The city by the bay
Saturday, December 27, 2008 at 8:27AM
Thomas P.M. Barnett

I can't get anyone interested in the cable cars after the F-line debacle ("wrong-way Tom"), but I'm holding out for the bridge walk (Vonne hates heights but has scaled many steep mountain trails with us before ....) and the Muir ones hike.

Fingers crossed.

Rest of Twitter feed from yesterday:

Pretty good day overall. We plot day 2 to avoid obvious crowds. about 14 hours ago from txt

Movies tonight. Vonne and older pair catch "Spirit": supremely dispiriting. Younger pair and I catch "Bedtime Stories": nice enuf. about 14 hours ago from txt

Between planned Turkey, Kazakhstan, PRC trips in 09, feeling "rise of rest"! about 17 hours ago from txt

Between flat noodles last night and dim sum 2nite, nostalgic for Mainland. University invite in works; expect to go back this spring/su ... about 17 hours ago from txt

Huge posters in bakery from when Prez Clinton there in 96. about 17 hours ago from txt
Chinatown, Grant St.m Eastern Bakery: gigantic potstickers, pork buns the size of Big Macs, mini moon cakes. We gorge as we cruise. about 17 hours ago from txt

Love how old bldgs keep original names carved into edifaces. Often they're long-dead companies (avg in America is about 30 years). about 18 hours ago from txt

Realize my couture all wrong for Left Coast: 740th Mil Intell BDE coat and CENTCOM baseball cap (both gifts). Note in Ed Hardy store. about 18 hours ago from txt

This town creates such strong visual imprints that I experience strong deja vu a lot here, from past visits. about 18 hours ago from txt

I love all the "blonde" older stone buildings in this place. Remember in mid-90s looking out of bigh-rise office bldg in mid-90s and se ... about 18 hours ago from txt

Out and about Fin District/Chinatown: must be local laws/attitudes, but a number of homeless living prominently. Remember it from Oakland. about 19 hours ago from txt

Coolest: Disney Lost and Found. Artwork from never-made productions. about 19 hours ago from txt

Quite the gift shop, natch. about 19 hours ago from txt

Iron Man #1 cover 1968. about 19 hours ago from txt

Cute Rockwell homage: Colan paints Capt America while looking at self in mirror. about 19 hours ago from txt

Special exhibit on Gene Colan: Capt America, Daredevil, 76 B&W orig cover art Tomb of Dracula, Howard the Duck, Iron Man. about 19 hours ago from txt

85 Denace the Menace. B&W orig and colored. 24"x18". about 19 hours ago from txt

85 Lynn Johnston "For Better of For Worse." She aged her characters real-time. Pretty rare. Just quit. about 19 hours ago from txt

Herblocks too. Originals are like 12" across and 18" down. about 19 hours ago from txt
Lotta Bill Maudlin stuff. Original big stuff. about 19 hours ago from txt

Neat "giant" broadsheet (B&W) of original "Spirit" page by Will Eisner. about 19 hours ago from txt

Neat part of museum proper: original art 4-5 times larger, like original WSJ dimple of my face. Then shrunk down to size in paper/comic. about 19 hours ago from txt

Point (for me) of Miyazaki-inspired Totoro exhibit: few digitals among wide number of creations using various drwing techniques. about 20 hours ago from txt

All I can say: Miyazaki is loved the world over. This fan art stuff from dozens og countries. about 20 hours ago from txt

Point from daughter artist: most of exhibit is fan art based on Totoro movie. Sophisticated, but basically fan art. about 20 hours ago from txt

.Big Miyazaki "Totorro" exhibit. Selling stuff. about 20 hours ago from txt

Sorry. No alarm for 140 char limit. Trying. about 20 hours ago from txt

Museum of Comic Art, only one in America dedicated to preservation of art form. Teaches it. Charles Schulz a big early patron. On Mis ... about 20 hours ago from txt

So many beautiful older buildings here. I shoot plenty of photos. about 20 hours ago from txt

Back to Fin District hotel for pit stop (after cab ride with chatty chinese driver): realize we can see Alcatraz from 30th-floor window. about 20 hours ago from txt

I could see being really rich and living here. Vonne could not, despite her Left Coast leanings. about 21 hours ago from txt

Lunch great but still haven't dethawed thumbs. about 21 hours ago from txt

Alioto's rep is warranted: great chowder. Followed w seafood crab salad. about 21 hours ago from txt

Chinese guy outside w sign (I was in Pursuit of Happiness!): he plays weird Chinese fiddle in street. Vonne intro's him to driver. about 21 hours ago from txt

Funny bit: Vonne asks about "Pursuit of Happiness" film shoot. Driver doesn't know. We stop Chinatown fortune-cookie factory and about 21 hours ago from txt

Tipped driver well. Native SF. about 21 hours ago from txt

Also Haight-Asbury area, all these mansions. 3 hour tour covered everything in blitz w great narration. Trip Advisor correct: great tour. about 21 hours ago from txt

Rest of Mr. Toad's tour (cold in open antique bus): Presidio, Fort Point under Bridge (another Vertigo moment), "painted ladies" Victorians about 21 hours ago from txt

Thumbs went numb. Now in Alioto's (fish restaurant) on Wharf warming up on chowder. about 21 hours ago from txt

Finish last one .... n Nob Hill from which Kim Novak's character drove her Jag from Nob Hill in "Vertigo.". about 21 hours ago from txt

I spotted (without prompt from driver) the apartment house on Nob Hill from which Kim Novak's character drove her Jag from Nob Hill in " ... 11:25 AM yesterday from txt

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