March 9th, 2010
Architect Glenn Lym’s video examining Golden Gate Park’s new museum buildings does an excellent job crystalizing my feelings.
The new De Young may be a nice piece of modern “stark-itecture”—provocative and daring and artistic—but it exudes hubris and disdain for the public park it stands in: “I was paid for by wealthy stylish people and I’m going to impose myself on every view of western San Francisco. Good luck finding my front door!”
The Academy, on the other hand, feels like part of the park without shying away from being interesting and inviting.
Take a look at Glenn’s video and see what you think. It can get a bit technical in parts with architectural language, but the graphics make things very clear.
Tags: Academy of Sciences, deYoung
Posted in Blatant editorial, Golden Gate Park, Museums | No Comments »
March 4th, 2010
The Balboa Theater has added a 9:15 p.m. show for the premiere of the Playland Movie on March 16, 2010.
Tickets can be had at brown paper tickets.
For all you out-of-towners, yes, a DVD will be offered for sale in the near future. We’ll keep you posted.
Tags: Balboa Theater, movie, Playland
Posted in Events - Other | 1 Comment »
March 1st, 2010
Our friend Therese Poletti (who is the author of a great book, check it out) posted on her blog some interesting information on what was planned but didn’t get into the El Rey Theater at 1970 Ocean Avenue.
El Rey Theatre Blueprints Show What’s Missing
The El Rey was designed by master architect Timothy Pflueger, who was the genius behind the Castro Theater and, on the west side of town, Washington High School.
Tags: "El Rey", Pflueger, theater
Posted in OMI | No Comments »
February 18th, 2010
The Balboa Theatre in San Francisco will celebrate its 84th Birthday in style on Sunday, February 28, recreating a night at the movies in 1926. The main attraction will be Paul Leni’s THE CAT AND THE CANARY starring Laura LaPlante and accompanied live by Dave Miotke. Also featured are selected short subjects, a live vaudeville show featuring magician James Hamilton and singer Linda Kosut, the Balboa Premiere of the new silent short film shot at the Balboa and birthday cake by Diane Boate, who each year creates a themed and delicious work of art to eat. Everybody will win prizes.
The celebration is dedicated to the memory of Ira Levin, long-time Balboa owner and co-founder of the SF International Film Festival, who recently passed away.
The show starts at 7pm. Doors open at 6:30. Jack Tillmany will be signing and selling copies of his books on the theatres of San Francisco and Oakland.
Advance tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/99982
Tags: Balboa Theater
Posted in Richmond | No Comments »
February 17th, 2010
“Remembering Playland” will premiere at the Balboa Theater in San Francisco on Tuesday, March 16th at 7:00 PM.
This is a full-length documentary by Tom Wyrsch about San Francisco’s famous 10-acre seaside amusement park, Playland at the Beach. Located next to Ocean Beach, it was torn down in 1972 to make way for a condominium development. Gone now for more than 3 decades, it remains one of the city’s lost treasures. Go back in time to see Laffing Sal, the Fun House, the Carousel, the Big Dipper, the Diving Bell, Dark Mystery, Limbo, Fun-tier Town, and much, much more, all through the eyes of the people that were there. The first and only documentary ever made about Playland.
Balboa Theater, 3630 Balboa Street, San Francisco. 415-221-8184. Additional information and pre-ticket sales: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/. Better buy early because this will sell out.
Tags: Balboa Theater, Playland
Posted in Richmond | 11 Comments »
