Peter Hartlaub
banner
peterhartlaub.bsky.social
Peter Hartlaub
@peterhartlaub.bsky.social
San Francisco Chronicle culture critic. Spends too much time in the archive. Total SF co-founder. S.F. 🌁 Oakland 🌳 Alameda ⚓️
LOVE my new @bart.gov holiday sweater.

Appreciate that instead of thinking “how do we make it weirder/uglier?” they pivoted to “let’s make a holiday sweater people can wear to a first date or job interview!”

❄️🚇💯❄️
November 10, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Also saw this one over the weekend at Pier 7, AKA the “Always Be My Maybe” pier.

The most Instagrammable city in the world can’t stop won’t stop.
November 5, 2025 at 4:34 PM
New sculpture near the ferry terminals has a “War of the Worlds” vibe and I’m here for it.
November 5, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Agnos was also the first S.F. mayor and one of the first assemblymen to march in the Pride parade.

I know *every* local politician eventually got their own float. But in 1978 — just six years after the parade started & struggled to get city permits — this was an important action.

📸: Terry Schmitt
November 4, 2025 at 2:27 AM
Agnos on losing reelection because of his Embarcadero stance:

"You know what Peter? I'd do it again in a hot minute. Because I've found what sticks to you, like a good breakfast in the morning, is the knowledge that you made this a fabulous city.

"The important thing is we make a difference."

🌁 ❤️
November 3, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Just talked to Art Agnos, in great spirits.

Served one term — his support of the Embarcadero Freeway teardown sunk his reelection — but his tenure ages so well.

Pushed for housing, parks and safe space for pedestrians and bicyclists. And the Embarcadero is now his biggest triumph.

📸: Minh Connors
November 3, 2025 at 9:14 PM
I wrote this story on a tip from @davidgallagher.bsky.social, after one of the 1952 race cars surfaced in Penn Valley.

Car-free JFK forever. But if the owner gets this running I think we should allow 1 lap at 10 miles per hour just for history.

Gift link 🏎️ 🎁 ⬇️

www.sfchronicle.com/totalsf/arti...
October 30, 2025 at 4:24 PM
I don’t have any of my airbrushed clothes left but I do have some Nate Tan art on my wall.

(In the background behind the middle school basketball team I coach.)

Inspired by Alan’s piece to commission a Valkyries airbrush hoodie from Nate in 2026.

@pochoboymeetsworld.bsky.social
October 22, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Rough year for Bay FC fans but Silkowitz has been a highlight reel
In goal.

Crowd cheered louder for this than any goal all season.

#WeAreBayFC
@mingemi.bsky.social
October 18, 2025 at 3:42 AM
Oh man.

Ace Frehley is gone. Condolences to the KISS Army

I think often of the concert I wish I attended: KISS at the Cow Palace 8/16/1977, the day Elvis died. These images by @sfchronicle.com photographer Stephanie Maze show the vibes, and how many lives that band influenced.

RIP 🔥🤘🔥
October 16, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Love this so much!!

I strapped a GoPro (precariously) on my bike for the 38-mile Roundabout around the perimeter of S.F. and Joy Jeong turned it into this extremely cool @sfchronicle.com video.

Check it out! ⬇️

www.sfchronicle.com/video/articl...
October 16, 2025 at 9:21 PM
In today’s free Total S.F. newsletter!

🦫 A tour of beautiful … Martinez?

🥪 My Top 10 Bay Area sandwiches

🌁 S.F. streets name stories — including one named after a notorious fraudster

Sign up now! ⬇️

www.sfchronicle.com/totalsfnewsletter

New edition every Thursday!
October 16, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Thanks to all who read these downtown profiles, and don’t attack me for ripping off “Bay Area Backroads.”

Martinez rocks. Loved seeing beaver murals, eating good sandwiches & stopping my bike to let horses pass on Main St.

Gift link for Doug McConnell fans 🎁 ⬇️

www.sfchronicle.com/totalsf/arti...
October 16, 2025 at 3:26 PM
@rollovereasy.org Good morning Roll Over Easy!

Photo of me on Tatooine! Or Fort Funston. I couldn’t really tell the difference that day.

(On the Crosstown Trail Roundabout last week. Cayuga Park forever.)
October 16, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Also in today's Marc Benioff column:

1980s photo of a teen Benioff looking adoringly at his grandfather Marvin Lewis, S.F. supervisor & father of BART.

Lewis walked to work from Sea Cliff each day — a touch grass ritual his grandson sorely needs.

Gift link 🎁

www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/m...
October 13, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Wife: Calmly accepts the $3 off like a normal person.

Me: Rage, rage into the night! Take your senior citizen discount and fuck right off Heidi’s Pies!!!
October 11, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Do you love exploring the Bay Area? Are you subscribing to the free Total SF newsletter?

Today's edition:

🌁 More on the perimeter trail!

⚽ Did the @oaklandroots.bsky.social make the Coliseum cool again?

🏟️ My favorite Day on the Green photo!

Sign up here! ⬇️

www.sfchronicle.com/totalsfnewsletter
October 9, 2025 at 3:51 PM
The real #1 reason to read today's @sfchronicle.com exploration of San Francisco's new perimeter trail:

The @jachristian.bsky.social photos. No one captures the city's quiet beauty like Jessica.

Gift link for everyone who's here for the photography.

🎁 📸 ⬇️

www.sfchronicle.com/projects/202...
October 9, 2025 at 3:37 PM
My most boomer move of 2025:

(Maybe ever?)

Accidentally texted the doctor’s office that did my dental implant instead of the text thread with my two college BFFs.
October 7, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Hope you'll check this one out!

Lord Frederick lives on Mission St. near the @sfchronicle.com

@brontewittpenn.bsky.social & I wanted to show the multitudes of someone living his best life in one of the city's most misunderstood neighborhoods.

Gift link! 👑 🎁

www.sfchronicle.com/totalsf/arti...
September 27, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Can’t get enough of Albany Bulb?

I have more coming on the Marble Run, a new sculpture and my favorite part of the visit. Definitely the biggest “Who did this?!” moment of the trip.

Here’s a preview:
September 18, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Gift link so you can see the wonderful @brontewittpenn.bsky.social photos in today's Albany Bulb column!

It's a very hard place to describe. But I think we captured the quirky, poetic, color-outside-the-lines, protest vibes of the space.

🎁 ⬇️

www.sfchronicle.com/totalsf/arti...
September 18, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Ballhalla South bummer: Beginning of the 2nd quarter and the good places are already out of food.

They don’t prepare for this? Does nobody eat at Sharks games?
September 18, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Must be an SAP thing. This person with a balloon hat sat in front of my wife.
September 18, 2025 at 2:19 AM
“BALLHALLA IS A MENTALITY”

Love this sign another fan was carrying walking in. The Ballhalla South vibes are strong!

Let’s go Valkyries!!!

⛹🏽‍♀️💜💯

@wgoldenstate.bsky.social
@mingemi.bsky.social
September 18, 2025 at 2:01 AM