Anyway, here are a couple of quick shots before I start writing too much.

People watching the eclipse atop Bernal:

I was hoping to get a timelapse of the eclipsed moon settling behind Sutro but that was not meant to be — the software was willing but the hardware was weak. Here are a couple of my efforts, but @jobius did a much better job (from the comfort of his house, no less. Smart man.)

Thankfully I got some decent shots of the moon passing behind Sutro using 15 second exposures on my Lumix. Here’s a still:

The sun was starting to rise at this point, and the moon was battling not only more atmosphere, but a foggy haze and grew increasingly hard to see.

Here are 9 images turned into a movie (sorry for the crappy alignment but video editing software is my nemesis):

Here’s the Tumblr link in case Vimeo barfs, and of course an animated GIF:

Note that ancient peoples would find the bit depth extremely impressive.

And in a final bit of meta-photography, here is video of the eclipse from ABC 7′s camera FROM ATOP SUTRO TOWER.

That is all.

Downtown:

Sutro’s pretty fuzzy (hey, from an iPhone, cut me some slack) but I took some better pictures from my Lumix which I’ll get up at some point. UPDATE: higher resolution 32,000 pixel-wide panorama here.

Airplane over Candlestick and Bernal!

UPDATE: higher resolution

I’m not a big HDR fan, but this shot of Bernal converted to black and white worked out nicely.

Better than the color verison, I think.

And another angle of upper La Lengua and our advanced motor services industry.

Last Saturday, there was crazy-ass sunlight piercing the upper deck, leading to sunny ground and socked in skies. While this shot pushes through my HDR acceptability barrier, it was the only way to give you a feel of how insane the lighting was.

Meanwhile, Peninsulaward:

In outer La Lengua, Groger’s Western Store continues its fine wheatpastery:

Sucka free, indeed:

A few recent contenders:

Found inside Liberty Cafe:

(via WBTC – and there should be way more dogs in that lineup!)

This year’s El Rio Big Time Freedom Fest was a good one:

Of course, there is the classic case of the Bernal mural suffering from animal giganticism:

and the Bernal Dispensary mural which is so so.

But let’s face it, you really can never go wrong with Bernal in real life:

Incredible 1 of a kind property-designer flat over converted store front-used as architet’s office & artist’s studio. Not just beautiful, flexible & designed with an architect’s flair – but cool as can be, in SF’s newest micro hood-La Lengua! Where Bernal Heights meets the Valencia Corridor & hot Mission district! Gorgeous custom painted Victorian facade deceives the scale, dexterity, & amenities this incredibly flexible 3,100 sq. ft. property has to offer! 115 ft lot affords idyllic back yard & patio to enjoy balmy Mission weather.

The LaLeReReEsCoCo (La Lengua Revolutionary Real Estate Correction Council), in recognition that lower Precita is at best part of the Liminal Zone if not entirely in La Lengua Bernal proper, offers these lovely aerial shots of Bernal and Precita as a tribute payment.

Though this raises interesting questions – are Precita’s needs being addressed by the cherty Bernal overlords? *Could* Precita break away from Bernal proper? And most importantly, is the Precita playground, with its classic 70s-era metal play equipment a cultural landmark worthy of independence?

Tonight, 7PM, Bernal Library, 500 Cortland Avenue. Maps, pictures, and whatever else I think of in the next few hours.

(La Lengua from the top of Bernal, 1888)

All La Lengua residents — be prepared to sing the Ballad of Revolutionary Glory (sung to La Bamba)

Para vivir La Lengua
Para vivir La Lengua
Se necesita el mapa antiguo.
Un puñado de mapas
Para mí para tí
Y burrito y cerveza
Yo no soy historador
Yo no soy historador
Soy burritador, soy burritador, soy burritador

“Only Supervisor David Campos has yet to weigh in, and yet only he can now save the mural. But after two weeks of uncertainty and controversy, Campos has yet to declare a position. Apparently, this is a difficult decision, so he needs still more time to think about it…”

Since Campos is incapable of doing his job as a Sup, how about we crowdfund Mr. Modolos’ $3400 application fee?  (This will also be good practice for funding the candidate who will invariably defeat Campos in the next election.)

UPDATE: Bernalwood presents evidence that not all us lost – David Campos has responded and “wants to inject common sense“. Fingers crossed.

(image via Troy Holden)

We also have word from the official Coca Cola historians and archivist themselves:

“The girl in the image is referred to in “Coke Lore” as Silhouette Girl.  She was used from 1939 until around 1950 when she fell out of use. She is significant in dating items as she was one of the few characters that was used during the time we transitioned our “Trademark Registered” statement from the tale of the C in “Coca” to being placed under the words “Coca-Cola.” This transition occurred between 1941 and 1942.

The first thing I noticed with the sign was the mark was under the words so it had to be later than 1942.

You will note that given the Sanborn Map layout, that sign would have been perfectly positioned with sight lines to qualify as location for a painted wall sign.

Given this evidence, Ted Ryan and the Coca-Cola archivists state:

If you had to pin me to a date, I would say that based on the placement of the word drink and the use of the Silhouette Girl, the original would be from 1946 or so.

Our effervescent archivists were kind enough to send over a bevy of pictures and documentation:

1939 Silhouette Girl on a thermometer:	Menu sign:
1950 delivery truck (Argentina)

And a very similar mural in South Carolina (also restored):

Since we think the Tipton’s acquired the grocery around 1948, they were the ones that must have put up the siding and covered the mural.

Last year the Coke archivists wrote a blog post on the history of their painted signs, discussing the guidelines they gave the bottlers.  They also sent me the official book (once confidential!!) and an article on their wall painting standards. (PDFs, be sure to click through.)  The article, by Professors Bill Bateman and Randy Schaeffer, is quite definitive.

Better yet, take a look at it in the coolio Occipital spinny panorama viewer (no plugins, don’t worry, iPhone friendly).

So up on the Boulevard I saw this Dark Jerusalem cricket / potato bug– it  was no kidding 3-4 inches long. Disgustingly fascinating. (Deep fried, this could be a serious appetizer.)

I could look at this all day.

Taquita Justice likes chert too.