Saturday I had the best afternoon. The weather was spectacular in the city, so I hiked over to Potrero Hill by way of the Mission. The first thing I did, since it was already 4:00 pm by the time I got there and I hadn’t eaten lunch, was grab a burrito from an old grad [...] Read more – ‘Alone in the Flow of Space’.
There’s this new cafe that I’ve been going to the past few months. It’s in the Outer Richmond, 16 blocks away, so it’s a healthy little journey back and forth each night, but I like the atmosphere of the place. It’s got the feel of an old New England living room – antique stained wood [...] Read more – ‘A Confusion of Means’.
Getting ready to hike to the Mission for the 4th straight Saturday. Those who are familiar with San Francisco know that from where I live, in the Inner Richmond, to the Mission, it’s quite a journey, and depending on which route I take, it could several hours on foot (and several hours back). Then, after [...] Read more – ‘That Delicate Place’.
The Ferocious Few played at the Academy of Sciences on Thursday Night as part of the NightLife series, and it was a cool opportunity to see the band’s new lineup. Part of the charm previously, for me anyway, had been that they were able to make so much noise as a monster two-piece with only [...] Read more – ‘The Ferocious Few at the Academy of Sciences’.
No matter how much time passes, I always feel a flood of memories when I go home for the holidays. I mean, I’m lucky to have a mom and step-dad who care about me and who provide a nice cozy house with all the festive amenities of Thanksgiving. I know this. And it’s nice to [...] Read more – ‘Emptiness is the Beginning of all Things’.
Found these photos of our former interns at the gallery (two Germans, one French, and one Colombian) having fun at the Bow Bow two years ago. We ended up going something like five times that summer. Rumor even has it that footage exists of me singing “Dancing Queen” with the group at 1:45 am the [...] Read more – ‘Summer 2009’.
When I was a kid I used to walk around the neighborhood on warm summer nights – just to go exploring, I guess – and what I remember most is how fascinated I was by the blue flicker of light coming from each front window, the sign that someone was home behind the curtains, watching [...] Read more – ‘That Blue Flickering Light’.
It’s been strange realizing that summer ended almost six weeks ago, that Halloween is next week and my mother is already making plans for the holiday season. I just don’t know where the time has gone, although from looking through the archives, it’s certainly not been spent posting here. Well, at last, a brief update. [...] Read more – ‘October Picks’.
Editor’s Note: The following piece was originally written on May 17, 2006 and is being posted now as part of an ongoing series re-examining the dreaded spring of 2006, when illness and existential angst delayed my eventual move to San Francisco. Needless to say this is satiric take on a camping mission that got out [...] Read more – ‘Big Sur’.
Editor’s Note: I will be posting some old pieces I wrote in the next week or two, most from between 2005-2006.They’re not really stories per-say but little snapshots that I find intriguing. I also think they’re quite revealing about where I was at mentally during this period, a stretch where I was holed up at [...] Read more – ‘Trail of Tears’.
I took these portraits of Selina last Saturday afternoon. We hiked behind the Presidio Landmark building, then circled around to shoot in front of an abandoned house. I used six different types of 35 mm film, including black and white, which explains the diversity of the images here. Overall, I’m quite pleased with the results, [...] Read more – ‘New Portraits’.
Editor’s note: these are actual e-mails from actual readers. Despite claims to the contrary, I’m pretty sure they’re all from Russia. Q: Things Kept Burning was released in 2006. When are you going to write something new? — John, Santa Barbara Rob Simons: That’s your first question? I thought this was supposed to be a [...] Read more – ‘The Debut of the Mailbag’.
On Sunday afternoon I hiked to the inner Sunset to grab a burrito. I had been cooped up for 24 hours after a rough drinking excursion Friday night, it was beautiful outside and I had this compulsion to explore a new neighborhood. On my way through Golden Gate Park I stumbled across this roller-skate happening. [...] Read more – ‘The Tragic Misadventures of Human Dignity’.
Zyzzyva just released their Fall issue with an elegant redesign that includes new paper stock, the first-ever, full-color art spread, and a dramatic shift in the cover layout. It’s gorgeous. Two brilliant discoveries from the second generation of New Color photographers: Adam Bartos & Mark Cohen. If you’re into William Eggleston you’ll enjoy both archives. [...] Read more – ‘Weekend Notes’.
Every day on my hike through the Presidio there comes a moment where I pass an attractive woman jogging, generally with headphones on. We’re deep in the forest and there’s nobody around and these women have to instantly determine whether I’m a threat. I feel horrible. I recognize the apprehension on their faces, the quick [...] Read more – ‘Taking Over’.
For Miranda July A. Order triple latte and a blueberry scone. Give short answers. It is too early for casual banter and she is just killing time. B. Research origin of “killing time” on google. Why does it sound so violent? C. Load content for the gallery. Note that the interface is cumbersome and the [...] Read more – ‘To Do List’.
Ever wondered something about my private life but were afraid to ask? Do you have questions about my work? Have a secret desire to send me anonymous taunts? Tearful recriminations? Private confessions? I’ve decided to do a mailbag once a month to address these profound concerns. Please send me your questions here. Hecklers welcome. I’ve [...] Read more – ‘The Roast’.
There’s something about the rust and decay of American life that I find interesting, especially images of abandoned houses and discarded motel signs. Many contemporary photographers have explored this terrain, Melodie McDaniel, Todd Hido, Jeff Brouws, and J. Bennett Fitts being four of the more prominent ones. Even though it’s a cliche now, I still [...] Read more – ‘Loss and Longing’.
I have mixed feelings about riding public transportation. On the one hand it’s a cost-effective, environmentally-friendly mode of travel, one that is both democratic and, in theory anyway, free from class bias. On the other it’s a cesspool of filth, selfishness and mental illness, and I’m surprised there is not more violence. For nine months [...] Read more – ‘The Undeniable Truth’.
Iconology, a popular photography site, did a feature on my work last Friday. I’m quite flattered, especially considering the archive of well-known artists they have covered previously. I even like the title of the series, A Bold Look at San Francisco, which I had nothing to do with but sounds cool. Thanks for all the [...] Read more – ‘Arcane & Populist’.
1. I was offered an English teaching position (grades 7-8-9) for the fall and I think I may take it. Who cares if I have to wear a Yarmulke on campus, right? Right? 2. Every time I leave the house I’m convinced I’ve left something on, generally the oven, even though I’ve yet to use [...] Read more – ‘A Few Things’.
There’s this little Vietnamese cafe up the street that makes the best chicken sandwiches, and for the past nine months I’ve probably frequented the place 4-5 times a week. The owner is a nice elderly man who appreciates my business. He also knows I went to UCSB, where one of his daughters’ graduated from, so [...] Read more – ‘Random Thoughts’.
I went through the traditional post-collegiate malaise when I graduated from UCSB in the summer of 1998. Being a film student in a program focused almost exclusively on theory, and with few industry connections and no practical experience, I had little chance of landing a gig in Hollywood. So I went back to my mom’s [...] Read more – ‘Oh It’s Sweet’.
There’s nothing better on a lazy Sunday afternoon than watching a season’s worth of TV in one session, especially if it’s a serial from either AMC or HBO. The nature of doing one episode after another, five, six, seven at a time, all while lying in bed, is an investment bordering on obsession, but when [...] Read more – ‘Weekend Notes’.
I hiked out to Baker Beach this afternoon. As I was navigating one of the little trails on the backside of the Presidio, lost in my thoughts, I heard this bird squawking, which inevitably you do on a hike, but this one sounded angry and rather close. I still wasn’t paying attention, though, enjoying the [...] Read more – ‘The Hard White Empty Core’.
So I’m excited to unveil this new web site. It features my writing, photography and design portfolios all assembled under one umbrella, with the blog woven into the overall architecture. It seems perfectly logical and obvious to have it all in one place, but I just didn’t possess the technical wizardry or the vision when [...] Read more – ‘In the Beginning’.
