San Francisco Snapshots: Ninth And Irving; Clement Street
1) I went back to Ninth and Irving last night. Drew and I met after work for a few beers at Yancy's, and then went to Milano Pizzeria for a pitcher of Sierra Nevada and slices of True Greek--by slices, I am referring to the vast swaths of pizza that Milano defines as a slice, approximately 25% of an entire pizza. Milano is this local, cash-only pizzeria on Ninth between Irving and Judah, walls covered in classic pictures and movie posters. The owner, this old Italian guy, will often sit against the wall near the kitchen, watching people coming in and out with a benevolent smile.
The night was cold and foggy. This is just how it should be. Enough of this summer stuff, with clear skies and warm nights. San Francisco needs atmosphere. It needs fog and Bourbon and Branch--I'll be going there for the first time on Friday night. I will be wearing a fedora. It will be excellent.
The first night of a trip to San Francisco I took in the fall of 2006, I ate dinner at Ninth and Irving at Sliders Diner--now Jenny's Burgers--with Drew and Sam, on a glossy, rainy night, followed up by beers at the Blackthorn. In some ways, every other night in San Francisco since then has been an attempt to recreate that atmosphere. It's why I moved to the city.
My friends used to live at 45th and Irving, and we would ride the N-Judah to and from the Ninth and Irving intersection, for beers at Yancy's or the Blackthorn, burgers at Sliders, sushi at Kiki's or pizza at Milano, donuts at Donut World. And of course people-watching on the N, which is more than just a public transit route; it's a lifestyle.
And then, of course, there is the walk home through Golden Gate Park, deserted except for the fog.
2) Clement Street. Ah, the scent of donuts, seafood, and sweet and sour sauce, sometimes all at the same time. Crowded sidewalks, The Bitter End, Pizza Orgasmica, The Blue Danube coffeeshop, Bill's Place.
And of course, Green Apple Books. It's an awesomely chaotic used bookstore, kind of labyrinthine, sprawled over two different buildings. I occasionally wander in there after work, spending far more time and money than I originally planned.
But the worm turned a little bit today, as I found out they don't have a public bathroom. A used bookstore without a public bathroom? That seems ridiculous, but apparently it is not uncommon for SF bookstores.
Borders and Barnes and Noble provide bathrooms. Everyone knows about the bookstore/bathroom urge phenomenon. That's just stupid to not have a public bathroom in a used bookstore.
Not that I'm bitter or anything.
The night was cold and foggy. This is just how it should be. Enough of this summer stuff, with clear skies and warm nights. San Francisco needs atmosphere. It needs fog and Bourbon and Branch--I'll be going there for the first time on Friday night. I will be wearing a fedora. It will be excellent.
The first night of a trip to San Francisco I took in the fall of 2006, I ate dinner at Ninth and Irving at Sliders Diner--now Jenny's Burgers--with Drew and Sam, on a glossy, rainy night, followed up by beers at the Blackthorn. In some ways, every other night in San Francisco since then has been an attempt to recreate that atmosphere. It's why I moved to the city.
My friends used to live at 45th and Irving, and we would ride the N-Judah to and from the Ninth and Irving intersection, for beers at Yancy's or the Blackthorn, burgers at Sliders, sushi at Kiki's or pizza at Milano, donuts at Donut World. And of course people-watching on the N, which is more than just a public transit route; it's a lifestyle.
And then, of course, there is the walk home through Golden Gate Park, deserted except for the fog.
2) Clement Street. Ah, the scent of donuts, seafood, and sweet and sour sauce, sometimes all at the same time. Crowded sidewalks, The Bitter End, Pizza Orgasmica, The Blue Danube coffeeshop, Bill's Place.
And of course, Green Apple Books. It's an awesomely chaotic used bookstore, kind of labyrinthine, sprawled over two different buildings. I occasionally wander in there after work, spending far more time and money than I originally planned.
But the worm turned a little bit today, as I found out they don't have a public bathroom. A used bookstore without a public bathroom? That seems ridiculous, but apparently it is not uncommon for SF bookstores.
Borders and Barnes and Noble provide bathrooms. Everyone knows about the bookstore/bathroom urge phenomenon. That's just stupid to not have a public bathroom in a used bookstore.
Not that I'm bitter or anything.
posted by Devin at 11:24 PM
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