Monday Mural: Jules Verne was here

It's amazing what you can find when you leave your well traveled routes.  Found this Jules Verne octopus painted across the front of this apartment building.  One of the residents told me it's been there at least 3 years.  Couldn't find a name or date.  This is found off Telegraph Avenue and 38th Avenue facing the MacArthur freeway.

If you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  You decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them all around.  Follow the Linky steps below.  Be sure to link back to this meme and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.

building ad

Can't miss this ad when you're driving by.  Makes billboards seem puny.  Spotted in Uptown on Telegraph and Grand Avenue.

ABC Wednesday: X is for Xolo

Welcome to Xolo (and you thought I wouldn't find an X!).  It is a newish taqueria owned by the same people who own the popular Doña Tomás.  Who wouldn't love the periwinkle walls and harlequin floors.

The Yelp reviews tout the el vampiro taco, which I had to try.  It has marinated pork with a red sauce and the usual cilantro and onion toppers.  Delicious; but three bucks for a taco is pricey compared to the dollar and a quarter you pay at most taco trucks around town.  Linked to ABC Wednesday.

Monday Mural: Baby World

This mural is on the side of Baby World, a business focused on baby clothing, toys, and equipment.  It was done by Universal Mural Styles (UMS).  Unfortunately, I couldn't find any information about this artist (or crew).  Even if it's essentially an advertising piece, the image is sweet, colorful, and depicts the childhood parents hope to provide their children.   I like the way the brick wall has dissolved to reveal the scene.

If you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  You decide what constitutes a mural.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.  I will be out of town during September and my ability to comment may be limited.  The Linky, however, will continue to go up 8 PM PST each Sunday.

Monday mural: Infinite potential

Here's an older mural located just off Telegraph Avenue in Uptown.  This is a work from the Community Rejuvenation Project which sponsors murals around town and involves local youth in creating them.

Skywatch Friday: dive shop

Steele's on Telegraph Avenue sells all manner of diving equipment and has rave reviews on Yelp.  Even though the shop's name is in giant, red plastic letters, their funky old sign is what I notice most.  The peeling paint shows that over the years the sign has been used by more than one business.  The pentimento reveals that at one time you could get custom made golf clubs.  For more sky photos visit Skywatch Friday.

Weekend Reflections: Fleetline chrome

A vintage car reflects the scene around it one week ago.  For more reflections from around the world, visit James' meme Weekend Reflections.

ABC Wednesday: Y is for yesteryear

Here's another vintage car seen in the 1/4 lb Giant Burger parking lot last Friday night.  Studebakers , with that distinctive bullet nose, are hard to miss.  (Except «Louis» tells me this is a Ford.  Also with a bullet nose.  My bad).  Like all vintage cars, they are portals to the past.  Although I don't pine for the 50s, it's kind of fun to visit now and then.  Car restoration also represents incredible skill and artistry that has endured across the generations.  This little beauty probably never looked this good when it rolled off the assembly line.  For more expressions of "Y" visit this week's participants in ABC Wednesday.

blast from the past

Vintage cars and burger joints just seem to have a natural affinity for one another.  On the first Friday of every month vintage car owners from around the Bay gather at the 1/4 lb. Giant Burger in Uptown.   Last Friday was a warm night, the sound of early rock 'n' roll filled the air, and the vibe was welcoming.  The car owners were incredibly nice and more than happy to talk about their rides.  It was a very festive evening with people eating, dancing, laughing, and swapping stories. 

al fresco dining

Here's the outdoor seating at a popular lunch spot in the lower Temescal district at 52nd St. and Telegraph Ave.  There's no sign above the door but you know you're there when you see the line half way down the block.  This area has undergone a welcome transformation over the past decade and is now home to several popular restaurants and a great deli.  It's amazing to watch what can happen when one or two businesses move into a neighborhood, renovate commercial spaces, bring foot traffic, and inspire others to follow suit.

another blast from the past

 This building looks like it's the same vintage as yesterday's post.  Check out the roof cubes.  It is the 1/4 lb Giant Burger on Telegraph and 21st St.  It may look past its prime, but people still pull in and order.