Spreckels Rotisserie 215 Feet Above Market Street -- June 5, 2014

San Francisco's first rooftop restaurant was the Spreckels Rotisserie, atop the building at Third and Market that housed the San Francisco Call.  The building still stands today, but the restaurant is long gone.  The ad is from the 13-November-1898 San Francisco Call. 

Schroeder's -- February 1, 2014

Schroeder's German Restaurant on Front Street closed on January 1.  Fortunately, it is going to reopen this Spring under new ownership.  I hope it will continue to look like a German beer hall.  I took the photo on 30-January-2014. 

Dancing and Nachos -- June 22, 2013

Today I went to a dance show in Burlingame.  I walked down Trousdale to the Safeway to buy flowers.  The show was good.  The little ones danced around a line of chairs and argued with each other when they had to sit down. 

After we went to 5 o'clock mass at Good Shepherd.  None of the regulars were there to take the collection, so I scrambled. 

We had dinner at Guerrero's Taqueria.  We had super nachos with chicken.  Very good. 

Joe's Cable Car -- June 1, 2013

Today was bright and sunny.  We drove over to Mission and Silver to visit Joe's Cable Car, which is famous for its hamburgers.  We got there early, and it filled up rapidly.  My wife ordered a mushroom burger with onion rings and I ordered an avocado burger with French fries.  We admired the eclectic decor while we waited for our food.  The cooks ring a cable car bell when orders are up. 

The burgers were both very good.  My bun held together till the last couple of bites.  The mushrooms were good.  The avocado was a little firmer than I liked, but everything tasted good.  My wife said the onion rings were excellent.  I tried an one and it was light, not greasy.  The fries were nice, but I like the ones at Bill's better.  Both hamburgers came with a slice of cantaloupe.  I was full before I finished my fries.  We agreed we would come back. 

A waitress brought our bill and picked up the money, saying she would bring back our change.  We waited a while and another waitress brought us another bill for the same amount and went to another table.  I caught her on her way back and said we had already paid and were waiting for our change.  She apologized and went back to look for our change.  She brought it soon after. 

I'll post some more photos on my cable car site in July. 

Ghost Sign #17 -- March 21, 2013

Jack's Restaurant on Sacramento Street survived from 1863 to 2000, when it shut down because of skyrocketing real estate prices.  The upper floors contained private dining rooms, an old San Francisco tradition.  Chef Philippe Jeanty took over the location as Jeanty at Jack's, but had to give up in 2009.  The building is vacant and the sign remains. 

New Poodle Dog -- January 22, 2013

The Poodle Dog Restaurant opened in San Francisco in 1849.  The name may have come from miners mangling the name Poulet d'Or.  Prohibition killed the restaurant in 1922.  The name has been revived a couple of times since then.  The ad and article are both from the 29-December-1907 San Francisco Call. 

THE OLD POODLE.DOG

When the earthquake and fire eliminated from San Francisco all that was good in the restaurant line, when prayers were said for the hungry, the Old Poodle Dog, the most popular of all the French restaurants in the the city, responded, and, ere the ashes were cold a new place had grown up. The Old Poodle Dog was again to the front, 824 Eddy street being the new location.  The Old Poodle Dog, formerly of Bush street and Grant avenue, in the old days was noted for its excellent cuisine, its reputation being international, and
many of the old patrons are to be found today seated in the spacious dining rooms of  the new cafe paying tribute to that host of hosts, whose one inspiring aim is "to please." After the expiration of the present lease the Old Poodle Dog will be known under a new, incorporated name; the Bergez-Franks restaurant and cafe and will open on the second anniversary, of the fire at Kearny and Bush streets with an equipment costing over $100,000. 

Fior D'Italia RIP -- May 30, 2012

Last week the Fior D'Italia, which opened in 1886, which claimed to be the oldest Italian restaurant in the United States, closed.  We had not eaten at the new location at Francisco and Mason.  Two of the partners said they may try to open again. 

The ad is from the April, 1914 Our Navy.

Walking Tour #7 -- March 11, 2012

Today I did a walking tour for people who bid on me for an auction at a school on the Peninsula. They were a nice group who asked good questions. As usual, we met in front of Peet's Coffee in the Ferry Building and went on from there. They liked the murals in Rincon Annex and Jackson Square. The rain held off. We had lunch at the Irish Bank.

I was surprised to see that the Hippodrome has become an art supply store.  I remarked that they had stuff piled in front of the reliefs of naked women.  A member of the tour suggested that this was because children might be visiting to buy art supplies. 

I took the photo of Bliss and Faville's Southern Pacific headquarters many years ago.

Old Clam House 150 -- February 23, 2012

The Old Clam House on Bayshore Boulevard is celebrating its 150th anniversary tonight.  It is still in its original building, something which the few older restaurants in San Francisco cannot claim.  I haven't eaten there in 20 years.

Zazpiak Bat -- December 4, 2011

We went to dinner at the Basque Cultural Center in South San Francisco. The food was excellent, as was the service. The image shows the coat of arms, which combines the symbols of the seven Basque provinces in Spain and France, with the motto "Zazpiak Bat," "Seven are One."

Powell Street Promenade #2 -- August 7, 2011

The Powell Street Promenade is part of the city's program of introducing neighborhood parklets. On street corners along Powell from Ellis to Geary, there are aluminum platforms with planters and railings. Yesterday I stood on the one on the west side of Powell near Geary with my new camera and took some photos. It was a good spot. Here we see car 25, built in 1890 and recently rebuilt, inbound on the Powell/Hyde line. It wears the red pre-1906 Powell Street paint scheme.

Before that, we had lunch at Lefty O'Doul's. I had corned beef on a sourdough roll. Very good.

Going-Away Lunch -- April 6, 2011

Today we had a going-away lunch for a cooworker. We're going to miss him, but he's leaving for a good opportunity in another area of the company. We went to the Osha Thai on Third Street. I had Pad Thai and Leechee Ice Tea. I had never had Leechee Ice Tea. It was good.

Tommy Bermejo, RIP -- March 10, 2011

Tommy's Mexican Restaurant, across the street from Saint Monicas Church and School, opened in 1965. Tommy Bermejo and his wife Elmy served Mexican food influenced by the Yucatan. My family ate there many times and they always greeted us warmly. They were always willing to feed the sisters and the priests. They were very generous to the church and the school. Tommy was a wonderful guy and I was sad to learned that he had passed away last week. Fortunately, the kids are keeping the restaurant going.

Happy Groundhog Day #2 -- February 2, 2011

Happy Groundhog Day to all. This groundhog doesn't look too happy.

We went to Nick's at Rockaway Beach for dinner. The sunset was red and many shades of blue.

Grauman's Chinese #15 -- October 17, 2010

Movie mogul Adolph Zukor left his hand and foot prints in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese on 05-January-1953. Zukor was one of the founders of the Famous Players Film Company ("Famous Players in Famous Plays") in 1912. Famous Players eventually evolved into Paramount. Zukor was still chairman emeritus when he died in 1976 at 103. DSCN4153.

I took this on 18-July-2009.

It rained in morning and early afternoon.

We had dinner at Tommy's on Geary Street, across from Saint Monica's. Most of the family was there and it was good to see them. They are nice people.

The Phillies beat the Giants 6-1. I'm sad.

Bill's Place #2 -- July 30, 2010

Today we had lunch at Bill's Place on Clement. I have been going there since shortly after it opened in 1959. I had the Giant's Burger, which I had never tried before. It was good. I took the photo on 31-January-2009.

Walking Tour #4 -- November 7, 2009

Today we did a walking tour for people who bid on me for the community support campaign. They were a nice couple from the city. As usual, we met in front of Peet's Coffee in the Ferry Building and went on from there. They liked the murals in Rincon Annex and Jackson Square. We had lunch at the Irish Bank.

I was worried when it rained yesterday, but today was clear and a bit cold. Good weather for walking.

We were eucharistic ministers at mass.

Walking Tour #3 -- May 30, 2009

Today we did the walking tour we donated for the Good Shepherd School auction/dinner dance. My wife and a another teacher each had one family. All very nice people, with three kids between them. That was a nice change.

When we started at the Ferry Building, it was cold, so we went to Rincon Annex and spent some time looking at the murals and the fountain in the atrium. We went on and around and even got to see a funeral with the Green Street Mortuary Band in Chinatown. The kids got tired. We hit the Fortune Cookie Factory in Ross Alley, then had lunch at the Irish Bank. I took the photo on a much sunnier day, 11-May-2009.

We went to 5 o'clock mass for the vigil of Pentacost.

Today was Benny Goodman's 100th birthday. Lots of music on the radio.

Wicked -- February 7, 2009

We went to see Wicked at the Orpheum today. We took BART from Daly City. We had seen it years ago, but I didn't remember it well. My wife and daughter felt it was a very different production. We had an understudy for Glinda, but I thought she was good. Carol Kane played the headmistress.

On the way home, we stopped at Rockin' Robs to have dinner. The Chinese New Year parade is on television tonight.

I don't like the new layout of the Chronicle. It looks like USA Today. The Chronicle always had a distinctive appearance. I could always recognize a clipping.

Bill's Place -- January 31, 2009

Today we had lunch at Bill's Place on Clement. I have been going there since shortly after it opened in 1959. We had not been for a while, so I was happy to see that the Jazzbeaux burger was still on the menu. I had one. Then we went to Stonestown. We went to mass at 5pm.