it's a matter of how you see things.

And right now it seems like I'm seeing a lot. Hard to keep up, frankly.

This photo was taken yesterday at the old tuna cannery in Bayview, also known as the TIE building by those in the graffiti world.

It's part of a something bigger that I'll share on Thursday, but I couldn't not share the photo, at least. I really like how looking through the broken glass makes you focus on the world outside this building.

More on the shoot, and what's behind it, and all kinds of stuff soon. And for those of you inclined, I'm still open for comments on my new site if you want to get into the drawing that happens tonight.

xoxo

Chinatown, My Chinatown

"The United States of America and the Emperor of China cordially recognize the inherent and inalienable right of man to change his home and allegiance, and also the mutual advantage of the free migration and emigration of their citizens and subjects, respectively for purposes of curiosity, of trade, or as permanent residents." ~ Burlingame Treaty of 1868

I've taken a few photos in Chinatown, some from last Saturday and some from this morning that I'm really smitten with and glad I captured. I'm low on words right now, so perhaps these images will speak for me.

The rest of the burgeoning Chinatown collection is here.

It was a candy-colored day.

Today looked like something from a Paint-By-Numbers book.

Or a bowl of Skittles.

Or a box of Popsicles.

Or a handful of sidewalk chalk.

You get the idea.

***

I had a great time today combing the urban landscape with Plug 1 and Plug 2. They'll be making a guest appearance soon on i live here: SF, so keep an eye out.

And watch out for the land sharks. This one's busy eating a VW van, but I have a feeling that SF is full of these menaces.

Out with the girls

Robin of Bird Tweets taking photos in Clarion Alley in the Mission.

***

I went almost immediately from days of darkness inside the Castro Theatre to full-on sunshine and hot temperatures (especially for San Francisco).

Robin and Relyn are still visiting our fair city and this is Day Two of our SF: Tangobaby style marathon. Yesterday we spent half the day in the Mission and the other half in Chinatown, by way of The Castro, the Palace Hotel and the Lower Haight. (And yes, that is a lot.)

We had Salvadorean papusas and plantains on 24th Street, dim sum on Stockton and sausages from Rosamunde's (yay!). We rode a cable car, a bus, the N-Judah and BART. And we walked. Boy did we walk. And we got much needed accupressure foot massages in Chinatown. We ate the grilled sausages at my place and watched Vertigo on the big movie screen, so they could see parts of the city we saw today (Mission Dolores and downtown) and parts of the city we will have to save for next time. We couldn't decide who was crazier: Jimmy Stewart or Kim Novak.

Today is Telegraph Hill (hoping for wild parrots), the Filbert Stairs and North Beach in general, SF MOMA to see Robert Frank and Richard Avedon, and who knows what else while we still have feet.

I'm just beside myself to see what photos Robin will get with her big camera. She has been so generous in trying to figure out how to help me use my little baby one. I'm inspired to save money and get a real SLR and lenses like hers (but first, a job must come). I have this feeling of anticipation in having a photographer friend I so admire take photos of the places I've come to love so much, and then see them through her eyes. I know her work is going to be incredible and cannot wait to see it.

Relyn has a perfect little camera but I have a feeling she'll be getting a bigger one soon! We've got to have some sort of camera fever that is contagious.

Both of them are more wonderful to hang out with than you might even imagine. Robin is fearless and strong with her camera. I really admire her passion and pursuit of the image and how generous she is to share her enthusiasm and her wealth of knowledge. Relyn is bubbling over with humor and laughter and pure enjoyment where ever she is. She wants to do and see everything, and appreciates all she sees. I am enjoying them both tremendously.

***

I had more fun watching them take photos of the places I love, but here are a few images I took yesterday that I like.

playing the hand you're dealt in Chinatown

waiting for mama to finish the laundry in the Mission

the last picture show, in the Mission

their tiny master, Chinatown

Okay, time to prepare for another day.

xoxo

Not my front door

But I wish it was. That's a pretty cool front door.

Just passing through on my way to somewhere else. I guess I have blonde on the brain now. Have a good night, kids.

xoxo

Driving Ms. Muni Diaries

When Eugenia of Muni Diaries contacted me about being part of the i live here: SF photo project, I was so excited. Muni Diaries is one of those blogs that you think, this is really what SF is about, these guys seem really cool, etcetera etcetera.

But when Eugenia managed to convince someone over at Muni to let us photograph on an empty bus, I was even more excited. I loved that Eugenia was as enthusiastic about my project as I am, and really gets what it is I want to do.

And the fact that she might have someone over at Muni wrapped around her little finger, well, that's just damn impressive. Maybe there's hope for this city after all...

You can read Eugenia's story and see her photo shoot here.

***

Oh, and BTW, the Muni Diaries is having a great event this coming Friday:

We're looking for spoken word, poems, music, stories, art, or whatever Muni has inspired out of you! Friday, June 12, 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Make-Out Room

I won't be there because I have a hot date with an 8-year old (my little friend C is performing in her salsa dancing debut at Herbst Theatre, believe it or not) but I hope some of you can make it over to the Makeout Room for some libations and Muni solidarity.

You think I faked this?

This is a photo I was intentionally trying to get published so I could win a free Fast Pass over at Where's Gavin? But no one seems to believe that I really did see da Mayor riding Muni.

I guess I need to hone my Photoshop skills.

Actually I did get some really cool shots of someone else riding Muni for i live here: SF but that will have to wait until next week. Can anyone guess who I pasted Gavin's head on?

Hint: It's a girl.

Where She Went

I am cheating.
Not writing today.
Just photos I took this afternoon.
(ps. You know if you click on the photos, they get bigger, right?)

;-)

***

The sky flames over cypress

Abandoned

Anno domini
(I think this is my favorite.)

Blighted vacant lot

Wires have to go somewhere

The stag king of tamales

No direction home

Subset of a vista

Mayan and mist

Beyond the Conservatory

The Broken City lies below

Rescue Me

***

My day, in a nutshell.

UPDATE 9:51pm: Just listening to Satie and put today's photos with it. It feels nice like this. Quiet and slow.



Satie: Gnossiennes - 1. Lent

Have a good night.

xoxo

Full of Life

Meet Kathleen.

***

Kathleen is my newest subject for i live here: SF. What I loved about her was her complete openness and love of life. We had so much fun on her photo shoot, just talking and sharing stories. Despite the sad story I've been immersed in lately, I still see that the world is full of people who love their life and share that enthusiasm with others.

While you're over there reading about Kathleen, I'm lying low... I've either just caught a cold or else am trying NOT to catch one, but either way I see a big bowl of chicken soup in my future and some naps.

Catch you later, guys.

please please please let's help her

Please meet K., D., little K and baby M.

***

I met this beautiful family on my way home from a photo shoot today. I walked past them, just like the other people on their way home. I admit it. I saw her and sailed on by. I read her sign ($60 for a motel room... you know what kind of motel room $60 will get you in this city).

But I had seen the tears in her eyes, too, and so halfway down the block, I yelled at myself inside my head for being an asshole and went back. I had $30 in my wallet and gave it to her.


I'm not telling you this story so you can think I'm some sort of hero, 'cause I'm not.

And then we talked, and I learned her name was K. and asked her about the shelters in town. She rattled off the names of homes that I know are where abused women and children escape to when their lives are in danger.

None of the shelters had rooms for her and her children.

Then it dawned on me that maybe I could do more than give her $30 and hope someone else gives her another $30 so the young family can find a place to sleep tonight. I asked her if we could share her photos and her story so that somewhere, some of you might be able to help.

***

K's eyes are perpetually brimming with tears. She's tiny and her hands are chilled. Baby M is sleeping under a blanket on her chest. The two younger children, D and Little K, are relatively quiet considering their ages. At 7 and 9, they could be tearing up the sidewalks, but they're not.

When I explain to K about my blog and that I hope that maybe someone out there reading might have a way to help, she thinks it's a good idea and says it's okay to take the pictures. "It can't be any more embarrassing than what I'm doing now," she says.

I ask her if she lives in San Francisco and she says yes. But she cannot go home. It's too dangerous.

***

And then D and K want to take pictures, so I show them how to use the camera.

Baby M, taken by his brother D.

Me, taken by Little K.

Tall buildings on Montgomery Street, taken by D.

Me, taken by D.

Little K, taken by D.

D, taken by Little K.

***

I have K's voicemail number. But if there is anyone out there who can help get this woman and her children to shelter, a safe and warm place so they can be settled and happy, I can leave her a message with any information you might have.

Please, I am so serious about this.

We can do great things.

This might be one of those things.

Please contact me if you can be of any help at all.

xoxo

Little tremors

you feel that way sometimes

I wasn't even going to write a post today (it's Monday, and there's a stressful vibey thing going through the office... more closed door meetings, ugh) and then a little rolling tremble rumbled under our feet.

We're so tired or blah or whatever that we all look at each other and say, Was that an earthquake? (We're on the 9th floor.)

Or was that a truck?

Whatever.

It did end up being a earthquake south of here, rolling all the way up to the city and under our Aeron chairs, but maybe we needed a little jolt today.

***

Last night I went out tango dancing for a while but the jolt I needed there was missing so I left early. Another off vibe but that's just how it is sometimes.

The wise man says "No Trespassing."

Since it was almost dusk, I decided to catch some last shots in Chinatown before heading home. It's such a different place when the tourists are gone and the shops are closed.

Got some interesting photos of lights and lanterns.

And as the new moon rose over Chinatown last night, a perfect thin sliver of white, I couldn't help but notice how thinly divided we are in this city.

The building immediately in front, with the fire escapes, is a typical aging Chinatown storefront, selling cheap bric-a-brac, the same stuff sold in every touristy shop up and down Grant Street. The building behind it is the back of the Ritz-Carleton Hotel, one of the most expensive hotels in the city.

As I'm taking this photo, a little voice says behind me, good morning, help.

She is wrinkled, with a face like an apple doll and hunched over a cane. I can hardly make out her English. Good morning, help.

Then she says, I'm hungry. That I understand.

I had a dollar in my coat pocket. That's all I had but at least I know in Chinatown she can get something to eat for a dollar.

***

Some days I do get weary here. Don't get me wrong. This place isn't a postcard. It's like Kathryn described in her piece in i live here: SF. I can see what happens here. But there's enough beauty to make it worthwhile.

Thanks to Kathryn's blog, I found this wonderful video: "San Francisco" by Jill Sobule. I think I've watched this at least ten times already. It makes me misty eyed. This song makes me realize why I live here and love it even when I'm weary.



She shuts the door behind me, waits for me to get undressed
She ask if I need water, I can barely understand her
I think she asked me what I do and I said that I'm a singer
She laughs and claps her hands
And then she begins
And she sings:

"I like to go to San Francisco
I like to go
Put flowers in my hair
I like to go to San Francisco
I like to meet
Some people there"

She looks just like a sparrow, but she's strong just like a wrestler
She kneads and pulls and climbs on top
It hurts, but I will try to take it
Ask her if she's ever been
Been to San Francisco
She tells me that she can't leave
They won't let her leave
She sings:

"I like to go to San Francisco
I like to go
Put flowers in my hair
I like to go to San Francisco
I like to meet
Some people there"

And in Golden Gate Park
[ Jill Sobule Lyrics are found on www.songlyrics.com ]
She'll throw a Frisbee
She'll bring a dog
And she'll meet a boy
And they'll fall in love
And she'll feel so free
Still walk on his back

Wonder 'bout the place I'm in and how they treat the girls
I know that it's legitimate
But still it makes me wonder
She gets up to leave
And I put back on my clothes
I tip her well, she bows to me
I really hope one day she gets to go

"...To San Francisco
I like to go
Put flowers in my hair
I like to go to San Francisco
I like to meet
Some people there" (Some people there)

La la la la la la la la
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la la la la la
La la la la
La la la la
La la