# SAN FRANCISCO by quashlo



## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Crissy Field
A restored tidal marsh popular for walking, jogging, or bike riding for both locals and tourists. I often use this trail on urban walks from Downtown through Chinatown, North Beach, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Marina, and out to the Golden Gate Bridge, sometimes beyond into Sausalito or the Marin Headlands.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

The Presidio has quite a collection of rare and endangered plant species, many of them endemic to coastal habitat that used to cover much of the city but now survives only here. The most exciting recent news came with the rediscovery of a single specimen of the Franciscan manzanita, 60 years after it was previously believed to have gone extinct in the wild, during construction work for the Doyle Drive replacement project (previous picture). Perhaps not as dramatic a survival story, but this is _Lessingia germanorum_ (San Francisco lessingia), another endangered plant found almost exclusively in The Presidio—the only known population outside of the park is in Daly City. You can find them easily this time of year in the Lobos Dunes area or near the Public Service Health Hospital, thanks to replanting efforts.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

*Indonesia Day 2012*
2012.09.15


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Kari ayam (chicken curry) + bakwan jagung (corn fritters) + oseng oseng tahu tempe


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

Which part of the City (San Fran) did you get that Kari Ayam? And by the way, I happen to live north of the city... wherein I pass by the Marina and the Exploratorium area nearly every weekday.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Technically, Union Square, since that's where Indonesia Day is typically held, but to more "faithfully" answer your question, Borobodur. Their main restaurant is in the Tenderloin.


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

quashlo said:


> Technically, Union Square, since that's where Indonesia Day is typically held, but to more "faithfully" answer your question, Borobodur. Their main restaurant is in the Tenderloin.


Aha. I think I know where Borobodur restaurant is. Ever tried eating at Straits at Westfield? I tried their Murtabak for weekend brunch, and it was lovely.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Hm, I went there once several years ago for a weekday lunch... Can't remember what I ordered, but I remember liking it. Unfortunately, I don't get to eat out as much as I'd like, since I try to watch my wallet and my waist.


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

quashlo said:


> Hm, I went there once several years ago for a weekday lunch... Can't remember what I ordered, but I remember liking it. Unfortunately, I don't get to eat out as much as I'd like, since I try to watch my wallet and my waist.


Ah ok. If you have a chance, visit Straits again once in a while... I usually order their Singapore-style chicken curry, which I really like. By the way, what part of the City you live in?


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

I live near the southern edge, close to Daly City.


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

quashlo said:


> I live near the southern edge, close to Daly City.


Dang... I go to SF State for school! How close are you to Stonestown?


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

I'm closer to OMI or the Excelsior, but I've been to Stonestown plenty of times... I still remember when they used to have Petrini's (supermarket), Brentano's (bookstore), and, more recently, the big Borders store.


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

quashlo said:


> I'm closer to OMI or the Excelsior, but I've been to Stonestown plenty of times... I still remember when they used to have Petrini's (supermarket), Brentano's (bookstore), and, more recently, the big Borders store.


Oh, the Excelsior. I like the area, especially you're pretty close to Mission Street... but, yes, I really like the big Borders at the mall. Now, that is replaced by Sports Authority.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

*Mission Peak Regional Preserve*
2012.09.08, 2012.09.29

Some pictures from this small mountain down in Fremont. Not a good place if you want some solitude on your hike, but you can definitely get a good workout. 

Fremont BART Station





I remember a lot of passengers grumbling when these Van Hools were first introduced… They’re pretty much a staple now all across AC Transit’s network.



Forget sports and movie packages… The diversity of today’s suburbs offers new business avenues in the Comcast–AT&T cable wars.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

The strip of developed land along the East Bay shoreline gets quite thin down by Fremont, hemmed in by bay sloughs and salt flats on the west and the hills on the east.





Former NUMMI plant, now the Tesla Motors factory



Office parks and big-box stores along Auto Mall Parkway


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Mount Diablo 



Sunol


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

_Erynnis funerealis_ (funereal duskywing)





_Crotalus oreganus oreganus_ (northern Pacific rattlesnake)



_Buteo jamaicensis_ (red-tailed hawk)


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

*17th Annual San Francisco International Dragon Boat Festival*
2012.09.22

My first time visiting what is billed as the largest competitive dragon boat racing event in the U.S. Started out on the Peninsula, but has since moved onto a larger venue on Treasure Island. The charter bus ride out to the island was free, so it gave me a good excuse to get some shots of the Downtown skyline and the new East Span of the Bay Bridge.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

A Princess Cruises boat undergoing repair at the drydock at Pier 70. Most of the Port of San Francisco’s container operations have shifted to Oakland, but the cruise ship business is doing well, with news that the _Grand Princess_ will be based in San Francisco year-round starting next year and work proceeding apace on the new James R. Herman International Cruise Terminal under construction at Pier 27. And with the America’s Cup events, perhaps there is a bit of renewed interest in the city’s maritime roots.


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

Those pics really look wonderful indeed!


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## Bristol Mike (Aug 5, 2007)

Impressive quantity and quality of photos of San Francisco there!


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## techniques1200s (Mar 11, 2005)

Nice pictures!



quashlo said:


> A Princess Cruises boat undergoing repair at the drydock at Pier 70. Most of the Port of San Francisco’s container operations have shifted to Oakland, but the cruise ship business is doing well, with news that the _Grand Princess_ will be based in San Francisco year-round starting next year and work proceeding apace on the new James R. Herman International Cruise Terminal under construction at Pier 27. And with the America’s Cup events, perhaps there is a bit of renewed interest in the city’s maritime roots.


That dry dock is actually the largest one on the west coast of North America, so more than just cruise ships get work done at it (and interestingly, not far away is the former site of the first dry dock on the west coast to launch a steel-hulled ship, in 1885). You're right that the port of Oakland handles most container shipping, as when container shipping became big (in the 60s/70s), new expanded terminals were needed, but the port of SF did not have enough space to expand too much, while the port of Oakland did. The port of SF does have a small container terminal though, and also handles some break-bulk cargo. I always found SF's maritime history interesting, particularly because it's a side of the city that's been kind of forgotten in the past several decades (aside from cruise ships, ferries and fishermen), due to the port of Oakland gaining in prominence. I'd be willing to bet that your average SF resident isn't even aware that cargo gets handled at the port of SF.


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

techniques1200s said:


> Nice pictures!
> 
> That dry dock is actually the largest one on the west coast of North America, so more than just cruise ships get work done at it (and interestingly, not far away is the former site of the first dry dock on the west coast to launch a steel-hulled ship, in 1885). You're right that the port of Oakland handles most container shipping, as when container shipping became big (in the 60s/70s), new expanded terminals were needed, but the port of SF did not have enough space to expand too much, while the port of Oakland did. The port of SF does have a small container terminal though, and also handles some break-bulk cargo. I always found SF's maritime history interesting, particularly because it's a side of the city that's been kind of forgotten in the past several decades (aside from cruise ships, ferries and fishermen), due to the port of Oakland gaining in prominence. I'd be willing to bet that your average SF resident isn't even aware that cargo gets handled at the port of SF.


Well, I have no idea of that either, but I have some knowledge about the areas called Hunters Point, Dogpatch, China Basin, and India Basin... I'd say those areas were the prominent dry dock areas for ships before Oakland took over.


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## techniques1200s (Mar 11, 2005)

fieldsofdreams said:


> Well, I have no idea of that either, but I have some knowledge about the areas called Hunters Point, Dogpatch, China Basin, and India Basin... I'd say those areas were the prominent dry dock areas for ships before Oakland took over.


As far as I know, SF is still the prominent drydock area compared to Oakland, at least when it comes to servicing large ships (as i said, the largest drydock on the west coast of North America is there, in that pic that quashlo posted), but Oakland is of course _by far_ the more prominent cargo port, as it has much more extensive container facilities. You are right that there were more drydocks on SF's waterfront in the past, in those areas you mentioned (the drydock pictured here is in Dogpatch, by the way), just as there were more cargo operations in those areas in the past as well. SF used to be a big shipbuilding area as well as cargo port.


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

techniques1200s said:


> As far as I know, SF is still the prominent drydock area compared to Oakland, at least when it comes to servicing large ships (as i said, the largest drydock on the west coast of North America is there, in that pic that quashlo posted), but Oakland is of course by far the more prominent cargo port, as it has much more extensive container facilities. You are right that there were more drydocks on SF's waterfront in the past, in those areas you mentioned (the drydock pictured here is in Dogpatch, by the way), just as there were more cargo operations in those areas in the past as well. SF used to be a big shipbuilding area as well as cargo port.


True. It must be gentrification that caused the ports to lose its prominence, as well as constant improvements made to the area that rolled in businesses and apartments along Third Street. A suggestion: build more marinas close to China Basin and Dogpatch to allow more boaters to dock there,


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## techniques1200s (Mar 11, 2005)

fieldsofdreams said:


> True. It must be gentrification that caused the ports to lose its prominence, as well as constant improvements made to the area that rolled in businesses and apartments along Third Street. A suggestion: build more marinas close to China Basin and Dogpatch to allow more boaters to dock there,


The main reason for the loss of all those port operations in SF city-proper was, as I said, that with the advent of container shipping SF just didn't have enough room to expand it's port, so Oakland took over as the Bay Area's main port (becuase they did have the space to expand). On top of that, break-bulk cargo got less popular as shipping in large part switched over to container ships, so that meant even less cargo was coming through SF than before. This started happening in the 1960s, but gentrification wasn't really a huge issue in SF until the late 1990s. Also, things like shipbuilding are mostly done in other countries now. But yeah, gentrification definitely does not help things when it comes to blue collar industries.


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

techniques1200s said:


> The main reason for the loss of all those port operations in SF city-proper was, as I said, that with the advent of container shipping SF just didn't have enough room to expand it's port, so Oakland took over as the Bay Area's main port (becuase they did have the space to expand). On top of that, break-bulk cargo got less popular as shipping in large part switched over to container ships, so that meant even less cargo was coming through SF than before. This started happening in the 1960s, but gentrification wasn't really a huge issue in SF until the late 1990s. Also, things like shipbuilding are mostly done in other countries now. But yeah, gentrification definitely does not help things when it comes to blue collar industries.


Sounds so true. I just want to learn a little bit of history of SF's ports over time because I would like to explore how to make the waterfront of San Francisco even better, especially with cargo ships getting larger and more efficient. It's something like... I'm a student of urban planning, and I'm looking into developing ports that could actually host more than just cargo ships and trucks.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

*Autumn Moon Festival 2012*
2012.09.23

My absolute favorite time of the year to visit Chinatown... Enjoy.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Dbl post


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

*Giants vs. Cardinals: NLCS Game 2*
2012.10.15

I left work early to catch a few innings live at the park…


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

On the walk over from BART, I also snapped some photos of the new CityTarget that opened at the Metreon on 2012.10.10:


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

On the walk over from BART, I also snapped some photos of the new CityTarget that opened at the Metreon on 2012.10.10:


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

When did you pass by the new Target? I was there last Monday.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Same day... I went there on my way to AT&T Park for Game 2.

FYI
You can always check the EXIF data through Flickr if you want to know when something was photographed.


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

quashlo said:


> Same day... I went there on my way to AT&T Park for Game 2.
> 
> FYI
> You can always check the EXIF data through Flickr if you want to know when something was photographed.


Really? I'm in the City Mondays to Wednesdays for school... I usually go into the city via Downtown and exit San Francisco via 19th Avenue.


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## Student4life (Sep 23, 2011)

Nice pics


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

*Marin Headlands*
2012.09.09

Jumping back a bit, here’s some photos from the Marin Headlands, another part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The GGNRA happens to be celebrating its 40th birthday this weekend after citizens banded together to save these areas from suburban development. The Marin Headlands is a popular weekend hike, and there’s even Muni service on Sundays (the 76 line) for city folk like myself that takes us all the way across the Bridge and over to Fort Cronkhite and Rodeo Beach. A highly recommended ride, although the service can be a bit erratic and the schedules shouldn’t be taken too literally.

Rodeo Beach


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Point Bonita
There’s a fantastic lighthouse situated precariously on one of the crags here, complete with a tight-rope walk on a narrow, four-foot wide bridge if you visit on one of their open days… Otherwise, it’s also a really great spot to get skyline shots or spot some harbor seals lounging around down on the rocks.







On the opposite shore is San Francisco, here showing Lands End and the huge VA Medical Center Complex.



Marshall Beach, The Presidio



Once you get high enough, the perspectives begin to get trippy, with the entirety of Ocean Beach and the Sunset and all the way down to Pacifica visible in one shot.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

The Marin Headlands are situated at the north end of the Golden Gate. Can be a bit of a hike, but the bridge and skyline shots can be particularly rewarding if you go when the skies are clear.


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## Linguine (Aug 10, 2009)

great shots from San Francisco.....:cheers:


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

To the north of the Headlands are Mt. Tamalpais and Muir Woods.









Muir Beach, a small community up on the bluffs.
The GGNRA stretches all the way north to Bolinas (in the distance) and beyond.



Mill Valley and Strawberry


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Some lichen…



And some cobwebby thistle…


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

^^ Dude, I know Rodeo Beach very well! Was it chilly when you visited? And as always, lovely pics! Those definitely remind me of how close the City is from the beach and country indeed.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Some vessel traffic…









And the next big craze in intersection design: the roundabout.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Some iced green tea and _kuzumochi_ to finish off a lazy Sunday afternoon…


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

The green roof on the recently rebuilt California Academy of Sciences (Renzo Piano, 2008):



Some parting shots of the de Young (Herzog & de Meuron, 2005):


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## streetscapeer (Apr 30, 2004)

I really really love that city!!


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

*Sutro Heights Park and Sutro Baths*
2012.11.24

This was the last weekend of real sunshine... Been rainy off and on since.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

*Muni Centennial Streetcar Festival*
2012.11.04 and 2012.11.11

San Francisco Municipal Railway, the local transit service operated by the City and County of San Francisco, was established in 1912 as the first publicly-operated big-city public transit system in the U.S. The official 100th birthday is on December 28, but the festivities were held in November of this year. The centerpiece of the events was the Centennial Streetcar Festival, showcasing some of the more unusual pieces in the historic streetcar fleet used on the F Market & Wharves service. Enjoy. 

Milan “Peter Witt” Car 1856, ex Azienda Trasporti Milanesi (ATM) 1556, built 1928
These ex-Milan cars are pretty much regulars in everyday service on the F.



Blackpool “Boat” Car 228 (ex Blackpool Tramways), built 1934
One of my favorites for riding… Got a great “tooting” whistle like a boat, and they light it up at night. 





Car 1 (San Francisco Municipal Railway), built 1912
The rooftop box sign is for the A Geary, the first streetcar line in the Muni network, opened on the system’s first day in 1912.



Muni Torpedo Car 1008, built 1948, “Wings” livery. This was part of Muni’s first order of “true” Presidents’ Conference Committee (PCC) streetcars.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

I had ridden all of these cars multiple times on previous occasions, so I wasn’t especially interested in them. A good railfan always plans his itinerary out, and despite Muni’s erratic scheduling, my eyes were set on this gem… Car 578S (ex Market Street Railway (MSRy) 578), built 1896 for the original MSRy and eventually finding its way into Muni’s hands after passing into the ownership of the United Railroads and, later, the second Market Street Railway before the latter went out of business. As perhaps one of the oldest trams still in active service anywhere in the world, this car is virtually never out in regular revenue service… The only realistic chance to ride it is on charters—and during the Streetcar Festival. 



The overall design is reminiscent of the fleet of the other major element of Muni’s historic transit operations—the more famous cable cars—right down to the running boards. This car was originally built by Hammond Car Company, which would also go on to build the cable cars on the California Street line.



Even the painted destination signs on the car are windows into the past… The grand Southern Pacific Railway (SP)—perhaps most famous for its intercity passenger services in the _Sunset Limited_ (still survives as a named service today operated by Amtrak) and the _Coast Daylight_, locomotives in a striking black, burnt orange, and fire red “Daylight” paint scheme—is no more, having been acquired by the Union Pacific... SP’s San Francisco depot was located at what is now Caltrain’s San Francisco terminus at 4th and King Streets after the SP’s Peninsula commute service was taken under public ownership and operation. SP’s original headquarters are located less than 100 m from where this photo was taken, at One Market at the foot of Market Street. Also interesting to note is the old spelling of Devisadero Street (now universally Divisadero).



The interior is also reminiscent of the better-known cable cars, down to the window handlebars, clerestory roof, and screw-in bulb lighting.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

The other main catch for me at the festival was Muni “Iron Monster” Car 162, built 1914. Originally stored after retirement at the Orange Empire Railway Museum down south in Riverside, Muni acquired this car in 2003 and restored it for revenue service with 1950s “Wings” livery. I’d ridden its sister car, Car 130, many, many times, but this is the first time I got a chance to see Car 162 in service and ride it.



Next to PCC Car 1075, ex Twin City Rapid Transit Co. (Minneapolis–St. Paul), ex Public Service Coordinated Transport / New Jersey Transit (NJT) (Newark), built 1946, painted in honor of Cleveland Transit System. 







These were originally manufactured by Jewett Car Co. in Newark, Ohio.


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

^^ I have a similar collection of such photos... Would you like to see them? Perhaps we could share our Muni vehicles collection.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

In addition to streetcars, several buses in Muni’s historic fleet were also on display, including this GMC Fishbowl.













Muni operates one of the largest electric trolleybus fleets in North America, the inheritance of the once-dense network of publicly-operated Municipal Railway and privately-operated Market Street Railway streetcar lines that criss-crossed the city. There are several ETBs in Muni’s historic fleet including this one, #776, a Marmon-Herrington (built 1950) in the green and cream “Wings” livery. The rollsign is set to the now-defunct 12 Ocean Avenue, a former branch of the 14 Mission now partially replaced by the 49 Van Ness–Mission.







Another historic ETB on display was #506, a St. Louis Car Co. model (built 1941) in blue and gold:



The old rollsign charts are always fun to look at… Lots of old routes that have disappeared or been absorbed (9 Richland, 47 Potrero) and others that have been through name changes (5 McAllister, 6 Masonic).



The last one was one of the old Flyer ETBs, the last generation of Muni’s standard 40-foot ETBs before the arrival of the ETI / Skodas… Used to ride these all the time when I was a kid. Rollsign is for the recently-axed (i.e., in 2009) 4 Sutter, a peak-period only service originally designed to take some of the short-distance commuter load off the other Sutter / Post lines (2 Clement and 3 Jackson).


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

I caught a ride on Car 162 down to Fisherman’s Wharf and on the way back to the Ferry Building caught a Milan car… Some random scenes on the way back:



PCC Car 1061, ex Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC) / Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), built 1948, painted in the colors of the Pacific Electric Railway (PE) of Los Angeles. The ex-SEPTA and ex-NJT PCCs and ex-ATM Peter Witts form the bulk of the historic streetcar fleet, supplemented by the more unique and authentic pieces of the collection, which are primarily used on short-trip or special services.



Another Torpedo in Wings livery



A meet of San Francisco locals…



Down the exclusive median ROW along The Embarcadero, where work is proceeding quickly on the piers in preparation for the America’s Cup races in 2013.



PCC Car 1050, ex PTC / SEPTA, built 1948, painted in SF “Wings” colors.





While today’s “F” line follows Market Street and The Embarcadero between the Castro and Fisherman’s Wharf, Muni’s original F was the “F Stockton” connecting the Marina and Downtown via the Stockton Tunnel. This route is now covered by the 30 Stockton trolley coach line.





Back near the Ferry Building:


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Time for a ride down Market Street on the Marmon-Herrington trolley coach, #776. Thankfully, they were able to ignore ADA regulations, else I probably wouldn’t have had the opportunity to ride it in revenue service. 



Now, a sunset ride down Market Street, San Francisco’s main street, in the old lady, 578S. Was lucky enough to get one of the open-air seats. For safety reasons, they weren’t allowing anybody down on the running boards. Much of the original streetcar traffic on Market Street, served on four tracks at street level, has been replaced by buses and underground trains. The inside tracks were used by the Market Street Railway, with Muni having the outer tracks. The vestiges of this heritage still remain in the quadruple wire down Market Street used by Muni’s trolley coach lines, even though there are now only two tracks at surface level.





We plied along at a clip, but not fast enough for our follower, an ex-Milan Peter Witt…





My final destination was 17th and Castro, but they ran 578S as an in-service pull-in run, and many of the railfans along for the ride stayed on all the way down the J Church line through Dolores Park and the Bernal Cut to Geneva Car House.


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Awesome, very nice shots from San Francisco :cheers:


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## Countach (Mar 15, 2009)

quashlo said:


> We plied along at a clip, but not fast enough for our follower, an ex-Milan Peter Witt…


I just came back home, here in Milan, with a car identical to the one of your pictures! :cheers:


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

*San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park*
2012.10.28

Hadn’t been here in many, many years, so I decided to drop by one quiet Sunday.



Aquatic Park
The is the west end (and the nicer part) of Fisherman’s Wharf, with a slightly more historic feel and less kitschy tourist stuff. A short walk along the waterfront and over the hill gets you to Fort Mason and Marina Green.



Inside the engine room of the steam ferry _Eureka_, originally built in 1890 to ferry freight railcars between San Francisco and Sausalito for the San Francisco and North Pacific Railway, and later automobiles for the Southern Pacific.





The logo of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad (NWP), a freight railroad along the Redwood Coast of California with a tumultuous history. It still survives today on a handful of trips a week carrying agricultural feed and timber for Sonoma County, but the majority of the original mainline north to Eureka is non-operational.



Hyde Street cable car line, the most scenic of San Francisco’s three remaining cable car lines.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

There is a plan to extend the F Market & Wharves west from the current terminus at Beach and Taylor along the former alignment of the single-track State Belt Railroad and through the Fort Mason Tunnel to the other side of the hill. The old track still remains in place along the waterfront, encased in asphalt to provide a popular recreational path for walkers, runners, and bikers.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

The _Balclutha_, built in 1886 to carry grain and other cargo from Europe to San Francisco around Cape Horn and later performing other duties including carrying timber from California’s forests to Australian mines and personnel and supplies to salmon fishing operations in Alaska.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Some glimpses at the historic importance of California as a producer of fruits and vegetables… Part of this legacy locally is the Del Monte brand of canned foods, still headquartered in the city—its first plant (and the world’s largest fruit and vegetable cannery at the time) is still preserved today as The Cannery at Del Monte Square, a block away down Jefferson Street.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Ghirardelli is another local brand, this one famous for chocolates, established by Italian immigrant Domenico Ghirardelli. It claims to be the second-oldest chocolate company in the U.S. The historic Ghirardelli Square, the original headquarters of the company, would become the first major adaptive re-use project in the U.S., and now features a variety of restaurants and stores, as well as hotel space (Fairmont Heritage Place). 



With all the open-air food vendors at the Wharf, the sea gulls tend on the plump side…


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

*Red Bull Flügtag 2012*
2012.11.10

An event where teams assemble together and test their own “flying machines”… The great thing was that they opened up much of AT&T Park to the public for viewing the event.

Stopped by the food section to pick up a quick snack.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

It’s definitely more about creativity than actually seeing how far you can fly…


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

*Yerba Buena Gardens*
2012.11.10

After the Flügtag, I stopped by Yerba Buena Gardens to snap some photos at one of my favorite vantage points in Downtown San Francisco…

St. Regis Museum Tower (SOM, 2005)
This building houses the St. Regis-branded hotel rooms and residences, as well as the Museum of the African Diaspora. Easily one of my favorites among the City’s newer towers.







San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (Botta, 1995)
A new 235,000 square-foot expansion for the museum, designed by Snøhetta, is in the works.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

PacBell Building (Miller and Pflueger, 1925)
One of my favorite of the older towers, a bit unusual given its location south of Market Street. Of course, Pacific Telephone & Telegraph / Pacific Bell are no more… The building’s new tenants are Yelp.





Aronson Building (1903)
This building, sitting kitty-corner to the St. Regis Museum Tower, is proposed for a similar treatment as the latter, which involved a rehab of the historic Williams Building (1907). Under the proposed plan, a new 47-story, 550-foot tower would rise adjacent to a rehabilitated Aronson Building, housing 215 condo units and a new addition to Yerba Buena’s growing collection of cultural attractions: the Mexican Museum. All this assuming that residents in the adjacent Four Seasons tower quit throwing a tantrum… :haha:


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

St. Patrick’s Church (1872)
When first established in 1851, this Catholic parish catered to a growing (and religious) community of Irish immigrants who came for the Gold Rush. Nowadays, like many of the City’s churches, the parish reflects the influence of successive waves of immigrants including Hispanics and Filipinos. The South of Market (SoMa) area surrounding the church is perhaps the epicenter of the Filipino community in San Francisco proper.





Contemporary Jewish Museum (Libeskind, 2008)
This is the most recent addition to the Yerba Buena museum scene, featuring a new building designed by Daniel Libeskind and incorporating the adjacent historic Jessie Street Power Substation (1907).



Moved a couple blocks north to Union Square…

450 Sutter Street (Pflueger, 1929)
Another one of my favorites among the oldies, this one features a unique Mayan-influenced Art Deco design.



555 California Street (SOM, 1969)
The City’s second tallest building and the former HQ of Bank of America before they left for North Carolina.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

450 Powell Street (St. Francis Drake Hotel) (1928)





166 Geary Street (Whittell Building) (1907)



Four Seasons Hotel and Residences (2001)


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

^^ Some of the finest City pics indeed. Bravo! I hope I will get to appreciate the City much more since I live here too.


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## DWest (Dec 3, 2009)

interesting shots.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

*Downtown: Streets and Buildings*
2012.12.31

Start off in Union Square and slowly move our way to Chinatown and North Beach...


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Moving up to Telegraph Hill...


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Back through Chinatown...


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

To Union Square and Market Street...


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## JayT (Sep 11, 2002)

After visiting New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Chicago and San Francisco during the middle of 2012 I have to say San Francisco was by far my favorite US city. It also seemed like the most Australian/New Zealand styled city and I felt at home right away. It's like a very big version of Wellington NZ with the architecture, timber apartment buildings, hills and density and has trolley buses just like Welly. People say its similar to Sydney but I think Sydney is more like LA. 

As I have friends in San Francisco I'd like to move there in the future and start a new chapter in my life (preferably Marin County). Seems like a valid goal!!!


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

^^ @Quashlo: Question: did you walk through all of those areas, or did you take Muni parts of the way? The Telegraph Hill pics look absolutely gorgeous, even on New Year's Eve! And it looks like Market Street seemed to look normal right before the festivities begin. Fantastic shots, and it seems like San Francisco in 2013 will be another great year. I thought I put in the @ symbol, but, it's ok!


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

JayT said:


> After visiting New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Chicago and San Francisco during the middle of 2012 I have to say San Francisco was by far my favorite US city. It also seemed like the most Australian/New Zealand styled city and I felt at home right away. It's like a very big version of Wellington NZ with the architecture, timber apartment buildings, hills and density and has trolley buses just like Welly. People say its similar to Sydney but I think Sydney is more like LA.
> 
> As I have friends in San Francisco I'd like to move there in the future and start a new chapter in my life (preferably Marin County). Seems like a valid goal!!!


Did you say Marin County? That's where I live (and have been living for the past 6.5 years)! What part of Marin are you looking into? Perhaps we might end up being neighbors in the process...


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## JayT (Sep 11, 2002)

fieldsofdreams said:


> Did you say Marin County? That's where I live (and have been living for the past 6.5 years)! What part of Marin are you looking into? Perhaps we might end up being neighbors in the process...


I loved Marin County. Just over the bridge! It's very, how can I say, forward thinking, environmentally aware.... I just love the the area. In many ways it reminded me of Australia (eucalyptus trees) but I went hiking in the mountains near there (we could see San Fran in the distance) and absolutely loved it. My best day in America was spent on a mountain hiking in Marin County. The one with the open air theatre 

It really made me think... Northern California (can see myself living there)..


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## JayT (Sep 11, 2002)

fieldsofdreams said:


> ^^ Question: did you walk through all of those areas, or did you take Muni parts of the way? The Telegraph Hill pics look absolutely gorgeous, even on New Year's Eve! And it looks like Market Street seemed to look normal right before the festivities begin. Fantastic shots, and it seems like San Francisco in 2013 will be another great year.


I walked all over San Francisco, even to the top of Twin Peaks all the way from where I was staying near Union Square. My friend lives in Pacific Heights (Specific Whites as she calls it) and I walked everywhere around there. Walked around the Castro many times, walked up Market Street many times, walked around the capital, through chinatown, up to Coit Tower a few times, explored many paths on foot all over the place. I loved it and found many interesting places. I didn't take a tram or bus though - believe it or not!! I love the Chinatown there - so amazing, so real!!

I was also lucky enough to experience one of the cultural festivals there in Delores Park, the Mexican festival of Cinco de Mayo. To be honest I did all the 'touristy' things like Fishermans Wharf etc but it was the hidden gems I found on foot, the local treasures that I really enjoyed.


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## cahyo cah sumber (Sep 27, 2009)

Nice pictures by *quashlo*.. kay:


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

JayT said:


> I loved Marin County. Just over the bridge! It's very, how can I say, forward thinking, environmentally aware.... I just love the the area. In many ways it reminded me of Australia (eucalyptus trees) but I went hiking in the mountains near there (we could see San Fran in the distance) and absolutely loved it. My best day in America was spent on a mountain hiking in Marin County. The one with the open air theatre
> 
> It really made me think... Northern California (can see myself living there)..


Oh wow, really? I was thinking you walked through either Muir Woods or Mount Tamalpais. Plus, there are series of trails (including the famous Dipsea Trail) that criss-cross the county, as if people can truly walk around the county! Which part of the county do you see yourself living in, by the way? And if you're into Marin, I highly suggest you visit my photo collection, Bay Area in Pictures (Images, link on my signature below), wherein I take photos, not only from San Francisco, but also from around the entire Bay Area, with a good focus now on Marin County. :yes:


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

JayT said:


> I walked all over San Francisco, even to the top of Twin Peaks all the way from where I was staying near Union Square. My friend lives in Pacific Heights (Specific Whites as she calls it) and I walked everywhere around there. Walked around the Castro many times, walked up Market Street many times, walked around the capital, through chinatown, up to Coit Tower a few times, explored many paths on foot all over the place. I loved it and found many interesting places. I didn't take a tram or bus though - believe it or not!! I love the Chinatown there - so amazing, so real!!
> 
> I was also lucky enough to experience one of the cultural festivals there in Delores Park, the Mexican festival of Cinco de Mayo. To be honest I did all the 'touristy' things like Fishermans Wharf etc but it was the hidden gems I found on foot, the local treasures that I really enjoyed.


Hahaha Pacific Heights as Specific Whites! Yeah, that's a posh, high-end residential area, with house prices quite unimaginable to the uninitiated, with some of the finest views of the San Francisco Bay and the City (as well as nearby areas) that one can ever see, and that also goes with Telegraph Hill. I usually don't give nicknames to districts, but I really love the geeky (and young and trendy) Marina District, as well as the Market Street corridor between the Ferry Building and the Castro (although the Mid-Market portion is quite questionable at the moment), and of course, Alamo Square. If you truly want more San Francisco, I'd suggest Valencia Street in the Mission District, Fillmore Street, and Union Street.


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## JayT (Sep 11, 2002)

fieldsofdreams said:


> Oh wow, really? I was thinking you walked through either Muir Woods or Mount Tamalpais. Plus, there are series of trails (including the famous Dipsea Trail) that criss-cross the county, as if people can truly walk around the county! Which part of the county do you see yourself living in, by the way? And if you're into Marin, I highly suggest you visit my photo collection, Bay Area in Pictures (Images, link on my signature below), wherein I take photos, not only from San Francisco, but also from around the entire Bay Area, with a good focus now on Marin County. :yes:


Not really sure which part. Partner is all for just moving to San Fran to be with friends so I'll be happy wherever we land. I'm sure it will be somewhere near Pacific Heights as this is where he likes. I will then 'urge' him to move into a more countrified location over the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin County if I can. As said its a goal which I'm aiming for. I see it as one of those "special" parts of the world with a unique vibe. There are parts of the earth which have a special power, places like the far east coast of Australia, North coastal Queensland, Goa in India and of course San Francisco. Nothing appealed to me more than Marin County. I just felt right at home, it just felt right!


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

JayT said:


> Not really sure which part. Partner is all for just moving to San Fran to be with friends so I'll be happy wherever we land. I'm sure it will be somewhere near Pacific Heights as this is where he likes. I will then 'urge' him to move into a more countrified location over the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin County if I can. As said its a goal which I'm aiming for. I see it as one of those "special" parts of the world with a unique vibe. There are parts of the earth which have a special power, places like the far east coast of Australia, North coastal Queensland, Goa in India and of course San Francisco. Nothing appealed to me more than Marin County.


Hmmm... Looks like you will really enjoy my county then. I'll make sure I'll keep you in mind when I make my daily posts on my album collection since I tour around Marin County a lot that everyday is a new experience! If you'd like to live close to Pacific Heights, then either Sausalito, Mill Valley, or Corte Madera would be good for you. Tiburon and Belvedere are places I would go last, unless you're uber-rich, since property prices there are so high, you might end up paying more in taxes than you can afford! However, Belvedere enjoys the lovely views of San Francisco, Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Bay!


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## JayT (Sep 11, 2002)

fieldsofdreams said:


> Hahaha Pacific Heights as Specific Whites! Yeah, that's a posh, high-end residential area, with house prices quite unimaginable to the uninitiated, with some of the finest views of the San Francisco Bay and the City (as well as nearby areas) that one can ever see, and that also goes with Telegraph Hill. I usually don't give nicknames to districts, but I really love the geeky (and young and trendy) Marina District, as well as the Market Street corridor between the Ferry Building and the Castro (although the Mid-Market portion is quite questionable at the moment), and of course, Alamo Square. If you truly want more San Francisco, I'd suggest Valencia Street in the Mission District, Fillmore Street, and Union Street.


Oh PS I really love The Haight district. It reminded me of some 'alternate' districts we have in Australia (though their mostly hippy country towns). The Haight is somewhere where I can really let my hair down and be creative. No judgments there


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

JayT said:


> Oh PS I really love The Haight district. It reminded me of some 'alternate' districts we have in Australia (though their mostly hippy country towns). The Haight is somewhere where I can really let my hair down and be creative. No judgments there


Indeed. Haight-Ashbury is one of those "ultra" unique districts, and every time I walk through there, I see unique finds, from clothes to food to even unique activities on its sidewalks! It may be touristy, sure, but walk through some of the back alleys and you'll discover even more... And you'll end up climbing towards Sutro Tower in the process


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## JayT (Sep 11, 2002)

fieldsofdreams said:


> Hmmm... Looks like you will really enjoy my county then. *I'll make sure I'll keep you in mind when I make my daily posts on my album collection since I tour around Marin County a lot that everyday is a new experience!* If you'd like to live close to Pacific Heights, then either Sausalito, Mill Valley, or Corte Madera would be good for you. Tiburon and Belvedere are places I would go last, unless you're uber-rich, since property prices there are so high, you might end up paying more in taxes than you can afford! However, Belvedere enjoys the lovely views of San Francisco, Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Bay!


Please do - the more photos I see the more I can keep my dream alive and my goal in focus - many thanks


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

JayT said:


> Please do - the more photos I see the more I can keep my dream alive and my goal in focus - many thanks


I will indeed. Check out Bay Area in Images and discover my take of Marin County (called The Bay Area from a Local on my signature, apparently!). And I will make sure that I'll tour even more of my own county so that you can gain even more inspiration along the way!


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

fieldsofdreams said:


> ^^ @Quashlo: Question: did you walk through all of those areas, or did you take Muni parts of the way? The Telegraph Hill pics look absolutely gorgeous, even on New Year's Eve! And it looks like Market Street seemed to look normal right before the festivities begin. Fantastic shots, and it seems like San Francisco in 2013 will be another great year. I thought I put in the @ symbol, but, it's ok!


No Muni... All on foot.


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

quashlo said:


> No Muni... All on foot.


That's a lot of walking (exercise!) for you then! I would take MUNI part of the way myself to help me get to where I want a little quicker... but if I have time to spare, I'd walk all the way.


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## streetscapeer (Apr 30, 2004)

Incredible city!!!


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Thanks for the comments.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

*Half Moon Bay*
2012.11.21

A bit further south of Pacifica is Half Moon Bay, another great beach town in San Mateo County. I dropped by the day before Thanksgiving last year for some hiking along the coast.

As usual we start off at Millbrae Station after taking BART:





A short ride on Caltrain and SamTrans gets us to Half Moon Bay State Beach... Turned out to be a fantastic day to go as the weather was great and there weren’t many people.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Looming in the background are the northern peaks of the Santa Cruz Mountains that separate the coastal towns along Highway 1 from the more populous regions of the Peninsula along the San Francisco Bay shoreline. From here, it’s only a 20-30 minute drive into San Francisco, although the isolated location means it takes quite a bit longer by transit.







Over a century ago, plans for the “Ocean Shore Railroad” would have taken trains along the coast between San Francisco and Santa Cruz, passing along the edge of this open space atop the bluffs. Those plans never materialized, although vestiges still remain along the proposed alignment, including these houses along “Railroad Avenue” in Half Moon Bay.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

El Granada, as we continue north towards Pillar Point…



Passing along Mirada Road in Miramar, one of several small unincorporated beach communities in this area including El Granada and Princeton by the Sea… The Coastal Trail disappears here, as the development runs right up to the beach.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Pillar Point Harbor





Like Pacifica, the Half Moon Bay area is a popular surfing spot… Pillar Point Harbor (more accurately part of Princeton by the Sea, but frequently associated with Half Moon Bay) is home to the Mavericks, an annual surfing competition. The surfing window opened in November but they are still waiting for the perfect waves for this year’s event.







In the distance is Miramar… There’s only a narrow strip of riprap protecting these homes from the water.



Several riprap jetties extend well out into the water to form the harbor, offering a great place for saltwater fishing.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Princeton by the Sea





Late lunch was clam chowder and a yummy lobster roll at Sam’s Chowder House on the beach in El Granada… A bit on the pricey side, but delicious.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Finishing the day off with a beautiful sunset over the harbor…


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

^^ I. Am. Amazed. You've really traveled all the way to Half Moon Bay by transit? That's really awesome! I would really like to visit where you've gone to so that I can enjoy it myself. Spectacular beach and sunset shots, my friend! Well done! :applause:


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Thanks. I don't drive, so Ialways take transit when I go out on shoots.


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## fieldsofdreams (Sep 21, 2012)

quashlo said:


> Thanks. I don't drive, so Ialways take transit when I go out on shoots.


We're on the same boat indeed! Have you taken any shoots in Marin County, aside from the Headlands? I have been taking shoots lately in Sonoma County, and I find it more interesting with each new visit I make.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Marin County's a bit inaccessible for me, and I've only rarely ventured north of Sausalito.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

*Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area*
2012.12.09

A 20-minute walk from Fremont BART Station gets us to this secluded park featuring a series of small lakes (once gravel quarries) and creeks at the west end of Niles Canyon. We enter at the southern end by crossing Alameda Creek, which runs from Niles Canyon to the Bay. Gravel from these quarries was used to lay tracks for the Transcontinental Railroad.





Mission Peak rises in the distance


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Modern suburban planned developments ring the southern edge of the park


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Telegraph Hill


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

*Golden Gate Park*
2013.07.20

Next, some urban wildlife, starting off with a red-tailed hawk enjoying a meal in Golden Gate Park. You can see hawks in many parts of the City, although I had never seen them feeding before, much less been able to get this close (~15 ft) to one. This particular individual seemed not to care much as it munched on a pigeon while passersby heading to and from the nearby California Academy of Sciences were mere steps away.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)




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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

*The Presidio*
2013.08.10

Next, the famous parrots of Telegraph Hill, although you can now hear their squawks and see them flying in many neighborhoods across the City, not just Telegraph Hill. They first became famous after a 2003 documentary.

I spotted a small flock of them as they snacked on hawthorn berries up near Simonds Loop in The Presidio. In fact, I almost missed them if not for the unusual “popping” sound as they snapped the berries off the trees. There’s also some wild blackberries growing here (and in many other parts of The Presidio) which some local residents occasionally pick, but the parrots didn’t seem too interested in them on this day. Most of the birds are red-masked parakeets (_Psittacara erythrogenys_), originally native to South America and one of the more popular species in the bird trade.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

*Dolores Park*
2013.08.25

This is a large green and open space in the heart of the City next to Mission Dolores, the original Spanish mission and the oldest building in the City. It’s a popular hang-out spot for all the Mission hipsters and is frequently packed on sunny days. It also happens to offer one of the best skyline vantage points in the City—not nearly as tall as Twin Peaks but far more accessible.





They began work on the second tower of One Rincon Hall earlier this year, shown here under construction.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

The gorgeous “Mission Revival” tower of Mission High School.



Slightly further away is the Mission Dolores bell tower.



The City seems to be a flurry of construction nowadays… At left, the renovation of the former AAA building at 100 Van Ness Avenue is well underway. The former offices will eventually be converted to 400 apartments along one of the City's main thoroughfares. On the right is the 754-unit NEMA, the western vanguard of the “Mid-Market Renaissance” that is transforming the neglected segments of Downtown's main drag west of Fifth Street into a functional, attractive neighborhood. NEMA will also be apartments.



1998 Market Street (Linea) under construction (115 condos), one of a slew of projects underway in the Market / Octavia area.



Second Church of Christ, Scientist (1905)



The J Church light rail line trails along the west edge of the park. At 9%, this is the steepest grade in the Muni Metro network.



In addition to the steep grades, this segment of the J Church is also notable for these curvy sections of exclusive ROW cut into the hill.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Looking north up Church Street, where we can see the recently-installed pavement treatments (well, really just red paint) along the J Church tracks near Market Street. Where the red ends is where the line turns east and dives underground to enter the Market Street Subway.





Mission High School (1924)


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## techniques1200s (Mar 11, 2005)

great pictures!


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

Thanks for comments. 

=====

*BART Fleet of the Future*
2013.07.24

BART prepared a (very low-budget) mock-up of their new railcars and put it on display at MacArthur Station in Oakland to allow people to take a look and submit comments. Nothing earth-shattering, but a vast improvement over their current fleet, if only because the current fleet sucks big time. The biggest changes are an additional door on each car side (only two currently) and modifications to the seat layout.



I commented that they should drop the coarse, un-hygienic fabric stirrups and go with plastic triangles, which are much more comfortable on straphangers’ hands.







The proposed design puts bike racks in every car. That’s a mirror there, so there’s only three spaces per car, not six.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

A sample loop of the programming for the LCD screens to be placed inside the train. You can watch the loop here.



They’ll be doing a better job of color coding. Currently, the lines are color-coded on maps, but there is nothing on or inside the trains or on the overhead destination signs indicating line color.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

They probably went a little overboard on the language programming... Korean and Vietnamese are probably not needed. Interesting that they went with Simplified Chinese, and not Traditional Chinese.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

*Lafayette Park*
2013.09.01

This is one of San Francisco’s many neighborhood parks, located in the Pacific Heights area. Like Alta Plaza Park and Alamo Square, it’s designed as an open green for the neighborhood, occupying four city blocks in a 2×2 square situated atop a hill.











This home dates from 1885 and survived the 1906 quake and fire.



This Beaux Arts residence is the Spreckels Mansion (1913), originally built by entrepreneur Adolph B. Spreckels (of Spreckels Sugar Company) and now the home of author Danielle Steel.


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

The fog can roll in quite quickly in the afternoon, here enveloping Sutro Tower.









St. Mary’s Cathedral. Bernal Hill is in the distance.


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## streetscapeer (Apr 30, 2004)

beautiful density!!


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## MarkusErikssen (Oct 4, 2005)

San Francisco is so beautiful!


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Amazing, very nice photos from San Francisco


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## quashlo (Jun 14, 2008)

*Lake Merritt*
2013.09.08

Oakland's "jewel" is this lake bordering downtown, a popular place for a lunchtime or after-work walk or run. Earlier this year, they completed some streetscape and design improvements to enhance ped and bike access to the lake, including a new bridge and improved walking and running trails.

First, we start off above street level with a contextual overview. This is looking southeast over the Lakeside neighborhood. In the distance is the Oakland Estuary and Alameda.



Looking down Webster Street, along the eastern edge of Downtown Oakland:



Lakeside is sometimes called "The Gold Coast", and there are some beautiful historic buildings here.





A relatively new addition to the Lakeside area is this condo tower, The Essex (2001). Behind it is the expanse of Lake Merritt and the dense residential neighborhoods along the eastern shore.



The condo tower at street level:



On the eastern shore of the lake is 1200 Lakeshore, an older building of luxury apartments. They recently remodeled, so it actually looks like a fairly modern building now.



West of the lake is the up-and-coming Uptown, where residential blocks haved sprouted up after Mayor Jerry Brown's "10K" compaign to build 10,000 new housing units in Downtown Oakland.


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