I've found a great site with the various sites of San Francisco on them. They are complete with maps, suggestions of sites, and places to dine etc. I like the format of the items on this site.
http://www.mustseesanfrancisco.com/site-map.htm
Other San Francisco tours - walking tours of the city:
http://www.sfcityguides.org/
Events in China Town
Ghost Tours in China Town
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Thursday, June 22, 2006
"The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat" by Oliver Sacks
The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat
by Oliver Sacks
I'm currently reading this book and it reads alot like reading episodes of the twilight zone. Many of these true storeis are pretty eerie.
Some of the book can be difficult to read. Sacks is obviously very well read and he often illustrates his stories with obscure references or expects you to be acquainted with his Neurological and Psychological predecessors. It's often led me to consult the WWW to understand the references he's making.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Nopa Resaurant
560 Divisidaro (@Hayes), SF
415-864-8643
nopasf.com
A couple weeks ago Monica, Melanie and I went to Nopa Resaurant, the Western Addition's newest addition.
Instead of something conventionally starchy, like bread, they serve radishes and sea salt. The food was tastey, we sampled 3 appetizers and an entree split amongst us. However, I found the food and ambience (former laundry mat retrofitted with clean lines and sterile high ceilings) to be rather conventional in ways that you would come to expect from a yuppy urban hipster restaurant. I'd certainly go again, but in a city of similar restaurant types, there's little that differentiates this one from other yuppy hipster joints here in SF.
415-864-8643
nopasf.com
A couple weeks ago Monica, Melanie and I went to Nopa Resaurant, the Western Addition's newest addition.
Instead of something conventionally starchy, like bread, they serve radishes and sea salt. The food was tastey, we sampled 3 appetizers and an entree split amongst us. However, I found the food and ambience (former laundry mat retrofitted with clean lines and sterile high ceilings) to be rather conventional in ways that you would come to expect from a yuppy urban hipster restaurant. I'd certainly go again, but in a city of similar restaurant types, there's little that differentiates this one from other yuppy hipster joints here in SF.
Monday, June 12, 2006
RocketBird
This guy straps a mini-jet engine to each leg, dons a special flight
suit, then jumps from a hot air balloon and flies until the fuel runs
out. (Then pops his chute.)
The video (if it doesn't load automatically) is named RocketBird.
Friday, May 26, 2006
Smuin Ballet
Toby and I made a visit to the Smuin Ballet... It was the first ballet I'd been to in a while and it reminded me of how much I miss dance performances.
The pieces performed were the Bluegrass/Slyde and Zorro!
The Smuin Ballet proved themselves to be wonderfully technical and exceedingly original without being unapproachable. Wonderful set designs, and the use of a pole afixed to a lazy susanne which allowed the dancers to do maintain movement without exertion on the set. Background music was bluegrass banjoy and bass composed by Bella Fleck. It really was wonderful.
The pieces performed were the Bluegrass/Slyde and Zorro!
The Smuin Ballet proved themselves to be wonderfully technical and exceedingly original without being unapproachable. Wonderful set designs, and the use of a pole afixed to a lazy susanne which allowed the dancers to do maintain movement without exertion on the set. Background music was bluegrass banjoy and bass composed by Bella Fleck. It really was wonderful.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Flower Arangements
In preparation of creating some floral arrangements for Virginia's wedding, I've been doing some research.
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Oranguatans - Documentary
The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation has been working in the rescuing of orangutans for several years now. http://www.savetheorangutan.co.uk/index.php
The BBC is currently working with them to put together a documentary on orangutan conservation. http://www.cockroach.org.uk/
This group is also working with both the SOS and BOS to dev a training video for plantation owners to help them figure out what to do when they encounter an orangutan.
The BBC is currently working with them to put together a documentary on orangutan conservation. http://www.cockroach.org.uk/
This group is also working with both the SOS and BOS to dev a training video for plantation owners to help them figure out what to do when they encounter an orangutan.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
More Museum Madness
Met a couple the other day who works in the museum exhibits creation industry! The company they work for is Acadamy Studios. Thousands of threads of conversations came out of this, which leads to some fascinating links:
- The International Museum of Surgical Science, Chicago - http://www.imss.org/
- The Soane Museum, London - http://www.soane.org/index.html is a museum created by the victorian era collector, Sir John Sloane. Dusty and full of wacky stuff jam packed!
- Alexis Rockman - Fascinating artist who's mother worked at the Natural History Museum in New York . Following this thread led me to the Natural History Museum of New York reading about their diorama exhibits! There's a book about those dioramas and everything. From the books author : Stephen Quinn, Senior Project Manager in the Department of Exhibition, oversees all aspects of new diorama creation, and apprenticed under several diorama-art masters at the Museum such as Raymond deLucia, Robert Kane, and David J. Schwendeman. In the book, Mr. Quinn introduces the explorers, naturalists, painters, sculptors, taxidermists, and conservationists behind these three-dimensional marvels and explains how their collaborations make the displays so lifelike.
- Jessica Joslin - artist
Friday, May 12, 2006
Saving Sites
I'm always interested in finding ways to save.
These sites have great calculators and tips:
These sites have great calculators and tips:
Monday, May 01, 2006
Jonestown documentary
John and I saw this documentary film on Jonestown. It was riviting and incredibly well edited.
Created by Stanley Nelson, founder of Firelight Media.
As this was part of the San Francisco Film Festival (put on by the San Francisco Film Society), the director Stanley Nelson held a Q&A. As part of this Q&A he brought in Jim Jones Jr. (Jim Jones' son - adopted).
Though they both felt that it answered the question of why 906 people would 'drink the kool-aid', i felt that it was lacked in resolving that question. In many instances opening up other questions. However, I believe that it told this story with a degree of sensitivity and emotional truth that I had not seen in a Jonestown documentary before.
Created by Stanley Nelson, founder of Firelight Media.
As this was part of the San Francisco Film Festival (put on by the San Francisco Film Society), the director Stanley Nelson held a Q&A. As part of this Q&A he brought in Jim Jones Jr. (Jim Jones' son - adopted).
Though they both felt that it answered the question of why 906 people would 'drink the kool-aid', i felt that it was lacked in resolving that question. In many instances opening up other questions. However, I believe that it told this story with a degree of sensitivity and emotional truth that I had not seen in a Jonestown documentary before.
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Michael Pollan Speaks on the economies of food
Michael Pollan, author of one of my favorite books,"The Botany of Desire", Examining the tulip, potato, cannabis, and apple, Pollan studies the relationship between people and the natural world through the history of four plants. He now has a new book called "The Omnivores Dillema", where he explores the implications of modern society's cornucopia of food choices on our health and the health of the planet.
Wednesday, April 26, we saw him speak at the Herbst Theater's City Arts and Lectures Series.
Some notes from this:
- The Slow Food Movement - runs counter to fast food ideas. Makes a case for eating locally produced foods by taking the time to enjoy your food.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Flip Book Animation Festival? Right on! & Stitchilicious
Of course there should be a flipbook animation festival!
http://www.flipbookfestival.com/
Great place to learn to sew in SF.
http://stitchlounge.com/
http://www.flipbookfestival.com/
Great place to learn to sew in SF.
http://stitchlounge.com/
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Maker Faire makes for good fun
John, Toby Rene and I went to the Maker Faire yesterday. Turned out to be a great time.
Some of the coolest things we saw:
Some of the coolest things we saw:
- Shannon O'hare :: Extremely interesting guy working over at the Shipyard building a victorian styled moving house for the playa this year.
- Frogwatch :: http://www.nwf.org/frogwatchUSA/ Frogwatch USA is a frog and toad monitoring program that gives YOU the opportunity to help scientists conserve amphibians!
- Because we can :: http://becausewecan.org/ A couple located in Oakland who created a design and production company using an automated CNC fabrication techniques. You bring the ideas, and they'll produce them for you.
- IPswap :: Have an idea for improving your mp3 player, cellphone, pda, etc? Join this community. Post your idea, choose a developer, negotiate terms and make beautiful software together. They've got about 200 developers right now and virtually no community yet, but then, they've just begun.
- Blurb :: For $29.99, you can upload your pix and text and create a real book. The books i saw were very high quality. I met with Samuel Leshnick (sr. designer) who walked me through their process... they've just started off and they haven't released their first product yet (due out in may)
- Eccentric Genius :: Kaden of eccentric genius ...er he is the eccentric genius, describing himself as, "I build antiques from...er...somewhere else. A parallel universe where Leonardo Da Vinci, John Cleese and Jimmy Neutron spend every Tuesday night playing poker with Sherlock Holmes, and the Victorian era 'gentleman inventor' still toils diligently in his potting shed laboratory." He builds everyday modern things based on victorian technologies. Like a guilentine carrot chopper.
- Monome :: Honestly, i still am not sure i understand what this is all about. it seems to be another way to interface with a program.
- Alavs : Autonomous Light Air Vessels :: Through a defined research process we designed objects that behave and respond in specific ways and are part of a networked system that emphasizes autonomous and flocking behavior. There are two main components: feeding and flocking. Somehow this is connected to The Art Center in Pasadena, Ca.
- CalCars :: CalCars is a non-profit startup formed by entrepreneurs, engineers, environmentalists and consumers. Our projects tackle national security, jobs and global warming -- at the same time. We promote plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). PHEVs are like regular hybrids but with larger batteries and the ability to re-charge from a standard outlet (mostly at night). They're the best of both worlds: local travel is electric, yet the vehicle has unlimited gasoline range.
- Onomylabs Inc. :: They're building new ways to interact with visuals. With a table that can be spun, rotated, moved up and down allowing you to interact with the images on the table. This was interesting to a limited degree. I find that Reactrix makes a more interesting way to interact tangibly with images.
- Phill Ross : Artist :: The artworks he makes are created through the design and construction of controlled environmental spaces. In these environments he nurtures and transforms a variety of living species into sculptural artifacts, much as one might train the growth of a Bonsai tree. Wacky musrooms and biospheres in sealed glass.
- Technical Video Rental :: Rent movies on technical or artsy crafty stuff.
- http://www.jenine.net :: This woman makes insanely beautiful glass beads and then strings them into a very large neck piece! They're gorgeous.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Greatest Natural History Museums of all time
The greatest natural history museums of all time due to their fantastic dioramas, and things in bottles. :)
The Milwaukee Public Museum
The history of the museum on their site states:
"The tradition of innovative exhibits, dubbed "The Milwaukee Style," began with the work of Carl Akeley, the "father" of modern taxidermy who started his career in Milwaukee. Although others had included props and backgrounds in cases holding taxidermy specimens, Akeley's muskrat colony, completed in 1890, is considered the museum world's first total habitat diorama."
On their website, be sure to check out their "Exhibitions" section. I particularly love the section entitled "Sense of wonder" which features "More than 1,000 rarely seen specimens from the Museum's collection of 6 million are displayed, ranging in size from a pine cone seed to a 36-foot-long skeleton of a Humpback Whale."
The Fairbanks Museum in St. Johnsbury, Vt.
John and I visited the Fairbanks Museum in 2004, and it was as if it hadn't been touched in 100 years. A fantastic example of Victorian curiosity, collecting and museum exhibition of that era.
On our trip to St. Johnsbury, we also visited The St. Johnsbury Athenaeum a library and art gallery.
The Field Museum of Chicago
This was once the mecca of museums, and in part still remains so. Though many collections have given way to the 'discovery museum' style of curation.
The Milwaukee Public Museum
The history of the museum on their site states:
"The tradition of innovative exhibits, dubbed "The Milwaukee Style," began with the work of Carl Akeley, the "father" of modern taxidermy who started his career in Milwaukee. Although others had included props and backgrounds in cases holding taxidermy specimens, Akeley's muskrat colony, completed in 1890, is considered the museum world's first total habitat diorama."
On their website, be sure to check out their "Exhibitions" section. I particularly love the section entitled "Sense of wonder" which features "More than 1,000 rarely seen specimens from the Museum's collection of 6 million are displayed, ranging in size from a pine cone seed to a 36-foot-long skeleton of a Humpback Whale."
The Fairbanks Museum in St. Johnsbury, Vt.
John and I visited the Fairbanks Museum in 2004, and it was as if it hadn't been touched in 100 years. A fantastic example of Victorian curiosity, collecting and museum exhibition of that era.
On our trip to St. Johnsbury, we also visited The St. Johnsbury Athenaeum a library and art gallery.
The Field Museum of Chicago
This was once the mecca of museums, and in part still remains so. Though many collections have given way to the 'discovery museum' style of curation.
Victorian Age has it's curiosities
Victorian Parlors
"The typical parlour, which, to our way of thinking, was a chaotic arrangement, was crammed to capacity with furniture and ornaments. Leaders of popular taste suggested that this room lent itself to ornamentation more than any other mainly because it offered hospitality and amusement. The objects which it contained advertised lifestyle and social status."
Victorian age literature was influenced by the 'information technology' of the time and became more picturesque.
"At the same time, developments in visual technology made it possible to see more and in new ways. Nineteenth century optical devices, creating illusions of various sorts, were invented near the beginning of the century: the thaumatrope, the phenakistoscope, the zoetrope, the stroboscope, the kaleidoscope, the diorama, and the stereoscope. Other inventions — such as the camera lucida, the graphic telescope, the binocular telescope, the binocular microscope, the stereopticon, and the kinetoscope — projected, recorded, or magnified images. Most important, the photographic camera provided an entirely new way of recording objects and people and transformed many areas of life and work."
The diorama provided people with new and more realistic ways of illustrating worlds many would not see personally. Site devoted to the collection of the victorian diorama.
International Committee for museums and collections of natural history
The Centre for Victorian Studies Resources on victorian age items
Showbooks and Optical Toys from EVE the virtual exhibition
"The typical parlour, which, to our way of thinking, was a chaotic arrangement, was crammed to capacity with furniture and ornaments. Leaders of popular taste suggested that this room lent itself to ornamentation more than any other mainly because it offered hospitality and amusement. The objects which it contained advertised lifestyle and social status."
Victorian age literature was influenced by the 'information technology' of the time and became more picturesque.
"At the same time, developments in visual technology made it possible to see more and in new ways. Nineteenth century optical devices, creating illusions of various sorts, were invented near the beginning of the century: the thaumatrope, the phenakistoscope, the zoetrope, the stroboscope, the kaleidoscope, the diorama, and the stereoscope. Other inventions — such as the camera lucida, the graphic telescope, the binocular telescope, the binocular microscope, the stereopticon, and the kinetoscope — projected, recorded, or magnified images. Most important, the photographic camera provided an entirely new way of recording objects and people and transformed many areas of life and work."
The diorama provided people with new and more realistic ways of illustrating worlds many would not see personally. Site devoted to the collection of the victorian diorama.
International Committee for museums and collections of natural history
The Centre for Victorian Studies Resources on victorian age items
Showbooks and Optical Toys from EVE the virtual exhibition
Friday, April 21, 2006
Project Guttenberg
Project Guttenberg
I found this very cool site that hosts a 18,000 book collection online where you can download books - some of them very rare!
I found a book that was mentioned in Orchid Fever called:
I found this very cool site that hosts a 18,000 book collection online where you can download books - some of them very rare!
I found a book that was mentioned in Orchid Fever called:
The Voyage of Governor Phillip to Botany Bay by Arthur Phillip
Published in 1789
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