About in The City

Things Are Looking Up

2010-08-21T09:04:00.000-07:00

A bit of yarny whimsy on a chain link fence. The K looks a bit like a Q, but I have to admire the effort. It's always nice to come across something like this in an otherwise bleak block. Wishful thinking or vision of the future? Either way, it's a welcome distraction from l'eau de urine.

The Clay

2010-08-19T07:37:00.000-07:00

It would be very easy for this blog to become some sort of "in memoriam" site for all of the lost landmarks of San Francisco. I don't really like dwelling on things I can't change.

Peering at old photos, wistfully imagining what it would be like to visit Playland at the Beach, Sutro Baths, the City of Paris store or the Fox Theatre, is a favorite pastime... and not a very productive one. What really makes me melancholy, and feel even more helpless, is witnessing the end of an era and an establishment that was a part of my life for many years. Landmark Theatres has just announced that it's closing the Clay Theatre on Fillmore Street at the end of August. The Clay is a very modest place but it's also one of the oldest cinemas in The City. It's been around for 100 years, so it's been part of the lives of many San Franciscans. I've spent an enormous amount of time in the movie houses of this city over the years and I watched dozens of single-screen theatres fade away. After each closing, for some reason, I've imagined that whatever cosmic force is devouring them will finally be sated. Alas, that just isn't so.

Fruit Fly (The Movie)

2010-08-15T08:17:00.000-07:00

In this blog I generally try to avoid promoting things like movies as there are plenty of sites devoted to pushing Hollywood Product©, but this is the rare exception. It's an exception because the film is anything but "Hollywood" and it's by a film maker who obviously loves San Francisco and its denizens. I had an opportunity to see the movie at the Castro Theatre this last week; it's called Fruit Fly and it's by the very talented H.P. Mendoza. He writes, directs, scores, edits and co-stars in the film (I might have left something out). This combo is generally a recipe for artistic disaster, but in this case, his very real talent and enthusiasm more than carry the day (or the film). The cast is remarkable, as well; especially notable is the performance by the beautiful and gifted L.A. Renigen. The film really captures the flavor and energy of The City and was filmed in locations that you won't find in the usual SF-based RomCom. Also check out his previous opus, Colma:The Musical. It's a joy, as well.

Fruit Fly is currently making the usual indie theatrical circuit and will be available in October from TLA Video.

Another One Bites the Dust

2010-08-13T08:46:00.001-07:00

It happens so often in the BIG (ish) CITY; you're away for a couple of weeks and when you return, a little piece of your world has gone missing. That little bit of San Francisco was Bob's Broiler on Polk Street. Bob's wasn't the sort of place you would recommend to others. The food was mediocre, at best. But it did have something going for it. I don't know whether it was the comfortably-worn gray vinyl booths or the hand-written signs or the mangy houseplants, but Bob's was truly a part of the character of Polk Street. It was the kind of place you ate at because it was there and it was open. A few years ago there was a wonderful essay by Mike Weiss in the Chronicle on the closing on Herb's Fine Foods on 24th Street. I think it captures the sense of loss of a place like Bob's better than I can. Bye Bob's.

The Great Star Theatre

2010-07-29T09:24:00.000-07:00

The Great Star Theatre on Jackson Street is the only remaining Cantonese Opera House in the United States. The theatre was built in 1925 and is currently being renovated. I watched Hong Kong films here years ago and I'd love to visit the place again someday. It's not much to look at on the inside, but it's still a pretty amazing cultural asset and I'm glad it hasn't met the fate of the other theaters of Chinatown. Here's a link to what's going on with the place (as of March, anyway). It was pretty quiet the last time I walked by.

The Last Bus Out or The Last Days of the Transbay Terminal

2010-07-27T15:25:00.000-07:00

The once-grand Transbay Terminal at Mission and First Streets opened in 1939. Designed by Timothy Pflueger (other Pflueger projects include the Castro Theatre, the Oakland Paramount and Pacific Telephone Building), the building served the extensive system of interurban trains and buses that was developed after the construction of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The trains of the Key System (predecessor of today's AC Transit) once ran on the lower deck of the bridge while auto traffic was confined to the upper deck of the structure. At its peak, during the post WWII years, the terminal served 26 MILLION passengers a year with 10-car trains arriving every 63.5 seconds at peak hours (take that, BART!).
Today, after years of neglect, the old station awaits the wrecking ball. It's hard to imagine, while walking through the empty corridors, that this place was built to handle 17,000 passengers every 20 minutes. Not so long ago the building had coffee shops, a cocktail lounge, news agents, a shoe-shine man, information booths, you name it. For the last few years, the cavernous waiting halls have been home to scores of homeless individuals and the only passengers that the place saw would scurry as quickly as possible out onto the city streets. A temporary terminal at Howard and Beale (Network!) opens on August 7th. The shiny new terminal is scheduled for completion in 2017 and will be home to the new California High-Speed Railway to Los Angeles (I have a feeling that we will all be VERY old by the time this train makes its debut).
These photos are among the last of this old place. The Terminal is the sort of unloved and oft-ignored urban structure that no one will remember and who's passing few will mourn, but it's important to acknowledge that this place played an important part in the history of The City for the past 70 years.

Musical Stuffed Monkeys

2010-07-22T07:47:00.000-07:00

This, admittedly, oddly-named attraction is my favorite little slice of joy at the joyous Musee Mechanique on Pier 45 in Fisherman's Wharf. Unfortunately, the music filter on this blog site seems to be blocking the accompanying song (it's Herb Alpert) due to copyright issues. You'll just have to hear it for yourself. You may want to wait until the summer throngs have moved on until you give this place a visit, but when you do , these little Bimbos won't disappoint.

Taking a Break

2010-07-16T08:17:00.000-07:00

A wee bit o' whimsy from Sacramento Street in Laurel Heights. Little feet on a mail box. Little Doctor Seuss-type feet on a mail box. Not much else going on on this block. It was early evening when I took this photo and like many über-upscale neighborhoods in San Francisco (or elsewhere, for that matter) this street really roles up the sidewalks near the end of the day. The cafes close up shop, the shops close up shop and one expects the tumbleweeds to start rolling at any moment. I imagine that if I hang out long enough in this dead zone, this mail box might wander off, looking for somewhere a bit more "happening".

Another Hidden Paradise

2010-07-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

I don't think you can have too much of the out-of-doors. There are so many places in the Bay Area to explore, you'd spend the better part of a lifetime just sorting them out, let alone really getting to really know them. Here's a spot that's easily overlooked, yet it's adjacent to one of the more visited areas of the Peninsula. It's called the Burleigh-Murray Ranch. Just south of Half Moon Bay on Higgins-Purisima Road, it's a little-known and little-visited State Park. I was there over the busy 4th of July weekend and only encountered one other hiker. There's not much to the place other than spectacular solitude and simple beauty. The main trail winds through fragrant eucalyptus groves and verdant meadows. There are wild blackberries and a swift, cool stream. Near the end of the trail is an old dairy barn from the 19th century and a couple of picnic tables. Not much, but more than enough.

Summer in the Park

2010-06-30T07:37:00.000-07:00

It's a real pleasure to enjoy an evening stroll around Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park. We've had a few fog-free evenings in the park lately and there's nothing like taking advantage of the late summer sunsets to bask in the the bountiful beauty of nature. Spending some time with the turtles, sunning on their log lounges, while enjoying pink popcorn on a bench; who could ask for anything more?

Frontier Village (That's where the action is)

2010-06-19T08:55:00.000-07:00

Years ago, in an age before video games, reality TV and massive amusement parks (and chewing gum with liquid in it), there was a wonderful place called Frontier Village. From 1961 until 1980, it was located in a rural part of (seemingly) far-off, warm and sunny San Jose. It was the perfect place for a Bay Area family to enjoy a summer's day. The entrance resembled that of a log fort and the sight of it would send any kid's heart racing. I think my family went there every summer of my childhood. I can remember every ride distinctly. My parents liked it because they could, pretty much, let us loose (poor modern parents; no letting the kids loose anymore!) while they enjoyed a shady bench in the beautifully landscaped grounds. The great thing is, you can still visit the place. It's located next to an eponymous, and somewhat dispiriting, apartment complex and is called Edenvale Garden Park. There are traces of the old Frontier Village, for those who know where to look. A great website and guide to the park is located here. It's nice that it wasn't turned into a shopping center.

The Beginning of Summer

2010-06-19T08:12:00.000-07:00

Summer is a very different concept for residents of the coastal Bay Area than it is for just about everyone else in the contiguous 48 states. Not for us the warm evening on the front porch (I know, what front porch?). We have to wear something a bit heavier than shorts and t-shirts as we stroll about. Sometimes "summer" involves having to wear 2 or 3 layers of clothing . I once saw a (seemingly sane) woman (an out-of-towner, no doubt) wearing ear muffs in July. We're quite used to nasty comments and sympathetic acknowledgment regarding our lack of balmy breezes (we experience more of a strong, cold gale).

Still, if it's sticky, sweltering heat you crave, you've not got far to go. A quick BART ride will remedy those chill blains. Places like Sacramento, a relatively short drive away, will warm you up 40F degrees on some days. Fun.

The point of all this is that even die hard, fog-loving residents of the coast need a bit of a break from the June gloom... on occasion.

Bumper Car

2010-06-16T07:48:00.000-07:00

I don't know how long this bumper car has been sitting here in the shrubs of this West Portal home. It's a neighborhood I'm very familiar with and I walk this street quite often. Still, I've never noticed THIS before. I wonder why you'd position an old bumper car in your front garden. I don't think it's a decorative addition, it appears to be stored here. The plastic guard fence is a nice touch.

3 Heads 6 Arms

2010-06-08T08:24:00.000-07:00

There's a new sculpture at Civic Center and it's pretty imposing. It looks a bit like a Ray Harryhausen creation from an old Sinbad movie that's been summoned from the depths of Brooks Hall (which sits beneath the civic center plaza). Called 3 HEADS 6 ARMS , it's by Chinese artist Zhang Huan and it commemorates the 30th anniversary of San Francisco's Sister City relationship with Shanghai. The Asian Art Museum, across the street, currently has an exhibit about Shanghai that you'll have to visit before it closes in September.

A Trip Back in Time to Locke

2010-06-02T09:37:00.000-07:00

About an hour and a half from San Francisco, on the Sacramento Delta, sits Locke. It's the last rural Chinese village in the U.S. Founded in the early years of the 20th century by Chinese farmers and laborers, it's an amazing place. It's full of distinctive architecture that evokes both the Old West and original Chinese villages of its founders. An old boarding house had been recently restored by the state and serves as a museum and visitor center. The thing I like most of all about Locke is that it's not a tourist trap; it has a refreshing authenticity without feeling like a ghost town. I suppose that has to do with its out-of-the-way location. The town is still fully populated yet it has the ambiance of a sleepy, hot, rural town of the 1930s or 40s. It has heaps of character (and quite a few characters) and is well worth a visit. On the way, be sure to stop in the other small towns like Isleton and Walnut Grove. They, too, had a strong Chinese presence which is still visible in the old stores, temples and homes that line the main streets.

San Francisco Botanical Garden Alternatives

2010-05-28T08:27:00.000-07:00

Quite a few people are, understandably, upset about the recent (successful) push by the SF Parks and Recreation Department and the SF Botanical Society to charge an admission fee to the Arboretum. It's a pretty inexcusable appropriation of a great PUBLIC resource. First, they change the name of the place and demote poor Helen Strybing (her generous donation, in the memory of her late husband, made the garden possible) to a footnote and now they'll be charging out-of-towners a hefty fee and checking the IDs of all visitors. Pretty depressing.
Still... there's a lot of park left that doesn't require a fee or ID check. One place that's as beautiful, if not more beautiful, as anything in the Arboretum is the De Laveaga Dell/National AIDS Memorial. It's a short stroll from the Academy of Sciences. It's usually very quiet and it's very, very wonderful.

A Beautiful Freeway?

2010-05-24T08:02:00.000-07:00

The freeways of California don't generally inspire anything but dread, frustration or, at best, boredom in most people. After recently spending a fair amount of time on freeways throughout our great state, I've experienced a renewed appreciation for our own 280 freeway. Running down the San Francisco Peninsula to San Jose, it's a generally spectacular roadway. Part of its attraction may be the lack of billboards, gas stations, fast food joints or large trucks. The real pleasure is the spectacular scenery that one encounters just minutes from the congestion of The City. There's easy access to many natural and man-made attractions including Filoli and countless county parks. The photo above was taken from Sawyer Camp Trail (easily accessed from the Hayne Rd./Black Mountian Rd. exit). The body of water is the beautiful San Andreas Reservoir and the unspoiled wilderness of the San Francisco Water District. Thanks to the freeway, this is all about a half hour away from the heart of San Francisco. Strange to be thankful for a freeway.

Valencia Street Makeover

2010-05-17T18:53:00.000-07:00

Valencia Street has been undergoing some rather heavy construction in the last few months. The sidewalks are being widened, trees planted and new light standards installed. The bits that are nearing completion look quite nice and a few places have already put tables out on the newly-widened pavements. If it looks half as nice as the recent work on Divisadero, it'll be a great success. This shot was taken in front of one of the major assets in this neck of the woods: Community Thrift. It's the home of really good shopping, if you can endure the oft-times terrible music choices by the staff. Great looking new paint, by the way.

Free Floating Anxiety

2010-05-09T09:06:00.000-07:00

I try to keep things on a lighter note in this blog. Still, sometimes it's hard not to notice darker skies. A few weeks ago, someone took to the streets of the Mission/Dolores Park area and scrawled this message on several buildings (it's a bit hard to see, but it says, "Kill Hipsters & Yuppies"). I couldn't help noticing that the locations had something in common; they were all popular restaurants, cafes or bars.
I live in what is, quite possibly, the HIPPEST NEIGHBORHOOD IN AMERICA®. The private Google/Yahoo/Facebook/YouTube buses prowl the streets, collecting their live cargo and transporting them to points south (places, evidently, no hipster would consider LIVING in).
The person who sprayed this graffito probably notices these people too, notices how they fill the restaurants, cafes, bars, gourmet groceries and organic ice cream shops to overflowing. In a place where lot of people are feeling less than secure, where a lot of people are unemployed or underemployed, a good number of people are doing very well indeed. I don't think I've ever been so conscious of the divide between the young and rich, who constitute so many of the neighborhood's new residents, and the old "just-getting-by" types who fill the rent-controlled apartments. The forces at work in this City and, specifically, this neighborhood are as old as the hills. There's not much one can do about gentrification. A little rent control here, some subsidized housing there. In the end, change is inevitable. I think the angry person with the spray can probably knows this. He (or she) probably "keys" expensive cars in his spare time (no doubt, he has PLENTY of spare time). I'm hopeful that's as far as the acting-out goes.
I'm not sure what I'm trying to say with this post, other than to acknowledge the terrible anxiety that lurks not far below the surface of our beautiful City... and our country. Not happy thoughts.

Gone to Seed

2010-05-08T17:39:00.001-07:00

We're still in Aquatic Park (probably because it's so nice this time of year). Most of the Wharf, deservedly, gets dismissed by locals, but this is one place with something for everyone. The Hyde Street Pier and Aquatic Park comprise the National Maritime Museum and they are perfect places to enjoy a beautiful late spring day. If you approach the park via the trail from Fort Mason, you can forget all about the crowds that throng such attractions as Hooters, Rainforest Cafe and the Wax Museum. It's easy, and not entirely fair, to dismiss the Wharf. Good things are happening and The City seems to be making an attempt to spruce the old cash cow up a bit. Lord knows, it seems the tourists will put up with anything. They still flock to the crowded sidewalks strewn with "performers" covered in silver paint. Then again, if you stay away, you'll miss the Musee Mechanique, the S.S. Jeremiah O'Brien and the U.S.S. Pampanito. That would be a bad thing.
Back to Aquatic Park; the scrappy shrubs pictured above used to spell out "Aquatic Park" and were a very nice, old-fashioned touch. Now they're just ill-maintained shrubs. I'm hopeful that they'll be groomed to their previous perfection once the ongoing park rehabilitation is complete.

Forgotten Fountain

2010-04-30T08:44:00.000-07:00

I've walked by this rather clumsy looking fountain many times over the years. It's just below Ghirardelli Square across from Aquatic Park. This time I stopped to read the information on a small plaque next to the fountain. A bell went off and I remembered coming across a photo of a similar object in the Mission District years ago. At the time I wondered what had happened to it. As it was no longer in its original location, I figured it had been scrapped as a bit of "useless" old street furniture.

Turns out that the Aquatic Park fountain is the SAME ONE featured in the old picture. How it made its way here is probably lost to history. It's known as the Mariani Fountain and was originally located in front of Mr. Mariani's hardware store at 23rd and Florida in the Mission. The original caption on the 1957 photo states,

"Not for sale is this original 82 year-old Mission fountain, owned by Walter A. Mariani, long-time hardware merchant. The City wants it for a bridle path on Sunset Blvd. Mrs. Amanda Rivera poses beside the relic."

I guess The City eventually got its fountain and, although it didn't end up on a bridle path (!) on Sunset Blvd, it's a bit forlorn in its present location. It's filled with some mucky water and a cigarette butt or two. I really like how it has a basin for horses, pooches (or other close-to-the-ground creatures) and humans. I would hazard a guess that few horses drink from Mr. Mariani's fountain, let alone humans. Yet, it's still here after 135 years and that's definitely something.

The Big 100

2010-04-25T09:50:00.000-07:00

As I was working on this latest posting , I happened to notice that it's my 100th addition to this blog. For anyone who knows of my, decidedly undeveloped, skills in the realm of stick-to-itiveness, it's quite a revelation. I suppose I should devote this post to some great over-arching statement or theme, but I'm at a loss for what that might be. It'll come to me eventually and I'll wax philosophically at some future date, I'm sure. In the meantime, I want to encourage people to visit the Crown Jewel of the Bay Area's parks: Point Reyes National Seashore. I've been exploring the park for years and I still have my breath taken away by its incredible and varied beauty. Limantour beach is unrivaled for shear gorgeousness, wildness and scale by few beaches in the world, but not one, to my knowledge, is so close to a major city. AND you can pretty much have the place to yourself on a weekday. From thousands of feet in the air, when I'm arriving home from overseas, at the end of a 14 hour flight, it's the sight that thrills me most and makes me happy that I live here. The Great Beach to the north is 11 miles of undeveloped beauty that Southern Californians can only dream of (they have perfectly beautiful beaches down South, they just happen to have far too many McMansions glowering over them).

Of course, it's just one place in this very large National Park. Everyone has their favorite spot. You could spend weeks exploring and never run out of adventures. I had the pleasure of strolling down the 309 stairs to the lighthouse last weekend (and the chore of hiking back up 309 stairs). The color of the ocean was incredible and the view of the Farallon Islands was unmatched (a woman next to me asked her companion, jokingly I hope, if they were the Hawaiian Islands). Even the lichen was amazing!

Adjacent to the Park Visitor Center, Earthquake buffs can check out the earthquake trail at what was the epicenter of the 1906 'quake and, on the way to the lighthouse, oyster fans can eat their fill at the oyster farm. Of course, there's Drake's Bay, where pirate, adventurer and all-around swashbuckling guy, Sir Francis Drake dropped anchor in 1579 and claimed this part of the world for England. He called it New Albion; we don't.

Music Concourse Makeover

2010-04-15T08:49:00.000-07:00

Now that the De Young Museum and the California Academy of Sciences have settled into their new and very popular homes, the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park is nearing the end of its decade-long makeover.
The Spreckels Temple of Music is finally free of scaffolding, missing trees have been replaced, paths repaved, new benches and lighting installed and the fountains are in the process of restoration. The area looks better than it has in many years. The concourse was originally constructed as the site of the 1894 California Mid-Winter Exposition. There are are couple of statues from the fair in their original locations and, of course, the two concrete sphinges (yes, that's the plural for sphinx) that originally guarded the entrance to the first De Young Museum (see top photo, demolished in 1929).
It's a very civilized spot and there's nothing like sitting under the elms on one of the green benches and enjoying a book or conversation (with a willing partner, of course).

History Revealed

2010-04-07T07:48:00.000-07:00

This little Noe Valley cottage on Church Street has been exposed to public view since the (not very interesting) building in front of it was recently demolished . It's probably well over 100 years old and it looks it. Unfortunately, little out-buildings like this are seldom well documented historically. It could be the oldest building around. It could have been occupied by a former '49er (as in 1849). It could be a tool shed.

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow (sort of)

2010-04-01T20:17:00.000-07:00

Adjacent to the the construction site for the new, and somewhat controversial, Chinatown Campus of San Francisco City College on Washington Street near Kearny is this very well-preserved advertisement. It will probably remain well-preserved because it's about to be covered up for a very long time by a building of the new campus. It will be re-discovered someday when they rip down the building it's painted on or something collapses in the Big One. It's too bad that we can't find some way of preserving these survivors while acknowledging the need for growth in The City. Who knows, maybe City College will have a big glass wall on that side of the building that would allow students to fantasize about smoking a little Bull Durham while soaking in a bath that affords both Hot and Cold running water. Not likely.

A Fine Combination

2010-03-24T09:16:00.000-07:00

Tea, being the newest shortcut to beauty and eternal life, has been showing up in the strangest places. This was, for years, a typical corner liquor store. Now the owner has introduced TEA. Health and prosperity are now just a short stroll from home. Oh, I forgot to mention that you can pick up a pack of cigarettes while you're there, as well.

Other Ghosts of Mission Street

2010-03-11T08:13:00.000-08:00

The last time I wandered aimlessly along Mission Street, I was on about old Movie Palaces. I never really tire of exploring this fascinating street and its history. I'm a bit farther up the road this time, in the Excelsior District. This is the old Granada Theatre at 4631 Mission, opened in the early 1920s as the Excelsior. It was in operation until November of 1982 and now is home to a rather dull Goodwill Store (yes, there are exciting Goodwill Stores) and a Walgreens. Across the street and down a block I came across this F.W. Woolworth store, now an exceptionally uninteresting furniture store. Of note is the interior as it is a relatively intact example of an old Woolworth and features some enormous streamlined ceiling ventilation fixtures (I know, contain your enthusiasm). Don't forget to stop in at the Chick N Coop for lunch before you head out.

On the Trail of the Maltese Falcon

2010-03-09T07:58:00.000-08:00

An author of some note, I can't quite recall who it was, said that there were three great "story" cities in America: New York, New Orleans and San Francisco (I'm not sure why he didn't see fit to include Chicago in this small group, I'd have to squeeze it in there). As for The City, there really is something very romantic about strolling about San Francisco on a foggy night, walking in the steps of so many memorable literary characters. Among the most well-known of characters would have to be those created by Dashiell Hammett. Here, off of Bush Street, is an alley called Burritt. Not very interesting in and of itself, but it is the spot where Sam Spade's partner, Miles Archer met his end at the end of a gun held by the beautiful and very dangerous Brigid O'Shaughnessy in Hammett's Maltese Falcon. It's hard to visualize Miss O'Shaughnessy as looking like anyone other than the great Mary Astor. And just try to get Humphrey Bogart out of you mind when you think of Sam Spade. They all blur together in the fog, on the dark, wet streets of San Francisco.

Bad Day for Butterflies

2010-03-04T07:41:00.000-08:00

I hope the rest of this little (or giant) butterfly made it home OK. I guess he/she got caught in the rain and found it necessary to abandon his/her beautiful wings. I trust it wasn't a case of reversion to caterpillar form. That wouldn't be a nice surprise for mom or dad.

The Ruins of Wolf House

2010-02-26T08:03:00.000-08:00

One of the many beautiful parks of Sonoma County is Jack London State Park in Glen Ellen. It was the home of the great writer Jack London until his death in 1916. His wife, Charmian, continued to live there until her death in 1955. London built his dream home, called Wolf House, on the property. It was a magnificent home that he hoped would stand for a thousand years. Unfortunately, a month before he was to move into the home, it mysteriously went up in flames. He died before he could rebuild. The remains of the home are hauntingly beautiful and he may have his dream, as I imagine the ruins will be there for at least a thousand years. The London's graves are also on the ranch, on a beautiful hilltop overlooking the Valley of the Moon.

Bad Art at the Wharf

2010-02-20T19:08:00.000-08:00

I know it's about as surprising as sand at the beach or grease at McDonald's, but I was truly taken aback by this egregious violation of taste in a shop near Ghirardelli Square. These ubiquitous "galleries" are really just outlets for outrageously expensive frames, but whatever happened to pretty whales and softly-lit thatched cottages? With apologies to the artist, this looks like something you'd find at a rummage sale for $3.99 (and you'd bargain down to $2). I didn't see how much they were asking for this piece, but I think it's slightly more than you'd like to imagine.

San Francisco's Notre Dame

2010-02-18T17:25:00.000-08:00

Here we have the Eglise Notre Dame de Victoires on Bush Street. The area is The City's "French Quarter", home to the Consulate of the French Republic and several fine French restaurants and cafes. The church has served the needs of the French community since 1856 when Pope Leo XIII signed a decree placing the church in the hands of the Marist Fathers in perpetuity. The present structure dates from 1915. It's a small but stunningly beautiful church and features some very strange, coin-operated, electric votive candles. The only other place I've encountered these strange things is in France, which makes sense.

20¢ Wash

2010-02-10T07:58:00.000-08:00

I don't think you'll actually find this bargain once you step inside this launderette. The days of 20¢ washes and a 10¢ dry are somewhat behind us. I love it when old signs remain in place for decades. This one has a bit of product placement as well. The 1980s font on the main sign isn't aging so gracefully.

Today there are fewer and fewer places to wash your laundry as our city becomes home to people who wouldn't dream of doing their laundry in a public place. I can't pretend to enjoy the hours I spend in places like this, but they have a way of breaking up the harried pace of life.

Kitsch As Kitsch Can

2010-02-06T13:31:00.000-08:00

Back in Chinatown once again. We're approaching Lunar New Year (The Year of the Tiger) on the 14th of February. I visit this place a couple of times a month and I always manage to find some new corner that fascinates. San Francisco's Chinatown is unique in the U.S. both in scale and architecture. Actually, there's nothing like it in China, let alone the rest of the world. A product of post 1906 Earthquake and Fire civic boosterism, the area abounds in some very stylized and "exotic" interpretations of "Chinese" architecture. This could be interpreted as inauthentic if it weren't so remarkably interesting in itself. Seeing as the area is still predominantly Chinese (unlike the "Italian" North Beach a few block away which is mostly populated by non-Italians ), one can perceive all of this as a legitimate expression of Chinese-American culture. Sure, the tourists gawk and saunter along Grant Avenue, but notice, the next time you're there, that many of those tourists are Asian. They're happily snapping photos of something rather extraordinary. 21st century Asia is developing so quickly that's it's wiping out huge portions of its 19th and early 20th century urban landscape. People from all over the world will increasingly seek out this human-scaled, early 20th century reminder of a vanishing world. Could the developers of 1907 Chinatown envision Chinese tourists of the year 2010 traveling thousands of miles to a place that's, ironically, more "Chinese" than the increasingly generic "global" cities they leave behind? I doubt it.

Here's one of my favorite corners. Commercial and Grant. From all angles it's got a great look. There's a photo in the window of the Eastern Bakery of President Clinton enjoying a bun. Lovely.

The Cables of Cable Car Fame

2010-02-03T08:18:00.001-08:00

There's a bit of understandable confusion regarding the names of the many vehicles that make up The City's public transport system or MUNI. Calling a cable car a "trolley" is almost as bad (but not quite) as referring to this city as "Frisco" (or the new horror, "San Fran")*. Part of the confusion comes from the fact that most American cities have neither of these once popular forms of transport and people just aren't used to having to distinguish between two things they rarely see. It's pretty simple; trolleys (or streetcars) use a pole or pantograph to draw their power from overhead lines and cable cars are pulled along by a non-electrified underground cable. The Cable Car system is mechanically complex and cumbersome (hence the fact that San Francisco, the Cable Car's birthplace, is the only city where you'll find the things running). You can learn more about this fascinating network by visiting the Cable Car Barn at 1201 Mason at Washington. It's a remarkable monument to Victorian engineering and admission is free. I've left a little movie here that features the big wheels (or sheaves, pronounced "shivs") that pull the cables underneath the street of San Francisco.

*I'll pretty much leave this debate for other forums. My understanding, which was instilled in me as a child, was that The City was named in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi (an all-around good guy regardless of your religious faith or lack of it) and therefore should NEVER be referred to using a diminutive. We don't say Saint Lou or San Joe, or at least we shouldn't. I think "San Fran" is infinitely uglier than "Frisco" ever was.

Banana Slugs and Redwoods

2010-01-29T09:35:00.000-08:00

The Bay Area abounds with incredible parks, wilderness areas and trails. A few of them are almost unknown, while others tend to be overrun more often than not. I don't think it has anything to do with their relative beauty or proximity to populations. For example, this place is so beautiful and so quiet and so accessible that anyone familiar with it would be a fool to advertise its whereabouts for fear of it being overrun with weekend warriors (you know the type), mountain bikers and joggers. It should have some organization like the Knights Templar to guard its precious treasures. It SHOULD, but it doesn't. So... I'm going to let readers of this blog in on this secret. My favorite redwood stroll is located at Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve. It's just south of Half Moon Bay and can be accessed by either the Higgins Canyon Road or the Verde Road/Purisima Creek Road, both off of Highway 1. The roads are a treat in themselves and your pleasure has just begun as you anticipate arrival at your very special and extraordinarily beautiful destination. The creek itself is roaring at this time of year and the slugs are singing of the joys of their damp and verdant paradise.

January in Bloom

2010-01-23T18:13:00.000-08:00

I was strolling through St. Mary's Square across from old St. Mary's Cathedral, California's first cathedral, and came across this beautiful sight. It's a Magnolia Campbelii, native to the Himalayas, but evidentally quite happy here in San Francisco. It was a pretty, moody day before the great rains of the last week and I'm not sure if all these lovely blooms survived the winds. The square was remodeled very nicely a few years back and features a statue of the great Dr. Sun Yat-sen by the artist Beniamino Bufano. It was commissioned by Chinatown merchants in the late 1930s in honor of the founder of modern China and its first president, who died in 1924. There's also a pretty good swing (see last post) in the playground.

In the Swing

2010-01-20T08:29:00.000-08:00

I know lots of "mature" people who still enjoy the occasional turn on a playground swing. There's nothing like the sight of some overgrown child swinging away, lost in a simple pleasure forgotten by so many others. Admittedly, it's not always a pretty sight. Who cares? Well, here's your opportunity to enjoy what is arguably San Francisco's best swing. It's on the first block of Rockridge Drive in Sunset Heights Park. A view of the Pacific and a dangerously high swing arc are things best appreciated by the older swinger.

The Gateway to Upper Market

2010-01-13T09:40:00.000-08:00

A familiar and comforting sight to locals, the giant Safeway sign on Market Street has been a San Francisco landmark since the 1950s. The store itself has been open since 1954 and has undergone several renovations. The most recent remodel has, unfortunately, obscured the iconic "Marina" arch design and most of the remaining traces of the original store.

It's never been a pleasant place to shop, despite Safeway's best efforts. I'm not a Feng Shui adherent, but something is definitely amiss at this store. They're trying out a new "Whole Foods" look, but it's still a place to be gotten out of as quickly as possible.

New Paint for the Castro Theatre

2010-01-11T08:59:00.000-08:00

The venerable Castro Theatre is getting a new paint job. The fantastic marquee was restored for the filming of "MILK" a few years back and it's still an impressive sight. The rest of the facade was looking a bit faded. The new color scheme is very subtle and a marked improvement over the sloppy job applied by the Blumenfeld Theatre chain when they were operators of the place. The Castro theatre was built in 1922 by the Nasser Bros. who still, remarkably, own it. It was designed by noted architect Timothy Pflueger, who was also responsible for the magnificent Paramount Theatre in Oakland. If you haven't seen a movie at the Castro or seen the interior of the place, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

Here's the website of the theatre http://castrotheatre.com/. A great opportunity would be the upcoming Film Noir Festival.

The (Former) Crossroads of the World

2010-01-05T07:55:00.000-08:00

This terrific old sign is located on a building on Bush Street between Taylor and Mason. Its current incarnation is a tanning salon. I have no recollection of this place ever being a hub of activity, but the club owner once considered the place important enough to be advertised as the "crossroads of the world". Who knows, perhaps it was one of those "swanky" nightclubs you see in all those old 1940/50s movies, the kind with a floor show, cigarette girls and little lamps on the tables. Then again, it might have been a real dive.

New Year's Blues

2010-01-04T09:08:00.000-08:00

Back from a glorious Christmas holiday, it's hard not to greet the New Year with a bit of trepidation. The very sad sight of dried-out and abandoned trees on every corner of The City speaks volumes. One of my biggest peeves are the Scrooges who insist on tossing the old tannenbaum onto the sidewalk on the 26th of December. Then again, the reformed Scrooge would be too busy spending Boxing Day hanging out with the Cratchits to rip down his tree! I guess it follows that if you've had the darn thing up since November 1st, you're probably eager to be rid of it.
True fans of the season (or observant Christians) can always take comfort in the fact that today is officially the 11th day of Christmas (Pipers Piping seem to be in short supply) and you can still look forward to the Feast of the Epiphany on the 6th. Or, you can do what Walgreens does and put up the Valentine's Day stuff.

An Over-the-Top Christmas

2009-12-24T20:13:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for elaborate private holiday displays, San Francisco probably won't top your list of cities to visit around Christmas time. It's rare enough to spot a lighted tree in a window, let alone a lavishly appointed monument to seasonal excess. Still, the occasional effort does surprise. Here's a place out in the Richmond District that looks like Father Christmas' drunken nightmare. Where do they keep this stuff when it's not on display?

Under the Mistletoe

2009-12-23T08:08:00.000-08:00

In an extremely welcome touch this Christmas season, someone has placed little boughs of mistletoe above the street corners of the Mission and the Castro. It's amusing to watch peoples' reactions to these kissing opportunities. I think we need a bit more kissing, in general.

A Beautiful Millennium

2009-12-23T08:01:00.000-08:00

I rarely find new condominium developments something to take any notice of. They tend to be among the blandest and most inoffensive of urban structures as they have to appeal to a broad range of tastes (well-heeled tastes, of course). There is one new building in San Francisco that is actually quiet stunning, in a relatively low-key way. The Millennium Tower located South of Market has many surprises for the casual stroller. I love the way it looks like a completely different building depending on the viewing angle. It reflects light in some pretty amazing ways, as in this picture. It has a wonderful profile when viewed from the Bay Bridge and appears to have a diamond-like design on the roof when the sun hits it at just the right angle. Overall, much nicer than it had to be. For that I'm grateful.

Forgotten Corners of The City

2009-12-04T10:09:00.000-08:00

In a city as closely packed as San Francisco (it's the second most densely populated city in America), it's always a revelation to come across some forgotten little place with no one around. This is the end of 23rd Street near the DHL warehouse and the, now closed, P.G.& E. plant. Heaps of atmosphere and a great place to leave a body. The waterfront was lined with this sort of place 30 years ago, before our city planners realized that people like, really like, to be near the water. There's a little, scruffy park across this inlet called Warm Water Cove Park. I'm not brave enough to investigate the temperature of the water but I'll check out the park soon.

Where Dinosaurs Would Roam in Golden Gate Park

2009-11-30T09:41:00.000-08:00

As part of the Thanksgiving Day weekend, I took advantage of our beautiful weather and had a stroll through some of my favorite parts of Golden Gate Park. I love the Fern Dell located across JFK Drive from the picturesque Conservatory of Flowers. A path leads to the Lily Pond through magnificent tree ferns. Walking through here, I can't help thinking of Kong Island in the original King Kong. You half expect a Triceratops to come charging through the thick.

I came across an interesting bit of movie trivia about the dell; it was the filming location of Spock's "final" resting place at the end of Star Trek: The Wrath of Kahn. He's since moved on.

It's an exotic corner that's not far from the busiest part of the park and well worth checking out.

"Black Friday" or Buy Nothing Day

2009-11-27T08:04:00.000-08:00

Today is, of course, "Black Friday", the consumer orgy on the day after Thanksgiving that's supposed to balance everyone's books (the books of the retailers, that is). It's a term that was once used only to those inside the retail trade but it seems to have moved into the common parlance. It's an unfortunate phrase with a pejorative association for me. It makes me think of crucifixions or stock market crashes. In general, something to avoid. I think a lot of other people feel the same way.

It's also National Buy Nothing Day. A good time to reflect on our spendthrift ways and where they've taken us. This year, with the economy in tatters, it's not so difficult to ask ourselves whether we really need all the "stuff" we're so keen on accumulating. I'm all for things that make us slow down and assess our lives and the value we tend to place on the wrong things.

On that note, I was at the wonderful Thrift Town on 17th and Mission the other day and couldn't help note their depressingly large selection of Christmas, I don't think any other word will do, crap. If you find yourself wondering "who the hell would buy this stuff" when you're in the holiday aisle at Walgreen's, the answer is evident; lots of people. The next time you can't resist that little something glittering in front of you, think about where it came from, who made it, what it's made out of, and, finally, where it will end up.

Across the Gate

2009-11-25T09:24:00.000-08:00

Just minutes from the busy city, across the Golden Gate, is Fort Cronkhite in the Golden Gate Recreation Area (the largest urban national park in the United States). Formerly a US Army installation, it's been part of the GGNRA since the 1970s. It was saved from a massive development scheme that would have had the hills covered with homes and shopping centers. On a recent visit, I encountered a few deer and a coyote while hiking the beautiful trails above the ocean. The place has everything from historic buildings to black sand beaches. You can tour an old artillery battery, visit a Cold War Nike missile site, stop by the Marine Mammal Center or walk across a suspension bridge to one of the oldest light houses on the west coast, which was completed in 1855. You don't even need a car to get there as it's easily accessed by bike or, on the weekends, MUNI bus service (route 76) to the Marin Headlands.

Shaw's Ice Cream and Candy

2009-11-23T21:46:00.000-08:00

Long-time residents of the SF Peninsula will recall the name of Shaw's Ice Cream with great fondness. The ancient Millbrae store and factory was shuttered recently and is up for sale. I think it's been quite a while since Shaw's made their own ice cream, but they've been hanging on for years at the El Camino Real location and on West Portal Avenue in The City. They were peddling (the very good) Mitchell's Ice Cream and someone else's chocolate last I checked. The company was founded in 1947 and had, at one time, 50 licensed franchises, now long gone. The company's heyday was in the '50s, '60s and '70s. The original West Portal store remains in operation.

Was a time... oh well, I have some very nice memories of sitting on their wrought iron chairs and wolfing down banana splits. And I'll really miss that sign on El Camino.

Autumn in The City

2009-11-20T16:18:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful season! Fall in San Francisco (the part of the year between the dry, foggy summer and the rainy bits, for those who insist we don't have seasons in the Bay Area) is truly a glorious time of year. The temperatures are great for long walks and the sun shines in the blue California sky. The only drawback is that the days are over far too soon as the sun sets earlier and earlier. Winter seems to come on so abruptly in this part of the world. You're enjoying a picnic or reading a good book on a warm bench and then it's Christmas.

Manila to San Francisco

2009-11-17T16:36:00.000-08:00

One of the many wonderful things about San Francisco is its rich and varied history. That history is sometimes not just of California but of far-away places and the people who've settled here. It's always a treat to be strolling along and encounter these traces. South of Market there are a few short blocks named after heroes of the Philippine Revolution of 1896-1898 (and the Muslim chieftain who killed the explorer Magellan in 1521). Having just returned from the homeland of these historical figures, it's nice to be reminded of distant places and to be challenged by unfamiliar history.
p.s. you can ponder this history over an MSG-licious burger at the nearby Jollibee restaurant, a branch of the Philippine's own fast food chain.

Hard to Get Away

2009-11-16T17:41:00.000-08:00

I've been away again, and when I'm on holiday I usually restrict my computer use to the occasional checking of email. When I first started to scratch my travel itch, light-years ago, intercontinental communications were much more primitive than today. Simply making a phone call could use up heaps of precious vacation time. Using the phone involved strange and elaborate local dialing customs, language difficulties with operators, unfamiliar coins, funky equipment, awful connections and the requirement, in some remote locales, to actually book a call and wait for the connection to be put through.

The only contact friends and family got from me was the occasional postcard or, if really lucky, an aerogramme (ask an elderly relative).

I'm on about this because people nowadays get very feisty indeed if they don't receive constant updates on your whereabouts via phone, email, text and tweet. I suppose in this case, as in so many others, I'm inclined to be nostalgic. I liked being far away and, relatively, out of touch. If anything truly awful were to befall me, I'd find a way to get word out. All of this was provoked by me recieving a phone call from a friend in San Francisco while on an island, in a boat, on a river located 15 hours by jet, 3 hours by bus and 2 hours by boat from the Bay Area. I was happy to get the call, of course, but the strangeness of the sensation of yakking into a small phone while sitting in that small boat in the tropical heat, surrounded by jungle, was a bit overwhelming.

I think it robbed a bit of the romance and sense of adventure from the moment. I might as well have been pushing a shopping cart around Safeway.

Here's a little photo that I took on that boat ride... before I got the phone call. It's the Loboc river on the island of Bohol in the Philippines.

I know it's not strictly in keeping with the subject of this blog, but it's a very pretty place with very nice people.

Moody Days at the Shore

2009-10-11T17:10:00.000-07:00

September, October and early November are statistically the warmest time of year in the San Francisco Bay Area; our Indian Summer. Every weekend is crammed with concerts, fairs, festivals, picnics, you name it. They are scheduled at this time because of the usually reliable heat and sunshine. Reliable, that is, until this year. There is a lot of grumbling about the daily appearance of fog and low clouds. It's as cold as July or August! Still, this time of year makes for wonderfully moody walks on the cliffs above the cold, vast and very beautiful Pacific. I'm sure it'll warm up in time for Thanksgiving.

Historic Stairs of San Francisco

2009-10-09T08:11:00.000-07:00

Ah, the Ferry Building Stairs, or should I say the HISTORIC stairs? I like this sign. It's been there for quite some time and it never fails to make me smile.

I suppose someone felt that, by placing the adjective in front of stairs, incorrigible stair-sitters (and they are legion, I assure you) would be deterred because, well, the stairs are HISTORIC. The ferry building DOES suffer from a dearth of seating (if you're not eating at a restaurant). Perhaps they could install some non-historic benches.

Island Paradise

2009-10-08T09:39:00.000-07:00

There's a lot of scary talk regarding the impact of the California budget crisis on our great State Parks. Most of the threatened parks just happen to be in Northern California, as they are many in number and relatively few in visitors compared to the Southland. Angel Island State Park in San Francisco Bay is one such threatened place. It really is an Island paradise, just minutes from the Ferry Building or Pier 41 via the Blue and Gold ferry. Full of history, including the "Ellis Island of the West" and magnificent views, the island SHOULD be a wildly popular place for a weekend adventure. Alas, it can't pay for itself (where we get the idea that parks should be profit generating enterprises, I'll never know) and is on the hit list. The closing of any public park is a tragedy, but the shutting-down of a place like Angel Island would be a crime.

Facade-ism

2009-10-01T09:07:00.000-07:00

It's a very common sight in San Francisco; the "restored" home. As gentrification enters its final stage in many neighborhoods, those drafty yet charming old Victorians or Edwardians succumb to our mania for modern comfort and convenience. Preserved exteriors with interiors gutted to the framework. Sure, it looks lovely from the outside and I'm sure many would find the new interior the cat's pajamas, but I can't help thinking that there's a kind of sanctioned vandalism in this phenomenon. A hundred plus years of history wiped out by some wealthy individual's love of stainless steel appliances, sub-zero refrigeration, central heat and recessed lighting. I've lived in many old places and I know they can be a challenge, but their idiosyncrasies and minor discomforts were but a few of the many reasons I loved them. These "improvements" are turning our character-ful homes into the architectural equivalents of Stepford Wives. Pretty and bland. No history or texture, decorated for a DWELL magazine photo shoot. One can't help but imagine that they are a reflection of their inhabitants.

Steep (and crooked) Streets

2009-09-28T08:18:00.000-07:00

There's no end to the fun to be had taking wacky pictures on San Francisco's steep streets. These photos were taken on Potrero Hill. The hill also happens to be the true home of the "crookedest" street in The City. Forget Lombard, there are more twists and turns on Vermont Street at 22nd Street. It's not nearly as attractive (or upscale) as Lombard Street, but its considerably quieter and it has its own charms. It's featured in the current (otherwise annoying) Subaru ad; the one where the psycho asks his passenger whether he minds if he "takes a short cut".

Park(ing) Day 2009

2009-09-24T08:14:00.000-07:00

Started by San Francisco art collective Rebar in 2005, Park(ing) day celebrations have spread throughout the globe. This year, the day was observed on September 18th. The (brilliant) idea is to create temporary green space out of parking spaces and stimulate conversation regarding our urban environment and the predominant roll of the car in our cities. (I can imagine some of the "conversations" between participants and drivers looking for a parking space!) I'm all for more green... anywhere.

Away (in downtown L.A.?)

2009-09-23T10:43:00.000-07:00

I've been away for quite awhile, on a break in the fascinating city of Los Angeles. If you've got a car (I know, who doesn't in the City of Angels?) it's an endlessly distracting place. Still, one of the most interesting aspects of L.A. is best experienced on foot and can be accessed by public transport. I'm referring to the sometimes overlooked downtown area, the original core of the city. The original Pueblo de la Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles del Rio de Porciuncula was established in September of 1781 in the vicinity of today's Union Station. The area still features several structures, including a church, from the city's early days. Nearby is the very grand City Hall and the original "heart" of early 20th century Los Angeles. Broadway is the main thoroughfare and features such highlights as the Bradbury Building (featured in "Blade Runner"), The Grand Central Market, Angel's Flight Railway, Clifton's Cafeteria and, best of all, the largest existing concentration of motion picture "palaces" on the planet. The marvelous L.A. Conservancy conducts walking tours of these theatres and other architectural and cultural aspects of the downtown area. It's a shame that so much of this area is overlooked by visitors (and residents). It has to be one of the most captivating parts of one of America's most interesting, and misunderstood, cities.

Afternoon at the Palace of Fine Arts

2009-08-29T09:02:00.000-07:00

Bernard Maybeck's Palace of Fine Arts gets more than its share of attention, so I can't really bring much insight into the place by giving it a post. Still, it's a really lovely place for a stroll. Built in 1915 for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, it was designed by architect Maybeck to look like a half-forgotten ruin and that's pretty much what it was by the mid '60s when it was completely reconstructed out of concrete (the original structure consisted of a wood frame, covered with chicken-wire and plaster). The dome and lagoon were recently renovated and work on the rest of the structure begins this fall. Its an almost impossibly photogenic place which accounts for the steady stream of brides and grooms (and grooms and grooms and brides and brides) tromping to the shores of the lagoon. The Palace appears in many films and TV shows, most notably VERTIGO and TIME AFTER TIME. The latter features the dome as the setting for the climactic stand-off between Malcolm McDowell's H.G. Wells and David Warner's Jack the Ripper with Mary Steenburgen's life in the balance.

Everyday Film Set

2009-08-27T09:05:00.000-07:00

The modern traveler, when visiting great cities, is often struck by how "familiar" a place can seem on a first visit. With exposure to television and movies, we can be walking or driving down streets whose names we've heard hundreds of times, see landmarks that seem slightly unreal because, now, they exist in the third dimension. We can feel at home in places our ancestors would have thought of as being as strange as Mars simply because we already know what the streets look like, the people sound like, the food smells like. Our exposure to images can even distort perceptions of our own city when we come across something that seems a bit too much like a film set. Is it real? Where are the cameras? How did this happen to be here? This can happen surprisingly often in San Francisco, a place that can be a bit too "cute" for its own sake. From sidewalk cafes to flower stands and cable cars, we're always in danger of becoming a larger version of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Thank God for some of the "edgier" parts of town. All of this was brought to mind by a couple of places on a recent stroll. The first is the old Mission Police Station on 17th Street. It looks like it could be in Havana. The funny thing is, the place gets more authentic the closer you get. It has an incredible amount of character. No film set, this. The second "scene" is an alleyway called Harlow Street off of 16th Street near Church. From the gray shingles on the building, to the shop with its seven digit phone number and the ancient Chrysler products parked on the street, this place really makes you look around for the cameras. Someone in this alley likes to collect cars and has worked out some method of keeping them parked in the same place all the time. Both places are like doorways into another place and time and for that I'm very grateful.

The Single Screen

2009-08-20T09:20:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to see a movie at the wonderful Vogue Theatre the other day (no mystery as to the title, see above). It's been a few years since I've ventured up to ol' Sacramento Street just to see a picture. The theatre was built in 1912 as the Rex, was re-opened as the Vogue in 1939 and was recently purchased and renovated by the San Francisco Neighborhood Theatre Foundation. It had been threatened with closure. The experience got me thinking about movie theatres in San Francisco (it's not too difficult to get me to stray onto that subject) and the death of the single screen. I'm sure there are young'uns who have no idea that movie houses, at one time, only had one screen. We're lucky enough to have a few of the old places left; the Vogue, of course, the Castro, Bridge, Clay, Roxie (the Little Roxie is a recent addition, but it's in a building next door to the original)and the Red Vic. With the exception of the Castro, they're all relatively small houses. Still, it's remarkable that they've survived TV, VCRs, DVDs, Netflix, OnDemand, video games and the multiplex. A small miracle occurred this past weekend when a NEW single screen cinema opened as part of the NEW PEOPLE J-Pop center in Japan Town. It's called the Viz Cinema and promises to book a steady schedule of Japanese language films.
Back to the Vogue; in 1984 it had a run of the South African film, "The Gods Must Be Crazy" that lasted 70 weeks! Management and staff were driven insane (I knew several of them and you'd be insane too, having to put up with that film for 5 shows a day, everyday, for well over a year) and the neighborhood rejoiced the day the film closed.

Signs of the Week

2009-08-18T17:39:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've posted signs in this forum. I encounter quite a few, but I don't want to appear to be having too much fun at the expense of others. As long as they don't become TOO widespread, I'm pretty grateful for them as they lend a bit of a spark to the day... I think. I came across two fine examples in one day this week.
The names have been obscured to protect the illiterate (or merely clumsy). One of these signs was posted on a very prominent building containing, no doubt, some extraordinarily bright people. It's a shame one of them couldn't have been recruited to do the printing. It also seems evident that people WILL shoot at your building if they notice grammatical errors in your signs.

"The Genius of Green Street" and the Birthplace of (electronic) Television

2009-08-18T17:18:00.000-07:00

It's one of those topics historians will battle over for centuries to come (it seems appropriate that historians should do battle), but I think if I stick enough qualifiers in front of the word "TV", it'll be OK. Here we see the birthplace of operational, all-electronic television. In this unassuming building (didn't you know that all great inventions are developed in "unassuming" structures?) at 202 Green Street, Philo Taylor Farnsworth transmitted the first electronic television image on September 7 th, 1927.
Scottish inventor John Logie Baird had demonstrated a working MECHANICAL version of television the year before, but San Francisco is indeed the birthplace of, what would become, modern television. I don't know if the world should be TOO grateful for this fact.

Fountain of Controversy

2009-08-14T09:33:00.000-07:00

The City's residents are still divided in their opinions about the Vaillancourt Fountain in the Embarcadero's Justin Herman Plaza. It's been almost 40 years since this provocative piece was unveiled in the, at the time, deserted plaza at the foot of Market Street. Described by architectural critic Allan Temko as something, "deposited by a concrete dog with square intestines." the fountain is the work of Quebecois sculptor Armand Vaillancourt. The official title of the work is "Quebec libre !". In November of 1987, the fountain was notoriously defaced by U2 singer Bono at a free concert in the plaza. To the horror of then Mayor Dianne Feinstein (and a good number of San Franciscans), he spray-painted the words "Rock & Roll stops the traffic" on the structure.
The fountain has had some ups and downs over the years. There have been several attempts to have it removed and it has gone through periods of neglect when it sat without water due to funding, water-shortage and plumbing issues.
Presently, it's in fine form and seems to have found, if not love, at least acceptance as part of the beautiful and very busy Embarcadero scene.
I've always liked it. It worked very well with the old Embarcadero Freeway behind it, but it still has heaps of character.
Deep trivia note: In the 1968 film "Bullitt", a model of the fountain can be seen, briefly, in the background at Jacqueline Bisset's character's office.

Watermelons ?

2009-08-09T10:11:00.000-07:00

They LOOK like watermelons, but as we are in San Francisco, the setting for Philip Kaufman's 1978 remake of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", it's probably best to approach this situation with caution (they do look more like the "pods" in the 1956 version, I know). Anyway, I found these, unattended, in a rather deserted, not-very-scenic part of The City. I doubt they were grown on the spot.
I'm somewhat wary of buying produce from itinerant peddlers in industrial districts by freeways, so I walked on. You're next!

The Phenomenon of Dolores Park

2009-07-28T08:35:00.000-07:00

I'm probably pretty late to this party, but I'm always astounded at just how insanely popular this poor place has become. I suppose it has to do with its location in The Hippest Neighborhood in America®, but Dolores Park is more than a scene. Its current habitues are probably unaware that Mission Dolores Park is the approximate site of the ancient Ohlone Indian village of Chutchui. It was later the location of a Jewish Cemetery and once served as a home to many displaced persons after the Great Earthquake and Fire of 1906 (top photo). Per acre (there are 14), it has to be the among most densely utilized parks in the country. There can be THOUSANDS of people here on weekends with no apparent special event or other "draw". It's a very attractive place and it seems almost anything goes. Dogs dash about, Pabst Blue Ribbon is guzzled and the scent of cannabis wafts through the air. A bit like the panhandle of Golden Gate Park during the Summer of Love but with expensive coffee. It's hard to believe, but not so long ago, you could pretty much have this place to yourself on a weekday. I wonder where the next "gathering place" will be?

Leaves of Three, Let it Be

2009-07-25T08:36:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to imagine the scenario that has prompted the placement of these signs.
San Francisco, and most of California, is full of Poison-oak. It can be quite pretty in its most dangerous phase. Still, I have trouble imagining someone going out of their way (which is where this example is located) to tread around in its tangled vines. Have people been wandering into local hospitals or police stations irate, complaining that they hadn't been sufficiently warned of its dangers? Is this an example of a future with signs everywhere warning of everything?
Warning: Nature may vary slightly from the way it appears on TV.

Lovers' Lane

2009-07-22T22:01:00.000-07:00

I'll let the sign at the beginning of this path in the Presidio do the talking:

"This trail has witnessed the passing of Spanish solders, Franciscan missionaries and American soldiers of two centuries. It is perhaps the oldest travel corridor in San Francisco. In 1776 this path connected the Spanish Presidio with the mission, three miles to the southeast. During the 1860s it became the main route used by off-duty soldiers to walk into San Francisco. Many of those men made the trip into town to meet their sweethearts, and the trail became know as Lovers' Lane."

The Presidio is a magnificent place packed with history and incredible sights.

It's also a great place to gorge yourself on wild blackberries.

Wired City

2009-07-21T18:46:00.000-07:00

When you're away from home, you can find yourself missing some pretty odd things. Things that others might not even notice or, if they do notice, would probably find unattractive or just strange. I miss trolley wires when I'm away from San Francisco. They make a very distinct sound when a MUNI streetcar or trolley bus goes by. An echoing, whip-tail sort of sound. It's something you might hear in a science fiction film. I hear it all day and night and when it's not around I really do miss it. Sure, the wires block out the blue skies, but they're, somehow, quite comforting. They power the things that take you places and they make it possible for you to not have to listen to the roar of a diesel engine, smell its black smoke or watch that black smoke curl up into that blue sky.

San Francisco's Most Exciting Street

2009-07-16T08:20:00.000-07:00

As this is my 50th entry, I want to finally devote some time to my favorite street in San Francisco. My choice is wildly subjective and I don't expect many will share my opinion. It's not Market Street or Broadway or Powell or Grant Avenue or any of a dozen other arguably thrilling thoroughfares. The City's crown jewel has to be... Clement Street (accent on the second syllable). I know, it doesn't figure too prominently in guidebooks (in fact, it probably doesn't appear at all). It's not setting hearts racing in Peoria. No Cable Car bells or fishing boats will thrill the visitor. What Clement Street does have is heaps of character. It is, in many ways, the typical SF neighborhood "main street". Plumbers, cobblers, butchers, bakers, video shops, coffee shops, pubs, anything the city dweller might require is all within a short stroll. It's home to a fantastic book store, one of the largest in The City; Green Apple. On the west end of the street is the charming, family-run 4 Star Theatre, home to both Hollywood films and direct-from-Hong Kong pictures. For the most part, it's free of the scourge of chain stores.

I once took a out-of-town visitor to Clement who spent an entire afternoon thinking he was in Chinatown. Although it is predominantly Chinese, the street has a sampling of Russian, Irish, Japanese, Burmese and Vietnamese businesses. Many happy hours can be spent exploring this incredible boulevard. Oh, lest I forget, it's also one of the great restaurant streets in town. If you can't find it on Clement, you don't need it.

The Heights of Bernal

2009-07-07T07:40:00.000-07:00

Spectacular views and birds galore await the Bernal Heights explorer. Named after Don Jose Cornelio Bernal, the area was part of his rancho, Rincon de las Salinas y Potrero Viejo in the 19th Century. Now well into gentrification, the area's main drag, Cortland Avenue, has a wonderful small town feel and is easily accessible by public transport. It has everything you'd want or need, save a movie house, in a neighborhood.

Roadside Shrine

2009-07-04T08:41:00.000-07:00

San Francisco has more than its share of monuments and historical markers. What we don't have are a lot of are roadside shrines. Familiar to motorists the world over, these shrines, more often than not, honor the departed. This is no exception. The charmingly homely (but, no doubt, heartfelt) monument sits on the street below the Veteran's Hospital and honors the service and lives of America's Veterans. I know it's the 4th of July and not Veteran's Day, but it seems appropriate to think of them today as well. Also, a special thanks to whomever takes care of this shrine.

Fort Miley for Beginners

2009-06-30T23:17:00.000-07:00

Ft. Miley at Land's End is one of those places that even locals might miss. It's located very near one of the "must see" spots in The City; the Cliff House and Sutro Bath Ruins. You can take a short stroll up from the parking lot at Point Lobos to the top of the hill. You'll find incredible views, old military batteries and an old signal house. There's a bench here, pretty secluded, that features an incredible view. You're very likely to have the whole place to yourself.

Mission Jacaranda

2009-06-29T08:28:00.000-07:00

The Mission District is San Francisco's "Banana Belt". With the warmest climate in The City, it's home to many beautiful tropical plants and trees. Here's a Jacaranda tree, one of many in the neighborhood. It's native to the tropical and sub-tropical regions of South and Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. It blooms somewhat late in San Francisco, but it's a spectacular sight and a welcome bit of color.

Sign of the Week

2009-06-27T17:10:00.000-07:00

This little gem was on the window of one of the MANY dollar (or in this case 99c) stores on Mission Street. It's rather brilliant in its own way and I especially like the drawing of the key (it must be one of the copy's (sic)).

Phone Booth(s)

2009-06-18T19:50:00.001-07:00

I came across this marvellously maintained phone booth the other day (top). Admittedly, it was far out of town (in the Sierra, actually). It's pretty rare to find a booth so well-tended WITH a door AND a phone book! This brought to mind a question I had for the City of San Francisco; what happened to the old phone booths in Chinatown (bottom)?
I've got to get on this with someone (poor person). There were at least three booths near Grant Avenue that featured a pseudo-Chinese motif (as most of Chinatown does). It would be a shame to lose another little piece of the fabric that makes this such a wonderful place. Before we know it, phone booths will have gone the way of spats (or some such thing).

Aladdin's Radio

2009-06-18T19:24:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite places in the Inner Sunset on Irving Street has always been Aladdin Radio Repair.
Sadly, it now seems to have closed. It's a small miracle that it remained in business as long as it did. After all, when was the last time YOU took a radio to the shop for repair? This wonderful store was run by Mr. John Wentzel since at least 1949 (one source mentions 1946). He still answers the shop's phone number and does the occasional repair AND the store is still totally intact. I peeked in the window the other day and took this snap. Walking into the shop always seemed like time travel (I DID have a couple of radios repaired there). The shelves were (are) lined with beautiful sets for sale. Aladdin is a small window to a now lost era of big wooden radios (with tubes) and the people who repaired them. Every Main Street must have had its own Aladdin-like store. Are there any places like this elsewhere today? It's certainly the last of its kind in San Francisco.

Little Houses

2009-06-09T08:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a wonderful little house on the north slope of Bernal Heights. I wonder what it would be like to live in a house that's not even as wide as a car is long. This neighborhood has a wonderful, eclectic variety of houses. Too bad about the very unfortunate remodel of the house to the left of the tiny one. I don't think they were attempting to make it look like a dentist's office, but that's the result. Unintentional vandalism is always fascinating and a bit sad.

A (Pseudo) Nature Break

2009-06-04T16:59:00.000-07:00

Like most of Golden Gate Park, Huntington Falls at Stow Lake is as natural as anything at Disneyland. It's a very convincing fabrication... from a distance, but as you get closer, you'll notice those oddly formed boulders. They would look more at home on the set of the original Star Trek series. They even have places for plants!
I wouldn't swim anywhere near this waterfall, but it's a nice place to row a boat and do a bit of bird and turtle watching.

Daily Bread

2009-05-29T08:31:00.000-07:00

There are many unusual experiences in the rich urban pageant that is the life of a regular MUNI patron.

This sight isn't really all that strange considering my many experiences, but it does set the mind to wondering about the individual and the circumstances that brought it into being.

Precariously Perched

2009-05-29T08:12:00.000-07:00

The many hills of San Francisco feature some of the most desirable, and expensive, homes to be found anywhere. But unless these homes are on the tops of those hills, they don't often have level land beneath them. The Bay Area, and a good bit of the rest of California, is also very earthquake-prone.

It would seem unwise to build a house on stilts in this place, but people do.

I'm sure they do it very well... but still. This example sits on the side of Forest Hill. I think it has about 3 feet of frontage that's attached to the actual hill. The rest juts out over a VERY steep slope. The views are magnificent, but I wonder if the residents ever give our geology a thought.

Go's Gets 'um

2009-05-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

My favorite sign of the week. I'll give the shop owner the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps "go's" are just another sort of fixture that must be liquidated.

What perplexes me about this sort of sign is that someone had to go through the process of creating it and having it printed. Someone along the way (wife, husband, child, printer operator) didn't bring up the "go's" issue? One wonders.

Herbie

2009-05-18T08:27:00.000-07:00

I came across an old friend on a recent stroll. He looks pretty good, seeing as he's over 40 and has been around the track a few times. I don't know what he'd be doing parked near USF Lone Mountain Campus, but it's really none of my business.
Herbie has a particular significance for me as "The Love Bug" was the first movie I saw more than one time. In fact, I saw it at least 5 times in it's initial release in 1969 (it was the #1 box office hit that year). I drove my family crazy as I tried to convince every adult relative to take me to see it. My father even painted a model Volkswagen in Herbie's colors. It was the only way to have my own Herbie in the age before massive movie tie-in marketing.
Of course, San Francisco is Herbie's home town. It's nice to know he hasn't forgotten his roots.

Architectural Glory

2009-05-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

When people think of San Francisco's sights, I imagine that they might picture the Golden Gate Bridge, the Transamerica Pyramid, Coit Tower, Cable Cars or the Victorian houses that line our beautiful streets. While many people here DO live in Victorians (or, in my case, Edwardian) homes, many live in something VERY different!

Take, for example, this beauty. In many ways, perhaps, a more typical San Francisco residence of the modern age. To me, there's nothing more San Franciscan than a row of "contractor's specials" squashed up against each other, marching into the horizon, on a foggy street near the ocean. This is a very special example near Golden Gate Park. It's a nice area, but it won't be appearing on any postcards. These kind of homes (probably valued at well over a million dollars) are typically situated on lavishly landscaped streets like this one. Curb appeal, indeed!

Five and Dime

2009-05-10T09:02:00.001-07:00

Once a fixture of every Main Street in America, the five and dime (or "five and ten cent store", as in the old songs) is a vanishing species. This place is still (I hesitate to use the word "thriving") plugging away on Irving Street. I love its steadfast refusal to commit to any accepted form of window display.

I love its meticulously maintained signage. I just plain love it. I don't imagine there's much in on the shelves in the nickel and dime range. Still, I'd shop here and pay double the price, rather than give my money to some soulless Home Depot, any day of the week.

Movie Palaces of Mission Street

2009-05-03T15:53:00.000-07:00

Taking advantage of an unseasonably rainy Sunday, I took a stroll to visit a few buildings that seem to look better on a gloomy day; the abandoned movie palaces that line the "miracle mile" of Mission Street. Second only to Market Street in its heyday, Mission St. featured several grand theatres showing second and third run pictures. All have been closed for years now and are in various states of decay. Some saw a second life as churches or discount stores, one (the El Capitan) has been a parking lot since the 1960s. The undisputed queen of the street is the New Mission Theatre. Designed by the Reid Bros. in 1916 and remodelled by Timothy Pflueger (architect of the Paramount in Oakland and the Castro Theatre in The City) in 1932, The New Mission ceased showing films in 1993 and did time as a low-rent furniture store. Recently it was designated City landmark #245 in an effort to save it from demolition by SF City College. Plans for restoration have gone nowhere, though. The (mostly intact) interior was recently vandalized by know-nothing ravers who gleefully posted their "work" on flikr (sigh, I'm only linking this so you can leave a nasty comment on their page!). There's nothing quite so sad and evocative as an old, abandoned movie house, at least that's true for me.

Ghosts of Advertisements Past

2009-04-29T08:50:00.000-07:00

Up on the sides of older buildings throughout The City you'll find the ghostly remnants of the advertising campaigns of long ago. Some are pretty obvious in their meaning and intent, others... not so much. I came across this example. It probably made sense to San Franciscans a century ago. MJB was (and still is) a coffee, but "WHY?" indeed. Reminds me of the legendary "17 Reasons Why" sign on top of Thrift Town at 17th and Mission. Were there a lot of existentialists in ol' San Francisco?

Last Ride Through Chinatown

2009-04-29T08:19:00.000-07:00

I had the good fortune of witnessing a traditional San Francisco Chinatown funeral the other day. Led by the Green Street Mortuary Band, the procession made its way down Grant Avenue. A large, flower bedecked portrait of the deceased was followed by the hearse containing the coffin which was trailed by a limousine bearing family members. Paper "spirit money" was thrown from the window of the limo as it rolled along. Another section of the band followed. The musical selection was a variety of Christian hymns and they were performed as a kind of "call and response" with the front section playing a hymn succeeded by another hymn performed by the band in the back. Similar funerals were once a regular part of the Chinatown scene, but like a lot of elaborate traditions, they are less common today. The origin of this style of funeral is believed to be in 19th Century Hong Kong.

Earthquake & Fire

2009-04-18T21:00:00.000-07:00

Today, April 18th, is the 103rd anniversary of the Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire. There aren't very many living human survivors of the event, but there are a surprising number of structures that made it through that awful day (or days). I had the pleasure of spending some time across from one this very afternoon. The Flood Mansion (now the Pacific Union Club) is a proud and beautiful reminder of the pre-earthquake city that vanished that day. It's the building to the left of the fountain (The Fountain of the Tortoises, a replica of the the original in Rome) in Huntington Square Park. The building behind the fountain is the Mark Hopkins Hotel, located on the site of the Mark Hopkins Mansion. Another survivor on Nob Hill is the Fairmont Hotel. Both the Flood Mansion and the Fairmont were gutted by the fire, but their structures survived.

A Beauty in The Richmond

2009-04-17T20:50:00.000-07:00

The renovated Richmond branch of the San Francisco Public Library is about to re-open (May 16th) and is it ever a beauty! San Francisco has been on a library building/renovating binge thanks to a bond measure passed several years ago. It seems strange, in these difficult times, to see so much money lavished on libraries, but I can't think of a better place to spend public money (well, perhaps health clinics). This is an example of the great attention and care given to renovating buildings that, in other places, would, most likely, be razed and replaced. It's a wonderful asset in a terrific neighborhood. (I'll do an entry on my favorite street, Clement, in the near future)

Excellent Excelsior

2009-04-13T16:12:00.000-07:00

Utterly un-gentrified (in a good way), the Excelsior district of San Francisco is home to delicious restaurants, bakeries, fascinating shops and lots and lots of bargains. At the far end of The City, it's pretty safe from the forces that have turned so many shopping districts into outdoor shopping malls full of chain stores, overpriced food and useless luxury goods. One of my favorites is the fabulous "Chick N Coop". Delicious sandwiches and dinners at bargain prices served up with more than a bit of sass from the irascible owner. What I like about the place, apart from the food, is that it's a real working class joint like the kind my relatives ate at when The City was predominantly working class. Across the street is a small pharmacy with a marvelous exterior (it's a wonder it AND the storefront are still intact). You don't see many places like this anymore. It's all to found near the far end of Mission Street.

Go On!

2009-04-09T22:46:00.000-07:00

Go on, get yourself down to Point Lobos! I did. I don't know if there's a better way to spend a late afternoon than perched on a rock overlooking the magnificent California coast at Point Lobos. It's a few minutes south of the deadly tweeness of the "village" of Carmel, but it's a world away from tourist tat. The color of the ocean, the barking of the sea lions, gnarled cypress clinging to golden cliffs, and lots of kelp. OK, the beach at Carmel IS very nice.

Tea Garden Spring

2009-04-04T18:34:00.000-07:00

It's that most beautiful time of year in Golden Gate Park's Japanese Tea Garden. For those of you who are put off by the $5 admission charge (and who isn't?), you can get in free on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 to 10am. Outstanding color and a refreshing cup of tea are the highlights of a visit. My favorite place in the garden is the path in the back through a canopy of dwarf maples, a bright, brilliant green at this time of year. The concession for the operation of the tea house and the gift shop was recently awarded to a new vendor who has promised a more "authentic" atmosphere. That won't be too hard to achieve at the gift shop! Still, a beautiful and soul-renewing spot.

Staircase

2009-03-31T18:01:00.000-07:00

The Mechanics' Institute Library at 57 Post Street is a wonderful place. Don't let the name mislead you, it's a general interest private library with membership open to all. It's located in a beautiful building. The lobby was recently restored, but that isn't the nicest thing about this location; it's got to be the staircase. Elaborate spiral staircases may be a dime (or 7.4 euro cents) a dozen in Europe, but they're pretty rare in San Francisco. This would be a beautiful example anywhere.

Sentinels

2009-03-28T17:53:00.000-07:00

In Sutro Heights, one of San Francisco's most beautiful parks, can be found, almost forgotten, reminders of an elegant and cultured past. Located around the lawns and shrubs are lions, deer and the goddess Diana. These statues are among the remains of the estate of San Francisco mayor Adolph Sutro.

His home was surrounded by landscaped gardens, fountains and a conservatory. He generously opened the grounds of this Eden on Sundays to the citizens of his City. His home is gone (demolished in the 1930s) and today his estate is a beautifully situated and well-maintained city park with incredible views of the Pacific. It's located on the bluff above the Cliff House. There are several benches on the parapet at the top of the park where hours can be lost.

Signs of the Times

2009-03-27T07:59:00.000-07:00

Cities handle change in very different ways. San Francisco can be quite resistant to change for a place with a reputation for "setting the pace" in so many ways. We seem to like things as they are, at least superficially. This is especially true of the "look" of our City. Still, so much change is really beyond our control. Natural disasters and economic forces will always alter our environment. It's hard not to see the signs of economic distress in The City of late. I've come across a couple of interesting examples; this shop on Kearny took down the sign of its last tenant and has revealed its former incarnation as a hat store, and this former Washington Mutual branch on Polk and California has a new name. The hat shop will have a new tenant soon, I hope. I pray that Chase will spend a little of that bailout cash on a new permanent sign (could they have done the new sign MORE cheaply?) Other sad changes; Morrow's Nut House on Geary has gone after over 60 years in the same location, as has the See's Candies shop on Polk (the oldest outlet in the chain, it's been on Polk since 1936).

Little losses perhaps, but threads in the fabric of The City that was.

The Colvmbarivm

2009-03-17T07:39:00.000-07:00

With the unfortunate demolition of the great Coronet Theatre, drivers along Geary Blvd. now have a view of the Odd Fellows (now Neptune Society) Columbarium for the first time since the 1940s. The view won't last long, as the new construction is progressing at a rapid clip. The Columbarium was built by British architect Bernard J. Cahill in 1897 as the centerpiece of the 167-acre Odd Fellows Cemetery. It's open to the public daily and no San Franciscan interested in history should hesitate to visit. Harvey Milk has a place here, look for him on the right just after you enter the building. Magnificently restored, it affords hours of fascinating exploring. It's also a poignant reminder of the toll of the AIDS epidemic; many niches are filled with the remains of men, young and old, tragically taken before their time. It's located at 1 Lorraine Court, off of Anza St. between Stanyan and Arguello.

The Best Seat in the World

2009-03-12T22:58:00.000-07:00

This has to be among the most beautiful views from a bench, in a park, on the planet. Yet here it is, empty. That's fine with me, because I could spend hours here taking in the magnificent vista. My pathetic little camera-phone photo doesn't do this place justice. Located in the aptly named Grand View Park, the view takes in the entire northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula from the Pacific to the Bay. You can approach the park from the west by ascending the beautifully tiled Moraga Stairway (lower photo).