I always lived on the ocean side of San Francisco, in the Richmond, the Sunset, and Parkmerced. All had their beautiful aspects, but Parkmerced was my favorite location by far.
I felt like it was a close as one could get to living in a major city without feeling like you lived in the city.
By J. Ash Bowie
It was wonderful for walking and felt more like a community than the more typical city neighborhoods.
By J. Ash Bowie
I’m convinced that living in Parkmerced helped me maintain my equilibrium as a freelance musician coping with irregular hours while driving to gigs throughout the greater Bay Area.
I hear they’re making big changes there now. Oh well. I’m just grateful it was the calm and serene environment I needed all those years ago.
San Francisco was one of my first loves. I remember a field trip to the City in third grade — I was sooooo excited! We were going to see boats, and in preparation we made drawings of boats on blue construction paper using red, white, and black chalk.
It was sooooo cool.
Although born in San Francisco, I grew up in the South Bay — an hour away. But once I graduated from high school I gradually moved north until I finally became a resident while attending San Francisco State University.
I had arrived.
I lived in San Francisco — Parkmerced; the Richmond; Inner Sunset; outer Sunset; and back to Parkmerced — for over twenty years and loved it.
I spent hours and hours at the ocean and circling Lake Merced. I walked all over — literally. I learned to drop everything when the weather was perfect (because it wouldn’t necessarily stay that way for long; great training for living in the moment).
I read Herb Caen’s column every day. I learned to drink strong coffee and ate lots of Chinese food. I thrilled to the sound of the fog horns from my home at 30th and Geary. I loved the fog, period. I worked at the Cliff House and the Sutro Bath ruins were my home away from home.
And Golden Gate Park was like my own personal backyard. God, I loved it so much, spending hours and hours on the trails; walking from the panhandle to the ocean; learning all the nooks and crannies in between — the lakes, the creeks, the meadows, the touristy places and the private spots.
Amazing how all these memories came flooding back as I looked at this photo.
My karma with San Francisco finally came to an end and it was time to be elsewhere. I haven’t lived there since 1999 and don’t even visit very often.
But the love still remains. It will always be my city and my park.
…reminding me that — despite it being a major city — natural beauty was all around and readily accessible. And boy did I depend on it!
Lake Merced and Harding Park Golf Course were within easy walking distance of my apartment in Parkmerced, though I didn’t make it all the way around the lake every day (seeing as how it’s a distance of close to five miles)!
Then there was Golden Gate Park and Lincoln Park and Stern Grove and so many more! In fact, I just learned that San Francisco is the first city in the U.S. to have a park within a 10-Minute Walk of every resident. I can believe it!
