Cities Travel

TRAVEL: Spiriting up in San Francisco

SanFran surprised us with a dark, but even more exciting side:
A melancholic, creative mecca for everything art-related.

I always had this picture in mind only by the sound of
„San Francisco“: Clear blue sky over endless dancing hills,
the summer of love, a happy place. But – besides the
hills, everything I wouldn’t expect I found there and vice versa.

„If you’re going to San Francisco,
be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.
If you come to San Francisco,
Summertime will be a love-in there.“

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San Francisco: Da denkt man sofort an die Golden Bridge, steile Hügel, die sich endlos mal auf mal ab durch die Stadt ziehen, umsäumt von dicht gedrängten kleinen Häuschen. Die Stadt des Summer of Loves, freigeistig und alternativ.

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Unsere Erwartung an Sonne, Liebe und Peace war groß, und wurde jäh zerstört, denn das San Francisco das uns empfing, zeigte sich von einer recht düsteren, aber umso spannenderen Seite. Nicht erst seit Hitchcocks „Die Vögel“, die neben San Francisco auch in der nördlich gelegenen Bodega Bay gedreht wurden, hängt eine Atmosphäre über der Stadt, die viel Raum für Tiefgang lässt. 

Ein kreatives Mekka, in dem es vor Inspiration nur so wimmelt. An jeder Ecke Bars, in denen man ohne schlechtes Gewissen bereits nachmittags seinen ersten Whiskey bestellen kann. Musik und Kultur, die zwar melancholisch daher kommt, aber so viel zu bieten hat, dass man nicht daran vorbeikommt.

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Es lohnt sich also, ganz im Gegensatz zu L.A., wo dies zum Teil echt gefährlich wäre, abseits der allgemeinen Hotspots in die kleinen Staßen San Franciscos abzubiegen, und alles auf zu saugen, was die Stadt zu bieten hat.

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What to see:

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Max Fox at Berggruen Gallery

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© Max Fox

Even though much of Fox’ work ultimately becomes three-dimensional, he arrives at his sculptural forms through a focus on creating two-dimensional images. In his cardboard sculptures, such as Untitled (Chair), Fox often uses found objects and everyday construction materials as armatures or foundations. This choice reflects his ongoing interest in the tension between sturdy, quotidian materials and the abstract notions expressed in his drawings on paper, which form the basis of the sculptural elements. This tension runs through much of his work and harkens back to his childhood in a strict Catholic family who made their living in the construction business. Fox was taught to live by lofty dogmas and mystical beliefs while work-a-day objects and functional concerns governed his daily life.

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Angela Hennessy at Southern Exposure

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© Angela Hennessy

Angela Hennessy’s solo exhibition When and where I enter showcases new large-scale sculptural works exploring racialized identity, visibility, and materiality. Hennessy’s textile-based practice often addresses cultural narratives of the body and mortality. These newly commissioned installations of woven, crocheted and braided synthetic and human hair boldly reclaim delicate Victorian-era crafts of mourning ritual, layered with signifiers of race, femininity and sensuality.

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Who to listen to:

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Singer-Songwriter Jessica Prat

Jessica Pratt’s music is a straightforward mixture of Newsom, Olsen’s melancholy and the vulnerability of Vashti Bunyan and simply has a hypnotic effect.

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The Dodos

The Dodos are compared with bands like The Chills, The Bats, Bailter Space or The Clean. Finest Indie from San Fran, even if this video is shot in L.A.

 

Where to shop:

On Haight-Street (Haight-Ashbury) vintage cloth shops are countless, and well selected. I was lucky enough to catch pieces from Marni, Valentino and Oscar de la Renta, each for under 100$. Music-, Bookshops and nice little cafes round up the trip.

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What to read:

I am always a fan of not being recognized as tourist at first sight. Though it makes me feel comfortable to carry some maps and a little guidance with me. For that reason those three little city guides are just right for me:

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Where to stay:

The area around Washingto Square (Little Italy) would be my first choice now. Not only do you have the cities’ most famous breakfast spot directly in front of your door, the area is located ideal for exploring the city by foot. China town and the harbor are easily to reach.

Where to eat: 

Breakfast: French Toast at Mama’s
Lunch: Dim Sum at Yank Sing – Rincon Center
Coffe, Cake & Whiskey:  Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe 
Dinner: Seafood at Don of The Bimini Twist

Mama’s

Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe

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– What is your favorite spot in SanFran? –

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SHARING WITH LOVE

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