my neighborhood

  On my brisk evening walk to Polk Street (Walgreen's) searching for some new Halloween decorations and batteries, I considered the changes in recent years to my neighborhood.  Partly this has been on my mind for the announcement that the Red Devil Lounge would be closing at the end of the year.  While the Red Devil is only a venue I would visit occasionally, it was a nice club with some attractive acts (the Blasters, Lee Rocker, Susana Hoffs, Mel Martin, Big Sam and His Funky Nation, KRS-1, English Beat) but I like it because it's a club with live music that won't be offering this up anymore.

   In the last year we've lost the Lumiere Theater, while watching BarFly I climbed under seats from the back row to the front and didn't get too sticky.   Gramophone Video -which had a great selection of Noir and independent films with a terrific and sarcastic staff that we got to know well.  I was shocked when George told me that they were closing.  I knew George when he was a Double Rainbow customer but since Gramophone closed, I have not seen him once.   Gramphone's owner Marlin gave Dexter and I A's tickets to the last game of the year for 3 years in a row.  In 1998 both  the Royal and Alhambra movie theaters closed.  Although from the photo you can see that the Royal didn't have the greatest of films.  The Alhambra was a beautiful place to sit- it's a gym now.  Waste, I say.

I miss See's Candies which was right next to the Royal.  Swan's Oyster Bar is still open -it is a one of a kind family owned place. If it ever closes, a place like Swan's will be gone for good.  Brownie's Hardware is still open but has lost some of the community spirit that it once had; maybe it's the community that left Brownie's. We still have Bob's donuts (thank you) and I am certainly grateful for this.  However with the hordes of young'ens in the neighborhood on Fridays and Saturdays, Bob's is too crowded.  We have a fewmore coffee shops, many more restaurants and plenty of hipster bars and overpriced deli's. Where did the bookstores go?

 The little restaurant supply store is still in business, run by Rita (she's 90!), same old Walgreens', the cold but I know them, Big Apple grocery store (1988? ).  Oliver still misses his old favorite store, Polkadot where Johanna made him feel likea young Prince.  20 years of the Bell Tower is a good thing, and 20 years ago I saw Emmylou Harris inside watching a Braves playoff game.  Later, Megan and Allison were great buddies to Dexter.  Later, Oliver but the bonds were established and dug deep with Dexter.  The owner of the Bell, Barb is a great lady. Sad to say I'm forgetting the name of the family owned market that used to be across the street from Double Rainbow.

Lucky 13

Saturday afternoon

Golden Gate Park Lloyd's Lake

Bettye Lavette early set

Bettye Lavette singing Lucinda Williams "Joy"

Mike Farras and The Roseland Rhythm Revue, Sunday morning

very crowded beneath blue skies

Flatlanders (Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock)

Tift Merritt, Sunday at the Porch stage

boys at the Porch stage

Allison Brown, Tim O'Brien, Vince Gil (Tribute to the Masters)

Sunday morning calm

keepaway

more keep away with he who likes being kept away from

Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell play a spirited set

their set and the view from the Keep Away games area

Friends and Family area, Banjo stage

Sunday morning (it's great crowded but even better when there is plenty of room to breathe)

photo by Dexter, as the festival comes to a close

Another wonderful Hardly Strictly year, referred to as "Lucky 13".  With the mix of  the hot sunny weather-(everyday was in the 80's!) and also the government shut down meaning no Blue Angels for Fleet week making  for a very crowded festival, as everyone came here.  Later estimates were that Golden Gate Park was  2.5-3 times more crowded than last year. That's crazy.  Also, I thought last year's line up was more diverse than the Lucky 13th but it's still an overload of musical riches.  Maria and I volunteered on Friday watching over  four compost, recycle, landfill stations.  Dedicated to our responsibilities (perhaps a little too much), this didn't allow the visiting of other stages but the Banjo stage was great anyway.

      New discoveries:  Mike Ferras and the Roseland Rhythm Review (TN), The Alah-Lahs(LA,CA), The Brothers Comatose (SF)

    Other sets enjoyed: Bettye Lavette, Seldom Scene, Tift Merritt, Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell     Bonnie Raitt (killed on Friday),  The Flatlanders, Steve Earle and the Dukes, Dave Alvin with Greg Leisz, Justin Townes Earle, Tim O'Brien (as is Buddy Miller, always good in any configuration), Boz Scaggs ( old soul stuff), Calexico, Peter Rowan, Ralph Stanley, Mike Scott and Steve Wickham of the Waterboys, Patty Griffin, Richard Thompson, Laurie Lewis, Allison Brown  
       
      Sets I missed: (due to heat, rest, scheduling conflicts): Los Lobos, Buddy Miller, Kate McGarrigle tribute,  Natalie Maines, Trampled by Turtles, Felice Brothers, First Aid Kit, Low, Deep Dark Woods, Go To Hell Man Clan.  However many of the sets were streamed and are archived. Visit here:
http://www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com/2013/

        It's during the evening music, playing catch or keep away with the boys and Maria,and sets at the intimate Porch stage . Despite all the people, the calm and goodness that this event generates.   It can't be beat.  Life can be so good.

A Very Special Game

In early September we went to a game that was not the greatest (bad defense, Giants!) a 3-2 late inning loss but was special for us because we went with John, Dexter and Oliver's Grandpa.  This was John's first visit to AT&T of the year and we were happy to host.  Maria was beaming full of pride and joy to have the seat next to Dad.  The Giants staff were very hospitable but it was a very hot day- driving us inside for the middle innings. I think we missed Lou Seal as I heard Lou was looking for us.  Other than that heat, it was a very good day. Earlier, Maria and John took a tour of the Bay Bridge.

  Just before the beginning of the game we bumped into Cindy, Jaime, Kuba and Diego.  Nice surprise!

Catching Up

I like this photo of us at a ballgame; there is great comfort here

We got to visit with Kevin, in from Brooklyn.  Also just before with Traci too. We hope to visit them next year (NY and Chicago)

Dexter is much more courageous than I in jumping into pools But this only took me about 15 minutes just to do this.

My thank you badge from Park Ranger Ron

From Dexter's 15th Birthday; the semi-annual dropping of 150 Dexter balls.

Sis, Kev at a duo birthday for Dexter and Dad. Kind of sad not having Dad around

Volunteering on Clean Up States Park Day. A project in the Presidio on the most beautiful of mornings

We cleared out a patch of land of weeds and invasive-not native plants

Park Ranger Ron, who joked that with rumors of a government shutdown, he would be furloughed on Tuesday (ungh. turns out this came true), with volunteers.  The family in back were doing this as a citizenship duty (they were non stop). We planted Red Fescue and Pacific Hairgrass seeds.  The idea came about from a friend who was doing this on the East Coast.  Good idea!  It was nice to get outside early on a Saturday morning.  Not so nice that I spent the afternoon indoors at work.

when I was done I enjoyed walking to the water and appreciating the beautiful land

On Angel Island on what was a very wet morning (fortunately we missed most of the rain while riding out later on a Ferry)

On our way to Bobby and Meredyth's dual 30th birthday party.  We look forward to their baby in February.

other guests on Angel Island

Barbara and Michael; celebrating a belated birthday for the Captain and his matey.

Despite serious concerns about a lingering injury my buddy Andrew did well at the Lake Tahoe IRONMAN, even meeting a wild black bear (hello!) and Edward James Olmos (hello!).  For anyone interested in what is needed to train for a race like this, and the experience of this accomplishment visit Andrew's blog:
http://www.ironw00t.com/

And Katherine continues her whirlwind work/travel tour (has she really been traveling the world for 1.5 years now!?! from Mexico City.
We went to see Allen Touissant at the SF Jazz Center!  GC celebrated his 15th too!  The Dempsey Fantasy Football League begins and Team Box Strong is off to a good start!