Wednesday, April 25, 2012

bookmarks

While walking along Washington Street in downtown Oakland I saw these beautiful bay windows...


and when I got closer I realized they belonged to The Bookmark.  All the proceeds of this volunteer-run bookstore go to the city's public library.


Speaking of bookmarks, I really like this one designed by Scott Barry for Little Otsu.  They used to have a storefront stocked with their wonderful books and paper products on Valencia in the Mission, and have recently re-located to a corner of the design shop Rare Device on Divisadero.


This dog-eared and coffee-stained bookmark is nearly twenty years old and reminds me of a drizzly grey afternoon browsing the shelves at Seattle's cat-friendly Twice Sold Tales.


Wednesday, April 18, 2012

16th Avenue Tiled Steps

Deep in residential Sunset you will find a fairly well-hidden treasure:  the 16th Avenue Tiled Steps


The project began with two local residents as a way to connect neighbours, and eventually over 300 people helped create the mosaic panels.  Start climbing...






Now turn around and take in the view:  the hills of Marin County, Outer Richmond, Golden Gate Park and Sunset


And higher still...


...up to Grand View Park, where to the west- through a screen of trees- you see Outer Sunset and Ocean Beach


and to the east a clear view towards downtown


Wednesday, April 11, 2012

It's It

Step into any San Francisco corner store and go to the freezer section and you are certain to find this local treat which was invented at Playland-at-the-Beach in 1928.  "It's It" is a scoop of vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two oatmeal cookies and then dipped in dark chocolate.