San Francisco The Snobbiest City?

Travel and Leisure Magazine has published a snobby city list and San Francisco was voted number one. I am not sure exactly what their criteria was but they claim that the always popular tourist destination to be the snobbiest in the nation. San Francisco was followed by New York as number two, Boston as number three and Minneapolis/St. Paul and Santa Fe as four and five.
Having lived in three of the top five cities I was rather surprised. I guess I must be a snob too! I just like to think I'm just better than everyone else!  

Bay Area TV and Radio Personality Jerry Graham Has Died

I found out from a Facebook posting that long time Jerry Graham has died from a heart attack at age 78 in his Santa Cruz home. Jerry was the host of the iconic Bay Are Backroads on local San Francisco television station KRON starting in 1983. Jerry would hop into the car with his camera man and head out onto the byways of the Bay Area interviewing people and finding oddities and treasures along the way. His show was not unlike Huell Howser's "California's Gold" but was more Bay Area-centric.
Born in Indianapolis, Indiana with the name Gerald Granowsky he got a degree in Radio-TV Production and started his career in the mid-west. Jerry changed his name to Graham when he got his first job as his given named was deemed to difficult to pronounce. He was old school TV-radio you did everything. He hosted a kids show, call in shows and Weatherman he is most remembered for both his career at KSAN and KRON in the Bay Area.
Jerry Graham was a Bay Area gem!

Emperor Norton

San Francisco is a city that loves an eccentric. One of the most beloved and famous of San Francisco's eccentric characters was Joshua Norton aka Emperor Norton. Norton I, Emperor of These United States and Protector of Mexico reigned in San Francisco for 21 years. The Emperor issued proclamations and his own currency that was accepted by businessess in San Francisco.
Born Joshua Norton in London his family emigrated to South Africa where Norton was raised and lived until his immigration to San Francisco in 1849. Using an inheritance of $40,000 from his father's estate Norton invested in San Francisco real estate and was very successful. His net worth in the 1850's was estimated to be $250,000 until an investment in a Peruvian rice deal fell through. He was involved in a series of law suits and lost causing him to file for bankruptcy in 1858. Norton left San Francisco for a while in shame and when he returned his state of mind was different. It was then he proclaimed himself Emperor.
As Emperor, Norton wore an elaborate blue uniform with epaulets donated by officers from the Presidio and a beaver hat with a rosette and peacock feather decoration. Norton would issue various proclamations announcing his intentions to over throw the government and declaring the US Congress to be illegal. He also proposed a bridge and tunnel connection San Francisco and Oakland. His vision was eventually completed long after his death with the Bay Bridge and BART tunnel. His main occupation was inspecting the streets of San Francisco. During one of his inspections Norton is said to have with his powers of diplomacy resolved a confrontation with anti-Chinese demonstrators rioting outside of Chinatown. He is said to have stood between the rioters and their Chinese targets and resolved the confrontation by reciting the Lord's Prayer.
In 1867 a police officer, Armand Barbier, arrested Emperor Norton to commit him involuntarily treatment for a mental disorder. A public outrage ensued causing the chief of San Francisco's police to issue a formal apology when Norton was released. Emperor Norton then granted an "Imperial Pardon" to the arresting officer. For the rest of the Emperor's life police officers saluted him whenever he passed.
No theater in San Francisco opened a show in San Francisco without reserving seats for the Emperor on opening night. Restaurants in San Francisco served him complimentary meals and prized his "Imperial Seal of Approval" by mounting plaques outside of their establishments. His self issued currency was accepted through out San Francisco. His notes came in denominations running from 50 cents to $10. The surviving notes are now collectors items and considered very valuable.

Emperor Norton collapsed on the corner of California St and what is now called Grant Ave on January 8, 1880. He died in the ambulance taking him to the hospital. There had always been speculation that Norton was actually wealthy. Upon his death it was discovered that he was indigent when his room in a Commercial Street rooming house was searched. Initally a paupers funeral was proposed but the Pacific Club arranged a fund to pay for a funeral and rosewood coffin. His funeral was on Sunday January 10th was solemn event attended by an estimated 30,000 people and had a cortege said to be 2 miles long. Emperor Norton was laid to rest in the Masonic Cemetary in a gravesite paid for by the City of San Francisco. In 1934 Nortons remains were transfered as were all others from city cemetaries to Colma a town just outside of the city. His grave is now in Woodlawn Cemetery marked with a mounument reading  "Norton I, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico".  An odd footnote to Emperor Norton's life is the gravesite adjacent to his. The headstone is for the self-declared "Her Royal Majesty, Empress of San Francisco, José I, the "Widow Norton" . The Widow Norton is a legendary San Francisco drag queen who makes an annual pilgrimage the the site to honor Emperor Norton.

San Francisco's "Crookedest" Street

Every tourist who visits San Francisco knows of Lombard Street. One of the most photographed streets in the world is renowned as San Francisco's crookedest street. Well it isn't! It may be pretty and have some lovely gardens but it is not the crookedest street in San Francisco. Tucked away in a residential neighborhood rarely visited by tourists and locals for that matter is Vermont Street, San Francisco's truly crookedest street. Vermont Street is in the Potrero Hill neighborhood. What you have never heard of Potrero Hill; well that is just how the locals like it! Vermont Street and Potrero Hill are tucked away on the eastern side of the city and graced with beautiful views and something almost unheard of, sunshine. Potrero means pasture in Spanish and for many years that is what it was. Another old name for the neighborhood is Goat Hill as it was a goat pasture originally owned by the de Haro family. Potrero Hill was mainly a working class neighborhood undiscovered by developers and real estate speculators until the 1990's. The north/south streets in the neighborhood have state names ie: Texas, Missouri, Rhode Island and Mississippi while the east/west streets are number names.

On the western side of the neighborhood is a park running up a steep hill from the 101 freeway to Vermont street is a park called Mckinley Park. The edge of the park is Vermont Street the true crookedest street. There has been a long debate as to which street Vermont or Lombard is the crookedest. An engineering study was done and it was determined that the sinuosity of Vermont is more than that of Lombard. Lombard has its tourists but Vermont has its locals who actually use the street to get off the hill. One of the few celebrations of the street is the Big Wheel Race.

If you are travelling to San Francisco go and see Vermont Street but just don't tell anyone!

San Francisco's Brown Twins

Marian and Vivian Brown are San Francisco icons. The 85 year old twin sisters originally from Kalamazoo Michigan have lived in San Francisco since the 1970's. They were trained as teachers but when they moved to San Francisco they worked as secretaries one for a bank the other for an insurance company. Now retired and until recently they were seen around town in their snappy matching outfits posing for photos with tourists. Marian is now living alone in their Nob Hill apartment as Vivian who is suffering from Alzheimer's is in an area hospital.
The Brown twins became media stars after their retirement appearing in television commercials and on talk shows both local and national. Now that Vivian is in the hospital Marian is alone and rather lonely. She is only able to see her sister once a week as the cab ride costs her $30 and she lives on social security because the commercial residuals have dried up. Former Mayor Willie Brown has promised to help the sisters out as well as Jewish Family and Children's Services. Marian and Vivian would ideally like to be in an assisted living center but the cost is out of their reach. Donations for the ladies can be made through San Francisco Emergency Assistance Fund their website is: www.jfcs.org . Uncle Vito's Pizza the restaurant where the Brown sisters have eaten everyday for years now accepts donations to pay for Marian's evening meal. Marian enjoys a mini pizza, glass of wine and slice of cake at the cost of $20.

This is the time for San Franciscan's to stand up and support the Brown sisters. Marian and Vivian Brown are part of what makes San Francisco the great city it is.