Also, I send love to my doctor neighbor who used to travel to Central America and bring me back beautiful, embroidered blouses when I was a kid. I loved those. (I still have them - I've used the embroidery to make beautiful cyanotypes!)
They have a Lent-related carnaval in Europe -- Fasnacht in Switzerland, where I was working, was a big freaking deal, and the people who participated looked forward to it all year. Fasnacht was focused on European folk traditions and instruments.
SF Carnaval is focused on the traditions of Latin America, the Caribbean, and the African Diaspora throughout the Americas, so it has different folk traditions and looks quite different - and the drumming is SUPERB!
The parade openers, the low riders and classic car clubs, went on for perhaps the first hour of the parade. (I had a group from Nicaragua near me, displaying a flag, and so I heard and saw their joy for cars displaying Nicaraguan flags, or in a few cases, blue cars generally. 😄 )
Even as a cyclist/pedestrian who doesn't own a car, the particular cars in the parade reminded me of the Mission in the 1970s, and the fact that I've probably seen these same cars on the street from that era, with the same families in them (or their parents), is rather sweet. So. Many. Impalas! I can also swear on my stack of Girlyhead magazines that I also grasp the appeal of analog cars that can be maintained with the skill of an ordinary enthusiast.
What I appreciated this time (after several years of being unable to attend) was the paint. The colors! The colors with a diferent shade of sparkle that is only visible in certain light/angles! (Favorite: dark gray with red sparkle.) The subtle depth! As a painter, I appreciate the care (and love of shimmer) that went into these.
As someone who lost a dear relative who was a fan of cars, one who would respond to any photo I sent of a fin with the make and model of the car, I was also nostalgic for the response he would have given me if I had texted photos to him in real time from this event.
This is merely the address within a satisfying mural by Aaron De La Cruz and Jet Martinez (link to instagram image of entire mural).
As a gluten-intolerant vegetarian, I've struggled while traveling to eat well, but my past visits here plus research for this location paid off! I ate very well, even at a hotel without a hot-breakfast option for me.
My reference list for others like me and/or next time, in alphabetical order:
