Every Friday night at the de Young art museum there is a FREE "cultural event" involving music, dancing, etc. We happened to get in on the Flamenco dancing event which was awesome to watch!
Showing posts with label Locals Only. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Locals Only. Show all posts
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Legion of Honor - weekend Organ concerts
Bob is taking an Art Appreciation class at the Legion of Honor, a museum we've never visited. Turns out they have a pretty impressive Rodin gallery AND a Skinner Organ designed specifically for the museum.
It's fascinating because of how it's built into the building, and it's amazing to listen to because it fills the rooms of the museum. It was originally intended to be played during museum hours, to accompany visitors viewing the art installations. Currently they only play it for an hour (from 4pm - 5pm) every Saturday & Sunday, but it's another of those San Francisco original experiences that shouldn't be missed! When we went, they played Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, which was composed for the organ and is one of Bob's favorites.
It's fascinating because of how it's built into the building, and it's amazing to listen to because it fills the rooms of the museum. It was originally intended to be played during museum hours, to accompany visitors viewing the art installations. Currently they only play it for an hour (from 4pm - 5pm) every Saturday & Sunday, but it's another of those San Francisco original experiences that shouldn't be missed! When we went, they played Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, which was composed for the organ and is one of Bob's favorites.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Chinatown alleyways
Speaking of Chinatown, there's this whole dimension of Chinatown we just discovered! Suzanne had the opportunity to go on a tour of Chinatown's alleyways, with a little bonus tour of an SRO (Single Room Occupancy) apartment - the SRO isn't on the regular alleyway tour.
Chinatown is the 2nd most densely populated neighborhood in the U.S., Manhattan being the most densely populated, but Chinatown doesn't have high-rise buildings like Manhattan does. A key contributor to Chinatown's density is that a majority of its population lives in SRO's. Occupants of an SRO rent a single room, usually less than 100 sq ft in size, and share bathrooms and kitchens, usually 1 per floor... now that's compact living! Consequently, outdoor public spaces are the "living room" of the neighborhood. There are a couple large public squares and parks that are well used, but in addition to those spaces, the alleyways have become essential community spaces.
This map is in the middle of Waverly Alley. There are 41 alleys, and recently there has been an effort to enhance the usability of those alleys through lighting, seating, plantings, re-paving, etc. It's a fascinating, San Francisco original experience, complete with a stop at the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory.
Chinatown is the 2nd most densely populated neighborhood in the U.S., Manhattan being the most densely populated, but Chinatown doesn't have high-rise buildings like Manhattan does. A key contributor to Chinatown's density is that a majority of its population lives in SRO's. Occupants of an SRO rent a single room, usually less than 100 sq ft in size, and share bathrooms and kitchens, usually 1 per floor... now that's compact living! Consequently, outdoor public spaces are the "living room" of the neighborhood. There are a couple large public squares and parks that are well used, but in addition to those spaces, the alleyways have become essential community spaces.
This map is in the middle of Waverly Alley. There are 41 alleys, and recently there has been an effort to enhance the usability of those alleys through lighting, seating, plantings, re-paving, etc. It's a fascinating, San Francisco original experience, complete with a stop at the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory.
Friday, December 31, 2010
The Paramount Theater in Oakland!
Who knew there was something in Oakland to write home about? But this is definitely worth writing about! The Paramount Theater in Oakland is a newly renovated, Art Deco theater built in 1931 complete with an organ, several lounges, plenty of plush public space and lots of Art Deco detailing. And they show old movies for $5 several times a month - we got to see "The Wizard of Oz" in Technicolor - along with vintage newsreels and cartoons accompanied by the organ.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Blue Bottle - the follow up
As you might remember our previous post about the Kiosk, this is the coffeehouse by the same name - we just had to find this place. We didn't find the location as creatively done, but we were kinda floored by what we found inside. Some crazy contraption called a coffee siphon that is sponsored by some university. Unfortunately, when we asked for a demonstration, the siphon guy was gone for the day and that's all the information we got. Guess we'll just have to go back another day. In any case, we got ourselves a couple of drips and a ceramic filter cone. After looking all over town for the ceramic cone filter holder without success, we decided to give in and treat ourselves to an aniversary gift. I can hardly wait to see how this "cone" goes over with fellow coffee drinkers!
Tip! If you want to see a photo that's in the viewer just click it!
Tip! If you want to see a photo that's in the viewer just click it!
Monday, February 2, 2009
What's it? an "It's-it" ...who's on first?
A San Francisco treat! Our friends, Ben & Kristin are responsible for the introduction to the "It's-it", which explained the random signs on east side of 101, south of the city, near the plane station. The corporate offices are visible from the freeway, so after we had 'em we had to see the place...so you know us, just wandered around with our maps...
What is it? "...a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two large old-fashioned oatmeal cookies and then dipped the sandwich into dark chocolate. On that very day, the It's It Ice Cream Sandwich..."
It comes in 4 flavors: vanilla, chocolate, cappuccino & mint.
Of course, there is more humor behind this post as it was published 3 months after it was conceived. Bob has been saving the boxes in the picture and some of the wrappers, which Suzanne kept throwing away. Right up to the point of going out to get a fresh It's-it, as pictured, she wanted to derail the effort and go to Borders to get some cards.
San Francisco is hailed as the home of Oysters Kirkpatrick, sourdough French bread and Green Goddess dressing, but there's one local gastronomic adventure
that has never been guarded so tenaciously by natives that only recently, when announcement came that it's birthplace would be razed, did any of us latecomers have an inkling of the wonder.
The "It's-it" has emanated for 45 years from one of the once exotic refreshment stands of San Francisco's historic Playland at the Beach. It was born in 1928 and delivered by amusement park owner, George Whitney. Today the very mention of its name sets off the salivary glands in a legion of protectors whose childhood Sundays meant a trip to the "it" stand...
- American Home Magazine
What is it? "...a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two large old-fashioned oatmeal cookies and then dipped the sandwich into dark chocolate. On that very day, the It's It Ice Cream Sandwich..."
It comes in 4 flavors: vanilla, chocolate, cappuccino & mint.
Of course, there is more humor behind this post as it was published 3 months after it was conceived. Bob has been saving the boxes in the picture and some of the wrappers, which Suzanne kept throwing away. Right up to the point of going out to get a fresh It's-it, as pictured, she wanted to derail the effort and go to Borders to get some cards.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Alvin's
This place was right around the corner from B, K & P's. K told Bob about it... she doesn't drink coffee but had it in her freezer, she said, "It's really good coffee!" She didn't tell us where it was, we were walking down the street and you could just smell coffee through the windows at night, even though it was closed. Well, the next day Bob confirmed that Kristin was wrong - it's the best coffee!
Yes, you're reading the sign right - Blue Mountain (top right) and Kona, the real deal. They also claim to have that ridiculous mongoose poop coffee for $375 a pound. The owner, Alvin a Russian man has been on Irving St. for 32 years. He imports his beans green and roasts them himself, to perfection. He keeps the lower priced ones roasted fresh, in limited quantity, and the good stuff he roasts to order. He does keep some Blue Mountain on hand which he sells, by the cup upon request, for $7.00.
Most of you know Bob has a coffee problem and he has been to many many coffee houses, really likes Blue Bottle Coffee and their single cup brewing method but he has declared, "Alvin's is the best!" The cool thing is, when he bought a pound of the Dark Italian Roast Alvin said, "This is the best dark roast coffee on the west coast." That's bold, but for good reason - he's RIGHT!
Yes, you're reading the sign right - Blue Mountain (top right) and Kona, the real deal. They also claim to have that ridiculous mongoose poop coffee for $375 a pound. The owner, Alvin a Russian man has been on Irving St. for 32 years. He imports his beans green and roasts them himself, to perfection. He keeps the lower priced ones roasted fresh, in limited quantity, and the good stuff he roasts to order. He does keep some Blue Mountain on hand which he sells, by the cup upon request, for $7.00.
Most of you know Bob has a coffee problem and he has been to many many coffee houses, really likes Blue Bottle Coffee and their single cup brewing method but he has declared, "Alvin's is the best!" The cool thing is, when he bought a pound of the Dark Italian Roast Alvin said, "This is the best dark roast coffee on the west coast." That's bold, but for good reason - he's RIGHT!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
What is that sound?
our version of a 911 call
Bob: "That's the same sound I heard earlier, when I asked if you had your cell phone on 'vibrate'."
Suz: "What is it?"
Bob: "Maybe the neighbor upstairs had their phone on vibrate and it got left behind by accident and they're calling it to find it?"
Suz: "Whatever it is it's weird!"
20 hours later
Suz: "Bob come over here, check out the fog rolling down the street."
Bob: "Holy cow we were just outside and there wasn't a cloud in the sky."
Suz: "Pretty cool, huh?"
Bob: "Yep"
3 hours later
Bob & Suz in chorus: "There's that sound again!"
Bob and/or Suz: "I bet it's a fog horn."
Bob: "You know it might be, we'll have to check into that."
Turns out it it sure could have been. I went and "Googled it" and here's some of what I found. on yelp.com THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT IT TOO! This place is full of excitement.
More on the noise.
And the comments on "You tube" related to the video are pretty interesting as well!
Bob: "That's the same sound I heard earlier, when I asked if you had your cell phone on 'vibrate'."
Suz: "What is it?"
Bob: "Maybe the neighbor upstairs had their phone on vibrate and it got left behind by accident and they're calling it to find it?"
Suz: "Whatever it is it's weird!"
20 hours later
Suz: "Bob come over here, check out the fog rolling down the street."
Bob: "Holy cow we were just outside and there wasn't a cloud in the sky."
Suz: "Pretty cool, huh?"
Bob: "Yep"
3 hours later
Bob & Suz in chorus: "There's that sound again!"
Bob and/or Suz: "I bet it's a fog horn."
Bob: "You know it might be, we'll have to check into that."
Turns out it it sure could have been. I went and "Googled it" and here's some of what I found. on yelp.com THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT IT TOO! This place is full of excitement.
More on the noise.
And the comments on "You tube" related to the video are pretty interesting as well!
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