Thursday, January 04, 2007

San Francisco

Hello there.
Hope everyone is doing well -still recovering from the holidays are we?
I am!

I spent 4 days up in Northern Cal last week. My sis moved there last month from NYC. She came down for Christmas and I decided at the last minute to accompany her back up north. We left the day after Christmas and, my goodness - it took 11 freaking hours to get there! It was well worth it though. I love Palo Alto (where she lives). It's about 25 miles from San Francisco.

I took the commuter train into the City one day. It was a very nice, pleasant trip - it took about an hour.
The train took me downtown to God knows where (well it dropped me off at Townsend Street! I took that as a good omen - spelled without the 'h' though). My goal was to get to Haight-Ashbury but I had no clue how to get there! I soon found help though - a very nice cleaning lady near a bus stop gave me info on which busses to take. I was very proud of myself for taking the busses and not a taxi! ( Oh Lord help me if I consider that to be an accomplishment. Spoilt girl I am!). I enjoyed it - checking out the locals - old Asian ladies with their bags stuffed to the brim with vegetables...young skater punk kids...hippy/boho chicks...
I took 2 busses to Haight Ashbury. I had never seen this area before (the last time I was in San Francisco was back in 1981).
Yeah it's a bit touristy - but not as bad as I expected. No wax museum full of Janis Joplins, Jimi Hendrixes or The Grateful Dead! I did see a map of all the houses of famous residents but I didn't go that far! Maybe next time...
Here are some pics for ya'll. I don't know why they came out on top of eachother like that. Oh well!
My favorite is this top one on the left - a mom and son sharing a quiet cafe moment while Inflatable Annie looks on from her windowseat!














How kitschy can ya get?



I LOVED the vintage shops...



and the GORGEOUS architecture, of course!










I bought a cd from this girl - she was giving away her band's cd for a donation. The name of her band is Ghandolff and the Hobbitz. Her cd is called "Circle of Protection." Aw...so sweet. I took her picture because she really looked the part! (I didn't check out her feet though). I know it's dark - click on it to see her better. She was such a sweetie.

I just listened to the cd the other day and, um, well, it DID conjure images of little furry-footed people dancing merrily in an enchanted forest somewhere deep within Middle-earth! It was unique.









My caption for the picture below: "Girlfriend, you WISH you were as pretty as me!" Click on it to see what I mean!!!!




A startling revelation spotted on a t-shirt in a shop window:




When I returned to my sister's apartment later that evening, I found her tangled in a maze of wires. Well, not quite...but she is quite the brainiac - she was hooking up her elaborate entertainment system. I helped as best I could...shoving wires through holes and whatnot. That's as far as I get with electronic equipment!
Here's the lil' geekazoid herself (not the best pic, she was sick at the time poor babe).



Ok so she's not QUITE a genius. She may have landed a job at i-Tunes (as a software engineer) but she couldn't get the audio to work, so we ended up watching her fave Star Trek episode from the original series (an xmas gift) on her laptop. Apparently I took this picture, but I barely remember taking it (uh oh)! I had a very nice, large glass of her expensive scotch...and didn't eat much that day, so I was a bit loopy. I just remember laughing hysterically.
(I love gay men to pieces so I hope I don't offend anyone here!!).

19 comments:

grace said...

Hi Sue - Happy New Year! I love your new years photos on your last post. Looks like good fun.
Hey, now maybe we can meet up in San Fransisco some time? It could happen! San Fran is holding onto the 'hippie' era! Great city though.

XX

Suesjoy said...

Hi Grace!
Oh cool - next time I visit we'll have to meet up.
I really loved SF so I will be baaaaaaaack!!

Gotta love the hippie feel...

BlackVelvetLace said...

Great pics Sue!

~Lace~

Suesjoy said...

Ta Lace!
Glad you liked them.
:)

lryicsgrl said...

I love your adventuresome spirit, Sue....

I would have called a taxi, fer sure. Maybe even a car service, with a private tour guide..ha ha!

Kid Ric said...

Hi Sue,

Happy New Year!

Yea, Palo Alto is a great place. I just had a sign painter paint a sign on a Blockbuster video's front windows in Palo Alto. He invited me to visit. But I really don't have the time to travel right now.

I will try to make it to Molly's chat tomorrow. Thanks for the heads up.

Peace, love and light,
Ric

Bex said...

Happy New Year Jet Setting Sue!!!
Pictures are ace - another place on my long list to eventually visit!

Take care
Love and Hugs
Bex xxxxx

E.L. Wisty said...

Hi Sue!

Seeing as it was San Francisco, I dare say the T-shirt with the kitten was laughing at the ultra-conservative Christians. :-)

San Francisco looks like an amazing and fun place. Hm, one more to put in my list of places to see...

Hope you'll have a fantastic 2007!

Maria

Anne-Marie said...

Great pics, Sue!

I was in SF last August and ate at the Peace Cafe on the day we went to the Haight- great sandwiches!

Did you manage to go to Aardvarks vintage clothing? I bought a wool winter coat, full length and black, for $25. Of course, it hasn't been cold enough to wear it yet!

I'm going back in March for our spring break. It's a great town.

Marietta Zervou said...

I went to San Fran in March 2001 and loved it. I spent a whole day in Amoeba in Haight Ashbury and I bought lovely Who stuff... The city is so gorgeous, I want to go again. Love the cable cars and the city centre. My friend's house was up the hill, so I could see the Golden Gate Bridge from my window. Utterly breathtaking.
And of course, my fave series, Charmed is shot in SF so I'm mesmerised every time after the opening titles..
Happy New Year Sue, hope we meet this year!

xoxoxo
M

Metalchick said...

Hi Sue,
Looks like fun! I've only visited San Francisco once, but I was too little to know about the really cool places. I really want to go there again!

I left you a really long comment on your MySpace page.

Blogger seems to be more quiet lately, of course it's only January, nothing exciting happens at this time.

ginab said...

Ooh, I know a few people who live there and I have visited but only for brief stints. Something about California (I've been to Palo Alto, too; very ni$e place) reminded me of Spain or actually vice versa.

Will be nice to have your sister nearer to you!!! That's a good omen!

-ginab

Anne-Marie said...

Hee Sue,
I remember the Rufus-like cashier. He was trying to get us interested in Burning Man goggles. He was absolutely cute and charming, yes.

-AM

Bri said...

Hi Sue,

I just read that you are under the weather. Hope you are resting.

I love your SF photos and tour...my sis moved there in 1986 and I began a tradition of visiting her as many times each year as possible. So I've been going there, and Marin County, and other parts of northern Calif., for 21 years now. And still love it, though I find SF a bit less welcoming than it was then, a bit scarier, a lot harder to find parking, etc.

Still, I adore your photos and some of them are just priceless!

Lots of love and healing thoughts,
Bri

BlackVelvetLace said...

Thank you for coming to check on me! ::Hugs::

xoxoxox
~Lace~

Dan L. said...

I have been there several times, with one of earliest in 1967. The whole peace movement was in full swing, and there were flowers and "happy people" everywhere.

It is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen.

--Dan L.

Suesjoy said...

"If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair..."
eh Dan?
:)

I still say I was born 10 years too late...

Mark T said...

Hi Sue,

Thanks for your kind words. SF looks fun. I passed through there once and stayed a night. I often think back to the Barnes and Noble gig in LA and the Hollywood Bowl gig. It seems so long ago and I remember the warm evenings in LA and meeting Pete and Rachel and especially Mikey talking to us. Oh well, who knows what this year will bring. Let's hope it brings you Health and Prosperity and lots of fun. Take care. Mark

Anonymous said...

In my defense: I let you help me with the wire connections and, after drinking half the bottle of my favorite scotch, God knows what you connected to which! I'm surprised we got any sound at all! :-)

BTW, I cracked up all over again when I saw your Star Trek screenshot. I will never look at Kirk, Scotty and Dr. McCoy the same way again!