Some Humble Abodes

When you think of San Francisco do you think about my favorite Bread Bakery that makes the most awseome loaves to be found in Northern California? No? OK how about architecture? Oh now I see your eyes light up. Gingerbread houses whose 4-color paint jobs cost more than n entire house in Kansas. Yes, yes, yes.... But you know what they say: "Seen one Victorian house, seen 'em all..." But that's not true, the Victorians of San Francisco are not the "Little Boxes" of Daily City fame. There are uncounted scads of really nice Victorian houses in San Francisco and if I was to take pictures of the best of them I couldn't afford the film... er... hard drive space. Besides, San Francisco has many more syles of houses beyond Victorians. This a selection of a few that I have shot in the past month or so.

Midcentury-Modern-Stucco

And we will start with this spectacular Midcentury Modern Stucco. Built in 1950, it is a marvelous study in thirds. As a 5 bedroom, 4 bath house it wouldn't be too bad of a place to hank out on the weekend.

Green-Stucco-Victorian

This house wasn't originally built with stucco. The way I heard it, during the '40s, '50s & '60s owners of these houses were pitched to change the siding over to stucco "because the maintenance of stucco was so much easier." The place I am staying in right now was stucco when the owner purchased it. He converted it back to wood siding and put back the gingerbread. He disagrees about stucco being easier to maintain. Perhaps that has something to do with coating a large structure with a thin, brittle material in an earthquake zone. Then again, maybe he is just persnickety.

Stuccoed-Victorian-Apartment

That being said, I think the look of a stuccoed Victorian is kinda cool in its own way. Something like this apartment building reminds me of a cake coated in fondant. I'm guessing this one would be butterscotch flavored.

And it is so cool when the owners springs to have a texture added to their stuccoed finish. It is icing on the cake, so to speak. But I am undecided about this one. Is it banana flavored or lemon?

San Francisco House

Nicely shaped stucco, beautiful ironwork, wild windows and excessive ornamentation. This old house is a standout on it's block.

Mix and Match

Along every street you will find a wide range of Victorian styles. Right next to each other you have Queen Anne, Italianate & Victorian Stick. Yes, this is not a slam them up in a month housing development.

Not a Swiss Chalet

This house is on the south side of Bernal Hill. I like it because it has a nice patina and its appearance seems so out of context for San Francisco... and I like taking pictures of old, beat-up houses.

Personalization

These folks didn't stop after painting their garage door... they added a 14-foot sculpture and two welcoming chairs to add charm to their neighborhood.

The crisp brick piles in the Presidio fit nicely with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background.

Back Alley Cubism

I like to wander into back alleys where you find no gingerbread. Function is the name of the game. Windows are there for the tenants to look out of, not for passers-by to admire. Just as plants in a jungle jockey for sunlight it seems these buildings are scrabbling for a view.

Coin-op Laundry

A cute little array of Storefronts and apartments.

Bent Corner

It's really not about the sky. I was struck by the way the architect decided to handle the weirdly angled corner. The house is on the North Side of Buena Vista Park (which has an excellent selection of houses and apartments girding it.) The featureless overhang of the top story gives it the feeling of something from a Tim Burton movie.

Music
    Gerluz
        The Day We Met
        Porphero's Watch Chain
        Les Langueurs Tendres
        more...
    Gort Braggern
        Prickly Pear
        Solar Wind
        Singularity
        more...
    Sonic Landscapes
        Volcanic Sounds of the Yellowstone Caldera
        Low Tide at Soberanes Point,
        Nightbirds on the Noyo River
        more...
    Nouveau Guinea Ensemble
        Idyll
        The Tiny Jalopy
        The Bunnies Parade
        more...
Photography
      Beckwourth Complex Fire
      One Last Snow
      Let's Try a Little Winter
      more...
Travel
      Bits of VA
      Wiggling the Adirondacks
      Washington
      more...
Misc
      Mister Frank
      The Ice Follies
      House Remodel (series)
          The Remodel Begins
          Tear 'em Up
          Putting Things Back
          more..
      And Then Aug & Sep
      more...

Recent Posts
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Open House!
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Wildlands of San Francisco
May 26, 2016
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  Some Humble Abodes
Fort Bragg on a Foggy Night
May 12, 2016
The fog rolls in.. It is late on a late spring night. Nothing on TV. There never is. Grab the camera & tripod... it's time to take a walk.
And a Few More Pictures of San Francisco
May 09, 2016
There are always a few left-over pictures that don't seem to fit in with any article.. I'll throw in a Batch of San Francisco images here. these are shot in all sections of the city, and are not displayed in any particular order.
California's Lost Coast
May 07, 2016
There is an area of California known as the Lost Coast. Somewhere north of Fort Bragg, south of Ferndale and west of highway 101. There are a few ways to get there but fewer people who will tell you how. Some places you can drive to, much of it is accessable only by foot if at all. It is one of the remaining places that Sasquatch can run free.
Has it really only been two weeks?
Apr 27, 2016
There is a saying that if you ask a contractor how long it will take the answer is always "Two Weeks." While that might not exactly the case there is an element of truth in it. Enough so that it stopped being funny for a bit.
San Francisco Skylines - Part Two
Apr 19, 2016
We all do it, some folks more than others. Perhaps your practice is utilitarian, maybe you are just following a whim, whaterver your purpose San Francisco is a great town to do it in. Even with all the hills, in fact the hills might make it better
Putting Things Back - Remodel Three Months In
Mar 24, 2016
We're not talking the Eiffel Tower here. We have no need for iron workers, cement trucks or dozens of unionized workers.This is a small little remodel. Nothing more than tearing out a wall or two and putting parts of them back, tearing out some cabinets.....
San Francisco Skylines
Mar 21, 2016
If you listen carefully you can hear it.... Humphrey Bogart in his best film-noir voice-over.... "They call her San Francisco... City by the Bay. She's taken many hearts... Poor saps, they think they left left'm, but they were stolen, every one."
Gravity Wave
Feb 18, 2016
San Francisco is a great walking town. I took a lot of long walks at pretty much any time of day or night, this piece came about through these walks.
Tear 'em Up - Remodel One Month In
Jan 26, 2016
We are Just over 5 weeks into this thing. There was a shocking lack of activity between Xmas and New Years, then again, everybody deserves some time off during the holidays. I just need to chill out a little.
What are you going to do in San Francisco anyhow?
Dec 28, 2015
I like San Francisco. I always have. For my first job I was a driver for a water lab. Every morning I had to drive from Redwood City to Marin (through San Francisco, of course). I had all morning to do the drive plus my lunch hour. I would often spend my lunch hour picking a new route through the city. Way too much fun to be paid for, but i took the money anyway. Now I had the opportunity to spend all day every day in the city.
The House Remodel Begins
Dec 22, 2015
Yes, given time, everything eventually gets done. The house was all packed away. We found a Realtor® & a contractor. I shoved all of my stuff away as well. Packed what I needed into a duffel bag and have come to San Francisco a for a month or so while the house gets remodeled before sale.
Playland
Oct 22, 2015
This one is actually part of a larger suite that I call Parlor Passages. It is intended to recall the frenetic energy energy of a children's playground. It is quite short, just over a minute a bit of brightness to be inserted in a longer ensemble.
And Then There was August & September
Oct 21, 2015
The blue jay is acting a bit self-conscious. Pin feathers coming in make him look quite awkward and so he compensates by acting with more bravado and investigating things more fiercely. If I leave the back door open he will hop right up to the threshold and survey the inside of the house
The Optimistic Nihilist
Sep 15, 2015
You know how it is.... you have one of those weeks. You slog to work on a cold and dismal Monday; The office bully pins you down and steals your lunch money...
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Keywords in This Article

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Victorian
House
Apartment
Houses
Stucco
Midcentury Modern

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