Who says this town isn't safe anymore? I encountered more security I ever wanted to see last month at AT&T Park for the promised run of the Olympic torch here in San Francisco, the only North American city to have that privilege. And the only American city that qualified for all the "flaming" jokes to go with it. The scene round he ball park was high-pressure chaos. A CNN reporter kindly broke through a wall of cops to fetch my credentials for me. The SFPD cops were a little annoyed by the whole thing -- but the State Dept. security detail were downright obnoxious, and one of these fellows with their grey suits and nice lapel pins, actually gave me a shove, credentials or no. Maybe that was a hug sent from Condi Rice. I wandered into the restricted area (the pier from where the torch was eventually launched secretly on a Coast Guard boat for a tour of the Bay). There were many, many disappointed people who could not get a glimpse of the storied Olympic torch. Some had traveled thousands of miles for the event. Mayor Gavin was doomed one way or the other. After the melee in Paris a week before, he opted to err on the side of caution.
San Francisco cops are usually cool under the pressure of these sorts of thing, even friendly to me. The heat from the feds got to be too much, so I repaired to Peter Osborne's cool, swell, new saloon. Pete's Tavern, across the King street from the stadium. There I could credibly watch CNN, and observe the events that were happening a few yards from me.
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Across King Street from the ball park and the torch Torquemadas is MoMo's, Osborne's main restaurant, and I'm glad to see that some of the friendly folk who worked at the now-closed Washington Square Bar & Grill are working there. Boom Boom ... Leslie Asche ... Fredy Lopez ... and Sarah Jane, who's been at Momo's for all of these ten years since MoMo's opened. ... By the way, it's rumored that an East Coast company may soon revitalize the WashBag, and it may soon reopen. ... Many of the fans of the Washbag's famed Barman Michael McCourt have followed him over to Amante on Green Street. Dick Underhill was in there the other day, reminiscing about the funeral of Robin Williams' brother Todd, affectionately known as"Toad," all those years ago. It's sad to note that the classy, kind Dave O'Byrne, a fixure at The Square for a long time, is now gone ...
Down Columbus Street the legendary Jazz at Pearl's was set to close at the end of April. It seems a well-known local businesswoman is about to get new ownership. ... Jazz at Pearl's co-owner Kim Nalley has been singing in New York, and still going through a divorce with former biz parter Steve Sheraton. ... The last show at Jazz at Pearls will be exquisite, Barry Lloyd, on April 27. What a way to close the show there. Barry has accompanied just about everybody on piano, and has a grand solo show based on the inimitable Bobby Short. It would be fun, lotsa fun, to see Barry play at the Hotel Carlyle, where Bobby held court for over 37 years. ...
The rumors are flying fast and furious, quiet meetings have been arranged at North Beach haunts such as Da Flora, to discuss how an attorney from the Central Valley has managed to what locals describe as extort money out of N.B. restaurants by arranging for allegedly disabled clients to challenge the restaurants' ability to accommodate the handicapped. Lots of money has exchanged hands. Now business owners are calling on Sup. Aaron Peskin who's keeping away from the fray. ....
Mark Quessey, the blustery barista at It's A Grind on Polk & Washington is relentless in his aspirations to run for mayor. He's got his pin on daily (lapel pins are all the rage, you know) and he's now consorting with political vet Jack Molinari every morning as Jack comes in for his coffee. Molinari is more likely ambushed. But Mark says he's very helpful. There's no question that Mark has a caffeine quaffing constituency. They include the spillover crowd from the Lumiere who've seen Zombie Strippers. .... The coffee shop's manager, Julie Blodgett, is becoming the face of the neighborhood. Perhaps she'll bring her bassoon to work with her one day. Why not? Hoa Ly likes to play his clarinet in his barber shop, Sharp Cuts, down on Van Ness & Lombard. ... Thousands turned out for the dedication of the memorial at Justin Herman Plaza to honor the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, the Americans who went to Spain for fight in the Spanish Civil War against Franco and the Fascists. I was surprised to see George Shultz and Charlotte along side of the mayor. The rest of the crowd were lefties of all stripes, even a few survivors of the war itself, which marked the victory of Franco. "What was so bad about Franco?" someone quietly asked. He and his thugs murdered poet Garcîa Lorca, for one. 11 of the survivors were present. Walter Hood, the monument's artist, was there. Herb Gold was there. "WE may often disagree in San Francisco," opined Gavin Newsom, "but we should ever be disagreeable." Go see the monument, it's really quite extraordinary. ...
A rare occasion at Yoshi's on Wed., May 7. Poet Michael McClure (truly one of the last of the Beats) ... Ray Manzarek (of The Doors) ... George Brooks ... Rob Wasserman ... and Jay Lane will perform two shows, 8 p.m. & 10 p.m. 415-655-5600 or visit the website: http://sf.yoshis.com/sf/jazzclub or visit Michael & Rys website: www.mcclure-manzarek.com ... Could it be time for the 9th Annual Oyster Festival at the Great Meadow in Ft. Mason again? It is. This year, on May 18 & May 18, Myles O'Reilly, who owns O'Reilly's Irish Pub & Restaurant on Green Street & the Holy Grail on Polk Street, brings. on May 17 from noon to seven, The Dropkick Murphys ... Juliette Lewis and the Licks ...Yard Dogs Rod Show ... and Eoin Harrington. On Sunday, May 8 from noon to seven, it's She and Him (Zooey Deschanel & M. Ward) ... Mother Hips ... Chuck Prophet & the Mission Express and Whispertown 2000. Last year the event drew 15,000 people so be sure to pick up your own oyster shells. Yes, we're just kidding. But you could leave a trail in order to find your way back next year. ... One Day Tickets: $20 General Admission ... $45 Special Reserve (Premium Seating Area) ... Two Day Tickets: $35 General Admission ... $80 Special Reserve (Premium Seating Area) This event is the largest Oyster festival on the West Coast. ... Thank the Goddess there at least a few oysters left for us. ...
Bruce Bellingham is the author of Bellingham by the Bay, and a columnist for the Marina Times newspaper.
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