The New Knitting Circle by San Francisco Magazine

Thanks to the San Francisco Magazine for featuring some of the guys  from our knitting circle, whic also includes crocheters.  Nine of us went to the shoot, only 8 show up.  Charles Ford is the guy missing. There is a group of fellows that meet on Sunday at a local Coffee house.  2349 Market street, Espressamente Illy Castro.  There are crocheters and knitters and we are men of many venues and backgrounds, doing something creative.  We call the attention of the casual and not so casual passer by .  We are the New Knitting Circle  San Francisco Style.  Here is the link to the Free Digital Copy of the Magazine http://www.modernluxury.com/san-francisco/digital-edition  

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sunday at Golden Gate Bridge

What a beautiful Sunday it was as we embarked n a journey to the Vulcan Embassy in Sausalito. We actually rented some bikes and did something we have never done on a bicycle. What was that? We crossed the Golden Gate Bridge on Bicycles and were able to return. Michael and I have never done that. Living in the City by the Bay, Sarfleet Headquarters no less, can be lots of fun. Our bikes were 21 speed, and I can say that even though I would not buy the specific bike that I was using, I got to test the bikes on slopes. The video is a bit noisy and shaky, but It is amazing what you can on a bicycle while driving safely and not falling down or hitting anyone!

On the home front and with the yarn I just got and some of my kettle dye yarn. I am making progress on this "Old Forge", a pattern by Stephen West. This is a blanket that it is worth making, lots of knitting, but I believe is going to be beautiful . It is not something for the faint of heart , it is a lot of knitting, but boy is it coming along nice.  I have other projects on the line, working on a Bunny Pattern for a friend, working on My Teddy Pattern with 3 Test Knitters.  The pattern is fun to make, a bit geeky, but you will see soon.Thanks for stopping by!

Conservatory of Flowers

Today I went, for the first time in 20 something years of living in San Francisco, to the Conservatory of Flowers.  There are still things here in the city and the Bay Area that I have not seen.  This is a place to visit in the winter when the Poinsettias will be in bloom.

There were lots of people enjoying the weather outside, lots of families having fun. The Conservatory of Flowers is a large botanical greenhouse in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, constructed in 1878. It houses an important collection of exotic plants. It is the oldest building in Golden Gate Park and the oldest municipal wooden conservatory remaining in the United States. It is also one of the first municipal conservatories constructed in the country. For these distinctions and for its associated historical, architectural, and engineering merits, the Conservatory of Flowers is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the California Register of Historic Places, is a California Historical Landmark, and a San Francisco Designated Landmark.

The Conservatory of Flowers is an elaborate Victorian greenhouse with a central dome rising nearly 60 feet (18 m) high and arch-shaped wings extending from it for an overall length of 240 feet (73 m). It sits atop a gentle slope overlooking Conservatory Valley. The structural members are articulated through one predominant form, a four-centered or Tudor arch.

Inside is a beautiful place full of flowers from the tropics of all kinds. This place is definitely amazing and you have to come and visit more than once.

Before we went to the Dahlias outside we went to the potted plants area where some local students and artisans were playing with paint and canvas.

This what you see here is the Dahlias' Garden where you can find all kinds of Dahlias

You will also find the busy bee working their wings off taking care of us.


  I hope you enjoy the little vacation in photos, this was a perfect day, thanks for stopping by.

Life A plate of Cherries, and More

I have been a busy bee and today was no exception.  I wanted to take some pictures around.  One of my favorite past times is taking pictures.  When I came from the gym I saw some bees around and hoped they will be around when I came back to go to the store later in the day and they were.

Along with the bees I was testing one of my filters, the UV filter that is on the front of the camera, protecting it from the surroundings and such.  The camera and the photographer and mother nature took this pictures with not much tweaking.  They are untouched, just cropped.

The city of San Francisco has so much to offer and it's diversity is amazing, I am glad I live here.   Anyway tomorrow is  WWKIP day, I am hoping to spin and maybe knit in public, I hope some of my knitting Friends get together and do something , then invite me of course, lol.

The city has so many small parks and San Franciscans love to lay out in the sun  and do stuff, read, listen to music, or just enjoy the day and the clean air. You can find daddy with the boys playing , or daddy with the dogs playing, mommies, daddies, of many kinds of marriages.  Some boys and girls have two daddies or two mommies, but they definitely have people that love them even if it is not mainstream.   That does not matter much here. Here is daddy with the little one. 

Almost done with the little tour today, there were so many flowers on my way back home and I try to capture some of them, here are some Pansies or it's name in Spanish Pensamientos (thoughts)

So here are the cherries I promised you on the title.  As I was walking home I saw some of these delicious cherries and I got a bit over 225 grams, let's start getting metric, lol. Life sometimes gives us a plate of cherries instead of a bowl, so we have to enjoy what we have while we have it.  Thanks for stopping by.

Spring 2010 San Francisco

Spring2010SanFrancisco (5)
Originally uploaded by Crafty Andy

I went into the Spring mode today and was playing with my camera around. If you visit my flickr you will be able to see what a spectacular day it was and still is. I love San Francisco! Thanks for stopping by!

Welcome to San Francisco and Spring 2010!

Palace of FIne Arts

So here we are at the Palace of Fine Arts or the Replica of the Temple of Kobol, you be the Judge.


Thanks for stopping by!

Knitting in Public Alamo Square

The video is windy, I was far from the camera, but if you turn the bass down and you turn the volume up, you will hear better . If you mute the volume It also has annotations that you can read if you go full screen. It was a nice day to go out and Knit in Public. Just wanted to share with you some of the fun, thanks for stopping by!

Castro Street Spring 2008

A walk by 19th Street from Dolores Park and Presto we are in the Gay District of San Francisco, aka "The Castro" Spring 2008!
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San Francisco's gay village is most concentrated in the business district that is located on Castro Street from Market Street to 19th Street. It extends down Market Street toward Church and on both sides of the Castro neighborhood from Church Street to Eureka Street. Although the greater gay community was, and is, concentrated in the Castro many gay people live in the surrounding residential areas bordered by the Mission District, Noe Valley, Twin Peaks, and Haight-Ashbury neighborhoods. Some consider it to include Duboce Triangle and Dolores Heights which both have a strong LGBT presence.

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Castro Street itself runs south through Noe Valley, crossing the 24th Street business district, and terminating a few blocks farther south as it moves toward the Glen Park neighborhood.

Sunday at Dolores Park!

Sunday at Dolores Park, San Francisco, California. Thanks for stopping by!

Mission District, SF Tour

A little Tour to San Francisco's Mission District. I hope you enjoy the video, thanks for allowing me into your home and for stopping by.

Don't take it for granted

I am sharing this with you because it is something that it amazes me in life. This is the second time in my life that someone in San Francisco tries to physically hurt me without incidence.



I was coming out of the Safeway Supermarket with my grocery bag, on Church and Market in San Francisco and this young man hits me over the head hard. It was very clear that it was a homeless unclean person. He was Caucasian, in his mid twenties to early thirties. My crochet Hat took the blunt of the hit. I confronted him. Why did you hit me? I said. He responded that I was to learn not to mess with him when he was upset. Was wrong with you dunce, bleep, bleep, bleep, I lost it. I called him every name in the book, politically correct and politically incorrect. If you ever wondered how bad a sailor can swear you should have been there. I did follow him around for at least two blocks calling him names, he will then come toward me and we were playing cat and mouse. In the meantime I call the police and described him to them, as he got into Street Car 1059. I told the 911 operator and if the catch him they can call me I will identify the bastard and hope he rots in jail. He was lucky I did not find a metal pipe or anything like that , because I was looking for one and he was not going to go out walking like he did. I told him that I will remember his face and that next time I will be ready for his bleep bleep . I will.

About 20 years ago while I was walking accross Market and 7th street. It was a warm Winter nite and I had my dawn jacket in my hand. I hada firm grip by the chain that I usually hang it from. To make a long story short. This guy (dark skin) came toward me and grabbed my jacket while saying to me "What are you doing with my Jacket". He was robbing me, stealing my jacket in the middle of the intersection. It was not going to happen, As he was pulliung the Jacket I swept him off his feet, and started to run , he followed me, and noone stopped. I saw the subway entrance and headed down the stairs. meanwhile he was yelling to be careful and not hurt myself, as I went toward the toll booth where the police were, he realized that he was into a lot more trouble than he bargained. There was cursing, yelling and running, maybe stupid, but I came home with my jacket and my life intact. Nobody bullies me.

In the meantime be aware of your surroundings. Do not allow people to fool you. He was lucky I usually carry my size 13 metal needles with me in that specific bag. For some reason I took them out today. I am fine now.

It is true that Anger makes you do foolish things, but I felt helpless and frustrated, I really wanted to hit him back! One thing is for sure he will think twice before hitting somebody else again. Namaste. All is well in my world now!

UPDATE August 08.07

Well today I looked for him from far away and there he was, sitting down minding his own business and I called the police. The police dealt with him. He did not remember me, but "I remember you" I said. He was told to move on or face going to jail for vagrancy, he moved on. In a way I feel vindicated . I had the last laugh!



Thanks for stopping by!