We began a tradition of bowing to each other. Back when I started working Monday comedy nights at the Rite Spot, it became a regular habit to stop off at the Uptown on my way via the train from Oakland. Like many long time bartenders, my morning is primarily spent

“I’ll try anything once, twice if I like it, three times to make sure.” ― Mae West A woman I work with for wedding events tells me – in between filling up the juices, setting up the mats, and stocking the liquor – all about her sexual exploits. These exploits range

I’ve got some awesome news! We received a grant from the Civic Joy Fund to put out a literary magazine celebrating SF and acting to counter the stupid “Doom Loop” narrative. It’s a gift to the people of San Francisco. And after months of working on this project it’s now available

Long gone are the days of the Lone Palm. Not the actual bar. The actual bar is still alive and well. However, the towering, flowering palm tree that had long lived in front of the bar is gone. It was a beautiful tree and a beacon for all those seeking

On the drive back to the city after a wedding up in Sonoma, Joyful Raven and I discussed the question of potential motherhood. We were both in our mid-thirties so it was a question which was timely, egg wise, and fraught, womanhood wise. I was adamant, declarative and brooked no

There are no cigars there. Not anymore, at Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Cafe Store. North Beach, that righteous, riotous and literarily relevant San Francisco neighborhood of great charm has long become a tourist destination. Arguably, it is now a neighborhood primarily cultivated and sustained through tourism. It’s where all the sailors

Back in the Days…is a column about the weird and wonderful history of bars, houses, and spaces in the Bay Area. These histories will often involve ghosts. It will also involve those still living who remember what has been and want the wonderful character of the city to continue to thrive. San