North Beach Journal

North Beach Journal

Mama’s, Annie Hall, and the pornographic butterflies

The other day someone said she thought I was becoming the Herb Caen of North Beach. Good try on a compliment, but I could never match Herb’s wit and wisdom. Bruce Bellingham ... Read More

North Beach Journal

Movers, shakers and Broadway’s China marketplace

Who are the real movers and shakers in North Beach? Let’s see if we can run down a few of them for you. And I believe it’s important to realize that not all movers are ... Read More

North Beach Journal

A new square, update on a poet’s vision and Suzie Q on the hill

North Beach has always had an abundance of fine restaurants, at least as far back as I can remember, and I have a memory that goes back to the time when Fior d’Italia was on Broa... Read More

North Beach Journal

North Beach saloon culture

This is a column about saloons — where they are, who frequents them, and why. The philosophical question that occupies us here is this: Are the saloons that we have come to know ... Read More

North Beach Journal

An idler’s perfect day in the neighborhood

The other day in North Beach, I put my head on shuffle and wandered around aimlessly — a flaneur, if you will. No set destination or mission, nothing on my mind. And I had one of... Read More

North Beach Journal

Your columnist hits the streets and comes up with trivial trivia

Being a columnist — even for such an august publication as the Marina Times — has its ups and downs. When the going is good and the words flow along in proper order, being a co... Read More

North Beach Journal

Italian sausage, an antique map or a marching band

Because the year-end holidays are approaching, I want to make a few gift suggestions from North Beach. So here is Ernesto’s Gift Guide — a sketchy compilation of esoteric, ... Read More

North Beach Journal

Ferlinghetti Plaza, signs of the times and highly important trivia

Is this a sign of the times, or is it just the season of the glitch? I received an e-mail from the law offices of that mover and sometimes-persistent shaker, Angela Alioto. It read... Read More

North Beach Journal

People, places and pleasures in the neighborhood

ANGELA’S BASHES Angela Alioto announced an on-again-off-again bash recently — a press conference to make an announcement about the Piazza St. Francis. You will remember tha... Read More

North Beach Journal

A good whistleblower, a Pagoda Palace performer, and the Filbert gardener

Hero worship comes naturally to me — perhaps because I’m nonheroic. But I’m a late bloomer so I still have a chance. Here are three of my North Beach heroes, past and... Read More

North Beach Journal

Saloon conversation

Not just dirty jokes, sports and pick-up lines

I wandered down to Capp’s Corner the other day to check out the linguine and clams, and ran into James Melling. Some may recall that in earlier columns I referred to him as t... Read More

North Beach Journal

Comic oddments and oddities

The death of Jonathan Winters a while back sent me slipping into a reverie of memories of when there were comic giants walking the streets of North Beach. Winters was such a giant.... Read More

North Beach Journal

More formidable women

Well, I think it’s about time for me to acknowledge this — I love women. All kinds, especially, strong, gutsy, opinionated women. And North Beach has plenty of them. Here a... Read More

North Beach Journal

A jazz cat, a street cat and other North Beach notables

It’s always a pleasure to write about friends, and that’s what I’m doing in this column — friends like John Coppola, Bernard Quintana and Fook Fook. I’m a... Read More

North Beach Journal

The Ernestos: First (and last) annual ‘Best of North Beach’ awards

This is the first — and probably the last — “Best of North Beach” list I will write. I say probably the last, since my esteemed editor has better judgment than to l... Read More

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