This is a love story, really. On man's work to put what he can on the scale, to in a modest and…read moresimple and gentle way tip the balance in a better direction. This is a tale of affirmation. Of how even at the dark hours when for a moment it feels as if the sun will never come up it does. The gnomes stand where you're looking only if you're looking down. Standing waiting to greet you when the load gets heavy. Standing patiently. Rumor has it there are over 2,000 gnomes attached to over 2,000 utility poles around the City. The subject here is next to the tennis courts across the street from Portal on Second a little bit east of its intersection with Foothill. Thanks to the electric company for resisting the temptation to take them to jail. To me, this is the stuff of life.

They came out of the blue! What do they want?…read more Can we appease them? There's no hiding from them! The gnomes are a spontaneous artistic splurge that got its start around 2012 when gnome after gnome started popping up around Lake Merrit & Lakeview areas on... PG&E utility poles. That's right, the gnomes felt it was crucial to have solid back support and chose some of the tallest structures around. They came in all shapes & sizes and became beloved almost instantly. So much so, that when PG&E labeled them a hazard (big word for such tiny things) the locals rallied behind them and made the utility provider back off. The New York Times headline for this development? "California: A Win for the Little People". Damn, right. It's 2019, and gnomes are still holding on (to poles that is), and you might even see some non-original variations, like squirrel gnomes here & there. KQED did a nice little piece about the Oakland gnomes, and I highly recommend you give it a read/listen: https://www.kqed.org/news/11655269/how-oakland-became-a-gnome-mans-land

The parade was a bit underwhelming, my friends and I were expecting a lot more as advertised. There…read morewas no live music and if there were, it must've been really short and we missed it. The parade itself was not that long, probably an hour and there wasn't too many boats. The decor was not as creative/extravagant as I was hoping. And the messaging wasn't very clear about details on event, where to view or where main event was happening. Supposedly there was two boat parades happening on the same day and time! Not confusing at all

I went to the Holiday Lights Boat Parade on Friday 12/11/09. It might have started at 6pm, but I…read morewas in a weird place to see the parade. It only lasted 30 mins. I read the End of Pier 39 is a good place to see the parade or Marina Green or Crissy Field. Route: The parade route will begin just off of Pier 39, proceeding west past Fisherman's Wharf, Fort Mason and the St. Francis Yacht Club, and will turn around off of Crissy Field to return along the waterfront. I went to Sport Fishing Harbor along Jefferson Street between Jones and Taylor - that's just where some of the boats are docked. I then went to Aquatic Park, but because of the rain I just got soaked, could kinda see the boats, just not the whole boat. There was a dock nearby, but afraid to get locked in. Then I went up to Fort Mason and there was nobody seeing the parade there except me. Some runners & bikers used the road, but nobody bothered me. I saw a bunch of boats, maybe 10-20. I thought there was supposed to be hundreds. My pics didn't turn out, I did take a few when they were docked - still not that good. Maybe worth going on a dry Fall day, not recommended in the rain.

Lots of Kids / Familes out for BalBOOA Fright Fest on Balboa Street in the Outer Richmond San…read moreFrancisco, it was nice seeing the involvement of numerous merchants and the ministry Full Life Christian Center.

Balboa Ave is a residential stretch from the end of Turk Street to the ocean. You may find yourself…read morehere if attending films at Balboa Theatre or scoping out an excellent, especially Asian, restaurant. On your way to the ocean, Fulton is faster, but Balboa more interesting if you're not in a hurry. There are stop signs almost every block serving as great traffic calming, & allowing time to check out the area stores & restaurants. The weather can be colder & foggier than east of 10th Avenue, but thanks to global warming there's a lot more sunshine.

So this site is not a business. It's an historical fire hydrant that dates back to before the…read moregreat 1906 earthquake. It was the only hydrant in the whole neighborhood that worked after the earthquake. It was used to provide water for firefighting. It's credited with saving the whole neighborhood.

The golden fire hydrant is located just above Dolores park so it wasn't out of the way to go see…read moreit. It's a fire hydrant that they repaint each year to remember how when all other fire hydrants/water lines weren't working it saved the mission district from burning down. An interesting piece of history but I wouldn't go out of my way to see it. But definitely check it out if you are near Dolores park or in the mission if you have time!

I visited the unique sculpture, by Martin Webb, located near the entrance to the Regional Water…read moreQuality Control Plant and Household Hazardous Waste Station in Palo Alto. The eight wooden poles represent different aspects of the marshland in the SF bay (trees, grass, water, birds), the birds made of steel plates. Lovely detail in the artwork, slightly dusty and worn, but seemingly immune to changing weather conditions. Surrounded by pretty flowers and greenery. Easy street parking in a quiet area, pretty isolated on a Sunday. There's nothing much around and hardly anything to do here, except for a storage facility and what looks like abandoned buildings along the dead end street, as well as the Palo Alto Airport a few minutes away. Riding the Currents is good for a quick stop if you're curious about or into obscure public art displays, like I am.

So lets face it. Palo Alto has become such a wealthy city that even the waste treatment plant gets…read morequality art installations :o Nope I'm not kidding and its a pretty cool one to boot. Riding the Current is a two part art installation by artist Martin Webb. Educated both here and int he UK. Webb's art and outdoor installations reflects as he states on his website "I'm always fascinated by people's relationship with the land and time, how the natural and man-made landscape records people's movements and stories, and in particular the way that things we regard as solid and permanent are actually temporary, in flux, and part of a continuum much larger than ourselves." The first part of the installation is visible at the entrance of the Regional Water Quality Control Plant. It uses 8 large pieces of wood that were reclaimed form highway gateposts. The art shows many facets of the Baylands and gives the impression of the channels, moving water, birds,and trees. It is accessible 24/7. It is a bit abstract and IMHO almost looks like a modern take on a petroglyph The second part of the installations consists of a 25 by 11 foot mural painted on one of the concrete treatment tanks and is located Inside the facility. It is very similar in theme to the first installation but includes a human element fittingly on a man made part fo the Baylands. It has a surrounding Gazebo like area with benches and one could almost forget they were at a waste treatment plant LOL. Because of its location inside the facility, it is not always accessible. Usually business hours and on Saturdays when they are collecting hazardous waste. As with most activities this one is best paired with something else going on in the area. There is tons do including the Duck Pond, nearby Byxbe park, The Bay Trail etc, but its not really a destination.

The man who famously sings "I left my heart in San Francisco" now has yet another honor bestowed…read moreupon him. And just less than 2 years after getting a statue in his likeness. Not bad Tony...not bad. The Tony Bennett statue is right here, on Mason, on the Fairmont Hotel property. Because, The Fairmont SF is where he performed the song for the very first time, back in 1961. So of course, when it came time to assign Mr. Bennett his own street, where else would it be but at the top of Nob Hill, & the very block that The Fairmont Hotel resides. Mr. Bennett has a time capsule that's buried here under the stage in the Venetian Room, a statue out front, & now his own street, Tony Bennett Way. So classy & stylish. Totally befitting a stellar performer who is loaded w class & style. 5 stars.

this mural at the left side of a community nonprofit building. the theme of the mural is "no…read morestruggle, no progress" i.e. no effort/dedication/diligence, no advancement. the green globe in the center with an heart represents unity/earth. the stretched out hands of yellow, brown, tan, black, purple, pink, and gray represent the Asian, Latino, Native American, African American, LBGT, and elderly communities creator: Diversity Mural Project

This is a beautiful mosaic mural, by Margarita Soyfertis, located on the outside of the building at…read moreCastro Valley Marketplace. You can easily view and admire this artwork while sitting in the outdoor patio of this food hall, enjoying your snacks and beverages. It was created during the pandemic to incite positivity among locals and visitors, with elements of music, nature, and community in the tile design. Such intricate detail, weaving together colors and images that ease the heart. If visiting the marketplace, it's definitely worth a closer look.