San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
BIX ANNIVERSARY A SWINGIN’ AFFAIR
Summer in EssEff ain’t as sleepy as you’d imagine. The big news, of course, is that London Breed was inaugurated as mayor. Aside from that, our less-frantic schedules allow us to savor a lot of things we don’t always have time for.
For starters — a late-inning Giants game with Pablo Sandoval at the plate and a baseballrelated drinking game (that I just made up) called What Position Will Panda Play Next?
Next up: On brick-lined Gold Alley there’s the return of the Killer Tomato Cart ( Marquita Farm heirloom tomatoes served table side with burrata or house-pulled mozzarella, basil and olive oil) at Bix restaurant (www.bixrestaurant.com).
That beloved Art Deco-inspired beauty in Jackson Square recently celebrated its 30th anniversary; amid the rough-and-tumble restaurant industry, that milestone should be counted in dog years.
Founded in 1988 by restaurateur Doug Biederbeck (who also owns Florio and Market Bar), this swanky hideaway remains a favorite among writers, artists and creative minds. They not only appreciate great food and skilled service but also revel in inspired artwork (the late Mark Stock’s painting, “The Butler’s in Love,” hangs pride of place above the piano) and swinging jazz music.
Crossing the threshold feels like you’ve wandered into a 1920s film set rife with chic bohemians, chilled martinis and clever bon mots.
“Bix is all about the mix of people. Now we’ve got generations who dine here, too. We don’t deal with just Millennials or tourists or supper club aficionados,” says Biederbeck. “This vision of a jazz and supper club, minus tickets, really just came to me one night.”
But let the record be corrected: Biederbeck is not related to ’20s-era jazz cornetist Bix Beiderbecke. They both hail from the Midwest, where Doug and his father earned the “Bix” nickname due to the similarity (although different spelling) of their last names, and a love of jazz. Biederbeck carries on that music every night at Bix where, since the day he opened the doors, jazz artist Mary Stallings often performs.
“Mary is extraordinary, probably the greatest jazz singer of her era still performing,” enthuses Biederbeck. “We can’t reward her what she’s worth, we’re a little restaurant down an alley. It’s not like playing in New York or SFJazz Center, where she always sells out. But Mary likes it here; it feels like home. As long as we’ve got a barstool and a piano, Mary is always welcome at Bix.”
Story time: If you haven’t yet experienced a night of live EssEff-inspired tales — encompassing the tall, poignant and hysterically funny — then bookmark Aug. 16 for “Tattoo Tales” at the Contemporary Jewish Museum for the next presentation of Porchlight: A Storytelling Series.
Born 16 years ago from the zany, fevered minds of author Beth Lisick and former journalist Arline Klatte, these decades-deep pals still crack each other up onstage like they’re performing an old Lucy and Ethel skit.
Last month they hosted “Tenderloin Tales” at the vaunted Edinburgh Castle Pub with bar manager-author-photographer Alan Black and Porchlight bandleader Marc Capelle. Storytellers included Black; Del Seymour, the unofficial Tenderloin mayor, who leads walking tours in the hood; 23-year TL denizen Carolyn Terry; and transgender community activist Donna Personna.
Lisick and Klatte also host open-mike nights at Hemlock Tavern and collaborate with vaunted organizations such as Litquake, S.F. Public Library and the S.F. International Film Society. Podcasts of their series are available via iTunes.
Yet their finest achievement is creating an authentic vibe that could never emanate from bits, bytes or bots. It’s a glorious pre-internet confab of true tales told with heart — and over cocktails — that inspires real-time conversations. Boom time: Thanks to our mercurial summer atmospherics, celebrating the Fourth of July in EssEff is a gamble. However, with Protocol Chief Charlotte Shultz and her “secretary,” George Shultz, at the helm, their guests are assured a sparkling soiree.
For our nation’s 242nd birthday, this dynamic duo welcomed the San Francisco Consular Corps and Host Committee members to the storied Crown Room in the Fairmont Hotel.
Former Secretary of State Shultz paid tribute to global guests, noting that his wife’s City Hall flag-raising events honor not only the consuls’ national days but also highlight cultural diversity and the role immigration continues to play shaping our nation.
“There’s that famous painting of George Washington crossing the Delaware. But 11 other people in the boat — nobody ever looks at them,” noted Shultz. “A woman pulls an oar; there’s a black man from New England; every uniform is a different rank. Washington was governing over diversity, and the revolution was his unifying force. That’s the same thing we have here — a very diverse city where everyone is welcome and they add to the creativity.”
Also on hand: newly elected Mayor Breed, who complimented her protocol chief’s skill for hosting civic events in addition to dressing appropriately for the part as Shultz shimmered in a sequined red-white-and-blue ensemble.
“I’m looking forward to the future and making our city a better place,” Breed said. “We are not going to let Washington, D.C., determine how proud we are of our country. San Francisco will lead the resistance to do what’s right, to take care of all our citizens and make San Francisco the shining example for the rest of the world to follow.”