• 29Apr

    fishermans wharf 27 300x225 The REAL Fishermans Wharf

    fishermans wharf 10 225x300 The REAL Fishermans Wharf

    People go to Pier 39 and totally miss the point of what Fisherman’s Wharf is all about. It’s not about buying another sweatshirt. Trust me. And, it’s not about visiting the Kinkade “art” gallery.

    It’s about the fishermen who made their living catching fresh seafood and bringing it to Fisherman’s Wharf to be expertly prepared for visitors at one of a handful of great restaurants on the wharf. Well, things have changed, but if you walk around behind some of the restaurants, you’ll catch a glimpse of the way it was. Fishermen still bring back goodies from the sea, and some offer tours, which give you a close-up view of the harbor via a real fishing boat. Go for it. Do something different. That’s what this blog is about – doing fun and quirky things in San Francisco.


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  • 27Apr

    Adah’s book, Stairway Walks in San Francisco Stairway Walk Queen   Adah Bakalinsky, is still a big hit since her first edition in 1984. Now in it’s 6th edition, and better than ever, with 27 jaunts and over 600 public stairways, you’ll find plenty of entertainment here.

    In the video, you’ll discover how much Adah loves the out-of-doors. She’s a real inspiration at age 85 and still walks from her home near Van Ness, all the way downtown to go shopping.

    I’ve gone on many of the walks and they’re all fun and filled with discovery of parts of San Francisco I didn’t know existed. I’ve blogged about several here; so use the search box (upper right) and type in “stairways” and you’ll find several of my favorites.

  • 25Apr

    adah bakalinsky 168x300 Adah Bakalinsky   The Queen of Stairway Walks

    I love this shot of Adah. The others were just tooooo “normal”. This one reflects her nicely.

    Today, I had the pleasure of doing a little video interview of Adah Bakalinsky, author of Stairway Walks of San Francisco.

    What a delightful woman. She is so smart, alive and caring, she just amazed my crew and I. We’re in the process of editing the video and will be posting it here very soon; so check back, or subscribe; so you don’t miss out.

    Her book is available right here (on Amazon), just click on the link to the left and order your copy now. I’ve got two editions of the book – the original and the latest rev. Both are great and I was fortunate to have them both autographed by here today, which was such a treat.

    At 85, she’s amazingly alert, articulate, funny and just a pleasure to listen to. She talked about her love of neighborhoods in the city and urban life in general, which you can tell she loves. Her home is spotless and filled with beautiful art that she has been collecting over the years. She loves 16mm film and has done many projects of her own and also taught film production to college students too.

    Also credited with a large part of making the books possible, was Marian Gregoire. “She was the person who kept myriads of details in order. She scouted, she re-checked facts; she has a wonderful sense of direction. She was my invaluable extra brain.”

    We also talked about technology and how she loves it, but prefers to spend her time outdoors, talking to people. Smart idea, huh?

    She is planning a 10 mile walk as a donation generator for a small gardens group here in the city. The idea was instigated to honor the birth of her first great grand child.

    It was a good day, and like I said, stay tuned. We’ll have the video soon and you can judge for yourself.

    Today was definately a quirky (but very fun) day. And it was a fun thing do to, here in San Francisco. If you’re interested in meeting Adah, she frequently does book signings at Border’s Books on Union Square. Check-in with the store to find out the next time she’ll be there. If you do, tell her Randy said HI.

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