​PHOTO ESSAY - 
          Walkways, Alleyways  & Parklets 

Umbrella Alley - San Francisco    -    Pamela Pitt                                    

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A TOUR OF SAN FRANCISCO
​​By Pamela Pitt

​When I saw the topic for this edition's photography submissions, I immediately thought that instead of submitting 5 photos from one place, I would submit one photo each from 5 different locations. So, I felt like a tourist when I went to all of these locations in the month of August 2022. I did a lot of research. Some places I could not find. Some places were disappointing and some places required too much stair climbing. But, here is the tour:

Stern Grove Path

After searching in vain for some place called the Pub Trail, I was still driving around and thought to give Stern Grove a visit. After all, it is easy to find and beautiful. There were many people walking their dogs there in the early evening. A lot of joy.

Clarion Alley

​Although I had pictures from a previous visit, I wanted to go in person again. I noticed there were murals that had been added and some that had been painted over. These murals are on an alley between Mission and Vallejo streets. They reflect the Hispanic composition of the Mission neighborhood and are mostly political and make you think.

Mission Creek Trail

Who knows that there is a creek in Mission Bay? I did not, but I found it. I was disappointed to find that in order to get to the part where you can walk where there are passages through the houseboats, you need a code for the gates. So, I walked along the creek and could still see them across the creek.

Umbrella Alley

I discovered this was something new that had opened in 2019. It is between Ghirardelli Square and the Buena Vista bar. Artists had painted beautiful murals there, but it was not like similar umbrella alleys in Europe where there are tables and restaurants. So, you might want to wait to see it until you can add it to your itinerary next time you take visitors to Fisherman's wharf. I decided to partake of the famous Irish coffee at the Buena Vista. Of course. But what was being served was served in a glass with the capacity of a juice glass and for $13. Hint: You can do better buying Irish coffee in any other neighborhood in San Francisco. Oh yeah, they wanted $1.75 to make your breakfast toast Sourdough. So, I got rye which is really hard to find in the City and was free with your eggs. Also, check your neighborhood breakfast place for no extra charge Sourdough.

Stow Lake

There is a path around Stow Lake that is always full of people walking and running, taking their children and just watching the ducks. It is a gem, but beware of the fog.

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​After becoming an attorney, Pamela Pitt graduated with an MFA (1990) from the San Francisco Art Institute. She showed her photography work nationally in group and solo shows. Seeking daylight after years in the dark room, she worked on collage with mixed media painting and photography. Ideas from social issues became the basis of certain collage series:
2014: ripped pages from a law book on the “Patriot Act” to use as collage elements.
2016: used tissue dress "Patterns" in a series about the place of women.
2017: produced a collage series based on the concept of making land a commodity.
With her current focus on photography and scanner digital art, Pam works on achieving peace through creativity and beauty.

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