And now it's the holidays. All
the palm trees on Market Street have red ribbons.
Here's the Castro tree at the
corner of 18th and Castro.
As usual, Delancey Street
Foundation is selling trees at the corner of Market and Noe.
The Cafe Flore has gone from
autumn leaves to Christmas, inside ...
...and out.
Merchants have their holiday sign
on the Bank of America at 18th and Castro.
Sunday, 12/4/05, a little stroll at dusk down the west side of Castro Street from 19th to 18th.
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From Herb Caen's column in the San Francisco Chronicle, 12/18/79: Only in S.F. No. 8576, as overheard by Strange de Jim: "Oh wow, you should see the beautiful Christmas tree in the window of the porno store!"
And in 2005 ...
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Monday, 12/5/05, sunset from Kite Hill.
We can see car lights and
streetlights streaming down Market Street.
Cropping out just the Castro
Theatre, Market Street and downtown.
Friday, December 9, 2005
This house is on Castro just
north of 14th Street.
Not Christmassy, but this is the
slide on Seward Street, just below Kite Hill.
Saturday, December 10, 2005
For exercise I walk down Market
Street past the Flax art store and all the way to Van Ness and ...
City Hall.
On the way back I cut over to the
new little park on the brand new Octavia Boulevard, just around the
corner and up a couple blocks from ...
the GLBT Center on Market Street.
Now it's evening, and here I am
in the limo on the way to the annual Christmas party of literary agents
Michael Larsen and Elizabeth Pomada.
I walk up Powell.
I pop into the St. Francis for a
peek at their tree. It's nothing like the old days when it was in the
main lobby.
The tree in Union Square is nice.
Oh, there's my limo.
Victoria's Secret turns Powell
Street into Amsterdam West.
Ah, the virginal white door of
the Women's Club at Sutter and Mason ...
With his impeccable sense of
timing, author Herb Gold is saying good-bye to our hostess, Elizabeth
Pomada, as I enter. Herb and I catch up. His sons Ari and Ethan will be
appearing in The Honey Brothers Band at The Great American Music Hall
Tuesday. Be there or be oval.
I spot some interesting people,
so head, of course, straight for ...
the spread.
Our host, Michael Larsen, is
drumming away. I mingle and enjoy myself immensely.
Back in the neighborhood ...
I pop into Cliff's just to check.
Yes, they're still selling my
photo history of the Castro. All's right with the world.
Sunday, December 11, 2005 (Day)
In a little stroll down 16th
Street I come up beside Mission Dolores.
Across the street is another
church, Russian I think. I forgot to check.
Here's the front of Mission
Dolores with the original white church to the left.
While on the third corner is
Congregation Sha'ar Zahav. What is it about this spot that attracts
churches as though they were Starbucks?
Sunday, December 11 (Evening), and Monday, December 12, 2005
My roomie Stephen and I see the movie that's getting all the best picture, best director and best actor nominations and awards.
Click to climb Brokeback Mountain with us.
Wednesday, December 14
On Caselli Street I enjoy the old
Christmas-bulb-in-the-bear's-ear decoration.
Here's the window of De Sole shoe
store on 18th near Castro.
Below we see me with roomie Stephen (left) and friend Tom at home on Christmasday.
I'm surprised Santa was so
generous to me, since I fell well into the "naughty" range on the meter.
The day after Christmas I stuff
myself at the reindeer barbeque at Magnet Health Center on 18th near
Castro. Rudolph's nose tastes just like chicken, and I still have a
nice warm comfy glow in my tummy.
The funniest card I got this year
was from Bob Meslinsky and Phil Diers, showing George W. Bush being
naturally confused.
The Cafe Flore wishes us "Happy
New Year." And it's off to 2006.
Click for all other Castro photos 1880s to present
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