Category Archives: House Portrait

Home Portrait: Golden Gate Bridge House

Posted on February 14, 2012 by

So it seems that the California Historical Association has hit upon an idea: To commemorate the installation of a new exhibition marking the 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge, the organization plans to paint their headquarters building in SoMa … Continue reading →

Posted in History, House Portrait | 13 Comments

House Portrait: Carlos Santana’s House on Mullen

Posted on January 24, 2012 by

The Mission District usually gets the credit for having been home to Carlos Santana, but the truth of the matter is that Santana commuted to the Mission from Bernal Heights. Specifically, according to longtime Bernal resident Peter Wiley, Santana lived … Continue reading →

Posted in Celebrity, History, House Portrait | 16 Comments

Susie Bright Remembers a Life on Bessie Street

Posted on September 29, 2011 by

Susie Bright is a writer/activist who edited On Our Backs, an influential ‘zine about female and lesbian sexuality that was published during the 1980s. During the heyday of On Our Backs, Bright lived in a small apartment at 25A Bessie Street that also … Continue reading →

Posted in History, House Portrait | 11 Comments

House Portrait: Chalkboard Garage on Mullen Ave.

Posted on July 7, 2011 by

Deep in the depths of Mullen Avenue, there’s a 1950s-style house with two garage doors that have been painted with chalkboard paint. And if you look closely, you’ll find a tidy bucket of chalk sticks sitting at the foot of … Continue reading →

Posted in House Portrait | 24 Comments

House Portrait: Big Pink on Brewster

Posted on June 1, 2011 by

This very big, very pink house at the corner of Brewster and Macedonia is from the late 1950s or early 1960s. It almost looks like a birthday cake; so much so that I find myself wanting to eat all the … Continue reading →

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Home Improvements at the Skull House

Posted on May 19, 2011 by

Remember the awesome Skull House on Folsom? It may be battered, but it keeps getting better. Kaisa Wyser-Pratte captured this tasteful new addition above the front door.

Posted in House Portrait | 2 Comments

House Portrait: Hidden Peralta Street iPad House

Posted on May 17, 2011 by

When you zip south on US 101 alongside Bernal Heights, it’s hard to miss the giant Apple iPad billboard perched alongside the freeway just beyond the Cortland Avenue overpass. But what you may not have noticed is that there’s also … Continue reading →

Posted in House Portrait, Infrastructure | 8 Comments

The Lost History of The Beatles House on Precita

Posted on May 3, 2011 by

This is a tale of The Beatles, a house on Precita Avenue, a mural, an artsy kid, domestic terrorists, classic punk rock, and a lost moment of Bernal Heights bohemia… For almost two decades, the former “Beatles House,” at 191 … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, History, House Portrait | 6 Comments

The Cottage by the Reservoir (and the Day it Was Demolished)

Posted on April 26, 2011 by

Here’s a special celebrity guest post by Vicky Walker of the excellent Bernal History Project. Vicky shares a charming tale about a charming house that sat on Elsie Street, alongside the College Hill Reservoir, for 100 years. As a special bonus, … Continue reading →

Posted in History, House Portrait, Uncategorized | 10 Comments

Remodel in Progress or Magical Bernal Hermit House?

Posted on April 18, 2011 by

Reader Ned sent us this photo of an unusual house on Ellsworth, just short of Cortland. Is it a remodel in progress? I’m hoping not. I’m hoping it’s some amazingly, magical hermit, who will grant you access to his house … Continue reading →

Posted in House Portrait, Photography | 5 Comments

House Portrait: Ripley Modern

Posted on April 13, 2011 by

Although most people associate Bernal Heights with quaint old houses and former earthquake shacks, there are a few Dwell-esque contemporary homes in the ‘hood –including this tidy collection along Ripley Street. Photo: Telstar Logistics

Posted in House Portrait, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

House Portrait: Folsom Street Skull House

Posted on January 28, 2011 by

Amid all the predictable (if tedious) gnashing-of-teeth one hears about the transformation of Bernal Heights from the working class enclave it was a few decades ago to the middle class oasis it is today, it’s nice to find some pockets … Continue reading →

Posted in House Portrait | 13 Comments

A Historic Tale of Art and Total Elation on Alabama Street

Posted on January 14, 2011 by

A few years back, I went to the Bernal Heights Outdoor Film Festival. On that particular night the location was on Bernal Heights Boulevard, on the slope leading easterly towards Folsom Street. I remember it being extremely cold and uncomfortable. … Continue reading →

Posted in History, House Portrait, People | 5 Comments