art is the new religion

here's some dogs

The latest edition of Tiny Showcase comes out today, so I clicked over to the site to see if I could catch it right when it went up.  Instead of the new edition, I caught last week's edition which I had somehow missed!  It's by San Francisco's own Jay Howell, it was printed by Providence letterpress artist Dan Wood and it's awesome.  Too bad the limited run is already sold out. 

It's called "Here's Some Dogs":

I'm sad I was unable to purchase one of these.  I need some cheering up:

I'll conclude this post with two inspirational quotes from the artist Jay Howell:

"Take a stand against the jerks from hell. They are out there and they want you to feel bad just because they do. You will not be taken down, YOU are from Tuff Town and they are from the lame village across the river. We launch rocks at them for a reason."

"All I'm saying is that it's so important to be yourself. That's all you have to offer so just be honest. It's really scary to put yourself out there knowing that everybody is going to come down on you because they think they know where you're coming from and what you've been through. That's never, ever true. Personality is art."

Support local artists this weekend in San Francisco

All this week I've been writing about buying local and buying directly from artists and makers.  So I'm excited to tell my blog readers in San Francisco about some of this weekend's opportunities to do just that.

The Capsule Design Festival is back this Sunday in my gorgeous neighborhood of Hayes Valley:

Capsule Design Festival
Sunday, October 19, 2008
11:00 am ‘til 6:00 pm
Hayes Valley Park
Octavia and Hayes Streets, San Francisco, CA 94102

Sunday's event will feature 160 clothing, jewelry, children's, lifestyle and accessory designers so you're bound to find something you love.  Check out the complete list of designers.  This video shows an aerial view from the event they held this past spring.

SF Open Studios continues this weekend.  Weekend 3 concentrates in the following neighborhoods:  Bernal Heights, Castro, Duboce, Eureka Valley, Glen Park, Mission, Noe Valley, Portola.  I'm planning on stopping by Art Explosion Studios in the Mission, which offers a chance to see well over 100 artists across three locations which are within walking distance of each other.

Also on Sunday is the 20th Annual Festival on the Hill in my old 'hood, Bernal Heights.  Reason I mention this is because a band I heard last Sunday at Indie Mart, Blue Rabbit, is playing the festival at 12:45pm. Blue Rabbit is fronted by three women, with Heather penning the songs and Sarah and Arami cooking up some gorgeous lead harmonies.  Their playfulness and beautiful blending of voices remind me a little bit of Tilly and the Wall, but the addition of a cello player adds a moodiness to the music.  A very fun band to see live.

Indie Mart, Part 2: Feathery Doo-Dads and Such

I ended up buying several things at the Indie Mart at Thee Parkside on Sunday.  Buy local, buy handmade -- it's the best possible way to shop.

After I got some money from the ATM and a beer from the bar, I headed outside to where the alley was blocked off and most of the designers had set up their booths.  The the first person I ran into was Jen from Nooworks.  She had a slew of her stylish t-shirts, dresses and accessories with her.  Her t-shirts come in great colors and bold designs, and they're so soft and comfortable that you can take them home already feeling like you've being wearing them for years.

 

From Velvet Surrender I bought one of those feathery, Kenley-esque, of-the-moment doo-dads that I will somehow have to figure out how to wear.  Those ladies of VS were very nice and were selling their creations for way too cheap, so get a bargain while you can. 

I'd been looking for an everyday necklace and Ofina made exactly what I had in mind, so I picked up two very simple and pretty necklaces at a great price.  Then while I was sitting and catching up with my friend Sheryl whose jewelry line is called Rock Candy, I saw someone try on this bracelet and then put it back because it was too small for her wrist.  So, of course the only thing I could do was buy it myself, because who else could she sell such a small bracelet to?

I believe in buying from local and DIY designers because it's a good thing to do, to support people who are pursuing their creativity.  But there are a lot of upsides as the customer.  You can hear the story behind the design or the business, you get to wear something unique, and when you do buy directly from the designer you often get a heavy discount.  When you buy one of these creations from a retail store, designers usually only take home around 50% of the purchase price because the store has to make money, too.  But when you purchase directly from the artist, they often price their stuff somewhere between retail and wholesale prices, so you get a nice discount and they actually make a little more cash in hand.

So when you buy stuff at your local craft fair or sample sale, everybody wins!

art for the weekend

We're coming up on the second weekend of the 33rd Annual SF Open Studios:

"For over 30 years, San Francisco Open Studios has provided the public with an opportunity to see artists in their workspaces. As the largest and first open studios program in the country, San Francisco Open Studios showcases artists without judgment and invites art lovers to make friends and start or build their art collections."

Each weekend presents opportunities to see artists in different neighborhoods.  This weekend I'll get to stroll around my neighborhood to meet some of the artists who live near me.

Weekend 2: October 11 & 12, 11am-6pm
Buena Vista, Diamond Heights, Fort Mason, Haight, Hayes Valley, Marina, Mount Davidson, Pacific Heights, Richmond, Sunset, Twin Peaks, West Portal (see the full map)

 

I love SF Open Studios.  It's a terrific excuse to wander around the city and meet some neighbors, and a great way to explore a neighborhood you don't know very well.  It's also fascinating to see the space where an artist works, and discover some of the creations that are being made inside buildings you may pass by every day.  Many of the artists make a bit of a party out of it, serving wine and snacks and offering up conversation about what they've been working on.  And if you fall in love with a work of art, you can buy it directly from the creator.  There's nothing better than that.

Speaking of buying art directly from the artist, I'm kicking off my art-filled weekend tonight by going to see a new exhibition by Annie Galvin (aka Wexford Girl) called 49 Reasons Why.

Two of Annie's paintings hang in my bathroom and serve as a constant reminder of life's mysteries:

(Read the story behind these paintings.)

Artists do important work.  They strive to know themselves, tap into their inspiration and persevere against the odds to turn the vision in their heads and hearts into tangible works we can enjoy.  We should support them and celebrate them, and this weekend in San Francisco gives us plenty of opportunity.  So get out and enjoy some art! 

How Frosty lost her top case

This is why we can't have nice things.

Shortly after I got Frosty, my scooter, I ordered a matching top case for her.  A top case is the optional rounded suitcase-looking thing that's installed on the butt end of the scooter.  It more than doubles the storage space, since the only built-in storage is under the seat and that's just big enough to hold your helmet.

It took almost two months for the matching blue top case to arrive, so it was an exciting day when I went to the SF Scooter Centre to have the case installed.  I have really enjoyed the top case these past few months.  When I arrive at my destination, I can store my my unwieldy armored scootering jacket (I like to call it my Robocop jacket) in there and not have to lug it around, carrying it awkwardly over my arm.  When I'm at the grocery store, I don't have to consider my purchases so strategically according to size and weight (the top case easily fits awkwardly shaped products like a six pack of bottled beer, which is not easy to transport otherwise). 

There were downsides to the top case though.  It was kind of rickety and not top quality, which I found out only after I purchased it and had it installed.  I had chosen the blue top case because it looked cuter than the black ones I've seen, but it turns out that the black Givi cases are sturdier, roomier and removable. 

Speaking of removable...

My blue top case was bolted to the back of my scooter by four screws.  A few weeks ago, I heard some rattling around and noticed the back set of two screws had come very loose.  I asked Steve, my scooter mentor, for help tightening them and he figured they'd come loose from the vibration of riding around.  He tightened all four screws and sent me on my merry way.  Then, two days later, the other set of two screws had nearly come off completely.  Vibration, or attempt at grand theft top case?  I was a little worried that someone was stalking Frosty, trying to steal her top case (which I always left empty) and returning to the scene of the crime after unsuccessful attempts.

I didn't get a chance to get the screws retightened that day, and when I woke up the next morning my suspicions were confirmed.  All four screws were loose, a few missing, and some crackhead had clearly tried to rip through the thin layer of metal that kept the case attached.

As you can see, the crackhead was almost successful.  You may also notice that in this photo, the case is no longer affixed to Frosty.  That's because I had to take an emergency trip to SF Scooter Centre to explore my options.  Turns out you can't just buy a new black metal plate to replace the one ruined by the determined crackhead - I would have to order and purchase a new top case all over again.  So, while the thief was thwarted, they did manage to render my top case utterly useless.  Currently it sits on my desk at work, lying on its back like a dead bug, taking up space.

My friends at SF Scooter Centre were sympathetic to my plight, so as a gesture of goodwill they offered me a deep discount on one of the black Givi cases.  They even made light of my crackhead story on the printed price quote.

While the black Givi case does sound sturdier and safer (I could unlock and remove it completely, storing it inside my apartment when I'm not using it), I'm hesitant to buy it just for some other crackhead to come along and try to steal it.  I went through so many break-ins, thefts and woes when I had a car, and now, sadly, my scooter innocence is lost too.

This is why we can't have nice things.  In San Francisco.

So I think I'll go without a top case for a while.  It does make Frosty ride a little more swiftly and quietly.  And, you have to admit, she's got a pretty cute rack.

Speaking of whiskey...

Saturday night at restaurant paul k in Hayes Valley, a leisurely dinner and great conversation.

I ordered a Zelda cocktail:  Knob Creek (that's whiskey, not whisky), peach bitters, muddled mint, splash water.  It was enough to last me the whole evening.

The arugula salad was paltry, especially after I asked them to take out the prosciutto bacon, but the Greek fries (oregano, manouri cheese, harissa ketchup) were a salty miracle.  I wrapped things up with the bittersweet chocolate fudge cake with cardamom creme anglaise, which was yum, of course, but too rich to finish.

The service was friendly if a bit slow, and the food was tasty if a bit overpriced.  Not a bad place to go in the neighborhood, but I'd sooner recommend (and return to) Bar Jules.

Speaking of forks on plates, when I was at Cafe Was last weekend, the friendly mustachioed waiter behind the bar swooped in to take away the salad he'd just served me, the one I'd barely made a dent in. 

"Wait, I'm not finished - "

"Oh, your fork was placed at three o'clock, so I assumed you were."

Three o'clock?  Fork signals!  I had no idea.  Have you ever heard of positioning your fork strategically to send secret messages to the waiter?  What else can my cutlery communicate on my behalf?

Blue Bottle expansion at the Ferry Building

This just in!

I wish the folks at Blue Bottle had a blog.  If you google them you'll find two abandoned ones.  Sad.

Check out my mug

These days, when I go to grab coffee, I bring my own mug.  Always the same mug, a promotional one from Much Music USA. My friend Laurie gave it to me when she was working there and we were both living in New York, so I've kept this mug for at least seven years, across three different cities.

It's very lightweight, made out of some sort of plastic, and it never gets hot.  It also has a plastic lid so it's safe to use it near my laptop and valuables.  It's shatterproof, so I can throw it in my bag when it's empty and not worry about it breaking. 

I probably get Blue Bottle coffee with it at least five times a week, whether it's at Cento by my office, in Hayes Valley by my apartment, or during my weekly trip to the Ferry Building farmers market.  The baristas hand it back to me sometimes with questions about it or just a compliment, but always filled with a soy latte and topped off with a fancy design.

I've surely saved a tree or two with my reusable mug.  Best mug ever.

slow food sellout

One of the best aspects of living in San Francisco is being surrounded by the amazing quality and selection of food around here.  Northern California provides the perfect soil and weather to grow a variety of succulent fruits and veggies, and slow food/organic/culinary visionaries have elevated clean, simple, tasty food preparation to a high art.

Organic food often gets a bad rap for being too expensive, and in cases like the $8 nectarine at Zuni, I agree.  But for the most part I'm happy to pay a premium price for premium food, because I'm ingesting it.  It's going inside my body!  Half the high-price complainers I hear are strutting around in $150 boots or driving $30,000 cars.  Sure, you could get conventionally-grown bananas for a lot cheaper, but at what price?  I see organic eating as a long term investment -- check back with me in a decade or so and we'll see how good I look and feel. 

But there's a short term payoff in eating organic fruits and veggies:  the taste.  Any time someone starts complaining about the uselessness of buying organic, I wish I had a portable taste-test station with me.  All I would need to do is have them taste a conventionally grown strawberry, followed by an organic strawberry.  I remember tasting my very first organic strawberry about 8 years ago at a farmers market in Manhattan's Upper West Side.  "This tastes like candy!!" I thought to myself, and ecstatically bought two basket to take home.  Later on, I realized why I'd compared it to "wild strawberry" candy -- because fruit is meant to taste that way.  Ever since conventional growers began cultivating the biggest (bigger is better, right?), brightest (it's all about looks in this country) and heartiest specimens (able to sustain traveling long distances) to meet the demands of the big box grocery stores, most of us have forgotten that fruits and vegetables are supposed to taste good.  You know how when you cut open your conventionally-grown strawberry it's mostly white inside?  Organic strawberries are a deep, tasty, dark red throughout, and the smallest ones are often the best.

This weekend San Francisco is hosting the inaugural Slow Food Nation event, billed as an opportunity to "celebrate, learn and act to build a food system that is sustainable, just and delicious."  My mouth was watering at the thought of strolling and sampling my way through the Taste Pavilions (coffee! chocolate! beer!) but the tasting tours are completely sold out.  And as much as I agree that Slow Food Rocks, I don't see the connection between great produce and Gnarls Barkley, especially not at 60 bucks a ticket.

In lieu of attending Slow Food Nation this weekend, I'll make my regular Saturday morning visit to the best Taste Pavilion in the US: the Ferry Building farmers market.  I get amazing produce, coffee, prepared foods and flowers there every week, and it's the main reason I eat so well.

All these thoughts were inspired by my breakfast this morning.  I ate candy stripe figs, black mission figs, golden raspberries and blackberries with granola and yogurt.  A typical beautiful breakfast for me.

* Special thanks to my iPhone for the distorted image.

Tiny Showcase

Continuing on yesterday's theme of cool stuff I've bought online, I'm going to let the cat out of the bag on a site that I check religiously, every single week:  Tiny Showcase

Jon Buonaccorsi and Shea'la Finch created Tiny Showcase in 2004 as a way to help share the talents of their artistic friends, and get some affordable art in the hands of art enthusiasts.  Each week they pick a new piece of tiny artwork and turn it into a limited-run print production, donating a percentage of the money from each print to a charity chosen by the artist.  Usually the pieces cost just $20 and they often sell out of the runs of 100 or 200 prints before the week is out.

I've been stalking the Tiny Showcase site for months, eagerly anticipating Tuesday afternoons when they update the site with the art for that week (I have a reminder in my calendar to tell me exactly when to check in).  I even read through Jon and Shea'la's weekly emails, which are very conversational and entertaining, and really should be blog posts.  They sort of have a blog on their homepage, but you can't comment on what they write.  (Jon and Sheal'la - why not archive those emails as a blog & get some comments going from your community of art patrons?  I work for a blogging company, I'll totally hook you up.)

About a month ago, it finally happened -- they featured a piece of art that I had to have:

Maxwell Loren Holyoke-Hirsch's "Of Stars and Other Somebodies" fits perfectly with my art collection, echoing my themes of small animals, nature scenes, gramophones and humans with antlers growing out of their heads.  I sent in my PayPal payment and got my gorgeous print in the mail a few days later.

In doing a bit of research for this blog post, I just realized Maxwell Loren Holyoke-Hirsch lives in San Francisco!  How about that.  *waves to Maxwell*

Thank you, Tiny Showcase, for all that you do.