Telegraph Hill and North Beach (Part 2)

Telegraph Hill

After skirting the summit of Telegraph Hill on Day 1, I climbed to the peak on Day 2. And what a treat!

View to the summit and Coit Tower, one of San Francisco's most recognizable landmarks. San Francisco, United States, North America. — View to the summit and Coit Tower, one of San Francisco’s most recognizable landmarks.

One of the sgraffito figures on the Streamline Moderne Malloch Building (1937) on Telegraph Hill. San Francisco, United States, North America. — One of the sgraffito figures on the Streamline Moderne Malloch Building (1937) on Telegraph Hill.

Filbert Steps (Up)

The east slope of Telegraph Hill is very steep. The best way to ascend Telegraph Hill from the east is via the Filbert Steps. Filbert Street becomes the Filbert Steps when even a sloped sidewalk would be too steep.

Brightly colored bougainvillea and paint job on a Telegraph Hill residence. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Brightly colored bougainvillea and paint job on a Telegraph Hill residence.

Hidden sculpture in a garden along the Filbert Steps climbing Telegraph Hill. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Hidden sculpture in a garden along the Filbert Steps climbing Telegraph Hill.

Cool doorway on the Filbert Steps climbing Telegraph Hill. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Cool doorway on the Filbert Steps climbing Telegraph Hill.

Coit Tower

Of course the main reason to get to Telegraph Hill’s summit is to get to Coit Tower. Coit Tower has some of the best views in the city. But as you’ll see, it’s also an amazing, historic, and free art gallery.

View of crooked Lombard Street on Russian Hill from Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill. San Francisco, United States, North America. — View of crooked Lombard Street on Russian Hill from Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill.

Downtown view from Coit Tower. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Downtown view from Coit Tower.

In the lobby of Coit Tower are dazzling Depression-era murals painted by various artists under the Public Works of Art Project in the 1930s under the New Deal. The Public Works of Art Project was a WPA for artists. Most of the artists were faculty and students at the California School of Fine Arts, precursor to the San Francisco Art Institute. Like much of the commissioned art of the era, the murals were somewhat controversial because the artists incorporated leftist themes into their work.

Detail from "California Industrial Scenes" by John Langley Howard. Featured are a man panning for gold, another man operating a sluice box (another device used to find gold in water), a mining operation, and a hydroelectric plant. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Detail from “California Industrial Scenes” by John Langley Howard. Featured are a man panning for gold, another man operating a sluice box (another device used to find gold in water), a mining operation, and a hydroelectric plant.

Another portion of the "California Industrial Scenes" mural showing grim-faced workers at a May Day demonstration. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Another portion of the “California Industrial Scenes” mural showing grim-faced workers at a May Day demonstration.

"Railroad and Shipping" by William Hesthal, depicting New Deal efforts to grow the economy. San Francisco, United States, North America. — “Railroad and Shipping” by William Hesthal, depicting New Deal efforts to grow the economy.

"Library" by Bernard B. Zakheim. There's a lot going on here. John Langley Howard, painter of "California Industrial Scenes", pulls "Das Kapital" off a shelf. Sculptor Beniamino Bufano reads about his Saint Francis statue. An artist reads about the destruction of Diego Rivera's controversial mural at Rockefeller Center in New York. Home foreclosures are in the news. San Francisco, United States, North America. — “Library” by Bernard B. Zakheim. There’s a lot going on here. John Langley Howard, painter of “California Industrial Scenes”, pulls “Das Kapital” off a shelf. Sculptor Beniamino Bufano reads about his Saint Francis statue. An artist reads about the destruction of Diego Rivera’s controversial mural at Rockefeller Center in New York. Home foreclosures are in the news.

The exciting "City Life" mural by Victor Arnautoff. Watch out for the fatal accident in the upper right. Other scenes off camera include left-wing newspapers for sale and a gun-toting pickpocket. San Francisco, United States, North America. — The exciting “City Life” mural by Victor Arnautoff. Watch out for the fatal accident in the upper right. Other scenes off camera include left-wing newspapers for sale and a gun-toting pickpocket.

"Cowboy" by Clifford Wight. One of the tall figures representing iconic trades of historic California. San Francisco, United States, North America. — “Cowboy” by Clifford Wight. One of the tall figures representing iconic trades of historic California.

Outside Coit Tower, a statue of Christopher Columbus, hero of Italians in North Beach and everywhere. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Outside Coit Tower, a statue of Christopher Columbus, hero of Italians in North Beach and everywhere.

Greenwich Steps

When I was ready to descend Telegraph Hill, I took the Greenwich Steps, parallel to the Filbert Steps.

Interesting brickwork where the Greenwich Steps meet Montgomery Street. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Interesting brickwork where the Greenwich Steps meet Montgomery Street.

Filbert Steps (Down)

At Montgomery Street, instead of proceeding down the Greenwich Steps, I rejoined the Filbert Steps further south. I descended to the base of Telegraph Hill via the Filbert Steps.

The Grace Marchant Garden along the Filbert Steps, descending Telegraph Hill. San Francisco, United States, North America. — The Grace Marchant Garden along the Filbert Steps, descending Telegraph Hill.

Running off of the Filbert Steps, Napier Lane is one of San Francisco's unique "lanes." Instead of being paved, it's planked. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Running off of the Filbert Steps, Napier Lane is one of San Francisco’s unique “lanes.” Instead of being paved, it’s planked.

The planks that comprise Napier Lane. Napier Lane is lined with 19th-century cottages. San Francisco, United States, North America. — The planks that comprise Napier Lane. Napier Lane is lined with 19th-century cottages.

The lower end of Filbert Steps, descending the steep eastern slope of Telegraph Hill. San Francisco, United States, North America. — The lower end of Filbert Steps, descending the steep eastern slope of Telegraph Hill.

Looking up Telegraph Hill, bottom to top. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Looking up Telegraph Hill, bottom to top.

Sheer cliff on the eastern slope of Telegraph Hill. The bay used to come right up to the base before land reclamation. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Sheer cliff on the eastern slope of Telegraph Hill. The bay used to come right up to the base before land reclamation.

This part of the slope is less steep, but undeveloped, allowing for a nice field of flowers. San Francisco, United States, North America. — This part of the slope is less steep, but undeveloped, allowing for a nice field of flowers.

Back to North Beach

Washington Square and Telegraph Hill are both in North Beach. But usually when I think of North Beach, I think of the very busy commercial district centered on Broadway and Columbus Avenue. In the morning, I had stopped by North Beach for a bite before setting off for Russian Hill. Now I was ready for the full tour of North Beach.

Yup, definitely back in downtown North Beach. Among other things, North Beach is known for its strip clubs along Broadway. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Yup, definitely back in downtown North Beach. Among other things, North Beach is known for its strip clubs along Broadway.

The Beat Museum

“I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked…”

My first stop on my tour of North Beach was the Beat Museum. In the ’50s, North Beach became Greenwich Village West as San Francisco drew members of the Beat Generation to North Beach’s bars and caffès. I expected the Beat Museum to be a junky site exploiting North Beach’s Beat Generation fame. But I was very impressed. I definitely recommend it to anyone interested in the American counterculture in the ’50s and ’60s. (And I personally can get obsessed with the ’60s.) The Beat Generation is mostly associated with the ’50s. But they really invented the ’60s as we know them.

John Lennon became fascinated by the Beats. That’s partly why he named the biggest band of the ’60s the Beatles instead of the Beetles. Bob Dylan was also infatuated with the Beats. He named his 1965 song “Subterranean Homesick Blues”–the one with the famous cue-card video–after Jack Kerouac’s book “The Subterraneans”. It was Dylan’s first Top 40 hit. And who’s lurking in the background of the famous cue-card video? None other than Allen Ginsberg. In the ’50s, the Beats were known for getting stoned on marijuana (among other substances). In the ’60s, they were on the forefront of the rise in the popularity of the recreational use of LSD.

That seems like quite a statement, that "it all began with Neal Cassady..." San Francisco, United States, North America. — That seems like quite a statement, that “it all began with Neal Cassady…”

To me, Neal is most famous as the inspiration for Dean Moriarty, the bad influence in Jack Kerouac’s defining work, 1957’s “On the Road”. But it seems that Neal had a distinct stream of consciousness speaking and letter-writing style. Jack emulated this style, as well as the rhythms of jazz, when writing “On the Road” in what he called “spontaneous prose”. This style also influenced Allen Ginsberg in the writing of his groundbreaking 1955 poem “Howl”.

Jack Kerouac himself originally applied the 1940s term “Beat Generation” to his circle of counterculture writers. “Beat” originally referred to a generation that was beaten down. Jack assigned an more positive connotation to the expression by attributing it with aspect of beatific, as well as the beat of jazz. After all, they were “angel-headed hipsters.”

I love this! The July 4, 1965, issue of "National Enquirer". San Francisco, United States, North America. — I love this! The July 4, 1965, issue of “National Enquirer”.

“Beatnik” was a derogatory term first used in a column in the “San Francisco Chronicle” by journalist Herb Caen in 1958. Herb merged “Beat” with the “-nik” from Sputnik. Like Sputnik, the Beats were seen as a threat to America coming from the left in the late ’50s. Herb Caen also popularized the word “hippie” in 1967. It had been in use by San Francisco journalists since 1965 as a diminutive of “hipster” to refer to the countercultural successors to the beatniks, who had shifted their center of gravity from North Beach to Haight-Ashbury.

The shirt that Neal Cassady wore while driving "Furthur", the bus Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters rode across the country in 1964 to spread the good news of LSD. San Francisco, United States, North America. — The shirt that Neal Cassady wore while driving “Furthur”, the bus Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters rode across the country in 1964 to spread the good news of LSD.

Writer Ken Kesey had had a big hit in 1962 with his novel “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”. Also in the early ’60s, he had volunteered for what turned out to be secret, no-so-legal experiments near San Francisco by the CIA on the effects of LSD and other psychoactive drugs. Ken grew very fond of LSD and encouraged his friends to experiment at parties with LSD that he absconded with. Ken called the parties the “Acid Tests”.

By this point, Ken became friends with Neal Cassady, who was living with Allen Ginsberg in San Francisco at the time. In 1964, Ken had to meet his publishers in New York. Instead of flying, he decided to make a cross-country piece of performance art. Ken, Neal, and their circle of friends, known as the Merry Pranksters, took off for New York in a psychedelically painted bus named “Furthur”, getting high all the way. Tom Wolfe–who went on to define the ’80s with “The Bonfire of the Vanities”–novelized the acid-drenched adventure in his 1968 book “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test”. “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test” became the seminal document of the hippie movement. After the trip, Ken continued to throw his Acid Test parties throughout the Bay Area.

In the meantime, Neal introduced Ken to his friends Allen Ginberg and Jack Kerouac. And Allen introduced the lot of them to his new friend Timothy Leary. Tim had been experimenting with psychedelics at Harvard. Allen had heard about the experiments and became an eager participant. Together, the two of them set out to expand the best minds of their generation. Starting to see how this all comes together?

Allen Ginsberg was a major proponent of the legalization of pot in the '60s. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Allen Ginsberg was a major proponent of the legalization of pot in the ’60s.

Poster for the 1960 movie based on Jack Kerouac's 1958 San Francisco-based story, "The Subterraneans". Check out the beatnik chick in tights! George Peppard played the lead character, based on Jack. In the book, French actress Leslie Caron's character is black, based on a girlfriend of Jack's. The '60s hadn't really started yet in 1960, and Hollywood wasn't ready for an interracial romance. Making the romance international instead was the best they could do. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Poster for the 1960 movie based on Jack Kerouac’s 1958 San Francisco-based story, “The Subterraneans”. Check out the beatnik chick in tights! George Peppard played the lead character, based on Jack. In the book, French actress Leslie Caron’s character is black, based on a girlfriend of Jack’s. The ’60s hadn’t really started yet in 1960, and Hollywood wasn’t ready for an interracial romance. Making the romance international instead was the best they could do.

A letter Jack wrote to Marlon Brando in the late '50s beseeching Brando to make a film of "On the Road". Brando would play Dean Moriarty (i.e., Neal Cassady) and Jack would play Sal Paradise (in other words, himself). San Francisco, United States, North America. — A letter Jack wrote to Marlon Brando in the late ’50s beseeching Brando to make a film of “On the Road”. Brando would play Dean Moriarty (i.e., Neal Cassady) and Jack would play Sal Paradise (in other words, himself).

Jack Kerouac's CPO jacket, in his trademark blue-collar style. San Francisco, United States, California. — Jack Kerouac’s CPO jacket, in his trademark blue-collar style.

Invitation, typed by Allen Ginsberg, to the October 7, 1955, poetry reading at the Six Gallery. Allen and 4 other poets read their work to the gathered crowd. (One read the poetry of a dead friend.) It was here that Allen debuted "Howl" and created a sensation. Kenneth Rexroth, a poet of an older generation, was the master of ceremonies. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Invitation, typed by Allen Ginsberg, to the October 7, 1955, poetry reading at the Six Gallery. Allen and 4 other poets read their work to the gathered crowd. (One read the poetry of a dead friend.) It was here that Allen debuted “Howl” and created a sensation. Kenneth Rexroth, a poet of an older generation, was the master of ceremonies.

Jack Kerouac, Neal Cassady, and a bookstore owner to be named later were in the audience at the Six Gallery reading. Jack wrote about the night in his 1958 book “The Dharma Bums”.

Reproduction of a page from Allen Ginsberg's annotated copy of "Howl". San Francisco, United States, North America. — Reproduction of a page from Allen Ginsberg’s annotated copy of “Howl”.

Poster for the Human Be-In, held in Golden Gate Park on January 14, 1967. Timothy Leary, Allen Ginsberg, and other counterculture heroes are on the bill. In addition to Santana and the Steve Miller Band, other local bands Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead, and Janis Joplin's band Big Brother and the Holding Company played. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Poster for the Human Be-In, held in Golden Gate Park on January 14, 1967. Timothy Leary, Allen Ginsberg, and other counterculture heroes are on the bill. In addition to Santana and the Steve Miller Band, other local bands Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead, and Janis Joplin’s band Big Brother and the Holding Company played.

The Human Be-In was a direct reaction to a 1966 law banning LSD in California. Tens of thousands showed up for the Human Be-In. A special batch of LSD was distributed. Timothy Leary encouraged the masses to tune in, turn on, drop out. Due to the publicity that the event received, young people from all around the country started streaming into San Francisco and Haight-Ashbury. The stage was set for 1967’s Summer of Love. (It’s stuff like this that makes me obsess about the ’60s and regret I was just a few years old at the time.)

In 1975, "Naked Lunch" author and Beat Generation member William S. Burroughs interviewed Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Paige for rock magazine "Crawdaddy". And here's a photo to prove it. San Francisco, United States, North America. — In 1975, “Naked Lunch” author and Beat Generation member William S. Burroughs interviewed Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Paige for rock magazine “Crawdaddy”. And here’s a photo to prove it.

A '49 Hudson, the type of car Sal and Dean cause trouble in in "On the Road". San Francisco, United States, North America. — A ’49 Hudson, the type of car Sal and Dean cause trouble in in “On the Road”.

And the Beat goes on…

North Beach Arts and Entertainment

The Saloon, San Francisco's oldest bar, has been operating continuously since 1861. San Francisco, United States, North America. — The Saloon, San Francisco’s oldest bar, has been operating continuously since 1861.

Perhaps North Beach's most storied establishment, City Lights Bookstore. (And that's a bit of a pun.) San Francisco, United States, North America. — Perhaps North Beach’s most storied establishment, City Lights Bookstore. (And that’s a bit of a pun.)

City Lights, named after the Charlie Chaplin movie, was co-founded in 1953 by poet and activist Lawrence Ferlinghetti as the country’s first all-paperback bookstore. In 1956, through City Lights Publishing, Lawrence published Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl and Other Poems”. (He is the bookstore owner referred to above as being present at the Six Gallery reading.) Lawrence and the store manager were arrested for publishing and selling obscenity. A sensationalized trial followed in 1957. The judge ruled that “Howl” had redeeming social importance. It was a huge win for the First Amendment and for the fame of City Lights.

City Lights Bookstore was a popular hangout for the Beat Generation. The Beats are gone, but on March 24, 2016, Lawrence Ferlinghetti turned 97.

Lawrence Ferlinghetti instigated transforming an unpleasant alley between City Lights Bookstore and another Beat hangout, Vesuvio, into Jack Kerouac Alley in 1988. On Day 1, I got a picture of a mural in Jack Kerouac Alley. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Lawrence Ferlinghetti instigated transforming an unpleasant alley between City Lights Bookstore and another Beat hangout, Vesuvio, into Jack Kerouac Alley in 1988. On Day 1, I got a picture of a mural in Jack Kerouac Alley.

Mural in Jack Kerouac Alley outside Vesuvio Cafe. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Mural in Jack Kerouac Alley outside Vesuvio Cafe.

Vesuvio Cafe opened in 1948. I stopped by for a Diet Coke in 2016. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Vesuvio Cafe opened in 1948. I stopped by for a Diet Coke in 2016.

Tosca Cafe is a North Beach survivor. It opened in 1921. I had a light bite at the bar along with my Diet Coke. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Tosca Cafe is a North Beach survivor. It opened in 1921. I had a light bite at the bar along with my Diet Coke.

Across an alley from Tosca and directly across Columbus Avenue from City Lights and Vesuvio is San Francisco’s weirdest: Specs’ Twelve Adler Museum Cafe. It’s a dark bar with lots of whacky stuff. It’s been a popular offbeat hangout since 1968.

Among other curios, something that looks like Mr. Beatnik Potato Head. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Among other curios, something that looks like Mr. Beatnik Potato Head.

Then there's this modern art installation. San Francisco, United States, North America. — Then there’s this modern art installation.

"Armored Dildo". San Francisco, United States, North America. — “Armored Dildo”.

This fight to the death is frozen (or stuffed) in time. Will Rikki-Tikki-Tavi win the day? San Francisco, United States, North America. — This fight to the death is frozen (or stuffed) in time. Will Rikki-Tikki-Tavi win the day?

In the evening, my friend Tommy joined me to take in a San Francisco institution, “Beach Blanket Babylon”. First presented in 1974, it’s the world’s longest-running musical revue. We both hated it. The talent of the performers was undeniable. The outrageously sized wigs and headdresses were impressive. But the writing was cringe-worthy. Many of the jokes were stale. And there was just zero internal logic to the whole thing. To me, it’s strictly for tourists. There are thousands of San Franciscans who would disagree with me.