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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.
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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.
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
In this episode, Dale picks up where he left off in Part 1, with his college years in Santa Clara. After he graduated, he moved to LA where he worked in shipping. He had a few other jobs, mostly in data systems. Dale was living in Scottsdale, Arizona, and his then-girlfriend/now wife was taking care of her father, who was ill, while also going to SF State. So, in 2010, Dale moved back to the Bay Area to help her out, and the couple has been living in Ingleside ever since. He goes on to talk about discovering polo. All we'll say is that the story involves Argentina and boots. And if you wanna learn more about the sport, please listen in. Dale ends his episode telling us about Heels Down, Fists Up, a Bay Area equestrian protest group that arose this summer after the murder of George Floyd. Special thanks to Liz Beeson of Caring Cowgirl for connecting us with Dale and Sunny. We recorded this podcast at Madonna Creek Ranch in September 2020.
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
Dale Johnson is the descendent of Black cowboys. In this podcast, Dale traces the history of his family, from New York state and a Black settlement in Texas called High Prairie to the Bay Area. His parents met at a park in the East Bay and Dale was born seven years later. He grew up in "deep" East Oakland. He touches on some of the changes that he remembers, with industrial jobs being off-shored and drugs coming into previously prosperous, Black neighborhoods, comparing that to some of what has been happening in the so-called Rust Belt of the US and the different responses to each situation. Special thanks to Liz Beeson of Caring Cowgirl for connecting us with Dale. We recorded this podcast at Madonna Creek Ranch in September 2020.
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
In this podcast, Ricky Rat picks up where he left off in Part 1, with his return to San Francisco after college. He talks about a few jobs he had leading up to the pandemic, when he started taking his cartoon art back to the streets. Ricky ends this podcast by sharing his hopes for the future of San Francisco. Special shoutout to Uncle Damien for connecting us with Ricky. We recorded this podcast at Fly Bar on Divisadero in September 2020.
Photography by Michelle KIlfeather
There's a battle going on in the world of San Francisco street art. In this episode, we get to know street artist Ricky Rat. Ricky's grandparents come from many different heritages. His parents moved to San Francisco, separately, in the '80s and met at a Halloween party in the Mission. Ricky spent some time with his dad (also a comic artist) in the Mission in the 1990s (fun fact—his dad took him to see Josiah Luis Alderete read poetry back in the day), but they moved up to Marin. In the podcast, Ricky shares what it was like to grow up there. He went to UC Davis and graduated before returning to The City earlier this decade. Check back Thursday for Part 2, when Ricky will tell us how he took his cartoon art to the streets. We recorded this podcast at Fly Bar in September 2020. 
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
In this podcast, Michelle and Alex pick up where they left off in Part 1, discussing how the sale of 111 Minna that left them as co-owners went down. The original owner, Ei Ming, left Michelle in charge, and there was a lot of stuff she had to figure out how to do. A few years down the road, she brought Alex in to help, and soon enough, the two ended up buying the place from Ei Ming. 111 Minna Gallery is still closed to the public due to COVID-19 restrictions. But they're fundraising and hosting virtual events from time to time. Please follow them on Twitter and Instagram and check their website for more info. This episode concludes our Small Business September promotions. That doesn't mean we'll stop introducing you to small business owners all over The City. And please, do your part to ensure that these businesses survive these strange times. We recorded this podcast at 111 Minna in September 2020.
Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
Ready your SF bingo card: Michelle Delaney is a punk rock mom who runs an art gallery in The City. In this podcast, we get to know Michelle and 111 Minna co-owner Alex Kivelstadt. The two talk about their lives leading up to the moment they purchased the art bar/cafe from its previous owner. Check back Thursday for Part 2, when we'll hear the story of Michelle and Alex taking over 111 Minna, and what they've been doing with the place since shelter-in-place took effect in March this year. Sadly, the gallery is still closed due to the COVID-19 restrictions. But they're still fundraising and doing virtual shows from time to time. Follow them on Twitter and Instagram or check their website for details. We recorded this podcast at 111 Minna Gallery in September 2020. 
Steph (right) and her husband, Alan. Photography by Michelle Kilfeather
Steph Miller got her first dog in New Orleans. In this podcast, Steph picks up where she left off in Part 1. She returned home from New Orleans with her dog, Ruby, who joined two other dogs at Steph's parents' house. You could say that the pack ... got into some trouble. But luck related to Steph's adopting Ruby eventually led her to a career training and working with dogs. She got a job at Mission Pet Hospital, and a vet there turned her on to a dog-training program at the SPCA. The rest is history. Bernal Beast's shop is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. For info on their weekend puppy classes, follow them on Twitter and Instagram. We recorded this podcast at Bernal Beast in August 2020. |
