Between Posts

Working through some IT problems. Hope to be back soon.

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In the mean time, please enjoy Tony Bennett's signature song "I Left My Heart in San Francisco", who first sang the song in the Venetian Room of the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill in December 1961 and recorded it the next month. CBS released it as the B-side of the single "Once Upon A Time". DJ's all but ignored the A-side and chose to flip over the record bringing "...San Francisco" to the top of the pop charts. Bennett received the Grammy for Best Male Solo Vocal Performance and the song received Record of the Year. 

I have always adored this song, but now have a Pavlovian response of glee because it is played over the public address system at AT&T Park after every San Francisco Giants home game victory. 

Clarion Music Center in San Francisco Chinatown

One afternoon a couple of years ago, my son asked me to take him and a few of his friends to San Francisco Chinatown. Because they were way too cool to be seen with anyone of my generation, I had a couple of hours to shoot some photographs.

I stopped dead in my tracks when I came upon this window:

I don't play any musical instruments but I dearly wanted to step inside to quell my curiosity. What would I say if they asked me if I needed any assistance? "Yes, I'm in the market for a lion dance costume."?

Fortunately, the shopkeeper was already busy with a customer.

This girl reminds me so much of my Chinese classmates when I went to school here in The City. Many spent their after-school hours in their family's shops and restaurants where they were safe, within easy reach of homework assistance, and where they could pinch-hit in case their parents had to run errands. I was pretty certain she had no desire to help me, though I'm sure she could have if I asked. She could have told me all about the drums stacked up right behind her...

...and which drumsticks would be perfect for each. She could have told me about the rain sticks standing up in the bucket; or at least that's what I think they are.

She could have told me about the Scottish bagpipes or the names of all the different stringed instruments.

I happen to know that these octagonal two-stringed Chinese violins are called ehrus .

The use of python skins for these instruments has been regulated in China since 1988.

I was pleased that the person behind the cash register, no doubt the proprietor, quietly let me use my camera.

Enjoy a clip from the Travel Channel here:

and, thanks to Ruth, here's a part of the soundtrack of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"

If you need any exotic musical instruments, or if you are just curious, be sure to visit the Clarion Music Center in San Francisco's Chinatown.

Macro Monday - There’s a Fungus Among Us

It took me forever to figure out that I developed an allergy to mushrooms. I was eager to learn why I was struck down with debilitating migraine headaches that came out of nowhere. I discovered early on that crab cakes were often the culprit -- but not always. The ones made with a mélange of many ingredients were more likely to cause a problem than the flaky ones that consisted only of flaked crab, some herbs, and a few simple binding ingredients. Finally one time, after a fabulous plate of wild mushroom fettuccini, a migraine felled me for a day and a half. Even though I used to eat mushrooms with no ill effects for years and years, I had to face the fact that I could no longer indulge in one of my favorite foods. The saddest realization is that I could no longer eat truffles like these glorious specimen I saw at the Fancy Food Show…

… in the Sabatino Tartufi booth:

There was a time not all that long ago when I would have salivated in wonder seeing a store like this one located in the San Francisco Ferry Building:

I can still take pleasure in these magnificent rarities as eye candy:

I might have even gone for one of these mushroom mini-farms…

… but now I’m afraid I only see a year’s worth of migraine headaches.

For other Macro Monday close-ups, pop over to Lisa at Lisa's Chaos.

Boulange de Cole Valley

 

Ever since my mother got sick last year, she has needed a little more help around her apartment building. Though she is doing remarkably well for being 83, my sister and I help her get the apartments ready for lease and we help her select the next tenants. Whenever I have to drive up to San Francisco to hold an open house, deliver a light fixture, or meet the electrician, I know that I have a big reward waiting for me at the end of my errand. Located just a short walk away at Cole and Parnassus is Boulange de Cole Valley.

The aroma of coffee and freshly baked goods greets me as I walk into this bustling, warm place filled with the neighborhood clientele.

If I have to hurry back home, I go for one of the Grab & Go baguette sandwiches.



But if I have time, I will have them heat up a savory croissant or quiche, or I will order a  fresh salad from the chalkboard menu.

And if I’m feeling luxurious, I treat myself to dessert

I always feel so loved when I see their self-serve counter. Who else offers Nutella and cornichons as every day condiments?

 

The food is always scrumptuous and the atmosphere is warm and inviting, but most of all, they were incredibly kind to my mother when she was sick last year, and for that I will always be grateful to them.

If you are in the Cole Valley neighborhood, please don’t miss this San Francisco treat!

San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers – Part III

The first time I returned to the Conservatory of Flowers after the restoration, the pond in the Aquatic Plants room was filled with huge Victoria amazonica waterlily plants with leaves that could measure up to six feet across. Alas, they are now gone.

 

Victoria amazonica at the Botanical Garden of Jena 

The Conservatory commissioned artist Stephen Hirt to preserve their image. Hirt used real lily pads to cast life-sized glass, bronze and steel sculptures.

Btw, I just learned that those beautiful etched-glass signs I showed you here were also done by Stephen Hirt.

When we left the Aquatic Plants room, we found a couple more orchids. One with the longest stamens I’ve ever seen on an orchid:

Gee, maybe it’s not an orchid. Anyone know?

And this one was just hanging around doing a headstand:

Then we entered the Potted Plants room:

I love this display because it is comprised of house plants that are fairly readily available. There is not one flower here, the camellias are still in bud, yet it is very colorful:

On the other hand, I have never seen a tortoise plant in a retail store:

Amaryllis blooms are gorgeous in any setting, but the perfect container and backdrop sure does wonders:

Another perfect container, this time for the Crown of Thorns:

On the way out I noticed this beautiful wreath of leucadendron epiphytes hanging overhead:

Just outside:

Across the street is a stand of tree ferns:

My sister and I then decided take a brisk walk through the Strybing Arboretum. It was dusk when we returned to the car:

It was getting too dark and we really had to go. We wished we could have stayed longer, but we were very grateful for the opportunity to recharge our souls.

San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers – Part II

Continuation of my post on the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers.

Most of the orchids live in this room:

The tropical climate in this room creates a balmy and misty atmosphere which insisted on fogging up my camera lens time and time again. Please forgive my fuzzy photos.

The orchid cabinets are a dream, but the orchids are the real stars:

Unless you are a bromeliad fan:

This one has translucent leaves:

The Nepenthes pitcher plants were creepy, yet beautiful. A sign nearby says that these plants live in environments where the competition for food is fierce, so their leaves evolved into honey-glanded pitchers designed to capture and digest gnats, flies, or moths. But the Conservatory’s website cites that they also may capture a bird, frog or small rodent. Eek! Little Shop of Horrors!

According to the website Carl Linnaeus, he named them Nepenthes recalling Homer's Odyssey and the drug ‘Nepenthe’ that Helen of Troy poured into the soldier's wine to alleviate their sorrow and grief. Linnaeus felt the Nepenthes had a similar affect on botanists.”

Any botanists out there affected the same way?

That’s all for now, next time I will show you the artwork in this room and more plants.