The new door in the “Faery Sanctuary”, somewhere in Golden Gate Park. Photo by Tony Powell
I got an email from Tony and Rio last night – they were the creators of the tiny fairy door in Golden Gate Park that became an international sensation earlier this year.
They were writing to tell us about a brand new door that they’ve installed in the park, with the blessing of the SF Recreation & Parks Department, who last time around removed the door with nary an explanation or notice to seekers.
“This new one is more in compliance with the Rec & Parks code (not attached to a living tree). [The Faeries] also wanted it to be a little more removed from the center of things, and are calling it the “Faery Sanctuary,” Tony wrote to us.
After being shown the Sanctuary space a couple of months ago, Tony and Rio went to work to create a door in the same craft as the original one.
But there’s just one catch – they’re keeping the location of the new one a secret. So it’s up to you, faery door enthusiasts, the find the new one. All we can tell you is that it’s in Golden Gate Park.
Happy hunting and when you do find it, be sure to leave a note or treat for the faeries! It’s the polite thing to do. 😉
Sarah B.
Rio poses with the original faery door after it was first installed in Golden Gate Park’s Music
Concourse February. it was later removed. Photo: Tony Powell
Tony and Rio’s original door, filled with offerings from visitors before it was removed. Photos by Erica Reh
Ohhhh! I must find that Fairy Sanctuary (and door)!
Would you please thank Tony & Rio. My 7 year old daughter loves the faery door and leaves a note every time.
The Faeries have been making themselves at home in the new place since yestereve.
I am hoping the Rec and Parks Dept. will also allow the Faeries to keep the place in the Concourse to use as a mailbox since there are so many people who still make regular visits to it. Plus, the research I have been doing (which I will be showing them) indicates that once it’s been cut, the bark of a tree doesn’t stitch back together to function as before, but rather forms a wall of scar tissue to keep infection out. Therefore, it wouldn’t really benefit the elm much to remove the hinges again – the damage was done, but she is fine. Also, I think she enjoys all the positive energy from the children and young at heart who come to visit her. I know I have enjoyed seeing it.
– T. Powell
http://www.Faerydoor.net
Thanks to you and your daughter, Nick.
And just to clarify one point from the article which I may have been unclear about in my email to Sarah B: It was the Faeries who wanted a place more removed from the center of things and showed us the site – not Rec & Parks. Rec&Parks just wants us to keep them informed on all business relating to Faery Housing. Rio and I will be dropping by the McLaren Lodge this afternoon to do just that.
– T. Powell
Duly noted, Tony and updated. I thought that was strange, even for Rec & Park…
Sarah B.
Hmmm, wonder if the faeries get cable included in their new digs…..
That new Faery Door looks that there’s a pretty badass (if you excuse the expression) faery living behind it. I wouldn’t want to tangle with the faery that lives there.
We modeled this door after The Hobbit. And it carries something very important which neither the original nor the replacement door in the Concourse has: a knob on the inside. And this one is actually quite roomy (it goes back about three feet) yet cozy inside. You can see some more photos of it here: http://www.faerydoor.net/Photographs.html . One of the photos gives a clue as to which way it faces. It has been amazing to me how many people have walked by it on the trail without even noticing it was there. But someone did stop by recently and left a small gift of blackberries.
First Finders! This morning I went by the Faery Sanctuary and found two notes written to the Faeries. I got the Faeries’ answers and posted them on Faery Door website: http://www.faerydoor.net/blog.html (They are the lastest two entries in the blog). See? It’s not impossible to find so long’s you have some sense of sight and of magic.
@T. Powell
Awesome! You might want to make a suggestion that when the faeries snap pics of the notes to use the macro setting on their digital camera as they were kind of blurry.
Either that or to cut back on some of the pixie dust ;^}
Thanks. I take the pictures, you know. But photography is a form of magic I have yet to master.
A nice overview on the Faery Door phenomenon came out today – http://sfbay.ca/2013/09/06/golden-gate-park-fairy-hunters-find-this-door/ which references the Richmond Blog and Faerydoor.net too. Also, I want to give some further advice on locating the new door, for those who wish to find it this weekend: Starting from the old door in the Concourse elm, the new door lies to the West, further so than the Tea Garden, and is in the Westward end of a eucalyptus log; and a yew tree stands over it.
Great advice in T. Powell’s last comment. I was able to find it this morning based on it. Interestingly enough, I had already looked in that area on my first attempt, though didn’t realize it was part of a longer tree and not a stump until I saw the photographs on the Faery Door site.
Yeah, a lot of folks were getting “stumped”. I’m glad the more detailed directions were useful.
Thanks, Sarah B., for letting folks know about the new Faery Door. Several people have found it now, and it has been a lot more meaningful to the Faeries that these finders had intentionally sought it, rather than merely happening upon a crowd and wondering what the spectacle was. I went by there last evening, and it is still amazing me how many people go right by it without noticing it at all. Rio and I had also made a little porch roof out of pine and driftwood for it (you can see a picture of it on my workbench here: http://sfbay.ca/2013/09/06/golden-gate-park-fairy-hunters-find-this-door/) but I think we’ll keep it this way – less conspicuous – for a while at least.
I found it today after looking for a while! It is beautifully crafted. When I opened the door there was a large blue fuzzy ball in front of a bunch of little sea shells. I really like the location – it’s a special little spot now. Thanks for your magic Tony Powell & Rio.
Thanks Giants Fan. I saw that little blue ball too when I went to check on Faery Hall the other morning. Yes, the Faeries have definitely improved the neighborhood. There will even be fresh wood chips on that trail soon to protect it from the Winter rains.
ps – That was an amazing game last night at Dodger Stadium.
I can’t wait to get out and do some more searching this week. I love leaving tiny notes for our faery friends. Tony and Rio, many thanks for the warmth and smiles you have brought to the park.
Thanks Kathleen, that’s very nice. You know the Faeries are enjoying the fun too. Another aricle came out today: http://blog.sfgate.com/cityinsider/2013/09/16/the-tiny-tree-door-saga-continues ; and a radio news program wanted to do a fast interview with me (I declined); but I am not worried – if the Sanctuary starts getting too trampled, we’ll just move again, this time deeper into the ivy wound thickets where mere spectators would fear to tread, and those who actually find the door would had to have become half faery along the way.
For those that are too lazy to look for it. 🙂
37.77, -122.471
The legendary fuzzy blue ball seems to be gone (or shoved further back where I couldn’t see it), but there’s a couple of cool tiki umbrellas in there right now, which would have come in handy this morning. If nothing else, fearies come prepared.
Here’s another hint: West of the DeYoung & South of The Rose Garden.
Its took my me and my 7 year old daughter 4 tries to find it. Don’t give the location away! Daughter’s and Faery’s like mystery as well as magic.
@ Nick & daughter: Yes, mystery – a fun thing to solve for oneself.