Podcasts about geary boulevard

On his mom's side, Woody LaBounty's San Francisco roots go back to 1850. In Part 1, get to know Woody, who, today, is the president and CEO of SF Heritage. But he's so, so much more than that. He begins by tracing his lineage back to the early days of the Gold Rush. His maternal great-great-great-grandfather arrived here mid-Nineteenth Century. Woody even knows what ship he was on and the exact day that it arrived in the recently christened city of San Francisco. On Woody's dad's side, the roots are about 100 years younger than that. His father grew up in Fort Worth, Texas (like I did). His dad's mom was single and fell on hard times in Texas. She came to San Francisco, where she had a step-brother. Woody's parents met at the Donut Bowl at 10th Avenue and Geary Boulevard (where Boudin Bakery is today). Donut Bowl was a combination donut shop/hot dog joint. At the time the two met, his dad worked as a cook there and his mom was in high school. His mom and her friends went to nearby Washington High and would hang out at the donut shop after school. The next year or so, his parents had their first kid—Woody. They came from different sides of the track, as it were. Woody's mom's family wasn't crazy about her dating his working-class dad, who didn't finish high school. But once his mom became pregnant with Woody, everything changed. The couple had two more sons after Woody. One of his brothers played for the 49ers in the Nineties and lives in Oregon today. His other brother works with underserved high school kids in New Jersey, helping them get into college. Woody shares some impressions of his first 10 years or so of life by describing The City in the mid-Seventies. Yes, kids played in the streets and rode Muni to Candlestick Park and The Tenderloin to go bowling. It was also the era of Patty Hearst and the SLA, Jonestown, and the Moscone/Milk murders. But for 10-year-old Woody, it was home. It felt safe, like a village. Because I'm a dork, I ask Woody to share his memories of when Star Wars came out. Obliging me, he goes on a sidebar about how the cinematic phenomenon came into his world in San Francisco. He did, in fact, see Star Wars in its first run at the Coronet. He attended Sacred Heart on Cathedral Hill when it was an all-boys high school. He grew up Catholic, although you didn't have to be to go to one of SF's three Catholic boys' high schools. Woody describes, in broad terms, the types of families that sent their boys to the three schools. Sacred Heart was generally for kids of working-class folks. After school, if they didn't take Muni back home to the Richmond District, Woody and his friends might head over to Fisherman's Wharf to play early era video games. Or, most likely, they'd head over to any number of high schools to talk to girls. Because parental supervision was lacking, let's say, Woody and his buddies also frequently went to several 18+ and 21+ spots. The I-Beam in the Haight, The Triangle in the Marina, The Pierce Street Annex, Enrico's in North Beach, Mabuhay Gardens. There, he saw bands like The Tubes and The Dead Kennedy's, although punk wasn't really his thing. Woody was more into jazz, RnB, and late-disco. We chat a little about café culture in San Francisco, something that didn't really exist until the Eighties. To this day, Woody still spends his Friday mornings at Simple Pleasures Cafe. And we end Part 1 with Woody's brief time at UC Berkeley (one year) and the real reason he even bothered to try college. Check back next week for Part 2 with Woody LaBounty. And this Thursday, look for a bonus episode all about We Players and their upcoming production of Macbeth at Fort Point. We recorded this episode in Mountain Lake Park in March 2025. Photography by Jeff Hunt

The Katherine Massey Book Club @ The C.O.W.S. hosts the 6th study session on The Zebra Murders: A Season of Killing, Racial Madness and Civil Rights. Despite Prentice Sanders' name being listed first on the cover of this work, Cohen, the White man, is the strong hand controlling the pen of this book. Last week we learned about the impact of the kidnapping of Patty Hearst on California and national politics. Black people were blamed for stealing the White Woman, and many non-white people feared there would be extreme Racist reprisal for the alleged attacks on White people. Gus stresses that Rev. Jim Jones having almost nothing to say about the Zebra killings or the subsequent stop and searches of black males. Additionally, the Peoples Temple was located on 1859 Geary Boulevard. The Nation of Islam temple frequented by the suspected black male killers was located at 1809 Geary. #TheCOWS15Years INVEST in The COWS – http://paypal.me/TheCOWS Cash App: https://cash.app/$TheCOWS CALL IN NUMBER: 605.313.5164 CODE: 564943#

The Katherine Massey Book Club @ The C.O.W.S. hosts the 4th study session on The Zebra Murders: A Season of Killing, Racial Madness and Civil Rights. Authored by Bennett Cohen, Racist Suspect. Prentice Sanders is classified as a black male and is credited with serving almost 40 full years with the San Francisco Police Department. This murder case reportedly involved random White people being killed by random black dudes. These killings took place at the same time that both the Black Panther Party and the nefarious Symbionese Liberation Army were in operation in the Bay Area. In addition to these infamous social clubs, Rev. Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple were well established in San Francisco's Fillmore district by 1973. In fact, Jones talked to his mostly black congregation about these homicides. After one week of study, Gus concluded that the White author, Cohen, is the primary hand writing this book. Mr. Sanders probably retold his life and times to this White Man, but had no authority in constructing how this book was written. Gus could be wrong. Last week we learned about two black male suspects for the killings. Larry Green and JC Simon has no criminal record, but were affiliated with a "radial" Nation of Islam sect. The White author talks about radical black "rage" and titles chapter six: "Revenge." We're told that black people have a distinct way of running - even when fleeing a crime scene. And we're told the negro murder suspects visit a muslim mosque at the corner of Geary and Fillmore. The Peoples Temple was at located at 1859 Geary Boulevard. Gus thinks Jim Jones had to be involved with the "Zebra killings" because of the proximity of the murders and because he was suspiciously quiet about these happenings. #NoNiggrasAtTheChristmasParty #CaliforniaStateHistory INVEST in The COWS – http://paypal.me/TheCOWS Cash App: https://cash.app/$TheCOWS CALL IN NUMBER: 605.313.5164 CODE: 564943#

In Part 2, we really get into the meat of what Huckleberry Youth is and how it got started. You know, I keep finding out ways in which our city pioneered things for the nation. I recently saw the upcoming Carol Doda documentary and learned that she was the first topless dancer in the US. And in this episode, we hear from Doug and Denise something very important that Huckleberry Youth did before anyone else. And of course, at the time they did it, it was illegal.   1967 is also known as the "Summer of Love" in San Francisco. And that meant young people from all over the country and world flocked to our city to find whatever it was they were looking for. Not all of them were lucky. Many faced hardship, having trouble finding shelter, making friends, and getting sick or addicted to drugs. A group of faith-based organizations and folks in the nonprofit world got together to do something about it, and Huckleberry House was born.   But back then, both being a youth runaway was illegal, and, if you provided shelter for a runaway, it was considered aiding and abetting. Huckleberry House was the first such shelter for runaway youth in the country.   But all it took was one complaint from a parent. SFPD raided the house and arrested youth and staff alike. Now they needed a lawyer, and they found one in a young man named Willie Brown. The future mayor got the charges dropped, and Huckleberry House reopened in February 1968. It has been in legal operation ever since.   Denise and Doug talk about several programs that Huckleberry Youth has established over the years. One such program was HYPE, established in the 1980s to help young people with HIV/AIDS. They give thanks and respect to Huckleberry's own Danny Keenan—the first to say, in effect, "We need to have kids talking to kids" to address problems like young people who are sick.   I bring up the fire at their Geary Boulevard administrative offices back in 2019 because I witnessed it (I live not too far from there). The office had been at Geary and Parker for more than 30 years. The fire in front of Hong Kong Lounge 2 destroyed memorabilia and photos at Huckleberry's office, but they were able to save a lot too.   During COVID, Huckleberry House stayed open and even took in new youth. Partly because of the fire, they had been moving a lot of admin stuff online before the pandemic, so they were able to make that transition.   The conversation then shifts to kids who come to them addicted. Huckleberry gets those youth into its justice program, known as CARC (Community Assessment and Resource Center). Denise tells this story, because she was at Delancey Street when the program started in 1998 (see Part 1 of this podcast). It turned out to be too much for that nonprofit, and so they handed it over to Huckleberry 2000. Doug and Denise estimate that the program has helped at least 7,000 individuals, and possibly as many as 10,000.   We end this episode with Denise and Doug responding to our theme this season: "We're all in it."   Go to Huckleberryyouth.org to donate and learn more about all that they do to help underserved youth in San Francisco.   Photography by Jeff Hunt   We recorded this podcast in December 2023 at Huckleberry Youth's administrative offices on Geary.

A spokesman for the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco called the alleged ramming of the building Monday afternoon by a driver "extremely egregious".中国驻旧金山总领馆发言人称，10月9日下午不明身份人员驾车冲闯领事馆大楼的行为“极其恶劣”。A suspect crashed his blue Honda sedan into the consulate building and was shot by police, according to authorities and local news reports. The identity of the driver was not released.据总领馆和当地新闻报道，一名嫌疑犯驾驶一辆蓝色本田汽车闯入领事馆大楼，随后被警方枪击。驾驶人的身份尚未公布。A man covered in blood was taken away on a stretcher outside the consulate building and rushed into an ambulance, according to a witness surnamed Liu.一位姓刘的目击者说，一名浑身血迹的男子被抬上领事馆大楼外的担架，迅速送进了救护车。"The incident has posed a serious threat to the lives of the staff and the people at the scene, causing serious damage to the facilities and our property," the consulate spokesman said.领事馆发言人表示：“这起事件对工作人员及现场民众生命安全构成了严重威胁，对我馆设施与财产造成了严重破坏。”The San Francisco Standard, citing unnamed sources, said police shot the driver, believing that the person was armed. The Standard reported that the building was evacuated.旧金山标准报匿名消息称，警方认为驾驶人持有武器并将其枪击。标准报消息，大楼已完成疏散。"Our consulate strongly condemns this violent attack and reserves the right to hold those relevant to this incident accountable," the spokesman said. "Our consulate has made solemn request to the United States for truth to be quickly ascertained, and the US side handle the case seriously in accordance with the law.发言人表示，“我馆严厉谴责这起暴力袭击事件，保留追究事件相关责任的权利。我馆也已郑重要求美方尽快查明真相，并依法严处此案。”"We also urge the United States to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of the San Francisco Consulate General of China and its premises, in line with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the Sino-US Consular Treaty," he said.“同时，我方敦促美国依照《维也纳外交关系公约》《维也纳领事关系公约》及中美领事条约，采取一切必要措施确保中国驻旧金山总领馆及其场所设施的安全。”San Francisco police and fire crews rushed to the scene and shut down Geary Boulevard near Laguna Street for further investigation.旧金山警方及消防人员迅速赶到现场，封锁了吉尔里街及附近的拉古纳街以便进一步调查。The visa office at the consulate was open for business at the time of the incident, and security guards were present.目前，领事馆签证办公室正常开放，安保人员正常到岗。Chinese Consulate General in San Franciscon.中国驻旧金山总领馆Sino-US Consular Treatyn.中美领事条约

As you enjoy a burger and shake at Mel's Drive-In on Geary Boulevard, in those very booths nearly 60 years ago, there was a protest against Mel's owners for their discriminatory hiring processes. Learn what happened in 1963 and how it resonates today. For more images of the protest, visit https://opensfhistory.org.

Reviewing the Irish bars of the Inner Richmond along Geary Boulevard, from Ireland 32 to The Blarney Stone. Plus, fond memories of Pat O'Shea's.

A blockbuster Hollywood movie can make hundreds of millions of dollars in a matter of weeks. Here's how you can cash in on one of its major secrets in your copy. Nearly 20 years ago, I used to hang out with my friend John Cantu. We would meet once a month at Mel's Diner on Geary Boulevard in San Francisco's Richmond District, and we'd talk about all sorts of things. Before Cantu and I ever met, he was co-producer of a comedy club that had been located just a few blocks away from Mel's. The club was called "The Holy City Zoo." Many great comedians got their start there, including Margaret Cho, Dana Carvey, Will Durst, Paula Poundstone, and most notably, the late, great Robin Williams. Cantu had a great line about him: "Robin would work anywhere you could imagine. He'd show up for the opening of an envelope." One day Cantu and I decided to crack the code of great storytelling. I'm not sure we ever did, completely. But one thing we figured out is that movies are entertaining especially because there are so many people in the story. We went on to coach speakers with this discovery, and even did a special presentation on this subject for the local chapter of the National Speakers Association, along with our friend, the great motivational speaker Patricia Fripp. Unfortunately, Cantu passed away in 2003. But he lives on in my memories… and I think our discovery offers a lot to copywriters, too. That is, when you put people in your copy, it comes alive and holds interest. Yes, what works is different than what works in a screenplay or in a speech. We'll talk about boosting interest and getting prospects engaged in your copy, by the artful use of including people in your copy, in this episode. But first, in case you've never heard this before: Copy is powerful. You're responsible for how you use what you hear on this podcast. Most of the time, common sense is all you need. But if you make extreme claims… and/or if you're writing copy for offers in highly regulated industries like health, finance, and business opportunity… you may want to get a legal review after you write and before you start using your copy. My larger clients do this all the time. Now, about people in your copy… Let's reach back a few minutes… that story I told you about Cantu. It's inherently interesting because it's about show business and celebrities… but did you count all the people in that story? Besides me and Cantu, there were five other people in the story: Patricia Fripp, Margaret Cho, Dana Carvey, Paula Poundstone, and of course the unforgettable Robin Williams. It was only a two-minute story… seven people. Of course four of them are famous, if you know comedy. And a fifth one if you know professional speaking. But let me tell you another story that's mostly about everyday people. I went to the bank Tuesday morning. When I got to the window, Jasmine the teller was very excited. You see, the Warriors had just won the NBA championship the night before, and they're our hometown team. She told me in great detail about watching the game with her brother, who was a Cavs fan, because he likes LeBron James. Even though his team lost, she told me, he went out to party. He asked her to go, but, she had work the next day (which was the day we were talking). She told him she needed to get sleep and she couldn't do her job very well if she was hung over. So he went out by himself. OK, there's a story. Four people in two paragraphs. Me, Jasmine, Jasmin's brother, and of course the great Labron. Don't you think this story's just a lot more interesting than, "I went to the bank on Tuesday and I had a nice conversation with the teller." This is important because, that was out of real life. That's how people talk all the time. What they talk about isn't always that interesting by itself, but it becomes more interesting when they populate their stories with other people. And the same is true with your copy. Let's start at square one. The best copy is from one person to one other person – the prospect. A lot of people make the mistake of trying to be too "businesslike" by not writing personally. Big mistake. • reveal enough about yourself A lot of people make the mistake of trying to be too "businesslike" by not writing personally. Big mistake. • write to your prospect like you know something about them, like you know what's important to them and it's important to you, too – and write in a conversational way. • "businesslike" is more formal and aloof. Not good for copy. • you don't need to overdo it. A few personal details that are meaningful to the prospect will do the trick. Another place to include people is a testimonial, or a case study. • At the very least, use names and a location. • And where it fits, an occupation. By the way, "Mom" and "homemaker" are just as much occupations you can use as "CEO" or "chiropractor" – and just as important. We're not talking about conventional social status here. We're talking about your prospect identifying with the person giving the testimonial. • Testimonials typically talk about results that people get from products or services – or, their experience using those products or services. Take it one step further by talking about how the results or experiences fit into the bigger picture of their lives. It doesn't have to be elaborate or detailed. Just meaningful and believable. And, by the way, true. And agreed to by the person giving the testimonial. Example: (not as good) "David's critique gave us tweaks that improved our conversion rates substantially. We're getting a better bang for our advertising buck." - J.E. (better) "David's critique gave us tweaks that improved our conversion by 27%. We're getting a better bang for our advertising buck. I sleep better knowing the advertising pays for itself, and then some." - Jared Excellentus, Topical Life Tips, LLC Now, let's get a little more sophisticated: What others will think of you. - Victor Scwab in How to Write a Good Advertisement: "BOY PT MOM" – "Because of You, People Think More Of Me." - One great desire wired into our neurology – the desire to improve status. - Perfect example is the famous Wall Street Journal letter, the two young men story. The young man who started out reading the Journal ends up as the CEO of the company. The guy who didn't ends up working for the guy who did. And, along the same lines, how what you sell will not only affect the prospect, but also affect others. - Say you've got a self-defense course. - Always START with self-interest: It helps the prospect protect himself or herself - Next level: It also helps you protect your family - Next next level: You can help them learn to protect themselves when you're not with them - By the way, this is a key piece of the end of the Hero's Journey. The hero returns to society with valuable wisdom, and shares it with the community. Finally, why do people and personality matter so much in your copy? - We live in a world of other people, not products and services - Your prospects aren't inherently interested in products and services - They're interested in benefits – which, really, are how a product or service will affect them, as a person, and how the product or service will affect them in the context of other people - Bringing people and personality into your copy makes your copy more meaningful… and makes what you talk about come across as more realDownload.

A blockbuster Hollywood movie can make hundreds of millions of dollars in a matter of weeks. Here's how you can cash in on one of its major secrets in your copy. Nearly 20 years ago, I used to hang out with my friend John Cantu. We would meet once a month at Mel's Diner on Geary Boulevard in San Francisco's Richmond District, and we'd talk about all sorts of things. Before Cantu and I ever met, he was co-producer of a comedy club that had been located just a few blocks away from Mel's. The club was called "The Holy City Zoo." Many great comedians got their start there, including Margaret Cho, Dana Carvey, Will Durst, Paula Poundstone, and most notably, the late, great Robin Williams. Cantu had a great line about him: "Robin would work anywhere you could imagine. He'd show up for the opening of an envelope." One day Cantu and I decided to crack the code of great storytelling. I'm not sure we ever did, completely. But one thing we figured out is that movies are entertaining especially because there are so many people in the story. We went on to coach speakers with this discovery, and even did a special presentation on this subject for the local chapter of the National Speakers Association, along with our friend, the great motivational speaker Patricia Fripp. Unfortunately, Cantu passed away in 2003. But he lives on in my memories… and I think our discovery offers a lot to copywriters, too. That is, when you put people in your copy, it comes alive and holds interest. Yes, what works is different than what works in a screenplay or in a speech. We'll talk about boosting interest and getting prospects engaged in your copy, by the artful use of including people in your copy, in this episode. But first, in case you've never heard this before: Copy is powerful. You're responsible for how you use what you hear on this podcast. Most of the time, common sense is all you need. But if you make extreme claims… and/or if you're writing copy for offers in highly regulated industries like health, finance, and business opportunity… you may want to get a legal review after you write and before you start using your copy. My larger clients do this all the time. Now, about people in your copy… Let's reach back a few minutes… that story I told you about Cantu. It's inherently interesting because it's about show business and celebrities… but did you count all the people in that story? Besides me and Cantu, there were five other people in the story: Patricia Fripp, Margaret Cho, Dana Carvey, Paula Poundstone, and of course the unforgettable Robin Williams. It was only a two-minute story… seven people. Of course four of them are famous, if you know comedy. And a fifth one if you know professional speaking. But let me tell you another story that's mostly about everyday people. I went to the bank Tuesday morning. When I got to the window, Jasmine the teller was very excited. You see, the Warriors had just won the NBA championship the night before, and they're our hometown team. She told me in great detail about watching the game with her brother, who was a Cavs fan, because he likes LeBron James. Even though his team lost, she told me, he went out to party. He asked her to go, but, she had work the next day (which was the day we were talking). She told him she needed to get sleep and she couldn't do her job very well if she was hung over. So he went out by himself. OK, there's a story. Four people in two paragraphs. Me, Jasmine, Jasmin's brother, and of course the great Labron. Don't you think this story's just a lot more interesting than, "I went to the bank on Tuesday and I had a nice conversation with the teller." This is important because, that was out of real life. That's how people talk all the time. What they talk about isn't always that interesting by itself, but it becomes more interesting when they populate their stories with other people. And the same is true with your copy. Let's start at square one. The best copy is from one person to one other person – the prospect. A lot of people make the mistake of trying to be too "businesslike" by not writing personally. Big mistake. • reveal enough about yourself A lot of people make the mistake of trying to be too "businesslike" by not writing personally. Big mistake. • write to your prospect like you know something about them, like you know what's important to them and it's important to you, too – and write in a conversational way. • "businesslike" is more formal and aloof. Not good for copy. • you don't need to overdo it. A few personal details that are meaningful to the prospect will do the trick. Another place to include people is a testimonial, or a case study. • At the very least, use names and a location. • And where it fits, an occupation. By the way, "Mom" and "homemaker" are just as much occupations you can use as "CEO" or "chiropractor" – and just as important. We're not talking about conventional social status here. We're talking about your prospect identifying with the person giving the testimonial. • Testimonials typically talk about results that people get from products or services – or, their experience using those products or services. Take it one step further by talking about how the results or experiences fit into the bigger picture of their lives. It doesn't have to be elaborate or detailed. Just meaningful and believable. And, by the way, true. And agreed to by the person giving the testimonial. Example: (not as good) "David's critique gave us tweaks that improved our conversion rates substantially. We're getting a better bang for our advertising buck." - J.E. (better) "David's critique gave us tweaks that improved our conversion by 27%. We're getting a better bang for our advertising buck. I sleep better knowing the advertising pays for itself, and then some." - Jared Excellentus, Topical Life Tips, LLC Now, let's get a little more sophisticated: What others will think of you. - Victor Scwab in How to Write a Good Advertisement: "BOY PT MOM" – "Because of You, People Think More Of Me." - One great desire wired into our neurology – the desire to improve status. - Perfect example is the famous Wall Street Journal letter, the two young men story. The young man who started out reading the Journal ends up as the CEO of the company. The guy who didn't ends up working for the guy who did. And, along the same lines, how what you sell will not only affect the prospect, but also affect others. - Say you've got a self-defense course. - Always START with self-interest: It helps the prospect protect himself or herself - Next level: It also helps you protect your family - Next next level: You can help them learn to protect themselves when you're not with them - By the way, this is a key piece of the end of the Hero's Journey. The hero returns to society with valuable wisdom, and shares it with the community. Finally, why do people and personality matter so much in your copy? - We live in a world of other people, not products and services - Your prospects aren't inherently interested in products and services - They're interested in benefits – which, really, are how a product or service will affect them, as a person, and how the product or service will affect them in the context of other people - Bringing people and personality into your copy makes your copy more meaningful… and makes what you talk about come across as more realDownload.

Home of Star Wars premieres, Oklahoma, and 1,300 stadium seats on Geary Boulevard, the recent-gone Coronet opened in 1949.

San Francisco's Alexandria Theatre opened at 18th Avenue and Geary Boulevard in 1923 with a lush Egyptian theme. Ten years after closing, there is new hope the building will be revitalized. (Alexandria theme song performed by Lisa Sanchez and Doug McKeeh

Richmond District historian John Freeman talks about a dusty toll road that became one of San Francisco's largest thoroughfares, Geary Boulevard.

THIS WEEK: the fiery fate of the first Cliff House, and the case of a parrot who would not sing. Click the audio player above to listen in, or just read on ... December 25, 1894: First San Francisco Cliff House burns On Christmas Day, 1894, the first San Francisco Cliff House burned to the ground. As the Chronicle poetically reported the next morning, San Francisco's most historic landmark has gone up in flames. The Cliff House is a smouldering ruin, where the silent ghosts of memory hover pale and wan over the blackened embers. Ah, yes. We discussed this first incarnation of the Cliff House a few weeks ago -- its novel location at the edge of the world, its singular popularity with San Francisco's beautiful people, and its subsequent decline into a house of ill-repute. Well, before it could rise from that undignified state to the status of a beloved landmark, San Francisco's original "destination resort" needed a white knight to ride to the rescue. That knight would be Mr. Adolph Sutro, who -- in 1881 -- purchased not only the faded Cliff House, but acres of land surrounding it. Mining engineer millionaire and future San Francisco mayor, the larger-than-life Sutro had already established a fabulous estate on the heights above the Cliff House, and by the mid-1880s could count 10% of San Francisco as his personal property. Unlike the robber barons atop Nob Hill, though, Adolph believed in sharing his good fortune -- you can hear more about his eccentric philanthropy in the "Adolph Sutro" podcast right here at Sparkletack.com. Sutro's first order of business upon making acquiring the property was to instruct his architect to turn the Cliff House into a "respectable resort with no bolts on the doors or beds in the house." This was just a small part of Sutro's grand entertain-the-heck-out-of-San-Francisco scheme. The elaborate gardens of his estate were already open to the public, and the soon-to-be-famous Sutro Baths were on the drawing board. His goal was to create a lavish and family safe environment out at Land's End, and that's just how things worked out. With streetcar lines beginning to move into the brand new Golden Gate Park, and the City's acquisition of the Point Lobos Toll Road (now Geary Boulevard), the western edge of the City was becoming more attractive and accessible, and over the next decade, families did indeed flock to Adolph's resuscitated resort. And then in 1894, it happened. About 8 o'clock on Christmas evening, after most of the holiday visitors had gone home for the day, a small fire broke out in a kitchen chimney. As the flames shot up inside the walls, the horrified staff quickly learned that none of the fire-extinguishers around the place actually worked. Within minutes, the entire building was engulfed in flames. The resort burned so quickly, in fact, that its famous guest book, inscribed by such notables as Mark Twain, Ulysses S Grant, and Rutherford B. Hayes, was lost along with the building itself. As the Chronicle went on to report, the Cliff House "... went up as befitted such a shell of remembrances, in a blaze of glory. Fifty miles at sea the incinerating fires easily shone out, reflected from the high rocks beyond." Sutro hadn't taken out insurance on the place, but he was so determined to rebuild -- and so damned rich -- that it just really didn't matter. And in fact, the burning of Cliff House number one was a sort of blessing in disguise. That fire cleared the decks -- so to speak -- for Cliff House number two, which would rise from the ashes like a magnificent 8-story Victorian phoenix. Cliff House mark 2 would become everybody's favourite, an opulent monstrosity as beloved by San Franciscans in the Gilded Age as it still is today, frankly -- but guess what happened to that one? The fate of Sutro's Gingerbread Palace coming up in a future Sparkletack Timecapsule. read on ...