Life in the Later Lane
As a teacher, playwright & screenwriter, Cary Pepper has lots of inside Hollywood info to share
You probably stream most of your movies. But if you happen to rent a film on old-style...
July 15, 2026
All-women punk band still on stage thanks to leader’s career, which started in a mortuary
Invite Klara Lux somewhere, and she’ll always show up early – except on the rare occasion when...
July 6, 2026
Playwright Lynne Kaufman, the author of two dozen plays and five novels, is still going strong, despite some hiccups
The day after Lynne Kaufman retired in 2005, she woke up in tears. “What had I done?”...
June 29, 2026
A win for people power: Supervisors and mayor restore millions of dollars in cut to services for city’s most vulnerable
A months-long campaign by advocates for seniors, the disabled and other vulnerable populations has convinced San Francisco's...
Following in the footsteps of heroes: My visit to the cradles of Civil Rights
SF SENIORBEAT COLUMN – March 17, 1886. A date you probably never considered. Carroll County, Mississippi. A...
June 4, 2026
Couple’s script for their own movie? Shared creative passions and a bent for banter
“I'm Chiquita Banana, and I'm here to say, bananas have to ripen in a certain way,” Margot...
May 28, 2026
Social justice lawyer and activist infusing others with her love of SF’s Great Blue Herons and dedication to conservation
One day in 1993, on her daily walk from her Richmond District home to Golden Gate Park’s...
April 29, 2026
Nonprofit director is happy to bug you, whether you’re 2 or 92, about saving the wild
If you grow up in Los Angeles, where do you find the wild? Norm Gershenz is not...
April 14, 2026
Bass playing lawyer takes on the landlords when seniors call for help
During the day, you’ll find Thomas Drohan in court or at his law office on Mission Street....
April 5, 2026
Former SFSU teacher shifts to helping union workers build leadership abilities
Like some people need coffee, Joan Wong needs to walk – and talk. Mornings, she puts in...
March 25, 2026
Joe Edley, a three-time national champion, has been racking up great Scrabble scores for decades
Joe Edley tucks his co-authored book, “Everything Scrabble,” under his arm and surveys the room. Around him,...
March 16, 2026
As the city’s older population swells, seniors who can no longer live at home face high costs, limited choices
EDITOR'S NOTE: See full profiles of the seniors interviewed by clicking links within the story. A panoply...
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In dress, artist-sculptor-photographer-curator keeps it simple
SENIOR FASHIONISTAS – We found Sue Kubly, 73, at the DeYoung Museum, at an event celebrating dancer and performance artist Anna Halprin, who turned 98 this year. Kubly, who describes her style as simple, is wearing a blouse from Target, pants from H&M and pearls from London’s Portobello Road Market, the world’s largest antiques market The ...
115 city benches: public space enthusiasts giving back – and building community
Chris Duderstadt founded the Public Bench Project six years ago. On the second Sunday of the month, people gather on Irving Street at Ninth Avenue to enjoy the Inner Sunset Flea. For folks listening to jazz, needing a respite, or talking with friends, Duderstadt’s colorful benches provide a place to sit. “There is enough space ...
Green burials, space burials, ash tokens: More options – and more decisions – for your final frontier
“Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It’s the transition that’s troublesome.” – Isaac Asimov. Doulas, green burials with wicker caskets and corpse location monitoring devices, space burials, resomation, diamonds colored by funeral ashes: Death’s vocabulary is expanding. New – and old – ways of dealing with dying and death are emerging in this century. Traditional funeral ...
Linda Ronstadt on her new fall shows, modern life – and getting older
Last week I had the opportunity to interview Linda Ronstadt at her home in the Richmond District. Her home is not rock star huge as might befit a legendary singer of the ‘70s and ‘80s, but is cozy and warm, even in the fog. She met me in her living room and immediately organized the ...
Texas upbringing launched this progressive’s volunteer political career
Susan Pfeifer has volunteered for political causes and elected officials since she was a teenager. Her first political action was wearing a John F. Kennedy button to high school in 1960 – once. “It didn’t raise my popularity profile, let’s just say that.” Pfeifer grew up in Dallas, a conservative bastion in the 1950’s and ...
Muttville a place where seniors can find their late-in-life soulmates – or just come for a cuddle
Leah Grant wanted a dog companion to help her deal with her health issues. Muttville brought her “Gloria,” a pretty, white fluff of fur with a copper-colored topcoat. It was love at first sight for both of them. “I sprint down my hill now after I passed my cardiovascular test.” said Grant. “I owe it ...
