The 25th president of the United States, William McKinley, was lionized around the world after his 1901 assassination. In San Francisco, the city's tribute to the former commander in chief dates from 1903, but the statue in the Panhandle of Golden Gate Park has a modern touch - graffiti - that riles Paul Defacio.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on April 22, 2008.

A witness in the fatal shooting of two people last month outside of a San Francisco pizza parlor says authorities have the wrong man in the case.

Published by CBS News (Channel 5) on April 22, 2008.

The shooting took place near 20th and Bryants Streets around 9:45 p.m., an SFPD dispatcher said.

Published by CBS News (Channel 5) on April 22, 2008.

The faint of heart need not attempt Café Flore — sharking a table here takes more nerve than buying booze underage. But there's a reason to steel one's resolve: this Castro hotspot, voted Best Café in our 2004 Readers' Poll, is ideal for any occasion, be it brunch, coffee, or an afternoon brew. With breakfast served daily until 3 p.m. and a full bar, there's no better spot for sun-drenched boozing and cruising.

Published by San Francisco Bay Guardian on April 22, 2008.

It was even served, unapologetically, without the drink's trademark cherry (which, honestly, is fine by me). I guessed this particular formula was cultural – the Irish don't monkey with their whiskey – but I was proved wrong when we tested our anthropological theory at the Phoenix, whose version is cloyingly sweet. If you really like your whiskey, stick with Liberties.

Published by San Francisco Bay Guardian on April 22, 2008.

When you can't get a sunny day seat at Revolution Cafe (hey, they only serve beer and wine anyway), head to Laszlo around the corner. Not only does it always have outdoor tables available, but it served one of the best cocktails on my tour: a smooth Maker's Manhattan.

Published by San Francisco Bay Guardian on April 22, 2008.

Need to show your out-of-town friends the Mission? Get them the neighborhood's namesake drink at Blowfish, made with Ka No Ko Japanese whiskey. Served with a brandied cherry to balance the cocktail's smoky taste, this Manhattan is certainly a crowd pleaser.

Published by San Francisco Bay Guardian on April 22, 2008.

But do you want to navigate tourists and souvenir shops on Fisherman's Wharf? Or perhaps worse, navigate baby carriages and joggers in the Marina? Those of us who answer no must seek our seaside suppers on the bay side, where we find the Ramp.

Published by San Francisco Bay Guardian on April 22, 2008.

If you wish to make the argument that the Irish are this city's most important ethnic minority, you'd be best served doing so over an order of fish and chips at the Phoenix.

Published by San Francisco Bay Guardian on April 22, 2008.

Shalimar is the Starbucks of the city's BYOB Indian places, boasting two locations within eight blocks of each other. I prefer the one on Jones Street. The ambiance is group-therapy-room-at-a-public-clinic: wood laminate tables, green and white linoleum checked floor, institutional yellowed-cream walls. The service is fast, though never brusque.

Published by San Francisco Bay Guardian on April 22, 2008.

From the national dish of Senegal (thiebou djen, a tilapia-based stew, served with red rice) to the regional specialties of yapou khar (a melt-in-your-mouth lamb dish from the city of Thiès) and yassa chicken from Casamance, Bissap Baobab dishes up pan-Senegalese cuisine with friendly flair.

Published by San Francisco Bay Guardian on April 22, 2008.

The not-to-be missed drinks, mixed with bissap (hibiscus), ginger, and tamarind juices inspire smooth (and otherwise) moves on the dance floor of Little Baobab once the tables have been pushed away and the rotating lineup of DJs comes out to play at 10 p.m.

Published by San Francisco Bay Guardian on April 22, 2008.

The axis of the San Francisco Ethiopian restaurant "scene" for many years, Axum Café serves a fine, spicy kifto (Ethiopia's version of steak tartare), tender lamb tibsie, and an array of vegetarian options that would make even a diehard carnivore's mouth water.

Published by San Francisco Bay Guardian on April 22, 2008.

The entrance is spacious, too. A bar stretches down the length of one side of the room, with silver-upholstered benches arranged in perpendicular rows down the center, accented by dramatic lighting and a waterfall wall. (650) 964-1888 or www.xanhrestaurant.com.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on April 22, 2008.

For aficionados, the vast selection of interesting brews is the main reason to come. But an extensive menu executed by chef Miguel Guillen offers a few worthy options to soak up the alcohol, if you can figure out your way around the varied - and often random - dishes. (415) 440-8727 or www.latrappecafe.com.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on April 22, 2008.

La Trappe is already finding a place among the similarly quirky spots that define North Beach.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on April 22, 2008.

Tucked away in a narrow alley on Minna Street in San Francisco, the former auto mechanic garage has been converted into a lofty space reminiscent of East Coast fish shacks, with 30-foot trestle ceilings and old sailing ropes hanging off exposed wooden beams. (415) 501-9100 or

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on April 22, 2008.

The shooting took place near 20th and Bryants Streets around 9:45 p.m., an SFPD dispatcher said.

Published by CBS News (Channel 5) on April 22, 2008.

Below, riders and residents weigh in on the current proposals. (Local Motion also explores how some of these changes will affect the southeastern parts of the City, including the Mission and Bernal Heights.)

Published by Mission Dispatch on April 22, 2008.

Below, riders and residents weigh in on the current proposals. (Local Motion also explores how some of these changes will affect the southeastern parts of the City, including the Mission and Bernal Heights.)

Published by Mission Dispatch on April 22, 2008.

As reported by the SF Examiner SFPD has made “a major strategy adjustment … concentrating police resources in five geographic areas that have seen the most violent crime in recent years.” The five high crime-prone zones are: The Tenderloin, The Western Addition, The Mission, Bayview-Hunter’s Point and Visitation Valley.

Published by Mission Dispatch on April 22, 2008.

As reported by the SF Examiner SFPD has made “a major strategy adjustment … concentrating police resources in five geographic areas that have seen the most violent crime in recent years.” The five high crime-prone zones are: The Tenderloin, The Western Addition, The Mission, Bayview-Hunter’s Point and Visitation Valley.

Published by Mission Dispatch on April 22, 2008.

As reported by the SF Examiner SFPD has made “a major strategy adjustment … concentrating police resources in five geographic areas that have seen the most violent crime in recent years.” The five high crime-prone zones are: The Tenderloin, The Western Addition, The Mission, Bayview-Hunter’s Point and Visitation Valley.

Published by Mission Dispatch on April 22, 2008.

As reported by the SF Examiner SFPD has made “a major strategy adjustment … concentrating police resources in five geographic areas that have seen the most violent crime in recent years.” The five high crime-prone zones are: The Tenderloin, The Western Addition, The Mission, Bayview-Hunter’s Point and Visitation Valley.

Published by Mission Dispatch on April 22, 2008.

A passer-by spotted Arthur lying on the ground at Thomas Avenue and Griffith Street around 12:30 a.m., police said.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on April 22, 2008.

After reading and writing about the offal exploits of Incanto Chef Chris Cosentino for so long, it was with astronomically high expectations and a dash of apprehension that I finally sat down for dinner at the famed Noe Valley restaurant.

Published by SF Weekly on April 22, 2008.

The Vallejo Steps in North Beach are a treasure for residents and tourists alike - a kind of Garden of Eden with stairs where blooming roses mix with ferns, poppies, daisies, bougainvillea and other foliage.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on April 22, 2008.