Greetings from San Francisco

[Mikey]

Just getting ready to go out for the night. We did the 2 mile climb through Chinatown up to Coit Tower this afternoonn.



Here's a view from the top of the hill.




On Market Street, getting ready for tonight's festivities.

[Moving Sale]

They open the top of the tower back up yet?

[Derron]

They open the top of the tower back up yet?

No..you will not stop using it for your glory hole.

[M2]

I can't remember ever being able to go to the top... but, hell... I haven't been there since I was 17 and was banging some chick on the circular parking lot.

Why on earth would someone go to a tourist trap like that if they were raised in the Bay Area... unless they were banging an out of the country girl you met from the marina after one or 12 Irish coffee's down near the cable car turn around on the wharf ???

[M2]

Actually, I'm just here to embarrass you some more...


It makes me laugh...

[smackaholic]

Maybe he walked to the top to see if that bionic hip works OK.

Maybe he wanted to get to the nicest view in san fran?

So, do tell where the locals such as yourself hang out, other than the bath house?

[R-Jack]

So, do tell where the locals such as yourself hang out

When he's done Yelping it, he'll get back to you.

[Diego in Seattle]

Ic you see some guy checking out your package, tell Brad to fuck off.

[Mikey]

I don't know if the top of the tower was open, but it may have been because there was a line to get in. Never considered getting into the line - we just wanted to walk up the hill, which was damn steep, to see the view. Probably a three mile round trip from our hotel at Union Square, up Grant Street. The climb up Filbert must be about a 40 degree slope - they built steps into the sidewalk.

We made another climb, up Strawberry Hill in Golden Gate park yesterday, took a bus to the Golden Gate Bridge visitor center, and then walked from there to the Palace of Fine Arts. I figure we put in about six miles yesterday.
,
BTW, never took any cable cars even though the bottom of the Powell Street line was two blocks from our hotel. There are always way too many tourists (not that we weren't tourists) waiting to get on, and they really don't go anywhere we wanted to go. We took a lot of buses, which is definitely the best way to get around San Francisco. We took the 5 line from Powell Street to Golden Gate Park, then the 28 to the bridge. After walking a couple of miles through the Pesidio, past Crissy Field, to the Palace of Fine Arts we got on the 28 again to Fort Mason and then hopped the 30 to Broadway and Columbus in North Beach where our favorite restaurant is.



From there we walked back to Union Square.

[Van]

Yeah, but did you cross a bridge on your way there? If you can't name the bridge, YOU'RE LYING!

-mtoodles

[Mikey]

Bridges? We didn't cross no bridges. We don't need no bridges. I don't have to cross any stinking bridges.

[Sirfindafold]

No doubt Mikey is loading up on Johnny Cakes.

.

[smackaholic]

has anybody seen the bridge?

[Jerkovich]

I use to live across the Bay from Gay Town. You could smell the piss from there.

[Mikey]

This was looking up Filbert Street on Telegraph Hill. Must be about a 35 degree slope.




We had pretty decent seats for Tedeschi and Trucks.




Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park. The island in the middle of the lake is Strawberry Hill, a nice slice of nature in the middle of the city.




A view from Strawberry Hill. The picture doesn't do it justice. You can see 360 degrees around from there, but the trees sort of get in the way.




Here's a view of the bridge from the Visitor Center. We got off the bus there and walked a couple of miles to the Marina.




This is Alcatraz, taken from the shore at Crissy Field. Looks like it would be a nice swim.

[Mikey]

Very cool, Mikey.

How was the concert?

I love this band (in spite of the fact that they come from SEC country :twisted: ). If you ever get a chance to see them play, don't miss it.

I know that our local geetar expert doesn't too much appreciate Derek Trucks, I think he's amazing. And Susan, who has this sort of little girl twang when she speaks, really cuts loose when she sings. But beyond them the entire group is incredibly talented. Everybody gets at least one solo, including all the horns. Trombone player even sings lead on one song. They have a great rapport and always seem to be having a really good time on stage.

I like their original stuff but one thing that makes them a lot of fun to watch is the covers that they throw into their set lists. I've seen them twice now in the past year and they always seem to have a slightly different mix A lot of variety, and whoever does their arrangements should get a lot of credit because they always seem to put their own signature on the songs.

This time they started the show with "Don't Do It" (originally Marvin Gaye but this version was a lot like the one recorded by The Band), and it kicked butt.

Other covers included:
I've Got a Feeling
300 Pounds - Howlin' Wolf
Darlin' be Home Soon
Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) - this came just after midnight and I was blown away at how well she sang it
Uptight
Everybody's Talkin' (Nilsson, from Midnight Cowboy)

The final encore was a medly of Sing a Simple Song and Higher.

The first time I saw them I also remember hearing Manic Depression and Space Captain.

When we saw them during the summer a couple of fat asses stood and danced through the entire show. I could only see the horns and keyboard player about half the time. This time we had seats in the second row of the lower loge so we were basically looking down at the stage with no obstacles at all. A great view and awesome sound in the theater.