San Francisco Mike

This Blog Has Moved

2011-09-19T08:25:00.000-07:00

Recently, I moved this site from Blogger to Wordpress.

It is accessible by the usual route, www.sanfranciscomike.com, or you can view it by going to www.sanfranciscomike.wordpress.com.

If you are viewing this message, you are accessing this blog through www.myredtieblog.blogspot.com, the old site which will not be updated.

I hope you enjoy all the great new things at www.sanfranciscomike.com that are possible through the use of Wordpress.

Sincerely,

Mike

The Ghoulish Statues of 580 California Street

2011-08-28T07:44:00.000-07:00

The next time you are in the neighborhood of California and Kearny, look up. You will see three ghoulish looking, grim reaper like statues appearing to stare out at this mythical city by the sea. Were they put there like gargoyles to scare away evil spirits? Are they a sign of human, and city mortality?

Unfortunately, the real answer is not romantic or whimsical. These statues were created by Murial Castanis, and the formal title for these artistic statues is "Three Models for 580 California," but they are more commonly known as the "Corporate Goddesses."

There must be more story behind the creation of these statues, but at this point it has not been published, and the artist passed away a few years ago. It does make you wonder what story future generations may attach to these medieval ladies.

Cheers!

Mike

The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge

2011-08-21T08:36:00.000-07:00

The By Bridge is the one you see snaking across the bay from San Francisco, to Yerba Buena Island, and then on to Oakland. It is an icon of San Francisco, and present in most views of the bay. After three and a half years of construction, the 8 1/2 mile long bridge was opened on November 12, 1935. It cost the lives of 27 construction workers during it's depression era creation.

The exact location of the bridge was dictated by a bedrock ridge that lies 200 feet below the surface of the bay on the line where the Bay Bridge currently sets. On either side of this ridge, the water is quite a bit deeper.

The Bay Bridge noteworthy facts include the following?

1. The lower deck was originally built for electric train traffic only. The upper deck was used for two-way vehicle traffic. This changed in 1958 when the lower deck became refitted for eastbound traffic, and the upper deck was reserved for westbound traffic.

2. The total coast was $77 million dollars.

3. President Hoover, a graduate of the Stanford School of Engineering, took a personal interest in this project. That's right, President Hoover was an engineer.

4. Halfway between San Francisco and Yerba Buena Island, it became necessary to build another island for support. The depth was to great for divers to work from the bottom up, so they tried something different and built this cement tower from the top down, eventually securing it with large steel pipes once it reached the bottom of the bay. The tower is the height of a 48 story building.

Residents of San Francisco are well aware of the troubles the bridge between Yerba Buena Island and San Francisco has had in the past 25 years. During the Loma Prieta Earthquake, part of the upper deck crashed on to the lower deck during rush hour, and more recently the bridge was closed to repair a fissure that was discovered as they began construction on a new bridge that will span the length of Yerba Buena Island to Oakland. They tried to repair the fissure in a brief amount of time, but when the bridge was reopened, the repair came crashing down on a vehicle during rush hour and caused the closer of the bridge for a week. As you work your way across this old span of bridge, you can view the new bridge beside it which will replace this ailing section around 2013.

San Francisco: Living on the Edge?

2011-07-23T08:11:00.000-07:00

San Franciscans do not worry about tornadoes, hurricanes, massive flooding, damaging thunderstorms with destructive lightening, or ice and snow storms. For the most part, the weather is very mild, and rarely dips below freezing. Mother Nature leaves the tip of the peninsula alone and allows its residents to live in relative peace and calm. Unfortunately, San Francisco is not totally exempt from disaster; there is always the threat of earthquake and the remote possibility of tsunamis.

One of the more powerful reminders of this underground threat occurred on October 17th, 1989 at 5:04 p.m. with the Loma Preita Earthquake. The epicenter was near Aptos and did wide spread destruction to Santa Cruz and Watsonville, killing 67 people and damaging property in excess of six billion dollars throughout the Bay Area. In the city, the earthquake caused a section of the upper deck of the Bay Bridge to fall onto the lower deck, demolished part of the 101 expressway, and lead to extensive damage in the Marina District.

At first people sighed relief thinking that they had just survived the dreaded "big one" that had been predicted for years, the one that is supposed to rival the 1906 Earthquake and Fire. As scientists began to study this quake, they realized that this is not the catastrophic one that was predicted. In fact, this one was fairly minimal when compared to the ones in the past and the predicted "big one" in the future. For example, the 1906 Earthquake produced 30 times more energy and ten times more ground movement.

In San Francisco, people don't talk about if there is going to be a big earthquake, it is a matter of when the "big one" hits. Everyone knows it is coming. It will be bad. It will be catastrophic. It will change the way this city looks, feels, and operates, but it won't be the end of the world. Contrary to what some people think, San Francisco is not living so close to the edge that it is apt to fall into the ocean at the first sign of a substantial earthquake. There will be no such dramatic event for the city in this lifetime. An overwhelming majority will survive, clean up the mess, and rebuild.

This city has an unquenchable energy and vibe that continually powers its creativity and resiliency. No matter what happens, people will continue to come here in order to freely love, create, and dream. It has been, and always will be, the place for new beginnings and experiential living.

"Somehow the great cities of America

Have taken their places in a mythology

that shapes their destiny:

Money lives in New York.

Power sits in Washington.

Freedom sips Cappuccino in a

sidewalk cafe in San Francisco."

- Joe Flower

Hidden Concert

2011-07-22T21:07:00.000-07:00

Impromptu Concert under a bridge in Golden Gate Park

Book Signing - Gail Carriger

2011-07-21T08:57:00.000-07:00

Are you a fan of Lord Akeldama, Lady Maccon, Professor Lyall, or Miss Ivy Hisselpenny? If so, then you will be delighted to hear that Gail Carriger just released her fourth book in her Parasol Protectorate Series. Heartless has all the high society vampires, powerful werewolfs, and fabulous steampunk inventions that we have come to expect from this urban fantasy, romantic mystery writer. If you haven't been turned on to this author yet, there is no time like the present. March 1st, 2011, Timeless comes out, and this book will be the end of the saga.

The picture below shows Miss Carriger at her latest book signing at Books, Inc. in Opera Plaza.

San Francisco: An Ever-Changing City

2011-07-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

If you attend Armistead Maupin's musical, "Tales of the City," you will see a very different San Francisco then what you see today. The time period is the 1970's.   As you watch the show, visions of disco, plaid pants, hand sewn bean bags, tight jeans, moustaches, and flower children will dance through your head.

The 1970's was a time of sexual revolution, especially for the gay community. For the first time in San Francisco's history, GLBT men and women found a place they could call home and express themselves with their body. It wasn't just about sex, but that was part of it. It was also about a growing community that decided they didn't want to be sad anymore. Now was the time of gay rights protests and petitions for more gay friendly laws. It was the time of Harvey Milk, the first gay supervisor in San Francisco. It was a time of optimism for the gay community; an optimism they would need to tap into in the next decade.

As you leave "Tales of the City" and are thinking about the greatness of the 1970's, one can't help but let their minds then drift to the horror of the 1980's, when the other shoe fell. The 1980's brought the AIDS pandemic and an unsupportive president, Ronald Reagan. How could we fight this disease when our president wouldn't even say the word AIDS in public until 1987? San Francisco was hit hard by the disease. With the absence of government and family support, the community came together and took care of its own. The GLBT community realized it was strong, and growing stronger. Now was not the time for the closet, but the streets. "ACT UP! FIGHT AIDS."

The 90's and turn of the century brought with it the age of Google, Twitter, Mozilla, Yahoo, Zynga, and Facebook who are now shaping the landscape of San Francisco. These companies have brought young software developers to the Bay Area with good salaries. When the Recession hit, San Francisco maintained a little better than other cities simply because of it's proximity to the Silicon Valley. For example, the real estate market dropped, but it did not plummet like in other areas. In some ways, the tech industry saved San Francisco from a meteoric fall. Even in the depths of the Recession, one can see new businesses and restaurants spring up that appeal to those in the tech industry. This population has influence and will shape the look and feel of San Francisco. For example, the CEO of Oracle is bringing the World Cup to the Bay Area. Current tenants of the water front are already being evicted to make room for all the new development that will take place in order to host this worldwide event. It will never be the same again. Hopefully, it will be improved.

This is a city that has always changed based on times.   It grew overnight because of the Gold Rush, experienced vigilante justice, reveled in the Victorian age, and partied through the Roaring 20's. Basically, San Francisco is always open to change and will throw itself into the present time. Currently, it is the tech scene, but that will change. No one scene dominates this city for too long. It won't tolerate not being the center of the next movement.

The influence of all the different eras is still here in the city, some more noticeable than others. For example, the Gay Pride Celebration is alive and well, although it has changed to include so much more than anyone could have ever expected. In some ways, it is now a celebration for everyone to just appreciate and celebrate all of our differences.

No matter what, this city will continue to evolve. It may be through human intervention or even the occasional touch of Mother Nature in the form of earthquakes. Enjoy the city the way it is now, but don't be surprised if in 10 years it is different. Don't mourn and grieve the past, just cherish the memories. Instead, embrace every form this city decides to take as you move through its streets in your lifetime. San Francisco is NOT settled, and it will never be settled. It is always in the process of becoming something.

Cheers!

Mike

Scenes from San Francisco's Gay Pride, 2011

2011-07-16T09:08:00.000-07:00

Gay Pride in San Francisco is a time where everyone comes out and celebrates diversity. GLBT and heterosexual people from all nationalities and all races join in the festivities. Young, old, families, singles, rich, poor, all are welcome.

Golden Gate?

2011-07-02T07:38:00.000-07:00

If you have been around San Francisco for any amount of time, you will definitely see a reference to the Golden Gate, the most obvious being the Golden Gate Bridge. You will also hear the term used in almost any song talking about San Francisco. We now have restaurants, apartment houses, businesses, hobby clubs, etc. using the name to show themselves as local and loyal to the Bay Area.

The term Golden Gate refers to the entrance of the bay between Marin and San Francisco which is now connected by the bridge. Before the bridge, the name was still used for that specific area.

Why Golden Gate? Many think it is a term relating to the California Gold Rush. It makes sense, but it is incorrect. It was actually named by John C. Fremont after he first viewed the entrance to the bay. It reminded him of the sea entrance to to Byzantium, now called Istanbul. The entrance to that historic harbor is named Chryoceras (Greek for Golden Horn). The geographical characteristics, as well as the possible commercial uses of this area, are what led Fremont to name this area of the bay Chrysopylae, or Golden Gate.

Cheers!

Mike

Reference: San Francisco Memoirs 1835-1851: Eyewitness accounts of the birth of a city, by Malcolm E. Barker

Views at the deYoung Museum

2011-06-24T20:33:00.000-07:00

The Hanlon House, San Francisco

2011-06-24T07:57:00.000-07:00

If you find yourself walking around the Russian Hill/Nob Hill neighborhood on Jackson Street, take a couple of moments to walk by the Hanlon House at 1659 Jackson Street. It was built in 1881 and moved to its current location after the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire.

It is fascinating to reflect on all the life and conversations that have occurred in this residence. The 130 year old home began its life during the Victorian Age, when women and men dressed elaborately and kept their parlors over decorated. It was an age of showy excess, and this house looks like it belonged to that era. Families continued to live in the house during the times of World War 1 & 2, McCarthyism, poodle skirts, first moon walk, the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement, the Summer of Love, and the AIDS pandemic. Most recently, this house witnessed the advent of accessible technology flood it's rooms. It was built around the time that the phone was invented, and now cell phones, computers, laptops, and televisions are used on the premises.

From the looks of this residence, it is not going anywhere anytime soon. Maybe in the future it will be cars, and not just planes, that the grand old lady will see flying above it's rooftop and chimneys.

Cheers!

Mike

"Language of the Birds"

2011-06-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

The next time you are in North Beach, check out the art piece displayed at Columbus and Broadway. It is entitled "Language of the Birds," and is made up of 23 illuminated polycarbonate books hanging from electrical lines. On the sidewalk below the books rest many English, Italian, and Chinese words and phrases etched into the sidewalk. Standing underneath it, you get the feeling that the books have taken flight, and in the process lost some of their words and phrases which floated to the ground. At night the books are illuminated by power generated from solar panels housed on the roof of nearby City Lights Bookstore.

It was created by Brian Goggin and Dorka Keehn. Brian Goggins is also the artist who designed "Defenestration" at 6th and Howard.

"Language of the Birds" is the direct result of a city ordinance which puts aside 2 percent of capital improvement costs to fund Public Art Programs. Most of the money for this art piece came from private donations, but the city did kick in a generous amount to start the creative process. You have to love a city that recognizes the importance of art.

Cheers.

Mike

"San Francisco" --Judy Garland

2011-06-05T20:44:00.000-07:00

Leland Stanford (One of the "Big Four")

2011-06-04T12:33:00.000-07:00

Leland Stanford, one of San Francisco's infamous "Big Four," did not come from remarkable origins. He had seven other siblings, and was the son of an innkeeper. After a short time in the law profession, Leland came to California in order to work with his brothers to start up a grocery in Sacramento. His brothers moved on to other pursuits, but Leland stayed faithful to the small grocery store.

Opportunity Knocks!

One of his customers was struggling to keep his gold mine open and pay the grocery bill, so he paid Leland in shares of his mine. For whatever reason, Leland decided to accept these shares as payment for the bill. One must wonder if he was motivated by charity or greed. It turns out that this was quite possibly one of the two best business decisions Leland ever made in his life. The gold mine was successful, and it eventually made him half a million dollars. This was not a bad return for a few groceries.

Opportunity Knocks!

After amassing a tidy sum of money that cemented his place as a wealthy businessman in the Bay Area, he attended a presentation by a railroad engineer named Theodore Judah. He was a convincing orator, and Judah left that presentation with many commitments to buy shares in his idea to build a railroad through the Sierra Foot Hills to the mines. It was a successful business venture, and this was the beginning of the creation of Leland's fortune. He became known as one of the Big Four in San Francisco, and created an empire based on the railroad. He had come a long way from being the son of an innkeeper, a mediocre lawyer, and a modest grocery store owner.

As his influence grew, Leland became more interested in politics. He became the governor of California for two years during the Civil War era, and later served as a U.S. Senator

Things were going well for the Stanford family until their only son died of typhoid at age 15. The heir to the throne had passed away, and everything he had worked for seemed meaningless. In order to grieve the loss of their son, Leland and Jane founded the Leland Stanford Jr. University in 1891.

Stanford died in 1893, and the university almost went under. As it turns out, Leland had bankrupt his own legacy by spending enormous sums of money on everything from showplace mansions, a Palo Alto farm, an orchard, etc. In fact, he and his wife built Stanford University with five million borrowed dollars.

With the university on the brink of closure, Leland's wife came to the rescue and somehow figured out a way to keep herself and the university afloat after her husband's death.

What a remarkable life. After reading his story, one must wonder if Leland contributed his success to the direction of a divine higher power, hard work and business savvy, or just plain dumb luck.

Cheers,

Mike

Source: Historic San Francisco: A Concise History and Guide, by Rand Richards

San Francisco's 2011 Carnival

2011-06-02T19:52:00.000-07:00

Cheers,

Mike

San Francisco Critical Mass on Van Ness Avenue

2011-06-01T19:23:00.000-07:00

"Bicycle Race"
by Queen

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle

I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like

You say black I say white
You say bark I say bite
You say shark I say hey man
Jaws was never my scene
And I don't like Star Wars
You say Rolls I say Royce
You say God give me a choice
You say Lord I say Christ
I don't believe in Peter Pan
Frankenstein or Superman
All I wanna do is

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my

Bicycle races are coming your way
So forget all your duties oh yeah
Fat bottomed girls they'll be riding today
So look out for those beauties oh yeah
On your marks get set go
Bicycle race bicycle race bicycle race

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle
Bicycle bicycle bicycle
Bicycle race

You say coke I say caine
You say John I say Wayne
Hot dog I say cool it man
I don't wanna be the President of America
You say smile I say cheese
Cartier I say please
Income tax I say Jesus
I don't wanna be a candidate for
Vietnam or Watergate
Cause all I wanna do is

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like

Check out San Francisco Critical Mass at www.sfcriticalmass.org

Street Poetry

2011-05-31T21:15:00.000-07:00

An aspiring poet wrote these short verses on pieces of tape and placed them on the sidewalk near Valencia Street. This is definitely someone who wants to be heard.

Cheers!

Mike

Essay: Who Remembers Us?

2011-05-29T08:17:00.000-07:00

History is made by everyone who is born into this world. The moment you take that first breath, you become part of the story. Most everything you do will affect someone in someway, down to the person on the street asking for money. Everyone has a share in this story, but not everyone is remembered for their part.

Recorded history often forgets the little person's role in the legend. It doesn't seem to care about the man who worked hard and somehow played a small part in keeping civilization alive. History ignores the woman who had a family and worked diligently to teach them about compassion, ethics, and responsibility. The teacher, garbage collector, nurse, bus driver, sales clerk, small business owner, construction worker, minister, and day laborer all have an impact on our society. Unfortunately, they are not all remembered.

While researching the history of San Francisco, it becomes apparent that those who made the most money are the ones who are remembered. The ones who were the biggest scoundrels and scammed the most people are the ones who are remembered. Often they are self-memorialized in a structure they built with their name on it to remind everyone of who they were and that they made a lot of money. These buildings are like giant, ornate tombstones scattered throughout the city.

Those who were supposedly the biggest saints are also the ones who are remembered. It is interesting to note that sometimes a figure can go from being the biggest scoundrel to the most pious of saints based solely on how they lived their life after they made their fortune or how they wrote their will.

But what about the common person? They are remembered on in their families for a couple of generations, and then they are a short sentence attached to a photo in a dusty album. Where is the museum to the men and women who really built this country with their hands and not their pocketbooks?

It is fun to read about the "great" people in history and marvel at all the awesome things they did and structures they built, but not at the moment. Instead, let's try to draw today's inspiration from the ordinary people who have gone before us. The common men and women who contributed to the story and legend that is history but never got their name in the newspaper. The ones who made it possible for the "historic" characters in history to achieve their goals and build great buildings.

Cheers,

Mike

Socialism in the City

2011-05-22T19:58:00.000-07:00

When you visit Coit Tower, spend some time looking at the murals surrounding the hallway inside the structure. At first glance, you may just bypass them and concentrate on the views and getting into the elevator, but the murals themselves are an amazing attraction. Created in 1933 as one of the first public works projects, the California School of Fine Arts faculty and staff worked hard to create paintings that would reflect life in California. There are cowboys, 49ers, fruit pickers, industrial workers, etc.

During this time, Rockefeller Center removed Diego Rivera's artwork because he had painted in an image of Lenin. The artists who were working on Coit Tower protested and painted in several leftist images to show solidarity with Rivera. These paintings created quite a stir, and one of the pictures entitled "Workers of the World Unite" was removed before the opening.

Today, you can still see the socialist influence in the murals that line the hallways of Coit Tower. You can see it in the man who is pulling Karl Marx's Das Kapital off a bookshelf, or the man who is portrayed reading a newspaper with the headline talking about Rivera's artwork being removed from Rockefeller Center. It is also in the painting of a man who is reaching for the Daily Worker from a newsstand, and in the scene of a poor family panning for gold as a rich family looks on. In addition, closely check out the industrial paintings, especially the one showing a sea of diverse workmen joining together.

It is definitely worth going to Coit Tower for the phenomenal views, but also take some time to really study the murals. You won't be disappointed.

Cheers,

Mike

Bay to Breakers: The Event

2011-05-15T22:33:00.000-07:00

Bay to Breakers is definitely something you have to experience to believe. It has to be the largest costume party in the world. Thousands and thousands (55,000 plus) showed up to run and walk their way across the city from the bay to the ocean. Costumes included Angry Birds, I'm with Charlie Sheen girlfriends, underwear gnomes and regular gnomes, witches, Scooby Do, Napoleon Dynamite, fairies, etc. It is so San Francisco, and absolutely fabulous. Happy 100th anniversary to the Bay to Breakers 12K race.

Bay to Breakers

2011-05-14T14:40:00.000-07:00

Wikimedia Commons: Geoffrey Weber

It is finally here. The 100th anniversary of Bay to Breakers will be this Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. This is a 12k race from the San Francisco Bay to the ocean breakers, and it was established as a way to raise the city's spirits after the tragic 1906 earthquake and fire. It is the oldest foot race in the world that has never changed its course. During W.W. II, attendance dropped to below 50 participants, but it has continued to grow. This year they are expecting 55,000 registered entrants and an untold number of bandits who "crash" the race. In 1986, the race had 110,000 participants, enough to make into the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest footrace in the world.

This is not your mother's footrace. Over the years it has evolved with a San Francisco feel and vibe. When you go and view the race tomorrow, don't be surprised by the large number of runners/walkers/drunk crawlers who are wearing costumes. You may see Egyptian princes, super heroes, pink gorillas, spacemen, and any number of people dressed up. In addition, you may also see those who declined to wear a costume, or a running suit, or anything at all for that matter. Yes, they must be cold.

Stay tuned to this blog for pictures of the event. G-rated pictures of course.

Cheers!

Mike

Mary Ellen Pleasant: The Mother of Civil Rights in California

2011-05-07T20:51:00.000-07:00

Mary Ellen Pleasant

Before coming to San Francisco, Mary Ellen had a very eventful life. This African-American activist was a financial backer of the Abolitionist movement and played an active role in the Underground Railroad.

Her second husband, James Smith, was an African American man who was passing as white. He had already freed his slaves, and the two of them worked hard in the abolitionist movement. After his death, she began a marriage/partnership with John James Pleasant which eventually led them to New Orleans where she became fast friends with Marie Laveau's husband and often took advice from the great voodoo priestess herself.

The California Gold Rush is what eventually brought James and Mary Ellen to San Francisco. The possibilities for wealth were limitless. When she stepped off the boat at Yerba Buena Island, she registered herself as white, and as such landed jobs managing some of the more exclusive eateries in the city. While performing her duties, she often overheard tidbits of financial gossip and used them to invest wisely and grow her personal wealth. By 1885, Thomas, who found success in quicksilver, and Mary Ellen had created a 30 million dollar fortune. Unfortunately, Thomas did not live long after this, passing away in 1887 of diabetes. Instead of staying at home and mourning the death of her husband, Mary Ellen hit the trail with John Brown and for the next two years worked tirelessly to attain civil rights for African Americans.

San Francisco called her back in 1879, and this time she came out as a black woman. The African-Americans in San Francisco knew of Mary Ellen's true race all along, but very few white people knew this secret. When she came back and declared herself black, there were some who were very shocked. After her return to the city, She fought a series of court cases around civil rights for African Americans and often won.

Mary Ellen worked hard all her life for human rights and a better life for everyone, but she did not have a spotless reputation. There were always rumors surrounding her, including that she was the daughter of a voodoo priestess and a Virginia governor. Her relationship with Thomas and Teresa Bell did not help. Teresa was Mary Ellen's friend and business associate. When Teresa got married, Mary Ellen built her a huge $100,000 mansion as a wedding present and then lived in it with the wedded couple. The ornate residence and formal gardens occupied a large space at 1661 Octavia Street between Bush and Sutter. The exact arrangement of their living conditions was not openly discussed, but it appears that Mary Ellen ran the household, including all of the financial obligations. Soon, Thomas and Teresa had a falling out, and on October 15th, 1892 while Thomas was suffering from an illness, it is reported that in the middle of the night he called out "Where am I?" and crashed to the basement floor from a second story landing, dying soon after. At the time, it was believed to be an accident.

Shortly after the death of Thomas, Mary Ellen and Teresa found themselves in court fighting over his estate. The peculiar circumstances of the marriage and relationship were alluded to in court, and the rumors started to fly in the newspapers. Teresa set out on a campaign to destroy Mary Ellen's name by calling her a voodoo priestess, a baby stealer, a baby eater, and a multiple murderess. Teresa was successful in her smear campaign and eventually won the house and evicted Mary Ellen.

Probably most disturbing to Mary Ellen about the whole ordeal is that Teresa was able to tag her publicly with the title of "Mammy." For the rest of her life she was often referred to, especially in the press, as "Mammy" Pleasant, a title which she abhorred.

She passed away on January 4th, 1904. She was a great woman of action who used her success to help many people. RIP Mary Ellen Pleasant, 1817 - 1904.

Source: Wikipedia & Historic Walks in San Francisco, by Rand Richards

May Flowers

2011-05-05T19:35:00.000-07:00

105 Year Anniversary of the San Francisco Earthquake & Fire

2011-04-30T08:26:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, San Franciscans may have seemed a little more solemn as they remembered the victims of the 1906 earthquake and fire. It is said to have been more destructive than the Chicago fire of 1871 and the London fire of 1966. Fortunately, the city and its citizens have taken countless measures to ensure that damage and death do not occur on that scale again.

Below you will find some of the facts of that fatal day in 1906:

It occurred at 5:12 a.m.
The first tremor lasted 40 seconds with a ten second rest followed by a very strong 25 second shake.
It has been estimated as a 7.9 on the scale of 10 Richter scale.
It was almost 30 times more powerful than the 6.8 quake in 1989. This was the quake that caused a section of the Bay Bridge to go down, and did fatal damage to highway 101 and structures in the Marina District.
It came from the San Andreas Fault, which was just discovered by Andrew Lawson in 1893. It runs under and is named after San Andreas Lake. It does not lie directly under San Francisco. Instead, it goes through Daly City, out into the ocean, and back to land at Reyes Point.
The epicenter was offshore, a few miles South of Golden Gate.
It created quite a bit of destruction along a 200 mile stretch from Monterey Bay to Fort Bragg, but it did little damage to Oakland and Berkeley. They have their own fault line to worry about on that side of the bay.
In S.F. cemeteries, hundreds of tombstones were knocked over, all towards the east.
The ground in San Francisco went through a series of waves as high as two or three feet.
Most of the damage did not come from the earthquake, but the uncontrollable fire that spread through the city during the aftermath.

San Francisco will never know this level of destruction again because of an earthquake. City officials have instituted a series of earthquake proof and fire prevention building codes that will really pay off if an earthquake of that magnitude hits the city again. All you have to do is look at the difference between the 2010 Chile earthquake (8.8) and the 2010 Haiti earthquake (7.0) to see how good planning and technology can save lives and structures. Chile used many of the earthquake proof procedures developed in California, and there was a lot less destruction and loss of life.

In 1906, San Francisco was caught unaware and with little planning in place, but all of that has changed now. If a quake this size does occur again, there will be a certain amount of death and destruction, but nothing near the 1906 carnage. All San Franciscans pray it won't happen, but if so, they all have earthquake kits and several plans to help them survive and rebuild this great city by the sea.

Cheers!

Mike

Source: Historic San Francisco: A Concise History and Guide, by Rand Richards

San Francisco: Home of the Creative Muses

2011-04-28T09:31:00.000-07:00

If you spend any amount of time in San Francisco, you will feel the creative spirit that is a part of everything around you. The architecture, murals, fashion, festivals, and music all give testimony to this drive that entices everyone who lives here or visits to make something unique and genuine. For example, All you have to do is visit a few restaurants before you come across that delectable combination of ingredients that San Franciscans like to call California Fusion. Local chefs take traditional recipes from around the world and experiment in ways that make it a whole new dish. A perfect example is all the ways that calamari is prepared in the city.

In San Francisco, everyone also seems to have a hobby, and there is a large focus on people doing something outside of the normal work day. Several individuals may introduce themselves as writers, designers, or musicians who are just posing as teachers, bankers, clerks, etc. It is the work-life balance that many places in the United States talk about, but San Francisco puts into practice.

Everyone has a creative spark that lies in them. Here in the city, you can find all sorts of courses that will spark your interest and help you to court the muse. There are numerous community education organizations and businesses devoted to such things as sewing, knitting, sailing, drawing, blogging, writing, making music, design, programming, gardening, pottery, photography, stained glass, etc. If you can dream it, you can make it.

What causes this city to be driven by such a strong inventive urge? Maybe it is the ghosts of all the movies and books that refer to San Francisco locations. You don't have to go far to recognize a place that was used in a novel or on the big screen. For example, some may say that Michael Toliver and Mary Ann Singleton still lurk around the corners of the Castro and Russian Hill districts. Maybe this urge arises from extreme beauty of the hills, ocean, and bay that at times borders on too much for the senses to take in. Being around such a wealth of natural beauty stimulates a person's imagination.

There are a few other places like this in the United States. All you have to do is visit Santa Fe and you will feel this same inspiration. This city, like San Francisco, encourages one to sit down and write a novel the quality of "Death Comes for the Archbishop," by Willa Cather. Of course, not everyone can succeed in this task to that level of excellence, but that is not the point.

It is often the act of creating that is more important than the actual product, especially here in the city. The real product is not the vase, but the insights and knowledge the artist receives in the making of the vase. Some of the best artists with the most innovative spirits will never be famous. These are the hobbyists that eventually learn that they are the art piece, not the vase. San Francisco promotes the idea that we are at our best when we create and invent. Maybe, just maybe the meaning of life is to discover yourself and your relationship to others by using your imagination and engaging in the art of creation. All you have to do is look at the art pieces of ancient civilizations to realize that there has always been this human drive to create something even if it is on the most menial of objects, such as a water bowl.

Come to San Francisco, spark your imagination, and get in touch with your primal urge to build, design, and innovate. Soon you may be one of those people who introduces themselves as a musician that happens to sell houses during the day.

Cheers!

Mike

Maiden Lane

2011-04-27T19:34:00.000-07:00

Have you been to Maiden Lane yet? No? Well, then hail a cab and head down to this quaint little alley near Union Square where high end fashion lives. Retailers like Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, and Marc Jacobs all have cozy little stores nestled away in this posh alley. In addition, you will find the Xanadu Gallery which is housed in a space designed by the infamous Frank Loyd Wright.

Before the 1906 earthquake and fire, this little street was known for its "red light" activity. One can only imagine all the whoring, opium dens, and general crime that found it's home in these short blocks. The fire destroyed all of the buildings and left piles or rubble, but a jeweler saw potential in the mean little alley and transformed it to its current glamour by first changing the name from Morton to Maiden, and then courting businesses that would help the little lane to compete with the Maiden Lanes in both New York City and London.

Get up, catch a cab, and go window shopping in Maiden Lane. While you are down there, you might as well stroll over to Union Square for some light shopping, and then you can end the excursion with a cup of tea in Chinatown.

Cheers,

Mike

Source: Wikipedia

"The Granite Lady" San Francisco's Old Mint

2011-04-26T21:37:00.000-07:00

Located in Soma (South of Market) on the intersection of 5th and Mission sits the Old U.S. Mint. Constructed in 1874 and designed to keep out tunneling robbers, this stone building actually survived the 1906 earthquake and fire. One of the features of the building which helped to save it from ruin was the central enclosed courtyard that houses a well that was used to defend the structure. The windows melted from the heat of the surrounding fire, but the building was not engulfed in flames. Good thing because at the time it was housing a third of the U.S. gold reserves.

In 1937, it was replaced by a newer structure that is perched on top of a hill overlooking Market Street. The Old Mint was open to tourists until 1993, and just recently has been slated for a remodel to make it a museum by 2012.

- Source Wikipedia

Chinatown: San Francisco

2011-04-25T20:53:00.000-07:00

Macy's 2011 Flower Show: San Francisco

2011-04-24T07:42:00.000-07:00

Every year people flock to the Macy's store in Union Square to view the real floral displays and breath in the wonderful scents. To many, this is a ritual that marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. This year's event occurred on March 27th - April 10th, and it included a Zen, rooftop, and enchanted garden. In addition, the floral designers created a walk through the tropical rainforest.

If you missed this year's event, don't worry. Just keep an eye out for it next year and welcome spring in with a San Francisco tradition that has been around for 65 years.

Happy Easter!

Mike

The Barbary Coast Trail

2011-04-23T15:56:00.000-07:00

If you find yourself in San Francisco with a little time on your hands and yearning to take a 3.8 mile journey across the city, then the Barbary Coast Trail is for you. This trek starts at the steps of the old Mint Building at 5th and Mission and takes you on a historical journey through the Financial District, China Town, Union Square, Fisherman's Wharf, Telegraph Hill, North Beach, and many more streets, alleys, and creative walkways. All you have to do is follow the 170 brass markers embedded in the sidewalk like the one pictured above.

Try not to get too distracted by all the shops and stores that you pass along the way, although a quick dash into City Lights Booksellers and Publishers can't really be prevented. As you make your way through the city, also consider taking a break and getting a drink at Vesuvio, Specs, or Tosca, better known as the Holy Trinity Bars of North Beach. As an added bonus, if you stay alert you may just catch a glimpse of the wild parrot flock that roams freely in the trees of San Francisco.

Your San Francisco Odyssey will take you by a staircase on Telegraph Hill marked only by a modest plaque stating that it is the Jack Early Park. Hike up the steps and you will find one of the best views in the city. The SF Gate promotes it as the best place to propose marriage.

Put on your walking shoes, fill your water bottle, and get out there and explore this incredible city by the sea.

Cheers!

Mike

San Francisco: Street Smarts

2011-04-10T19:36:00.000-07:00

Street Smarts set up shop in Golden Gate Park today to show off their talent on temporary walls. It is a program that was created through a collaboration between the San Francisco Arts Commission and the Department of Public Works. According to their flier, they "connect established urban artists with private property owners to create vibrant murals, making the property less likely to be vandalized." This is so San Francisco.

Cheers!

Mike

Historical Saturday: Alma de Bretteville Spreckels

2011-04-09T12:35:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of wikimedia

If you visit Union Square, you will find a statue in the middle poised atop a tall column. Her name is "Victoria: The Goddess of Victory," and she was placed on this pedestal as a remembrance of the 1898 Manila Bay battle during the Spanish - American war.

The statue of the goddess was actually modeled after a real San Franciscan named Alma de Bretteville Spreckels (1881-1968). Born into poverty, the local beauty began to make a name for herself early on by modeling and even posing nude. Because of her fame, the sculptor Robert Aiken met her and decided that her figure and face should be immortalized in Union Square as the goddess Victoria.

Her personal life took a turn during this time by the meeting and courting of Adolph Spreckles, heir to a sugar fortune. It took four years for the statuesque woman to convince the renowned bachelor and playboy to marry her. After all, he was 26 years older than her and never been officially "caught." They were wed in 1908, had three children, and he passed away from pneumonia in 1924.

With her financial future secure, Alma's passion turned from modeling to fundraising. She was aggressive about it and soon had a reputation as a woman who could get anything done. She was a woman who knew what she wanted, and she went after it.

Alma de Bretteville Spreckels kept her name in the spotlight with a series of shocking events. For example, out of the blue one night she eloped and married a transvestite cowboy in Reno. The marriage did not last long, and the cowboy then married her niece. In addition to her shocking exploits, she was also known to be a woman who was a constant chain-smoker and one who never had a pitcher of martinis out of reach.

In addition to the 1913 mansion, now the home of novelist Danielle Steele, both Alma and her husband left their mark on San Francisco with the creation of the California Palace of the Legion of Honor which houses her Rodin sculptures.

Alma de Bretteville Spreckels

Book Review: Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood

2011-04-05T20:26:00.000-07:00

If you are into graphic novels, then you have to read Persepolis. If you are a reader, then you have to read Persepolis. If you are interested in Iran and it's recent history, then you have to read Persepolis. Let's just make this easy. YOU HAVE TO READ PERSEPOLIS.

This novel will show you a part of modern Iranian history through the eyes of a child. The narrator and author, Marjane Satrapi, describes her experiences starting with pre-revolution Iran and taking you on a journey of war, love, friendship, violence, and death.

The good news is that when you finish Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood and want to know more of the story, you can now read Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return. It is definitely a page turner.

Cheers!

Mike

S.F. History: Crocker's Crime

2011-03-29T18:56:00.000-07:00


The fence is located behind the center building.

Charles Crocker was one of the "Associates," also called the "Big Four." He shared this title with Collis P. Huntington, Mark Hopkins, and Leland Stanford. All in someway played a role in the creation of the Central Pacific Railroad, and all of them amassed huge fortunes and built mansions to reflect this on Nob Hill.

Crocker built his opulent Victorian mansion very close to a modest house which stood at the corner of Sacramento and Taylor Street. This was the residence of Nicholas Yung. Crocker decided he wanted that lot and began plans to tear it to the ground, but the Yung's would not sell. Crocker then decided to build a 40 foot fence around the Yung house on three sides and cut off the air and sunlight. Eventually Yung did sell, and Crocker tore the residence down.

How did the public feel about this aggressive display of wealth and power? I think the answer lies in the fact that the 40 foot fence became known as "Crocker's Crime."

- Mike

Nowruz: Persian New Year

2011-03-28T18:47:00.000-07:00

If you were around Union Square on Saturday, March 26th, you may have found yourself tapping your feet to the sounds of the Persian New Year's Celebration. The sound of music and the joy of dance surrounded the Square and made it a welcoming place.

Nowruz, the name for the Persian New Year, means "New Day" and marks the beginning of spring. It lasts for 13 days and is a time for visiting and large family gatherings.

Happy Nowruz!

Mike

Historical Saturday: Sam Brannan

2011-03-26T08:56:00.000-07:00

If you have been in San Francisco for any amount of time, then you found yourself on Brannan Avenue in SOMA. As with many of the street and building names, it commemorates the life of a man who was once known as "The First San Franciscan."

Sam Brannan (1819 - 1889) arrived in San Francisco (Yerba Buena) on July 31, 1846, and began to make his fortune. He was the leader of a group of Mormons who were trying to escape the long arm of the United States and settle a new colony on unclaimed land. The spirits of his pilgrims plummeted the minute they got off the ship and saw "Old Glory" waving. Brannan's response was "There's that da*ned rag again."

Sam did not escape the United States, but he did find a place where he could make his fortune. He took the tithes collected by the Mormons, declined turning them into the main church in Salt Lake City, and instead used the money to start the first newspaper in San Francisco (the California Star). In addition, he got into real estate and started a trading post. At one point, he owned one-fifth of the new city. When the gold rush hit, Sam was there getting his share of the wealth by selling supplies to the 49ers. All of these things combined helped to make Sam Brannan one of the richest men in California. He had made it. When he talked, people listened, and this caused him to be a key player in the development of the First Committee of Vigilance when crime plagued this little city in 1851. He was a wealthy and respected business man who had the bay area in the palm of his hand.

And then...

As Sam became more successful, his alcohol intake increased. This was not only a private event, but turned public when he attended the dedication of his new hot springs development. He drunkenly stumbled up to the podium and said, "I will make this the Calistoga of Sarafornia."

Sam never did get over his need for the bottle, and eventually his wife divorced him and took most of the San Francisco real estate with her. In the end, Brannan went broke and died a pauper around San Diego. From rags to riches to rags.

Despite his tragic end, he was definitely one of the founding fathers of San Francisco. His name lives on around the street that is his namesake. As you travel the avenue, you will notice apartment buildings, cafes, and other shops with the word Brannan in the title. 111 years after his death, and he still has a presence in this city. Not bad for a Mormon elder who started out trying to escape the United States in order to establish a new colony.

Cheers!

Mike

Source: The awesome Historic San Francisco: A Concise History and Guide, by Rand Richards.

Street Graffiti? Art? Political Statement?

2011-03-22T19:33:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken in an alley off of Van Ness Avenue near Russian Hill. What was the artist trying to get across by writing this on the wall? Was it gang related or just an attempt to say something about society? Is it art?

One interpretation of this is that separation equals death. Is it that simple? Maybe it refers to three degrees of separation leading to death. Maybe the three words represent a severed relationship with an individual's family, friendship, and relationship which can lead to a spiritual, if not physical, death.

The focus is definitely death because of the placement of the word and how it is the only one capitalized, but what is the purpose of the three "separations?" Is it significant that the first one is misspelled and different than the other two? What about the other words (ago, it) that are spelled out in the grid?

Anything that raises this many questions must be a work of art. Anything that makes an individual stare at it for any amount of time and ponder what it means must be art. Therefore, this is an example, and maybe even a clever example, of San Francisco street art.

Cheers!

Mike

Castro Theatre: Wizard of Oz Sing Along

2011-03-22T07:08:00.000-07:00

It's time to put on your ruby red slippers, comb down your mane, or oil up your joints because the Castro Theatre is about to present the Wizard of Oz Sing Along from March 25th - 31st. If you want to practice ahead of time and need your memory jogged, you will find below a list of some of the more popular songs:

Somewhere over the Rainbow
Munchkin Land
Ding Dong the Witch is Dead
Lullabye League and Lollipop Guild
Follow the Yellow Brick Road
If I only had a Brain, Heart, Nerve
Were off to see the Wizard
If I were the King of the Forest
Courage

Cheers!

Mike

Spanish Footprint in San Francisco

2011-03-20T08:06:00.000-07:00

Gaspar de Portola

San Francisco, and California, used to be under Spain's rule. During this time, several well known explorers were sent up the coast from San Diego in order to explore this area and chart any features that would make it conducive to settlement and commerce. Several of these founders are honored in San Francisco in the following ways:

Portola Drive and the Portola District: This section of town is named after the never married Gaspar de Portola, the Spanish Explorer that discovered the San Francisco Bay Area. Because of the fog and the small opening into the bay, sea captains had passed by for many years without ever knowing of the great possibilities that existed in this area.
Angel Island Cove: Lieutenant Juan Manuel de Ayala was the first European to actually sail through the Golden Gate, and he set about naming several of the places around the bay. Ayala Cove on Angel Island is named after him.
Alcatraz (Isla de Alcatraces): This now famous island was named by Ayala, and it means the "island of pelicans."
Sausalito (Saucelito): This trendy area of the bay was also named by Ayala, and it means "little thicket of willows."

Spain had control of this new land for many years, but lost the West Coast when Mexico became independent in 1821. It was at this point that Mexican rule came to this part of the country, and a time of relative prosperity began as this area saw more and more settlers. The then named village of Yerba Buena became part of the United States in the 1840's as a result of the Mexican/American War. Shortly after that, the area was renamed San Francisco.

Cheers!

Mike

Source: Historic San Francisco: A Concise History and Guide. by Rand Richards

Mission Dolores Cemetary and Gardens

2011-03-19T07:30:00.000-07:00

If you are religious during this season of Lent, consider spending some time in Mission Dolores and especially the adjacent gardens and cemetery. Founded in 1776, the Mission survived many obstacles including the 1906 earthquake. The structure itself is simple by today's standards, but very ornate for 1776. When you visit, you will exit onto the gardens and nearby cemetery. This cemetery is very old and therefore has very unique graver markers. It definitely reinforces that fact that "to dust we shall return."

Historical Sunday: The Castro Theatre (1922)

2011-03-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

The Iconic Castro Theatre

If you are looking for an authentic 1920's moving-going experience, then you don't have to look any farther than the Castro Theatre. Designed by a self-taught architect named Timothy Pflueger, this is one of the few remaining examples of a "Jazz Age" movie palace.

Unlike other movie houses, the Castro Theatre escaped the deformation and destruction that usually occurs to buildings as they are forced into the modern age. This is probably due in large part to the fact that it has had the same owners for the last 89 years. Originally built by the Nasser brothers, sons of Syrian immigrants, the theatre still remains in the protective hands of this family.

What makes it so special?

The live organ music that greets everyone as they enter the theatre adds a special touch to the afternoon matinee or evening entertainment. If you sit real close to the front, you can watch the organist as his hands and feet artfully move across the beautiful pipe organ.
The ornate decor is phenomenal. From the massive classical murals, to the small paintings on the glamorous light fixture and surround, each detail of the decor was painstakingly designed.
They play everything from old movies, silent movies, sing alongs, and recent blockbusters. They also host live performances by iconic celebrities.

If you are a movie buff, you need to take the time to visit the Castro Theatre and take in the history. Breathe in the "Roaring 20's" and imagine the flappers attending the theater for the first time on the arms of their dapper escorts.

Cheers!

Mike

Historical Sunday: The Barbary Coast

2011-03-06T08:14:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while you may hear the expression Barbary Coast. The perception is that the Barbary Coast applies to all of San Francisco, but in fact, it is a very small nine block area that received this title back in the 1850's. It's boundaries are between Montgomery Street, Washington, Stockton, and Broadway. The best way to describe the character of this area in the history of San Francisco is with the quote below by Benjamin Lowe in 1876. The passage is a bit judgmental and rooted in Christian belief, but it does get across a certain picture of what the area was like during this time period. This particular quote also hints at the anti-Chinese movement, inflamed by the Christian churches, which was widely spread across the cities of the West Coast.

"The Barbary Coast is the haunt of the low and the vile of every kind. The petty thief, the house burglar, the tramp, the whoremonger, lewd women, cutthroats, murderers, all are found here. Dance-halls and concert-saloons, where blear-eyed men and faded women drink vile liquor, smoke offensive tobacco, engage in vulgar conduct, sing obscene songs and say and do everything to heap upon themselves more degradation, are numerous. Low gambling houses, thronged with riot-loving rowdies, in all stages of intoxication, are there. Opium dens, where heathen Chinese and God-forsaken men and women are sprawled in miscellaneous confusion, disgustingly drowsy or completely overcome, are there. Licentiousness, debauchery, pollution, loathsome disease, insanity from dissipation, misery, poverty, wealth, profanity, blasphemy, and death, are there. And Hell, yawning to receive the putrid mass, is there also." - Lights and Shades of San Francisco, by Benjamin Lowe

Sailors who were attracted to the area because of it's saloons, loose women, drug dens, etc., often woke up the next morning to realize that they had been Shanghaied and on their way to the Orient. If a ship was scheduled to set sail and there were not enough men to keep it going, it was a common practice to for the captains to stroll through the Barbary Coast area and kidnap some unsuspecting sailor after they had too much to drink or their fill of opium.

The following timeline supplied by Wikipedia will clarify the rest of the history of this historically red light district:

1913 - The San Francisco Examiner led the charge against the area with its "anti-vice" campaign.
1914 - Red Light Abatement Act - Under this legislation, building owners were fined if they had prostitution occurring in their facility. This effectively moved prostitution out into the streets.
1917 - The San Francisco police placed a blockade around the entire area and systematically evicted all of the prostitutes.
2009 - Thanks to the efforts of the San Francisco Association of Realtor's, the financial district of San Francisco was renamed the Barbary Coast. In reality, the name "financial district" is still widely used to describe this area of town.

It does make one wonder if in 100 years the current red light districts and crime ridden areas of the Tenderloin and Hunter's Point won't be regarded as upscale areas with a notorious past. Can the city accomplish this task with respect and dignity and without taking away the resident's Civil Rights? Time will tell.

Cheers!

- Mike

Friday Art: Atlas

2011-03-04T20:06:00.000-08:00

If you walk by the front of city hall in San Francisco, you can't help but notice the four images of Atlas surrounding the entrance and holding up the pillars above. Atlas, as the legend tells, was a Titan who waged war against the Olympians, primarily Zues. When the Titans lost the war, Zues punished Atlas by making him stand on Gaia (earth) and hold up Uranus (sky) so that they could not embrace. To this day, Atlas is still holding up the heavens.

San Francisco honors this Titan by placing him on the entrance to one of the most important political buildings in the city. What type of statement does that make?

Asian Art Museum, San Francisco

2011-03-01T20:02:00.000-08:00

If you find yourself around city hall with some free time on your hands, consider stopping in at the Asian Art Museum and be transported to other regions and time periods. This museum has one of the largest collections of Asian art in the Western world, and it spans a period of 6,000 years. As you journey through the museum, you will find yourself surrounded by magnificent sculpture, delicate pottery, and vivid screens. When you leave, it may take you a few moments to acclimate back to the United States. Below you will find just a few of the pictures I took when I visited this great treasure of a museum.

San Francisco History: "We Were Here: The AIDS Years in San Francisco."

2011-02-27T07:20:00.000-08:00

This is a great documentary that really tells the story of what life was like in San Francisco during the 1980's and the AIDS Crisis. It talks about not only the sheer number of deaths (over 15,000), but also the political push to take civil rights away from those who where were infected with the HIV virus. In addition, it details the medical care, the slow response to developing medications, and how many people were infected before they actually had a test, etc.

You will look at San Francisco a little different after you have seen this movie. You will notice the void that was left by so many people dieing in the prime of their life.

If you don't live near a theater that is showing it, put it on your Netflix queue. They plan on making it available later in the year.

Out and About in San Francisco

2011-02-26T07:19:00.000-08:00

Nob Hill

16th Street Mural

Garage Door Buddha

Pushing Up Daisies

The Beloved Castro District

Dolores Park

San Francisco Cable Cars

2011-02-21T06:53:00.000-08:00

The cable car transformed the way people got around this city in the late 1800's. Before these modern marvels appeared on the street, the main transport up the steep hills were horse drawn carriages. Unfortunately, the horses often felt the sting of the whip as the driver pushed them to strain up these hills with a load of cargo or people in the wagon. As you can imagine, there were accidents, and some of them fatal, when the horses faltered or were not strong enough to pull the load.

Andrew Hallidie, a Scotsman by birth, immigrated to this country and immediately saw the problem and began to search for a solution. He didn't have to look far. In his profession as a wire rope manufacturer he saw several creative uses for his product, and he began to see how it could be used to transport not only supplies, but people up the steepest hills in San Francisco.

On August 1st, 1873, he gave his first demonstration of the car that would run on a cable system buried just below the surface of the road. It was a success, and the system grew to include 112 miles of line and became one of the main modes of transportation up Nob Hill, Russian Hill, Telegraph Hill, etc.

The invention of electricity and gas powered engines caused the decline and almost demise of this San Francisco icon, but the people struggled for many years to preserve a piece of this history, and in 1964 the remaining cable car system was declared a National Historic Landmark. It's a type of moving museum and a way to actually experience history as you tour the city.

Cheers!

Mike

Research: Historic San Francisco: A Concise History and Guide, by Rand Richards. (Awesome book)

Historical Saturday: Saint Martin de Porres

2011-02-20T07:34:00.000-08:00

Saint Martin de Porres, Mission Dolores Basilica, S.F.

On a recent visit to the Mission Dolores Basilica, I noticed the statue of a black saint that greeted people as they entered the church from a side courtyard. What really caught my attention was the addition of a real broom which he held in his hands. Yes, a real broom slipped through the porcelain hands of the statue. I could have taken it out of his hands and used it to sweep the floor.

According to Wikipedia, his name is Martin de Porres (1579 - 1639), and he was a lay brother for the Dominican order. He was illegitimately born to a former black slave and a Spanish nobleman. In 1962, the memory of him was honored by canonization, and he is now know as the patron saint of "mixed-race people and all those seeking interracial harmony."

Why the broom? Because he believed that "all work is sacred no matter how menial." As with the statute at the Basilica, he is usually accompanied by a cat and a dog which drink out of the same dish.

Cheers!

Mike

Historical Saturday: Grace Cathedral's Labyrinth

2011-02-12T07:11:00.000-08:00

Grace Cathedral's Labyrinth, San Francisco

On a recent outing I came across Grace Cathedral in Nob Hill. Ever since I read about it in Armistead Maupin's "More Tales of the City," I have been curious to see this structure that was the site of such gruesome drama in his novel. The church itself is very unique and ornate, but the thing that caught my attention are its simple labyrinths.

Grace Cathedral has two meditation labyrinths, one inside made of limestone and one outside made of terrazzo stone. The mazes are not just unused affectations of the past; they are being used everyday by people trying to calm their mind so that they can truly see themselves and the world around them. Pilgrims have found comfort and self-awareness though the use of labyrinths from ancient Greece and Rome to present day. Across many religions, cultures, and eras, there is evidence that people walked the labyrinth. This is a perfect example of the intersection between history and the modern world. As I toured the Cathedral, I observed several people walking their way through the paths deep in their own thoughts and meditation.

According to the Cathedral's website, there are three stages of the meditation walk. They are listed below:

Purgation (Releasing) ~ A releasing, a letting go of the details of your life. This is the act of shedding thoughts and distractions. A time to open the heart and quiet the mind.
Illumination (Receiving) ~ When you reach the center, stay there as long as you like. It is a place of meditation and prayer. Receive what is there for you to receive.
Union (Returning) ~ As you leave, following the same path out of the center as you came in, you enter the third stage, which is joining God, your Higher Power, or the healing forces at work in the world. Each time you walk the labyrinth you become more empowered to find and do the work you feel your soul reaching for. - Grace Cathedral's Website

When you come to San Francisco and find yourself with a gap in your schedule, take some time to visit Grace Cathedral and walk the labyrinth. If you live here, set aside an hour on a Sunday afternoon, trek up Nob Hill, and perform this simple and ancient ritual. I hope your time on the path brings you inspiration, guidance, or some new kernel of self-awareness.

Cheers,

Mike

Grace Cathedral's Labyrinth, San Francisco

Found Photos

2011-02-10T19:12:00.000-08:00

On a recent trip to the Midwest, my mom and I decided to go antique shopping. Conscious of the amount of stuff already packed in my suitcase, I did not hold much hope of finding anything that I could not live without.

I was wrong.

In the second store we entered I immediately came across a pack of postcards that drew my interest and made my heart pump fast. In the middle of Kansas, I had just discovered a bundle of San Francisco postcards from around the 1940's (my guess based on the cars in the photos). Unused and still in relatively good condition, I gladly gave the merchant $16.50 for them and mentally figured out just the spot for them in my already stuffed suitcase.

Some of them are posted below:

Treasure

Ocean Beach

Herbst Theater

Ferry Building

Civic Auditorium

Cliff House

Union Square

Seal Rock

San Francisco Festivals of Note

2011-02-06T08:13:00.000-08:00

Below are a list of festivals and events that you may want to mark on your calendar:

Bay to Breakers. May 15th, 2011. This year we celebrating the 100th anniversary of the race that was originally started as a way to increase the morale of the city after the devastation of the 1906 earthquake. It is now a tradition which defines the eccentricity that is San Francisco. There is a race component, but most people watch and participate for the costumes. Yes, I said costumes. Organizers are limiting the run/walk/crawl to 50,000 participants, and they do not allow alcohol this year. Really? No rolling kegs this year?

Folsom Street Fair. Sunday, September 25, 2011. Even if black and blue are not your colors of choice, you will find the Folsom Street Fair interesting. Over 400,000 people attend each year, and it covers 13 city blocks. I can't really describe it here. All I can say is that you have to see it to believe it.

San Francisco Pride Celebration & Parade. June 25th & 26th, 2011. This year's theme is "In Pride We Trust." Around 1,000,000 visitors will flood the city in order to attend the events and show their pride and support.

San Francisco Fringe Festival. September 7th - 18th, 2011. The fringe festival will present over 200 different theatrical performances by local actors and playwrites. This will get your creative juices flowing. The link shows a list of the plays from 2010, and it will give you an idea of what you will see in 2011.

Castro Street Fair. The first Sunday in October, 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Originally organized by Harvey Milk in order to build community, this event continues to thrive and grow with hundreds of artist booths, vendors, live entertainment, and dance stages.

Santacon. 2011 - TBA. Grab your big black boots, your red velvet suit, fur lined hat, and head out on the town with hundreds of other similarly dressed individuals to bar hop the afternoon and evening away. Elves and the Mrs. are also welcome.

Historical Saturday: Chinese New Year

2011-02-05T10:58:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, February 3rd, the 2011 Chinese New Year began. It is the year of the Rabbit.

Shortly before the New Year in a traditional Chinese home, members arm themselves with brooms and dust rags in order to sweep and clean the house of last year's bad luck and make room for this year's good luck which will begin to arrive as the celebration begins. Some families even put a fresh coat of red paint on the wood frames around doors and windows. There are many different variations on what happens over the remaining days of the old year, but the culminating event is the big family meal where some type of fish is prepared, and dishes symbolizing prosperity and wealth, such as dumplings, are served.

There is a myth which states that many, many, many years ago during the New Year, villagers worked hard to fight off a monster known as Nian that would swoop down and eat livestock, crops, and even children. To appease this beast, they would prepare meals and leave them on the doorstep. The theory was that if Nian ate the food, he would not eat people or animals. One year it was noticed that a little child wearing red scared Nian away. The villagers started displaying red everywhere and using firecrackers to scare him away. Since that time to today, this ancient creature's fear of noise and the color red has not allowed him to enter the towns and cities and wreak havoc on the Chinese population.

The next time you go to a Chinese New Year Celebration, take the time to look around at the displays of red, listen to the firecrackers, watch the children delight in getting lucky coins, and realize that you are in the midst of ancient tradition.

Happy New Year!

Mike

Source: Wikipedia

"Defenestration"

2011-02-03T20:24:00.000-08:00

If you drive by sixth and Howard in SOMA (South of Market), you will find an artistic structure that was made out of an abandoned building. Attached to the sides of this brick apartment, you will see chairs, lamps, sofas, refrigerators, old fashioned bathtubs, a giant armoire and even a grandfather's clock. They are firmly attached, but they appear to be in the midst of a great fall. You will see these items on the fire escapes, window ledges, and sometimes just sitting on the sides of the building. To add a touch of whimsy, the lamps are turned on at night. The ground level of the building is boarded up and serves as a venue for street artists to use their talent.

Brian Goggin is the creator of this contemporary piece of art, and it's name, "Defenestration," means to throw someone or something out the window. I could tell you all the different interpretations on the art, but I think it is probably best if you experience it yourself and draw your own conclusions on what it means about our society and the neighborhood in which it resides.

Cheers!

Mike

Soap Box Saturday: The Creation of a Civilization

2011-01-29T08:24:00.000-08:00

As I look around San Francisco at the magnificent towers and grand buildings, I can't help but wonder about the people who built these great edifices. Was it strictly a desire for more wealth? Are they trying to build something that will be a testament to their success? Do they want to take their resources and build something with their name on it that will outlast their mortal body? Are they civic minded and only thinking of how it contributes to the development of the city? I'm sure there is not one universal motive, but it does make me wonder what the prevailing reason is for building a shrine to yourself.

Even as I explore some of these buildings with obvious disdain for the egotism involved in the process of making a monument, I can't help but realize that without them civilization would not have progressed. Being a student of history, I have learned that a society needs its scoundrels in order to move forward and grow. We need the opportunists, the financially aggressive, the seemly cold-hearted real estate developer, and the basic overall white collar villain in order to push the boundaries and wake us up to future possibilities. Keep in mind that at times they can be very lovable and generous in their charitable contributions. So, we love them, fear them, and need them. If we did not have this personality characteristic in the gene pool, we may still be rubbing sticks together to make fire.

A perfect example of what I am talking about is Andrew Carnegie, 1835-1919. He was a great man who left a legacy of wealth that continues to feed the hearts and minds of the common man with art, entertainment, and literature. Starting life as a poor, immigrant factory worker, Andrew Carnegie's fortunes rose to epic proportions through the development of steel. He not only revolutionalized the world with the use of steel, but he also gave back to the community by building Carnegie-Melon University; Carnegie Hall; and many other libraries, museums, and universities throughout the United States. If you see the name Carnegie on a building, it probably has its roots in the charity of Andrew Carnegie. No one can dispute his impact on our society. He is well known for his statement that he was born a poor man and he wished to return to the grave a poor man. Another one of his great sayings is, "I would as soon leave my son a curse as the almighty dollar." Later on in life his view on money must have changed. After all, you can't take it with you when you leave this world.

Andrew Carnegie was well loved for his generosity, but i think there was another side to this story that is overlooked. How did he make all that money? How did he rise from the ranks of a factory worker to reportedly becoming the second wealthiest man in the United States? There is only one answer; there is more to this legend than meets the eye. Can someone amass that amount of money without stepping on the backs of others? In order to bring opportunity to his investments, did he coldly cut off the prospects of others who were diligent workers and just looking for a break? How much money did he make off the backs of poorly paid steel workers living paycheck to paycheck? How many people actually feared Andrew Carnegie and viewed him as a terrible man with seemingly limitless power?

To bring my point home and finish this Soap Box Saturday post, Andrew Carnegie was loved, feared, and desperately needed by our society in order to move us forward. I'm not saying that Andrew Carnegie was a bad man, that is very a subjective judgment. I'm saying that he was a necessary man. Our society needs its greedy; egotistic; and, in an attempt to atone, its charitable builders of empires. If for nothing else, we need them to give us grand structures to marvel at for years to come.

Andrew Carnegie, Captain of Industry

Historical Sunday: The Haight/Straight Theater

2011-01-23T08:10:00.000-08:00

As I was flipping through one of my favorite San Francisco history books, I discovered some fascinating information on an address of a building in the Haight district. This versatile structure started life as the Haight Theater in 1910, and it had the following transformations:

Nickelodeon
General movie theater
Gay film theater
Assembly of God church
The Straight Theater - (Music Venue)

The final embodiment of this structure, the Straight Theater, ran into trouble with the neighborhood and zoning issues when it tried to open a music venue. To get around it and still keep to their original purpose, the owners called it a "school of dance." Grateful Dead band members were listed as "dance instructors" when they agreed to perform at the opening of this newly remodeled site.

The most fascinating change that the building underwent was going from serving as a gay film theater to an Assembly of God church.

The theater closed in 1969, and the building was demolished in 1979. The replacement building houses the Goodwill Store. There is a season to everything, and when we are talking about historical buildings in America, their time can be very short lived.

Mike

Source: The awesome "Historic Walks in San Francisco," by Rand Richards

History in the Making: The New San Francisco Public Utilities Commisssion Building

2011-01-20T09:04:00.000-08:00

People strolling along Golden Gate Avenue near the Civic Plaza will be witnesses to the birth of the most sustainable urban office building in the United States. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Building, designed by KMD architects, has a number of energy efficient elements including solar panels and a built-in wind turbine. For more information, click on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uy2gp312hjY

I decided to document this historic event by taking these pictures of the construction process. As I stood there watching the workers hoist wood and hammer in beams, I couldn't help but wonder what the future held for this structure. Will it be around for 100 years, or will it be declared tacky in 30 years and destined for the demolition ball? Will it be published in books as an example of cutting edge design, or will it be the laughing stock of the city and dubbed the ugly duckling? Will anything noteworthy ever happen in this building? As I sat there and pondered its future, I also couldn't help but wonder how it will die. What will be the last thing that will be housed in this building before it's declared obsolete and destroyed in order to make room for something newer and more exciting?

If you find yourself in the area, it's worth a detour to watch this colossal building reach for the sky.

A sketch of the finished product

Cheers,

Mike

Historical Saturday: Hayes Valley

2011-01-16T08:09:00.000-08:00

Native people, the Ohlone Tribe, were the first inhabitants of present day Hayes Valley. During this period in history there was a seasonal creek that cut through the valley and gave life to various plants and wildflowers. That creek still flows, but underground.

Eventually the Natives lost their hold on this land, and the settlers started the town of San Francisco. This neighborhood, on the outskirts of the village became a neighborhood full is full of Victorian style homes that were actually spared during the 1906 earthquake and fire.

Hayes Valley and Hayes Street are named after Thomas C. Hayes (1823-1868) a native of Ireland who at the age of 18 set out for the West Coast in search of gold. He eventually became a politician, a militia man, and a large land owner around the Hayes Valley area. He was very pro-Southern and pro-slavery, and he was also known for duels and violence. In fact, he acted as a second in many duels that took place in San Francisco in those days.

It is possible that this section of town was named after this aggressive, racist man because in 1856 his brother, Michael Hayes, happened to be on the town's committee that was in charge of naming streets and parts of the city. The meek may inherit the earth, but it will be named after people with a very different personality type.

Cheers,

Mike

* Info from Historic Walks in San Francisco, by Rand Richards, & Wikipedia.

Historical Saturday: Haight - Ashbury District

2011-01-08T07:57:00.000-08:00

There is a neighborhood in San Francisco called the Haight-Ashbury which is said to be the birthplace of the hippie movement and is still today a place known for its attitude of youth and alternative culture.

The Haight-Ashbury (pronounced hate) has a long history of recreating itself. In the 1850's the neighborhood was outside of town and consisted of mainly sand dunes. Some ranchers set up business there, but the area didn't begin to develop in earnest until plans for Golden Gate Park were laid out after 1870. In 1883, a cable-car line came through the area and houses began being built. Families of wealth liked to build their second homes on the corners, and the land between was filled in with small, middle class style homes.

Because of the popularity of the new Golden Gate Park, this neighborhood became somewhat of a weekend destination for leisure and relaxation. It had a baseball field, amusement park, saloons, hotels, and many bicycle shops.

During the 1906 earthquake, the Haight-Ashbury was hardly affected. People poured into this neighborhood to find housing only to move out in the 1920's and 1930's to live in more desirable locations in the bustling city.

In the 1950's and 1960's, the city proposed a freeway that would run through the panhandle and would ultimately affect the livability of the area. The citizens united against the freeway and caused the city to make other plans. Their acts of political defiance preserved the neighborhood and the integrity of the panhandle park.

The mid 1960's introduced the counter-culture and the social rebellion to this struggling middle class neighborhood. But what started out as a place for innocence, experimentation, and a desire to change the world ended up being something very different and destructive. "Hells Angels, criminals, and opportunists of all kinds (including Charles Manson) arrived, and by late that summer the scene had turned ugly. Harder drugs such as methamphetamine, or "speed" and heroin replaced the more benign (and legal until October 1966) LSD. Things deteriorated quickly, and over the next few years the Haight, as Haight-Ashbury is more commonly called today, became a dangerous slum. By the early 1970s about a third of Haight Street's shops were abandoned and boarded up." -Historic Walks in San Francisco, by Rand Richards

As with most neighborhoods in this city, the area eventually became more gentrified and the homes were redone and restored. There is still a bit of a hippie flair about the Haight, but it is more the tv version and less of the real deal.

How did the area get its unusual name? It was named for the intersection of Haight and Ashbury streets where it is located. I'm assuming the streets are family names, but I have not been able to find any information on that yet.

When you next visit San Francisco, be sure to put the Haight district on your list of places to go and experience.

Cheers!

Mike

Historical Saturday: Sunken Ships

2010-12-18T08:13:00.000-08:00

Yep, it's true. Parts of San Francisco really were built on top of rotten and decaying ships from the 1800's. Check it out by clicking the video link below:

San Francisco's Boneyard Video

Golden Gate Park, December 12, 2011

2010-12-15T21:07:00.000-08:00

Golden Gate Bridge, Dec. 12, 2010

2010-12-12T20:52:00.000-08:00

Historical Saturday: Mark Hopkins Mansion

2010-12-11T07:57:00.000-08:00

One does not have to look far to see the grandeur, and sometimes outright vulgarity, of historical San Francisco. There was money here in the 1800's, and those fortunate enough to have it did not mind showing it off in the homes they built. Because of the earthquake and fire of 1906, many of these incredible structures only live today in the pictures of the past.

The Mark Hopkins mansion is one of these victims of the disaster. Mark Hopkins, bookkeeper for the Central Pacific Railroad, began building a hilltop mansion for his wife, Mary, that was full of Gothic characteristics and ornamentation. At the time, some criticized it as being too much, but others were impressed by its large scale and attention to detail. Unfortunately, Mark Hopkins never lived to see the finished product. He passed away in 1878 at the age of 65 just before the mansion was completed that same year.

Mary Hopkins lived in the expansive residence for only three years before she headed back East and married her Nob Hill mansion's interior decorator, Edward Searles, in 1887. She was 67 and he was 47 at the time of their nuptials. Upon her death four years later in 1891, Searles inherited around 60 million dollars and spent the rest of his life working on building projects in the East, including the Searles Castle in Windham, New Hampshire. Immediately following his wife's death, Searles donated the Mark Hopkins Mansion to the San Francisco Art Association to be used as a school and museum.

The Hopkins Mansion had a short life of only 28 years before the 1906 catastrophe. It goes to show once again that there is nothing in this life that we have that can't be taken from us in a few minutes by a match or a natural disaster.

Even though the residence is gone, the name lives on. It is now the site of that luxury hotel named the InterContinental Mark Hopkins which is home to the Top of the Mark rooftop lounge.

Enjoy the weekend!

Mike

Historical Saturday: S.F. Pacific Union Club

2010-12-04T07:41:00.000-08:00

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

This is an interesting morsel of history. The S.F. Pacific Union Club was originally the private residence of James C. Flood. He acquired the large sand hill of a lot in 1882 and had it leveled in order to build his Italianate brownstone. It had 42 rooms and an army of servants including one person whose sole job was to polish the brass fence that surrounds this magnificent piece of architecture. The fence is still there, but without the daily polishes it has lost its shiny appearance which has now aged to a fine patina.

Because it was a brownstone mansion, and not the popular wooden Victorian design, it survived the 1906 earthquake and fire. Well, I say it survived, but not without its war wounds. In fact, the fire storm did sweep through the house, but the brownstone walls remained.

After the damage, the S.F. Pacific Union Club bought the mansion and commenced on some renovations and additions.

You can drive by or walk by the old mansion today, but don't expect to be invited in. The club is a very exclusive gentlemen's club whose membership is limited to 750. Only if a current member dies can a new one be added to the roles. It is interesting to note that women are not formally excluded from the organization, there just have never been any female members. Talk about your glass ceiling.

Cheers,

Mike

Researched from:
Historic Walks in San Francisco, by Rand Richards (Awesome book by the way).

Golden Gate Park, S.F.

2010-11-28T07:49:00.000-08:00

For my birthday I was given a new camera, Micro Four Thirds. I couldn't resist taking the camera out for a test run while strolling through Golden Gate Park. Enjoy!

San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)

2010-11-27T09:19:00.000-08:00

Sculpture Garden

ImagiKnit

2010-11-24T18:21:00.000-08:00

Are you knitter?

Do you want to know a great place for knitting supplies in San Francisco?

Do you want to learn how to knit?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you need to hurry on over to ImagiKnit located in the Mission Dolores neighborhood. I visited there today, and they have two large rooms with ceiling to floor shelves full of any type of yarn and color that your heart may desire. To add to the charm, the staff is very friendly and helpful. They also have classes that will teach you beginning techniques as well as more advanced skills like making a hat.

Go for a visit, and while you are in the neighborhood try the Samovar Tea Lounge across the street. You won't be disappointed.

Cheers!

Mike

Historical Saturday: Japantown & Fillmore

2010-11-13T07:59:00.000-08:00

Japantown was a thriving community after the 1906 earthquake. It took up 24-blocks and the population of Japanese and Japanese Americans numbered around 7,000. The makeup of this neighborhood changed forever during World War I when President Roosevelt authorized the removal of Japanese Americans to internment camps.

I was aware of this dark, racist spot in American history, and I have read the stories of how it affected these families. Imagine, working all your life to buy a house and build up a business, and then you get a notice that says you have to abandon it all and move your family into a row of fenced in barracks where the guards have guns pointed into the complex. Land of the free? Many of these people were born in America and may never have set foot in Japan and still America was so insecure that we took their rights away and put them into prison. (Whoops, I meant to say internment camp.)

How this affected the families is something I have read before, but I guess I never really thought about how it changed communities and cities. Japantown is a perfect example of this. Within a few weeks, this area of town was vacant and a ghost town. Businesses and houses were boarded up, and the streets were quiet.

What is unique about this area of town is that the emptiness actually gave room for another minority population in San Francisco to grow and thrive. The African Americans were moving to the West Coast in droves because of the jobs in the shipyards and defense plants that were plentiful in the bay area during the war. They moved into the vacant homes and businesses and started a thriving community along Fillmore that was eventually called "Harlem West." They chose this area because many of the other neighborhoods did not welcome African Americans.

During the 1950's, San Francisco, like many other cities, experienced the phenomenon called "white flight." The white people were flocking to the suburbs and leaving the city and it's old structures behind. Economic opportunities for African Americans started to dry up and this led to the decline of the Fillmore area. Many of the houses were condemned and torn down. "Whole city blocks of Victorians fell to the wreckers ball. Black residents started calling the Fillmore the 'No More.'" (Historic Walks in San Francisco, by Rand Richards).

Over time, new, modern structures went up, and the architecture is at times a nod to the Japantown and old Fillmore that once defined this small neighborhood.

Even the liberal West Coast is not immune to the racism and prejudice that have plagued the United States since its conception.

Note:
Researched from Historic Walks in San Francisco, by Rand Richards.

I Spy Waldo!

2010-11-10T08:37:00.000-08:00

Where's Waldo?

I took a holiday on Monday and decided to go to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). I could definitely do an entire post or two about that experience, but I will save the visit for a later time. If you haven't been, I would encourage you to go.

While I was walking across the sky bridge on the 5th floor and heading to the rooftop sculpture garden, I looked out a wall of windows and found Waldo standing among the air conditioning units on the top of a nearby building. It reminds me of that quote by Oscar Wilde, "It is an odd thing, but every one who disappears is said to be seen in San Francisco."

San Francisco, I love your quirkiness.

Cheers,

Mike

Meeting Armistead Maupin

2010-11-07T07:21:00.000-08:00

One of my heroes: Armistead Maupin

Long, long ago when I was a college sophomore in the small town of Hays, Kansas, a friend of mine sent me the Tales of the City collection of books. I was at first shocked by what I read, but that quickly turned to fascination as I worked my way through the books and learned about the quirky lives of the people who lived in Maupin's San Francisco.

When I came to this city a year and a half ago, I decided it was time to reread the series and relive the magic. I was not disappointed. In fact, I was thrilled all over again to observe the unveiling of Mrs. Madrigal's secrets, the details of DeeDee Halycion's travels, and the joy and pain of Mary Ann's rocketing career. Since I now live in this city, I can actually picture the places mentioned in the books.

After many years, Armistead Maupin has written yet another book about the lives of all of these characters as they work, live, love, and struggle through their now "golden age" in San Francisco. It's called Mary Ann in Autumn, and I'm hooked and can't put the book down.

A couple of days ago I went to his book signing and had my picture taken with him. I've been to many book signings in the past and heard several authors speak about their work; it's kind of a hobby for me. But I sometimes find myself staring at the people in the audience with true hero worship in their eyes and wondering what it was about the author that stirred such strong emotion. Needless to say, I think that Maupin's book signing helped me to understand. I was the one in the audience with blatant hero worship written all over my face. His books meant so much to the young, twenty-something me who felt trapped in Western Kansas. Basically, he gave me hope that there was life out there for people who were a little different or even quirky. When I went up to get my book signed, I had to fight back my tears a little bit. I can honestly say that I have met one of my heroes in life.

It has been said that Tales of the City is the West Coast's answer to New York's "Sex in the City." It does have a way of bringing San Francisco into the lives and hearts of anyone who reads the series.

Cheers!

Mike

Historical Saturday: State Politics

2010-11-06T07:15:00.000-07:00

California State Flag

As most of you know, Jerry Brown beat Meg Whitman for the governor's seat last Tuesday. Some of you may know that he served as governor from 1974-1982. During his two terms in office, he was know as a very frugal and almost penny pinching politician. Instead of moving into the newly built governor's mansion, he sold it saying that the upkeep was an expense he didn't expect the people of California to bear. In addition, he didn't drive around in a chauffeured limousine, but instead drove himself in a regular sedan. California had one of the highest budget surpluses during his tenure as governor.

What I find most interesting is that he followed in his father's footsteps by becoming a politician. Jerry's father, "Pat" Brown," started his work career at the age of 12 when he sold Liberty Bonds on the street corners of San Francisco. After high school, he paid his way through law school by working in his father's cigar shop. Eventually he served two terms as governor from 1958 to 1966 when he lost the re-election to Ronald Reagan. He married his wife Bernice (daughter of a San Francisco police captain) in 1930 and had four children that were all born in San Francisco.

Say what you will about the Browns, but the fabric of this state is woven with some of the contributions from this political family. Living in a city where everyone seems to be from somewhere else, it always amazes me to hear of people who were raised in the bay area or someone whose family has been here for generations.

Seeing the Brown family makes me wonder if we will ever see any of the Schwarzenegger kids in office someday. Their mother, Maria Shriver, comes from the Kennedy clan, and their father has already shown his commitment to the state by serving seven years. Unlike their father, the Scharzenneger kids could even aspire to the office of president because they are naturally born citizens. I could be wrong of course, but it is something to watch for. We are seeing more and more examples of how not just one, but several members of particular families are running for office. Kennedy. Bush. Clinton. Brown.

Axis Cafe (Potero Hill & Dogpatch)

2010-11-02T21:35:00.000-07:00

Axis Cafe is a hidden jewel located in the northern part of Potrero Hill and just a stones throw away from the Dogpatch area. If you are seeking a bottomless Mimosa, a hearty brunch, or just a hip and trendy place to take your friends, Axis cafe will fit the bill. Cozy up to the fireplace and enjoy the living room environment. It also has an awesome outside seating area. Enjoy!

Reflections on San Francisco

2010-10-31T08:21:00.000-07:00

Let's Go Giants, Let's Go!

There has been talk in the news these days about how the quirkiness of San Francisco is actually shocking those who are either watching the Giants in the World Series or visiting our city in order to attend the games. Part of me finds this amusing, yet part of it disturbs me a little. It is true that San Francisco is a very liberal environment where freedom of expression is pretty much viewed as a God given right. It is also true that you may see things here that disturb you at times. You may have to think. Isn't it a good thing to get out of your comfort zone? I have listed a few things you may find unsettling if you visit San Francisco:

1. Homeless. Yes, we do have a large number of homeless people. It is part of the fabric of our city. Many of them come from all over the United States because we have a milder climate and charitable people. Some are down on their luck and can't find employment in this economy, some have mental of physical disabilities that prevent them from keeping a job or even working through the piles of government paperwork required before they can get assistance, and some are addicted to drugs and alcohol. Also, some are on the streets because of issues that I haven't even listed here. Please don't judge our homeless; you could be there too someday with just a couple of bad business decisions or hard luck. The homeless people are San Franciscans. They live here, they eat here, and when they buy stuff they are also paying taxes here. Many of the homeless have become expert recyclers. They collect bags and bags of plastic and then sale them to recyclers driving pickups who take the bags to the centers. The San Franciscans who are homeless are definitely doing their part in saving the environment.

2. Marijuana. You may see people smoking marijuana out in the open. If you don't see it, you will probably smell it if you spend a few nights walking through the city. The police will not do much about this, so don't expect it. I'm just making you aware that it is very possible you might see or smell this drug being used if you visit San Francisco.

3. Costumes. It is not uncommon to see people in costume no matter what time of year. They might be heading to a party, or they may just want to have a personal dress up day just for themselves. It may be shocking to see Darth Vader walk down the sidewalk or a vampire, but just ask yourself why does it matter to you? Are they really doing any harm?

4. Nudity. Honestly, I saw a lot more nudity when I lived in Portland than I have ever seen in San Francisco. For the most part, you won't see naked people if you visit San Francisco. These occurences are usually more limited to specific events like Folsom Street Fair, Gay Pride, or the Bay to Breakers race.

5. Homosexuals. Ok, yes, you will see a lot of gay people. They may be holding hands, kissing, or sitting in a restaurant with their arms around each other. This may shock you, but is it hurting anyone? Whether you approve or not, this shouldn't affect your visit to the city. Please don't glare or stare. This is one of the few places in the United States where gay people can be themselves without worrying about being beat up, killed, having their house burned, or losing their job. This may sound over dramatic, but if you read the newspapers all of these things are possible in other parts of the country.

6. Drag Queens. Some drag queens are transgendered and this is how they feel most comfortable presenting themselves to the world, and some do it for fun. Some do it for charitable causes. Whatever the reason, it can be a little shocking when you first come in contact with a cross-dresser, but please be respectful. What does it prove to call someone names or glare? Unless you like to chip away at other people's self-esteem, I think demeaning anyone is fruitless. Keep in mind that most cross-dressing men are actually heterosexuals. How many male bosses have you had or even friends that may be wearing panties under those masculine jeans?

7. High Real Estate Prices. I admit, these are truly scary. OMG! When going on a camp out instead of reading ghost stories to scare your friends, just bring a copy of the San Francisco real estate guide. They will wake up in a cold sweat screaming at the top of their lungs. We are one of the most expensive markets, just behind Manhattan, N.Y. Why are prices so high? Because people want to live here. It is a beautiful place to live and a nice way of life.

8. Public Peeing. The other day at two different times I saw people peeing against a building. Why does this seem to happen so much? There are very few public restrooms in the city, and some restaurants don't have public bathrooms. I'm still a little shocked when I see it, but I'm not going to judge them. We could all be in that same position just because we drank that extra glass of tea at lunch. As I said, there are very few public restrooms in this city.

I'm not saying that it is always easy living or visiting here. Parking is an Olympic event, cabs can be non-existent when you need them, wait time to get into a restaurant can be exhausting, and it may feel like there are people everywhere. Sometimes this city can kick your butt and make you want to throw up your hands and run back to the Midwest with your tale between your leg. It's true. It happens. But it is at this point that you go to a cool play or join a quirky new group. You experience a great evening with friends eating a phenomenal meal at one of the incredible restaurants in town. You walk on the beach or stroll through Golden Gate Park. You take a hike to Twin Peaks and look over the city toward the bay and turn around and look over the city to the beach. You just take a deep breath and count your blessings.

This is a great city, and there is no place quite like it in America. It is a liberal city where people can be themselves and do what they want to do without apologies to society as a whole. It is a place of fun, frolic, imagination, and knowledge.

It is ok to be a little shocked by us. Sometimes I'm still a little shocked too. But don't judge us harshly, instead just relax and enjoy this quirky little city that so many call home.

Cheers!

Mike

Historical Saturday: Donaldina Cameron (1869 - 1968)

2010-10-30T08:30:00.000-07:00

Donaldina Cameron waged a crusade against slavery in San Francisco's Chinatown during a time when most were turning a blind eye to such tings. She dedicated herself to this cause and worked for 40 as the director of the Presbyterian Mission house. Most of the over 2,00 women and young girls that she saved were being held as prostitutes against their will in brothels throughout Chinatown.

Often she would charge forth with "a couple of policemen armed with axes and sledgehammers and an interpreter to locations in Chinatown where she had been tipped that a girl was being held against her will. Employing the element of surprise, the group would break down doors if necessary to claim a usually frightened young woman, who likely as not had been hastily hidden away in a closet or under floor boards by her master. If the girl's keeper could not prove a filial relationship, the rescued girl would be taken back to the Mission's home at 920 Sacramento Street." - Historic Walks in San Francisco

She was known as "Lo Mo or "The Mother." She cared and reached out a helping hand when many others just turned a blind eye.

It is easy to focus on the movers and shakers in history that created big buildings or built up huge businesses, but it is important to also remember those who worked in the trenches to relieve human suffering. Donaldina Cameron did not make a lot of money in her lifetime, and she doesn't have streets named after her, but her impact on San Francisco's past and present is immeasurable.

It may be a little cheesy, but Donaldina Cameron reminded me of one of my favorite poem which I added below:

First they came for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew.

Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.

Then they came for me,
and by that time there was no one
left to speak up for me.

- Martin Niemoller

Historical Saturday - The Ferry Building

2010-10-23T08:02:00.000-07:00


San Francisco's Ferry Building

The Giralda Bell Tower - Seville, Spain

The Ferry Building, built in 1989, was designed by A. Page Brown, a young architect who was tragically thrown from a horse just a few weeks after being contracted to design the Ferry Building. He soon passed away, but his vision of the Ferry Building lives on because most of the plans were complete before his youthful demise. He was only 34.

A. Page Brown was a well traveled young man who designed the Ferry Building with classical features that mirror the roman aqueduct or the Corinthian columns. His inspiration was the Giralda Bell Tower at a cathedral in Spain. I have included pictures of both above. Can you see the similarities?

Amazingly, even though the Fairy Building is built on "made land," it survived the 1906 earthquake and fire. The main reason for it's miraculous escape from destruction was that the U.S. Navy and city fireboats maintained a spray of saltwater on the building which was pumped from the bay. Well, there is another question of mine answered. Is the bay saltwater or freshwater? Now I know. They did this so that people could escape the burning city by ferry, and rescue workers could also bring in supplies and coordinate relief efforts from the building.

Today it is a mixed use building with offices and retail space. On Saturday mornings it is surrounded by a large farmer's market where you can get everything from fresh lavender to home grown beef. It is a city landmark that can be seen from the Bay Bridge and Treasure Island. As you stroll along Market Street, it looms ahead as a promise to the preservation of the past. It is one of the things that says you are home. You are in San Francisco.

Cheers,

Mike

Note: Information for this post came form the book Historic Walks in San Francisco, by Rand Richard. It is a great read.

You Don't Say.....

2010-10-22T19:53:00.000-07:00

Did you know that Meg Whitman has spent a total of $142 million of her own money on her campaign to become California's next governor and is still trailing behind Jerry Brown? (SF Gate)

After 31 years, the annual San Francisco Erotic Ball was canceled due to low ticket sales. (SF Gate)

The official Vatican newspaper has declared that Homer Simpson and his family are Catholic. (CNN)

Historical Saturdays: S.F. Cliff House History

2010-10-16T16:53:00.000-07:00

The history of the Cliff House is both incredible and tragic. As I watch this video, I am reminded of what I heard a speaker say one time. He said, "There are no material things in your life that can't be taken from you in a matter of minutes by a match or a natural disaster." I think it puts everything into perspective.

One thing I love about this video is the fashion of the time. The Victorians sure knew how to cover everything up with layers and layers of fabric.

I hope you enjoy this post. I think I will make Saturday's posts historical in nature, and particularly focused on San Francisco history.

Cheers!

Mike

Smuggler's Cove

2010-10-10T07:38:00.000-07:00

Three nights ago I visited a great little bar in the Hayes Valley Neighborhood called Smuggler's Cove; it looks and feels like a pirate ship inside. We worked our way down the winding staircase to the basement where we felt like we were in the hull of a ship as we drank and socialized the night away with friends. The drinks are "Traditional Drinks of the Caribbean Islands, classic libations of Prohibition era Havana, and exotic cocktails from legendary Tiki bars." Be careful though, these drinks are strong. I only had two drinks, but I was very glad that I lived around the corner and had walked to the bar. The drinks are good, fruity, and strong.

If you find yourself in the Hayes Valley Neighborhood, this bar is worth looking up. Take the address with you because you won't find it otherwise. It is one of those places that if you didn't know it was there, you wouldn't notice it.

Cheers!

Mike

S.F. Weekend Events

2010-09-24T12:32:00.000-07:00

Saturday, September 25th, 2010

- The First Polk Street Blues Festival in San Francisco
   10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
   Polk District
   Free

- Comedy - Maz Jobrani,
   10:15 p.m.
   Cobbs Comedy Club
   915 Columbus Ave.
   $28.90 each

- 46th Annual Big Book Sale - Fort Mason
   10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
   Laguna St. and Marina Blvd.
   All books are $5.00 and under. They are $1.00 on Sunday.
   Proceeds benefit the S.F. Public Library.


- Off the Grid, Street Cart Festival - Mission District
   11:00a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
   Corner of McCoppin and Valencia St.

- S.F. Cocktail Week Bar Crawl, Drinking w/Dominick (S.F. Legendary Bartender)
   Free Event. You can join at any of the locations below:
   11:30 Buena Vista Cafe
   12:30 Walking Tour Begins
   12:45 Las Margaritas
   1:15 The Parlour
   1:45 Walk N. Beach and stop for historic facts about the Barbary Coast and S.F. drinking lore.
   2:15 Tony Niks
   2:45 Walk up Green Street towards Grant and hear stories. Maybe get some pie at Golden Boy.
   3:00 Savoy Tivoli
   4:00 Romolo
   4:30 Maybe more bars and discuss the Chinatown watering holes.
   5:00 Comstock Saloon 15. Discuss the history of the Comstock and the rest of the historic bars on
            Kearny.

- Movie Night in the Park: The Pursuit of Happiness
   7:00 p.m. in Duboce Park

- Film Night in Dolores Park: The Big Lebowski (Please no chairs)
   8:00 p.m.

- Killing my Lobster - Sketch Comedy Night
   10:00 p.m., Zeum
   $10.00

Sunday, September 26th, 2010

- Folsom Street Fair
   11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

- Polish Harvest Festival, Golden Gate Park
   11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
   S.F. County Fair Building (formerly Hall of Flowers). Golden Gate Park at Lincoln Way and 9th Ave.

- 97.3's Alice Now and Zen Festival 2010 - Golden Gate Park
   12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
   Sharon Meadows, Golden Gate Park / John F. Kennedy Drive and Kezar Drive.

- Irish Music, Costumes, Singing, and Dancing w/Golden Gate Park Band
   1:00 p.m. - 3:00p.m.
   Spreckels Temple, Spreckles Temple of Music, S.F. Golden Gate Park

Exit Theatre and the Fringe Festival

2010-09-19T20:35:00.000-07:00

Last night we went to the Exit Theatre and saw one of the plays in the Fringe Festival. It was called "Eat Our Shorts," and it was a collection of plays that tell the story of what happens on a particular evening in different neighborhoods in San Francisco. It was awesome. The material was great, and the acting was even better. I would definitely give this collection of performances a two thumbs up.

This is the first time that I have gone to the Fringe Festival, but I can assure you that I will be going to more than one play next year. This year they staged 43 shows over 12 days. From what I understand, these plays were created by local playwrites.

I can't wait for next year's festival to come around. See you there?

Cafe Le Vie on a Saturday Morning

2010-09-18T08:16:00.000-07:00

It's a sleepy Saturday morning here in the new Atlantis. The heavy fog of the night hits me in the face as I walk down the wet sidewalk. The sun hasn't made an appearance yet, but I am ok with that. It's a sleepy Saturday morning after all, and the sun doesn't need to come around just yet.

Normally, I love going to Panera Bread on Saturday mornings, but since I'm in a new neighborhood now, I forced myself this morning to check out something local and within walking distance. What did I find? Cafe LeVie in Hayes Valley. It is a small, quaint coffee shop with a few tables inside, and a couple of tables outside. Basically, it is your typical coffee shop, but I like it. I like the rough hardwood floors, the garage door that can open up and bring the outside in, the art for sale on the walls, and the funky vibe that it gives off. I'm picky about my coffee shops, and this one has barely passed the test so far. The bagel was average, but the ice tea was good.

I am an introvert by nature, which means I get my energy from time alone. Early Saturday mornings are my time. I get up early and sneak out without waking anyone else up. I then walk the streets in the early morning. There are very few people up this early on Saturday, and a lot less vehicles on the road. It is my time, and I enjoy it. I walk to a nearby coffee shop, get my ice tea, and spend some time surfing the net and catching up on blogs and Facebook. Sometimes, I start looking forward to this Saturday retreat time as early as Thursday. When I go back home, I'm rested, rejuvenated, and ready to enjoy the day.

A Hint of Magic in the Air

2010-09-16T20:38:00.000-07:00

I thought I might try to describe this enchanting, San Francisco night. I'm sure I can't capture the true feel in the air, but I will try.

After a long day of work in the sweltering burbs, I took the subway back into the city. As I started up the escalator, I was greeted with a cool air that was wet with fog. I saw that the dome of city hall was surrounded by fog, and there were wisps of it creeping across the sky. While walking home in the midst of a herd of fellow San Franciscans, I felt the fog on my face, heard the roar of traffic, and in the distance I could distinguish multiple sirens. I took a deep breath, smiled, and realized I was home.

Currently, I am at Panera Bread in Mission Bay listening to Billie Holiday as I sit at a window and watch the vehicle and pedestrian traffic go by in the dark night. A Giant's game is being played nearby, so this area is especially busy. I see people everywhere doing so many things including riding their bikes while dodging the heavy traffic, walking their dogs, bringing home groceries in order to prepare a late dinner, waiting to catch a bus, raising their hand to hail a taxi, and running away from the game early so that they can get a head start home. There is a couple on the corner under the street light. They have just finished an embrace and kiss, and she is looking at him with adoring eyes as he holds her hand and waits for the light to turn.

Prejudice by Abercrombie and Fitch

2010-09-02T20:45:00.000-07:00

Abercrombie and Fitch is in hot water. Check out the article below:

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/usa/news/article_1581989.php/Retailer-Abercrombie-&-Fitch-sued-over-headscarf-ban

Attention Travelers

2010-08-14T07:41:00.000-07:00

As of Friday, August 13th, SFO offers free WiFi. Whether you are traveling to this great city or just stopping by on a layover, now you can open your laptops at the airport and check your e-mail, check your Facebook, and even check this blog.

Enjoy!

---Mike

We are all Immigrants.

2010-08-10T17:32:00.000-07:00

Recently I was gazing over at Angel Island as I crossed the Bay Bridge, and I realized that this is probably where my great great grandfather entered America back in the 1800's. There is no record of his entry in Ellis Island, so he must have brought his family through the West Coast and the processing station at Angel Island. However as I did a little research, I realized that Angel Island only started screening immigrants in 1910, and Ellis Island started doing that in 1892. What happened before that time? Did the ships just land on the shore and people went their own way? No border control? No medical tests? Wow, how things have changed. I have listed my thoughts below:

1. We are all immigrants. Unless you are Native American, we are all immigrants. In fact, Native Americans immigrated here from other places as well. So, why do we want to crack down on immigration so much? Do we feel exempt because our ancestors came here earlier and we now have a feeling of entitlement?

2. Official language. If we want to have an official American language, shouldn't it be Choctaw, Cherokee, or Sioux? Christopher Columbus did not discover America. Instead he and his invading adventurers after him discovered a land full of people with their own traditions, their own society, and their own rules. This was the beginning of a very bleak period in American history filled with the European invaders using lies, guns, alcohol, and anything else they had to take over this country and force the people to speak English. English is not the native language of America. It was not the language of the society the early explorers discovered.

3. Economy. If you study the economic history of the United States, you will see that our economy has always been fueled by immigration. Most families come over here and end up doing any job they can find, even if they were considered educated people back in their homeland. They work hard and raise the next generation to be more successful and get better jobs. It continued from there through the generations. It may seem harsh to say, but we need that first generation to build railroads, work in meat packing plants, construct buildings, and pick crops. Their kids and their kid's kids will probably get better jobs, but we need that first generation. Immigration does not take away from the United States economy, it adds to it.

4. Christianity. I'm just throwing this one in for the irony of it. I love to see people who are supposedly so Christian spew hate and venom at immigrants from other countries. Didn't they just go to church and hear about how we are supposed to help our fellow man and give to those less fortunate? I also think it is funny how people who are racist can still think of themselves as true Christians. Really?

5. Living Conditions. If I lived in some of these other countries, I would definitely try to enter the country to help my family have a different life. It was only the random act of birth that one person is born in Mexico and another born in America. It was nothing that either person did. Why not try to improve your lot in life. Isn't that the American way? I don't blame people for trying to get in here because I would do the same thing.

Viva Immigration!

Mike

That S.F. Feeling

2010-08-07T08:57:00.000-07:00

What makes San Francisco such a great city? I think it is the little things like the items I listed below:

Dance Your Cares Away. I was driving by a construction site the other day, and the woman holding the "slow" sign was dancing. This city worker was shaking her hips, waving her free hand and doing the Twist. I went by the same intersection two hours later and she was still out there, holding her construction sign, and dancing her work hours away.
Acceptance. When I got to Panera today to get my weekly bagel fix, the guy ordering beside me was in semi-drag. No one really cared, and in fact I saw the lady taking the order give coveting glances at his purse.
Parades. There was a Mini-Cooper parade at 8:00 this morning. Police blocked off intersections so that approximately 50 Mini-Coopers could glide through the streets in all their glory. Every type of Cooper imaginable was represented.
Friendly. A homeless person welcomed us to our new neighborhood.
Surprises. While waiting on a bus, We met the "escape artist of Fisherman's Wharf" and his "wonder" dog. They were on their way to do a show.
Charitable. I saw a local restaurant park their vans and set up food lines for the homeless in the United Nations Plaza.
True Religious Freedom. On mornings when I take the BART, I walk by a group of people in front of city hall who are sitting on their mats and meditating. I think they are there because of the giant Buddha sculpture which is on display nearby.
Mild Climate. While the rest of the country is suffering in extreme heat, our average high at the moment in San Francisco is around 64 degrees.
Helpful. The woman behind me on the escalator giggled and told me very politely that my tags on my shirts were showing. Yes, San Franciscans do talk to strangers.
Diversity. Everywhere I go in S.F. I see people from different cultures speaking different languages. This is definitely one of the things that makes this place so great.
Celebrities. John Waters calls the Nob Hill neighborhood home. He is a little odd, but that is why he fits in so well here.

Gotta go. It's time for me to experience more of this great city that I call home.

----Mike

New Toll Charges lead to Greener Living.

2010-08-01T14:39:00.000-07:00

Please follow the link below to read the article:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/07/29/MN1R1EL9I0.DTL

It speaks for itself, but I wanted to note a couple of things. First of all, since the toll charges were increased, 6,199 fewer drivers cross the Bay Bridge everyday. This means that the traffic on the Bay Bridge moves twice as fast as it did last year. Since I travel the Bay Bridge almost every weekday to work, this is something that I have definitely noticed.

Another interesting point is that 1,500 additional people are riding the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) each day. This means less pollution and a greener way of life. This is a win/win situation. The transportation department gets their money because of the increased tolls, but there are less people crowding the roadways and more people taking public transportation.

San Francisco's next fee hike may have a similar effect. They are putting smart meters into Hayes Valley. Basically, these meters judge how busy the street is and raise the fee or lowers it based on demand. Also, they are attached to a phone application so people who are looking for a parking space can find one quicker. There is some speculation that people may use public transportation or alternative forms of transportation that would be more environmentally friendly to get to their favorite restaurant in Hayes Valley. Only time will tell.

A Room with a View

2010-07-29T13:05:00.000-07:00

We moved the majority of our stuff into the new condo, and we are living here now. It is amazing how much more you can enjoy a city based on the location and the place you are living in. This place has a lot of amenities and a good location, but one of my favorite things is the view. We are on what they call the 10th floor, but it really is the 12th floor. The first floor is the "Street Level," and the second floor is the "Mezzanine."

At night, I like to look out at all the other high rise complexes and count the number of televisions that I see on. It is also nice watching the fog creep in at night and slowly dissipate during the day.

We love the place, and tonight we might even try out the fireplace for the first time.

--Mike

California's Gubernatorial Race

2010-07-15T09:14:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, I'm a little ashamed of this year's race for governor. Mainly, I am just shocked at how Meg Whitman is spending money on her campaign. According to today's San Francisco Chronicle, Meg Whitman has spent nearly $100 million of her own money to get elected to the highest seat in California. Keep in mind, this comes at a time when teachers and policemen are being laid off across the state. In fact, Oakland recently announced they were going to lay off 80 police officers.

Now I know that Meg, former CEO of E-bay, has more money than God (net worth exceeds $1 billion), but this flagrant display of wealth and excess seems almost sinful when our homeless shelters are working at capacity and soup kitchens are trying to keep up with the demand.

It doesn't matter if you are Republican or Democrat, I would hope that everyone could agree that Meg Whitman is going overboard on her campaign. It does not come as a surprise that people across the state are starting to call her Queen Meg and say she is buying her way into politics.

Earthquake/Fire, 1906

2010-07-11T08:34:00.001-07:00

I've been reading about the San Francisco's earthquake and fire in 1906. The earthquake was about an 8.0 and it occurred at 5:12 a.m. on April 18th. The quake did an extreme amount of damage, but the fires that followed the quake are what devastated the city. These fires started for many reasons, but recently I was shocked to find out that the fire department and the homeowners were to blame for a great deal of the destruction.

With the fire chief having died in the quake, the "stand in" chief decided to use dynamite to make fire breaks throughout the city. This not only destroyed many buildings, but it also sparked many fires. Honestly, they did the best they could in that situation. I wonder if things would have been different if the fire chief had lived through the quake.

Another surprising thing is that the homeowners started fires in their own houses. Many of the residents of San Francisco did not have earthquake insurance, so word got around quickly that unless the structure is destroyed by fire, the insurance would not pay for the repairs. In order to get help for repairs, homeowners started their houses on fire which contributed to the inferno that destroyed San Francisco.

Could this happen today? Yes! I doubt that they will use dynamite again, but homeowners setting fire to their property is definitely a possibility. According to the California Earthquake Authority, only 12 percent of people in California have earthquake insurance. In San Francisco, a large majority (80 to 90 percent of the buildings) do not have earthquake insurance. Because of the expense of this type of insurance, most people instead pay for retrofits for their homes and pray the reinforcement will work. Just like in 1906, everyone has fire insurance, but few have earthquake insurance.

I think we are setting ourselves up for another fire storm when catastrophe strikes again in the San Francisco area. But, I can't really dwell on that. In fact, I tell myself that it won't happen while I am here. Is this delusional or just a way to cope with a possible threat that I have no control over? If it does happen, I am convinced that I will be the Molly Brown of San Francisco.

Working from Home

2010-07-10T07:12:00.000-07:00

When I moved to the West Coast, I was immediately introduced to a delightful concept called "working from home." It is amazing how many people do this on a regular basis. Some people work from their house, while others go to coffee shops, libraries, the park, etc. More and more co-working spaces are sprouting up all over San Francisco as people want an office environment closer to home.

When I got my job (29 mile commute across the Bay Bridge to the East Bay), I negotiated with them the ability to work from home from time to time. Working from home has taught me the following things:

* More time. To drive to Contra Costa County and back takes a minimum of 2 hours a day and can take up to 3 hours depending on traffic. Yes, it is only 29 miles, but I have to cross the Bay Bridge and go through Caldecott Tunnel.

* Saves money. On top of gas (Toyota Tundra), I also have to pay $6 each day to get across the Bay Bridge and back into the city. I figure I save around $18 a day by working from home.

* Efficient. I get more work done when I work from home. Every day a portion of my day is spent socializing with volunteers and staff. This is actually part of my job. When I work from home, I can just focus on paperwork, stats, mailings, returning phone calls, etc.

* Relaxing. At the end of the day when I shut my laptop, I do not face a grueling commute home. It is a stress free day.

* Contact. I do stay in close contact with the office. They can call me, text me, e-mail me, etc. I have several different ways that they can get in touch with me in an emergency. Recently, I was working from home and they needed something done quickly. With the help of my trusty laptop, the phone, and a good Internet connection, I got the task done with time to spare. Who needs an office?

* Work Space. My favorite work spaces are coffee shops like Sugar Lump Coffee Lounge in Outer Mission or Jumpin Java in Castro. One space that I frequent a lot is Panera Bread in SOMA.

Working from home is a wonderful gift that employers can give to their employees. It doesn't have to be all the time, but it feels great to do it occasionally. I think it makes for a happier and more productive work force.

Now if you would excuse me, I have a report to work on that I will present at a meeting next week. Before I start, I should probably order another Panera Bread bagel and refill my tea.

S.F. Restaurant Tips

2010-07-03T08:34:00.000-07:00

As part of my facelift for the blog, I have included a list of restaurant suggestions on the right sidebar. San Francisco has some of the most amazing restaurants. These are just a few of my favorites, and I will add to the list over time. No matter what kind of food you are looking for, you can find it in San Francisco. If you click on the name, it will take you to that restaurant's website. Listed below are a few tips that might help you have a more enjoyable experience eating out in San Francisco:

1. Make Reservations. Some places do not take reservations, and some only reserve a table an hour in advance. Do some research.

2. Expect to Wait. Without reservations, and sometimes with reservations, you can expect to wait for a table in San Francisco. I have waited a few times for over an hour for a table, but the average wait is about 20 - 40 minutes. If you are visiting, this may be a shock. If you live here, then you know this is just what happens. The food is worth the wait.

3. Quality vs. Quantity. Coming from the Midwest, I was both surprised and happy to find that the portion size on the West Coast is reasonable. For example, in the Midwest if you go out for breakfast many of the meals come with sides of hotcakes, biscuits and gravy, or fried potatoes. In S.F., your breakfast meal may come with a side of wheat toast, a cup or fruit, or a salad made up of many types of greens. The greens and fruit will be exceptional. When you leave a San Francisco restaurant you probably won't feel full to the gills, but you will feel satisfied.

4. Taste. It is all about the taste, presentation, and how the chef combined certain ingredients. Just a simple thing like hot chocolate can be so different depending on the restaurant's interpretation of it. It is amazing to see how the different chefs prepare calamari.

5. Price. Be prepared to spend a little more when eating out in San Francisco. Honestly, be prepared to spend a little more on everything in San Francisco. It is not an inexpensive town, but it is worth it. When going with a group of friends, the most common thing to do at the end of the meal is to split it evenly by everyone throwing in a credit or debit card.

6. Experience. Eating out in in this town is all about the total experience. If you do plan something for after supper, then make sure that it is scheduled for way after the meal so that you are not rushed. It is all about taking some relaxing time, catching up with friends, and eating some exquisite food.

7. Please Tip. As I mentioned above, San Francisco is an expensive town to visit and live in. All you have to do is visit realtor.com to prove this (and the market is currently down). Therefore, I ask that you remember this when tipping your waiter or waitress. Generally, a 10 to 20 percent tip is appropriate, but I would ask that you lean more toward the 20 percent.

Bon Appetit

--Mike

Facelift to Come

2010-06-27T20:51:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone.

We are in the process of remodeling a condo that we just bought in San Francisco, and my posts will be sporadic until we move in. After that, I will give the blog a new facelift and start regularly blogging about the news, history, restaurants, and other things that are so amazing about San Francisco. Stay tuned.

New Ideas

2010-06-19T09:18:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but life has been fairly busy. I just got back from a Jamaican vacation, and we recently bought a condo in S.F. Nights and weekends are now spent frantically trying to fix the place up before we move in. That being said, I wanted to post today about ways that restaurants can improve the eating out experience. My ideas are listed below:

1. Have sinks, soap, hand towels, and lotion available when you first come in the front door. Seriously, how many people actually get seated and then leave the table to wash their hands before the meal? More expensive restaurants could have a person there to help you wash your hands and dry them on quality towels. If any of you know restaurant owners, tell them about this idea and see if it catches on.

2. Meditation rooms. Ok, this may be a bit of a stretch, but why not have a sound proof space set aside where an individual or a family could go and give thanks to their higher power for the food they are about to eat. It could also be just a space where someone goes to relax a moment and collect their thoughts before they go and have their meal. Just a place to kind of shake off the worries of the world outside and prepare yourself and your senses for the meal ahead.

3. Mints. Yes, I said mints. I think every restaurant should give their patrons a mint on the way out the door. I know I'm not the only one who has worried about their breath after eating a meal.

4. Raw Ingredients. Whenever possible, let the patrons taste the raw ingredient before the finished product. For example, we toured a winery in Oregon once that let us taste each grape before we tasted the wine from that type of grape. It was a great experience.

5. Select music that goes with the theme of the restaurant. I think it takes away from the experience if you go to a Mexican restaurant and have rock music or go to a Chinese restaurant and hear country music. Create a total ambiance around the meal.

6. Pay staff well. A well paid staff is a loyal staff, and that means that they will be there for many years and get to know the regular customers. Word will also get out about your restaurant paying a good wage, and you will not only get skilled people trying to work there, but some customers will go there just because they know everyone is treated fairly. This may not be possible in the smaller mom & pop operations where the profit is minimal, but it is definitely possible in some of the more upscale restaurants or chains. Don't pass this additional cost on to the customer. If possible, buy a less expensive house or car and treat your employees to a fair and decent wage.

7. Clean the bathrooms. I can't believe that I really have to say this. If your bathroom is dirty, it kind of throws some suspicion on to the kitchen area. Please, clean the bathrooms.

I will try to post more frequently and include pics of my Jamaican vacation.

--Mike

San Francisco Restaurant Suggestions

2010-05-23T08:28:00.000-07:00

Chez Maman (Potrero Hill).

This place is amazing. It is very small, but the atmosphere is warm and cozy with a view of the kitchen as the chef's create incredible dishes. It is an explosion of pleasure for your taste buds.

Universal Cafe (Outer Mission)

This is our Sunday morning haunt. Their menu changes every week, but the french toast is a taste of heaven. Each week they have a different way to prepare it. My favorite was when they took Texas toast, encrusted it with pumpkin, and put a dollop of whipped cream on top. The Sunday they used cherry compote is a close second.

Hard Knox Cafe (Dog Patch)

This is where you go for a bit of Southern soul food. They are famous for their fried chicken, but I think they have the best hamburgers in San Francisco. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

OSHA Thai Restaurant (2 locations - Valencia Street and Union Street)

The atmosphere is great, and the food is even better. When it comes to Thai food, this restaurant is unbeatable.

Limon Peruvian Cuisine (Valencia Street)

The eye for detail is definitely present in the preparation of the food, and in the presentation. Try the Peruvian Cola, it is like liquid Starburst candy.

Memphis Minnie's BBQ (Haight)

I can't say this is the best BBQ that I've ever had, but it is definitely the best I've had in San Francisco. Give it a try.

Absinthe (Hayes Valley)

The decor is great, the food is great, the location is great. They have a book, yes a book, of wine selections. If you opt for the cheese platter, you can mix and max several options to tailor it to something that will make your taste buds sing.

Bon Appetit!

Mike

Thoughts on Life, Slavery, and Death

2010-05-15T08:20:00.001-07:00

I work in the East Bay and spend a lot of time commuting back and forth over the Bay Bridge. Sometimes, I turn off the radio and just spend the time letting my thoughts drift. Below I have listed a few thoughts that I had this week. They are ideas that I revisit from time to time.

1. This week I discovered that a couple that I knew from my past who had so many things against them made it and have a successful life together. They overcame poverty, teen pregnancy, lack of self-esteem, etc. to become educated and raise a family together. Good for them. :)

2. Are the U.S. citizens the new Masters? How many adults and little children are working in sweat shops for very little pay throughout the world so that we can buy clothes and other goods at cheap prices? We all know it is going on, but we don't do anything about it. Why do we continue to buy from countries that treat the workers so poorly? Is a cheap price for a shirt really more important to us than the health of the child laborer in another country? Many people will appease their consciences by saying that if we we didn't buy the goods, then those families in other countries would starve. News Flash: They are already starving. Don't you think that the plantation owners in the Old South also had certain unrealistic thoughts that appeased their consciences? Are we building the American way of life off the backs of slave labor in other countries?

3. If we truly believed in an afterlife, would we be so afraid to die? If someone believed there was a place without pain and agony and everyone was totally happy, why try so hard and take so many medications in order to hang on to this life?

4. Money allows a person to have more experiences in life, but in the end, it means nothing. It doesn't mean a person with money was a better person or had a better life. It means more options, but that really is about it. When you die, you literally leave everything behind. This includes the dirty dishes in the sink, the dirty laundry in the hamper, the food in the fridge, and all the money in the bank. A friend of mine this week said that she and her husband have decided that they want to live each year like it is their last. If they want to do something and can afford to do it, then they are not waiting. Not a bad way to live life.

Just some thoughts.

-- Mike

San Francisco Dreaming

2010-05-08T07:27:00.001-07:00

S.F. Beach

Noe Valley (near Castro)

AT&T Park - Home of the Giants

SOMA (South of Market)

Noe Valley (near Castro)

S.F. Beach

Noe Valley (near Castro)

This is a reminder that Mother's Day is tomorrow, May 9th.

Earthquake Country

2010-05-01T07:47:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine recently sent a link that shows historical footage of San Francisco in 1906 just days before the major earthquake and fire. It was taken from a streetcar as it moved down the tracks toward the Ferry Building. Unfortunately, about the only thing that survived in that video is the Ferry Building because the rest burned to the ground in just a couple of days. Check out the link at http://www.flixxy.com/san-francisco-1905-historical-footage.htm I would make the link a hot button, but I'm working off of a Mac now instead of a Dell, and I haven't totally figured out which keys do the cut and paste.

As I view this video and watch the men in suits and the women in Victorian attire, I wonder what they were thinking and planning. Some may have been wishing those precious, last days of normal away by thinking, "I can't wait until three days from now when I get to go to such and such a party or event." Maybe they were thinking about the home improvement project they were going to do at home or were in the midst of accomplishing. Maybe one or two of them had planned a trip out of town and would unknowingly escape the pending horror and devastation. They had no idea of knowing that in just a few days an earthquake and fire would totally change their lives and the face of the city forever.

I grew up in tornado country (Western Kansas), and lived 12 years in the heart of tornado alley (Tulsa, OK). Tornadoes are natural disasters that I understand, and I have a certain comfort level with the threat possibility. Earthquakes, on the other hand, make me a little uneasy. So far, I have lived in San Francisco for nine months, and I have not felt an earthquake. One thing I have noticed is the beautiful, mild weather. We don't freeze in San Francisco, so we never have ice or snow. What they consider hail here is really just a light form of sleet. Most of the time rain is just rain, and it is never really accompanied by thunder or lightening. Unlike my previous residence, Portland, the sun shines here almost all of the time, and this is even supposed to be an El Nino year. So, on a daily, monthly, and yearly basis, the possibility of property damage or injury from a natural disaster is very low here. This can definitely lead to denial and a certain comfort with the thought that earthquakes really won't affect my life. This feeling is bolstered by the fact that I work with several people who have lived in the bay area all of their lives, and they have yet to be drastically affected by an earthquake. But, when it does happen, and the predication is that the big one will come in the next 20 years, the results can be catastrophic. Granted, a much stronger building code may make all the difference when the next big one hits.

I have decided that I will be the "Unsinkable Molly Brown" of San Francisco when the next big earthquake occurs. This is what I tell all of my friends, so it must make it true. :) I have my emergency provisions together, and my camping tent and equipment is in one big bag and ready to grab in the case of an emergency. If my building collapses, I fully intend to be standing on top of it when the dust clears. Morbid, but these are the thoughts I have as I continue to transition from living in tornado alley to residing in the middle of earthquake country.

---Mike

Alcatraz

2010-04-24T15:53:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have been sadly neglectful of my blog, but I am making a renewed commitment to post at least once a week about this magical city called San Francisco. Already, I have about 10 different postings of information and restaurant recommendations that I want to describe in detail.

I will begin by posting about Alcatraz. Honestly, I did not really want to go to Alcatraz. Touring an old prison, and a maximum security prison like Alcatraz, was not high on my list of things to do. I thought it would be highly depressing, but was I in for a surprise. Just a short ferry ride away from the Embarcadero, you will come to Alcatraz and see some of the most amazing views of the bay and the city. The wildlife is all around you there, and even the prison doesn't seem so horrible. The tour is all done by audio cassette, and do walk through the inmates courtyard and into the gardens. I know this sounds warped, but touring the old prison was enjoyable and relaxing. I definitely recommend that you tour the Alcatraz prison the next time you are in San Francisco. Check out the pictures below:

This is what is left of the warden's mansion.

These were some of the residences for the guards and their family. The children of the guards actually grew up on Alcatraz and have their own story to tell about it.

The cells were a little depressing, but it was interesting to see some of the crafts, knitting, and painting projects that the inmates did to pass the time.

This is the school that the children of the guards attended. How did that looked on a college application?

St. Patrick's Day Parade & Festival

2010-03-11T09:26:00.001-08:00

If you find yourself around the San Francisco area this weekend, consider dropping in at the St. Patrick's Day Parade & Festival .

Put on your green and come pay tribute to a great country and a timeless legend. Erin Go Braugh!

Muir Woods and Stinson Beach

2010-02-28T08:55:00.000-08:00

Just North of San Francisco lies one of the few old-growth red wood forests left on the planet. The giant redwoods and sycamores in Muir Woods are awe inspiring.

"The tallest coastal redwood at Muir Woods is about 258 feet, approximately the height of a six-foot person stacked head to toe 45 times. Further north, these trees can reach heights up to 379 feet, 74 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty. The average age of the coastal redwoods at Muir Woods is between 600 to 800 years, with the oldest being at least 1200 years old. This is still young for redwoods as they can live up to 2200 years."
- (http://www.nps.gov/muwo/index.htm)

After spending time wandering through the forest, my friends and I then took a drive along the coast to Stinson Beach. The pictures below are of the woods and the beach. Enjoy!

Stinson Beach, Feb. 2010 C" height="379" width="500">

Stinson Beach, Feb. 2010 B" height="375" width="500">

Stinson Beach, Feb. 2010 A" height="353" width="500">