craigleephoto - Tumblr blog

[craigleephoto]

San Francisco skyline with twilight morning fog over the bay before sunrise pictured from Grizzly Peak in the Berkeley Hills on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (Craig Lee/The San Francisco Examiner)

[craigleephoto]

Super blue moonrise over the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline pictured from Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands on Sunday evening, Aug. 18, 2024. (Craig Lee/The San Francisco Examiner)

[craigleephoto]

Swan Oyster Depot, the best seafood restaurant and friendliest service sitting at the counter.

From left: Luke Mitchell, Dara Keane, Brian Sancimino (Steve’s son), Vincent Sancimino, Tom Sanimino, Steve Sancimino, Kevin Sancimino, Joey Miles and Dominic Green at Swan Oyster Depot at 1517 Polk Street in San Francisco on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Craig Lee/The San Francisco Examiner)

Few things have changed in Swan Oyster Depot’s 112-year history since reopening on Polk Street in the aftermath of the 1906 earthquake.

The venerable fresh seafood restaurant has changed hands since then, and perhaps its clientele, but out-the-door lines remain a common sight on the nearby sidewalk.

Since the storefront reopened in 1912, San Francisco residents and out-of-town tourists alike have waited for their turn to amble up to Swan Oyster’s long marble counter and shuck oysters while sitting atop one of the 18 stools that were originally bought when the restaurant’s owners rebuilt at 1517 Polk St. following the 1906 earthquake.

Swan Oyster’s staff, who prepare and serve dishes an arms-length away from patrons, said that the restaurant is simultaneously a capsule of San Francisco’s history, as well as an establishment that is unlike any other new and returning diners will see.

“People who come here for the first time, they don’t even know what to think,” Kevin Sancimino, owner of Swan Oyster Depot, told The Examiner.

Story by James Salazar/Examiner staff writer

[craigleephoto]

Young The Giant, Jungle, Mimi Webb, Grace Jones and Sabrina Carpenter with wedding ceremonies performed for the first time at Outside Lands in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 9 & 10, 2024. (Craig Lee/The San Francisco Examiner)

[craigleephoto]

The World Dog Surfing Championship small dog category at Pacifica State Beach on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024. (Craig Lee/The San Francisco Examiner)

[craigleephoto]

Evening moonrise over the San Francisco skyline pictured from Battery Yates in Sausalito on Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Craig Lee/The San Francisco Examiner)

[craigleephoto]

Fog rolling over the Golden Gate Bridge pictured from Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands on Wednesday, July 10, 2024. (Craig Lee/The San Francisco Examiner)

[craigleephoto]

San Francisco’s world famous sourdough bread is for the birds!

A foodie bird with some sourdough bread flying above Pier 39 in San Francisco on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (Craig Lee/The San Francisco Examiner)

[craigleephoto]

I got to meet a living legend!!!

Rev. Matthew Fong (right), 102, a WWII United States Army Air Corp veteran with his son Jerome Fong, 65, at home in San Francisco on Thursday, May 23, 2024. Matthew was stationed in England and a Boeing B-17 bomber belly gunner flying 35 missions over Germany. After the war, he went to UC Berkeley and Yale Divinity School receiving a doctorate of ministry in 1956. He became senior minister at Chinese Congregational Church in Chinatown, San Francisco until his retirement in 1987. (Craig Lee/The San Francisco Examiner)

[craigleephoto]

Moonrise over the San Francisco skyline and Golden Gate Bridge view from Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands including one with the Yang Ming container ship on its way back to Taiwan on Wednesday evening, May 22, 2024. (Craig Lee/The San Francisco Examiner)

[craigleephoto]

Surf's up, San Francisco!

Surfers were out catching some waves on a warm day at Ocean Beach in San Francisco on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Craig Lee/The San Francisco Examiner)

[craigleephoto]

The People’s Palace theater performance featuring dancers Ciarra D’Onofrio (left) and Veronica Blair in midair under the San Francisco City Hall Dome on Thursday, May 9, 2024. There are two more shows on May 10 &12, Friday and Sunday evening and is presented by Dancers’ Group and Zaccho Dance Theatre. (Craig Lee/The San Francisco Examiner)

[craigleephoto]

Moonrise by Coit Tower in San Francisco on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Craig Lee/The San Francisco Examiner)

[craigleephoto]

San Francisco morning skyline view from Dolores Park on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Craig Lee/The San Francisco Examiner)

[craigleephoto]

Morning sunrise with a view of the Transamerica Pyramid, Embarcadero Center and Bay Bridge in the distance from Nob Hill in San Francisco on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. (Craig Lee/The San Francisco Examiner)

[craigleephoto]

Sunrise over the Bay Bridge along California Street in San Francisco on Monday, April 8, 2024. (Craig Lee/The San Francisco Examiner)

[craigleephoto]

View of San Francisco City Hall along Fulton Street at twilight on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Craig Lee/The San Francisco Examiner)