2 minute read
CHAPTER TWO
TENDERLOIN
Cable car || Powell & Market
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Downtown apartment || Geary
Ding, Ding, Ding...
There’s a pretty old and historic transportation in San Francisco, the SF Cable Cars. Since 1873, the first cable car opened, it carries the memories of the city and still across the city every day.
When people talk about “Vintage Street“, many of them would think about Haight street. I was been there and I did think there is a good choice. But the Tenderloin, in my perspective, can also present vintage (Although there is chaotic and kind dangerous). I always imagine living in a old downtown apartment. It is because I watched many movies that describe “western life“. I know some imagination is romantic, however, the reality is not what we expect. But I like vintage, it does not represent just old, mussy or outdated but classic, memorable. Especially we can find something is creative.
I think it is a coincidence to me. After hanging out randomly on the Geary, I was told there is a gallery and the owners knew many things about this area. What happened next was so luck for me. I interviewed the Look Gallery’s owners–Phil and his wife. Phil is a photographer and without any training. He showed me a lot of his works about Geary and told me some the stories happened here. The most important thing I learned was showing confidence as an artist and talking with people. I really appreciate them.
Everyone is a individual. I noticed it strongly when I was on Geary. I saw different people and some of them are happy, some of them are at the bottom of society. I should not judge someone’s life because I know they have their own stories.
Golden hill market by Karran West || Look Gallery
Bella Lucca Pizza || Geary
How to describe my experience in Tenderloin?
I still think it is dangerous, mussy, but now, I feel it is also beautiful. It is complex because the good parts and the bad parts mix together all the time. Thank to my camera, I can capture the good side.
Restaurant Staff || Tommy’s Joynt
THE
EASTERN ISLAND
Built and settled as part of the Western Addition neighborhood in the 19th and early 20th century, Japanese immigrants began moving into the area following the 1906 earthquake. By World War II, the neighborhood was one of the largest such enclaves of Japanese outside Japan, as it took an appearance similar to the Ginza district in Tokyo. Following the war, some Japanese Americans returned, followed by new Japanese immigrants as well as investment from the Japanese Government and Japanese companies. In 1957, San Francisco entered in a sister city relationship with the city of Osaka, hence the nickname “Little Osaka”. Osaka is San Francisco’s oldest sister city. In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of this relationship, one block of Buchanan Street, in Japantown, was renamed Osaka Way on September 8, 2007.
