Yerba Buena Gardens Festival

As I was in SoMa yesterday looking for story ideas (with little success), I walked by Yerba Buena Gardens to find the park full of people and live music.  A stage was set up in front of the Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial and Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca, an Afro-Cuban fusion act, were performing.  It was a beautiful, sunny day Saturday (though a bit windy) and seeing people gathered in the park dancing to the music it made it more beautiful.  More than a hundred people were congregated at the park, with a large number of them actually dancing while others were laying out on the lawn soaking up the sun.

Turns out the performance is one of a series of free events held at the park for the summer, from May to October.  There are theater, poetry, and spoken word performances scheduled as well as a series of children and Latin Jazz acts.  Events are not limited to only weekends.  They have things scheduled for the week and even have lunchtime concerts on Thursdays.

This is a great characteristic of San Francisco: having many free events that encourage civic participation and builds community.  Many of these events take place in SoMa, which contributes to it's appeal.  For anyone staying in the city over the summer and looking for things to do (for free!), I suggest checking one of the scheduled events out.  You can check out the calendar here.

Final Project

I am officially drowning. Aside from all the work that has accumulated from my other glasses, I'm afraid of not getting a new perspective on this whole America's Cup final paper.
I know...you are all tired of hearing about this subject and believe me, I feel like I've beaten it dead. But there just isn't a lot going on in my neighborhood, and I have looked.

Now the problem is getting a new angle on this story. I tried making one of those web charts...you know where the main subject is in the middle and you attach sub-subjects. A sort of brain storming thing. I have interviewed officials (firemen and police), residents, merchants, tourists, a contestant, and of course the yachting community. Currently trying to interview my supervisor, Jane Kim, but failing. I'm hoping to talk to her about the finances of the whole event, because as of now, the only information on that is at least a year old.

I have now written two stories for this subject and I'm afraid I can't find a new angle and I'm nervous it's too late to change the topic. I'm hoping for a big change in direction, if not in the topic at least on this subject. Please, please let the next person I interview say something too opinionated and original.

late night sitting place?

Does anyone know where that late-night sitting place is? I've walked up and down.

ugh ugh ugh

My final feature progress...is going. I've contacted a few people on the Merchants Association, the Noe Valley Farmer's Market and PROSAC.

My final feature is dealing with the conversion of a parking lot that is used for various district activities like the Farmer's Market and for music performances to a Town Square. Blue prints have been drawn up of grass and plants adorning the space. It will look completely different.

I'm excited to write this story because I feel like its a big issue in Noe Valley that the city has not really recognized yet. I know a lot of residents, especially those who have been living in Noe Valley for a while have a lot to say about the issue. Parking is a huge issue and converting a space that will definitely affect the

Anyways I need to get back to stressing over finals, essays and various other projects that need to be completed this week.

K. Bye.

My Yachting Experience

I'm sure you all know by now I have been working on this story about the America's Cup coming to SF and South Beach next year. Yesterday after class I went and met with my buddy Leon who is a part of the South Beach Yacht Club. He took me out on his boat and I got to meet his wife and daughter. It was a great experience. Leon joked that his boat certainly wasn't the nicest but having never been on one so big I was pretty stoked. I learned a lot about the functioning of the boat (named "Rosely" after his sister) and about the rules of the race from Leon (even his daughter could work her way around the boat). They took me under the Bay Bridge near Alcatraz. The view of the city from the water was really beautiful and we sailed back into the bay just at dusk.

It was great day to go out, and I was really appreciative. I just wanted to take this opportunity to point out what amazing people we can meet with this whole journalism thing. I'm thankful to have met this warm and inviting family.

My Experience at KPIX News Studio

I parked my car on Broadway, put $2.00 worth of quarters in the meter and headed to 855 Battery Street in Downtown. I opened the door and walked up to the security desk and said, "I'm here to see Craig Franklin of CBS News." The security person at the desk said, "Your name is?" I replied with my name. She dialed Mr. Franklin's extension and said "Mr. Franklin, Leigh Walker is here to see you."

I took a seat in the lobby, waiting anxiously for Mr. Franklin to come down the elevator. After a 10 minute wait, Craig Franklin, senior television producer and cameraman of CBSsf News officially introduced himself to me and we proceeded up to the newsroom floor and began the tour of the news station.
----
Prior to this meeting, Professor Jim Toland (here at SFSU) nominated me for a mentorship with a producer at CBS News. I e-mailed Craig Franklin and discussed a time when we could meet. We picked today at noon. Due to not wanting to be late, I left my house at 10:30 this morning and got to the news station 5 minutes after 11. I was early... What else is new?
----
The tour consisted of learning how meteorologists deal make sure the weather is accurate and how the process of showing it on the green-screen works. I was introduced to the website team, including the main blogger for the site. Mr. Franklin then introduced me to the production team and how the production of a newscast actually works. There is so much detail that goes into a 30 minute newscast. Everything is scripted and planned down to a tee.
----
At a little before noon, Mr. Franklin walked me up a flight of stairs and into the newsroom. It was bigger than I thought! It looks so much smaller on TV. I was even able to sit in the anchor's chair! The teleprompters and cameras move automatically and there are two teams of productions. In the backroom, there are a team of four people running the newscast and communicating with the two production assistants running the teleprompters out in the newsroom.
---
Overall, it was an interesting experience and I can't wait to go back and continue this mentorship through the summer and fall.

How Weird May Day

San Francisco residents congregated in the streets of SoMa to launch the city's street festival season with the 12th annual How Weird Street Faire.  Thousands of people took advantage of the warm weather Sunday exploring the "mythical realms" on Howard Street, dressed up in wacky outfits, dancing in the closed off streets, and simply enjoying the community's presence.  Nine stages with DJs spinning different styles of electronic music filled nine blocks, and the event really lived up to its name; the festival just kept on getting weirder and weirder.

The eclectic crowd didn't fail to amaze (or confuse).  There were capoeira dancers/fighters, numerous fairies, men and women wearing tutus, a pink devil, a queen with her entourage, and possibly everything else imaginable.  This year also featured an Art Alley showcasing local artists and live art, a May Pole ceremony and dance "calling forth the world of our dreams," and even an official flying saucer landing zone for intergalactic guests attending to participate in "universal peace."  (I don't know if any showed up.)

I first heard of the event through a friend and wasn't planning on attending because of an immense school load, but was convinced after seeing numerous wacky people heading to the festival.  Although I stayed only for a while, until I fulfilled my journalistic duty, the brief moment I was there really reinforced my appreciation for this city.  The civic participation is very impressive, especially in celebrations.  What, perhaps, is the best is that it is a free, all-ages event.  Yes, they ask for a $10 donation, which in turn gets you a Magic Sticker that is good for discounts with the many vendors.  You do see families, couples, and singles, and the party continues for those 21 and over at the nearby nightclubs after the street fair ends at 8pm.  It is ironic, though, that a city that takes pride in it's progressiveness and activism decides to celebrate International Workers' Day in such a manner.  How weird.