Sometimes, as much as you love a place and its people—in this case, Chicago, and all the memories it holds for me—it can’t hold all of who you are. And that’s okay. September 30th, 2021. The day I landed back in the Bay Area after having moved back to my

While friends in both cities asked why I planned to return, they asked the same question two different ways. Portland asked with the doubt of a dysfunctional parent, one who knows the answer and resents it. “It’s so expensive there. Isn’t that why you left in the first place?” I

Kaiser patients are waiting longer than ever for care, and clinicians keep leaving in droves because the work is unsustainable and patients continue to suffer.

San Francisco just said, “Ugh, If you’re going to do it, I’d rather you do it in the house.” The city’s Board of Supervisors passed a resolution yesterday determining personal use and distribution of entheogenic plants like peyote, ayahuasca, and psilocybin mushrooms “shall be the lowest law enforcement priority.” The

In celebration of my 20th year in SF, I am extremely excited to announce Slouching Towards Neverland: 20 years of Writing About San Francisco. Here’s a quick rundown: – This limited edition, hand-signed, new zine covers my two decades of writing about this strange and beautiful city. – Besides well known

I tolerate the heat about as well as a hydrangea. Like many of you without air conditioning, I spent the last few days on my couch in my underwear with the blinds down, shades drawn, and a fan on full-blast aimed at my drooping tits. In Missouri where I grew

I tried selling my own shit a couple of times when I needed to get high (or risk getting sick) and was penniless; even while working a full-time job where I made $24 an hour. The old Asian ladies loved to buy half-priced cigarettes from me that I would buy with gift cards from family members who didn’t trust me with any other funds.

By Jeremy Kuempel Fog City Fables is a mini-series about true to life experiences of how people with different backgrounds fell in love with San Francisco, published with permission. By retelling positive personal stories, we hope to inspire an evolving culture that can build upon the best parts of our