All Episodes
Teresa Goines & Old Skool Cafe ~Bay View Hunters Hidden Gem
Beyond The Fog Radio Season 4 begins NEXT WEEK! We're so excited to begin sharing all of the great new interviews we've conducted in the past few months. But, to tide you over until then, we have one more re-release episode to present: our interview with Teresa Goines (Season 3 Episode 10), the founder and executive director of Old Skool Café in San Francisco's Bayview District.
Formerly a juvenile probation officer, Teresa made a career change to give troubled youths a chance at community and purpose, instead of imprisonment. With the help of volunteer chefs and builders, Old Skool Café went from a small pop-up in Teresa's home to a beautiful 1920s-style supper club in its own building — complete with velvet curtains, luxurious booths, and ornate chandeliers.
While Old Skool Café has a delicious international menu, its sense of community is its greatest strength. Kids cook, clean, wait tables, and entertain guests to learn important life skills within a healthy and supportive environment. After meeting Teresa in-person, we knew right away that her interview would be one of our favorites to date. Join us as we revisit our heartfelt conversation with the one and only Teresa Goines.
(For more information about Teresa and Old Skool Café, please visit oldskoolcafe.org .)
Making Change with Art Agnos Former Mayor of San Francisco
This week, we listen back to our conversation with former Mayor of San Francisco Art Agnos (Season 3 Episode 04) — politician, social worker, and game-changer.
Exploring the Neighborhood with Sal Garcia Re- Release
The Beyond The Fog Radio team is hard at work recording and editing new episodes for Season 4, which will release this August! In the meantime, during this "summer break," we’re taking another listen to some of our favorite interviews from Seasons 2 and 3. This week's re-release is particularly special, as we revisit Sal Garcia (Season 3 Episode 03), the "Ferrari Doctor" of Waterfront Automobili in Potrero Hill.
An immigrant along with his family from El Salvador, Garcia spent his formative years in the Mission District studying the English language and connecting with the neighborhood locals. After graduating from the University of San Francisco and serving as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army's Medical Service Corps, Garcia founded Waterfront Automobili to pursue his passion for fast cars and all things mechanical.
Having worked with the S.F.P.D., the S.F.F.D., legal specialists, builders, and more, Garcia has a tremendous presence in San Francisco — to the point that his business continues to grow based purely on word-of-mouth! With so much love in his heart and so much to tell the world, Garcia has definitely earned his place among our favorite guests EVER on Beyond The Fog Radio. Join us as we share his incredible life story once more.
Music with Martin Luther and Jeanne Anyanwu McCoy (re- release )
The Beyond The Fog Radio team is hard at work recording and editing new episodes for Season 4, releasing this August! In the meantime, we’re revisiting some of our favorite interviews from Seasons 2 and 3. This week, our retrospective takes us back to our interview with the utterly fashionable Bay Area power couple, Martin Luther & Jeanne Anyanwu McCoy (Season 3 Episode 1).
San Francisco native Martin Luther is a musician and actor best known for his work with hip-hop collective the Roots, and as the character Jo-Jo in Julie Taymor’s 2007 film “Across the Universe”; he was also a key figure in the “neo-soul” scene of the 1990s. Artist, activist, and entrepreneur Jeanne collaborates on art projects with African-American artists both in the Bay Area and nationwide. Through their community-focused production company “A Little x,” Jeanne and Martin Luther have worked with clients such as SFJAZZ and the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD).
Join us as we take another look at our interview with Martin Luther and Jeanne Anyanwu McCoy!
S3: Special Tribute to Justice Harry Low Part 2
Justice Harry Low was the first Asian-American Judge in California. He served as Municipal Judge under Governor Edmond G. "Pat" Brown, as Superior Court Judge under Governor Ronald Reagan, as a Judge in the 1st District Court of Appeals under Governor Jerry Brown, and as Insurance Commissioner under Governor Gray Davis.
S3: Ep 16 Jenny Huston, Food and the Environment
This San Francisco native has championed the intersection of food and nutrition services. Jenny Huston is a trained chef, former catering company owner, and holds degrees in both dietetics and food sciences. Having worked with government and non-profit social enterprises like Project Open Hand in SF, Jenny actively addresses issues of equity, nutrition and social justice within the food industry. She also teaches culinary arts at local community colleges and works with Bay Area Community Services in Oakland, where she established their current farm to table program. We are thrilled to share her wisdom about the intricacies of food’s impact on our society and environment with you this week.
For more information about Jenny, please visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-huston-07a16910
Meet Jenny Huston!
S3: Ep 15 Sierra Club with Chance Cutrano and John Ribero- Broomhead
The Sierra Club began in 1882, founded by Californians who wanted to sponsor wilderness outings. Its first president, conservationist John Muir, rallied to preserve California forests, the Sierra Nevada, and the Pacific Coast. 140 years later, the Sierra Club has evolved into the prevention and now recently environmental activist that it is today.
Chance Cutrano is on the all-volunteer executive committee of the Sierra Club. Originally from Chicago, Chance studied political science and philosophy at Saint Xavier University, where he analyzed wildlife policy and systems in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. Chance has traveled to Morocco, Vietnam, and Bolivia to research food, water, and energy management, and has worked on policy analysis with the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign. He lives in Marin and has dedicated his adult life to the health of the planet and its people.
Our guest host for this episode of Beyond The Fog Radio is John Ribeiro-Broomhead, a native to San Francisco and a recent Stanford graduate with a Master’s in Atmosphere & Energy Sciences. John’s interest is in the intersection of policy, science, people, and institutions. He is a deep thinker and a kind soul, and is ready to help others navigate the challenges to our climate that lie ahead.
Meet Chance Cutrano and John Ribeiro-Broomhead!
https://www.sierraclub.org/san-francisco-bay
https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-ribeiro-broomhead-37b809182/
S3: Special Tribute to Justice Harry Low (1931-2021 )- Part 1
Justice Harry Low was the first Asian-American Judge in California. He served as Municipal Judge under Governor Edmond G. "Pat" Brown, as Superior Court Judge under Governor Ronald Reagan, as a Judge in the 1st District Court of Appeals under Governor Jerry Brown, and as Insurance Commissioner under Governor Gray Davis.
S3: Ep 14 : David Phillips & Earth Island Institute
David Philips is a biologist, activist, and Executive Director of the Earth Island Institute. This environmental non-profit is dedicated to developing and supporting fellow environmental non-profits and projects in need of legal, financial, technical, and organizational assistance. With a strong youth division, an award winning journal, and several globally-recognized awards and achievements, Earth Island Institute is one of the leading environmental activist organizations in the U.S. today.
David specializes in marine wildlife conservation, directing the International Marine Mammal Project at Earth Island Institute. He was integral in the institute’s successful negotiations with the world’s largest tuna companies in adopting dolphin-safe policies, and founded the Free Willy-Keiko Foundation, an initiative to oversee the historic rescue, rehabilitation and first-ever release of a captive orca whale to its native habitat. David is a very quiet, understated and deeply concerned individual with an immense knowledge of the environment. We were thrilled to learn about him and his work with the Earth Island Institute this April.
For more information about David, please visit: https://www.earthisland.org/index.php/team
Meet David Philips!
S3: Ep 13 : Lisaruth Elliott and Alemany Farm an Urban Oasis
Lisaruth Elliot is a visual artist, a farmer, and a longtime volunteer who serves on Friends of Alemany Farm Auxiliary. This urban farm, located near the freeway in SF’s Bernal Heights neighborhood, produces food that is donated to food-insecure neighborhoods. Elliot’s devotion to the farm is palpable. She’s attuned to all the nooks and crannies. From the best plants to ward off pests, to the birds that nest in the trees above, this green-thumbed guru’s passion for Alemany Farms is inspiring to witness.
We learned so much about the farm with Lisaruth in our interview, and we’re so excited to share it with you this week.
For more information about Lisaruth and Alemany Farms, please visit:
@lisaruthcreates
http://lisaruthcreates.com
https://alemanyfarm.org/earth-day-on-the-green-april-23/
Meet Lisaruth Elliott!
S3: Ep 12 : Sejal Choksi-Chugh and the San Francisco Bay Keeper
Sejal Choksi-Chugh is a fierce defender of the environment. From a young age she wondered why the water was murky, why the air was polluted, and why no one seemed to be doing anything to fix it. After receiving her law degree with a certificate in environmental law in 2002 from UC Berkeley, Sejal’s been taking charge at San Francisco Baykeeper, a non-profit whose mission is to protect our Bay. Using law, science and advocacy as their tools, SF Baykeeper seeks out polluting businesses and holds them accountable by any means necessary. Sejal has been Executive Director since 2015.
Sejal’s environmental advocacy work extends even beyond our bay. She sits on the governing council of the global Waterkeeper Alliance and co-founded the Bay Area chapter of Environmental Professionals of Color. We were thrilled to interview her this March on the Baykeeper boat. Enjoy!
For more information about Sejal, please visit: https://baykeeper.org/content/our-team
Meet Sejal Choksi-Chugh!
S3: Ep 11 : Jared Blumenfeld Secretary of the Protection of the Environment for the State of California
Jared Blumenfeld is the Secretary of Environmental Protection for the State of California. From protecting air and water quality to regulating pesticides and toxic substances, Jared has had a direct and positive impact on all of our lives here in the Golden State. Thanks to his efforts, not only does SF have the strongest recycling and composting program in the country, but we have also banned plastic bags and styrofoam and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent.
Blumenfeld is somewhat of an environmental warrior, having led international campaigns like the U.N.’s World Environmental Day in 2005, or the habitat protection program for the International Fund for Animal Welfare. He knows that environmental inequality is the most pressing issue facing the Bay Area today, so we at Beyond the Fog Radio were thrilled to be able to talk to him about his plans to help our city while learning about his fascinating career.
For more information about Jared Blumenfeld, please visit: https://calepa.ca.gov/about/bios/blumenfeld/
Meet Jared Blumenfeld!
S3: Ep 10 : Cora Jean’s Old Skool Cafe and Teresa Goines
Teresa Goines is Founder and Executive Director of Old Skool Cafe, a non-profit youth restaurant located in San Francisco’s Bayview District. Once a probation officer in juvenile prison, Teresa realized that locking up kids only perpetuated their troubles. She wanted to give them direction, income, community and purpose. With the help of volunteer chefs and builders, Old Skool Cafe went from a small pop-up in Teresa’s home to a beautiful 1920’s style supper club in an old refurbished church. With velvet curtains and booths to chandeliers and
international soul food, Old Skool Cafe is now a home for both challenged youth and lovers of Soul food alike.
The kids run everything including cooking, cleaning, waiting, and entertainment. The program trains, employs and teaches them leadership and management skills, all the while giving them a new kind of home. Goines’ vision brought Old Skool Cafe to life, but the kids keep it alive. We are very proud to feature her as our guest this week on Beyond the Fog Radio.
For more information about Teresa and Old Skool Cafe, please visit:
https://www.oldskoolcafe.org/
Meet Teresa Goines!
S3: Ep 9: On The Waterfront with Simon Snellgrove and Wayne Perry
Simon Snellgrove is Founder and Principal of Pacific Waterfront Partners, a development company dedicated to restoring the city’s Waterfront. Since San Francisco is such a difficult city to build in, this native Australian has shown immense resilience in facilitating a seamless transition between the old and new parts of the Embarcadero and Piers, all the while maintaining historical accuracy in his clean and tasteful restoration.
Wayne Perry is an East Bay native and CEO and Chairman of Cornerstone Concilium. Originally started in 1986 to help churches with infrastructure, Perry’s company now provides infrastructure programs with all kinds of technical and engineering solutions in the US and Asia. Even more, he is currently building a non-profit to train people from underserved communities in engineering, technology, and all aspects of infrastructure.
Our guests this week are honest, kind and hard-working men. With seagulls flying over our heads on a sunny day in March, we interviewed them about their companies, careers, and recent projects on the Waterfront.
For more information about Simon and Wayne, please visit:
https://www.pacificwaterfront.com/
https://cornerstoneconcilium.com/
Meet Simon Snellgrove and Wayne Perry!
S3: Ep 8: Oz Erickson transforming neighborhoods
Oz Erickson is the Founder and Chairman of the Emerald Fund, a San Francisco-based real estate development company dedicated to transforming entire neighborhoods. Since 1979, Erickson and his company have turned abandoned warehouses into liveable communities and commercial office buildings into residential homes, totaling over 8 thousand housing units.
Oz also sits on several non-profit boards, allowing him to approach his work from a humanitarian point of view. He understands deeply what it takes to build something in our city, and cannot imagine doing anything else in life. Though his humility and honesty have gotten him far, Erickson’s true success lies in his keen creative vision– where one sees a pile of rubble, Oz sees a thriving community. We hope you enjoy our interview with him.
For more information about Oz Erickson and the Emerald Fund, please visit: https://www.emeraldfund.com/
Meet Oz Erickson!
S3: Ep 7: Charmine Curtis and Developing Affordable housing
Charmaine Curtis is one of the first female African American developers in the San Francisco Bay Area. She’s creative, driven and socially-conscious, developing affordable and below market housing to build up and better her community. From multi-family homes to urban infill projects, Curtis has overseen or participated in the development of more than seven thousand housing units.
We at Beyond the Fog Radio find Charmaine to be charming, warm and thoughtful. She describes looking at development like a puzzle, finding the best possible way to maximize opportunity for middle and lower class residents while creating lively and welcoming community spaces. We have much respect for Charmaine and her work, and we hope you enjoy learning from her as much as we did.
For more information about Charmaine Curtis, please visit:
https://www.curtis-development.com/charmaine-curtis
Meet Charmaine Curtis!
S3: Ep 6: Developing BayView Hunters Point with Michael Baines and Cathy Davis
Michael Baines is a developer and contractor for low-income housing and founded his own company, BGI Group Inc. Even more, his company is the largest employer of formerly incarcerated people in the Bay Area. Cathy Davis is the Executive Director of Bayview Hunters Point Multipurpose Senior Services, a nonprofit that provides services to disadvantaged seniors in San Francisco. She likewise runs the Dr. George W. Davis Senior Center, founded by
S3: Ep 5: Pete Sittnick and the Waterbar
With over 25 years of experience in the Bay Area’s restaurant business, Pete Sittnick has opened, operated, and supervised more than 20 restaurants in the Bay Area and beyond. From designing innovative Italian eateries to teaching hospitality at USF, Sittnick’s knack for hospitality management has helped create some of the city’s most frequented restaurants.
Most notable are his sister restaurants Waterbar and Epic Steak. One for seafood (Waterbar) and one for meat (Epic Steak, )these restaurants helped transform the city’s Waterfront after the removal of the Embarcadero Freeway. Sharing the same vision as the locals in opening up the Waterfront, Sittnick was determined to make the restaurants look and feel like the rest of the city. Today it is adored by locals and visitors alike, with Sittnick still working hard to support and connect the San Francisco community.
We loved interviewing Pete at the Waterbar this February and hope you enjoy it, too!
For more information of Pete and Water Bar, please visit: https://www.waterbarsf.com/pete-sittnick
Meet Pete Sittnick!
S3: Ep 4: Art Agnos Former Mayor Of San Francisco
Politician, social worker, and champion of liberalism in San Francisco, former Mayor Art Agnos has left a lasting mark on our city’s offices and landscape. Through his 1988-1992 term, he worked to break up nepotism in the Fire and Police Departments, paving the way for our city’s second African American Police Chief and female Fire Chief.
S3: Ep 3: Sal Garcia the Ferrari Doctor and the Mission
The Ferrari Doctor, the Mayor of Potrero, the proud owner of Waterfront Automobili— Sal Garcia is a living landmark of San Francisco’s rich local communities. His story is one of immigration— from El Salvador to SF’s sunny Mission District, Garcia spent his formative years learning to master the English language and connecting with locals in his neighborhood. He graduated with Mission High with honors, and later USF with degrees in Business and Military Science. After a successful career as Lieutenant Colonel in the Medical Service Corp of the US Army, his love of Ferrari automobiles and all things mechanical inspired him to own and operate his own repair and restoration facility, Waterfront Automobili. Garcia’s success there has earned him the nickname “the Ferrari Doctor,” both in the Bay Area and beyond.
Since childhood, Garcia has had a passion for being a community man. Through his work at Waterfront Automobili and his involvement with SF communities like the SFPD, SFFD, legal specialists, builders, friends and family, Garcia has helped make San Francisco feel like a home to all. In fact, his presence in the city is so strong, his success over the years has grown purely from word of mouth! The friends and organizations that Garcia has grown up with all share a mutual respect for what they each give to their beautiful city of San Francisco. We therefore felt it fitting to include him in our community here at BTFR.
Meet Sal Garcia!