I had a few minutes of free time on Sunday afternoon, so I decided to check out the reception for the Bernal artists whose work is currently on display at the Inclusions Gallery on Cortand. I’m glad I did because a) the collection on display is terrific, and b) I had the pleasure of meeting Adrian Mendoza for the first time.

As you may recall, Adrian is a recent addition to the Bernal Heights community, but in a few short months his photographs have appeared in this blog many times, and I have been very grateful for his photographic skill, journalistic instincts, and unfettered generosity. Meeting Adrian was a pleasure, and if you happen to see him while he’s out and about, I encourage you to smile and say “cheese.” He’ll make you look fabulous.

Also, I’ll publicly say something here that I’ve said in private many times: One of my favorite things about editing Bernalwood is that I get to meet so many of the people whose stories grace these pages. The pattern usually works something like this: I hear about a story through the grapevine, then publish it on Bernalwood. Then, not too long after the story appears, I meet the subject out and about in the neighborhood.

I love that pattern, and the conversations that take place when it occurs. To me it feels like the best of both words: a virtual community that fosters meaningful real-world connections close to home. So thank you, Bernal Heights, for sharing your stories with us, and for just being you.

PHOTO: Telstar Logistics