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San Francisco Quote of the Day

admin — Thu, 17 May 2007 20:00:01 +0000

San Francisco is a city which leaves its impressions upon people. In honor of that, writers and artists, comedians and actors, and visitors from across the globe have made mention of San Francisco in print and in voice. Quotes about San Francisco vary as much as the people who make up this city. Each day, San Fran Voice gives you one to think about as you wander through the city streets, letting it leave its mark on you.

Today’s San Francisco quote is … for SF writers. It comes from a SoMa Literary Review interview with local author Kemble Scott. See the entire interview here.

“San Francisco has such a rich literary history, from Jack London to Amy Tan. Today there’s a community of writers here that’s comparable to what it must have been like for artists a hundred years ago in Paris . You can find Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Chabon offering advice to would-be novelists, or Dave Eggers mentoring inner-city kids. Heck, you can bump into Lemony Snicket out walking his dog! There are endless ways to connect with other writers, whether they are famous or still unpublished. It can be remarkably inspiring.” – Kemble Scott

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San Francisco YouTube Pick Of The Day

admin — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 17:04:44 +0000

The two girls in this video don’t do anything particularly out of the ordinary but there’s something in the look in their eyes that makes this clip totally scandalous. It’s a quick video of a Kelly Clarkson sing-a-long at the SoMA dance club, Arrow.

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Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day

admin — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 11:12:00 +0000

Did you know that tomorrow is Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day? This form of photography takes us back to the basics – away from digital photos and down to the core of what photography used to be a long time ago. And since San Francisco is a creative location, we’ve got a host site for the event right here in the city.

The location is the Marketplace Gallery of the Rayko Photo Center @ 428 3^rd Street in the SoMA. They’re hosting an exhibition of multiple artists from now through May 20^th which kicks off an artist reception on Sunday, April 29^th, from 12 – 5.

One of the featured artists to keep an eye out for if you make it to the exhibit is local artist Rick Dahlgren. Check out his website here.

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San Francisco YouTube Pick of the Day

admin — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 17:01:27 +0000

The San Francisco YouTube pick for today is an art film short called The Fortune Cookie. In the film, a boy receives the fortune to go to the corner of 4th St. and Mission in San Francisco’s SoMA district, and the film follows what happens to him on his journey. The film actor is silent but the clip is accompanied by whistling.

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San Francisco Neighborhoods: SoMA

admin — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 09:00:44 +0000

I once explored the situation of city and neighborhood nicknames in San Francisco, discovering that it’s okay by locals to hear you say San Francisco, SF or “The City” but not San Fran or “Frisco”. I also learned through the ensuing online discussion that SoMA is an okay phrase for the South of Market neighborhood, although there was distinct disagreement as to whether it was more locals or more tourists who called it that. I never really got any answers, but I’m content to call it SoMA myself – and I’m happy to spend my time there.

The SoMA neighborhood is the section of the city which is (of course) south of Market Street, lying west of The Embarcadero and east of The Mission. It extends down to one of its most famous attractions, the AT&T Ballpark, where The Giants do their thing during baseball season and other events take place throughout the year. It includes several other famous attractions, including SFMoMA and the Yerba Buena Gardens area, the Metreon, and some of the more well-known clubs in the city.

But the SoMA is a mixed bag. It’s not just the nickname that locals can’t agree on; it’s the whole concept of the SoMA which poses a conundrum for people living here. Of my social group, I’m the only one who consistently loves the SoMA. Some say that it’s okay to head there for certain venues but generally a place to avoid. Others say that the process of change the area is going through is nothing short of gentrification and they say this with an eye towards the negative end of the social impact of the change. But as for me, day or night, I can find something to do South of Market.

One of the more unusual hidden gems in this neighborhood is the San Francisco Flower Mart. Nothing much to look at from the outside, this neighborhood collection of warehouse storefronts is home to whole sale flower vendors who retail their natural plants all throughout the rest of the city. You can pick up seeds to plant or bouquets to gift people with or simply stop in to smell the fresh life perking up this hidden SoMA corner. You can wander from here to explore the small shops, local restaurants and other unique spots in the area.

Of course, I’m not naïve and I’m the first to admit that there are some sketchy parts of the SoMA so it’s not a bad idea to keep an eye out around you for uneasy activity, with 6^th Street being the street I personally would say to avoid. However, even at night, there’s plenty of safe fun to be had in the SoMA. Nightlife places to check out vary greatly and include your basic dance clubs (DNA Lounge), your more underground clubs (Arrow), neighborhood bars (The Chieftain), risqué venues (Bondage-a-Go-Go nights at Glas Kat) and high class transgender entertainment (Asia SF). If you’re awake all night on San Francisco weekends, you can dance without being told to leave from Friday through Sunday at End Up.

Next San Francisco Neighborhood Pick Will Be The Financial District.

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