January 18, 2011

Northbeach, San Francisco


click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

If we travelled back in time just about 50 years, and if you were there, then you would have heard my mother scolding me about taking photos of signs. "You'll waste all of your film on signs, Don", she would say.   Yes, I wasted a lot of film on signs...



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

Northbeach is home to San Francisco's Italian and Sicilian communities, although I'm pretty sure the census details show the residents are mostly Asian these days.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

Parts of the old San Francisco are slipping away -- today you might not recognize some of the old neighborhoods.

The Fillmore District for instance, was bulldozed in the name of urban renewal. The "South of Market", once well known for it's smelly skid-row, has sprouted tall office and condo buildings, most of which now stand empty waiting for either the economy to turn around, or the dot-com boom to resurface.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

Well, if you live in San Francisco and need a hip atmosphere to rejuvenate your alcoholic buzz at 6AM -- then you'd better head down to Vesuvio.   Nothing says "San Francisco" better (?) than having a smoke while standing in Jack Kerouac Alley, next to City Lights Books on Columbus.



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7 comments:

Alain said...

The guy smoking in the last photo really gives the photo loads of character! Lovely shot.

John @ Beans and I on the Loose said...

Oh yeah, you nailed it on the street shot. Well done Don.

Scott Law said...

That last shot at Vesuvio is the winner.

photowannabe said...

I agree with the other comments. The last shot is the definite winner. A story in one picture. Great atmosphere.

Anonymous said...

And to think, this Ohio guy knows right where that was shot. I've been up and down those streets many times:)

Jennifer said...

Yes, that last shot is beautiful - the colours in the light - dreaming of that kind of light in my wintery world!

It's cool that you've always been preoccupied with signs - I've always loved this blog:

http://www.fadingad.com/fadingadblog/

It's theme is old painted wall signs, but not always.

Tomate Farcie said...

Wait a minute, are you telling me that Vesuvio is open at 6 a.m.?!! Wow, that's early for beer and alcohol.

 
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