N: This is to be preceded with a mass email, filtering out the people who are curious or bored or both enough to look through three months of San Francisco pictures. We're going to do this Initial-colon thing so you can tell who's talking when, but generally I'm the more obnoxiously verbose one.... Oh, and I'm addicted to ellipses... Anyway....
J: Hello! (Its Jen...I've successfully wrestled the computer away from Nick.) I'm not as verbose, but I am a little more snarky. So anyway, we really miss everyone, and wanted to catch you all up on whats been going in San Fran.... Also, for I am definitely missing alot of really important people's email addresses....(re: family..like Mom and Dad)...so if anyone would like to pass this along I'd really appreciate it!
We figure we'll start with our apartment..which is in Noe Valley. Its not really too urban, sort of the land of nannies and dogs...also fairly old parents (did you read that part MOM...people dont' have kids here until they're in their LATE 30s).
N: Well, okay, don't go by ellipses, seems to be contagious. This is our house at the top of the hill. (Dad, did your calves twitch in rememberance?)
We actually live around the side of the house, by the way. HERE'S THE VIEW!:
A bunch of other pictures of and around the domicile:
This last one is the actual entrance to our apartment... you know... for when you all finally come visit!!!
J: The next group of pictures is of the Mission District in SF, which is really close to our neighborhood. Its a really vibrant neighborhood with a heavy Latino influence. And when you get off the Bart on Tuesdays after work, you get to hear the Latino preachers...preaching at the top of their lungs...Jesus es el hombre. These are mostly of murals in the area...in Balmy Alley..they are really fantastic...but much much better in person. hint.hint.
N: Jesus IS el hombre indeed. The other major demographic group in the Mission is hipsters on bicycles. You're much, much better off trying to start a conversation with the shouting preachers though I think... Right, PICTURES!
This is Jess standing in front of the mural. People, Jessica. Jessica, people.
This one's our mutual favvy. He reminds Jen of Mr. Dressup. No, I don't know who Mr. Dressup is either, but you can see a few of those in the Castro on Fridays. Pictures of that to come I'm sure...
J: I would like to briefly interrupt to list a few things that I have witnessed or said while in the Castro.
1. Is that a man dressed like Jesus...next to a man in a tutu?
2. We have seen too many large manly transexuals in regalia that it is now old hat.
3. Public toilets. PUBLIC TOILETS. (shudder...)
4. One day we were waiting for the bus and this guy with a (really nice) camera came up to us and said "i'm andy warhol" .... you guys are so pop!!!! you are so san francisco. (we'd been there no more than 2months). he said You are lou reed (to nick) and you are twiggy (to me)...and then he took 15 or so pics...and said..."i'm not really andy warhol" (really????)...i'm santa claus (and tugged on his beard)....and so goes our encouter with santa warhol and whatever it was that he sprinkled on his cornflakes that morning.
N: I was miming a hockey slapshot before that encounter; Jen thought I was indicating golfing and was criticizing my technique; Santa Warhol thought I was waiting for the man... Anyhow... In case you've forgotten what we look like or were concerned we've been so transformed by all this Cali "sunshine," (by which we mean rain, fog and WIND) then here's some reassuring pics for you:
Jen and Nick are 2 cool 4 school.
This was taken before we went out to the DeYoung museum in the middle of Golden Gate Park. Some pretty sweet pictures that probably just do themselves justice:
J: A lego car? Thats amazing.....the only cooler thing would be if we lived down the street from a store dedicated to cheese and cheese alone.
J: Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
N: He walks with a camera and drank too much eggnogg...
This headdress was simply amazing, and maybe four feet tall.
And the view from the top!
J: These next few pictures of a Sunday afternoon we spend in Monterey...most of them are from the aquarium.... (by the way, don't ever eat dinner in Monterey...EVER. and if they say it's risotto...don't believe them...they are liars.)
N: I was acosted by an Otter!
...Ok, maybe I was asking for it. I mean, look what I was wearing...
J: That is the picture that will ruin Nick's chances of ever having a political career. Seriously, though, we had an otter-ly good time...
N: OOf. Jen agreed to pose in front of the splash pool. I think it only took me four tries to get the shot. And she's still talking to me!
The aquarium is built in an old cannery, as in Steinbeck's Cannery Row. Someone else would go there now and write a novel titled "Magnet, Postcards and Otter Coffee Mug Row." I think the labor conditions would be about the same...
Speaking of which, I mime a canning mishap!
Random Fish and Such:
A little while after we had finally digested our horrible HORRIBLE meal from Monterey, we headed to the Pier/Fisherman's Wharf/Ferry Building section of San Francisco.
That's the Ferry Building behind Jen. It's famous.
Ghandi is my homeboy. (Slap me some skin, skinny pacifist man!)
The sea lions get fed just to lay around and yell at each other next to Pier39.
J: Also, if you should need, say, a refrigerator magnet crafted out of seashells, in the shape of a hotdog, sandwich, sealion, car, the golden gate bridge, or tony danza....this is the place for you.
A couple of weekends ago, it was really nice out, and we decided to go to the Presidio (near the Golden Gate bridge). We didn't really plan it out, but just hopped off the bus...and walked a little ways until we saw a beach down a sandy hill. Did you know that Calfornia has nude beaches? Did you also know that the only nudes on the beach tend to be fairly old men? Now I'm all for that loving nature vibe or whatever...but we actually saw this guy with a flannel shirt on...sans pants...with the bottom two buttons of his shirt undone.... Oh SWEET you have one of those too? I hear they're really awesome....
N: Loving nature? Seemed more like accusing her to me... But the view! (Um, sorry, different view... GUTTER!)
Most beautiful thing I personally saw that day:
The Presidio is actually an old fort that was used to guard the bay and the city. There are several old batteries that line the dunes and provide great views (and opportunities for impromptu wall art). Here I'm pretending to shoot stuff:
Aforementioned wall art:
J: Look, I'm up here! I fooled you with my Ninja Skills!!!
N: Leave off with one last great vista perfect San Francisco shot. A reward for scrolling this far down. Now that we have some momentum, the next installment shouldn't be so long in the making, and shouldn't take so long to read!
J: Miss you all (feel free to post!) and love you much! We'll be home for a long weekend May.... Peace out cub scouts!
