As is her wont, Neighbor Anita was on dawn patrol this morning, scanning the eastern horizon from her South Bernal observation post just as the sun was coming up.
Today she recorded this spectacular sunrise, which was (thankfully) drama-free, despite its dramatic appearance.
That’s right: No red-hot meteors from outer space landed on us — or at least not yet. Hooray! Carry on, and enjoy the day.
Michael D. lives around Twin Peaks, so he has a terrific view of… us! He took this photo at sunrise yesterday, as Bernal Hill was just waking up.
Thank you Michael!
It’s always fun to watch what happens when a visitor to our neighborhood experiences a “Bernal Awakening.”
Here’s what happened when Wilson Lam discovered our hill:
Bernal Heights, a place I’d never been to before, but after talking to a coworker about it, I just had to go.
A group of my friends and I were suppose to go there, but for some reason, they bailed out at the last minute. So I found the address and made the trek over there.
The hill was a steep climb in the dark (note to self: buy a headlamp) and at times a little scary since no one else was there.
When I got to the “spot”, my heart just dropped. You can litterally oversee the whole city from this vantage point (and i’m not talking the vantage point of Twin Peaks, where you are looking down at the city). Rather, this was eye-level, jaw dropping spectacular.
When I got there, the stars were still out so I had the shot that I wanted… a batman, superhero picture where the cap crusader was overlooking the city, looking for bad guys!
Pseudo self portrait of me.
One more thing:
My friends and family ask me why I do this on a weekly basis?My answer: It’s good for the soul
Amen to that. Great photo too!
PHOTO: Wilson Lam
Perhaps you saw them on Saturday? A large group of about 80 amateur photographers traversing Bernal Hill in a cheerful gaggle as part of that Flickr Meetup organized by Neighbor Markus?
They started at the secret Esmerelda slides before wandering down Winfield to Cortland Avenue. From there, they strolled up Ellsworth to take in the views from atop Bernal Hill, before drifting down Folsom to call it a day at Precita Park. Along the way, Neighbors Vicky and David from the Bernal History Project provided a running narration of the historical points of interest visible from the streets.
Yet even if you didn’t join in the fun, you can still enjoy seeing Bernal Heights through the lens of the photographers who looked at our neighborhood with fresh eyes:
Want to see even more photos from the walk? Click here for a slideshow of lots and lots and lots or poke around in the Bernalwood Flickr group.
PHOTOS: From top: Thomas Hawk, Andrian Mendoza, Maria Cordell, earthdog, danishdynamite, Boris Henriot, bokeh burger, t_fardella, gaurav76, spieri_sf, a.k.a. Flash, meckert75, hallucinant
Neighbor Markus lives in Bernal Heights and works at Flickr, the venerable and recently revitalized online photo service.
Actually, Neighbor Markus played a leading role in that revitalization. That explains why Bernal Heights has made so many cameo appearances in Flickr’s recent product announcements. (That, and the fact we’re just glamorous like that.)
This Saturday, January 19, at 10 am, Neighbor Markus has organized a photowalk on our photogenic hill, and all Bernal paparazzi and/or history geeks are invited to join:
If you happen to be in or around San Francisco this coming Saturday, we have something for you: A Flickr meetup that takes place in the city’s beautiful Bernal Heights neighborhood. Bring your camera — yes, it can be your phone. It’s going to be a wonderful opportunity to meet new Flickr friends.
Bernal Heights is full of charm and character. And on top of its hill, it offers dramatic views over the entire city.
We partnered with the Bernal Heights History Project and will feature folks talking about historic places along our photowalk route. All in all: Join us if you love taking photos, want to meet new photographers, and see and capture a great San Francisco neighborhood.
Please RSVP at meetup.com/flickr/San-Francisco-CA/856742/.
Event details: Meet Saturday, January 19, 10 a.m. at the at the secret Esmeralda slides.
Secret slides! Shhhhhhhhh. See you there!
PS: Don’t forget to share your photos with us afterward at the Bernalwood Group on Flickr.
PHOTO: via Flickr
It was a very busy Saturday at the Bernalwood Rainbow Situation Control Facility.
As a series of intense storms brought rain to Bernal Heights, intermittent periods of sunshine generated primary and secondary rainbow aftershocks across our neighborhood. Using the latest high-tech monitoring tools, our Rainbow Situation Control Room tracked the effects as multiple rainbows touched down in and around Bernalwood.
I phoned in this photo taken from my back yard, looking toward downtown:
Neighbor Michael captured an impressive Dual-Halo Total Arc Perspective on the primary rainbow event from his perch in Precitaville:
Neighbor Anita recorded a confirmed Double Rainbow from her South Bernal observation post:
Neighbor Jessica got so swept up in the euphoria that she was inpired to make a nomenclature suggestion:
Molly was there as a team of scientists on Bernal Hill tested the physiological effects of a new Rainbow + Mimosa + Miniaturized Sutro Tower compound they developed. After mixing the ingredients, you won’t believe what happened next: Sudden levitation!
Neighbor Craig looked to the east just in time to see Larry’s Ellison’s glamorous America’s Cup facility take a direct blast of highly concentrated rainbow energy:
It may just be a coincidence, but several hours later Wired reported that Larry Ellison was seen walking down a street in Dogpatch while wearing peach-colored robes and chanting:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
Over in the La Lengua Autonomous Zone, rebel spokesblogger Burrito Justice was thinking about the potential economic impact of the sudden rainbow barrage:
Meanwhile, Neighbor Jean was watching Bernal Hill from a temporary perch in Noe Valley. She witnessed this stunning touchdown event as a double rainbow crashed right into Bernal Hill:
Bernalwood is on record as being a fan of the photographs taken by Neighbor Jane, aka my.third.eye, because she so consistently captures unique perspectives on familiar sights around Bernal Heights. Now she’s done it again, with a brilliant series of seasonal portraits that show patrons at the Alemany Flea Market as seen in reflections from puddles on the ground:
At our local flea market last Sunday (held on a parking lot) I was standing beside this large puddle and began to notice this “other world” of passersby reflected in the water. I was mesmerized. So of course I turned on my camera and hoped I’d be able to capture some of the Twilight Zone’ish feeling of what I was seeing. I didn’t do any manipulations or photoshopping — not that I’m against that. I’m just sayin’.
PHOTOS: my.third.eye
When shopping at our Taoist Safeway, I always find it comforting to look up through the windows from the checkout line to see Bernal Hill smiling at me from on high.
Now Instagram user @kslatz312 has done me the favor of capturing the view one sees from Bernal Hill when looking down at the Safeway. Do you see me waving back from the Express Checkout? Peekaboo!
Bonus: This view almost (almost!) makes the building look stylish.
PHOTO: @kslatz312
Just putting this out there: I think we should organize a Bernal Heights Car Show. Most car shows showcase immaculate or tricked-out rides, but the Bernal Heights Car Show would be an opportunity to celebrate the many vintage clunkers and road-warrior refugees that live on the streets around our neighborhood.
It may actually happen, someday. Until then, however, Rich Good‘s photos of old cars spotted around Bernalwood may be the next best thing. Any one of these beautiful beasts would be a trophy contender at the Bernal Heights Car Show.
Here are a few more:
PHOTOS: Rich Good
@j_gail snapped this photo of Bernal’s north slope and Sutrito Tower yesterday, a little before 5 pm.
Also: Wow!
Neighbor Chuck B went for one of his occasional walks around Bernal Heights recently. (Bernalwood covered his last one, back in March.)
Equipped with a camera and his deep knowledge of our local flora, Neighbor Chuck captured a terrific series of snapshots that shows our neighborhood in its full seasonal glory. The result was another one of his wonderful “Everyday Sights in Bernal Heights” blog posts:
Ugh. I worked all day yesterday. Saturday! Today I went for a walk (and worked some more when I got home). It was summer-like, and got hotter as the day wore on.
There’s lots more where all this came from, so do check it all out over at Chuck B’s blog, My Back 40 (Feet).
PHOTOS: Chuck B.
This week, the vacation rental service Airbnb launched a rather gorgeous new webpage that highlights the glamour and charm of Bernal Heights for potential visitors who might want to avail themselves of the 140 places to stay here.
The page is half travel brochure and half photo essay, and here’s how it summarizes Bernal Heights:
Outdoor enthusiasts, indoor bookworms, and pet lovers rejoice! Bernal Heights’ accessibility extends far beyond its practical commuter conveniences. Warm and inviting, Bernal Heights’ bright Victorian homes, organic markets, and gay and pet-friendly bars and cafes enhance its welcoming atmosphere. Nestled between the peaks of San Francisco’s rolling hills, this casual and approachable neighborhood is a charming residential respite in the City by the Bay.
The images are lovely and the description sure makes this sound like the kind of place we’d like to visit:
Sidewalk benches, farmers’ market food stalls, and bookstores that invite you to stay awhile define this friendly neighborhood removed from the rush of of the city.
Bernal’s key attributes are said to include:
Charming, Far from Downtown, Lesbian Friendly, Quaint, Cottages, Hilltop, Cafes, Small-Town Feel, Artsy, Views
One noteworthy oversight: They neglected to mention our convenient, slopeside access to Ski Bernalwood, San Francisco’s premier wintersports resort destination. Oops.
Overall, however, the page makes Bernal Heights sound great. We’re sold! Let’s book it! And the best part of all is that we get to vacation here every day.
PHOTOS: Odessa Shekar via Airbnb
The only thing more joyful than a night spent celebrating the Giants’ epic victory over the St. Louis Cardinals to take the NLCS is a morning spent perusing photos taken during the epic 2012 Fiesta on the Hill last weekend.
Okay, the Giants win may be the one that ends up in the history books, but Fiesta on the hill was pretty great too. And here are bunch of pictures that show how just how much fun it was — and in true Bernal style.
I took a few of these photos, but the really, really great ones were taken by superstar photojournalist Adrian Mendoza.
Way to look glamorous, Bernal Heights!
PHOTOS: Telstar Logistics and Adrian Mendoza
Bernalwood 