Happy New Year: Resolutions and revelations

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

North Beach Journal

Holiday wishes for my favorite neighborhood characters

By Ernest Beyl

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

North Beach Journal

Bartenders, a photographer, an author, a rabbi, and Sicilian sausage

By Ernest Beyl

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

North Beach Journal

Blues, poetry, Stravinsky and Lloyd, saloon updates, and some neighborhood fish news

By Ernest Beyl

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

North Beach Journal

Betty Lou’s Seafood & Grill, Tony Bennett’s statue, Barney’s city guide, Chief Sullivan’s Irish mural

By Ernest Beyl

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

North Beach Journal

The truth about baccala; Beat Museum plans move, seeks angels; the loss of a McCourt poet

By Ernest Beyl

AL CIPPOLINA AND BACCALA ALLA MESSINESE If you’re around North Beach on a Friday, you might want to drop into the Original U.S. Restaurant. That’s the day Al Cippolina ... Read More

North Beach Journal

Homeless people: Yes, they are our problem

By Ernest Beyl

The last time I saw Alphonsus McCourt was at the memorial for his celebrity bartender brother, Michael. Alphie, as everyone calls him, came out from New York and read one of his p... Read More

North Beach Journal

The Clooney caper; an ode to the perfect bloody Mary; the osso buco episode; and Amanda, the deputy sheriff

By Ernest Beyl

POLITICALLY INCORRECT AND THE CLOONEY PROTEST This paragraph should have appeared in my May Sketches column but monthly deadlines being what they are, I missed it. However, I think... Read More

North Beach Journal

The Tubes, Irene’s musical comedy, saloon art, and Lawrence Ferlinghetti

By Ernest Beyl

PRIME TIME AND THE TUBES You may recall that I like to hang out at Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store and Cafe. If you join me there sometime you may meet a Deadhead, a city superv... Read More

North Beach Journal

The town hall brawl, the gold Ferrari, and an ode to grappa

By Ernest Beyl

THE DISTRICT THREE DUDE Aaron Peskin is one cool dude — the big progressive Lebowski of District 3. He demonstrated his cool dudeness last month when more than 200 people showed ... Read More

North Beach Journal

No such thing as a free lunch for your columnist, and other neighborhood updates

By Ernest Beyl

THE HABERDASHER Gentleman haberdasher Wilkes Bashford missed my deadline last month. He died just after I turned in my February column. I counted Wilkes a friend, and patronized hi... Read More

North Beach Journal

Arm wrestling with Aaron Peskin, a Bloody Mary at Gino and Carlo, and neckties in the neighborhood

By Ernest Beyl

As I write this, Gino and Carlo, my favorite North Beach saloon, is looking for a cook to replace Denise Sabella, who died over the Christmas holidays and is sorely missed by all o... Read More

North Beach Journal

In pursuit of North Beach: A torch song for the good old days

By Ernest Beyl

“If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change.” — Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, The Leopard I’m on a rant. So I hope you won’t mind i... Read More

North Beach Journal

Charlotte and Tony, Angela and Aaron, Caen and Kerouac, North Beach Legacy Bars, and a Wake for Michael McCourt

By Ernest Beyl

A few months ago, I reported that an Irish pub would open in North Beach. And it has. It’s called BarNua and it’s located at 561 Columbus Avenue. My informant tells me ... Read More

North Beach Journal

Sex, bars, bartenders, bakeries, cops, and restaurants

By Ernest Beyl

This month, a little of this and a little of that goes a long way. So please stick with me. MARRIED SEX Lest you think the above subhead is an oxymoron, let me tell you about Jesse... Read More

North Beach Journal