REDUX: If You're Going to San Francisco... Part 1 of 9: A "Trip" to Haight Ashbury

[city dweller]

Once more, thanks for the comments!

peanut gallery - Sadly, I did not make it to the Magnolia (I'm also not of age to purchase), although it was one of many eateries recommended when I asked the locals. The place people recommended the most was something like Cha Cha Cha, it was a Carribean place. I ended up going to a Thai restaurant (I just can't get enough of it lately)...and of course, Ben & Jerry's.

ChrisLA - That's strange that she freaked, I've never been to a more inviting place in my life.

BTinSF - They mentioned the Haight Ashbury Free Clinic on our tour, it's that kind of compassion that makes the area so great. In the 60s supposedly one of the most treated conditions was problems with people's feet, because all of the hippies went barefoot. And about the baby boomers - my parents were along (they just missed the height of the summer of love era by about 5-10 years) and reminisced about their days protesting and all that jazz in the 70s. I think we stopped at the "other" Haight Ashbury one night for dinner, it is must less cliched, but the politics and demographics are pretty much the same (the photo of the "evolution of man" building towards of the end of this thread was taken there, as was the psychic photo before it).

Thanks again.

[theWatusi]

Very scary..this girl is the spitting image of a girl from my past.


Awesome pics! The last time I was in SF was '00. My return trip is long overdue.

[James Bond Agent 007]

Damn hippies.

[Hal Incandenza]

I'm moving from the Western Addition to the Haight in a couple weeks, just a little ways away from Coffee to the People (if you're willing to overlook the cliches, they make a mean cup of coffee). City Dweller's photos capture the distinct difference you see when you walk a block north or south of Haight. If that difference weren't there, I wouldn't be moving--I'm too young to look fondly upon the ridiculous 50-year-olds in tie dye, so to me the Lower Haight has always seemed cool while the Upper Haight seemed in constant danger of succumbing to Fisherman's Wharf-style tee-shirt blight.

But the ex-hippie tourist contingent has actually fallen off a bit since I moved to the Bay Area five years ago. Amoeba has been joined in its awesomeness by Giant Robot and the Alembic and some other goodness. Boutiques and thrift stores abound. All in all, it's your typical SF neighborhood story--the hipsters and the yuppies are marching, and nobody will stand in their way.

The good news is that the Gap is gone, but the bad news is that I believe the Free Clinic has moved out as well (down by the freeway in western SOMA?). It'll be interesting to see if the Haight can stay distinctive and vibrant while hopefully losing some of the kitsch. I'll report back. Thanks for the great pics, CD.

[keninhalifax]

The Haight is great!

I, too, was disappointed last year to find a GAP and a Ben and Jerry's at the counterculture corner of Haight and Ashbury.

[shovel_ready]

Originally Posted by ChrisLA

A few years later I flew my mom up there with me to visit relatives. We decided to visit Haight/Ashbury and mom freaked, she didn't like this area at all. In fact she didn't even want to dine in the area and we had to take the Muni back downtown to find somewhere to eat. Its funny because nothing seem to faze my mom, but she didn't care at all for this neighborhood.

Acid flashback??

[olga]

Great photos, great thread. Nice to see how this site can inspire people to take photos like these! You got talent.

[ChrisLA]

Originally Posted by shovel_ready

Acid flashback??

I'm sorry but she's never done acid. A lot of the people on the streets looked kind of dirty like they haven't taken a bath in a while. I don't think she wanted to dine in an area full of dirty looking people, that was her whole thing. Even though there were a lot of trendy looking eateries, many of the shops we stopped in had employees that looked almost as bad as some of the people on the streets. I think my mom had a problem not wanting someone with earrings all over his face and lips serving her. Not to mentioned a white guy with dreds that looked like he hasn't washed his hair in months.

I think she would have reacted the same even on Melrose Avenue here in LA. But Melrose patrons look more trendy and much cleaner, but they seem to have a similiar fashion sense as Haight/Ashbury.

[boden]

Good insight into a fascinating city.

[BTinSF]

Originally Posted by ChrisLA

I don't think she wanted to dine in an area full of dirty looking people, that was her whole thing. Even though there were a lot of trendy looking eateries, many of the shops we stopped in had employees that looked almost as bad as some of the people on the streets. I think my mom had a problem not wanting someone with earrings all over his face and lips serving her. Not to mentioned a white guy with dreds that looked like he hasn't washed his hair in months.

I'm surprised she didn't starve top death while visiting . Not only are there people such as you describe lounging on sidewalks all over town, but a lot of them work in resturants.

But seriously, the real danger here IMHO is hepatitis. With so many new immigrants from places where that is endemic running or working in restaurants--and in spite of the unbiquitous signs saying things like "employees must wash hands" in restaurant bathrooms--we all understand reality. I love to eat ethnic food--I got hepatitis shots.

[ChrisLA]

^
For the most part we ate at relatives and friends homes. About the only big dinning out we did was going to Thanh Long out on Judah over by the beach.

[Manarii]

Originally Posted by ChrisLA

I think she would have reacted the same even on Melrose Avenue here in LA. But Melrose patrons look more trendy and much cleaner, but they seem to have a similiar fashion sense as Haight/Ashbury.

Probably the difference is that those on Melrose would be buying their apparel at Fred Segal or some expensive little boutique on Melrose vs. a funky thrift store or getting their clothes out of a box on the corner in the Haight. the Haight is what it is. No excuses. No apologies.

Interestingly enough, I remember Melrose back in 1980 when it was nothing like it is today. Now it's very trendy, then it was very alternative with thrift stores, punk stores, some gay adult stores and the delicious Pinks hot dog on the corner.

[ChrisLA]

Originally Posted by Manarii

Probably the difference is that those on Melrose would be buying their apparel at Fred Segal or some expensive little boutique on Melrose vs. a funky thrift store or getting their clothes out of a box on the corner in the Haight. the Haight is what it is. No excuses. No apologies.

Interestingly enough, I remember Melrose back in 1980 when it was nothing like it is today. Now it's very trendy, then it was very alternative with thrift stores, punk stores, some gay adult stores and the delicious Pinks hot dog on the corner.

Yeah Melrose Avenue used to have inexpensive clothing, as I remember during the 90's there was a lot of that grunge look. At the time when grunge was expensive to buy at the mall or department stores you could get it about half the price on Melrose. I don't shop this area, but I when some of the formers came from the Mid-West in January we went through the area. I was shocked at how much a pair of jeans cost. Hell even the jeans at Nordstorms seem cheap compared to the prices I seen there.

EDIT: Oh btw I'm ashame to admit I the only time I bought something from The Gap was in the Haight/Ashbury district in San Francisco. It was in the summer, and I went out without a sweater, and it was freaking cold. So I had to get something warm to endure the summer cold (lol). Whats so bad is I'm pretty familar with the bay area summers since I visit relatives often. Yet didn't think I need it this particular time due to previous day was a heat wave, I almost froze my butt off.

[BTinSF]

Originally Posted by ChrisLA

btw I'm ashame to admit I the only time I bought something from The Gap was in the Haight/Ashbury district in San Francisco.

Don't be ashamed. The Gap, here, is a hometown hero. Oh, sure, the average Haight habitue' probably can't distinguish between the company headquartered down at Folsom and the Embarcadero, and Wal-Mart, but the fact is that a lot of San Franciscans get their paychecks at Gap (and not working in the retail stores).

Also, I can remember shopping at Gap in the 70's when it WAS pretty much local.

[city dweller]

Once again, thanks for the comments everyone!

Hal Incandenza - I can't think of a better neighborhood to be moving to...the characters you'll see just walking to the grocery store! Upper Haight does need to keep its identity and its past alive, without succumbing to "Fisherman's Wharf" like phonieness.

keninottawa - Although I don't mind Ben & Jerry's being in Haight (although entering much farther into the corporate realms might be pushing it: i.e. the Gap), I too didn't like the fact that it was at the Haight-Ashbury intersection; it just doesn't seem genuine enough to be at such an historic spot.

BTinSF - I just passed on getting a hepatitis shot while I was getting my meningitis vaccine, because the doctor didn't recommend it. Now you have me second guessing things...considering I eat out at ethnic restaurants all the time...if it's Indian, Thai, Japanese, ... - I'm there. I couldn't picture people in Haight being big fans of the Gap - that's the reason it left in the first place right - a community in uproar?

[BTinSF]

Originally Posted by city dweller

I couldn't picture people in Haight being big fans of the Gap - that's the reason it left in the first place right - a community in uproar?

Naw. The "community uproar" was years ago when it opened. I think at this point, your first idea was right: Haight folks just aren't really Gap shoppers. I'm guessing it closed for lack of business.

You know the Gap has not been doing so well in recent years and probably should close quite a few of its least productive locations. At least they closed one.

By the way all you chain store haters: The residents of the Haight are not shy about expressing their feelings in this regard: The first attempt to open a Walgreen's on Haight St. got burned down "mysteriously". I think Ben & Jerry's is somewhat accepted because of their pretentions to liberal politics and "green" causes.

[Hal Incandenza]

Originally Posted by BTinSF

I think Ben & Jerry's is somewhat accepted because of their pretentions to liberal politics and "green" causes.

Yeah, that and their tasty ice cream. Who hates ice cream?

(That said, SF's own Bi-Rite is clearly better. Not anti-chain snobbery, just a verifiable fact.)

It's not necessarily widely known, but many of the thrift stores in the Haight are part of a local chain called Retro City. They do a better job than most chains of differentiating their locations, but it's still just as much of one as, say, the San Francisco Soup Company. My only anti-chain fatwa is on the McDonald's at Stanyan and Haight, one of the city's most blighted intersections.

[BTinSF]

^^^I was surprised when the Micky D's at California and Grant, an iconic intersection if there ever was one in this city, closed. In this town, chain stores are not forever.

[Hal Incandenza]

Originally Posted by BTinSF

^^^I was surprised when the Micky D's at California and Grant, an iconic intersection if there ever was one in this city, closed. In this town, chain stores are not forever.

Also the Burger King in the Inner Sunset: pwn3d. Not a huge surprise, considering that 9th and Irving is the nexus of all awesomeness when it comes to cheap food, but a victory for mankind nonetheless.

[BTinSF]

Haight St. is about to get another chain: Whole Foods (at the corner of Haight & Stanyon which has been a supermarket space for decades).