Livvy in San Francisco

Moving to Tucson

2006-07-18T10:52:00.000-07:00

It seems to me that there is a lot to be done in San Francisco, especially if one is leaving. I've biked up Mount Tam, eaten at Shalimar, biked out to Ocean Beach, eaten burritos, swum in the bay, and attended the Silent Film Festival. But I've yet to see Laughing Sal, eat at Chez Panisse Cafe, or drop in at the MOMA. I want to eat Mitchell's Ice Cream and go to the zoo. I want to climb Russian Hill and bike up San Bruno. I want to go camping in Marin. There isn't enough time.

My next blog will be called, creatively enough, Livvy in Tucson. I plan to make it a bit more personal than this one. This blog will officially retire at the end of July. I promise to post on the new one every Sunday like a good little writer.

Still, San Francisco is and always will be my favorite city; it is in my blood. I was born here and I belong here. However, I plan to live and experience the Southwest desert with the same passion I try to live in my own city. So log in and read every now and then. Thanks.

Walk Like a Dog Across Polk

2006-07-03T11:57:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to write about this for a while. The crosswalk at Polk and Grove is near Lighthouse for the Blind, and therefore has an audio feature. The problem is that I can't figure out what that audio says. It sounds distinctly like the title of this post. If you know what it actually says, send me an email.

Yesterday, we started out at Velo Rouge on Arguello for a lovely bike ride to Marin. I was heartened to see a gleeful group of women watching the Tour de France at Velo Rouge while they waited to go on bike rides. It was not all that long ago that I saw very few women cyclists, especially riding solo, and now I see them everywhere. You go, girls!

For those of you who don't live here, Marin County is just a bridge away and has lovely cycling routes. We headed out of the San Francisco fog into the Marin County Sunshine, bought food at Whole Foods in Mill Valley and climbed up the mountain (Mount Tam, that is) to an Undisclosed Location for a lovely and relaxing picnic lunch.

I have yet to solve the mystery of the "link" on my new computer, but I did buy a digital camera. I'll start posting photos soon.

Sadly for this blog, I am leaving San Francisco for the University of Arizona in Tucson in a month, at which time this blog will be retired. Enjoy it while you can!

2006-06-25T20:52:00.000-07:00

Today I bought my last book at A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books. I always thought that sucked as a name for a bookstore, but I loved the store itself. I spent a lot of time perusing the non-fiction tables in the back, looking for the perfect weekend read or birthday present for my brother. About 8 months ago, we heard Sean Wilsey read to a packed crowd, and that book was the last I bought. Appropriately, it is titled "The Glory of It All".

Yesterday, N. and I went on a perfect bike ride, and I recommend the route. We toured around around the park, and then headed out 8th Street to Lake. We turned East on Lake Street, and worked our way up Arguello, somehow skipping the nasty hill right before the Presidio. We took the nice new bike lanes out Washington Street to the new lookout (that is where the Night Ride went tonight. If you would like to go on a night ride, check out the SFBC calendar). We worked our way down to the Golden Gate Bridge, but skipped crossing it. Instead, we rolled down to the Warming Hut for a hot chocolate, and back around to see a very cool new temporary sculpture installed by the Black Arts Foundation. The Sculpture is at the Mission and the Embarcadero, you can't miss it!

Fun Murals and Silly Food

2006-06-18T18:35:00.000-07:00

Mona Caron just unveiled her latest mural at 22nd and Church Street. The opening gala had a band playing French musette, and the hot weather made for a festive celebration. I highly recommend you go mural hunting in San Francisco. Aside from Mona's great works, there are wonderful murals such as the ones on Balmy Alley. My favorite Mona Caron mural is the one behind the Safeway at Church and Market, but the latest one is lovely and subtle.

Last night J. took me out for fancy dinner at Jardiniere. I am only mentioning this because even though we had a great time, it is a lousy over-priced restaurant. So don't go there! Instead go to Greens or Liberty Cafe, or get a burrito at Mariachi! J. would especially want me to mention Naan 'n Curry, which I am beginning to think is his idea of what heaven would be like.

Finally, my friend L. made it to Philadelphia to go to Nursing School -- so wish her luck! We are all rooting for her.

Camera Obscura

2006-06-12T13:14:00.000-07:00

This weekend, I found myself at Camera Obscura. Yes, that venerable institution is open once again at a bargain rate of three dollars. Even though the technology is ancient, I highly recommend it on a clear day. You will be mesmerized by the ocean. Sunday was foggy, but it still was well worth the trip. It is located on the patio area right behind the Cliff House (the new Cliff House is very strange. I miss the old bar where you could get beer and a snack for a reasonable price. Not any more!).

They want to go to Fisherman's Wharf

2006-06-04T20:32:00.000-07:00

Because I swim at the South End Rowing Club, I have been spending a bit of time in Fisherman's Wharf (i.e., Fishy Wharf) and thought I would reveal a few of its secrets. This information could come in handy if you have relatives visiting from the Midwest, and a trip to the tourist trap can not be avoided.

The sea lions at Pier 39 are well-known and fun to observe. If a docent is present on the pier, be sure and ask lots of questions: that is why they are there. Then head down the street towards Ghirardelli Square. Stop in at the Hyde Street pier, especially if you have kids, because the pier has lots of really cool ships you can explore. My friend B. and I learned what it means to "batten a hatch" the last time we were there. Next to the pier is the State Park Maritime store, which is the best souvenir shop in the area. It is full of cool books and nautical things, as opposed to dumb T-shirts and tacky trinkets.

You can also stroll out on the breakwater/pier past Aquatic Park. Of course, while passing Aquatic Park, look out at the buoys for swimmers. You will probably see a swimmer any time of year or in any type of weather. Look for the folks without wetsuits -- they are probably South Enders, or a lower-caste Dolphin.

If you insist on a tourist event, take the kids to the chocolate factory and get a hot fudge sundae. They are really tasty and worth the cost. Plus, you can see the old equipment and learn how chocolate is made. If the kids were left off somewhere near Lodi, take the adults to Buena Vista for an Irish Coffee. It is fun, even if it is touristed. You can also get a reasonably priced meal there. For pricier meals, skip Aliotos and such. Instead stop in at Pompeii's Grotto or the Blue Mermaid. Both are quite good for the price you pay, and you don't feel ripped off when you've finished your crab sandwich.

My pal A. recommends the Fiddler's Green if you really want to avoid the tourist traps and hunker down for a pint with the locals. I haven't been, but I trust her recommendation.

Finally, if you want to ignore my advice entirely, then I advise plunging right in and paying the money for the Wax Museum. If you are going to go tourist, then go all the way. Have fun!

Runamucca

2006-05-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

I am writing this post from the far reaches of Winnemucca, Nevada, where I am visiting a friend and Tweepers, his cat. Winnemucca is as far into real cowboy country as you can get. You see cowboys on the street, and they aren't dressing for the Rawhide! This weekend there is a Harley rally in town, which means there are a lot of bikers, so we stopped in at the Mineshaft Bar -- "where T&A is A OK"! They had cherry shots that tasted of lighter fluid, strippers, and a door that never locks.

Yesterday, we drove on dirt tracks to Waso: an old way-station for the railroad. It had several little tiny buildings, most of which were deserted. One of them was a tiny two-story building just big enough for a railroad worker. It was such a nice design, and very functional. It made me bemoan our culture's desire for big houses. This one would have suited me fine, if I had a shed for all of my stuff.

I haven't even written about the landscape out here. People think of Nevada as a big wasteland with Las Vegas in the middle, but out in Eastern Nevada I've seen some of the most beautiful landscape I've ever experienced -- miles of scrubby sagebrush with big rolling red mountains in the background. If you are exploring around here, seek out Paradise, a town I am hoping we'll head out to today. It is lovely: remote and arid. The climate is rough, but it is worth checking out.

Last, but not least, if you are hungry you can get a really good Basque meal at the Martin Hotel. And on some nights they have live music. If I survive one more night of bikers, bars, and booze, I'll be back in San Francisco by tomorrow night. That is, if I don't ride off into the sunset on the back of a Harley.

,

Stay Tuned

2006-05-23T13:29:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is true, I FLAKED on my Sunday Blog. I promise to get back to the regular scheduled posting on 5/29.

On Dogpatch and Deadwood

2006-05-14T20:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I biked with some friends down to Dogpatch, where we had the honor of being extras in a soon-to-be-released film. The filming took place on an empty Muni bus in the Muni yard. Afterwards, my buddy M. reconnoitered the neighborhood looking for a good place to dine, which we found on Third Street at the Hard Knox Cafe, a soul food joint where you get two sides and muffins with your meal. You can't beat that.

Dogpatch is a funny little neighborhood surrounded by industrial buildings and not far from the S.F. Drydocks. This is one of my favorite places in the city, funky and set apart, with a personality all its own. The Third Street Rail will change that, so check it out now while you can.

Before I take Calamity Jane's fabulous photo off of my blog, I thought I'd say a few words about her. She was orphaned young, and fended for herself from the time she was an early teen. She did a man's job in a man's world at a time when women were expected to wear corsets and behave like ladies. She was a severe alcoholic, but who could blame her? She was born ahead of her time. For a good biography, check out the one on Wikipedia, or Calamity Jane's own words.

Finally, I wanted to put in a word for Claire Tompkins' orgo blogo. It always has something interesting on organic life in the East Bay.

Community Chest

2006-05-07T20:17:00.000-07:00

One wonderful thing about San Francisco is its community gardens. I recently was blessed with a plot at the Page Street Garden. I don't think I could handle a real yard on my own, so my little community plot is just right. Yesterday, they had a garden clean up. Folks came to tend to the common areas and get their plots ready for summer. Such events normally occur earlier in the spring, but since we had enough rain to float Noah and his Ark, the party was postponed until yesterday.

My plot is home to an enormous old lavender bush. It also hid a treasure: A tacky ceramic cherub, hiding in the weeds in the back corner. I am hoping it acts as some kind of snail-prevention charm, and I plan to put my own stone gargoyle in as well to balance it out. Today, I bought a wonderful collection of California Natives to fill up the space.

To change topic's entirely, on Friday I attended E.'s 40th birthday at Medjool, a trendy Mission Street establishment with an outdoor bar on the roof. I really liked the outdoor ambiance, and even though I don't count as "trendy", I plan to return. I'd like to say it was the perfect night for such an event, and it was for San Francisco: the fog came in and everyone was bundled up in jackets. I recommend checking it out!

Lily Street Sale

2006-04-30T12:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Lily Street had a huge street sale. R. and I were up an out around 9 setting up stuff for the day. Before we could even open the garage door, the early birds descended like crows to carrion and started rummaging through our stuff. It was a chaotic 15-minutes as I accidentally sold one of R's books to an intense and aggressive buyer.

Later, the day settled down, friends stopped by, we met the neighbors and in general had a good time. Ironically, I don't think I made very much money, but it certainly was fun and had a nice ambiance. I like to know that I am connected to my neighbors and my neighborhood. I used to live in Pacific Heights and I felt alone and isolated, but here in Hayes Valley I feel more like an integral part of the 'hood.

Blog Vacation

2006-04-25T20:53:00.000-07:00

I missed my Sunday posting because I was in Tucson, Arizona for the weekend. When I got back the fog felt cool and inviting: a perfect lover. I wanted to wrap my arms around it and hold it. I will return to the regularly scheduled postings this Sunday.

Saturday in the Park

2006-04-16T16:02:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, I took a Short Bike Ride through Golden Gate Park. JFK drive was closed as it has been every Sunday for several years. So many different activities occur on that short stretch of road. Last Sunday, I saw people swing dancing (this is free, and the lesson is at 12:30, FYI), kids learning to bike ride, a street hockey game, roller skate dancers, joggers, and giant primeval plants. I realize the plants are there every day, traffic or no traffic, but I had to mention them.

At any rate, a group of sensible citizens and community organizations have been trying to get the park closed to traffic on Sunday as well. Isn't this the best idea? I love it! If you don't think it is a good idea, then I recommend you rush down to JFK drive the next sunny Sunday and find out what all of the fuss is about. Bring a picnic and a bicycle, and check it out.

If you agree that it is a good idea, send Gavin Baby (otherwise known as the Mayor) a little email and tell him to support Saturday closure: gavin.newsom@sfgov.org

Today I went to the Surrealist Calder exhibit at the MOMA. I thought it was fabulous. If you go, be sure and take extra time to see the strange erased-charcoal film at the back of the top-floor gallery. However, it is hard to find, so here are my directions: go to the top floor and find Michael Jackson. Face Michael, then walk straight past him through all of the galleries until you reach what looks like a back exit. Just to be clear, it isn't by Calder, but I can't remember the name of the artist.

Good Luck.

It's All in the Swim

2006-04-09T10:40:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been feeling a bit depressed lately. If you know anything about depression you know how much fun that can be. At any rate, it wasn't raining, so I rode my bike down along the Embarcadero to the SERC. While I was riding, a gentleman came up on a Rambouillet. We chatted a bit about our bikes and then I rode on. When I got to the SERC, a woman in the locker room said "I am a friend of that guy on the Rambouillet". This adds evidence to my theory that San Francisco is really just a small town.

Anyway, when I got to the SERC, I decided to jump into the bay. Jump is an exaggeration, I actually sort of ran, tripped, galumphed and splashed into the Bay. It was so cold that every depressive thought was rapidly driven out of my system. It always works for me; the combination of the shock of the cold, the need to stay afloat, the smell of the salt, and the call of the birds always makes me feel better. Or it might just be that the depression is replaced by the Will to Survive!

All Dressed Up

2006-04-03T21:33:00.000-07:00

I am still recovering from a weekend full of interesting social activities. On Friday, we went to an art show on Valencia Street for my friend Rafael Landea (check it out, it is at 973 Valencia: a very cool Spanish-language bookstore). Saturday, we went to a house-warming near Dolores Park. The building has a dungeon in the basement, or at least the vestiges of one. I am not kidding. Someone had installed vertical bars and an old curtain rod that hangs across the bars still has the curtain rings on it. I am sure it once had a creepy black curtain and a dominatrix. I'll have to buy a skeleton as a housewarming present. Sunday, I was up on Bernal Hill at a book-making workshop, and Sunday night we piled in a car and went to Oakland for a birthday party.

I am using we in the royal sense as in, "We, the Queen". I feel a bit lonesome this evening. To say we makes me feel a part of the whole -- the urban community of friends that are also my family.

We we we, all the way home.

The Public Library

2006-03-26T21:04:00.000-08:00

Today I went to the San Francisco Main Branch of the Public Library. A lot of people complain about the building, but I like it. It is very airy and spacious, and even the homeless people wandering around it seem to belong. I do agree with the complaint that it hasn't got enough shelf space. I miss the days of the old stacks where you could get lost for hours in the midst of some off-the-wall topic like topiary.

You can't look for a specific book in the library either. Let me clarify: you can look for a specific book, but there is always a chance it is supposedly on the shelf but not actually there, or that it is completely missing. What you can do is wander up and down the aisles and pick out interesting-looking works, and you don't feel obligated to read them simply because you paid for them. You just have to return them. Today, having suffered over the weekend from a healthy bout of depression, I picked up a couple of cheesy self-help books and researched "What to Look for in an Iron" in a Consumer Reports Guide. I realize that ironing is not considered a clinical treatment for depression, but it helps me and my old iron died.

I used to belong to Mechanic's Institute, but I rarely get downtown any more. Mechanic's is geared towards Anglophiles and the collection lacks diversity, but the books tend to stay where they belong, and you can find fun treasures, like Thesinger's the Marsh Arabs and Alexandra David Neel's My Journey to Tibet. You have to join to have access to their collection, but the noon tour on Wednesday is free. I say, check it out.

In the Free and Clear

2006-03-19T20:39:00.001-08:00

Today, the weather was finally back to the usual sunshine of San Francisco winter weather (instead of that silly cold spell), so I went down to the Civic Center Farmer's Market to buy treats. For some reason, the kiwi stand was the happening place. I had to battle my way to the front so I could buy a bag of kiwis for $1.50, and boy were they tasty. I took them, some dates, and the ubiquitous kettle corn (I swear, it is probably at every Farmer's Market in America) out to Golden Gate Park for a picnic with my pals. We were vastly entertained by a good-natured toddler and her grandmother, who told us stories of growing up over a laundry in the South of Market.

2006-03-12T14:40:00.000-08:00

It's been unusually cold here. I am not used to seeing locals bundled up in New York City fashion. Usually, you see your pals dressed in the same jacket and hat year round, sans gloves or knee-length coats or ski garb. Today, I spent the morning in the new De Young museum, drawing. The De Young has a great interior space. As for art, I am especially fond of the collection from Africa and Oceania. Where is Oceania, anyway? Is it near Texas? Most of my time at the museum was spent drawing Susannah and the Elders, by Thomas Hart Benton. The painting depicts the Biblical Susannah recast as a young Midwestern farm wife. While I was painting, a tour came by with a docent who stopped to discuss the painting. However, I found her insights rather pedestrian. She kept talking about her own midwestern farm family. Talk about the artist and the painting, for crying out loud! One woman stood so close to me during the talk, that I felt like she couldn't see me at all. Weird. People are strange: while some students were drawing, patrons would stand directly in front of them almost as if on purpose. Clueless!

2006-03-05T12:46:00.000-08:00

Well, I've been thinking a lot about relationships, because I've suddenly found myself with a new lover. How do these things work? How do you negotiate for what you want without messing things up? Why do we even contemplate these things? I wish I could be more zen in my approach -- just be in the here and now. I'm trying.

Anyway, I got some good loot on my wanderings last night (Loot is another really good reason not to drive a car. Walking and biking around here in S.F. , you can root out all kinds of free stuff, from books to doors made of solid redwood. You just have to keep your eyes and ears open, and perhaps be willing to dive into a dumpster). I found a Daphne Du Maurier novel I haven't read and a hardbound edition of Jane Eyre. Daphne Du Maurier is great for trash-reading vacations. I'm saving it for when I go somewhere on holiday.

The exposed ad for Acme Beer is gone, and replaced by a big picture window. My buddy said it looked like is said "ME BEER" in the photo I took. As soon as I get my technology act together, I'll post the photo to this site.

2006-02-26T18:25:00.000-08:00

The other night, as I was walking home from Van Ness Muni, I was followed by a couple singing in Italian. Each was singing a different song (or maybe it was meant to be a piece in harmony but it didn’t sound like that). It gave a whole new ambiance to the funky area of Market and Page Street. Plus there was some sort of hipster art opening at a nearby gallery. Then today, as I was walking past Hayes Green (which really ought to be called Walkup and Levitt Park, due to the momentous efforts of Patricia Walkup and Robin Levitt to make that park a reality), I noticed that the building renovation on Hayes and Octavia has exposed the old painted signs on the side of the building: “Drink Acme Beer, Light and Dry”.

Introduction

2006-02-20T17:22:00.000-08:00

Good Afternoon. This is my introductory post to my knitting, transit, living in S.F., making art, looking around, looking up and looking down blog. I plan to post once a week by midnight Sunday. My focus will be life here in San Francisco, with occasional forays into life within and beyond. So stay tuned.