sightlines: May 2012

Well, twice I've tried to load these pics in their right order, and it's time to go to work, so you'll just have to work backwards with me.

Here' my brother, David --it's Sunday afternoon after the wedding. We've just had a huge breakfast and schmooze with the wedding party, and we're heading up to Macy's, then another ramble around the town, ending in the Italian district at Francis Ford Coppola's favorite restaurant. There's a set of trolleys, the Castro line, imported from cities all over the country and the world. This one was from Milano, 1920's.

Our hotels overlooked the wharf, where we grabbed some food and then sat outside and gazed at the bay, chattering away.

The morning-after the wedding breakfast at a famous bay-side industrial area restaurant, clogged with happy diners, munching fresh donuts with chocolate sauce, spanish potato-omelet, bacon, etc. etc. Again, the sun came out to greet us the minute the couple showed up!
The groom is on the right, Beth listens to the bride's dad.

The groom and bride, Clayton and Emilee. They didn't wear shades at their wedding,--they were utterly beautiful, elegant, stylish, as was the whole party. But my camera ran out of batteries the moment we sat down for the ceremony, so deal. Suffice it to say they adore each other, and embrace all the families and friends in the warmth of their love.

Beth supplied most of the flowers for the wedding from her magnificent gardens. Here she finds an overturned pot needing tending.

. . . while Dave (rt.) leans down to see where his partner Stephan had helped build a small boat years before.

Beth's sweet sister sue.

Clayton, groom, with his brother, Dash, his mom, and his aunt Sue.

Sue's partner, Sue, Sue's daughter, and bride Emilee.

OK, flip back a day. Here's the mingling place before the wedding -- held in a lovely art gallery. Dave (center) embraces dear old SF friends, Tim and Russo.

Beth provided the flowers, Dave, the backdrop. He hand-made the screen with stained hardwood and corrugated steel, blooming a beautiful patina (after a little online research.)

Beth and her mom, Patsy.

Then came the wedding, presided by a dear friend, vows hand-written speaking of their appreciation, care and devotion, a duet by Dash and Emilee's brother, both playing guitars, and a poem by a friend.
A reception of sweet and wild dancing, with formal tables, lovely flowers, and a pizza truck parked outside delivering gourmet pizzas to go with delightful salads, and then up comes the cupcake truck with cupcakes to die for. And dancing, and dancing to the DJ skill of Emilee's twin brother. Carole and Dave did themselves proud. Clayton and Emilee's day couldn't have been more loving, sharing, caring, joyous. The weather had been gloomy until the weekend began, then the sun just couldn't help but shine.

Ok, If you start at the bottom and work up, Carole and I got in Friday, early afternoon, and had lunch in front of the Harbor Court Hotel, then were included in the wonderful rehearsal dinner at a French restaurant in town, (they honeymoon in Paris). We got to know Clayton and Emilee's delightful friends and family.

The next morning was an early morning walk with David's friend Dave and his wife, Suzie and her partner, David, Beth, Carole and I. Where to? Up to Telegraph Hill, up to Coit Tower, viewing the 1933 murals, inspired by artists outraged that Rockefeller had destroyed Diego Riviera's great mural. No Lenin here, but not a lot of happy workers, either. At the library scene, someone reaches for Marx. Then down hill again, in high spirits, past the City Lights Bookstore, past the church where di Maggio married Marilyn, past the copper building that Stephan had spent 2? years remodeling for Coppola, for his extensive penthouse film-making offices . Then lunch at the wharf, grabbing some delicious home-made bread sandwiches and pastry, and finding a bench by the bay to enjoy the entertainment and conversation. Afterwards Carole went back to the room to enjoy a golf tournament and I took off to find her a gift, walking up the hill to the shopping district, taking this marvelous Philly 1947 trolley back. What I loved about it was that I might have ridden that trolley in the early '50s, when I visited Aunt Nan in Philly, and Rock might have ridden with his family when they lived there. Very special.
An altogether sunlit visit. Thank you dearly, Clay, Emilee, Dave and Beth. And Dash, too. Thank you all.

City Lights Bookstore mural.

Coit tower. They deny it was inspired by a fire hose nozzle, even though Mrs. Coit, the donor was a fanatical fire-department supported and their mascot during her childhood. Ya think?

David "Chris Colombo" Worfolk

Even the elevator dial was a mural.

Another post will show the complete set of murals. Really fascinating stuff.

Just to show the cheery mood of the artists, here's a fatal car wreck, a guy being robbed at gunpoint, and nobody caring a whit except the newspaper reporters. The headline reads, "Police robbed. Suspect Dillinger." Interesting times.

But the day is glorious, and it's a glorious walk up the hundreds of steps, and the pauses to admire the view, the flowers, the lovely homes, sculptures and trees.