title: Rough Edges: The Alleyways of North Beach
author: Dede Tisone
description: Among other things, Dede is Italian. Her grandparents came from Capracotta, Italy in 1913 through Ellis Island and the ships manifest clearly states that they were not anarchists. Neither is she, but she is an artist. After over twenty years as a public school art teacher, Dede left the classroom to direct the California Arts Project at San Jose State University. She left the suburbs to settle in a vintage San Francisco home where she entertains friends and family on her garden roof deck. She is active in the Aquatic Park Neighbors, volunteering her time and talents. Dede can frequently be seen in the mornings trudging up the hills of North Beach with her walking buddies looking for inspiration or having coffee in the local cafes. Harvey describes himself as a recovering bureaucrat. After almost 30 years in public service, when the kids left home and the dog died, he and his wife Sandy pulled up stakes and left the suburbs behind. After much soul-searching they decided that the big city was for them. Not just any big city, but San Francisco. After more than a decade in Bagdad by the Bay it still seems fresh and new to them. From the beginning Harvey had a passion for local history, lore and mythology of San Francisco. His interest led him to City Guides (sfcityguides.com), an all volunteer organization that leads walking tours throughout San Francisco. For several years he has been giving visitors an insiders view of his North Beach neighborhood. I want our readers to know he recently said that this book is a labor of love and I hope they will forgive any oversights or liberties Ive taken in the text about people and places. For as Voltaire said All the ancient historiesare just fables that have been agreed upon.
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  ## 23
  
  The Tenderloin is that part of town which caters to the side of people they
  keep hidden. Any vice can be found there, any sin committed, almost any need
  fulfilled. The hookers and the drug dens and gambling pits are just the
  surface, the glamour. At least, those aspects of those things that can be
  glamorous when seen from the street.
  
  It's a glitzy street. Or streets, really. The area is bigger than Tinkery Row.
  And more successful. Nothing sells like sin. After the Hill it's the most
  prosperous, cleanest, safest, and most orderly part of the city. Some very
  unpleasant people make sure it stays that way.
  
  It all belongs, directly or indirectly, to Chodo Contague's empire.
  
  Bishoff Hullar's taxi-dance place is as tame a dive as you can find there.
  That's all the girls do, dance and talk to lonely fellows and try to get them
  to buy drinks. Maybe a few make personal arrangements, but there are n