Mobilelene

Saturday, September 26, 2026

Outdoor views leaving Illuminate's Grace Windows

Three views of the lasers from their base over a historic building as seen from California Street

The art was enjoyable inside, but outside was also satisfying!

And nighttime is always a pleasant time for a walk in a well-lit city.

Four views: three with white lights wrapped around branches; moon above building with detailed cornice; Transamerica Pyramid topped with colorful light and lights within its pyramidal tip; heavily detailed white storefront with streetlight

There was even a little bit of neon to enjoy.

Two close up images of neon signs: Cocktails with a martini glass with a lemon wedge; tin cup with a lime wedge

Illuminate's Grace Windows (25 Sept 2026)

Seven images of a dramatically lit ceiling and rose window from within Grace Cathedral during Illuminate Grace Windows

I have friends who tell me about laser art events! Illuminate's Grace Windows (illuminate.org) returned, and this time I was able to experience it!

It was LOVELY. The room was lit only by (electric) candles on the floor and at the walls, plus light streaming in from the lasers. It took a while to realize how FULL the room was, and to ensure I didn't step on anyone, or sit on someone sitting in the very dark pews.

By the time the sun set, I was ready for bed, but I'm very happy with the experience.

Three less direct views within Grace Cathedral: reflections in the south corridor

It was a delightful experience.

Mexican Training Ship ARM Cuauhtémoc visiting SF

View of the tall ship ARM Cuauhtémoc with sails furled and Mexican flag; detail of sailor on the rigging

It's nearly SF Fleet Week, and the first dramatically noticeable ship to visit comes from Mexico. The ARM Cuauhtémoc is a great-looking ship, and people are SO EXCITED to visit! The line stretched the length of Pier 15 and onto the sidewalk... I was delighted to get close (with pal A) to have a look.

Mission District Scenes (23 Sept 2026)

Six color images: Ritespot neon sign with faded paint; cloud mural on wall; Yakitori sign on Japanese lantern with smoky, outdoor dining area; mural; no left or u turn sign except bikes; blooming eucalyptus trees in front of an old building

A commute friend is moving to Europe, and I enjoyed the walk to the going away event, and the walk home! It was nice to step out of my usual patterns.

Five night images: GRAND marquee with pink lit neon; decrepit Tower marquee; neon cocktail sign; Doc's Clock marquee (restored); New Mission Theater marquee with lit green neon seen directly across the street

Angel Island Controlled Burn (23 September 2026)

Two images: top shows Bay Bridge west side from the south with Angel Island in background, with smoke drifting heavily, as if draped across the island and onto the bay to the east; bottom image is closeup of island with smoke and a ferry in foreground

I've never seen smoke drift this way... It's like it is gauze and has been draped across the island.

Sunday, September 13, 2026

Long walk with Instax

Five images of Victorian houses of various colors in San Francisco under a blue sky

My walk from Castro Station, through Duboce Park, down Divisadero, through Japan Center, and down through Civic Center yesterday was pleasant. Long, and pleasant.

30 Instax Mini photos with black frames. Photos are of buildings with a blue sky in the background.

Monday, September 7, 2026

Looking toward Market from points north

So many views, in this City...

Warehouse with history

Interior of Pier 9 main building; Bayside History Walk sign (aging badly); Pilot orange and white boat with Yerba Buena Island and tower of Bay Bridge in the background

A sign and painted pedestrian lane promised me some history, so I entered this warehouse to read some interpretive signs, including a graphic showing ship channels in the bay, and a display about lithophanes, which are 3D models which were previously carved or made of porcelain, but which can now be 3D printed. Adobe has an office/lab in this building with sophisticated printing tech, so it was their contribution to the interpretive panels.

Pier 23 neon sign

Green neon sign with orange-bordered white letters and neon reading "Pier 23"; a separate darker sign below reads "Waterfront Dining."

I'm always happy to see a well-maintained neon sign in this city.

Colorful and spiny

Sharp triangular abstract shapes made of colorful plexiglas (Pulse Portal by Detail views of the sculpture Pulse Portal by Davis McCarty)

These are detail views of Pulse Portal by Davis McCarty in San Francisco's Big Art Loop.

Triple Glass Arch

These are three views of Mareas, a public artwork by Ana Teresa Fernández.

Tribute to Stauffacher Solomon

Brightly colored Supergraphics adorn white interior walls at Levi Plaza

I believe this work is a tribute to Barbara Stauffacher Solomon, whose Supergraphics at the Sea Ranch won numerous awards.

Levi Plaza Water Features

Artificial waterfall with tea trees and round stepping stones

ALL of the water features at Levi Plaza were operating today! I enjoyed the cool shade and soothing water sounds of this fountain...

Children stride through Levi Plaza Fountain

I briefly had the paths to myself, but was soon joined by children running circuits through the paths over and through the ponds.

Three views of the central Levi Plaza water feature, including a red rock, with red brick buildings matching it in all directions

The reds of the stone and bricks felt especially vivid in the midday sun.

Giro di San Francisco

Five color detail images of lycra-clad road bike racers on SF streets

It's been so long since I RODE in the Giro di San Francisco that I forgot it was taking place on Labor Day! The weather was hot, but the riders were fast.

Around Pier 15

Gate 26; Pier 15 bayside; pattern evoking sand dollars; silt window and its shadow with Bay Bridge in background; broken yellow glass coating

Even without going INSIDE the Exploratorium (an interactive science museum), there is much to see.

The sort of abstract I would draw with acrylic ink

broken glass or broken coating on glass in yellow, white, and shadow

More scenes of Ocean Beach (6 September 2026)

Reader on the seawall; windfoil surfer; pelicans in line; people enjoying the road

Despite the wind, it was GREAT to spend a few hours on the beach.

Sunset Dunes Murals (6 September 2026)

7 mural images: woman with glasses in wetsuit with windblown hair; slow snail; happy crab, giant skateboard, fish, surfer with arm extended, sea sponge (or similar).

The pavement of Sunset Dunes Park has islands of colorful, horizontal murals. They're fun! So cheerful.

Watching wind riders (6 September 2026)

A surfer with a windfoil riding the waves at Ocean Beach, San Francisco

Late Saturday afternoon, the wind was fierce at Ocean Beach - the sand was blown hard enough to sting, and I was tempted to text friends about joining me so they could get their skin exfoliated naturally for FREE! But this was good for all the flavors of windsurfing that exist.

Three people had their windfoils and were riding close to shore. It was fun to watch!

Looking south in afternoon light on Ocean Beach as a windfoil rider gets their sail aloft to walk into the sea

I got to watch the complex effort required to get into the surf with your sail up - it didn't look easy. Cool once they were up, but not easy at all.

Sunday, September 6, 2026

Learning about shipbuilding

Autumn foliage at Salesforce Park; two scenes of the Building 12 Warehouse at Potrero Point

I visited Building 12 at Potrero Point yesterday, and learned that the ship building facilities there had an entire floor of that building devoted to scaling up drawings of the steel plates for the ship and making them out of what appeared to be heavy paper, before sending them down to be applied to steel plate and cut. I'm choosing now to think of ships as just very large items of clothing. :D

Details of blueprints of the ships Charleston and Olympia made at Union Iron Works, San Francisco

In addition to the historic information, there is always a good exhibit with a few works by several artists in the main lobby just north of the red stairwell. I'm always happy to take a detour to see what is on view.