
It all looked too easy. in a split moment, we knew the truth. Some of us went to Sunday school. Some of us never left Sundays at all. Some of us drifted away from where we were sup... Read More
In December 2012, i wrote an editorial called “The Me-Me-Me Millionaires” in which I called out nouveau riche tech workers for their lack of interest in helping the com... Read More
Some of my sketches columns almost write themselves, like this one. All I need to do is walk around the old neighborhood and keep my eyes open. Recently, I did some walking around ... Read More
The surprise is that few of us may be surprised at all these days. Small wonder. To most civilized people, we have tumbled into an era of incivility. Of vulgarity, and a sad excurs... Read More
I split my time between the Silicon Valley and San Francisco. It’s a great arrangement: Just when I’m getting tired of too many places to park, squeaky clean streets, a... Read More
Recently, I was sitting at the bar at Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store and Cafe alongside Patrick Douglas, a fixture there. Patrick told me he plays guitar and sings. “What else is... Read More
BARNEY’S SAN FRANCISCO CITY GUIDE Tony Bennett, who you recall left his heart in San Francisco, was asked by Barney’s, the upscale New York retailer, to prepare a city guide as... Read More
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San Francisco has long been a haven for photographers and fine photography. Almost from its Gold Rush beginnings, it has attracted photographers who have documented life in this dr... Read More