A TALE OF TWO DOLPHINAS
by Charles Versaggi Long before Carol Doda exposed her Twin 44s at the Condor Club and bare breasts became institutionalized, “Dolphina” was the “Girl in the Fishbowl,” the first local…
February 2026
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RIP MAMA IDA, CAFFE TRIESTE MATRIARCH
by Romalyn Schmaltz The End of an Era is a phrase bandied about often in places where history teeters precariously on the amnesiac cusp of progress, but the words rang…
THE ARTIGUES BUILDING
by George Schumm If one had to preserve a single structure in North Beach, what would it be? My vote is for the Artigues Building at 261-71 Columbus Avenue housing…
2026: THE YEAR OF PUBLIC TRANSIT
by Howard Wong, AIA, Committee Chair howard.wong@thd.org Succinctly: Transit $$$ on the Ballot and in the Budgets As covered in past Semaphore Transportation Reports, 2026 will possess the angels and…
A CLEAN WELL-LIGHTED PLACE FOR FLUTES
by Naomi Marcus In a neighborhood stuffed with pizza joints and drowning in cappuccino cafes, how lovely to come upon a unique gem of a store, devoted to one beautiful instrument: Flute World, a clean well-lighted place for flutes. The welcoming, charming showroom on the corner of Union and…
EQUAL PARTS
by Stephen Listisen Since dining (and drinking) out is one of my favorite hobbies, I follow the San Francisco food scene closely and make a concerted effort to support local…