Spotlight: Crissy Field

Need a Kodak moment by the Golden Gate? With its rugged Northern California landscape, sweeping bay views, and easy beach access Crissy Field may be the best place in San Francisco to get a look at its most famous landmark. While most other viewpoint areas are nothing more than strategically placed parking lots, Crissy Field is a beautiful park, natural area and historic site that also happens to offer a great vantage point for bridge viewing.

Crissy Field was originally a salt marsh frequented by the local Ohlone people and later used as an airfield for the Presidio Army Base. After the base shut down this site was taken over by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), which has restored much of it to its original condition. Today Crissy Field consists of a walkway surrounded by one of the city's best beaches on one side, and protected marshland and the namesake field on the other.

I like to enter Crissy Field via the parking lot by Marina Blvd. and walk the roughly 1.5 mile promenade to the West Bluff picnic area, where I relax and refuel. There are two options for food and drink here if you did not bring your own: The Warming Hut cafe and the Let's Be Frank hotdog cart. My money's been on Let's Be Frank after several anemic and overpriced sandwiches at the cafe. While I'm not a huge fan of hotdogs, Let's Be Frank's dogs are not your average Oscar Meyer weenies. Grass fed, organic, three choices of meat. You can't go wrong with one of these delicious calorie rolls after a nice 1.5 mile walk.

After being fortified with a Lets Be Frank frank the next logical step is to continue on the path, past the sign that reads "Not A Pedestrian Walkway" (ignore it), and down the short stretch of road that leads to Fort Point. Fort Point is directly underneath the Golden Gate and offers a unique perspective from which to take it its reddish-orange glory. A map of Crissy Field and Fort Point can be found here.

If walking is not your thing, bikes can be rented at the nearby Sports Basement. Bikes are allowed on the promenade but beware of pedestrians and especially their dogs! Dogs abound at Crissy Field and they are not required to be on leash so it is important to keep your eyes on the road, lest you run into someone's little precious.

Crissy Field offers an idyllic escape from the gritty urban environment without having to leave the city. This urban gem is easily accessible by car or Muni and should be visited by everyone*.

*Except those afraid of or allergic to dogs, people, hotdogs and/or bridges.

Muni Diaries Live

Muni Diaries Live

Derek Powazek shares the misery, mystery, and mayhem that is Muni as part of a series called Muni Diaries, held at the Make-Out Room last month. Don't miss his last story as this tale of teamwork and Muni redemption is sure to get you exited about a ride on the N-Judah.




Thanks Muni Diaries for the scoop.

Bay Area Slang Part 2

It always amuses me when people ask about my accent. Really? If we are on my home turf then it's you that has the accent buddy, not me. I guess I can't really blame these misguided souls for their confusion since the natives can sometimes be difficult to spot in a city where most of its inhabitants were born someplace else.

One good way to detect a native is to listen to the way they talk. Certain words, phrases, and even pronunciations (It's SanFrnSisco not San-Fran-sis-co as the iconic Herb Caen noted in his  local column) can be good indicators of a person's relationship to the Bay Area. Below is a list of common words that can help you identify the natives, and understanding what the heck we are talking about.

The Abridged Dictionary of Bay Area Slang

Bammer-bad or phony.  adj. "I  wanted to dress up for Halloween but all I had was that bammer Sarah Palin costume from 2008." n. "When she was good she was very very good, but when she was bad she was bammer."

Bank-to beat or physically injure. v. "In the third round the champion really began to bank on the challenger." "Yesterday on Muni I saw two women banking on each other over a seat."

Cap-to insult. n. "There is nothing that people bear more impatiently, or forgive less, than contempt: and an injury is much sooner forgotten than a cap." v. "Are you capping on me? I'm warning you, I'm not the kind of person you should be capping on."

Cuts-someplace far away. n. "I would visit her more often if she didn't live in the cuts." v. "I know a cutty place where we can get away."

Fade-put money in on something. v. "Do you want to fade on a pitcher of beer?" "Last night we all faded on a large pizza for dinner." 

Hella-very. adv. "The fog out in The Richmond was hella thick this morning. I could barely see ten feet in front of me." "That burrito was hella bammer so I ended up throwing most of it away."

Moded-embarrassed. v. "All she could tell him after witnessing his failed attempt to jump over the parking meter was, 'you're hella moded.'" "He felt moded that none of his friends came to see him preform at open mic night."

Mug-to give a dirty look to. n. "She was muggin that girl on the bus, that's why she got banked on." "Don't mug me when your the one that should feel moded."

Tight-cool. n. "He thinks that his new haircut is tight, but I think it looks bammer." adj. "Her parents own this tight spot out in the cuts and they said we could stay there over the summer."

Trippin-stressing or freaking out. v. "A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken while trippin." "I'm not trippin over what she said, I know she wasn't capping on me."

Muni Sunday Funday

Every Sunday from December 5-26th, 2010 Muni will be giving out all day transfers with the purchase of a regular $2 fare. So get out there and get your Muni on!

Lazer Ninja Cats

Check out this new mural painted on the Harding Theater at 616 Divisadero St. Yet another reason why San Francisco ROCKS!

Bay Area Slang Part 1

Muni For the Uninitiated

In response to the snark-fest of Muni Rules, which admittedly was less of a helpful guide than a way for me to blow off some steam, I want to offer those who have never experienced San Francisco public transportation a brief guide to utilizing this (often) fabulous resource.

Why pay $30 for a hop-on-hop-off tour bus ticket when you can take Muni for only $2 per ride? I can't think of a reason unless you enjoy canned commentary and feel that this is worth paying an inflated price for. Not only does Muni have stops at or near every major tourist destination, it also goes to places not on the tourist loop, offering those unfamiliar with The City a glimpse of real San Franciscans in their native habitat.

Stuck downtown but want to check out the Golden Gate Bridge? Yes it is sometimes easier to just hail a cab and let the driver figure it out, but where's the sense of adventure in that? If you have access to a computer or smartphone it is easy to get detailed directions to and from any destination in the Bay Area through 511.org. This handy website will show you which bus(s) to take and where to catch them,  estimate the journey's duration, and provide a map of the route. If you can't get on the internet there is always the transit maps posted at (supposedly) every bus shelter which, with their color-coded bus routes, are not too difficult to read (although they are obviously much easier if you know the layout of the city.)  Or you could just ask someone waiting for a bus to point you in the right direction.

What about a Muni Pass? The main reason to buy a Muni Pass is convenience. For those only spending a short while in town the SFMTA sells a 1, 3 or 7 day Muni Passport that allows unlimited rides for consecutive days at a cost of $13, $20, or $26. This means that you would have to take a lot of bus rides in order to save any money, and for the 1 day pass you would need to ride seven times just to break even. While this option is unlikely to be the most economical, there is something valuable about the convenience of not having to worry about whether you have $2 in order to ride (drivers will not make change). This convenience is mitigated, however, by the fact that these passes are only sold at a few select locations-11 South Van Ness at Market, Market and Powell St, Hyde and Beach, and at information booths at SFO. If you are not sure how often you will ride Muni, and are not situated near any of these locations, it is silly to go out of your way to buy one of these passes.

For those who plan to be in San Francisco a bit longer (or indefinitely), the Clipper Card is another alternative to paying a cash fare. Clipper, according to their website, is "...an all-in-one transit card that keeps track of any passes, discount tickets, ride books, and cash value that you load into it, while applying all applicable fees, discounts, and transfer rules." You can load these things up online, over the phone, or at one of their 238 machines or participating stores throughout the Bay Area. If you plan to ride Muni often, purchasing a monthly bus pass for your Clipper Card is a good idea. The two options for adults are the Muni "A" Pass that lets you take busses and Bart anywhere in the city for $70/month, or the "B" Pass for $60 which does not include Bart. This is worth it if you ride Muni often since it not only saves you a few bucks, it frees you from the annoyance of scrounging together bus fare on a regular basis. More info on the wheres, the whats and the wonders of Clipper can be found here.

What else can I tell you about Muni? Riding Muni is a great way to get out and see San Francisco and the folks who inhabit it. One of the (arguably) best things about riding Muni is that you never know who your fellow passengers will be or what they will be doing. I have ridden with people in costumes, various stages of undress, and/or pierced all over. I have heard speeches, witnessed acrobatics, and listened to a barber-shop quartet preform. John Waters is a known rider, if that gives you any idea of what you are in for. Since almost every San Franciscan rides Muni at one time or another, the bus often gives a good glimpse into the everyday life of the city. So sit back, or hold on, and enjoy the ride.

Muni Rules

Ah, Muni. There are so many things that I like about you. I like your cheap rides, and the way that I don't have to worry about a designated driver, or look for parking. I like how you go all over the city and how I rarely have to walk more than a few blocks to get to one of your stops.

But Muni, you also have some issues that make riding you very unpleasant at times. Yes I know that you are not to blame for all of your problems, so below I'm sharing a list of do's and don'ts that, if your rider's follow them, can make some of these unpleasant times a little more tolerable.

Do:
-Let the shovers go first, after all you don't need to be rude just because other people are.
-Know that the bus is going to move and hold on in preparation. Nobody likes to be next to a stranger wildly groping around for something to break their fall.
-Squeeze past that group congregating in the middle of the bus, since not only will this make room for other people but there are usually seats to be found back there as well.
-Carry your bag in front of your body if it is crowded. This not only lets you keep an eye on your belongings, it also makes you more aware of when you are slamming your stuff into the side of someone's head.
-Do avoid eye contact with deranged-looking persons, although its usually best to acknowledge them if they direct a question your way. This is because the only thing worse then having a conversation with a crazie is having them shout, "WHAT BITCH?! Oh you're too good for me," over and over again.
-Use headphones, because most of us think your music sucks.

Don't:
-Run for the bus unless you are sure that you can reach the door before the last passenger has boarded. The driver will see you, and he will purposely evade you just for the fun of it (this rule won't necessarily add to the Muni experience in general but it could save you some humiliation.)
-Push while boarding the bus. If you are in dire need of a seat due to advanced age or infirmary then just ask someone in the front to get up. If not then suck it up and stand like the rest of us.
-Sit in the front seats unless you are old or injured. See above.
-Get on and just stand in the middle of the aisle, other people want to get on the bus too!
-Stand in the steps by the door. Usually the bus can't move when this happens so if you can't fit anywhere else but in this spot, get on the next bus.
-Put your feet, wet umbrella, sunflower seed shells or anything else that is gross or lingering on the seats. They are called seats because people sit on them.
-Eat smelly food on the bus. Muni has enough funky smells without you adding a further layer of aroma.
-Yell "BACK DOOR" and pound on the windows at regular bus stops if you are on a Limited bus. Bus drivers don't care where you would like to be dropped off and yelling, while annoying to your fellow passengers, is guaranteed not to faze them at all.
-Reach over someone, subjecting them to a sweaty pit, a boob in the eye, or an elbow to the jaw in order to signal your stop. Most people are happy to pull the rope for you if asked.

Oh Muni, whatever happens you will always be a part of my life. So what if you are often late, or crowded, or smelly. You get me where I need to go and you do it with the lowest possible cost and the highest possible entertainment factor of any other mode of transportation available. For this I thank you and promise never to stray-unless of course someone offers me a ride.