Celebrate!!! (Video added)

Photographed on Market St., San Francisco, 6/29/08

According to KRON 4 (who covered the Gay Pride Parade today), over 1 million people showed up to celebrate today. Many people already have uploaded pictures. KRON4 has a slideshow.

See you next year! :-D

(This video is dedicated to Celine and Delphine)

More to come later!
Revenez dans quelques jours, il y en aura d'autres.

Also check out my photo blog.

Mixed bags of news

GG Bridge is lost in the smog, way in the back

Smoke in the air (not fog) due to the wild fires in California made it very difficult to get a clear view of the Golden Gate Bridge today, from this Nob Hill window (click on photograph to enlarge). We could really smell the smoke in San Francisco, today. Local media said to expect the same air quality throughout the week-end, at which time the wind will probably get around to start blowing all that off...

Meanwhile, predictions of yet higher gas prices sent the stock market into a downward spiral again (358 points this time!)...

On the positive side, San Francico is again getting ready for fun-filled week-end with many LGBT celebrations and events around the Bay Area. The Chronicle has devoted an entire site to Pride-related events (including pictures of past Pride celebrations, various articles and links, and a calendar of events) and if you still can't find what you need, also check out Pride or the calendar of events at sfgay.org.

Pride '07

Pride '07

The main event this week-end, of course, is the SF Gay Pride Parade, scheduled to take place on Market Street, this Sunday 6/29 from 10:30 a.m. to approx. 1:00 p.m. After the parade, the celebration continues in front of City Hall, with a main stage, booths and events (you can usually pick up a map and event program on site). Expect a crowd, though!

Donna Sachet and the KRON 4 Journalists, Pride '07

Those of you who cannot be in San Francisco this Sunday or would rather avoid the crowd will still be able to see the Parade online or on TV, on Sunday, June 29th:

* LIVE Broadcast, on Bay Area Comcast 99 (Digital) 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

* KRON 4 at www.KRON4.com, Live Webcast, and
* Clear Channel Radio on SFPrideLive.com Live & Uncensored Webcast
(from 10:00 a.m. to the end)

* Prime Time: KRON 4, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. (condensed version), and
* Comcast, On Demand starting at 7:00 p.m.


Photograph of a couple getting married at SF City Hall, on 6/17/08

Because of the recent changes in California marriage law, we expect a larger crowd than usual this year in the City, so I thought I'd lend a hand and help out with the events, starting tommorrow night after work. That means that I'll probably be too busy running around to take and post pictures (or worse, I'll take pictures, then promise to post them but will never actually have the time to through them ...) So I'm counting on all of you, fellow local bloggers and amateur or professional photographers, to cover all the events this week-end, OK?



Remember, don't forget to bring water, sun protection, and a layer or two just in case the fog rolls in later on, but most importantly ... have fun!!!

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Chronicle Pride site

Pride

sfgay.org

Harry Aleo (1919-2008)

Double-click to enlarge/Cliquer pour élargir la photo

Harry Aleo, a "colorful San Francisco native" and resident, died last Saturday of cancer at age 88.

Harry Aleo was born in the City and grew up in Noe Valley.

He fought the Battle of the Bulge during WW2, then came back and opened up his real estate shop, Twin Peaks Properties, in San Francisco's Noe Valley district in 1947, and continued doing business there until the present.

Even if you didn't know Mr. Aleo, you may have heard of his horse Lost in the Fog , sort of a modern-day Seabiscuit.

I once infuriated a few of my fellow bloggers by suggesting that Harry Aleo was a good guy, despite his politics and the fact that he was probably very wealthy. So I guess I better not say it again, uh. Let me just instead quote a comment left by a reader of the Chronicle:

"His politics made me wince every time I passed his window on 24th street, but at the same time it made me glad to see someone standing his ground..."

I couldn't agree more. And I'm pretty sure he was a good guy.

Rest in peace, Mr. Aleo.


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Additional pictures of Harry Aleo's window

Inside the Contemporary Jewish Museum

Last Sunday, the Contemporary Jewish Museum of San Francisco was having its Grand Opening, so I decided to go check it out. The museum is located at Yerba Buena Gardens, just a few steps away from the SF MOMA, the Metreon, and the Moscone Center, among other fine San Francisco destinations, so it's very easy to find and to access.





Daniel Libeskind is the architect who renovated and added to the original 100-year old PG&E brick building. The 2 photographs (above) show the inside of the large blue steel diamond-shaped part of the building. Right now there is a sound exhibit in there.





This is the lobby. Doesn't it feel grand?!

It was difficult to check out the exhibits carefully with so many people roaming around, so I made a mental note to go back and see the William Steig and the World of The New Yorker exhibit at a later date, because some of the stuff on display seemed really pretty cool. But I must hurry somewhat because I understand that none of the Exhibits at the Contemporary Jewish Museum are permanent?



This is the store.

The museum is not very big and you may be able to get through it relatively quickly, but it feels much more spacious inside than you might think by looking at the building on the outside. If nothing else, you should go check it out just for the architecture. Personally, I thought the space makes you feel very positive and open, so I was really positively surprised.

Go check it out and tell me what you think!



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San Francisco Contemporary Jewish Museum

Similar post, on my other blog

Obama the Great Savior?

Photographed 2 days ago at Pine and Kearny, San Francisco.

As the entire world undoubtedly knows by now, the Senator Obama secured the democratic nomination a few days ago. Good for him, I guess (Who in their right mind wants that kind of responsibility, I wonder, but I digress.)

Almost immediately after the media released the news, this poster (above) showed up on the wall of a building at the edge of Chinatown, San Francisco.

Was this poster really designed by Obama supporters? I'm wondering. Because the more I look at this image of the Senator, and the more I think it's detrimental rather than helpful to his image.

First of all, the image is designed such that you feel like you're looking up, way up (up into the sun, it would seem?) even when you are standing right in front of it. Then, there is the body language - when are people standing cross-armed in front of you (or in this case, should I say 'above' you?) ever good news? Then... Well, maybe I shouldn't say anything else and let you interpret the message for yourself.

I don't know, maybe it's just me, but a poster like this almost makes "the other guy" look better.

Careful now.

Don't get me wrong. I am glad the Senator's made it so far, for a number of reasons. But I just don't get this "great savior of the masses" vibe everybody else around me seem to be getting.

Only time will tell, anyway. Personally, I can't wait for this campaign (however entertaining it's been so far) to be over.

Yves Saint Laurent dies in Paris today

Photograph and text in quotes from Victoria and Albert Museum

'Mondrian'
Dress
Yves Saint Laurent
1965
Paris, France
Museum no. T.369-1974
Given to the Victoria and Albert Museum by Yves Saint Laurent

"This cocktail dress is from the Mondrian collection, inspired by the 1920s abstract paintings by the Dutch artist of the same name. It was featured on the front of French Vogue in September 1965 and many cheaper copies were produced for the mass market."

A couple of days ago, Eric, of Paris Daily Photo was asking his (English speaking) commenters to answer questions about their views on the French and the French culture (who do they think is most influencial, whether or not the French culture was still alive, etc). You can see the questions and a compliation of the answers right here if you are interested.

One of the question was "What do you think most defines France's reputation around the world?" To me, undoubtedly, part of the answer to that question is Haute Couture.

And so, today, a little bit of French culture died with Yves Saint Laurent's passing, since he clearly contributed a great deal to the art of Haute Couture. (Don't think for a minute that Haute Couture isn't an art; when you get to his level, it truly is).

YSL was most influential in his field around the world, and his creations will be remembered for a long, long time.

The Chronicle had an interesting article on his life, today, if you are interested. There is also a documentary about his life worth watching. The first part deals with Mr. Saint Laurent's life, and the second shows the confection of a dress and all the work that goes into it.

YSL was to fashion was Ella Fitzgerald was to Jazz. Rest in peace, YSL, and thank you so much for your creativity and vision.