Outdoor views leaving Illuminate's Grace Windows

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.

There was even a little bit of neon to enjoy.

 

Illuminate's Grace Windows (25 Sept 2026)

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. 

It was a delightful experience. 

Mexican Training Ship ARM Cuauhtémoc visiting SF

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)

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. 

Angel Island Controlled Burn (23 September 2026)

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

Long walk with Instax

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

 

Looking toward Market from points north

So many views, in this City... 

Warehouse with history

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

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

Colorful and spiny

 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

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

Levi Plaza Water Features

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

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

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

 

Giro di San Francisco

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

 

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

 

More scenes of Ocean Beach (6 September 2026)

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

Sunset Dunes Murals (6 September 2026)

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

Watching wind riders (6 September 2026)

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!

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.

Learning about shipbuilding

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

 

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.

Putting the ah in dahlia

I picked up several bouquets of dahlias Tuesday and shared them with my team: here the mine as of Saturday morning, in golden early morning light... 

Autumn arrives (3 September 2026)

The signs of autumn have been piling up for weeks, and now we've had a day with proper rain.  It's here! 

NoPa and what would be East of the Park walk (29 August 2026)

I left the fog bank dominating my neighborhood and went looking at Victorians in the NoPa (north of the park) area, and also east of it.  SO MANY ADORABLE HOUSES!  I enjoyed it, even though only south-facing buildings were lit the way I wanted. 

Local iris

The complexity of flowers can be so pleasing... 

Bay foam (filter fun)

The patterns foam makes on the surface of water is nearly as good as reflections...  These are versions of the foam in unnatural colors thanks to an app.  I have a set of favorite unnatural colors to apply, and enjoy looking at them. 

Thurdsday night sunset (27 August 2026)

It feels like autumn now!  My neighbor's plum tree is losing its leaves, the nights are warmer, the mornings are darker... 

Duboce Park and thereabouts

The sun broke through the clouds in the afternoon, so I went out to scope out photography subjects with my Lomo Instant Wide Glass camera and a half neutral-density filter starting at Duboce Park.  The camera can handle both Instax Mini and (with a different back) Instax Square film.  I was more in a Mini mood, and meandered north and east from the park, which has many lovely homes adjacent to it.

I primarily looked at Victorian-style homes, especially those that are colorful or have unusual detailing.  That was fun!  This subject is well-received on my Lomohome to my pleasant surprise.  However, I have to manually scan the prints, and still have a box from May 2025 awaiting scanning, so it could be a while.

It was strange to feel like I was baking in the sun, and then return home on the streetcar and emerge back in a fog belt.  I had to change clothes from sweating so much!  But the walk was pleasant and I saw some houses I hadn't seen before.  I was even invited inside a church to take in the view of the stained glass from the inside, and apparently share instant camera tastes with a child who was also at the church. :). (Good taste, kid!)

Fading (dahlias)

They lasted a long time, and then they were DONE. 

Red dahlias

 

Wall of fog, circle of pigeons

These things may be unrelated, beyond the fact that I encountered them within a short period of time on Sunday. 

Three views inside SFM0MA

So many shades of cream and blond wood... 

Concert in the fog

From the comfort of my bed, I enjoyed the Strokes' surprisingly great set at Outside Lands, the music festival in Golden Gate Park.  The fog exceeded even the smoke machines on stage to make the many colored lights associated with the show on our soccer fields GLOW.  So pretty!  (I already have the new Strokes album, and am enjoying it very much!) 

North Beach (3 August 2026)

I was supposed to have a day off, because I worked over a company holiday, but then I worked on the comp day also...  But at least I got outside. 

YB Station

 

YBG

 

Windfoils (now I know what they are)

I wanted to know more about the competition we came across, but my searches for sail / kite / board / surfing were all in vain.  Windfoil is apparently a word now. 

Marina-ness

 

Wave Glass Woman

 

Saturday in the Park

The weather was warm, and the fog pulled back enough for me to enjoy infrared photography! What a great day.

It was all I could hope for.  My feet will forgive me for the 16k steps in new shoes.