There was a well-written, funny, perceptive article in the New York Times today (actually dated 5/1/13) by Henry Alford on Williamsburg (in Brooklyn). I’ve been telling people over the past few years that these twentysomethings are different.; they’re a new ballgame.

   Henry not only gets what’s going on with young people, he likes them:

   “I like this generation of young folk. Their food is terrific, and they find even the most insignificant things “awesome.” I admire their adventuresome quality vis-à-vis fixed-gear bike-riding and their non-prudishness in the face of nudity. Yes, their attention to detail on the fronts of locavorism and beard care can verge on the precious, but I’d much rather have a young Abe Lincoln serve me his roof-grown mâche than I would have an F. Scott Fitzgerald vomit all over my straw boater. Today’s twentysomethings are self-respecting, obvi.

   If every youth movement says as much about the status quo as it does about itself, then this new eco-conscious, agrarian-seeming, hair-celebrating nexus of locavorism is maybe telling us that the rest of us need to plunge our fingers into the rich loam of the earth, literally and metaphorically.…”

   Click here. I subscribe to the Times, so get the full stories on their website. If you don’t, I’d go buy today’s paper if possible, this article (in the Style section) is worth it. I think it’s a journalistic reporting masterpiece. Very funny, and some exquisite turns of phrase. Ridic. Obvi.

“In the middle of last year, The Economist released rankings for the world’s most livable cities, and Hong Kong was found at the top. What many people don’t know, however, is that there is a percentage of Hong Kong residents living in rather horrid conditions.

In an attempt to draw attention to the issue, human rights organization Society for Community Organization recently commissioned a series of photographs showing what a number of unacceptable living spaces look like when viewed from directly overhead.

   According to the SoCO, over 100,000 people live in tiny “cubicle apartments” in the city. These are 40-square-foot living spaces created by dividing already-small apartments into multiple units.

Residents go about their lives in these confined spaces, sleeping on one corner, eating in another, storing their belongings in a third, and perhaps watching a TV that’s found in a fourth.

   SoCO’s wide-angle photographs capture how cramped these spaces really are by showing everything within them in a single frame. The images were likely captured by simply fixing a camera with a wide-angle lens to the ceiling, and then triggering a shot remotely (the photographer cannot be seen in the image).…”

Click here.

Several times, when I was maybe 11, my grandmother took me on what she called a toot. No, not that kind of toot. We’d take a streetcar down to Market Street (San Francisco), walk up and down past the movie houses,and then go to two movies, one after the other. A toot.

   Thursday, my friend Louie and I went on a toot in San Francisco. Two old guys– 78 and 84 — country boys at that, in the Big City. I can’t believe Louie’s that old. He lives farther back in the country than I do, so the sights of the big city are a treat for him.

   We went in early in the morning, first to Trouble Coffee, out by the beach. I showed Louie the v. cool restaurant Outerlands, just up the block from Trouble. Then we walked — sunny bright morning — over to Mollusc Surf Shop on Irving, a great place — surfboards, fine selection of books, wetsuits, surf clothes, then checked out the Cajun Pacific Cafe, with its colorful mural; unique restaurant. Then down to the big Flax art store on Market.

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Early start Saturday morning. I get so excited in the city (Manhattan as well).  That’s the old Marwedel Building with its unique glazed tile surface, on Mission St. In the ’40s and ’50s it was where we bought copper and leather and other art/craft items. Further on down Mission, the graffiti is just wonderful. Here are just a few shots (I shot a ton of great art in about 15 minutes). Country yokel bedazzled by urban creativity…Sending this off from Ritual Roasters on Valencia, a place this morning full of kids and their parents/sunlight streaming in, rocking music. Barista heaven. Now over to the Green Festival.

3/10″ rain yesterday, we’re up to about 3″ so far this year, about normal, and I hope there’s plenty more to come. The ground in the woods is finally moist. C’mon, mycellia! Creeks are on the rise.

   Cold morning. As I drove south along the coast, Skeeter Davis singing “Are You Ready For the Country?” — “Are you ready for me?” Well, I’m ready for the city, for the Green Festival this weekend,  for some skateboarding (parts of Golden Gate Park closed to traffic on Sundays), for Ocean Beach and Trouble Coffee and photo-stalking.

   I’m studying cars. I realize that I don’t want rear seats, but rather a flat area behind the front seats, like a pickup truck bed. A sedan would work if I could take out the partition to the trunk. (In 1960, my brother and I bought a 1950 Ford 2-door sedan, took out the back seat and partition, put in a mattress, and drove nonstop to Hartford, Connecticut, with 2-hour shifts; then 6 weeks later, drove it non-stop (71 hours) back to SF, and sold it for $200.) VW Passat diesel? I kind of like the Scion XB. One feature in addition to a flat rear area (where sleeping would be possible) is, I’d like is spiffy driving characteristics. In the ’60s I had a Beamer 2002 and it was such a pleasure to drive; I’d go on a long trip shooting photos and arrive feeling fresh. The Prius design looks clunky. I might go for a smaller version of the Rav. The Element is larger than I need.

  This Blentec Über-blender is a life changer for me. This morning I blended up: Kombucha tea, water, fresh pineapple, some grapes, almonds, 2 scoops of chocolate-flavored whey protein powder (50 grams), small chunk of ginger, dandelion greens, 2 small carrots (incl. stalks). A lot of protein, nutrients from raw fresh greens, a bit of ginger spice — plus it tasted great. Yesterday I had a 2-hour interview with a reporter for a Japanese magazine, was rushed for time, threw together a green smoothie, and it gave me instant energy.

   I put together 4 pages for Tiny Homes On the Move yesterday. Will get rolling on it again after the weekend…