It Was a Beautiful Sunday to Go Fly the Dog

January 17, 2011January 17, 2011 / Todd_Lappin / 1 Comment

We don’t have a dog. But we do have a doggie kite.

And since it was such a lovely weekend, my 3 year-old and I decided to take our doggie kite up to Bernal Heights Park, to go flying with all the real dogs that were also enjoying the nice weather on the hill.

At first my daughter expected the local canines to love her kite — doggies should love a doggie, right? — but she quickly realized the more complicated truth: “The dogs think our kite is weird,” she said.

If It Snowed On Bernal Hill, I Would Bring My Powder Skis

January 12, 2011January 11, 2011 / Todd_Lappin / 5 Comments

I was in Tahoe last weekend, teaching my daughter how to ski at Alpine Meadows. (Cuuuuuuuute!) While she was in ski school, I managed to sneak off for a few hours to make some turns with the grown-ups.

At the summit of Alpine, I saw this microwave tower, and I thought: “Wow, this is pretty much what Bernal Hill would look like if we got a big dump in San Francisco.” It was so easy to visualize.

I then commenced fantasizing about an epic powder run from the top of the hill down to my house on Precita. Mmmmmmmm.

Yes, yes… I know, it has snowed here before! Check out this view of the north slope after a dusting in 1882:

There wasn’t enough snow for a powder run, alas — even on rock skis. But as this photo makes clear, Bernal Hill is otherwise so skiable! Think snow, people. Also, think ski lift!