Emporium Dome Celebrates 100
Editors’ Note: The October 2004 GuideLines featured a story on the Emporium dome when it was hoisted on a perch for a year during construction of the Westfield Centre. The following article revisits the story with some new information and permission from the Bancroft Library to publish another photo. September 2008 was the 100th birthday of the dome in the Westfield Centre. In 1896 a cooperative of merchants rented space at the Parrot Building at 835 Market Street and called their venture the Emporium. As its signature feature, the building contained a magnificent dome. The Parrot Building was designed by Albert Pissis, who also designed the James Flood Building across t.....

Happy 30th Anniversary!
On October 20th, over 200 City Guides and Sponsors gathered in the San Francisco Public Library Atrium to celebrate our 30th Anniversary. The space was beautiful, the food delicious, and the proclamations mind boggling. The 30th Anniversary Committee began planning for this event a year ago, immediately after last year’s Treasure Hunt. Proclamations were read from Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, and, in person, by California State Senator Leland Yee. San Francisco Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval presented a proclamation from Mayor Gavin Newsom. Music was supplied by recording engineer and archivist Dick Wahlberg, who brought one of his 32 antique phonographs and entert.....

Guide Profile: Suzanne Battat Dowling
What tours do you lead? I lead the Pacific Heights Mansions tour and the North Beach by Night tour, which I created along with Liz Einbinder in 2001. Both are great fun to give, but the North Beach tour is especially dear to me since Liz and I spent so much time researching this tour. The "field research" was the best part–a lot of time in the bars and restaurants of North Beach! What motivated you and Liz to create the North Beach By Night tour? While on City Guides' first Haunted City Hall tour (given by Rob Spoor in 2000), Liz and I discussed how fun it would be to create our own evening tour. No other regular evening tour existed, and given the vibrancy of the .....