Time for Playland at Ocean Beach

I just love trains….

 

I always come back to the conservatory of flowers during the holiday’s so I could visit the holiday train exhibit – its one of the pleasures of visiting San Francisco during the holidays.

 

 

This years exhibit was geared towards the old Playland which originally was along the ocean front of San Francisco and had its heyday during the forties and fifties and ran all the way to the early 1970’s. The exhibit was a lot of fun seeing recreated parts of the ocean front and the huge cliff house along the edge of the cliffs.

 

A close up detail of the many trollies from the city going to Playland.

 

 

The ornate Cliff house, hugging the cliffs of the city and facing the expansive ocean beach into Playland.

 

 

I never saw the large victorian Cliff House here, I think it burned down in 1907, just one year after the great earthquake of 1906. It must have been the place to visit while in San Francisco back then.

 

 

As usual the place is packed with children coming to see the train exhibits and jostling to have fun at the toys and props that they can play and climb on.

 

 

How do you make this go, I’m sure this kid is wondering?

 

 

I love these special exhibits and am fortunate to see this when I visit during the holiday’s. Hope you enjoyed the visit also!

Butterflies are Free

There you are sitting on that stunning flower….can you hold for a sec…..



              
Oh too fast – I just want to take a pict….

                  Again too fast for me to get you in focus
                       
                                  please stay awhile.





Ah -  you are a pretty one – will you pose for me please?
                   Thank you
                       you are a beauty




             
           Wow you are stunning with your orange wings -

                                the light is magical

                                       and that flower does look so inviting…..






                                Okay, there’s enough for two to share – take it easy now…
                                                                I do want get both of you in for your portraits!



                Beautiful, now hold the pose for me.
                                      Its perfect …. you’re a natural.




I’m enjoying the time visiting and just watching you sitting there.

                        this just made my morning, thanks for dropping by and greeting me.

Graffitti Work - Its Over the Top

While I was visiting some fun and exciting places in the city (sfo) early in  January, I happened to see an exciting alleyway in one of my favorite haunts on Valencia Street. In fact there's alot of artwork on painted buildings all over the neighborhood which makes it a very visual area to walk through and see whats new or changed on a particular building.  Here are a few of my favorites from the many you can see on this street.

Not seeing any official name for this long alleyway, I'm dubbing it graffiti alley and its pretty cool -  I let the images speak for themselves.

The message in this work just says it all.....

Here I am hanging out with some new friends I identify with....I think we may have alot of things in common.

All the works are quite fantastical if I can say this word - a little fantasy alot magical.

The imagination is just over the top and the amount of craftsmanship and detail with all this artwork quite amazing, don't you think?

even the little details and added window boxes have so much humor in this this expansive installation.

 

I think I like this work the best, I seem to fit right in....colorwise that is :)

I love seeing fun public art like this especially when you just happen upon it. Valencia Street in San Francisco is just one of those exciting places where you can see this happening all the time.

This is my world visit on Tuesday to visit other worlds go to http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/