Hip-hop dancers at last year’s festival

This Sunday is the 26th annual Multicultural Children’s Art Fair, taking place at the Richmond District Neighborhood Center (741 30th Avenue near Cabrillo).

The festival runs from 12noon until 4pm and features youth performers, hands-on arts and crafts, carnival games and a bake sale.

The event is free so stop by with your family o Sunday for some fun!

Sarah B.

It’s all about Mom on Sunday, but on Saturday, you might also want to stop by the Mayfaire Carnival at Argonne Elementary School for some family fun.

The Carnival runs from 11am until 7pm on the school’s campus at 680 18th Avenue. There are tons of activities taking place including a petting zoo, climbing wall, hula hoop contest, a dunk tank, live music, a talent show, jumpy houses, face painting and more. Visit the Carnival website for a full schedule.

Admission is free to the Carnival, but tickets must be purchased for various activities (tickets are 10 for $5; most activities are 1 ticket).

While you’re there, be sure to check out the new 53 ft. x 24 ft. playground mural that was recently completed, illustrating the history of California and the Richmond District.

Sarah B.

Photo by stefanie.johnstone

Happy Thursday – here are some local links to get you to the weekend finish line!

• Nothing like having a national newspaper air your very local museum’s dirty laundry… The New York Times’ Turmoil at Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco article about the Fine Arts Museums (the de Young and Legion of Honor) details the low staff morale (including firings), the lack of Director since John Buchanan passed away, and the very mixed reviews of Board President Diane “Dede” Wilsey. Some think has held too much influence over the institution, while others think she is responsible for bringing it back to life. The Chronicle caught up with their own article this morning about the pending appointment of a new Director, rumored to be Colin Bailey, the deputy director and chief curator of the Frick Collection in New York. There should be an announcement next week.
• Paul’s Hat Works took NPR on a tour and shared some secrets with them in a piece called The Making of a Hat. The owners also did some spring cleaning recently and now have for sale dozens of vintage hat boxes for between $5 and $60.
• Congratulations to Pastry Chef Melissa Chou of Aziza. She was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award – “the highest honor for food and beverage professionals working in North America” – which will be given out at a ceremony at Lincoln Center in New York on May 6.
• Here’s your local history for the week… The SFPL Archives published Part 2 of their profile on Adolph Sutro, this time looking at some letters, architectural drawings and great old photographs of Sutro’s land holdings throughout the city. CurbedSF had a story earlier this month on a man who lived in a cottage on the cliffs of Lands End. His name was Charles Harris and he operated the waiting room and concession stand at the train stop near Sutro Baths. “The Harris’ moved to Lands End after the 1906 Earthquake and Fire destroyed their home downtown, and built up a little cottage around the framework of their cable car home.”
• Local artist Jay Mercado, known for his donut paintings, will be hosting a show of his pillow sketches at his studio at 10th and California Street this Saturday.
• Could Sir Paul McCartney be the headliner for the Outside Lands Music Festival this summer in Golden Gate Park? Last.fm is listing him as such but there’s been no confirmation from the show promoters. Something tells me nearby neighbors would much rather hear strains of Paul singing “Hey Jude” than the musings of Metallica…

A payroll receipt to Mr. Williams for his tightrope performances at the Baths in April 1896. Courtesy of the Adolph Sutro Collection

Happy Friday to everyone! Hope you’re out enjoying this beautiful day. Here are some local links to take you into the weekend:

• The Balboa Theater turns 87 years old this weekend and they’re celebrating with a bash on Sunday that includes a screening of the 1924 silent fantasy “Peter Pan”. It will be accompanied by an original score by pianist Frederick Hodges and preceded by a series of short subject films. Oh and there’s a live vaudeville show too! Showings at 4pm and 7pm, tickets are $10.
• Another business Birthday: Popular Lou’s Cafe on Geary is turning 3 on March 19th and they’re celebrating with 4 weeks of featured sandwiches at a discount, including the LLB Special (3 meats and 2 cheeses), and the Ami-Cado (take the ‘ami in pastrami and add it to the ‘cado in avocado). The discounts are through the Gopago mobile app though when we downloaded it, we couldn’t find anything. But perhaps it will become available on Mar 19?
• Yoga’s up, dude! Purusha Yoga Studio is offering a “yoga for surfers” class on Ocean Beach every Tuesday at 3:15pm (free or give a donation at the class). No surfing experience required – just bring water, a towel, and “your positive energy”. Meet near the Judah Street entrance at Ocean Beach.
• The 6th Floor Archive at the SF Public Library has posted part 1 of a series on Adolph Sutro, who you could easily call the godfather of the Richmond District. Check it out to learn more about the man behind Sutro Baths, Sutro Heights Park – even his receipts and records are interesting!

  Speaking of Adolph Sutro, watch this week’s History Minute below from the Western Neighborhoods Project, providing some insight on the tunnels you can see near the ruins of Sutro Baths.

• Cassava Bakery’s Japanese breakfast got mention as a good way to shake up your brunch routine. “For $10, you’ll get an array of plates: an “onsen tamago” poached egg cooked sous vide; simmered black soy beans; cucumber wakame salad; top-of-the-line koshihikari rice; a housemade natto with Meyer lemon and jalapeño kosho; and dashi miso soup.”
• The de Young Museum has a new photo exhibition on Iraq entitled “Eye Level in Iraq”, which 7×7 describes the collection of photographs documenting the US-led invasion of Iraq and its aftermath, as “one of the most compelling exhibitions the De Young Museum’s young photography department has shown.”

Photo by Natures Lantern – David Cruz

Local photographer David Cruz was in the right place at the right time again this afternoon…

A sand painter brought his rake brush out to Ocean Beach to create a beautiful design just before sunset.

We’re not sure if this is the same sand artist – Jim Denevan – who painted a design on the beach in March 2012. UPDATE: The artist is Andres Amador – thanks to commenter Amber for the info!

Whoever it is, thank you for bringing a little extra beauty to Ocean Beach. And thanks to David for capturing it, who wrote “He looked like a bull fighter, turning quickly while he made the spirals”.

Sarah B.

Photo by Natures Lantern – David Cruz

Photo by Natures Lantern – David Cruz

Golden Gate Bridge from Baker Beach by David Yapp, 3024 Fulton #9. Oil on Canvas, 9″ x 12″

This Saturday and Sunday, artists all over the Richmond District will prop open their studio doors and welcome visitors as part of the SF Open Studios event put on by ArtSpan.

This is a great chance to discover new art in your own neighborhood, and support the artists that live nearby. There are 31 artists total in the Richmond District participating in the event, representing a variety of mediums including photography, painting, sculpture, drawing and mixed media.

There are clusters of artists participating in group shows at Star of the Sea School (345 8th Avenue), Atelier 781 (781 6th Avenue), 552 16th Avenue, and 562 9th Avenue.

Each artist will open their studios from 11am until 6pm on both Saturday and Sunday. Use the map below to check out the list; scroll down in the map window to see a text list of artists as well. This is a great chance to walk or bike the neighborhood and see some local art!

Sarah B.

Charcoal drawing by Pat O’Connor, 552 16th Avenue

Red White, 2009 by Jeffrey Nemeroff, 26 Sutro Heights Ave. 84×48″, Acrylic, oil and collage on canvas.

Photo by Colin Sjostedt, 223 9th Avenue

He knew from the age of 7 that dance was his destiny. And his sheer will, talent and determination drove Nureyev to become what many consider to be the world’s most famous male ballet dancer.

Ruldoph Nureyev: A Life in Dance is now open at the de Young Museum, showcasing the dancer’s prolific career through costumes, photos, video excerpts and small scale models.

Nureyev began his professional career at 17, when he entered The Kirov School in Leningrad in Russia. His impact was immediately felt, as he brought a new physicality to the stage and unlike his predecessors, took an interest in all aspects of the ballet, including the costumes.

By the age of 23, he was a superstar in his own country and when he defected from the Soviet Union during a trip to Paris in 1963, he became a worldwide sensation. What was once Russia’s national treasure was let loose on the Western ballet world to push boundaries and carve a new path for the modern male ballerina.

Nureyev was a perfectionist, and demanded the same focus, drive and dedication from all his collaborators. He had a particular passion for costumes, which he felt should not only be beautiful, but practical and able to keep up with the physical demands of his dancing. He enjoyed the flamboyance and creativity of costume design, resulting in embroidery, jewels and braid which can be seen throughout the exhibition.

While well preserved, many of Nureyev’s costumes in the exhibit belie the wear and tear of dozens of performances, where they were pushed to their limits and sweat-stained. The show features Nureyev’s costumes from some of his most famous performances including Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Sleeping Beauty and many others.

Costumes from Romeo and Juliet

“Nureyev was extremely precise and vigilant when it came to his own costumes, and he liked to have a qualified person attend the fittings so that he could bombard him with questions and benefit from his eye. He left the costumes for the rest of the dancers up to the designers, the production directors and the costume workshops. But his instructions were to be followed to the letter and his decisions final; no arguments were possible. If he saw that his indications had not been respected, he was capable of rejecting a whole series of costumes.” – from the Exhibition Catalogue for “Rudolph Nureyev: A Life In Dance”.

His love for costumes started as a young boy, when his sister Rosa would bring them home from her dance classes. Nureyev would spread them out on the bed, taking in every detail and nuance. “I was like a drug addict,” he said.

His obsession with costume even helped fuel his decision to defect from the USSR in 1963. After modifying his costume for a Paris performance with his Russian ballet company, Nureyev learned a few days later, at the airport, that he would be sent back to Moscow and not continue on with the company – effectively a punishment for the liberties he took with his role. Right then, he demanded political asylum in France.

Nureyev went onto become a worldwide celebrity – “dance’s first pop star” as some have called him. He was a regular on the 70′s nightclub scene, and was photographed as often as famous rock stars like Mick Jagger or John Lennon. He even appeared on The Muppet Show in 1977.

But Nureyev was first and foremost about dance, and he demanded absolute respect for it. “You live because you dance, you live as long as you dance” was his lifelong mantra. His career in dance covered all facets of it – choreography, dance, costume design – and included becoming Director of The Paris Opera Ballet in 1983.

Nureyev’s innovation resulted in the male ballerina taking on a more prominent role on the professional stage. Traditionally, the ballerina was always at the forefront on stage, but Nureyev’s aggressive strength and attention to visual costuming made the male roles more significant. He had that “it” factor and lit up every stage that he danced across.

“Nureyev’s work meant that men’s roles were no longer subservient to women’s. His unique combination of artistry, technical precision, electric stage presence, and musicality thoroughly transformed male dancing in the West,” said Jill D’Alessandro, the de Young’s curator of costume and textile arts.

If you have an interest in dance, ballet or just like to gaze on beautifully crafted costumes, don’t miss the Nureyev show at the de Young. It runs until February 17, and is included in the regular price of admission.

Sarah B.

clement street mooncake, 12 x 12 in by Jay Mercado

Neighborhood artist Jay Mercado painted this depiction of the popular mooncakes that are sold on Clement Street.

“Every culture has its donut,” wrote the artist, who is known locally for his realistic painting of donuts.

Jay has an open house / art show this Saturday at his studio from 11am until 5pm, located on the corner of 10th Avenue and California. If you’re looking for some art to brighten up your home, stop in to check out his work.

Sarah B.