The M&M's went up to the City today to see the places we misses three weeks ago when I twisted my ankle at the Marine Corps Ball the night before. So, at 9:30am, off we went up Hwy 1 in misty fog.
Our first stop was in Daly City at Jo-Ann's fabric and doo-dad shop. Margie needed some fancy flowers and some brown feathers for a hat she is creating. There was only one bunch of brownish feathers and I found them. Luck is my co-pilot.
Next stop was 1552 Haight Street at a place called Distractions. (Check them out on Facebook) Clothing styles from Victorian/Edwardian to Steampunk including vests, pants and jackets. All well made and really gorgeous. Various heights and colors of top hats, some women's hats with feathers and flowers and some antique turbans,beautiful jewelry, flasks, cuff links, watch fobs and pocket watches and more than a few varmint skulls. One can't have too many skulls is what I say. I need to spend some time there with a open check book.
Margie bought a skirt that can blend between Victorian and Steampunk and its not black. Dark brown with slim black strips but still not black. She once said she would use black as her basic color until something darker comes along.
We decided to get a bite to eat before continuing on to the museum so we had lunch at the Burger Urge on 1599 Haight. Margie had a cheese sandwich and I, a patty melt. Don't ask for medium rare. It didn't squeak or bleed but was very reddish pinkish.
On to the De Young Museum and the exhibition of "Jewel City, art from San Francisco's Panama-Pacific International Exposition." This is the centennial celebration of that 1915 event and runs through January 10th next year. A few statues and much painted art from that exposition are the highlights we saw.
We both like the Art-Deco period and this show has been touted as having the beginnings of that style. Art-Deco really took place between WWI and WWII so we expected to see more of that style but really this was only the start of the genre. However, it was lovely and the paintings were wonderful to see in person. Some had not be publicly displayed since the exposition having been in private collections since then.
While at the museum, we also went to see the Hawaiian Feathered Cape exhibit. These feathered capes are what the royalty of Hawaii wore as symbol of their rank. Many little birds contributed their feathers to color these capes and head dresses for a few people. Some of these capes reach from shoulder to ankle and must have taken thousands of birds feathers to complete.
On a side note, I do not like the newly built De Young museum. A few years back the old building was torn down and a more modern building was erected in its place. The old building had marble columns and floors. Rounded rotundas for the statues and frescos. Galleries of humoungous size with walls large enough to hold most of their cache of paintings. Now its like walking into Grand Central Station with miles from where you want to be. its so antiseptic I want to wash my hands every few feet.
On a good note, I took my cane with me. This is the cane I bought in Europe to help me struggle with my gout. It has carried me through the Vatican and the Louvre and now, the Strip-Mall of San Francisco's De Young. Hooray for canes as three weeks later, my sprained ankle is still a bother.
On the way back home on Hwy 1, there was absolutely no traffic behind or in front of us after Half Moon Bay. It was like we had the whole west coast to ourselves for the 50 miles to Santa Cruz. However, once we hit the first stop light at Western Ave on the edge of Santa Cruz proper, the traffic became bumper to bumper in two lanes. Where did they all come from? There aren't that many businesses on the west side of Santa Cruz. I used to think the cars are coming down the hill from UCSC but perhaps not. Maybe it is just tourists that got lost and are heading back into civilization. I remember my first time in Santa Cruz that I got lost on that end of town and ended up driving around the Circles until I found a way to the ocean.
Sorry for no pictures of our travel due to the fact the De Young frowns on taking pictures and I never thought about it while in the Haight.
Next adventure will take us to Mexico in January. Anyone not interested, please let me know before hand so I can remove your email address.
M&M
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