Confessions of a Paper
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
More online On the Northside beat Meet the captain of SFPD's Northern Station, hang out with New column: Street Talk, p. 6 the Coastal Commuter, read New: Chinatown's evolving allure, p. 10 expanded event listings, and more marinatimes.com MARINATIMES.COM CELEBRATING OUR 33RD YEAR VOLUME 33 ISSUE 04 APRIL 2017 Reynolds Rap The peculiar priorities of Mayor Ed Lee Highest paid mayor in America more out of touch than ever BY SUSAN DYER REYNOLDS ccording to recent data compiled by American City Business Journals, San Fran- cisco Mayor Ed Lee is the highest paid mayor Ain America with an annual salary of $289,000. I guess A half-century ago, the Summer of Love was captured in full color in collectible posters. COURTESY: FAMSF with a $9.6 billion budget, that’s a drop in the pro- verbial bucket. It’s certainly not merit-based: As San Franciscans grow angrier about the condition of their The Summer of Love turns 50 at the de Young once fair city, Lee’s approval number has plummeted to the low 40s, with those who “strongly approve” of BY SHARON ANDERSON To support social and political the Summer of Love came from San his performance in single digits. transformation, in 1967 like-mind- Francisco.” Perpetually perched atop glorious lists such as rt, fashion and rock ’n’ roll ed people gathered together, prov- It’s hard to imagine the psychedelic “best places to visit,” San Francisco now takes titles will come together at the de ing that one city can change the rock scene of the late 1960s without like “worst roads in the nation.” A November 2016 Young to commemorate the world. Music journalist Joel Selvin “the San Francisco sound” pioneered study by the National Transportation Research Group A50th anniversary celebration of San observed: by groups like the Grateful Dead, Big found that 71 percent of San Francisco’s roads are in Francisco’s most vibrant countercul- “Even the treacly ubiquitous hit — Brother and the Holding Company, poor condition — that’s worse than any other city ture moment — the summer of 1967. Scott MacKenzie’s ‘San Francisco (Be and the Jefferson Airplane. with a population of 500,000 or more. Drivers here This era’s story will be told with Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair),’ With the music came the artists. pay nearly $1,000 on average for auto damage caused more than 300 cultural artifacts, written by John Phillips of the Mamas Legendary rock posters and their col- by those rough rides. Lee’s answer is of course to add including iconic rock posters, pho- and the Papas as a commercial for or-saturated images announced con- another layer of bureaucracy called “the fix-it team,” tographs, interactive music and the Monterey Pop Festival — paid certs at the Fillmore Auditorium, Ava- with a “fix-it director” (yes, that’s the official title) light shows, costumes, textiles, obeisance to the central truth of rock lon Ballroom, and other city venues. who reports directly to him. Are you telling me with a ephemera, and avant-garde films. music around the world; the heart of SUMMER OF LOVE, continued on 14 REYNOLDS RAP, continued on 4 Bellingham by the Bay Appetites and Afterthoughts BEST PHILLY CHEESESTEAK: Confessions of a Buster’s (366 Columbus Avenue) To me the cheesesteak is one of the gourmet splendors of our time. It paper boy exists at the crossroads of desire and necessity. If I am deprived, I’m apt to BY BRUCE BELLINGHAM slip over the edge into the gastronom- ic doldrums. Buster’s is always close nce a paper boy, always a paper boy. I still at hand. love delivering the Marina Times in scattered fashion — dropping copies off in stores and BEST BURGER: Buster’s Obars from hither to yon. (366 Columbus Avenue) Yes, I was a paperboy in New Jersey. The paper was I measure all burgers against those the Bergen Record. of the late and lamented Clown Alley I also had to sell subscriptions. of North Beach. In my taste memo- “Why would I want to subscribe to this newspaper?” ry Buster’s cheeseburgers approach asked one irate not-yet-a-customer. or surpass those of Clown Alley. “Because,” I explained, “President Kennedy said, ‘A Cheeseburger — the most euphoni- good citizen is an informed citizen.’” ous word in the English language. Of My good buddy, Danny Riecken, said, “Let’s not course, you must accompany your Wok crab at Betty Lou's Seafood & Grill. PHOTO: EARL ADKINS make too much trouble, Bruce.” Buster’s cheeseburger with an A&W I love trouble. root beer to reach the sublime. I mean the good kind of trouble. Stir it up — but let’s not hurt anyone. The fi fth annual Ernesto's BEST HOT DOG: Buster’s (366 I made the sale. It just takes a little moxie. Columbus Avenue) The nice man in Closter, N.J., smiled and said, “You Best of North Beach awards I consider myself the hot dog savant really are a smartass, aren’t you? I’ll buy it.” of San Francisco. And let me tell you Once in a while, arrogance pays off. Just look at BY ERNEST BEYL awards — not because it had slipped this about the Buster’s hot dog: It is the White House. My paperboy days preceded an era — but because it was the all-time sheer bliss on a sesame bun, topped where “the press is the enemy of the American people.” ere we go again. wel- Ernesto's winner in three with sauerkraut, green pickle relish, Richard Nixon said just that. As usual, Donald come to the Fifth Annual categories and we thought we should raw onion, mustard, and jalapeno Trump stole the line. The difference is Nixon did not Ernesto's. And welcome retire it. The Ernesto's has seen peppers. If that doesn’t get your atten- say this in public. His tirade was heard on the Nixon Hback Buster’s! Last year the Ernes- the error of its ways, so here comes tion, nothing will. BELLINGHAM, continued on 5 to's dropped Buster’s from the Buster’s again. APPETITES, continued on 11 Contents In This Issue 13 17 23 News Calendar Around the city April events News briefs on some big names expected to This month, the legendary International be top contenders to succeed Mayor Ed Lee, Film Festival returns, along with a new city labor proposal, arts programs the Union Street Easter parade, Earth Day, endangered at Fort Mason, a crime update, and much more. 16 and the city rethinks its monty. 3 At Home Northside Urban Home and Garden Speaking your mind It's the 47th annual Earth Day, and Julia Becca Scott takes the words right out of Strzesieski explains the background to your mouths with our new column Street making better choices with the products Talk; and District 2 Supervisor Mark Farrell you buy. 18 answers your questions about retail, women and Trump, and more. 6 Real Estate The joy of waiting in line North Beach and Telegraph Hill Carole Isaacs says go local to find your real Ernest Beyl lays out his menu for Plebian estate guide; and the Real Estate Roundup Food for Plain Folks; and District 3 reports on Airbnb, falling rents, targeting Supervisor Aaron Peskin says he's ready to second-home deductions, renter-majority take on the president on the environment. 8 cities, and immigrant tenants. 19 Chinatown changing Family Geri Koeppel looks at the evolving face MomSense of Chinatown, from edgy exhibits to new Liz Farrell says that some good plan- restaurants to live music. 10 ning will go a long way to making your children's summer a success and keeping Food & Wine you sane. 22 Changing of the guard The Tablehopper reports on new plans for Pets 3232 Scott Street, new trucks at Off the Grid Skylar Grey at Fort Mason and the Presidio, and more; Susan Dyer Reynolds remembers the spe- and Susan Dyer Reynolds presents her Fab cial bond between Kickie and Skylar. 23 Five places for great but affordable sushi. 12 ONLINE SPECIALS Arts & Entertainment Paul Lovinger talks to the SFPD Northern Ticket to 'Toon Town Station leader, plus latest from Evalyn Michael Snyder shares some great reasons Baron, Michael Snyder's Coastal Commuter, to look forward to upcoming animated traveler guru Patty Burness, and more. treats; plus the best sellers. 14 marinatimes.com Like us on Facebook.com/MarinaTimes Follow us on Twitter.com/TheMarinaTimes Sign up for our newsletters at MarinaTimes.com marinatimes.com | 3053 Fillmore Street #104, San Francisco, CA 94123 Editorial: (415) 931-0515 | Fax: (415) 931-0987 | Letters to the Editor: [email protected] Advertising: (415) 815-8081 [email protected] Calendar submissions due by the 15th of the month to [email protected] Publisher Executive Editor Layout Designer Earl Adkins John Zipperer Sara Brownell [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Editor in Chief Managing Editor Web Designer Susan Dyer Reynolds Lynette Majer Joe Bachman [email protected] [email protected] MARINA TIMES IS A TRADE MARK OF JASMINE BLUE MEDIA LLC. COPYRIGHT ©2015 JASMINE BLUE MEDIA LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE VIEWS EXPRESSED HEREIN DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE MARINA TIMES OR JASMINE BLUE MEDIA LLC.THE MARINA TIMES NAME AND LOGO AND VARIOUS TITLES AND HEADINGS HEREIN ARE TRADE MARKS OF JASMINE BLUE MEDIA LLC. NO PART OF THIS PERIODICAL MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE MARINA TIMES. THE MARINA TIMES IS DISTRIBUTED FREE IN SAN FRANCISCO’S NORTHERN NEIGHBORHOODS (MARINA, COW HOLLOW, PACIFIC HEIGHTS, RUSSIAN HILL, NORTH BEACH AND NOB HILL).