adam hats

The many layers of buildings fascinate me. You never know what can be hidden behind a tacky façade or a modern sign. For instance, take this unassuming storefront on Kearny Street in San Francisco's Financial District.



When the building’s longtime tenant Selix Formalwear moved to a new storefront a block north, they removed their sign revealing a lovely Art Deco-esque sign from a previous tenant, Adam Hats. Here’s an image where I traced the word “Adam.” You can also make out the word “Hats” in the lower right corner.



Intrigued by the lovely curves of the typeface, I conducted a little research and learned that Adam Hats occupied this storefront from around 1940 to 1954. Here’s an image from the 1940 San Francisco City Directory with the first listing of the store:



It's sad to think that this sign will be removed or covered again when the new tenant moves in. So be sure to keep your eye out for these hidden layers and enjoy them while they last.

theories of play

Who wouldn't want to play on a colorful painted map of the United States so large it can be seen in aerial photos? A quick survey of San Francisco playgrounds revealed a colorful mosaic of maps, hopscotch grids, and foursquare courts. From top to bottom: 22nd and Eureka Streets, Dolores and 22nd Streets, and Lippard Avenue and Bosworth Street.

converted garages

While surveying buildings today in San Francisco (in an undisclosed neighborhood) for a work-related project, I came across several garages that made my day. I've seen plenty of garages converted to residential spaces, but never one with its own mail slot, window, and tiny door stuck right in the garage door itself. Or one with its own decorative shutters. Symbols of domesticity indeed!

aerial heights

On a work-related site visit near the Liberty Hill historic district, I charged up a humongous hill in my new black pumps. (I didn't realize the hill would be that steep!) Gorgeous views awaited me at the top, however.




Similar to other hilly terrain in the city, staircases lace the neighborhood in an intricate web, and I found this lovely note at the bottom of one such staircase.

Can you tell me how to get to Obama Street?

Someone mischievously replaced the street signs all along Bush Street with Obama the morning of his inauguration! It's such a fabulous idea that I can't believe I didn't think of this first.

Happy Park(ing) Day!

Happy Park(ing) Day! I found this installation today at Grant and Bush Streets just north of the Chinatown arch.

Portal of the Past

I've run past this structure in Golden Gate Park dozens of times and have always wondered what the heck it's doing there. It sits at the edge of a pond just off JFK Drive. I always imagine that it's a magic doorway that you can step through to reach another time and place (sort of like the Pevensie's wardrobe).





It's actually called the "Portal to the Past" and came from the porch of an old mansion on Nob Hill that the 1906 earthquake and fire damaged. I found this neat postcard of it at a vintage paper festival today.

early morning walk

Top: Outer Sunset from 16th Avenue. Middle: Golden Gate Park from the top of Grand View Park. Bottom: Toward the Pacific from Grand View Park.

A stroll down Geary Street

After WWKIP day in Union Square, I walked to Van Ness and Market Street to catch the Muni home while enjoying the gorgeous weather. I walked along Geary Street from Union Square and then took a left on Van Ness Avenue to Market Street. What a beautiful stretch of buildings along Geary! I passed by the Geary (1909) and Curran (1922) Theaters, some lovely apartment buildings, and two "Moorsih Revival" buildings, including the Alhambra Apartments at 860 Geary and the Temple Garage at 650 Geary. I also stopped at Memorial Court (1936), a Thomas Church-designed garden next to the War Memorial Opera House.

From top to bottom: the Alhambra Apartments, a tree lined path in the Memorial Court, and an aerial photo of the court.

Happy WWKIP Day!

Happy World Wide Knitting in Public Day WWKIP! I left the gloomy fog behind this morning and headed east to Union Square in San Francisco to knit in solidarity. After ripping out the heel three times on my bright purple "baby cable" sock (my second pair ever!), I finally figured out a way to decrease before making the heel flap so that the heel and gusset will fit my small foot while allowing the sock to fit over my leg. So I worked on the gusset decrease while soaking up the sunshine and chatting with some fellowRavelers.

Knitting this portion of the sock reminds me of rubbing your stomach and patting your head at the same time. I have to remember to do the cable every forth row, but I have to decrease every other row to make the gusset. Lots of things to remember to do at the same time!

sweet success

On Thursday I successfully knitted and exercised at the gym. I found that I can knit and use the bike machine at the same time. It worked out alright, except that my legs tended to slow down a bit while undoing a small mistake in my project. The stairmaster machines and treadmills might prove too difficult to use while knitting. I might be
able to walk, but I certainly don't think I can run and knit simultaneously.

I'm excited at the possibilities I can achieve with this newly discovered extreme multitasking. Knitting can be a couch potato-like activity, especially while sitting down for a marathon stitches session. These sessions conflict with my desire to get out and enjoy the city streets as much as possible. I have a friend, who walks and knits at the same time, so perhaps I'll have to give that a try too.

these feet were made for walking

The other day I took a nice long walk after work from SoMa to the Inner Sunset, a distance of just over 4 miles. My feet were just itching to stay in shape after having walked so much during my recent two week journey through Southeast Asia. Under brilliant blue skies, I walked down Market Street, took a right at Haight Street, walked through Lower and Upper Haight, took a left at Cole Street, and then followed Carl Street into the Inner Sunset. My goal to walk every city street is coming along nicely, albeit on a slightly extended timeline. After this cross-town adventure, I've officially walked the length of Market and Haight Streets.

Another glorious day in the city

Every time I grumble about life in the SF (yes, the rent's insanely expensive, the public transit can be painstakingly slow, and the main public library reeks), I'm blown away by an achingly beautiful day. The weather reached near perfection today: bright sunny skies and gentle breezes. In order to soak up the sunshine, I decided to run out to the beach from 9th Avenue and catch the Muni home. I had a fun jog through Golden Gate Park and passed by the free outdoor Lindy Hop class, numerous picnics, and the bison milling around in their paddock. Here's a shot of the Dutch Windmill constructed in 1902 and the ocean:

Conservatory of Flowers

Since it's been rainy and gloomy all weekend in the city, here's a splash of color to brighten your day. I finally visited the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park last weekend, even though I've been running past it for two years now. (It's my landmark to know when to turn left onto JFK Drive.) Did you know that this elaborate Victorian greenhouse was erected in 1878? It's warmth and beauty embraced us from the cold weather, and it contains a wonderment of gorgeous flowers, bright citrus fruits, and sculptural tropical plants.

The Fabulous Ruins of Detroit

SPUR recently hosted an interesting presentation on the history of Detroit and an update on the status of its built environment. It featured several Detroiters, including Kurt Shuck and Robin Levitt, and reminded me that I am an urban snob. I tend to view San Francisco as the "greatest city on earth," so it's nice to be shaken out of that lens on a regular basis. The presenters showed some remarkable images, including a map of Detroit that showed San Francisco, Boston, and Manhattan comfortably fitting within its boundary. I had no idea the city was that large. Also, the "before" and "after" photographs of the city's "ruins" brought gasps of horror from the audience. The city has some gorgeous buildings that have been abandoned and are being demolished at a high rate. For more images, check out The Fabulous Ruins of Detroit.

As a companion piece, Katherine Westerhout's exhibit Detroit at Electric Works this month featured large format photographs she took of the city's abandoned buildings, including the Packard Plant, Tiger Stadium, and several theaters. While I thought her subject matter was more interesting than the particular photographs selected for this show, she did have some beautiful prints of interior shots where the ceiling was reflected in pools of water on the cement floor. I tend to gravitate toward reflected/dual images.