The San Francisco Citizen

Have you heard about the bird?  

The flag of San Francisco, California depicts a rising phoenix, often assumed to be symbol of the city’s recovery from the 1906 Earthquake and fire but it dates several years earlier to about 1900. San Francisco suffered several devastating fires, including six fires between 1849 and 1852 (the last destroying almost the entire city), along with two earthquakes. Every time the city, just like the mythological bird, “rose from the ashes” and was rebuilt in even grander style and size.

Below the phoenix is a banner which reads in Spanish: “Oro en Paz-Fierro en Guerra”, which translates into: “Gold in Peace, Iron in War“. Because of this the official City colors are Gold and Black; these two colors decorate the dome of City Hall.

Click to enlarge:

This is what our small version of the the Marine Corps War Memorial looks like from Interstate 80 in Tormey, Contra Costa County.

“Vince Ramos of Crockett guesses he has captured the essence of what someone gazing at Mount Suribachi on the Pacific island of Iwo Jima on Feb. 23, 1945, would have seen. The tall hill in Tormey, west of Interstate 80 and just north of the Cummings Skyway, is home to Ramos’ replica of the celebrated flag-raising. The statue is a tribute to his late brother, Fernando, a U.S. Marine who served on Iwo Jima, the site of one of World War II’s bloodiest battles.”

You might notice it if you look up from the freeway near the Carquinez Bridge.

Sort of. Maybe people got their Bastille on over the weekend, instead of last night.

Down on Claude Lane in Union Square, instead of le jazz hot revelers got AC/DC’s Back in Black for at least part of the time anyway.

Clique to enlarge: 

This what Belden Lane, home of Plouf, Cafe Bastille, B-44, and le Best-O-Burger, looked like later in the evening. Most people were just sitting around noshing.

See you next year?

The winds in San Francisco don’t quite know which way to blow at the busy intersection where Market, Polk, Fell and 10th streets meet up.

 As often as not, the flags there blow in opposite directions.  Click to expand:

Have a great summer.

The Castro District of San Francisco, with all it’s rainbow flags, is looking très festive these days.  SF Pride (avec Parade) is coming soon.

Speaking of which, the Friends of the Pink Triangle are looking for help again this year with a little setup assistance for the biggest one ever this Saturday, June, 28th. (Will Senator Carole Migden be there with her twirling baton, as per usual?) 

The forecast is for sunny skies….

In honor of Flag Day, a huge American flag on California Street in the Financial District of San Francisco. It’s safe from being burned by the locals thanks to the Flag Desecration Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Oops, scratch that. This particular idea for an amendment isn’t actually in effect right now. Yet somehow, people have refrained from burning the flag pictured below.

Amazing.