Life in the Later Lane
How a dedicated teacher of young children became a dedicated civic volunteer.
Sharon Yow’s father drove a truck and tried his hand at farming. Her mother worked a switchboard...
Famed boogie-woogie pianist embroiders her performances with her own hand-crafted art
Caroline Dahl has never forgotten the glamorous, red-haired woman in a sequined dress she saw at a...
The biggest, best walk – and bath of a lifetime.
Tina Martin SENIORBEAT GUEST COLUMN – I love San Francisco, and I love to walk. So when...
‘So hard, all the losses and pain:’ Personal and world tragedies led daughter of Holocaust survivors to life of helping others help others
Juliet Rothman was living in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1992 when her 21-year-old son Daniel attempted a double...
Rock ‘n’ roll and diamonds shaped the life of Arthur Indenbaum
By the time he was 12, Arthur Indenbaum had been playing the piano for four years and...
A lucky phone call steered him into a 54-year career as a shipping executive.
Tony Hanley felt stuck. He’d flunked out of San Francisco City College and was working at an...
He rode the rails, he slept on the streets, Kevin Fagan spent decades reporting on the homeless for the San Francisco Chronicle
It's a Friday night at Chief Sullivan’s, an Irish-themed bar in North Beach, and The Irish Newsboys...
Circus Bella veteran juggler and ‘right-hand man’ keeps his family in on the act
Lots of parents talk about juggling responsibilities when it comes to their kids. Not so many literally...
Retired scientist, avid cyclist, and world traveler faces the challenge of Alzheimer’s
For many high school biology students, dissecting a frog is an unpleasant rite of passage. But for...
A tale of love and lighting on Divisadero Street
How deeply did Yury Budovlya fall for Liya Klets, an 18-year-old Siberian beauty? When she traveled to...
“Mr. Mahjong” teaches San Francisco to love a 19th-century Chinese game
When Andrew Keeler was five, he would fall asleep in his living room to the sound of...
Practicality atop an adventurous spirit has Potrero Hill resident contemplating eventual move even as she continues to build community
Contact her at robinevans@sfseniorbeat.com. Even as she speaks, calmly, about uprooting herself from the neighborhood she’s lived in...
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Editor and reporter has written about her neighborhood for the past 20 Years
Rae Doyle has introduced her West Portal neighbors to a variety of local people they might never have noticed. As associate editor of the West Portal Monthly over the past 20 years, she has treated readers to a panoply of profiles of interesting neighbors and small business owners, from the Vietnam War dog handler Dr. ...
Negative views of being older can be hazardous to your health; coalition aims to ‘reframe’ aging
With the development of the assembly line and his Model T car, Henry Ford revolutionized transportation. His motto was, “Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right.” Psychologists agree that actions are a direct result of a person’s beliefs and thoughts. The mental picture of oneself is of the utmost ...
When the plants hug you back: Volunteers maintain splendor of Golden Gate Park
For Wayne Hiroshima and Bill Rafferty, working as assistant gardeners in Golden Gate Park around plants, animals and birds, places them regularly in the life cycle. They feel how plants, animals, birds and humans are interdependent. “Working on these gardens is like working on my house,” Rafferty said. “When I garden, I feel like the ...
Creativity never gets old: In S.F., they’re singing, dancing, writing, curating film, shooting video
Negative stereotypes about older adults persist even today. But when it comes to creativity, old age defies the myths. Tony Bennett, singer at 91, is still touring, standing for 90-minute performances. Rita Moreno, actress, at 87, is starting the second season of her Netflix show, “One Day at a Time.” At 90, Queen of Suspense ...
McLaren Park champions continue to fight for needed improvements
Jeanne Crawford and her family live down the street from the Gambiner Plaza entrance to McLaren Park. Recently retired from teaching, Crawford begins each day with a three mile walk in the park. “I need the exercise, but even more, I need that dose of nature, the quiet and wildness of it.” Crawford is an ...
OMI Senior Center holds annual Lunar New Year celebration
The Ocean View-Merced Heights-Ingleside Senior Center held its annual Lunar New Year celebration on Tuesday, Feb. 27. The full day’s program included OMI seniors performing New Year’s songs in English and Chinese, dances by the San Francisco Guangchang Line Dancing Group, a raffle, and a sumptuous 17-course lunch. After lunch, a troupe of retired members ...
