The installation I was going to use for the letter “I,” “Illuminavia” is located in a bar across the street from Oracle Park and it was closed so instead I’ll share some of the other interesting (I hope) tidbits about my experience with the Illuminate SF project.
First off I’ll mention my process for finding and capturing the different installations. First I had to look at all the sites and figure out how to fit them in the alphabet. Some, as I’ve said, I had to be creative about. Then I couldn’t just go alphabetically through the list because it would have meant going back and forth from one end of the city to the other. Since I knew I might have to enlist the help of my husband or daughter to drive me, I mapped out where each spot was and then made four different routes. Each route had about 6 or 7 stops and would take about an hour or so to get through. I ended up doing most of them by myself and it actually took more than an hour each time because I got out and took pictures. It looks from the maps like it would be really easy to get them all at one time but you have to remember that in San Francisco there are a lot of one-way streets so something could be right on the next block but you have to go three blocks west and two blocks south to come back to where it actually is. A few of them I went back a second time to get just the right picture/video. Fortunately we live right near the freeway so most of it was just a straight shot to the city. I planned them on Sunday night or weeknights so that the streets wouldn’t be too crowded.
While I was driving around, I did notice some other cool lights that weren’t part of the actual “Illuminate SF” program. This was a group of trees in the middle of downtown that were all lit up. I didn’t realize until I got home that Coit Tower was right behind them. I guess sometimes I have tunnel vision and focus on one thing while something else is right in front of my nose (see “Archipelago” where I totally missed a 6-foot sculpture while I was looking at a heart!)
The carousel ride at the Children’s Creativity Museum looks really pretty all lit at night. The windows of the Civic Auditorium shows the City’s pride. Louise K. Davies Symphony Hall was magnificent lighting the whole corner.
A few random lights on the buildings and more lighted trees. These trees are in Union Square (I forgot to look for the hearts!). And finally, the top of City Hall.
These aren’t lights exactly but I spotted this sculpture out of the corner of my eye when hubby was driving and he went around the block so I could get out and get these pictures. Looks like some kind of sea creature, doesn’t it? Love the pretty scales. There are lights on the ground around it so I bet if it was later in the evening it would be interesting.
As a thank you for taking me out so I could get my pictures and videos, I treated my husband to dinner at the Stinking Rose. He had a hamburger and I had a prosciutto sandwich and salad. They were delicious and too much for one meal so I had my other half for lunch the next day. This friendly guy was next to me at the bar.
And that’s my “I” for the A to Z Challenge. See you tomorrow!
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Hi, Janet!
ReplyDeleteHappy "I" day, dear friend! Just letting you know that as I begin to write this comment the pictures in this post are gigantic and need resizing, which I am sure you will attend to.
Once again, I marvel at your commitment to this self-imposed A to Z assignment. You drove many miles and did plenty of walking to gather this fine collection of images. I've said it before. The festive lights throughout the city make it seem like the holiday season all year round. That sea creature sculpture immediately reminded me of the giant flamingo sculpture inside our Tampa International Airport. Everyone who passes by stops to gaze at or pose for pictures with the colossal bird:
https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/arts-culture/2023-01-01/cora-finn-or-phoebe-those-are-the-choices-for-the-tampa-international-airport-flamingos-name
That sign explains how the restaurant and drinking hole came to be called The Stinking Rose. That fruit man bust is a striking piece of art!
Last night, Mrs. Shady and I rented Milk and enjoyed it immensely. The movie left us shaken and in tears. We glared whenever smug, self-righteous anti-gay crusader Anita Bryant and others like her spoke before the cameras. I see that she is still alive and running Anita Bryant Ministries. "Only the good die young." Sean Penn was amazing in his portrayal of Harvey Milk and richly deserved his Academy Award for Best Actor. Thank you again for the viewing tip. I hope you can watch the film again soon, because it reminds us of all the people who are, to this day, still living under the yoke of oppression. Florida's governor is out to surpass Anita Bryant and all others in his zeal to stamp out LGBTQ rights and liberties in his lifetime.
I thoroughly enjoyed this installment, dear friend Janet. Please give my buddy Benny a hug and have a wonderful day!
So sorry about the pictures! It sometimes takes a while for the post to drop and I was off to check in on my mother-in-law before it had finished. Her fridge is not working so we had to take all her food out and store it at our house.
DeleteI am so glad you got to see "Milk." I feel sorry for you all in Florida. Your governor is whacky. I heard that our governor, Gavin Newsom, was over there trying to show what a "normal" state looks like. LOL.
What did they end up naming that giant flamingo? There are actually some of the light installations at our airport too but you have to be going somewhere to see them! I miss the days when we could wander the airport or even just to be able to go meet someone at the gate.
It was a totally spontaneous dinner stop at the Stinking Rose. Honestly though I didn't taste that much garlic in my sandwich. Thanks again for stopping by, dear Shady.
I enjoyed your "I" post of interesting incidental information. And your planning and mapping out everything was clever. Being on a trip timeline, even if it sometimes ran over, makes all the wonderful photos you took all the more astonishing.
ReplyDeleteIt was great to see all the other photos you took - such an array of lovely lights. I definitely like the "sea creature" although I'm inclined to believe it's a strange seed plant. :) Stinking Rose looks like a fun place, and I do love a dose of garlic.
Thanks Deborah! I was happy that it all went relatively smoothly. There was one that took three trips to find but other than that (and the "I" that was closed) it all worked out. So many neat things in SF, right?
DeleteThe photos are so lovely. I felt almost there. And we all get tunnel-visioned at times. Thanks for visiting me. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Roland. I really wanted the experience to translate to others. Sometimes my photography is a little off.
DeleteAs I was reading about your tours and how you grouped them into one hour segments, I thought to myself that was pretty optimistic considering you had to park your car and walk to the actual locations ;-) Plus all the cool things you encounter on your way, cause after all it's San Francisco!
ReplyDeleteMakes us appreciate your posts all the more - thank you for your gigantic efforts!
So many cool pictures, I especially like the Civic Auditorium, the "Sea Creature" and the palm trees.
You ate at a restaurant called the stinking Rose??? The food must be exceptionally good there ;-)
https://thethreegerbers.blogspot.com/2023/04/jockstrap.html
LOL some of them I really could have parked in one spot and taken several pictures at once but some, even though they look close on the map, were too far apart for that. It was helpful to have my hubby and daughter along so they could drop me off and then circle back around. The Stinking Rose was very good.
DeleteHaving had visitors at the house for over a week until yesterday I am way behind on visiting anyone's blogs! I have just been through your posts up to here and I'm impressed with all your forward planning and your actual posts. I feel I've been really lazy this year with my theme but I knew I was having guests so didn't want to overstretch myself. Thanks for all your comments.
ReplyDeleteThanks Wendy! This one actually came together so easily for the most part. It's not like that every year! Appreciate you taking the time to visit.
DeleteLove all these pictures. The trees remind me of Bok Choy...lol. I love that side piece that are in the blues. That is my favourite colour. I bet the person who created that face loved this artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo. This artist is from the 1500s who created very interesting portraits using fruits, veggies, hay etc.. check him out
ReplyDelete