Parrots at Telegraph Hill

One of the most unique things with living in North Beach is that you get woken up in the morning by the screeching parrots from Telegraph Hill. Yes, they do exist, and you will notice them every day.
I have never been as close to them as I was yesterday, though. They  were all getting comfortable in this tree as I walked by, and I was watching them for a long time. There is something very meditative to all that chatter. They are exhibitionists, they like being watched.

Please Vote!

I have entered this image in the PDN portrait competition, and would love to get some votes from you all. All you need to do is click on the link below, and your vote is cast (and feel free to forward to your friends too!)

Thank you so much - every vote is greatly appreciated!

http://facesphotocontest.com/bin/Rate?image_id=2000801143

After the cold

Very sunny, and very windy. Everyone found something to occupy themselves with.

Saturday

Swimming at La Petite Baleen. The goggles are important.Without them, he will panic.

Art history

I took an art history class as part of my BA, and can not think of a time I have felt more like a stuffed sausage skin, images, dates, countries and of course, artists entering one part of my brain and disappearing out somewhere else.
We looked at images on a huge projector in one of the oldest auditoriums possible. There was not much room for discussion och feed back, but of course, during breaks and study circles, we were sure to enter some very intense arguments about style, themes and technical execution.

Now I am taking a contemporary art history class as part of my visual art certificate. We are in a small room, every one in a circle, encouraged to debate and go crazy.
Two warnings from the teacher though:
You will get shocked. You will come across sex, nudity and violence. You have to accept that.
We will have discussions. But you need to be respectful of each and everyone's sociopolitical background. Be careful not to offend anyone.

Amusing

I listened in on a conversation at the sandwich shop today, where a guy tried to explain why his short term memory was so bad, but he couldn't even remember to finish the sentence.
It went on for ever.

A Swedish guide to bars in North Beach

I had the pleasure of having 7 Swedish guys in my kitchen Friday night before my husband took them out for drinks around North Beach.
This is the bar crawl I recommend to them, and anyone else spending a night in NoBe:

- Gino Carlos: local bar for local people
- 15 Romolo: loud music, whiskey cocktails and bar food
- Vesuvio: nothing touristy about Jack Kerouac's hang out, this is genuine.
- Tosca: as seen in Basic Instinct. And once I bumped in to Sean Penn with entourage at the bar.
- Tony Nik's: what happens here, stays here. The best bar staff in the city works here.

Gotye

Yep, they are playing at the Independent in April.
Yes, we have tickets.
Yes, it will be awesome.

now i know

It's addictive. And annoying.