The Holidays Are Here for SF Streetcars

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The good folks at Market Street Railway graciously invited us to attend the annual streetcar holiday decoration (2009’s decorated streetcars are here). MSR volunteers were at the Geneva Yard this morning with boxes full of garland, wreaths, bows, colored balls, and more. Cars 952 (New Orleans) and 1818 (Milan) were decked out, and are now ready for the month ahead. To MSR on behalf of Muni Diaries, thanks for waiting until after Thanksgiving!

(Market Street Railway Blog’s post is up now, with some even better photos, I must say)

Chronologically …

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First Day in SF

Muni-Story4
Photo by Tenderblog

Visitors at the I Live Here:SF exhibit at SOMArts have been posting their own Muni stories on the Muni shelter. Here are a few:

“On my first week in San Francisco, I took the Muni F line from downtown Market Street toward the Castro. I was inside the Italian car — the one that’s made completely out of wood. There was no sitting space so I stood in the back by the “bay window,” and damn, everything was so beautiful and people were smiling. I thought that I had just moved to heaven.

p.s. I don’t believe in any dieties.”

– Haiete

We also have cartoons that you can caption (see above) from Michael Capozzola, who draws “Surveillance Caricatures” in the San Francisco Chronicle’s 96 Hours section. Another story:

“I was sitting on line 9 next to this handsome young man. For the next 15 minutes I was trying to make a compliment of his style. However, we didn’t make any eye contact. In the last minute before I get off the bus, I typed [on my phone], “You’re very good looking. Have a nice day!” with a friendly smile I show my message in front of his face and got off the bus. My heart was singing. How difficult to compliment someone!”

– June.

Tuesday, Nov. 30, is the only day left to see the exhibit, with Julie Michelle’s photos, art by Chris Rusak, and last year’s Lost Landscapes from Rick Prelinger. Closing reception is from 5 – 7 p.m.

‘We can do this’ on the N-Judah

Derek Powazek has almost always lived on the N-Judah line in the many years he has lived in San Francisco. And he saw an amazing feat of spontaneous public unity when the N rumbled by one day. In this video from Muni Diaries Live at the Make-Out Room a few weeks ago, Derek tells that story. Derek is the editor of Fray, the magazine of true stories and original art.

P.S. We know you’re not really working this week, so adjust the volume, put on the headphones, and enjoy Derek’s hilarious and possibly uplifting tale.

Muni bus shelter videogames

Roshan alerted us to this post on Funcheap SF about a Yahoo-sponsored “bus stop derby.” Here’s Johnny FC’s details:

Resembling giant iPhones (but 20x the size), these 72″ touch screens have been installed at bus stops in 20 different neighborhoods so that bored commuters waiting [for] the bus can play games and earn points for their neighborhood. Users choose a neighborhood to represent and play one of four short video games either solo or live head-to-head against other bus shelters.

And the best part?

At the end of the two-month derby (which ends January 28, 2011) the neighborhood with the most points earns a free concert with OK Go at a local [sic] avenue.

For more details and an active scoreboard, check out Yahoo’s Bus Stop Derby page. They’ve also got a map of participating bus stop shelters.

We expect nothing short of a flurry of reports on your game-playing prowess. We also welcome your comments of power outages, delays, urination, and other Muni-rific goings on in and around the games.

Play hard!

Weekend Photos: Shades of Black

Car 1061 Los Angeles
Photo by Nick Fisher

It’s been an eventful week here at Muni Diaries, with our Happy Hours with I Live Here:SF, our first offer of Mobile Spinach Muni deals, and our new addition, Muni Time Capsule. It’s a busy week for Muni news too.

  • O’Shaughnessy’s Map Now Available at Market Street Railway Museum (Market Street Railway)
  • Buses, bikes and businesses battle to be king of the road (SF Examiner)
  • Busted vehicles dragging Muni down (SF Examiner)
  • George Luong, Accused of Knifing Cable Car Operator, To Be Arraigned (SF Weekly)
  • Muni board discussing contract to rehabilitate escalators (SF Examiner)
  • Cause of Wednesday Night Derailment near Balboa Park Under Investigation (SF Examiner)
  • “Sunday FunDay” — $2 All-Day Muni Pass on Sundays in December (FunCheap SF)
  • Buses loaded: Giants’ playoff run costs Muni (SF Examiner)

Also, SF Public Press unveiled a set of Muni stories this week:

We’ve received a couple of great pictures of fashionable Muni riders, but in case you didn’t know about Fashion Friday and the great prize sponsored by Secession Art and Design, we’re extending the deadline for Fashion Friday until the first Friday of December. So keep the submissions coming!

Enjoy these black and white photographs and your weekend.

Z Excursion
Photo by Brandon Doran

no place to sit
Photo by Jaymi Heimbuch

Muni
Photo by Mason Keeling

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