Thursday, December 06, 2007

San Francisco Notebook, Part One

I went to San Francisco and came back again. It was, without question, one of the best trips I've ever taken to anywhere. I was unabashedly touristic the entire time, slogging up and down (mostly up, it seemed) hills with my trusty camera at the ready.

In doing so, I created piles of indifferent vacation snapshots which you should pretend politely to notice before skipping to the yarn store reviews in part two.

Bedroom View

The view from the bedroom window at the hotel. That's Grace Cathedral in the middle distance. They have a Peet's Coffee in the basement. The cathedral is built from reinforced concrete, which I suppose makes sense in a city where the ground tends to jiggle about unexpectedly.

Coit

Coit Tower, as seen from the roof garden of the hotel. Notice the bird of paradise growing lushly in the lower left corner–in December. Note the green leaves on the trees. The San Franciscans kept talking about how chilly their weather is this time of year. They can shut the hell up.

Children

Detail of a fountain in the park at the top of Nob Hill.

Sphinx

Three men and a bitchy sphinx outside the De Young Museum.

Sausalito

Tourists (and one resident) in Sausalito.

Golden Gate

Some bridge everybody makes a big deal about. I can't remember the name.

Marin Headlands

Obstinate little tree atop the Marin Headlands.

Beach Wish

A wish for a Wonderful Day inscribed on the beach near Seal Rock. (It worked, at least for me.)

Seal Rock

A really, really big camera near the Cliff House. Impressive, but I would not want it hanging around my neck.

SF Commute

Cable car commuters. Alternate title: Ha ha ha, you're going to work and I'm not.

Bay Bridge

Another one of those big bridges they have out there.

Buddha

A very early (Ghandala era) Buddha at the splendid Asian Art Museum, where I spent the better part of an entire day. Note the particularly fine pectoral development. (I studied four years at Harvard in order to develop a trained eye for such details.)

Next, in part two, the fibery bits of the trip. They were many and splendid. But right now I have to do laundry or I'll have nothing to wear tomorrow except pajama bottoms and my overcoat.

42 comments:

Anonymous said...

very nice little travelogue, written in careful and cunning fashion to keep your readers and well-wishers on the hook about your "news"!!

Alena said...

Beautiful photos!! You are hereby recruited to take all of my vacation photos - I'll keep you posted... Looking forward to the yarn shop previews, et al.

cedar said...

hilarious, great photos even read the captions like a good girl waiting for the fibery stuff, what a rip...tomorrow? wear those jammies to work and post the wooly bits....lol

Anonymous said...

Your photographs caught some of my favorite SF views. I sure hope that you'll come to California again. Any tourist who has the sense to see the city's stunning Asian art museum is a visitor with style and sense!

Cheri said...

San Francisco is such a lovely place to visit (unless, of course, you're trying to get to your in-law's house in Sonoma and you manage to get lost and have to drive through the scary part). Lovely pictures! Glad you had an enjoyable time.

Melody said...

Thanks for the photos...it's been twenty years since my last forray to San Fran...it's a beautiful city. Can't wait for part two of your trip.

Lisa said...

Glad you enjoyed yourself. That Harvard Education has served you well.

Angie said...

You mean pajama bottoms and an overcoat are NOT appropriate office attire?!
It looks like you had a great time and beautiful weather. Can't wait to see the rest of your photos!

Five Ferns Fibreholic said...

I spent a day in San Fran a couple years ago. I saw Alcatraz from a distance, made candle, had amazing seafood, bought a few T-shirts, watched the many buskers, went to Art Fibres and pleaded with the mother of the owner of Carolina Homespun to open the shop. The owner was away and the store was only open by appointment "but I've come here all the way from Ontario". Bought some nice fibrey souvenirs.kfkqtuic

Unknown said...

Oh how I have missed you knowing you were in SF. Glad your back!! The photos brought back many memories of my working days "in the City" where I did leave some of my heart. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

The second bridge picture includes a lovely cable possibility.

I want to see your idea of a cable-car sweater!

BalletMommy said...

Born there, went to school there (theatre major!), worked there, loved there... You captured some of the best of my hometown. Isn't it gorgeous??? Now you have wonderful memories of it too!

Ina said...

Nice pix! I've always thought the Bay area has especially beautiful afternoon light. Don't know why (because it travels over so much water and not land?), but you certainly made the most of it.

Anonymous said...

These photos could only be topped by one of your photos of the lovely Abigail. You are definitely in the right business! Thanks for sharing!
Cathy

Anonymous said...

So glad you're back and that you had a wonderful trip. Thanks for sharing the gorgeous photos.

Kim said...

You were fortunate to get such clear weather! For while it doesn't get really cold, it is often foggy or smoggy.

I could have sworn, that bored woman on the cable car was knitting, until I looked closely again. She just needed some yarn and needles photoshopped in!

K said...

Darling, you must come to our party at Loopy tomorrow night! I'm sure that no one would look askance at your pajama pants and overcoat ensemble.

Anonymous said...

oh oh oh! I think you can see my house from one of those shots.... sort of. Glad you enjoyed yourself.

Anonymous said...

"unabashedly touristic" i had no problem being that in front of the Chicago Water Tower a few years ago. i wanted to lay on the sidewalk and just look UP. there isn't much up in florida.


marie in florida

Warrior Knitter said...

Great photos. Being a sailor-type person I like the sailboat and ocean photos the best. And being a fellow mid-westerner (in Lawrence, KS) I'm with you on the SF comment.

Anonymous said...

Nice weather you came back to here in the Windy City. My guess is you're all packed and ready to go back to Cali. Thanks for such a nice mental vacation!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful pictures! I look forward to the fibery stuff tomorrow.

Freecia said...

Mmm Marin. So pretty there. Come back soon, you took the sun with you! Though it makes Highway 17 heading towards the Santa Cruz Mountains really pretty! (South of SF, near San Jose)

Anonymous said...

Well ... you know what they say buddy mine: "No pecs no sex, not even if your name is Gautama". In truth, I was hoping your trip to the left coast was to audition prospective employers or, even better, prospective husbands.

Anonymous said...

Lovely pics, but what about your news? Are you keeping us in suspense for another day.

Nancy said...

Glad to hear you enjoyed our fair city! Y'all come back now, ya hear?

Becky in Iowa :O) said...

Awesome pictures. You have a great eye.

And ya know, I doubt anyone anywhere would mind you showing up in your pjs and overcoat. :P

Rooie said...

Nice photos.

The pecs are nice but I was admiring the bedroom eyes...and mustache?! Isn't the mustache a bit unusual?

Looks like you had a wonderful trip.

Dana S. Whitney said...

Great photos and reminders of past visits. I still lament the burning (and non re-construction) of Sutros Bath House... No... not that kind of bath house... just a big building with every kind of mechanical/coin operated band, organ, non-electronic game you could think of. Will definitely look for the yarn stores next time.

Anonymous said...

You should try to get to Alcatraz island next time you're there. It is eerily beautiful in the spring or summer, when the flowers there are in bloom.

However, I'm glad you're back. Did you post bail for Dolores yet?

Paul said...

Stunning photos!

Welcome home. You were missed.

Jennifer said...

Thank you for the gorgeous pictures of my home town!

Anonymous said...

Who's the hunk in the p-coat!?! (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)
AND...where is the commuters' knitting? Don't they know that they are wasting valuable time!?!

Anonymous said...

Another native San Franciscan thanking you for the wonderful photos. (Especially the great shot of the Bay Bridge; it's not often so photogenic.) Come back soon!

Anonymous said...

Hooray, the Camera Obscura. I hope you got a chance to go inside. It's been one of my favorite attractions since I was a kid. :)

Anonymous said...

I'm not much of a traveler, but my two very favorite cities are SF and Chicago. And you live in one and got to vacation in the other! I am pea-green with jealousy!!

SFMichael said...

Darn -- If I'd have been keeping up I could have met up with you whilst you were out here. I'd have loved to have met up with you at the LGBT center's knit night on Monday, or for tea across from ImagiKnit at Samovar. Oh well, maybe next time.
Glad you enjoyed our City.

Anonymous said...

Franklin please read the last comment on the Eleanor story- would like to know the status of the book library. We just found the post. Thanks

Anonymous said...

Sorry about the late blog reading. I've always wanted to visit San Fransico and you've just reminded me why. Thank you for the beautiful photos.

Anonymous said...

The Grace Cathedral looks a little bit like a cathedral (which I can't remember the name of) that Claude Monet painted a series of painting
of.

Tigger

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