Blog Archive: Travis Jensen Blog (154 posts)

March 2010 (1)

Friday, March 5th 2010

Juxtapoz Magazine Interview: Travis Jensen's San Francisco

travisbythomashawk_1.jpg Isaac McKayRandozzi conducted an interview with me for the Juxtapoz Magazine website, which covers everything from writing, photography, skateboarding and crazy tales of The City [...] Read More»

February 2010 (2)

Friday, February 19th 2010

"Welcome to San Franpsycho" Photo Show, Sat, March 6

show_flyer.jpg I have an upcoming photo show with my buddy Derek Poon (of 4Fifteen Clothing) at DWNTWN Skate Supply in San Francisco's Tendernob. Titled "Welcome to San Franpsycho," show runs from March 6 thru May 6. Opening reception is slated for Saturday, March 6, 6:00-10p.m. Show is comprised of photos taken in and around the vibrant city of San Francisco [...] Read More»

Friday, February 12th 2010

George Nottle Revisited

4351221337_a95c19dc89_o.jpg George Nottle, the whimsical guitar player, is no stranger on my Flickr photostream. You might recall the story I wrote about him a while back, where I talk about going on a three-week long mission to find George so I could give him a drawing that an artist I met via Flickr, Carl Purcell, illustrated of him based off one of my photos [...] Read More»


January 2010 (4)

Wednesday, January 27th 2010

Have You Seen Him?

4307211490_d07c1ed042.jpg This one’s for all the old school wood-pushers out there. Pictured here is Emerson “Won Ton Animal” Chin, the inspiration behind Powell Peralta’s legendary skateboarding film, “The Search for Animal Chin" [...] Read More»

Friday, January 15th 2010

A gang of updates...

sf_swagger.jpg I added a gang of updates to the "Portfolio" section yesterday, which was long, long overdue. Click here to take a gander [...] Read More»


Tuesday, January 12th 2010

CaliberSF: New Year, New Ventures

4256590237_9125ebeb58_b.jpg Sorry I’ve been away for a minute.  Life’s been keeping busy.  I have some writing projects in the works that I hope to post soon.  I’m really getting into human interest stories and find great enjoyment in talking with and photographing the people I meet on the street [...] Read More»

Monday, January 4th 2010

Diligence

frank_chu_jose_rodriguez.jpg I snapped this photo last week Tuesday, December 29, outside of the Old Navy store on the corner of Fourth and Market streets, an intersection teeming with foot traffic [...] Read More»


December 2009 (4)

Wednesday, December 30th 2009

George Nottle: Strumming on Mission

george_nottle_1.jpg I met George Nottle in late October 2009 while shooting photos downtown on my lunch break.  Dressed in a grayish, somewhat frayed, loose-fitting fitting suit and white New Balance sneakers, George was strumming his guitar, deep in concentration, on the fringes of Jessie Square on Mission Street [...] Read More»

Friday, December 11th 2009

Stockton Street Encounter

img_4623-2.jpg It’s a lively December afternoon in San Francisco’s Chinatown.  The air outside is crisp yet warm enough not to need a coat.  An elderly Caucasian woman standing less than 5-feet-tall, carrying a cane half her size and dressed in an oversize navy blue hooded sweatshirt, fleece hat and plaid scarf exits a Chinese convenience store on Stockton Street, between Clay and Sacramento streets. [...] Read More»


Tuesday, December 8th 2009

My Poetry

4169967876_bfcef64dea_b.jpg The photo above is of my good friend Hugh Gregory, a.k.a. Hugh-EMC, a San Francisco-based rap artist.  Hailing from The City’s Fillmore District, Hugh is revered by many as being one of the founding fathers of Bay Area hip-hop [...] Read More»

Tuesday, December 1st 2009

Tim the Keyboard Man

img_3848_1.jpg Meet Tim the Keyboard Man.  San Francisco Bay Area residents may recognize Tim.  He’s a street musician here in The City.  Tim can usually be found playing old saloon style toons during business hours on various street corners throughout the Financial District [...[ Read More»


November 2009 (3)

Friday, November 20th 2009

Hella Pop

april_17_camera_club_outing_chinatown_542-3.jpg This here is a pic of my good friend Sean R.  I've known Sean for about 17 years now.  We met through skateboarding in the early-to-mid ‘90s, many moons before mainstream media and corporations had their paws in the cookie jar [...] Read More»

Monday, November 9th 2009

Through Their Lens: Travis Jensen

4003883410_4f5f44cdb2_b_1.jpg I have a little interview up on San Francisco-based photography website CaliberSF.  I’m a big fan of the photographers behind the site, so I was honored when they approached me about doing an interview [...] Read More»


Thursday, November 5th 2009

He Loved Her Madly

4063822555_b076343c3d_o_1.jpg I shot this portrait roughly two weeks ago while out shooting at lunch with comrade Derek Poon (4Fifteen).  We were walking back from Chinatown (I know we always shoot there) when we ran into this man on Pine Street, between Battery and Front streets [...] Read More»

October 2009 (4)

Thursday, October 22nd 2009

October Photo Pageant

4016174204_e64ef6f965_b.jpg Below is a pageant of random photos from October.  As you can see, the shutter bug has been rather strong this month.  (Actually, some of these photos, like the first eight or so, are from late September.)  [...] Read More»

Wednesday, October 14th 2009

I See Angels: San Francisco Fleet Week 2009

3994984878_8b540c4a2d_b.jpg Another San Francisco Fleet Week has come and gone.  The weather put somewhat of a damper on this year’s festivities [...] Read More»


Wednesday, October 7th 2009

San Francisco LovEvolution 2009 Recap

3983016696_7106e7129a_b.jpg (Warning: Some of the images and links within this post may contain adult content.)

Last Saturday, after a rough round of Oktoberfest celebrations at Schroeder’s the evening before, I called up comrade Plug1 from WhatImSeeing.com and asked if he had any interest in shooting LovEvolution with me [...]

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Tuesday, October 6th 2009

"I Live Here: SF: Travis"

3976115970_75cc83fefd.jpg I was recently featured as part of the popular “I Live Here: SF” project, an online feature profiling various San Franciscans as subjects.  The project is a collaboration between the subject and project founder and photographer Julie Michelle (a.k.a. “TangobabySF”) [...] Read More»


September 2009 (4)

Friday, September 25th 2009

Five days of work, one whole day to play!

274.jpg ’Im so glad the weekend is finally here.  It’s been a rough-and-tumble week.  I’m pooped.  We (the Jensen clan) are heading to Sonoma tomorrow morning for a little R&R [...] Read More»

Friday, September 18th 2009

New Toys

3907743374_e62106cc7d_o.jpg I purchased a new DSLR camera a few weeks back.  It’s a Canon, of course. I was due for an upgrade.  My dad actually pulled the trigger on my old camera, two lenses and a handful of accessories.  I gave him a hell of a deal on the outfit.  He seems to have a slight case of the shutterbug [...] Read More»


Tuesday, September 15th 2009

“Weekly Ink: SF Tribute” Interview from SF Weekly site.

ferry_building_tat-thumb-500x500.jpg I have an interview up on the SF Weekly site focusing on my San Francisco Ferry Building tattoo [...] Read More»

Friday, September 11th 2009

Clearance Rack

3607025849_234aa27ac7_b.jpg My wife and I decided to walk to the newly opened discount bookstore yesterday evening.  The discount store is just an annex of the regular bookstore.  The two stores are located a block-and-a-half from one another [...]
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August 2009 (7)

Friday, August 28th 2009

Artist Andrew Schoultz Studio Visit + Mural Opening and Fundraiser Info

_mg_0421.jpg Last week, I went to visit longtime friend and artist Andrew Schoultz at his San Francisco Mission District studio.  After getting some sneak peaks of new work in progress, we headed down the street to check out the large-scale mural he had recently completed at the home of world-renowned Architect David Baker [...] Read More»

Wednesday, August 26th 2009

Among Giants

_mg_0465.jpg Last week, I had the fortunate opportunity to venture back up on the roof of Embarcadero Center 2 (EC2) in San Francisco’s Financial District. The tower, constructed by John Graham & Associates, Inc in 1974, sits 413ft (126m) in the sky with 31 floors, higher than approximately 95% of the rest of The City [...] Read More»


Thursday, August 20th 2009

Pictures Speak Volumes

2576_1133386574364_1218294455_30407291_7434852_n_1.jpg This is a picture of my Grandfather Stanley L. Jensen (left) and Great Uncle Al (right) in downtown San Francisco back in 1942.  The photo was taken on Market Street, between 6th Street and the intersection where Mason and Turk streets meet.  You can see the historic Esquire Theatre in the background [...] Read More»

Friday, August 14th 2009

Out and about

thu_aug_7_084.jpg Below are a string of shots from this week and last, all of which were fired off along the Embarcadero and in Chinatown.  I have so much fun gallivanting through the streets, camera dangling around my neck, looking and feeling like a tourist in my own city [...] Read More»


Tuesday, August 11th 2009

Basement Sessions

skate1.jpg My buddy Josh Sullivan sent over some old Polaroid skate photos of him shredding a basement mini ramp that he and some friends built back in Oakton, VA.  Josh says the photos are from 1989, but they look a little older than that to me.  I’m thinking 1988.  Photo credit goes to Brent Christian (Rest in Peace 12/05/74 to 9/12/2007) [...] Read More»

Thursday, August 6th 2009

Parachute Men: T-Mobile takes to the sky

t-mobile_skydiver_event_aug_2009_042.jpg Yesterday afternoon, T-Mobile dropped 100 skydivers over San Francisco as part of a promotion for their new HTC myTouch 3G Phone. Using Google’s new Android operating system, the phone is T-Mobile’s equivalent to the Apple iPhone, except better (according to T-Mobile) [...] Read More»


Wednesday, August 5th 2009

No excuses really

r1-13a.jpg Dang, I can’t believe I haven’t updated the site since Friday, July 24.  That’s almost two weeks, which is definitely a record for me.  I’m usually on it.  I thought I was slacking when I went more than three days without an update [...] Read More»

July 2009 (6)

Friday, July 24th 2009

Overlooking City Lights

_mg_85491.jpg I shot these pics of San Francisco-based rappers HughEMC and CoBlooded on the balcony of my home a few weeks back.  Although it’s been ridiculously windy and foggy up on the hill as of late, the balcony has become somewhat of a hotspot for photo opts [...] Read More»

Tuesday, July 21st 2009

Product Testing with Benny Gold and Hoops

_mg_87111.jpg So, I was finally able to get out on the skateboard last week for the first time since the Stan Man was born.  I was rolling with friends Benny Gold and Hoops, two family men in their 30s that still shred hard [...] Read More»


Friday, July 17th 2009

San Francisco's Finest

dpp_00041.jpg Alas, here are the photos from the HughEMC, Rappin’ 4-Tay, Fly Mar, Co-Blooded and cast show and photo shoot at City College of San Francisco (my old stomping grounds) last month [...] Read More»

Wednesday, July 15th 2009

Stop Hatin' On Me!

hugh_stop_hatin__5finalresize.png Just found out that Bay Area rap legend and friend HughEMC used one of my photos for the cover of his new album, “Stop Hatin’ On Me.”  Looking good! [...] Read More»


Monday, July 13th 2009

June Strays

dpp_00021.jpg Below is a bouqet of stray photos from last June.  The photos are a mix of digital and film.  I can no longer leave home with just one camera [...] Read More»

Wednesday, July 8th 2009

Back to the Berg' Photos and Commentary

dpp_00013.jpg I know, these are ridiculously late, but better late than never, right?  The reason I didn’t post the photos sooner is because I thought the two shots of Anti Hero Rider Chris Pfanner at the bottom were going to be used for something else [...] Read More»


June 2009 (6)

Monday, June 29th 2009

Black and White Adventures Round 2

dpp_0004_5.jpg These photos come from two rolls of Kodak BW400CN that I shot using my vintage Canon AE-1P.  I’m really enjoying shooting with this camera. The sound of the shutter is mesmerizing [...] Read More»

Monday, June 22nd 2009

Random Snappers

dpp_0001_3.jpg Here are a couple random snaps from the last couple of weeks.  Right now, I’m sitting on about 1,000 unprocessed pics, half of which come from a recent event and photo shoot at City College with Bay Area rap legends HughEMC, Rappin’ 4 Tay, Fly Mar and company [...] Read More»


Tuesday, June 16th 2009

An Afternoon with Hoops

dpp_0001.jpg A few weeks back, I spent the afternoon skating and shooting photos with Julien Kidd, a.k.a. “Hoops.”  The two of us have been friends for about seventeen years now.  We met through skateboarding, of course [...]  Read More»

Saturday, June 13th 2009

Fresh out the box: Olajuwan Mitchell

misc_may_pics_156_(web).jpg It’s a balmy June morning in San Francisco’s Financial District.  The cable car turnaround next to the Embarcadero Hyatt Regency Hotel on Market and Drumm streets is teeming with commuters.  47-year-old Olajuwan Mitchell lights two large sticks of incense and sticks them into the dirt surrounding the base of a small tree [...] Read More»


Thursday, June 4th 2009

Home Street Home

misc_may_pics_107.jpg This collection comes from several different missions around The City, mostly around FiDi, downtown and Soma [...] Read More»

Tuesday, June 2nd 2009

On the dope track

misc_may_pics_006_1.jpg Last Saturday, after having a late lunch with gonzo journalist Isaac Mckay Randozzi at Pancho Villa on 16th at Valencia Street in the city’ vibrant Mission District, the two of us decided to take a stroll up Mission Street to snap photos and absorb the scenery [...] Read More»


May 2009 (14)

Friday, May 29th 2009

A collector of things and such

misc_may_pics_047.jpg This gallery is for the collectors.  By the way, have you read "Needle in a Haystack" yet? [...] Read More»

Wednesday, May 27th 2009

Where old and new San Francisco meet

misc_may_pics_006.jpg Below are some snaps from a recent weekend drive with my wife through Glen Park and Diamond Heights, two small and often overlooked neighborhoods located in the southern quadrant of San Francisco [...] Read More»


Tuesday, May 26th 2009

"Diamond in the back, sunroof top, diggin in the scene with a gangster lean"

misc_may_pics_726_1.jpg A few weekends back, I went on a skate mission to the Peninsula with Sean Renos and Chris Long.  We were rolling straight William DeVaughn steez -- “Diamond in the back, sunroof top, diggin’ in the scene with a gangster lean” -- in Sean’s’ big body Cadillac, complete with plush maroon leather seats [...] Read More»

Friday, May 22nd 2009

A Black and White State of Mind

r1-14.jpg All I have to say is that I’m utterly in love with my vintage Canon AE-1P camera.  Shooting with black-and-white film is truly unsurpassed [...] Read More»


Thursday, May 21st 2009

Motherhood in the wild

misc_may_pics_814.jpg Here are some shots of a Hummingbird mother-to-be.  Ironically, these shots were taken at a Mother’s Day BBQ in Marin.  Unfortunately, I didn’t take any pics of the other mothers (or those soon-to-be) in attendance. Read More»

Wednesday, May 20th 2009

Ode to San Francisco

misc_may_pics_563.jpg I’ve been living in San Francisco now nearly half my life and find The City to be just as beautiful, amazing and inspiring to me now as it was when I came for my first visit at the age of 14 [...] Read More»


Friday, May 15th 2009

Top of the world

misc_may_pics_303.jpg Well, I’m slowly starting to make my way through some of the backlog of unprocessed photos I’ve been sitting on [...] Read More»

Thursday, May 14th 2009

Don't Miss: 'Intricacies of Phantom Content'

ns-artpick14_pec_0500118093.jpg San Francisco artist Hilary Pecis' exhibition, opening Friday night at Triple Base Gallery, consists of a series of kaleidoscope-like, postapocalyptic-themed collages that she created using magazine cutouts, paint and ink on panel [...] Read More»


Wednesday, May 13th 2009

New Works by Ian M. Johnson

p1040613.jpg San Francisco-based artist Ian Johnson’s solo show opened this past Saturday at White Walls Gallery in the city’s ever vibrant Tenderloin District [...] Read More»

Tuesday, May 12th 2009

Photo Medley

april_30_122.jpg This medley of photos comes from a recent outing to the Musee Mechanique museum in the Fisherman’s Wharf, which is home to one of the world’s largest privately owned collections of mechanically operated musical instruments and antique arcade machines [...] Read More»


Friday, May 8th 2009

Firing Shots From The Sky

poachweb.jpg My office in San Francisco is located on the 6th Floor of Two Embarcadero Center, overlooking legendary skate spot “Hubba Hideout" [...] Read More»

Thursday, May 7th 2009

S.F. Chronicle Feature: "Skate This Art"

ns-visualart07_0500105502.jpg If you're into skateboard art, a.k.a. "skart," then check out the "Skate This Art" group show that opened on Monday at Market Street Gallery in San Francisco [...] Read More»


Monday, May 4th 2009

Two Extremes

new_image_1.jpg Last week Friday, after having dinner and a handful of drinks with family and friends near Union Square, I decided to go on a late night solo shooting mission through Chinatown and the Financial District [...] Read More»

Friday, May 1st 2009

North Beach Outing: Boulevard of Broken Dreams

april_30_065.jpg I snapped these photos last week Friday while out shooting with Plug1 (Whatimseeing.com) and Derek Poon (4Fifteen Clothing).  North  Beach is a much different place during the day [...] Read More»


April 2009 (7)

Wednesday, April 29th 2009

Black and White Adventure

p1040354.jpg This collection of black and whites comes from an excursion I had last week Tuesday with some friends and soon-to-be brother-in-law [...] Read More»

Friday, April 24th 2009

Capricious San Francisco

april_17_camera_club_outing_chinatown_1351_1.jpg The weather in San Francisco has been a rollercoaster as of late.  In the past week, we’ve gone from extreme heat -- I’m talking over 90 degrees in The City, which doesn’t happen very often, especially in April -- to blustery, foggy high 50s and low 60s [...] Read More»


Wednesday, April 22nd 2009

"Downtown -- things will be great when your downtown"

april_17_camera_club_outing_chinatown_1288.jpg Last Saturday, I met up with friends Sean Renos and Julien “Hoops” Kidd for a downtown skate mish.  I’ve known the two for over 15 years each.  We took to the city streets like it was ‘97 all over again, straight renegade style [...] Read More»

Saturday, April 18th 2009

I Hella Heart SF

april_17_camera_club_outing_chinatown_027.jpg This collection of photos comes from a lunchtime shooting outing in Chinatown with the cast from Whatimseeing.com and 4Fifteen Clothing [...] Read More»


Thursday, April 9th 2009

Sunday Skate Outing: Over the Top

renos_shoemaker_outing_april_2009_629.jpg Here are the pics I promised from last Sunday’s skate outing.  I snapped ‘em a couple hours after I mangled myself bombing a hill by my house [...] Read More»

Tuesday, April 7th 2009

Mangled

p1040125.jpg First things first, I slammed ridiculously hard on Sunday while bombing Terresita Street on the stuntwood from Stillings Street down to Monterey Blvd [...] Read More»


Wednesday, April 1st 2009

Sunday Skate Session Photos

wallenburg_march_2009_352b.jpg A bunch of us met up last Sunday at Wallenburg School, a.k.a “The Usual,” a.k.a. “Wallenturd,” a.k.a. “The Turd,” for a session.  The weather was near perfect [...] Read More»

March 2009 (9)

Thursday, March 26th 2009

Don't Miss:'Skate-a-thon'

dd-sfskate06_ph2_0497773463.jpg Calling all shredders: The S.F. Skate Club is holding a 2-mile skateboarding event this weekend in Golden Gate Park [...] Read More»

Wednesday, March 25th 2009

Gettin' there...

book.jpg It’s going to be a while before I’m finished with this beast, the almighty novel, but I’m getting there, learning the virtue of patience along the way [...] Read More»


Monday, March 23rd 2009

Brian Tucci Dot Com

n1154084023_316111_9797.jpg My good friend Brian Tucci just launched his personal website, www.BrianTucci.com.  The site's loaded with tons of skate photos, video clips and select press dating back to the mid-to-late 80s [...] Read More»

Thursday, March 19th 2009

Andrew Schoultz: Then and Now

img_2217.jpg I was going through some old writing files yesterday and stumbled upon this book preface I wrote for my good friend Andrew Schoultz' book, "Ulysses: Departures, Journeys & Returs: The Artwork of Andrew Schoultz," released in 2006 [...] Read More»


Tuesday, March 17th 2009

Free Dusty...

march_2009_misc_002.jpg Apologies about the lack of updates.  Work’s been crazed.  I haven’t had time to do much personal writing or shoot photos [...] Read More»

Thursday, March 12th 2009

'And Another Shall Rise To Take Her Place'

ns-visualart12_p_0499875205.jpg Philadelphia artist Alex Lukas' solo show, "And Another Shall Rise to Take Her Place," opens Saturday at San Francisco's White Walls Gallery. The exhibition will consist of more than 30 new mixed-media works on paper, which Lukas says will be a continuation of the disaster-themed drawings he has focused on for several years [...] Read More»


Monday, March 9th 2009

On the subject of Mike Carroll and Half Cabs...

mcmysticchrome_1.jpg Just a quick follow up to last Thursday's post.  Apologies in advance to all the non-skateboarders that read this blog.  I know the site’s been uber skate heavy as of late [...] Read More»

Saturday, March 7th 2009

"What's the 411?"

whats_the_411.jpg I'm currently feeling these two gems from yesteryear [...] Read More»


Thursday, March 5th 2009

The Classics...

halfcabsblackwhite.jpg Below are a list of items that will never get old in my book.  I have been backing most of these goods for 15+ years now and will continue to do so until I’m old and shriveled [...] Read More»

February 2009 (11)

Thursday, February 26th 2009

One of these days I gotta get myself organizized...

12_1.jpg I don’t know about the rest of you, but I have a hard time writing, much less doing anything creative if my work space (and house for that matter) is unorganized.  Everything must be neat and tidy for me to function properly [...] Read More»

Wednesday, February 25th 2009

Remember Big Pants and Small Wheels?

bandeaublogskate_02.jpg I do, and this photo here perfectly sums up early-90s skateboarding.  This was me circa 1992 [...] Read More»


Tuesday, February 24th 2009

Turquoise Shimmer: A Tale from the Deep End

tul-turquoise.jpg Gordon Park Pool, located in Milwaukee’s River West, was a 25-minute bus ride from my mom's place.  The pool sat empty nearly eight months out of the year and was ideal for skateboarding [...] Read More»

Thursday, February 19th 2009

Facelift...

sfbasedwriter_1_1_4_1.jpg As you can see, the site received a bit of a facelift last night.  It was time for a change.  The black background with white text was cool, but I decided to flip the color schemes after a few people (not going to name any names) said that the site was too conspicuous looking for them to view while at work [...] Read More»


Wednesday, February 18th 2009

“Dirty 30” Pics Final Round (I promise)…

img_1935_1.jpg I’m pretty sure these are the last of the pics from my recent “Dirty 30” bash at Schroeder’s on February 6.  This installment comes to you courtesy of hombre Yong-Ki Chang and his lovely wife Sylvia [...] Read More»

Tuesday, February 17th 2009

"Sketchy Cam" Skate Clips...

sfbasedwriter_1_1_4.jpg I shot these two clips with the video feature on Blackberry Curve a few months back.  I forgot all about them until now.  The quality, as you can see, is sheer crap [...] Read More»


Monday, February 16th 2009

Ellay Khule and Eastside Bastards "AK 187"

10130.jpg The homie Dstzero recently posted this Ellay Khule (a.k.a.: The Rifleman) and Eastside Bastards live performance at the legendary Goodlife Café in South Central Los Angeles (circa 1994) [...] Read More»

Sunday, February 15th 2009

Turn Back the Clock: Unseen San Francisco Street Skating Clip (1997-1999)

sfbasedwriter_1_1_3.jpg My homie Big Wigg has been sitting on this short VHS edit tape of his for years now.  He finally uploaded it to Youtube yesterday.  Filmed in approximately 1997 through 1999 [...] Read More»


Thursday, February 12th 2009

"Dirty 30" Celebration continued...

ferris.jpg

Here's another round of photos from my "Dirty 30" bash courtesy of Mr. Isaac McKay-Randozzi [...]

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Wednesday, February 11th 2009

It's good to be here...

l_62d7e0db483943f4a2ead7c877775740.jpg I’ve been 30 years old for about a week now and it’s not so bad, not that I thought it would be.  I was one of the last of my comrades to reach the milestone, so I was, for the most part, already somewhat prepared [...] Read More»


Tuesday, February 3rd 2009

Web Exclusive: Bleep! Obscene Baseball Card Celebrates 20-Year Anniversary

billy_ripken_card.jpg 2009 marks the 20-year anniversary of the infamous 1989 Fleer Billy Ripken baseball card, which features a young Ripken holding a baseball bat with the expletive “F*ck Face” written in plain view on the knob of the bat [...] Read More»

January 2009 (11)

Friday, January 30th 2009

Weekend Haps: Alien Workshop "Mind Field" Video Screening...

ns-citysports29__0499695448.jpg SF Indiefest is hosting a free screening of Alien Workshop's highly anticipated skateboarding film, "Mind Field," this weekend in The City's Mission District [...] Read More»

Monday, January 26th 2009

Back in the day...

treloc22nd_1.jpg The two photos below appear courtesy of my good friend Jon Keehn (a.k.a. Big Wig).  He’s the tall dude with the blue button up shirt, shaved head and glasses. The photos were taken at my 22nd birthday party here in San Francisco back in 2001, almost 8 years ago to the day [...] Read More»


Friday, January 23rd 2009

Don't Miss: Ando Caulfield and Oliver Fader

ns-artpick22_2_p_0499665178.jpg Consider this a reminder string tied around your finger: Freewheeling photogs Oliver Fader, creator of Rise Above Haters Magazine, and Ando Caulfield, FTC Skate Shop manager and founder of I rEMBer clothing, are putting on a photo exhibition this weekend at Stussy SF [...] Read More»

Thursday, January 22nd 2009

Weekend Haps: Foosball Tourney, Surf Lessons and Lands End Hike

ns-citysports22__0499684059.jpg Want to get out of the house? Why not go for a leisurely hike at Lands End. With spectacular panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands, this 3-mile trail is a favorite of many San Franciscans [...] Read More»


Wednesday, January 21st 2009

The Stork is on its way!

travis_jensen_jr_ult2e1a42_1.jpg The stork is on its way to deliver a baby BOY to my lovely wife Eva and me.  Needless to say, we are absolutely ecstatic and feel very blessed [...] Read More»

Monday, January 19th 2009

Dead Man's Point - Ye Beware!

img_1104_1.jpg I ventured to Lands End earlier today to shoot some photos for the newspaper.  I was actually just there yesterday, but it was hazy and I didn’t quite get the shots I was looking for [...] Read More»


Sunday, January 18th 2009

"Call me a hesher -- I could care less..."

sanchusachrome1.jpg 17 years later and Henry Sanchez’ part in the Blind “Tim and Henry’s Pack of Lies” promo video still stands as one of my favorite video parts of all time [...] Read More»

Thursday, January 15th 2009

Check out the view from Mount Davidson...

europe_009_1.jpg
Lace up your hiking boots and sneakers for this one. Miraloma Park resident and author Jacquie Proctor leads a guided tour of Mount Davidson on Saturday afternoon. Proctor is the author of "San Francisco's West of Twin Peaks," a book profiling the history of Mount Davidson [...]
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Saturday, January 10th 2009

Benny Gold and all the homies...

tws3a.jpg I’ve been meaning to post something about this for over six months now! Last April, Tranworld Skateboarding Magazine (TWS), one of the industry’s premier publications, teamed up with my good friend Benny Gold, a prominent local skateboarder and designer, for the re-launch of the magazine’s “Brain Floss” series [...] Read More»

Thursday, January 8th 2009

Weekend Haps: Muir Woods Fungi Walk, Snowshoeing in the Sierras, Victorian Home Walking Tour...

ns-citysports08__0499614626.jpg If you're fascinated by mushrooms, mold, slime, spores and the like, join mycologist Robert Mackler on this exploration of the fungi of Muir Woods [...] Read More»


Tuesday, January 6th 2009

Bringing in the New Year...

4.jpg So the wife and I celebrated the arrival of the New Year at our good friends’ family vineyard in Glen Ellen, a small town in Sonoma County that author Jack London helped put on the map [...] Read More»

December 2008 (6)

Wednesday, December 31st 2008

Final Flicks from 2008. See You Next Year!

1.jpg Below is a hodgepodge of photos from last weekend.  I was hanging with gonzo journalist Isaac Mckay-Randozzi and Solitary Arts co-owner Yong-Ki Chang [...] Read More»

Tuesday, December 30th 2008

New Year, New Digs...

nightdeckview1_1.jpg My living situation here in San Francisco over the last eleven-and-a-half years has been quite interesting to say the least.  From stints in drug, cheap prostitute, disease and flea ridden residential hotels [..] Read More»


Sunday, December 28th 2008

New Camera: Obsessive Behavior Sky High...

img_0168.jpg It’s been a long time, I know. Sorry about that. I was out of town – again. I purchased a new camera on Black Friday and have been snapping pictures incessantly ever since [...] Read More»

Saturday, December 13th 2008

The old barefoot, in the snow, uphill, both ways tale...

switchfrontflip_1_1.jpg Photographer Geoff Kula shot these two photos of me back in the summer of 1995. I was 16-years-old at the time, living in Milwaukee and getting set to enter my junior year in high school [...] Read More»


Thursday, December 11th 2008

Surfing Maverick's...

ns-citysports11__0497915238.jpg Bay Area big-wave surfer Grant Washburn will screen his documentary "Maverick's" Sunday at the San Mateo County History Museum in Redwood City [...] Read More»

Tuesday, December 2nd 2008

720 Degrees of Radicalness!

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I pulled these two pictures of my good friend Billy Kaschner off Wiskate.com. Josh Ellis snapped the photos at Cream City Skatepark in Milwaukee, the greatest place on earth [...]
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November 2008 (9)

Friday, November 28th 2008

Site Updates, Sippin' Sizzurp and Other Randomness...

peace_artist_web_1.jpg "You ran away from home to be a big star. I'm out here for ya'..." Read More»

Wednesday, November 26th 2008

And KOOK of the year award goes to...

sfbasedwriter_1_1_2.jpg Drumroll Please... And KOOK of the year award goes to [...] Read More»


Friday, November 21st 2008

Web Exclusive: Ellay Khule (a.k.a. The Rifleman): The Fastest Gun in the West

photo_23.jpg With twelve albums under his belt and appearances on countless compilations and mixtapes, South Central Los Angeles native Ellay Khule, a.k.a. "The Rifleman,” is revered a legend in the underground rap scene [...] Read More»

Monday, November 17th 2008

Can I Borrow A Dollar?

common-can_i_borrow_a_dollar-front.jpg Yesterday, I listened to Common’s first album, “Can I Borrow a Dollar?,” for the first time in like five or six years. I forgot just how superb and underrated this album really is and felt compelled to write a little story about Common [...] Read More»


Friday, November 14th 2008

Take Me Back...

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I wish skateboarding would just hurry up and die. It’s time to start all over again. All this Ryan Sheckler, X-Games, Dew Tour, Cool Kids, Zumiez, mall grippin', MTV nonsense has to go. Feed it to the buzzards [...]
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Thursday, November 13th 2008

Rest in Power KERSE1 (1982-2008)

dscf3189-753238_1.jpg I received some very saddening news the other day that an old buddy of mine from Seattle, Morgan Otonicar (a.k.a. Kerse1), passed away over the weekend. I met Morgan when he first moved to The City in 1999/2000. He was very young at the time, no older than 16 or 17 [...] Read More»


Tuesday, November 11th 2008

We Got A Winner...

l_6c1f81c283d1148c19c6384d836b7cdf.jpg Congrats are definitely in order to Mr. Dan Graff out in New York City for being the first of only three to answer last Thursday’s Trivia Contest question correctly. (Is this the same Dan Graff that works at the Max Fish bar? Gotta be.) Dan, be on the lookout for your prizes! [...] Read More»

Monday, November 10th 2008

Murder...

photo_3.jpg I woke up Friday morning in Vegas, hungover, with less than three hours of sleep under my belt to the following text message from my good friend Wes in Minneapolis [...] Read More»


Thursday, November 6th 2008

Trivia Contest Announced...

p4070108[1]_1.jpg Apologies about the Trivia Contest hiatus.  I know I promised to post a Halloween-themed question last week Friday (10/31), but ended up getting caught up dealing with some other ish instead.  My bad.  The last couple of weeks have been slightly on the hectic side [...] Read More»

October 2008 (9)

Wednesday, October 29th 2008

Trivia Contest Answers...

black_caesar.jpg Thanks to everyone that participated in last week Friday’s two-part trivia contest.  Unfortunately, no one answered either question correctly.  I’m a little surprised as you guys usually nail these things on the quick fast.  However, I will tell you that I made sure neither answers could easily be found on Google [...] Read More»

Monday, October 27th 2008

Brotherhood of the Grape...

dscn1710_1.jpg So the misses and I ventured to Glen Ellen, just north of Sonoma, this pas weekend for a milestone birthday party at our good friends’ family winery and vineyard [...] Read More»


Friday, October 24th 2008

Trivia Contest...

53.jpg Trivia Time!  Two part question: Who said it and which '90s hip-hop artist or group later sampled it? "Right now you're high as a junkie with a $100 habit..." [...] Read More»

Thursday, October 23rd 2008

Updates: Todd Francis “New and Used” Show Photos and Video, Turn Back the Clock Photo

tre_lurk_and_kyle_(2)_1.jpg Isaac Mckay-Randozzi sent over a link to some photos and a video from the set up and opening reception of Todd Francis’ show at 3131 Clement Gallery, and Plug1 over at Whatimseeing.com sent over the photo below of Kyle McDonald and me from 1998 [...] Read More»


Monday, October 20th 2008

Read Any Good Books Lately?

dscn1677.jpg It probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise that I like books, fiction in particular. I guess you can say I’m a collector of sorts, although only a small handful of my books hold any monetary value [...] Read More»

Tuesday, October 14th 2008

Vancouver BC: “By Sea, Land and Air We Prosper”

dscn1497_1.jpg Back in the saddle after a relaxing five day adventure in Vancouver, BC.  This was my second trip to Vancouver this year.  My first visit back in late April was for my cousin’s bachelor party.  I liked the city so much that I decided to go back again with my wife before the rainy season hit (we just missed it).  Needless to say, both visits were two entirely different experiences [...] Read More»


Thursday, October 9th 2008

Purple Skunk "All-Skate Jam"

first-gwr-spin_1978.jpg Get your shred on at the All-Skate Jam happening this weekend in Golden Gate Park. This is an event for wood-pushers of all genres: new school, old school, freestyle, slalom, you name it [...] Read More»

Tuesday, October 7th 2008

S.F. Vampire Tour

vampires.jpg Explore the dark, mysterious and eerie side of San Francisco on this two-hour walking tour, where participants will explore the gothic side of Nob Hill, including historic places such as Grace Cathedral, the Nob Hill Cafe, Huntington Park and the Fairmont Hotel, among other spots [...] Read More»


Friday, October 3rd 2008

Web Exclusive: "Clearance Rack"

8_bookstore_1.jpg My wife and I decided to walk to the newly opened discount bookstore yesterday evening.  The discount store is just an annex of the regular bookstore.  The two stores are located a block-and-a-half from one another. Read More»

September 2008 (9)

Monday, September 29th 2008

Back from the dead: Todd Francis "New and Used" show opening photos...

dscn1340.jpg I’m back from the dead, literally.  I had a vicious cold that had me out of commission for nearly six days.  I’m feeling much better now, but am not quite a 100% yet [...] Read More»

Friday, September 26th 2008

Schroeder's Turns 115

05_13_1.jpg Schroeder's is the oldest and largest German restaurant and bar on the West Coast and celebrates its 115th anniversary today. The event includes live polka bands, traditional Bavarian dancing and both male and female beer-holding contests [...] Read More»


Thursday, September 25th 2008

Todd Francis "New and Used" Art Show Opening Friday (9/26) @ 3131 Clement Gallery

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Renowned skateboard graphics artist Todd Francis’ solo exhibition, “New and Used,” opens tomorrow night at the 3131 Clement Gallery in the city’s Outer Richmond District [...]

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Tuesday, September 23rd 2008

Even More Dirty Debaucheries: One Last Hooraw in Minneapolis

dscn1260.jpg So I’m back in San Francisco now from my Midwest getaway and of course I have a nasty cold. My nose is runny and red, my throat is sore, and my eyes are itchy, watery and bloodshot. I had the pleasure of spending nearly four hours at the DMV this morning getting my license renewed. Fun stuff. Did I mention I had an appointment? To top it off, I look like a damn dope fiend in my picture. Read More»


Friday, September 19th 2008

More Dirty Debaucheries: Milwaukee's Best

mil1.jpg Spent the last five days vacationing in Milwaukee (a.k.a.: Brewcity). Arrived back in Minneapolis late last night. Had to flash on some scrub in the dining car for trying to swipe my dinner roll. Caused a pretty big scene and almost got booted off the train in bumble f*ck Wisconsin [...] Read More»

Sunday, September 14th 2008

Dirty Debaucheries: Live from Minneapolis...

web_7.jpg Sorry about the lack of updates. I'm in Minneapolis at the moment, kicking it with some old friends of mine, dudes I've known for like 18 years now. I've been here for the last three days and raged hard each night [...] Read More»


Thursday, September 11th 2008

Web Exclusive: A Needle in a Haystack

leforceauto.jpg I’m what some people may call a flea market junkie. I love everything about flea markets: the atmosphere, the people, the bargaining, the bickering, the smell of old stuff and most of all, the hunt for that needle in a haystack [...] Read More»

Thursday, September 4th 2008

Web Exclusive: "Peanuts"

skateboard.jpg I met Lee in the fall of 1997. He squatted at the MUNI bus stop shelter catty-corner to my house on Haight and Laguna, across from the UC Berkeley Extension Center in San Francisco’s Lower Haight [...] Read More»


Tuesday, September 2nd 2008

S.F. Chronicle Cover Story: "Andrew Schoultz - Broad Canvas For Big Themes"

dd-schoultz02_ph_0499046468.jpg An interview I conducted with local artist Andrew Schoultz appears on the cover of the Datebook section in today’s San Francisco Chronicle. The interview focuses on Andrew’s upcoming show, “In Gods We Trust,” which opens Thursday at the Marx & Zavattero Gallery in San Francisco’s Union Square. Read More»

August 2008 (9)

Thursday, August 28th 2008

Perpetually Stuck: "'93 Till Infinity"

p222718purw.jpg When it comes to music, hip-hop music in particular, I find myself perpetually stuck in the '80s and '90s, with the early-to-mid '90s era being my favorite. I honestly don't think I've gone to the store to buy a new release since '97 or '98. Most of my music is on tape. I don’t even own a iPod, let alone know how one works. Read More»

Tuesday, August 26th 2008

Apologies about the hiatus...

gc-head-logo.png Apologies about the hiatus. I was out of town, but am back in the saddle now. Although the work is piled high, I feel very relaxed, which is funny because I didn’t get any R&R time the five days I was away. Read More»


Monday, August 18th 2008

Weekend Recap: Ian Johnson art opening and book release party, Andrew Schoultz second round studio visit and more...

dscn1107.jpg Below is a little slideshow containing some pics I snapped over the weekend. There are also a couple of leftovers at the end of the gallery from a few weeks back [...] Read More»

Saturday, August 16th 2008

Web Exclusive: Cellski Interview Raw and Uncut

cellskiwithmedalion_(3).jpg I pulled this Cellski gem out of the vault the other day. This interview was conducted in early February of 2003, one week after local San Francisco rapper Hitman of RBL Posse was shot and killed while driving his car in Hunters Point [...] Read More»


Tuesday, August 12th 2008

Andrew Schoultz Studio Visit

misc_375.jpg I went to visit local artist Andrew Schoultz at his Mission District studio this past Saturday.  He’s been busy gearing up for a big show entitled “In Gods We Trust” that opens Sep. 4 at the Marx Zavattero Gallery in S.F., near Union Square. Read More»

Saturday, August 9th 2008

2008 Beijing Olympic Opening Ceramony: "There are powers in the universe beyond anything you know..."

dscn0378.jpg So I caught some of the Olympic ceremony last night on the old boob tube. Christ, what a spectacle. You would have thought we were welcoming the aliens to earth or something [...] Read More»


Wednesday, August 6th 2008

Hell's Angel Icon Ralph "Sonny" Barger Interview...

29_1.jpg I thought it was only fitting that I follow up the Hunter S. Thompson documentary review with this interview that I did with Hell’s Angel icon Ralph “Sonny” Barger for “Slap Magazine” back in 2005. I actually conducted the interview some time in late 2004, but it wasn’t published until April 2005, a couple months after Thompson committed suicide [...] Read More»

Monday, August 4th 2008

"Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson"

hunter-s.jpg Oscar winning director Alex Gibney's new documentary, "Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson," offers a fascinating look into Hunter S. Thompson’s wild and crazy life, which includes personal insight from the author’s family, friends, business associates and various political figures (some friend, some foe) [...] Read More»


Friday, August 1st 2008

"Slick Willie"

willie_brown_7.jpg Former Mayor “Slick” Willie Brown done got himself a column in the “San Fran” Chronicle and folks ain’t too happy ‘bout it [...] Read More»

July 2008 (10)

Thursday, July 31st 2008

Vonnegut on Style...

style_sdsu_kurtvonnegut.jpg The article below was written by the late, great author Kurt Vonnegut in the mid-to-late 90s, and is hands-down one of the finest pieces about writing and style that I’ve ever read. Now I know 90% of you reading this post won’t make it past the next sentence. Sorry, there are no pictures here of hipsters in tight jeans and neon plastic shades whiling out at the trendy watering hole on mommy and daddy’s dime [...] Read More»

Monday, July 28th 2008

Richard Mulder: Professional Skateboarder Turned Financial Advisor

richard[2].mulder_1.jpg The wait is finally over! I can now cross Richard Mulder’s interview off my things things-to-do list. I must say, I'm very pleased with the finished product. The questions you readers sent in for Richard to answer were quite exceptional [...] Read More»


Friday, July 25th 2008

Crack Monkey

crackmonkey.jpg I found this old picture of me from 1998 blasting a wallie off this sketchy bump-to-wall on 15th Street, between Mission and South Van Ness in San Francisco's Mission District. I was 19-years-old at the time [...] Read More»

Thursday, July 24th 2008

"You Guys Are Still Around?"

rollerbeef4_2.jpg I stumbled across a hilarious post this morning on my friend Benny Gold’s Blacklodges.com blog from July 15 entitled, “You Guys Are Still Around?” Now this post is hands down one of the funniest things I’ve read/seen in a while [...] Read More»


Friday, July 18th 2008

All About Isaac Mckay-Randozzi: Photog, Gonzo Journalist, Skate Nerd Extraordinaire…

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My good friend Isaac Mckay-Randozzi chimed in yesterday in response to Wednesday’s post, which asked if anyone could name any other skateboarders besides Richard Mulder and Gershon Mosley that rode for Milk Skateboard Goods (MSG), Christian Hosoi’s short-lived early ‘90s skateboard company [...]
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Thursday, July 17th 2008

Homage to Trevor Prescott: "Seasons 4" Montage and Eulogy Piece

trevor-prescott_1.jpg My amigo Leland at 48Blocks.com hipped me to an amazing "Seasons 4" montage on Youtube. The Seasons series was the creation of renowned skateboarder and videographer Trevor Prescott who sadly passed away in 2006 [...]
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Wednesday, July 16th 2008

Bonus Question Contest Winner Announced, Richard Mulder Interview Update

1355615779_f9f1bd15b0.jpg Apologies for not announcing the Timothy Dowling’s bonus trivia contest winner yesterday as promised, but shit has been hectic [...] Read More»

Friday, July 11th 2008

Upcoming Richard Mulder Interview: You Supply the Questions…

gq-magazine.jpg We’ve already received a handful of exceptional questions from readers for the upcoming Richard Mulder interview and must say they’re definitely not your run-of-the-mill skate interview questions. Questions so far range from individuals seeking financial advice to others looking for tips on where to find good deals on quality suits. No joke. This interview is turning into something right out of GQ Magazine [...] Read More»


Wednesday, July 9th 2008

Dowling Trivia Contest Winner Announced, Bonus Question Added, Upcoming Interview w/ Former Chocolate Pro -- You Submit the Questions...

mm-chocolatekissbrads-md.jpg Let me first start by apologizing for my hiatus and making you all wait so long to announce the Timothy Dowling guest trivia contest winner. I’ll spare the excuses, just know that I am alive and well. As a token of my apology, I plan to make the prolonged wait well worth it for you. (Keep reading, you’ll see…) Read More»

Wednesday, July 2nd 2008

San Francisco's Potrero del Sol Skatepark Open For Business...

new_skate_park_5.jpg Below is an article I penned about the grand opening of San Francisco’s new Potrero del Sol Skatepark, which was featured yesterday on SFist.com. The site averages 717,000 visits a month (and growing) [...] Read More»


June 2008 (9)

Monday, June 30th 2008

Weekly Trivia Contest w/ Videographer Timothy Dowling...

dowling_port_1.jpg It is with great pleasure that I welcome renowned videographer Timothy Dowling as the first Weekly Trivia Contest guest [...] Read More»

Friday, June 27th 2008

Friday Trivia Contest Update, the beast we know as SF Gate…

ns-citysports26__0498679237.jpg I know the suspense leading up to this week’s guest trivia contest has been nail biting [...] Read More»


Thursday, June 26th 2008

S.F. Skate Club gets artsy for a good cause...

stickeronbackprank.jpg The S.F. Skate Club, a youth skateboarding program dedicated to providing children with skateboarding lessons and mentoring, hosted an art show last Friday in Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi’s office at City Hall [...] Read More»

Monday, June 23rd 2008

Contest Winner Announced, Obsessive Compulsive Behavior and other stuff…

wax_1.jpg So I’ve decided to announce Friday’s contest winner today instead of Wednesday on account of the fact that I’m getting flooded with answers, correct answers I might add. You folks are pretty damn good! [...] Read More»


Friday, June 20th 2008

Weekly Trivia Contest (6/20/08): Think Threes...

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I thought of this week’s trivia contest while walking past the spot pictured below early this morning. It was still dark outside, so I had to come back an hour later to shoot the photo. [...]
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Tuesday, June 17th 2008

We Gotta' Winner (Finally)!

29283396_7db115b34b.jpg Congrats to the Bay Area’s own John Schlesinger for winning last week’s contest, which proved to be a tough one! The correct answer is [...] Read More»


Friday, June 13th 2008

Weekly Trivia Contest...

sfbasedwriter_1_1.jpg Last week’s contest was way easy. This week’s is no doubt going to be a little tougher. Truthfully, I’ll be surprised if anyone actually gets this one. Let’s go ahead and get started [...] Read More»

Thursday, June 12th 2008

Painted Lady: Victorian Home Walk Tour

final_web_pics_173.jpg If you live in San Francisco or plan to visit The City anytime soon, I highly recommend you take the “Victorian Home Walk Tour.” On this tour, you will explore the colorful row houses, famous mansions and exquisite gardens of Pacific Heights, which includes a visit inside a “Queen Anne” Victorian. It's also a green tour: The area is banned to tour buses, so participants will take public transportation (which can be a whole other adventure in itself). [...] Read More»


Wednesday, June 11th 2008

Readers Write...

sfbasedwriter_1.jpg I received the below message via email from a reader in response to Monday's Post. Gald to know I'm not the only one out there that still appreciates cassette tapes [...] Read More»