Spike’s coffee in the Castro.

That is what Eric, a dear friend of wrote to me in an email shared late last year.

Eric is one of our favorite riding buddies in our local circle of riding pals in San Francisco. He’s always got the right snacks and wise words to share. I haven’t gone in any social or long distance rides in the U.S in over 2 years (went to a couple last year in Mexico) but I appreciate his continuing emotional support throughout happy and sad times.

I know when and if the time comes for me to get on a bike again, he, amongst good friends will be more than happy to join me. Eric is always sending me nice emails and notes, so I just wanted to take the time to share this, almost poetic, Dutch video.

I do miss that social and beautiful energy of riding with friends but I am overwhelmed with emotions as I continue to heal and recover from very difficult times, memories and loss.
My priority is to find a peaceful life, a very slow pace and glad to accept my different perspective in this life – which keeps going and developing day by day.
xxom

/Say hello to Eric, he blogs at: Classic lightweight bikes & rides

National Library Day is this Saturday, February 9th.
To celebrate my love of books and libraries, I’m dedicating a quick series of posts on a few San Francisco libraries and coffee shops within walking distance from them, of course.

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Continuing the mini-series of San Francisco Library posts, we move onto two of my favorite branches: the Castro and the Presidio. The latter, is actually not in the Presidio per se, but a few blocks from its Presidio Blvd. southwest entrance.

Youth and Harvey, live forever.

Castro flavor.

Spikes! I super LOVE this coffee shop so much. 

Eureka Valley branch
16th street between Noe +Sanchez.
✖  Recommended coffee to walk to: 
Spike’s on 4117 19th Street at Castro // Mountanos brothers coffee from South City (*I think)
✖  Extra tip: Castro theatre, cable cars, people watching. Have a cocktail at Twin Peaks, they are known for their Irish Coffee.
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The view from Market street at dusk.

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In the image above, the top view is from Sacramento street, bottom view with Sutro tower sighting on the upper right, is from Clay street.

Presidio library bike racks, yarnbombed.

Info on SFPL Green stacks programs.

Jane Cafe on Fillmore.

Presidio library
3150 Sacramento street
✖  Recommended coffee to walk to: 
Jane at 2123 Fillmore // Stumptown coffee
✖  Extra tip: If you walk towards Fillmore on Clay instead of Sacramento, Alta park is a pretty sweet spot of the Northside too find a bench and take in the often foggy views of the City.

View from Alta park just above street level. The more you go up, the more you see.

– – –
How do you like these coffee+book walking recommendations so far?
I’d love to hear your favorite branch or what books you are currently reading.
More coming up later this week, and perhaps next.
xxom

// See the previous set, The Marina and Golden Gate branches here: National Library Day: Part 1

Saturday Feb. 9th: Grease Mamas Offers Free Women’s and Trans Bike Skills Workshop
“This workshop is kid friendly. All ages and experience levels are welcome.”

Spokeland at 1121 42nd St. in OaklandSaturday, 2/9 from 12:00 noon till 4:00pm

And because March is around the corner:
February 5th: Celebrate International Women’s Day with a Women-only Ride on March 9

Artwork by Andy Singer

EBBC Women’s Ride Saturday
March 9, 10am to 2:30pm
Start at Bay Area Bikes, 2424 Webster St, Oakland

“To celebrate International Women’s Day (March 8) our Executive Director, Renee Rivera, and board member and owner of Bay Area Bikes, Glenda Barnhart, will co-lead a fun social-paced ride from downtown Oakland to the Rosie the Riveter Museum in Richmond. We will learn about our local history of women working on the home front during WWII.” 

This +more events in the Eastbay, many celebrating Women’s Day on the EBBC’s events page here: ebbc.org/calendar

// Dispatching info+events [hat/tip] to one of longtime faves in the EastBay, reader: David J.

National Library Day is this Saturday, February 9th.
To celebrate my love of books and libraries, I’m dedicating a quick series of posts on a few San Francisco libraries and coffee shops within walking distance from them, of course.
Above is a polaroid foto taken in 1988 with my BFF Fernie. We were inseparable.

To view the maps you may have to zoom out a click or two. Not sure if the embedded map shows a bit out of proportion. Anyways, let’s begin the mini-series with the Northside:

Marina branch 1890 Chestnut street
✖  Recommended coffee to walk to: 
Well, the library is surrounded by the Moscone Rec center and park, additionally I recommend Rapha Cycle Club at the corner of Filbert Street +Fillmore // Four Barrel coffee
✖  Extra tip: Rapha’s new parklet is a groovy addition to the neighborhood.

I have been to all libraries in San Francisco, except the Bayview (new one!) after a 2-year long renovation it’s opening its doors on February 23rd.

How do you like these coffee+book walking recommendations?
I’d love to hear your favorite branch or stories. More coming up later this week.
xxom

Here Comes the Sun: flash mob
Found this very amusing, music does bring people together. I always thought that live music could make hospitals and senior centers better. This is a flash mob in Spain’s unemployment office:

“Spanish radio show Carne Cruda 2.0 decided to surprise an unemployment office with a nice rendition of The Beatles’ Here Comes The Sun.” -via TheStrut

Rhianna’s “Diamonds” cover by Black Simon and Garfunkel aka The Root’s Captain Kirk Douglas and Questlove 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwZ6PMO7euo

SLV: Enough
The vocalist and front woman of Pistolera Sandra Lilia Velasquez (*90’s alert: not to be confused with SWV…) has released a new single, I like her voice and lyrics better in Spanish with that fun mariachi sassy tone accompanied by her band but the song ‘Enough’ presents a rather mellow and poetic tone.

Life & Limb: Fingers Fall
A tranquil tone to a possible analysis of the principles or procedures of imagining your fingers fall. The opposite melody I could imagine to go with that, but a great effect on the juxtaposition of trippy images and any limbs falling off, I guess.

Crystal Castles: Plague
I forget how I came across this video, but it reminds me of Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxVm2_ojQtk

Bonobo: Cirrus

Tune-Yards
and behold. Caterina Fake –one of my creative mind top role models and women-in-tech idols– is back to blogging. Not that she had stopped (her blog began in 1998) but glad she is “back”. Anyways, you can find all kinds of awesome optimistic writings and curiosity finds over at caterina.net, which is where I found the below two:

Hope you are having a good Monday – and who wouldn’t, after seeing Beyoncé rule the universe.
What an amazing woman, performer, everything.
The 49ers didn’t win, but the halftime show (and Jennifer Hudson, looking fantastic) was a super win. Head over to read Beyoncé’s blog and ogle over the see her posted images from yesterday’s game. Right now: iam.beyonce.com

// Previously: Images from her lone star home state: Beyoncé riding a bike in Marfa, Texas.