This one is currently part of The Hospitality House's THHE Auction If you are reading this in a timely fashion, go bid on it. The money goes to a great organization here in SF who is doing the difficult work we need right now.
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
I'm unsure how this blog has been found after so long, but for some reason it has. I suppose it's never too late to make a post. So much has happened since 2017. My son who was born shortly before my last post is now almost 8. There was a global pandemic. I've had three jobs (still on the third). And I had a solo painting show.
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
What's Good: The New Modernists
It's been a long while since the last post but I'm still here! Been busy trying to keep up with the work and have a new website too. To stay up to date with what I'm doing, follow me on Instagram.
Speaking of Instagram, since the fall of fffound, I've needed to rely more on Pinterest, Instagram, and Ello to find new interesting artists. But as these services/communities continue to grow, the signal to noise ratios fall and finding cool stuff to look at becomes now left to the machine.
The best recommendations still come from people so here are a couple artists to watch on the 'gram:
If you like Willem deKooning, check out Matthew Dibble.
If you like Victor Pasmore, check out Guido Bisagni.
If you like Franz Kilne or Robert Motherwell, check out Blaqk and Simek.
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
7 Hours of Savings: Nike Air Jordan 1 Banned
I spent seven hours on Saturday not buying shoes. It was not for the lack of effort, and while I went home empty-handed, I did not go home with an empty soul. That particular distinction goes to the several line-cutters who actually did cop a pair of the hotly sought after Bred Banned 1’s in front of me. Yes, I’m mad about it, but I wasn’t trying to get into a fight over a pair of shoes. Plus, not only did I save $160, I learned it’s entertaining to watch sneakerheads parade thousands of dollars of footwear through the serendipitous pile of shit on Market Street in front of the Sheik sneaker store.
As a polymath and culture hound, the sneaker game presents yet another abyss to spiral down. I use the word abyss for a couple reasons; first, it truly has no end, no bottom, or anything to distinguish relative progress. Sure, there is a collection, but just like any collection, things come and go, and unless you have enough space or are a hoarder, your collection is merely a glimpse into your own specific fetishes. Second, the deeper you get, the less perspective you have on the totality of your experience. There might have been a beginning when you were 10 years old and your mom didn’t buy you those Jordans at a bargain price which can now fund a semester of college, but there certainly seems to be no end now that you can afford to buy your fucking shoes.
Of course, the game is not just about having the snickers. Status is an obvious motivator, but for many sneakerheads like me, it’s about the struggle. It’s about having war-stories about copping drops before the internet and finding gems like cobalt foams at your local Ross dress-for-less. Afterall, it’s the stories that will live on beyond the yellowed icy bottoms, cracked paint, and disintegrating soles. Stories about waiting in line overnight to snag a limited release; Nike SB Dunk High 420 "Cheech & Chong" only 420 made ever. Stories about finding deals; NIB Mambacurials Size 9 with the extra 30% off for fifty bucks at the San Leandro clearance store. Stories that you can share with your kids if you ever get a girlfriend. In the meantime, these stories are pure gold—to pass the hours waiting in line with your fellow sneaker aficionados.
The line on a release day is also a special beast, a hypebeast so to speak. At most retailers, there is a single line for a highly contested release, a line for raffle winners. Yes, like the lottery, not everyone's a winner in the sneaker game. Even the large retailers like Footlocker use a lottery system to dole out the precious few pairs of an anticipated hypebeast-musthave. Those who stand in this line, like Violet Beauregarde, have smug grins that stretch across their greedy little faces. They parade their pairs the length of the other line, if it exists, the line for the have-nots.
This is the First-Come-First-Served Line. This is the line you stand in when you’ve failed to cop your pair online because Finish Line crashed, lost the raffle (or didn’t know raffles for shoes was actually a thing), or was just lazy then realized that you actually wanted to drop two bills on a pair of athletic shoes not made for actual use in sport. The chance to “pay retail” for a celebrated release is a badge of honor, and is, for some, the only way to make sense of the addiction. Like the true addicts, sometimes you buy and sell to fuel the addiction, while also using your supply to show your true prowess in the game while standing in line on a release day.
When you drive a brand new car off the lot, it instantly loses value. In the sneaker game this is called “on-feet.” It is the point they are no longer “deadstock” though there is no real odometer that can say otherwise. Still, if you can cop that extra pair to flip for sometimes up to 3 times the retail price on the same day a shoe is released, you feel far less bad about driving your shoes off the lot. Seems easy enough, win the lottery twice, drop cash on two pairs, sell one, and get your pair “free.” That’s the chase, and the chase is truly enticing.
Of course, sometimes you cop 3 pairs of a prominent release only to find that Nike decided to really pull out the stops on production. Now you have 3 pairs of a shoe that is showing up at Ross, where some dude is freaking his shit like a forty-niner during the gold rush. It’s cool though, again it’s not about the shoes, it’s about the cool stories bro.
At the end of my seven hours, cold, tired, bladder full, waiting in the fumes of human excrement on Market Street in front of the Sheik answering for the 100th time why you’re standing in line, I realized that I didn’t just want these fucking shoes because they’re the fucking coolest shoes I will put into a clear plastic box and never wear, I also wanted the thrill of the hunt. And that I got, I met a bunch of dudes of all ages, races, and creeds, was regaled with stories of victory, defeat, sadness, and elation, and ultimately had one of my own.
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Rave Run: Russian Gulch
As a Runner's World subscriber, I love the Rave Run column in the Warmup section at the front of the book. Here's a post inspired by the Rave Run:
Runner
Jess HemerlyThe Experience
This 6 mile out & back trail in Russian Gulch State Park in Mendocino, California starts with a paved pedestrian path that gives forth to an off-road loop that takes you to Russian Gulch Falls. Once into the redwoods, the canopy provides both a beautiful backdrop and shade for a comfortable run. With only about 800 feet of elevation, the trail is rated moderate and is popular with hikers. The falls make a great hydration and snack stop.Fast Fact
The name "Russian Gulch" was given to the area by U.S. government surveyors, in honor of the Russian fur trappers who founded Fort Ross fifty miles to the south.Four-legged Friendly
Dogs are allowed on the trail as long as they are on a leash.Eat This
The Goodlife Cafe and Bakery in nearby Mendocino makes great local organic fare to feed the post run munchies. They have an incredible gluten-free bread, and some of the best coffee in town.
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Sunday, January 3, 2016
Shootin' Stuff
I'm generally not a big gun fan, but I took the opportunity to go clay shooting today at Bird's Landing Hunting Preserve & Sporting Clays. I'd never shot a gun before and I was pretty terrified. Jack was a great guide, lent his 28 gauge, single crack barrel to me for the day; the 12 gauge was just a little too long for my arms, but despite it's smaller size, it did nothing to ease my nervousness.
It took me about a dozen shots (and misses) to get over the "surprise" of the gun firing. Again, despite it's smaller size, I still had that momentary dread just before pulling the trigger. I'm not sure what I was dreading; the sound, the recoil, the unexpected. Once over the surprise factor, I could finally focus on trying to actually hit a target. When I hit my first pidgeon and saw its demise at the tip of my gun it was just like I had finally learned to ride a bicycle. It was almost unbelievable and pretty f***ing awesome. Thanks Jack!
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
826 BVHM By The Numbers
Now in my 3rd year as a volunteer writing tutor for 826 Valencia at BVHM I still struggle with whether or not I'm actually making any difference. In the day to day of things it can be hard to tell, and sometimes, especially on those rough days, a little disheartening. It's nice to know that when you step back, we are actually making a difference.
Check out this post by Ashley Varady (Program Manager), Christina Perry (Program Director), Lauren Hall (Director of Evaluation), and Bita Nazarian (Executive Director) of 826 Valencia about what we've done for the kids.
Thursday, October 22, 2015
SMSW10 x ICHI
Back in 2005, when we didn't know any better, we used to finish the Supermarket Street Sweep at a bar on 16th Street. We used to have the food bank bring donation barrels to the bar that wouldn't come close to handling the amount of food we were bringing in. Even back then, at half the size of the race today, we were still breaking our backs (and butts) to bring in as much food as we could.
Across the street, a Mexican chef was hard at work honing the age-old craft of making sushi. At its height, Tokyo Go-Go was the place to spend your Web 1.0 dollars, and Tim Archuleta was there to feed you. But soon after we started, Tim would leave Tokyo Go-Go to to start a small catering business in Bernal Heights.
By 2011, The Lucky Cat Deli, would grow into Tim's first sushi bar, ICHI. Sustainability and a seasonal focus, along with Tim's modern and vibrant take on some of the world's oldest cuisine made ICHI an immediate neighborhood favorite. The old sushi bar on Godeus is now home to Tim's oyster bar, ICHI Kakiya, and the new, bigger ICHI + NI Bar further down the street is now a busy hub for those looking to eat some of the best fish that graces SF's shores.
I stopped in to have a bite to eat and was lucky enough to get a spot at the bar with ICHI's chef de cuisine Erik Aplin. Erik is not just a skilled master of the craft, but when you're at the bar, he's also just great fun to watch and talk to. His wildly creative taste for everything is not just beautiful but tasty. With their seasonal focus this means you can go to ICHI over and over and always be surprised with what they're serving up. On this night it was a local anchovy, fried to perfection, eaten whole. It was, among the stable of other delights, a seasonal treat that I could have eaten a few dozen of.
This is perhaps all just a long, tasty way of saying that the generous folks over at ICHI have given this year's SMSW10 WINNERS $200 worth of gift certificates to ICHI + NI Bar and $100 to ICHI Kakiya. Thank you Tim and Erin Archuleta!
Monday, October 5, 2015
SMSW 10
I can't believe I've been doing this for 10 years. This is longer than any job I've ever held down.
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Cyber Vandalism: Why We Can't Have Nice Things
It's not that I necessarily think it was a good idea for Google to allow the public to mark their maps, but this feature underscores where we are as a society. Create something that can be used for good and be rest assured it will be used to do something awful. Sadly, I had always thought Cybervandalism would be far more interesting.
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Happy Birthday to Me
I don't post very often, but when I do, I do about bicycles. I wanted to put a shout out to those of you who are supporting my latest crazy bike thing. Last week, the day before my birthday, I pulled my back getting out of a car. Sigh, older but still not wiser. I'd like to blame the car, but honestly it was the over-training last week that did me in. I'm trying to stay on the mend so I can make good on the generous support of my family and friends for their birthday wishes and donations to Oakland Public Schools! Thanks everyone.
Monday, December 8, 2014
SMSW9 in the Books
This year by the numbers:
134 riders
12,095 pounds of food
$14,794 in cash
60 sponsors
20 cases of beer
23 volunteers
3 organizers
3 months of planning
Thank you to all the volunteers, sponsors, and riders this year; and especially to my two fellow organizers Jenny and Kacey. One more year in the books!
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Friday, November 21, 2014
Citizen Brick
For the Lego fans who always wanted something with a little edge. The guys over at Citizen Brick have got your number. Say hello to this guy, just one of many in their assorted collection.
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Slow and steady.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Moving to the Blackbird
Come have a handsomely crafted cocktail with me as my work moves on to the Blackbird.
Have a Blackbird classic and personal fave, The Leather Bound Book. Rye, cinnamon syrup, old-fashioned bitters, with an absinthe rinse, served down with a lemon twist. Subtle cinnamon is balanced by bitters and given depth with an imperceptible hint of absinthe. Tastes even better than it sounds.
Monday, July 28, 2014
Angry Bladders: Top 10 Reasons NOT to Run The San Francisco Marathon
Top 10 Reasons NOT to Run the SF Marathon
10. It's expensive. If you don't live in SF, SF is one of the most expensive places on earth to get a hotel room. The race is also more expensive than most by about $20. I know you're already paying someone to suffer like hell, but $20 is, on average a pitcher and a half of beer. See also number 5.
9. The weather. While our climate is, on average, very mild, it's also very unpredictable and the race traverses several micro-climates. Yesterday we saw drizzle, fog, wind, and then sweltering heat at the end.
8. Hell is other people. In this case about 20,000 of them. Most of which are running the shorter half-marathons and the 5k. They have never heard of this thing called race-etiquette and the organizers don't bother to mention it exists. I'm not a competitive runner, but nearly got crashed into by competitive runners trying to get around lolly-gaggers.
7. No one cheers you on. I guess there is so much happening in SF that no one really knows (or cares) that the marathon is on. I spotted all of 1 person who lived on the race course that opened her window to cheer us on. In Portland last year it seemed the entire town came out to make fun of you (I mean cheer you on). There were entire neighborhoods that had block parties and even guys holding up signs to tell you who was winning the NFL Sunday game you were missing. In defense of those that did cheer us on, one guy had Turndown For What on repeat with a sign that read, “SLOWDOWN FOR WHAT.” I high-fived him when I saw him at the end of the race.
6. A lack-luster expo that happens in the most inaccessible part of the city. I'm not sure why, but organizers thought that Fort Mason was a great place for bib-pickup and the runner's expo. Convenient for the Marina maybe, but not for anyone else. I guess they recognized that so they had school busses to and from the Hyatt (where they should have had the Expo). School busses.
5. Ugly race shirt, and no swag. I ran Portland last year and got 2 shirts, short and long sleeve, 2 medallions, a pin, a medal, flowers, a beer, AND at tree sapling. A tree sapling. I also got home from the expo and realized they gave me a women's shirt. I'm not the manliest of dudes, but shit, I don't look like a girl.
4. The Golden Gate Bridge. One might think that running over the bridge is going to be this phenomenal experience. Don't be fooled, the bridge is more crowded during the race than it is on the weekends. See also Number 8.
3. There aren't enough aid stations, not enough people at each station, and no food at any of them. Not a single pretzel or gummy bear. There were two stations with GU (which barely qualifies as food). The best part: as you get to mile 13 the first half-marathon finishes and they have piles of bananas you run past that they hand to the runners WHO DON'T HAVE TO RUN ANYMORE. The banana-tease is evil. Speaking of evil…
2. The course is Evil. As a long-time SF resident I've found the ways to get around our hilly town through the flats. Route planners thought it'd be fun to take us to the Wiggle then run us up hill past it. In the last 5 miles there are a series of small climbs where I took note of many runners not just walking, but stopped. Some hunched over about to puke, others sitting, some lying down. I'm not the only one who also thinks the SF course is tough. SF made it onto The Weather Channel's World's 15 Toughest Marathons and The Wall Street Journal called it The Race Even Marathoners Fear.
1. The most compelling reason and most glaring ineptitude of the organizers was seen in the lines for the bathrooms. If there is anything that a well-hydrated runner will need to do before a race, it's take a piss. There are about 16,000 people at the start of the race and I've not seen lines this long for anything. To give you an idea of the runner to bathroom ratio, I started in the last wave and when I got to my start corral, there were a few hundred runners in line for 5 porta potties. Needless to say, there were a lot of angry bladders at the start.
Anyway… Don't be fooled by the photo, I'm only smiling because I DON'T HAVE TO TRAIN FOR THIS MARATHON ANYMORE.
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