Quarter of Paris
La Cité - the city: Part of the 1st District (premier arondissement); La Cité is one of the the islands in the middle of the Seine, and is the historic heart of Paris. L'Ile de la Cité is today home to a number of historic monuments and administrative buildings, including Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Sainte Chapelle. Next to l'Ile de la Cité is the Ile Saint Louis, another very old quarter, which is more residential, with shops, restaurants and small hotels.
The American Phoenix
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Considered an “American phoenix,” modern San Francisco rose out of the ashes of the 1906 earthquake. This disaster, the worst in American history, destroyed the majority of the city and left only 303 of its 28,000 buildings standing. One of these lucky few is Mission San Francisco de Asís (aka "Mission Dolores"). The current building, built in 1793, it is the oldest structure in the city and provides a wonderful example of Spanish-colonial architecture with Native-American influences.
Another area with a wealth and span of architectural interest is the Presidio dating from "Yerba Buena’s" earliest days (the old Officers’ Club at the top of the parade grounds is the other "oldest" San Francisco edifice) to 1960s "modern," which preceded the installation’s turnover from the Sixth Army to The City. At its furthest northwest tip, and San Francisco’s, standing guard under the Golden Gate Bridge is Fort Point, dating to the early and mid-1800s. Another well-kept building in the Spanish mission style was long the Officers' Club at the Presidio, and is now its Visitor's Center, which like Mission Dolores is a splendid example of garrison adobe and terra cotta architecture.
The turn of the 20th century brought the City Beautifying Movement to improve urban environments and suburbs with classical and renaissance design. The best examples of the beaux arts style are the City Hall (famous backdrop of many Dirty Harry movies) in the Civic Center and the Palace of Fine Arts – originally built for the Panama-Pacific Exposition in 1915 - located in the Marina District. Yet, if modern design is of interest, check out the SoMa (South of Market District), the controversial Public Library in the Civic Center and, of course, the Transamerica Pyramid.
San Francisco’s subsequent bold expressiveness can be experienced in its contributions to architecture, beginning with the fanciful Palace of Fine Arts (a domed vestige of the virtual city of buildings built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition); the Beaux Arts style City Hall; the Palace of the Legion of Honor framing Rodin’s "The Thinker" in its grand courtyard; the modern St. Mary’s Cathedral glowing in a mantle of white marble; the stately Grace Cathedral, reminiscent of European cathedrals and minsters; and a row of colorful Victorian houses, known as the "Painted Ladies", on Steiner Street facing Alamo Square in the Western Addition neighborhood -- some giving wedding cakes a run for their money. On Telegraph Hill, there is Coit Tower, built in 1933, and which may or may not be designed to look like a fire hose nozzle--financed by the heiress Lillie Hitchcock Coit, who was rumored to have a fondness for firemen! Beyond the unique Art Deco-inspired architecture of the structure are its many murals. Some 26 artists created the murals as part of the Public Works Art Project under the "New Deal" federal employment program in the early 1930's.
Across from City Hall, the old Main Library was stunningly remade in 2003 into the Asian Art Museum, one of the few institutions of its kind in the country, boasting one of the most comprehensive collections in the world. Designed by Italian architect Gae Auletti, her adaptive reuse of the former library recalls her work on the Musee d'Orsay in Paris. The new San Francisco Public Library, incidentally, is right next door and mirrors some of the design elements the original building, but is wholly a modern structure.
The dark-colored former Bank of America World Headquarters - San Francisco's once tallest building at 52 stories when first built in 1969, defied The City's then-nickname, "The White City" (so-called for its predominantly white and pastel buildings). It was surpassed in height by the 853-ft Transamerica Pyramid in 1972 (600 Montgomery St). The pyramid's structure defied both classic right-angle design, as well as San Francisco's earthquake potential, with its unusual foundation-on-rollers engineered design. Both buildings defied Herb Caen (1916-1997), the Pulitzer-prize winning columnist beloved by San Franciscans, who liked to publicly ponder whether the large purple stone sculpture in front of the B of A building was really meant to represent a banker's heart. And the pyramid? It earned a VERY special place in the mast head atop his column. Alas, both buildings no longer serve as headquarters for the companies that built them. Bank of America, first founded in San Francisco by A.P. Giannini as the Bank of Italy, was bought by NationsBank, and the headquarters moved to North Carolina. Some recent construction south of Market St (SoMa) has seen the addition of some very tall buildings, such as the 645-ft Millennium Tower (301 Mission St.) and the 600-ft One Rincon Hill South Tower (425 First St), but to date none surpasses the pyramid.
The Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall dazzles passers-by as well as patrons. The dramatic chandeliers of its foyer are shown off by its massive glass facade facing Van Ness Ave. And its concert hall is breathtaking in view as well as acoustics. The Museum of Modern Art is a new city icon, for its design as well as its exhibitions. SFMOMA is the most visited attraction in the City, bringing exciting modern and contemporary art exhibits to tourists, conventioneers, and locals alike. And the new home of the San Francisco Giants at the side of the bay (which has had several corporate monikers in quick succession) impresses passers-by -- landlubbers and boaters -- as well as baseball aficionados. What other ballpark has its own bay inlet ("McCovey Cove") where boaters can vie for homerun balls?And more recently, the copper-clad M.H. de Young Museum emerged monolithically from the gardens of Golden Gate Park, startling in its size and monotonal exterior, as well as its massive light and airy interior galleries. The museum, if not the structure, is one of San Francisco's oldest and most venerated institutions. The new structure replaces its neo-classical home that had to be razed before an earthquake did it. The critics are circling the new structure, and the juries are just forming. Some simply say this: "It's not your father's de Young."
Then there are those two bridges! The Golden Gate Bridge -- named for the sheltered entry to the bay, not the color of the bridge -- is a marvelous visual and engineering feat whose limits have been tested only once. That was, ironically, the day of its golden anniversary when it was it was closed to vehicle traffic. The weight of nearly 600,000 celebrants, who filled it shoulder-to-shoulder, end-to-end, unexpectedly flattened the span -- prompting engineers to do some "real-time" calculations. More recently, the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake tested the limits of the cantilevered (eastern) span of the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge, and it was decided that that section should be replaced. Controversy arose, which delayed bids and construction because East Bay politicians believed the eastern span should be as inspiring as the western side span that leads to San Francisco. They rejected the more utilitarian design from engineers of Caltrans, the state's Department of Transportation and a design competition was held. Another controversy arose once the construction began, which held up work for months before it was resolved and the state Department of Transportation allowed to rebid and start anew. For trivia fans, the full name of the bridge is the Sunny Jim Rolph Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge. You'll find that plaque on the Sterling Street on-ramp to the bridge in San Francisco. Who was he? One of San Francisco's past mayors.
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The San Francisco area was first settled at least 15,000 years ago by the Ohlone Indians, who lived in the coastal area between San Francisco Bay and Point Sur. They thrived in a region where abundant wildlife, native plants, and fish provided sustenance for their villages. In 1579, Sir Francis Drake and his crew arrived on the Golden Hind, and spent five weeks repairing the ship and meeting with the natives. The Spanish found the entrance to the bay in 1769, and by 1776, the first colonizing party arrived to found the Presidio of San Francisco and Mission Dolores.
San Francisco was a tiny settlement before the Gold Rush of 1849. Seemingly overnight, people streamed in from around the world to get to the gold fields. The Gold Rush brought a wild, boisterous crowd. Places like the Barbary Coast, a notorious saloon and red-light district along the piers, flourished.
After the rush was over, many prospectors returned from the gold fields and settled in the city, realizing that fortunes could be made just as well there. Mercantile establishments, small industries, and shipping to the Orient brought prosperity to the newcomers. San Francisco grew and attracted a colorful array of characters. Famous writers such as Jack London, Ambrose Bierce, and Mark Twain congregated here. And John Muir began the Sierra Club here in 1892.
In a city of unique individuals, one particularly stood out--Emperor Norton. Having lost his mind along with his fortune through a bad investment, he had proclaimed: "At the pre-emptory request of a large majority of the citizens of these United States, I Joshua Norton, formerly of Algoa Bay, Cape of Good Hope, and now for the last nine years and ten months past of San Francisco, California, declare and proclaim myself the Emperor of These United States." For the rest of his life, the city complied with his edicts, many of which were quite sound. When he died in 1880, between 10,000 and 30,000 people were reported to have attended his funeral.
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In 1869, the first westbound train arrived in San Francisco, and in 1870, San Francisco had become the tenth largest city in the United States. A large Chinese population of laborers recruited in the 1840s and 1850's had settled there. Irish immigrants settled into the Mission area and French, Italian, German, Russian, Australian, Jewish and many other nationalities contributed to the city's international flair.
The 1906 Earthquake and fire devastated the city. But with its characteristic spirit, the city rebuilt itself--into a grander city than even before. And it was no surprise that it would conceive and execute the impossible--the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge--one of the world's longest suspension bridges-- over icy-cold, shark infested waters. It has the highest bridge towers ever made.
Civic mindedness, a tolerant spirit, and openness have continued to be the characteristic of the people of the City. After World War II, returning gay soldiers found a safe haven here. The heart of the 60's movement in the Haight-Ashbury brought talents like the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Santana, and Janis Joplin. Today, new waves of immigrants, particularly from Russia and Central America, are changing the face of the city.
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69 Fun Facts About France
69 facts is back! This time featuring the lovely country of France, because well, who can resist a country that creates superior wine, beautiful art and genetically blessed people? I think 69 facts is quite fitting. After all, who doesn’t love the French? (when they are not driving, of course).
1. There is a Victor Hugo street in every town in France.
2. It’s illegal to name a pig Napoleon in France.
3. Charles VIII had six toes on one foot and hid this fact by wearing and promoting square toe shoes.
4. The guillotine was the official method of execution during the French Revolution. It was invented by a surgeon named Dr. Guillotin.
5. France produces over 400 types of cheese!
Language:
6. French is the official language of many countries including: Switzerland, Canada, Ivory Coast, Luxembourg, Monaco, Congo and Niger.
7. The word “salut” means both “hello” and “goodbye”
8. French was the official language of England for over 300 years.
9. It’s the mother tongue of 75 million people worldwide.
10. It’s the second most commonly taught foreign language, after English.
11. It’s the official language of the United Nations.
12. It’s the only language (along with English) that’s taught in every country in the world.
13. Crayola is a French word that means “oily chalk”
14. At the time of the French Revolution, 75% of French citizens didn’t speak French as a mother tongue.
15. Non-French celebrities who speak French include: Jodie Foster, Johnny Depp, Diane Kruger, Elton John, Ewan Mcgregor, Halle Berry, Jackie O, Madonna, Mick Jagger, and John Travolta.
16. 34% of the French can speak English.
17. Between 6-11 million Americans speak French.
18. Mont-Blanc is the highest peak in Europe
19. The heir to the French throne was called Le Dauphin, which also means “dolphin.”
20. The French eat snails, frog’s legs and horsemeat.
21. In 1386, a pig was hung in France for the murder of a child.
Love and Romance
22. The number of times the French kiss each other as a form of greeting varies depending on region. In Corsica, the number of kisses can be as many as 5! (If you have a hot first date, you now know where to go)
23. According to a 2003 survey, the French have the most sex in a year (unsurprisingly!)
24. It’s illegal to kiss on railways in France (oops).
25. “French kiss” is a term by the English as a slur on the French culture which was thought to be overly concerned with sex.
26. In France, it’s called a tongue kiss or soul kiss.
27. French men have the lowest level of obesity in the EU, and women are second after Denmark.
28. The French have one of the highest life expectancies in the EU (I think there’s a strong correlation of this fact to #23)
29. First Lady Carla Bruni has been known to have a string of relationships with famous men including Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger and Donald Trump.
Travel, Culture, and Innovations
30. Coco Chanel’s real name was Gabrielle Bonheur.
31. France has the highest number of ski resorts.
32. The French had an early version of the internet called Minitel, where as long as 1984, they could pay bills and shop at home using the Minitel service.
33. France is the most visited country in the world with 75 million tourists yearly.
34. The first department store was founded by Aristide Boucicaut in 1838l
35. France has wont he most Nobel Prizes for Literature than any other country in the world, and the second most in mathematics.
36. France created the first universal declaration of human rights in 1789.
37. France ruled the second largest colonial empire in the world controlling 8.6% of the world’s land.
38. Famous French inventions include: the hot air balloon, the submarine, and the parachute.
39. In 2004, the French produced 56.6. million hectoliters of wine.
40. French liquers include: Grand Marnier, Triple Sec, Cognac, Armagnac, Pastis and Cointreau.
The French Revolution
41. The storming of the Bastille was more of a symbolic act. During that day, there were only 7 prisoners and 4 of them were there because of check forging.
42. “Let them eat cake” was a statement falsely associated with Marie Antoinette as it was created ten years before she was born.
43. The guillotin was last used in 1977.
44. It was during this time that the French invented the metric system.
45. More than 15,000 people were beheaded at the guillotine.
46. Louis XVI assisted in perfecting the guillotine.
Paris, the city of love
47. 20% of the French live in the Parisian region.
48. Nicknamed “city of lights,” lights actually refers to the number of intellectuals who live there.
49. Jim Morrisson and Oscar Wilde were buried in the Paris cemetery called Pere Lachaise.
50. The Eiffel Tower is painted every 7 years.
51. The Eiffel tower was originally intended to be dismantled and sold as scrap after its construction.
52. There are more Bretons (From Britanny) in Paris than in Britanny.
53. The oldest bridge in Paris is called Pont Neuf (new bridge).
54. The most visited attraction in Paris isn’t the Eiffel Tower (5.5 million), or the Louvre (5 million), but Disneyland Paris at 13 million people.
Misc
55. French film production is second in the world.
56. Napoleon was 5’6.
57. French toast and french fries aren’t French inventions.
58. The croissant was actually invented in Austria.
59. The ministry of health once tried to promote milk as the national drink of France (ha!)
60. France is about the same size as Texas, with twice the population of California.
61. France is home to 28 UNESCO World Heritage sites.
62. There are about 2 new cook books that are published everyday in France.
63. Drugstores in France usually have a neon green cross on the door57. French toast and french fries aren’t French inventions.
64. If you cross your glass with someone else when toasting, you will receive 7 years of bad sex.
65. Grasse, France is known as the Perfume Capital of the World.
66. About 20& of French territory lies outside Europe.
67. Wearing a white wedding dress is a French tradition which began in 1499.
68. France was originally named Lutetia.
69. It’s against the law to take pictures of police officers and police vehicles.
1. There is a Victor Hugo street in every town in France.
2. It’s illegal to name a pig Napoleon in France.
3. Charles VIII had six toes on one foot and hid this fact by wearing and promoting square toe shoes.
4. The guillotine was the official method of execution during the French Revolution. It was invented by a surgeon named Dr. Guillotin.
5. France produces over 400 types of cheese!
Language:
6. French is the official language of many countries including: Switzerland, Canada, Ivory Coast, Luxembourg, Monaco, Congo and Niger.
7. The word “salut” means both “hello” and “goodbye”
8. French was the official language of England for over 300 years.
9. It’s the mother tongue of 75 million people worldwide.
10. It’s the second most commonly taught foreign language, after English.
11. It’s the official language of the United Nations.
12. It’s the only language (along with English) that’s taught in every country in the world.
13. Crayola is a French word that means “oily chalk”
14. At the time of the French Revolution, 75% of French citizens didn’t speak French as a mother tongue.
15. Non-French celebrities who speak French include: Jodie Foster, Johnny Depp, Diane Kruger, Elton John, Ewan Mcgregor, Halle Berry, Jackie O, Madonna, Mick Jagger, and John Travolta.
16. 34% of the French can speak English.
17. Between 6-11 million Americans speak French.
18. Mont-Blanc is the highest peak in Europe
19. The heir to the French throne was called Le Dauphin, which also means “dolphin.”
20. The French eat snails, frog’s legs and horsemeat.
21. In 1386, a pig was hung in France for the murder of a child.
Love and Romance
22. The number of times the French kiss each other as a form of greeting varies depending on region. In Corsica, the number of kisses can be as many as 5! (If you have a hot first date, you now know where to go)23. According to a 2003 survey, the French have the most sex in a year (unsurprisingly!)
24. It’s illegal to kiss on railways in France (oops).
25. “French kiss” is a term by the English as a slur on the French culture which was thought to be overly concerned with sex.
26. In France, it’s called a tongue kiss or soul kiss.
27. French men have the lowest level of obesity in the EU, and women are second after Denmark.
28. The French have one of the highest life expectancies in the EU (I think there’s a strong correlation of this fact to #23)
29. First Lady Carla Bruni has been known to have a string of relationships with famous men including Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger and Donald Trump.
Travel, Culture, and Innovations
30. Coco Chanel’s real name was Gabrielle Bonheur.
31. France has the highest number of ski resorts.
32. The French had an early version of the internet called Minitel, where as long as 1984, they could pay bills and shop at home using the Minitel service.33. France is the most visited country in the world with 75 million tourists yearly.
34. The first department store was founded by Aristide Boucicaut in 1838l
35. France has wont he most Nobel Prizes for Literature than any other country in the world, and the second most in mathematics.
36. France created the first universal declaration of human rights in 1789.
37. France ruled the second largest colonial empire in the world controlling 8.6% of the world’s land.
38. Famous French inventions include: the hot air balloon, the submarine, and the parachute.
39. In 2004, the French produced 56.6. million hectoliters of wine.
40. French liquers include: Grand Marnier, Triple Sec, Cognac, Armagnac, Pastis and Cointreau.
The French Revolution
41. The storming of the Bastille was more of a symbolic act. During that day, there were only 7 prisoners and 4 of them were there because of check forging.
42. “Let them eat cake” was a statement falsely associated with Marie Antoinette as it was created ten years before she was born.
43. The guillotin was last used in 1977.
44. It was during this time that the French invented the metric system.
45. More than 15,000 people were beheaded at the guillotine.
46. Louis XVI assisted in perfecting the guillotine.
Paris, the city of love
47. 20% of the French live in the Parisian region.48. Nicknamed “city of lights,” lights actually refers to the number of intellectuals who live there.
49. Jim Morrisson and Oscar Wilde were buried in the Paris cemetery called Pere Lachaise.
50. The Eiffel Tower is painted every 7 years.
51. The Eiffel tower was originally intended to be dismantled and sold as scrap after its construction.
52. There are more Bretons (From Britanny) in Paris than in Britanny.
53. The oldest bridge in Paris is called Pont Neuf (new bridge).
54. The most visited attraction in Paris isn’t the Eiffel Tower (5.5 million), or the Louvre (5 million), but Disneyland Paris at 13 million people.
Misc
55. French film production is second in the world.
56. Napoleon was 5’6.
57. French toast and french fries aren’t French inventions.
58. The croissant was actually invented in Austria.
59. The ministry of health once tried to promote milk as the national drink of France (ha!)
60. France is about the same size as Texas, with twice the population of California.
61. France is home to 28 UNESCO World Heritage sites.
62. There are about 2 new cook books that are published everyday in France.
63. Drugstores in France usually have a neon green cross on the door57. French toast and french fries aren’t French inventions.
64. If you cross your glass with someone else when toasting, you will receive 7 years of bad sex.
65. Grasse, France is known as the Perfume Capital of the World.
66. About 20& of French territory lies outside Europe.
67. Wearing a white wedding dress is a French tradition which began in 1499.
68. France was originally named Lutetia.
69. It’s against the law to take pictures of police officers and police vehicles.
Buying French Food Online Does not Indicate Getting French Fries
There are times when I just about resent having to drive a mile down the road to the supermarket for the shopping, and so the capability to buy French food online is a huge perk. Years ago I made use of to routinely head throughout the Network a number of times a year in order to stock up on the ingredients and the French active ingredients which was merely unimaginable to locate right here in the UK.
But of course, heading throughout the Channel to do your shopping is considerably much more troublesome than driving 1 mile down the road to the supermarket, although there was undoubtedly a higher sense of journey linked with the experience. But it undoubtedly really isn't the most economical method of acquiring French food. UK markets share very couple of French ingredients or examples of French ingredients, however even in those unusual instances where French food is on sale in UK stores, frequently in bears pertaining to as much likeness as the French food readily available in France as a muffin does to a baguette.
It really isn't merely imagination; it actually is the truth that French food got straight from France is considerably different from the French food which stores pass off as legitimate. Yet also the very best equipped grocery stores in this country are not able to offer the kind of array of components which is necessary in order to generate truly outstanding French food. UK fans of French food have, till just recently, had only one option. Well, probably make that a couple of possibilities, consisting of swimming, flying, taking the barge, or taking the train.
But whichever choice of transportation, it still means heading off to an absolutely different country, merely to do a place of shopping. Luckily today we are able to maximize all that the Web has to offer, and one of my individual picks is the fact that I’m right now able to acquire French food online. Acquiring French food online is effortless; although it pays to be sure that the supplier you choose actually is acquiring food direct from France.
It's Gallery Week!
photo by F.J. Jasinski
Over the course of 10 days, 36 high-profile Bay Area art galleries will offer solo and group exhibitions, as well as unique events including performance art, panel discussions, chats with local artists, poetry readings and live music.
Tonight at least 8 galleries on Post and Sutter Streets alone will host events. If you should find yourself in need of lodging, we're just down the street!
more information available here...
While You're Visiting Us...
MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL ??? October 4-14, 2012
FACS is proud to support the Mill Valley Film Festival. MVFF brings together a community of filmmakers and film lovers in Mill Valley, San Rafael and beyond to experience amazing new films in the beautiful environment of San Francisco's Bay Area. With its reputation as a filmmakers' festival, this prestigious noncompetitive event showcases international features, documentaries, shorts and children's films. something for every filmgoer.
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