Issue 188, Summer 2009 - Telegraph Hill Dwellers

p. 36p. 23p. 27THE SEMAPHORE # 188 SUMMER 2009FEATURESA Saloonist’s View of theNorth Beach Saloon Culture ...............5Why Are There So Many Vacancies inNorth Beach? ........................11Up Against the Walls:The Murals of North Beach. ..............13North Beach Unique .....................18Not Just a Chophouse: DiMaggio’s ...........22Mason Street Closes—For Now. .............23Art & Culture Salon Celebrates Historyon the Hill. ..........................24What’s Special about Appleton? ............26Depression Era Garden RaisesCrops And Spirits .....................36COLUMNSThe President’s Corner .....................3From the Desk of Supervisor Chiu .............8Parks, Trees, & Birds Report ................28Parking & Traffic Committee Report ...........30Art & Culture Report. .....................34The Alpha Nose ........................38THD BUSINESSBoard Motions. .........................37Board of Directors .......................39THD Committees ........................39Membership Info .................. back coverCover:. . . . . .Washington Square Bar & Grill, photo by Art PetersonS e m a p h o r e S ta f f :Ed i t o r: Art Peterson, 101A Telegraph Hill, 956-7817, apeterson@writingproject.orgAd Sa l e s: Kathleen Cannon, 776-6014, cannonpk@aol.comBusiness Ma n a g e r: Gail Switzer, 341 Filbert, 788-8667, gail_switzer@yahoo.comTypesetting/De s i g n: Chris Carlsson, Cloverleaf Productions, 608-9035 cc@chriscarlsson.comThe Semaphore is a publication of the Telegraph Hill Dwellers for its members. Articles, except for the summary of Board ofDirectors’ Motions, do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Association or its officers, but are the opinions of thewriters of the individual signed articles. The Association can take no responsibility for their content. This membership publicationis not to be reprinted or disseminated without permission in writing.Printed on Recycled paper2 Issue #188 • Summer 2009

PRESIDENT'S CORNERby Vedica PuriThe THD Board recently voted on twoimportant issues to the neighborhood. Thiscolumn, and parts of this issue, are dedicatedto the issues related to those votes.First, the THD Board voted on the current proposalto build the Central Subway from TownsendStreet to Chinatown/North Beach.The prospect of having a subway is exciting ifdone the right way. We whole-heartedly support thepossibility that San Francisco could someday have asubway system as reputable as New York City. TheCentral Subway project could be a step in the rightdirection as long as we do not lose the very fabric ofour neighborhoods the subway is meant to service.While THD has long supported a robust publictransportation infrastructure, the Board’s unanimousvote expressed on-going concerns over futureimpacts the project could have on the northeastcorner of the City. It is important that we work toensure that building this newbillion dollar subway will notlead to the demolition of existinghousing or historic buildingsor create pressure to raise heightlimits in the future.I believe the Board’s position is importantbecause it can be used as a starting point to reinforcethe basic planning and preservation principles thisorganization and its membership have long advocatedfor. We want to ensure that the subway projectwill not create extraordinary pressure to turn NorthBeach, Chinatown and surrounding neighborhoodsinto an extension of Downtown. We are committedto working with the City to make sure that thesubway project does not end up creating a situationcontinued on page 4Sean O’DonnellHandyman“Anything can be fixedexcept a fallen soufflé.”307-1205Issue #188 • Summer 2009 3

PRESIDENT’S CORNERwhere demolition and displacement occur. I amhopeful that as this project moves forward we can usethis as an opportunity to strengthen protections forour community, ensure affordable housing is not lost,safeguard our historic resources and protect existingheight limits from the excuse that new high-risebuildings are needed along the subway route.The second important vote by the board involvedthe current plan to demolish the existing NorthBeach library and build a new library on the nowinfamous “triangle.”The Board voted that THD support preservingthe existing library and renovating and expandingit to meet the various needs of the community. TheBoard concluded that the “THD supports openspace on 701 Lombard (the “triangle”) consistentwith the purpose for which the City purchased theparcel. The THD also supports a thorough, objectivemaster planning effort for Joe DiMaggio Parkcontinued from page 3and Playground that includes retaining the existinglibrary and exploring Mason Street options.” Somehave hailed this position and others have vilified it.Whatever your thoughts, we decided to do somethinga little different in this issue of the Semaphore.We are publishing a special insert that contains fiveletters supporting the current plan to demolish theexisting library and five letters supporting retainingand renovating the existing library (ie, not demolishingit). We also include an article about the historyof the eight libraries throughout San Franciscodesigned by the architectural firm of Appleton andWolfard. The North Beach library is one of thoselibraries.There are numerous issues around the NorthBeach library plan that many THD members feelvery strongly about. Instead of trying to explain,defend or tackle them all in this column, I urge youto read the special insert, visit the existing library andtake a moment to imagine what could be.As always, feel free to email me with any thoughts,suggestions or comments. I hope to see you at one ofour upcoming social events.BOOKS ON THE HILLJoin other books lovers in a lively discussion of booksread in common. We meet the first Monday of eachmonth at the home of one of our members. CallCarol Peterson, 956-7817433-24441499 Grant Ave.—Corner of Grant and Union4 Issue #188 • Summer 2009

A Saloonist’s View of theNorth Beach Saloon CultureBy Ernest BeylIam a saloonist—that is one with a fervent appreciationof fine saloons. No, I don’t mean barsor cocktail lounges. I mean saloons, the best ofwhich share certain qualities.A good saloon provides shelter from an encroachingworld; it’s a second home, often an extension ofa small studio or apartment. At a good saloon themanagement will loan you money, take your messages,or tell callers you are not there (even if you are). Thebartender will know your name and beverage of choiceand engage you in conversation—trivial or existential.A good saloon is like a good private club, butbetter—no rules, no dress code, and no stuffinessthat masquerades as good fellowship.A saloon culture has existed in San Franciscoright from the town’s boozy beginnings. Even 1840sYerba Buena, the sleepy Mexican outpost on the bay,offered its 400 hardy residents elemental drinkingestablishments called cantinas.With the Gold Rush of 1849, miners, merchants,adventurers, clerks, entrepreneurs, gamblers and justplain ruffians flocked to our town, thirsty, hungryand in search of companionship. Saloons sprang upto provide the necessary social ambience. Soon therewas whisky, gambling, conversation, music and evenprostitution—your five basic mood groups.Enterprising would-be saloon keepers threwup leaky tents or rough wooden shacks. Abandonedships were dragged to high ground and turned intosaloons and boarding houses.By 1852, when the population of San Franciscogrew to 50,000, some saloons had become more thansimple beer or whisky joints. They were now elaboratemelodeons or concert saloons, but they still featured,as one advertised, “freedom from constrainedetiquette,” one hallmark of your fine saloon.It was not long after that sailors, visiting thestrip of Pacific Avenue (then Pacific Street) betweenSansome and Montgomery peppered with saloons,gambling joints, dancehalls and brothels, labeled thearea the Barbary Coast, likening it to the pirates’ lairin North Africa.By 1862 there were more than 1,000 saloons inSan Francisco—some of which had the qualities ofthe “fine saloons” we have been musing about. Morethan 300 were grocery saloons, many on the slopesof Telegraph Hill. Homeward bound working stiffsstopped off for a sack of flour or some other stapleand there, among the foodstuffs, they found a planksuspended between two barrels where they couldwet their whistles with beer, grappa or some othercombustible.San Francisco saloon culture resurrected itselffrom the catastrophic earthquake and fire in 1906.And, between 1920 and 1933, survived Prohibitionin the form of ubiquitous speakeasies. The classicSan Francisco speakeasy was Izzy Gomez’s whichoperated at 848 Pacific Avenue. Izzy, a portly, handsomeman who always wore a black fedora, notonly served booze, but also thick steaks and othercontinued on page 6Issue #188 • Summer 2009 5

North Beach Saloon Culture continued from page 5restoratives. William Saroyan, who knew a thing ortwo about San Francisco saloons, immortalized IzzyGomez’s establishment in The Time of Your Life, his1939 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama.So we’ve established that San Francisco hasalways been a thirsty town. But how about NorthBeach? The answer, of course, is that North Beach hasbeen an especially convivial neighborhood for saloonculture. In fact, it is in this favored enclave where manyof the city’s finest saloons are located. The ingredientsof the fine saloon we’ve already mentioned, as well assome of its other characteristics, are present in manyNorth Beach drinking establishments.Longevity seems a characteristic of goodsaloons. The oldest, continuously operated saloon inSan Francisco is on Upper Grant Avenue at FresnoStreet. It’s called, naturally enough, The Saloon andopened back in 1861 as part of the Fresno Hotel. Butother saloons go way back, or far enough back to haveestablished the cache of permanence. There’s Tosca, onColumbus Avenue. The original Tosca opened elsewherein North Beach in 1919 by two brothers fromItaly. Specs, at 12 Adler Place, right off Columbus, wasa speakeasy during Prohibition. La Rocca’s Corner onColumbus dates back to the 1930s; Gino & Carlo, onGreen Street, goes back to 1942, and Capp’s Corner, atPowell and Green, was established in 1963.And the Washington Square Bar & Grill, foundedby Ed Moose and Sam Deitsch in 1973, just keepsBreakfast& Lunch7 days a week7:30-3:30being reincarnated. The present WSB&G, lovinglyrestored, is under the direction of folk singer-publicanLiam Tiernan.History and myth are ingredients of saloonculture. The story goes that The Saloon was savedin the 1906 earthquake and fire by a water brigadethat refused to put the hotel’s resident hookers outof business. And it’s not hard to believe that, back inthe 40s, a gangland hit took place in the basement atLa Rocca’s.Fine saloons have fine saloon keepers. SpecsSimmons took over this eponymous establishmentin the 1960s. Simmons is a gregarious, left-overbohemian from the days when bohemians stalkedcontinued on page 76 Issue #188 • Summer 2009

North Beach Saloon Culture continued from page 6North Beach. Joe Capp, of Capp’s Corner is a characterwho appears to step right from Damon Runyan’sGuys and Dolls. Newspaper delivery kid, truck driver,boxer with a broken nose, boxing promoter, gamblerand restaurateur, always with a big black cigar stuckin his mouth, and an attitude.And, of course, there was the late EnricoBanducci, of Enrico’s on Broadway, the melodramatic,Italian-American impresario considered by devoteesto have been the Mayor of North Beach. Enricoonce said of his celebrity clientele, “I would play alittle Mozart for them on my violin and sing a littlePuccini (Enrico was a talented classical violinist andoperatic vocalists) and feed them my grandmother’sminestrone. Sinatra liked my ravioli.” What aboutWoody Allen? “He was always too nervous to eat.”While fine saloons share admirable ingredients,they also possess features that make themspecial. There’s the old Wurlitzer juke box at Toscaloaded with Puccini and Verdi, the genitalia of awalrus at Specs, and, at La Rocca’s, the sign over thebar reading “Drink with Dignity.” More substantively,there are 20 beers, stouts and ales on tap at O’Reilly’son Green, and there’s Gino & Carlo’s bi-weekly,family style lunch. All you can eat and a lot of TonySoprano-style conversation.While fine saloons are intended for regularfolks, the rich, famous and infamous often dropby to kibbutz. At Tosca, Nick Nolte, Nicolas Cageand Sean Penn spend time in the private back roomthat once was used by local Italians for card games.At La Rocca’s, Joe DiMaggio dropped in occasionally.,John Huston, Frank Sinatra, Carol Channing, DukeEllington and John Steinbeck often joined the latenight fervor at Enrico’s. Vesuvio regulars included,of course, Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and BobDylan, but also the violinist Yehudi Menuhin..But the philosophical question that preoccupieshard core saloonists is this: Are the saloons that wehave known and loved a dying institution?To pursue our inquiry we talked to MichaelMcCourt, celebrated San Francisco bartender, behindthe plank at the Washington Square Bar & Grill.McCourt enlightened us. “I notice a renewed interestin saloons,” he stated with conviction. Then he addedwith the bluff assurance only an Irish bartender canmuster, “It’s not just about imbibing—that’s drinkingto you—saloons are also places to engage in the gentleart of social discourse and to find out who has diedrecently.” And then (pause), “Nowadays, people aredying who never died before.”Those who may believe that the saloon culture isdisappearing point to the fact that people don’t drinkas much alcohol as they once did. Certainly healthconcerns are paramount. Nevertheless, the saloonculture is not totally dependent on alcohol. Even formerdrinkers still frequent saloons, sit at the bar andsip soda water. Like many good things, saloons havewaxed and waned over the years. For now, we saloonistsoptimistically conclude that saloon culture ismoderately healthy and the glory days are returning.Ernest Beyl, an occasional contributor to TheSemaphore, is a diligent researcher on the subject ofsaloons and anxiously awaits the return of their glorydays which he firmly believes are right around thecorner. His devotion to saloons is matched only byhis devotion to iceberg lettuce.HELP THE ‘HOOD Shop LocallyIssue #188 • Summer 2009 7

FROM THE DESK OFSupervisor CHIUAs barbecue grills grow cool and schools startagain, I hope that everyone has had a wonderfulsummer. The summer months havebeen a very busy time at City Hall and throughoutDistrict 3. Here are a few highlights:Budget:After one of the most grueling political battlesof recent memory, the Board of Supervisors finallypassed our city’s budget on July 28 th , closing the largestDavid Chiu, a working Supervisor!budget deficit of $438 millionin San Francisco’s recent history.While the Mayor’s initial budget proposal calledfor deep cuts to crucial city services while simultaneouslyincreasing other areas of government, the finalbudget negotiated between the Mayor and the Boardof Supervisors shared the sacrifice of balancing thebudget across all city departments, without having tolay off any police officers, firefighters, nurses, or teachers.The Board negotiated the largest add-back in thecity’s history (the difference between theMayor’s proposed budget and the finalagreed-upon budget) to ensure fundingfor critical public health and social servicesto protect our city’s most vulnerablepopulations during our economic recession.I am proud that unlike Sacramento,we were able to work through our differencesand agree upon a budget thatreflects our shared San Francisco values.North Beach Library:As many of you know, thecurrent North Beach Libraryis headed for a major overhaul.When Mayor Christopher built the currentlibrary as part of a quest to buildlibraries on city park land, the final outcomewas a library that inadequatelyserves library users, and a park that inadequatelyserves park users. As part ofa plan underway to rebuild the libraryand expand the park, an EnvironmentalImpact Review is being conducted todetermine the feasibility of—and alterna-continued on next page8 Issue #188 • Summer 2009

From the Desk of Supervisor Chiutives to—building a new library on the parking lottriangle at 701 Lombard and turning one block ofMason Street into park land.Based on consensus worked out between projectsupporters and opponents, we agreed to a temporaryclosure of Mason Street between Columbusand Lombard, to ascertain once and for all whethera permanent closure would significantly adverselyaffect North Beach. As part of the closure, neighborhoodvolunteers and staff from several city agenciesworked together to create a temporary “park” insidethe closure, and neighbors have planned a series ofevents on the closed portion of Mason.Broadway:I have spent considerable time tackling theissues of violence on Broadway Street and aroundthe city stemming from late-night entertainmentrelatedviolence. While many entertainment venuesself-regulate themselves as they should, there are stilltoo many clubs that have not responded to violentincidents and neighborhood complaints; moreover,the city agency responsible for regulating theseclubs—the Entertainment Commission – has beenunable or unwilling to tackle these problems. Tothis end, I have proposed and supported legislativemeasures to beef up the Commission’s regulatorypowers and obligations; assuming the passage of thelegislation, we will know once and for all whether theCommission is capable of fulfilling its mission.I also have been working with the foundersof the newly-created Broadway Entertainment andCultural Association (BECA). Founded in the wakeof last year’s unsuccessful effort to create a newBroadway community benefit district, BECA isa non-profit group comprised of business ownersalong the Broadway corridor, with the aim ofdecreasing violence and beautifying the neighborhood.On a trial basis, BECA has engaged theservices of a security firm to assist and augment theefforts of the Police Department. BECA is also coordinatingefforts to beautify the Broadway corridor,and is planning a rollout of hanging baskets suchas the ones currently displayed on Grant Avenue,as well as cleaning crews to steam-clean sidewalks.Fingers crossed for all of these efforts.Vacant Buildings:One result of the current recession has been anincrease in the number of vacant and abandonedbuildings throughout the city, which has contributedto neighborhood blight, crime and a decline in propertyvalues. To alleviate this situation, at the suggestionof many constituents, I introduced and passedlegislation requiring the owners of vacant buildingsto register their property with the Department ofBuilding Inspection. The legislation also requiresthat property owners maintain the exteriors andinteriors of their properties, secure properties to preventunlawful entry by strangers, and obtain appropriatelevels of insurance. I hope that this legislationwill minimize neighborhood blight and foster publicsafety during these tough economic times.Issue #188 • Summer 2009 9

a d v e r t i s e m e n t 10 Issue #188 • Summer 2009

Why Are There So Many Vacanciesin North Beach?by Cathy Dooley, President, North Beach MerchantsOn everyone’s minds these days, with thenational downturn of the economy, is thestate of North Beach’s commercial district.The question arises, why so many vacancies and whatcan we do about it? Someof the statistics may surpriseyou. Surveys takenby THD in 1986, in 1999,and again in 2007 showthat there were 45 storefrontvacancies in 1986, 38in 1999, and 30 in 2007.[see Semaphore Issue #180,Summer 2007 “NorthBeach NeighborhoodCommercial DistrictControls at 20 —A Surveyof Changes”] Comparethat to a survey of vacanciestaken in August of thisyear, which shows a totalof 32 vacancies. A breakdownof these 32 currentlyvacant storefronts revealsthat 3 are leased but arecurrently unoccupied, 9 aresimply empty and are notfor rent, and 20 are vacant1546 Grant Avenueand for lease.Let’s take a closer look at these numbers. A goodexample of an unoccupied but leased space is 501Columbus—the former site of JB’s Hamburgers. Itwas leased in April of 2007 for a new, small selfservicerestaurant. The new tenant received a buildingpermit on August 2, 2007 and began renovationsshortly thereafter, with the anticipated opening dateof a new restaurant slated for November 2008.But the restaurant is till empty and covered withplywood and graffiti. A conflict over who is financiallyresponsible for repairs—landlord or tenant—seems to have completely stalled the project withno new opening date insight. This category alsoincludes several propertiesowned by WB Coyle—1429 Grant Avenue and454 Columbus—bothlong vacant with unspecifiedplans to eventually bereoccupied by the owner.As to the next categoryof vacancy, storefrontssimply not for rent, we canlook to the perhaps themost egregious example,1546 Grant Avenue, formerlyVictor’s Restaurant.This property has beenshuttered and not for rentfor almost 25 years. Theowner has been approachedmany times by would-betenants, only to be turnedaway and told it is not forlease. In the meantime, ithas become rundown anda popular site for homeless encampments and illegaldrug activities. Another example of this type of situationis the old North Beach Video storefront on the1300 block of Grant Avenue. Closed and reduced insize in order to give more space to Dupont Thai, ithas remained empty and not for rent for a number ofcontinued on page 12Issue #188 • Summer 2009 1 1

North Beach Vacancies cont’d from page 11years in spite of interested tenants.Lastly, we have the 20 “for lease” commercialvacancies in North Beach. Why do they becomevacant? Why do they remain vacant for long periodsof time? The reasons are complex and there is certainlyno one-size-fits-all answer for every location.Reasons that are common to all the City’s neighborhoodcommercial districts at this time are thegeneral downturn in the economy and the high cost ofdoing business in San Francisco as compared to othercities. Reasons more specific to North Beach includelandlords asking for prohibitively high rents and thenow negative reputation of North Beach as cateringonly to rowdy nighttime crowds, along with theongoing weekend violence on nearby Broadway, whichoften spills over onto the streets of North Beach.Would-be retail business owners see this as a hugenegative to locating here since people no longer thinkof North Beach as a shopping district. The loss of ourformer independently owned neighborhood-servingbusinesses—and the related difficulty of attractingothers—can also be attributed in part to the lack ofneighborhood support for such businesses, as residentsleave the neighborhood to get cheaper prices atbig box stores such as Costco and Office Depot.Unrealistically High RentsSome landlords list their properties for unrealisticallyhigh rents, leaving them empty for yearson end. For instance, the vacant storefronts at 1541Grant Avenue and 1528 Grant Avenue were occupiedat one time by successful neighborhood businesses(Columbine Design and Lilith), but the landlords inboth cases chose to continue to raise rents until thetenants could no longer afford them and were forcedto leave. And in both of these situations, the landlordlisted the vacant storefronts for a substantiallyhigher rent than what the previous businesses hadpaid. Both spots have been vacant (except for shortterm leases) for many years. Another example of avacant storefront with unrealistically high rent is 700Filbert Street, formerly occupied by PIP, which hasbeen vacant and covered with graffiti for many years.524 Union Street, formerly occupied by the PaperDoll and more recently by Silhouettes and The FieldRestaurant and Pub, has been vacant for years in spiteof known interest by reputable would-be tenants. Thegood news is that a few of these long-term vacanciesare finally starting to lower their asking prices. Perhapswe have the economy to thank for this.Some of these locations are also asking for rentplus “triple net,” which means the tenant is also financiallyresponsible for property taxes on their portionof the building, along with building insurance andall repairs needed to the leased area, including thecosts for major repairs. Often times, the “triple net”clause can be the straw that breaks the camel’s backfor small business owners.Why would a building owner voluntarily leavea property empty rather than lower the rent toattract a tenant? Keep in mind that many of theseproperties are owned by entities that own numerousproperties and have chosen to take a tax write-off ona particular space and wait for the next boom in theeconomy to deliver a tenant who will pay their askingprice. These owners appear to be unconcernedwith how their vacant properties negatively affect ourneighborhood or the nearby businesses and are oftenowned by absentee landlords with no commitmentto the long-term health of the neighborhood.Undesirable Street ActivityPixie, a successful women’s clothing shop previouslylocated at 1400 Grant Avenue was driven outby repeated robberies, break-ins and threats made byunsavory drug-dealers, which unfortunately forcedthe store to close its doors. Reopened as a frozenyogurt shop, this business was short lived due to itsfailure to attract business.continued on page 1312 Issue #188 • Summer 2009

Up Against the Walls:The Murals of North Beachby Dick BoydAwalk around North Beach can be a sensuallydraining experience. Scurrying about ourdaily rounds, it’s easy to take for granted themany quality murals that adorn our neighborhood.So we’re going to take a slower trip around the Beachto seek out a few of these creations.First stop: The hub of North Beach atBroadway and Columbus where, over the New SunHong Kong Restaurant, is a huge mural, a tribute toNorth Beach jazz in the 50’s and 60’s. This is localartist Bill Weber’s creation, begun in 1987 and completedeight months later in 1988, Weber workedon the piece a quarter at a time raising money inbetween quarters.The main guys in the mural are members ofthe Benny Goodman Trio, Teddy Wilson, piano,Goodman on clarinet, and the great Gene Krupaon drums. The selection of the trio as a centerpieceis appropriate for our progressive neighborhood asGoodman was the first white band leader to employAfrican American musicians, like Wilson, in hisorganization. The guitar player (not part of the trio)is Tony Klaus who, along with Weber, painted themural. Higher up on the far right side is a pictureof the building’s owner at the time, Giovani Toracca,casting off a Bocce ball alongside Rick Barry #24,Warriors All Pro basketball star. On the bottomleft are mayors Diane Feinstein, Willie Brown, ArtAgnos and columnist Herb Caen.Weber says a number of years earlier when hecontinued on page 14North Beach Vacancies cont’d from page 12Possible SolutionsWhile it is a difficult task to attract and keeplocally owned and operated businesses, I think we canall agree that our neighborhood wants to see thesevacancies filled with a combination of attractive services,restaurants and retail establishments that willboth serve our residents and attract visitors to theneighborhood.One solution may be to encourage City Hall tostreamline the permitting process for small businessapplicants whose proposed use is permitted underthe Planning Code to allow a smoother process fromconception to the opening of a new store. An importantpart of this process would be to clearly spell outthe types of businesses that are (and are not) allowedat any particular address in order to end protractedattempts to install businesses that do not conform toour neighborhood Planning Code.Another part of the solution may be to encouragesmall businesses by developing some form of relief forsmall independently owned businesses from the manyfees and taxes levied on businesses in San Francisco.Small business owners can only carry so much financialburden on their shoulders, especially when facedwith our current economic condition.Another possible solution is to institute somekind of City fee to be assessed on owners of longtimevacant commercial spaces that blight our corridors,with the intent to encourage them to offer theirstorefronts for lease at realistic rents.In the end, though, it is up to us to decide thefate of North Beach by simply choosing to vote withour pocketbooks and making every effort to “shopNorth Beach” in order to preserve our beloved shopsand services and attract new ones.Kathy Dooley is President of the North Beach MerchantsAssociationIssue #188 • Summer 2009 1 3

Murals of North Beach continued from page 13was painting another mural (no longer there) outsideCaesar’s Restaurant on Bay Street back in the80’s, a 12-year-old boy was watching him work. Theboy said, “When I grow up I’m going to own a lot ofbuildings and I’m going to have you paint a mural onall of them.” That boy became the adult Toracca whoalso owns other North Beach buildings. Weber hascreated murals on some of them as well.If the laundry isn’t out to dry, on the Broadwayside bottom right you can see, Mayors GavinNewsom, Hungry Eye founder Enrico Banducci,Mayor George Moscone, and the “king of torts,”Melvin Belli. Next to the window is Mayor JoeAlioto. To the left of the window is Bill Weber’s dog.Above is City Lights founder Lawrence Ferlinghetti.Weber’s daughters Tara and Delilah are there with apal, and son Tyler is tying his shoe. On the left, withthe trumpet, is Tara’s boy friend Michael. Behind thefire escape is a super sized Emperor Norton.Restoration of the mural began in 2005 and hasto wait for money again before the next phase canproceed. Precious Cheese Co. donated $15,000 forwhat Weber has done so far.At Grant and Columbus, check out the VivaRestaurant, (a one man operation called Ray’s backin my day). The murals on the inside were created in1992 by Vranas, a North Beach legend and its mostprolific artist. He can be found occasionally havingcoffee at Café Trieste.Another excellent Vranas mural, depictingthe bounty of healthy produce from his nativeGreece, can be seen at the Health Food Store onGrant. And then there’s Vranas’ 1996 creationat O’Reilly’s on Green Street. Passinside the establishment and you’ll findhis depiction of Irish authors James Joyce,Brendan Behan, Samuel Beckett, OscarWilde, George Bernard Shaw, W.B.Yates,and Sean O’Casey. Vranas told me he hadto do these murals when the bar closedat 2AM, and he often ended up sleepingthere in a booth until the place reopened inthe morning. Currently Vranas is paintinga mural with a Naples setting at PulcinellaRestaurant, 641 Vallejo, that old timerswill remember as Adolph’s Restaurant.Central to the mural is the comedia delarte character, Pulcinella.Next stop Jasper Alley just West ofGino & Carlo. Here you find the DanteBenedetti memorial mural. Dante was aNorth Beach legend that mentored hundredsof young men in baseball and life. Heoften fed them at his restaurant the “NewThe Jazz Muralcontinued on page 1514 Issue #188 • Summer 2009

Murals of North Beach continued from page 14Pisa” when it was located at the corner of Vallejo andGrant (now the King of Thai Noodle.) He paid forhis players’ equipment out of his own pocket. Themural depicts his old baseball players. Those stillliving are sitting facing the North Beach Field withtheir names on their jerseys. Those who have passedare represented as angels being looked over from theupper left by Dante who passed away in 2005. FrankRossi, son of original Gino & Carlo’s owner DonatoRossi, was one of Dante’s players and after a recentstroke, was afraid he was going to be one of thoseangels, but he only made the DL ( that’s the DisabledList for the initiated) for a while and is now happilyback behind the bar.Next stop: Café Divine at Union and StocktonNear the Union Street entrance to this restaurant is atreasure rescued from probable oblivion by renownedThe Spaghetti FactoryVranas at Pulcinellalocal musician Mal Sharpe and his wife Sandra. Thepicture/mural is a snapshot of both a storied restaurant/hangoutand those habitués who contributed toits legacy. Here’s the painting’s amazing odyssey.In June of 1999, Mal and Sandra were in a junkstore in Berkeley. As they were getting ready to leavethe owner dragged out a large picture with somepeople in it who looked vaguely familiar to them andsaid, “You really ought to buy this.”Sandra agreed, dragging Mal along, and so theybought this remarkable piece of art depicting—though they didn’t realize it at the time—a certainera in North Beach history. They paid $3,000 forit, by no means a paltry sum for something of anunknown worth. On investigation they found outthat the 40 people in the painting were the heartand soul of the North Beach beat/art scene depictedhere at their hangout, The Spaghetti Factory (nowthe Bocce Cafe). The couple decided that Enrico’sCafé would be a good slot for their acquisition. In2000 Enrico’s, courtesy of Mike O’Rourke and WardDunham, threw a party in honor of the piece’s arrivalback in North Beach. About 20 people in the paintingshowed up, plus a lot of those who formerly hungout at the Spaghetti Factory. Shortly after Enrico’scontinued on page 16Issue #188 • Summer 2009 1 5

Murals of North Beach continued from page 15changed hands, the picture moved to Café Divine.The painting had been commissioned bySpaghetti Factory owner Freddie Kuh and wasexecuted by Kaffe Fassett, probably in the early sixties.For his efforts Fassett was awarded a lifetime offree meals at the Spaghetti Factory that allowed himto bring friends in to join him for what most willremember was the worst spaghetti ever, even worsethan Franco American right out of the can! A yearlater Fassett moved to England.An identification of some of the denizens depicted inthe piece is posted next to the work at Café Divine. Thereis a 30-minute documentary DVD by Mal, Sandra andWilliam Farley available at the Café Divine, a great purchasefor nostalgic old time North Beachers.Last Stop: The fence mural outside the skeletonof the Pagoda Theater This work was shepherdedfrom its conception to its conclusion in 2009by local writer Mel Clay. This is, in fact, the secondof two murals at the site that Mel has orchestrated.The first, completed in 2005, had been destroyedmostly by posters being stapled on its surface. The“street artists” who created this mural are Cuba, solecreator of the first mural, and his pals, Gino, Mel andRigo. No last names are used by street artists. These“taggers” may not be conventional artists, but they aregood, and fellow taggers won’t destroy their work. Sofar, so good on that!There is a list of the sponsors’ names on theColumbus Street side of the mural which include:Marsha Garland and the North Beach Chambercontinued on page 17Dante Benedetti Mural16 Issue #188 • Summer 2009

Murals of North Beach continued from page 16of Commerce, Jeffery’s, The Nature Spot, Grant &Green, Marty Kirkwood, Blends S.F. and, of course,Mel Clay.Notice the pit bull depicted in the mural. Thedog belongs to one of the artists. Shortly after themural was completed, Mel got calls saying the pit bulldepicted was too vicious looking and frightened childrenpassing by. So the artists painted a necklace witha peace sign around the dog’s neck. Problem solved!This brief tour is only a slim introduction tothe public art of North Beach. The neighborhood isreplete with visual surprises if you take the time toThe Pagodalook around. Here are some other locations to takein:Romolo Alley and Broadway: A great muralnamed “Gold Mountain” and painted by Ann Sherryin 1994 depicting achievements of the Chinese in SanFrancisco. Tragically it has been tagged big time.Chestnut and Mason: The “Wash This” laundromatprovides a great snapshot mural of NorthBeach.Francisco Middle School playground. Themessage on all the murals is that education is the keyto a better life. Sponsored by the San Francisco ArtCommission, the mural was paintedby Arch Williams with input on thetheme from the students and completedabout 1985.A second mural at the schoolwas sponsored by the school, theTelegraph Hill Center, and the SanFrancisco Anti Graffiti Program andcan be seen on the wall adjoiningStockton Street. The work was createdand supervised by teacher FranValesco and painted by teachers andstudents during off school hours. It’sinteresting to note that there has beenno graffiti on these murals since 2001when the students were involved inthe Francisco Street mural.500 block of Green Street Themusical notes painted on the 101Music store depict the actual melodyof “Street of Dreams.”Maggie McGarry’s on Grant Onthe back wall is a mural created byNicola McCarthy done in 2006. Eachface represents a real patron from theneighborhood. Nicola is the girl clappingher hands.Issue #188 • Summer 2009 1 7

NORTH BEACH UNIQUEby Art PetersonMost photos by Julie JaycoxWhen the guidebooks speak of NorthBeach as being San Francisco’s specialneighborhood, they are usually referringto the cafes, the absence of chain stores, the one- ofa-kindcharacters who populate its streets. But wealso know that our neighborhood is dotted withunique businesses. We asked proprietors of someof these establishments to put us in touch the mostspecial item in their special stores.Enchanted HouseThis is one of ashrinking number of KingfisherBird Imperial Hair Ornaments that Peggy Ling hasfor sale at her Grant Street establishment. Her collectionof about 100 of these pieces is perhaps thelargest in the United States outside of a museum.(She once had 10,000!)This 19 th Century piece, like the others in hercollection, is coated with the glowing blue feathersof the kingfisher bird. In historic China these pieceswere available only to the wealthiest classes. They arenow fast disappearing, not only in the United State,but also in China.1114 Grant Ave, 981-5850AriaIf there is a single shop in North Beach thatdeserves the label “unique,” it would have to be BillHaskell’s Aria. Finding the special object amidstthis collection of glass eyes, doll hands, old letters,and keys that don’t fit doors presents a challengefor the most devoted urban archeologist. However,this “growler,” as he was known to kids in early 20 thcentury France, rises to an unchallenged level of specialness.Acquired by Bill on one of his many tripsto the Paris Flea Market and Parisian environs, thisextravagant pull toy must have delighted the garçonwho had everything. Anatomically correct, the muttis capable of emitting a rather feeble and incongruousbark, given the animal’s pit bull- scary demeanor.1522 Grant Ave, 433-0219A Kingfisher Original18 Issue #188 • Summer 2009

North Beach Unique continued from page 18XOX TrufflesJean Marc and Casimira Groce’s 12 year old holein-the-walltruffle shop in the 700 block of Columbusis easy to miss. Fortunately, for the Groces, the writerfrom USA Today kept looking. The Groce’s make “thebest truffles in America,” the critic enthused. This andother accolades have sent an international clientelescampering to this shop on a block sadly dominatedby too many empty store fronts.Part of the Groces’ secret is that XOX trufflesare made to be eaten now. “Shelf life” is not part ofthe couple’s lexicon. These truffles are soft, fragile,and—like their fungal namesakes—lumpy.The Groces make over twenty flavors of trufflesranging from soy vegan, to Kailua to hazelnut, but dothey have a flavor that qualifies as unique? Accordingto Jean Marc, “yes.” His ravishing caramel truffle isthe only one made in the United States, maybe inthe world. And for good measure he has just createdanother original: cayenne-tequila, a flavor that willtransport one’s taste buds on a sweet and pepperyjourney to old Mexico.754 Columbus, 421-4814Fog Hill MarketOne would think that in our sophisticated andpolyglot neighborhood one could find foreign newspapersat every corner cigar store. Alas, the cigar storesare gone and exotic newspapers are hard to find. Oneneeds to either climb or descend Telegraph Hill tocontinued on next pageIssue #188 • Summer 2009 1 9

North Beach Unique continued from page 19Hanna Chedyak’s Fog Hill Market to get the in-depthnews from overseas. When Chedyak bought the marketsome years ago, the previous owners were alreadystocking newspapers from abroad, a tradition he hasmaintained. Now such publications as The Observer,The Guardian, Paris Match and L’ Equipe allow customersto keep up with everything from House ofCommons diatribes to Italian soccer scores. Fog Hillstocks all of these and any other papers neighborsrequest. “There’s a group of people who come inregularly for their French language fix,” Chedyak says,adding, “We also stock High Times, but maybe in SanFrancisco that doesn’t qualify as unique.”1300 Kearney 781-8817Schein & ScheinNeighbors know that Jimmie and Marti Schienbring an artistic eye to framing a work of art. Theyalso know that Jimmie and Marti will sell you a rarebotanical print, an antique map, or a 1947 copy ofThe Ladies Home Journal at a reasonable price. Theyfurther note that Jimmie seems just as happy providingbrowsers with his informed audio tour of a 19 thcentury San Francisco Zoning Plan Map as he doesin making a sale.So what would the Schiens identify as uniquein their little shop of wonders? Jimmie settles on therecently acquired Modern Electricity Atlas, publishedin Germany in 1900. It’s a pop up book for engineers.Here Jimmie fingers the layers of an illustrationof an Electric Locomotive, a digital (in the oldsense) journey that will show him what is inside theengine’s wheels and what’s inside of what’s insidethose wheels.Jimmie says the atlas links up to the “history ofGermany as an emerging industrial power duringthese years. An engineer at the timecould get accurate and detailed informationjust by peeling back the layers ofthese renderings.”1435 Grant, 399-8882The Beat MuseumThe Beat Museum seems to becollecting more significant memorabiliaevery day. There’s a customer who scoursflea markets for items for Beat stuff andbrings it to shop owner Jerry Cimano.And, says Jerry, the recession has unfortunatelyled some people to give up theirtreasured Beat era items in order to paythe rent. The museum is something20 Issue #188 • Summer 2009

of a hodge podgeof vintage photos,letters, magazines,newspaper clippingsand albumcovers along withsuch tourist pleasersas an “I’m withGinsberg “teeshirts and a beatnikbobble headdoll.When weasked Jerry abouta unique item inhis collection, hebrought out AKind of Beatness,the 1975 exhibition catalogue for a show at theFocus Gallery by various photographers of the BeatEra. “I think there are only a couple of these left,”said Cimano. Shown is the catalogue’s cover. That’sMichael McClure on the left540 Broadway, 1-800-537-6822Conor Fennessy Antiques and DesignConor Fennesey’s shop is filled withitems that please his discerning eye.There’s a photo by Robert Altman,“Winterland New Years Eve, 1969,” alarge Ethiopian Hippo Hide Shield, amodernist bronze sculpture by EstelleGoodman and a 19 th century bust ofDiana, Goddess of the Hunt. But perhapsthe item in this eclectic collectionthat most deserves the label “unique”is “San Francisco Terrain,” a work thatConor crafted himself. This is a 10”by 10” inch limited-edition gypsumtile depicting the topography of SanFranciscoSays Conor, “When we walk through the city it’shard to fully perceive the raw beauty of the land. Thetopography is a visceral experience of the shapes andcontours that evolved over centuries.”Former San Francisco Poet Laureate JackHirschman even wrote a poem to San FranciscoTerrain that begins:Looks like a paintingFeels like a sculptureReads like a map801 Columbus, 673-0277Urban BurpHere we see shop owner Electra Skilandat displayinga one-of-a-kind fabric from the 1950s thatwould very much compliment the interior of a renovatedModerne North Beach Library restoration, ifthat ever happens. The great majority of fabrics inElectra’s vintage fabric store are unique, as they werecreated by designers commissioned to decorate aparticular interior.This material is at the far end of the six decadesin her fabric collection. She showed us a nature orientedfabric, typical of the 30s and one with a fruitbowl and flowers that would have been very “now” inthe 40s. Urban Burb is a trip through the decorativehistory of the of the 20 th Century.170 Columbus, 399-8761Issue #188 • Summer 2009 2 1

Restaurant ReviewNOT JUST A CHOPHOUSEBy Carol PetersonJoe DiMaggio’s, 601 Union St., San Francisco415.421.5633My girlfriend and I were at the new Fiord’Italia, reminiscing about the old Fiord’Italia—now Joe DiMaggio’s—when shemade a categorical statement. “Joe DiMaggio’s hasthe best Happy Hour in town. The food and drinksare terrific and it is so reasonable.” Now, this piquedmy interest as I have always thought of Joe’s as achophouse, with a big ticket after the meal. AlthoughI had eaten at the restaurant on a couple of occasions,it was always the well designed bar with its casualatmosphere that, for me, had special allure. And whowouldn’t feel comfortable keeping company withMarilyn and Joe?So we visited Joe DiMaggio’s one quiet week dayevening to check out the source of my friend’s excitement.There is indeed a Happy Hour, 3 to 6, Tuesdaythrough Saturday, when all drinks and food on themenu are $5 each. On Sundays the same menu andprices apply all day long, and a jazz group entertainsfrom 6 to 9.We started with drinks: First, the Flame ofLove, made with Triple Five Vodka with a peel oforange that is set on fire to enhance its essence. Agreat start. But the best drink in the house is theHemingway Daiquiri, made with Superior Rum,Maraschino cherry liqueur, fresh grapefruit and limejuice. If this was, in fact, “Papa” Ernest’s creation, hecould have had a second career as a mixologist.Both of the Happy Hour salads are deliciousand a bargain at $5. The chopped salad consists ofromaine, tomatoes, olives, cucumber, red grapes andPoint Reyes blue cheese. It has a light oil and champagnevinegar dressing. The classic Caesar salad isjust that, with shaved imported parmesancheese, white anchovies and adelectable creamy dressing.Four very thin crusted pizzas are offered, butthe standout is the Baked Cambozola Cheese Pizza.It comes with an olive oil basted crust. In the centersits a very generous baked pastry covered Cambozolasquare of cheese, a generous dollop of finely choppedsun dried tomatoes and a whole roasted garlic. Thediner squeezes the garlic and rubs its buttery clove onthe crust, then spreads the oozing cheese and tomatoes.The presentation is beautiful and the conceptunusual. The result: one of the best tasting pizzas Ihave had.If you are a lover of a thick crust and are reallyhungry, the Sausage Calzone, with fennel sausage,olives, caramelized onion, spinach and ricotta is yourdish. It is complimented by a sparse, light, freshtomato sauce.DiMaggio’s General Manager, Brian Keene, joinedus to answer questions about what inspired this wonderfulidea of a complete $5 menu. He told us that therestaurant wanted to create cost effective lighter fare togo with the bar atmosphere. “We wanted to combinevery good food and a very good price.”We also met Tracey Rice, the Special EventsManager. She told us DiMaggio’s had fashioned apre fixe menu for $34.95, a 3 course menu that caninclude a fillet mignon offering. Tracy laughed, “Ofcourse, this is not for the guy who is looking for thebig Porterhouse, but most of our customers love thefilet.”Some night after work, when you are tired andwant to relax and enjoy a bite to eat, stop by JoeDiMaggio’s and say hello to Marilyn for me.22 Issue #188 • Summer 2009

Mason Street Closes—For Nowby Julie ChristensenJust as fairy godmothers can turn pumpkins intocoaches and mice into footmen, City staff anddevoted neighbors have temporarily turned ashort section of Mason Street into a public piazza.Representatives of RecPark, DPW, the Libraryand other City departments, Supervisor Chiu andaid Jamie Cantwell and dozens of North Beachneighbors did a one-day makeover of Mason Streeton Saturday, August 1. By late afternoon thespace was filled with residents and visitors,as if it had always been there.The street is being closedfor 2 months to study, in realtime, the effects of thatclosure on area traffic aspart of the North BeachLibrary/Joe DiMaggioPlayground master planstudy. With North Beachlacking in parks and civicspaces, and the City’sPavements to Parks projectgaining such enthusiastic support, the idea of convertingthe street to a public plaza during the trafficstudy period gained momentum and was approved.Rebar, the local design collective that created thePark(ing) Day movement and that was responsiblefor turning Civic Center Plaza into a harvestablevictory garden last year, developed a concept for thespace and City staff and volunteers pitched in tomake it come to life.Neighborhood-centered casual gatheringswill take place through September—bocce tournaments, poetry readings,kids crafts. Neighbors areencouraged to come and visit.People who have ideas forlow-key entertainment orcelebrations or who wantto steer clear of othergatherings should contactDonna Faure at donnafaure@yahoo.comto tapinto the Mason Green calendar.Issue #188 • Summer 2009 2 3

Art & Culture Salon CelebratesHistory on the Hillby Kathleen Cannon and Art PetersonOn July 29, Canessa Gallery was filled withTHDers with special memories of living onTelegraph Hill and North Beach. Sponsoredby the THD Art & Culture Committee’s StorytellingSalon, Tales of North Beach, the event allowed speakerseach five minutes to tell their stories. But memoriesspark memories. One person’s narrative inspiredanother, and the evening became a rich and vivid tapestryof oral history. The event was recorded by JudyIrving and can be accessed at www.THD.org. Here area few excerpts.Danny MacchiariniIt was the “Age ofBeatniks.” Danny saw a distinctfigure in black walkinga lion down Grant Avenue.The lion was roaring. Thefigure was Anton LeVey,founder of the Church of Satan, who had recentlywritten in the San Francisco Chronicle that Godis dead. The San Francisco Board of Supervisorsdeclared lions were verboten in North Beach.GiGi of Sotto MareRestaurant, GreenStreetGiGi was a youngchild when he arrivedin North Beach from afarm in Umbria, Italy. Heremembers a big Easteregg hunt in WashingtonSquare Park, 3 bocce ball lanes at the Savoy Tivoli,four butchers in North Beach and games rolling ballbearings down a hill “because we had no balls.”Kathleen DooleyKathleen recalls parties along Napier Lanewith Grace Marchant who served plum wine.On Halloween, Grace would dress up as a witch.Everyone carved pumpkins and placed them alongthe stairs. When tour busses arrived, it was obviousthe parties had become too popular.Tina SmelzerIn 1963, at four yearsold, Tina moved to NorthBeach from the East Bay.Her family lived at Powelland Stockton. One horriblenight, her house caught fireand her brother as well. Thefireman who saved her brotherdied. Later Joe Sullivan, his partner and friend, connectedwith Tina and she got to say “thank you”.Mark BittnerMark came to San Francisco in 1970s to be aHippie. He had been in high school, reading theBeats. His literary hero was the poet Gregory Corso.Living on the streets, he did not have an easy timeof it. “Hip people had nothing to do with me. I wastoo working class.” One day Mark crossed the streetto avoid one of the mot disreputable characters inNorth Beach, “a known hassler.”As it turned out, thatperson was Gregory Corso.June OsterbergJune came to SanFrancisco “before the Beats,before the Hippies” Everyonewas reading Laughter on the24 Issue #188 • Summer 2009

Art & Culture Salon Celebrates Hill History continued from page 24Hill by Margaret Atkins. It was duringthis time that June remembers pitchingin to paint the soon to be famousHungry I.AaronPeskinA a r o ntells a storyof periodicallyhomelessEarlTibedou,his acquaintancefromCafé Trieste.One night at Grant & Green, Earle camein swinging a machete. Officer Mark Alvarez arrivedon the scene and, instead of shooting Earle, tackledhim. Earle put the machete on a table. Sometimelater, Earle got new clothes and a new attitude anddecided to run for Supervisor in District #3. Heneeded to raise funds to get his name on the ballot.And it was Officer Alvarez who contributed the last$20 that made Earle a candidate.Joe ButlerJoe recalls a time when the Grace MarchantGarden needed to raise $200k to keep the bulldozeraway. Jane Winslow took charge off “selling off ”square inches of the garden to raise money.Zach Stewart“This building [Canessa] was scheduled to betorn down. My house on Water Street was alsoscheduled to be torn down. THD saved them.”Issue #188 • Summer 2009 2 5

What’s Special about Appleton?by Sue CauthenEfforts to enthrone the Appleton & Wolfardlibraries in the pantheon of architectural treasureshas unified the preservation and goodgovernment communities across San Francisco.At least two of these libraries, including theNorth Beach branch, are candidates for the wreckingball. Readying the heavy equipment is San FranciscoPublic Library (SFPL), which wants to replace themwith large new structures. And therein lies the rub.Opponents range from Telegraph Hill Dwellersto the Sunset neighborhood group, with SF Tomorrowand the Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoodsthrown in for good measure. Friends of the Libraryand the Friends of Joe DiMaggio Playground havehoisted their banner on the other side.Like many land use sorties, the Save theAppletons effort has bounced from the Board ofAppeals to the Historic Preservation Commission tothe Board of Supervisors.The famed architects Appleton & Wolfarddesigned the North Beach library and seven others,beginning in the mid-1950s. Consideredprime examples of the modern movement in architecture,the Appletons have recently been laudedby Architectural Heritage, Docomomo and thePreservation Consortium, to cite a few.With their spacious interiors, ample use of naturallight, beamed ceilings, handsome gables and overhangs,walls of windows and comfortable seating, theAppletons reflect the first stirrings of the egalitariantrend to build warm and welcoming libraries whoseform embraces their function.The respected architectural historians Carey& Company has found the graceful North Beachlibrary to be eligible for both the National Registerof Historic Places and the California Register ofHistoric Resources.This followed the Planning Department’s de factodesignation of the Appleton & Wolfard–designedlibrary as a “historic resource,” triggering the Careyanalysis and a full-blown environmental impact report(EIR). And scarcely had the EIR study begun whenthe National Trust for Historic Preservation signed onin favor of restoration and expansion of the library.A decade ago, the voters passed a $106 milliongeneral obligation bond to fund modernizationof 24 branch libraries. North Beach was due fora $3.5 million makeover and a moderate expansion,beginning around 2003. Ditto for the sevenother Appleton libraries (Marina, Excelsior, WesternAddition, Parkside, Ortega, Merced and EurekaValley.). In fact, an Architectural Heritage article atthe time applauded the library’s plan to retain andenhance the Appleton libraries, all of which weredeemed historically significant.They still are, according to the new HistoricPreservation Commission, which intends to considera proposal to designate the group a “non-linear, multipropertyhistoric district.” Sources say the plan includesa look at landmarking the North Beach library.Source of the brouhaha is the bond program tomodernize the branch library system. This includesmaking them ADA-accessible and seismically soundand code compliant, with state-of-the-art computercapacity.Back in 2003, SFPL put the North Beach projectcontinued on page 2726 Issue #188 • Summer 2009

What’s Special About Appleton? continued from page 26on hold because of the battle over condos or open spaceon the Triangle. As a result, North Beach went to theend of the line. Meanwhile, SFPL had racked up a deficitof nearly $50 million. But the library got permissionto issue revenue bonds again to finish the job.The present plan calls for tear-down of NorthBeach branch and two other historic libraries (Ortegaand Bayview) and erection of massive structurescosting as much as $1100 per square foot. At over$900/square foot ($1300 if you add the money paidto buy the Triangle via eminent domain) the proposedNorth Beach library is a two-story buildingthat rises to 30 feet at the midpoint of a lot with anupward slope of 13 feet.Opponents say the structure blocks views andsightlines from Columbus and Fisherman’s Wharf, andis so large it extends 24 feet into Mason Street, overwhelmingits surroundings with a look that is incompatiblewith the neighborhood. Proponents point to theviews from the second story and the new park land tobe gained, plus the cutting edge amenities.Compare the SFPL plan with the sensitive andelegant restoration and expansion of the Marina library,another Appleton located in a playground. SFPL didthe work for under $4 million (or $500 a square foot).Significantly, SF Weekly dubbed the Marina library“the best ‘new’ branch in San Francisco.”Currently, there is considerable community pushbackover the planned demolitions and the makeoverof Merced branch. Folks who think North Beachwrote the book when it comes to land use skirmishesshould take a look at preservation efforts at two Westof Twin Peaks’ Appletons: Merced and Ortega.Demolition plans for the latter sparked a packedBoard of Appeals hearing, which ended in a 3-2 votefor tear-down.Merced library neighborhood leader AaronGoodman is poised to appeal to the Board ofSupervisors to overturn the exemption from environmentalanalysis. He says the SFPL update affectsthe integrity of the Appleton design by placing alarge “box’ in the courtyard entrance. Goodman isalso concerned that the lack of notice circumventedadequate discourse.He joins the preservation community in assertingthat plans for North Beach, Ortega and Mercedlibraries were made “without reference to the significanceof Appleton & Wolfard’s body of work.”They say adaptive reuse of historic buildings ischeaper, quicker and greener and argue that irreversibleactions like demolition should be the result of anopen and deliberate process.Perhaps the ultimate irony reverts to NorthBeach. Neither city librarian Luis Herrera nor hispredecessor wanted a library on the Triangle. Wrongshape, tiny lot and even murmurs of bad feng shui.Susan Hildreth called a halt to Mason Street’s closureplans for that reason, while Herrera also favoredanother site. In fact, a Sunshine request revealed thathe wrote colleagues that “a two-story library on theTriangle won’t work.”sem.a.phoreDefinition: To convey information using visual signals, such as flags, lights and mechanical arms.In the 19th century, Telegraph Hill was a lookout spot. A man stood at the top and watched for ships arrivingthrough the Golden Gate. He used semaphore signals to spell out ships’ names to the people below who werewaiting for goods and mail. Neighbors who formed Telegraph Hill Dwellers in 1954 named their newsletterto salute this early use of the Hill.Issue #188 • Summer 2009 2 7

PARKS, TREES, & BIRDS REPORTCoit Tower:North Slope Forest Management &Upper Slope View Restorationby Judy IrvingOn September 30th, twenty aging Montereycypress trees will be removed fromTelegraph Hill near the Coit Tower parkinglot, and on Saturday, October 3rd, PG&E volunteerswill help remove brush and prepare the clearedareas for planting. But why, in a city with so few trees,are any being cut down at all? Here’s the scoop:If you’ve been up to Coit Tower recently, you’veno doubt seen tourists milling around the parkinglot, confused and perplexed because they can’t seethe view. Further, the Monterey cypress trees upthere are not happy—they’ve been “topped” for toolong. The Pioneer Park Project, the same communitygroup that installed the new stairways and createdthe south lawn, is moving ahead with a plan thatwill allow some of the cypresses to keep growingto their natural heights, while also removing sometrees to provide three new view corridors. The ailingcypresses will be replaced by native plants that don’tgrow so high. Only one native-plant view corridorexists now, toward the Golden Gate Bridge. The newcorridors will open up views to the northwest, north,and northeast.Joe Butler, former chair of THD’s Parks & TreesCommittee, gave me a tour of the existing nativetrees and shrubs that have been planted around CoitTower in recent years, and the landscape designersof the new plan showed me which trees would beremoved and which ones would be allowed to growto full height. Lord knows, I’m not in favor of cuttingdown trees willy-nilly, but this is a well-thought-outproject with earlier experimental plantings to learnfrom. Below are some answers to questions I hadafter making my site visits and reading the project’stree report:1) There are no “significant trees” in the projectarea, since they are all more than the required distancefrom the right-of-way. There are no “landmark”trees either, as far as we know.2) I asked why some of the “fair” condition treeswere marked for removal, while some of the “all butdead” trees were not marked for removal. Answer:Trees are being removed from three “finger” areas toopen up views to the northwest, north, and northeast.In the tree report, while some of the twentytrees marked for removal are “fair,” all of them werejudged to have “poor” restoration potential (i.e., theydo not have good potential to grow into healthy, wellshapedcypresses, even with pruning). The remaining“all but dead” cypresses which are not in view corridorswill potentially be candidates for replacement incoming years, but not now.3) The project is following the tenets of “adaptivemanagement,” i.e., go slowly, see what worksand what doesn’t, and adapt strategies to what actuallyworks on the Hill (while replanting with nativeshrubs and trees).4) Some of the cypresses framing the view corridorswill be allowed to grow tall, even those that havebeen topped in the past. Hopefully they will fill outand look better as they are allowed to grow, but theymay need pruning as well. There is one tree with aninteresting gnarly trunk that will be allowed to growcontinued on page 2928 Issue #188 • Summer 2009

continued frompage 28tall, and will hopefully turn into Telegraph Hill’s ownpicturesque “Pt. Lobos cypress” some day.5) There is one native shrub view corridor thatwas planted about ten years ago, which reaches allthe way to the pedestrian path below. I was assuredthat lessons learned from this and other plantingsaround Coit Tower will be incorporated into futureplanting schemes. In particular, the view fingers willnot reach so far down the slope, so that the viewis not opened up all the way to the path; and treeslike oaks will not be planted in the view corridors,because oaks will eventually get too tall, obstructingPARKS, TREES, & BIRDS REPORTviews again in the future. The new plantings will bearranged so that the natural height of the plants createsa relatively even plane (taller plants downslope,shorter shrubs upslope), above which people can seethe view beyond. Because these plants will be allowedto grow to their natural heights, pruning in the viewcorridors should not be necessary.For all of these reasons I support the project,and I encourage THD members to do so as well. Iwas told by Maggie Cleveland, RPD’s Park SectionSupervisor for Chinatown/North Beach, that theycontinued on page 33Vines smothering this native California Live Oak will be removed and the tree will be pruned and shaped.Issue #188 • Summer 2009 29

PARKING & TRAFFIC REPORTby Gail and Paul SwitzerThe restricted weekend parking trial at CoitTower began June 6 and ends September 27.Near the half-way point our most importantgoal is being met—lines to park at Coit Tower onweekends are small or non-existent and the 39 bus is nolonger delayed by Telegraph Hill weekend traffic jams.And at last report ridership on the 39 bus has increasedsubstantially. The trial was planned and implementedby a city/neighborhood Coordinating Committee withsignificant participation from THD. Please continue toshow your support for our bus by riding it often.We are learning much from the trial. Disseminationof information about the weekend parking restrictionsand the bus alternative was not easy. An attractiveand informative brochure was distributed to wharfhotels and visitor information locations althoughproduction of the brochure took longer than expected.The City issued a press release regarding the weekendparking restriction at Coit Tower although thiswas not produced until after the start of the trial. Theparking lot still attracts illegally parked visitor cars onweekends, albeit in fewer numbers, and enforcementof parking restrictions has been spotty at best.Further efforts are planned to increase ridershipon the 39 bus, particularly aimed at visitors toCoit Tower. These include possible rebate incentiveprograms in connection with parking garages, productionof posters for placement at visitor locationsand on buses and trams, and a stronger 39-friendlyweb presence [check the Wikipedia article for CoitTower]. Also, look for a route change for the 39 busat Fisherman’s Wharf that will put a new stop rightat Pier 39. The route change shouldbe effective later in the fall.30 Issue #188 • Summer 2009

Can You Help?I am looking for vintageimages, little known facts andstories of North Beach. whichis, in my opinion, one of themost interesting neighborhoodsin the world. These are for my book Images of America-SanFrancisco’s North Beach and Telegraph Hill, to be published in late 2010by Arcadia Publishing.If you can help, please contact me, Catherine Acardi at caacat@comcast.net. I want to incorporate into my book little known factsand rarely seem images that contributed to the history of NorthBeach.And then thereare my own photostaken in the 1970s and1980s. The childrenare in the North Beachplayground, the man isin Washington Square.Issue #188 • Summer 2009 3 1

32 Issue #188 • Summer 2009

continued frompage 29PARKS, TREES, & BIRDS REPORThave plenty of experienced “hands” from PG&E onOctober 3 rd , who will be digging with pick axes,shoveling, chipping, lifting, carrying, doing erosionwattle placements and tie downs, etc. Neighbors arewelcome to come see what’s going on, but probablywon’t be needed as volunteers that day. We’ll publicizelater planting/weeding days so you can get yourhands in the dirt.Valetta Heslet Garden Vine Removal &Pruning ProjectsIan Butler, a licensed, insured, certified arborist,will do the following work in the 200 block ofGreenwich, hopefully in September:1. trim small acacia trees at top of lower stairs;2. trim back plum tree that extends over thewalkway;3. trim back juniper that is blocking the streetlight;and4. remove vines from the native California liveoak.All of the brush will be carried to the bottom ofthe stairs by the arborist and/or his assistants. DPWhas agreed to pick up and haul the debris away; Iwill schedule this with Sandra Zuniga of the StreetPark program. Later, Ted Kipping of Tree Shaperswill remove dead wood and prune/shape the largeCalifornia live oak (after Ian removes the vines). Ihope to schedule Kipping’s work in October. TheTHD Board voted to approve both these projectsin August, and will be reimbursed by the NortheastSan Francisco Conservancy’s “Valetta Heslet GardenFund.”Issue #188 • Summer 2009 3 3

ART & CULTURE REPORTby Julie JaycoxThe Art & Culture Committee hasdeveloped a new Mission Statement:“Art & Culture supports creating community—inTelegraph Hill and vicinities—betweenartists, businesses and neighbors, by utilizing thetalents, cooperation and generosity of all.”Park(ing) Day, Friday, September 18 th Join usfor an Art & Culture open air PARK(ing) space inthe 1500 block of upper Grant Avenue along withother green parking space ‘rehabs’ by local businesses.Enjoy a fun alternative way to share public space onthe street. See you there!In August, Art & Culture passed a motion tolist any committee member related art exhibitions inthe Semaphore.And here they are:• “Anonymous Portraits” byTermeh Yeghiazarian@ Canessa Gallery, 708Montgomery, the month ofOctober• Photography by AngelaManginelli @ Vesuvio Cafe,255 Columbus Ave, October 15-31st, 2009• Paintings by Candace Loheed @ Orangeland, 1250Mason, the month of October• Masks by Carol Peterson through September,Gallery 128, 128 Grant• North Beach’s own Open Studios, Art Walk2009, on Oct. 24-25th, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Take a lookand support local artists and businesses.34 Issue #188 • Summer 2009

Fog Hill MarketHanna Chedyak415-781-88171300 KearnySan Francisco, CA 94133Issue #188 • Summer 2009 35

DEPRESSiON ERA GARDEN RAISESCROPS AND SPIRITSLocated on a tiny, 9x12 patch of land literally onthe very edge of a Telegraph Hill cliff, THDmembers Kathleen Dooley, Katie Hopkinsand Astrid Keane have created a modern day vegetableVictory Garden. Starting in late spring, the 3women, with the weekend help of teen neighbor JoeyIngrum, cleared out blackberries, ivy and anise andVictory Gardens make the Hill bountiful.planted lettuce, tomatoes, herbs, squash, radishes, anapple tree and other edibles.Taking their cue from Depression era neighborhoodgardens, they decided to try to grow enoughto feed themselves as well as other nearby neighborswho have contributed, besides sweat power, earthwormcastings as fertilizer ( Glenn Kersey) and thecomponents (soon to be installed byhandyman, Aaron Peskin) for a dripirrigation system. So far, not only hasthe garden produced enough for theirgoal but, unexpectedly , has also producedenough to provide the monthlySt Vincent de Paul dinners for ourNorth Beach homeless neighborswith their salad for the past severalmonths.As the 15 healthy tomato plantsbecome heavy with their crop, theneighbors are now researching themany uses of what looks to be abumper crop and are planning at leastone canning session to produce thebase for many tomato themed wintermeals. Kathleen Dooley says, “Thiswas our first year as urban farmers sowe see it as a trial and error garden -what works and what was a flop andlook forward to an even more successfulvegetable patch in 2010. We are sohappy with the results of this seasonand it has been a lot of fun. It wouldbe great to see more gardens like thispopping up around our section oftown”.36 Issue #188 • Summer 2009

THD Board Motionsf o r t h e Mo n t h s o f May -Ju ly 2009MOTION: To increase annual dues by $5.00 peryear effective September 1, 2009. New rates:Individual $30Senior (0ver 65) $20Household $45Senior Household (over 65) $35The Motion passed.MOTION: We urge the city as part of the environmentalreview process to evaluate the impacts ofany proposal to close Mason Street to include atraffic study and evaluation of the traffic impactupon adjacent streets and businesses.The Motion passed.May, 2009MOTION: To approve the THD 2009-2010 budget.The Motion passed.June, 2009No MotionsJuly, 2009No MotionsAttention, THD MembersThe Telegraph Hill Dwellers Semaphore Needs Your Help.For several years Kathleen Cannon, our intrepid Semaphore ad sales person, has been beating thesidewalks of our picturesque neighborhood in a quest for the advertising that keeps our publication alive.It’s due to her efforts that we have been able to expand and improve The Semaphore.But it’s a lonely mission and Kathleen needs your help. Here’s how:1. Take out a Semaphore ad for your business or service.2. Contact a business that you love and loves you about taking an ad. If you’ll do the“leg work,” we’llmake the “close.”3. Volunteer to assist Kathleen in her ad selling quest.Let’s work to keep our Voice of theNeighborhood thrivingHere are our reasonable ad rates:Business Card — 2X3: one issue $45.00, one year $155Junior Ad — 3X3: one issue $ $80.00, one year $285½ Page — 3.5X6: one issue, $145, one year, $525Full Page — 7X6: one issue, $#265, one year, $975For more information or to place an ad, call or emailArt Peterson, Semaphore Editor, 956-7817/apeterson@ nwp.orgIssue #188 • Summer 2009 3 7

THE ALFA NOSEBy Kathleen CannonSpider Veloce ’77 explores poetry, art, architecture andculture around North Beach and Telegraph Hill—the International Poetry Festival, Piazza St. Francis,Pavement to Parks, Hollywood and Beat Notes.Former Poet Laureate Lawrence Ferlinghetti hasfounded the Piazza St. Francis Association, a501.C3 Foundation, which is working towardclosure of Vallejo Street between Grant Avenue andColumbus. (www.piazzastfrancis.us) Tony Gantnerassisted in putting the foundation together. Therehave been and will continue be substantial fundraiserstoward their dream of a European style Piazzain this space. The City, however, is broke so is notputting in any money.Nearby, Angela Alioto’s Renaissance Projectenvisions the St. Francis Shrine as a world destinationfor Pilgrims www.shrinerenewal.org, the onlysanctioned shrine for St. Francis of Assisi in theU.S. Alioto’s project has also had several fundraisers,another of which is scheduled for the 3rd week inSeptember. It is important to note that the two areseparate projects. One is secular. One is affiliatedwith the Catholic Church. When these two projectscome together, they will meet in a plaza between St.Francis of Assisi Shrine and Café Trieste. Picturea plaza with tables, chairs, umbrellas. Perhaps afountain—a world class destination.Retro Fitting for St. FrancisThe original plan to retrofit St. Francis of AssisiShrine was an-$8M- $10M project. However,the Diocese, another victim of the recession, couldonly contribute $1.2M, so the project has been cutback. Work will begin at the top. The spires will beretrofitted and plastered and painted where necessary.More extensive plans for painting the outside ofchurch will be postponed until a later date. Anotherstage in the plans is to renovate the rectory.Nibby Brothers are handling thepartial retrofit. Construction may beginin early October, and the Shrine will beclosed for 9 months.International Poetry FestivalJuly 23rd, Jack Kerouac Alley by City LightsBookstore was the cool hot spot for launching theInternational Poetry Festival. Twenty-two poets, 13women and 13 men, were invited from all over theworld. Working together with Lawrence, Ferlinghetti,Jack Hirschman, another former Poet Laureate, organizedthe project. “The festival was very successful,”said Jack. “It gave people the opportunity to hear poetsfrom other countries in their native languages.” Jackcited Ignatius Mabase, the leading poet of Mbabwawho is restoring his native language, Shona. Otherpoetic languages included Haitian, Farsi, and Welsh.The Festival also gave voice to new and young poets.Jack is also the Poet in Residence of the S.F.Library. He attributes the success of the festival toFriends of the S.F. Library that raised funds to fly inthe poets for readings, paid them a stipend, and coveredair and hotel. All the events were according to Jackpleasantly “overcrowded at the North Beach Library,the Palace of Fine Arts and the Beat Museum.“If you’re wondering, Dian DiPrima, a wellknown chronicler of the Beat Generation, is the currentS. F. Poet Laureate.Other NewsCafé Trieste hosted a reunion of Woodstockmusicians, including regular Paul Kantner of theJefferson Airplane,The Beat Museum on Wheels has been resurrectedfor mobile readings. The 1987 Airstream RV’sdestination on September 26-26th is Ft. Mason, forthe first mobile event in a couple of years.38 Issue #188 • Summer 2009

Telegraph Hill DwellersVoice Mail/Hotline: 273-1004. Fax: 255-6499. Web Site: www.thd.orgP.O. Box 330159 • San Francisco, CA 94133THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2009-2010President: Vedica PuriRecording Secretary: Mary LipianCorresponding Secretary: Katie HopkinsTreasurer: Gail SwitzerFinancial Secretary: Chris StocktonHistorian: Nancy ShanahanImmediate Past President: Pat LusseSemaphore: Art PetersonDirectorsNate BacaGreg ChiampouAl FontesMerle GoldstoneJudy IrvingJulie JaycoxAndy KatzSarah KlibinTHD Co m m i t t e e s Ne e d Yo uYou can make a difference! Join one of THD's committees, meet and work with your fellow Hill Dwellers to improve life on the Hill.STANDING COMMITTEESParking and Transportation. Gail and Paul Switzer. Promotes efforts to ease congestion,optimize white zones, upgrade public transportation. Works with Department of Parking andTraffic.Planning and Zoning. Nancy Shanahan, 986-7094, Mary Lipian, 391-5652. Monitorsand reviews proposed development projects for consistency with applicable City ordinances.Works with Planning Department staff and represents THD before the Historic PreservationCommission, Planning Commission, Zoning Administrator and other regulating bodies to protecthistoric resources and maintain neighborhood character. Assists members to learn moreabout and participate in planning and zoning issues.Semaphore. Editor, Art Peterson 956-7817; artpeterson@writingproject.org. The editor andstaff produce a quarterly magazine for THD members.Program. Arranges social events, including quarterly membership meetings and getacquaintedsocial functions.Budget. Gail Switzer, gail_switzer@yahoo.com. As prescribed in bylaws for Treasurer.Membership. Chris Stockton, membership@thd.org. As prescribed in Bylaws for FinancialSecretary.Archivist: Rozell Overmire, rozell@ureach.comSPECIAL COMMITTEES AND PROJECTSParks, Trees, AND BIRDS. Judy Irving, chair. Information and projects concerning localparks, green spaces and street trees.THD Web Site. Webmaster, Al Fontes; webmaster@thd.org. Shared information about meetings,local concerns and events.ART AND CULTURE, Julie Jaycox. Organizes events and projects that celebrate the humanitiesand history of our neighborhood.LIAISONS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONSCoalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods. Representative, Gerry Crowley, 781-4201; gerrycrowley@aol.com. City-wide organization interacts with other neighborhoods todiscuss common problems.North Beach Neighborhood Coalition. Representative, Gerry Crowley. 781-4201; gerrycrowley@aol.com.Tel-Hi-sponsored group of residents, merchants and government agenciesworking together to address neighborhood issues.N.E.R.T. Jack Oswald, jack@oswald.com. Energizes members to take emergency disasterresponse training program sponsored by the City.Web Site = www.thd.orgWhether you want to catch up on THD’s Oral Histories, see what the THD is up to, or submit old photos of the Hill, www.thd.org is the place to go. Use the Web site to discover or email information about upcoming meetings in the neighborhood and atCity agencies, and ideas and concerns you want the rest of us to know about between Semaphores.Issue #188 • Summer 2009 3 9

Telegraph Hill DwellersP. O. Bo x 330159Sa n Fr a n c i s c o, CA 94133PRSRT STDU.S. Po s ta g ePAIDSa n Fr a n c i s c o, CAPe r m it No. 11882Telegraph Hill DwellersSchedules of Committee MeetingsPl a n n i n g & Zo n i n g: First Thursdays. Call for time and location. 986-7070, 563-3494, 391-5652.Look to the THD website for information on THD events. Log on to http://www.thd.orgFor a Voice in Your Neighborhood Join Telegraph Hill Dwellers.THD Welcomes New Members June-August 2009: Lynne Joiner, AngelaManginelli, and Marilee Gaffney, Trudi & Kevin Loscotoff, and Miriam & RoderickOwen, William Sauro, Janme Shiota, and Leslie Cancel & Ned Boynton.NEW MEMBER INFORMATIONSign Up or Sign a Friend Up as a member of Telegraph Hill Dwellers. Complete and mail to THD, PO Box 330159, SF, CA 94133NAME: ____________________________________ADDRESS: _________________________________CITY: _____________________________________________STATE: _______ ZIP: ___________________PHONE ___________________________________EMAIL: ______________________________________CHECK ENCLOSED FOR 1-YEAR MEMBERSHIPIndividual $30___ Household $45__ Senior (age 65 and over) $20__ Senior Household $35___