I have been doing this blog for like 8 years now, so I am really only just now arriving at the point where I am running out of things to cover in certain cities. My first articles on San Fran were relatively early in the lifespan of this site, so I would probably do things differently if I were to write about those same things now, but the fact remains that—for the time being—there’s a lot that has already been “checked off the list” here. In other cities that might deter me from taking as many photos or visiting as often, but not here. In San Fransisco, I don’t need an angle. I am happy just to exist here, and walking around it always feels like I shame to leave my camera behind.
San Francisco is not a flat city. The word “hilly” doesn’t quite cover it. So it should come as no surprise that there are lots of interesting staircases (600+) scattered throughout the city, helping pedestrians scale the city’s steepest nooks and crannies. This much is to be expected. But what I did not expect was that many of these staircases have been turned into hidden works of art. I’ve been to San Francisco a few times, and I have somehow never stumbled across even one of these before. And what you’re about to see isn’t even all of them! We’re going to start in the Richmond District, but then we’re going to head south and spend the rest of this article in the Sunset District.
And we’re back in mainland Seattle from our little trip over to Bainbridge Island! In our first installment, we checked off some of Seattle’s more obvious tourist attractions (i.e. Pioneer Square, Pike Place Market, the view of the Space Needle from Kerry Park, etc.). It was very cool, but TODAY we’re going to peel a few more layers off the onion and get into some of Seattle’s quirky b-list attractions. As a city, Seattle has a stronger and more distinct personality than most. I think this cross-section of less-notable items actually did more to help me get to know this place than the major tourist attraction did. It’s all about details.
SO LEMME HITCHU WITH THE DEETS.
I’ve heard Seattle described as “Portland’s mainstream older brother.” It’s true that Portland (Oregon) has long enjoyed a reputation for being one of America’s “weird” cities, as evidenced by its famous slogan, “Keep Portland Weird.” However…
I’ve been to Portland. My main man Buddy who accompanied me on this trip even lived there for a hot minute, and we both agree: Seattle is definitely weirder. In fact, I think I can conclusively say that there is more unabashed weirdness walking around the streets of Seattle than any other city in America. I’d be lying if I told you it didn’t make me feel uncomfortable a time or two (spoiler alert: there’s a nude beach in this article) but after some reflection, I think the problem is me. Because if you really think about it, the amount of weirdness walking around the streets of any city is likely the same no matter where you go. The difference is that, in Seattle, people feel empowered to be themselves. So they let their freak flags fly. And that’s pretty cool.
I’ll start with a quick introduction to Bainbridge Island. The first thing I should probably tell you about Bainbridge is that it’s not just some tourist haven—it’s actually a commuter suburb of Seattle. Lots of people live here! In fact, there are more islands out here than just Bainbridge, and many of them fall into this same category. Bainbridge alone has a population of about 25,000. I actually had a friend in college who grew up here, which now makes me jealous.
Some places hit you with vibes the second you step out of the airport. The air is different. The energy is different. Even the industrial in-between areas around the airport and the highway have a strong sense of character. Seattle is one of those places. In a happy twist of fate, I unwittingly ended up on the same flight to and from Seattle as one of my buddies in BNA, so I got the express pass into the city riding shotgun in the car that he had rented. Seeing the breathtaking Cascadian landscape unfold before us, I could not stop talking about how cool it all was. The mountainous terrain makes it so you are always either arriving at or leaving from a scenic vista, each of which provides a more gorgeous view than the last. Looking out in any direction, there are always multiple layers of water, city, and evergreen-dominated foothills between you and a background of MUCH larger mountains. And those mountains are always set against an expressive sky, which alternates between a clear, northerly baby-blue color, or a swirling moody mass of clouds.
This place is DENSE with street art. I have a ton to show you, and I didn’t even get all of it. I mean, I doubt that I ever get 100% of this stuff, but I at least try to exhaust everything that I am aware of. But I have never knowingly left so much on the table as I did in Denver. There were lots of incredible murals that I saw out the window of a car, or when I didn’t have my camera with me, and I was never able to circle back to capture them. So as much as I have for you, this does not NEARLY cover it.
Boulder, Colorado. With a population of just 97,385, it’s definitely one of America’s most famous small towns. Sitting at an elevation of 5,430 feet above sea level, its reputation as a beautiful mountain town has made it a household name. But, to the un-indoctrinated among us, it may come as a surprise to learn that it’s actually not in the mountains per se… it’s a smaller moon in the orbital of the Denver metro area, and as such, it is merely mountain-adjacent. It’s pressed right up against the mountains, but it’s not actually in them. This was a surprise to me at least. The drive time from Denver to Boulder is like 40 minutes, and it’s not exactly an undeveloped stretch.
Denver is famous as America’s “mile-high” city. This is because its geographical position as the gateway to the Rocky Mountains places its elevation roughly a mile above sea level. Indeed, its reputation is inextricably tied to the Rocky Mountains, but I actually think that this is a bit misleading. Denver is a decidedly flat city. It is the last city in the Great Plains before the beginning of the Continental Divide. You’ll see this illustrated on the map below. Denver’s urban sprawl pushes right up the edge of the mountains!
Today we’re going to start with a clerical note that was once confusing to me. The instant you start talking about Boston neighborhoods, you will hear the terms “South Boston,” “South End,” and “Southie” come up fairly often. When I first moved to Boston back in the day, this was confusing to me. I knew there was more than one neighborhood in the mix, but all of these terms sounded the same to me. Well let me break this down for you: South Boston and South End are different neighborhoods. And “Southie” is the common nickname for South Boston. Historically, these were very different places, and today we’re going to check out both of them…
