Popagandhi

Lower Polk, SF

Published on March 30, 2023

Join me on a walk around Lower Polk, a neighborhood directly adjacent to mine. I spend a lot of time here because it has the grocery stores and other shops that I go to the most. I rarely need to take a bus or car anywhere else because I get everything in the Tenderloin and Lower Polk, as well as in and around Nob Hill.

a scan of a black and white photo showing a bus stop with a sign, laid off and trying to keep the kids from realizing that mommy and daddy haven't eaten in a while. behind, a gig worker zooms past on an ebike, and in the far background, the salesforce tower looms large

A sign of the times.

a scan of a black and white photo showing some film development chemicals on a shelf in a photography store, brands include Ilford and Kodak

I feel lucky to be able to walk to a world class film photography store, Glass Key Photo. They have everything I need, and more.

a scan of a black and white photo showing artwork featuring Harvey Milk the former gay politician of San Francisco who was assassinated a few decades ago. It sits in the window of a barber shop

RIP, Harvey Milk. Thanks for everything you have done for this city.

a scan of a black and white photo showing a neon sign that reads Cocktails in the window of a divey bar

Hi-Lo has great drinks. Back when I still imbibed. These days, I just like the neon signs of these bars.

a scan of a black and white photo showing a bunch of rubber ducks on a table inside a glass jar sitting on a window

Count the rubber duckies.

a scan of a black and white photo showing a mosque in San Francisco with the name Masjid Al Tawheed

Sutter St is home to a mosque frequented by the Yemeni community in the area.

a scan of a black and white photo showing a stone statue of a man outside an Irish bar in San Francisco

This part of San Francisco has a strong link to Frank Norris, the anti-Semitic author. A bar in Lower Polk is named after one of his novels, McTeague.

All photos taken on Leica M3, 50mm Summilux, bulkrolled Kentmere Pan 400. Self developed in Ilfosol 3 (1+9) for 7 minutes, and scanned with Plustek 8200i.