I had been hoping to go check out San Francisco’s Aquatic Park Bathhouse for a few years; when I finally got there last August I was slightly disappointed to find the upper floor blocked off. But despite my disappointment, there was still a lot of fascinating items on display in this beautiful building, constructed in the mid 1930s. The Aquatic […]
If you’ve ever felt like just staying in bed all day (and really, who among us hasn’t?) this one is for you. I went to the Legion of Honor museum expecting to see some great works of art, but I never dreamed I would find such a comfy looking bed! Of course, these days we can only look, not touch. […]
I’ve been fascinated with the history of sailing ships ever since the summer of 1979, when I was at a KOA campground near Victoria, B.C. and found a paperback in their small store written by Alexander Kent. The book was called “Form Line of Battle,” and it sent me on a search for more books by the same author. Actually, […]
Colorful Tudor-era rugs on display as part of the Tapestries and Armor collection at the Legion of Honor Museum of Art, San Francisco — August 2023. b This tapestry is a ceremonial table covering that proclaimed the affluence, influence, and noble lineage of the Luttrell family. It was possibly commissioned by an independent and wealthy nmember of that family, the […]
Any able seaman knows that a healthy ship needs continual care and maintenance to ensure long life. Constant exposure to the marine environment will wear away at the sturdiest vessel — even when she’s spending her retirement years docked in a safe harbor. So when I arrived at the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park at the Hyde Stree Pier […]
I fell in love with the look of the classic roll-top desk sometime in my teenage years; ever since then I’ve often fantasized about owning my own, with its locking top and proliferation of tiny drawers and shelves. There was never enough money or enough room in my house, and I already had a perfectly good desk, so the fantasy […]
I’m not sure how I managed to miss this cozy little houseboat a few years ago on my first visit to San Francisco’s Maritime National Museum. I suppose I was in a hurry to explore the vessels with tall masts just a bit farther along the Hyde Street Pier. I can’t help thinking that living aboard this type of “ark,” […]
As much as I enjoyed the many works of art in San Francisco’s Legion of Honor, it felt amazing to walk into a room and find myself standing inside a lavishly decorated and furnished room from pre-Revolution-era France. There are three such exhibit spaces in the museum, covering the 17th and 18th centuries. I shot all but the top photo […]
Fine Art Friday on a Saturday!