For my second post in the Exploring SF series, I wanted to highlight my recent visit to the Mission District, including stops at Balmy Street Murals, Dolores Park, and Mission Dolores.
It’s my second-to-last half-day Friday at work, so I decided to make good use of my half day today by biking to and exploring SF’s well-known Mission District. The Mission is located in east-central San Francisco, and is home to a unique blend of Latin American culture and gentrification brought on by the Internet boom. The Mission is a trendy place to be at the moment, with an amazing array of things to do, sights to see, and foods to eat.
Taking the route southwest of my workplace, I biked for 15 minutes or so before arriving at my first stop, the Balmy Street Murals. It’s a small alleyway in a neighborhood with the walls covered in gorgeous and colorful murals, often focusing on Central American political abuses, local gentrification, and Latin American culture.
One of my favorites was a giant mural depicting gentrification in the Mission, with a very clear message. On the left side of the mural were cops arresting some Latino residents with a bus of immigrants in the backdrop, and on the right were dotcom yuppies, hipsters, and cops holding Starbucks cups chatting with Caucasian residents. I loved the intricate details and the splashes of color – most of the other murals were equally impressive and I spent some time strolling back and forth in the alleyway enjoying all the paintings.
After a delicious lunch at a local Mexican restaurant, I biked over to Mission Dolores Park, one of the most well-known parks in San Francisco. My favorite part of the park is near the top, which is covered in grass and offers a jaw-dropping view of the entire city. It’s breathtaking and such a great place to enjoy a nap in the sun, which is precisely what I did! I made sure to snap some pictures and walk around a bit more before taking an ice cream break at Bi-Rite Creamery, a local ice cream place that makes some amazing desserts.
My last stop of the day was Mission Dolores, also known as Mission San Francisco de Asís. It’s the oldest original intact mission in California and the oldest building in San Francisco, with a beautiful facade of carvings and statues. I recently watched Hitchcock’s classic Vertigo, and one of the key scenes takes place in the cemetery of this mission. It was crazy seeing the same tombstones and statues from the movie, and realizing just how special of a place this mission was. I walked around outside for a bit, peered into the cemetery area, admired the beautiful building a bit more, and was on my way.
Overall the Mission seems to be a great place to live or hang out with friends. I only touched upon the surface and I’m sure there are so many other things to do and explore. I’ll definitely be back in the area in the near future, maybe to hang out with friends or to enjoy the food!
The Vertigo Shot at www.RandomTidbitsofThought.com.
