Category: Muni Diaries Live

This Thursday 9/12: Muni Diaries at Exploratorium After Dark

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Sometimes the only thing you can really do about Muni is laugh about it. This Thursday, Sept. 12, The Exploratorium is exploring the “science of humor,” and we are bringing a mini version of Muni Diaries to the big museum. This show—the Muni Diaries Express, if you will—features Dhaya Lakshminarayanan, Wonder Dave, and Muni haikus by Jesús U. BettaWork. 

Come join the fun and vote for the next contender in the Muni Haiku Battle!

The museum admission on Thursday night (adults only, by the way!) gives you access to everything in The Exploratorium so you can let your nerd flag fly all evening. Just make sure you come and see us at 7 p.m. at the Kanbar Forum in the museum. Follow the signs and listen up for the announcement.

Muni Diaries Express at Exploratorium After Dark: Humor Me
7p Thursday, Sept. 12

Osher Gallery 1, Kanbar Forum at the Exploratorium
Pier 15 Embarcadero at Green Street


Tickets

Take Muni or BART there: BART to Embarcadero Station, or take the 2, 6, 14, 21, 31, J, K, L, M, T, N. Within walking distance: 1, 10, 12, 41, and 38.

Photo by Right Angle Images

Category: Muni Diaries Live

Artist tips his cap to Muni, a refuge in tougher times

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As he carted his belongings to the bus stop, Kurt Schwartzmann knew that he relied on the kindness of the Muni driver, lest he face another cold night on the streets of San Francisco. When the bus door opened on one particular night, he was relieved to see the familiar face.

This was a lifetime ago, before Schwartzmann conquered his struggle with drug addiction, found his way as an artist, and met his now-husband. While he was homeless, Muni had become the refuge for Schwartzmann.

Schwartzmann, who has lost sight in one eye due to complications to AIDS, dedicated his art series, “Yellow Line,” to the Muni drivers whose empathy helped him survive those difficult times. His art has been exhibited at the Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and at City College of San Francisco.

We first met Schwartzmann on Instagram when he posted about his art series, and we were thrilled that he told his story at Muni Diaries Live in April at Rickshaw Stop.

Growing up in Fresno as a young gay man, Schwartzmann said that San Francisco had always been a symbol for “freedom of expression and refuge from intolerance.”  In honor of Pride weekend, we are sharing his story in today’s podcast episode. Take a listen:

If you have your own Pride story to share, email us at muni.diaries.sf@gmail.com, or tag us on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook @munidiaries.

Photo credit: RightAngleImages.

Category: diaries, Muni Diaries Live Tags: , ,

How a Muni ride went from piss to bliss

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Muni is probably our longest love-hate relationship, a widespread phenomenon that became the focus of one bus rider’s one-woman play. That woman, Ady Lady, is a writer and performer. She’s written and performed two solo shows: Sara Jane Tried to Shoot the President and From Piss to Bliss, the latter of which was about her desperate attempt to lead with love while riding Muni.

Update: She’s still working on it.

Ady Lady told her story at Muni Diaries Live at Rickshaw Stop earlier this spring. For everyone who missed it (or can’t wait for the encore), here’s her story:

If you have your own Muni story to pitch to our podcast, email us at muni.diaries.sf@gmail.com. And remember to rate us on iTunes if you like what you hear.

Photo by Right Angle Images
Category: Muni Diaries Live Tags: ,

Contending with the ‘hard R’ of racism on BART

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We’ve known for 11 years (more if you count our pre-Muni Diaries days) that damn near anything can happen on public transit. Today’s story, told by Sureni Weerasekera, contrasts the magic of good juju on BART with a distinctly Bay Area brand of racism and othering.

Sureni was born in Sri Lanka, raised in San Diego, and is currently based in SF doing stand-up comedy, writing, and acting. She’s a contributing writer and actor for “Life of Trying” and runs two of Berkeley’s top comedy shows, “Pizza Party” and “Subhumans.” Follow her on Instagram @sureni, and check out her upcoming shows at: https://surenicomedy.com/.

Listen here:

Sureni told this story to our live audience at Muni Diaries Live on April 6—our first in our new home, Rickshaw Stop. Stay tuned for news about our next show in November!

Pic by Right Angle Images
Category: Funny: Muni LOLs, Muni Diaries Live

Muni Diaries Live: We do it for the surprise tears

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Our pre-show rehearsal is a necessary part of the live storytelling game—but it’s also a nice reminder of why we’re still collecting your stories about San Francisco commute life and, since 2017, of life all over this city we call home. We call the phenomenon surprise tears, where something universally true or poignant hits us all and then the eyes get stingy and we’re rooting around in our purse for tissue.

You’re in for a treat come Saturday. Get tickets today:

Muni Diaries Live (<- tix on Eventbrite)
Sat., April 6
Doors: 5:30 pm
Show: 6:30-8:30 pm

The Rickshaw Stop
155 Fell St (between Van Ness and Franklin)

Also! Today, April 3, is our 11th birthday: Thanks for coming along on the ride, however unpredictable and kooky it may have been, for all these years. We’d love to celebrate with you in our new home.

Pic by Right Angle Images

Category: Muni Diaries Live, Muni Diaries Live Shows, San Francisco Diaries Tags:

What happens when you skip school and take Muni as your escape vehicle

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When you’re a kid skipping school, your parents are probably the last people that you’d want to run into. For one San Francisco kid, luck was not on her side. Storyteller Meaghan Mitchell is a native San Franciscan and news editor at Hoodline, which you can imagine gives her tons of local cred. In this week’s podcast episode, Meaghan shares a story of one really hard day at school and how it brought her to a familiar face on Muni.

Listen to her story:

As an essential part of living here, Muni is so often the backdrop of childhood memories for native San Franciscans, like this story from Yayne Abeba, whose mother often gave her and her siblings money to ride Muni as a way to get them out of the house.

If you liked the stories you’ve heard on our podcast, come see us live on March 7 at the Betabrand Podcast Theater! We will be bringing the podcasts live to you for the first time with a studio audience! Tickets are only $5 and on sale now.

Category: Muni Diaries Live Tags:
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