Dangerous Hills of North Beach

I live on the outskirts of North Beach, bordering Fisherman's Wharf on one side, and Russian Hill on the other. Only a few blocks away is Chinatown and Telegraph Hill also.... all within a "toss" of a loaf of sourdough bread. All areas complete with hills and very steep hills... I remember screams of pain when I was a kid living in this area, when cars zoomed down the hills and hit people and/or cars. At the corner of Lombard and Taylor, there were so many seriously fatal accidents they finally put up a stop sign.... but these little branchless trees with a single word on it does not stop the pain and misery caused by speed and drivers.So imagine my lack of surprise when I walk out and start up Taylor Street - yes, the same street where just weeks prior they filmed a speeding car down the same stretch of cement - and saw this sobering sight......
I didn't even bother to ask details of what happened or how many injured... I just starting snapping with my cell camera so that I could blog this to warn anyone else, no matter the location, that speeding and running stop signs doesn't accomplish anything.

Eventually one day you won't be able to stop in time due to your routine of sliding through the intersection. Just last week there was a very serious accident I saw on Van Ness Avenue where a smaller car speeding through an intersection on Van Ness hit a crossing huge black SUV, and slammed it off the street and on its side on the corner of the SW pavement. The car was still there, like two wild animals in a clearing still engaged in the kill......If you see a STOP sign, do as it directs you. I see so many cars zipping through the intersections and wonder why I haven't yet witnessed a death or worst... yes, what can be worst than a death?
Let's all take care out there. WE are our own worst enemy and unfortunately, many times it's the innocent who suffer more in these situations

flames, the cold or the cars?

Fire and flames is something I've always been fascinated by. I can watch a bonfire for days... entranced by the jumping crackling flames... colors so inviting and seemingly drawing you into their deadly hot embrace. Even more exciting are those creative people who dance with fire, and after leaving Spain and living in Eugene, I had found some individuals who fire-dance.... we talked of taking some pictures but it never happened. The Northwest's rainy season started and the rain was a big negative for those who work with fire, plus I started to work.

So imagine my excitement when an East Bay friend tells me there's a FREE fire-dance performance in downtown San Francisco? I had already known about this, but forgot.... and am so happy I went!The chilly wind had been blowing strong all day, but as the sun dipped lower in the sky, it seemed to get even gustier. Of course this could and did affect the fire-spinning but even then it was still an awesome display!!
The chilly wind had been blowing strong all day, but as the sun dipped lower in the sky, it seemed to get even gustier. Of course this could and did affect the fire-spinning but even then it was still an awesome display!!
At six they were setting up in Union Square for the 4th Annual Temple of Poi Fire Dancing Expo! I didn't even hear about this last year but will be sure to search the web next year to be sure of the event dates! Featured on the stage would be internationally renowned fire dancing performers, some who had traveled from three continents and at their own expense. In all, the show had a total of 25 separate acts consisting of over 47 different fire dancers and troupes, which also included GlitterGirl of San Francisco fame and founder of the Temple of Poi, Manda Lights from France, and Mireneye from far-away Sweden.

There was a good amount of people present for this show, many not knowing what was going on but decided to stay... considering the wind and cold, I was eventually surprised at the amount of people who watched - I know they were not disappointed!I was there very early to claim my spot, and other photographers soon arrived like clockwork; I did see a few flickr friends, plus even some fellow-Yelpers! Knowing it was to be cold, I actually walked from home carrying my little-used tripod, thinking I was to freeze so much tonight that I wouldn't get any good snaps with shaking-cold fingers, and it was probably the best decision I've made in a long time!

It is not easy to use a camera in low-light situations. It is made more difficult when the fingers and soon the mind is frozen over.... add to that a subject that has in their hands a very bright flame, and their performance routine takes them from one side of the stage to another, plus stepping toward the camera a few steps, then back again. Add to this equation a wind that exhausted the fuel used for the flame sooner than expected.... all very difficult but not impossible, but with just an inkling of estimating the peak of any movement can one perhaps capture the mood of the event and even better: of its performer(s).

I really enjoyed the accompanying music and in one case, there was a solo guitar player strumming a flamenco bit which I loved immensely!

I'm a lousy dancer but it was so cold I was soon dancing in place! I could look around and see people wrapped in blankets and wondered if they would be angry if I stole/borrowed their blankets? Soon the performances started and the tripod saved my life and images!! I was able to focus well and quickly, and got some decent pictures which you see here. Many more as usual are posted at my foto site.EnJoy!! On the way home, walking up and down the steep SF hills with cold frozen stiff legs, I passed the Fairmont Hotel, where I saw within its garage a classic antique car... I walked inside and saw a whole garage filled with antiques as an antique car convention would start in the City the very next day!! I snapped away with the cell fone till I got frustrated, then eventually got my frozen camera out of the bag.... ;-) more pixs are posted at the website!!!

the golden gate.....

I am always miserable when I see a sunset that is so beautiful that my bones hurt. It happened again when few days ago when I saw from my bedroom window the clouds start to turn pink...... .....sometimes I think I am back inside my apartment in southern Spain since from my balcony windows I can see the beginnings of the sunsets, and have just ten minutes to walk quickly to the beach with camera in hand....

I love watching the sunrises and sunsets... if you know me on Facebook you'll know I try to describe the sunrises I briefly see and often cannot record. I can see a bit of both from the windows of my cell. I can see just a bit of the East Bay and just a bit more of the North Bay and Richmond across the bay.... as I type this I can see the calm light blue waters of the San Francisco Bay and it looks so peaceful and lovely... sighSo, the other day I missed a gorgeous sunset.... I hate it when I am inside organizing my files. I spend so many hours doing this... it seems all of my work to be done involves a keyboard and a monitor.... it seems to me it's inhuman to be indoors when the sun sets when I should be outside enjoying that final splash of color upon the hills, seeing all the windows brighten as they reflect the lowering sun... last night's set was no less than a flaming glow that burned the clouds, put the bay afire, and had everyone out to watch this glorious colorful day's finale.Why would anyone, me included, sit in front of a computer or even worse: a television set when the real drama that is Life sits beyond our imprisonment of confining walls. I wonder if this generation will remember where the air is free and filled with laughter and sadness, hearing the noisy sounds of the day and muted sounds of each night... and recall easily a time and place when kids and adults mingle in that non-virtual reality show that does not come to us through emissions or cables.... sigh

On the other hand, I have been shooting black and white more... I love BLACK AND WHITE!! I love the softness of the grays upon skin, and the shadow details when there is texture... and there is LOTs of texture in this world we call Life!I remember a time past when, for over 30 years I loaded film for my hungry camera into those tiny black film cassettes, and processed film within a small dark room. After I started living in Spain, I built my own dedicated darkroom, then would shoot during the day, then process and print during the night..... and I intend to return to that life within a few more years.... :-) I don't want to live in front of a monitor, looking at digital images, wondering how long my virtual negatives will exist on CDs, DVDs or on some hard drive.

I want to touch my negatives..... want to see the magic of photography as the images appear before my eyes in the dark....

From last night, I share with you these images from my mind and my eyes.... if you see beauty, then thank Nature and Life. I am just a traveler in this world, passing through ever so slightly and softly... never to return nor to look back.... eyes always ahead to the future.... that isn't virtual but a Life of real dreams, real people, with its disadvantages of fears, its cries of pain and tears, but also of happy moments and love, laughter and words....

Trauma films on North Beach streets

I cannot believe the circumstances: it's been four decades (give or take a few hours/days) since I stood on the corner of Taylor and Filbert Streets in San Francisco's North Beach and watched in awe...... the filming for the movie Bullit was wrapping up one of its many scenes of the famous bouncing-off-the-crest-of-those-SF-hills chase sequence, and now I am again a more mature witness to another modern-day filming on the very same street corner.... and this time I have a camera!!!
Today it was to be for a TV pilot to be aired possibly in a month for NBC and titled Trauma. The camera crew and actors have been been filming for the past few weeks in various SF locations, their biggest and loudest being the explosion on the King Street off-ramp some weeks ago.

But I remember waaay back when, as a kid, on this very corner where I stood there was just a film crew of not even a handful of the production crew. With just a single camera, three cars (two chase scene cars and an "innocent" VW bug) and no police for traffic control.

Tonight there was at least five trucks with a work crew of at least 50, one very noisy but fast car, and even portable toilets and a food cart, plus a huge power generator... about five motorcycle policemen were utilized for traffic control, and even more!!!

Boooy, has the times changed! There were quite a big crowd of about 18 just standing around tonight in the cold wind watching ~ but I do remember as a kid 40 yrs ago, there wasn't but five watching..... and it was during the afternoon. I stood on the sidewalk at the northeast corner of Taylor & Filbert just behind the camera crew!!! :-)

Tonight this speeding car flew down the hills, skidded a little as he hit the brakes a bit too much then swung around to his right; the scene was well lit with small lights on the hill, plus a huge bright light at the very top of the street pointed south to our corner.

The last time I was here those two Bullit cars flew down the hills, screeched on their brakes and skidded to their left.... in this link to a youTube video (not responsible for any broken links but was functional when I tested while writing this) of just the movie's chase scene, the chase down Taylor Street starts at about 4mins 10 seconds. You can see Crystal Tower apartment building in the background and the little moss-green VW bug gets passed by the two speeding cars.... ;-)My, have the times changed!!here he comes DOWN Taylor street!!

so I've been busy.....

and while I wait for the latest and last filming of the new television series "Trauma" pilot taking place within 200 feet of where I sit typing this, and thought to kill time while waiting, I'd describe my last few weeks in my City.

Eyes: Of course the healing is great and progressing very well; the last checkup in San Jose weeks ago went well and no more checkups, unless I stab myself in the eye again as I have too many times already. I love not having to wear glasses and even frown upon wearing my super-light sunglasses. The only thing I miss is having glasses on all the time for the sole purpose of protecting my eyes during periods of high wind, debris in the streets, etc. No more of that as I wear glasses as rarely as possible these days.

My tiny folding bicycle: Am looking forward to riding again. I now have a light, a U-lock and a mirror as I hate turning around to check for cars, bikes and people behind me. I changed the position of the cutey bell-ringer to my right-side handle so it's easily accessible. All I need now is a mate/friend with a bike also to ride with!!! :-)

Sunsets: Of course I've been to and seen quite a few as always. Earlier in the year after returning from Spain the sun was setting at a hour too close to my sister's release from work, and I missed quite a few great sunsets. But now the sun is starting to set later in the afternoon fortunately, and I can once again get to a great location hopefully to catch a few good golden gate sets!Culture: Last weekend a thoughtful friend if my sister invited us to join her at the Legion of Honor and the de Young museums. I hadn't been to the Legion ever, but I was a weeee-lad when I went accompanied by classmates during a grammar school field trip to the de Young. It's so exciting to see historic art and pieces and descriptions of things and times past; I love history and often look and think back to times long gone...
Architecture: Downtown is always a challenge and a delight for me... challenging because I have to crank my eyes upward giving me the most painful pain in the neck literally!! A heavenly delight because of what I see... the beauty, the uniqueness and modern glass glory mixed with the old... it's all so wonderful!!
Macy's 63rd annual flower show: I was informed of this event by a fellow Yelper, I went to see the flora designs at the Union Square Macy's main store. It was really very interesting and colorful. I saw some great displays that required a lot of time, planning and flowers. Unfortunately this display ends this Saturday, April 18th... More pictures are posted at my flickr site....