Archbishop Riordan High School in San Francisco was a staple for single-gender education since it first opened its doors in 1949. For decades, the all-boys school produced some of the most talented and accomplished men in the Bay Area. But in 2019, that all changed.
For the first time, Archbishop Riordan admitted women to the school, ushering in a new era of co-education. The Class of 2023 is the last class to experience the all-boys era at Riordan, and for many students, this transition was both exciting and bittersweet.
While the school’s decision to become coeducational in 2020 has undoubtedly brought many benefits, the boys of the last all-boys class can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia for the unique bond they shared.
“What I remember most, is the all boys brotherhood . . . we were more intertwined and ourselves,” said Lorenzo Caniglia ’23.
“When I think back to my freshman year, I remember there being a certain sense of relaxed familiarity,” said Lance
Givant ’23. “It felt like there was a unique bond that came with the Riordan brotherhood. We were all guys going through the same things, so we could relate to one another a little bit more.”
Playing in the Riordan band with his brothers, Givant stated, “We were hot, tired, and hoarse, but we were hot, tired, and hoarse together.” Jacob Kleppin ’23 echoed this sentiment, noting that the school felt different during the all-boys years. “We were able to talk to each other and have different conversations than what we can now,” he said.
Amarae Moises ’23 spoke about the close relationships that formed between students in an all-boys school. “The brotherhood that was talked about and introduced by the school was most definitely true,” he said.
He also misses the experience of an allboys school, saying that “having classes
a Riordan going could with hot, tired, ’23 the all-boys other than about formed school. about most all-
with all of my friends/brothers was a different feeling than with a coed class.”
His favorite memory was playing for his freshman basketball team and the brotherhood he formed with his teammates.
“Having practice with them every day after school and going to school together on the bus was what I cherish and miss the most.”
Isiah Chala ’23 added, “Everyone knew each others’ problems and what everybody was going through,” he said. “That created a strong brotherhood that couldn’t be broken.”
But it wasn’t just the sense of community that made the all-boys years special. Many of the boys also miss the fun-spirited learning environment that came with having classes filled with all boys.
“I miss the experience of an all-boys school,” said Michael Buck ’23. “Knowing that I’m going to spend the next four years with my brothers was great for my learning.”
“There was a brotherhood at Riordan that was really special,” said Jameson Datoc ’23. “We all looked out for each other and had each other’s backs. It was a tight-knit community.”
For some, the memories that stand out are the shared experiences of sports and extracurriculars. Nick Yates ’23 treasures the moments he spent with his friends after school on Ocean Avenue, free from the worries of the
world.
Connor Canniffe ’23 said, “Having girls at the school has definitely changed the dynamic, but in a good way. It’s made us more aware of our behavior and how we treat others. I think it’s made us better people.”
As the last all-boys class prepares to graduate, they look back on their time at Riordan with a sense of fondness and gratitude.
“The whole year was my favorite memory,” said Chala. “We walked in with open arms and had the most fun ever.”
These seniors hold a special place in the school’s history, offering memories that portray a glimpse into a time when the school was just for boys, and the bonds of brotherhood were especially strong. While Riordan may have changed since then, the memories of that year will remain with these seniors for the rest of their lives.
Scattered around the city are hundreds of heart-shaped murals created by Bay Area artists. These murals capture the beauty and spirit of the city of San Francisco.
The heart art made their debut in 2004, and they have captured the hearts of locals and tourists alike ever since. This year marks the 150th anniversary of San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, the founders of the heart project.
To celebrate this, 33 new hearts were unveiled at San Francisco’s Ferry Building on Jan. 25. These hearts were shortly auctioned off on Feb. 9, at the 2023 Hearts in SF auction.
The public art pieces are a must-see in this 7 by 7 mile town we call San Francisco, and serve as the beating heart of many of the sights and sounds you will see in the city.
Each heart weighs 400 pounds, and stands 5-feet-tall and 6-feet-wide.
Picture this: you’re strolling to Pier 39, a playground for entertainment, shopping, and watching sea lions. As you approach, a rush of excitement is inevitable.
Pier 39 is packed with shops, restaurants, and attractions, entertaining folks all day long. Grab a bite at the Crab House, or take in the stunning bay views—namely the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge, and Alcatraz. Similarly, Magowan’s Infinite Mirror Maze offers a trippy wonderland, having you laughing and screaming as you find your way out.
Also drawing attention are the talented musicians and wacky comedians. Without these performers—their music, humor, and aweinspiring acts—Pier 39 would not have the vibrant atmosphere it holds now.
This landmark is the perfect destination for a day of adventure and laughter.
By Hazel Nagata-Rampata ’26
A place fit for a sunny day in San Francisco would be Golden Gate Park. It stretches over 1,017 acres and is filled with murals, meadows, and life, like owls, carps, and palm trees. All while being a quiet, but vibrant, patch of green in SF.
Here in this park, it’s somewhere you may call home. The comforting nature of its forests and wildlife transports you out of the busy city and into a land filled with art, luscious gardens, and tall redwood trees.
Places like the de Young Museum capture art and its history, while featuring architecture that consists of sharp lines leading to the sky, allowing for a unique experience inside of the museum.
The hidden gems in this park lead you on an investigation as you find things you may not have thought to be here: bison, Dutch and Murphy windmills, small nooks hidden away in the trees.
The magic of Golden Gate Park is something that won’t disappear, but rather the fascinating world of the park is something sure to stick with you forever.
For folks who live outside of our city, San Francisco’s fog renders it drab and dreary, devoid of color and life. But even with gray, overcast skies, San Francisco retains its vibrancy – especially in the Haight-Ashbury.
Here, each store is colorfully decorated, a feast for the eyes. From a pair of legs sticking out of the Piedmont Boutique to the neon signs of Amoeba Music, the Haight offers much-needed relief from the quotidian fog.
This effervescence comes from the neighborhood’s storied past as the countercultural hub of America, drawing rockstars and hippies from all over the world. While they have mostly disappeared, their spirit lives on, even today.
Walking down Haight Street, it’s impossible not to notice the energy at every corner – at one corner; a ragtag band is playing a heartfelt rendition of a Rolling Stones song; just mere steps away, someone’s peddling hand painted jackets from the 80s.
This joie de vivre is contagious; next time the fog gets you down, try your luck down in the Haight. You won’t regret it.
The Haight Ashbury was once home to famous singers such as the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, and Janis Joplin.
The oldest Chinatown in the United States is San Francisco’s Chinatown, located on Grand Avenue and Stockton Street.
Established in 1906, Chinatown was one of SF’s first port of entry and center to many Chinese merchants during California’s 1848 Gold Rush, but today it continues to thrive as a Chinese immersed neighborhood, with restaurants, gift shops, galleries, and karaoke bars.
At the entrance is Clayton Lee’s 1970 emerald Dragon’s Gate, symbolizing courage and accomplishment. Aside from the architecture, Chinatown is home to delicious meals. Stop by Good Mong Kok Bakery, typically filled by locals buying flavorful savory or sweet dim sum, or Chong Qing Xiao Mian, to buy a warm , comforting bowl of soup.
Whether here for their community, food, or admirable architecture, you won’t be let down.
A quick trip to Osaka, Japan is a little closer to the states than you think. Welcome to San Francisco’s Japantown–an area known by San Franciscans as a place filled with a vibrant atmosphere.
Where Japanese trinkets, art, and cultural items fill the stores. Where people can explore and immerse themselves in Japanese culture. Where people come to take great photos in Peace Plaza. And where people come to take part in seasonal cultural festivals and of course have some authentic Japanese food.
San Francisco’s Japantown, located on Post and Fillmore streets, has been the center of the Bay Area’s Japanese and Japanese American community since 1906.
It is not only the largest and oldest out of the three Japantowns, which all happen to be in California: Little Tokyo in Los Angeles and Nihonmachi in San Jose, but also in all of the United States.
San Francisco’s Japantown, or what locals call it, “Little Osaka” is sometimes overlooked by San Francisco’s Chinatown, but there is a lot to do in the seemingly small area.
After the 1906 Great Earthquake and Fire, Japanese residents in Chinatown moved into what is now Japantown.
In the heart of San Francisco, you will find the oldest building in the city, the old Mission.
Mission San Francisco de Asis was the sixth Mission in the state of California and after its completion on Oct. 9, 1776 it was named after Francisco de Asis (now a saint). The Mission was used not only as a house of worship, but also as agricultural communities, manufacturers of different products, hotels, ranches, hospitals, schools, and the center of the largest communities in the state.
Now, the Mission is a tourist attraction located between Dolores and Church streets, showcasing the rich history of the origins of the city, the history of the Native Americans who lived there, the beautiful original designs of the Mission, and the oldest cemetery in San Francisco.
The Mission District has been an integral part of San Francisco’s Latino culture and history for decades. Despite experiencing significant gentrification over the years, the neighborhood continues to be a vibrant hub of Latino heritage, street art, and culinary scene.
Today, the Mission District remains a testament to the resilience of its community in preserving its cultural identity and history.
Lombard Street is an iconic and renowned tourist landmark in San Francisco, often occupying a similar space in popular consciousness as cable cars, the Golden Gate Bridge, or Alcatraz.
This fame is, at first glance, self explanatory. The street is pleasantly decorated, host to beautiful views from its top, and though native San Franciscans are nearly obligated to state its nature as second most crooked in the world (Vermont
Street in Potrero Hill being first), the street’s crookedness is nonetheless unique.
The street’s fame, however, raises a question to which even many San Franciscans do not know an exact answer: when, and why, was the street built so crookedly? The street, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, began as a steep, straight, cobbled road until 1922, when the city government constructed the now famous brick road crookedly winding down the hill to allow cars to traverse it.
By Naomi Lin ’24
An innovative piece of garment created 150 years ago with a durable blue fabric that withstood the effects of physically strenuous jobs was intricately designed with an arcuate stitching pattern on one back pocket, a watch pocket, a cinch, suspender buttons, and a rivet.
In May of 1873, in San Francisco, businessman Levi Strauss and tailor Jacob Davis were given a patent for their ingenious invention: blue jeans. Initially, they were explicitly designed for miners and laborers who needed sturdier and more protective work clothes, but as a result of changes made in the American economy and the increase in service-based
occupations, jeans are now worn more as a fashion statement.
In 2023, this internationally influential business is commemorating its 150th anniversary through the versatility and popularity of its product.
According to Levi’s, this article of clothing was, “worn by miners, cowboys, rebels, rock stars, presidents and everyday men and women, these functional pieces were the clothes people not only worked in—they lived their lives in, too… They’re the purest wearable form of authentic self-expression. They bear the markings of life, the shapes of our bodies, the memories of our adventures.”
English instructor Diana Assereto said, “Jeans are popular because everything and anything can be worn with them and you will always match. Also, people can wear jeans in a variety of situations from working on a ranch to going out to dinner with friends.”
Normay Arriola ’24 added, “I think jeans are so popular because there’s different styles you can wear them with like skinny jeans and mom jeans.”
In celebration of this milestone, Levi’s is releasing the re-interpretation of the 501 ’90s jeans.
World Languages Department Chair and Armando Castillo recalled, “I remember very clearly when Levi’s 501 jeans were the gold standard of the jeans not just in the US, but in the world.”
He continued, “I was in service during the early 90s and I would buy stacks of Levi’s 501 jeans in the PX and give them out to friends that I had made overseas . . . To this day they are my favorite jeans.”
By Addison Hwang ’24
Invented in 1873 by Scotsman Andrew S. Hallidie, the iconic cable car counts its 150th anniversary this year, through the support of Market Street Railway and San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.
An experienced “maker of wire rope (steel cable),” Hallidie invented the cable car which made its “first run on August 2, 1873” according to sfcablecar.com. Attempting to find transportation up the steep San Francisco hills, besides horsedrawn carriages, he not only made it a success, but provided cheaper, faster, and efficient transportation.
They were used in cities including New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Oakland, London, Paris, Sydney, and Melbourne, and more soon followed. Later on, innovator Frank Sprague created the first electric streetcar in Richmond, Virginia, replacing and advancing the SF Street car, running today.
Because cable lines in Seattle and Tacoma closed in 1941, and New Zealand cable lines closed in 1957, SF was the only place with running street cable cars in America and remains that way today.
All in northeast San Francisco, the three cable cars lines are the only cable cars left in the US.
With a total of 40 cars, they are all “painted in the authentic liveries (paint schemes)” according to streetcar.org. However, to tell the difference, the real ones run only on steel rails while the others
drive on rubber tires.
Some of the views on the oldest cable car line since 1878, the California Street line, include starting at Market Street into the Financial District, Nob Hill, Chinatown, Powell Street, Grace Cathedral, Polk Gulch, and Van Ness Avenue.
Views on the other two lines: Mason and Hyde, and the Powell Street line, include Union Square, Nob Hill, Chinatown, North Beach, Bay Street, Fisherman’s Wharf, Russian Hill, and Beach Street in Aquatic Park.
Jack Reardon, science instructor, remarked, “I think they are an iconic city
feature that makes great business sense to keep around, but aside from that I think that they’re cool and unique in their own right. I think we should definitely hold on to them.”
Running every day from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., you, too can ride the cable car at age 4+ for $8 fare, using cash, the MUNI mobile app, or Clipper card, and enjoy the sights just as people from all over the world have for 150 years now!
Reese Lu ’24 added, “The cable cars should stay because they not only are one of the biggest tourist attractions, but they visually compliment the SF hills. I couldn’t imagine SF without cable cars.”
In 1947, there was a movement to cease cable car operations, but in response, Friedel Klussmann founded the Citizens’ Committee to Save the Cable Cars.
For as long as any San Franciscan can remember, the city has been booming with new businesses, creating more iconic spots for both locals and tourists to enjoy after taking in the beauty of all the San Francisco landmarks.
Boudin Bakery is based in SF and has grown to be a classic specifically known for its sourdough bread. It was founded in San Francisco in 1849, and there are now 29 locations in SF with the main one located in Fisherman’s Wharf.
In addition to having a wide selection of bread, Boudin also has many other various delicious dishes. One of the most famous ones is their clam chowder bread bowl.
A student who has lived in SF her whole life, Scarlett Borges ’24, stated that she will never get sick of it because, “the soup soaks into the bread perfectly so it isn’t soggy or dry, and it’s not too fishy” making it the “perfect for my palate.”
The Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory doubles as a famous San Francisco landmark and location for iconic San Francisco food. It is located on Ross Alley in San Francisco’s Chinatown and is known to be one of the only places where you can watch how fortune cookies are made in-person.
Daniel Cheung ’25 expressed, “Growing up as a Chinese kid in San Francisco and having Chinatown as an essential part of my childhood, the Fortune Cookie Factory was a very fun place to visit. No other fortune cookie can ever match this authentic experience I experienced in my childhood.”
When hearing the word “factory,” it is not expected that workers will be available to converse or welcome visitors, but this is not the case at all. As visitors walk through the doors of the shop, they are kindly greeted with a free, fresh fortune cookie and smiling faces.
Although they are allowed to take as many pictures as they would like, it is expected that they either leave a small tip in the tip jar or buy a bag of handmade fortune cookies.
Cheung continued, saying, “Inside the compact store are workers who make and form the cookies right in front of you. You can even eat them fresh from the griddle wheel as soon as they cool off.” This famous tourist attraction offers a wide variety of these sweet treats, including regular, glazed, chocolate-dipped, flat, strawberry, green tea, chocolate, and even giant fortune cookies.
Inside the shop, visitors will find pictures of Golden State Warriors NBA Basketball player, Klay Thompson, put up by Kevin Chan who is an avid fan of the Warriors. There is even a large mural on the wall of the factory, exhibiting a cherished picture of Kevin and Klay.
The factory is open all days of the week, but hours vary on weekdays and weekends. The weekday hours are from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and the weekend hours are from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The next iconic San Francisco food item is Rice-A Roni, “The San Francisco Treat.” This ingenious invention was created in 1958 by Vincent DeDomenico, an American entrepreneur, along with his brother and sister-in-law, Tom and Lois DeDomenico.
Not long after World War II, Tom and Lois were searching for a home in San Francisco and were able to rent a room in the house of Pailadzo Captanian, an Armenian woman who taught Lois to make baklava and Armenian Pilaf.
Captanian often asked Tom, Vincent, and Lois to bring Golden Grain vermicelli back from the pasta factory the DeDomenico brothers and their father owned in San Francisco.
She would ask them to break the vermicelli into pieces as small as rice grains to ultimately make
into pilaf.
The DeDomenicos moved out of Captanian’s house and found their own, where Lois cooked the Armenian Pilaf frequently.
Tom DeDomenico’s brother, Vincent, had a brilliant idea, saying, according to legend, “This would be great in a box.” This inspired their company to work on the idea of pasta in a box, which would later be enjoyed nation-wide.
The invention got its name because it is a combination of rice and vermicelli pasta. The DeDomenicos believed the word “macaroni’’ was more American than “pasta,” so they decided to call it “Rice-A-Roni,’’ meaning rice and macaroni.
Scott Chiesa, Resource and Wellness Moderator, reminisced, “I remember when my mom made Rice-A-Roni, it was always a cold day. As a kid coming home from school and seeing the box, I was excited for dinner that night!”
Rice-A-Roni commercials featured a jingle that sings, “Rice-A-Roni, the San Francisco Treat. Rice-ARoni, the flavor can’t be beat. One pan, no boiling, cooking ease. A Flavor that is sure to please. Rice-ARoni, the San Francisco treat!”
This captivating jingle increased the popularity of the side dish and will forever be known as “The San Francisco Treat!”
Tea & Others lies within a quaint building at the corner of Haight and Divisadero. Upon entering, one is greeted by the warm, enticing aroma of tapioca pearls, foreshadowing the delightful concoctions to come.
On the wall adjacent to the counter, there was a glorious selection of drinks, ranging from popular drinks such as the classic black milk tea to unique drinks we have yet to have seen elsewhere in the city, such as the Sunny Side Up, a drink made with salted egg yolk and tea.
However, we were not so bold as to order such exotic beverages, and thus we stuck to ordering the generic options: a medium Thai tea, a dirty matcha latte with brown sugar, and a strawberry matcha latte, all with tapioca pearls.
Despite some claiming that $7 for boba is unreasonable, which it probably would be if you were living in the early 2010s, it is quite reasonable in this day and age, considering its size.
The floral notes of the Thai tea were balanced by the sweetness of the condensed milk. Thereupon our initial sip, we could immediately tell that the tea was brewed with real Ceylon tea leaves, not the powder commonly used by other establishments. However, we also felt that the tea was a bit milky for our taste. We would recommend the Thai tea though.
In addition to the Thai tea, we ordered the Dirty Matcha Latte accompanied by oat milk. Upon sipping it, we detected a distinct smooth matcha flavor that was not overpowered by the sweetness despite having thoroughly mixed the brown sugar with the matcha.
The final drink we ordered was the Strawberry Matcha Latte. The drink consisted of a strawberry puree created with real strawberries and incredibly smooth matcha. However, despite us ordering with 100 percent sweetness, we thought it was not sweet enough; thus, we advise ordering the drink with 150 percent sweetness.
Overall, this aesthetic small boba shop offers a unique selection of drinks at an average price. If you are looking for a quiet setting with outside seating and a creative drink, we greatly commend this place.
By Ivana Maldonado ’26San Francisco has many sights to see including, The Golden Gate Bridge, Twin Peaks, and the abundance of boba tea shops on every corner. Today, however, I am focusing on one shop very close to the Riordan community.
I wanted to try something different that’s not on most boba tea menus. I ordered an Organic Rose Buds Black Tea with Cream Cheese Foam from Sweet Cupz on Ocean Avenue, which just recently opened.
The first thing I noticed about the drink was the flavor. The taste was very unique and nothing like most other drinks. You could definitely taste the rose, though it wasn’t too strong.
The different flavors of the drink all blended very well and complemented each other to create an almost relaxing taste. I
found myself wanting to take sips of this drink every second. Since it is a black tea, it did have caffeine in it, but the rose balanced it out very well.
The cheese foam at the top also added a fun twist to this drink, though what I liked about it was that it wasn’t overwhelming. The drink also has some rose petals and rose jelly in it, which also makes it very pretty.
What really sets this boba shop apart from other places is the menu. It’s not boring, or repetitive, and has a wide range of unique and different drinks for you to try. Another plus is that they also serve food.
My overall thoughts are that the drink is definitely worth trying and my experience was really pleasant. I would say I found my new goto boba shop and I’m definitely going back soon. This drink gets a five-star rating and I can’t wait to try some of their other options.
By Rose Baik ’26
I went to a bubble tea store in South San Francisco called Milk Tea Lab. As I went into the store, the interior design was like a chemistry lab. There were colorful beakers and test tubes, along with a huge periodic table, but instead of having elements in the rows, there was the menu, listed like they were elements. I found that to be a creative way of displaying their drinks.
I eventually ordered a mango milk tea with mango stars and honey boba. The drink was $5 and it tasted great because it was freshly made. It was sweet, cold, and I could really taste the mango flavor. The honey boba and mango stars were bursting with flavor and was the perfect combination to put into this mango milk tea.
Something I like about this store is that you can “create your own drink.” There are many toppings you can choose from, like grass jelly and egg pudding, and you can mix and match them however you like it.
I rate this drink 5 out of 5 mango stars. I definitely recommend getting this drink, but if you do not like mango, you have a ton of other options, like lychee milk tea, matcha milk tea, cupid tonic, and a lot more! So, the next time you are in South San Francisco, or Irving street in SF, make sure to stop by Milk Tea Lab to get a satisfactory beverage!
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