This is what public transportation looks like in San Francisco

(Photo: Marc Heustis, via SFist.com)

It’s certainly not the Tokyo Metro. Here at the 16th Street BART station, a naked man stretches beneath a huge pile of hair. Reportedly he was also peeing and sexually harassing women. Around the same time, between 5 and 6 pm, two people started walking on the tracks between stations. Needless to say, the station and the system shut down. I guess when all the high-paid people take corporate shuttles in a separate and unequal transit system, there’s very little incentive to maintain the bare minimum for the public version. What’s next, an Israeli-style separation barrier between the posh and the poor?

Will Lindsay Lohan vote YES on Proposition 19?

Created by my former yoga instructor. If any of my readers are in California, please vote for Proposition 19 on Tuesday, November 2, 2010. We need hope and change.

Folsom Street Fair this Sunday

I don’t miss San Francisco very often, but at the holidays I feel a pull of nostalgia, curiosity, and longing. Of course I am referring to the “high holidays” of Dore Alley Fare and Folsom Street Fair. Anyone going to FSF this Sunday?

And something for the ladies

The San Francisco Chronicle quotes film critic Jan Wahl saying “she can’t wait to see the TV movie of the Tiger Woods story: ‘Finally, a movie with lots of parts for women.’”

JR Characters (2 of 3)

Riding the Yamanote with an American friend who has lived in Japan the past four years, I was telling him about how San Francisco’s homeless population, thousands of people with high rates of mental illness, drug addiction and post-traumatic stress disorder, make street life so unpleasant for all but the wealthiest neighborhoods. It’s common to see people shooting up, defecating, and ranting. When a homeless man spat on my husband’s face, I think he never wanted to live in San Francisco again.

Then my friend pointed out this guy sitting behind me. Clearly he was homeless and sleeping in the train that continually circles the city. I was amazed by his hand-quilted pants. For a person with few material resources, he has the vision to create an art project of his own pants: safety pins and thread holding hundreds of fabric scraps, and even wrappers and face masks.Very high-fashion, and clearly expressing creativity and dignity in spite of his hardship.

There is no end to people watching in Tokyo’s JR trains and metro.

Creepy Neverland-themed Christmas ride

From my tipster Ericthefez, with this note: “Sorry the photo is such poor quality.  I found this ‘ride concept’ at San Jose’s Christmas in the Park kind of creepy.  I let <my only daughter, name redacted> go on the swings, but you better believe I kept a close eye on her.”

In related Xmas news, I heard my first “Last Christmas” song over the weekend, so yes, holiday madness is upon Japan. Fortunately, what Japan lacks in memory-crushing medicinal meds, they make up for in memory-suppressing booze, love for drinking, and end of year “forgetting” parties (bounenkai, perfect for work or friends).

BTW, which do you find more insipid, the George Michael’s original 1980s version of “Last Christmas” or Exile’s more recent cover? What would the Japanese royal family prefer? Please feel free to comment (without defaming our majesties).

Lard caramels!

Has anyone in San Francisco had these yet? I want them!!

Folsom Fair

It hurts so good. Sorry to miss this S/M high holiday. .

Folsom Street Fair

This Sunday, September 27, is Folsom Street Fair. I love the combination of domesticity, family and festish. 400,000 celebrants are expected.

Kodona

Via San Francisco and the newly opened New People j-Pop complex, I learned a new word for a male fashion style: kodona. It’s short for kodomo otona (child adult), and can be considered the male version of Gothic Lolita. Also called oji-sama (prince), it’s Victorian-inspired and also French 18th and 19th century. Aficionados of Japanese youth fashion will be aware that kodona blurs into Visual Kei.

My favorite aspect of this “outre” fashion is that while gendered male, it is worn by both girls and boys. More photos here.