NEIGHBORHOOD HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS 2018

There weren't as many Halloween decorations in and around Polk Street this year as in years past.

Maybe it’s because the times we live in are already scary enough

or maybe it's because people just don't celebrate Halloween like they used to. 

Lobby, On Lok Senior Center, 1333 Bush

Then again, there was last Saturday's pub crawl on Polk

which looked to be very enjoyable. 

window decoration

Still, there just don't seem to be as many decorations as in previous years.

Sunset Peals

sidewalk chalk drawing

SAN FRANCISCO INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX COMICS

I started seeing this comic posted on lampposts and buildings around SOMA and Van Ness-Market in June of this year.

June 11, 2018

It's the work of local artist is Josef Norris.

June 21, 2018

I was curious as to why it was called 'SF Industri(c)al Complex, and emailed him to find out.

July 21, 2018

He replied, "I call it San Francisco Industrial Complex - after other terms like 'Military and Prison Industrial Complex' -

August 16, 2108

which refers to an industry-driven society that determines policy and the way we treat people."

August 19, 2018

He went on to say "San Francisco is one of the most affluent cities in the United States with a Homeless Crisis that makes it look like a 3rd World country in the shadow of the Salesforce Tower and other Tech companies. I wanted to explore these contrasts in this city."

September 3, 2018

You can see more of his work at josefnorris.com.

NEIGHBORHOOD OPENINGS -- ELLA/'S AMERICAN KITCHEN (#10 in a series)

Ella's American Kitchen has opened at 1608 Polk Street. The hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. every day except Monday. Like other restaurants in this neighborhood, they're only serve breakfast and lunch.

PAST AND PRESENT #2 – PINE & LARKIN, OCT. 7, 1915

Pine & Larkin Oct 7, 1915

View to southwest corner Larkin & Pine. Redding School at right. [dpwbook13 dpw2619] Tanks of Lurline Ocean Water Baths in background left.

Pine & Larkin Oct 7, 2018

Redding Elementary School is still here a century later, while the tanks  of Lurline's Ocean Water Baths and the baths themselves

are long gone, the place where they once stood now occupied by an apartment building and Walgreen's.

Click here for an interesting article and brief history of the Lurline Baths: https://hoodline.com/2015/05/remembering-the-lurline-baths-larkin-street-s-saltwater-oasis

even though they put them on the wrong corner.

REDDING SCHOOL RE-MODEL

The repairs begun at Redding School last year have been finished, at least for now.
 

Redding School, November 2017

All the windows have been replaced.
 

The interior has been redone,

as has the playground in the back. The 'red schoolhouse' brick has been painted over in more cheerful colors.

I don't know why the entire building wasn't finished; perhaps it was because the school year started before the workers could get to it.

Sometimes public tax money is ill-spent, but the Redding School remodel doesn't seem to be one of them.

Sign on door of Redding School

UPCOMING EVENT – FREE EYEGLASSES & EYE EXAM

It's the first Tuesday of the month, and time for free eyeglasses and eye exams at St. Paulus Lutheran Church, located at 1541 Polk Street (across from the Walgreen's).

The hours are from 10:00 a.m - 4:00 p.m.