Monday, August 25, 2014

Cambria, CA.

MELI: August post — Cambria, CA | Bikes and the City × meligrosa
I've never given for granted my proximity to smelling and seeing the Pacific Ocean. Often times this becomes a palpable essence, in particular when speaking with east coasters or new pals I meet from various regions in the country. I consider myself lucky to just get to the ocean when the world hurts. News, and what we as humans are capable of doing to each other, is infuriating. Heading to the ocean, may feel at least to me, like the least one can do to seek a moment of perspective, quiet, and solitude – even for just a couple of minutes.

I love this abundant body of water so much and deeply appreciate the ocean's strong foundation it has within me, it has witnessed highs and lows. Constantly influencing a patient and respectful approach to the everyday.
It listens to questions that may not have an answer, conversations only heard by the ocean breeze.

Throughout my twenties the bicycle was the peace of mind I sought after on a daily basis, but the peacefulness that nature provides, in particular its lifelong dose of sea layer, has intensified and thus placed itself on a different mental category in the last couple of years.

As in life, one may get to know the ocean's tide patterns, get comfortable.
But it is rather wise to not be easily fooled and underestimate its power.

Do you have any special place from your home state (or your adopted one) that receive your constant admiration? Would love to hear it, if you'd like to share.

My native coastal Baja+Californian pride continues to extend – If at all possible :)
Have a great week ahead.
MELI.

MELI: August post — Cambria, CA | Bikes and the City × meligrosa
MELI: August post — Cambria, CA | Bikes and the City × meligrosaMELI: August post — Cambria, CA | Bikes and the City × meligrosa
MELI: August post — Cambria, CA | Bikes and the City × meligrosa

/ The Pacific Ocean: fotos above from the weekend in Cambria (and first visit!) alongside a group of great gals. 

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

windows y sidewalks

geary street
Neiman Marcus store with cool window paper/patterns on Geary street. In the two seconds it took me to capture this, a young tourist teenager went around me in order to not get in the way :)
I was going to wait for Muni but instead did a nice walk around downtown on a Sunday afternoon. Was not too crazy.

colorful window no.2
colorful window no.1
Sidewalk colorful sightings in Laurel Heights.

adams point en oakland.
Adams point en Oakland.

in good company w/bike dudes y young skater
Bart window. I was sitting near two young men, one had a beat up skate and the other was halfway holding his bike and eating a snack. His bike had a large basket and his super size messenger bag was 3x bigger than his slim body.

Each time Bart emerges in the East Bay from the long mystery pitch black bay tunnel of anxiety, I look down and nod to the one intersection I fell flat on my face SO hard while riding my friend Yaeger's bike over a decade ago in west Oakland, luckily no semi trucks were around those big empty boulevards… I wrecked his front wheel. I didn't have a cell phone. I walked from there to Broadway and stopped at a gas station to eat a donut and a warm gatorade. The gal working there had really long neon green nails. It was one long Saturday morning.

Tuesday, July 8th.
National anthem. Tuesday, July 8th at the Coliseum.

“go easy EH” :D ♥
Deli board on Folsom. Great sandos.

burger for KT. beer para mi.
burger for KT. beer para mi.
Bistro SF has two 21st amendment beers on draft, and Anchor Steam. Nice!

PIZZA FOREVER ♥
Familia Sunday lunch, pizza time in San Anselmo.

girls day out :) w/muffin y qeli.
Saturday lunch y walk around Lake Merrit/Grand with Muffin y Qeli.

Roam burgers
Roam burgers back in June. Great burgers for meat lovers and veggies alike, beer. Big open windows. Usually crowded, but not too bad.

wheelchair ramp yellows. exploratorium yellows.
Window pixels at Howard and Moss. I really like looking at those windows.
This is a previous shot from 2012 (foto of a foto) on film, tmax 100:
IMAG2725

All images, except this b+w above, taken with mi device phone, called Nexus 5.
OK that is all, hope your Tuesday is going well.
xxomeli


Sunday, July 6, 2014

Sunday.

from el passenger seat: asi nuestros veranos. yo, en la minoría popular — los adoro.
Summer time. The alert sign reads HEAVY FOG… :)

PIZZA FOREVER ♥
Approx. 15 miles north from the Golden Gate bridge is Pizzalina in San Anselmo, delicious.

mi favorite peet's of the north w/ its majestic Michael Schwab posters ♥
Coffee pit stop at mi favorite Peet's of the north w/ its majestic Michael Schwab posters.

Sunday was a day for pizza, coffee and baseball watching. The A's swept the Toronto Blue Jays and it was a sunny day in Marin.
The Peet's in the picture above y below, is one of my favorite of their new-ish locations because of its poster art. In addition to the two included in the phone fotos, there is a landscape-poster of that glorious sipping coffee time, and a vertical one of a cup with a imperfect swirly milk on top, just beautiful - with the words cappuccino.
It has not felt right to take a picture of the other two (which aren't as big) as there always seems to be people enjoying their coffee/devices/chatter next to them.
the peet's coffee de novato, has the biggest michael schwab posters I've ever seen :) ♥
From a previous time.

Speaking of Schwab, he is an iconic designer based in Marin. He has designed great logos, posters for national parks, companies, events. If you are unfamiliar with him, you can browse his portfolio pieces here.
Anyway, I also wanted to share his latest design seen in posters and banners around the Fillmore district and Pacific Heights. The annual Jazz festival happened this weekend:
fillmore at dusk × walked few miles, ended w/burger at roam on fillmore near pine.
Not taken today Sunday, but a few days ago.

Fillmore street has a nice blog, and they recently featured the making-of the 2014 Fillmore Jazz poster interview with Schwab. I learned that he is designing the upcoming Santa Clara Superbowl logo (new 49ers is approx. 40mi south from SF), which comes as no surprise. If you follow baseball, you may remember he designed the 2007 All-Star identity.
If you like me, are a poster fan, designer or just curious, here is the article:
The New Fillmore: At the top of his game

OK, I already can't stop thinking about tomorrow's coffee.
Mondays after a 3-day weekend are just not the greatest things … blah blah blah :)
That is all for now.
xxomeli