Storied: San Francisco

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S2E29, Part 2: Margaret Casey on Making Mission Creek Her Home (San Francisco Houseboats Series) Jun 20, 2019

Show notes

Since deciding to stay in San Francisco (see Part 1), Margaret Casey has done a lot—been a poet, worked for various event spaces and event production companies, and moved into a houseboat on Mission Creek.

In this podcast, Margaret fills us in on her life since she heard that saxophone in the Panhandle (also in Part 1).

We recorded this episode on Margaret's houseboat, the Battlestar Gloriana, in May 2019.

Film photography by Michelle Kilfeather

S2E29, Part 1: Margaret Casey and the Panhandle Saxophone (San Francisco Houseboats Series) Jun 18, 2019

Show notes

The theft of a Picasso in Australia. Getting framed by an old teacher. Cocaine shipments from South America. San Francisco cults in the 1970s. And someone playing the saxophone in the Panhandle on a random night in the early 1990s ...

All of these things are involved in the story of why Mission Creek houseboat resident Margaret Casey came to San Francisco—and why she stayed.

In this podcast, Margaret, who has owned her boat for a little more than eight years, shares all of these stories and describes the more savory characters around 16th Street and Valencia when she arrived in the city back in the day.

Check back Thursday for Part 2, when Margaret will talk about moving down to the creek.

We recorded this podcast on Margaret's houseboat, Battlestar Gloriana, in May 2019.

Film photography by Michelle Kilfeather

S2E28, Part 2: Ron Turner on Founding Last Gasp Publishing Jun 13, 2019

Show notes

Originally known as "Last Gasp Eco-Funnies," the publishing company that Ron Turner and others founded celebrates 50 years next April.

In this podcast, Ron talks about starting Last Gasp with Slow Death, an underground comic that featured art by Greg Irons, among others. Over the years, he's worked other artists, including R. Crumb, Spain Rodriguez, Trina Robbins, and more. Ron also shares stories of hanging out with Timothy Leary and Warren Hinckle.

If you missed Part 1, please go back and listen to Ron talk about growing up in the Central Valley and moving to San Francisco in 1967.

Film photography by Michelle Kilfeather

S2E28, Part 1: Ron Turner on Growing Up in the Central Valley Jun 11, 2019

Show notes

Before he moved to the Bay Area in the late-1960s, Ron Turner spent his life in the San Joaquin Valley of California. In this podcast, he talks about various experiences he had around the valley, including time at Fresno State working on an underground newspaper where he exposed corruption at the Peace Corps and at the DA's Office in Fresno. He moved to San Francisco to go to SF State, hung out at the Grateful Dead house, joined anti-war groups and participated in the student strike at SF State, and worked at various research labs before his life changed pretty dramatically.

Join us Thursday, when Ron will discuss launching Last Gasp Publishing with a couple of underground comix titles.

Film photography by Michelle Kilfeather

S2E27, Part 2: Rosie Ortiz on Her Journey with La Cocina (Part of Our La Cocina Series) Jun 06, 2019

Show notes

La Cocina serves as a resource for women of color and lower-income women who want to start a food business. Rosie Ortiz sure could cook, but she needed to learn business and other kitchen skills she didn't already have in order to get Mission Boricua off the ground.

In this podcast, Rosie talks about her experience in the La Cocina program, which she began three years ago. She hopes to launch her food truck later this summer. Oh, and Rosie's pop-up restaurant is open every Wednesday from 11 to 1 at Homey, 2221 Mission Street near 18th.

If you missed Part 1, please go back and listen.

We recorded this podcast at Rosie's home in Richmond, California, in April 2019.

Film photography by Michelle Kilfeather

S2E27, Part 1: Rosie Ortiz on Growing Up in the Mission and Teaching Herself to Cook (Part of Our La Cocina Series) Jun 04, 2019

Show notes

Born and raised in the Mission District, Rosie Ortiz learned to cook by watching her mother.

In this podcast, Rosie, the owner of Mission Boricua, talks about San Francisco back in the day. She says that, over the years, her love of cooking evolved to the point where she found herself making more and more Puerto Rican dishes (Rosie is half-Puerto Rican herself).

Join us Thursday, when Rosie will share stories about going through the La Cocina program and getting Mission Boricua off the ground.

We recorded this podcast at Rosie's home in Richmond, California in April 2019.

Film photography by Michelle Kilfeather

S2E26, Part 2: Ginny Stearns and Bob Isaacson on the Future of Mission Creek Living (Part of Our San Francisco Houseboats Series) May 30, 2019

Show notes

No living situation is permanent, especially in San Francisco. The residents of the houseboats on Mission Creek, which are nestled amid one of the hottest areas of development in the city, are always are aware of this.

In this podcast, Ginny Stearns and Bob Isaacson talk about their efforts to secure their homes on the water, the only such dwellings in San Francisco. Bob talks about a couple of books he's been a part of publishing that cover the history of Mission Bay and Mission Creek as well as efforts to preserve the environment in those areas. They talk about how they met and Ginny's move to their houseboat. And Bob ends the podcast declaring that the houseboat community has been beneficial to the area.

If you missed Part 1, please go back and listen.

Film photography by Michelle Kilfeather

S2E26, Part 1: Bob Isaacson and Ginny Stearns on Protecting Mission Creek (Part of our San Francisco Houseboats Series) May 28, 2019

Show notes

Before there was the ballpark where the Giants play ... before the elevated I-280 freeway ... before most of the northeastern half of what we call the Mission District ... before the Gold Rush, there was Mission Bay. It was fed by many sources, the biggest of which was Mission Creek, which flowed over waterfalls down from Twin Peaks, by Mission Dolores, and down into the bay. Today, all that's left of that creek is what some call McCovey Cove. But to the residents of a couple dozen houseboats, it's Mission Creek.

In this podcast, houseboat residents Ginny Stearns and Bob Isaacson talk about founding many of the preservation groups that have worked with the government and developers to protect their little corner of the city. Bob and Ginny talk about moving to San Francisco, the various work they did before moving into their houseboat, and how the area around Mission Creek has changed dramatically.

We recorded this podcast in Bob and Ginny's houseboat in April 2019.

Film photography by Michelle Kilfeather

S2E25, Part 2: Bernadine Sewell on Running a Restaurant May 23, 2019

Show notes

Bernadine Sewell (aka, Pinky Winchester) opened her restaurant, Pinky and Red's, last summer in the UC Berkeley Student Union building. It was the culmination of a long journey—she and her daughter (Red) took courses with La Cocina, the San Francisco non-profit that cultivates "low-income food entrepreneurs as they formalize and grow their businesses."

In this podcast, Pinky talks about that first year running her restaurants. Highlights have included a student-led petition that got more than 1,200 signatures, helping Pinky and Red's to stay in the Student Union building after it was threatened with removal. She ends with her thoughts about following your dreams.

Film photography by Michelle Kilfeather

S2E25, Part 1: Bernadine Sewell on Going Through the La Cocina Program (Part of Our La Cocina Series) May 21, 2019

Show notes

To help elevate the voices and stories of Black San Franciscans, we'll be rerunning those episodes the rest of this week.

Bernadine Sewell has an alter ego: Pinky Winchester. When you meet this incredibly colorful woman, you know why.

She and her daughter went through the La Cocina program and opened their restaurant, Pinky and Red's, in the Berkeley Student Union building last summer. This podcast is Pinky's story of growing up in Detroit, moving to California, going through La Cocina, and opening her own business, which, it turns out, is only the second black-owned business on UC Berkeley's campus since 1868.

Join us Thursday when Pinky will share stories from her first year running Pinky and Red's.

Film photography by Michelle Kilfeather

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