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San Francisco Chronicle
6 days ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
S.F.'s newest dining trend? Old restaurants
In her March 1987 review of Izzy's Steaks and Chops, Chronicle critic Patricia Unterman described the transformation of an Irish pub in the Marina into 'an elaborate stage set' inspired by prolific bootlegger Izzy Gomez's North Beach saloon. She wrote, 'The place projects a history, a resonance, even though it's only a couple months old. The ambiance makes you want to have a shot of whiskey and a steak.' Those sentences could have been written by me a few months ago, although I'm more of a whiskey sipper than a shooter. After an extensive renovation overseen by the late owner Sam DuVall 's daughter, Samantha Bechtel, Izzy's is back slinging steaks, and the projected history and resonance is as thick as the house creamed spinach. If the original Izzy's was a late '80s simulacrum of a Prohibition Era speakeasy, the new Izzy's is a 2025 interpretation of a luxurious late '80s steakhouse inspired by a Prohibition Era speakeasy. This year, at least as far as dining is concerned, what's old is new again. Izzy's is one of a handful of legacy San Francisco restaurants that have recently been given a fresh lease on life. Old standbys like Turtle Tower, Wayfare Tavern and Crustacean have reopened in sparkling new locations. Others have overhauled their interiors and given menus the spit shine. But the house specialty is reliably the same — nostalgia. The current economic climate is an arduous one for independent restaurateurs, especially those looking to launch their first business. My colleague Cesar Hernandez and I recently introduced the Now List, a quarterly round-up of the best new restaurants in the Bay Area. Of the 25 entries, 15 are either an additional location of an existing concept or are operated by groups that have at least one other restaurant. Like Marvel franchises and the Polly Pocket movie, restaurants that can trade on existing IP have an advantage. Sam DuVall was wise to that in 1987, when San Franciscans would still have remembered Gomez's Barbary Coast gin joint. Well, maybe not all San Franciscans, but certainly Herb Caen, who described 'the long climb to the second floor, where the bar was jammed with winners, losers, beauties and beastly bohemians' in a column that year. DuVall crammed the walls with Gomez-related memorabilia, old-timey advertisements and sepia-toned photographs. Much of that ephemera, together with memorabilia from Izzy's Steak and Chops, remains on gallery walls on the second floor, but the downstairs is dominated by a new mural by artist Matthew Benedict depicting the characters from William Saroyan's 'The Time of Your Life,' a play inspired by Izzy Gomez's clientele. Saroyan himself looks approvingly down at the refurbished dining room, with its long soapstone bar, milk glass pendants and checkerboard floors. Design firm Gachot Studios understood the assignment. North Beach Restaurant, which served Tuscan fare from its opening in 1970 until it closed in 2023, reopened under new ownership late last year. Its dining rooms, spread across two floors, have received a similarly respectful treatment courtesy of local designer Maria Quiros, melding the old — a black-and-white photo of former ownerLorenzo Petroni mugging for the camera, a mirror so weathered it's more Rorschach Test than reflective surface — with the new. Booths have been upholstered in a sumptuous mossy green. Arresting canvases from Robert De Niro, Sr., brighten up walls. I don't know whether the glassware and china are holdovers from North Beach's previous incarnation, but their heft and quality are unusual for a contemporary restaurant. It takes very little to make the nostalgia flow at North Beach. One evening, seated downstairs next to the Willie Brown room, which boasts its own private entrance, I asked our server about the mayors, governors and other political players who did their deals at the restaurant during the Petroni years. Our server needed but the gentlest encouragement to dish. It would be unseemly to repeat his ranking of the least gracious political clientele, but apparently Arnold Schwarzenegger is a real gent. And the food at these establishments? Generally solid, but somewhat besides the point. You're not going to the latest Superman film for the dialogue, but rather to visit old friends and see what the new director has done with the joint. At Izzy's, stick to steaks and the dynamite potatoes au gratin, saving room for the warm cruellers, fried and glazed to order. At North Beach, the tweaked menu features more dishes reflective of the new chef's roots in Emilia-Romagna. Pastas and braised meats are a good bet. The caveat here is that I was not a patron of Izzy's or North Beach 1.0, and I therefore have no basis for comparison. I called up my uncle, who dined at Izzy's with some regularity during his bachelor days in the '90s. His voice took on the aural equivalent of a Vaseline-lens flashback as he recounted the cocktails he and his pals would throw back before dinner, the skirt steak that they definitively decided was the best cut on offer, the hot sauce bar with dozens of selections. He'd been back post-remodel, and I asked him how it measured up. 'Well I don't drink anymore, so that probably doesn't help,' he admitted, 'but it's never as good as you remember.' Nostalgia — and alluring new interiors — will get people in the door. If superhero movies are any indication, these historic restaurants have a bright future ahead of them. Izzy's Steaks and Chops 3345 Steiner St., San Francisco. Noise level: Moderate Meal for two, without drinks: $100-$150 What to order: Drinks: A martini would be an excellent place to start, but with any classic cocktail, you're in good hands here. Wines by the glass, including Coravin pours, draught and bottled beers, and a few N/A cocktails. Best practices: If you don't have a res, the bar is a beautiful place to dine. If you prefer something more secluded, angle for one of the private booths in back. Upstairs, there are club chairs by the fireplace for lingering over a nightcap. Skip the appetizers and the burger. North Beach Restaurant 1512 Stockton St., San Francisco. Hours: 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday Noise level: Quiet to moderate Meal for two, without drinks: $90-130 What to order: Tagliatelle Bolognese ($31); osso bucco ($36) Drinks: Cocktails are excellent and all the better for being served in weighty, high quality glassware. N/A options are available. The lengthy wine-by-the-glass list is exclusively Italian and Californian. Best practices: North Beach Restaurant is popular with large groups; on one visit, a party brought their own accordion player, so… be aware that that could happen. The main floor is light-filled during the day, while the basement level reminded me of 'The Cask of Amontillado,' but in a cozy sort of way.
Tatler Asia
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
How Ryan Coogler's ‘Sinners' raises the bar for the horror genre
Above Michael B Jordan plays Smoke and Stack (Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros) Set in 1932, Clarksdale, Mississippi, the film takes us to the tail end of the Prohibition Era. The set design, dialogue and diction of the characters immerse the audience in the world that director Coogler built. Despite being set over 30 years after the end of the Old West era, the film somehow watches like a Western—peculiar but welcome. Sinners takes its time with its worldbuilding. For a movie about vampires, it takes about 50 minutes for one to appear on screen, easing audiences in without feeling dragged. Above Jack O'Connell plays Remmick, an Irish Vampire in 'Sinners' (Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros) When we're introduced to the first vampire, Remmick (played by Jack O'Connell), he's being hunted by a band of Choctaw vampire hunters. Their brief scene time commanded the screen and showed us that the threat is serious and real, which makes it disappointing that they were never seen again. It would've been great to see how the experts would deal with a vampire threat, but their lack of involvement in the plot is understandable to avoid the 'knight in shining armour' cliché. See also: From controller to screen: 5 TV shows adapted from video games to watch Above The vampires waiting outside the juke bar (Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros) The film's greatest strength is its music, composed by Ludwig Göransson. From the blues to country and even Irish melodies, each song was skillfully performed by the cast. Two scenes come to mind where the music was at its most powerful are Miles Caton's I Lied to You and O'Connell's Rocky Road to Dublin . The former is perhaps the film's most iconic scene, which is ironic as it didn't contain any vampires. Shot in one take, this scene gave audiences a look at Sammie's musical gift to summon their ancestors. African ancestors and modern DJs filled the room as the juke bar's customers jived to his song—blending ancient instruments with the familiar scratching of turntables to the blues. The latter is a mesmerising yet eerie foil to Caton's song. Rocky Road to Dublin was performed in an open field outside the sawmill by the vampires, who seemed like they were chanting demonically. O'Connell's performance was perfect, unsettling the audience without the need for jump scares and grotesque visuals. While present, the vampires preferred to charm their way in rather than with force—showing us true horror. Above The cast of 'Sinners' making their last stand in the juke bar (Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros) The whole cast's performance was perfect, capturing their characters' little nuances. Playing dual roles as the twin brothers, Smoke and Stack, Jordan made them feel like two separate people—making it easy for the audience to tell who's who. Hailee Steinfeld and Wunmi Mosaku, who played the brothers' love interests, Mary and Annie, complemented their lovers—adding depth to their characters. Mary and Stack were exes who had difficulty being together due to the racial inequalities of the time, while Smoke and Annie had a foundation of love and support. 'I really found this whole experience of working with Michael quite magical. When it was Smoke and Annie, our relationship on the set, as Wunmi and Michael, was so easy and our shorthand was so in sync… His energy was so different that I could tell with my back turned who was walking onto the set—if it was Stack or Smoke. No question. I didn't even have to look. It was so obvious to me. It was so nuanced and fine-tuned. The vibration was so clear. I could tell without a shadow of a doubt if it was Stack or Smoke,' says Mosaku. Above The cast of Ryan Coogler's 'Sinners' (Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros) Towards the end, when the dust has settled from the vampire attack of last night, the film circles back and shows us Sammie's fate. Once the credits roll, make sure to stay in your seat as there is an additional scene that provides closure and a happy ending for the remaining characters. Coogler's Sinners is by far the best film of 2025 so far and deserves all the praise it gets—hopefully setting new standards for the genre as a whole. NOW READ 'A Minecraft Movie': when a video game adaptation gets it right In 'Nosferatu', true horror lies within the human Can Disney's 'Snow White' heal your inner child?
USA Today
05-05-2025
- USA Today
Serving time at Alcatraz: What notorious criminals were housed on the island prison?
Serving time at Alcatraz: What notorious criminals were housed on the island prison? Al Capone, George 'Machine Gun' Kelly, James 'Whitey' Bulger, and the 'Birdman of Alcatraz' were among the San Francisco prison's most infamous inmates before it closed in 1963 because of high costs Show Caption Hide Caption President Trump floats idea of reopening Alcatraz prison President Donald Trump floated the idea of reopening and expanding the infamous Alcatraz prison as he expressed frustration with judges. From Al Capone to George "Machine Gun" Kelly, more than 1,500 men were incarcerated at Alcatraz during the nearly 30 years it was in operation in the San Francisco Bay. The infamous prison-turned-tourist-attraction is back in the news again after President Donald Trump said he has directed the Federal Bureau of Prisons to rebuild and reopen it. "REBUILD, AND OPEN ALCATRAZ!" Trump posted to Truth Social on May 4. "When we were a more serious Nation, in times past, we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals, and keep them far away from anyone they could harm." Alcatraz was home to both infamous inmates and lesser-known prisoners who refused to conform to regulations at other federal institutions, were violent, or were considered escape risks, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. But the high-security prison closed in 1963 because it was too expensive to operate, the Federal Bureau of Prisons website states. It was nearly three times more costly to operate than any other federal prison. As the U.S. looks at rehousing inmates on the island prison, here's a look at some of the most notorious criminals who stayed there in the past. More: Trump says he wants to reopen Alcatraz. What is it? Why did the prison close? Al Capone Alphonse Capone, more commonly known as Al Capone, was a gangster based in Chicago during the Prohibition Era. He was incarcerated at Alcatraz from August 1934 through January 1939, according to The Mob Museum. Capone's time at Alcatraz was cut short when an untreated case of syphilis sent him to the prison's hospital, The Mob Museum website states. Eventually, he was transferred to the Federal Correctional Institution at Terminal Island in Los Angeles and then to the Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. He was released from prison in November 1939. George 'Machine Gun' Kelly George Kelly Barnes, also known as "Machine Gun Kelly," was a gangster from Memphis, Tennessee, also during the Prohibition Era. He was incarcerated at Alcatraz from 1934 to 1951, according to the National Archives at San Francisco. Kelly adopted the name, "Machine Gun Kelly" due to his frequent use of a Thompson submachine gun during his heists. Perhaps his most notorious heist was that of the wealthy oil boss Charles Urschel, which resulted in his time at Alcatraz. Robert Stroud, the 'Birdman of Alcatraz' Robert Stroud is likely one of Alcatraz's most famous inmates, incarcerated there from 1942 through 1959. He was deemed the "Birdman of Alcatraz," but he never actually kept any birds while there. It was the 30 or so years before, when Stroud was at the Federal Correctional Institution in Leavenworth, Kansas, that he was allowed to study birds because it was a "constructive use of his time," the Federal Bureau of Prisons website states. As a result, he published two books about canaries and their diseases. But before long, contraband items were found hidden inside the bird cages that Stroud requested. He had been using the items to make alcohol. After that he was transferred to Alcatraz. He was incarcerated originally for a slew of murders and spent 54 of his 73 years of life in prison. Alvin 'Creepy' Karpis Alvin Karpis, nicknamed "Creepy" for his sinister smile, was incarcerated at Alcatraz from August 1936 to April 1962. He was a criminal associated with the Barker-Karpis gang (responsible for numerous bank robberies, kidnappings and murder) during the Depression Era. Karpis is known for being the prisoner with the longest sentence at Alcatraz. Arthur 'Doc' Barker Also a member of the Barker-Karpsi gang, Arthur Barker was a criminal during the Depression Era. He was sent to Alcatraz in 1935 and killed in 1939 while trying to escape the prison. Barker was a key player in the kidnapping of wealthy banker Edward George Bremer Jr. in January 1934. Barker's fingerprints were found on an empty gas can found by police along the kidnapping route, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Mickey Cohen A Los Angeles-based gangster and head of the Cohen crime family throughout the mid-20th century, Meyer "Mickey" Cohen was incarcerated on and off at Alcatraz between 1961 and 1963. Cohen was sent to Alcatraz in July 1961 but released on bond in October 1961, according to Alcatraz History. However, he was sent back to the high-security prison in 1962 and stayed there until he was transferred to the federal penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia. James 'Whitey' Bulger James "Whitey" Bulger was an organized crime figure from South Boston, Massachusetts from the 1970s through the 1990s. He was incarcerated at Alcatraz from November 1959 to July 1962. Bulger was known for his Robin Hood-style behavior because he worked as an informant for the FBI, according to The Mob Museum. Interested in more? Visit the National Archives If you're interested in learning more about the inmates who served time at Alcatraz, the National Archives boasts an extensive collection of case files for nearly all the men who resided there. A portion of the collection is available online here. Contributing: Reuters Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@
Chicago Tribune
22-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Today in History: The Beatles release their first album
Today is Saturday, March 22, the 81st day of 2024. There are 284 days left in the year. Today in history: On March 22, 1963, The Beatles' debut album, 'Please Please Me,' was released in the United Kingdom on the Parlophone record label. Also on this date: In 1765, the British Parliament passed the Stamp Act to raise money from the American colonies, which fiercely resisted the tax. (The Stamp Act was repealed a year later.) In 1894, ice hockey's first Stanley Cup championship game was played, in which the Montreal Hockey Club defeated the Ottawa Hockey Club, 3-1. In 1933, during the Prohibition Era, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Cullen-Harrison Act, which allowed the sale of beer and wine with an alcohol content of 3.2%. (Prohibition would be fully repealed nine months later with the ratification of the 21st Amendment.) In 1941, the Grand Coulee hydroelectric dam in Washington state officially went into operation; it remains the largest capacity power station in the United States. In 1945, the Arab League was formed with the adoption of a charter in Cairo, Egypt. In 1972, in the Eisenstadt vs. Baird decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that unmarried people had the same right to possess and use contraception as did married people. In 1978, Karl Wallenda, the 73-year-old patriarch of 'The Flying Wallendas' high-wire act, fell to his death while attempting to walk a cable strung between two hotel towers in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 1993, Intel Corp. unveiled the original Pentium computer chip. In 2019, former President Jimmy Carter became the longest-living chief executive in American history; at 94 years and 172 days, he exceeded the lifespan of the late former President George H.W. Bush. (Carter would die at age 100 in December 2024.) In 2021, 10 people were killed in a mass shooting at a King Soopers supermarket in Boulder, Colorado. (The shooter, Ahmad Alissa, was sentenced to life in prison without parole in September 2024.) Today's Birthdays: Artist Yayoi Kusama is 96. Actor William Shatner is 94. Former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins is 84. Musician George Benson is 82. Writer James Patterson is 78. TV journalist Wolf Blitzer is 77. Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber is 77. Sportscaster Bob Costas is 73. Actor Lena Olin is 70. Singer-actor Stephanie Mills is 68. Actor Matthew Modine is 66. Football Hall of Famer Jim Covert is 65. Actor-comedian Keegan-Michael Key is 54. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., is 52. Actor Reese Witherspoon is 49. Actor Constance Wu is 43. Former NFL defensive end J.J. Watt is 36.
Boston Globe
22-03-2025
- General
- Boston Globe
Today in History: March 22, The Beatles release their first album
Advertisement In 1894, ice hockey's first Stanley Cup championship game was played, in which the Montreal Hockey Club defeated the Ottawa Hockey Club, 3-1. In 1933, during the Prohibition Era, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Cullen-Harrison Act, which allowed the sale of beer and wine with an alcohol content of 3.2 percent. (Prohibition would be fully repealed nine months later with the ratification of the 21st Amendment.) In 1941, the Grand Coulee hydroelectric dam in Washington state officially went into operation. It remains the largest capacity power station in the United States. In 1945, the Arab League was formed with the adoption of a charter in Cairo, Egypt. In 1963, The Beatles' debut album, 'Please Please Me,' was released in the United Kingdom on the Parlophone record label. In 1972, in the Eisenstadt vs. Baird decision, the US Supreme Court ruled that unmarried people had the same right to possess and use contraception as did married people. In 1978, Karl Wallenda, the 73-year-old patriarch of 'The Flying Wallendas' high-wire act, fell to his death while attempting to walk a cable strung between two hotel towers in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 1993, Intel Corp. unveiled the original Pentium computer chip. In 2019, former President Jimmy Carter became the longest-living chief executive in American history. At 94 years and 172 days, he exceeded the lifespan of the late former President George H.W. Bush. (Carter would die at age 100 in December 2024.) Advertisement In 2021, 10 people were killed in a mass shooting at a King Soopers supermarket in Boulder, Colo. (The shooter, Ahmad Alissa, was sentenced to life in prison without parole in September 2024.)
