That was Mayor Willie Brown Thursday morning at Broadway & Columbus cutting up with the organizers of this weekend's North Beach Festival. The event's host, Precious Cheese (not a drag queen -- a company), commissioned a bust of Da Mayor, made from a 40-pound block of cheddar. As commuters slowed at the intersection, Willie's yellow formaggio face, topped with a sulfur-colored fedora, was unveiled to a TV audience on Channel 2. It brightened an otherwise chilly, late spring day. ... The bust was created by Sarah Nep, one of only four cheese sculptors in the U.S. "This work takes me all over the country," says the tall, blonde lass from Lafayette. "I am grateful to be of service to American farmers." The gigs are hard to come by these days. It's a kitsch-as-kitsch-can sort of life. ...
All this cheesy fun was occurring in front of Alfred Schilling's restaurant on Columbus & Broadway. Chef Alfred came out to greet the Mayor and inform him the restaurant will be going out of business today, putting 30 more people in S.F. out of work. "I've been paying $15,000 a month in rent," says chef Schilling, who has been a renowned S.F. chocolatier. He also ran the kitchens at Trader Vic's and Maxwell's Plum. "The landlord would not budge on this -- I don't think he cares if it stays vacant for the next 10 years," Alfred said. "I might sell cars now." Mayor Brown assured him, "We'll find you another place." Consoling, yes, but hardly likely to happen these days. ... This block of Broadway is now devoid of dining spots. The Garden of Eden stands alone. That's a strip club. Those pasties are not edible. ...
There was a full-blown street party in Half Moon Bay this week to raise money to rebuild the 100-year-old Cunha Country Store, which was destroyed by fire May 21. The calamity has stunned the town. Bob Sarlatte hosted the benefit. It included -- get this -- The Tubes, with Fee Waybill. They performed "White Punks On Dope." and their big hit from the '80s, "She's A Beauty." Sizzling Sarlatte dazzled the crowd with a version of Elvis' "Burning Love." ... Singles looking for burning love and other plentiful wastes of time might want to check out the Urban Diversion Open House at 1329 Columbus Ave., Sunday from 8 to 10 p.m. One of the silly things the zany, fun-seeking city slickers do is put on the Urban Iditarod. Unlike the Alaskan dog race, it's with people sniffing about the streets of S.F., wearing dog masks. ...
Craigslist is the hallmark of our culture, particularly for singles. For that, it embraces odd elements of our culture, such as the woman looking to date "a man who looks like Scott Peterson -- you know, kinda cute." I saw it. I wouldn't have believed it. ... The Examiner's Adriel Hampton noticed panhandling has emerged on CL. One fellow in Pacific Heights is asking donations be mailed to him because "none of my roommates have work either." Next, we'll see Scott Peterson asking for money for legal expenses. ... My favorite online story of the week is about the married U.S. Army colonel in Afghanistan who got engaged to 50 women by e-mail. "He was more romantic than Shakespeare, more romantic than even W.B. Yeats," sighed a saddened 43-year-old N.Y. woman who'd been wronged by Colonel Casanova. "He'd write things such as 'Oh, baby, I want to tell you how much I miss you' and 'I can't wait to get home to you.'" ... Which line is Shakespeare and which is Yeats is unclear. ...
Yeats and other writers, specifically Joyce, will be extolled at the Celebration of Bloomsday on Monday at O'Reilly's Irish Pub & Restaurant, 622 Green St. at 8 p.m. The day marks the 24 hours in which Joyce's "Ulysses" takes place. ... Celtic greats performing include Gránia Flanagan ... RenÈe Gibbons ... Oonagah Kavanagh ... and Esther Mulligan. ...
David Brinkley died on Wednesday at 82. He never suffered fools and he detested the dumbing-down of broadcast news. Years ago, when writing a radio documentary for KCBS, I called Brinkley at ABC out of the blue. He came on the phone with that famous clipped style of speaking. "Yes," he said impatiently. "What/do/you/want?" ... "Mr. Brinkley, I bet I can tell you what you were doing exactly 40 years ago tomorrow." ... "Oh?/Why/don't/you/tell/me?" he snapped. ... "You were a 22-year-old desk assistant at WRC Radio in Washington when you saw the Flash on the wire that read, 'President Roosevelt Dead in Warm Springs, Ga.' You ran to the booth so the announcer could break in with the news." ... Brinkley said, "Just/a/minute ... (pause) ... Yes/You're/right/What/can/I/do/for/you?" ... And he relaxed and chatted with me for a half hour. I remembered the WRC story from William Manchester's "Glory and the Dream." I wasn't there in 1945. ... Honest. ... I didn't have to be. Witnesses like Brinkley made history come alive.
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