RectorSite

It was a perfect San Francisco day at Candlestick Park on Friday, August 10th; sun drenched and about 70 degrees, the sky a picture quality “California blue.” I was amazed when I stepped onto the field; the grass was cut to a uniform one-inch height, flat and green as a billiards table, yet with a little spring to each step and not a blemish in sight.

Chris Berman, was honored and awed by his role as emcee and brought just the right tone to the proceedings with dignity and humor. He began by introducing a video biography of Bill Walsh, put together by NFL Films.

The Grace Memorial Church Ensemble sang an incredible upbeat rendition of Amazing Grace.

Mayor Gavin Newsome proclaimed that this field where we were sitting would forever be known as Bill Walsh Field, as he held aloft a framed City Proclamation. Steve Young remarked, “This field looks a little better than what I was used to, no dirt infield.” Continue reading “Bill Walsh, A Celebration” →

I walked up Carson Street on the Southside looking for a bottle of water, some gum, a bank machine and a bus stop. I found all those things. The street was lined with traffic in both directions. The bus stop was in the sun with no shade and no bus in sight. I asked a woman at the bus stop if I walked up the street, could I find a taxi? “I don”t think so,” she said, she was wearing a Steelers number 78 v-neck tee shirt. I asked her about the bus fare. “$1.75, $2.25 with a transfer.”

Eventually a bus came; it was freezing cold inside. I got off downtown at PPG Plaza, thinking I could get a taxi there. No such luck. I spotted a taxi, parked, with his flashers on. “Are you available?” I asked.

“I”m waiting for someone. You have to call for a taxi, they don”t cruise in Pittsburgh.” He handed me a taxi receipt with a phone number. I started walking toward the Omni Hotel, there would be taxis there. When I got to the corner of Fourth and Wood I stopped in the shade and looked at my map. It’s five more blocks to the Omni. I called the number. “Right away Marcus,” the woman said. I waited in the shade. And waited, fuck this; I started walking to the Warhol. Seven blocks plus the bridge, I”ll flag a taxi if I see one.

The Warhol Bridge and a striking new building I know nothing about. Continue reading “Andy Warhol Museum” →

Pittsburgh time passes

We had time before the airport Limo arrived on Saturday to check the Internet for US Open tickets. There were all kinds of sites offering tickets, but I couldn’t get to the actual tickets without making a commitment… didn’t want to do that. Price ranged from $5 to $750. I was looking at a Monday practice round; they gotta be available for walk-up. I hadn’t even decided to go, have to get the lay of the land in Pittsburgh.

Sunday, I checked with the concierge at the Radisson Pittsburgh Green Tree, where we were staying. There will be Shuttle buses to Oakmont from the Omni William Penn in Pittsburgh — that’s one of the NAEYC conference hotels — there will be shuttle buses from our hotel to the Omni. Good. Later in the day, I was at the Omni William Penn and checked with the concierge there. He said there would be shuttle buses from there to Oakmont, but he didn’t have the details. The doorman would know on Monday.

It was a spur-of-the-moment decision over dinner Sunday night. I’ll go. I’ll catch the 7AM shuttle with Carol and catch the Open shuttle to Oakmont from there.

A passel of women waited with us for the first shuttle bus on Monday morning. No bus. Traffic, we were told. Continue reading “Pittsburgh: My US Open” →

I joined Carol in Pittsburgh last weekend at an early education conference. As we walked three blocks back to the hotel after dinner on Monday with Sarah, Carol’s colleague at the SF State children’s center, Sarah enjoyed pointing out the disparate manhole covers we passed. It reminded me of a brain-teaser:

Why are most manhole covers round?

1 Continue reading “Pittsburgh Manhole Covers” →