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In this special episode of our podcast, Jeff reads three of our favorite love letters to San Francisco written in January 2020 at our event of the same name. You'll get a sample of our new Season 4 theme music, created and curated by Joe Bagale. And we're pretty sure that the third letter was written by Season 3 storyteller P. Segal. We hope you enjoy these as much as we do. They speak to the complexity of loving a city like ours, and they offer a glimmer of hope for what's next in San Francisco. See you soon for Season 4 of Storied: San Francisco! xoxo Michelle + Jeff
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In this podcast, our very last of Season 3, Jesus and Randy pick up where they off in Part 1. They talk in more depth about the challenges that Gay American Indians (Randy's group) and Gay Latino Alliance (Jesus's) faced, despite the fact that San Francisco was already a more accepting place than most in the United States. The two spend the remainder of the podcast reflecting on the evolution on the LGBTQIA community. We want to thank Randy and Jesus for their time and for sharing their stories. We want to thank all the storytellers we've ridden with us over the course of our third season of this show. Last but certainly not least, we want to thank you for listening, reading, liking, commenting, signing up for our newsletter, coming to our shows (back when we could still have those safely), and sharing what we do with your friends and family. We're taking a short break, but we aim to be back at it introducing you to more of your San Francisco neighbors in a few weeks. Until then—stay healthy, stay safe, wear a mask, Black lives matter, stay weird, and stay strong! We recorded this podcast over Zoom in January 2021. If you've been with us for a while, you already know Randy Burns (Part 1, Part 2). Randy is definitely a friend of the show. He introduced us to his friend, Jesus Barragan, whom we had on the show earlier this season (Part 1, Part 2). To close out our third season, we wanted to have these two longtime friends to talk about the POC gay rights movements they were each very much a part of back in the 1970s and '80s—Randy's Gay American Indians (GAI) and Jesus's Gay Latino Alliance (GALA). It was the fall of 1975, and at that time, no such groups existed here. What would eventually become the Pride parade was in its infancy. But these two young queer activists and their allies organized, not only making their existence known, but fighting for basic rights some might take for granted today. In Part 1 of this two-part podcast, Randy and Jesus each share the background stories of getting their groups started. Please check back Thursday for Part 2 (and the final new episode of Season 3!), when the two friends will talk about meeting each other and working together toward equality for the POC LGBTQIA+ community. We recorded this podcast over Zoom in January 2021.
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
In this podcast, Tony Carracci picks up where he left off in Part 1, talking about closing his kitchen inside the Cat Club and using that space instead as a second dance floor. It was around this time that the '80s-themed night 1984 started. But Tony wanted a live-music venue. He found a spot in Hunter's Point that happened to have a kitchen, and so, The Pound SF was born. After running that place for a few years, Tony left and, after not doing much "for a minute," he became a wedding planner. In his mind, it has a lot in common with running a restaurant or a club. Fast-forward to 2017. He had been living in Marin since the mid-1990s, and, as a food person, was always making sauces. One day, he noticed an empty storefront and "inquired within." While he awaited permits to do food in the space, he acquired a food truck, and, inspired by David Bowie's last LP, named it Black Star Bakehouse and Smokery. Tony's story of meeting his partner, Suzie Vasko, coincides with his discovery of Point San Pablo Harbor. Tony would take the Black Star truck to the harbor and he had just won best food truck in Marin when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. In the summer of 2020, the harbormaster told Tony that Nobilis, a restaurant down on the water, was closing and that Tony's barbecue would be a perfect fit. Suzie shares the story of their meeting, and the two end the podcast talking about opening Black Star Pirate BBQ. The restaurant is open for takeout from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday through Sunday. They of course hope to reopen once it's safe and legal to do so. Please support them if you can—the food and location are truly special. We recorded this podcast at Black Star Pirate BBQ in Point San Pablo Harbor in December 2020.
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
Tony Carracci's life revolves around water. Tony's parents met in Seattle, where his mom was from. His dad, who is from from New Orleans, met his mom up north during a stint in the Merchant Marines. When they were expecting their first child, Tony, the young couple decided to relocate to another port town: San Francisco, away from the cold and rain of Seattle and the heat and mugginess in New Orleans. Tony did most of his growing up in the 1960s and early '70s in The City, and he shares some of his impressions of that era. He played baseball, football, and soccer, and excelled at sports in general. But because he had a hard time sitting still and focussing for a long time, school wasn't Tony's favorite. He graduated and left home in the mid-'70s. He worked in the now-defunct SF shipyards but hated it. He moved up to Portland (yet another port town!) for a couple years, started working in kitchens, and started doing hair and make-up. Then he went farther north, to his mom's hometown of Seattle. But a girl he met there and started dating got a job back in The City, and Tony decided that it was his chance to come home. After restaurant jobs here and there, Tony learned about a new restaurant in the Haight that needed an opening chef. That place was Cha Cha Cha. Tony spends the last part of this episode talking about Haight Street and South of Market back in the day. He ends with the story of opening the Cat Club. Join us Thursday for Part 2, when Tony will share the story of opening his BBQ joint in the East Bay. We recorded this podcast at Black Star Pirate BBQ in Richmond, California, in December 2020.
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
In this podcast, Gillian picks up where she left off in Part 1, with some bartending jobs she had while she went to college. After she graduated, she took up an offer to go to the Dominican Republic. What started off as a trip turned into four years on the island. Next came her move to The City in 2005. Gillian shares some of her first impressions of San Francisco, contrasting those with ideas she had formed mostly from TV and movies growing up. Upon moving here, she immediately fell in love with the "artists and dreamers" she was lucky enough to meet. Then Gillian shares the story of opening Casements. She met her eventual business partner, Séan O'Donovan, when they both worked at Nickie's in the Lower Haight. The two often talked about opening their own place back in the day. Gillian left Nickie's to help open Virgil's on Mission about 10 years ago, and she left Virgil's to go into business with a friend making Bloody Mary mix. She then helped Wes of Wesburger and also helped open a few other bars around town, but she always held onto the idea of opening her own Irish bar. After getting support from Séan and another bar owner, Gillian asked the owners of Gas Light if they would sell. They did, and Séan and Gillian got the keys in early November 2019. They had a soft opening and ran for a couple of months, having their official opening on Jan. 19, 2020. Six weeks or so later, COVID-19 hit and they had to shut down. Now that we're on Lockdown 2.0, Casements is offering food and drink for pick-up every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Please support this rad indy bar and help it ride out this storm so that it can open on the other side of the madness. We recorded this podcast at Casements Bar in the Mission in December 2020. 
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
Gillian Fitzgerald was born in Hospital (a town in Ireland). In this podcast, the owner of Casements Bar in the Mission traces her lineage back to when her Irish parents met. The family moved from County Limerick in the southwest to County Meade, just north of Dublin. That is where Gillian did most of her growing up, smalltown stories she shares in this episode. In addition to playing many sports, Gillian also had her own horse: Flash Gordon. She tells us a wild story about Flash that you really have to hear to believe. After talking about her time in high school and college, which brought her to Dublin, she ends this episode with some of the family bars and pubs she worked in as a young adult back in Ireland. Please join us Thursday for Part 2, when Gillian will talk about leaving Ireland, her arrival in San Francisco, and her opening Casements just before the pandemic took hold. We recorded this podcast outside of Casements Bar in the Mission in December 2020.
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
In this podcast, Marcell picks up where he left off in Part 1. He talks about work he almost got before landing a dream job. Marcell shares the story of how he got started taking pictures when he was a kid. He goes on to talk about people's reaction to his art over the years and the film he's in the process of making about his life as a Black father, photographer, father, and yes, filmmaker. Please visit Marcell's site and be sure to check out all the photos and videos he's collected there, of the Bay Area and other parts of the country and the world. He ends the podcast talking about why he left San Francisco to live in the East Bay and his hopes for The City moving forward. We recorded this podcast in Yerba Buena Gardens in December 2020.
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
Marcell Turner found his home in San Francisco. In this podcast, the photographer shares the story of his childhood in Southern California. He skateboarded, loved punk rock music, and breakdanced in his teen years. Then, a road trip up north with a friend was all it took for Marcell to relocate up to the Bay Area. Check back Thursday for Part 2, when Marcell will tell us all about his life in The City after he moved here. We recorded this podcast in Yerba Buena Gardens in December 2020. 
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
In this episode, Ike picks up where he left off in Part 1. After a short time in Davis, he came back to The City and found work in a market at 16th and Mission. He would make sandwiches for himself on the job, and one day, a customer who caught a whiff of what Ike was cooking up asked for a very specific type of sandwich. It was the origins of his now-famous "dirty sauce." Fast-forward a few years through various odd jobs. Ike was at a personal crossroads when he decided to open a breakfast and ice cream place in the Castro that also happened to make sandwiches. Ike's Place was born. Eventually, the sandwiches Ike sold eclipsed all the other products, and expansion was on the horizon. Ike now has more than 50 sandwich shops located in several states. We end this episode with Ike sharing his thoughts on San Francisco in the near future. We recorded this podcast at Ike's Love and Sandwiches in the Tenderloin in November 2020. 
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
Ike Shehadeh has pretty much always made sandwiches. In this podcast, the founder of Ike's Love and Sandwiches takes us back to 1968, when his dad arrived in San Francisco from Saudi Arabia. A decade or so later, his dad met his mom, and Ike, the first of a few kids for the couple, was born. He describes what it was like to grow up going to various schools in The City, especially the parts involving playing sports. He enjoyed baseball and soccer, but to learn to take hits in football, Ike started martial arts classes in The Sunset. We end this podcast with Ike explaining the unique living situation he had in college at UC Davis, and how that would later play a significant role in his business. Check back Wednesday for Part 2, when Ike will share the story of his decision to open a little sandwich spot on 16th Street. We recorded this podcast at Ike's Love and Sandwiches in the Tenderloin in November 2020. 
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
In this podcast, Brenda and Libby pick up right where they left off in Part 1, with the story of their meeting. It involves Delessio Market and Martuni's, two San Francisco spots we love. The bulk of this episode is the story of opening a restaurant in San Francisco that was an almost-immediate smashing success. Brenda's French Soul Food (2007) begat Brenda's Meat and Three (2014) begat Brenda's Oakland (2019). The couple discuss how they have pivoted all three of their restaurants during COVID-19. And we end the podcast with a mental-health check-up. (As a sign of how quickly things took a downturn COVID-wise, there's talk in this episode of the then-recent shutting down of all indoor dining in The City, but outdoor was still allowed. Of course, at the time of publication, we're back to take-out and delivery only.)
We recorded this podcast at Brenda's Meat and Three on Divisadero in November 2020. 
Photography by Michelle Killfeather
Brenda Buenviaje grew up across the Mississippi River from New Orleans. In this podcast, we get to know Brenda and her life/business partner, Libby Truesdell. Brenda describes her mixed heritage (Filipino and Creole, mostly) and shares stories of growing up in southern Louisiana, fishing and foraging, among other things. Libby contrasts her Iowa upbringing with the multifaceted food and culture she was introduced to when she met Brenda. Libby left her home state for various spots on the West Coast when she was 18, eventually ending up in The City in 2005. Brenda also shares the story of how she came to San Francisco. Please join us for Part 2 this Thursday. We recorded this podcast at Brenda's Meat and Three on Divisadero in November 2020. 
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
In this podcast, Rodrigo picks up where he left off in Part 1. He came back to the Mission to go to middle school at Horace Mann, where he met many of his lifelong friends. He ended up at Lowell High School near Lake Merced and temporarily lost touch with those friends. From there, Rodrigo went to San Diego for college. He explains the influence on his life that came from Carlos Aceituno, a capoeira teacher he met at Mission Cultural Center, and how that affected his decision to go to UCSD. That move led to Rodrigo's time in Brazil, which he talks about extensively in this episode. He ends this podcast with his return to The City and his involvement with Calle 24 and San Francisco's Carnaval and starting his latest project, Real City Ambassadors. We recorded this podcast at the offices of Calle 24 Latino Cultural District in November 2020. 
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
Rodrigo Durán's parents come from very different backgrounds. In this episode, the host of Real City Ambassadors shares the stories of his parents' respective moves from Mexico to San Francisco. His dad came to the U.S. from Mexico City after becoming disillusioned with the revolutionary movement in his homeland, ended up in The City, and fell in with low-riders and Central Americans here. Rodrigo's mom is from a small town in Jalisco, and her father came to the U.S. on the Bracero Program. The two met in San Francisco, where Rodrigo and his siblings were born. After a brief time back with family in Mexico, Rodrigo returned to SF, went to school in Chinatown, and got involved in the Aztec dance community through his dad. Rodrigo ends this podcast reflecting on the inclusion he felt from various communities in San Francisco. Please join us for Part 2 this Thursday. We recorded this podcast at the Calle 24 Latino Cultural District office in the Mission in November 2020.
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
In this podcast, Lucia picks up where she left off in Part 1. She dives into her own personal art history, from always drawing as a kid and young adult to eventually attending college at the San Francisco Art Institute. Before that, while at City College, Lucia got her associates in child development and began teaching, something she continues to do to this day. While at SFAI, she and some fellow students formed the SF Poster Syndicate, a group intended "to bring art and design to many different people’s movements in hopes that their message can be heard and seen more loudly." The story of Lucia getting started painting murals intersects back with her activist mom and Balmy Alley in the Mission. She ends the podcast sharing the stories behind her first mural—"Mission Makeover," in Balmy Alley (seen above)—and "Women of the Resistance," which she collaborated with the SF Poster Syndicate on (seen below). 
We recorded this podcast in a courtyard on Balmy Alley in November 2020.
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
Lucia Gonzalez-Ippolito is a Mission District fixture. Her dad, a painter and welder, moved to San Francisco from Merida, Mexico. Her mom, an activist, came from Chicago and worked at China Books on 24th Street. They met in the mid-1980s and Lucia was born shortly after that. She was raised in the Mission mostly by her mother, always surrounded by her parents' activist and artist friends. Lucia's mom sent her to a private high school up in Napa, which is where Lucia decided to dive into the world of art. Oh, and there's a short tangent in this episode where we discuss the fabled and sadly extinct $3 burrito. We recorded this podcast in a courtyard on Balmy Alley in November 2020.
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
In this podcast, Jeremy picks up where he left off in Part 1, talking about the job he got at a skateboarding company that brought him back to San Francisco after a short time on the road. He goes on to catalog the various places in The City where he has lived, including North Beach, the neighborhood Jeremy calls home to this day. The story of his move to that neighborhood includes tips on how to crack the code of Craigslist apartments. Fast-forward to, well, "now," and Jeremy recounts the stories behind his "Stay Strong" posters, which have been popping up on the fronts of boarded-up bars and also in people's windows all over town for the last eight months. It involves Anchor Brewing and the U.S. Bartenders Guild. He ends this episode talking about the place he's been doing an artist's residency since September—the Doolan-Larson building in the Upper Haight. The residency was made possible with the help of SF Heritage, a rad non-profit working to preserve the history of The City. As mentioned, we recorded this podcast at the Doolan-Larson building at Haight and Ashbury in October 2020. For more info on the building and SF Heritage, go here.
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
Hip-hop, hills, and art drew Jeremy Fish to San Francisco from 3,000 miles away. In this episode, the prolific and iconic SF artist traces his family line back to both grandfathers. One worked with his hands to make art; the other was a salesman. Jeremy sees bits of himself in both ancestors. He was born in Albany, New York, and spent most of his youth in Saratoga Springs. When it came time to go to college (in 1994), not only was The City less expensive than Boston and New York, but Jeremy also had one hell of a trip out here, which he retells in the podcast. Follow Jeremy on Twitter and Instagram, and check out his website, Silly Pink Bunnies. Check back Thursday for Part 2 to hear more of Jeremy's story. We recorded this podcast at the Doolan-Larson building at Haight and Ashbury (photos below) in October 2020. 
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
We saved Part 2 of Ida McCray's podcast with us for a good reason. We didn't want her incredible story to get lost in the chaos and uncertainty that marked last week. And we suspect that you, like us, feel a little better heading into this week, so ... Ida picks up where she left off in Part 1, with her release from prison when she was a teenager. She shares the story of when she helped hijacked a plane from San Francisco to Los Angeles and ended up in Cuba. Fast-forward to 16 years later, when a member of her family turned her in. She served a little more than a decade in federal prison, and when she got out, she started working at the San Francisco Sheriff's Department, where she stayed for more than 20 years, as a rehabilitation coordinator. She also started teaching wellness for the formerly incarcerated at City College. Ida ends this podcast talking about needing a break from The City she loves but doesn't recognize lately. We recorded this podcast outside of Ida's home in the Excelsior in October 2020. 
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
Ida McCray has left San Francisco. In this podcast, Ida, who was born and raised in The City, takes us back to around the time of her birth. Her dad was in and out of trouble and her mom put Ida in Catholic school. An only child, she loved books but school never excited her. She got into her own trouble as a teenager, and found herself in and out of Juvenile Hall. After graduating high school at 16, Ida got involved in the movement of those days and converted to Islam. This came after roughly a year and a half of her life locked up on a petty theft charge. Please join us Thursday for Part 2, when Ida will continue sharing the story of her life. We recorded this podcast outside of Ida's home in the Excelsior in October 2020.
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
In this podcast, Alan tells us about his discovery of Israel. A friend told him all about the country, smashing Alan's preconceived ideas about the place, and so he went and lived there for a number of years. He shares stories of his return to NYC, drunken addiction, and homelessness. He was in a downward spiral before a friend told him to snap out of it and get help. He did, and roughly a week later, he was headed for San Francisco. He quickly got involved in the early '90s poetry scene here, and tells some great stories around that. He goes on to describe what it was like to get discovered as a writer as well as his work with "outlaw" artists here in The City. He also shares the story of a student strike he led while he taught at the Academy of Art University. Alan ends this podcast comparing the San Francisco of today with the city he moved to 30 years ago, and tells us all about the poets strike he led back in the early '90s. If you missed Part 1, please go back and listen to learn about Alan's parents and his upbringing in New York City. We recorded this podcast outside of Alan's home in Oakland in October 2020.
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
Alan Kaufman is lucky to be alive. In this podcast, the writer and poet traces his lineage back to his parents, who met in New York in the 1940s. His dad was a Jewish gangster, as Alan describes it, and his mom was a French Jewish Holocaust survivor. Here is the card that the French government issued, verifying his mother as a Holocaust survivor: 
Alan details a trip to Europe he took in 2014. His hosts in Zurich drove him to the mountains in Northern Italy where his mother and grandmother hid during World War II.
He fast-forwards to his parents' meeting and starting a family in the Bronx. When he was a teenager, he picked up a copy of On the Road, and the book ended up inspiring his move out west. Please check back Thursday for the continuation of Alan's story. We recorded this podcast outside of Alan's home in Oakland in October 2020.
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
In this podcast, Temi picks up where she left off in Part 1, talking about founding Pembroke, her PR firm here in The City. She goes on to describe how the company transitioned during the onset of shelter-in-place earlier this year. Then Temi pivots to her own experiences with racism and her awakening to racial and social justice. She ends the podcast talking about joining Represent Collaborative, for whom this podcast was produced. REP CO is a media hub for stories about under-represented folks, and we're honored to be part of that effort. We recorded this podcast in Hayes Valley in October 2020.
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
Temi Adamolekun moved to San Francisco sight unseen. Temi was born in Lagos, Nigeria, but raised mostly in London. Her family visited their hometown often after their move to Europe, so Temi grew up with a good sense of where she was from despite her British upbringing. After boarding school and university, she got a job at Condé Nast doing PR work. As a side hustle of sorts, she started making handbags, and through that, met the man she'd eventually marry. The young couple had a chance to move to San Francisco and seized on it, sight unseen. That was a dozen or so years ago, and today, they're raising a child here in The City. Please check back Thursday for Part 2, when Temi will talk about launching her own PR firm, her racial justice awakening, and the work she's been doing with REP CO. We recorded this podcast in Hayes Valley in October 2020. |
