The Bob Wilkins Stow Lake Boathouse Blues

I'm kind of "late to the party" on this. But, there's a seasonal tie-in (hint: it's Halloween).

So, this whole replacing the Stow Lake Boathouse with this new thing has me a little sad.

The current boathouse is charming in its, well, shabbiness. It reminds me of places I'd visited when I was a kid. I appreciate the comfy, low-key quality. It's not like I'm renting pedal boats all the time. But, when Donna & I take a walk around the lake, I enjoy seeing it there.


Look, I understand: time marches on. The boathouse is also a tourist attraction (it is in Golden Gate Park after all). And, if there's money to be made, by God, made it shall be.

BUT, if the old boathouse goes away, so will this awesome sticker what's stuck to it...

Watch Horror Films, Keep America Strong!

and that's a shame. I took this pic back in June of this year. I hope it's still there.

I'm not 100% sure how I feel about replacing the boathouse right now. But, if you're against it, you should check out the Save Stow Lake Boathouse Coalition.

PS: I can't believe I haven't seen Watch Horror Films- Keep America Strong.

PPS: I met Bob Wilkins twice when I was a kid.

PPPS: If you like old horror movies & weird stuff in general, check out Monster Movie Music and Beyond. Eegah!! & Tabonga! are terrific.

UPDATE 12/04/2010: Well, the Rec and Park Commission voted to approve the Ortega lease and say goodbye to the family that ran the boathouse for 65 years. So, it's all up to the Board of Supervisors (and maybe the Historic Preservation Commission) now

Later, this was still M.I.A.

And by that I mean it was gone...

No one on the corner has swagger like us...

(snapped while walking to work one Tuesday morn...)

Previously:
Look Up and See the Little Sparrow

Outer Sunset Sunday Stroll

This Sunday was a bit dreary, weather-wise. Maybe not for you. But, the Inner & Outer Sunsets in SF? Kinda dreary.

I'd much prefer to think about last Sunday!

Donna and I took a walk down Irving Street last Sunday. It was 10/10/10; The weather was warm & sunny; I needed to get beer from Easy Money (they've got 12packs of Sapporo for $9.99 before tax). It's, like, we had no choice.

We decided to go all the way to the beach & back. Here's some stuff we saw...

The sign's a bit misleading; There's usually people on the street. Here, it looks like a scene from On The Beach.

I couldn't take my eyes off this. I don't usually title pictures unless something really jumps out at me. I originally called this "When There's No Getting Over That Rainbow". But, that's too sad. And kind of trite.
I settled on "Pastel 01"

Medieval barbers would also provide medical & dental services. Nostalgia meets innovation.

Alas, this photo does the artwork no justice...

Out in front of the surf shop...

PIG! & NO POP OUTS

The Blue Angels were flying around, too. But, I've never really had any luck getting photos. Just Google them and you'll be fine.

All in all, it was a lovely day.

Thanks for stopping by!

Previously:
Rock & Roll Matryoshkas
Look Up and See the Little Sparrow

Sunsets of the Inner Sunset: Smoky Red June

Remember all those wildfires back in 2008? (This map from the Silicon Valley Mercury News is pretty informative, too)

The air in SF was tinged with smoke for days.

I snapped this while walking home from work one evening.


Previously
Sunsets of the Inner Sunset: October Orange

Rock & Roll Matryoshkas

Click the pic for a better view...

I know it's only rock & roll. But, they're MATRYOSHKAS (at The Last Straw)

I have no idea what they look like inside. I didn't want to disturb the moment.

I guess we'll just have to IMAGINE.

Thank you. Thankyouverymuch.

Previously:
Beej Weir's Guide To Graceland
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Look Up and See the Little Sparrow

Previously:
This is why I always try to have my camera handy...

Ceiverism: A Way of Life

Saw this whilst out running errands...


When you Google "ceiverism", you get very few hits. In fact, the only thing of any real interest you get is this picture from the flickr stream of someone called Real Lies.

Ceiverism has been a way of life since 2008 at least. And it's expanded to stickers.

On another topic: why doesn't Mill Valley Refuse Service see fit to capitalize the words "bay area"? They capitalized "available" and "entire"- but not "bay area". What gives?

UPDATE: More clues to ceiverism?

As for the Mill Valley Refuse "bay area" thing? I've moved on. I was so much older then; I'm younger than that now.

Previously:
More Beer * Less Work
Are Chest Beards the Mullets of The Millennium?
Good Hygiene Is Universal
Stickering It To "The Man": Whacko 1

Night Blogging?

Before I get too carried away, I do have to say that I'm really glad Accoutrements exists. They have the best plastic crap around. Sure, it's probably assisting in the destruction of our planet environmentally (and maybe even a little morally). But, we'll go out laughing.

That being said: "Night Blogging"?!

Who blogs at night in the dark? And why? And isn't the light from the screen enough? And doesn't having 5 electric vermin attached to your fingers make it harder to type?

(not to mention the fact you'd need to buy 2 sets if you wanted to go full-out on both hands)

We'll just ignore the fact that these "rats" don't appear to have long, skinny tails (which would make them more "Party Hamsters" or "Party Chipmunks" or "Party Gophers" or "Party Capybaras", really. SEE UPDATE BELOW).

What gets me is this: they're just not much in the way of "Party Rats" if they're hanging out in front of a computer, blogging. Based on the picture on the package- shouldn't these rodents be out "raving". Do people still rave? It's called "raving", right?

This all just raises more questions than it answers. But, maybe that's the point. Here I am blogging about it. You win this one, Accoutrements! Well played.

(I'm still not buying them, though. C'mon)

One thing I am sure of: Great Stuff is a wonderful store. You should go. Buy something. The name of the store says it all.

And if you're into "night blogging"? Get your bad ass a set of Party Rats. Hell, buy 2 sets. Life's short.

UPDATE: "Party Guinea Pigs". They could be called that, too.

Previously:
Dressed To Kill?
Smiling Gopher With Scarlet Pimpernel

Sunsets of the Inner Sunset: October Orange

Please click the pics for a better view...

GO GIANTS!

Dressed To Kill?

Howard@Hawthorne, SF, CA, 10/5/10
Originally uploaded by Beej Weir

Those of you who live in CA, AZ or NV might recognize this dapper fellow. He's the mascot of the Western Exterminator Company.

There's supposed to be a little rodent (holding a knife & fork, I think) standing in front of him. But, maybe it went to get a cup of coffee or something.

I'm not sure an over-dressed, mallet-wielding blind man is really the ideal representative for an exterminator. Would you be happy if this guy showed up at your house to get rid of your mice?

But hey- I'm not a marketing consultant.

Still, you have to love the spats.

Nobody wears spats anymore.

Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign...

Click the pics for a better view...
 

More Beer * Less Work

12th Ave & Irving, SF, CA, 10/02/10
Originally uploaded by Beej Weir

But... how will I pay for the beer?

I'm over thinking this.

Cool sticker.

The End.

UPDATE 10/31/10: AH! Now I get it. Cool!

Previously:
Are Chest Beards the Mullets of The Millennium?
Good Hygiene Is Universal
Stickering It To "The Man": Whacko 1