Here is a quick article about the 1995 American League Division Series between the Seattle Mariners and the New York Yankees. The article sponsor is Coca-Cola and it therefore explains the "chill" references. Where were you and what were you doing when Edgar Martinez hit that double down the left field line in the former Kingdome......
The Seattle Mariners were losers. They even lost their first franchise to a car salesman in Milwaukee after one year of play.
Whether or not that was an ominous sign of the things to come in the next few decades, the M's had no trouble living up (down?) to those expectations. This was, after all, a franchise that once went 14 years without a winning season, and had a club so devoid of star power that the team's announcer was actually voted by fans as the most popular Mariner of all time.
But after years of getting hit with the awful stick, the Mariners' fortunes slowly came together in a perfect storm of destiny and quirkiness in the memorable summer of 1995, when perhaps the most chill group of athletes since the '85 Chicago Bears came shuffling along. This was the year the Mariners were so bad, they knew they were good.
It didn't help that they lost their first legitimate superstar Ken Griffey Jr. to a broken wrist in May. Or at least at first it didn't appear to be a good thing. But instead of panic, the guys remained chill and found a way to eek out wins here and there, each night a different hero.
They found themselves 13 games out of first place in August. But instead of planning their subsequent offseason golf vacations and trade requests now that their franchise player was out of commission, they started chipping away at the Division-leading California Angels.
They didn't set out to dominate and intimidate, like the way Roger Clemens feasts on rookies or the way Bartolo Colon attacks an all-you-can-eat buffet. They did it their way, with a 'what, me worry?' attitude that evoked coolness, chillness, and most of all spectacularness. They were so chill they often waited until there were two outs before making their move, prompting Mariner's fans to say, "Two outs? So what!"
These underdogs were the epitome of cool under pressure. Ice in their veins and arteries. Their 26 come-from-behind wins from July on propelled them to a first-place tie with the Angels on the last day of the season, which forced a one-game playoff they easily handled.
This rag-tag group of overachievers, such as Jay "Bone" Buhner, Tino "We Had Him First" Martinez, "Little" Joey Cora, Edgar "I Defined the Role of a DH" Martinez and Ken "I Was Still Called The Kid" Griffey Jr., were off to face the mighty, mightly Yankees in the first round.
What was that part about being chill? How about losing the first two in the Bronx, just so you can win the next three at home to give the long suffering fans something to really cheer about. And that's exactly what they did. They played in what is perhaps considered the finest Division Series game in the history of Divison Series games. (OK, so this is the first year they had Divison Series games, but it still holds up).
Remember where you were when Kennedy was shot? Ask a Mariners fan where they were when Griffey rounded third on Edgar's 11th inning double to win the game and the series. Then watch them explain how watching one of the most chill teams of all time give them & chills.
Saturday, July 30, 2005
At the intersection of Cortland and Bayshore
When I moved to San Francisco back in 1998, at this intersection, located in an industrial area of the city, was the independently run Goodman Lumber. I purchased my little Hibachi BBQ there. By the end of 2000, it had closed. The windows have been boarded up and graffiti is started to make its way onto the walls.
Goodman Lumber (2005)
The laws of science tell us that where there is a vaccum (or void) something will come and fill it's place. Enter........Home Depot. By the way, did you know that Home Depot opened 25 stores nationwide in the month of June, 2005?
For its entire existence, the city San Francisco has viewed itself as a unique place, distinctly not suburban "middle America". Residents take great pride in shopping at independently owned, non-chain, businesses. My own neighboorhood of Bernal Heights has only once "chain" establishment, a branch office of Bank of America. So when Home Depot proposed to build a store on that site it was fireworks city and it has pitted two adjacent neighboorhoods at odds with each other.
On the map above, you see that Bayshore Blvd. runs north-south roughly parallel to Hwy. 101 (which is a freeway at this point in the city). Bayshore serves as the political boundary between Bernal Heights on the left (West) and Bayview-Hunters Point on the right (East). Bernal Heights is a gentrified neighboorhood that buys into the "San Francisco is unique" belief. Bayview-Hunters Point is the city's last predominantly African-American area where the money era of the dot.com craze never made it here. I think the Department of Housing and Urban Development would consider it blighted.
Bayview-Hunters Point welcomes the presence of Home Depot because it will bring jobs to their neighborhood and other benefits. Bernal Heights is fighting Home Depot for reasons of traffic and that it will put the independent stores out of business. Here is a anti-Home Depot website that I learned of when I got a message urging me to attend the Planning Commission meeting this past Thursday. Home Depot got was granted its building permit and the store will be scaled back a bit, but it will open in 2007.
So where do I fall on this whole issue? When I first heard that Home Depot had proposed to build a store on the old Goodman Lumber site, my reaction was the reflexive "over my dead body" reaction. But I've learned that I need to temper that reaction because that is what living in San Francisco has taught me to do, which is march lockstep in the "San Francisco is unique" doctrine.
But having taught Economics and seen over and over again, examples of where things (the generic things) happen, and due to whatever incentives or power, adaptations are made and life moves on. Both neighboorhoods have incredibly valid points. I am neutral on this issue for the following reasons. I am not against Home Depot, if it wasn't Home Depot, some other commercial establishment would have come to that space. Granted, most San Franciscans would love to have seen a set of cute "boutique" stores, hip restaurants and art galleries come in all along a car-free pedestrian mall, but we're getting Home Depot. Such is life.
However, MY issue is the fact that due to it's location at that particular intersection and the fact that Bernal Heights and Bayview-Hunters Point are on the eastern edge of the city, Cortland Avenue will become a highway of cars and trucks as residents of Noe Valley, Glen Park and points west will use the only logical route to get to the Home Depot. Cortland Avenue is the street upon with I live. Already, it's a bit hairy sometimes to cross the street when I park my car on the other side, and it's somewhat noisy the cars whizzing by, but to add more cars to Cortland Avenue is an issue for me. In addition, that intersection of Cortland Avenue and Bayshore Blvd. is one that I use everyday to go to work. Granted, there may not be traffic jams at 7AM every weekday morning to get into Home Depot, but I believe that there may be an increase in the number of large semis making Home Depot deliveries.
If it becomes too much of a hassle to try and make this left turn to get onto Bayshore to get to the freeway, I will have find some alternative way to get to Highway 101-North. See? Adaptation and change. So all us residents of Bernal Heights need to accept that Home Depot is coming to our front doorstep. How we decide to deal with the issues that arise will be the important thing.
The laws of science tell us that where there is a vaccum (or void) something will come and fill it's place. Enter........Home Depot. By the way, did you know that Home Depot opened 25 stores nationwide in the month of June, 2005?
For its entire existence, the city San Francisco has viewed itself as a unique place, distinctly not suburban "middle America". Residents take great pride in shopping at independently owned, non-chain, businesses. My own neighboorhood of Bernal Heights has only once "chain" establishment, a branch office of Bank of America. So when Home Depot proposed to build a store on that site it was fireworks city and it has pitted two adjacent neighboorhoods at odds with each other.
On the map above, you see that Bayshore Blvd. runs north-south roughly parallel to Hwy. 101 (which is a freeway at this point in the city). Bayshore serves as the political boundary between Bernal Heights on the left (West) and Bayview-Hunters Point on the right (East). Bernal Heights is a gentrified neighboorhood that buys into the "San Francisco is unique" belief. Bayview-Hunters Point is the city's last predominantly African-American area where the money era of the dot.com craze never made it here. I think the Department of Housing and Urban Development would consider it blighted.
Bayview-Hunters Point welcomes the presence of Home Depot because it will bring jobs to their neighborhood and other benefits. Bernal Heights is fighting Home Depot for reasons of traffic and that it will put the independent stores out of business. Here is a anti-Home Depot website that I learned of when I got a message urging me to attend the Planning Commission meeting this past Thursday. Home Depot got was granted its building permit and the store will be scaled back a bit, but it will open in 2007.
So where do I fall on this whole issue? When I first heard that Home Depot had proposed to build a store on the old Goodman Lumber site, my reaction was the reflexive "over my dead body" reaction. But I've learned that I need to temper that reaction because that is what living in San Francisco has taught me to do, which is march lockstep in the "San Francisco is unique" doctrine.
But having taught Economics and seen over and over again, examples of where things (the generic things) happen, and due to whatever incentives or power, adaptations are made and life moves on. Both neighboorhoods have incredibly valid points. I am neutral on this issue for the following reasons. I am not against Home Depot, if it wasn't Home Depot, some other commercial establishment would have come to that space. Granted, most San Franciscans would love to have seen a set of cute "boutique" stores, hip restaurants and art galleries come in all along a car-free pedestrian mall, but we're getting Home Depot. Such is life.
However, MY issue is the fact that due to it's location at that particular intersection and the fact that Bernal Heights and Bayview-Hunters Point are on the eastern edge of the city, Cortland Avenue will become a highway of cars and trucks as residents of Noe Valley, Glen Park and points west will use the only logical route to get to the Home Depot. Cortland Avenue is the street upon with I live. Already, it's a bit hairy sometimes to cross the street when I park my car on the other side, and it's somewhat noisy the cars whizzing by, but to add more cars to Cortland Avenue is an issue for me. In addition, that intersection of Cortland Avenue and Bayshore Blvd. is one that I use everyday to go to work. Granted, there may not be traffic jams at 7AM every weekday morning to get into Home Depot, but I believe that there may be an increase in the number of large semis making Home Depot deliveries.
If it becomes too much of a hassle to try and make this left turn to get onto Bayshore to get to the freeway, I will have find some alternative way to get to Highway 101-North. See? Adaptation and change. So all us residents of Bernal Heights need to accept that Home Depot is coming to our front doorstep. How we decide to deal with the issues that arise will be the important thing.
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Going Organic
My friend Shahana and I have decided to try one of those organic produce delivery services. We decided on Organic Express. We elected to get a large box of mixed fruits and vegetables delivered every two weeks. Yesterday, we got our first shipment. Check out what we got this week.
I'm already hooked!
I'm already hooked!
An elegant evening of French cuisine
Scott is a self-proclaimed "foodie" and has dined at a majority of the well-known establishments in San Francisco. He also knows the chefs names and reputations as well. Down near his current (and soon to be over) gig is one of the four Left Bank restaurants. One of the owners is a man named Roland Passot, the chef at Scott's favorite SF restaurant, La Folie.
Yesterday, Roland hosted a special chef's dinner at the San Mateo location. Here was the menu:
Amuse Bouche
Foie Gras Soup with a Scallop Summer Truffle Ravioli
Seared Striped Bass with Ipswich Clams, Porcini Mushrooms, and a Shellfish Bordelaise
Trio of Beef
Burger Rossini, Braised Beef Short Ribs,
and a Roasted Beef Tenderloin with a Truffle Madeira Sauce
Berry Pot Pie with Crème Fraîche Sorbet
Each course was paired with a different wine (of course I didn't participate in the wine drinking as, well, I know nothing about wine and I don't appreciate it's taste). The food was excellent and the fact that the dinner took three hours to complete was only a sidenote for me, seeing as that I'm all about efficiency. However, the highlight of the evening was dining with two women with whom we had a great rapport. Conversation was interesting, lively and intelligent.
Joan H., myself and Elisa B.
The four of us agreed to meet up again in the near future! I love how it's moments such as these where interesting and dynamic people enter our lives.
Yesterday, Roland hosted a special chef's dinner at the San Mateo location. Here was the menu:
Foie Gras Soup with a Scallop Summer Truffle Ravioli
Seared Striped Bass with Ipswich Clams, Porcini Mushrooms, and a Shellfish Bordelaise
Trio of Beef
Burger Rossini, Braised Beef Short Ribs,
and a Roasted Beef Tenderloin with a Truffle Madeira Sauce
Berry Pot Pie with Crème Fraîche Sorbet
Each course was paired with a different wine (of course I didn't participate in the wine drinking as, well, I know nothing about wine and I don't appreciate it's taste). The food was excellent and the fact that the dinner took three hours to complete was only a sidenote for me, seeing as that I'm all about efficiency. However, the highlight of the evening was dining with two women with whom we had a great rapport. Conversation was interesting, lively and intelligent.
The four of us agreed to meet up again in the near future! I love how it's moments such as these where interesting and dynamic people enter our lives.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
The nomination of John G. Roberts
I know that those on the left are a bit "baffled" by the lack of information on Roberts, but I am of the opinion that the fact that he is the father of young children is a HUGE factor in shaping his opinions on many major issues. This article from CNN's Inside Politics summarizes my thoughts pretty well on his nomination and, what I believe, to be his inevitable elevation to the US Supreme Court.
Summer in Seattle
--Harry Wappler (the former Weather guy on KIRO)
This past weekend, I flew to Seattle to spend the weekend with the family. A shout out to Mom and Dad for suffering through my "funk", I've got to work on being more pleasant when suffering through my own personal difficulties, whatever they are. Mom and Dad are always cheerful and great and accomodating, but the issues are mine so blame me. Enough said.
For those of you suffering through the pains of heat and humidity day after day this summer, I will offer you this painful piece of information. The weather these past five days in Seattle were:
Updated 7:22 PM PDT
Seattle, WA
Sunny
Temp: 78°F (26°C)
FORECAST
Tue (7/27) sunny Hi: 84°F
Wed (7/28) sunny Hi: 82°F
Thu (7/29) sunny Hi: 78°F
and might I add, no humidity! So, golf was played (the streak is alive, FYI) , Mariners games watched, friends seen and I was even put to work helping my college friend John G. finish nailing his new deck and then staining it.
Ahh, and the big news..
The hybrid drove really well. The only weird thing that I think would take getting used to is the fact that you stick the key in a slot, and then press a button to start the car. Then it takes about 10 seconds before the motors (electric and gas) kick in and one is ready to drive. At a later date and time, I will go on my talk about the Economics of all this, but that's for later.
Which Came First?
I have a dear high school friend, Heidi B-P, who has been blessed to have worked/work for two nationally (and internationally) prominent Seattle based companies. Just recently, she left REI to go and work for Starbucks. Being the jealous type that I am, my envy of her took the form of attack. (Sorry, Heids, I owe you.) Being the public relations guru that she is, she spins Starbucks incredible market saturation as being a company that transforms neighboorhoods and creates places of gathering across the land and globe. Oh, I had to disagree. In my experience, Starbucks comes in as a neighboorhood changes and the income levels rise to support the coffee drinking habits of those who move in and live in these areas. It is not my belief that Starbucks is the catalyst of change, instead I believe that Starbucks comes in after the "gentrification" has begun and "cashes" in on an already changing situation.
So, I put Starbucks to the test. Here in San Francisco, those of you who are familiar with the neighboorhoods, the Bayview-Hunters Point area is not the vision of beautifully kept up Victorians with their yuppie inhabitants. It would probably considered "blighted" by the housing department. If you go to the Starbucks website, and type in the zip code 94124 or even the neighboring 94134 when trying to find a retail Starbucks store. Perhaps then you may see whether I am right or mistaken.
Regardless of the answer, a shout out to Heidi for being such a great and longtime friend, and her husband Scott too!
So, I put Starbucks to the test. Here in San Francisco, those of you who are familiar with the neighboorhoods, the Bayview-Hunters Point area is not the vision of beautifully kept up Victorians with their yuppie inhabitants. It would probably considered "blighted" by the housing department. If you go to the Starbucks website, and type in the zip code 94124 or even the neighboring 94134 when trying to find a retail Starbucks store. Perhaps then you may see whether I am right or mistaken.
Regardless of the answer, a shout out to Heidi for being such a great and longtime friend, and her husband Scott too!
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