Jack Kerouac Alley, Chinatown

Down in China town between Grant and Columbus is a small alley that was recently reopened to the public as a sort of landmark or remeberance of Jack Kerouac, the writer and poet. Now each year that little Alley is home to one of the most unique festivels in that area, Art inth Alley, It host an open art fair and showing but the alley is most know for the adorable and stylish engraved tablets that line the alley that have been carved with famous quotations form some of the great writers such as LiPo, Confucius, Ferlinghetta and of course Kerouac himself. The Alley is a trendy hip place for all the soul searching youth of san francisco seem to congergate.

No, Jack Kerouac Alley is not a street. If it were, it would be one of the shortest in the whole of the city. That aside, it is a landmark location worthy of mention.

Once, little more than a dark and seedy shortcut between Grant and Columbus, it was known to the city as Adler Alley. Lawrence Ferlinghetti, founder of City Lights Bookstore which is located on the northern corner of Columbus, petitioned the city to rename the alley and clean up its image. The city eventually agreed, renaming the alley and eventually giving it a deserving facelift.

Today, the alley is a brighter place to visit. For movie fans, the southern corner of Columbus is home to the bar Vesuvio which featured as "Cafe Roads" in Mike Myers "So I married An Axe Murderer." - A reference not lost on fans of the beat generation. Likewise, City Lights Bookstore, a landmark in the literary history of San Francisco, shares a home here as well.

It may have lost the "feel" from 50 years ago when the likes of Tim Leary, Jack Kerouac, and Paul Krassner could be seen hanging around, but it's still a place where the nostalgic can come to visit and walk in the footsteps of some respected, historical icons.

Jack Kerouac Alley is named after Jack Kerouac, a writer. Vehicular traffic was once allowed along the alley but now the street is only free for pedestrian walking. The alley now is embellished with ornamental lamp-posts and poems composed by Chinese poets are inscribed on stone on pavements.

I like to call it Jack Street, because I have no idea how to pronounce the little guy's last name. But aside from that, this is a great street for some scenics. Like a lot of other streets in San Fran, it is gorgeous just to drive up and down this street. It will also take you a lot of places. This is a great one to use just for getting around the city if you have the time to cruise. If you are rushed, then don't worry about it. But yeah, it is beautiful.

Recently renovated into a very user friendy area Jack Kerouac Alley connects Grant Ave. of Chinatown and Colunmbus Ave. of the North Beach Area. This renovation closed the street to traffic and repaved the alley with new granite blocks. In addition decorative streelights have been installed and plaques containing both Chinese and European poetry have been place along the alley. As for things to do the City Lights Bookstore and The Vesuvio Bar can be found at the Columbus Ave. end of the alley with the bulk of Chinatown just beyond the Grant Ave. end of the alley. Although this alley isn't the most spectacular landmark in San Francisio it certainly allows us to spend a moment to reflect on a simpler time.