fletcher’s blog

Carnaval San Francisco

It’s been a while since I posted here. My school term, which ended a couple of weeks ago, was about as busy as they come. Though I only teach part time, I was teaching 4 nights a week. Lots of extra travel time and the usual prep and grading kept me hoppin’.

“SLASH OIL” EVENT — Saturday, June 26, 10 a.m., Ocean Beach, SF Brad Newsham, of Impeach at the Beach fame, is scheduling another interactive piece at the beach. Approximately two thousand people will gather at 10 a.m. on Ocean Beach in San Francisco for a peaceful exercise in democracy and community. We will lie down on the sand, arranged into a sprawling “Slash Oil” image which will be photographed from an overhead helicopter. Be there or be square. Sign up.

The San Francisco Mime Troupe will be performing in the parks again this Summer (their 51st year). The play this year is entitled Posibilidad, or Death of the Worker. Check out their website for lots more information. They will be playing in Richmond on August 25. Mark your calendars now. More information to follow.

San Francisco Carnaval is always the last weekend in May. There’s a several hour parade which winds through the Mission District. It’s a great time, and, as usual, I shot lots of photos. Here’s a few of the best ones. You can see lots more on my Flickr page.

(Click on images to see larger view)

Art, Events, theater | No Comments »

Valentine’s Day card & Flickr Links

Happy Valentine’s Day Barbara. I’m still crazy about you after all these years. This is the image that I used for Barbara’s card this year.

Flickr updates.

As usual, I am way behind in updating my blog, though I do manage to post to Flickr somewhat more often. I currently have several thousand photos on Flickr. Last October I took photos at the Indigenous Peoples Day Powwow in Berkeley and posted this set to Flickr. Then, in January, I shot a dance performance of Dholrythms of Non Stop Bhangra at the Marin Jewish Community Center. I hope you’ll check out that set on Flickr.

(Click on images to see larger view)

Powwow Dancer

Banghra Dancer

Art, Events | 3 Comments »

New Years Day and Beats Without Borders

On January 1, we went to Pt Reyes National Seashore, for the third year running. New Year’s day was rainy and I even thought we might cancel; I’m so glad we didn’t. It wasn’t pouring, and not too cold, so we walked a little bit and had a great time. Our friends, John and Julie, joined us. We drove out Lucas Valley Road, which is a rural road just a few miles from the city. We stopped in Pt Reyes Station, had some lunch, and proceeded out to the beach. Not far from the Drakes Bay Beach are lots of overlooks and viewpoints to see the elephant seals. At the boathouse we could get fairly close to a few seals where I took the photo below.

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Fence on Lucas Valley Road.

Young seals play fighting on the beach.

The Red Hot Chachkas, the klezmer band that Barbara is in, just released a new CD, Beats Without Borders, and it’s great. Check out their website to hear some sample cuts and learn more about the band. They had a CD release party at Armando’s, in Martinez, last Saturday. You can see a few photos below, and several more on Flickr.

Breck Diebel on bass.

Julie Egger on violin

Aaron Seeman on accordion.

Music, Uncategorized | 8 Comments »

SF Mime Troupe – 50 Year Anniversary

The San Francisco Mime Troupe has been celebrating its 50th anniversary season in 2009. As always, this past Summer, they presented free theater performances in parks all around the Bay Area and other parts of California. The play was Too Big to Fail, “a song and dance satire of monumental proportions.” I’m a big fan of the Mime Troupe and I always enjoy their performances–this year was no exception. For more photos of preparation and performance, check out my Flickr page. This Fall they have had, and are going to have, several exhibitions and presentations.  A highlight will be a free Birthday Bash that’s to take place at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco next week, December 10th, at 7:30 P.M.

(Click on images to see larger view)

Uncategorized | No Comments »