Pretty cool. It’s like choosing which of the X-Men you’d want on your side in a fight (JEAN GREY).
I pick #130 for its deadly combo of style and substance. MSR says it was part of a commission to expand service for the Pan-Pacific International Exposition: the event that brought us the Palace of Fine Arts and showed off a rebuilt — on landfill, but still — post-1906-earthquake San Francisco. Plus, it’s done a tour of duty on almost every streetcar line.
My favorite-favorite F coaches, though, have to be the PCC cars. Smoothest, cushiest ride in town if you time it right (PSST not around 9 a.m. or 5 p.m.).
Meander over to Bernalwood to see more local-landmark superheroes.
Update: A benefit concert and radio tribute are planned for this Friday, Nov. 11, and Sunday, Nov. 13. Details.
We’re saddened to get word that Jesse Morris, whom you may know as “Punk Rock Johnny Cash” and one of the most beloved BART buskers, died on Sunday. This morning, our own Ed Casey alerted us that friends and fans on Reddit and Facebook have been posting tributes to Jesse. We also heard from several of Jesse’s friends about the sad news.
Many of you have seen Jesse performing at BART — we first wrote about Jesse in 2009 on BART Diaries. Jesse was interviewed by BART.gov and talked about why he likes playing in BART stations:
“The acoustics are good down here, the people are friendly,” he says. “They stop and listen, they tip, they smile … I have a good time down here.”
Although Morris has a night job at a bar, and writes and plays original material with his band, Jesse and the Man Cougars, he keeps coming back to play at BART.
“I consider it a job,” he says. “Just like some people might work in an office, I work at the station entertaining people. I get to do what I love, and I can make a living at it.”
How did you name your band? Jesse came to rehearsal and teased the “old guys” for having young, beautiful girlfriends, saying, “You guys are like a bunch of man cougars.” And the name stuck.
Photographer Bill Cendak shared this photograph of Jesse with us, taken at a band practice at Lennon Studios on Nov. 2, 2011. Jesse Morris and the Man Cougars were due to play at the Uptown this Friday. Cendak has been photographing Jesse Morris and the Man Cougars ever since the band started.
Jesse’s presence made a big impression on photographer Troy Holden, who pointed us to this portrait of Jesse at the 24th Street BART station.
“I see this fellow once each week playing Johnny Cash cover tunes. When I asked him if I could take his portrait, he flipped me off. Not until later did his gesture register with me.”
Jesse was referencing this iconic photo of Johnny Cash, taken in 1969 during his San Quentin performance.
Reader Jenner sent us a photo of Jesse and the Man Cougars at Bender’s earlier this year.
Here’s an older photo of Jesse at the Montgomery BART station.
If you are a friend, family, or fan of Jesse Morris, we would like to hear from you. Please comment or email us at muni.diaries.sf@gmail.com and help us honor a great musician who brought light to our daily transit experience.
Riding the bus with its stop-and-go and potpourri of smells is just another day on Muni, unless you’re nauseated as hell from the get-go, which is what rider S. Rock was dealing with in the first trimester of her pregnancy. But she’s got a little tip for you.
If I thought Muni was uncomfortable, smelly and just generally unpleasant while I wasn’t pregnant, I had no idea what I was in for once I was pregnant.
My first trimester was hell. Every morning I’d dread the N-Judah ride that awaited me. I would say that 3 out of the 5 days of my commute the train was packed or slow, which meant that I could not make it to the office on time to use the bathroom. I began resorting to carrying a compostable bag to throw up in after jumping off at a stop that wasn’t mine or shamefully doing my business crouched on the side of my seat into the bag. The funny part was, no one even glanced remotely in my direction as I heaved into a small garbage bag (which was nice).
I think this might violate an etiquette or two in the bus etiquette handbook, but it beats getting sick all over the floors (or worse, on a poor stranger’s shoes). So, pregnant ladies, hungover partiers, sufferers of motion sickness — start carrying a sick bag with you. At least on Muni, it is much appreciated.
A friend shared this video by Hail Mary Mallon the other day. The lyrical reference is to the 19-Polk, and the visuals are pretty cool. Contains some NSFW language.
The Day of the Dead procession is hands-down my favorite event of the year in San Francisco – amazing costumes, a calm and beautiful spirit, and sometimes, even some lively fun. This year I spotted this huge skeleton who took over a Muni shelter and made it his own photo booth, inviting all to join him for some silly poses. It was an instant hit and the crowd gathered around the Muni shelter like paparazzi but in a good way.
