Posts Tagged ‘grass’

Do People Just Give Money to San Francisco for New Tennis Courts? Meet the Court Angels

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

The formerly-abysmal tennis courts at Hamilton Recreation Center at on Geary Boulevard in the 94115 now look a million percent better thanks to a recently-completed resurfacing project. Now I thought the City was paying for all this but, in fact, “court angels” paid for it. Per Tom Carter of Inside Tennis

“In the middle of the city’s red ink bath — when Rec and Park and virtually all departments were absorbing staggering cuts — up pops San Francisco’s court angel again. This time, the anonymous family that donates resurfacing citywide said through a spokesman that the Larsen Park tennis court had been done in May, and the park’s basketball court, too.”

This is news to me. Anyway, they are anonymous no more, see? Court Angel ID’d as Edwards Family:

“The work has been done by Vintage Contractors on Ocean Avenue, the company founded by NorCal court standards pioneer, the late Gene Edwards. Jeff Edwards, a former tennis star at the University of Illinois, is his son. Another son, Tony Edwards, is vice president of Vintage Contractors and authorized the disclosure. The gratis work to restore crumbling courts in tennis-active neighborhoods has been a godsend, as the ever cash-strapped city continues to skimp and cut back maintenance and recreational services.”

I don’t know how this all works out tax-deductionwise, maybe the Edwardseses just do the work without any money changing hands. No matter, the courts at the Western Addition’s Ham Rec just went from Worst… 

…to First:

People should be playing on this colorful new surface any day, week, month now, or whenever RPD gets around to reopening the place.

This gift is just one among many around town.

Hurray!

Hamilton Pool and Recreation Center Now Has The City’s Most-Improved Tennis Courts

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

Here’s how it goes for the tennis courts at Hamilton Recreation Center in the Western Addition.

From worst (as seen last year)….

…to first in just a few short months. Advantage, San Francisco! Click to expand:

Whom should we thank for all this munificence? Why none other than Yomi Agunbiade, who used to manage Rec and Park a few managers ago.

Do you like the purple?

Enjoy your new T-ball courts, San Francisco!

Don’t You Wish You Had Your Own State-Approved Smoking Tent, Like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s?

Monday, November 30th, 2009

I bet you’d love to have your very own smoking tent. One that’s large enough to be seen from outer space, right?

Well then you should envy California Governor Arnold Schwazenegger ’cause this beige smoking tent is all his.

As seen from the second floor of Sacramento’s Capitol Building. Click to expand:

aaa

Best of all, it’s been excluded from California’s new anti-smoking laws because, well, just because.

And if there’s the occasional  flooding in our historic capitol due to all the fake plastic grass that’s been put down, well, that’s all right as well.

Here’s the bird’s eye view

Capture

Happy smoking, Arnie!

Yes, whether it be cigars…

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via aindavid

…or marijuana, like back in the day…

arn

 Smoking some sweet aparteid weed in South AfricaPumping Iron, 1977

happy smoking, Arnold!

Enjoy your tent.

Haight Ashbury Street Fair 2009 a Huge Success

Sunday, June 14th, 2009

Not sure what the Yelpers have a problem with, but the Haight Ashbury Street Fair went off today without a hitch, just like last year.

Look at the swirling mass of humanity on just one block of Haight Street:

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Can you see the superfluity of nuns in white approaching the Fair? Also note the F430 Ferrari supercar (sans license plates), one of many exoticars that made the journey to the Upper Haight today. Also note the sign: “No Open Containers of Alcohol.” Too bad. 

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Of course, all you need to get around the alcohol ban is a gallon jug of overproofed white rum and a giveaway “water” bottle. As seen on Ashbury.

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District Five Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi was on the scene, gathering names for his newsletter distribution list.

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Poorbot was looking for handouts:

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“SHOW US YOUR BOOBS… please.” “FABULOUS PRIZES.” “DON’T WORRY (WE’RE GAY)” These inebriates residing above the Ben & Jerry’s at the corner of Ashbury were true to their word, tossing down trinkets to all flashers male and female.

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You kmow why this San Francisco Native baby is better than you? Cause he had the foresight to be born in San Francisco, that’s why. He won the lottery/ when he was born.

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Bong Hits 4 Jesus

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And There Your Have It.

Wouldn’t Every Walk in the Park be Better on a Segway Human Transporter?

Monday, March 16th, 2009

Don’t you just hate walking on the grass when you visit Golden Gate Park? Wouldn’t a stroll be so much better on a Segway Human Transporter? Of course.

This guy has it right – his “4WD” version of the Segway has big tires. All the better for riding on turf.

He’s a regular Segway Cowboy Outlaw:

Ballad of the Segway Cowboy Outlaw 

Its all the same, only the names will change
Everyday it seems were wasting away
Another place where the faces are so cold
I’d Segway all night just to get back home

Im a cowboy, on a Segway I ride
Im wanted dead or alive
Wanted dead or alive

Sometimes I charge, sometimes its not for days
And the people I meet always go their separate ways
Sometimes you tell the day by the bottle that you drink
And times when youre all alone all you do is think

I roll these streets, a loaded NiCad on my rack
I play for keeps, cause I might not make it back
I’ve rolled everywhere, still Im standing tall
I’ve seen a million faces smack into the wall

Im a cowboy, on a Segway I ride
Im wanted dead or alive
Im a cowboy, I got the night on my side
Im wanted dead or alive
Wanted dead or alive

The Vanishing Front Yards of San Francisco’s ParkSide District

Friday, November 14th, 2008

It’s tough to see much grass in the part of the Parkside District (or Sunset, whatever you want to call it). Due to lack of space for cars to park (due to planners being unable to anticipate the growth of car use), there’s a strong temptation to pave over front yards. To wit: 

“The Board of Supervisors gave initial approval to a legislation introduced by District 11 Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval, who proposed it as a way to address a problem in his district: residents getting rid of gardens and front lawns by paving them over with concrete.”

Click to expand:

Should we have grass front yards or hundreds of thousands of cars in the first place?

Well, that’s up to you.

Is it true that the suburbs have no charms to soothe the restless dreams of youth?

San Francisco’s Haight Ashbury Street Fair a Huge Success

Monday, June 9th, 2008

Yesterday’s Haight Ashbury Street Fair in San Francisco came with sunny skies and lots of attendees.

The alcohol ban of recent years has changed the character of this event somewhat. These days, the boozy Union Street Festival might have an edge in the number of inebriated. No matter, a good time was had by all in the Haight.

So, dig the colors of David Yu and look at a bunch of photos from SFWeekly

A mass of humanity:

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 Could this man with marijuana garland be famous artist Harry Shearer trying out a new character?  

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Hookahs! Get your hookahs! Hookahs.com was in the house:

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A dancing baby grooving on Haight Street:

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Cindy Sheehan had more than a few acolytes gathering signatures for Cindy’s windmill-tilting House campaign against Nancy Pelosi:

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See you next year!

Lawn Bowling Fever Sweeps Over San Francisco

Tuesday, May 13th, 2008

The game of bowls is thriving in Golden Gate Park.

A bowl in search of the little white kitteh:

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Hello kitteh! Hello kitteh, where are you? Helloooo?