The Haight Ashbury, the Grateful Dead, the Conservatory of Flowers, and the de Young Museum: 2 August 2016

 A mellow walk in the western portion of San Francisco.

On Haight Street. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

  The approximate distance traveled as tracked by GPS was 4.7 miles (7.6 kilometers).  Mile markers are shown on the route’s track. Click the image to see the full-size map.

 On Cole Street, in Cole Valley. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

 In Cole Valley. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

 On Belvedere Street in the Cole Valley neighborhood. The northern portion of Tank Hill is visible in the background. The name was chosen because a water storage tank was constructed on top of the hill by the Spring Valley Water Company in 1894. The tank, at an elevation of 650 feet (198 meters), was a repository for drinking water which was pumped up from the Laguna Honda Reservoir. The water tank was removed in 1957. The concrete foundation of the tank is the only reminder of the long forgotten storage facility. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

 
 This is 710 Ashbury Street. Between 1966 and 1968 the Grateful Dead lived in this house. The house was constructed in 1890. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

Click to listen to a recording of the Grateful Dead playing “Ripple."   

THEN. Grateful Dead band members are hanging out at the house. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

  NOW. Fifty years later, what once was is no more. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

    This eye-catching work of art can be seen on the building at the southwest corner of Haight Street and Ashbury Street. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

 On Haight Street. Ok, will do. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

      This photograph was taken from Golden Gate Park. The University of California San Francisco Medical Center is visible in the background. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

 The Conservatory of Flowers is located in Golden Gate Park. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

Click the image to see the full-size photo.

Inside the Conservatory of Flowers. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

         This photo was taken near the front of the Conservatory of Flowers. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

      A photograph of the Music Concourse with the Spreckels Temple of Music, also known as the "Bandshell" at the front of the concourse. I took this photograph from the base of a monument erected in 1887 in memory of Francis Scott Key, who wrote the Star Spangled Banner. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

  

   A view of the Francis Scott Key Monument. The estate of James Lick (1796-1876) financed the construction of the monument. Visible behind the Francis Scott Key Monument is the de Young Museum. The view is looking North. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

The Francis Scott Key Monument as seen in 1890. This view is looking South.

 Inside the de Young Museum. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

        This photo was taken from the top floor of the de Young Museum's tower. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

 This is a photo of the California Academy of Science, as seen from the top floor of the de Young Museum's tower. The Francis Scott Key Monument is visible on the left side of this photo. This view is looking South. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

 
A picture of the Richmond Branch of the San Francisco Public Library. This branch, which is located on 9th Avenue between Geary Boulevard and Clement Street, opened in 1914. It was built with funds donated by the Andrew Carnegie Foundation. Thank you, Andrew Carnegie! Click the image to see the full-size photo.

A photo of Clement Street, in the Inner Richmond.  Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

     This picture was taken from Clement Street at Park Presidio Boulevard. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

   This photo shows the removal of sand during an early stage of construction on a lot on 18th Avenue at Geary Boulevard.The vast majority of land in western San Francisco consists of sand dunes. There are very few visible indications that the roads and buildings are constructed on sand dunes. This photo attests to the reality of sand dunes beneath the western portion of San Francisco. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

I concluded this little adventure by taking a Muni Metro 38R-Geary Rapid bus from Geary Boulevard in the Richmond District to downtown San Francisco. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

"A camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera.” Dorothea Lange 

"Photography has not changed since its origin except in its technical aspects, which for me are not important." Henri Carter-Bresson

"There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer." Ansel Adams

"The important thing is not the camera but the eye." Alfred Eisenstaedt

You are welcome to visit:  www.mishalov.com

San Francisco's West Portal District, the Sigmund Stern Grove and the Sunset District: 30 July 2016

 A walk from the SFMTA West Portal Station to Geary Boulevard.

Click on an image to see the full-size photograph.

This is an L-Taraval streetcar leaving the West Portal Station and traveling to the San Francisco Zoo.

The approximate distance traveled as tracked by GPS was 7 miles (11.3 kilometers). The approximate cumulative elevation gain was 579 feet (176 meters). Mile markers are shown on the route’s track. 

The Muni Metro West Portal Station. An L-Taraval streetcar's headlights are visible in the tunnel. 

This picture was taken from the front of the West Portal Station. The view is looking south down West Portal Avenue. It is cold and foggy with drops of water falling from the sky... lovely. 

 The massive French Chateau style residential building is part of an 11-acre parcel known as Arden Wood, a Christian Scientist residential care facility. 

This is a farmhouse that was built in the 1870s by the Greene Family. It is now used mainly for wedding receptions. It is a part of Sigmund Stern Grove. 

A view of the location of Stern Grove Festival. The workmen are preparing the site for tomorrow's performance by the San Francisco Ballet. 

A seating area in the Stern Grove Festival. 

A pathway in Sigmund Stern Recreational Grove. 

A view of St. Cecilia Catholic Church and School. It is located on Vicente Street at 16th Avenue. 

This playground is a part of Edgewood Center for Children and Families. 

A view looking west from 30th Avenue. The Pacific Ocean can be seen in the distance when it's not foggy. 

 Shin Toe Bul Yi Korean Restaurant. It is located on Taraval Street at 30th Avenue.

Yes! The Pacific Ocean is visible, barely.

The house at 1471 30th Avenue was built by Doelger Home Styles. Mr. Doelger built so many homes in this area that the area is now known as Doelger City. The house is located in the Outer Sunset District and it appears that the structure was built sometime in the 1920s or 1930s. The style of this house was known as Mediterranean Revival. 


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"A camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera.” Dorothea Lange 

"Photography has not changed since its origin except in its technical aspects, which for me are not important." Henri Carter-Bresson

"There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer." Ansel Adams

"The important thing is not the camera but the eye." Alfred Eisenstaedt

You are welcome to visit: www.mishalov.com

San Francisco – From the Ferry Building through Haight-Ashbury, and into the Mission: 9 July 2016

These homes are in the Haight-Ashbury District. 

The route of the 9 July ramble. The approximate distance traveled as tracked by GPS was 8.4 miles. The approximate cumulative elevation gain was 634 feet. Mile markers are shown on the route's track. 

This graph shows the elevation changes encountered during the ramble.

San Francisco City Hall. 

San Francisco War Memorial Opera House. 

Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall. 

 A restaurant on Gough Street in the Filmore District. 

An apartment building in Haight-Ashbury. 

The corner of Haight Street and Masonic Avenue. 

In the Haight. 

In the Haight. 

An apartment building in the Haight-Ashbury District. 

In the Haight. 

This attractive home is located in the Duboce Triangle. 

A store in the Mission District. 
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"A camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera." Dorothea Lange 

"Photography has not changed since its origin except in its technical aspects, which for me are not important." Henri Carter-Bresson

"There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer." Ansel Adams

"The important thing is not the camera but the eye." Alfred Eisenstaedt

The first volume of the San Francisco Bay Area Photo Blog contains galleries of photographs posted on the Internet between 2002 and 2011. Click Here to view those photos.

Question or comment? I may be reached at neil@mishalov.com.

Ascending the west side of Mount Sutro: 1 July 2016

Donna and I ascended San Francisco's Mount Sutro from the west side of the 909 foot (277 meters) mountain.
The western portion of the mountain was enveloped in morning fog; a cold wind was blowing, and the rain was falling. The west part of San Francisco is the foggiest area of San Francisco, especially in the summer. Fog from the Pacific Ocean barrels into the Sunset District and then hits the western flank of Mount Sutro. On this hike, the eastern side of the mountain was not only less foggy, but there was also no wind nor rain.
After we had descended the mountain's eastern flank, we went to La Boulangerie de San Francisco on Cole Street for some java and pastries. We then walked through the Cole Valley and Corona Heights neighborhoods and took a Muni Metro F-Market & Wharves streetcar from Castro Street/Market Street to Fisherman's Wharf. After which, we took a little stroll in Fisherman's Wharf and proceeded to walk on Columbus Avenue through North Beach. We finished the hike in the Financial District.

Click on an image to view the full-size photograph.

The Forest Hill neighborhood. 

The map shows an overview of the location of the combined hiking route & streetcar route. The distance traveled by foot was approximately 7.5 miles (12.1 kilometers). The distance traveled by streetcar was about 5.5 miles. The total distance traveled was approximately 13 miles. The cumulative elevation gain was 1,155 feet (352 meters). The map shows a GPS-generated route track which includes walking and streetcar data plus mile markers. 

This graph shows the elevation changes encountered during the hike. 

Climbing the west side of Mount Sutro. The view looks north, and Grand View Park is barely visible in the fog. St. Anne of the Sunset Catholic Church can be seen on the far right. The large church has a red facade. 

Cranking up Oakhurst Lane during the ascent of Mount Sutro. The view is looking east. 

The summit of Mount Sutro is at an elevation of 909 feet. From the late 1950s through the 1960s, this was Nike Missile Radar Acquisition site SF-89C. This radar site was the eyes for Nike Missile Launching site SF-89L, located at the Presidio Army Base. The missile launching and radar acquisition sites were approximately 2.5 miles apart. They had a line-of-sight view of one another. Donna took this picture as I was looking at location information on a Garmin GPS device. A GPS has proven to be indispensable when I am traversing terrain. It is the difference between knowing where you are and where you are going and getting lost.

Descending the Greenbelt Trail on the eastern flank of Mount Sutro. 

Looking at Bernal Heights Summit, as seen from the Corona Heights neighborhood. The view is looking southeast. 

The intersection of Market Street and Castro Street. We will board an F-Market Streetcar at this location and take the streetcar to Fisherman's Wharf. The view is looking south. 

This map shows the route we took on the ascent and descent of Mount Sutro.

"A camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera." Dorothea Lange 

"Photography has not changed since its origin except in its technical aspects, which for me are not important." Henri Carter-Bresson

"There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer." Ansel Adams

"The important thing is not the camera but the eye." Alfred Eisenstaedt

The first volume of the San Francisco Bay Area Photo Blog contains galleries of photographs posted on the Internet between 2002 and 2011. Click Here to view those photos.

Question or comment? I may be reached at neil@mishalov.com.