Oh, the places you’ll go on the 22-Fillmore

DSC04380
Photo by Ian Fuller

Sadly, we just didn’t have enough time at our Muni Diaries Live reunion/open-mic show to have everyone who signed up to share their slice of Muni life onstage. So, we reached out to those individuals to tell their stories here on the website. Enjoy Ellie’s roller coaster chariot of a 22-Fillmore story.

If you ever want to see the entire world without leaving the city, two dollars is all you need for a trip on the 22. I wasn’t planning on visiting Tijuana, Japan, or the cast of Jersey Shore the first time I traveled the Fillmore bus line; I was on my way to see a movie — a Kabuki movie at that!

I had just moved to the city and a friend told me that if the opportunity arouse, I needed to go see a movie at the Kabuki. When she told me this, I had a sudden feeling of nostalgia. So that night, I stuffed a king-sized Kit-Kat in my bag and headed for the corner of Mission and 16th.

After seeing a slew of 14, 49, and 33’s slither by, I decided that it must have been during a stay in San Francisco that the band Whitesnake coined its name. My thought was stopped short by a woman with red-stained jeans, hunched over, and mumbling, “I got my period…I got my period…,” while walking back and forth in front of me.

“Umm…I — I — I’m sorry,” I muttered.

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Weekend Photos: Let the Sun Shine In

keeping the peace
Photo by Bhautik Joshi

This is how you know you’ve lived in temperate San Francisco for too long: you complained about the rain at least once this week.

Well, how about three fun things to do this weekend, instead of complaining?

  • Johnnie Walker Whisky Tasting Party. My friend once took me to one of Johnnie Walker’s fine tastings for my birthday: we cleansed our palates with strawberries dipped in black pepper and drank whisky served by Johnnie Walker girls. Let’s hope this year the organizers heard my somewhat loud complaint and hired some Johnnie Walker dudes. The whiskies, especially Johnnie Walker Blue, are mighty fine. Oct. 5-8. Dogpatch Studios, 991 Tennessee St. Take Muni there: T, 22, 48.
  • Writers with Drinks. The always-inspiring reading series led by Charlie Anders returns with five of your favorite authors, this time including Rebecca Solnit (Infinite City: A San Francisco Atlas). Saturday, Oct. 8., from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., doors at 6:30 p.m. Make-Out Room. 3225 22nd St. between Mission and Valencia. Take Muni there: 12, 14, 22, 33, 48, 49, 67
  • Oh, and we’re not getting bombed. It’s just Fleet Week.

Enjoy these photos and your weekend!

Fwd: Training
Photo by Automatt

in-a-tight-spot
Photo by Jayson Lorenzen

22 - Fillmore
Photo by Brandon Doran

Italian Streetcar Benches
Photo by Allan Chen

Contra Diction
Photo by Thomas Hawk

Muni Tattoos Revisited


Photo by SFLocal.net

Some people literally wear love for San Francisco on their sleeves with Muni-related tattoos. There’s everything from an F-Market/Wharves PCC streetcar to a Fast Pass to the Muni worm. The owner of that Muni-worm tattoo, Muni Tattoo Girl, contacted us after that first post and sent us some more pics of her iconic neck piece.

Tattoos being permanent and all (for better or worse), not everyone is willing to make the commitment. Enter temporary Muni tattoos, courtesy of SFLocal.net. The artist celebrated 10 years in our fair city this year.

Fast Pass tattoos above go for $2.25 a pop. Get them — and other SF-related ones — at SFLocal or in the artist’s Etsy store.

New month, Fast Pass, dead Clipper card

clipper-card
Photo by Sam Churchill

Muni rider Erica wrote us with one helluva situation. We at MDHQ are stumped by this one, so we turn it over to you, dear reader: Anyone have advice for Erica?

Help! I’m having a hellvua time with my clipper card. I bought the October fast pass over the weekend, online, and the next time I tried to tag my card I discovered it was dead. De-magged, probably even though that’s not supposed to happen. Yeah right. Anyway, since I couldn’t tag it, the Oct fast pass never showed up on my clipper card. I went to clipper service in the Embarcadero station (pain in the ass), and the very nice man gave me a new card, but couldn’t transfer the pass since it hadn’t yet showed up on my original card.

You see where this is going. Is the pass ever going to show up on my card, or am I screwed? I’ve been carrying around the receipt, but it’s such a hassle to convince the operators to let me board…even though at the same time ten people are getting in the back door without paying.

What to do? Have you ever encountered this problem?

Well? Bueller? Bueller?

Video: Grand Slam Champion Joyce Lee at Muni Diaries Live

Poet and Oakland Grand Slam champion Joyce Lee is one hell of a storyteller. At Muni Diaries Live in April, she quieted down the rowdy crowd with a sobering story of watching a life go by on Muni. Sometimes when we tell people about Muni Diaries Live, people ask me: “Is it just a bunch of people complaining about Muni?” Not in the least, and this video is just one more reason why Muni stories are so much more than that.

Later that evening, Joyce picked up the crowd by a story about riding the bus with her mom, who told the kids on the bus how it’s done.

Joyce is a frequent performer at Tourettes Without Regrets, the amazing monthly show at the Oakland Metro that is part spoken word slam, part variety show, and the rest — you just have to see for yourself. The next show is tonight, so don’t miss it!

We hate to lose such a local talent, but Joyce has big ambitions — she is going to Kenya later this month to hold free creative writing and poetry workshops for Kenyan women. If you are interested in her project, check out Joyce’s blog.

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