My City By The Bay

And the winner is Dragon Blogger.  You can visit his website at http://www.wandererthoughts.com  Thanks to all who contributed. 

Here is the winning poem. 

From A Top The Bridge

I am a spirit who lives atop this bridge
I watch all those around me in their busy lives
Crossing the great water without realizing its majesty
Riding in metal beasts transporting them

I am a spirit who lives atop this bridge
Whose beauty and sculpture is lost on the masses
We are the souls of those who came before you
A tribute and a gesture is all that is asked

I am a spirit who lives atop this bridge
Pass your hopes and dreams onto me
I can bridge lands, I can bridge dreams
Your future has no uncertainty-

Poem by Dragon Blogger

Here is the link to the original post http://insanfrancisco.today.com/2008/10/13/writing-contest-calling-all-writers/

I’ve always been a bird lover.  I had many birds as pets when I was young.  I love going to parks looking for them and hearing them sing through the trees.  While in the botanical gardens here in San Francisco one morning I was walking around getting some photos of the trees when I happened on this park bench with a little bluebird taking a rest.  He was so vividly colored and cute and was sitting so still.  I was afraid I’d scare him away but at the same time wanted this picture.  I slowly walked up to the bench as quietly as I could walk and was able to get this shot of him.  Right after I snapped the picture he flew away, almost as if he knew what I was doing.  It’s difficult to get photos of birds as they are always flitting about so I was certainly lucky this day.

This venue is a bit difficult to explain due to its uniqueness.  It is an eclectic mixture of cabaret, circus, acrobatics and dinner show.  The music is mostly cabaret type theatre music along with high wire acrobatics and pole maneuvers by the entertainers.  This is all taking place while you’re having dinner.  It’s fun and entertaining if you don’t mind this type of theatre while dining.  If you are the type that just wants a nice dinner with some leisurely conversation, this is not for you.  It’s also interactive in that the entertainers will at random pull diners up on stage to be a part of their act.

The seating is good especially if you are seated along the walls in the booths.  You will get a great view of the entire room by sitting there.  The costumes are colorful, vivid and just really beautiful.  Everyone including the waitstaff is very friend and accommodating.

The food is good as well.  I loved the black bean raviolis.  The portions are small but satisfying.  The tickets which include your dinner are expensive and do not include drinks.  However this is a very unique attraction and something everyone can enjoy.

For more information visit http://www.zinzanni.org

A walk along the Embarcadero from the Ferry Building to Pier 39, Fisherman’s Wharf and up to Ghirardelli Square is always alot of fun and great exercise.  I was out there yesterday when the Farmer’s Market at the Ferry Building was in full swing.  The public pier is right near the Ferry Building around pier 5 or 7.  It’s a long wooden pier which stretches out to the bay and has some great views of the city.  I shot the photo above which shows the Transamerica/pyramid building in the background and gives you a sampling of the San Francisco skyline.  I will be taking many more pictures in the weeks to come.  The weather yesterday was perfect and without fog so it was a shutterbugs delight.

Photo courtesy of http://www.pachd.com

Golden Gate Park has so many beautiful trails and is home to many sightseeing destinations and leisurely activities.  Stow Lake is one of those fun places to visit.  There resides many a bird species which I personally love and also houses boats which the public can utilize for an hour or so.  There are also bike rentals in that area as well.

For about $24.00 you can take a pedal boat and roam around the area near the Japanese Tea Garden and the DeYoung etc… for about an hour.  The pedal boat seats 4 and the two seats in front is where the peddlers are seated.  It really is a great workout while you pedal.  Though if you want to just relax and enjoy the ride sit in the two back seats.  There are also row boats and electric boats though I enjoy the pedal boat.

The water is a luminous green, not to deep and on a warm day it’s just a beautiful ride around the park.  The birds are plentiful and trees and plants just beautiful.  You’ll also pass by a Chinese pagoda which is pretty cool and you’ll go through Strawberry Hill Bridge which is depicted in the photo above.It’s a great way to spend some leisurely time in the park with your family and friends especially on a clear day.

I just heard on the local news that the San Francisco 49ers are looking to hire or appoint Rice within their team.  They did not specify as to what capacity but I’m thinking maybe quarterback? Seriously though it should be interesting as to how this whole story unfolds.  We’ll keep you updated.

Tai Chi Garden

The conservatory of flowers which resides in Golden Gate Park adjacent to the Botanical Gardens was originally opened in 1879 after a San Francisco business man had bought the conservatory from James Lick - another prominent business man and gifted the conservatory to San Francisco.  It has gone through many restorations but surprisingly survived the 1906 earthquake.  After years of deterioration the conservatory was put on the list of 100 of the world’s most endangered buildings.  So, in 1998 Hilary Rodham Clinton adopted the conservatory and as a result in 1999 the conservatory closed to undergo a major restoration project.  It reopened in 2003 and is one of the word’s largest conservatories.

There is a county fair building in the front of the conservatory by the entrance where many different events are held.  There is also a library and small kiosk gift shop where you can buy calendars and books depicting different plant species.  Walking through the entire conservatory will take you through to the botanical gardens.  There is also a pond where ducks frolic and squirrels which make their home on the grounds.

As you walk through the entrance early in the morning and make a right by the small Japanese garden you’ll see many people practicing tai chi.  Mornings are my favorite time to visit and I always walk through to the botanical gardens.  It’s so very energizing and peaceful.  And if you spend the morning there you can walk over to Ninth avenue for lunch and find some great eats in the neighborhood along with some little gift shops and bookstores.  By the way the conservatory as well as the botanical gardens are always free admission.  You can find more information at http://www.conservatoryofflowers.org

This annual festival/concert/mardi gras/orgy - not really, has been taking place in San Francisco since 1978.  For years it was held at the Cow Palace but moved this year to Treasure Island which is adjacent to the San Francisco Oakland bay bridge.  It attracts over a quarter of a million people at a general admission cost of $79.00 per person.  If you want the VIP ticket you’ll be shelling out $179.00 which basically only gets you a few perks such as red carpet treatment so you don’t have to wait in line and backstage passes with celebrities.  When I say celebrities I’m speaking of the adult film type celebrities and some local musicians.  You definitely have to be 21 years of age with proof.  This is not a G rated event.  There are many bars within the complex and food catered along with artists selling their wares - we’re not talking paintings or sculptures here, if you know what I mean.  There are costume contests and if I remember correctly the grand prize is about $20,000.  If you are attending you need to be in costume.  Costume can consist of lingerie, pajamas or any other type of costume though they do not allow nudity.  However, their definition of nudity is vague at best.  I remember years ago, about 25 years in fact when I attended with a couple of friends just to see what it was like.  I can’t go now because I just don’t have the body for it anymore.  There was one woman there who was basically nude though her entire body was painted with a leopard black and white pattern and she was wearing a leopard hat so technically she was in costume.  In any case it is a big event here in the city every year right before Halloween.  It is loud, a bit trashy and it is definitely the place to people watch :)  You can take photos though no video is allowed.  I tried to find a photo to post with this article however even though there are many photos online nothing I felt appropriate to post.  So you can just google exotic erotic ball and get more information.

Love these guys.  They are so cute and friendly.  Their home is quite large at the zoo and consists of a large pond of which they daily refresh themselves and also a moat, some trees and various toys to include a large volleyball.  On warm days they ly out in the sun for hours and soak in the daily rays as well as pose for photographers of which there are many.  You’ll also find them pacing back and forth which sometimes bothers me because they look so bored and even anxious.  I always think to myself that they need to get out and have more room to roam and play.  Maybe the zoo will renovate this area.  In any case this guy is one of my favorites.

Photo courtesy of http://www.pachd.com

This month marks the 75th Birthday for Coit Tower a landmark in my beautiful city by the bay.  It was built in 1933 when Lillie Hitchcock Coit, a San Francisco philanthropist left a third of her estate to the city.  She wanted to help beautify San Francisco.  As a young girl Lillie was walking to school in the Telegraph Hill neighborhood where Coit Tower now stands.  While on her way she saw a fire truck in the street which had broken down and was being pushed up a hill by the firemen.  She dropped her book bags, went over to the fire truck and helped push it up the hill.  Long story short she became the little darling and long time friend of the San Francisco fire department.  In her later years she would hang out with them, play cards and games with them and grew to be a lifelong friend of the firefighters.  So, when she passed on and left part of her estate to the city it was only fitting to build what is now a landmark in the shape of a fire hose nozzle.  Standing at 210 feet tall on top of telegraph hill the views of San Francisco and the bay are nothing short of stunning.  Inside the tower are frescoes or murals which back in the 1900’s were painted by local artists as a program by the US government public works project.  These paintings as I call them, they are truly gorgeous works of art, depict life back in the 19th century.  They are not only works of art but tell stories as well and are a sight to see.  So, Happy 75th and many more…