Madame Gonzaga's Adventurings On Platial.com

Cicely ov Decades of Fashion

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-07-01 15:58:55.255074+00:00

Zeez sexxxy broad knows herr fashion eras! Woweeee! Beeink ze vintage fan lyke I am, I sometimes kin get ze snobbies when it comes tou vintage shoppinks. I donut lyke ze overpriced frippery und I donut lyke ze cheapos hoo nose knot wot wot zay sell. Cicely nose herr stoooof. Beastsides zat, shee eez pwitty az ze picture und shee posed just fur meee! I swear I donut droool on ze moist exxxxcelllente selection ov ze shoesies!
Tags: cicely, decades of fashion, couture vintage apparel, shoes, vintage shoes, alligator bags, victorian, 70s, 40s, 50s, 60s, drooooool, gabardine, hats, jewelry, buy, trade, sell, recycled, haight ashbury, california, san francisco, second hand

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Ginger Coyote ov ze White Trash Debutantes

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-07-05 10:33:13.504713+00:00

Shee eez in ze Hoolywoods now, butt sheee oozed tou be ours! Myne fiend Mallory chirped wif ze Debs! From ze site: "1989 - The White Trash Debutantes first debuted at San Francisco's Covered Wagon Saloon at a birthday party for PUNK GLOBE Editor and Debutante Ginger Coyote. Soon they were invited to play with the likes of Debbie Harry, Bebe Buell, Ronnie Spector, Lemmy Kielmeister and The Ramones at Joey Ramone's Circus Of The Perverse party in New York City. The band quickly landed their first record deal and released "San Francisco" on Alternative Tentacles, produced by Billy Gould (Faith No More). Later, a follow-up track "Cheap Date" was released on Teen Rebel Records. The following year, Desperate Attempt Records released "Crawl For It" and soon after that Helter Skelter Records released a split 12" with Vancouver's The McKrackins."
Tags: ginger, white trash debutantes, babe, yoweeee, aroooooooousing, arousing, sing it momma!

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Carlos ze Cobbler ov Haight Street Shoe Repair

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-07-09 16:11:12.231662+00:00

I fluff Carlos' cobblings und hee doth four shoesies fur ze price ov two just fur meeee! Hee nicey! Ze creepy bear in heez window breengs heem ze luxxx und hee been zare long time. Ze landbeasts tried tou hurl heem outtie butt hee came baxxx lyke ze sly cattie. Donut let heez old-weirld ways fooool aryoooooo eentou complacency, heee veal kik-kik your assss wit' your own bootie eefin aryooo step outta lyne.
Tags: cobbler, shoe, repair, shoe repair, heels, stacked heels, spiked heels, kitten heels, flats, handbag fixing, carlos, haight street shoe repair, san francisco, handbag repair, shoe polishing

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Christy Cote ov ze Mariposa Argentine Tango Club und "Tango Con*Fusión"

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-07-05 15:22:40.816186+00:00

I artroooooooly admire zeez saucy babe fur herr mad dancing skillllz, butt moistly fur herr charm und wit. Christy teaches ze tango dancings und stars in ze moobies und vids zat eevin YOOOO could learn from. Yes, aryooo wif ze four left feets. Hee! Chexxx Christy's website fur ze dancing schedule. Shee eez ze busty lady, wif dancings at ze Metronome und abroad, toooo. Thursday eez always herr beeg nite at ze Verdi Club!
Tags: christy cote, verdi club, mariposa argentine tango club, tango, beautiful talented dancing girl, arrooooousing, dance, potrero hill

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Sami Sunchild ov San Francisco's Red Victorian Bed, Breakfast & Peace Arts Cafe

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-10-03 18:43:12.954625+00:00

Sami Sunchild eez not ze flower chylde mourning ze end ov ze Summer ov Fluff, shee eez ze visionary hoo wants tou lead ze weirld to peace through tourism und travel ov each nation's peoples. Veeziting herr B&B eez lyke having ze dinings wif your favrit auntie. Shee veal poot aryooo to work if help eez needed und shee veal sit und chat if shee hath ze moment. Butt shee alvays vants tou ensure your comfort und whilst shee eez doing zat she veal plant ze seeds ov love und peace inside aryooo wifout your even noticing until later. Get a dose ov Sami next time aryooo veezit ze Haight. ZE TOMATOE PIE EEZ TOU DYE FUR!!!!!!!!!! Best. Pie. Ever. Paws down.
Tags: sami sunchild, san francisco, bed and breakfast, red victorian, haight, tomatoe, tomato, tomatoe pie, art, peace, love, fluff, tourists, travel, community, breakfast salons, paintings, posters, friends, coffee, red vic, california, haight ashbury

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Ugyen Dolma ov Tibet Styles

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-07-11 11:57:16.590915+00:00

A most lovely woman und friend ov ze Madame (she gaved mee ze bracelet fur tou cure myne hurted pawl!), Ugyen eez ze proprietress ov ze weirld's larget jewelry boxxx! Ringies! Bracelets! Neck laces! Some ov ze moist vunnerful pieces zat I hav seen in ze Tibetan-style can beef hound heer. Und Madame nose herr jewelies, tou be sure! Veezit Ugyen fur all ov your sparkly needs. Tell herr ze Madame sent aryoooo fur ze exxxtra special service und ze treat! Tibet Styles (415) 387-0903
Tags: jewelry, rings, bracelets, tibetan style jewelry, tibet styles, haight, san francisco, ugyen dolma, silver, handicrafts, tibetan folk arts, candy, candeeeee!

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Home base

platialUser:dandjw2 — 2006-07-10 13:40:51.073556+00:00

Zombie control center
Tags: home sweet home

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San Francisco Center for the Book

platialUser:fritz — 2006-07-10 23:28:16.302829+00:00

Tags: bookmaking, workshops, history, gallery, book arts, printing

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Albany Bulb

platialUser:kevans — 2006-07-11 10:33:56.410628+00:00

The Albany Bulb (just to the north of Golden Gate Fields racetrack) is a former city dump. the Bulb sprouts half a mile out into the bay at the end of a long spit once plied by trucks loaded with junk from construction sites. It used to be fenced off, rarely visited by anybody. Then it became a homeless encampment. Now, the mounds of dirt, old rebar and chunks of concrete are overgrown with fennel and pampas grass, forming a haven for birds and lizards, a playground for unleashed dogs and an outdoor gallery for sculptors. The Bay Trail runs out to the end. Rough side trails lead to twisted found-object metal sculptures, a crazy little plaster house with a circular staircase, and cartoon-style paintings of uncertain theme, often favoring devils, fast-looking cars and flaming urban wreckage.
Tags: outdoor gallery, junk art, urban art

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The (last) Doggie Diner Restaurant

platialUser:kevans — 2006-07-18 11:41:18.533508+00:00

Doggie Diner Location: Sloat Boulevard at 45th Avenue (Possible plaque inscription for the Doggie Diner Head): "'THE DOGGIE' "This sign from the last operating Doggie Diner (later called Carousel Restaurant) once stood at the northeast corner of 46th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard. "It was designed c. 1960 by graphic artist Harold Bachman for the popular Bay Area chain of 30 unionized drive-in restaurants. Its whimsical style has delighted generations. "A massive, grassroots effort to preserve it, chronicled nationally in the comic strip, "Zippy the Pinhead," led to its acquisition by the City of San Francisco in March, 2000. "Toppled by wind April 1, 2003, it was restored to its original site by SF Central Shops and the Department of Public Works. In January 2005, the Doggie was relocated to this spot to welcome all who visit Ocean Beach. "'Long Live the Doggie!'" The last Doggie Diner head (on a pole) makes its home in the Outer Sunset district, and with talk of official landmark designation, it has transcended its origin as a whimsical advertising icon. Started in 1949, the chain of Doggie Diner restaurants were everywhere by the 1960s. The Richmond district alone had three of them, and a three-dimensional (and once rotating) dog head with chef hat glared down gleefully at each of them. Designed circa 1960 by illustrator Harold Bachman (who is still surprised at all the hubbub and said in early 2005 he just thought the darned thing would help sell hamburgers), this San Francisco institution has found a new location a block from its old home. The Doggie Diner Head now welcomes visitors to Ocean Beach from 45th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard, giving his sardonic grin to all who come west. (Probably a nice change of view, after looking south at the Zoo for over 40 years.) On February 14, 2005, under threatening skies, a small, happy crowd welcomed the Doggie to its new home. Ed Lee, the head of San Francisco's Department of Public Works, presided and welcomed third-graders from Ulloa Elementary School, some real canines (and their guardians), a couple of jugglers, and a passel of media. The Mayor couldn't make it, but Supervisor Sean Elsbernd said how the Doggie was a great memory of his childhood, and Supervisor Fiona Ma's representative talked of official landmarking! Doggie saviors Diana Scott and Joel Schechter of the Ocean Beach Historical Society attended and Diana gave a few words of thanks along with the exclamation of the day: "Long Live the Doggie!" No sign of Zippy the Pinhead, but likely the Doggie will find its way into his world soon enough... The Doggie was actually moved on January 28, 2005, and these great photos of city workers moving the Doggie are courtesy of Diana Scott of the Ocean Beach Historical Society. http://outsidelands.org/doggie_diner.php
Tags: doggie diner head, dog heads, john law

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David Warren & The Giant Camera Obscura

platialUser:kevans — 2006-07-20 18:37:40.59238+00:00

Camera Obscura Historical Landmark May 23, 2001 August 23, 1987 San Francisco Examiner IMAGE The Magazine of Northern California Inside the Camera Obscura by Karen Evans David Warren spends his days in a building shaped like a camera out by the Cliff House. Anytime anyone gets close to his seaside attraction, Warren pokes his head through the round window of his plastic "box office" --housed just to the left of the lenslike door, and asks, "Have you seen the camera obscura?" What they'll see, if they pay their dollar and open themselves up to Warren's enthusiasm, is sheer magic. They'll also get to know a man who loves what he does. "Take a moment to let your eyes adjust," Warren tells his guests, once they've walked through the swinging doors into his world. He rests his hands on the white rail surrounding what looks like a satellite dish, pointed toward the sky, dominating the small room. Swimming across that dish is a scene that looks like a painting-- a painting in motion. Depending on where the camera obscura's periscope like lens is pointed at the moment, the view on the dish is of the walls of the Cliff House, or of the man-made concrete cliffs across the street, or of the condos lining the Great Highway where Playland at the Beach to be or of the Seal Rocks and the Pacific. As people watch, birds fly across the screen, a surfer rides a wave, the sea lions stretch on the rocks. "The camera takes six minutes to go all the way around, but you can stay as long as you like, "Warren tells his guests. One man last week stayed six hours." At this point, Warren can put on a taped narration and go back into his box office, but more often than not, he stays around, just to watch the reactions and share the discovery. "What you are seeing is a rotating picture of what's happening outside at this very moment, " Warren tells his small, rapt audience. "It works on the principle of the periscope. It reflects eighteen degrees of the view from outside, through an optically flattened, front surface-finished mirror and a series of concave and convex lenses, on to a parabolic or curved screen. "It was the first camera," Warren goes on to explain. "The camera obscura was invented by Leonardo da Vinci in the sixteenth century. His neighbors thought it was the instrument of the devil. They thought he could predict the future, the past and the present. They banned the creation because they believed it was related to the super- natural. That's because, "Warren continues, in his soft voice, "people would go in and then go out and see their friends and say, "I saw you when I was in the camera obscura," and people would think they'd seen the future because they had no idea about projected image." David Warren, on the other hand, several centuries removed from da Vinci's time, has a lot of ideas about the projected image and the camera obscura. There's very little he can't tell you about this rare device -- how Isaac Newton wrote about it, or Copernicus charted the stars with it, or Renaissance artists painted with it. "I've been an artist all my life," he says, "and vision and light and shadow are wondrous things to me. Inside you become entrenched, especially people into the visual arts or visual optics and light. "The vision of your eye opens up in there," Warren says. "You see things differently. Your optic nerve is being affected in a different way. It stimulates the chemical makeup and your emotions. It moves me to tears." As the camera swings around to capture the view across the street from the Cliff House, Warren tells his viewers, "This is the old Playland at the Beach. If you are a registered voter, you can sign a petition as you go out to put something there other than more condominiums." There's a reason that the former site of Playland holds a special place in Warren's heart. That's where he first saw the camera obscura, when he was sixteen years old. As a young man, Warren had show business in his bones; he ran away with the carnival, he learned how to eat fire. Then Warren grew up. worked on his career as a salesman, and lost touch with his beloved camera. When things began to fall apart for him, he found it again. "I ended up separated from my family," he says. "My wife divorced me. I had five kids, and I went into a deep depression. How can you sell anything at that point? He took up some of his old interests. He signed up for the docent's course at the Exploratorium and began doing research on Playland at the Beach, Just as it was about to be torn down. He met Gene Turtle, one of the two men who had built the camera. As youngsters, Turtle and Floyd Jennings had discovered Leonardo's plans by accident, thumbing through the Encyclopaedia Britannica for a science project. They showed their completed model to George Whitney, who owned the Cliff House and Playland. Whitney set up the camera at the Cliff House, but for the first few years it didn't do well because no one knew what it was. Then Whitney got the idea to make it look like a giant camera. Though located at the Cliff House, the camera obscura was a Playland attraction until they tore the place down in 1972. Early in his career, photographer Ansel Adams hung around the camera so much that they quit charging him. Warren ran into Gene Turtle in the 1970's and ended up doing a fire-eating demonstration at Turtle's wife's birthday party. In 1978, David Warren was perched on a ladder at the Balboa Theater, painting a mural on the side -it's still there, with Marilyn Monroe as centerpiece, but that's another story -- when Turtle approached him and asked whether he'd like to take over the operation of the camera obscura. "I told him I'd do it as soon as I got down from the ladder," Warren recalls, "and I've been doing it ever since." Warren proceeded to spend years trying to figure out how to get people in to see what the camera had to offer. "It's a wonderful thing," he says. "You think you should be able to tell people what it is, But it's a paradox. As a salesman, I knew that people would like to know about it, but I found out that you couldn't tell them about it." He finally hit upon a solution; tell them what it does, not what it is. Slowly, Warren has learned the tricks of wooing them in, has discovered where the magic line lies between those who come in and those who wander off. A few years ago, he added a pair of huge brass arrows, pointing to the entrance. "Before, people would just walk by and start looking at the ocean," he says. "Now, these get their attention." Once the people come inside, Warren starts spilling his enthusiasm, as the camera obscura chugs quietly around on its motorized axis, panning the surf and the sea lions and the sinking sun. At one point, Warren says, there were three such cameras in San Francisco alone. Now, there are only a handful left in the world. Dave Warren can tell you where each one is and who if running it. That's one of his projects -- forming an organization of all the camera obscura operators in the world, so they can share information. When the sun sinks low enough in the sky at the end of the day, the sun itself is captured on the rim of Warren's satellitedish screen, a glowing ball of concentrated light. At that point, Warren will hold up a flat, white board, moving it into the field of projection so that he can show people the sunstorms around the edge of the sun. "We always look for the sunspots," he says. "It's part of our show. We turn off the narration tape and do the sunset show in person. We see the green flash in here about twice a month. It's caused by the spectrum of light being split by the atmosphere. The various colors of light are separated. When green comes along, it flashes, like the northern lights, just as the last rays of light leave." Warren can't help himself; his voice fills with awe. "It lasts only a tenth of a second, but it's very beautiful. Liquid jade. When Jules Verne was writing, he said if there is a green in heaven, it's surely this green." As people leave, Warren nearly always seems to find some excuse to give them a free pass for another visit. ("Next time, come back while it's still light, so you can see the sea lions" or "Come back and bring a friend.") The camera never fails to surprise him. "The most unusual thing happened just the other day," says Warren. "We were watching a sunset, and all of a sudden there was a thud. The screen got black. I thought for sure a bird had hit the camera, Later, when I went up to close the hatch, I reached in, and there was a fish. A pelican probably dropped it," he says. "He sure had good aim." But even on more humdrum days, the object of his livelihood and his affections totally entrances David Warren. Someday, he'd like to create a mobile camera, on that he could haul up to Twin Peaks. "Now that would be something," he says. Meanwhile, if you venture down the stairs that lead to the terrace below the Cliff House, you'll find him, polishing the brass arrows or leaning out through the box office, trying to coax people over that invisible line. When someone gets within earshot, Warren is there, speaking softly. "Have you seen the camera obscura?" On a side note, Dave was the first “fire performer” and individual to light the burning man in the black rock desert.
Tags: david warren, camera obscura

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Elizabeth's Sidewalk Sale

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-07-20 17:33:49.761438+00:00

Elizabeth eez moobing tou New York. Goob-eye, Elizabeth, wee hardly gnu ye! arrrroooooooooo!
Tags: elizabeth, san francisco, new york, sidewalk sale, page street

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The Bulb

platialUser:gus — 2006-07-24 13:23:25.654671+00:00

This lovely spot, has excellent views of downtown SF, the Golden Gate and has some wonderful art on site to boot! A wonderful way to spend sometime walking and enjoying the birds, wildlife, waves or just meditating.
Tags: birds, golden gate, views, san francisco, caruso, magna, east bay regional parks, burrowing owls, sierra club, cesp, dogs, art, sniff, water, meditation, waves, san francisco bay, fog, seal lions, sea gulls

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Karla ov Cafe La Taza

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-07-25 21:32:54.935001+00:00

Ze pulled pork panini wif chipotle mayonnaise eez ze way tou goose. Add ze iced mocha, ze cookie, und mebbe ze leetl Caesar salad und aryooo veal bee ze happy camper. Nice barista, efficient service, clean, gut tasty meats. Iced mocha ze vay Goose intendeded.
Tags: eggs, coffee, breakfast, lunch, snakkies, espresso, lunchings, pork, nice leetl place near union square, san francisco, california, birds nest, snacks

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The Exploratorium

platialUser:mrylyn — 2006-07-26 15:36:22.164211+00:00

museum of science, art & human perception
Tags: museum, science, explore, curiosity, palace, art, perception, kids

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Spig's Store (formerly Departures...

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-04-13 09:30:38.263398+00:00

...from the Past, but usually referred to as "Spig's Store" by ze locals) 1058 Hyde @ California, San Francisco CA Goosey Spig fur all yore costume kneads! Ze ass cabbage landbeast on Fillmore gave heem das booot; iffin yoo eez looxing fur ze store, hee eez now at 1058 Hyde @ California. Donut furget tou turn zat pesky cell phoney off tho, acause hee ze Luddite und veal kik-kik yore hi-tech ass tou ze curb. Boas! Wigs fur ze balding laydeees! Pirate hats! All kyndes o'hats! Leetl sparkly horns fur yore pointy leetl head! Sparkly clothings! Flapper crap! SeXXXy vintage Steeenkies! Men's vintage clothing/suits/smoking yello jakkkkkits! Women's vintage clothing und frilly under tings! Stalkings tou die fur! Accesssssories Gaylord! Beeg giant furrrrry burner coatie fur rentings! Men's tuXXXedos Loungewear Cocktail atttttire Burner, Stripper, und Raver attttire also availabullllll! Call only een emergency und eefin yoo plan tou spend ze beeg beeg cake, acause ze Uncle Spig HATES fauxn callllls! (415) 885-3377 Tell heem ze Madame sendeded yooo so hee veal geev mee sum free crapp tou thankies!
Tags: costumes, vintage, dancers, 70s, hats, boas, tuxedos, slips, spig, departures from the past, horns, wedding, sparkles, burning man, costume party sf, 80s, sunglasses, kimonos, wigs, pirates, flapper, velvet, smoking jacket, lingerie, underpinnings, feather boas, feathers, recycled, california, san francisco, second hand, reconstructed

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Pine Crest Restaurant

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-07-10 12:59:37+00:00

Pine Crest Restaurant 415-885-6407
Tags: ghost, eggs, breakfast, murder, donut, poached eggs, restaurant, restaurants

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The White House

platialUser:jason — 2006-04-09 05:30:19.869645+00:00

Where it all goes down.
Tags: secret.message, v=whitehouse.org, idiot, boo, republican, easter at the white house

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Musee Mecanique

platialUser:hundredflowers — 2006-04-05 01:24:31.127681+00:00

The Musee Mecanique is frozen in time. One of the world's largest privately owned collections of mechanically operated musical instruments and antique arcade machines. I wonder what keeps Edward Galland Zelinsky (curator + collector) going? There seem to be a million player pianos simultaneously banging out ragtime piano melodies, small vignettes are acted out by cardboard puppet actors in the penny arcade machines, handcrank silent movies, a fat woman who laughs horribly for a nickel and the foreboding gypsy tarot reader that will tell your fortune by dropping you a little printed note. It might seem haunted in a good way, by whatever it is that animates the many machines and keeps them imbued with the spirit of the past. A good place to go on a rainy day, especially on a date.
Tags: piano, arcade, vintage, date, museum, musee, mecanique, player, penny, machine, fishermans wharf, rainy day

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Bix

platialUser:queenkv — 2006-05-04 17:33:54.645003+00:00

This is Bix - it's in an alley and thankfully the cab driver knew what we what and where we were talking about. Inside Bix - it has a swanky speakeasy-vibe - 1920's art decor and a live band playing loud jaz music. The food was decadent and scrumptious. We did hor d'oeuvres in a tapas fashion...we tried the "Tuna Tartare on Olive Toasts". I love the fresh fish in San Francisco. Heaven. We also tried: "Kampachi Crudo with Blood Orange, Fennel, Daikon Sprouts and Fiordolio Olive Oil." I first heard about crudo in a Vogue article by Jeffrey Steingarten. He's a brilliant gourmand and he has such an evocative writing style...I also read about this Italian-style of doing raw fish in the NY Times...I think. This SF Gate article has a great way of explaining crudo: "...crudo is shorthand for any kind of raw fish -- chopped tartares, marinated ceviches, sliced sashimis, paper-thin carpaccios. The stumpy word itself conveys little about the silky, sensual feel of eating a raw scallop glistening with olive oil and shivering under sheer fennel slices and bits of orange...". And in this NY Post article...a chef has another way of explaining crudo: "Crudo is basically Italian sashimi with good ingredients. Instead of wasabi, we use garlic, and instead of ginger, we use tomato." Now, Susan said she had really good crudo at Incanto - possibly better than Bix...As for myself, this first taste of crudo was delightful. Again, fresh fish - slice thin and marinated lightly. It melted in my mouth and left my palate swooning. I especially liked how it finished off with the blood orange - a clean citrus tang... We also did some sliders in a gourmet fashion - "Mini Lamb Burgers with Spicy Red Pepper Sauce". A month or two ago, I picked up the movie "Harold and Kumar go to White Castle" DVD and I still have a craving for little burger bites.
Tags: california, san francisco, crudo, gourmet

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Conservatory of Flowers

platialUser:wetlanderd — 2006-05-17 16:51:10.797258+00:00

Awesome glasshouse. A must see at Golden Gate Park!
Tags: 40s, mikemc, friend, travel

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Find Your Niche at ze Neptune Society Columbarium

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-07-01 16:07:37.516961+00:00

Creepy gothy rotunda wif ze olde ashes from San Francisco's friendliest ghosties! arrrrroooooooo! What's your shelf-life? Hee! snarfle. kak. Emmitt Watson, ze caretakinger, nose all ov ze ghosties. Ax heem tou geev aryoo ze tourings, und tell him ze Mad Ham sent ye. Hee veal act lyke hee donut nose mee, butt oh! heee do! Boo! Boo!
Tags: boo!, ghosties, ghosts, ashes, urns, niche, columbarium, neptune society, creepy, dead, cremate, cremation, creme puffs, spooky fun, spooky, caretaker, get your ashes hauled, find your niche, die, dying, storage of leftovers, eternity, shelflife, san francisco, kak, ghost dog, emmitt watson

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Swan's Oyster Depot

platialUser:whysteriastar — 2006-06-05 17:32:16.507729+00:00

The BEST seafood place in San Francisco, real narrow inside, always a line out the door. Try the clam chowder, the bread, the salads, the oysters, the homemade horseradish, everything is amazing.
Tags: seafood, swans, food, eating, beer, oysters, clam chowder, san francisco, polk street

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Nordie's Banyo

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-06-30 20:49:16.981241+00:00

If you're in Onion Square shoppink und need tou pee, zeez eez your best choice! Fifth floooor, Nordstrom's.
Tags: toilette, public restrooms

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Ze lost caves ov St. Louis und ze DeMenil Mansion

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-06-30 22:06:32.988611+00:00

Careful! Ghosties abound!
Tags: caves, st. louis, ghosts, demenil

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Dark Marc ov The Danger & Despair Knitting Circle

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-07-09 16:12:53.52613+00:00

Hey Big Boy, what's a moll gotta doo tou get ze invite? Just email Dark Marc, ze Knight ov Noir! Hee breengs us free films at ze swank City Club on Thursday nights. So get yore vintage on und join in on ze deceptions. Bee prepared tou swill. Photo: Paul Meienberg in ze ascot, Marc Kagan, Marc "Dark Marc" Dolezal in ze Aloha gear. Zeez three fellows combine ze poowerful knowledge ov noir eentou ze fun tipsy nights! Yesss, ze vid suxxx. Ittsa ov ze discussion session at ze City Club. Vunce I get ze monies fur ze thumb grafts, I veal win ze Oscar Mayer Weiners, just shaddup atill zen, izzat a deal beeg boy?
Tags: dark marc, marc dark marc dolezal, paul meienberg, marc kagan, deceit, deception, noir, film historian, city club, thursday, wicked as they come, the danger despair knitting circle, 155 sansome, san francisco, treats, movies, free movies, ascot, cravat

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Luciano ov Schroeder's Cafe

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-07-01 11:06:35.553269+00:00

Ox Tail eez lyke crack! Goot strawlberrry desserties, tooo. But ze veddy beast ting abooot Schroeder's eez ze dapper handsome gentleman in ze suit, Luciano. Tell heem ze Madame sent aryooooo! Might I suggest ze osso bucco? Tummy fluff! Injoy ze Fine Bavarian Food wifout ze exorbitant airfare!
Tags: ox tail, meat, osso bucco, luciano, schroeders cafe, polka music, fine bavarian food, beer, desserts, chocolate, strawberry, candeeeeeee!, beer beer!, beef

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Ze Grrrls ov Fat Chance Belly Dance

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-07-12 16:58:07.408929+00:00

I fluff ze bellies dancing, und I especially ham enamored ov ze Tribal style. Ze moves zat ar gloriously executened! Alll ov ze troupe ar so diverse, each vun eez a treat untou herr elf! Arooooousing! Aryooo kin see trouper Wendy Allen und some ov herr dancing grrrrrl mates pooform wif ze Mutaytor on Satyrday, July 15 at ze Crucible. All ze ghouls ov ze Fat Chance Belly Dance mayketh mee vant tou celebrate myne bawdy eclectic! Chexxx outtie ze website und sign up fur ze lessons or see ze show. Yore heart veal sing wif ze vivid style, colour, und sounds. (Wendy Allen stars in ze featured fauxtoe)
Tags: fat chance belly dance, fat chance, belly, dance, mission, aroooousing, mutaytor, tribal style, tribal, hottie, san francisco, teacher, belly dancing lessons, wendy allen

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The Punch at Hobson's Choice

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-07-07 16:12:21.04806+00:00

Itttsa knockouttie! Goo fur Happy Hour; Stay fur Closing Time. $2 punch 5-7pm. ::guzzzzzzle gulp kak!::
Tags: hobsons choice, victorian punch house, happy hour, san francisco, haight, delivery food available

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Dolores Park

platialUser:fritz — 2006-07-07 19:35:47.027996+00:00

Tags: park, dogs

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House of Chicken & Waffles

platialUser:tsutaoka — 2006-07-10 10:46:48.671973+00:00

If you like fried chicken, this is the place! The best is when you get 1/2 a fried chicken and waffles with butter. Sounds like a strange combo but believe me it is very good.
Tags: chicken waffels

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Lam ov Tu Lan Restaurant

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-07-13 19:41:18.380183+00:00

Lam Phung, ze unassuming waiter at Tu Lan Restaurant, brightened palpitatinglyish when axed tou bee een ze Madame's moobie! Hee blossoms lyke ze flower und heez smile eez as goode az ze Vietnamese iced cafffffeeeeeeeeeine zat I fluff so muchly. Zeez place eez ze favrit ov San Franciscans. Und zare eez ze secret staircase! Hoo wood haf known? Knot eye. Mein favrit drunxxxen chef, Julia Child fluffed zeez place, und wif gut reason! Tell Lam I said "Halllllllow!" when aryoooo veezit. (Special donkeys tou mein fiend Wendy Allen ov Fat Chance Belly Dance fur agreeking tou co-star in ze leetl moobie.)
Tags: sixth, market street, tu lan restaurant, tulan, vietnamese cuisine, iced vietnamese coffee, pork, fish, vegetables, fresh lemonade, noodles, rice, good cheap eats, julia child

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Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak

platialUser:jklmiller — 2006-07-03 11:23:35.009136+00:00

Discovered in 1944, this tomb dates from the Hellenistic period, around the end of the 4th century B.C. It is located near Seutopolis, the capital city of the Thracian king Seutes III, and is part of a large Thracian necropolis. The tholos has a narrow corridor and a round burial chamber, both decorated with murals representing Thracian burial rituals and culture. These paintings are Bulgaria's best-preserved artistic masterpieces from the Hellenistic period.
Tags: park, nature, history, heritage unesco

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The Wave Organ

platialUser:kevans — 2006-07-14 12:28:33.378479+00:00

The Wave Organ By Peter Richards Exploratorium Artist in Residence, 1986 The Wave Organ is a wave-activated acoustic sculpture located on a jetty in the San Francisco Bay. The concept was developed by Peter Richards and was installed in collaboration with sculptor and master stone mason George Gonzales. Inspiration for the piece came from artist Bill Fontana's recordings made of sounds emanating from a vent pipe of a floating concrete dock in Sydney, Australia. In 1980, Richards (now a Senior Artist at the Exploratorium) received a planning grant from the National Endowment for the Arts which enabled him to conduct an extensive period of investigation into the physicality of the Wave Organ phenomenon. The sculpture's speaker horn and audio equipment were either built or acquired for use in some of the experiments of this period. A prototype, built at the same location, was presented as part of the New Music '81 Festival. Though very rudimentary in nature, it generated enthusiasm and support for a permanent work. Permit acquisition and fundraising efforts by Frank Oppenheimer, founding director of the Exploratorium, began soon after, but actual construction did not start until September of 1985, seven months after Oppenheimer's death. The Wave Organ was completed in May of 1986 and was dedicated in June to the memory of Frank Oppenheimer. The Wave Organ is located on a jetty that forms the small Boat Harbor in the Marina district of San Francisco, walking distance from the Exploratorium. The jetty itself was constructed with material taken from a demolished cemetery, providing a wonderful assortment of carved granite and marble, which was used in the construction of this piece. The installation includes 25 organ pipes made of PVC and concrete located at various elevations within the site, allowing for the rise and fall of the tides. Sound is created by the impact of waves against the pipe ends and the subsequent movement of the water in and out of the pipes. The sound heard at the site is subtle, requiring visitors to become sensitized to its music, and at the same time to the music of the environment.
Tags: wave organ, exploratorium

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The Devil's Teeth

platialUser:kevans — 2006-07-18 13:10:59.964085+00:00

Thirty miles west of San Francisco a collection of small, rocky islands is found. Discovered by Spaniards, the islands were given the name Los Farallones, which means small, pointed isles. The name of the islands has now been Americanized to Farallon Islands. The largest and tallest of the islands is southeast Farallon, which rises to a height of 358 feet. It was atop this island that the Farallon Islands Lighthouse was constructed.
Tags: the devils teeth, farallon islands

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Defenestration

platialUser:kevans — 2006-07-19 09:54:23.838025+00:00

On March 9, 1997, hundreds of people came together to celebrate the opening of Brian Goggin's Defenestration installation. Over 30 pieces of furniture and home appliances are welded and rigged to the two sides of a currently-empty 3-story building at 6th and Howard Street in San Francisco.
Tags: brian goggin, defenestration installation

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Victory for Big Alma!

platialUser:wendolyne — 2006-08-25 14:47:07.99425+00:00

It's an interesting juxtaposition, the angels and the statue. "Two years before the Gold Rush, in 1847, Jasper O'Farrell created a design for San Francisco, with Union Square as a public plaza. By the 1880s, it was a fashionable residential district, and in 1903, the towering monument was added, topped by the bronze goddess Victory, modeled after Alma de Bretteville Spreckels, known for her enormous influence in the San Francisco art community." Another site's description, after describing Alma's successful modeling career: "With money to spend on stylish attire, and a growing local notoriety from her modeling ventures, Alma blossomed into a proper belle of San Francisco and attracted the affection of miner Charlie Anderson, whom she later successfully sued for "personal defloweration" in a breach of promise suit that made newspaper headlines. Local novelty became self-assured celebrity as Alma secured the position of model for sculptor Robert Aitken. His creation, a monument honoring naval hero Admiral Dewey and the recently assassinated president William McKinley, would feature the buxom temptress as a triumphant bronze libertine atop a granite pedestal, her right arm outstretched, holding the laurel wreath of peace towards the horizon, her left arm, raised above her head, valiantly pointing a trident to the heavens."
Tags: san francisco, big alma, spreckels, statue, union square

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Tartine

platialUser:transfairusa — 2006-01-04 23:15:33.967187+00:00

fair trade
Tags: fairtrade, coffee, bread, mocha, fancy desserts, yum yum, bread pudding, pressed sandwiches

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the wave organ

platialUser:tooldiva — 2006-01-20 01:30:15.10652+00:00

The wave organ was built as a project for the exploratorium in San Francisco. It's an amphitheater on the shore of the San Francisco bay. The seats are made from recycled city cement from demolished curbs or graveyard stones. The sound is provided by the bay - tubes extend from underwater to the amphitheater. If you sit very quietly, a sloshing symphony will fill your ears. I hear the best time to experience it is early in the morning. To find the wave organ, follow the shoreline north of the exploratorium. You will come to a marina, and you walk out on a little piece of land - it looks like you're just going to a yacht club, (it's near Yacht Road, in fact) but you will have to trust and when you see a yellow diamond sign that says "not a through street" you are getting close.
Tags: tiny, sounds, bay, hike, walk, tour, fun, unique, acoustics, waves, organ

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Elbo Room Photo Booth

platialUser:tracy_the_astonishing — 2006-01-12 13:22:22.373955+00:00

Black-and-white four-pose strip for $2. Cover charge may apply. Daily, 5 p.m.-2 a.m. 647 Valencia, S.F. (415) 552-7788.
Tags: photo booth, four poses, bw

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20th Street Stairs

platialUser:ludmilla — 2006-01-14 12:40:47.402363+00:00

Some of my favorite stairs are located between Sanchez and Noe. Great views, and some lovely older architecture. (with thanks to sisterbetty.org)
Tags: stairs, architecture, urban hiking

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Streetlight Records

platialUser:garlynn — 2006-05-15 12:04:53.483914+00:00

They don't let you listen, but they've got a selection.

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Open Mind Music

platialUser:garlynn — 2006-05-15 12:10:18.37054+00:00

They'e got two or three listening stations, and a fairly decent selection of music from many genres. Good soul & jazz selection.

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San Francisco Museum of Modern Art - Museum Stores, SFO International Terminal

platialUser:system — 1997-01-01 00:00:00+00:00

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art - Museum Stores, SFO International Terminal 650-553-8040
Tags: gift shops, museums, bookstores

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First Fluff. 1981.

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-02-21 19:48:43.386683+00:00

I veal nivver furget heem. arrrrrooooooo! I left heem fur TeXXXass und hee married ze ghoul I crowned Homecoming Queen after my reign. I *gnu* hee thot shee was cutenings! I wish zem much joy.

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Bagdad Cafe, 2295 Market Street, San Francisco CA

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-02-22 14:33:42.393903+00:00

Whether you're drunk or not, their poostrami sammiches ar ze beast in ze City! Ax fur ze exxxtra dose ov Russian dressing und let ze games begin!
Tags: food, hungry, late, san francisco, drunk, hungry!, feed me, latenight food, chow, hungry drunsk i mean drukns, oh drunkis, aa, hung drunsk, yes thats it, drinkies, drinkydrink, kak!, hungry drunsks!, hungry dunks, outdoor seating, patio, well not really patio but outside chairs und tables

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Smoky Honeyeater

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-06-20 20:40:02.799605+00:00

Ze Madame rises lyke ze Phoenix. Our dogging hath returnedededeth. Ze smoky honeyeater was discovered in ze Foja Mountains of Indonesia on ze island ov New Guinea shortly after Madame's bawdy left zeez weirld. Caw Caw Caw! http://people.tribebeta.net/madamegonzaga/photos/d54b2fe1-7c5a-4499-84ca-96e9cdfd1916 http://people.tribe.net/madamegonzaga/photos/0e4ca1ed-9fa0-48df-9a9d-71ce92b3f3ec
Tags: dog, bird, madame gonzaga, phoenix, indonesia, smoky honeyeater, reincarnation, transformation, caw caw caw, caw!, arrroooo!, foja, yellow dog, rise

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Fifth Floor Restaurant

platialUser:tanabutler — 2006-02-24 14:20:46.311035+00:00

415-348-1555 Highly regarded by many as the best San Francisco French restaurant, Fifth Floor Restaurant is quite literally on the fifth floor of Hotel Palomar, just a few blocks from the center of Union Square. Oozing with elegance, Fifth Floor's rich dining room is both hip and classic, a carefully-designed state of grace befitting this Union Square restaurant. Zebra-print carpeting sets off an urban ambiance, Frette linens envelop waiting tables, and handsome framed paintings adorn the lush walls, creating an atmosphere that is rivaled only by the food Fifth Floor serves.
Tags: french restaurants, restaurants, supports local farms, sustainable food, french, expensive, wine spectators grand award, fourdiamond, san francisco

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Greens Restaurant

platialUser:tanabutler — 2006-02-24 14:21:44.114515+00:00

Building A, Fort Mason Center San Francisco, CA 94123 415-771-6222 Greens Restaurant was a pioneer in establishing vegetarian cuisine in the United States. In the 60's and 70's, vegetarian restaurants were mostly small out-of-the way cafÃ©s. There was no high profile vegetarian restaurant in the United States. Greens changed that by raising the bar, by placing vegetarian cuisine on a level with other fine dining restaurants. We have been reviewed by food and design magazines from the time we opened. Today we are surprised if a good restaurant does NOT have vegetarian options. Greens helped pave the way for this acceptance.
Tags: restaurants, supports local farms, seasonal menu, vegetarian, upscale, wine list, sustainable food, scenic view, zen center, san francisco

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Luna Park

platialUser:tanabutler — 2006-02-23 13:37:43.041543+00:00

Luna Park 415-553-8584
Tags: restaurants, supports local farms, brunch, bakery, no reservations

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826 Valencia

platialUser:quinnums — 2006-03-24 09:59:03.32332+00:00

Writing tutorials for children and pirate supplies from the McSweeney's people.
Tags: pirate, literature, education, lard, mcsweeneys, glass eyes, swab

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The Orange Show

platialUser:shoothouston — 2006-04-05 21:14:46.871147+00:00

Tags: museum, oudoor art, juice, vitamin c, witchie poo, tractor seats

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Mitchell's Ice Cream

platialUser:dvd — 2006-04-20 18:37:33.765259+00:00

Mitchell's Ice Cream (415) 648-2300
Tags: dessert, san fran, ice cream, crack, iced cream, iced cream iced cream iced cream!!!, iced creme

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Boogaloos

platialUser:mcmcilvoy — 2006-05-08 12:16:35.186413+00:00

Breif brunch with Lita, Jason, Carrie and Joe. I fled the scene to sit here at work! Man, that sucks!
Tags: brunch, mission, valencia

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Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco

platialUser:tramfan31 — 2006-05-21 12:05:14.907227+00:00

Ripley's Believe it or Not is a major attraction on San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf district. Home to a damn good loaf of sourdough bread. Alcatraz is visible.

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Toronado Streetcar Stop

platialUser:garlynn — 2006-05-23 10:57:01.410385+00:00

You can catch the MUNI N-Judah or the J-Church to here, and then walk the three blocks to the Toronado.
Tags: muni, jchurch, njudah, toronado

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Eldo's N-Judah Stop @ 9th & Irving

platialUser:garlynn — 2006-05-23 10:59:21.284732+00:00

This is where you get off the N-Judah to get to Eldo's Brewpub. 9th & Irving, the center of the Sunset universe!!
Tags: 9th irving, muni, njudah, eldos

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Magnolia Brewpub

platialUser:garlynn — 2006-05-26 18:52:00.072282+00:00

The only brewpub in the Upper Haight, Magnolia has been around for a while and is a local favorite. Unfortunately for me, this means that it always seems to be totally packed whenever I try to go there...
Tags: beer, haight, san francisco, microbrew, thunderpussy

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LuLu

platialUser:bernadette — 2006-05-30 22:46:36.325423+00:00

Top of the Mark

platialUser:garlynn — 2006-05-31 16:37:12.531426+00:00

The Top of the Mark sits on the top floor of the InterContinental Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco. One of the oldest and ritziest skyscraping lounges around anywhere, the last remodelling job unfortunately removed one entire quarter of the view (to the south, I believe) by installing a poorly-planned kitchen/storage room. So, rather than offering 360-degree views, it offers 270-degree views. Also, the drink prices are stiff, while the drinks are not. Finally, there seem to be an *awful* lot of Republicans roaming about this joint, and the staff seems sniffy.
Tags: top of the mark, skyscraping lounges

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The best beach in San Francisco

platialUser:whysteriastar — 2006-06-05 17:54:10.718693+00:00

If you ever want to see somewhere absolutely stunning and far beyond the trip any San Francisco tour guide would dream of taking you, go here. First off, you have absolutely amazing forest paths, near by you have the remnants of the old San Francisco bath houses, and go all the way down the path till you hit the rock covered beach, then go left up towards the sandy part of the beach. Eventually, you'll run into the destroyed bathroom that fell off the cliff some years back and is now covered in the most elaborate, yet beautiful graffiti. On this walk, you'll also manage to get some of the most unique views of the Golden Gate bridge without having to wait for the 8000 tourists to get out of your way before you can get your picture.
Tags: beach, san francisco, graffiti, beauty, forest, nature, rocks, sand, sea shells, star fish, walk, hike, golden gate, sea gulls, thumbs up, crooked house

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St. Francis Fountain

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-06-18 22:29:21.631681+00:00

Old-timey iced creams parlour und ze soda fountain wif ze pwitty und nicey waitstaffinings. Goose get some iced cremes!
Tags: iced cream, ice cream, iced cremes, head freeze, chocolate, strawberry, pooberry, cold, brainfreeze, more please, gimmeicecreamnow

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Raise your hackles!

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-06-20 20:20:20.334454+00:00

Pinched from Miss Leila Raccoon's sitey: When Leila Cohoon tells people she owns a hair museum, they envision old curling irons, hair dyers, and other such tools. However, this is not the case. There are 159 wreaths and over 2,000 pieces of jewelry containing, or made of, human hair dating before 1900. For $3.00, the public in invited to look at these locks at Leila's Hair Museum. , Monday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. According to Cohoon, "It could possibly be the only hair museum in the United States, maybe the world." The museum was featured in the April 23rd,1995, issue of People magazine. She received a phone call from actress/comedian Phyllis Diller, and the museum now boasts a hair wreath acquired from Ms. Diller. The Museum has also been featured in the following publications and television stations.
Tags: hair, crazy ladies with hair museums, museum, museums, weird hair art, wreaths, hair pies, hair pieces, hair piece, not herpes, strange road trips, wtf

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The Bike Kitchen

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-06-21 12:22:47.707132+00:00

Coopied from ze site: The Bike Kitchen is a cooperative, do-it-yourself bike repair shop. We provide all the tools and parts you need to fix or build a bicycle. Our staff of volunteer mechanics is available to give advice and answer questions. Instead of charging a fee for services, the Bike Kitchen charges membership dues: either $5 a day, or $30 a year. Purchasing a membership gives you access to all the tools and parts in our inventory. If you’re short on cash, you can earn a membership or parts by volunteering in the shop for a certain number of hours. You don't need to be a member to learn more. Stop by during open hours and see what the Bike Kitchen is all about.
Tags: diy, bike, bike repair, bicycle repair, fix yore own dang bike

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Pedro ov Brazil Fresh Squeeze Cafe

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-07-12 21:44:22.737433+00:00

Pedro's meats ar ze best in all ze Land! Tri-tip! I fluff gettinks ze snakkings und chatties as I wait in line. Mango Smoooooothies! Yip! Yip! Transport yore elf tou meatweirld wif ze mouth-watering goodness ov melt-in-ze-mouth meats. Tastiest meats in ze Bay Area. I ham jonesin'! Aryooo hear meee? Jonesin'! for more ov ze saucy goodness. Eevin ze veggies were choice.
Tags: meat, barbecue, tritip, delicious meat, screw vegetarians: make mine meat!, glorious meat, vegetarian choices, vegetarianfriendly, mango drink, frozen drinks, patio, outdoor seating, pedro, yummy, salads, smoothies, outdoor tables, meaty, meateaters bonanza, fuck burger king, jonesing fur ze tritippings

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Ze Rabble ov The Little Shamrock

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-07-11 23:16:03.107641+00:00

Tags: irish, irish pub, beer, brap!, california, san francisco, popcorn, board games, jason buckley, a guy walks into a bar, little shamrock, sunset district, dart board, backgammon

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Ferry Building Farmers Market

platialUser:elizabethbbt — 2006-06-28 19:22:12.635222+00:00

San Francisco Ferry Building...A Culinary Oasis!

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That Shit's Real, Man!

platialUser:misternaxal — 2006-07-03 13:16:59.037997+00:00

Stopped off in Indian Springs to get some alien memorabilia for Andy.

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Annie's Cocktail Lounge

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-07-22 14:56:42.987538+00:00

Thrill to the sound of Dolores singing to Myrna at Annie's Cocktail Lounge! Hear the voice of an angel! Can you guess where you've heard Dolores singing to Myrna before? tippy tap tippy tap tippy tap...
Tags: voice of an angel, drunken revelings, myrna, annies cocktail lounge, dolores, singing, pubs, bars, karaoke, cocktail, pool tables, pabst, california, san francisco, annie, annies

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Rebecca ov ze Shadow Circus Creature Theatre

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-07-05 21:05:54.861031+00:00

Poppetsas! I fluff ze poppets. Und ze poppets wot tell ze stories ov vice und sloth, welll, zay SLAY meeee! Rebecca eez ze good puppet ladye und vun thyme I heard her raise up herr voice in song und welll...let mee telll aryooo zat alone was worth ze price ov ze admissionings. Goose see ze puppet show und rejoice in mirth. From ze shychiatryst: "The spawn of a Brooklyn street preacher and runaway Cherokee teen from Kentucky, this patient may have suffered a dissociative split upon birth when cruelly belched forth into the vapid expanse of East Los Angeles. Determined to pursue manifestations of subversive thought, she crawled desperately northward until her palms and knees were naught but blood and bone. Found shortly afterwards with blood gathering beneath her, Miss Renfro was detained for further observation. The patient is found to exhibit an obsessive/compulsive disorder which compels her to gnaw large orifices into dolls and stuffed animals in order to wear them on her hands. She will then engage in strange three way conversations with herself, shrieking hysterically if interrupted. She is often found muttering to herself in a language we have not yet been able to identify. Patient will only sleep on a couch."
Tags: shadow circus creature theatre, puppets, poppets, san francisco, rebecca, puppetry, puppetry troupe

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Russell Gonzaga ov Elyseum

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-07-05 21:42:24.163192+00:00

Founder und Executive Director ov Elyseum, teachinger/pooet/writer Russell Gonzaga hath been ze San Francisco treat fur many years, inspiring many a frustrated wry tinger in ze City tou try ze paw at wry tings. Get yore Hemingwaywannabeee butt tou ze workshop. From ze site: "ELYSEUM is a diverse literary community established to facilitate, inspire, encourage and exemplify excellence in literature, writing and spoken word. Our events, workshops and retreats are dynamic settings where participants are safe and free to effectively express themselves while sharpening their skills in writing, presentation and observation. ELYSEUM is a Paradise for Heroes and Poets"
Tags: poetry, poets, russell gonzaga, san francisco, mission, elyseum, writing, wry tings, slam, poetry workshops, heroes, madame gonzagas namesake

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Tour Guide ov Haunted Haight Street

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-07-06 22:35:27.12726+00:00

Ze Haunted Haight Walking Tour eez led by ze founder ov ze San Francisco Ghost Society, a paranormal group wot investigates claims of ze supernatural in San Francisco. Hee nose heez ghosts! Tayketh ze tour. I veal key an eye out fur ye! Madame Ghostdogga awaits aryoooo on ze ethereal path. Boo!
Tags: ghosts, ghouls, haunted, haight, madame gonzaga, lettuce prey, boo!, walking tour, exorcism

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Atlas Cafe

platialUser:fritz — 2006-07-08 13:07:16.220657+00:00

Tags: cafe, coffee, lunch, patio

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Witches' Castle - Stone House

platialUser:jason — 2005-12-13 01:55:42+00:00

Somewhat old stone house ruins. It is unclear exactly what it had been, but rumors of rituals have always surrounded this magnificently mossy specimen.
Tags: witch, stone, rumor, ruins, park, moss, magic, house, hiking, haunted, ghost, forest, ferns, castle, ghost.wars, creek, scary, fun, kids, dogs, rumors, ghost wars, mossy, forest park, easy hike, flat hike, summer raspberries

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Alcatraz

platialUser:dylan — 2006-07-23 21:21:31.380668+00:00

John Wickett's Museum of Exotica

platialUser:kevans — 2006-07-24 09:39:03.848007+00:00

Night Crawler By Silke Tudor Going Native Over the phone John Wickett asks me to pull into the driveway behind his mobile home in Lower Pacific Heights. The striped Fleetwood is impossible to miss even nestled, as it is, off the street beneath the shadow of a large apartment building. It is a hypertrophy of migratory convenience -- a palatial estate on wheels being outfitted with a techie's dream camera system using high-powered lenses that once monitored the grounds in front of the Federal Building. "It'll be set up for teleconferencing," says Wickett. "The cameras will be computer-controlled, picking up details at a good distance with very little light, and sending images back and forth." The NSA-style security camera lenses were bought outright by Wickett, as was the lovely little house peeking over the roof of the Fleetwood, and the old French laundry two blocks away, where Wickett's most alluring passions are displayed: tens of thousands of collectibles from the near and far reaches of the globe that comprise the San Francisco Museum of Exotica. "I'm not open to the public," says Wickett with a gentleman's flourish. "These are just my props." Wickett's "props" include a tribal throne from New Guinea, a bishop's mantle woven with solid gold thread, an antique marionette of Joan of Arc, opium pipes for every disposition, an elaborate bird cage built to resemble an Austrian prison, Indonesian phalluses, Philippine bridles, and ceremonial knives used for the dismemberment of the Tibetan dead before their meat is offered to the vultures. The place measures over 6,000 square feet -- featuring lofts, closets, alcoves, odd passageways, and hidden platforms -- and every centimeter is festooned with resplendent colors and extravagant ornamentation. The effect is dizzying, and if hash smoke were still flowing from the hookahs, your best bet would be to completely succumb, give up your day, drop to your knees on the thick layers of Persian carpet, and methodically work your way up from the floorboards -- examining the tiny portraits created in Chinese silk, the minuscule grasshopper band that plays instruments under glass, the Tantric figurines stolen long ago from Nepalese temples, the African instruments made of human skulls and snakeskin, the robes of an Indian child prince, and then moving up to a ceiling covered in animal skins (a hippopotamus, a full-grown giraffe, a Tibetan snow leopard) mingled with hand-woven tapestries and kaleidoscopic patterns of colored light sprayed from intricately carved Iranian lanterns. Over the blanketed windows you would notice an enormous Alaskan moose head smoking a joint. Several large clowns from Playland at the Beach grin from atop the carriage house; they are flanked by two Indian tigers that once stood at the City of Paris (now Neiman-Marcus). A figure in Chinese robes who once held court in the Lost Wax Museum (now McDonald's) looks on with a sage eye, and the last Empress of China judges everything through beeswax eyes. "I'm interested in anything and everything that is interesting," says Wickett, an elegant snow-haired 82-year-old wearing a Turkish shirt and slim-fitting slacks, who runs nimbly through his museum turning on lamps made of camel bladders and shifting Arabic gaming tables inlaid with ivory, mother-of-pearl, and onyx. "This is just stuff, hardly worth writing about. This giant silver teapot was given to me while I was staying with the Shah of Iran. Just stuff," says Wickett casually. "This is a whale rib pulled out of the Santa Cruz Mountains, which haven't been under water for over 14 million years, I'm told." Like his "stuff," Wickett's past is "just the past." Born to an affluent New York insurance family, Wickett grew up in Atherton at Mille Fleure -- John Sutro's former estate -- with a four-story elevator, three guest houses, and tennis courts. He wore a tie every day; walls of ties stand here, testament to his sartorial past. He married a lovely girl and ran no less than 14 businesses, becoming one of the largest landowners in San Mateo; he was president of the Redwood City Rotary Club and the State Board of Realtors, and a founder of the United Way for the Bay Area; he served on the cotillion committee for a decade, during which he made sure the nerves of all underage debs were assuaged with a quick double-gin martini before their grand entrances (a secret well guarded until now). Then, in his mid-40s, John Wickett got divorced, sold his businesses, and went native. "I had grown up so conservative, so Victorian," says Wickett. "I just wised up one day, caught on that there was another side to life, something more interesting." At one point Wickett lived in Melvin Belli's old home on Twin Peaks, and in a synagogue nestled between Fillmore West and Jim Jones' church. He became a silent partner in Jim Gabbert's Channel 20. Ten years ago he began filling the French laundry on Sutter with objects from distant shores and more distant eras. Each object came with a story -- like the ritual Philippine phallus used by grandmothers to aid virgins on their wedding nights, or the shaman mask made of the four elements of life (blood, sweat, semen, and shit), or Laughing Sal, the Playland matron who springs to cackling-and-grinning life at the flick of a switch. Wickett treats all of his possessions like living history. The chairs are for sitting and the costumes for wearing, when the occasion is suitable. "I like to have events here if the people are interesting," says Wickett. It's not surprising that the interesting people don't always leave. Presently Wickett has a helpful couple living at his house, a woman silently tucked away in his museum loft space, a gentleman convalescing in his carriage house, and someone's cat winding its way along a windowsill lined with antique glassware. "No one pays rent, or gas bills, or phone bills," says Wickett, "as long as they're interesting." It's even less surprising that during Wickett's fetes an interesting treasure or two disappears -- as with a giraffe hoof he notices has been recently cut from the skin hanging from his ceiling -- but Wickett just chuckles. "People come in and ask about the three most valuable small objects I own. It's OK, things get 'souvenired.' I have four auctions and four trips to the Orient planned this year." Surprising that he would bother searching for the exotic. After living in the San Francisco Museum of Exotica, the real thing might almost disappoint. http://130.212.44.5/custom/magazine/wickett.html
Tags: john wickett, museum of exotica

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Union Square Retail Angels with War on ze Shoulders

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-09-22 20:23:26.978923+00:00

Hee! Today in Union Square I was taking pictures of ze Victoria's Secrets angels in ze shoppe window because the reflection of the statue in the middle of the square in the window seemingly perched on ze tawdry cheap angel mannequin was too juicy to deny. A chickie-doodle walked by and tiredly proclaimed to her companions: "I see that all the time, people photographing our lingerie windows when I'm at work." I nodded towards Union Square's Dewey Monument, which commemorates Admiral Dewey's victory at Manilla during the Spanish-American war of 1898 und veddy earnestly said unto them "I'm advocating to replace that terrible statue with one of your beautiful sexy shopping angels!" They gave me ze stink-eye and walked on; afraid or purrhaps merely cornfuzzled. It was hilarious to me yet unfortunate zat I had no one to share my zany madness with at ze time.
Tags: victorias secret, union square, san francisco, california, angel, spanishamerican war of 1898, admiral dewey, manilla, skanky overpriced stinkies

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Romania

platialUser:madamegonzaga — 2006-02-22 14:44:43.75643+00:00

Myne homeland.
Tags: gypsy, rom, romania, fortune telling dog, madame gonzaga, clairvoyant canines, dog, famous incontinent clairvoyant gypsy dogs, madames birthplace, incontinent bitch

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Starbucks Artisans

platialUser:wendolyne — 2007-04-05 20:40:10.196264+00:00

As much as everybody loves to hate a chain, I have found San Francisco's Fox Plaza Starbucks to be filled with intelligent, kindly folk who really know their way around a mocha. Not only that, but many of them have other talents they share with the world as well. Featured in the photos herein with his whimsical caffeinated sculptural creations is coffee magician and artist Rudy Miguel, a solid person to trust with one's recommended daily dose of caffeine and art.

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