Aardvark

Aardvark, originally uploaded by nfotxn.

Being unstoppably geeky, one thing Huw and I did in SF a lot was check out book stores. Mostly of the used variety because they tend to have cooler stuff. This is at Aardvark, which in my short experience, was the most charming. Although quirky charm seems a tad commoditized [note: not a real word] in bay area used books market my cynicism is always won over by cute pets. Especially pets that have jobs. And have their own workplace conveniences and caricatures.

We also visited Moe's in Berkeley where I ended up busting my nut the hardest and got 6 books on urban planning. Oh and Green Apple on the Outer Sunset which had nice t-shirts and tote bags.

Mission Street Federal Building

Mission Street Federal Building, originally uploaded by nfotxn.

It’s no secret that I enjoy my architecture as brash as possible. I don’t pay much mind to people who espouse positions of higher architectural knowledge towards structures that are not traditionally beautiful or challenge their fashion engrained senses of what’s “nice”. Because most often when you look beyond the surface of these buildings you realize that there is a complex web of art and science where form has a conversation with the function. In the case of this building garish extremes and raw materials flaunt themselves towards a more efficient energy conscious model. Only through limitations and new specifications does the art form move forward. When the power of engineering is captured by architecture, no matter how the resulting form relates to the previous ones, I can’t help but be interested.

Of course armchair appreciators will claim that it will “look like shit” in 20 years. And most likely it will. But a whole new generation of architecture will be informed by the experimentation within a bold building. There aren’t many buildings in the world like this one, and for a good reason. Experimentation is important in architecture as it is in visual arts, pharmacology or engineering.

Also I like to walk a round it at night pondering my humanity and pretend my name is Deckard.

Totally Axum!

Totally Axum!, originally uploaded by nfotxn.

One advantage of visiting a city with a former local (Huw) is knowing where to eat. Axum's Café was delicious and well priced because there was no trendy decor, but who cares? She has honey wine.