Here Should Be My Home...

Hey there...

How's life? Having fun? I am really fine at the moment, working and enjoying myself and hanging out with my friends and family. But this damn city of San Francisco that has turned my head and made me all crazy, in a good way, so that I am even more motivated than usually...and I owe you the story...

From Las Vegas I took a plane to San Francisco on the new year's first day. I was so excited about it because when I was there in 2009, I loved it! And I wanted to see if I still felt the same. I arrived at the airport, took the BART train to the Mission district, which is strongly influenced by Mexican/Middle American culture. I met my couchsurfing host Isky at Noisebridge, a place where I would spent a lot of time in the next few days. I was a little worried that this couchsurfing host was as much of a bummer as the last one...but at least I was in a city that I knew a little and I knew where to escape to if things went wrong.

But there was no need to worry. Isky is one of the nicest, most lovable human beings I've ever met. He hugged me and then showed me around at Noisebridge (click me), a hackerspace that is open to the public - a huge ware house-like apartment full of computers, weird machines, scientific stuff, a library, a kitchen and an amazing roof (more about that later on)....there were so many nice people around that I didn't feel lonely even if I had a lonely moment...That night, I was too tired to hang out with someone, so we went to Isky's apartment and I moved into his empty closet, my dwelling place for the next nights. I was so tired, I quickly passed out....

Just to wake up to the sound of Mexican mariachi music (click) from the neighbors. Weird scene - me in the totally dark closet, no windows, with strangers around me and the beat of the music pumping through the walls....I started laughing because I just loved it!! It was like I was already caught by the crazy and happy vibe this city emits...

I got up and met another lovely creature called Gonzo...his name aroused my interest since Hunter S. Thompson was the real Dr. Gonzo. He is a very witty theatre student currently enrolled at the university of Santa Cruz and I enjoyed our conversations throughout the whole day (unfortunately, he left some hours after we met...). When Isky was awake, they brought me to have lunch at this tacqueria Cancun on Mission street. I swear I had the best damn veggie burrito in my life (although some claim that there are even better ones)...I love Mexican food...I love the kicks I get from eating spicy stuff...this burrito made me cry and want more at the same time, really intense shit!! And I never had a Mexican coke before Gonzo told me that they actually use real cane sugar for it and not corn sirup as in American coke...after that I basically ate at Cancun once a day while residing in the Mission!

The rest of the day I spent wandering around book and thrift stores on Valencia street. It rained a little so I was not motivated to go exploring and just soaked up the feeling of the Mission...I realized that I had been in this district before in 2009 when my friend Derick showed me Clarion Alley, which is famous for it's colorful murals.

The next day, I was already excited about exploring, my favourite activity when Im traveling on my own (so 99% of the time)...I just walk whereever my feet take me...equipped with my iPod and camera. I had prepared a 100 songs playlist for my iPod which was perfect for my trip! With the sun shining and the usual Frisco breeze in my hair, I did walking tour that was suggested in my guide book.

I started downtown, at the cable car turnaround on Market Street and walked up to Chinatown. I checked out the colorful small alleys of this Chinese area until I came to a little street called "Jack Kerouac Alley" and there you can find some quotes by him and other writers written on the floor. I am a huge fan of Kerouac because he wrote some of the most beautiful and vibrant lines of American literature. At the end of this little street, in the area called North Beach, you can find the famous City Lights book store where the Beat poets were first published. Howl, one of the best-known poems by Allen Ginsberg, was first read inside this book store at a reading where "all" the beat poets were present...Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Gregory Corso, etc....

I felt like a cheap tourist, but I had to buy a copy of Allen Ginsberg's poem! I like it so much as it's really intense if you read it out loud and it reminds me of my final exam where I cited some lines to impress my professor...

Then, my guide book advised me to get some food in one of the Italian delicatessen shops in this area. I stepped inside this place called Molinari and I was surprised by the fact that the guys behind the counter really spoke Italian. Being a smartass, I couldn't help but order my sandwich in Italian. First reaction: "Ma sei italiana?". But I had to dash their hopes, I am only Austrian...I then felt the strong need for coffee and went to Cafe Trieste and got a really good Italian style espresso that would help me climbing Telegraph Hill to get a great view of city. I walked up and I tried to take pictures of how steep the hills really are, but you can't catch it with a crappy mobile phone camera.

On top of the hill, I sat down...and opened myself to the amazing view. I was overwhelmed by the beauty. The sun was shining, it was even a little warm...I sat there staring at the city, the bridge. It was so pretty, it almost made me cry. I had this pain in my chest, like my heart was aching for me to stay there...like it was saying "don't leave, stay...just for a while..." I even texted my best friend because I wanted to share this moment with somebody...but Austria was sound asleep...So I sat there and ate my sandwich (which was delicious...Italians know how to do it!), being as happy as I could be. 

 

I moved on to Russian Hill, climbed some more hills for some more views, some more feeling of "Damn, I wanna stay here...". Then, I just walked...I passed by some cable cars...went down some hills to Fishermen's Wharf. There I sat down and listened to some music. I was so calm and happy...I never felt lonesome in this city although I was alone most of the time. And I love the fact that there's surprise around every corner...if you open your eyes, you can find something new, interesting, exciting, funny or heartwarming in every street.

 Then I felt like I had to return to an area of the city that I've explored a lot in 2009, the Haight. It used to be THE hippie spot in the 60s. Today, it is more of a tourist trap with a lot of weird people around, but I like some of the coffee shop's and the Ben&Jerry's store there. As well as Amoeba records (click me) where I can spend a whole day. I went there and bought a vinyl for my best friend Corina, actually the only present I bought during my holidays. 

I went back to Isky's. And we were a little bored and bought some beers. We then climbed up a ladder to the roof of Noisebridge, for me a huge effort as I am very afraid of heights so that I usually don't even climb up ladders. But Isky informed me that we had to climb up 2 more walls to get the full 360° view. So he actually pushed me over two (in my opinion very high) walls. I have to admit that this effort (fear crept through my veins!!!) was totally worth it. On top we could really see the whole city. We sat down close to each other, wrapped a blanket around our shoulders (the nights were pretty cold) and had some beers (one organic rasberry infused beer, loved it!). It was marvelous! It's so pretty to see the Muni buses climb up the hills at night...

It's cheap and good. First bought it because I thought the label was pretty :P

Next day, I decided to check out Japantown. So I walked up Pacific Heights to see some nice Victorian houses (they are soo pretty!) and then straight to the Japanese "district". Actually, I was a little disappointed because it is not very much - a couple of streets, Japanese shops and restaurants and I felt a little weird because there were no people on the street except for some old Japanese ladies that looked at me like they had never seen a creature like me. After my visit, I was told that the coolest thing in Japantown was the mall because they sell a lot of crazy stuff there. I should have known this before!

It was a very pretty day, so I decided to take the bus to Ocean Beach, one of SF's beaches. It's was really beautiful! I walked up to the Cliff house, explored a cave in the cliffs and then walked along the coast for about two hours towards Baker beach and the Golden Gate Bridge. Stunning views in the sunshine, green grass and huge trees...I was delighted! And this damn bridge is so pretty in the late afternoon light. I couldn't stop staring at it...unfortunately, I lost my camera, so I couldn't take proper pictures of it. But I saved it inside my head which is even better than any camera could depict it!

That evening I met Mark, who was a guest in the hostel I worked in last summer. We went to the Elbo Room, a bar in the Mission and had a couple of drinks. It was so cool to stand outside the bar and look at what was happening around me. It was rather quiet, almost no cars passed, only bikes and skateboards (the noise of skateboards always make me feel like a teenager)...but I was so tired and drunk that I soon returned to Isky and the other couchsurfers who had arrived. Suddenly, Isky's room was full of people - Helena from Portugal, a girl from Korea (I'm so bad with names...), Coco (a girl that had recently moved to Daly City), Isky, and me in the closet. I felt like a goddamn hippy and loved it...

Next day Coco joined me for the exploring. As soon as we stepped outside the building, we saw tons of papers on the floor, some clothes and a pair of nice leather shoes. One thing I love about this city is that people throw stuff they don't need anymore on the street - sometimes you can find couches, books, suitcases, notes, shoes, etc. on the sidewalk and if you like it, you can take it. Coco tried the cool leather shoes and took em! The night before, on our way to Isky's place, we jumped on a couch that was standing right in the middle of the sidewalk....

Coco and me went to a large thrift store where I bought a really cool San Francisco Giants shirt for 2$. I still have to cut it out and sew it to fit me because it's for men. Then I brought Coco to the Mission and Dolores park. I was really proud that I could play the tour guide and show her this lovely spot as I spent some hours there in good company in 2009. 

We got some food and then I decided to visit my friend Derick at Picture Machine Tattoo (click me if you like tattoos). I surprised him at work. We went to a bar, had some drinks, went to another bar, met some of his friends and had some more drinks and a slice of pizza (that saved my life because we drank like pirates)...it's so good when you meet friends after a long time and it feels as if no time has passed...

one of my first lomo diana shots

The next day, I was too lazy and hungover to do much and actually Isky was sick, so I took care of him. We sat at Noisebridge and went to bed early. Next day, I went to Golden Gate Park...I walked around, took pictures with my Lomo camera and soaked up as much sun and good vibes as possible as it was my last day in the city...I was a little sad that I had to leave.

I went back to Isky's and Helena and me decided to hang out together in my last night and make it something special. We went to Dolores park and listened to some music and had some beers. We made friends with a rat (we called him Ratatouille) that was carrying food from the park to his home...he ran back and forth a couple of times. I offered him some beer but he refused. I guess he doesn't like to drink while being at work. Helena and me sang along, we told each other stories and laughed a lot. When we were singing California ueber Alles by the Dead Kennedys (click me if you like punk rock), we heard 3 shots. We thought these were fireworks. But about three minutes later, cops and ambulances arrived about one block away from were we were sitting. So it was clear that something bad had happened not very far away from where we were having fun. Helena sent me this article (click me) a couple of days later.

The next day, I got up early and went to the airport. I was really sad that I had to leave my newly made friends, first and foremost Isky and the people at Noisebridge who were so nice and open...I was really sad that I had to leave this city that inspires me so much. Each time I feel like I wanted to hug the world, go crazy and be creative as fuck. I really got infected with the artistic and creative mood that hangs over the Bay like a big puffy cloud. (How much I'd love to be able to create something like this (click me!!!))

I want to say thank you to all the people that made my vacation so special, memorable and beautiful! Thank you guys and gals!! If you wanna visit me in Vienna, you're welcome any time!!

So when I got home, first thing I did was starting a project called AaAaArRRtTnight - I'm planning a monthly gathering of creative friends who are as bored as me with sitting around and drinking beer...instead I would us to meet and work together on something, art, crafts, writing, music, whatever...and the first date will be on February 25...I will keep you updated on that...

Well. I guess that's the story....no important insights in this one since the text's already so long  and I don't want to overdo it...I tend to overdo it, whatever I do. I'm all or nothing - which is a blessing and curse. But that is me. I'm getting better, though. Hope you too...

PS: I couldn't decide for one song this time, so I show you two of the songs that I listened to a lot while being in San Francisco. One band is called Beach Fossils - they make indie guitar stuff which I find really relaxing, joyful but also a little melancholic. The song is called Vacation...created the perfect mood! 

I'm out here on my own
I might not come back home

The second one is a Noise-Indierock band called No Age, the song's called Here should be my Home....I love this one because of it's lyrics...although Kurt Cobain said that "music is what counts, lyrics are secondary", I do like words...and don't forget to turn up the fuckin volume!!!

If I'm around here then here should be my home 

(But it's not at all)