Reasons I Love SF: High Brow Entertainment

A colleague of mine is dancing and singing in a free city walk of performance art called He Moved Swiftly but Gently Down the Not Too Crowded Street, a tribute to Ed Mock. Mock was an important leader in the dance community during the 70s and 80s, in San Francisco. And, the pieces that have been constructed throughout the Mission are beautiful and interesting and one of a kind.

Some other colleagues and I joined in the walking tour, cutting in and out as we saw fit for food and drink. One colleague mentioned that it was one of the weirdest but, best days in San Francisco in ten years of living here. I nodded in whole-hearted agreement. The event was made up of performances in mattress and piano stores, restaurants, alleyways, and in the middle of Valencia Street. After a few hours, we joined in a Second Line parade down Shotwell Street, singing along with the singer/dancers goading us along. The neighbors came out to their balconies, much like during New Orleans's Mardi Gras. Despite the socked in weather, our troop was sharing the light of a very special man all over town.

It all ended with a disco, a beautiful song sung by my co-worker in the lobby of ODC Theatre, where pictures of Ed Mock were displayed. And, more dancing in the street. I'm going back for more next weekend.

Reasons I Love SF: More Peninsula Hikes

Windy Hill is a quick drive from where I work but, I didn't even know it existed until earlier this week. A friend and I spent the day exploring its varied terrain, climbing up switch-backs in dense forest growth, enjoying lunch looking over Stanford's campus surrounded by grassland, and tromping down arid hills in the hot sun.

We spoke of our recent trips to Havana and Mexico City and Miami. It was HOT! And, I neglected to satiate myself enough prior to starting up the shaded switch backs. At one point, I thought I may pass out but all I brought along were nuts to snack on... So, once we stopped at the top of the hill, I ate my meager bags of mixed nuts and chocolate covered mangoes, she ate her hefty sandwich, and then we sweated it out, practically running down the steep grade.

Once we reached my car, sitting unshaded in the parking lot, I decided it was time to grab a bigger bite and a beer and we hit up the Alpine Inn, a funny dive-bar beer garden in Portola Valley. Since it was a Saturday evening and over 85 degrees, I envisioned Zeitgeist-like crowds but, instead we were greeted with a band wrapping up its set, a few scattered families, and several gentlemen working on their laptops... We gobbled down fries and Belgian beer, and I chowed on a burger and then called it a day.

Reasons I Love SF: Pirate's Cove in Fifteen Minutes

Spring is officially in session, as I may have mentioned, so it's time to get outdoors with the rest of the Bay Area denizens and explore. Today, one of my best friend's and I drove fifteen minutes from my house to Tennessee Valley, in Marin, and did a late afternoon/evening hike to Pirate's Cove. We were done by 7:45pm, with the sun still shining, and were able to enjoy a satisfying, healthy dinner at Cafe del Soul. I kept saying it on the hike, and I'll say it again, we live in the best place on earth....

Reasons I Love SF: Peninsula Hikes

Twenty minutes away there are amazing hikes that I never knew about until recently... It's unclear how that's possible after growing up in the Bay Area and spending the last 11 years living in San Francisco... But, alas... Just one more reason I love San Francisco and the Bay Area in general. There are other places on the planet where you can live in a city and be minutes away from nature but, I'm not sure you can be minutes away from so many options.

For example, over the past two weekends, two friends and I explored just a couple of the hikes the Peninsula has to offer. First, we went to San Pedro Valley Park with its entrance in Pacifica. There were amazing 360 views from the Montara Mountain peaks. The hike up was pretty hard-core but, it was all downhill on the way back. Afterwards, my friend and I went out to the beach in Pacifica (with its strange Taco Bell practically on the water) in hopes of catching the sunset. We were a bit early so, we headed to the Cliff House which was packed with other folks soaking in the afternoon light. We ended up sitting at Lands End watching the sun go down over Sutro Baths with about half the city.

 

 

Next, this past weekend, we went to Sweeney Ridge where there were, again, 360 degree views of the Pacific ocean and the bay and also a former missile site that has been covered in graffiti. It is quite beautiful. We went up from Highway 35, which made the climb nice and easy. Until we went down the other side towards Highway 1. It was a bit of a bear to climb back up but, lovely none-the-less.

Looking forward to continued Peninsula hike exploration... Am I really ever going to leave this place?...

Reasons I Love SF: Uniqueness

When I first started coming to San Francisco regularly as a photography student, I distinctly remember feeling like I was boring. Even the models that were posing for our lighting class were belly dancers that spoke fluent French while traveling in North Africa. After ten years, I'm still in awe albeit over slightly more unique interests than just simple belly dancing and French language skills. It seems that everyone in San Francisco has some unique and/or interesting thing they are working on.

This past Thursday, I went out for dinner and a music show with my neighbor who I really love talking to and spending time with. During the evening, while chowing down on delicious Thai food, we chatted about our favorite Dave Eggers book and his Ted Talk, a recent Fresh Air episode featuring Dustin Hoffman, and the interesting Thai wine that we tried. After that, we headed out to Java Beach to catch Cajun music headed by an Irish American Bay Area native. It was a typical evening in San Francisco but, for a girl who spent several years in Wisconsin talking about beer and football and who tends to talk about work more than she should, it was pretty unique. It reminded me how much I love San Franciscan's desire to learn and share their uniqueness.

Los Angeles: Griffith Park

While in LA, I was able to get out and explore Griffith Park, which was fun. The sun was shining and I happened upon a very LA scene: the Friend Zone was being filmed near where the old zoo was. As someone who gets sucked into whatever is on Hulu, and is sometimes a watcher of Raising Hope, Lucas Neff caught my eye although I had no idea who his leading lady was (I never got sucked into Switched at Birth or Desperate Housewives).

At any rate, aside from that minor excitement, there were lots of smiling Angeleno's even in the middle of the day on a Friday, including a sister of the cloth. My jacket was off in about fifteen minutes since the sun was beating down and I was ascending almost the entire time. From the top of what seemed to have been called the Five Points trail, I was able to catch views of downtown LA although I was walking on the side overlooking Glendale for the majority of my "climb".

When I move to LA, I will definitely need to spend ample time tromping the hills of the park regularly.

Reasons I love SF: Holidays

It's nearing my time to leave San Francisco although I don't know when exactly or for how long. I do know I want to head south and try my hand at living in L.A. where the sun shines more and where I know I can feed my soul regularly with "hardcore Israeli wellness" as one of my friend's calls it. This impending transition makes me nostalgic for the City I haven't left yet so, I thought I'd start logging some blogging hours focusing on all the reasons I love San Francisco.

The first reason goes along with the season; namely, San Francisco knows how to do the Holidays. This is kind of funny coming from me, a self-proclaimed end of year hater. But, I must admit, maybe it's the move or just that I'm growing up, this city loves a celebration and decorations and its people (and even those that drive across a bridge or up a Peninsula to get here). And, that's making me love the holidays, this year. I've lived in the Bay Area almost my whole life and in San Francisco for going on eleven years and so, have had the joy of watching the San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker both when I was younger and with my nieces more recently when they were around the same age that I was when I first saw it. The War Memorial Opera House is amazing and the show itself transported me into that make believe story every time.

This year, my parents came to visit the first weekend in December, which was a treat. Although the inhospitable conditions (i.e. rain) were...wet, we soaked in the holiday sights visiting the tree in Union Square, the windows at Macy's with the kittens and puppies that I always want to take home, and just looking in store windows downtown and at decorated cable cars. For the first time, we saw A Christmas Carol at the ACT, one of my dad's favorite Christmas stories of all time. This rendition was fabulous and tradition-worthy for sure with its large cast of ACT favorites and children from all over the Bay Area. After a busy rain-soaked day and catching a great non-holiday movie, we went to Fish & Farm, a delicious restaurant that serves local, seasonal organic food, and piled my plate high with scrumptious meat. Thankfully, it was warm and dry and along with the great food, they served up festive holiday music, great service, and a beautiful tree in the hotel lobby next door.

And, now neighbors up and down my street are beginning to put up their holiday decorations. Another of my favorite San Francisco holiday pastimes is window-gawking at the decor being hung in the neighborhoods. Dwellers make their spaces festive and the business districts of each neighborhood put up white or colored lights in the trees. Last weekend I even decorated a little tree that my brother's girlfriend made last year. It all makes me want to turn on Ella Fitzgerald singing the Christmas hits and snuggle up by my fireplace (although I'll have to make do with candles instead of actual log flames).

Home Work Out

Every time I see my Grinberg method practitioner, she suggests that I start doing martial arts to keep my cortisol-producing stress at bay. She asks if I'm still doing yoga and acupuncture to ensure that my adrenal glands get a rest every so often. And, every time I go to my endocrinologist, she tells me to make sure that I'm doing plenty of physical activity to keep my bones and hormones healthy. One of the great things about my apartment is that I have a good sized, wood-floored living room. And, with Netflix streaming video and Hulu, I have found a great way to supplement the periodic walks I talk with physical activity in the comfort and safety of my own home.

Last weekend I woke up and wanted to calm my body down so, I tuned into an hour long Yoga Zone session. Not having to stretch into and hold contortions that my body can't do in front of a room full of sweating strangers is lovely. My glutes and hamstrings are incredibly tight and I can hardly do a forward bend beyond a right angle. With yoga in my living room, I can unabashedly suck at bending over. The instructors on Yoga Zone also tell me exactly how to correctly position myself which, in classes at a studio, I either don't hear because I'm so wrapped up in embarrassment or doesn't happen because everyone else in the class is a total yogi. The instructor pushes my hips forward or torso into a twist but, often won't explicitly tell me to ensure that my pinky toe is pushed into the floor when I'm in warrior pose. And of course, the cost of going to a yoga studio and requirement to go at specific times both make me cranky. Yoga in my living room can happen anytime I feel like it and I don't have to pay a dime.

Tonight, after a day of heady discussion and planning, I needed an outlet that would tire me out and help me let off steam. I tuned into 10 minute kickboxing with my favorite Aussie trainer. I punched and kicked and worked out for a good solid 20 minutes. It's 9:08pm and my eyes can hardly stay open. And by tomorrow I'll have that lovely muscle ache in my legs and arms and may not be able to comfortably crouch. But, it will hurt so good. The first time I kickboxed in my living room was thirty minutes of continuous hilarity. My feet couldn't seem to pivot at the same time that my arm was jabbing left or right and I certainly couldn't jab with both arms, pivot on the left, swing right and end with a quick left upper cut. But it didn't matter. Because I was alone.

Strawberry Hill

Today I set off for Stow Lake from the 19th Avenue entrance to Golden Gate Park listening to Start Something That Matters on my iPod. My goal was to walk for at least forty minutes, break a mild sweat, and enjoy the sun (which quickly slid behind a shield of cloud-cover). Since I've moved closer to Stow Lake, I've spent many a morning or afternoon meandering through the island trails or up and down the stairs near the waterfall but, I'm always surprised by something new that I've never seen before. This walk was no different. Unfortunately, I left my camera at home as well as my cell-phone so, there aren't any visuals to enjoy. But, as I made a loop around the back end of the park nearing the boat house, a man knelt near the shore of the lake. About two feet away from the lake-edge, on a rocky outcropping, there were three turtles sunning and just beyond, a duck. They seemed to be oblivious to the growing crowd on the nearby bank.

Shortly after, I climbed the rough wooden stairs just above one of the two bridges that lead onto the island in the middle of the lake. I streaked past some bicyclists and other visitors enjoying a relaxing stroll. Instead of reaching the top of the falls and turning around, I decided to follow the other path around the hill-top reservoir and ended up at Strawberry Hill. How is it possible that I never walked up there before? I wondered. Apparently, "hill-topping" is a common butterfly behavior, when they "head for the hills" and flit from pollen-producer to pollen-producer while somehow sensing other butterfly pheromones, if I'm remembering the signage correctly. There weren't any butterflies as the clouds continued to gather but the views of the Sunset, the Richmond, and the Golden Gate Bridge from behind the great green trees were lovely.

As I wandered back down the dirt path, a tourist was viewing a rock nestled in the hill with the words Huntington Falls carved into it. How have I never seen that? I balked, trying to remember how many times I've walked above the falls that I did not know had a name. Me and Stow Lake go way back. We may have become acquainted for the first time as I slogged through at a medium paced, sweaty jog at age 16 or so, as I "ran" a long-distance race through Golden Gate Park. More than likely, I wasn't paying attention to anything but my self-conscious body, the boy I had a crush on, and how out of breath I was. After I moved to San Francisco, I started walking and running again, eventually, and in the process re-introduced myself to Stow Lake. Like an old and evolving friend, it continues to show me new sides every visit.

Nuevo Latino in the Sunset

On my way to dinner, I stopped in at the Great Overland Book Company on Judah and 9th and bought a $1 Mistress of Spices and a super cheap copy of Gertrude Stein's A Novel of Thank You. After seeing the Stein exhibit at the SF MoMA, I was inspired to read one of her books from the time period focused on in the show. The book shop's owner was incredibly friendly and someone I'll enjoy visiting at the store in the future. And, I will go again... Probably too much, especially since I vowed not to buy any books until I gave the same amount away. I am giving away two recent reads but, I also have two books coming from QPB since I neglected to opt out of the automatic order for June. Again.

Anyway, Fresca is a restaurant I've wanted to go to for years, now, and yet haven't (so many restaurants so little time!). But, Pasion, its sister restaurant in the Inner Sunset has brought the yummy Latin flavors to me. My old roommate and I headed here after work, this evening. Apparently, Thursday is a good night to go since one of the sous chefs from Fresca is there helping prep and serving his infamous jello shots to patrons.

We met up at 6:00 and it was the perfect time to go as there was not a wait and we were able to get the prime spot in the window, allowing us to enjoy the long summer evening. We ordered a side of fried plantains as our appetizer, which was incredible, as always. You can't really go wrong with sweet plantain goodness. I ordered the vaca encebollada, a roasted pepper wrapped New York steak with yuca fries and chimichurri. Oh my goodness, that is good! If I ate fish, I would have ordered the ceviche but, my companion did on our behalf. She said the trio she chose for her main dish was lip-smacking good aside from one which had vanilla in it. The neighbor who raved about this place the week prior as I stood reading the menu was not lying when she said the food was delicious. I'll be back again!

Fashion from Spain

The de Young truly never disappoints! My flamenco dancing friend and I went to the Balenciaga and Spain exhibit today and it was eye popping. Hamish Bowles of Vogue is the curator of this amazing exhibit and it features many pieces owned by him. The influence that flamenco dancers, Catholicism, matadors had on Balenciaga's work is obvious and I can imagine that high fashion Parisians between the late forties and late sixties found that look exotic and different.

Something that made a real connection for me was that many of the dresses were previously worn by San Francisco's very own society dames. Eleanor Christenson de Guigné was just one of these Bay Area women who had the fortune (literally) to own several Balenciaga gowns that she later donated to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Elise Stern Haas, of the Walter and Elise Haas Fund and from the Levi Strauss family in San Francisco, also owned gowns that were donated to the Museums.

But, my favorite San Franciscan who owned a pretty hand-embroidered dress was Jean Magnin. I was unable to find proof of this but, I assume Jean is from the Magnin family that started I. Magnin and who built the home across the street from my old place on Page Street. Maybe she even grew up in one of the houses belonging to the family and went out to social events wearing the dress. I'd like to imagine!

Sanctuary in Downtown Oakland

I have walked, ridden or driven past Lake Merritt in Oakland more times than I can count on two hands and never - until today - knew there was a bird sanctuary (home to amazing herons, egrets and cormorants), gondola rides, or a large non-profit education and play space called Fairyland! Nor did I know that the lake was a full three miles around, the making of a beautiful walk. So, before helping some friends do a good Spring purge, we took a meander around the lake and enjoyed the warm east bay Memorial Day weekend.

Those are baby goslings in the foreground. :) Tottering on their spindly legs, I was afraid they might fall in the lake!

After an afternoon of recycling paper, sorting through dusty or broken stuff and bagging up techno trash, we rewarded ourselves by hitting up one of the fine restaurants in their Glenview neighborhood. Banana Blossom is one of my favorite places to go and my friend, who does not crave Thai food in the least, always enjoys her meals there. I enjoyed Praram Chicken, a nice alternative to Satay Chicken served over a bed of spinach. They enjoyed a colorful appetizer of tuna poke and another colorful meal of shrimp and garlic veggies.

Delicious Thai

As I'm checking out all the fine dining establishments in my neighborhood, I had the opportunity this evening to try Soi Gow Thai and had it delivered right to my doorstep. I recently had Thai downtown and the Chicken Satay was tasteless and the peanut sauce bland. The same dish from Soi Gow tasted as though they just pulled the chicken off the grill and the peanuts were hand mashed earlier today. So good!

And, I've had a lot of Panang Curry over the years; many times once it goes in the fridge the oil separates and it looks pretty disgusting. That did not happen with this restaurant. I will be ordering a lot from Soi Gow despite the rave reviews of nearby Marnee Thai.

Making our Environment Vital

This week, a work team that we're calling the BEaT Team (I can never remember what it stands for aside from that we're focusing on beautification and creating efficiencies in the Thoreau Center), met with our consultants, three super-fun guys who have a very interesting business called VITAL environments. I'm very excited about what we're called to do with the consultants and can't wait to learn more about how to make a work environment more inviting and lively and the staff working there more productive and focused. The Vital team is made up of an architect, a mechanical engineer and a human interaction specialist, all whom bring very different views to the same goal of making people work better, with more integrated fun while conserving energy and other resources. More to come!

Nuggets

On a walk into work, this morning, my friend and I stopped into the Village Store in the Inner Richmond. One of those places I've walked past more times than I can remember, I would have never guessed from my brisk strides through the neighborhood that this is what would be found inside... Creaky wooden floors look like they have been there for decades and contrast with the vibrant fruit and vegetables pouring over the fresh food counters. And, the hospitality of the employees makes me want to spend hours at one of the rough-hewn community tables in the front windows.

My transport home was less enjoyable, a bus (or two) having fallen off the "rotation" and left the 5:30 driver picking up way too many passengers than could fit. It made me think about what I've heard about Japan, where there are people whose job it is to shove passengers onto the high-speed rail trains during rush hour. San Franciscans could have crowd surfed down the length of the evening 43 without any fear of being dropped. The ride took an hour and then some, all told. But, on the bright side, I was able to get the very last seat and read this great poem in this great book which caused me to laugh into the oversize backpack of the person standing in front of me.

I Hate Wind

The 15 mile per hour winds have come to San Francisco. I abhor them. They blow my not-too-short-not-long-enough hair all around my face as soon as I peek my head out the door. They destabilize me as I walk to and from the bus stop. And, they whistle through windows open just a crack to let the air flow.

But, this Spring Wind is my favorite place to pick up Chinese medicine herbs that are so good for me and my body. And, help to reduce the wind in my chi. Oh, the irony!

Sundays at the Market

Since I moved into my new neighborhood, I've been enjoying the Sunday farmer's market just a few blocks away between 8th and 9th Avenues and Irving Street. It has not only fresh fruits and veggies from farms nearby but, also a few other items that I appreciate being able to purchase locally. For example, hand made soap and skin care products from Pamela Soap, almonds and dried fruit produced by Rodin Farms, and hard and soft goat cheeses from Achadinha Cheese Company (recently featured in Sunset magazine). Pamela's rose clay soap with lavender, rosemary and shea butter leaves my skin feeling soft and supple. The applewood smoked almonds and dried peaches from Rodin are full of flavor! And, the Capricious hard goat cheese is amazing grated over the fresh asparagus I pick up at the market.

Monday Marina and Creativity at the Commonwealth Club

I love those days when I go to work and then have a whole other life afterward. Especially when that whole other life is filled with beauty and interesting conversation and dreaming. Today was one of those great days and tonight, I'll rest a head filled with funny quips and remembered scenes of a day way more than ordinary.

A colleague and I opted to walk downtown after work by way of the Marina, North Beach, and China Town. It took a good hour and a half but, it was a beautiful walk (check out the pics).

 

We parted ways at the BART station where I headed up to the Commonwealth Club to hear Ze Frank speak. Oh, how I love Ze Frank! The first time I heard of him was when he did his July 2010 TED Talk. Then, he focused on how hard it is to connect with people and how he has used the internet to connect with people via such projects as Young Me Now Me and Ray. In the Commonwealth Club talk, he brought his telltale humor and went into great depth about his relationship with the Jungian archetype Peur Aeternus (the eternal boy). He also shared one of his infamous songs (I love them). I left wanting more creativity in my life and with recommendations from Ze on how to get more. Check out the podcast.... That's him in the fuzzy picture below. 

Exploration - Part 2

Feeling like I needed to get a lay of the land (literally), I hiked up to Mt. Davidson Park today which allowed me to perch over my new neighborhood. While I moved to the Sunset to get to some flatter land, Golden Gate Heights is a mere 15 minute walk and provides the San Francisco hills, just like my old neighborhood.

The great thing about getting to Mt. Davidson is being able to see the amazing Mosaic Steps at 16th and Moraga. Check out the journey to the top and the views from up there. You can see almost 360 degrees: Sutro Tower, the Ocean (not seen by most of the other hills of SF), the tip of the Golden Gate Bridge, and most of downtown. It's going to be one of my favorite spots, I can tell already.

Stumptown

Last day of coffee drinking and I head to Stumptown for deliciousness. The woman behind the counter looks like a Ritual barista but she's way more friendly.

Holler Mountain is the takeaway for my co-workers and boy am I satisfied!